A
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Allow your marriage to change you into the person God intended for you to be. Make a decision to become more like Christ. |
“And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.”
Genesis 1:26 KJV
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B
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Bless people with your mouth, don’t curse them. Blow their minds with blessings. |
“. . . not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing.”
1 Peter 3:8-10 NKJV |
C
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Children are the fruit of your intimacy, evidence of your fruitfulness—both natural and spiritual. |
And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion.”
Genesis 1:28 KJV |
D
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Do what your mate likes to do sometimes, not just what you like to do. Deny yourself daily and take up your cross and follow Jesus. |
“If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.”
Luke 9:23 NKJV
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E
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Eternity has a place for you if you’re saved, but at what level? That will partly be determined by how you treat the person you married. |
“ . . . each one's work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one's work, of what sort it is. If anyone's work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward.
1 Corinthians 3:13-15 NKJV |
F |
Flaws and all, God loves you. Love your spouse like that.
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“And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses.”
Mark 11:25-26 NKJV |
G |
Give your spouse the liberty to show you how you can improve, and pray for your change.
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“Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and wonderful results.”
James 5:16 NLT |
H |
Home is a place where you don’t just live together and tolerate one another but you bless and have good feelings toward one another in spite of every challenge to your relationship. |
“Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.”
1 Corinthians 13:7 NLT
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I |
Intimacy with God affects your level of true intimacy with your spouse. Your secret times with Jesus are the place where you develop the ability to have true intimacy with your spouse. |
“But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place.”
Matthew 6:6 NKJV
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J |
Jesus in your heart makes it possible for you to think like Jesus, pray like Jesus, and act like Jesus in your marriage regardless of the other person’s sins. |
“Christ in you, the hope of glory.”
Colossians 1:27-28 NKJV |
K |
Kings keep quiet when they want to say something unChristlike and know they shouldn’t say it. You are called to be a king in Christ’s kingdom. |
“. . . and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever.”
Revelation 1:6 NKJV
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L
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Loving someone in Christ-like love will require that you get a higher view of life. Instead of always seeking to meet your own needs, seek to meet the needs of others. |
“For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you.”
John 13:15 NKJV
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M |
Mercy is something you need from God and something your mate needs from you. Practice giving others the mercy and grace you know you need from God.
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“But if you have been merciful, then God's mercy toward you will win out over his judgment against you.”
James 2:12-13 NLT
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N |
Nourish your spouse. Give a listening ear and be sensitive to the other person’s needs, just as you expect God to listen to you and be sensitive to you.
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“Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.”
Ephesians 5:33 KJV
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O |
Out-serve your mate. Rewards in heaven go to those who prove to be the greatest servants to others on earth.
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“But he who is greatest among you shall be your servant. And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
Matthew 23:10-12 NKJV |
P |
Pray your spouse into their change.
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“Pray for those who persecute you! In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and on the unjust, too.”
Matthew 5:44-46 NLT
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Q |
Question everything you think and everything you do to see if it agrees with God’s Word and demonstrates the mind of Christ. |
“But we can understand these things, for we have the mind of Christ.”
1 Corinthians 2:16 NLT
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R |
Real love is repenting and asking God to make you better for your spouse, not asking God to make your mate better for you. |
“Anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent.”
Revelation 3:18-20 NKJV
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S |
Seasons of life don’t change your love for your spouse. They only cause your love to mature.
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“If you love someone, you will be loyal to him no matter what the cost. You will always believe in him, always expect the best of him, and always stand your ground in defending him.”
1 Corinthians 13:7 TLB
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T |
Take new ground—the ground of humility, the ground of a servant spirit, the ground of unconditional love.
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“Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”
Matthew 18:4-5 NKJV
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U |
Understanding and accepting your partner is a major factor in solving the problem of division in the home. |
“Since they are no longer two but one, let no one separate them, for God has joined them together.”
Matthew 19:6 NLT
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V |
Veils are over your eyes. You have to take them off so that others can see God’s glory in you, and you can see His glory in your mate. |
“But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.”
2 Corinthians 3:16-18 NKJV
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W |
Words you say in your home should bless your family and bring them to God. Your words should demonstrate Christ-likeness. |
“But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”
Matthew 12:36-37 NKJV
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X |
X-ray your heart. Submit to God’s spiritual surgery. Allow Him to purify your heart toward your spouse.
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“Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.”
Matthew 5:8 KJV
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Y |
YOU are the key to success
in your marriage, not your mate or
anybody else.
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“Lord, what do You want me to do?”
Acts 9:6 NKJV
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Z |
Zero in on everything in your spouse and children that is true, lovely, of good report, and worthy of praise, and think on those things.
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“Fix your thoughts on what is true and good and right. Think about things that are pure and lovely, and dwell on the fine, good things in others.”
Philippians 4:8-9 TLB
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