Love in a Marriage

Husbands love your wives even as Christ also loved the church and gave himself up for her" Eph. 5:25.

I want to do a series on husbands and wives relationships, 1 Spiritually 2. Emotionally 3. Physically.

1. Relationship of husband to wife, Spiritually.

"HUSBANDS, LOVE YOUR WIVES"

The word "love" is agape which is God's love, unselfish love, sacrificial love, the fruit of the Spirit which is not natural, Gal 5:22. When you married her, you promised to :"love her until death do you part." Now DO IT.

MAKE HER HAPPY

It means to look out for her good and her happiness. It means to please her and not demand that she please you. To expect and demand that she please you is selfish, devilish, carnal and unbiblical. (More on this and her part later and she should want to please you.) "So that you have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from the heart" 1 Peter 1:22. Dear people, this is for husbands and wives just as much as for brothers and sisters in Christ. Make sense? Husband you have a spiritual ministry to your wife, first and foremost. Love her. Make her know she is loved with words and ways. Make sense?

CHECK UP ON YOUR WIFE

Everyday when you come home you ought to check up on your wife and see how she is doing. Too often we barge in and blow off about what a hard time we had at work. That is selfish, carnal living. She probably had a hard time with the kids, the kitchen sink and on and on. "Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others" (and that includes wives.) We are not to look out for number one (ourselves) but others and ESPECIALLY our wives, and you must if you want them to "be submissive to your husbands" 1 Peter 3:1. I am shocked at men who don't genuinely "love their wives" and then expect their wives to "be in submission" to them. THAT IS DEAD WRONG and men who do that need to wake up.

O kind sir, your wife gave herself, gave her body, to you and believe me that is hard for every woman, you must love her, unselfishly. You are to "leave" your mother and father and "cleave" to your wife. You loved and honored your mother now do the same for your wife. That is one of your primary spiritual ministries. Just as much as being a deacon or usher or S. S. teacher. Be diligent at both. You are the "head" of your home. You are the leader, now lead in loving.

Quote:  "It is not only important to marry the right person but also to be the right partner."

Prayer:  Father, bless us men and help us to love our wives even as You love us. In Jesus name.

 

Cherish Your Wife

"Husbands cherish your wife" Eph 5:29.

Cherish your wife.
The Greek word for "cherish" is awesome. "Thalpo" cherish, primarily means to heat, to soften by heat; the to keep warm, as of birds covering their young with their feathers, Deut. 22:6. Metaphorically, to cherish with tender love, to foster with tender care of Christ and the church. Used In 1 Thes. 2:7 of the care of the saints at Thessalonica by the Apostle and his associates as of a nurse for her children. Taken from Vines Greek studies.

Husbands, we aren't made that way, and I top the list. We have to work at it. God says, "Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives " 1 Peter 3:7. What do you know about women, about your wife? You and I know one thing, they need TONS of "tender loving care" and if your want them to meet your "needs" we must meet their needs of TLC. Doesn't that make sense? Sure it does.

No frigid women
Years ago I read this statement, "There are not frigid wives only clumsy husbands who do not know how to warm them up with tender loving care." The older I get, the more counseling I do, the more I know about women, the more I know about my wife, the more that statement becomes absolutely true.

Women need tender touching
I read a wise counselor who said women need to be tenderly touched at least ten times a day. That endearing love pat, that tender kiss for no special reason, that gentle stroke of her hair, that hug, that embraced for a minute or two that make her feel so loved and secure in your arms, in fact all those things you did courting her and making her think you were the personification of Romeo. Come on men, get rid of that macho image and just love the stew out of your wife, "cherish her" warm her up. Doesn't that make sense? Go back to courting her, woo her, be so attractive she will melt in your arms. You know how often sport coaches tell their players, "Go back to the basics." We men need that in our marriages. Do it, kind sir and watch her submit to you in every way.

Prayer:  Father, You went out of your way to woo and win us. Help us men to go out of our way to woo and win our wives for our own good and Your glory, in Jesus name.