Wives, be subject to your husbands. Husbands love your wives. Fathers, do not exasperate your children (Colossians 3:18-21)
God works in our lives primarily through committed relationships. Your family is the primary laboratory for your character development. This is precisely the order of Scripture: Establish your identity in Christ, then focus on living out who you are at home. Notice the order in Colossians 3:10-25.
When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long (Psalm 32:3 NIV)
Suppression of emotions is a conscious denial of feelings (repression is an unconscious denial). Those who suppress their emotions ignore their feelings and choose not to deal with them. Suppression is an unhealthy response to your emotions.
When you are praying, do not use meaningless repetition, as the Gentiles do, for they suppose that they will be heard for their many words (Matthew 6:7)
Watch over your heart with all diligence, for from it flows the springs of life (Proverbs 4:23)
Without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him (Hebrews 11:6)
Who by faith conquered kingdoms, performed acts of righteousness, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, from weakness were made strong (Hebrews 11:33,34)
Is faith a risk? Of course. But failing to step out in faith is to risk missing real life. I have been challenged by the following thought from an unknown author.
Risk
To laugh is to risk appearing the fool.
To weep is to risk appearing sentimental.
You were dead in your trespasses and sins, in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air (Ephesians 2:1,2)
THE GENUINE PROPHET
If [the prophets] has stood in My council, then they would have announced My words to My people, and would have turned them back from thir evil way and from the evil of their deeds (Jeremiah 23:22).
An overseer must be one who manages his own household well, keeping his children under control with all dignity (1 Timothy 3:4)
A pastor friend of mind came face-to-face with a parent's worst fear, his teenage daughter had become pregnant before marriage. Perry was struggling with prickly questions. Should he resign his pastorate? Should he encourage an abortion to cover his embarrassment and save face? Should he put her on the pill to avoid future problems?
Give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong (1 Kings 3:9 NIV)