2. - Ezra 1:1-3 - Haggai 1:1-11

3. Many couples are suffering from a TIME-STARVED marriage… “We’ve grown apart. We don’t have anything in common”… Translated - a couple is not spending enough time alone together

4. Listen to Ephesians 5:15-17… Read “one another” passages (EX: Acts 2:45,46)

5. What Is Snatching Your Time? The lack of knowledge… Greed (Col 3:5; Ecc 2:10,11,17,18; 4:4-8; 1 Tim. 6:10; Heb. 13:4,5)… Self-gratification… Misplaced Priorities (Matt 6:33; Ecc 12:13)

6. What is the solution? “We need to ‘balance’ things better” What Is Snatching Your Time?

7. Many believe Balance is doing as many things, having as many things, planning as many things, etc. without it falling over or failing… Balance is a term we use to describe a priority we have not made… What Is Snatching Your Time?

8. The First Casualty of Busyness is Spirituality 1 Corinthians 15:58; Galatians 6:9 The responsibility is clear… To a husband (Ephesians 5:25-28) To a wife (1 Peter 3:1-5)

9. How much time are YOU giving to YOUR marriage?

10. What Do We Do To Have a Focused Marriage? Pursue God first… (Matthew 6:33) Look at the GOOD, not the BAD… (Philippians 4:8) Give at least two compliments at day (Ephesians 4:29; 1 Thessalonians 5:18) Touch those you compliment (1 Thessalonians 5:21)

11. What Do We Do To Have a Focused Marriage? Focus on your mate for at least 10 minutes a day…

12. What Do We Do To Have a Focused Marriage? Focus on your mate for at least 10 minutes a day… Commit to the time and work your marriage needs… T - Together… I - Interest in your spouse… M - Make it… E - Eliminate distractions and hurry…

13. What Do We Do To Have a Focused Marriage? Plan a getaway at least twice a year… Let a servant spirit permeate your heart (Gal 5:13) Be prepared for attacks on your efforts to focus on building your marriage Pray together

15. Check the Pressure on Your Marriage

16. At the end of the month, our finances are: Okay, with a little left over Tight. It’s a challenge every month and I feel pressure to make ends meet Strained to the breaking point - in big trouble soon if something doesn’t change Melting down. We are about to sink...

17. Our children’s schedules are: Light Full. But we’re staying on top of it as a couple Hectic. At times I feel like their schedules are controlling us. Out of control. Our lives REVOLVE around their schedules. It’s been this way far too long and there’s no end in sight.

18. Expectations in our marriage are: Generally met or exceeded. I’m pretty satisfied. Some are met and some are not. I can tell there’s a little pressure because of it. There are many unmet expectations, and I’m feeling the pressure that something must change—and soon. I don’t know what the expectations are. I’ve replaced my expectations with resentment toward my spouse. I feel ripped off in this relationship.

19. How do you handle conflict in your marriage?: We pretty much resolve our conflicts as they occur. We allow the “sun to go down” on our anger about half the time. We don’t resolve conflict well at all. I’m a peacemaker and my spouse is a prizefighter. We are embittered toward one another.

20. When I’m with my spouse: We use words of affirmation or praise with each other. Sometimes we linger over breakfast or dinner and work hard to connect with one another. My spouse tends to read the paper, watch TV, or engage in some distraction like doing the dishes while I’m trying to express myself. Our conversation is abrupt and devoid of genuine love or care. We’re polite, but all business. We lash out at each other more and more. I get steamed over something that has been said at least once a day.

21. The past has: No grip on either of us. Occasionally causes my spouse or me tension. Haunts me and/or my spouse. Paralyzes us with stress and keeps us from moving forward in our marriage.

22. What Do We Do To Have a Focused Marriage? Do you NEED what you think you NEED? – Decide what is of value (Joshua 24:15) Nurture ONENESS in marriage with Proverbs 24:3,4 - Knowledge, Understanding, Wisdom…

23. What Do We Do To Have a Focused Marriage? Focus on your mate for at least 10 minutes a day Spend the TIME with your spouse, because the days are evil…