And put on the new nature (the regenerate self) created in God’s image, [Godlike] in true righteousness and holiness. Ephesians 4:23,24 Children are sometimes taught to count to ten before they speak if they can’t think of something nice to say. That’s good advice, but it won’t help if the old resentment is still inside after reaching the number ten. As believers, we are to speak life into situations just as the Lord did, but the old, defensive nature too often blurts out its selfish viewpoint. Without help from the Holy Spirit it is difficult to control our tongue. Ephesians 5:18 tells us to be filled and stimulated with the Holy Spirit. To do this we are to ask the Holy Spirit to give us the power that we need to build godly marriages and relationships. In earlier chapters, I pointed out that marriage is more than a legal institution that binds the property accumulated by two people to an equal right of ownership. Marriage is a promise of companionship and provision for the needs between two people.
