Marital Problems

[Chad]

God's Promises

Marital Problems

"Then the LORD God said, 'It is not good for the man to be alone; I will make him a helper suitable for him.'"
Genesis 2:18

"For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother, and be joined to his wife; and they shall become one flesh."
Genesis 2:24

"If it is disagreeable in your sight to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves today whom you will serve: whether the gods which your fathers served which were beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD."
Joshua 24:15

"I will give heed to the blameless way. When will You come to me? I will walk within my house in the integrity of my heart."
Psalms 101:2

"Trust in the LORD with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight."
Proverbs 3:5-6

"Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all transgressions."
Proverbs 10:12

"Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law."
Romans 13:10

"Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you."
Ephesians 4:31-32

"And be subject to one another in the fear of Christ. Wives, be subject to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church, He Himself being the Savior of the body. But as the church is subject to Christ, so also the wives ought to be to their husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless. So husbands ought also to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself; for no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ also does the church, because we are members of His body.

FOR THIS REASON A MAN SHALL LEAVE HIS FATHER AND MOTHER AND SHALL BE JOINED TO HIS WIFE, AND THE TWO SHALL BECOME ONE FLESH.

This mystery is great; but I am speaking with reference to Christ and the church. Nevertheless, each individual among you also is to love his own wife even as himself, and the wife must see to it that she respects her husband."
Ephesians 5:21-33

"Since you have in obedience to the truth purified your souls for a sincere love of the brethren, fervently love one another from the heart."
1 Peter 1:22

"In the same way, you wives, be submissive to your own husbands so that even if any of them are disobedient to the word, they may be won without a word by the behavior of their wives, as they observe your chaste and respectful behavior. Your adornment must not be merely external -- braiding the hair, and wearing gold jewelry, or putting on dresses; but let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God. For in this way in former times the holy women also, who hoped in God, used to adorn themselves, being submissive to their own husbands; just as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord, and you have become her children if you do what is right without being frightened by any fear. You husbands in the same way, live with your wives in an understanding way, as with someone weaker, since she is a woman; and show her honor as a fellow heir of the grace of life, so that your prayers will not be hindered."
1 Peter 3:1-7

"To sum up, all of you be harmonious, sympathetic, brotherly, kindhearted, and humble in spirit; not returning evil for evil or insult for insult, but giving a blessing instead; for you were called for the very purpose that you might inherit a blessing. For, THE ONE WHO DESIRES LIFE, TO LOVE AND SEE GOOD DAYS, MUST KEEP HIS TONGUE FROM EVIL AND HIS LIPS FROM SPEAKING DECEIT. HE MUST TURN AWAY FROM EVIL AND DO GOOD; HE MUST SEEK PEACE AND PURSUE IT."
1 Peter 3:8-11

Copyright 2011 In Touch Ministries, Inc. All rights reserved. www.intouch.org

 

[Thiscrosshurts]

I would like to add something to address the more difficult "unequally yoked" marriages.Where both are in their first marriage(the one Jesus acknowledges).
Our modern society has permeated the belief that we are individuals with a right to live our lives as we see fit.
40 years ago a beer company came out with the slogan:
"You only go around once in life,so you gotta grab all the gusto you can".
Americans are guaranteed the "right to pursue happiness"
A woman now has a "right to choose".

In modern society we cannot control our spouses.
That means the only way to keep your spouse is to keep them happy and in love with you or to be so poor or rich that they are trapped.Christians of course have another option called "fervent pray of a righteous man"(or woman).

"If it is disagreeable in your sight to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves today whom you will serve: whether the gods which your fathers served which were beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD."
Joshua 24:15

This is the choice between the worlds indoctrination or God's.The same temptation we are facing today.

Long ago I was led to consider the bride of Christ and pray for her.Then acknowledge that my marriage was a microcosm of his.
Then to pray for my spouse and myself as one,always affirming Gods Word over US as a unit under God.The Godly woman in proverbs 31 has many levels.It describes Christ's bride the church,Christs bride my family and my bride my wife,her bride which is me(in the spirit we are neither male nor female,neither Jew nor Greek).The bride of our union would be our offspring both physical and spiritual.

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless.

This scripture tells me that it is absolutely his will to perfect my spouse and myself and his church.We are all one in Christ.
WE ARE the woman in proverbs 31.
My spouse always does me good and not evil all the days of my life.
Who am I supposed to believe,my spouse's actions or God's Word?

let the harvesters worry about the tares in you and your spouse.Your spouse may nail you to a cross.But they are bone of your bone and flesh of your flesh so really you nailed yourself to the cross by following Jesus.This is why it is not a good idea to be unequally yoked.
If you are equally yoked then you have something VERY powerful.
If you find yourself unequally yoked you will have a good opportunity to pick up your cross and follow him.

Remember Adam blamed God for giving him his wife.Then blamed her for picking the fruit.
The second Adam,the seed of the woman stood up for his bride(the church) and he took the blame and the punishment so that she would be set free to love him freely.
Why wouldn't I do the same for my bride.
I am instructed to cleanse my spouse by the washing of water by the Word.
The two sayeth he are one.What God has joined together let no man put asunder.According to Jesus there is no such thing as divorce.
But this is a hard saying that turns back many from following him.