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

It has been said we should be “generous with praise, but cautious with promises.” Matthew 5:37, “But let your communication be, Yea, Yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these comes of evil.” Our word is the foundation of relationships. We need to do everything we can to keep our promises to one another. Keeping our commitments and honoring our promises are important because we all tend to construct our hopes around promises. When a man promises to love a woman until death, that gives the woman security to become all that she was meant to be in the marriage relationship. When we keep our commitments it builds trust, and there is no such thing as a healthy relationship apart from trust. Keeping our commitments can personally be costly, but that trust is the firm foundation upon which a relationship is built. no family can survive without each member keeping their commitment to the Lord and each other. … READ MORE

What do you anticipate for this year? What is your frame of mind? Are you full of enthusiasm, looking forward eagerly to what each day will bring? Or are you filled with dread, worried that this year will be worse than the last year was for you? The Apostle Paul was never One to let circumstances conquer him. With the help of God he was determined to win the victor’s crown. Listen as his attitude, his dedication, his determination shines through in the words found in Philippians 3:12-14, “Not that have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” We must realize that our past defeats do not define us and our past victories do not exalt us! With Paul’s words fresh in our minds, we need to understand the value of Time. Time is … READ MORE