With Ministry Notes, it is okay to take as many naps as you want. Some may only want to read the Marriage Workshop Moments or the Jesus Teaching. Picking and choosing is OK. Or you may want to take a nap during the Jesus teaching. There was a story (Acts 20:7-12) about a young man who fell asleep while Paul was talking and fell out of third story window. Taking a nap is okay but don't take a nap in an open window.

To refresh what you have learned in our Workshop or entice you to experience our Workshop

Every week you are encouraged to have a weekly date night. It doesn't have to be something expensive. It can be a walk around the park or use a coupon for a buy 1 get 1 free hamburger or what ever you enjoy doing together to have fun. Very important that prior to your date night, maybe the night before, you have you weekly couples meeting. In your weekly couples meeting you use the Speaker Listener Technique(SLT). You start your weekly couples meeting by saying something about your partner that you appreciate or admire. And your spouse repeats it. Like, "I'm glad I married such a beautiful woman." And then she says, "You are glad you married a beautiful woman." After three statements, you share the floor and your spouse then makes three statements about what she appreciates about you. Then, if you have any issues, they are brought up and discussed using the SLT. And after all the issues are discussed, then still using the SLT you discuss what you will do on your date night. The purpose of the weekly couples meeting is to resolve any issues you have so you can enjoy your date night together without risking any unresolved issues being discussed. Also the weekly couples meeting gives you practice using the Speaker Listener Technique in the good times when you are both calm. Then, if during the week an issue comes up that you need to talk about immediately, you will be better prepared to use the SLT. REMEMBER TO HAVE A WEEKLY COUPLES MEETING PRIOR TO YOUR WEEKLY DATE NIGHT!

The Better Half "When your partner won't support your efforts to make your marriage better" Without your spouse's support to improve your marriage, you can still pray daily for God's will to be done in each of your lives and your marriage. Jesus said, "all things are possible with God", Mark 10:27 NIV). Even without your spouse's cooperation you can try to schedule fun times together (suggest doing something your spouse likes to do). You can show love and kindness to your spouse. You can justify it by remembering that Jesus says "Love your neighbor" (Mark 12:31) or "Love your enemies" (Matthew 5:44), which ever works best in your situation.

A Psalm for reflection "None of those who have faith in God will ever be disgraced for trusting Him…" Psalm 25:3 (TLB)

Understanding the Teaching: What I share in the teaching is what I believe God wants me to share. All the direct quotes from God are highlighted in royal purple. Of course the words of Jesus are in red. Rather than follow some made up doctrine, remember that Jesus said that every thing He said (Jn 12:49) and everything He did (Jn 14:31) comes from God. All teachings and all opinions should be supported by what we learn from God or Jesus (see the scripture referred to in the footnote).

In many of His healings Jesus mentioned the importance of faith like "…your faith has healed you"1. There were other times that faith was not involved for example when Jesus healed a man and he didn't even know who Jesus was until later2. It is important to remember that our faith needs to be in God not just in faith. Frequently when Jesus healed someone, people were praising God3. Faith is believing that God can do what you ask for. When you are confident that your prayer request in line with what God wants, it is good to persist. Jesus tells us to persist when he says, "Continue to ask, and God will give to you" and He also tells a couple of stories encouraging persisting with God4. I have experience in praying with persistence as I prayed for over 25 years for God to heal my eyes so I wouldn't have to wear glasses and after wearing glasses for over 46 years, God healed my eyes. At times when you persist you may feel like you are not reflecting your faith by continuing to ask the same thing. Once you pray and believe that God's power is at work in you5, you may prefer to just thank God that the answer to your prayer is in process. Also when you pray be sensitive to God's guidance. If you are praying for healing, God may want you to use the medical industry or if you are praying for a job, God may guide you where to apply, etc..

Last week we discussed how believing in Jesus can enable you to enter eternal life now. The question may be how strong does your believing in Jesus or faith need to be? Do you have to have faith that can move a "mountain" or the "faith" necessary to walk on water6? If this were the level of believing required, it would appear very difficult. Fortunately we have a beautiful example of the result of believing in Jesus. Remember the story of the two criminals hanging on crosses next to Jesus when He was crucified. One criminal made fun of Jesus and the other criminal showed that he believed in Jesus by suggesting the first criminal should "fear God" and then asserting Jesus' innocence. Then he demonstrated more belief by asking Jesus to remember him when Jesus comes into His "kingdom". Jesus response was "today you will be with Me in paradise"7. Being with Jesus after our body dies is wonderful. The criminal's demonstration of belief in God by telling the other one to "fear God" and by defending Jesus and wanting to be remembered by Jesus is not faith or belief that appears difficult to have.

So far we are talking a about good faith. Bad faith is where you are sending a negative message to God. For example many years ago a person requested prayer for their back. After the prayer, I felt led to share with the person how many years earlier my back hurt so bad that I couldn't bend over to tie my shoes and a Medical Doctor that was a back surgeon, gave me a book called "Treat Your Own Back" written by a physical therapist guiding me into exercises that still help me today. The person objected and stated that a few years earlier they had fallen on ice and they were certain they needed back surgery. Why even bother to ask for prayer, if you are certain that it won't help and you need surgery? Many years later that person was sent to a physical therapist for back exercises. Do not ask God for a job and then state why "no one would hire me". Or pray for healing and then say "it is just old age" or "I may have reach the end of my life" or self diagnose and claim the only answer is "a certain medicine" or "a certain medical procedure". Do not ask God to help you financially and then start blaming your financial problems on "certain politicians" or "your company" or "your lack of education" etc.. If you have constant negative thoughts and responses to everything, you may want to consider spiritual warfare. Jesus tells us our enemy, the accuser, the father of lies, the thief came to "steal and kill and destroy"8. The devil wants to interfere with your faith and receiving God's blessings. When you find your faith constantly challenged with negative thoughts and negative accusations, command all negatives to leave in Jesus name9 and persist until you are free of the negative. Then with good faith pray and ask god for help.

"God help me to have the faith in You that results in my prayers being answered. Thank You for the faith You want me to have and thank You for the answers to my prayers, in Jesus' name, amen."

1. Matthew 9:20-22; 8:5-13; 9:27-31; 18:21-28; 15:21-28; Mark 10:46-52; Luke 17:11-19

Weekly MINISTRY NOTES including a JESUS TEACHING

Home - Pastoring is the finest guidance in the world - Believe the Bible the way it is written
About the Pastor of Jesus Center - Translations - About our Church - Our Wedding Ministry

FREE MARRIAGE WORKSHOP

Hebrew is essential to know Jesus

Book - Dr. Cho's Secret Weapon