Written By TWFT
Sunday, November 19
“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” 2Co 12:9 NIV
Who in the Bible would you say had the best marriage? Adam and Eve started in Paradise, and it all went downhill from there. Abraham lied and said his wife, Sarah, was his sister, then impregnated her servant, Hagar. Isaac and Rebekah spent much of their marriage battling because he favored Esau and she favored Jacob. Jacob had children by two different wives, and the wives’ servants. All we know of Moses’ wife is they had an argument over circumcising their son and she called Moses a “bridegroom of blood” (Ex 4:26 NIV). David was a disaster as a husband, and Solomon was worse. When Job’s life got hard, his wife told him, “Curse God and die!” (Job 2:9 NIV). In fairy tales, life is a difficult adventure until you get married—then you live happily ever after. But nowhere in the Bible does a couple get married and then live happily ever after. Marriage doesn’t save anyone, only Jesus does. Yet how often do couples sit in silent agony? They have an image of spiritual success to project, but they don’t enjoy intimacy. Or there is abuse going on. Or their young daughter is pregnant, and they have no idea what to do. Or one of them is a closet alcoholic. Or they’re facing bankruptcy. Frequently people who need help the most receive it the least, because they would have to step down from their pedestal. But what if real people could be as truthful as the Bible about marriage? In Scripture, marriage is a place where we learn, receive God’s grace, and grow together in love.
Sunday, November 19
“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” 2Co 12:9 NIV
Who in the Bible would you say had the best marriage? Adam and Eve started in Paradise, and it all went downhill from there. Abraham lied and said his wife, Sarah, was his sister, then impregnated her servant, Hagar. Isaac and Rebekah spent much of their marriage battling because he favored Esau and she favored Jacob. Jacob had children by two different wives, and the wives’ servants. All we know of Moses’ wife is they had an argument over circumcising their son and she called Moses a “bridegroom of blood” (Ex 4:26 NIV). David was a disaster as a husband, and Solomon was worse. When Job’s life got hard, his wife told him, “Curse God and die!” (Job 2:9 NIV). In fairy tales, life is a difficult adventure until you get married—then you live happily ever after. But nowhere in the Bible does a couple get married and then live happily ever after. Marriage doesn’t save anyone, only Jesus does. Yet how often do couples sit in silent agony? They have an image of spiritual success to project, but they don’t enjoy intimacy. Or there is abuse going on. Or their young daughter is pregnant, and they have no idea what to do. Or one of them is a closet alcoholic. Or they’re facing bankruptcy. Frequently people who need help the most receive it the least, because they would have to step down from their pedestal. But what if real people could be as truthful as the Bible about marriage? In Scripture, marriage is a place where we learn, receive God’s grace, and grow together in love.
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2023
January
ENJOY EACH DAY OF THIS NEW YEAR (1)ENJOY EACH DAY OF THIS NEW YEAR (2)THIS YEAR THINK “POSSIBLE” (1)THIS YEAR THINK “POSSIBLE” (2)THIS YEAR THINK “POSSIBLE” (3)LET GOD LEAD YOUGOD IS YOUR PROVIDERYOUR OVERFLOWING CUP OF BLESSINGSTEPS TO OVERCOMING YOUR WORRIESFOCUS ON YOUR GOD-GIVEN VISIONTHE STORY OF YOUR BIBLEHOW GOD LEADS USHOW JESUS DEALT WITH SINARE YOU JOY-DEPRIVEDIT’S TIME TO PRAY (1)IT’S TIME TO PRAY (2)FAITH THAT BRINGS RESULTSBE FAITHFUL TO GOD AT WORKWHEN YOUR BEST ISN’T GOOD ENOUGHTODAY, GIVE YOUR PROBLEM TO GODSTEPS TO FORGIVENESS (1)STEPS TO FORGIVENESS (2)THE JOYS OF HEAVEN (1)THE JOYS OF HEAVEN (2)THE JOYS OF HEAVEN (3)LEARN TO CONTROL YOUR ANGERSEEK GOD FOR DIRECTIONTRY A POWER NAPGO TO THE RIGHT SOURCEHOW GOD SEES YOUYOU HAVE TO “WALK OUT” THE PROCESS
February
GUARD THESE THREE AREAS OF VULNERABILITYSIMPLIFY YOUR LIFEONWARD AND UPWARDYOU NEED EACH OTHER (1)YOU NEED EACH OTHER (2)YOU NEED EACH OTHER (3)SHOWING GRACE TOWARD THOSE WHO DIFFER WITH YOUARE YOU HAVING A NIGHTIME EXPERIENCE?A HEART FILLED WITH GOODNESSCHRIST’S LOVE FOR YOUGIVE GOD ALL THE GLORYYOU’RE A REFLECTORYOU MUST CARE FOR THE NEEDY (1)YOU MUST CARE FOR THE NEEDY (2)YOU MUST CARE FOR THE NEEDY (3)DON’T GIVE UP ON YOUR SAULRECOVERING FROM BURNOUTSETTING THE CAPTIVES FREE (1)SETTING THE CAPTIVES FREE (2)HE WILL DO IT AGAIN!BEWARE OF SELF-PITYTODAY, CHOOSE THE RIGHT ATTITUDEBUILD A RELATIONSHIP WITH YOUR CHILDREN“SERVANT” FOR LIFECHANGE YOUR EXPECTATIONSSTART MEMORIZING SCRIPTURESCHRIST IS COMING AGAIN!FRIENDSHIP
March
EXPERIENCING GOD’S PRESENCE AND PLEASUREDON’T WAIT; ENJOY YOUR LIFE NOWMONEY MATTERS IN MARRIAGEUSE YOUR GOD-GIVEN CREATIVITYA PRAYER OF FORGIVENESSWHEN GOD SENDS YOU AN ANGEL (1)WHEN GOD SENDS YOU AN ANGEL (2)WHEN GOD SENDS YOU AN ANGEL (3)WHEN GOD SENDS YOU AN ANGEL (4)A PRAYER FOR FINANCIAL CONTENTMENTA PRAYER OF COMMITMENT TO GODHAVING A VISION FOR YOUR LIFECHANGE YOUR THINKING, CHANGE YOUR LIFE (1)CHANGE YOUR THINKING, CHANGE YOUR LIFE (2)CHANGE YOUR THINKING, CHANGE YOUR LIFE (3)DOES IT GLORIFY GOD?LESSONS FROM A BROKEN HEARTWHAT YOU MUST GIVE UPYOU NEED OTHERSREBUILDING YOUR MARRIAGE (1)REBUILDING YOUR MARRIAGE (2)REBUILDING YOUR MARRIAGE (3)REBUILDING YOUR MARRIAGE (4)THROUGH CHRIST, YOU CAN DO ITDEPEND ON GOD MORESTART SAYING, ‘I CAN’REFUSE TO LIVE IN FEAR (1)REFUSE TO LIVE IN FEAR (2)REFUSE TO LIVE IN FEAR (3)REFUSE TO LIVE IN FEAR (4)PREPARE IN ADVANCE