Perhaps the easiest way to grow a healthy relationship is to offer encouragement. 1 Thessalonians 5:11 says, “Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.” What are some simple and effective ways we can encourage others? First, we can encourage others by simply smiling at them. A smile not only increases your face value, but it warms the heart of those you give it to. Second, We can also do that by our words. Words are power in that they can do enormous harm and amazing good. Proverbs 25:11 reminds us that, ” A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver.” Start today to look for the riches you have in others, and seek to bring encouragement into their lives. … READ MORE

Could it be the reason some of us are not experiencing the kind of relationship God wants us to have with us is that we do not have respect for him? And could it be that the reason some family relationships are not secure is because God is not respected. Proverbs 14:26 says, “In the fear of the LORD is strong confidence and his children shall have a place of refuge. Another word for respect is honor. Romans 12:10 states that as followers of Christ we are to take delight in honoring each other. How can we show that we are honoring the people in our family relationships? Bu respecting each other’s property, but respecting each other’s privacy, or by respecting each other’s time. The people who have the most difficulty respecting others are those people with an inflated idea of their own importance. Remember Philippians 2:3 says, “Let nothing be one through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than themselves.” Respect is a necessary component of ALL relationships, without respect your relationships will die.… READ MORE

Husbands, we are directly instructed to “dwell with our wives according to knowledge” I know some husbands who would say that it would be easier to understand quantum physics that to understand their wives, but that is what the text says! While the text is directly addressed to the husbands it is not bad biblical interpretation to suggest that the principle of understanding one another can be applied to other relationships as well. What does it mean to understand another person? It means to make what is important to them important to you as well. How do we develop an understanding spirit? By making the time to really get to know each other, and buy making it a point to really listen to the other person. Yogi Berra once said “You can hear an awful lot by just listening. Parents, I don’t know of any child that would be repulsed by a parent who was quick to really listen to them. Getting to know someone is a time consuming task, that seems to change with each passing day, but taking the time to truly come to that understanding will strengthen the relationships that the Lord brings into our lives. … READ MORE