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Are You Humbly Voicing a Need or Formalizing a Complaint?

Are You Humbly Voicing a Need or Formalizing a Complaint?

In the beginning, after God had created Adam and placed him in the garden to cultivate it, He said, “It is not good for the man to be alone; I will make him a helper suitable for him” (Genesis 2:18).

Ask Yourself This Question If You Want to Be a More Effective Communicator

Ask Yourself This Question If You Want to Be a More Effective Communicator

When my interpersonal dynamics professor asked that question one day during my sophomore year in college, it revolutionized my thinking as a nineteen-year-old male. That question sparked in my mind a realization that there were effective ways to communicate, as well as ineffective ways.

What Does Love and Respect Enable a Wife and Husband to Do?

What Does Love and Respect Enable a Wife and Husband to Do?

In the Bible, we find two realities to which we are to respond: God’s commands and God’s promises. God calls us to obey His commands and trust His promises. Most of us have sung the song "Trust and Obey,” which captures these two quintessential truths.

Navigating Church Conflicts: Eight Biblical Principles for Managing Disputes Among Christ-Followers (Acts 15:1-35)

Navigating Church Conflicts: Eight Biblical Principles for Managing Disputes Among Christ-Followers (Acts 15:1-35)

When a decision in the church must be made and cannot be ignored or delayed, how can it be made when there is disagreement among members?

Navigating Church Conflicts: Eight Biblical Principles for Managing Disputes Among Christ-Followers (Acts 15:1-35)

Does God Want Me to Divorce to Be Happy?

Does God Want Me to Divorce to Be Happy?

This can be a controversial topic. Please be sure to read the full post before commenting. “God wants you to be happy.” Have you heard this platitude before? Has it perhaps been spoken to you? Maybe you’ve even heard it said in the context of encouraging someone to divorce their spouse, because “God wants you to be happy.” However, some platitudes, though quite memorable, are not based on biblical truth.

Can We Manipulate Each Other with the Love and Respect Teaching?

Can We Manipulate Each Other with the Love and Respect Teaching?

Though God commands the husband to love and a wife to respect, a strange twist might take place. A wife puts on respect for one reason: to get her husband to be loving. A husband puts on love solely to get his wife to respect him.One pastor who wrote me shared his concerns fearing this very thing: that husbands and wives will manipulate each other when applying love and respect based on Ephesians 5:33:

Why Are Believers Mad at God? Part 3

Why Are Believers Mad at God? Part 3

In part 1 and part 2, we discussed the first three categories I have found in which most believers who find themselves angry with God fall. In the third and final part, we’ll take a look at the last category—raging when foolish. When Foolish, Do I Rage Against God? There is a fourth reason people rage against God. They do something stupid that brings about suffering and ruin and then they shake a fist at God.

Why Are Believers Mad at God? Part 2

Why Are Believers Mad at God? Part 2

In part 1 we began by asking why many believers get mad at God. Of the many stories I’ve been told and letters I’ve been sent, I have concluded that almost all instances of believers being angry with God fall under one of four categories. The first we discussed was cursing when suffering. Here in part 2, we’ll discuss two more categories—hostile when disobeying and hating when proven guilty.

Why Are Believers Mad at God? Part 1

Why Are Believers Mad at God? Part 1

Does the Bible teach that people who claim to believe in God can hate God? Jesus said, “He who hates Me hates My Father also”. So according to Jesus, yes, people can hate God the Father. And for those of us who believe Jesus is God’s Son, people can hate the Son of God. The apostle Paul tells us that there will be “haters of God” Romans 1:30. People who believe in God can hate God. You cannot hate someone you do not believe exists.

Different Views on Sex and Parenting: How to Avoid Marital Crisis

Different Views on Sex and Parenting: How to Avoid Marital Crisis

Husbands and wives have many hot topics, but not many rate higher than sex and childrearing techniques. Yes, we can throw finances, in-laws, and work issues into the mix, but sex and childrearing are usually right up there for most couples. A husband wrote:

The Ballad of Pink and Blue

The Ballad of Pink and Blue

Over a ten-year period Fritz Ridenour was my editor. He soon became a family friend. Because of that he penned a poem for the wedding of Joy Eggerichs and Matt Reed. Those of you who know the love and respect message and all of our tag lines will appreciate his brilliance. THE BALLAD OF PINK AND BLUE

What if Love and Respect Do Not Work with My Spouse? Part 2

What if Love and Respect Do Not Work with My Spouse? Part 2

In part 1, we discussed Job and his disrespectful wife and how he was able to love her “as to the Lord,” despite her being a conduit for the devil. Now let’s turn to a biblical example of an unloving husband with a wife who found a way to still respect him. What about the Respectful Wife? What about the wife living with a man who turns everybody off?