God has got to be first in the order. (Colossians 1:16-18, NKJV; Colossians 1:17, NLT)
Who created Marriage? God
Who holds it together? God
How does God hold it together? He has to be before all things. When we obey, and live out that creative order we have order; when we don’t, we have disorder. (1 Corinthians 14:33, NKJV)
Our position is more important than the condition (what is happening around us and to us). We often spend so much time focusing on our condition that we miss getting in the right position. (2 Chronicles 20:17, NKJV)
What is the creative order for marriage, work, church, and our money?
God first. Our mates are to be second in that order. (Ephesians 5:33, NKJV)
Husbands – love your wife.
Wives – respect your husband.
The reason men don’t know how to love their wife and wives don’t’ know how to respect their husband is because we don’t know how to communicate love.
The key to joy in any and all relationships:
Love does not produce joy. Joy in any relationship is at least a two-step process:
We have to #1 – Learn to communicate love correctly. #2 – Love has to be received correctly. When love is communicated correctly and received correctly it produces joy in the relationship. We all have or know people we love but they don’t bring joy into our life. God is the world’s greatest communicator; He communicates creatively, correctly and through words and actions. God demonstrated His love through giving His Son. Yet there are still people who don’t accept His love.
Results of not communicating love correctly? Sexual & financial problems and lack of mutual respect. We have wrong expectations. We get offended. We get a root of bitterness. We begin to focus on wishing they would become the right person instead of focusing on becoming the right person.
