Recently, there was a picture in the newspaper of a three-wheeled tractor, with the following editorial comment, “The old farmer in his 50s or 60s sits on a tractor, driving it down a street, perhaps on his way to get it repaired. There is a major problem: he is missing the front left wheel. Not a flat…

Clint Eastwood says, “They say marriages are made in heaven. But so is thunder and lightning.” -- Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell Some marriages have more thunder and lightning than others. We should work to follow Biblical advice on how to have a peaceful family. The Week, April 10, 2015, p. 15; Colossians…

In an article in Relevant magazine, Debra Fileta, a licensed Counselor, lists five ways couples can invest in their marriage. She says, couples need to connect spiritually, and the best way to do that is to pray with each other about the concerns of the day. The second is to communicate meaningfully…

Love that is special, and a marriage that lasts, are not automatic. Many of the celebrities we are fascinated with wish they could have found lasting love. Jack Nicholson, now in his 73rd year, admits that “his wandering attentions haven’t made for lasting relationships. ‘I’ve been in love in my life,…

The very first institution created by God was marriage. (See Genesis 2:24) When Paul looked for a way to describe the relationship between Christ and the church, he chose the marriage relationship. (See Ephesians 5:22-33) Because marriage is so essential in God’s economy, it is only logical that it comes…

DIVORCE According to researcher George Barna, the ratio of Christians who have been divorced is higher than the percentage of non-Christians. In his sample of almost 4000 adults, Christians led non-Christians in divorce by a margin of 3 percentage points, 27% to 24%. —REV Magazine, May-June, 2000 Illustration…

MARRIAGE Studies are showing that being a good, supportive spouse is good for your health. “Men over 65 whose wives consider them a source of emotional strength usually live longer than less needed hubbies.” —Reader’s Digest, October 2002, p. 48 Illustration by Jim L. Wilson Galatians 5:13 NIV “You,…

Time magazine asked several people the question, “Is Monogamy Obsolete?” Pastor Andy Stanley replied that it is more like an endangered species. “Rare, Valuable. Something to be protected.” According to Stanley, “beside the fact that women and children do not fare well in societies that embrace polygamy…

MARRIAGE According to an Australian Lawmaker one of the best ways to save the planet may be to stay married. Senator Steve Fielding, who heads the independent Family First political party down under, told a senate hearing that staying married is better for the planet because divorce often leads newly…

There is another new kind of marriage on the horizon according to Ryan Anderson, a Heritage Foundation senior research fellow. He is referring to an idea introduced in the Washington Post called “wedlease.” “A wedlease would be a 5-year marriage contract that you could renew if you wanted to, but otherwise…

32-year-old Walid Chaabani had enough, so left home to get away from his wife, even though he knew that doing so would result in going to prison for breaking the terms of house arrest. According to police, "Living with his wife was particularly difficult and unbearable." He told authorities that he was…

In a case that I remember the husband lived all his life indifferent to divine things, while the wife was an earnest Christian woman and saw all her children grow up in the ways of the Lord. The father lived unregenerate and died without giving any testimony of a change of heart. When our sister speaks…

Anthony Hopkins spent his career as an Actor; most would agree he was a good one. The English crown knighted him Sir Anthony for his acting achievements. At age 73, Hopkins is dissatisfied with his life’s profession. Recently in Memphis, he visited a cinema complex. “They were just about to start the…

Now you are drunk Billy Graham says his favorite story is of a husband who was not very attentive to his wife. But one day he started feeling guilty about that, & decided to change. So on his way home from work he bought a box of candy & some flowers to surprise his wife. He walks up to the door & rings…

A Michigan man whose wife pleaded guilty to trying to hire someone to kill him, asked the judge to be lenient with her sentence. Jake Merfeld’s wife was caught on tape in April, making a deal with an undercover police officer posing as a hit man. She told the undercover officer that killing him would…

SELF-ESTEEM A mild-mannered man was tired of being bossed around by his wife; so he went to a psychiatrist. The psychiatrist said he needed to build his self esteem and so gave him a book on assertiveness, which he read on the way home. He finished the book by the time he reached his house and decided…

When a man volunteers to do barbecue cooking, the following chain of events is put into motion: 1) The woman goes to the store. 2) The woman fixes the salad, vegetables, and dessert. 3) The woman prepares the meat for cooking, places it on a tray along with the necessary cooking utensils, and takes it…

According to a new study, 65% of men, 48% of women, 36% of fathers, and 20% of mothers agreed that pornography was an acceptable way for someone to express their sexuality. Pat Trueman of the Alliance Defense Fund says porn gives young men a sense of “entitlement” when it comes to sexual relations in…

The marriage of a German couple came to an end when the wife left him for another lover. The man, identified only as Martin, posted a video online of the way they, or at least he, handled the disbursement of their possessions. He split them evenly, literally in half. “The video shows him sawing all their…

In his weekly column in Time Magazine Joel Stein comments on Gwyneth Paltrow’s conscious uncoupling remarks as a nicer way to say divorce. Paltrow’s holistic doctor wrote the essay defending her actions. He said that human traditions of marriage date back to when life expectancy was 33 years. Now that…

Daniel Gilbert, a Harvard psychologist studies happiness. One thing he discovered is that married people are happier than those who just live together. He uses himself as an example. “My girlfriend and I had been living together for a dozen years.” Because of his discovery, he proposed marriage. How…

You may have more in common with Priscilla Presley, who married Elvis in 1967 than you think. As she reflected on her marriage to the King, she said “I was hated for marrying him, hated for getting a divorce,” she said. “Having people being critical but not knowing what your life was and not knowing…

Marriage is the foundation of a stable society. It provides a secure place to rear the next generation of citizens. For years, we believed that families were best for the children. In 1962, half of all adult women believed that parents in bad marriages should stay together for the children’s sake. Then…

Motives After we pay the mortgage, utility bills, tithe and other obligations, we pretty will split the money down the middle. With Susan's share she buys groceries, cleaning supplies--you know, girl stuff. My share goes to things like boat repairs, fishing lures, and popcorn at the Dukes' game. (Not…

Singer, songwriter, actor, and television personality Adam Levine recently married after the longtime professed bachelor had insisted that he would never get tie the knot. In writing his own vows however, he stumbled on a biblical truth that many a spouse should remember. He wrote and then vowed, “Behati,…