Yield Your Members

God’s stamp is upon us. He has bought us, and He desires us to remember that our physical, mental, and moral powers belong to Him. Time and influence, reason, affection, and conscience, all are God’s, and are to be used only in harmony with His will. They are not to be used in accordance with the direction of the world; for the world is under a leader who is at enmity with God.

The flesh, in which the soul tabernacles, belongs to God. Every sinew, every muscle, is His. In no case are we by neglect or abuse to weaken a single organ. We are to co-operate with God by keeping the body in the very best possible condition of health, that it may be a temple where the Holy Ghost may abide, molding, according to the will of God, every physical and spiritual power.

The mind must be stored with pure principles. Truth must be graven on the tablets of the soul. The memory must be filled with the precious truths of the Word. Then, like beautiful gems, these truths will flash out in the life.—Messages to Young People, 69.

The people of God will be tested and proved. A close and searching work must go on among Sabbathkeepers. Like ancient Israel, how soon we forget God and His wondrous works, and rebel against Him.—Testimonies for the Church 1:287.

With God at Dawn p. 246
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Prayer Requests
—-Please pray for Sylvia who is in the last days of life. Pray for her family. Rose
—-Please pray for my brother-in-law that he reaches his destination safely and soon. Rosemary
—-I need everyone who sees this to say a prayer for my cousin Joshua who is currently serving our country overseas and unfortunately is in the middle of the mess in Afghanistan. Pray for protection over him and the rest of the marines, the US allies and afghan civilians. Ken
—-PLEASE pray earnestly for one of my sons who is not a Christian. Three nights ago around 2 a.m. he had excruciating pain in his chest. He said it felt like his heart was going to explode. This pain lasted for a long time with cold sweat and nausea. He would not go to the Emergency Room or call 911 because he is terrified of needles and doctors!!!!! Now his feet and ankles are so swollen with fluid that he cannot put his socks on! Connie
—-Update on Buddy: After spending 7 hours in the ER, the ct scan showed Diverticulitis. He was given medicine before we left. He is not feeling well this morning. I am on my way to get prescriptions. Thanks for your prayers. Kay
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Dear Friends,

As I was looking through Facebook today, there was a post that asked how long people had been married. There were many friends who added how long they had been married. Since I haven’t shared the Fifteen Steps to a Happy Marriage for awhile, I decided to share it since it seemed appropriate after having seen that post. These steps are good for those of us who are married or those who are going to be married to review often.

Fifteen Easy Steps to a Happy Marriage

1. Make Jesus the center of your life. Have morning and evening worship together each day as well as having your own private devotions. As you grow closer to Christ, you will draw closer to each other.

2. Communicate. Spend at least thirty minutes each day in meaningful conversation. Speak of your joys, sorrows, hopes for the future, and the happenings of the day while you were apart.

3. Problems will arise. When they do, pray together before you start to discuss the problem. Study to see what the Bible says in regard to the subject. Discuss the problem and find the solution together. (If you feel yourself getting angry, stop the discussion immediately, pray, and resume the discussion later.)

4. Tell each other “I love you” every day. You might think that your marriage partner knows you love him/her, but he/she might be feeling very unloved and taken for granted. (This is a good rule to remember when you are blessed with children. Even teens need to know that you love them, even though they may not admit it.)

5. Never say unkind remarks. When you say an unkind word to your mate, it hurts him/her badly and the hurt doesn’t go away easily. Even if he/she forgives you, the hurt is still there.

6. Never hit each other. Violence is not God’s way and will cause untold misery for both of you.

7. Be very tender in your intimate relations. Remember that there are holy angels watching even in your bedroom. If one of you is uncomfortable with something intimate, it would be better to avoid it than to push your desires onto the other one. There are many years ahead to spend with each other.

8. Do the finances together. By doing this, you both know what is available and can discuss purchases together. Make a budget and stick to it. As you use this budget for a few months, it may need to be revised. Revise the budget together to keep reminding yourself just what it entails.

9. Be honest with each other. For your future happiness, it is extremely important to tell each other, before marriage, the things in your past that may have a direct bearing on your life together.

10. Don’t be too proud to apologize. Sometimes the only thing it would take to solve an argument are two little words: “I’m sorry.” Don’t be to proud to forgive. An apology is of no effect if it is not forgiven. Make it your policy never to go to bed angry with each other.

11. Don’t forget to cuddle. When sitting together, cuddling can make a couple bond more than most other activities. Just before you go to sleep, cuddle for a few minutes—-not for sex, but for the secure feeling that it gives you.

12. Attend church together each week. Even if you move away and you aren’t familiar with the churches in your new area, make sure that you do not neglect this important part of your marriage. “Forsake not the assembling of yourselves together.” Heb 10:25

13. Stay true to your marriage vows. Over the years, you may find someone who seems attractive to you. Avoid this person as much as possible and remind yourself what made you fall in love with your partner in the first place. This is very important as being faithful to each other is the only way a marriage commitment will be successful.

14. Be best friends. Set aside a certain amount of time each week when you can spend time doing fun things together just like you did during your courtship. If you do have other friends, they should be someone that both of you feel comfortable with. Don’t value these friends more highly than you value your mate.

15. When children come. If and when you do start a family, make sure your children know they are not an inconvenience to you. Let them know that you are always there to help them. Set aside time for them. As they are growing up, set an example for them. Teach them about God and how they can become like Him. Remember, “By beholding we become changed”—that works with children too. When they grow up and move out of your home, keep in close contact with them and have a good and loving relationship with them even though they are miles away.

Rose