| Does your Christian marriage need help? If so, take a | | | | asking Him for things. It's about spending time with God |
| few minutes to step back and consider this basic | | | | and bringing yourself into a deeper relationship with |
| Christian marriage advice - straight from the Bible. | | | | Him. Truly effective prayer is not possible until you |
| 1. Give Your Marriage to God | | | | have done the preceding step, which is to give |
| Most "Christian marriages" are Christian in name only. | | | | yourself to God. Once you've done that, pray without |
| One or both spouses claim to be Christians, and they | | | | ceasing. |
| assume then that their marriage is likewise "Christian." It | | | | Pray. Pray. Pray. Never stop praying. Pray in the |
| doesn't work that way. To be a Christian is to be not | | | | morning, during the day, and at night. Pray while you're |
| only a believer in, but also a follower of Jesus Christ. | | | | driving. Pray in the good times and in the bad times. |
| Does your marriage truly believe in Christ? Does your | | | | And, right now, if you're trying to put your marriage |
| family follow Christ? | | | | back together, then pour yourself out to God every |
| The first thing you must do is dedicate (or re-dedicate) | | | | day (as David does in the Psalms). Give all your |
| your marriage and family to God. Put your marriage on | | | | burdens, cares, and stresses to the Lord. |
| the altar. Give it to God. Don't try to "control" your | | | | 4. Love Your Spouse Unconditionally |
| marriage or your spouse. Give it all to God. From this | | | | This is the tough part. You must love your husband or |
| day forward, your marriage must be God's marriage. | | | | wife unconditionally. (Side note: If you are in an abusive |
| 2. Re-commit Yourself to God | | | | relationship, especially one that is putting you in danger, |
| Before you re-commit your marriage to God, you may | | | | get out of the house and seek help! You should still |
| need to do that with your own life. In fact, we should | | | | love your spouse, but you don't need to put yourself in |
| put ourselves on the altar each day (Romans 12:1-3). | | | | any more danger). Assuming that you are not in any |
| Are you living for yourself? Are you trying to make | | | | physical danger, you must commit to loving your |
| yourself happy and/or expecting your spouse to make | | | | spouse unconditionally - and expressing that love in |
| you happy? | | | | consistent, practical ways. |
| As bestselling author and pastor Rick Warren puts it: | | | | If you want to know about unconditional love, consider |
| "You were made by God and for God, and until you | | | | the example of Jesus. You should also read I |
| understand that, life will never make sense." Give God | | | | Corinthians 13. By putting these four principles into |
| back the keys to your life. Give Him control. | | | | practice, you will see positive results in your Christian |
| 3. Pray Without Ceasing | | | | marriage. |
| Prayer is not so much about petitioning God and | | | | |