Effectiveness in later years, rising up with courage, challenging others to be committed to the Lord, and preserving others.  This makes a great marriage between two great people. This is what we will be looking at on this episode of Married By Design. In this last episode, we want to look at an obscure couple and see the incredible impact they had.  They  were living in a very difficult time but they rose to the challenges. They both had a part, as husband and wife, in standing for what was right and making a difference.  To see this couple, will you look in two passages - 2 kings 11 and 2 Chronicles 23-24.  We’re looking at the lives of Jehosheba and Jehoiada.Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to look at one of these qualities of this wonderful couple.  Discuss it and develop further in Scripture.  Talk about how you can impact those around you in a way that this couple did.You can email us at [email protected].

The foolish and the godly married to each other.  What do you do? Thats what we will be looking at in this episode of Married By Design.Today we will look at an example of a bad marriage.   Bad, not because both people were making foolish choices, but because one was so godless and foolish that it affected his wife and the entire household.   Today we are looking at Nabal and Abigail, seen in 1 Samuel 25. The contrast between the two is pointed out in verse 3:  It says the woman was discerning, intelligent, or sensible and beautiful, but the man was harsh and badly behaved.”  Other versions call him crude, mean, surly, and evil.Your mission should, you choose to accepted it,  is to discuss these areas as a couple. Examine yourself to see if you are on the road to being a Nabal.  It’s also important to look at your logs individually, then come together and be reconciled.  Rarely is one person totally innocent in a marriage relationship. But if you’re in a difficult relationship, how do you respond to your spouse and also to others around you that are being affected?You can contact us at [email protected].

Finding your adequacy in Christ, practicing your faith, and extending grace and mercy. These are all qualities that a husband or wife can exhibit in order to have a great marriage.  That’s what we will be looking at on this episode of Married By Design.This week we’re going to be looking at a good marriage.  It’s a story of a young man and woman that were faced with a very difficult situation and yet decided to shine in it and honor the Lord.  That’s often what life is really about.  We find ourselves in situations where we don’t quite understand what’s going on and we have to walk by faith and in obedience.This is a great story about the parents of the Savior.   Joseph and Mary.   It’s important to note that Joseph and Mary were very young at the time that they were married.  We don’t know the exact age but probably in the late teens.  That in itself is amazing that they would be able to handle the situation in a way that they did at such a young age.Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to choose one of these areas and discuss it with your spouse. Spend some time studying it in the Word and pray about it. You can look at your adequacy in Christ,  having a heart of obedience, practicing the disciplines of the Christian religion, being involved in kingdom work, or extending grace and mercy.

Bitterness and resentment, unbridled anger or lust, and  a faulty foundation in the relationship.  Those are the ingredients we will look at this week that build into an ugly marriage.   That’s what we’ll be looking at on Married By Design.This week we are looking at the relationships David had with his wives.  Again, it seems very strange to talk about a husband and his wives.  The original marriage was between one man and one woman. But the Israelites were so influenced by the cultures around them that they had marriages that were quite contrary to what God wanted.Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to take one of these areas and discuss it as a couple. There may be one of these things that resonates with the two of you. Take the time to look at this issue in the Bible and discuss it and come up with a plan of action in response. You can look at a lack of commitment, bitterness and resentment, and unbridled anger and lust, a faulty foundation in the relationship, or not standing for what is right. You can also look at the positive example of Abigail and addressing issues and helping your spouse.You can reach us at [email protected]

Unchecked cravings, and unwillingness to listen to wise counsel, or a lack of real commitment to the relationship.   These things lead to a bad marriage.   That's what we'll be looking at on this episode of Married By Design.The couple that we’re going  look at this week is Samson and Delilah.  Actually, we’re going  look at Sampson's life and his relationship with two women. First his wife and then Delilah.  We’re going to pick up the story starting in judges chapter 13.Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to look at one of these lessons and discuss it with your spouse.  Study and discuss missing your calling, unchecked cravings, an unwillingness to listen to wise counsel, or a lack of real commitment to the relationship.Your can contact us at [email protected].

 Walking with God, caring for your spouse and being teachable. These are all qualities of a great marriage. That’s what we’ll be looking at on this episode of Married By Design.This week we’re looking in the book of Ruth. It’s the Old Testament story of the courtship and marriage of Ruth and Boaz.   If you want to see an inspirational example of two people walking with God and their union and marriage, Ruth and Boaz would be the one to study.   As we have, we want to break down some of the principles that we can learn from both Ruth and Boaz.   And we want to challenge you to think about those qualities and strive towards them.Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to take one of these character qualities again and study it. Discuss it with your spouse and look deeper into the Scriptures to understand how to put it into practice. You can look at the area of faithfulness, being willing to do the hard work, being spiritual and full of faith, having a deep care for your spouse, and being teachable and humble.You can reach us at [email protected]

Doubting God, relying on your own reasoning, blame shifting. These are all practices that lead to a very ugly marriage. That's what we will be looking at on this episode of married by design. This week we're going to look at an ugly marriage.  We actually spent some time discussing whether this couple falls under the ugly or bad marriage category.  Certainly the effect of their choices were bad and evil. We are living with the consequences of their sin.  We’re going to be looking at Adam and Eve.Your homework, should you choose to accept it, is to look at one of these areas and discuss it as a couple. Dig deeper into the Scriptures and study the topic and talk about how you can work on it for the health and growth of your relationship. You could look at the area of doubting God, relying on your own reasoning, having a lack of discernment, the passive husband, and blame shifting.You can reach us at [email protected]

Selfishness, pretense and deception.  These are all traits of a bad marriage that ends badly.   That’s what we’ll be looking at on this episode of Married By Design.This week, we’re looking at a bad marriage.  Actually for this couple, we don’t have a lot of information about their whole life.  We just see this one situation.   But it tells us a lot about their choices in their marriage.  It’s the story of Ananias and Sapphira in Acts 5.   I think we would do well to take some time to look at this passage and to learn some of the choices they made and try to avoid the traps they fell into.Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to take one of these areas and study and discuss it as a couple. You can look at the lying and deception, pretense, collusion, or the hardened heart.You can reach us at [email protected]

 Lifelong intimacy and closeness with your spouse.  To really be one and all that God intended you to enjoy through that.  That’s what I’ll be looking at on this episode of Married By Design.We’re going to be looking at the wonderful example of Aquila and Priscilla.  There’s actually not a lot written about them in the Bible. They are mentioning a number of places and we will develop some principles from the places that they are mentioned.Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to look at one of these areas and again discuss it as a couple. Being joined at the hip, supporting others, counseling, teaching, or hospitality.  How do you need to practically work to strengthen your togetherness and your ministry to others?You can reach us at [email protected]

Deception, multiples loves and the passive husband.  These are a recipe for an ugly marriage.  That's what we'll be looking at on this episode of Married By Design.In this weeks episode, we’re going to look at an ugly marriage.  Again, this couple generally was following the Lord and God was going to use them greatly.   But they also made some foolish choices that led to a very ugly marriage relationship. It’s a story of Jacob and Rachel. Well, I guess I should say not just the story of Jacob and Rachel, but the story of Jacob and Rachel and Leah and the two handmaids that Jacob ended up having as his wives. That in itself shows you that there was a lot of foolishness involved in this marriage and a lot of damage that was done as a result.Your mission, should you choose to accept it,  is to read through these chapters of Genesis and discuss the foolishness Jacob and his wives demonstrated.  There is the good example of Jacob’s love for Rachel.  But there is the deception, the issue of multiple loves, using ungodly methods to get what you want, the passive husband.  If one of those resonates at all, study it in more detail in the Bible.You can reach us at [email protected]