Sermons and Biblical Studies

“We’ll never get all these credit cards paid off,” moaned a distressed spouse. Yes, you can and must. Some financial counselors advise no debt whatsoever, including mortgages. But it’s impossible to get to that utopia without first destroying credit card debt. Decide to cut up your cards and close the accounts. Begin to live within … Continue reading “76 GET OUT OF DEBT; GET THE DEBT OUT OF YOU”

“I never know what you really mean,” protested a frustrated spouse. Vague reassurances never pay the bills. Confusing excuses never make up for deep hurts. It’s time to come clean with one another in your marriage. So how do you become transparent when it’s so risky? If we are too open, then another person has … Continue reading “75 SHARE TRANSPARENTLY TO ELIMINATE THE NEED FOR
EXCUSES”

Too many spouses put work or even church ahead of their families and marriages. Their work or church activities actually rob valuable time and intimacy from the family. First maintain your relationship with God through worship, Bible study, prayer, spiritual disciplines, giving, witnessing and serving the Lord. You can share much together spiritually as a … Continue reading “74 SET RIGHT PRIORITIES: GOD FIRST, MARRIAGE AND FAMILY
AND THEN THE REST”

In his booklet, Five Spiritual Laws, A.W. Tozer writes that we should never own anything. Anything we possess ultimately possesses us. The focus in our lives is not on possessing, but rather on stewardship. We may be stewards of a number of things in our lives; all that we have belongs to Jesus. We do … Continue reading “73 NEVER OWN ANYTHING”

“I have to pay all the bills,” protested the wife. “He doesn’t know and doesn’t seem to care about what’s happening. I am so stressed out!” One partner cannot do all the money management and spending in a marriage. Who should keep the checkbook and pay the bills? While one spouse may do the bookkeeping, … Continue reading “72 SHARE FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY AND SPENDING”

“I noticed that you looked lustfully at other women when we were at the beach,” observed the wife. “There’s no harm in looking,” replied the husband. A lengthy discussion followed that exchange and a new depth of accountability began to develop between the husband and wife. We honor our spouses with our eyes as well … Continue reading “71 BE MORALLY ACCOUNTABLE TO ONE ANOTHER”

“I don’t know what I will do if Bill dies,” grieved the distraught wife at the bedside of her terminally ill husband. Dying of cancer in his 50s, his wife had become so dependant on him that she couldn’t imagine living without him. God calls us to become one in marriage, but He doesn’t call … Continue reading “70 BE INTERDEPENDENT, NOT INDEPENDENT OR DEPENDENT”

No mate is omniscient. Ask for what you need. Some mates protest, “But after all these years of marriage he should know what I need.” Not so. Asking for our needs can be the most important revelation of the moment in our marriages. At times we individually become so preoccupied with our own needs that … Continue reading “69 ASK FOR YOUR NEEDS”

At times in the past, my wife would say, “You gave at the office. You have nothing left for me.” And she was right. As a pastor, I would give all day long. When I arrived home I was completely drained. I would talk about Jesus to everyone who would listen. But at home I … Continue reading “68 TALK ABOUT JESUS”

Giving starts at home. I have met families that have actually deprived their children of food so they could give an offering. Our primary responsibility is toward our marriage and families. We tithe and we sow extravagantly into our spouses and children, knowing that the kingdom harvest to come through them will see many people … Continue reading “67 FIND WAYS TO GIVE GENEROUSLY TO EACH OTHER”