Aug 2
Now Playing: The Power of Your Love
"MAY...GOD...GIVE YOU A SPIRIT OF UNITY." ROMANS 15:5 NIV 08.02.06 Marriage myths (2) We're just not compatible. Marital disagreements fall into 5 categories: money, sex, in-laws, kids, and household responsibilities. Too many couples think if they argue about these things they're automatically headed for divorce. Conflict doesn't kill relationships. What's important is how you deal with it, not the fact that it exists. One woman said, "My husband hates confrontation so when problems arose in our marriage he just walked away. I went ballistic and nothing got settled. Eventually we learned to talk about handling our disagreements; he can't walk away and I can't get hysterical. It works...now we work together to resolve problems." Anger is just part of your emotional make-up; God didn't make a mistake when He included it. But He wants you to handle it right (Mt 16:15). Being upset doesn't give you license to yell and slam doors. Solomon said, "A fool gives full vent to his anger...a wise man keeps himself under control" (Pr 29:11 NIV). Hasty words hurt, and they can't be taken back. David said, "In your anger do not sin...search your hearts...be silent" (Ps 4:4 NIV). In other words, think, listen, and calm down before you react. And never resort to name-calling (See Mt 5:22); it serves no purpose but to intentionally hurt the other person. We live in a culture of lawsuits and revenge, but a marriage built on retaliation is headed for trouble. God said "Don't insist on getting even...I'll take care of it" (Ro 12:19). You can become physically and emotionally sick by hanging on to bitterness. So release it and ask God to fill your heart with His love. He'll do it! *** Aug 2 Filling big shoes ‘Direct my footsteps according to your word...’ Psalm 119:133 NIV Have you ever seen a small child trying to walk in the shoes of a big person? It’s funny to watch. It’s also significant: some day those tiny feet will grow up and fill those big shoes – or bigger ones. Do you feel like you’re trying to fill some big shoes today, like you need to grow up fast because you have no option? Life doesn’t wait until we’re as mature as we’d like to be, before handing us some of our greatest tests of faith. Most of our training is ‘on the job’, and, like a little one trying to fill big shoes, at first we do it badly, then awkwardly, but never stumble-free. The only thing that can stop us from growing into those big shoes – is the fear of putting our feet into them! The grace comes with the assignment. Grace is immediate, but growth takes time. Don’t be discouraged: ‘He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion’ (Philippians 1:6 NIV). Another thing about filling big shoes, it makes us a lot more understanding toward others trying to walk in them too. ‘How could you do such a thing?’ is a question we don’t tend to ask, because we already know the answer from personal experience. Ever see a parent holding the hand of a child trying to walk in shoes that are too big, beaming with pride and delight simply because they attempted it, steadying them up, encouraging them to keep going, picking them up when they trip and bump their head? That’s what our God does with us! <BGSOUND src=""> illegal2link2midis-The-Power-of-You_9252.mid