Desiring God Blog

(Author: David Mathis)

The apostle Peter writes,

Husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel, since they are heirs with you of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered. (1 Peter 3:7)

This is strange at first glance. How does caring for your wife connect to having unhindered prayers?

Here's Wayne Grudem's challenging commentary:

So concerned is God that Christian husbands live in an understanding and loving way with their wives, that he "interrupts" his relationship with them when they are not doing so. No Christian husband should presume to think that any spiritual good will be accomplished by his life without an effective ministry of prayer. And no husband may expect an effective prayer life unless he lives with his wife "in an understanding way, bestowing honour" on her. To take the time to develop and maintain a good marriage is God's will; it is serving God; it is a spiritual activity pleasing in his sight." (1 Peter, 146)

Christian husbands shouldn't feel that time given to their wives is "time away from the real ministry." Time invested with our wives is time well spent. It's God's will—"a spiritual activity pleasing in his sight."

(Author: Mike Tong)

Our winter catalog is ready for you—ready to read, ready to enjoy, ready to tear apart.

That's right. We want you to tear it apart cause that's what we had in mind when we put it together.

Here's how it works. On the back of every page is an original work of art inspired by the resources on the next page. The art is by friends of Desiring God from around the country and they're meant to inspire you, and help you spread the message that God is the most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in him.

So contact us to get a free catalog and use it to pass on the good news to others. Watch what a couple guys from our church did on a Friday afternoon. Be creative with your spreading and send us a photo or upload a video.

(Author: John Piper)

On November 25th, the oldest member of Bethlehem who is still walking the earth turns 100. Irene Peterson attended Bethlehem for over 90 years. Only recently did she move to be near her daughter Joan in Washington, D.C. Joan says what Irene misses most is the body at Bethlehem.

We miss you too, Irene.

Some people get crotchety when they get old. But Joan says, "Mother is mellowing and aging well. Her neighbor calls their home Finishing School; she is finishing well!" Though her loss of hearing makes conversing difficult, word has it that the staff and fellow residents of Ingleside at Rock Creek love her. "Her quiet appreciative ways are winsome!"...

Read the rest of the article.

(Author: Abraham Piper)

Thanks to all of you who participated in last week's giveaway for subscribers. Copies of This Momentary Marriage will be sent out to 125 of you this week.

(We'd list all the winners, but we'd have to get everyone's permission first, so you'll just have to trust me that the books are being sent.)

I wish we could have given everyone who wrote in a free copy, but we've done the next best thing by pricing it affordably. You can purchase This Momentary Marriage for only $6.49.

You may also be interested in the Marriage gift set that we have on special right now. It includes a copy of This Momentary Marriage, as well as John Piper's new book of poetry Velvet Steel and the CD set of his sermon series on marriage, "Marriage, Christ, and Covenant: One Flesh for the Glory of God."

Thanks again for reading and subscribing. Hopefully, we'll do another giveaway soon.