The Roman Rules of Marriage

.........But Will You Be Mine?


The Roman Rules of Marriage
Sharon Jaynes
Girlfriends In God

Today's Truth
"[Let your] love be sincere-a real thing" (Romans 12:9, AMP)

Friend To Friend
February is the month we celebrate love, marriage, and sweethearts. But love is more than frilly Valentine's cards, heart-shaped candy, and bouquets of roses or balloons. Sometimes love is commitment to hard work.

If you are married, here are some questions for reflection: Do I love my husband well? Do I adore the man God has given to me? Am I admiring him as a child of God? Am I appreciating him for who he is today instead of what he could be if he lived up to my expectations? Am I giving my heart freely or do I make him feel as though he constantly has to earn my love?

Paul gives us some good advice on how to love one another in Romans 12:9-18.

Love must be sincere.
Cling to what is good.
Be devoted to one another.
Honor one another above yourself.
Never be lacking in zeal.
Be joyful in hope.
Be patient in affliction.
Be faithful in prayer.
Share with God's people who are in need.
Practice hospitality.
Bless those who persecute you.
Rejoice with those who rejoice.
Mourn with those who mourn.
Live in harmony with one another.
Do not be proud.
Do not be conceited.
Do not repay anyone evil for evil.
Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody.
If it is possible, a far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.

Now take a look at that list. It is easy to think that Paul is talking about our friends or fellow Christians. But if these are the guidelines for loving our friends, how much more are they guidelines for loving our very own husbands? As Ann Landers once said, "Love is friendship that has caught fire. It is quiet understanding, mutual confidence, sharing and forgiving. It is a loyalty through good and bad. It settles for less than perfection and makes allowances for human weaknesses."

I hope you have a wonderful Valentine's Day as you celebrate your marriage. And if you're not married, celebrate the love you share with friends, family, and your heavenly Bridegroom - Jesus Christ.

Let's Pray
Dear God of Love, I pray that I will love others well today. I pray that You will fill me with Your Holy Spirit so that I can overflow Your love to those around me. I know that loving others is Your most important command. Help me to keep that foremost in my mind and in my actions this day.

In Jesus' Name,

Amen.

Now It's Your Turn
Go back up to the Roman Rules above. Either write them out or print them off from this devotion. Carry this list in your pocket and glance at them often today. Check up on yourself several times throughout the day to see how you're doing!

If you're brave enough, ask a friend to give you honest feedback on what you do well and what needs improvement

Girlfriends in God
P.O. Box 725
Matthews, NC 28106
info@girlfriendsingod.com
http://www.girlfriendsingod.com/






Destroying Harmful Words
with Beth Moore
Words of LIFE Weekly Devotional

Have you ever been to a family reunion or other gathering where you can’t even get through the meal without replaying a negative or painful comment that someone said to you, even as long as five or ten years ago? Words have a way of sticking with us, but we must learn to deal with hurtful statements that torment our minds and emotions. You have heard it before: hurting people hurt people. Their words express how their inner man feels—wounded and possibly mean-spirited. The word tells us, “My dear brothers, everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry.” (James 1:19)

We know that quick anger can bring angry words. We wish we could get angry, critical words out of our hearts and off of our minds, but perhaps our greatest regret comes from things we let come out of our own mouths.

Most of us remember rejection, name-calling or critical comments meant to be defining words for us. You may think that healing comes by changing the actions of the one who hurt you, but it’s going to take some words. In some cases, you may never get words of apology, so it takes new, potent words to cancel out the power of harmful ones.

Have you had potent, negative things said over you? Words like, “You will never amount to anything.” In order to trump it, we need something omnipotent to replace it. Only God’s omnipotent words can cancel out potent, destructive words.

In Isaiah 54:17, the Lord says, “No weapon that is formed against you shall prosper; and every tongue that accuses you in judgment you will condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their vindication is from Me.”

There is a very real enemy of our souls and his name is Satan. He accuses the sisters and brothers in Christ with words. You and I have been given the power to cancel the accusing word with God’s Word. What was true of them in literal terms under the old covenant is true of us in spiritual terms under the new covenant. No weapon forged against us will prevail and you have the power and the words of God to refute every tongue the accuser wags at you.

It is also important for us to look at the life of Job. When he needed consolation, he was deeply hurt by his friends’ words. We are told that when his friends first came to him in his grief, they sat down with him and were silent for seven days. I believe they should have stayed that way, but they brought trouble the moment they opened their mouths. In Job 42:7-12, God gives Job an omnipotent prescription for healing his friend’s potent words. He told him to open his mouth and pray for the friends that had hurt him.

I know this is hard to hear, but praying for the person who hurt you (particularly by their words) is the very thing that God will use to heal you and set you free. Get into a private place where you can open your mouth and pray out loud. You will begin to realize that you are not replaying so much of what they said to you, but hearing now what God has caused you to speak over them. That is power!

If we are invaded and empowered by his Holy Spirit, we can be used of Christ to speak words that are spirit and life. God planned for us to use our mouth in ways that have effectual power beyond anything we have ever experienced. He wants us to speak words that encourage, edify others and glorify God. In order to operate in that pure flow of spirit and life, we need to be set free from words of flesh and death that have been spoken over us. We must let God heal us of words that come from wounded people.

Beth and Keith Moore join James and Betty all this week on LIFE TODAY to discuss “Living In Love.”





Affirming Divine Sovereignty
In the Presence of God with Dr. R. C. Sproull

Our God remains incomprehensible and retains His simplicity. He tells us in His Word that He is not a God of confusion but of order. He is not at war with Himself. He is altogether good, altogether holy, and altogether sovereign. This we must affirm to maintain a biblical concept of divine sovereignty. Yet we must always balance this understanding with a clear understanding that God always exercises His power and authority according to His holy character.

He chooses what He chooses according to His own good pleasure. It is His pleasure that He does.

He chooses what is pleasing to Himself. But that pleasure is always His good pleasure, for God is never pleased to will or to do anything that is evil or contrary to His own goodness.

In this we can rest, knowing that He wishes for, and has the power to bring about, all good things for us His children.

Coram Deo: Living in the Presence of God
What difficulties are you currently facing? Reaffirm your trust in the sovereignty of God, who is working all things together for His good pleasure.

For Further Study
Psalm 103:19: "The Lord has established His throne in heaven, and His kingdom rules over all."

Psalm 66:7: "He rules by His power forever; His eyes observe the nations; do not let the rebellious exalt themselves."

1 Chronicles 29:12: "Both riches and honor come from You, and You reign over all. In Your hand is power and might; in Your hand it is to make great and to give strength to all."


The mission, passion and purpose of Ligonier Ministries and Dr. R.C. Sproul is to help people grow in their knowledge of God and His holiness.




Fee - No One Higher/The Stand