If I asked you today, “Who are your enemies?” perhaps many of you would say you don’t have any enemies. Maybe so, if you define an enemy as some anonymous person taking potshots at you with a loaded gun. But maybe we need to stretch our view of who an enemy might be. Could someone in your family be an enemy? A sister in-law or mother-in-law? A parent? Someone with whom you work? Someone you’re in competition with? How do we go about loving the enemies that are close to home? How do we overcome the urge to retaliate, to say no to our instinct for revenge against those who mistreat us? Why this message on Valentine’s Day? Perhaps this message is more applicable to love and marriage than we care to admit. It’s not natural to love our enemies, but it’s not impossible. To say that it is impossible makes God a liar. Having said this, however, we’re painfully aware of our shortcomings in this regard. Thank God for the mercy we find at the cross of Christ. Read Luke 6:27-36 and for good measure, listen to the audio file of today’s message.
Tag Archive for 'marriage'
Last week Martha and I were invited guests to a luncheon sponsored by KTIS Radio in honor of pastors and their wives. In addition to a great meal, the 350 who were gathered heard a stirring, heartfelt message on marriage, presented by Dr. Gary Smalley, Director of the Smalley Relationship Center in Branson, Missouri. Dr. Smalley opened his talk with a simple, succinct, and stimulating statement. He said, “The most important but often overlooked key to a truly great marriage is SECURITY.”
I’ve attended my share of marriage enrichment seminars emphasizing the importance of skills such as listening to, understanding, respecting and appreciating one’s mate as the vital ingredients in the formula of marital oneness and success. Smalley would agree that these skills are important and have their place, but only when a proper foundation for marriage is laid, which is, in a word – “SECURITY.” Continue reading ‘The Key to a Great Marriage’
Answers You Can Trust
People’s lives are complicated these days. They’re looking for real answers to life’s tough questions. The creators of a new website called iQuestions
.com have taken their best shot at providing trustworthy answers to these difficult questions.
The website breaks down into 7 major categories of life issues, each with subcategories: Marriage & Relationships, Parenting, Intimacy, Wellness, Money, Career, and Faith. Twenty five of the nation’s top values-based experts provide approximately 3 minute answers on video to an array of questions such as “My husband cheated on me. What do I do?” or “Will our fighting lead to a divorce?” or “We’re in some pretty serious debt. Is our debt affecting our relationship?” In addition, you can e-mail the free video to a friend, discuss the video with others, download the audio, or download the transcript. For each question posed, there is also provided a cross-referencing section of similar video questions and answers so you can further investigate a particular subject. Resources are available for purchase from the website in the event that you want to dig deeper into a particular subject area.
I encourage you to take a look at this sight and recommend it to your friends. I’d like to hear what you think. Send me a response. Once again, the website is iQuestions.com. – MAJ