Marriage Course - September 12, 2012

Day 26 - The Importance of Shared Faith

Marriage

When we expect our partner to meet all our needs, We inevitably fail each other and get hurt, causing our marriage to spiral downward.

When we look to God to meet our needs for significance, security, and self-esteem, we are better able to give to each other.

Praying Together

• helps us connect with each other in a meaningful way
• ensure prayers are vertical, not horizontal and manipulative
• five to ten minutes a dad is better than one hour every month
• ask each other, What can I pray for you today?"
• accept the same requests day after day
• draw on God's promises from the Bible and start with thankfulness
• don't give up even if you have young children
• the closer each of us is individually in our relationship with God, the closer we are to each other as husband and wife
• if one has upset the other, say sorry before praying
• be deliberate and plan it into your schedule
• if you're not comfortable praying, find other ways to connect and support each other on a daily basis

Question:Ask your husband or wife if there's one thinq they’re concerned about at the moment. Then if you are comfortable prayinq, pray for each other. Otherwise, express your support in some other way.

Question 2:Complete the Worksheet found under "Study Guide"

From Series: "Marriage"

Study Guide

More Messages Associated With "God"...

Powered by Series Engine

  • never too soon to start (see the account of John the Baptist in the womb in Luke 1:44, The Bible)
  • never too late to start (see the Parable of the Lost Son in Luke 15: 11-24, The Bible)
  • turn fears and longings into prayers
  • when to pray:
    • with them before they go to sleep
    • teaching them to pray (thank you, sorry, please)
    • on our own
    • with others
    • in traffic jams or when cleaning up or ironing
  • when prompted (often at moments of potential danger or temptation for our child)
  • everyday

what to pray for:

  • friendships
  • schools
  • their health
  • their safety
  • their marriage partner (most children will marry one day and their marriage partner may well already be alive somewhere)
  • their response to God’s love
  • their characters – use the fruit of the Spirit as a list to pray through: love. joy, peace, patience,  kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (see Galatians 5: 22-23, The Bible)
  • pray with them, particularly at bedtime
  • pray for yourselves as parents

Take some time to pray for your child(ren), and plan to make it a regular routine.  Our Christianity 101 Course may help you explore the topic of prayer, God and Christianity in more depth.

 

 

2172