( Heb. 13:20-21 ; Rom. 5:5 ) We don't pray for love, it is already living within us. As we die to selfish acts, Christ is allowed to work in us to do all that is pleasing in His sight. Love is an action, an act of the will, regardless of feelings to the contrary.

( 1 Cor. 13:4-8 ) The authority to exercise love came by the blood of Jesus, the blood which forgave us and cleansed us from all sin. Therefore, the power to love is resident within the person of the Holy Spirit who empowers us to exhibit and demonstrate the fruit of the Spirit.

( Matt. 7:1-5 ; John 14:27 ) Your peace and joy and ultimate happiness are not dependent upon your spouse, on others, or anything else, but it comes by doing what God says to do regardless of the actions of others or the conditions of life.

( Ezek. 18:20 ; Phil. 2:12-13 ) I am not held responsible to change others or to bring about moral and ethical results except for myself. I am responsible to examine myself only to insure that I am biblically responding to life according to God's word.

( Phil. 2:2-4 ; Rom. 12:9-21 ; Rom. 8:28-29 ) Practicing dying to self, to fleshly instincts and impulses, requires that my focus be on God. Allow God through me to work out responses to life situations in a manner which brings glory to God and honors His reputation.

( Eph. 4:15,25,29 ; 1 Pet. 3:1,7,8-15 ) A believing spouse has the responsibility to present God's truths to an unbelieving spouse in speech and actions that are Christ-honoring and biblically submissive.

( Matt. 22:37-39 ; 1 John 2:4-6 ; 1 John 3:14 ) To love is an act of the will, not of feelings. God will not ask us to do anything unless He first equips and empowers us to do so. But we must take the initiative. God will not do for us what we are expected to do, but when we take the first step to biblically respond, God will do the rest.

( 1 John 3:23 ; Luke 9:23-24 ) To love your spouse as God commands requires that we daily die to our own selfish desires and live to please God by serving our spouse.

( Col. 3:19 ; 1 Pet. 3:7 ) Husbands are inclined to be harsh and embittered towards wives, to abuse them, to neglect them or take them for granted.

( Matt. 20:25-29 ) As spiritual head of the home, husbands are to set the example by being a true servant, giving up their own desires to meet the needs and desires of the family.

( Prov. 21:9 ; 1 Pet. 3:1-6 ) Wives are inclined to be quarrelsome and contentious, usually challenging and contending for recognition. Instead, she is to put on love, submission and respect for her husband.

( 2 Cor. 4:10-12 ) Both husband and wife are to act in the redemptive process, daily dying to reactions of the flesh, developing one mind and one spirit: a spirit of sacrifice.