Very Good Relationships Christ at the Center | Episode 203

Welcome everyone and pull up a seat at the table. It’s Lunchtime in Rome. Tonight’s episode 203 entitled “Very Good Relationships - Christ at the Center”

How are your relationships?  How would you describe your closest relationship?  There's an ideal answer and we'll be talking about that (and how to begin to get there) at The Table this evening!

Pull up a seat at the table and join us!

1. Revisit Good vs Very Good

   1. Biblical basis

   2. Real life reasons

      1. What most marriages say

      2. Review history of divorces -  the reason divorce rates went up and down had nothing to do with “very good” relationships

      3. Remind that this applies to ALL relationships

   3. Revisit what a good relationship looks like

      1. Intimacy within each others lives (not just sex) 

      2. Trials and tribulations bring couples closer together

      3. All 4 types of needs are being met

      4. There is an upward trend of the quality and intimacy of the relationship

      5. It is not the absence of conflict but the overcoming of it

2. Preview the 3 components of Very Good relationships

   1. Christ at the Center

   2. Open, Honest, and Vulnerable Communication

   3. Mutual Giving

3. Tonight’s Main Topic - Christ at the Center

   1. In healthy relationships, we look to God as the source of help, allowing Him to involve others in meeting our needs as He chooses.

      1. We should talk with Him about what we need

      2. We should talk with Him about what THEY need

      3. We should ask God to help us understand them 

         1. What they are presently going through

         2. What they have been through in the past

         3. How He feels for them right now

   2. In not Very Good relationships

      1. We ONLY rely upon and put pressure on the other to meet our needs

      2. God is left out as a bystander

      3. We may not be praying for the other person at all

      4. We may only pray in generalities and not specifics or for insight

   3. We "entrust" their maturation to God, leaving Him unhindered to accomplish His work in their lives. 

      1. Unhealthy try to control or manipulate their responses to our needs

      2. Healthy relationships trust that their maturation in the Lord will inevitably work to meet your needs