I listed four steps to establish a pure marriage. They were: (1) take responsibility for your own behavior; (2) do not return sin for sin; (3) admit your faults; and (4) forgive. I believe there are three additional steps to purity once you have worked through the cycle of confession and forgiveness. They are: Speak the truth in love. Early in our marriage, when Karen or I did something that bothered or offended each other, we would only talk about... Read more
The word conscience isn’t a word we hear much about these days. That’s a shame, because a conscience toward God is the glue that holds a family together. When a family loses their conscience toward God, they lose everything. There is no longer any moral restraint to hold them together. A man without a conscience toward God has nothing to prohibit immoral behavior or cause him to make sacrifices for his wife and family, because he is only accountable to... Read more
We’ve been discussing the devastating impact of sin on a marriage. The best marriages are the ones in which the two partners—as individuals and as “one flesh”—maintain an atmosphere of purity. How can you establish or regain that kind of marriage? Here are a few tips: Take responsibility for your own behavior. Jesus said it best: “How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when you yourself fail to see the... Read more
A good friend of mine once told me a story I’ll never forget. Late at night, before he went to sleep, he lay in bed next to his wife. At the time, everything seemed to be going his way, and he remembers thinking how wonderful things had turned out. In a moment of emotional honesty that tends to be pretty rare among guys, he said to his wife, “You know, I’ve never been happier than I am at this moment.”... Read more
We discussed how even so-called “harmless” sins can lead to devastating consequences in a marriage. For proof, just look to the story of Adam and Eve. When they were first created in the Garden, the first couple enjoyed a perfect marriage. They were one flesh—naked and unashamed in an intimate wonderland of love. But after they sinned, that paradise turned into a place where two lonely people hid from God and each other. Their lives were never the same. “Be... Read more
Imagine you’re a robber trying to break into a house. Do you need every window and door in the house to be wide open in order to gain entrance? Or do you just need one unprotected entry point? The answer, of course, is that you just need one way inside. A single open window or unlocked door is enough to get into your house and burglarize it. The same is true of sin. The devil doesn’t need multiple entry points... Read more
We’ve mentioned the importance of consistent discipline when it comes to effective parenting. One of the most important things to remember about discipline is that it must be done in love. When a parent has communicated his or her expectations and a child still misbehaves, it’s time to enforce those standards by deciding which method of punishment is most appropriate and effective. At this point, we need to remember that discipline is something we do for our children, not just... Read more
We discussed the nakedness of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. “And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed” (Genesis 2:25). God intended marriage to be a place where two people were exposed before Him and each other. Not just physically exposed, but mentally, emotionally, and spiritually, too. His plan was for marriage to be a place for complete sharing and intimacy. But a lack of purity—sin—can prevent a marriage from being what... Read more
I once heard of a couple in a deeply troubled marriage, one that had reached a crisis point. Divorce loomed. When it came to fixing the relationship, they didn’t even know where to start. That’s when the wife had a revelation. She realized it was time to do something drastic. She asked her husband to take her hunting. It was his favorite activity, and though she had never shown any interest in it, she was committed to doing whatever it... Read more
I want to discuss nakedness. Do I have your attention yet? When God created Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, he didn’t give them any clothes. His perfect will was for them to remain naked. “And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed” (Genesis 2:25). Now, Karen and I are not nudists, nor do we support or condone that practice (just in case you were wondering). But we do believe this verse reveals... Read more
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