Crazy Glue and You | Facing Your Blitz Weekly Video Devotion

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Is there more friction than flow in your marriage? I’ve been there. It will take more than crazy glue to mend differences. Maybe this week’s devotion will help.

Game Plan:

“Think about how all this [difference] makes you more significant, not less. A body isn’t just a single part blown up into something huge. It’s all the different-but-similar parts arranged and functioning together. If Foot said, “I’m not elegant like Hand, embellished with rings; I guess I don’t belong to this body,” would that make it so? If Ear said, “I’m not beautiful like Eye, limpid and expressive; I don’t deserve a place on the head,” would you want to remove it from the body? If the body was all eye, how could it hear? If all ear, how could it smell? As it is, we see that God has carefully placed each part of the body right where he wanted it.” I Corinthians 12:14-18, MSG

“He [God] makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love” Ephesians 4:16, NLT

“In the same way, you husbands must give honor to your wives. Treat your wife with understanding as you live together. She may be weaker than you are, but she is your equal partner in God’s gift of new life. Treat her as you should so your prayers will not be hindered.” I Peter 3:7, NLT

Time Out:

Have you been struggling with how different you and your spouse are?

Apply the analogy of sports to marriage. You both have different skills, personalities and roles…and you only win when you support each other.

Is it time to fully accept that God made you different and God gave your spouse to you?

Have you been struggling in dealing with the differences between you and your spouse? Get in line. Differences are natural. Handling them requires the supernatural.

Go Deep:

Validate your spouse for their gifts and different style.

Thank your spouse for how they help and complement you.

Apologize for chafing at their differences and not being sensitive to them.

Adapt to help your teammate thrive. Helping your team helps you.

Assure your kids…tell them you’re different on purpose and you’re glued for life.

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Be An Epic Encourager, Dad | Facing Your Blitz Weekly Video Devotion

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My dad was a crazy encourager. Watch and see if you are too.

Game Plan:

“Fathers, do not aggravate your children, or they will become discouraged.” Colossians 3:21, NLT

“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” Philippians 4:8, ESV

Time Out:

Dads, if we think our job is simply to not aggravate our children, we’re reading the Bible wrong. Did you want your dad solely to not aggravate you, or did you want him to encourage you, validate you, and praise you?

Our job is to give our children courage and confidence. That means we need to see far beyond their immaturity, mistakes and lackluster efforts. We need to look for the Philippians 4:8 stuff – positive, commendable, praiseworthy things.

Dads, if we think our job is simply to not aggravate our children, we’re reading the Bible wrong.

Go Deep:

Fathering is rooted in identity. Many of us struggle because our dad didn’t give us the validation and courage that comes from knowing that we are beloved sons of a perfect Heavenly Father. Look at all the encouragement God has for us imperfect and sinful people. Now go on a quest to find the good, the positive, and the potential in your children. Make it your daily goal to fill them with confidence and courage.

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Take the Consumer Marriage Quiz | Facing Your Blitz Weekly Video Devotion

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Here’s a quick way to spot if you’re doing things in your marriage that make things worse:

Game Plan:

“Do you see a man who is wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.” Proverbs 26:12, ESV

Time Out:

Take this quick quiz as it relates to your marriage:

  • Am I “wise in my own eyes”?
  • Do I think my motives and behavior are normal but that my spouse’s are not?

When I trust my own feelings and my own judgments about myself and my relationships, I am acting “wise in my own eyes”. And that is foolish. It leads to false expectations, disappointment, and criticism. It cancels serving your spouse and positions you to wait on being served.

The consumer marriage quiz exposes our pride, our narrow view of things, our selfishness. It exposes our foolishness. But there is good news. Humility leads to wisdom and God invites us to gain His wisdom.

The path to wisdom is devoting yourself and your time to reading and meditating on God’s word.

Go Deep:

The beginning of wisdom is humility, respecting God with awe and reverence.

Humble yourself and seek wisdom. The path to wisdom is devoting yourself and your time to reading and meditating on God’s word. Seeking wisdom and improvement in relationships is a request we make of God.

Be willing to examine yourself, not others. Then, you will be wise in others’ eyes…and make your relationships better too.

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Consuming Kills Love | Facing Your Blitz Weekly Video Devotion

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Want to know what kills love? Check out the email I received.

Game Plan:

“For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love. For the whole law can be summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”[a But if you are always biting and devouring one another [in selfishness, bickering and strife], watch out! Beware of destroying [consuming] one another.” Galatians 5:13-15, NLT

Time Out:

Are you too well trained as a consumer? Do you expect to get a great deal in every area of life? Have you let that self-centric consumerism drift into how you view your spouse, your marriage or relationship? Do you argue or pull away from your spouse because they didn’t behave the way you wanted? Have you let sensual entertainment or pornography turn sex into consumption? Porn kills love. Consumption kills love. It’s time to shift from consumer to investor in your relationships.

Love is putting the interests of another ahead of yourself. God loves you while you do not deserve it.

Go Deep:

Consumption is not love. Love is putting the interests of another ahead of yourself. God loves you while you do not deserve it. He models an investor relationship. Decide to be an investor. Express gratitude. Compliment. Apologize. Forgive. Pay Attention. Meet someone else’s need. Ask your spouse how you can best love them and add value to your relationship.

Stay Connected:

To get this video and devotional guide delivered to your inbox each Monday, SUBSCRIBE TODAY.

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