Discipleship Marriage
Memory Verse:
'praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, '
Ephesians 6:18
Sermon Sentence: Marriage is the best and most vulnerable place to make disciples and show God’s love.
'praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, '
Ephesians 6:18
Sermon Sentence: Marriage is the best and most vulnerable place to make disciples and show God’s love.
Day 1
Read Ephesians 5:15-33
(Today’s devotion written by Pastor Tom Jones)
When reading this passage as a married couple, there are two perspectives. While I don’t know what it is like to read this passage from a wife’s perspective, I do know as a husband who has tried to live for the Lord most of my life.
Husband: Read verses 20-24
What thoughts do you experience when reading those verses?
List some opportunities you see in these verses.
List some challenges you see in these verses.
What does Paul mean when he instructed a husband to love his wife as Christ loved the church?
What does it look like for a husband to love his wife as he loves his own body?
Thoughts:
It seems apparent that Paul is instructing husbands and wives to love one another well, to bring out the best in one another. After all, marriage is the only relationship Jesus used to demonstrate the love He (the groom) has for the church (the bride). Ephesians 5:32
It can be easy for married couples to fall into a pattern of arguing, fighting, yelling, etc. It takes intentionality to love one another well. We can develop a “do unto others as they do unto you” mindset, but the bible teaches us to treat others the way we would like to be treated. After over 44 years of marriage, I recognize this comes with challenges.
Prayer:
Husband: Pray that you will have a better understanding of how to love your wife as Christ loves the church.
Wife: Pray that you will have a better understanding of how to submit to your husband’s spiritual leadership.
As a couple: Pray that your marriage will reflect the love God has for His church.
(Today’s devotion written by Pastor Tom Jones)
When reading this passage as a married couple, there are two perspectives. While I don’t know what it is like to read this passage from a wife’s perspective, I do know as a husband who has tried to live for the Lord most of my life.
Husband: Read verses 20-24
What thoughts do you experience when reading those verses?
List some opportunities you see in these verses.
List some challenges you see in these verses.
What does Paul mean when he instructed a husband to love his wife as Christ loved the church?
What does it look like for a husband to love his wife as he loves his own body?
Thoughts:
It seems apparent that Paul is instructing husbands and wives to love one another well, to bring out the best in one another. After all, marriage is the only relationship Jesus used to demonstrate the love He (the groom) has for the church (the bride). Ephesians 5:32
It can be easy for married couples to fall into a pattern of arguing, fighting, yelling, etc. It takes intentionality to love one another well. We can develop a “do unto others as they do unto you” mindset, but the bible teaches us to treat others the way we would like to be treated. After over 44 years of marriage, I recognize this comes with challenges.
Prayer:
Husband: Pray that you will have a better understanding of how to love your wife as Christ loves the church.
Wife: Pray that you will have a better understanding of how to submit to your husband’s spiritual leadership.
As a couple: Pray that your marriage will reflect the love God has for His church.
Day 2
Read Ephesians 5:22-32
(Today’s devotion written by Pam Jones)
This scripture is the base of this week’s sermon. It is where we find God’s order for the family, but it is some of the most understood scripture in all of the Bible. If we would simply follow God’s design, it would save so much confusion and heartache. But…we don’t always follow God’s formula and that gets us into trouble.
At the beginning of this devotion, I wanted to flower it up and make all of this sound easy but after the week we have had, that just isn’t reality. Marriage is difficult and not for the weak. We have been married for 44 years but it has been a continual dying to self. I don’t have an issue submitting to God because I know He is always right but submitting to someone who I don’t always agree with or who I think might be wrong, is another story. But does that remove my responsibility to submit to my husband? Or does that mean that he isn’t to love me as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her? The difficulty comes because we are imperfect humans trying to live together the way God intended. So, how do we resolve conflict when it happens? First, pray more, talk less. Listen even if you don’t understand your spouse’s perspective. Get into God’s word for help. Some of the scriptures I have found that helped in relationships are:
1 Peter 3:8-9
Colossians 3:19
Proverbs 14:29
I Corinthians 13-4-8
Philippians 2:3-4
After reading these scriptures, how do you think God desires for us to resolve conflict in marriage?
Why do you feel relationships grow apart?
What part does compromise play in resolving conflict?
(Today’s devotion written by Pam Jones)
This scripture is the base of this week’s sermon. It is where we find God’s order for the family, but it is some of the most understood scripture in all of the Bible. If we would simply follow God’s design, it would save so much confusion and heartache. But…we don’t always follow God’s formula and that gets us into trouble.
At the beginning of this devotion, I wanted to flower it up and make all of this sound easy but after the week we have had, that just isn’t reality. Marriage is difficult and not for the weak. We have been married for 44 years but it has been a continual dying to self. I don’t have an issue submitting to God because I know He is always right but submitting to someone who I don’t always agree with or who I think might be wrong, is another story. But does that remove my responsibility to submit to my husband? Or does that mean that he isn’t to love me as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her? The difficulty comes because we are imperfect humans trying to live together the way God intended. So, how do we resolve conflict when it happens? First, pray more, talk less. Listen even if you don’t understand your spouse’s perspective. Get into God’s word for help. Some of the scriptures I have found that helped in relationships are:
1 Peter 3:8-9
Colossians 3:19
Proverbs 14:29
I Corinthians 13-4-8
Philippians 2:3-4
After reading these scriptures, how do you think God desires for us to resolve conflict in marriage?
Why do you feel relationships grow apart?
What part does compromise play in resolving conflict?
Day 3
Read Ephesians 5:22-32
(Today’s devotion written by Mike and Karen Byers)
Submit to my husband? Oh, no, I’m not going to do that! That would put too much control over me and give him too much power. The fact is, we never understood what this meant when we first got married because we weren’t Christians. Several years later when we did become Christians and really got into scripture and learning and growing, we began to understand what was meant by “wives submit to your husband”. The only way to truly understand what this means is to understand what God is saying about the husband, loving the wife and submitting to God. If the husband is not a Christian, he does not have Jesus Christ as Lord over himself. If he misinterprets the scripture and truly believes that the wife has to be totally submissive to him, it could cause a multitude of problems within the marriage relationship.
There is a mutual submission here between the wife, the husband and the Lord. (A cord of three which cannot be broken). Husbands are to love their wives in the selfless, sacrificial love that Christ has for His Church. Christ gave His life for the Church; husbands are to give their lives for their wives. Submission is not the husbands to command or as you have often heard, keep the wife barefoot and pregnant.
There is submission for the wife and it is to willingly and lovingly submit to her husband as to the Lord. What we do for our husbands is done out of love and respect not because it is commanded. Actually, there is joy in making our spouse happy. The wife recognizes that her husband’s rule in leadership is God ordained and is a reflection of Christ’s authoritative head ship of His Church. Christ loved /loves His Church. As we love Him let us show this in the love of our marriage to each other.
In vs.31 we read “… and the two shall become one flesh.” Have you ever stopped to really think about this? In vs. 32 Paul says he is speaking with reference to Christ and the Church. As magnificent a mystery the union of marriage is, it is only a reflection of the union between Christ and His Church. Christ nourishes and cherishes the church. He who loves his wife nourishes and cherishes her.
1. Have you ever been confused about what Paul meant when he stated “wives submit to your husbands?”
2. How can a husband show he” cherishes” his wife and what does it mean by ”he nourishes her”?
3. Following is a list of examples of “oneness” in a marriage can you add to it?
Daily pray together Worship together Do a devotional together
Be on the same page when it comes to disciplining children
Say I love you morning, night and always Let your children see you kiss and hear you say I love you
Play together
Share in all financial decisions Care for one another Serve one another
4. How does all of this become part of your prayer today?
(Today’s devotion written by Mike and Karen Byers)
Submit to my husband? Oh, no, I’m not going to do that! That would put too much control over me and give him too much power. The fact is, we never understood what this meant when we first got married because we weren’t Christians. Several years later when we did become Christians and really got into scripture and learning and growing, we began to understand what was meant by “wives submit to your husband”. The only way to truly understand what this means is to understand what God is saying about the husband, loving the wife and submitting to God. If the husband is not a Christian, he does not have Jesus Christ as Lord over himself. If he misinterprets the scripture and truly believes that the wife has to be totally submissive to him, it could cause a multitude of problems within the marriage relationship.
There is a mutual submission here between the wife, the husband and the Lord. (A cord of three which cannot be broken). Husbands are to love their wives in the selfless, sacrificial love that Christ has for His Church. Christ gave His life for the Church; husbands are to give their lives for their wives. Submission is not the husbands to command or as you have often heard, keep the wife barefoot and pregnant.
There is submission for the wife and it is to willingly and lovingly submit to her husband as to the Lord. What we do for our husbands is done out of love and respect not because it is commanded. Actually, there is joy in making our spouse happy. The wife recognizes that her husband’s rule in leadership is God ordained and is a reflection of Christ’s authoritative head ship of His Church. Christ loved /loves His Church. As we love Him let us show this in the love of our marriage to each other.
In vs.31 we read “… and the two shall become one flesh.” Have you ever stopped to really think about this? In vs. 32 Paul says he is speaking with reference to Christ and the Church. As magnificent a mystery the union of marriage is, it is only a reflection of the union between Christ and His Church. Christ nourishes and cherishes the church. He who loves his wife nourishes and cherishes her.
1. Have you ever been confused about what Paul meant when he stated “wives submit to your husbands?”
2. How can a husband show he” cherishes” his wife and what does it mean by ”he nourishes her”?
3. Following is a list of examples of “oneness” in a marriage can you add to it?
Daily pray together Worship together Do a devotional together
Be on the same page when it comes to disciplining children
Say I love you morning, night and always Let your children see you kiss and hear you say I love you
Play together
Share in all financial decisions Care for one another Serve one another
4. How does all of this become part of your prayer today?
Day 4
Read Philippians 2:1-15
(Today’s devotion written by Michael Brittenham)
As I think about the different aspects of marriage and the relationship between husband and wife I am repeatedly drawn back to the ideas of service and sacrifice. I once heard someone say that instead of keeping score, as in a list of ways my spouse has offended me, I should keep a list of ways they have blessed me, and I have blessed them. I am not a fan of keeping score in marriage, either good or bad, but if you must choose, focus on the good. In trying to think of the most appropriate scripture to use I could not get away from this passage in Philippians. It isn’t written as a depiction of marriage, but the lesson is applicable not only to marriage but to all Christian relationships. First, we are told to think of others more highly than ourselves. Are we spending more time thinking about meeting our own needs or thinking how we can bless our spouse? If both are looking toward the interest of the other, each is blessed. If God is in it I believe this is a case of 1+1= far more than you can think or imagine. The emphasis on sacrifice comes out in this passage in how much Jesus gave up for us. It is well worth our time to sit and think deeply on the significance of Jesus' sacrifice and that he would have made this same sacrifice if you were the only human to accept him. Do we love our spouse that much? The last connection I see here is to our light. The closer we walk to God in our marriage and the more we reflect Jesus in our actions the greater the light can shine in the world. Spend time meditating on what kind of light your example is shining into the world.
Am I thinking of my spouse more highly than myself?
Am I willing to sacrifice what I want for them with a willing heart?
What does your marriage speak to others about Christ? Is it evident that he is Lord over your marriage?
(Today’s devotion written by Michael Brittenham)
As I think about the different aspects of marriage and the relationship between husband and wife I am repeatedly drawn back to the ideas of service and sacrifice. I once heard someone say that instead of keeping score, as in a list of ways my spouse has offended me, I should keep a list of ways they have blessed me, and I have blessed them. I am not a fan of keeping score in marriage, either good or bad, but if you must choose, focus on the good. In trying to think of the most appropriate scripture to use I could not get away from this passage in Philippians. It isn’t written as a depiction of marriage, but the lesson is applicable not only to marriage but to all Christian relationships. First, we are told to think of others more highly than ourselves. Are we spending more time thinking about meeting our own needs or thinking how we can bless our spouse? If both are looking toward the interest of the other, each is blessed. If God is in it I believe this is a case of 1+1= far more than you can think or imagine. The emphasis on sacrifice comes out in this passage in how much Jesus gave up for us. It is well worth our time to sit and think deeply on the significance of Jesus' sacrifice and that he would have made this same sacrifice if you were the only human to accept him. Do we love our spouse that much? The last connection I see here is to our light. The closer we walk to God in our marriage and the more we reflect Jesus in our actions the greater the light can shine in the world. Spend time meditating on what kind of light your example is shining into the world.
Am I thinking of my spouse more highly than myself?
Am I willing to sacrifice what I want for them with a willing heart?
What does your marriage speak to others about Christ? Is it evident that he is Lord over your marriage?
Day 5
Read Ephesians 5:22-33
(Today’s devotion written by Bobbie Gildroy)
How many of us are shocked as we scroll through social media to see couples that have been married for a long time that are no longer together? It seems that what used to be an almost guaranteed, lifelong union is now, more often than not, viewed as something people are willing to “give a try” but are not committed to making it work. It seems that society has given us the idea that we should do what makes US happy and to let go of anything that might cause a little stress. This idea is in absolute contrast to the things that Jesus taught. Having a healthy marriage is a big task and something that we should never quit pursuing. It is said that married couples should never stop dating, but I believe there are some other things we should keep doing.
Jesus MUST be the foundation of our marriage and home. Matthew 7:24-27 gives the imagery of a house that was built on a rock and able to withstand a strong storm and then contrasts that with a house that was built on sand. That house crashed as soon as the storm hit. Our homes and marriages must be built on Jesus. In order to stand up against the storms and pressures of life, He MUST be the foundation of our marriages and homes.
We should love our spouse as Christ loves the Church. John 15:12 says, “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.” Our text scripture (Ephesians 5:22-33) tells us that a husband should love his wife as Christ loves the church and gave His life for it. It also reminds wives to respect their husband. This is all easy to do if we are each doing our part to love each other in the way that Jesus loves us.
Don’t be afraid to reach out to Christian mentors around you that can help as you go through the different stages of life. Proverbs 27:17 says, “Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.” Proverbs 11:14 says, “Where there is no guidance, a people falls, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety.” There are multiple other scriptures that remind us of the importance of Christian mentors. I must stress the importance of seeking advice from godly individuals who have already walked through the stages we are currently struggling through. We were not created to do this alone. We were created to be part of a community. Reach out to others when you need advice and a listening ear.
Identify the REAL enemy. That enemy is Satan! The Bible tells us that he is like a lion, roaming around and looking for people and lives to devour. Nothing delights Satan more than destroying marriages and families that were on mission for God. Your spouse is not your enemy. Satan and all the dysfunction that he brings is the real enemy of our marriages. Stand strong together against him. Pray together daily. Pray over your marriage, your home, your family, etc. Our marriages are worth fighting for!!
Seek professional help when needed. I think many couples are afraid to seek professional help for fear of being judged or looking like we are failing. We are all flawed humans. Meshing two imperfect people and expecting them to operate flawlessly together is hard!!! Sometimes we just need someone to help us learn to work together again.
What are some things you can do daily to serve your spouse and to love them as Jesus loves us?
Are you and your spouse praying together and reading the Bible together regularly? If not, what can you eliminate in your schedule to make more time to do this?
Is Jesus the absolute center of your marriage and home? What can you remove that dominates our time and energy in order to place Jesus in the place where He belongs?
(Today’s devotion written by Bobbie Gildroy)
How many of us are shocked as we scroll through social media to see couples that have been married for a long time that are no longer together? It seems that what used to be an almost guaranteed, lifelong union is now, more often than not, viewed as something people are willing to “give a try” but are not committed to making it work. It seems that society has given us the idea that we should do what makes US happy and to let go of anything that might cause a little stress. This idea is in absolute contrast to the things that Jesus taught. Having a healthy marriage is a big task and something that we should never quit pursuing. It is said that married couples should never stop dating, but I believe there are some other things we should keep doing.
Jesus MUST be the foundation of our marriage and home. Matthew 7:24-27 gives the imagery of a house that was built on a rock and able to withstand a strong storm and then contrasts that with a house that was built on sand. That house crashed as soon as the storm hit. Our homes and marriages must be built on Jesus. In order to stand up against the storms and pressures of life, He MUST be the foundation of our marriages and homes.
We should love our spouse as Christ loves the Church. John 15:12 says, “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.” Our text scripture (Ephesians 5:22-33) tells us that a husband should love his wife as Christ loves the church and gave His life for it. It also reminds wives to respect their husband. This is all easy to do if we are each doing our part to love each other in the way that Jesus loves us.
Don’t be afraid to reach out to Christian mentors around you that can help as you go through the different stages of life. Proverbs 27:17 says, “Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.” Proverbs 11:14 says, “Where there is no guidance, a people falls, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety.” There are multiple other scriptures that remind us of the importance of Christian mentors. I must stress the importance of seeking advice from godly individuals who have already walked through the stages we are currently struggling through. We were not created to do this alone. We were created to be part of a community. Reach out to others when you need advice and a listening ear.
Identify the REAL enemy. That enemy is Satan! The Bible tells us that he is like a lion, roaming around and looking for people and lives to devour. Nothing delights Satan more than destroying marriages and families that were on mission for God. Your spouse is not your enemy. Satan and all the dysfunction that he brings is the real enemy of our marriages. Stand strong together against him. Pray together daily. Pray over your marriage, your home, your family, etc. Our marriages are worth fighting for!!
Seek professional help when needed. I think many couples are afraid to seek professional help for fear of being judged or looking like we are failing. We are all flawed humans. Meshing two imperfect people and expecting them to operate flawlessly together is hard!!! Sometimes we just need someone to help us learn to work together again.
What are some things you can do daily to serve your spouse and to love them as Jesus loves us?
Are you and your spouse praying together and reading the Bible together regularly? If not, what can you eliminate in your schedule to make more time to do this?
Is Jesus the absolute center of your marriage and home? What can you remove that dominates our time and energy in order to place Jesus in the place where He belongs?
Devotions
Archive
2025
2024
January
March
May
June
July
August
September
2023
January
February
July
October
2022
No Comments