“No one can serve two masters.  You will love the one and hate (or resent) the other.”  Broken focus destroys.

If you think you can divide your loyalties you are mistaken.  You’ll resent the demands God puts on you.   Either live for God or don’t. There is no middle ground!

Now, bring that over into marriage.  “Oh I love my wife, I just don’t try to please her.”

When our hearts are distracted how do we get the passion back?

1.     Remember – you usually do the right things in the beginning of a relationship.  First date:  you were polite, sensitive, gentleman, drove carefully.  You fell in love because your standards were so high.  You worked hard and were mannerly.  *Many of you today would not fall in love the way you treat each other now.  You are not your best.  Be your best for them.

2.    Repent – stop blaming other people and circumstances for your lack of passion.  Take personal responsibility. Stop blaming your spouse and you change!  I’ve never counseled a couple and only one of them was the problem.

Your attitude should be, “I’ll do anything to restore the relationship.  No bargaining.  I’ll drop friends, come home from the office, change jobs, whatever it takes!“  That’s the level of commitment it takes to have the marriage you’ve dreamed of.

Because you were giving your best – you fell in love.
Re-establish the standard you had at the beginning.
Invest the time and energy.
Return the treasure to the chest and the passion will follow.
Passion and vitality will explode!

Rev. 2:1-7 (my paraphrase)
The Promise – Give me your time and energy and you get to eat of the Tree of LIFE!  But if you remain lethargic I will remove My anointing from your life because you are bad advertising – and I am a great God.