Religion

Originally published on laycistercians.com Prayer is a   key element  in a successful marriage. When you put God at the center of your relationship, nothing can break you apart. Yes, there are times when you ask yourself if this is still worth it. Sometimes, you just find yourself wondering whether you should stay or just end it all. But such moments are common in all marriages. It’s not all sunshine and rainbows as what the movies would lead you to believe. All couples go through worse times at some point in their marriage. There are even times when you’ll question whether you made the right decision in marrying him. This is why a wife’s prayer for her husband is very powerful. When you pray for your husband, the Holy Spirit will work through your marriage and enlighten your hearts to see God’s will more clearly. It helps you gain wisdom and clarity of mind to see each other as God wanted you to. Praying for your husband is also a way of letting God work through him and fulfi...

Originally published on  laycistercians.com Self-control is defined in the dictionary as the ability to regulate one’s emotions, thoughts, and behaviors in the face of temptation. In the bible, it is listed as one of the fruits of the spirit – a sign that Christ is in us. So it’s no wonder that bible verses about self-control are in no short supply. Aside from being a sign that Jesus dwells in us, self-control is also a symbol that we surrender ourselves to Him. For if we let Him take the wheel, mastering our thoughts and emotions will be so much easier. If we focus our sights on Him, we won’t be trifled with inconsequential things. But if we let our desires get the better of us, living a godly life would be next to impossible. This is why many Christian values have their roots in self-control. Patience, for example, happens when we learn to control our responses to people and situations. Having self-control also allows us to reign in our greed, gluttony, pride, anger, lust, and en...

Originally published on  laycistercians.com In a world full of distractions, maintaining our relationship with God can be a challenge. Sometimes, we become so busy with daily life that we fail to notice we’re already drifting away from Him. So how do you get closer to God with all these temptations around? As we all know, building lasting relationships isn’t something that can be done overnight. It requires time, effort, and consistency. The same can also be said with our relationship with God. It’s not enough that you want to be closer to God. That desire has to be followed up with a constant effort. Yes, it can be hard at first, especially if you’ve always kept God at arm’s length before. Or you’ve only just recognized His presence in your life. This is why the best way to get closer to God is to form habits. It helps you slowly get used to living life by His side. If you don’t know where to start, here are five simple habits that will help you get closer to God. 1. Reading the B...

  How to Make Amends and Heal Relationships Published Nov 23, 2020 Originally published on  OFHSoupKitchen.org Most of the time, we equate making amends with apologizing. But there is so much more to it than just saying sorry. Making amends is about making things right. It’s the desire to heal broken relationships. The last part, in particular, is what makes it more difficult. You see, relationships are like fragile ceramics. Once it breaks, it’s impossible to restore it back to what it used to be. Yes, you can patch it up and glue the pieces back together. But the cracks will still be visible. Still, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t at least try to put back the broken pieces. Yes, trying to fix a broken relationship isn’t an easy task. Even the act of saying sorry and admitting to our mistakes takes an incredible amount of courage. But if you really are sincere in your intention to set things right, no task is too daunting. Besides, the decision to make amends with the people ...

  This article was originally published on  laycistercians.com When someone asks you to find a bible verse that talks about Jesus, you’d probably turn to the New Testament without hesitation. And yes, you would be right. Jesus’ birth, ministry, and resurrection are all recorded in the New Testament. But if you really think about it, Jesus can be found in every book in the Bible. Yes, you read it right. From Genesis to Revelation, the entire bible is about Jesus. Though not all of them specifically mention Jesus’ name, the scriptures point to Him one way or another. Here’s how Jesus is portrayed in all 77 books of the bible: Old Testament Genesis The seed of the woman ( Genesis 3:15 ,   Genesis 22:17-18 ) Exodus He is the Passover lamb. ( Exodus 12:26-27 ) Leviticus The High Priest ( Leviticus 16:16 ) Numbers Pillar of cloud and pillar of fire ( Numbers 14:14 ) Deuteronomy The prophet like Moses ( Deuteronomy 18:15-19 ) Joshua He is the commander of the Lord’s army. ( Josh...