It’s day 33 of the 40 Day Marriage Challenge here at Refocused. 

Today’s challenge is: Recognize ways your husband is giving himself up for you, and thank him for it. 

The devotion based on L.O.V.E: 

L – Log the verse: “He did this to present her to himself as a glorious church without a spot or wrinkle or any other blemish. Instead, she will be holy and without fault.” ‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭5:27‬ ‭NLT‬‬

O -Observations: Jesus gave up his life for the church. Gave up his life. Sometimes I think we skim over the depth of love Jesus has for his church; for us. He loved her to death. He held nothing back. He gave it all. This love is a model for marriage. 

V -Verse’s implications for marriage: Husbands are to live their wives in this way- to use words that evoke her beauty, and bring out the best in her. Ask God to help you see ways your husband is, in fact giving himself up for you.

It is so easy to get caught up in recognizing flaws and disappointments. 

 Are you missing the beautiful ways your husband is sacrificing himself for you? 

It could be small things like going to watch a chick flick with you – or could be like a larger sacrifice like going to your family’s holiday get together instead if his. Thank him when you see him lay down his desires for your sake.

E- End in Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank you for dying for your bride, the church. You gave it all. You show us how to love each other in marriage. Please help us show our husbands respect by recognizing how they are giving themselves up for us, and thanking them.  Help us never nag them into sacrificing for us. Help our husbands to love us more like you loved the church, and help as radiate your love back onto them. In Jesus name, amen.

https://refocusedbiblestudy.com/2017/01/09/oneness-in-marriage/

It’s Day 20 of the 40 Day Marriage challenge here at Refocused Bible Study. 

Today our challenge is: 
Declare Jesus is LORD over your marriage 

Devotion pattern based on L.O.V.E.

I challenge you to journal the verse this way yourself. See what the Lord speaks to you about your marriage. He is so personal and good! 

L- Log the verse: “and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
‭‭Philippians‬ ‭2:11‬ ‭NLT‬‬

O – Observations- Jesus is LORD 

V- Verse’s implications for marriage- Is Jesus Lord over my marriage? Am I bowing and kneeling before Him and placing my most important earthly relationship at His feet? Am I verbalizing that Jesus is ALL POWERFUL- able to demolish every stronghold and destructive pattern? That He is my Savior, my husband’s Savior, and if He saved us for eternity, then He can make something beautiful here and now? Do I believe Jesus is FOR my marriage and He wants to do a NEW THING – even if things are “good,” He wants to transform us further? 

E – End in Prayer – Lord, we confess aloud that You are LORD over our marriage. With you, all things are possible. Please help my husband and I kneel before you and ask you to create greater oneness in you than we have now. Bring us even closer together. In Jesus’ mighty name, Amen. 

Here’s the next 10 days of the Challenge: 

I hope you’ll join us! Try the devotion pattern and let me know what the Lord shares with you. Praying for you, 

Amy 

It’s Day 17 of the 40 Day Marriage Challenge here at Refocused Bible Study. 

Day 17 
L- log the verse – “Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names,”

‭‭Philippians‬ ‭2:9‬ ‭NLT‬‬

O – observations – Jesus humbled himself in obedience to the Father, and therefore, God exalted Him. 

V – Verse’s implications for marriage- Are we following Jesus in humility in our marriage? 
This is so hard, I can attest to it this week. I dropped my phone into the bathtub, and it started a wave of stress. (Who can live without a phone in 2017?) Apparently, it’s possible, because I just did, for four days. Yes, I survived. 
Survived, yes. Passed God’s test of humility and acting like Jesus in the process; fail. Sisters, I mean I failed with flying colors. I could not take it when my husband very gently said something about being more careful next time!
So what is our next step in the process when we mess up and don’t act like Jesus? 
We praise Him for dying for us and giving us another chance. We rise up off our knees in repentance and ask Him and our husband to forgive us, and we walk forward. 
>>>A thousand little choices of humility add up to a marriage you can be proud of.>>> 

Giving credit to Jesus for every humble choice. >>>

Taking ownership of every poor decision or emotional reaction and seeing the beauty of his blood bought forgiveness pouring through your marriage like a rushing river. >>> 

E – Ending prayer – Lord, please bless the marriages represented reading these words. Be glorified and lifted high above any other name. May your name be known through our marriages. When people hear our last name, representing us as a couple, may they quickly associate us with the name of your Son, Jesus. May our marriages be known in our sphere of influence as a couple who has built a life on your Word. Be lifted high in and through our marriages, in Jesus’ name, Amen.

It’s day 15 of the 40 Day Marriage Challenge!

A Selfless Servant

L – Log the verse: “but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.” Philippians 2:7

O- Observations: Jesus humbled himself, died to himself, to serve humanity. He was willing to do what his Master asked them to do, as a slave, without expecting payment in return. Jesus became human. He knows how it feels to experience all the things we face.

V- Verse’s implications for marriage: Set yourself aside (empty yourself) in marriage. Don’t cram and stuff things down in your heart, suppressing your feelings. (This will just cause an explosion of emotions at some point). Instead, bring your needs to the throne of God. Ask him to make you more selfless and giving towards your husband. Then don’t make yourself a “servant” to your husband, but rather a servant to the Lord, the Master you are truly serving by loving your husband well.

E- End in prayer: Sefless Jesus, thank you for emptying yourself to give us a fullness of life that includes greater oneness in marriage. Thank you for becoming human. You can sympathize with how hard it is to die to self. Please comfort and sustain us on this journey to a more Christ-centered marriage. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Here are the verses for this week:

Monday- Philippians 2:7
Tuesday- Philippians 2:8
Wednesday- Philippians 2:9
Thursday – Philippians 2:10
Friday- Philippians 2:11

1) Comment below – an area of your marriage you are asking God to help you be more selfless and more of a servant in.
2) Pray for one other sister who has commented and then like and comment an encouragement to them. 🙂