Are you Slow or Quick?

FamilyLife Weekend to Remember-

Ephesians 6:10-19

 ¹⁰ 

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. ¹¹ Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. ¹² For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. ¹³ Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. ¹⁴ Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, ¹⁵ and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. ¹⁶ In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. ¹⁷ Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

James 1:19 tells us, “everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger.” But as Dennis and Barbara Rainey say in their book, Staying Close, “Unfortunately, usually we are slow to listen, quick to speak, and even quicker to become angry." What helps you focus on listening well? http://ow.ly/cA3Ha

Are You Listening?

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Case study #1: You are watching television, and the score is tied late in a crucial game … or Castle is solving a mystery ... or you’re about to...

Click on the link above read an article by David Boehi entitled "Are You Listening"?  This article includes three case studied that include tips for communication.  Did you find this information helpful? How can you apply it to your own life/marriage?

Another Piece of Your Spiritual Wardrobe

FamilyLife Art of Marriage-

We need to suffocate sin and put on self-control. I can have hope that I have the opportunity to change, because of the power of God. ~ Dave Harvey

 

 

What thing(s)/area(s) in your life are in need of a change?  Are you willing to let go of what you are hanging on to and allow the power of God to change you in a mighty and powerful way?  How are you suffocating sin and including self-control as an important part of your daily spiritual wardrobe?

Have You Taken the Opportunity to Attend an AOM Event?

Over a quarter-of-a-million people (yes, over 250,000!) have attended an Art of Marriage event in their community! Praise the Lord! Marriages have been renewed, many hearts have been turned over to Jesus as Saviour, and families have been restored. Thanks to God, and you Art of Marriage hosts! http://ow.ly/crltl -FamilyLife Art of Marriage

Shop FamilyLife - The Art of Marriage® Event Kit v1.02

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The Art of Marriage® Event Kit v1.02

If you would like more information in regard to attending, or hosting, an AOM event, please feel free to contact the NW Iowa Minsitry Team.  You can do so by either leaving a comment below or by logging on to http://nwiministries.net/ and leaving a request for information there.

Does Your Communication Involve More Than One Level?

All of communication exists on two levels. The first is the content, the second is, the importance of the relationship. – (Tim Muelhoff) How can/do you apply that to marriage? -FamilyLife Art of Marriage

So much of our communication only involves the content that we want to get across to the recipient of our words.  What if our words would become the secondary portion of our communication and were influenced more by our relationships?  Would that make a difference in the content of our communication?

The Ultimate Sanctuary

Ask God to help you see the value of getting quiet before Him today. Ps. 63:2 http://ow.ly/i/IIlb -Dennis Rainey

Pray for hearts that are constantly cleaned and confessed, and that the Holy Spirit will empower you. Eph. 5:18 -Dennis Rainey

 

How many of you are going to actually look up the two passages listed above, to reflect on what they say? To read the two verses that are reffered to above, and the context in which they were written, get out your Bible or go to http://www.biblegateway.com/ and copy and paste the passages listed above.

Some people would argue "why bother to pray, it doesn't work anyway."  Others have "living examples" or solid proof that prayer has made a difference in their lives.  What is your position on prayer?  Does it work?  Are any of your prayers ever left "unanswered"?  Please leave your thoughts and comments below.

How's Your Communication?

FamilyLife Weekend to Remember- "Argument is the worst sort of conversation." ~ Jonathan Swift
Click here to find positive communication tips: http://ow.ly/cru3v

Are You A Follower?

FamilyLife Art of Marriage-

Following is an art form. It takes years of practice, years of interaction. I may not be quite ready for something. But in those times, we have to up our communication, and we always work to come to an agreement. And if I follow, it works. – Barbara Rainey

Worship--Opportunity or Obligation?

Borrowed from a FamilyLife Weekend to Remember Facebook Post:

We need to discover again that worship is natural to the Christian, that the habit of celebrating the greatness and graciousness of God yields an endless flow of joy. ~ J.I. Packer

Hebrews 10:24-25 says this:

²⁴ And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, ²⁵ not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another —and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

What do you consider to be true worship?  Are you worshipping in such a way that OTHERS might be spurred on "toward love and good deeds"?   Does worship, regardless of day or location, come "naturally" for you?  Can you say, along with J.I Packer that it is a "joyful celebration"?  How would you answer these questions?  Please leave your comments below. 

What Could I Do?

What could I do to make you feel more respected? What could I do to make you feel more understood?-FamilyLife

Asking Questions

Husbands, are you asking your wife these questions every year? What could I do to make you feel more loved? http://ow.ly/cmx0s -FamilyLife

Columbus, Ohio AOM Event Taking Place Next Weekend

From FamilyLife Art Of Marriage-This weekend, pray for, and shout out to our featured Art of Marriage event happening:  Fri Jul 27 2012 - Sat Jul 28 2012

Christ Ministries International Church at Oakland Park United Methodist
994 Oakland Park
Columbus OH 43211

For a listing of other Art Of Marriage Events taking place in the coming weeks/months, log on to the following website:

http://www.flti.org/site/pp.aspx?c=dnJHKLNnFoG&b=6149579 and select the Attend Event tab. 

These Events provide an excellent opportunity for couples to strengthen their marriage. They are not just designed to help couples who are struggling in their marriage.  These events also provide tools for couples with "good" marriages to make them better.  As someone recently said that, "Even if your car is running well, you are still going to have the oil changed and maintain it on a regular basis. If you are going to have your car maintained when it is running well, why wouldn't you want to make an already good marriage better?"(Thanks Steve)  Isn't your spouse more important than your automobile? 

If you are interested hosting an event in your church/community, please feel free to leave a comment, or ask a question on this site.

8 Lies That Destroy Marriage

The following list was taken from a FamilyLife Article written by by Bill Elliff.  If you are interested in reading the entire article, Log On to the following website:  http://www.familylife.com/articles/topics/marriage/staying-married/gods-plan-for-marriage/8-lies-that-destroy-marriage

Lie #1. "My happiness is the most important thing about my marriage.” 

Lie #2. “If I don’t love my spouse any longer, I should get a divorce.”

Lie #3. “My private immorality does not affect my marriage.”

Lie #4. “My sin (or my spouse’s sin) is so bad that I need to get a divorce.”

Lie #5. “I married the wrong person.”

Lie #6. “My spouse and I are incompatible.” 

Lie #7. “Breaking the marriage covenant won’t hurt me or my children.”

Lie #8. “There’s no hope for my marriage—it can’t be fixed

Husbands, What Kind Of Environment Are You Creating?

Husbands ought also to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself. (Eph. 5:28) When you step up and take your place as the spiritual leader in your family, you create an environment where bitterness can't survive but where relationship and romance can grow. Husbands, pray for the courage to keep leading spiritually, even though you won't do it perfectly. Wives, pray that your husband will be encouraged as he leads you and your family spiritually.-Dennis Rainey

A Kiss Is Just A Kiss?

Just as the kiss at the altar was a down payment on the honeymoon, every kiss goodbye should say, "I hate being apart, because I love, love, love you."-FamilyLife Weekend to Remember

Lifelong Journey

“In marriage, God wants to take us on a lifelong journey to become what we were meant to be, to experience Him more and more, to understand a hint of the relationship and unity God knows Himself within the Trinity. This intimacy is a mystery, but it makes marriage a heavenly journey and not merely a biological coupling.” ~Dennis Rainey

What Are You Putting On?

I borrowed this from a FamilyLife Weekend to Remember post on Facebook.

We are told in Colossians 3:12-13 to “put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; bearing with one another, and forgiving each other.” My spouse’s weaknesses are not hindrances, but the doorway to spiritual growth. - Bill Elliff http://ow.ly/i/MaTr 

 ^{Ephesians 6:13- 17 tells us:  13} Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. ¹⁴ Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, ¹⁵ and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. ¹⁶ In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. ¹⁷ Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

As Christians, included with our normal daily attire, we should be clothing ourselves with each of the attributes described in Colossians 3 and Ephesians 6.  The articles/items in those two passages are even more critical than our physical clothing.  Without these items, we are truly
"exposing ourselves to the elements." 

Marriage Relationship

From FamilyLife Art Of Marriage

This is so true:
     “If you want to get the horizontal, marriage relationship right, first you have to get the vertical relationship with God right.” – Dave Wilson
     If our relationship with God is not right then that will reflect on all of our other relationships.  None of them will be right either. 

FamilyLife Weekend To Remember Quote by Mark Driscoll

I thought Weekend to Remember Facebook post was worth sharing:

"All the talk about spending time and doing life together, making memories, being a good listener, growing old and talking are of each other, being honest, having the long view of things, repenting and forgiving can be summed up in one word—friendship." - Mark Driscoll

 

Reflecting Our Relationship With God

http://www.focusonthefamily.com/marriage/gods_design_for_marriage/marriage_gods_idea/reflecting_our_relationship_with_god.aspx

Select the link above to read an article relating to what our marriage relationships should look like as it reflects our relationship with God.  As the moon reflects the sun, does your marriage relationship reflect the Son?  As with the previous post, this post is linked to a Marriage & Relationships article on the Focus On The Family website.

God's Design for Marriage

http://www.focusonthefamily.com/marriage/gods_design_for_marriage/marriage_gods_idea/gods_design_for_marriage.aspx

Click on the link above to read a "Marriage & Relationships" article that outlines the key to "making your marriage flourish."  This article can be found under the "Marriage" link on the Focus On The Family website.  Along the margin on the right hand side of the "Marriage: God's Design" page, you will find other Articles in Series.  The above link is #6 in the list along the right margin.

Are You Treating Your Marriage DIFFERENTLY?

Wives, does this describe you?

Wives, submit yourselves to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.   Colossians 3:17-19

In our society today, we tend to ignore this verse "Because it has such a strong negative requirement for wives."  In this age of individualism we consider it difficult, if not impossible to subject ourselves to another person in any way.  What are your thoughts on this matter?  The first person to respond to this post by 7/15/2012 will receive a gift certificate.  I am interested in your opinion.  Please feel free to respond to this post.  I am looking forward to hearing from you.



Disclaimer:  Anyone from the NWI Ministry Team who responds to this post is not eligible to participate in any contest, drawing, or any other offer that is generated from this site.  For a list of official rules, please consult the blog administrator.

Husband's Modeling Christ

Husband's, how well are you doing at following, and modeling, Christ's example given to the church at Ephesus?