Cup O' Joy.......Marriage: Firm Foundations

"Unless the Lord builds the house, 

it's builders labor in vain." 

Psalm 127:1 NIV

 1 Min:  Imagine that your getting ready to build your dream home. You've purchased the building permit and your almost ready to break ground when your favorite design team and contractor approach you and offer to build your new home. You would be crazy to turn them down right? You could never imagine or dream up the designs and plans they would have in mind. It would be foolish to attempt to be the contractor and designer yourself.
  In the same way, God is the Master Contractor of the family. Let Him show you how to build a marriage and family that will exceed your most cherished expectations and dreams. Follow His recommended guidelines. Trust Him to show you how to build something that will last.


5 Min: Pray:  Heavenly Father, please show us your master plans for our lives. Please be at work in our marriage. Help us to build our foundation on you so that our marriage can weather the storms of life. Thank you for wanting the best for our marriage and our family. Thank you for your Word that gives us the blueprints of wisdom and guidance on building this foundation. Continue to pray as the Spirit leads you, or just sit quietly in His presence.


10 Min: Study:  Communication in Your Marriage

Psalm 127

The Message (MSG)

Psalm 127

A Pilgrim Song of Solomon

 ^1-2 If God doesn't build the house, the builders only build shacks.
   If God doesn't guard the city,
      the night watchman might as well nap.
   It's useless to rise early and go to bed late,
      and work your worried fingers to the bone.
   Don't you know he enjoys
      giving rest to those he loves?

 ^3-5 Don't you see that children are God's best gift?
      the fruit of the womb his generous legacy?
   Like a warrior's fistful of arrows
      are the children of a vigorous youth.
   Oh, how blessed are you parents,
      with your quivers full of children!
   Your enemies don't stand a chance against you;
      you'll sweep them right off your doorstep.

I chose this passage from the Message Bible because it spoke more boldly to me. He wants to give us rest because he loves us. Isn't that amazing? The most amazing part is how blessed I am because my "quiver is full of children." Well at this point just one, but he hold the blue print to that too. 

Let's pull out the very large key in marriage and that is communication. Proverbs 16:24 tells us that "pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones."  Remember that when speaking to your handsome groom. Be sure to choose your words carefully as Proverbs 17:27;21:23 instructs us.  

Proverbs 17:27

The Message (MSG)

 ²⁷ The one who knows much says little; 

   an understanding person remains calm.

Proverbs 21:23

The Message (MSG)

²³ Watch your words and hold your tongue;
   you'll save yourself a lot of grief.

The first few minutes of greeting one another after work are your key moments in setting ambiance for the rest of the night. Did you realize that? You hold the key to how the night, week and month will go between you and your spouse in the first few moments you greet one another after hours apart from each other. Take note on your behavior and his this week. Would you change your tone or words?

  Speak graciously and the truth in love as the following scriptures suggest:

Proverbs 22:11

The Message (MSG)

¹¹ God loves the pure-hearted and well-spoken; 

   good leaders also delight in their friendship. 

Ephesians 4:15

New International Version (NIV)

¹⁵ Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ.


To wrap this up if you want to be sweet to your groom's soul and healing to his bones, guard your words and choose them carefully. Speak graciously. Speak truth in love.


Be Blessed!


31 Gals