The Ten Commandments of Marriage Revival
1. Pray together as a couple. Ask God--not to change your partner--but to bless him or her with every spiritual blessing and to help you be the best possible help and supporter in the pursuit of his or her goals and dreams.
2. Enjoy thy spouse. Have fun! Be creative! Don't just live together, play together. Make your relationship the top priority. Don’t permit a myriad of external activities to infringe on the priority of your marriage.
3. Submit to each other (Eph. 5:21). Mutual submission is the goal--each catering to and meeting the needs of the other. What a formula for marital bliss, and what a stimulant for romance!
4. Love one another. Here's what “loving” really means:
6. Repeat the first works (Rev. 2:5). Keep the fires of first love alive by doing the things you did at first--the things you did during the days when your stomach still did cartwheels whenever your special someone entered the room. Repeat your courtship days and watch the magic return.
7. Grow up! - It’s not necessary to always be right. It’s not important to “win” every argument. Marriage is not a contest; it’s a school of loving. Learn to say “I’m sorry.”
8. Get help. There is no defeat in acknowledging the need for outside assistance if the challenges in your relationship prove to be too great. Consult a professional counselor or pastor, but get help if you need it.
9. Have your own relationship with God. “When each of the marriage partners seeks quietly before God to see his own faults, recognizes his sin, and asks the forgiveness of the other, marital problems are no more.” –Paul Tournier
10. Don’t quit. As far as it is in your power to do so, extend forgiveness, seek reconciliation, pray for divine aid, and keep your promise to love.
1. Pray together as a couple. Ask God--not to change your partner--but to bless him or her with every spiritual blessing and to help you be the best possible help and supporter in the pursuit of his or her goals and dreams.
2. Enjoy thy spouse. Have fun! Be creative! Don't just live together, play together. Make your relationship the top priority. Don’t permit a myriad of external activities to infringe on the priority of your marriage.
3. Submit to each other (Eph. 5:21). Mutual submission is the goal--each catering to and meeting the needs of the other. What a formula for marital bliss, and what a stimulant for romance!
4. Love one another. Here's what “loving” really means:
- Love is an action (1 Jn. 3:18) Rewrite: “Dear children, let us not love with cards or candy but with actions and in truth.”
- Love doesn’t take advantage of others (Rom. 13:10) [Does “no harm”]
- Love allows for mistakes (Eph. 4:2) [“Bearing” or putting up with]
- Love tries to “outlove” the other person (Heb. 10:24)
- Love holds its tongue (Eph. 4:29)
- Love listens (James 1:19)
- Love affirms and encourages (1 Thess. 5:11)
- Love doesn’t just think of itself! (Phil. 2:3,4)
- Love doesn’t hold grudges (Col. 3:13)
- Love doesn’t seek revenge (1 Pet. 3:9)
- Love brings unity of mind, spirit and purpose (Phil. 2:2)
6. Repeat the first works (Rev. 2:5). Keep the fires of first love alive by doing the things you did at first--the things you did during the days when your stomach still did cartwheels whenever your special someone entered the room. Repeat your courtship days and watch the magic return.
7. Grow up! - It’s not necessary to always be right. It’s not important to “win” every argument. Marriage is not a contest; it’s a school of loving. Learn to say “I’m sorry.”
8. Get help. There is no defeat in acknowledging the need for outside assistance if the challenges in your relationship prove to be too great. Consult a professional counselor or pastor, but get help if you need it.
9. Have your own relationship with God. “When each of the marriage partners seeks quietly before God to see his own faults, recognizes his sin, and asks the forgiveness of the other, marital problems are no more.” –Paul Tournier
10. Don’t quit. As far as it is in your power to do so, extend forgiveness, seek reconciliation, pray for divine aid, and keep your promise to love.