I HOPE - I ACT
James 2:17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is
dead.
I will INTENTIONALLY PURSE my spouse.
- Familiarity Breeds Complacency
- Complacency Leads To Decay
- So Defeating Complacency Begins With Intentionality.
We are crazy INTENTIONAL pursuing what we DON’T have.
We become COMPLACENT with what we DO have.
Genesis 2:24 That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his
wife, and they become one flesh.
United: DABAQ
1. Cling to, cleave/hold, GLUED together
2. To PURSUE, to hold onto, catch by PURSUIT
You don’t fall in and out of LOVE.
You fall in and out of ACTING LOVING.
How To Intentionally Pursue Your Spouse:
1. Focus on YOUR GAPS, not theirs.
Mark 10:45 For even the Son of Man did not come to BE served, but TO serve.
2. Focus on THEIR NEEDS, not YOURS.
HOW DO YOU LIKE TO BE PURSUED?
Philippians 2:3-4 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in
humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your OWN INTERESTS
but each of you to the INTERESTS OF OTHERS.
Men need: AFFIRMATION
Women need: NON-SEXUAL AFFECTION
3. Don’t leave it CHANCE. Intentionality requires a PLAN.
A. ENCOURAGE Daily
B. DATE Weekly
C. ESCAPE Yearly
A. ENCOURAGE Daily
Hebrews 3:13 But ENCOURAGE one another DAILY, as long as it is called
“Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.
B. DATE Weekly
The goal is not PERFECTION but CONSISTENCY.
Successful marriages do CONSISTENTLY what average marriages do
OCCASSIONALLY.
C. ESCAPE Yearly
Marriage only WORKS when you WORK at it.
Revelation 2:4-5 You don’t LOVE me or each other as you did at first! Look how
far you have fallen! Turn back to me and DO THE WORKS YOU FIRST DID.
