Jim George - A Couple After Gods Own Heart Interactive Workbook

HARVEST HOUSE PUBLISHERS

EUGENE, OREGON

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are from the New King James Version. Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Verses marked NASB are from the New American Standard Bible, 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. (www.Lockman.org)

Cover by Garborg Design Works, Savage, Minnesota

Cover photo iStockphoto / stevecoleimages

A COUPLE AFTER GODS OWN HEART INTERACTIVE WORKBOOK

Copyright 2012 by Jim and Elizabeth George

Published by Harvest House Publishers

Eugene, Oregon 97402

www.harvesthousepublishers.com

ISBN 978-0-7369-5520-1 (pbk.)

ISBN 978-0-7369-5521-8 (eBook)

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any meanselectronic, mechanical, digital, photocopy, recording, or any otherexcept for brief quotations in printed reviews, without the prior permission of the publisher.

Contents

The Original Couple After Gods Own Heart

Partners in Faith

A Marriage Made in Heaven

Love that Lasts a Lifetime

Best Friends Forever

A Couple with Character

Second-chance Marriage

Partners with Pure Hearts

A Couple in Crisis

A Remarkable Husband-wife Team

Welcome to this exciting, insightful Interactive Workbook. You are in for a treat! This workbook highlights and supplements the material in our book A Couple After Gods Own Heart . And it focuses on both of you and your desire to be a couple after Gods own heart. The scriptures and the exercises in this workbook, along with Gods grace and blessings, will lead you toward your goal to build a better marriagea marriage that lasts. Heres what you can look forward to:

Each lesson features one couple in the Bible and practical applications you can start making right away. Youll also enjoy the take-away truths that will guide you day by day as you build your marriage.

Each lesson is broken down into five days of material that is designed to make the best use of your time as a busy couple.

Each lesson focuses equally on the husband and the wife, and provides a prayer to pray to seal into your hearts Gods truths about marriage.

Day 1 is a thought-provoking story of a modern-day couple you might have things in common with. Youll have an opportunity to analyze, criticize, or learn from the couples actions and decisions. Then youll get a good look at the featured couple from the Bible to see what decisions they made and how those choices affected their marriage.

Days 2 and 3 provide a time for you Together in Gods Word as you look at one of the couples in the Bible. Each days lesson includes a section entitled Growing as a Couple After Gods Own HeartOne Day at a Time. Key messages are drawn from the Bible text for you to reflect on and apply to your marriage.

Day 4 gives both husband and wife the opportunity to personalize Bible truths. The sections entitled Lessons for Wives and Lessons for Husbands are especially designed to help each of you with Building a Marriage that Lasts.

Day 5 is all about Wrapping Up Your Week, giving you something to think about, something to talk about, and something to do.

It is our prayer that as you make your way through this workbook, you will draw closer together, become more open in your communication, and grow a stronger marriage relationship that is all you want your marriage to be. And most of all, our prayer is that yours is a marriage after Gods own heart.

Along the way, dont forget to

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.

Proverbs 3:5-6

Day 1: Lets Talk!

1. Read this story together and answer the questions addressed to you as a wife or husband.

It was time for Monday Night Football. Yes! Joe had taken over the family room and diligently prepared it for the big game. The guys at the office had been talking about this game for weeks, and had even set up an office pool for guessing which team would win and the amount of the point spread. Joe definitely had more than a casual interest in the game and the final score.

The game was well into the first quarter when Joe noticed, out the window, a neatly dressed couple on the sidewalk. It appeared they were headed toward his house. Joe thought to himself, They must be with that religious group thats been going from house to house in our neighborhood this week. I sure hope they dont stop herenot now! Dont they know a lot of people are watching the game?

Sure enough, the doorbell rang. Joe was in no mood to be interrupted. Ellen! Joe yelled into the kitchen. Can you get the door? Im kinda tied up here with this game right now.

Joe heard Ellens sweet voice greet the couple at the door. He listened with one ear as the couple launched into their well-rehearsed speech. Then he heard his Ellie counter with something out of the Bible. Joe smiled and thought to himself, This is good for Ellen. Its giving her a chance to share some of the things shes learning in that womens Bible study at church.

Joes attention was immediately drawn back to the game as his favorite team scored a touchdown, He leaped out of his La-Z-Boy recliner and threw his arms upward, signaling a touchdown. Sweet!

2. Think about the choices made by Joe and Ellen as you answer the following questions:

As a man and a husband, what are your thoughts about this story? How would you have handled this differently?

As a woman and a wife, what are your thoughts about this story? How would you have handled this differently?

3. In your book A Couple After Gods Own Heart , read the opening story and answer these questions:

What was Adam doing in the gardenand what was he not doing?

What was Eve doing in the gardenand what was she not doing?

Think about Joe and Ellen in their scenario. What similarities do you see in their situation and in Adam and Eves story?

Growing as a Couple After Gods Own HeartOne Day at a Time

Just for today, what will you do as a husband to stay in touch with your wife?

Just for today, what will you do as a wife to stay in touch with your husband?

A Prayer to Pray

Lord, Ive obviously got a few things to think about. Help me to follow through on my desire to do a better job of keeping in touch with my partner in marriage today.

Day 2: Together in Gods Word

With your Bible in hand, begin working through the Whats Going On? section in your book. Look up each Bible passage. Then read or review the comments and explanations.

1. The Command: Read Genesis 2:16-17 in your Bible. What did God specifically say Adam could do, and should not do?

What consequence did God tell Adam would occur if His instructions were not obeyed?

2. The Creation: Read Genesis 2:18-22. What observation did God make regarding the man in verse 18, and what was His perfect solution?

Briefly describe the creation of Adams helper, Eve.

According to Genesis 2:24, what was Gods perfect plan for a husband and wife?

3. The Creature: Read Genesis 3:1. Describe the serpent.

According to Paul in 2 Corinthians 11:3, what was the serpents goaland accomplishment?