Psalm 116:1,2 [NAS]

I love the LORD, because He hears my voice and my supplications. Because He has inclined His ear to me, therefore I shall call upon Him as long as I live.

We are most affected by God’s loving-kindness when He relieves us out of deep distress. We might not see challenges as good, but as we trust and practice faithfulness we soon see that, yes, He worked all things out for our good. It is good. We add that to our list of times God was true to His promise. And, we find hope in God. “Grace is stronger than circumstances.” J. C. Ryle

The cliché “God helps those who help themselves” is a non-truth because God actually helps those who can’t help themselves. When we are despondent and think we are at the end of our rope, and we just don’t know what else to do, we “give up” and let God have His way. What a blessing to witness His gracious loving-kindness and accept the sustaining grace of God that we so desperately need. There are times we may feel despondent about our marriage.

Mitch Temple, from The Marriage Turnaround, gives Five Secrets of Successful Couples which applied daily can energize any marriage. Although familiar, they are worth repeating. They are the following:

1. There’s value in just showing up. When things get tough, hang in there for your spouse.

2. Approach problems from a new angle. If you don’t, you’ll find that doing what you always do brings the same results.

3. Resist the grass is greener myth. Instead, put your energy into making your marriage better. Grass is greenest where you water it.

4. Don’t quit when it gets tough. A crisis is like a storm: loud, scary, and dangerous. But, to get through a storm, you have to keep driving.

5. Fight the battle between your ears. Resist holding grudges and bringing up the past. The most successful couples live by the motto “Forget and let it go.”

I ask myself:

1. What are my reasons for loving God? Do I take the time to thank Him for His love?

2. What will stop me from applying the Five Secrets today in my marriage?

Marriage is “Joy unspeakable and full of glory.” Nahum 1:7 God is good!

Psalm 115:1.18 [NAS]

Not to us, O LORD, not to us, but to Your name give glory because of Your lovingkindness, because of Your truth. But as for us, we will bless the LORD from this time forth and forever. Praise the LORD!

God alone gets the glory. He is in heaven where He does as He pleases. We want to live with a passion for God. We desire to treasure His glory above all else and to do this we must guard our hearts from any competing loves that would challenge our devotion to Him.

· We need to guard against our mental idols. The apostle John warned us to keep ourselves form idols (1 John 5:21). An idol for us women might be the knowledge that we have embraced the beliefs of the world. The feminist movement is alive and well in our society. We must be careful to worship God in “truth.” Ungodly thinking must be seen as an idol and destroyed. A. W. Tozer warned, “The most important thing about you is what comes into your mind when you think about God.” What we read, see, and hear stays in our minds to battle our ability to bring glory to God in all our ways.

· We need to guard against our heart idols. Anything we focus on more than God can become an idol. Martyn Lloyd-Jones wrote, “A man’s god is that for which he lives, for which he is prepared to give his time, his energy, his money, that which stimulates him and rouses him, excites, and enthuses him.” This may be a job, a hobby, a house, car, relationship, a goal, or an investment. It matters not what it is. Nothing must come before our supreme devotion to God. We must cast down our idols that dwell in our hearts and glorify God.

“It is visible that God is, it is invisible what He is.” Stephen Charnock

I ask myself:

1. Has my marriage become an idol?

2. What heart idols and what mental idols have I embraced?

3. Why do I hesitate to obey? What am I afraid of?

Marriage is “Joy unspeakable and full of glory.”

Nahum 1:7 God is good!

Psalm 114:7,8 [NAS]

Tremble, O earth, before the Lord, before the God of Jacob, Who turned the rock into a pool of water, the flint into a fountain of water.

This psalm brings our attention to the reverential fear of God. God delights in intervening in the affairs of our lives. His help comes at the perfect time. No obstacle is too great for God to overcome and no enemy is too great for God to defeat.

The Son of God, the Rock of ages, gave himself to death, to open a fountain to wash away sins and to supply brides with all that is needed to live in harmony. There isn’t any blessing too great to expect from His love.

God orchestrates both the big things and the small things, carrying out everything according to His divine plan. God does this, even in difficult times. He is sovereign and He will have His way.

Years ago a young bride (and her husband) was anxiously searching for a home. She was excited but resided in a constant state of anxiety. One day on the way to a women’s Bible study the young bride was complaining to her female companion about all the unknowns and doubts in the decision-making process. The passenger listened and as soon as she could get a word in edgewise she asked if they had prayed and sought the Lord’s direction. She said no because she didn’t want to bother the Lord with something so small, to which the friend replied, “What is big or small to the Lord?” God is sovereign and will accomplish His will in our lives.

When the Scripture reiterates we “fit into our own husband’s way,” it means it is important to obey. God never asks us to do anything without providing a way to accomplish it. There is no blessing too great or too small. “A dark hour makes Jesus bright.” Robert Murray Mc’Cheynbe

I ask myself:

1. What is a small thing I am waiting on God for? What is a big thing?

2. Why do I hesitate to obey? What am I afraid of?

Marriage is “Joy unspeakable and full of glory.” Nahum 1:7 God is good!

Psalm 113:1-3 [NAS]

Praise the LORD! Praise, O servants of the LORD, Praise the name of the LORD.
Blessed be the name of the LORD from this time forth and forever. From the rising of the sun to its setting the name of the LORD is to be praised.

God is to be continually praised from morning until night. Augustine said, “Man’s chief work is the praise of God.” It matters little what our circumstances are, whether prosperity or seasons of adversity, times of blessing or buffeting. Our highest purpose is to praise the Lord.

We are to praise God in all things. Mathew Henry said, “Be not afraid of saying too much in the praise of God; all the danger is of saying too little.” We praise Him for who He is and what He has done.

Many times brides want “out” and plead to God to resolve this relationship. If we grumble when we are young, we will grumble when we are old. There is always something with which to disagree.

Each day we have the choice to build our husband up or tear him down. Author Kathleen McQuain describes the benefits of an “8 Second Kiss” stating there is a magic that happens when we kiss for 8 seconds. The magic happens in 1) the surprise he will experience; 2) the change of direction the communication takes; 3) the surrender of our negative thinking and the presentation of a softer focus; 4) the reminder to persevere; it reconnects the passion that was once there but forgotten. Kathleen recommends trying this 8 second kiss for 8 days. It may change the life of the marriage. (“Crazy 8’s” by Kathleen McQuain, P31 Woman, May 2009)

He would have much to think about during the day if we send him off with an 8 second kiss. The more we focus on loving rather than complaining helps add glue to the marriage.

I ask myself:

1. Have I praised God today? Have I praised Him for my husband?

2. Am I willing to recreate the magic? Yes!

Marriage is “Joy unspeakable and full of glory.” Nahum 1:7 God is good!

Everyone has treasures consuming their passion – something they focus their lives on. For the Christian bride, the focused passion is to become the loving, caring and devoted wife that produces a godly marriage. This is the heart of a God-centered bride. Our character is God-centered. [Glenda’s Tidbits “Drawing Close”]

There are changes in life we can choose, changes of which we contribute to the decision, and changes we have no choice over. One is most perplexing and causes us to stumble more in our marriages. We do have a choice as to how we adjust to those changes.  The choice discloses how close we are focusing on glorifying God and not our own pleasure.

As we begin our day, focusing on God and His immutable Word, we can rest in all changes knowing He is the blessed controller of all things.

Godliness with contentment is great gain. 1 Timothy 6:6 NIV

When we find ourselves looking to the future because we aren’t content with today, may God give us a peace of mind that lets us rest where He has placed us. Be content today!

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.

Psalm 112:1,10 [NAS]

Praise the LORD! How blessed is the man who fears the LORD, who greatly delights in His commandments. The wicked will see it and be vexed, he will gnash his teeth and melt away; the desire of the wicked will perish.

What encouragement to brides. This psalm helps us prioritize the reverence, obedience, and blessings of the bride who lives for God. At times we think our choice to be obedient regardless of circumstances is overlooked. We don’t think God is watching, and it seems that those who don’t worship God seem to be progressing nicely. This psalm is reminding us that God sees and blesses and in the end the wicked will perish. This is great hope for brides who want to pursue godliness. “The fear of God is the soul of godliness.” Charles H. Spurgeon

Everyone has treasures consuming their passion – something they focus their lives on. For the Christian bride, the focused passion is to become the loving, caring and devoted wife that produces a godly marriage. This is the heart of a God-centered bride. Our character is God-centered.

Strange how we read Scripture and neglect to ask God to apply it to our lives. Funny how once we marry we begin to focus on “things” and neglect to do the “fitting.” Interesting how we want to see him do his “loving his wife as Christ loved the church” part and neglect to examine our own application. Complicated how we compare him to our sister’s husband or the neighbor’s husband and what he does for her and neglect to recognize the few things our husband is doing for us. Challenging how we become devoted to others and neglect to defer to him. Strange, funny, interesting, complicated and challenging. Ephesians 4:32 says to be kind to one another, tenderhearted and forgiving just as Christ has forgiven me. Ouch! This begins with our own husband.

I ask myself:

1. How am I doing? Is it obvious that I am applying God’s Word to my marriage?

2. Does my husband know I think he is the best? Am I willing to tell him?

Psalm 111:10 [NAS]

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; A good understanding have all those who do His commandments; His praise endures forever.

No bride is wise who does not fear the Lord, or acts wisely except as influenced by that fear. This fear will lead to repentance, to faith in Christ, to watchfulness and obedience. A wise bride is of a good understanding, however poor, unlearned, or despised. And, “give unlimited credit to our God.” Robert Murray A’Cheyne.

Steve Lawson in his commentary says that we cannot separate who God is from what He does, but that both the person and the work of God are indissolubly one. Therefore, believers should praise God for his mighty deeds, which flow directly out of His divine being. This psalm exhorts us to praise the Lord for who He is and what He has done.

With this in mind, we brides can be assured that God is doing the same wonderful working in our marriage. This is wonderful sweet support. Reverential fear of the Lord is necessary for our wisdom. Fearing God leads to wisdom and good understanding.

Ponder this: If we are preoccupied with praising God for who He is and what He has done, we will have no time to be discontent, disheveled, unruly brides. Through our loving praises to God, we will be loving and caring brides. Our home will be a haven for our husband to return to. Such thinking is rather deep.

May we rejoice in seeing the mighty works of God all about us, divinely directed for our good and God’s glory. Fearing God leads to wisdom; obedience to precepts; understanding in life; leading to praise. Amen. Praise His wonderful name.

I ask myself:

1. Does my fearing God create a desire to be a faithful loving wife? Why? Why not?

2. Will I trust God to work in my marriage even when I don’t see my husband change?

Marriage is “Joy unspeakable and full of glory.” Nahum 1:7 God is good!

Psalm 110:1[NAS]

The LORD says to my Lord: "Sit at My right hand until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet."

This psalm is a glorious reminder that God is sovereign and that our call is to be holy. “Sovereignty characterizes the whole being of God. He is sovereign in all His attributes.” A. W. Pink.

For brides, the desire to be holy is displayed in the manner in which we “fit into our own husband’s ways.” This is the command for brides. The unsaved neighbor watches the Christian wife to see if she is different. What do they see?

1 Peter 3:1,5,6 In the same way, you wives, be submissive to your own husbands so that even if any of them are disobedient to the word, they may be won without a word by the behavior of their wives. For in this way in former times the holy women also, who hoped in God, used to adorn themselves, being submissive to their own husbands; just as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord, and you have become her children if you do what is right without being frightened by any fear.

Titus 2:5 …to be sensible, pure, workers at home, kind, being subject to their own husbands, so that the word of God will not be dishonored.

Colossians 3:18 Wives, be subject to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.

Ephesians 5:22,24,33b Wives, be subject to your own husbands, as to the Lord. But as the church is subject to Christ, so also the wives ought to be to their husbands in everything…and the wife must see to it that she respects her husband.

To some brides, the husband hasn’t behaved in a manner deserving her respect. Brides are called to respect their husbands position not what he does or how he does it but because he is the head of the house ordained by God.  When brides step out in faith and trust God, He blesses even the smallest obedience (Psalm 18:20).

I ask myself:

1. Do I show him respect even when I don’t feel like it or he doesn’t deserve it?

2. Is my marriage a picture of Christ’s love for His church? What can I do to change?

3. What is one thing I know would make his homecoming more pleasant? I’ll start there.

Marriage is “Joy unspeakable and full of glory.” Nahum 1:7 God is good!

Psalm 109:1,22,40[NAS]

O God of my praise, do not be silent! For I am afflicted and needy, and my heart is wounded within me. With my mouth I will give thanks abundantly to the LORD; And in the midst of many I will praise Him.

When others slander our character, how should we respond? As sad as the offense is, we will give an answer for our responses, not the accuser’s actions. This psalm is telling us to let God take vengeance for us and for us to remain obedient.

John Calvin said, “No greater injury can be inflicted upon men than to wound their reputation.”

During the times of attack, we make choices.

· We can pray and commit the injustice to God and ask Him to deal with the person. We can choose to act rather than delay and choose to heal rather than wound.

· We can practice patience while giving God time to act. God is long-suffering with us. We show long-suffering by choosing to love rather than hate and by choosing to smile rather than frown.

· We can praise God that we are growing in trust in Him and His ways. We can choose to persevere rather than quit. We can choose to build rather than destroy. We can choose to give rather than grasp. We can choose to praise rather than gossip.

· We can give God glory as it comes to pass and we realize He worked in it. We can choose to forgive rather than curse; hence, we can choose to obey rather than despair.

I ask myself:

1. Have I preserved dignity for my husband’s name? Have I made good choices?

2. Have I waited, relaxed, to see how God would resolve the slander? Or, did I retaliate?

3. Have I prayed diligently for my husband and for those who slander his character? Have I told him I love him?

Marriage is “Joy unspeakable and full of glory.” Nahum 1:7 God is good!