Doug Heisel

#3 — I promise to find God’s best in every TRIAL and FRUSTRATION  

Key passage: Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides.  You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors.  So don’t try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way.  James 1:2-4 (Msg) 

Main insight: What if we applied James 1:2-4 to our marriages and relational lives?  Instead of letting differences and irritations drive us crazy, what if we began to view those differences and irritations as gifts – gifts that can grow our maturity?  As crazy as that sounds, what if we used them to learn how to respond rather than react?  If we really let this passage sink into our hearts – and we let it replace wrong beliefs – we would not only learn how to turn problems into positives, we’d become more mature in the process (…mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way – vs 4).  What a promise!  Learning to do this could change EVERYTHING! 

MY COMMITMENT: I PROMISE to find God’s best in every TRIAL and FRUSTRATION.  I give you the security of knowing that the negative things that happen in our marriage will not destroy my love for you. I will even use the irritations between us as opportunities to see my blind spots and foster my personal growth. I will call on the power of Christ to root out my weaknesses and become more like Him. (Jm 1:2-4, 12, Rm. 5:3-5)

Tags: I Promise, Weekend Series (past series) by Doug
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#2 — I promise to be FILLED by GOD

Key passage: I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will give you mighty inner strength through his Holy Spirit. And I pray that Christ will be more and more at home in your hearts as you trust in him. May your roots go down deep into the soil of God’s marvelous love. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love really is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is so great you will never fully understand it. Then you will be filled with the fullness of life and power that comes from God. Now glory be to God! By his mighty power at work within us, he is able to accomplish infinitely more than we would ever dare to ask or hope. Ephesians 3:16-20 (NLT)

Main insight: Neither our spouses or others can be a substitute for God in our lives. When God gave Adam and Eve to each other, it was not a substitute for HIM. I think we often unintentionally expect people to do what only God can do — which is to FILL our HEARTS. When we make a promise to be FILLED by GOD, and then share with others from that overflow, it changes everything!

MY COMMITMENT: Lift from my spouse (and others) the burden of being responsible for my quality of life by daily being filled by GOD.

Work at memorizing Ephesians 3:16-20. Getting God’s word in your heart and mind is powerful!

Tags: I Promise by Doug
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#1 — I promise to align my beliefs to God’s truth 

Key passage:  Above all else, guard (watch over) your heart,

 for in it is the wellspring of life.  Proverbs 4:23 

Main insight:  Lasting happiness comes from within our own hearts (the “well spring” of our life), not from what others do or don’t do.  They momentarily can affect our emotions (positive or negative) but the real controls are on the inside of our own hearts.

MY COMMITMENT:  I promise to conform my beliefs to God’s truth.  I will gain control of my outlook, emotions, and happiness by continually examining my deepest beliefs and striving to make them consistent with what God’s Word says.  I will take sole responsibility for my beliefs, with the understanding that they determine my emotions, words, thoughts, and actions.  I lift from my spouse (and others) the burden of being responsible for my quality of life.

This is a powerful commitment!

Tags: I Promise by Doug
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