Try beginning your conversation with God with these words: “Father, I want to know what You would say to me this day. As I read this passage in Your Word, bring to my mind the things You want me to hear.”

Read the Bible passage with pen in hand, marking those things that stand out. If necessary, read it a second time, saying, “Lord, I’m not sure I understood what You were saying. Please clarify what’s on Your mind for me.”

After you complete the passage, talk to God about what you’ve underlined. If that’s what God is saying to you, you want to respond. Many people read the Bible and then pray about something totally unrelated to what they read. Nothing could be more discourteous. We wouldn’t treat a friend like that. If a friend makes a statement, we have a response to what He is saying.

Take time to pray and thank God that you may never have to guess what He wants from you, that He always speaks to you through His Word. Ask Him to bless your efforts to create a listening atmosphere in your quiet time.

Reflect on these questions:

Are your quiet times more effective when you do them individually or together? Explain.

What prevents you from listening closely to God?

Consider these passages for further study on Listening to God.

Psalm 143:8

“Tell me in the morning about your love, because I trust you. Show me what I should do, because my prayers go up to you.”
‭‭

Lamentations 3:25

“The Lord is good to those who hope in him, to those who seek him.”
‭‭‬ ‭NCV‬‬

Habakkuk 2:1

“I will stand like a guard to watch and place myself at the tower. I will wait to see what he will say to me; I will wait to learn how God will answer my complaint.”
‭‭‬ ‭NCV‬‬

Good thoughts of Gary Chapman to be aware of how much we listen and explain to others what we learn.

Only through the healing act of confession could David be restored to a right relationship with God and live as the man God had called him to be.

The feeling of being wronged by a spouse can cloud the marriage relationship. But when we, motivated by love, confront our spouse, receive their apology, and forgive, we free them from their burden, as the Lord freed David, and we can go on to rebuild trust and health in the relationship.

Of course, it is tempting when we’ve been wronged to feel like the “good person “ in the marriage. But we too must confess our own sin and admit our own inadequacy. That will help us become more loving, free to forgive- as God has forgiven us.

Take time to pray, individually or as a couple. Acknowledge to the Lord that it’s easy to forget that He conflicts His people of sin because He loves us. Thank Himself for wanting you to be more like Him – and ask for His assistance as the two of you try it.

Take time to discuss and reflect on these questions:

What kind of offense is hardest for you to forgive? Why?

Why is it so difficult to give up moral superiority after you’ve been wronged?

What’s the most loving thing you can do after your spouse has wronged you?

Consider these passages for further study on Repentance and Forgiveness:

Psalm 51:1-19

“God, be merciful to me because you are loving. Because you are always ready to be merciful, wipe out all my wrongs. Wash away all my guilt and make me clean again. I know about my wrongs, and I can’t forget my sin. You are the only one I have sinned against; I have done what you say is wrong. You are right when you speak and fair when you judge. I was brought into this world in sin. In sin my mother gave birth to me. You want me to be completely truthful, so teach me wisdom. Take away my sin, and I will be clean. Wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. Make me hear sounds of joy and gladness; let the bones you crushed be happy again. Turn your face from my sins and wipe out all my guilt. Create in me a pure heart, God, and make my spirit right again. Do not send me away from you or take your Holy Spirit away from me. Give me back the joy of your salvation. Keep me strong by giving me a willing spirit. Then I will teach your ways to those who do wrong, and sinners will turn back to you. God, save me from the guilt of murder, God of my salvation, and I will sing about your goodness. Lord, let me speak so I may praise you. You are not pleased by sacrifices, or I would give them. You don’t want burnt offerings. The sacrifice God wants is a broken spirit. God, you will not reject a heart that is broken and sorry for sin. Do whatever good you wish for Jerusalem. Rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. Then you will be pleased with right sacrifices and whole burnt offerings, and bulls will be offered on your altar.‬‬

Romans 2:4

Don’t you see how wonderfully kind, tolerant, and patient God is with you? Does this mean nothing to you? Can’t you see that his kindness is intended to turn you from your sin?

1 John 1:9

If anyone claims, “I am living in the light,” but hates a Christian brother or sister, that person is still living in darkness.

We are not perfect and recognizing when we realize we have done wrong. The Lord is merciful and gives us grace and wisdom to forgive. Making opportunities to set things right. Being patient to live in faith. Great thoughts of Gary Chapman.

Spiritual intimacy is created by discussing thoughts about spiritual realities. For example, a wife reads Psalm 23 and is intrigues by the personal pronouns: “The Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need” (Psalm 23:1). She discusses it with her husband, and he tells her about his experience with a shepherd in Australia. They experience spiritual intimacy.

Shared experiences foster spiritual intimacy. A husband and wife attend worship services together, share a hymn book, and sing the same words. They take notes from the pastor’s sermon. On the way home, they talk about the service. They are building spiritual intimacy.

Praying together is another way of building spiritual intimacy. Two people joining in honest personal prayer will discover a deep spiritual unity. If you find it uncomfortable to verbalize prayers in front of your spouse, try silent praying. Though no words are uttered audibly, your hearts will move closer to each other, and you will experience spiritual intimacy.

Take time to pray and bring to the Lord the obstacles that prevent you from experiencing spiritual intimacy with each other. Ask Him to give you the wisdom and resolve to overcome those obstacles and become spiritually intimate.

Take time to discuss and reflect on these questions:

When did you last have a really good conversation about spiritual things?

When do you feel most spiritually intimate with each other?

What keeps you from being more spiritually intimate with each other?

Consider these passages for further study on Spiritual intimacy:

Genesis 2:18-25 ¹⁸ The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.”

¹⁹ Now the Lord God had formed out of the ground all the wild animals and all the birds in the sky. He brought them to the man to see what he would name them; and whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name. ²⁰ So the man gave names to all the livestock, the birds in the sky and all the wild animals.

But for Adam^[a] no suitable helper was found. ²¹ So the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man’s ribs^[b] and then closed up the place with flesh. ²² Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib^[c] he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man.

²³ The man said,

“This is now bone of my bones
    and flesh of my flesh;
she shall be called ‘woman,’
    for she was taken out of man.”

²⁴ That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh.

²⁵ Adam and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame.

Philippians 3:7-11 ⁷ But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. ⁸ What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ ⁹ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in^[a] Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. ¹⁰ I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, ¹¹ and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead.

1 Peter 3:7-12 ⁷ Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers.

Suffering for Doing Good

⁸ Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble. ⁹ Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing. ¹⁰ For,

“Whoever would love life
    and see good days
must keep their tongue from evil
    and their lips from deceitful speech.
¹¹ They must turn from evil and do good;
    they must seek peace and pursue it.
¹² For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous
    and his ears are attentive to their prayer,
but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”^[a]

Psalm 23:1-6

Find ways to make you comfortable sharing spiritual conversations with those you love.

How do you enhance spiritual intimacy with your spouse? It may be as simple as sharing your response to the Sunday morning sermon, especially if you share something that you will try to apply to your own life.

It may be sharing something you read in the Bible in your personal quiet time with God. One thing you don’t want to do is preach to your spouse. Share with him or her something meaningful to you, not something you think your spouse should apply to his or her life. Praying together is also a way to build spiritual intimacy, even if you hold hands and pray silently. Joining hands means that you are also joining hearts. Coming to God together builds intimacy.

Take time to pray individually or as a couple. Thank God for your loved ones and His plans for you to share spiritual intimacy. Ask Him to bless your efforts to develop or enhance your spiritual intimacy with each other – and with Him.

Take time to discuss together or reflect on these questions:

How do you encourage spiritual intimacy in your spouse?

How does your spouse encourage spiritual intimacy in you?

What’s the difference between sharing something with your spouse and preaching to him or her?

Consider these passages for further study on Spiritual Intimacy:

Psalm 23:1-6 A psalm of David.

¹ The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
²     He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
³     he refreshes my soul.
He guides me along the right paths
    for his name’s sake.
⁴ Even though I walk
    through the darkest valley,^[a]
I will fear no evil,
    for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
    they comfort me.

⁵ You prepare a table before me
    in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
    my cup overflows.
⁶ Surely your goodness and love will follow me
    all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord
    forever.

John 4:23-24 Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. ²⁴ God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.”

Colossians 3:16-17 ¹⁶ Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. ¹⁷ And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Psalm 1:1-6 Psalm 1

¹ Blessed is the one
    who does not walk in step with the wicked
or stand in the way that sinners take
    or sit in the company of mockers,
² but whose delight is in the law of the Lord,
    and who meditates on his law day and night.
³ That person is like a tree planted by streams of water,
    which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither—
    whatever they do prospers.

⁴ Not so the wicked!
    They are like chaff
    that the wind blows away.
⁵ Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
    nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.

⁶ For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous,
    but the way of the wicked leads to destruction.

Applying spiritual intimacy can increase your relationship with the Lord and with yourself. Challenge yourself to find more ways to increase spiritual intimacy with those around you to keep yourself spiritually strong. Gary Chapman‘s thoughts are great.

In addition to the injustices caused by evil, Christians often struggle with apparent personal inequities. For example, “Why did my child die from cancer when others who are less righteous continue to live?” Such questions remind us that we have limited perspectives. First, Peter 1:5-7 tells us that the trials that bring us grief may be used to refine our faith. Romans 8:28 says that God works good out of everything.

While these positive purposes are true, they still do not answer all our questions in times of pain and loss. The call of God is that we will trust Him in the darkness as we trust Him in the light. He has not changed, even though our circumstances have been painfully altered.

Take some time to pray individually or as a couple. In your prayer…

Thank God for His patience and understanding when you get angry at Him;

Confess any anger you may feel toward Him right now;

Ask Him to give you comfort and peace as you work through suffering and grief.

Take time to discuss together or reflect on these questions:

When was the last time you felt anger toward God?

What did you do about it? Did it help?

How can you maintain a solid relationship with Him even when you don’t understand why He allows certain things to happen?

Consider these passages for further study on Trusting God:

Psalm 18:2 The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer;
    my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge,
    my shield^[a] and the horn^[b] of my salvation, my stronghold.

Nahum 1:7 The Lord is good,
    a refuge in times of trouble.
He cares for those who trust in him,

2 Corinthians 3:4-6 ⁴ Such confidence we have through Christ before God. ⁵ Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God. ⁶ He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant—not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

Job 23:1-7

Then Job replied:

² “Even today my complaint is bitter;
    his hand^[a] is heavy in spite of^[b] my groaning.
³ If only I knew where to find him;
    if only I could go to his dwelling!
⁴ I would state my case before him
    and fill my mouth with arguments.
⁵ I would find out what he would answer me,
    and consider what he would say to me.
⁶ Would he vigorously oppose me?
    No, he would not press charges against me.
⁷ There the upright can establish their innocence before him,
    and there I would be delivered forever from my judge.

I am so happy and grateful for the Lord who gives me strength that I don’t have to understand why. I know it would seem to help my pain, yet in the end, I give it to the Lord so that I will be comforted. Leaning on the Lord and trusting in Him will give me strength. This is a good lesson from Gary Chapman‘s perspective. Great prayer examples to practice and grow your relationship with the Lord.

The book of Job gives illustrations of poor listening. As Job suffered with illness, grief, and loss, he maintained his good standing before God. But his “friends” brushed him off and insisted that he must have committed some great sin for God to allow him to suffer so much. Finally, after enduring many speeches, Job became fed up. We can hear his frustration in Job 31:35; “If only someone would listen to me!”

God listeners will never share their ideas until they are sure that they understand what the other person is.. In marriage, this is extremely important. Ask questions, repeat what you think your spouse is saying, and ask, “Am I understanding you?” If your spouse says yes, then and only then are you ready to move on. You might say, “I really appreciate your being open with me. Now that I understand where you’re coming from, may I share what I was thinking?” At this point, your spouse will hear your perspective, because you have first taken the time to really hear what he or she was saying.

Take time to pray.

Emphasize to the Lord that you want to be a good and thoughtful listener. Ask Him to help you retain from expressing your opinions too soon or too strongly. Ask Him to give you ears to listen well.

Discuss and reflect on these questions:

How would you rate yourself as a listener? Why?

How would your spouse rate you as a listener? Why?

Describe the effect that an interruption has on a conversation – from the listener’s perspective as well as the speaker’s.

Consider these passages for further study on listening:

Proverbs 15:2 The tongue of the wise makes knowledge appealing, but the mouth of a fool belches out foolishness.

Ecclesiastes 5:2 Don’t make rush promises, and don’t be hasty in bringing matters before God, After all, God is in heaven, and you are here on earth. So let your words be few.

James 1:19 Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry.

Job 31:35 “If only someone would listen to me! Look, I will sign my name to my defense. Let the Almighty answer me. Let my accuser write out the charges against me.

When you don’t feel heard, trust in the Lord. When you don’t know what to do, trust in the Lord. He may not directly tell you what to do, yet he hears that you are trying to make the right decision. Great thoughts of Gary Chapman and helped me realize we don

After listening sympathetically to Job’s expressions of anger toward Him, God’s response was not one of condemnation. God reminded Job that His ways were not always understandable to men. He reminded Job that He is the all-powerful Creator and Sustainer of all that is and that, in the final analysis, He is a God of justice who can be trusted.

Job’s ultimate response was to trust God even though he did not understand. This experience deepened Job’s relationship with God. He says, “I had only heard about you before, but now I have seen you with my own eyes” (Job 42:5).

Take time to pray and ask God to:

Help you sort out your feelings for Him.

Help you trust Him even though you may not understand what He’s doing.

Deepen your relationship with Him.

Take time to discuss and reflect on these questions:

What is the best way to approach God with your anger or questions?

When should a person stop questioning or feeling anger toward God?

After a person experiences a tragedy, do you think any explanation of why it happened could make that person feel better? Explain.

Consider these passages for further study on Questioning God.

Philippians 2:12-13 Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, ¹³ for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.

2 Thessalonians 2:15 So then, brothers and sisters, stand firm and hold fast to the teachings^[a] we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter.

2 Thessalonians 3:6 In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we command you, brothers and sisters, to keep away from every believer who is idle and disruptive and does not live according to the teaching^[a] you received from us.

Job 42:1-17 Then Job replied to the Lord:

² “I know that you can do all things;
    no purpose of yours can be thwarted.
³ You asked, ‘Who is this that obscures my plans without knowledge?’
    Surely I spoke of things I did not understand,
    things too wonderful for me to know.

⁴ “You said, ‘Listen now, and I will speak;
    I will question you,
    and you shall answer me.’
⁵ My ears had heard of you
    but now my eyes have seen you.
⁶ Therefore I despise myself
    and repent in dust and ashes.”

Epilogue

⁷ After the Lord had said these things to Job, he said to Eliphaz the Temanite, “I am angry with you and your two friends, because you have not spoken the truth about me, as my servant Job has. ⁸ So now take seven bulls and seven rams and go to my servant Job and sacrifice a burnt offering for yourselves. My servant Job will pray for you, and I will accept his prayer and not deal with you according to your folly. You have not spoken the truth about me, as my servant Job has.” ⁹ So Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite did what the Lord told them; and the Lord accepted Job’s prayer.

¹⁰ After Job had prayed for his friends, the Lord restored his fortunes and gave him twice as much as he had before. ¹¹ All his brothers and sisters and everyone who had known him before came and ate with him in his house. They comforted and consoled him over all the trouble the Lord had brought on him, and each one gave him a piece of silver^[a] and a gold ring.

¹² The Lord blessed the latter part of Job’s life more than the former part. He had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, a thousand yoke of oxen and a thousand donkeys. ¹³ And he also had seven sons and three daughters. ¹⁴ The first daughter he named Jemimah, the second Keziah and the third Keren-Happuch. ¹⁵ Nowhere in all the land were there found women as beautiful as Job’s daughters, and their father granted them an inheritance along with their brothers.

¹⁶ After this, Job lived a hundred and forty years; he saw his children and their children to the fourth generation. ¹⁷ And so Job died, an old man and full of years.

It’s good to be in tune with our emotions and feelings toward the Lord. Understanding the ways Job felt and even David can help us understand how we should be when we have these feelings, too. Gary Chapman provides great examples of how we should be more aware of our feelings.

1. Positively – We accept it as being His Word.

Acts 2:40 Gladly receive the Word of God. When was the last time you were glad you received God’s word?

 ^{With many other words, he warned them, and he pleaded with them, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.}”

James 1:23 Meekness – Not just listen, do.

Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror.

Acts 17:11 Daily – Searching as they are teaching.

Now, the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.

Psalm 119:11 Hide on Heart so that you might not sin.

I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.

Matthew 7:24-27 Obediently – Be able to think differently. What’s different in your life this week because you follow the Lord? Are you accepting and allowing change to happen continuously?

The Wise and Foolish Builders

²⁴ “Therefore, everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, yet it did not fall because it had its foundation on the rock. ²⁶ But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. ²⁷ The rain came down, the streams rose, the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”

2. Negatively – Are you skeptical?

1 Thess. 2:13 Word of Men.

And we also thank God continually because, when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as a human word but as it actually is, the word of God, which is indeed at work in you who believe.

Luke 24:11 Skeptically not sure. But they did not believe the women because their words seemed nonsense to them.

Mark 5:40 Mocking.  But they laughed at him.

After he put them all out, he took the child’s father and mother and the disciples who were with him and went in where the child was.

2 Peter 3:16 Twisting – Twists to our own destruction.

¹⁶ He writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction.

Jeremiah 36:23-24 Try to Destroy. Whenever Jehudi had read three or four columns of the scroll, the king cut them off with a scribe’s knife and threw them into the firepot until the entire scroll was burned in the fire. ²⁴ The king and all his attendants who heard all these words showed no fear, nor did they tear their clothes.

Mark 10:20-21 Become Sad. “Teacher,” he declared, “all these I have kept since I was a boy.”

²¹ Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

Acts 7:54 Become angry.

When the members of the Sanhedrin heard this, they were furious and gnashed their teeth at him.

3. Promises – Based on faith

Romans 10:17 Faith is produced. Is your faith weak? What are you reading? Listening to?

Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ.

James 1:18-19 Souls saved.

¹⁸ He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of first fruits of all he created.

Listening and Doing

¹⁹ My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry,

John 8:31-32 Discipleship – Not just what we say, it’s what we do.

³¹ To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. ³² Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

Psalm 119:9 Strength in temptation. How can a young person stay on the path of purity?
    By living according to your word.

John 15:1-8 Bear fruit.

 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. ² He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes^[a] so that it will be even more fruitful. ³ You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. ⁴ Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.

5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me, you can do nothing. 6 If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire, and burned. 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 This is to my Father’s glory that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

Matt. 4:1-11 Strenght in scripture. Jesus Is Tested in the Wilderness

4 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted^[a] by the devil. ² After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. ³ The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.”

⁴ Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’^[b]”

⁵ Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. ⁶ “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written:

“‘He will command his angels concerning you,
    and they will lift you up in their hands
    so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’^[c]”

⁷ Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’^[d]”

⁸ Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. ⁹ “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.”

¹⁰ Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! It is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’^[e]”

¹¹ Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.

Heb. 5:11- 6:1 Maturity, life is not about us; it’s about others.

We have much to say about this, but it is hard to make it clear to you because you no longer try to understand. ¹² In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! ¹³ Anyone who lives on milk, still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. ¹⁴ But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.

6 Therefore, let us move beyond the elementary teachings about Christ and be taken forward to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death,^[a] and of faith in God,

Matt. 24:35 A Foundation. God’s word is a foundation; you have a direction and a place to stand because you have the Lord in your heart.

Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.

2 Tim. 3:15 Wisdom

Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.

Acts 20:32 Grace for our hearts. What are you reading? Eyes and Ears filter everything. Simple.

“Now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified.

Romans 12:1-2 Transformed.

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. ² Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by renewing your mind. Then, you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing, and perfect will.

Romans 8:29 Conformed to the image of Christ saved so we can be saved from Jesus. Make us more like Jesus.

²⁹ For those God foreknew, he was also predestined to conform to the image of his Son, who might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.

How are you receiving God’s message today? Open Bibles and Open Hearts?

The word encouraging means “to inspire courage.” We all have areas in which we feel insecure and lack courage, and that lack of courage often hinders us from accomplishing the positive things that we would like to do. The latent potential within your spouse may await your encouraging words.

A couple celebrating fifty years of marriage was asked in an interview, “To what do you attribute the success of your long marriage?” The husband responded, “Sarah was the first young lady I ever dated. When I proposed to her, I was scared stiff. But after the wedding, her dad took me aside and handed me a little package and said, ‘Here is all you really need to know.’”

Reaching into his pocket, the man pulled out a gold watch and said, “This is it.” There, across the face of the watch, where he could see it a dozen times a day, was written, Say something nice to Sarah. “That,” he said, “is the key to our marriage.”

Take time to thank God for the examples of strong relationships. He has given you. Thank Him also for the wisdom found in His Word. Ask Him to help you and your loved one learn to support and encourage each other in significant ways.

Reflect on these questions:

How does your loved one inspire courage in you?

How do you inspire courage in your loved one?

What is the key to your marriage?

Consider these passages for further study on encouragement:

I Thessalonians 5:11 So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing.

Hebrews 10:23-25 Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise. Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.

I Peter 4:8-10 Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins. Cheerfully share your home with those who need a meal or a place to stay. God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another.

Job 2:9 His wife said to him, “Are you still trying to maintain your integrity? Curse God and die.”

Job opens our eyes and shows strength. Even when his loved ones tell him to curse God, he stands up to focus on the good things. The kindness and hope towards others make a difference in how we walk with the Lord. Encourage each other by putting in a good word. Encouraging thoughts of Gary Chapman.

A legacy is an inheritance handed down from one generation to the next, by which our descendants remember us. The most important legacies are not monetary but emotional, spiritual, and moral, and they center on the character of the person leaving them.

Legacies from the past affect a family’s future. We all know families with long-standing reputations of good character- kindness, honesty, decency, and upstanding behavior. We all know fortunate people who inherited such a positive legacy from their parents and grandparents, and we can see the great advantages to them in terms of self-esteem and emotional well-being.

On the other hand, we are aware of the handicaps borne by those who are plagued by a parent’s negative legacy of character and behavior. While we like to believe that an individual can overcome any disadvantage, we all know that what has happened in our families can seem either a blessing or a curse on our lives.

Take some time to pray individually or as a couple. As you pray…

Acknowledge the legacy your family left for you;

Share your deepest feelings about that legacy;

Ask God to bless your efforts to create a meaningful legacy for your children.

Take time to reflect on these questions:

What kind of legacy did your parents and grandparents leave for you? Explain.

How has that legacy affected your life?

What has been your legacy to your children so far? What would you like to change?

Consider these passages for further study on leaving a legacy:

Deuteronomy 6:1-9

”These are the commands, rules, and laws that the Lord your God told me to teach you to obey in the land you are crossing the Jordan River to take. You, your children, and your grandchildren must respect the Lord your God as long as you live. Obey all his rules and commands I give you so that you will live a long time. Listen, Israel, and carefully obey these laws. Then all will go well for you, and you will become a great nation in a fertile land, just as the Lord, the God of your ancestors, has promised you. Listen, people of Israel! The Lord our God is the only Lord. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength. Always remember these commands I give you today.“
‭‭Deuteronomy‬ ‭6‬:‭1‬-‭6‬ ‭NCV‬‬
https://bible.com/bible/105/deu.6.1-6.NCV

Proverbs 22:6

”Train children to live the right way, and when they are old, they will not stray from it.“
‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭22‬:‭6‬ ‭NCV‬‬
https://bible.com/bible/105/pro.22.6.NCV

Ephesians 6:1-2

”Children, obey your parents as the Lord wants because this is the right thing to do. The command says, “Honor your father and mother.” This is the first command that has a promise with it—“
‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭6‬:‭1‬-‭2‬ ‭NCV‬‬
https://bible.com/bible/105/eph.6.1-2.NCV

What do you do to prepare and plan to have for your legacy?

We look at our legacy with our insurance and what we leave financially. Yet, how do we leave a legacy of character? It truly takes a lifetime and lifelong example of how you act and treat others to be an example of how you impact others. Great thoughts of Gary Chapman to help us focus on our kindness, honesty, decency, and upstanding behavior.