Something Doesn't Have To Be True To Believe It. But If You Believe, You Will Act As You Do

Something Doesn’t Have To Be True To Believe It But if you believe it you will act as you do. Recently, I was asking myself this question, "How in the world can someone believe one way, but act another?" Then I started a study of beliefs, and read a very interesting book called "Sacred Marriage". It's written by Gary Thomas, and you can find it at Hobby Lobby. God centered beliefs and man centered beliefs. “We preserve our marriage because it brings glory to God”, and points a sinful world to a reconciling Creator. Marriage is designed to call us out of ourselves and learn to love the different. Marriage will teach you how to forgive. Marriage is both a task and well as a gift. Don’t run from the struggles of marriage, embrace them. Grow In Them ... Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Instead of hating your marriage, fall on your knees and ask God to reveal to you what part you play in the “battle.” Learn to love your marriage. We realize it’s not just about what we get out of marriage, but instead who we become. Who are you and who are you becoming? Don’t play the petty power-game. Don’t use money to manipulate or dominate. Every hunger in the flesh is an exploitation of the need that can be better met by God. What's most important are your internal qualities. Who are you becoming? What is Holy living? How is this leading you to be more Christ-like? Marriage.. It is one of the best schools in life to teach us patience and love. Intimacy is wonderful and a gift that God gave us. It is the frosting, not the whole cake. A man-centered belief of marriage is simply to enjoy, and your role is to make the other partner happy. And if you are not happy, you can sulk, or get into a new marriage. If I am married only for happiness and my happiness wanes for whatever reason, one little spark will burn the entire forest of our relationship. There are so many who have been deceived by the deceiver and by man's view of marriage. Families are being ripped up and the very foundations of our country are crumbling before our eyes. 1. Stay put and be happy only if your desires and expectations are being met. 2. If the infatuation of sex and fulfillment are all that count and you are not fulfilled, look elsewhere. 3. My partner is not meeting my needs. Ask yourself what aspects of God character would you most like your marriage to reveal to the world? How does your marriage seem uniquely designed to train you how to love? A marriage just built on the romantic view of marriage is in deep trouble. The painful reality of hostility in marriage is all too real, and if one decides that such an admission would be allowed to damage their view of what love should be, we will only be ignoring the truth. God's desire for marriage is for us is to see Him reflected in our marriages. Much of marriage is confronting selfishness in OURSELVES. There isB enormous spiritual value in marriage. Beth and celebrating our 47th year of marriage this week .. our love continues to grow as we grow closer to our Heavenly Father.