Why Do Marriages Fail?
By Angie Lewis

Marriages do not fail; it is the people in marriage that fail. God would never design a marriage program that failed. God is perfect and He has established perfection in marriage. Marriages fail because we are not taking responsibility for ourselves in the marriage. If we don't work the program, we won't know what to do when trouble strikes, and ultimately we will fail the marriage class.

Listen to my instruction and be wise; do not ignore it. Blessed is the man who listens to me, watching daily at my doors, waiting at my doorway. (Proverbs 8:33,34 NIV)

No one else cares about your marriage more than God does. That is why he left His people with the most infallible instructions on how married couples are to treat one another in marriage. These instructions, if followed properly, will not break apart the bonds of matrimony between a man and a woman. It will in fact, unite the bonds of marriage, and make it a sacred and holy union created by God himself.

If I want a great marriage, built upon trust, forgiveness, respect and commitment, I certainly would not step out of the Godly foundations of where marriage originated. Absolutely not! I would go to the master designer Himself, wouldn't you?

God explains to us in detail what the roles and responsibilities of a husband and a wife are. The problem is many couples have a difficult time heeding God's guidance because God's instructions often get trampled upon by unbelievers and rebellions living outside of God's boundaries, and then, many Christian's hear it, believe it, and live it. And then, they wonder why their marriage is failing.

People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of good, treacherous, rash, conceited, (2 Timothy 3:2 NIV)

God explains to us in simple terms how a husband is to love his wife and how a wife is to love her husband. Love in marriage is NOT about feeling good, but about giving of oneself and respecting one another. Instead what are couples doing? They are putting conditions on love, they are seeking what "appears to be love" from other's outside of their marriage, and they are disrespecting and demoralizing one another in the marriage.

Whoever does not love, does not know God, because God is love. (1 John 4:8 NIV)

God explains with great care the position of both husband and wife in marriage. But instead of following God's instructions they are pawning off their positions onto each other! How wrong is that? It is backwards.

Wives submit to your husbands as to the Lord. (Ephesians 5:22)

Wife, are you submitting to the Lord? If so, why are you not submitting to you husband? This is your role and duty as a Christian wife to do. If we slack off and not do the will of God, then we are rebelling against God's will for us.

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the Church and gave Himself up for her(Ephesians 5:25 NIV)

Husband, are you loving your wife just as Jesus Christ loved you and gave His life up for you?

I believe many Christian couples are following a different instruction book for their marriage. They are not on the same book with God! I don't know where their marriage book comes from, but I do know it is not created with the same care and spiritual guidance that God's instructional book is created with.

One of God's guiding principles for marriage is to forgive one another with completeness of heart and mind, meaning the way Christ has forgiven us. If couples never learn to forgive in this way, I believe, they will be missing out on so much in life. Forgiveness changes things; it changes a person's spirit and way of life. It teaches a total giving process that reaches out to others like nothing else can.

He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification. (Romans 4:25 NIV)


If we are failing marriage maybe we need to be reading God's other instructional book first. You know, the one on being born again in Jesus Christ where true forgiveness and love is found.

For we know that our old self has been crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin because anyone who has died has been freed from sin. (Romans 6:6,7 NIV)

Angie Lewis has written three books on how to have a happy marriage. She has just finished her fourth book THE ALCOHOLISM TRAP: Understanding Why You Drink and What You Can Do To Achieve Total Sobriety. http://www.heavenministries.com

To see book previews, please visit: http://stores.lulu.com/angielewis

Article Source: http://www.faithwriters.com

Faithful Stewards
By Rebecca Livermore

Let a man so consider us as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover, it is required in stewards that one be found faithful (1 Corinthians 4:1,2 NJKV).

One of the best things about reading the Bible regularly is I often see common verses in a different light – when they are read in context. The verse above is one such example. Stewardship is something we hear about often, and most of the time it is thought of in terms of finances. Obviously, it is important to be a faithful steward with everything God has given us, including finances. But that isn’t what the verse above is referring to!

Paul and Apollos were given a gift and calling from the Lord. The New Living Translation states that they were in charge of “explaining God’s secrets.” Paul makes it clear that faithfulness in that calling was not an option – it was required. Using the gift God gave him was good stewardship. The same is true for us.

We need to consider if we are using the gifts God has given us in a way that pleases and honors Him. This is a hard question to ask if you don’t know what God has gifted you to do. If you are uncertain about what the Lord has called you to do, I would recommend the following. First, ask Him to show you! In James 1:5 we’re told that if we lack wisdom, we should ask God, and it will be given to us. So that’s the first step! If you are still uncertain, a book such as Cure for the Common Life by Max Lucado may help you see your gifts more clearly.

If you know what your gifts are, you need to ask yourself if you are using the gifts God has given you, or if the gifts He’s given you are wasting away. Are you, by chance, withholding something that could be a blessing to others in the body of Christ? In my life, writing is one example. For years I knew that I was supposed to do it, but for reasons such as fear, laziness, and busyness, I avoided it. The fact that you are reading this means that I am using that gift now. That’s as it should be.

If you are using your gifts, the next thing to look at is your motives. Are you using your gifts in a way that pleases and honors the Lord? It’s possible to use our gifts, but to do so in a sloppy, uncaring manner. Or, it is possible to use them well, but to do so out of pride. The gifts God has entrusted us with should be used with excellence, and with pure motives, so that God is the one glorified. That, my friend, is good stewardship!

Father, I pray that you will help us to first of all clearly know what it is that you have uniquely called us to do. Give us wisdom, passion, and purity to use our gifts in a way that pleases and honors You. Amen.

Thought: What changes are you going to make in your life today to be a more faithful steward of the gifts God has given you?

Copyright by Rebecca Livermore, a Christian speaker and writer from Denver, Colorado. Her passion is helping people grow spiritually. To read more of her articles, visit http://www.rebeccalivermore.com or her AC page at http://www.associatedcontent.com/user/60801/rebecca_livermore.html .

Article Source: http://www.faithwriters.com