Most of you know that I have been working diligently to finish up my fourth book (and 3rd in the Living Out the Word series). Lord willing, LOVE: a verse by verse study for women through the epistles of John will be completed by March 2012. Please keep me in your prayers as I strive to meet this goal.
The new website, www.livingouttheword.net, is devoted just to the Living Out the Word series. I would love for you to stop by and check it out!
Blessings,
Kimberly
Lies, falsehoods, errors, deceit, dishonesty, fraud, deception – no matter what it is called, it is still the antithesis of truth. It is also more prevalent than truth. More taught than truth. And more loved than truth. And let’s not forget how exceedingly dangerous a lie is. One would think that the further way from the truth a lie is the more of a beast it becomes. But this is not necessarily so. Others have said that the most dangerous lie is the one closest to the truth. With this I would have to agree. Judge for yourself, which poison is more deadly, the one clearly marked or the one masquerading as healing medicine?
There are a lot of lies masquerading as truth. That is why believers are told in I John 4:1, “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.”
Not every spirit is of God. The Bible speaks of evil, unclean, dumb, foul, and deaf spirits. It tells of the spirit of infirmity, spirit of divination, spirit of bondage, spirit of the world, spirit that “worketh in the children of disobedience,” spirit of antichrist, and the spirit of error. The children of Israel were warned of false prophets who do not follow after the Spirit of God but follow their own spirit. Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel that prophesy, and say thou unto them that prophesy out of their own hearts, Hear ye the word of the LORD; Thus saith the Lord GOD; Woe unto the foolish prophets, that follow their own spirit, and have seen nothing!” Ezekiel 13:2-3.
A false spirit produces false teachers that fabricate false doctrine. “…many false prophets are gone out into the world.” Over and over in the New Testament we are warned of these men and their teaching. See Matthew 7:15, Matthew 24:4-5, Matthew 24:23-24, Luke 21:8, Acts 20:29-30, Romans 16:18, 2 Corinthians 11:13, Galatians 1:9, Ephesians 4:14, Philippians 3:18-19, I Timothy 4:1, 2 Timothy 2:17-18, Titus 1:10-11, 2 Peter 2:1, 2 John 1:7, 10, Jude 1:4, and Revelations 2:2 just for starters.
We are not to believe them all but to try them. To try the spirits means to test or prove them. “Prove all things; hold fast that which is good,” 1 Thessalonians 5:21. There are two ways to test a spirit. The first is by the Word of God. The believers in Berea were nobler than the ones in Thessalonica because they “searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so,” Act 17:11. If a doctrine does not line up with Scripture it is wrong. The Spirit of God will never contradict the Word of God. This is very important. Let me say that again, the Spirit of God will NEVER contradict the Word of God. I heard a female preacher/pastor on the radio one day defending her “call” into the ministry. Another pastor, disputing with her, kept bringing up the Scriptures. Quoting Paul he would say that a woman was not to teach or usurp the authority of a man within the church. This lady responded with the notion that we are led by the spirit and are not under the law. At that point, the host of the program even erroneously contended that the ‘words in red’ are more important than Paul’s writings.”
Read Jesus’ words (in red). “Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you,” John 16:13-14.
To recognize truth we must understand that the Spirit will never supersede the written word. Just as Christ came to do the will of the Father and glorify Him, the Spirit will point people to Christ and glorify Him. John 1:1 tells us that Jesus is the Word of God. Revelations 19:13 tells us that “The Word of God” is His very name. We also know that “all scripture is given by inspiration of God,” 2 Timothy 3:16. To say that the Spirit would lead us or teach us something contrary to Jesus Christ (The Word) is untrue. The Spirit did not call this woman to be a pastor because that contradicts the Word. (Read I Timothy 2:11-12.)
So the first way to test if something is true is by the Word of God. But Jesus said there was another way in which we can test the spirit of false prophets? “Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them,” Matthew 7:20. You cannot separate a man’s personal life from his ministry. Does his life line up with what he is teaching? The same can be asked of women. Friends, be careful when getting advice from others. You need to make sure that what they say is first biblical and second that their life demonstrates good works. “Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom,” James 3:13.
If the Spirit of God dwells in you, by knowing the Word of God and examining fruits, you can test the spirits to see if they are truly of God. God has given the believer the spirit of discernment. “God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.” 1 Corinthians 2:10. Do not fall for lies that hinder your spiritual growth, there are many out there. And remember, the most dangerous ones are the ones closest to the truth.
(Taken from Living Out the Word: Love, A verse by verse study for women through the Epistles of John by Kimberly Williams. Coming soon – Spring 2012!)
Standing before a group of women I explained to them that I was honored to be asked to speak about three of my favorite topics – the Scriptures, marriage, and homeschooling. It was at a local homeschool group meeting a few days ago. The topic of the meeting
was Nurturing your Marriage through the Homeschooling Years. My prayer was that God would bring in those who needed to be there and I believe He did. The dynamics of the group was amazing. We had young mothers just starting their homeschooling journey, mothers who had been down the path for a while, and veteran homeschooling mothers. One lady, with 14 children, came who has been married for 41 years. When I told her that she should have been the one speaking her humble reply was, “I always need to be reminded of these things.”
Homeschooling mothers are the busiest women I know. We have several full-time jobs. While it is not intentional, it is
easy to place our marriage at the bottom of the priority list. But it is dangerous to place your marriage there. The daunting statistics of the
divorce rate are well known. In fact, the numbers show that the statistics are the same in Christian and non-Christian homes. Certainly, Christian people are not immune to trials and troubles in their marriage. I would venture to say that because you are a believer that you are even under a more severe attack on your marriage. Now add the fact that you choose to disciple your children at home and you have painted a bulls-eye for the enemy on your house. First Corinthians 10:12 tells us, “Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.” Here
is our warning.
Expectations are high in the homeschooling movement. And too often we place them upon ourselves. The myths are that we are superwomen who can have it all and do it all. Our homes should look like something in the magazines, beautiful and never messy. Our children are geniuses and they never struggle with learning. We are not superwomen, our homes are sometimes messy, and our children will struggle on days. These are all myths and we must be realistic with ourselves. We cannot do it all and we should not even try. We must have priorities. What are your priorities? Is it teaching the children? Is it running a home business? It is maintaining the perfect home? Is it ministry? Or, is it your marriage? Life is busy and homeschooling takes a lot of time and energy but God has given us clear priorities as women. The home should not be “child-centered” even during the busy homeschooling years. Because the truth is that it will be very difficult to have a successful homeschooling
journey without a successful marriage. Heidi St. John in her book, The Busy Homeschooling Mother’s Guide to Romance says it like this, “You should not sacrifice your marriage on the altar of home education.”
Doing too much will cause us to do none of it well. Jim Collens in his book, Good to Great says that “Good is the enemy of great.” He goes on to say, “Few people attain great lives, in large part because it is just so easy to settle for a good life.” I love this quote. Think about this for a
moment. So many times in my life I do the good things but I’m missing out on the great things. This is also true in our marriages. We can have “good” marriages (by the world’s standards) but as Christians I believe our standard is a little higher. Ephesians 5 tells us that the Christian
husband and wife is a picture to the world of Christ and His bride. When we portray this image in a bad light we are portraying Christ and His bride in a bad light. Therefore, a priority Christians should have is to work on having great marriages for the world to see.
I believe there are three keys to nurturing your marriage. The first is to recognize your biblical role as wife. The second is to have clear priorities. And the third is practical application of these truths. Ask the Lord to give you a desire to nuture your marriage. Over the next few days I will address each of these keys.
“For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish,” Ephesians 5:23-27.
“I’m not waiting until the first of the year,” I told my husband. “I’m going to stop eating sugar today. There is no point in putting it off.” In January of this year I decided to go on a sugar fast. It lasted over 10 months. During that time I felt better and lost over 40 pounds. But somewhere along November I began to eat a little here and a little there. With the holidays I rationalized that it would be better to just wait until after the New Year to start the sugar fast again. But the truth is that a person can rationalize anything. Dana and I had just gotten back from the gym. We were sitting down eating breakfast when it hit me. Why wait until the first of the year? Why put it off? The longer I wait the harder it will be.
Procrastination is a killer. How much time has been wasted by procrastinating? Our time is extremely valuable and in the words of Benjamin Franklin, “You may delay, but time will not.” The psalmist prayed, “Teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom,” Psalm 90:12. A wise person will realize that time is short and our days are limited; therefore there is no time to waste. James puts it like this, “Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away,” James 4:14.
I would say that we all have areas in our life that need addressing. And quite frankly, the physical is easier to work on than the spiritual. It is much easier to quit sugar than it is to quit worrying. It is easier to go to the gym than it is to go out and witness to my neighbors. It is easier to spend hours organizing my home than it is to spend hours in prayer. While the physical might be easier, the spiritual is so much more valuable. (Read I Timothy 4:8.) The problem is in our “want-to”. Peter Marshall once alleged, “Most of us know perfectly well what we ought to do; our trouble is that we do not want to do it.” I’m afraid that is all too true. There are bad habits in my life that I need to quit. And there are good things that I need to be doing. For a child of God this is called sanctification. And the repercussion of not doing it is called sin. “Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin,” James 4:17.
Are there things in your life that you have been putting off? Have you been procrastinating within your Christian walk? Can you afford to delay any longer? Has time been wasting? Have opportunities been lost this year? Is there an area in your life that you can improve on? I know that I can and I pray that the Holy Spirit will continue to gently nudge me toward holiness.
Commit with me to not procrastinate any longer. Stop dragging your feet; instead consider taking a few of these practical steps toward spiritual growth.
This list is not exclusive. Much more could be added to it. Just be sure you do not make the mistake of thinking that it must all be done at once. Pick an area in your life that you have been procrastinating in and work on that. It takes one step at a time. I often remind my children of these principles.
It won’t be easy but living the abundant life is not about easy. Vance Havner reminds us that, “Taking it easy is often the prelude to backsliding. Comfort precedes collapse.” So dear Christian friend, what are you waiting for?
“The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way,” Psalm 37:23.
December 19, 2011
Dear Family and Friends,
Blessings and Greetings from our family to yours. Over two thousand years ago, Elohim, the Creator of all, gave a gift to the world He created. This gift came as a babe wrapped in swaddling clothes. Born in Bethlehem, as the prophet Micah predicted, He came with a purpose that is still being fulfilled today – to save his people from their sins. Isaiah prophesied, 750 years before Christ was born, that a virgin would conceive and bare a son. His name would be called Immanuel meaning God with us. The promised Messiah would bring peace to all who would call upon His name. As the Christmas season approaches our family’s prayer is that you have experienced this peace. It is a peace that passes all understanding and can only come from the Prince of Peace.
God has certainly filled our hearts with peace this year and has blessed our lives beyond measure. It would take a book to share with you all that the Lord has done in our lives. The most significant being our move back to Northwest Arkansas in July. We left this area 8 years ago when Dana surrendered into the ministry and started back to school. God saw fit to not only bring us back to our family, but He has blessed us with a dear church family. We are so honored to be a part of Cornerstone in Bentonville where Dana is joyfully serving as Pastor.
The children are doing very well. They adjusted to the move quickly. Of course, being only 30 minutes from their grandparents helped immensely. They have been reacquainted with old friends and have made many new friends in the short time we’ve been back. Aaron turned 15 in September. He is studying for his driver’s license and quickly turning into a godly young man. Abigail turned 12 in March. She is a beautiful young lady with a sweet spirit that brings joy to our home. Andrew turned 9 in October. He is living up to his name with a sword or gun almost always in his hand. We are so thankful for the opportunity to still homeschool. This year marks over 10 years of educating the children at home. They are in 9th, 7th, and 3rd grade.
I was able to finish my 3rd book this year and have been blessed with several speaking opportunities. My favorite was a three day retreat in Gulf Shores, Alabama in June. We haven’t traveled too much this year but we have taken a few short trips. Before our move back in May we met my parents in Memphis for a Homeschooling Convention. Dana and I went to the seminars and the children enjoyed their grandparents taking them to the zoo. After our move we took a few days and took the children to Branson then Dana and I enjoyed a week in Branson all alone in October. We are so thankful for our church who sent us to the Pastor’s Oasis for a refreshing time of renewal. With our family close by, for the first time in many years, we have no plans to travel during Christmas.
Our plans this December is to focus on the theme of all of Scripture – Relationships – first our relationship with God and then our relationship with those around us. May the Lord of Glory bless you this holiday season! “Grace be with you, mercy, and peace, from God the Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love,” 2 John 1:3.
Love – The Williams
Last night my family did something we don’t usually do. We sat down after dinner and watched a TV program together. America’s Funniest Home Videos was on and we do love to laugh. You know the show – someone falls off a roof, gets hit by a ball, or has a skiing accident. Of course, my 9 year old asked a valid question last night. He wanted to know, “Why do we laugh at people getting hurt?” Good point, son, and one that should be addressed sometime. But what really caught my attention were the videos that showed children getting their Christmas presents. One was of a boy who got clothes for a present and stomped up to his room in anger. Another one was of a teenage girl who thought she didn’t get the phone she wanted and her pouty reaction. Parents gave one girl a fish tank for Christmas. Apparently, the fish didn’t live and the girl reacted by shouting, “This is the worse Christmas ever!” The videos are meant to be funny but my thoughts were that these children are unthankful, selfish, and rude to their parents.
If we are not careful we will play right into the natural inclination of children’s selfishness, especially at Christmas. While I desire to give my children good things, at the same time I do not want them becoming self centered in the process. One way we try to do this is by steering them away from creating a “Christmas wish list” and instead we have them create a list of what they would like to give to others. My parents have been good at teaching their grandchildren that “it is more blessed to give than receive.” Each year at Thanksgiving they give the children a gift of money for them to give away. The children will take the money and buy presents to give away to someone in need or they will buy gifts for people in a nursing home. This helps to create in their heart an attitude of giving.
This attitude should be taught all year long. However, we should be ever diligent in teaching it during Christmas. For the Christian, gift giving represents the greatest gift ever given – God giving the world His only begotten Son. It is so easy to get caught up in the holiday bustle and forget the real reason for the season. I remember talking to a young mother last year. She stated that she was sick of Christmas. All her children did was whine and complain about what they wanted that year. And this was two weeks before Christmas! I walked away from the conversation very sad. This was a young girl in our church who professed Christ.
Philippians 2:4 tells us, “Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.” Christ gave His life for others and we are to follow in His example. The reality is that we will never teach our children to give unless they see this portrayed in our own lives. Like the saying goes, more is caught by children than taught. If we are selfish and self centered during Christmas, our children will be as well. But, if we live our lives in love as we are told in Romans 12:10, and “in honour preferring one another” our children will learn to do this as well.
Look around and pray as a family about opportunities to give this year. Many people let their children pick a child from the Angel Tree or they will do Operation Shoe Box. These are fun ways for the children to give. On two different occasions we found out the ages of children in our local Baptist Children’s Home and bought them gifts. You can also look for opportunities within your church. Perhaps you could adopt a Missionary family and send them gifts. Often times there are people in your own congregation who have no family and who would love to spend the holidays with your family. Giving doesn’t always involve spending money. Sometimes a homemade gift, card, or just your time mean more to people than anything else. Consider the elderly this year. There are many lonely and depressed people during the holidays that could use some love and encouragement. What a great way to share the love of Christ.
We can buy our children toys that will be broke in a few weeks. We can get them the latest fashions that will soon be outdated. Or we can buy them gadgets and electronics, but in a few months there will be newer and better versions out there. I’m not against giving gifts to my children (in fact, we already have them all bought), but why not give them something that will last. Give them an opportunity to develop an attitude of giving, thankfulness, selflessness, and love for others.
“Remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.” (Act 20:35)
We are all aware that regular exercise is vital and essential for a healthy lifestyle. Exercise supports physical and mental well being. In addition to having better health, working out increases your energy level and reduces stress. It’s important. But let’s be honest…Who has the time? Are we not busy enough? On an average day my to-do-list is a mile long and I’m sure you are no different. But there comes a time when you realize the benefits far outweigh the inconvenience and decide to make it a priority. Dana and I came to that conclusion. We signed up for a gym membership and have been faithfully (for the most part) going together each morning at 5 a.m. My first goal was to make it a habit by going for 21 days. Now that I have met this goal I am working on increasing my stamina. I am walking on the treadmill for three miles and, in addition, every other day I use the machines to tone various muscles.
While exercise has value there is a truth to it. I Timothy 4:8 states that “bodily exercise profiteth little.” Exercise does profit, but only for a short duration. If I stop going to the gym tomorrow, all the work that I have done up until now will be lost. And even if I continue to exercise my entire life, the advantage I gain from it is for this life only. There is no eternal compensation for physical exercise. However, for the Christian there is an exercise that is profitable in all ways.
“…exercise thyself rather unto godliness. For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come,” 1 Timothy 4:7-8. Training ourselves in godliness will be beneficial in this world and the one to come. Therefore, it seems to me that while I should continue to go to the gym each day, this spiritual exercise should be more of a priority in my life.
What does exercising unto godliness look like? First, I Timothy 2:10 tells me how I should adorn myself as a Christian woman. “But (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works.” Therefore, doing good works is a part of godliness. This takes practice (training, exercise). It takes a consistent effort (workout). And it takes a child of God, with knowledge of God, to have the power to live with godliness. “According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue,” 2 Peter 1:3. We also are told that it is a process. Just as becoming strong takes physical exercise, godliness takes diligent work step by step. “And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness,” 2 Peter 1:5-6.
I use to believe that going to the gym was just for those who were already fit and trim. However, this is not the case. While several of the people at the gym are in excellent shape, there are those there who are in terrible shape. But they are striving nonetheless. There is also a misconception that it is impossible to live godly in today’s world. In truth, it is for the unbeliever, but for a child of God this is not true. “For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ,” Titus 2:11-13. We will not attain perfectly but we should be striving. Why? Because when we exercise unto godliness it is profitable for this life and in the one to come.
Lord, You know my heart’s desire to strive in my daily walk, to reach forth and press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling. Lord, help me to remember these truths, meditate upon them, and work them out in my life. Help me to profess godliness and adorn myself with good works every day of my life.
To write it down for the world to see, To speak of Your wondrous love,
How can I thank you for blessing me? For sending a Saviour from above?
Thank you God for having a plan, A sacrifice, a cross, a grave.
Thank you Lord for redeeming man, Without Christ who can be saved?
But because He rose victorious, abundant life I now will live.
Grace and love abounds glorious, which daily Lord you freely give.
To give thanks only one day a year, seems contrary to say the least,
For You my God are very near, not just during Thanksgiving feast.
Instead I’ll live a life of thanks-living, all year acknowledging how you bless.
And just one day set aside, for complaints and unthankfulness.
The third key to nurturing your marriage is practical application of these truths previously mentioned. Knowledge (knowing truth) is not enough; we need wisdom (applying truth) in our marriages.
Homeschooling mother, I know you are busy. Life is demanding. You are home all day teaching the children. There is work to do, places to go, errands to run, a home to manage, lessons to be taught, projects to complete, and schedules to make and keep. Some days bring many challenges and there are probably times when your husband walks in the door only to be greeted with chaos. While these days are a reality, I have found that a conscience effort to manage my “office” well is very beneficial to our marriage. I have always said that my career is my family. It is my job, given to me by God. Therefore, if my career is my family then my office is my home. I’m going to take the liberty to speak for all the husbands out there. They do not want to come home to a messy house with loud children running around. They do not want to see dishes in the sink and laundry piled up in the living room. The kitchen table does not need to be overrun with school books, paper, and computers. There does not need to be a science project hanging in his bathroom either. He doesn’t want to see the children dirty and unkempt. And he certainly does not want to see his wife in sweats and a t-shirt with a chili stain left over from lunch on the front of her shirt. You husband wants to walk in the door and greeted by a smiling wife and children who are happy to see him. The home needs to be orderly. I am not saying it has to be immaculate, but it should be managed well. A little care goes a long way in a home. If your husband comes home every day at 6 p.m. make sure by 5 p.m. you have a plan for dinner, the house is somewhat picked up, the children are happy and quiet, and the schoolbooks are put away. If you are not finished with schoolwork by 5 p.m. then you need to start your day sooner. I am speaking from experience. Trust me; I have had a few of these chaotic days. But let me say that when my home is managed well things go much smoother. It’s certainly worth the extra effort.
Another must for marriage is Date Night! It is imperative that you spend at least one day a month out on a date with your husband. Just to clarify, this means without the children. You are old enough now that you do not need chaperones. The dates do not have to be elaborate. While that is nice every now and then, it is not necessary. Date nights can be as simple as a hamburger from McDonalds and holding each other’s hand while walking through a store together. The important thing is that you spend time together, talk, and enjoy each other’s company. Date nights can also be at home. Put the children to bed early or rent them a video, fix a late dinner, and light some candles. Your children will appreciate the fact that their parents make time for each other. And your husband will appreciate the fact that he has a wife that desires to spend time with him.
Communication is also essential to a thriving marriage. Homeschooling is a big part of your life. Make sure you and your husband communicate often about the children. Typically the dad does not spend as much time with them as the mother does so he needs to be involved. Let him know how they are doing academically. Share their successes and their failures with him. Let the dad oversee the direction of their schooling. Do not make him feel bad for always being at work. Thank him for working hard so that you have the privilege to be able to stay home and homeschool the children. It is common mistake to have the attitude of “Mother knows best” when it comes to the education of the children. But, when it comes down to it, the father as head of the family will be held accountable by God for the direction of his family and the education of the children.
Finally, do not over commit. It is easy to go through life doing good things and completely miss out on the best things. Sports are good. Ministry is good. Homeschool groups and activities are good. Hobbies and recreations are good. But marriage is best. Children are best. Relationships are best. Warm memories are best. Don’t become so busy that you are exhausted all the time. Don’t become too B.U.S.Y. (Bound Under Satan’s Yoke). Don’t run around doing things and forget about people. Make time for your husband and make it a priority. Make plans to eat together as a family. And make sure every now and then that it is at home at the kitchen table and not in the car running to your next activity.
Clear Priorities
A thriving biblical marriage can be characterized by having three priorities in place. The first priority is to have a growing
relationship with God. As I said in the previous post, God ordained marriage for His children. Those outside of the faith cannot have a true biblical marriage. Our relationship with
God should be preeminent. C.S. Lewis said, “When I have learnt to love God better than my earthly dearest, I shall
love my earthly dearest better than I do now.” My husband and I have an understanding that God comes first in our life. We’ll gladly settle for second place. When we are each putting God first we are both moving in the same direction and our marriage is strengthened.
The second priority is a growing marriage. Other than God, nothing should come before your marriage. That includes your children, family, friends, or career. The Christian marriage is like a triangle. God is on top and the husband and wife at
each bottom corner. The closer they get to God, the closer they get to each other. The Scriptures declare, “A threefold cord is not quickly broken,” Ecclesiastes 4:12b. Wife, your husband should know that he is a priority in your life. He should know that you understand and embrace your calling from God as help meet to him. He should know that, next to God, nothing is more important to you on this earth than your relationship with him. I like what Martin Luther said about marriage. “Let the wife make the husband glad to come home and let him make her sorry to see him leave.” This is a God-honoring marriage that points other’s to Him.
The third priority is a growing relationship with the children. Notice the order. As precious as children are, they should not come before the marriage. The home is
not to be “child-centered.” If the children are the focus, what happens when they leave? God’s design is for the children to eventually leave, cleave, and weave their own family together. Therefore, mother should not devote all of her time and energy to them. She should save some for her husband. Of course, this is not always easy to do. It takes a lot of time and energy to raise children. Homeschooling takes even more. But the most wonderful gift you can give your children is a deep love for their father. A strong marriage brings security to the home and an environment that children thrive in.
Tomorrow we will look at the third key to nurturing your marriage – practical application of these truths.
Kimberly Williams 