Seven words that can build a marriage - CFN Newsletter Week 131

CHRISTIAN FAMILY NETWORK NEWSLETTER 131

> Strengthen your relationship with Adrian Rogers' advice: seven words that can build a marriage
> News:
> Word on the Web reaching more than 100 nations
> Call for crackdown on sexual images
> Special family day for bereaved parents
> Sites:
> To reach students, steer your conversations towards Jesus, strengthen your marriage and your family, and help you make the most of The Passion of The Christ on DVD
> Marriage MOT: Love ... endures all things
> You've got to laugh: Rescued! The man and the desert island
> Members' Zone latest

> OUR SPONSORS FOR THIS WEEK

CPO: the UK's number provider of resources for churches. Special DVD package of The Passion of The Christ now available at http://www.cpo-online.org.uk

> FROM THE EDITOR

Hi all

We've got loads to bless, encourage, provoke and inform you with this latest newsletter and site update, from marriage advice to PC tips on safety, the latest news, great websites and a healthy dose of fun to brighten up your day.

Do let us know what you find helpful - and what you'd like to see more of. And do send this newsletter on to your friends and encourage them to join CFN!

God bless
Russ Bravo
Christian Family Network
info@cfnetwork.co.uk
http://www.cfnetwork.co.uk

PS Christian Family Network is here to direct you to the best in parenting, marriage and family resources; to link you up with other Christian families up and down the UK; and to help you make the most of life as a follower of Christ - at home, at work, at school and college, at play and online.

Your feedback, positive and negative, enables us to develop CFN in the way that is most useful for you - so please tell us if we're off the rails or on the button!

And don't forget - if we can pass on material (sample copies of Families Together, leaflets) which will help you tell your friends and your church about CFN, just mail Lyn Bedford at marketing@christianmedia.org.uk and she'll be glad to help you out.

ADVICE

Seven words that can build a marriage

By Adrian Rogers

Love and marriage are wonderful. Actually, they are miracles. But the great miracle is not love at first sight. The great miracle is love after a long, long look. So, how do you keep the "honey" in the honeymoon? How do you keep the excitement, the thrill, there? How do you have the kind of home that God wants you to have? May I give you seven simple words based on 1 Peter 3:1-10?

FAITH - Verse five of the text mentioned above discusses the need to trust in God: "For after this manner in the old time the holy women also, who trusted in God ..." Ecclesiastes 4:12 puts it this way: "A threefold cord is not quickly broken." The man, the woman, and God make up the threefold cord that binds our homes together. You'll never have a successful home apart from God, and you'll never know God as you ought without faith.

ACCEPTANCE - Verse one lays out God's plan for the home: "Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands." The devil has tried to obliterate the differences between the sexes. Under the guise of making men and women equal, he's tried to make them the same. Men and women are equal before God, but equality of worth is not the sameness of function. Each of us must accept our God-given roles. Then, you will experience blessings when you follow God's plan for your home.

CONTENTMENT - Verse three reminds us not to get caught up in outward appearances: "Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel." The secret of contentment is to learn that you can get along without almost anything except God and one another. If you have that, you have all you need to be content.

FORGIVENESS - In verse nine, Peter says: "Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing." Tornados are terrible and earthquakes are horrible, but termites destroy more homes than anything else. Likewise, it's that little spirit of bitterness, that unwillingness to forgive, or that spirit that carries a grudge that will get your home. Sometimes the wife has to practise it and sometimes the husband, but learn to forgive.

COMMUNICATION - Verse 10 says: "For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile." In Proverbs 18:21 we also read, "Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof." You need to learn to communicate. Just as important, you need to plan to communicate. Make time for it. Everyone ought to plan four dates.
. Plan a date with God - have a quiet time with Him every day.
. Plan a date with your kids - spend time with each child or grandchild personally.
. Plan a date with yourself - get alone, pray, or just meditate.
. Plan a date with your spouse - get out of the house and just love one another.

ROMANCE - In verse seven dwell means to "live together" or "share," and it speaks of romance. "Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life" Never let the physical part of your marriage grow cold. Your spouse is someone precious. You need to honour the person that you're married to. One way to give honour is a sincere compliment. You give honour not only privately, but publicly. Keep the romance, the joy, and the excitement in your relationship.

PRAYER - Finally, verse seven: "that your prayers be not hindered." Pray through your marriage. Psalm 127:1 says, "Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain." It's more than a trite expression that the family that prays together, stays together. It is vital that you learn to pray together.
Now you say: "That's a very strange thing because you have given us seven words about having a successful home, but you never mentioned love." Friend, all of these are facets of love. As these seven words are lived out and become actions, they will speak love and will build up your marriage.

• For more great articles and resources to help you grow in your faith, visit: http://link.crosswalk.com/UM/T.asp?A1.11.26166.1.476786

> THIS WEEK'S NEWS

> Word-on-the-web reaching over 100 nations

Church Army’s word-on-the-web now has subscribers based in more than 100 countries around the globe with the addition of new subscribers this month from Angora, Belize and Sierra Leone.

Go to http://www.cfnetwork.co.uk/members/news.asp for the full story

> Crackdown on sexual images call

Nearly nine out of 10 people believe ministers should impose tougher restrictions on sexual images on children’s TV and in children’s magazines to discourage under-age sex, a survey revealed recently.

Go to http://www.cfnetwork.co.uk/members/resources.asp for the full story

> Special family day for bereaved parents

As part of the Bereaved Parents' Network, Care for the Family is holding a Family Day this autumn, with special guest speaker Brenda Kelso.

Go to http://www.cfnetwork.co.uk/members/news.asp for the full story

> MARRIAGE MOT

Love ... endures all things

In the Living Bible these words are translated: “You will always stand your ground defending him” (or her). Do you stand your ground and defend your loved one, or are you often tempted to join in the criticism?

My husband and I know most of each other’s faults, but I find it hard to stomach others criticism of him. I recognise that he makes mistakes, but I wonder what right others have to attack him – are they so perfect themselves? When you know someone so well and love them just the same, you see the faults and weaknesses in context alongside the gifts and qualities.

We try to sort out any disagreements that we have face to face and preferably in private. To the rest of the world our unity is the most important thing. Whatever my husband does, he is my husband and I want him to know that I will stand by him.

So how about you, do you often run each other down in public? Do you seek out others to get your grumbles off your chest? Or do you have it out in private, so you can stand united and face life together and at peace?

> Check out our archived marriage tips in the Members' Zone, plus stacks more marriage resources at http://www.2-in-2-1.co.uk

> EVENTS

> YOU'VE GOT TO LAUGH ...

There was a man who was stranded on a desert island for many, many years. One day, while strolling along the beach, he spotted a ship in the distance. This had never happened in all the time he was on the island, so he was very excited about the chance of being rescued.

Immediately, he built a fire on the beach and generated as much smoke as possible. It worked! Soon, the ship was heading his way.

When the ship was cose enough to the island, a dinghy was dispatched to investigate the situation. The man on the island was overjoyed with the chance to be rescued and met his saviors as they landed.

After some preliminary conversation, the man in charge asked the man on the island how he had survived for so many years. The man replied by telling of his exploits for food and how he was able to make a fine house to live in.

"In fact," the man said, "you can see my home from here – it's up there on the ridge." Pointing the men in he direction of his home, they looked and saw three buildings.

They inquired about the building next to the man's house and he replied: "That's my church - I go there to worship on Sundays."

When asked about the third building, the man replied: "That's whre I used to go to church."

forwarded by Alan Mercer to www.mikeysfunnies.com

> CHRISTIAN FAMILY NETWORK THIS WEEK
(MEMBERS' ZONE) - http://www.cfnetwork.co.uk/members/default.asp

> Advice

> Seven words that can build a marriage
> Eric Spellmann on programs to keep your kids safe online
> Kate's Marriage advice -

> Resources

> Christian married couples should make love more, says evangelist
> Daft definitions to make you laugh

> News

> Word on the Web reaching more than 100 nations
> Call for crackdown on sexual images
> Special family day for bereaved parents

> Sites:

> To reach students, steer your conversations towards Jesus, strengthen your marriage and your family, and help you make the most of The Passion of The Christ on DVD

> Events: What's on near you

> Webwatch index: more than 700 sites categorised at your fingertips

> Site Search Engine: the easy way to trawl our 1,000-page plus archives

Christian Family Network, Christian Media Centre, Garcia Estate, Canterbury Road, Worthing, West Sussex BN13 1EH, UK (01903 821082; subscriptions 01903 602136)

HOW TO UNSUBSCRIBE FROM THIS NEWSLETTER

Just send an e-mail to leave-cfn-newsletter@cfnetwork.co.uk

© Christian Family Network
is run by CPO, supported by
Care for the Family, Marriage Resource, Positive Parenting,
Care, Women Alive, Christian Herald and many others.