Marriage Devotional

‘Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.’ Proverbs 4:23(NLT)

‘A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart. ‘ Matthew 12:35(NLT)

The best thing I can do for my marriage is focus on God and His Word.

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I read this analogy one time that was talking about how what was inside is what will come out. They explained it using a coffee mug. They started out by asking this question, “If you were holding a coffee mug full of coffee and someone bumped into you, causing you to spill it — Why did you spill coffee?” The answer was that you spilled the coffee because there was coffee in your mug. Had there been hot chocolate, you would have spilled hot chocolate. Whatever was in the mug, is what you would have spilled. The analogy ended with this question, “So if life comes and shakes you — What will you spill? What’s in your mug?” That is such a good analogy. If you are consistently filling your mug with good and godly things, if you are persistent about getting God’s Word into your system, your marriage will be built on solid ground. Because those are the things that will surface when a storm shakes you.

from 31 Day Marriage Reset

‘For the Scriptures say, “You must be holy because I am holy.”’ 1 Peter 1:16(NLT)

Be someone your spouse  can count on and trust.

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One way you can reflect God in your marriage is to keep your promises. God doesn’t break His promises based on your behavior and you shouldn’t break yours based on your spouse’s behavior. Look to God and ask Him to help you be a vow honoring spouse and protect you against any lie that Satan tries to tell you. He will always attempt to pull you away from the words that you said on your wedding day when the “worse” rolls around, but you said, “for better or worse.” Be determined to show your spouse that you meant it. 

from 31 Day Marriage Reset

‘You are my rock and my fortress. For the honor of your name, lead me out of this danger. Pull me from the trap my enemies set for me, for I find protection in you alone.’ Psalms 31:3-4(NLT)

Nothing can wreak havoc in your marriage unless it is given more thought than prayer, and more attention than Jesus. 

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It seems like so many times the attention we put on a problem turns out to be a bigger problem than what we thought the actual problem was. How many times have you been so worried or stressed out about something, just for it to work out fine? I know I do that all the time. I get so worked up about how we’re gonna pay this or that, or how we’re gonna make it to two different places at once, and then it works out fine. Why do things seem to work out fine? Because I am a child of God and while I was freaking out, God was sorting things out for me. He had a plan for my problem! He had an answer for my anxiety. As children of God, we have no reason to stress or worry. As children of the Creator of time itself, we can trust His timing. As Children of the King of kings, worrying is wasted time. We are covered. We are held. We are cared for. We are loved. We have an almighty God that is willing and able to intercede for us in any circumstance or situation, and work it out for our good. If there is something in your marriage that is sucking the joy out of your live, or if there is something in your marriage that has set up a roadblock in your hope, speak truth over those things right now in the name of Jesus! It’s just a matter of time! God is for you! He has a plan! He has a purpose! He is good! He is faithful! Trust Him! 

from 31 Day Marriage Reset

‘But when you are praying, first forgive anyone you are holding a grudge against, so that your Father in heaven will forgive your sins, too.”’ Mark 11:25(NLT)

If I have learned one thing about getting along with my spouse, it is that Jesus treats me the way that my spouse wants to be treated by me. 

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Your spouse isn’t perfect, and it’s so important to realize that neither are you. It is so easy to forget all the times we’ve messed up, when our spouse messes up once. That’s why it is so important to remember the value of your marriage over the frustration of a moment. Take a minute to remember the way Jesus treats you when you mess up. He doesn’t panic or freak out or yell, He points you back to the Cross and reminds you that He still loves you. It is vital to our marriages to forgive, to remember how much we’ve been forgiven for, and to cling ever so tightly to the example of Jesus when it comes to the way that we treat our spouse. Ask God for guidance and grace when it comes to loving your spouse the way that you are called to. He is willing and able to help you every step of the way! 

from 31 Day Marriage Reset

‘And one of them struck at the high priest’s slave, slashing off his right ear. But Jesus said, “No more of this.” And he touched the man’s ear and healed him.’ Luke 22:50-51(NLT)

When you hurt your spouse, you hurt Christ, too.

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Think of someone you love unconditionally. How would you feel if someone was rude or harsh towards them? Not happy, right? It would probably hurt you too, huh? You know that’s exactly how God feels about your spouse? That’s His child you’re dealing with, and it hurts Him when they are hurt or treated wrongly. That is such a huge form of accountability in our marriage, personally. I love God so much that it moves me to love and respect my spouse  when it is a choice I have to make rather than a natural reaction. If the way you love God does not change the way that you love your spouse, then I wonder how much you love either of them. Ask God to help you reflect love to your spouse in reverence to your love for Him.

from 31 Day Marriage Reset

‘You are altogether beautiful, my darling, beautiful in every way.’ Song of Songs 4:7(NLT)

Compliment your spouse every day.

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Flood your spouse with compliments. Build them up publicly and privately . Let them know that you are focused on them and that you see the best in them. It will not only edify them, but watch how it does the same for you. Personally, we are big fans of compliments in our own marriage. It just feels good to be complimented, and also to compliment. For instance, if you wake up and you think your spouse is looking good, tell them. If your spouse cooks an awesome dinner, let them know how good it tasted. If your spouse does something to your home that makes it look a little homier, tell them how they added such a nice touch. If your spouse works hard to provide for your family, let them know that you are so thankful for their hard work. If your spouse has great integrity, let them know how proud you are of them for that characteristic. Compliments are refreshing, and we don’t believe that you can give too many! 

from 31 Day Marriage Reset

‘The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning.’ Lamentations 3:22-23(NLT)

It is not like Christ to keep bringing up mistakes and failures from the past. It is however, like Satan.

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Jesus takes delight in you. He loves you! His mercies are new every morning. He embraces you today. Satan, however, reminds you of all the times you’ve messed up and he tries to haunt you with the past. Satan brings up your mistakes and tries to make you feel ashamed and unworthy. It is so important to ask yourself who you are reflecting in your marriage. Are you embracing today with your spouse, or are you focused on what went wrong yesterday? Ask God each morning to help you reflect His love and forgiveness in your marriage.

from 31 Day Marriage Reset

‘He went inside and asked, “Why all this commotion and weeping? The child isn’t dead; she’s only asleep.” The crowd laughed at him. But he made them all leave, and he took the girl’s father and mother and his three disciples into the room where the girl was lying. Holding her hand, he said to her, “Talitha koum,” which means “Little girl, get up!” And the girl, who was twelve years old, immediately stood up and walked around! They were overwhelmed and totally amazed. Jesus gave them strict orders not to tell anyone what had happened, and then he told them to give her something to eat.’ Mark 5:39-43(NLT)

If you can’t think of a single reason to stay with your spouse, remember that Jesus went to the Cross for you when you were useless to Him. He kept His covenant with you when you didn’t give Him a single reason to.

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Do you feel like your marriage is hanging on by its last strand? Like the rope that once held you together has unraveled, and you are not sure how much longer it will hold? Despite what you may think, or what Satan may be telling you, it is not a lost cause! We serve a God of restoration and redemption. Stop looking at that unraveled rope and gaze upon our miracle working God. If there are people in your life speaking negativity over your marriage and pointing your attention to the unraveled rope, it’s time to remind them, and yourself, that if Jesus can resurrect a dead person, He can resurrect a dead marriage. God loves you and He loves your marriage. He longs to see unity in your marriage even more than you do. Your marriage is not a joke to Him and is not something He takes lightly. Hang in there and cling to God’s word and His faithfulness. He is fighting for your marriage. 

from 31 Day Marriage Reset

‘Come, everyone! Clap your hands! Shout to God with joyful praise! For the Lord Most High is awesome. He is the great King of all the earth. He subdues the nations before us, putting our enemies beneath our feet. He chose the Promised Land as our inheritance, the proud possession of Jacob’s descendants, whom he loves. Interlude God has ascended with a mighty shout. The Lord has ascended with trumpets blaring. Sing praises to God, sing praises; sing praises to our King, sing praises! For God is the King over all the earth. Praise him with a psalm. God reigns above the nations, sitting on his holy throne. The rulers of the world have gathered together with the people of the God of Abraham. For all the kings of the earth belong to God. He is highly honored everywhere.’ Psalms 47:1-9(NLT)

One thing we have learned is that it is really fun to be super silly with each other. To laugh and to cause laughter. But most of all to choose joy when Satan is screaming the opposite.

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Today is the day to dance in the kitchen. To go on a walk and call a race to the next stop sign. To have fun! Today is the day to choose joy. Satan is always trying to get us offended, fearful, stressed out, worried, and anything else that will pull us away from enjoying time with our spouse. But it is so necessary as children of God to rest in His promises and enjoy every day life. God is good, and we can count on Him to take care of things that we can’t. Choose joy today because your hope is in God. Don’t look at circumstances, look at your spouse and most of all look at your God. Remember that today is a blessing and make it a good one. 

Choose joy today!

from 31 Day Marriage Reset

‘Finally, I confessed all my sins to you and stopped trying to hide my guilt. I said to myself, “I will confess my rebellion to the Lord .” And you forgave me! All my guilt is gone. Interlude’ Psalms 32:5(NLT)

There should never be anything you have to hide from your spouse. You, and everything you do, should be an open book to them.

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You should be someone that your spouse can completely trust 100% with no reservation. There should be nothing in the dark corners of your mind that aren’t brought into the light before your spouse and God. There should be nothing that you feel needs to be hidden. If there is, it’s probably because Satan has convinced you that it should be, because breakthrough is on the other side of your honesty. The truth isn’t always easy to accept or to confess, but it is always worth it. Let today be the day that if there is anything hidden, it is brought into the light. Ask God to lead you and help you live a life with no secrecy in your marriage. Gut level honesty brings a sense of freedom to be who you are and to feel accepted and loved. 

from 31 Day Marriage Reset