Why God Might Not Be Answering Your Prayers

Written by Jonathan Kroeker

Take today’s next step: Do you write? Send in your devos for consideration.

“Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers.” (1 Peter 3:7)

The easiest way for a married man to make his prayers ineffective is to be inconsiderate or disrespectful to his wife. How many of my own prayers have been scuttled simply because I haven’t been nice to my wife? Just to think about it makes me shudder.

God cares deeply about the state of your marriage because it is meant to be a reflection of Christ’s relationship with His church (Ephesians 5:32). God intends for your neighbor, co-worker, family member, and friend to get a glimpse of the gospel through the way you treat your wife. 

Take Back What the Devil Has Stolen!

Written by Kenneth E. Hagin   

The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. 
(John 10:10)

Years ago, while I was holding a meeting in Port Arthur, Texas, a Methodist woman came up to me and said, "Brother Hagin, I don't know much about healing. For seventeen years I haven't been able to do my housework or cook breakfast for my husband. I haven't been able to function as a wife and mother because of bad health.

"And after spending thousands of dollars, doctors have admitted that they just can't help me. I've been in the prayer lines of some of the most outstanding healing evangelists of our day. But I didn't realize how important the Word of God was in receiving healing until I heard you teach today. I'm coming back tomorrow."

Well, she came back the third day and the fourth day. Every day she came, she got stronger. I never even prayed for her. She never got in the healing line. As far as I know, no one prayed for her. We eventually closed out the meeting and left.

That Your Prayers May Not Be Hindered

"But if we [really] are living and walking in the Light as He [Himself] is in the Light, we have [true, unbroken] fellowship with one another." (1 John 1:7, The Amplified Bible)

One area of our lives we believers need to particularly guard is the area of our relationships. We simply have to heed the Word of God where they're concerned. Let's not fuss with one another and criticize one another so much that we hinder the forces that God has given us to make us successful in this world.

Strife also causes trouble in the spirit realm. It opens the door to the devil. It keeps our prayers from being answered. It even keeps our angels from moving on our behalf!

Does the Bible allow remarriage after divorce?

Mark 10:11–12

Jesus refutes the teaching that a man is “required” to dispense with his wife when he suspects unfaithfulness. Jesus finds such behavior intolerable, saying Moses did not “command” men to divorce wives; he “permitted” it because of the hardness of people’s hearts (see Mk 10:5). The springboard for right action should not be hard-heartedness, but love. Jesus says that only if a woman has done something that irreparably ruptures the marriage can such a divorce be right. But it isn’t a necessary response.

Observe: You are Better Than Your Wife

Written by Neal Black

 “Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good.” (Romans 12:9, NLT)

It’s true, you are better than your wife… in one particular area. Overall, as a man, are better at observation than she is. (For more information see Secrets of Happily Married Men by Scott Haltzman) Now before you go trotting off to locate her in the house and read that line to her, let’s talk about using this special talent to blow her mind!

You’re better at observation; your wife likes to be observed by you. This is good but it’s not just a matter of watching her wiggle (although perfectly good use of your amazing observation abilities!) There is more. By observation you can learn some great intel that will change your relationship.

Romans 12:9 says, “Don’t pretend to love others. Really love them.” So, this week watch your wife till you see her respond to something in a very positive way. Maybe someone complimented her cooking, her hair or maybe it was someone emptying the dishwasher, or buying her a small gift or giving her a hug. You may observe one of your kids playing a game with her that brought lots of smiles and fun interaction.

Inspiration – Are Wives Moving Mountains?

Are wives moving mountains?

Are you actively throwing mountains into the sea or are you trying to climb over them?

Think of mountains as trials or barricades, standing in your way! They are huge, overwhelmingly huge, and it may even seem impossible to get past… but we have something bigger than the mountains in our life, we have Jesus! Our faith in Jesus can get us through any trial in our life. Jesus says we can basically pick it up and toss it to the side. He makes it sound so simple:)

I Am Not A Robot – A Wife Needs Adequate Rest

Guest post Thursday!!! This article is brought to you by Sarah Casterline. Sharing her testimony of getting married young, she also explains about the revelation she had of not being designed like a robot. God designed us to need adequate rest to function properly, a reminder we all need at times! Let Sarah know if her article impacted you, especially if you have experienced what she has! Enjoy!

We were married on June 5, 2010, right before we both turned 20 years old.In the fall of 2010, I began my junior year and my husband began the second semester of his junior year (he was ahead of me at first). Thankfully, I have been able to keep my full-time job while taking online courses. My husband, however, can only work a part-time job because science classes and the labs that are required with them cannot be taken online. On top of this, we have also been the associate youth pastors and the worship pastors at our church.

One More & I'll Go Insane!

The Snake Pit (1948)

That title should read "one more mention of high-drive husbands and I'll go insane!" A wife recently commented to me about her frustration that, while it's great that churches and ministries now discuss sexuality, it is painful at times for wives who don't experience the norm.

The most common scenario described here, and on other blogs, is that of the eager beaver hubby and the sexual sloth wife. To be fair, that is the typical make-up of many marriages: A husband with a higher sex drive than his wife. However, it hardly represents the whole of marriages.

Why So Many Women Yearn to Be Wives

Despite the fact that it's the twenty-first century and women can earn their own money, go to a sperm bank to have a child and lead a satisfying social life without a man, the role of wife remains compelling.

Young women are more self-assured than ever, not necessarily in search of a boyfriend and comfortable focusing on their own goals. They know that sex can be a sport and men can be adjunct, perhaps fungible. Yet what I've found is that at a certain point for these women, usually by their mid to late-twenties, being engaged and getting married becomes important.

A Letter To My Friend Whose Husband Is Cheating

Dear Charm,

I don’t know if you are a Christian, so I don’t think you will understand my perspective, but I thought you might appreciate it anyway because I know you are lost and hurting and you have a big decision to make and your mind is overwhelmed from shock and denial now. Let me just say, that you don’t have to make a decision at all right away, this is huge and it will effect so many people, you have the right to take as long as you want to make this decision, there is no rush, you can even take a year or two to make it if you want. For now, I advise you to wait and don’t decide. The main reason I’m saying that is because your brain is not working correctly, it is under a lot of stress, grief and shock and that is not the best situation to make a decision like divorce.

For the Men: The Right Way to Grab Your Wife’s Boobs

We know you want them, and we know you like to squeeze them, but it gets annoying to be surprised all the time by having your husband grabbing your boobs and if you aren’t doing it the right way, you are probably going to lose your rights or your wife is going to treat you more like a pesky fly than the man you really are. So I thought I’d offer the men some tips today on how to grab your wife’s boobs leaving her wanting more instead of having her swat your hand away and glare at you.

Wrong Way: Give her a quick kiss on the lips and reach down and squeeze her boob quickly before she notices and can stop you, then act like nothing happened.

Right Way: If you want to do the kiss and grab, then you need to up the passion. Push her against the wall, kiss her hard and long and fondle her boobs strongly (but not painfully), you could even use both hands if you want for this one.

How To Be A Sexy Christian Wife

I’m slowly developing my own philosophy on what a marriage blog should be about. I really like the Red Pill Philosophy written by Athol Kay of MMSL,

Red Pill Philosophy (Sexy Christian Wife style):

Men need to be alpha (manly, attractive, dominant, teasing, financially stable, the captain of their marriage, physically fit, entertaining) and beta (kind, servant-like, loving, good father, responsible)

Women need to be alpha (pretty, crazy into sex, feminine, physically fit, entertaining) and beta (keeps home clean, cooks meals, kind, loving, respectful to husband, submissive, good mother, responsible)

ARE MEN MORE ATTRACTED TO PREGNANT WOMEN?

By Site Manager

Are men truly attracted to pregnant women? The answer is simple; it depends on the man. There’s always two sides to a story and this is no different. Some people believe that men are more attracted to pregnant women because of natural instinct dating back to the cavemen days.

5 Ways to Stay In Love Forever

Excellent advice for every couple.

by Rabbi Dov Heller, M.A.

1.CHERISH YOUR WIFE. RESPECT YOUR HUSBAND.

The core emotional need of a woman is to be cherished. This is the husband's number one responsibility. That means making her feel loved and appreciated, that she's your number one priority.

Bumper Stickers

* FAILURE IS NOT AN OPTION! It comes bundled with the software.

* I can't dial 911. There's no 11 on my phone.

* What is a free gift? Aren't all gifts free?

* Can you yell "MOVIE!" in a crowded fire station?

* It's hard to make a comeback when you haven't been anywhere.

* If ignorance is bliss, why aren't more people happy?

* To vacillate or not to vacillate, that is the question.... ....or is it?

* I didn't fight my way to the top of the food chain to be a vegetarian.

* I haven't spoken to my wife in 18 months. She gets mad if I interrupt her.

* Very funny, Scotty. Now beam down my clothes.

* A closed mouth gathers no foot.

* What happens if you get scared half to death twice?

* Where there's smoke, there's dinner.

FUN THINGS TO DO DURING BORING SERMONS

~ Pass a note to the organist asking whether he/she plays requests.

~ See if a yawn really is contagious.

~ Slap your neighbor. See if they turn the other cheek. If not, raise your hand and tell the preacher.

~ Devise ways of climbing into the balcony without using the stairs.

~ Listen for your preacher to use a word beginning with 'A' then 'B and so on through the alphabet.

Balancing Work and Family

Written by Greg Leith

I slipped into his room late one evening as I arrived home from work so that I could give him a goodnight snuggle and a kiss, only to find him wide awake. “Hey Dad, it’s Wednesday!” my 12-year-old said.“Tonight was our date night, Dad! You forgot!”

Somewhere between the deadlines and the meetings and the to-do list, I’d forgotten the most important responsibility in my life — my family. It had also been weeks since my wife and I had a date together. I knew things needed to change — and fast. I needed to focus on my family and let them know they were just as important as my work.

We set out to meet our work goals and somehow in the midst of it all, we forget that waiting at home is that young boy wanting to play catch, that teenage girl who needs to talk about boys, or that spouse that needs to be treated with all the attention we used to give when we were dating. Why does it happen? How does it happen? How can you prevent it from happening to you?

Is it true that prolonged sex (like for an hour) has health benefits or is that a myth?

It sounds like you might be reading Maxim, not New Man for sexual theories. It's true; any aerobic activity done for an extensive period of time can have health benefits. But this could be a really hard sell for your wife.

The way it would sound to her is, "Hey honey, let me use your body for an hour because I am too lazy to go to the gym." Sex isn't about calorie burning or building great abs. If that's what you want, eat less and exercise regularly.

If your wife wants sex for an hour, fine. But most women—after a day at the office, time taking care of the children, homework, cooking and cleaning—are not really that interested in marathon sex so that you can get your heart rate up. To them, it might seem a little selfish.

Now if you take your wife to some secluded, tropical island with no children, cell phones, laptop or any responsibilities, and it's about making her happy, you might have a better chance at your one-hour goal.

---

Doug Weiss, Ph.D., is founder of Heart to Heart Counseling Center and author of The 7 Love Agreements, which explains the power of unity in marriage and outlines seven "love agreements" that will revitalize relationships (available at strangdirect.com). Contact him at drdougweiss.com, or 5080 Mark Dabling Blvd., Colorado Springs, CO 80918, or info@drdougweiss.com.


gotquestions  http://www.charismamag.com/index.php/new-man/sexual-purity/25293-is-viagra-from-god-or-the-devil

Want to Be Sexually Successful?

Douglas Weiss, Ph.D. New Man - eMagazine

I believe that God wants every Christian man to be sexually successful. He desires all of us to enter into the holy of holies where spirit, soul and body intimacy occurs with your wife on a regular basis. His desire is to equip each one of us with the skills to be spiritually and emotionally intimate outside of the bedroom so that we can be sexually successful inside of the bedroom.

Are you wondering what a sexually successful man is and how you can become one? Let me be perfectly clear. Sex is by far one of God's best ideas! Don't you agree? I imagine the Creator could have made procreation a behavior that brought little pleasure and only engaged our bodies, completely detached from the wealth of a soul and spirit experience. What a bummer sex would have been if that were the case.

Thirty Ways to Love Your Lover

A list of ideas on how to honor your wife.
by Dennis Rainey

Meet Don. Don is a basketball "nut." He's the kind of sports buff who can talk nonstop about his favorite basketball teams with anybody who'll listen. One evening, Don's wife took a seat next to him on the couch. She placed her arms around his neck and asked him point-blank: "Do you love me more than basketball?"

Puzzled, Don considered her question for a long minute before answering. He finally said, "College or NBA?" While most of us men would never make a blunder of that magnitude, we often miss the opportunity to affirm our wives. Marriage is not a spectator sport. Nor is it a place for verbal jabs or cynical put-downs. Those male digs might work in the locker room with the boys, but they're out of bounds with our wives.

What do Don's wife, your wife, and my wife need? Affirmation. Lots of it. Soft, tender, thoughtful, unexpected, meaningful, heartfelt affirmation delivered with no sexual demands attached. That's difficult for a man, I know. A man usually sets goals and generally acts only when he is after something. When it comes to romance, he's tempted to give affirmation only because he hopes to "get sex" in return.

Before You Touch Her Body

For romance to deepen, here is a truth that should be emblazoned on the heart of every husband.

Growing up, I hated school and studying. Well, I hated most studying. But I loved two local sports teams: the University of Maryland Terps—specifically, the basketball team—and my beloved Washington Redskins. Somehow I acquired an impressive body of knowledge about these teams, even as I continued to get lousy grades in school.

While class work was mostly drudgery, learning about the Terps and Skins was effortless joy. I loved to watch them, think about them, read about them, talk about them, and listen to games on the radio. To absorb everything I possibly could about these guys—to study them—was rich food for my schoolboy's soul.

Why was that kind of learning so easy for me when formal education was so hard? What made the difference?

Passion.

No secret there. What we love, we want to learn about. And what we love to study, we come to love even more. That's just the way God has wired us. I loved the Terps and Skins; so learning about them and growing in my zeal for them was a totally natural process.

I still enjoy following those teams, but my strongest passions now lie elsewhere.