My purpose in this week’s devos is to show why living together before marriage is not a part of God’s design. But what if it’s too late? What are the next steps after the wrong steps? Once again, let’s start with Genesis 2:24.
Daily Devotion
Family Strong
Family Strong: Is a Wedding Ceremony a Waste?
Why have a wedding with a license, minister, and guests? Why not just say—let’s move in together and start doing life? Isn’t a wedding ceremony a waste…of time…of money?
Family Strong: DOD!
The act of physical love is expressed by the Hebrew word dod. We’ll talk more about dod later. My purpose in this week’s devos is to show why living together before marriage is not a part of God’s design. I pray that you will use this information to make godly decisions and give godly counsel.
Family Strong: Relationship Shortcut
Today many couples are taking a relationship shortcut. Before getting married, half will live together before marriage. My purpose in this week’s devos is to show why living together before marriage is not a part of God’s design. We pray that you will use this information to make godly decisions and give godly counsel.
Family Strong: Test Run
When our daughter ran cross-country in high school and track in college, she would always check out the course before the race. A test run is a wise thing to do before lining up against the other competitors. But…a test run for marriage. We need to think that through.
Family Strong: “Kicking the Tires” Before saying, “I Do”
Don’t most people “kick the tires” before buying a car? Absolutely! So why not “kick the tires,” so to speak, before committing to a lifelong relationship? Seems reasonable. But…not so fast. My purpose this week is to show why living together before marriage is not a part of God’s design. I pray that you will use this information to make godly decisions and give godly counsel.
Family Strong: Living Together Before Marriage
Taking a test drive before you buy a car. Good move. Trying on a pair of pants to make sure they fit. Yep. Checking out a home before taking on the mortgage, who wouldn’t do that? Even when you order online, you try things out and try things on. So why not live together before marriage?
Family Strong: For Those Who Have Been Divorced or Going through a Divorce
When you read devotionals pertaining to marriage, some of you may feel like I am rubbing salt in your wounds. That’s certainly not my intent, and for those who have been divorced, I know the pain is deep. And I know many of you tried so hard to keep your marriage together. You can’t undo the past. You desire to make your life count for God. Thank God he offers forgiveness and restoration to us all.
Family Strong: Violent Clothes
Do you like stylish clothes? I do too. However, I don’t often think about clothes as being violent, even the styles I don’t like! However, there is something that covers our clothes with violence. Let’s consider these verses from the last book in the Old Testament.
Family Strong: To Have and to Hold
You have heard the vows before. Maybe you used these or similar vows on your wedding day. To have and to hold from this day forward. For better or for worse. For richer or for poorer. In sickness and in health. As long as we both shall live. These vows, or ones like them, are spoken at virtually every one of the 5,918 weddings that take place each day in the United States. Unfortunately, too many of those who say, “I do,” end up saying, “I don’t.”
Family Strong: Catching Foxes
Have you ever caught a fox? Neither have I. But I am assuming that chasing and catching a fox would be quite a feat. Solomon uses this picture of catching foxes to remind us of little things that can do considerable damage.
Family Strong: Marriages Never Explode
Marriages don’t explode. There is seldom one event that causes a husband and wife to call it quits. Rather the demise of a marriage is more like a slow leak. If the leak is not tended to, over time, the air escapes, and the relationship goes flat.