Building Stronger Marriages in 2012
How are you doing on your resolution this year? Are you using the treadmill as a coat rack? Eating a Mc'D's again? Neglecting the gym already? I hope not, but we are creatures of habit and sometimes it's hard to change, even if we know it's for the best.
One way we all can improve is by building a stronger relationship with our family. God desires the very best for our homes. Divorce is as common as hamburgers and French fries in America. More than 60% of marriages end in divorce. Alabama was ranked fifth in divorce cases recently.
As we turn to the Bible we find some great Bible teaching to help us. Specifically, look at Matthew 5 in the Sermon on the Mount. The things that make us faithful Christians will also make us a good spouse. Torpedoes are being launched by the devil to destroy our homes and we need to be prepared for the onslaught. . . . .
Torpedo #1 = Unrighteousness (Matthew 5:17-20) The first part of the Sermon on the Mount gives us the beattitudes and the teachings about being salt and light. Then, Jesus speaks about God's kind of righteousness. Marriages must be built upon God. What "God has put together" must never be torn apart. We begin our marriages with a strong sense of a Covenant relationship. Without that foundation the marriage will fall.
Torpedo #2 = Bitterness (Matthew 5:21-26) It is wrong for us to be bitter to others, especially our spouse. We cannot allow bitterness to consume us. The Bible warns us to avoid it (Luke 17:3-4, Colossians 3:19, Ephesians 4:32). Bitterness will lead to other sins. We cannot harbor ill feelings toward someone because it will hinder our spirit and eventually our relationship to God.
Torpedo #3 = Lust (Matthew 5:27-30) There is no one else for us. We should only eyes for our spouse. Don't be enticed by the smell of a new car, because you may not smell the debt! If you don’t want to buy a car stay out of the showroom. Did you know that pornography is a billion dollar business?!?! It is as addictive as a narcotic. This command of Jesus shows that we violate God’s law and our marriage. It is also a violation of trust. If someone attractive comes into the room bounce your view to something else. Don't eat alone, counsel alone, or spend time alone with someone of the opposite sex.
Torpedo #4 = Divorce (Matthew 5:31-32) To keep your marriage vow: Be present in your marriage. . . Be protective of your marriage. . . Be positive in your marriage. . . Be polite in your marriage. . . Be playful in your marriage. Don't allow the "D" word to become a topic of conversation in your home. Fulfill your covenant with God and each other.
Torpedo #5 = Deceit (Matthew 5:33-37) The Jews had levels of swearing. Swearing by God means you will keep it, by the earth you might keep, or by your hair means you might not keep it. If you lie to your spouse it will hinder your marriage. Keep honesty as the best policy for your home.
Torpedo #6 = Retaliation (Matthew 5:38-42) We are not suppose to retaliate when others wrong us. How could marriage be any different? "I may have said . . . but she said something first!" Does this justify it? "He cuts me so I am going to cut him deeper!" How can pulling out all the stops be helpful. Think the best of others. See the good in them.
Torpedo #7 = Conditional Love (Matthew 5:43-47) Simply put, some people marry for all the wrong reasons. Beauty fades, cooking talent fades, the job and money may run out. But the marriage isn't gone. Is there still love? Teens claim they are "going all the way" but they are not. Truth is that they are going only part of the way. Look at a couple that have been married over 50 years. That is "going all the way." Husbands who sit with their wives while she dies in a bed is proof of going all the way.
If these principles are true for the church, they must be true for our marriages. Both are God given institutions! Commit to building a stronger family in 2012!!!!