You see what you’re looking for … so look for the GOOD in your spouse.

• Philippians 4:8 – Dwell on these (positive) things
• I Corinthians 1:4; 11:2; II Corinthians 7:3-4, 16; 8:7; 9:2 – Paul found things to compliment about the Corinthians. (Yes, those!)
• Proverbs 4:23; Matthew 15:19 – Heart actions
• Proverbs 21:9, 19 – Marriage can be miserable.
• I Corinthians 13:4-7 – Love is optimistic.
• Proverbs 17:19 – Drop it already.
• Genesis 29:20 – This is what it looks like when positive interpretations outweigh the negative.

Little things every day are more powerful than empty grand gestures.

• I John 1:6-7 – Nowhere does God instruct people to do the right thing only occasionally.
• I John 3:16-18 – If you were put on trial, and the court was trying to determine if you love your spouse, could they find enough evidence to prove it?
  • How does your wife know you love her?
  • How does your husband know you love him?
• Matthew 6:5 – Consistent love > empty gestures

Introduction

• Luke 19:36-38

What was their purpose?

• Hebrews 2:3
• Miracles proved the message was legitimate.
• Acts 5:36-37
• Acts 2:22-23
• Acts 11:15-18
• John 3:1-2 – Nicodemus recognized Jesus because of His signs.
• Luke 5:20-26
• I Corinthians 2:3-5
• I Corinthians 12:8
• I Corinthians 14:22 – Speaking in tongues is a sign to unbelievers.
• II Corinthians 12:12

Who was doing miracles?

• John 16:7
• John 13:1
• Who was Jesus talking to in John 13-17?
  • “His own” (John 13:1)
  • “twelve disciples” (Matthew 26:20)
  • “the twelve” (Mark 14:17)
  • “the apostles” (Luke 22:14)
• Luke 24:49
• Acts 2:4 – Who got the Spirit here?
  • Acts 1:15, 26
  • Follow the pronouns in Acts 1:26-2:4. The apostles received the Holy Spirit.
  • Acts 2:7, 14, 37, 38, 40, 42, 43
• Luke 1:67
• Luke 9:45
• Luke 10:1, 9, 17 – The seventy
• Acts 9:10-12 – Ananias
• Acts 10:44-48 – Gentiles: Cornelius and his household
• Acts 6:5-6; 8:5-7, 12-24
• Acts 19:2-6 – Not everyone who was baptized had the Holy Spirit in a miraculous way.

Luke 5

• Luke 5:5 – Peter had the wisdom and knowledge to defer to Jesus’ authority.
• Luke 5:11 – These men immediately left their entire livelihood behind to follow Jesus, apparently including the enormous catch of fish they had just hauled in.
• Luke 5:13 – Jesus didn’t rebuke the man or turn away. Instead, He had compassion and healed the man.
• Luke 5:16 – Even though Jesus was incredibly busy, He took time to pray.
• Luke 5:29 – Levi (Matthew) was clearly a wealthy man based on the reception he gave. This would have been quite expensive.

Introduction

• What does it mean to be called a worshiper of God?
• John 4:7-24

Good worship comes from sincere emotion (but not emotionalism).

• Jeremiah 20:9 – Worship should be like this – we can’t NOT worship.
• Luke 17:15-16
• Romans 1:20

God is the center.

• Matthew 14:32-33 – They worship after seeing Jesus walk on water.
• Matthew 28:8
• Luke 24:50-53 – They worship after Jesus ascended to heaven.
• John 9:35
• Our worship is to God.
• We also edify each other.
• Matthew 4:10
• Revelation 22:8-9
• Colossians 3:16
• My heart and mind need to be fervently connected because we know who is on the receiving end of our worship.
• Hebrews 9:11-12
• Hebrews 10:12

God wants my whole life, not just a few hours a week.

• Malachi 2:13-14
• Romans 1:25-31
• Matthew 15:9

[Due to technical difficulties, the first few minutes of this class were not recorded. Sorry about that! -MRW]

Love unconditionally. It’s a decision, not a reaction.

• Matthew 22:39 – “as yourself”
• Matthew 5:43-48 – “love your enemies”
  • We should treat our spouse at least as good as an enemy!
• Matthew 7:12 – “the same way you want them to treat you”
• Ephesians 5:28-30, 33 – “as their own bodies … himself … his own flesh … himself”
• Ephesians 5:22 – “as to the Lord”
• Ephesians 5:25-27 – “just as Christ also loved the church”
  • Don’t keep score.
    • “If you find yourself keeping score about some issue with your spouse, that suggests it’s an area of tension in your marriage.” (Gottman and Silver 2015, p. 33)
• Genesis 1:27 – “in the image of God”
• I Peter 3:7 – “fellow heir of the grace of life”
• Titus 2:3-4 – “encourage the young women to love their husbands”

Build up the balance in your “Love Bank.”

• Luke 6:27-28 – “love … do good … bless … pray for”
• Romans 13:8-10 – “Love does no wrong”
• Proverbs 31:10-12 – “She does him good and not evil”
• Romans 12:10 – “Outdo one another in showing honor”
• Ephesians 4:31-32 – “bitterness …” vs. “Be kind …”
  • The magic ratio is 5:1 positive to negative interactions. Successful couples manage this even in conflict. When not in conflict, successful couples have a ratio closer to 20:1.
• Proverbs 31:28-31 – “Her husband … praises her”
• David and Michal’s marriage deteriorates
  • I Samuel 18:20 – She loved him.
  • I Samuel 18:27-28 – They get married. She still loves him.
  • I Samuel 19:11-12 – She even helps David escape her father’s wrath.
  • She’s later given to another man, then David reclaims her.
  • II Samuel 6:15-16, 20-23 – She views David with contempt.