Is Your Marriage in Need of a Tune-Up?

The truth is everything in life needs a tune-up, marriage is no exception. Anything to do with relationships can get in a rut, lose closeness and develop distance. It takes diligence and intentionality to keep loving relationships fresh and sweet.

Over the years Sherry and I have attended marriage seminars, read books, gone on anniversary week-ends; we have enjoyed and, at times, walked through some deep waters together in our 30 years of marriage. Of all the books that I’ve read and benefitted from  concerning marriage, The Love Dare featured in the movie “Fireproof” (awesome if you haven’t seen it) is by far the most practical.

The Love Dare is a 40-day devotional reading; you can get it at Life Way or Mardel or even download it on your iPhone. Here is an excerpt from the opening pages:

Receive this as a warning.

This forty day journey cannot be taken lightly.

It is a challenging and often difficult process,

but an incredibly fulfilling one.

To take this dare requires a resolute mind

and a steadfast determination.

It is not meant to be sampled or briefly

tested, and those who quit early will

forfeit the greatest benefits.

If you will commit to a day at a time for forty days,

The results could change your life and marriage.

Consider it a dare, from others who have done it before you.

Men's Bible Studies

4 Men ~ Wednesday, 6:30-7:45 pm

The new semester of 4MEN has begun led by Eric Schrock and Rocky Hails! They meet in Room 401 from 6:30-7:45 pm. For those who are looking for a men's study on Wednesday evening, you are welcome . . . more than welcome! We will focus on applying the Scripture to our everyday lives. The book we will use has this paragraph on the cover: "In the same way, the freedom to grow in godliness - to naturally express Christ's character through your own personality - is in large part dependent on a deliberate cultivation of the spiritual disciples. Far from being legalistic, restrictive, or binding, as they are often perceived, the spiritual disciplines are actually the means to unparalleled spiritual liberty." We look forward to sharing the Word and our lives with everyone.

First Light ~ Thursday, 6:30-7:30 am

For those looking for a morning study, Sam Kirui is leading "A New Set of Values for You: Beatitudes” in the House.

 

God’s Promises

God told Joshua, “No man will be able to stand before you all the days of your life.

Just as I have been with Moses, I will be with you; I will not fail you or forsake you. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”   ~Joshua 1:5, 9

“Make sure that your character is free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you.”  

~Hebrews 13:5

God’s Presence

You do not have to feel God’s presence; we have a more sure thing than feelings. We have His promise that He is with us.

“Nothing escapes His notice, nothing can be hidden from Him, and nothing

is forgotten by Him. Though He is invisible to us, we are not so to Him.”   ~A.W. Pink

Feelings are the shadows of our thoughts.

So our thinking and practice need to be on His presence with us.

Our Thinking - we need to memorize the promises of His presence.

Our Practice

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding,

in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your steps.”   ~Proverbs 3:5-6

1. ✓To acknowledge means to welcome, recognize, to give credit to.
   

2. ✓When we get up in the morning, we need to acknowledge God.
   

3. ✓When we pray for our meals, we are to acknowledge God.
   

4. ✓When we go to bed, we need to acknowledge God that He has been with us and will watch over us as we sleep (since He doesn’t).
   

God’s Word

There is an old illustration called the Hand Illustration that is one of the best ways to get a handle on God’s Word.

1. Listen to God’s Word

“So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.”   ~Romans 10:17

Listening takes discipline, and men know how to discipline themselves for the things they want.

1. ✓Listen to the Word taught in an Adult Bible Fellowship class.
   

2. ✓Listen to the Word preached on Sunday mornings.
   

3. ✓Listen to messages online by your favorite radio preacher; what, you don’t have one - let me give you a few suggestions that are my favorites. I download them and listen to them on my time either when I’m driving or have some time to listen.
   

4. ๏Grace to You with John MacArthur
   

5. ๏Desiring God with John Piper
   

6. ๏Insight for Living with Charles Swindoll
   

2. Read God’s Word - Have a Plan!

1. ✓Read through the Bible in a year; most Bibles have a chart somewhere within its covers.
   

2. ✓Read through the Bible using a One Year Bible.
   

3. ✓When reading the Bible, take as much time to think about what you’ve read. If you only have 10 minutes to read, use 5 to read and 5 to think and write down your thoughts. Here are some questions to ask yourself after reading.
   

4. ๏Is there a Sin to Confess?
   

5. ๏Is there a Promise to Believe?
   

6. ๏Is there an Attitude to Change?
   

7. ๏Is there a Command to Obey?
   

8. ๏Is there an Example to Follow?
   

9. ✓Use a devotional that takes you through major portions of the Bible. A few suggestions are online:
   

10. ๏Grace to You Daily Devotions; there are four to choose from: Drawing Near, Strength for Today, Daily Bible, Daily Readings.
    

11. ๏Insight for Living Daily Devotions
    

3. Study God’s Word - Have a Plan!

If you do not know where to begin in your own study of the Bible, here are a couple of suggestions:

How to Study the Bible by John MacArthur either in book form or messages, both are available at www.gty.org.

4. Memorize God’s Word - Have a Plan!

How can a young man (any man) keep his way pure? By keeping it according

to Your word. . . . Your word I have treasured in my heart, that I may not sin against You.

Psalm 119:9, 11

1. ✓If your children are in AWANA Club on Wednesday nights, learn their memory verse along with them.
   

2. ✓If your children are grown and not in AWANA Club use the Topical Memory Plan - it can be purchased at most Christian bookstores on ordered online at Navpress.org.
   

3. ✓The secret to memorizing Scripture is to learn a verse a few words at a time, be accountable to someone and review often. My plan of review is in the morning, lunch time, dinner time and bed time.
   

5. Meditate on God’s Word

“This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall

meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to

all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and

then you will have success.”   ~Joshua 1:8

I highly encourage you to read this most insightful piece written by one of my favorite authors, J.I. Packer from his book Knowing God.

Meditating on the Truth

How can we turn our knowledge about God into knowledge of God? The rule for doing this is simple but demanding. It is that we turn each truth we learn about God into matter for meditation before God, leading to prayer and praise to God.

We have some idea, perhaps, what prayer is, but what is meditation? Well may we ask, for meditation is a lost art today, and Christian people are grievously ignorant of the practice.

Meditation is the activity of calling to mind, thinking over, dwelling on and applying to oneself, the various things that one knows about the works, ways, purposes and promises of God. It is an activity of holy thought, consciously performed in the presence of God, under the eye of God, by the help of God, as a means of communion with God.

Its purpose is to clear one’s mental and spiritual vision of God, and to let His truth make its full and proper impact on one’s mind and heart. It is a matter of talking to oneself, reasoning oneself out of moods of doubt and unbelief into a clear apprehension of God’s power and grace.

Its effect is ever to humble us, as we contemplate God’s greatness and glory and our own littleness and sinfulness, and to encourage and reassure us, comfort us, in the old, strong, Bible sense of the word - as we contemplate the unsearchable riches of divine mercy displayed in the Lord Jesus Christ.

God’s People

He who willfully separates and estranges himself from God and man seeks his own desire and pretext to break out against all wise and sound judgment.   ~Proverbs 18:1

God has placed us in the family of God for the purposes of fellowship, encouragement and accountability. I encourage you to get involved either in an Adult Bible Study, men’s group or one-on-one with another guy.

Need help, just call or email - we’re are here for you, don’t go it alone!

For more information about the Men's Ministry, contact Pastor Jim at jim@heritagefamily.org.