Author	Thread: The purpose of being a spouse ...
Admin	The purpose of being a spouse ... Posted : 8 May, 2012 04:30 AM A facebook friend-of-a-friend posted the following: "We�re not called to judge our spouses, we�re called to love them, encourage them, honor them, respect them, and build them up in the faith" What would your dating life look like if it were focused on building the other person up, even if it meant they didn't fill your needs? Start with assuming that they are mentally and emotionally reasonably stable, and saved. If you had similar life goals and hunger for furthering God's kingdom, could you love them even if they did not look like eye-candy, had bad skin or did not have a great paying job or car, or were missing a limb. Could you love them even if they were inconsistant in their faith? Even if they were lousy at balancing a cheque book? Or had no interest in political rhetoric? Could you do it? Post Reply
View Profile History	The purpose of being a spouse ... Posted : 8 May, 2012 04:05 PM Sure I could love them - in an agape sense - it's pretty much a requirement for *wanting* to build them up! If you mean romantically then I don't see how that's used for building someone up; unless you really are "loving" your neighbour... Post Reply
View Profile History	The purpose of being a spouse ... Posted : 9 May, 2012 12:19 PM love all people in general. However, I would Not want any man that didn't know how to balance a check book. :laugh: Choosing a spouse is important decision. Post Reply
View Profile History	The purpose of being a spouse ... Posted : 9 May, 2012 04:10 PM We used to balance small food treats on our dog's nose - she sat amazingly still with a biscuit on her snout, patiently waiting for the command to "fetch" it. Never tried her with a cheque book though... Post Reply
View Profile History	The purpose of being a spouse ... Posted : 9 May, 2012 06:07 PM Trust and Believe, The description you gave of different persons and scenarios is a description of us all. Spiritually, all of us are lame, mute, disfigured and blind. When God calls us to love someone like that outwardly, it is an opportunity to realize how God loves us, even though He sees our true inward condition. Could someone love someone else in those ways? Only if Christ was enabling them to do so. Only if they were focused on the "eternal" goal of marriage. Could someone have loved the Apostle Paul? Scarred and disfigured by being beaten, stoned and left for dead? Or John the Baptist? Or Job? What about the Apostle Peter? Knowing well he was to be crucified... Excellent post Post Reply
Mercymay View Profile History	The purpose of being a spouse ... Posted : 18 May, 2012 02:16 AM How perfect it would be if spouses love, encourage, honor, respect, build up one another all the time the rest of their lives. Personally, I could not expect the other person to reciprocate these acts but on my part would strive doing it, I mean, I only have control of my own actions. Blessed is she who finds a spouse doing those things and she as the weaker partner I believe will easily reciprocate and make life�s partnership harmonious. There is so much to thank God for if we only focus on what we already have�balance the cheque book for him. :purpleangel: Post Reply
View Profile History	The purpose of being a spouse ... Posted : 30 Jun, 2012 06:35 AM Jesus says ( those who are forgiven much will love much) I look back on my dating life and even marriage and see my monumental mistakes in trying to love. my capacity to love is only because I have been first loved by God through forgiveness. Why do you think God commands us to forgive? Because this IS the very act of love. Love in action. When we hold someone who is guilty in a place of unforgiveness we elivate our selves in thinking we are better then them. With my history I know I am going to need forgiveness and need to extend forgiveness. So can we sacrifice in extending forgiveness by showing love to another? Have we truly given forgiveness to our past relationships and freed them from guilt in what they have done to hurt us? Before we can say we can move into a new relationship we have to be certain we have cleared the dept of our past. Post Reply