Marriage... The Covenant

SUBMITTING TO GOD / SUBMITTING TO EACH OTHER

2011-02-10T09:48:00.000-08:00

Hello Everyone!

I woke up this morning full of the Lord as I relived a Bible study class I taught last night.

I pray that everyone reading this post has a wonderful day and that you aim to ABIDE IN HIM as HE ABIDES IN YOU (John 15:1-8). In abiding, I have all confidence that you will bear much good fruit as you grow to become all that He has called you to be. The Lord has a special purpose and plan for each of us, but we must diligently seek Him in order to follow His perfect path for our lives. His Word (the Bible) is a book of secrets that He has hidden from the world. These hidden truths are revealed to us who are in Christ. We must search for them as if we are searching for a buried treasure.

The following points are from last night's study...

1) You were created by God for a very specific and unique purpose. Are you seeking to know what it is?

2) In order to follow God, we must learn to embrace seasons of change. God wants to do something "new" in us and through us as we allow Him to mold us and shape us into who He created us to be. Are you stuck in status quo or are you willing to free fall in your faith in order to walk on the water with the Lord?

3) God's blessings will overflow when we are "submissive" to His plans. Are you submissive to God's Word? Are you submissive to your spouse? Wives submit to your husband's lead. Husband's submit to your wife's need.

4) God's will is for us to be in covenant with Him. He says that He will provide for us, protect us, guide us, deliver us, prosper us, etc.... "if" we will obey His commands (or stay in relationship with Him). He wants to be intimate with each of us. He is always speaking. Can you hear Him?

5) Satan is seeking whom he may devour. Our godly heritage can only be obtained through warfare. The Lord has already given us the victory, but we must fight the good fight of faith in order to claim it. In marriage, you never give up. Remember: The battle is NOT between you and your spouse. The battle is between you and the devil (principalities, powers, spiritual wickedness in high places, and rulers of the darkness - Ephesians 6:10-18). Keep things in perspective. God is "for" your marriage! ... AND - The Lord will GROW YOU UP and do a work in your life as you STAND in faith during difficult times. Remember: It's not always only about the other person.

6) We should prayerfully put the armour of God on everyday. Think about the meaning of that.

7) Get your home in order and keep it that way... GOD - JESUS - MAN - WOMAN - (THE CHILDREN COME UNDER THE MAN & WIFE WORKING TOGETHER). Women should never put their children above their husband. Women should never go against their husband in front of the children. Husbands should love their wives in such as way that the wife is kept without spot, blemish or wrinkle. Her countenance will always be beautiful because her husband has given her the security and love that she needs to keep from becoming bitter, angry, depressed, sarcastic, or resentful. The wife should also REVERENCE her husband. (Reverence: Notice him; regard him; honors him; prefers him; esteems him; praises him; loves and admires him exceedingly; puts him first under her relationship with the Lord). - See: 1 Corinthians 11:3 and Ephesians 5:21-33

8) Pointing fingers doesn't solve anything. We must do our part (what God has told us to do) and then trust Him for the results. Getting your house in order may take some time, so be patient as you obey the Lord - precept upon precept. And remember... SOMEONE MUST GO FIRST! Which one of you will be the first to "do" the right thing (the thing God has told you to do) in your marriage?

9) 1 Peter 3:1-14 (Subjection: under the power of; owing allegiance to another; not independent; liable) - Wives be in subjection to your OWN husbands. Not because they deserve it. Not because they have got it all together. Do it because that is what the Lord has commanded you to do. God will work out all of the details. Just do your part. Wives should be more concerned about their inward beauty than their outward beauty. Husbands need to honor their wife as the weaker vessel. Men, when you do this, God will give you grace to cover your mistakes and ANSWER YOUR PRAYERS. Both wife and husband should seek peace in their home because God rewards the peacemakers. But, and when, you suffer in your marriage for a season due to your mates sin(s), know that the Lord will reward you in His time.

10) Getting to the root of something can be painful but it is the only way to bring healing. The TRUTH gets to the root. People are complex creatures. We lie to ourselves and create excuses (strongholds) that hinder us from growing in Christ. If we want to receive the fullness of God's blessings AND if we want to be an effective witness for His Kingdom, we must be willing to lay down our agenda's, our traditions, our preconceived ideas, etc. to embrace God's "standard". We will talk more about this next week as we discuss BREAKING GENERATIONAL CURSES AND PULLING DOWN STRONG HOLDS. Don't miss it!

Below is the scripture reference outline for this study...

Jeremiah 33:3

John 15:1-8
Isaiah 54 - The Heritage of the Lord for Christians & Christian Families

Spiritual Warfare / Armor of God / Praying Effectively

1 Peter 5:8-9
John 10:10
Ephesians 6:11-18
2 Corinthians 10:3-6

James 4:1-8

JAMES 1:6-8

Get Your Family in Order / Get Your Life in Order
1 CORINTHIANS 11:3
FAMILY ORDER… GOD, JESUS, MAN, WOMAN
Children come under it all. Never put your children before your mate.
(ORDER OF LIFE – God, Family, Business or Ministry)

Ephesians 5:21-33

Godly Relationships in Marriage

1 Peter 3
~~~~~~~~~~~
My prayer is that you will have an encounter with the Lord this week that brings a deeper understanding to the things we've discussed in our studies, so far.

In Christ,
Deborah Ross
http://www.deborahrossministries.org/

Some of my blog posts below you may be interested in reading...
http://deborahrossministries.blogspot.com/2009/06/how-to-be-forgiven-born-again-john-33.html
http://deborahrossministries.blogspot.com/2009/04/dont-overlook-meaning-of-salvation.html
http://deborahrossministries.blogspot.com/2009/05/forgiving-ourselves-from-sins-of-past-1.html

WHAT MEN NEED / WHAT WOMEN NEED... in marriage

2011-01-27T08:33:00.000-08:00

Me and my hubby!

Below are some notes from a Co-Ed Marriage Bible Study that I taught last night. Enjoy!

Saying "I love you" needs to be in actions and not just words if you want a healthy marriage that lasts a lifetime. (commitment, compassion, selflessness, Christ-centered approach, listening to one another, admiration for one another, respect for one another, and security... to name a few)

*Pray OUT LOUD together. A good starting point, for those who are not yet comfortable in praying out loud, is to read the marriage prayer (at the bottom of this page) to one another each night before bed. Grow from there.

*John 10:10 - The devil hates you, your marriage, your relationship with God, your children, your future, etc. He is on the prowl... seeking who he can devour. Guard your heart. Guard your marriage. Keep your eyes on the Lord because He loves everything about you and enjoys blessing you!

*Matthew 19:1-11 & Malachi 2:16 - God hates divorce. It is not His will. To have a healthy marriage that lasts a lifetime, take divorce out of your vocabulary. It is not an option.

#1 NEED...
*Men want respect.
*Women want security.

Proverbs for Women... What your husband needs...
19:13,25:24, 27:15-16, 21:19 (The Lord wants us to stop nagging and start praying. Husbands don't respond to nagging very well.)
4:23-25 (He needs a woman who has a clean heart, speaks kind words and whose eyes are always on him... not some movie star or some other man of influence.)
5:19 (He needs her to satisfy him with her love... in the bedroom)
11:22 (He needs her to be beautiful & discreet.)
12:4 (He needs her to be virtuous... morally excellent.)
12:18 (He needs her to SPEAK LIFE to him.) - Both men, women, and children need this!
14:1 (He needs her to build up the home with cleanliness, beauty and LOVE.)
15:1 (He needs her to be soft.)
19:14 (He needs a prudent wife... cautious in managing one's activities / exercising good judgement.)
Study Proverbs 31:10-31 (He needs a wife who has all of these qualities.)

Proverbs for Men... What your wife needs...
15:5-7 (She needs a man who seeks godly wisdom, knowledge and understanding. She needs a man who puts God first in all things.)
13:4 & 19:15 (She needs a man who is willing to work to support his family.)
16:32 (She needs a man who can control his temper. NEVER HIT ONE ANOTHER!)
17:8 & 18:16 (She needs to know she is special.)
19:17 & 28:27 (She needs a generous man.)
25:19 (She needs security in a faithful man.)
28:13 (She needs a man who is honest.)
28:22 (She needs a man who does NOT gamble with their livelihood.)
29:18 (She needs a man with a VISION for their family.) What a great way to start a new year... write the vision down, discuss it, and pray over it.
29:23 & 16:18 (She needs a humble man.)
Study Song of Solomon (She needs ROMANCE.) Read Song of Solomon out loud to your wife before bed and experience God's ROMANCE in your marriage! Song of Solomon is a heated love story! Date nights are a MUST! Make time to be with your wife each week, ALONE, if at all possible. Keep your marriage ALIVE by "thinking" of ways to date your wife.

Proverbs for Both...What Both Men & Women Need...
*6:23-235 (Adultery destroys your own soul. Jealousy from a betrayed spouse is violent. Don't think you can handle a tempting situations (and we are all tempted at some point), RUN THE OTHER WAY... guard your heart.
*5:15 (In the end, adultery will cause you to say, "Why did I hate instruction? How could I be so stupid?"
*7 (Both men and women need purity of mind, heart and actions. Pornography kills a marriage. Adultery kills a marriage.)
*22:14
*23:27
*119:11
*Matthew 5:27-32 (Don't even look at someone else with lust... pornography is lust. Divorce is permitted in the case of adultery BUT it is not God's best. Forgiveness and reconciliation are always God's best. Abuse (physical) may mean drastic measures should be taken such as separation, but not necessarily divorce. Verbal abuse is NOT grounds for divorce. Get Christian counseling immediately. Protecting the children from harm is ALWAYS A PRIORITY.)

*****Note: All of the Proverbs are written for both men and women. I have broken them down in this study for the sake of helping couples to meet the needs of each other.

Ladies remember: Your husband is NOT your source. God is your source. Your husband is only the channel by which the Lord will supply your need. However, if you husband is unwilling or unable to be that channel for God to use, He is more than capable and WILLING to supply your need in another way.

Revelation 12:11 - Let go of your life. Give it to God. He loves you more than you know and will show Himself strong on your behalf.

Nagging, Hating, Giving Up, Striving, Hitting, Cursing, Drinking, Lying, etc. are NOT characteristics of one who has given their life over to the Lord. A person who does these things "loves" their own life too much. As Christians, we must be willing to lay our life down for the sake of others.

Genesis 2:20-25 - The woman was made for the man. She is to be his help meet (face to face helper / intimate helper / passionate helper / honest helper). She was taken out of man's side (his rib) and therefore longs to be at his side and under his strong arm. Man is to leave his father and mother (stop being a mommy's boy) to cleave (remain faithful to / penetrate) his wife. They will become ONE FLESH through consummation and the holy marriage vows. They are to be naked and unashamed or COMPLETELY HONEST with one another and with God.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Marriage Prayer for Men / Copyright 2007 Deborah Ross

Dear God:

Help me to understand that I cannot change my wife.

I can only change me! Help me to have faith knowing that YOU CAN CHANGE MY WIFE.

Lord, help me to be more like you toward my wife, so that your love will convince her of your presence, your power, your kingdom principles, and your authority in our marriage. Help me to love her like Christ loves the church and how He gave His life for it (Ephesians 5:25). Help me to never be bitter against her (Colossians 3:19).

May she be won unto salvation by my faithfulness in reading, honoring, and understanding your Word and by my example as a Man of God before her eyes. May she grow in Christ to become “ALL” that you have called her to become.

Lord, you ordained families and set them in order according to your wisdom. Empower me to be the head of my household in a godly manner (1 Corinthians 11:3). Teach me to give honor to my wife as the weaker vessel so that we may be heirs together of the grace of life; and so that my prayers would not be hindered (1 Peter 3:7).

I will not forsake the truth, but I will always apply the truth in a loving way so that your glory shines through my convictions.

Help me to love my wife at all times, even when I feel she doesn’t deserve my love. Help me to be in tune with my wife's need for security, conversation and romance.

I pray that the blood of Jesus will cover my marriage and cause our family to flourish as an example to the world.

In Jesus Name,
AMEN

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Marriage Prayer for Women / Copyright 2007 Deborah Ross

Dear God:

Help me to understand that I cannot change my husband.

I can only change me! Help me to have faith knowing that YOU CAN CHANGE MY HUSBAND.

Lord, help me to be more like you toward my husband, so that your love will convince him of your presence, your power, your kingdom principles, and your authority in our marriage. Help me to do him good and not evil all the days of my life. I pray his heart will trust in me. (Proverbs 31:11 & 12)

May he be won unto salvation by my meekness in Christ Jesus. May he grow in Christ to become “ALL” that you have called him to become.

Lord, you ordained families and set them in order according to your wisdom. Empower me to be a “help meet” (Genesis 2:18). Teach me to compliment my husband and offer daily assistance toward my husband’s dreams, goals, desires, and plans. Help me to be at peace under my husband’s rightful place as head of our household. I know that YOU will take care of me, as I “do my part” by giving honor to my husband (even while he is a sinner or I disagree with his choices).

I will not forsake the truth, but I will always apply the truth in a loving way so that your glory shines through my convictions.

Help me to love my husband at all times, even when I feel that he doesn’t deserve my love. Help me to be intimate with my husband.

I pray that the blood of Jesus will cover my marriage and cause our family to flourish as an example to the world.

In Jesus Name,
AMEN

MARRIAGE BIBLE STUDY NOTES

2010-01-24T11:27:00.000-08:00

SAVE IT! BIBLE STUDIES

Save Your Marriage - Save Your Family
- free materials -
(revised 2011)

I am looking for some special Remnant Leaders from across the nation and around the world - who are on fire for Jesus - that would like to HOST a SAVE IT! BIBLE STUDY in their home or church.

Perhaps YOU have a desire to host a Bible study class, but you just aren't sure what materials to use; or, perhaps, you aren't sure if you have what it takes to lead a class. I want to make it easy for you by offering to send you FREE materials that will guide you into a successful study time with your friends.

Leaders who contact DRM about hosting a SAVE IT! BIBLE STUDY from now through the end of the year - 2011, will receive the following materials for FREE... (a $100.00 value)

* 1-DVD of Faith, Forgiveness, Future

* 1 - Double CD teaching of Root Digger, Not a Rug Sweeper

* 1 - Bound Copy of the Teachers Outline Notes (10-12 Sessions)

* 2 - Music CD's

* 20 - DRM Business Cards

* 1 - Book - Healing a Broken Marriage

Here's how it works...

Have your friends to purchase their personal copy of Healing a Broken Marriage to use as their take home study manual. You can order at http://www.healingabrokenmarriage.com/, call the publisher at 1-800-283-8494, go through your local bookstore or contact this ministry to buy in bulk or buy individual copies. The ISBN # is 978-1-61638-169-1.

Gather your friends together for meetings once per week for a one-and-a-half hour Bible study session. Your classes can be Co-Ed or gender preference.

YOU will lead the class using the outline provided. YOU will have EVERYTHING you need (notes, music, Cd's, DVD's, more) to lead an anointed Bible Study Group on Marriage / Forgiveness / Breaking Generational Curses / and more.

To get your FREE materials simply Email Me...

(Be sure to SPECIFY that you are requesting the FREE Bible study package in your email.)

When you write to me, I WILL NEED THE FOLLOWING before sending your materials out...

YOUR FIRST AND LAST NAME

YOUR MAILING ADDRESS & ZIP (postal) CODE
AREA CODE AND PHONE NUMBER (land line)
AREA CODE AND PHONE NUMBER (mobile)
YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS
HOW MANY MEN/WOMEN YOU EXPECT TO ATTEND YOUR MEETINGS (estimated)
DATES (start date and end date for your sessions - if you know them)
WHAT CHURCH YOU ATTEND / YOUR PASTOR
CHURCH OR ORGANIZATION WEB-SITE (if you have one)
WHERE YOU PLAN TO DO THIS STUDY (Your Church, Your Home, or Name of Another Place)
YOUR BRIEF TESTIMONY (500 words or less)

****Note: Only applicants that supply ALL of the information above will qualify to receive the FREE MATERIALS.

___________________________

What DRM would like - in return...

* For people to come to Christ.

* For marriages to be saved and families to be healed/restored.
* Name, Email, and Mailing Address (Plus Zip Code) of each person who attends your classes - if possible.
* We ask you to promote our upcoming Keepin' It Real Conferences - TBA.
* We ask that you report back to us on your progress and success (first lesson - mid way - last lesson) via email. We would like to get a report of how many come to Christ, how many marriages are saved, how many are delivered from addictions, etc. We love to get testimonies that can be used on our web-site, too.
* A love offering made to DRM from your group is greatly appreciated and keeps this ministry going.

That's It!

____________________________

For the GRAND FINALE...

KEEPIN' IT REAL CONFERENCE

KEEPIN' IT REAL CONFERENCE'S (TBA) will be held in Charlotte, N.C. You and your group are invited to attend! This will be a weekend retreat of worship, Bible teaching, testimony, prayer, and LOT'S OF ENCOURAGEMENT. I will serve as the key-note speaker/teacher along with several other Remnant Speakers from my team of dynamic leaders.

I am looking forward to hearing from you!!!

Blessings In Christ,

Deborah Ross

Deborah Ross Ministries

Strengthening Families & Encouraging Women

www.DeborahRossMinistries.org

Submitting One to Another

2010-01-23T07:15:00.000-08:00

...Kingdom Keys to a Happy Marriage...

Within the walls of every society lies a mix of ATTITUDES, OPINIONS, and PHILOSOPHIES that stain the souls of stubborn mankind; seeking to maintain peaceful relationships through a warped view of God and human nature. Left unchecked, a worldly demeanor cultivates hard hearts and robotic lifestyles, leaving no room for the Kingdom of God to be revealed.

Have you ever noticed that principles in God's Kingdom function the complete opposite of what culture and society teach? For instance, God says: to give and you will receive; to humble yourself and you will be exalted; to lay your life down and you will live; to submit to one another that you should inherit a blessing!

The term "submission" can be such a foreign concept. Whether viewed as a sign of weakness or as outdated protocol, many Christians will refuse to adopt a lifestyle of "submitting one to another" - especially in marriage. Tragically, all too often our words and our actions don't match up, when it comes to practicing life application skills of God's Kingdom principles.

1 Peter 3:1 says, "...wives, be in subjection to your own husbands." The word subjection actually means: to obey; to submit to one's control; and, to yield to one's admonition or advice. It is a voluntary attitude of "giving in". Are you in the habit of cooperating with the plans, ideas, and advice of your mate? Do you practice submitting?

Perhaps you are thinking, "My husband doesn't deserve my submission. He is too demanding. Besides, he's not even a Christian. I could never give in to his immature ideas." Peter tells us that as we worship God with a servants heart toward our mate, we present the gospel of Jesus Christ by our actions. He goes on to say that God places great value on a meek and quiet spirit. My friend, if the Lord calls something precious, then, we need to heed the importance of practicing Kingdom principles - whether we agree with our circumstances or not. Ladies, you can actually change the mood of your husband simply by making room for him to be the head of the household... even before he realizes his position!

Of course, Peter goes on to say in verse 7, "...husbands, dwell with them (wives) according to knowledge, giving honor unto the wife..." Ideally, men and women should submit to each other. There should be a mutual submission, one to another. When couples live according to this principle, the Word of God says that your prayers as a married couple will not be hindered. This is your goal!

The problem that I find in ministering this concept to most married individuals, is that, usually one person "gets it" and the other person does not. So then, the same argument continues between them that she won't submit and he doesn't give her honor. Nothing can ever be accomplished until somebody gives in and - GOES FIRST!

God's ways are higher than our ways and His thoughts are higher than our thoughts (Isaiah 55:9). While it doesn't make any sense - in our minds - to give in to a situation that seems unfair, the Lord assures us, "...and if you suffer for righteousness' sake, happy are ye... (1 Peter 3:14)." Jesus himself suffered unjustly so that He might bring us to God (vs. 18), so we, also, should learn to have the same mind set as Christ to the will of God (1 Peter 4:1-2).

I know, some of you are thinking, "Yuk, I will never let anyone run over me! Submitting sounds like I must put up with abuse." Submitting does not mean that someone should be able to take advantage of you. On the contrary, they cannot take advantage of you, because you willingly offer a peaceable solution to every situation. In reality, you have the upper hand, because you have brought about the Kingdom of God in the midst of their rebellion. This is where the Lord steps in, shows up, and does miracles!

I remember the Lord teaching me to submit to my husband years ago. At that time, he was lost, immature, self-centered, and irresponsible. I thought, "God, you must be kidding! How can I submit to my husband when I know he will make a mess of things?" Still, the Lord confirmed in my heart that I was to submit to my husband and that He would be faithful to take care of our family, even when my husband made mistakes or poor choices (vs. 4:19). Did everything go smoothly? No, not at all, but in the long run... we were never ashamed! You see, in order for my husband to rise to his rightful position as head of our household, I had to step out in faith and act according to Kingdom principles before there was any return on my investment.

Today, my husband is the born-again, spirit-filled, leader of our home that I had always hoped for. We now mutually practice submitting one to the other and we see God answering our prayers as a family - on a daily basis. Things that were once considered overwhelming obstacles to us are now merely opportunities for us to call upon the Lord - together - for help.

Remember: "That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perishith, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:" - 1 Peter 1:7. So while submission may oftentimes seem to be a "trial of your faith", remember this is exactly what pleases God.

Think of it in terms of a little child submitting to their parents. We too, need to submit one to another to bring peace, love, and joy into our homes, as the Kingdom of God takes up residence in our lives.So get started! Stop fretting over your outward appearance and start grooming the inward parts (1 Peter 3:3-4). For it's the sweet, submissive holiness of a God-fearing woman that has the power to bring a man to his knees in worship to the King of Kings.Blessings In Christ!

Deborah Ross

Deborah Ross Ministries

Strengthening Families & Encouraging Women

http://www.deborahrossministries.org/

Marriage or Divorce?

2009-10-01T15:39:00.000-07:00

Dealing with Unfaithfulness

Dear Beautiful Women of God:

I get emails and phone calls all the time from those suffering in marital hardships who are looking for hope in their situation - which seems to be so bleak. The question below is one that I received by email and I'd like to share it with all of you as a Remnant Woman writes the following...

Question:

How do you stand for a marriage when your husband just uses you and cares nothing about you? Especially when you show them unconditional love and they know you are standing so they use that to their advantage. What kind of self respect can you have for yourself to allow yourself to be used like that? Especially when your husband is sleeping with other people and telling them lies about you? Wouldn't God want you to be free to move on and live a new life? My husband isn't sorry for what he has done.

My Reply:

My heart breaks for you. I know, it is very difficult to live day to day with a broken heart that bleeds because of betrayal from their spouse.I will offer you this one Biblical escape from your torment, but I must also add that this is not necessarily God's best.

In Matthew 19 Jesus tells the Pharisees that divorce is permitted in the case of adultery, but, He also adds that divorce is permitted because of the "hardness of our hearts".

Even if you divorce your husband, you must still forgive him... I mean truly forgive him. Remember, God sees the heart. While others may not know the bitterness that can be in a person's heart for many years or even a lifetime after divorce, God see it all. It is my conclusion - as one who has overcome marital adversity - that if I must forgive my husband, I'd rather fight for his salvation, aiming to win the whole prize (our marriage, his salvation, and my clean heart) than to face the arduous task of trying to truly forgive after a bitter divorce.

It is my belief that God will use us as vessels of Himself as we stand in the gap for those that are lost and living in darkness. Your husband is obviously lost and living in darkness. While it is very painful to love someone who is unlovable, we are also told that learning to love our enemies is what makes us more like Christ (Matthew 5:44, Luke 6:27, Luke 6:35).

As in 1 Corinthians 13:8, I believe that "Love Never Fails". As you pray for your husband, speak the truth to your husband (not in a nagging way), live as an example of Christ before your husband's eyes, and forgive your husband, God will soften your husband's heart as you create fertile ground for your miracle. It is not a quick fix. You will need to ask yourself many times over if you can withstand the challenge of this spiritual warfare, knowing that the devil will not back down easily.As you ask the Holy Spirit for His daily guidance and protection, while placing yourself in the strong hand of God, He will take care of you, guiding you step by step through the process of this dark valley. God is all-knowing and all-powerful. He knows exactly what it will take for your husband to surrender and repent of his sins. God will use you as a vessel of light as you completely surrender to His pathway to wholeness for your family. Most importantly, you'll need to trust that your faith in God's Word will bring forth the promise of a restored marriage with a born-again husband.

Many people come to the conclusion that someone will never change and so they give up the fight. I like to say, "How long would you believe for the salvation of your child? How long would you commit to being the parent of your child, if they were in rebellion and sinning against you? Is your husband any more disposable than your child?"

God does not want any to perish. He wants everyone to become a born-again Child of God. God does not want any marriage to end in divorce. He wants all families to remain whole. Knowing this, you can pray with confidence, knowing that God is on your side. The waiting and the suffering is not fun, but it is what every Christian goes through at some point or another, in some area of their faith.

Romans 5:1-5"Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope: And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us."

When we suffer for righteousness sake, God works out things in our own lives that perhaps we didn't even know needed attention. He molds us and shapes us to be more like Himself as we surrender our will, to His. Though our surrender may be extremely painful for a season, we don't do it as one who has no hope. Instead, we do it knowing that God is faithful and He will not make us ashamed in the end.We cannot change our husbands, but God can... and He wants to.

I want to encourage you to pray the Marriage Prayer daily. Also, I currently have my audio message of Faith, Forgiveness, Future posted on THIS web-site that you can freely listen to for encouragement - right from your computer. My teaching series of Root Digger, Not a Rug Sweeper is another valuable tool of encouragement that will help you during this season of pain. Finally, I have a new book, that will be released soon, entitled Healing a Broken Marriage / Love Never Fails and I am taking pre-orders now for $16.99 (includes shipping in the USA).

Again, you are ultimately the only one who can decide how to handle your situation. Divorce is permitted... but, it is not necessarily the best way. Ask the Lord to show you what to do - day by day - and He will.

He loves you AND He loves your husband. He wants each of you born-again and set free from the bondage of sin.

Deborah Ross
Deborah Ross Ministries
Strengthening Families & Encouraging Women
http://www.deborahrossministries.org/

HOW TO USE THE BIBLE STUDY

2009-08-31T10:02:00.001-07:00

Hello:

The Bible study notes posted for August 2009 are labeled as Bible study - (A). All blog posts for August 2009 work together to make up one study course. For best results, print off all of the notes (including: 1 -A; 2 -A; 3 -A; 4 -A; 5 -A;6 -A; 7-A; and the Marriage Prayer).

Start your study with lesson 1 - A, found at the bottom of the August 2009 entries.

For those of you that are doing the Bible study by yourself, be sure to listen to the audio recording of Faith, Forgiveness, Future before starting this course. The link to this message is located on the right side of this blog page. For best results, allow yourself 50-60 minutes of solitude, so that the Holy Spirit can speak to your heart and mind through the words of my testimony. I believe you'll be encouraged.

I am praying that these notes will help you fight the good fight of faith in believing God for your marriage to be made whole.

Whether you are happily married and looking for something to enhance your relationship with your spouse, or in a troubled marriage that seems to be hopeless, this study is designed to help you grow in your spiritual walk with the Lord, gaining insight on how to be the mate that God has called you to be... for such a time as this.

Below are some links to articles on my Deborah Ross Ministries blog that pertain to marriage. I think these posts will be an additional encouragement to you.

Dealing with Unfaithfulness

http://deborahrossministries.blogspot.com/2009_07_01_archive.html

Forgiveness

http://deborahrossministries.blogspot.com/2009_05_01_archive.html

More Marriage Bible Study Notes / Removing the Beam to Deal with the Dust

http://deborahrossministries.blogspot.com/2009_03_01_archive.html

In Christ,
Deborah Ross

Deborah Ross Ministries

Strengthening Families & Encouraging Women

http://www.deborahrossministries.org/

MARRIAGE BIBLE STUDY NOTES - 7A

2009-08-31T09:53:00.000-07:00

REMNANT WOMEN BIBLE STUDY
By Deborah Ross – Sept 2007 – http://www.deborahrossministries.org/

“INTIMACY. Do you have Strong Holds,
Cold Love, OR Passionate Nudity?”

****Turn OFF Cell Phones!
1) Praise & Worship
2) Prayer
3) Have each woman introduce herself and tell what she considers to be a romantic evening.
4) READ – MARRIAGE PRAYER together
5) If this study has been a blessing to you, take up a love offering for DRM and The Remnant Women Ministries. Thank you for your prayer and support!

QUESTION: When your husband walks in the door from work do you…
1) Stop what you are doing. Then, give him a big hug and kiss and tell him you missed him!
2) Keep doing what you are doing and hope he comes to you with a big hug and kiss.
3) You do nothing. You expect nothing. He’s home. Now let’s do life.
4) You start giving him a list of things he needs to do. Or, you give him the bad report of bills overdue and the kids disobeying. You announce you are about to scream from the stress of the day.

INTIMACY with your husband starts with your WORDS!

Leader Reads: PROVERBS 18:19

Leader Reads: JAMES 3:1-12 (bridle your tongue)

“Little” critical words lead to WALLS (strong holds) in your mates mind. These “little” critical words also lead to WALLS (cold love) in your mate’s heart. This behavior repeated over time, is what leads to divorce. BE INTENTIONAL ABOUT USING KIND WORDS! Your words set the stage for EVERYTHING else that goes on in your marriage.

Leader Reads: GENESIS 2:21-25
*Woman’s position is at her man’s side.
*The wife is bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh.
*The two are ONE FLESH.
*They are not ashamed to be naked (spiritually and physically) before each other.

More than anything else, your man desires for YOU to be sexually fulfilled. A man shows love through his sexuality.

Leader Reads: PROVERBS 5:15-20
*Cistern = reservoir, tank, container for storing or holding water / used in anatomy = a reservoir or receptacle of some natural fluid of the body

VS 16 – seems to be a sarcastic question or a sarcastic remark / The amplified Bible says: “Should your offspring be dispersed abroad as water brooks in the streets?”

VS 17 & 18 – seems to point toward men being responsible to raise their OWN CHILDREN – While God loves blended families and orphans (because He loves PEOPLE), this is not God’s PERFECT WILL. “Men” and “Women” should be responsible with their sexual desires and keep their intimacy with the “WIFE OF THEIR YOUTH”. This would also apply to the woman as keeping her desires toward the “HUSBAND OF HER YOUTH”. We are instructed to be “blessed with fidelity”.

VS 19 – “Loving Hind and Pleasant Roe” = amplified says (tender, gentle, attraction) – Let your breasts satisfy your husband, always. Ravish your love upon your husband.

VS 20 – amplified says = “Why should you, my son, be infatuated with a loose woman, embrace the bosom of another, and go astray?”

Lesson = Wives have a “responsibility” to keep their husbands from being tempted to sin (sexually). This is accomplished by being INTENTIONAL about being the one that SATISFIES his sexual thirst. Verses 21-23 speak of the consequences of men (or women) sinning sexually. While each person has their own responsibility to be obedient to the commands of the Lord (thou shalt not commit adultery), we should also be mindful of the innate drive that causes humans to desire physical contact. Just as we would not cause our brother to stumble with alcohol, we should not cause our husbands to stumble through sexual temptation.

Leader Reads: SONG OF SOLOMON 4:9-16
SISTER = SPOUSE / blood bond by God’s Covenant
Do you think of yourself as a “special garden” for your husband to eat pleasant fruits from?
Or, do you think of sex as a chore?

VS 16 – paraphrased amplified says = You have called me a garden. I pray the winds blow upon my garden so my spices flow out in abundance for you, whom my soul delights. Let my beloved come to his garden to eat its choicest fruits.

Leader Reads: SONG OF SOLOMON 8:6-7
Love is powerful. Agape love is unstoppable. Do you have a passionate, powerful, unstoppable love for your husband? If not, how should you pray to get back that “loving feeling” toward your mate?

Leader Reads: 1 CORINTHIANS 7:2-5
BENEVOLENCE = act of kindness; desire to do good to others; a gift given out of generosity (love making?)
*VS 4 = Your bodies are not your own.
*VS 5 = key word is “consent” = you both should AGREE if you abstain from love making for a short time to fast and pray / Don’t allow Satan to come between you because of lack of intimacy or because of COLD LOVE.
*INCONTINENCY = unable to restrain natural discharges; lack of moderation or control

*****In case we need to discuss this….FYI - (In verse 6 and verse 12, Paul says he is speaking this from his own opinion and not as the words of Jesus. Paul is giving sound advice for one to live in PEACE and not in torment or anxiety. This is why Paul says to let the unbelieving spouse go if they leave you because of your faith. VS 10-16)

Leader Reads: HEBREWS 13:4 (marriage bed undefiled)
*amplified bible = “Let marriage be held in honor (esteemed worthy, precious, of great price, and especially dear) in ALL things. And thus let the marriage bed be undefiled (kept undishonored); for God will judge and punish the unchaste (all guilty of sexual vice) and adulterous.”
*UNDEFILED = not made dirty; free of stain or blemish

Have you ever prayed OVER YOUR HUSBAND while anointing him with oil?

Consider praying Ephesians 6:14-17 over your husband while anointing each part of his body that you are speaking of.

The Lord desires that we intimately commune with Him as the bride of Christ. Our communion with our husbands during our love making is a natural picture of what God desire’s spiritually from each of us.
_______________________________________________________

Once you have completed this entire Bible study, ask youself the following questions below...

1) Do I need to get out of the way to allow my husband to be the head of our household?

2) Am I acting as the HEAD of our household?

3) Do I need to stop being my husband’s MOTHER / SPIRITUAL LEADER and turn him over to God to make him stand alone in his faith?

4) Is my husband LOST, SAVED or AN IMPOSTOR?

5) Am I LOST, SAVED, or AN IMPOSTOR?

6) What generational curses need to be broken in my blood line? My husbands?

7) What strong holds need to be pulled down in MY MIND so that the PURE power of God’s Word can work in my life?

8) Am I willing to lay my life down for the sake of my husband? My children?

9) What has challenged me the most through-out this Bible study

Be sure to write me and let me know how this study has ministered to you or your group.

With Love in Christ Jesus,
Deborah

Deborah Ross Ministries
P.O. Box 2186, Indian Trail, NC 28079
http://www.deborahrossministries.org/
http://www.deborahrossministries.blogspot.com/

MARRIAGE BIBLE STUDY NOTES - 6A

2009-08-31T09:37:00.000-07:00

REMNANT WOMEN BIBLE STUDY – leader guide
By Deborah Ross – 2007 – http://www.deborahrossministries.org/

COLD LOVE / NO LOVE

****Turn OFF cell phones!
1) Praise & Worship Song: "Create in Me a Clean Heart"
2) Prayer - Remember to pray for this ministry!
3) Have each woman introduce herself and tell what it was about her husband that she fell in love with & how she knew she was to marry him.
4) If this study has been a blessing, take up a love offering for DRM and The Remnant Women Ministries.

Leader Reads: Deuteronomy 28:1-15 – Obey God & be blessed!
Leader Reads: Proverbs 8:1-21 – Find God’s Wisdom!

Wisdom is knocking at your door (vs. 1-4);

Wisdom speaks TRUTH (vs. 7);

Wisdom NEVER speaks froward (stubbornly contrary & disobedient) or perverse (vs. 8);

Wisdom is PLAIN to those that WANT TO UNDERSTAND and wisdom is RIGHT to those that find KNOWLEDGE – We must dig in God’s Word for answers (vs. 9);

Wisdom dwells with prudence (caution with regard to practical matters, discretion, regard for one’s own interest, careful management of resources, knowing how to avoid embarrassment, frugality) (vs. 12); Wisdom hates evil, arrogance, pride, and the evil way of doing things – world’s way –

Wisdom hates a bad (froward) mouth (vs. 13); Wisdom is strength (vs. 14);

Wisdom only comes to those that desperately want to get it – God’s Way (vs. 17);

People that love “Wisdom” will inherit substance! (vs. 21) See also Hebrews 11:1

Today we will study some women that DID NOT love “wisdom”. This is a tough study in that it holds a mirror up for us to examine our behavior as a wife that perhaps has been less than godly in some areas.

What is Cold Love? – Matthew 24:10-13 – Love without commitment…that’s cold love. “Cold Love” does not make it to the end. (vs. 13)

COLD = not affectionate, not cordial, not friendly, unresponsive, a cold reply, lacking in passion, lacking in emotion, lacking in enthusiasm, LACKING SENSUAL DESIRE, failing to excite feeling or interest, unexcitable, DEPRESSING, lacking the warmth of life

Leader Reads: Rev. 3:15 – God wants us to commit to being hot or cold. We should also commit to our spouse as being hot or cold.

Leader Reads: 1 Peter 1:22 – Unfeigned Love = SINCERE, GENUINE, TRUE, NOT PRETEND

Every time you refuse to forgive or fail to overlook a weakness in another, your heart not only hardens toward them, it hardens toward God. You cannot form a negative opinion of someone (even if you think they deserve it) and allow that opinion to crystallize into an attitude. This will cause you to gradually become cool toward the things of God. 1 John 4:20 says, “The one who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen.” Love is your only choice! (from book The Three Battlegrounds by Francis Frangipane). Read page 70 from her book – paragraph 3.

SOME BIBLE WOMEN THAT ARE BAD EXAMPLES…

Jezebel = controlling, idol worshipper, murderer, hates the anointing, head of the household, works to manipulate people and circumstances to bring favor for her husband, she will fast and pray but only for her own cause / not God’s Will, she threatens people, she dominates, she bosses others around, she seems religious because she feeds (takes care of or gives to) the prophets, she has an agenda, she is two faced, wants to force the will of God to come to pass – see 1 KINGS CHAPTERS 16 – 21 – Leader Reads – 1 Kings 21:1-16 AND 25 (Jezebel stirred up wickedness in her husband)

Potiphar’s Wife = It is thought that a women’s mouth and eyes are some of the most attractive parts to a man – keep yours focused on YOUR HUSBAND!

Potiphar's wife was seductive, covetous, liar, ignorant (or devilishly smart) about being alone with another man, persistent to be around another man that she was secretly attracted to, used her eyes to secretly seduce another man, she really doesn’t want the other man but she wants to see if she can get the other man, she wants to control the man, she is looking for love in all the wrong places – Leader Reads – Genesis 39:7-18

Zipporah (wife of Moses) = She was stubborn and angry. She was not happy about her husband being the spiritual leader. She thought her husband's ways were to hard (bloody). Although she was married to a man of God, she felt he was too spiritual and too involved – Leader Reads - EXODUS 4:24-26 (also see Chapters 2,3, and 4)

Delilah = She was deceptive; she had cold love; nag, unfaithful; she would whore & prostitute her love for “things”; she had love when she wanted to get something from Samson. She told the townspeople personal things that she should have kept quiet. She used sex as a weapon. She was dramatic. She whined and complained a lot. - Leader Reads - JUDGES 16:4-22

Michal (wife of David & Saul’s daughter) = She was embarrassed by her husband. She used hateful words toward her husband. She had a sarcastic “tone” in her voice. She hated his worship. She was jealous of the goodness that David gave to everyone else. She had a root of bitterness toward her husband. – 2 Samuel 6:14-23

Witch of Endor (King Saul’s psychic) = familiar (demon) spirit, trickery, manipulation, diviner, witchcraft, medium – 1 Samuel 28:5-25
Witch = a woman claiming or popularly believed to possess magical powers and practice sorcery
Soothsayer = one who acts covertly (concealed, disguised, secret), one who conceals their “real” thoughts, to cloud over the truth / see Acts 16:16
Manipulator = exerts shrewd or devious influence especially for one’s own advantage, to mange or influence skillfully in an unfair manner
Familiar Spirit = not the spirit of God, could be a demon spirit, a spirit that mimics angels or the Holy Spirit

Gomer (Hosea’s wife) = a whore, a prostitute, adulterous woman – Leader Reads - Hosea 1:2-3 & 3:1-5
Gomer represents people that do not honor their marriage covenant (with God or with man). This woman is always being led astray by other “things” or other “people” that take first place in her heart over her husband. (The husband meaning = God or your natural husband) Activities, children, chores, responsibilities, LIFE... all choke out the relationship that was meant to be pure and holy. Thus the relationship suffers and a COLD LOVE develops.

QUESTIONS TO ASK YOURSELF…

1) Am I as passionate about my husband TODAY as I was when we first married? If not, how can I change my attitude and actions to re-gain the passion in our relationship?
2) Looking at myself from my husband’s perspective, do I have any of the attitudes, motives, and actions of any of the women discussed today? What will I do to recognize these behavior patterns in my everyday life, and then to turn from acting this way anymore?
3) Am I willing to apply God’s principles and ways to “MY” life so that the Lord can work through me to restore my marriage?
4) How will today’s study affect my prayer life?
5) Could it be that the man I am married to is (in part) a product of my own making?

PRAYER

Deborah Ross Ministries
P.O. Box 2186, Indian Trail, NC 28079
http://www.deborahrossministries.org/
http://www.deborahrossministries.blogspot.com/

MARRIAGE BIBLE STUDY NOTES - 5 A -

2009-08-27T08:52:00.000-07:00

REMNANT WOMEN BIBLE STUDY – leader guide

By Deborah Ross – 2007 – http://www.deborahrossministries.org/

AGAPE LOVE - “Excel them All”

PASS OUT:
Guest Book / New Outlines / Marriage Prayer / Scripture Verses
***Turn OFF Cell Phones
1) Play Song – LEGACY by Nichole Nordeman
2) Prayer
3) Have each woman introduce herself. Is there any topic that you feel needs to be addressed more in our study time together? What has been your favorite study or reading, so far?
4) Explain THE REMNANT WOMEN and how ladies can join.

5) If this study has been a blessing to you and your group, would you prayerfully announce to your group that you will be taking up a love offering for DRM on lesson's six and seven. Your group or individual offering(s) can either be submitted through our Web-Site Pay-Pal or mailed into the ministry office by the postal service. Thank you for your support!

Human love is conditional.
Agape love is unconditional.
You can tell a person’s spiritual maturity by their “LOVE WALK”.

TODAY we are going to study some women of the Bible that had good "words"…
The Bible mentions "WORDS" 523 times. Words are very important to God.

Power of words –
Proverbs 18:21 – your tongue has power!
Proverbs 17:27-28 – Listen more and talk less…
Psalm 19:14 – Let the words of my mouth…AIM TO PLEASE GOD!

1 John 4:1-21 – LOVE!!!
VS 7 = People that are BORN-AGAIN choose to LOVE! God is LOVE and LOVE dwells in the Child of God.

VS 8 = People that don’t LOVE, don’t know God.
What kind of LOVE is John speaking of??? Not human LOVE. Even lost sinners LOVE someone or something. John is speaking of AGAPE LOVE / UNCONDITIONAL LOVE.

VS 9-10 = LOVE sent His won Son to die for a people that did not LOVE Him!

VS. 11 = We should do as God did. We should LOVE those that don’t love us AND be ready to lay our lives down to reveal God’s LOVE in a powerful way. (Pull down Strongholds in the other person with LOVE.)

VS. 16 = If you dwell in LOVE, you dwell in God and God dwells in YOU!!!

VS. 17 = LOVE causes the other person to safely TRUST in its motive. “Perfect LOVE cast out all fear.”

VS. 19 = We love God, because He first LOVED us! Could it be that your spouse will LOVE you when you first LOVE THEM?

VS. 20-21 = Don’t be a liar. If you say you LOVE God, you are commanded to walk in LOVE. This includes LOVING those that disappoint you, frustrate you, abandon you, and spitefully use you. Unfortunately, some of you have spouses that have done just that.

Proverbs 31:10-31
VS 10 – She is capable, intelligent, and virtuous.

**Virtuous = conforming to moral & ethical principles; upright; pure of heart; valiant; pure modesty; virgin

VS 11 – Her husbands heart trust confidently in her wisdom from the Lord. She has an unwavering desire to see him succeed in all things.

VS 12 – She comforts and encourages him. She will always do things to bring goodness to her husband…as long as she has life in her body.

VS 13 – She works with her hands to develop goods for her home.

VS 14 – She feeds her family “healthy” foods. She researches the “truth” about the foods that are available to her family and makes sound decisions (that promote health) about the meals that she prepares for her household.

VS 15 – She gets up early to seek God before planning her day. (Maids = she must be a well off and prosperous woman to have maids)

VS 16 – She considers new (fields). She considers means of cultivating good things for her household.

VS 17 – She guides herself with spiritual, mental, and physical fitness for her God-given tasks.

VS 18 – She makes sure that her testimony is strong. She keeps oil in her lamp. (Remember the parable of the virgins? (Matthew 25:13) The oil in the lamp represents the Holy Spirit.)

VS 19 - She works with her hands to provide clothes for her family. (Buying, mending, making, yard selling, organizing, etc.)

VS 20 – She gives to the poor and needy in body, mind and spirit.

VS 21 – By her PRAYERS her family is clothed in the blood of Jesus. She does not fear for her family.

VS 22 – She is dressed divinely! Not as the world says but as a godly woman. How does the world define being dressed appropriately? How does a godly woman dress appropriately? Cleavage, legs, belly button, cheap???

VS 23 – Her husband is respected in the community because she looks after his well being…encouraging, respecting, submitting, reverencing = MAKE A MAN OUT OF YOUR HUSBAND BY TREATING HIM AS THE HEAD OF THE HOUSEHOLD even before he knows his position before God. (God calls us great things BEFORE we ever become it. Think of Abraham – father of many nations. Think of Jacob becoming Israel. Think of Peter becoming the rock from which Jesus would build His church. Can you think of others?)

VS 24 – She makes things to sell or helps bring in income (if needed) in some way. SHE IS NOT THE BREAD WINNER FOR A LAZY HUSBAND.

VS 25 – She rejoices over the future, knowing that she and her family are ready for it.

VS 26 – She is full of godly wisdom. She gives godly advice and counsel to others.

VS 27 – She does not gossip. She is not discontent. She does not walk in self pity. She works diligently at SAFEGUARDING her home. (Safeguarding our homes means watching out for magazines, television shows, computer images, and so on that promote free spirited sexuality or other ungodly acts. Men are visual creatures, so help them guard their heart by keeping your home free from worldly paraphernalia.)

VS 28 & 29 – Her children and her husband see Jesus in her. Her husband thinks she is the “prize” of all women. She “excels them all”.

VS 30 – Her beauty does not rely on the outward appearance. Her beauty comes from within. Her godliness is her glory.

VS 31 – She WILL receive the REWARD of her faithfulness to God in due season.

Matthew 11:11 – John the Baptist – greatest – you are greater!

A PROVERBS 31 WOMAN as it says in verse 29 “excels them ALL.”

Who is “all”?

Let's look at some godly women of the Bible to see how we should strive to "excel them all."

Miriam = led nations of women in praise to God / sister of Aaron / prophetess / praise leader (dancer) - EXODUS 15:20-21
Deborah = was a patriotic military advisor / prophetess / wife of Lapidoth / righteous judge / brave / leader of warfare - JUDGES 4:4-10
Ruth = was a woman of constancy / devoted daughter-in-law / one that follows after God / one who recognizes the will of God / one who has favor from God / marries Boaz (a mighty man of wealth) - RUTH 1:16
Hannah = was the ideal mother / prayer warrior / worshipper / unselfish mother / married to Elkanah / she was beautiful inside and out (vs. 5) / joyful (ch. 2) / understood sowing her first fruits back to God – I SAMUEL 1:20 & 2:19
The Shunammite = was a hospitable woman / recognized the anointing of Elisha (the man or woman of God) / new how to hold onto God’s word / received a miracle and then when Satan tried to take it away from her, she clung to the man of God (the word or her prophecy) until God restored her child - 11 KINGS 4:8-10
Huldah = revealed God’s secret message to national leaders / prophetess / wife of Shallum / understood the “standard” of God and warned people to live by God’s “standard” if they wanted to avoid the curse / she was a truth digger - 11 KINGS 22:14
Queen Esther = risked sacrificing her life to help her people / beautiful inside and out more than any other woman in the land / chosen by the King / given favor by her husband / willing to sacrifice her life for the sake of righteousness and her people / leader of God’s people / an example to God’s people / a deliverer to God’s people - ESTHER 4:16
Anna = a prophetess / one who fasted and prayer (intercessor) / preached redemption through Jesus – LUKE 2:36-55
Mary (the mother of Jesus) =
Mary had the “privilege” of carrying the seed of God. Though she was chosen of God to bring salvation into the world, her life was far from easy. Many times, she had to flee those who wanted to kill God's promise (Jesus). She was required to obey the voice of God throughout her entire life, so that miracles could take place and God could reveal His glory. From the threats of King Herod to the cruel death of the cross, Mary lived a life of faith and bravery. What is God asking YOU to protect today? Is He asking you to protect your baby Jesus (your marriage) by living a life of faith and bravery? Every married person has been given the privilege of carrying the seed of God, much like Mary. That seed, is the salvation of your mate and the salvation of everyone in your household. Will you say, "be it unto me according to thy word"... as Mary did?

Can you think of other great women of the Bible and their legacy?

Are you willing to allow God to transform you into a woman that “excels them all”?

HOMEWORK:

1) Work towards being a woman who "excels them all" this week. Ask God to help you safeguard your home, love your spouse unconditionally, speak words of encouragement and kindness, live in faith and bravery (believing God against all odds), look after your household, be a lover, and become more beautiful from the inside - out.

2) READ: 1 Corinthians 13:1-8 every day for seven days.

Deborah RossMinistries

P.O. Box 2186, Indian Trail, NC 28079

http://www.deborahrossministries.org/

http://www.deborahrossministries.blogspot.com/

MARRIAGE BIBLE STUDY NOTES - 3A

2009-08-26T10:01:00.000-07:00

REMNANT WOMEN BIBLE STUDY – leader guide
By Deborah Ross – 2007 – http://www.deborahrossministries.org/

ROOT DIGGER, NOT A RUG SWEEPER (Part One)

PASS OUT:
SCRIPTURE VERSES / MARRIAGE PRAYER / OUTLINES
***Turn off all cell phones!

1) Play – I Bless Your Name – song by Selah
2) Prayer – Leader Prays
4) Each woman introduces herself and tells the one most single exciting thing about her husband!
5) READ MARRIAGE PRAYER – OUT LOUD

Re-cap last weeks session…

1) You MUST BE INTENTIONAL about making sure your marriage lasts “until death do you part.”
2) Realize that you are in a WAR over the sanctity of marriage and the salvation of generations to come. You need to know the tactics of your enemy…the devil. You are not in a battle with flesh & blood.
3) You need to settle in your heart and mind that the Lord loves you and your family. He will fight your battles for you, but you must stay focused on His Word and you must do things HIS WAY. Create fertile ground by walking in love and by staying in the prayer of faith.
4) Get your house in order…God, Jesus, Man, Woman (children)… as outlined in 1 Corinthians 11:3-9
5) Pray without ceasing.
6) RESPECT - This is the one thing your husband needs the most.

Leader Reads - 1 Corinthians 13:1-8
Attributes of LOVE… (Paraphrased version with explanations)
1) Suffers Long – (for better, for worse)
2) Is Kind – (kind words, kind deeds, pleasant tones)
3) Does Not Envy
4) Vaunteth Not Itself (don’t brag on yourself, don’t praise yourself saying – “You can’t do anything without me”…, etc.)
5) Is Not Prideful
6) Does Not Behave Unseemly – (irrational, suspicious, controlling, demeaning)
7) Does Not Seek Its Own Way – (willing to “trust” the ideas and plans of their mate)
8) Is Not Easy to Provoke – (not easily angered)
9) Does Not Think Evil Things – (love is optimistic)
10) Does Not Celebrate Sinful Ways and Does Not Allow Someone to Hide Behind Sinful Habits – (does not rejoice in iniquity) - THIS IS OUR TOPIC FOR TODAY.
11) Seeks the Truth
12) Bears all Things
13) Believes all Things
14) Hopes all Things
15) Endures all Things
16) Love Never Fails!!!

READ – HEALING A BROKEN MARRIAGE / LOVE NEVER FAILS - Chapter 4 - starting with the last paragraph… “I can remember”… Read through to finish with… “SACRIFICE”

Where do Generational Curses come from?
*Words spoken over you
*Ungodly traditions that are in your family heritage
*Spiritual DNA passed down your blood line – doubt & unbelief, iniquity & sin, worship of false gods & idol worship, poverty, divorce, unhappy marriages, depression, etc.
*Physical DNA passed down your blood line – cancer, diabetes, any health issue that your ancestors have had, alcoholism, & other additions, anger, laziness, negativity, adultery, abuse
*Cults (Mormons, Jehovah Witness, etc) / Witchcraft / organized ungodly groups (Masons, Elks, Moose, etc) / False Religions (Muslim, Buddhism, etc)

TODAY we are talking about... HOW TO TURN GENERATIONAL CURSES INTO GENERATIONAL BLESSINGS!

SPEAK THE TRUTH IN LOVE!

Luke 6:39-42 LEADER READS (also found in Matthew 7:1-5)
FIRST UNCOVER YOUR OWN INIQUITIES & REPENT before you begin to pray for - and minister to - someone else to be set free from their bondages.

Exodus 20:5-6 – third and fourth generations – curses because of iniquity
ALSO: showing mercy unto THOUSANDS that love God and keep His commandments
Jeremiah 32:18 – Blessing = Shows loving kindness to thousands. Cursing = Repays the iniquity of the fathers into the bosom of their children.

Ezekiel 18:14-20 and Ezekiel 18:30-32 – The key is that the offspring MUST RECOGNIZE the iniquity in the family tree and NOT follow after these iniquities. Turn and LIVE!!!

The son or daughter is not held accountable for the sins of the parents. They just need to break the bands that link them to the perpetual sin in that bloodline.
****We should LEARN from our parent’s mistakes!!!

What iniquities or generational curses do you recognize in YOUR family tree that need to be broken? Your husband’s?
EXAMPLES: (divorce, sexual perversions, poverty, addictions, bad marriages, no faith, religious but not godly, false religions - this is any religion that denies Jesus as the Son of God, cults, occult, genetic diseases, peculiar deaths, abuse, depression, pride, idol worship, ignorance, fear, others?)

YOU MUST REALIZE – You cannot always break a generational curse just because you say, “I’ll never be that way.”

The full spectrum of the generational curse can only be broken through the shed blood of Jesus APPLIED as you pass the “test” of the trial that challenges you in these areas.

*****We must agree with our adversary quickly and repent of our wrong ways so that the Lord can bring WHOLENESS and RESTORATION in our situation.
Be a “ROOT DIGGER and not a RUG SWEEPER".

How do we come against the generational curse that is working to destroy our marriage?
1) Be honest with yourself about your own iniquities.
2) Repent of your own secret sinful ways and strongholds.
3) Do not fight with carnal weapons. Ask the Holy Spirit every move to make concerning discussions, actions, and truth revealing moments in your marriage.
4) Esteem God’s Word as the truth. Believe His promises against everything you see with your natural eyes that tries to defeat you.
5) REMEMBER: Love Never Fails!

Deuteronomy 30:19 – Leader Reads Out Loud

End: PRAY

Deborah Ross Ministries / P.O. Box 2186 / Indian Trail, NC 28079
http://www.deborahrossministries.org/
http://www.deborahrossministries.blogspot.com/

The double disc teaching of Root Digger, Not a Rug Sweeper is available for puchase on the DRM web-site.

MARRIAGE BIBLE STUDY NOTES - 4A

2009-08-26T09:21:00.000-07:00

REMNANT WOMEN BIBLE STUDY – leader guide
By Deborah Ross – 2007 http://www.deborahrossministires.org/

Root Digger, Not a Rug Sweeper (part two)

Pass out …SCRIPTURE VERSES / MARRIAGE PRAYER / OUTLINES

***Turn Cell Phones OFF!

Song – I Surrender All – Clay Crosse - Have Women Close Their Eyes and Listen

1) PRAYER
2) Have each woman tell her name and express one thought that this study has opened her eyes to concerning God's Word and Marriage.

Last Session we talked about breaking generational curses, speaking the truth in love, and first uncovering our own iniquities WITH REPENTANCE before we begin to pray for someone else to be set free from their bondage's.

Leader Reads Out Loud – HEALING A BROKEN MARRIAGE / LOVE NEVER FAILS – Chapter 4 – paragraphs 1-4

READ: 2 Corinthians 10:3-6

We just studied GENERATIONAL CURSES and now we’ll take a look into what the Bible is teaching us about STRONGHOLDS.
***Cause and Effect = Strongholds are the cause / Generational curses are the effect… and visa verse

What is a Stronghold? Wrong attitudes that justify SIN or some GENERATIONAL CURSE in your family tree.
***A Stronghold is a house made of thoughts, attitudes and perceptions. We develop these strongholds by experiences that have offended, hurt, magnified us, or failed us in our lives. These ungodly strongholds are esteemed as truth in our minds, yet they are not the truth when compared to God’s Word. Those bound to strongholds will justify and defend them with the same intensity with which they justify and defend themselves.

Give the example of FACT and TRUTH using hands going up and down…
(The FACT hand should always be lower than the TRUTH hand. This demonstration reveals how we should esteem God's Word - TRUTH - as being elevated above the FACT.)
Can’t pay the bills = Jehovah Jirah
Sickness and disease = Jehovah Rapha
Trouble at work = God will cause those that rise up against me in one direction to flee before me in 7 directions.
Husband left me = God’s covenant of restoration – He will restore what the canker worm and locust have eaten.

READ - Matthew 16:21-23 - Many Strongholds hide behind sympathy and fear. (Also go back to verses 16-19)

The first Stronghold that God must remove is PRIDE. Until someone is willing to admit that they need deliverance, they will never be free from Strongholds.

All Christians will need to tear down Strongholds in their own minds as they draw closer to Jesus and become more like Him.

Some examples of Strongholds…
UNBELIEF, COLD LOVE, FEAR, PRIDE, UNFORGIVENESS, LUST, GREED, RELIGION, TRADITION or any combination of these – Can you name others?

WHAT IS A RELIGIOUS STRONGHOLD?
READ: Mark 7:13

HOW DO WE BREAK STRONGHOLDS?
***Repentance – means “change”, not merely remorse -
Recognize the Stronghold. Call it what it is. Repent.
Leader DEMONSTRATES a 180 turn from SIN to go in another direction -

READ: 2 Corinthians 10:5 – “taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ” – We must replace a wrong thought with God’s thought.
Example – “I am a failure” should be replaced with “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” (Phil 4:13)

Humility is the key to pulling down Strongholds.

BREAK CURSES –
Agree with your adversary – Matthew 5:25-26 – The person that is wrong must see that they are wrong in order for them to agree.

*Repent of your involvement in the enemy’s territory and rebuke the devil out of your life.
*Come against those curses by the blood of Jesus.
*It’s the truth that you (or your husband) know that will set you free.

WHAT IF YOUR MATE OR CHILD OR SOME OTHER FAMILY MEMBER HAS A STRONGHOLD? pray & “mark” them unto salvation, speak the truth in love, fast, don’t wear a mask, live out your faith by example

YOUR PRAYER CLOSET & Praying in SECRET –
READ - Matthew 6:5-18

IN SPIRITUAL WARFARE…
THERE IS NO NEED TO DOUBT. NO NEED TO FEAR. THE BATTLE IS THE LORD’S.

BELIEVE GOD’S WORD AGAINST ALL ODDS!!!

FASTING – Have Someone Read - Mark 9:29 – “This kind can come forth by nothing, but by fasting and prayer.”
See Also:
Daniel 9:3 = Fast for DELIVERANCE and to HEAR a word from the Lord.
Matthew 17:14-21 = Fast to increase your FAITH.
Luke 2:37 =Fast for strength to PERSEVERE. Fast for PROPHETIC UTTERANCES.

FASTING – This can be a “key” that unlocks a door in God's Kingdom! – HOLD UP THE CARDBOARD KEY

If a person is born-again and walking in obedience, fasting IS NOT MEANT TO MOVE THE HAND OF GOD. Instead, fasting to the “child of God” is a way to increase your faith, fine tune your spiritual ears, and FASTING causes the devil to TURN LOOSE of what he is holding back. As a child of the King, many things are rightfully yours, because they are written in God’s Word as promises.

Fasting causes us to hear God more clearly. Fasting also helps us to BELIEVE with faith that the Lord will do what He has promised.

BINDING & LOOSING –
READ - Luke 10:1 - Luke 10:9 - Luke 10:17-19 – devils are subject unto you
*Demons attach themselves to the person that habitually sins. The demon’s personality is compatible with the particular sin the person is entertaining.

EXAMPLES OF DEMONIC ACTIVITY…
Demon of Lust (Perverted Spirit) – Isaiah 19:14
Demon of Addiction (Spirit of Bondage) – Romans 8:15
Demon of Despair & Hopelessness (Spirit of Heaviness) – Isaiah 61:3
Demon of Anger & Rage (Spirit of Jealousy) – Numbers 5:14
New Age (Spirit of Divination and a Familiar Spirit) – 1 Samuel 28:7&8
Worldly (Spirit of Whoredoms) – Hosea 4:12
Proud & Arrogant (Spirit of Haughtiness) – Proverbs 16:18&19
Liar (Lying Spirit) – 2 Chronicles 18:22
Spirit Quencher (Antichrist Spirit) – 1 John 4:3
Generational Sicknesses & other Malady’s (Spirit of Infirmity) – Luke 13:11

*We need to pray that God would give the gift to DISCERN SPIRITS – 1 Corinthians 12:1-11
*We should pray for them to be LOOSED from the devils grip.
* We should pray for God’s Word to be BOUND to them.

READ: Luke 11:11-26
*God gives good gifts to His children
*Cast out devils by the finger of God
*No need to be afraid – God is the stronger man!
*Make sure the person fills themselves up with the Word of God after the demons are cast out.

READ: Daniel 10:12-14 Spiritual Warfare – Prayer answered on the first day…

HOMEWORK:

STUDY THIS WEEK – Isaiah 58 - entire chapter – Fasting breaks bonds of wickedness, undoes heavy burdens, brings healing, frees the oppressed and depressed, breaks every yoke (includes bad habits, generational curses, iniquities, traditions, etc.)

End - Prayer

Deborah Ross Ministries / P O Box 2186 / Indian Trail, NC 28079
http://www.deborahrossministries.org/
http://www.deborahrossministries.blogspot.com/

The double disc audio teaching of Root Digger, Not a Rug Sweeper is available for purchase on the DRM web-site.

MARRIAGE BIBLE STUDY NOTES - 2 A

2009-08-25T08:25:00.000-07:00

REMNANT WOMEN BIBLE STUDY - leader guide
By: Deborah Ross 2007 http://www.deborahrossministries.org

BEING INTENTINAL ABOUT YOUR MARRIAGE

PASS OUT:
SCRIPTURE VERSES / MARRIAGE PRAYER
***Turn off Cell Phones

1) Prayer – Leader Opens in Prayer
2) Each woman introduces herself & tells her greatest desire.
3) REMNANT WOMEN - Read Mission Statement - Encourage women to join on the DRM web-site...
4) SONG - Play “More than Words” – by Extreme (women close eyes and listen)
5) READ MARRIAGE PRAYER TOGETHER
6) Leader answers the annonymous questions that were turned in last week... according to God's Word.

Leader tells her story / reason for teaching this class.

REVIEW: Marriage Vows – For Better, for Worse – For Richer, for Poorer – In Sickness, and in Health

Marriage is God’s Idea –
READ: Matthew 19:1-9
*Intended to last “till death do us part” – Matthew 19:6 – “Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let no man put asunder.”
*Divorce is NOT God’s will! – Matthew 19:8 – “hardness of your hearts…but from the beginning it was not so…”

The number one thing that men crave the most is RESPECT!

Do you respect your husband? I didn't say, "Is he deserving of your respect?" I said, "Do you respect your husband... just because it's the right thing to do?"

Are you INTENTIONAL about making sure that YOUR MARRIAGE has a happily ever after ending?

WHY DO YOU THINK SO MANY “CHRISTIANS’ END UP DIVORCED? – get feed back and then offer the following suggestions…
(wheat & tares? / unforgiveness? / selfishness? / baby Christians? /
Generational curses?/ they give up?)

Do you pray for your husband? Prayer is vital. It should not be our last resort. Instead, it should be our only hope.

God’s Challenge: STOP NAGGING – MEN HATE IT!!! Start Praying!!!

Have different women share the scriptures below…

*Proverbs 19:13
*Proverbs 27:15-16
*Proverbs 21:19
*Proverbs 25:24
Jesus invites us to STOP NAGGING and START PRAYING.
READ LUKE 11:9-10 (ask, seek, find)

Leader Reads: HEALING A BROKEN MARRIAGE / LOVE NEVER FAILS: Chapter 7 – first 2 paragraphs only

REALIZE THAT YOU ARE IN A WAR OVER YOUR HUSBAND’S - AND YOUR FAMILY’S - SOUL!!!

1 Peter 5:8-9 “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour. Whom resist steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.”
*The devil is studying YOU to find your weaknesses so that he may devour you.
*The devil uses the SAME TACTICS on everyone.

John 10:10 “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that you might have life, and that you might have it more abundantly.”

Leader Reads: Ephesians 6:11-18

Ephesians 6:12 “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”
*Put on the armour of God everyday. (Ephesians 6:13-17)
*Pray always (without ceasing). VS 18 - Supplication = humble petition, entreaty (plea to stop the fighting “or warfare”, urgent request), earnestly, a humble request for help from someone in authority
*Pray in the spirit. VS 6:18 HOW??? 1) Pray God’s word!!! 2)Also: “groanings that cannot be uttered with words.” – Someone Read - Romans 8:26
To be discussed in more detail during a bonus session on the Holy Spirit - 1 Corinthians 14:14-15

Someone Read - James 4:1-8
*VS 1 – Don’t be ruled by your emotions. Be ruled by faith in the word of God.
*VS 2 – Don’t worry about what others have. You should ask your heavenly father for what YOU WANT. “you have not because you ask not”
*VS 3 – Are you asking for the Lord to work a miracle in your situation for your own sake or for the sake of the afflicted one (the sinner)? Check your MOTIVES. (ASK AMISS – you missed)
*VS 4 – If you expect to have God answer your prayer, you must also let go of the things of the world. Don’t be an enemy of God! Ask God to reveal to you areas of your life that you need to let go of.
*VS 5 – We serve a jealous God. He will not share His place in your heart with the things of this world. Quietly ask yourself what areas of life you are asking God to share a place with your earthly desires.
*VS 6 – God will give you GRACE to overcome this time of testing if you humble yourself and do things HIS way.
*VS 7 – Place yourself under the FAMILY ORDER of God (God, Jesus, Man, Woman – with the children under the man and the woman as they operate as one flesh). Don’t listen to the world’s way of marriage, but rather turn away from the devils teachings. This will cause you to walk in God’s blessing and favor concerning your marriage.
*VS 8 – Don’t be double minded about your mission as “the woman of his dreams”. A double minded person should not expect anything from God.
SEE - JAMES 1:6-8

REVIEW FAMILY ORDER… 1 CORINTHIANS 11:3-9
GOD, JESUS, MAN, WOMAN
Children
ORDER OF LIFE – God, Family, Business or Ministry

Ephesians 5:21-33 KJV – Order of the family…
REVIEW: Wife’s role & Husband’s role
SOMEONE MUST GO FIRST! Since YOU are the one at this bible study, YOU must initiate God's standard in your marriage. Don't say, "But...". Just trust the Lord and do YOUR PART. He will do the rest.
Vs. 33 Reverence = Notices him; Regards him; Honors him; Prefers him; Esteems him; Praises him; Loves and Admires him Exceedingly; Puts him first under God

Ephesians 6:10-18 – Spiritual Warfare – Talk about not warring after the flesh. The battle is not between you and your spouse. The battle is between you and the devil. Keep things in perspective.

Matthew 19:1-9 YOU AND YOUR SPOUSE ARE ONE FLESH. When you are ripped apart by divorce, it will leave you forever maimed. Divorce is allowed by Moses because of the "hardness of the hearts" of the people. Jesus said, let no man separate what God has joined together. Although God does make a way of escape – divorce - He also makes it clear that this is not His best. God's best is always reconciliation, forgiveness, salvation, peace, love, faith, and FAMILY WHOLENESS.

Luke 17:1-4 God will deal with those who have hurt you. Your job is to FORGIVE them. Rebuke their sin and then FORGIVE them. GET OVER IT! DROP IT! (See: Job 38, 39, 40 – The Lord speaks to Job in a whirlwind and says “GET OVER IT”.

LUKE 6:27-35

PROVERBS 21:9 – “It is better to dwell in a corner of the housetop, than with a brawling woman in a wide house.”

PROVERBS 12:4 – “A virtuous woman is a crown to her husband: but she that maketh ashamed is as rottenness in his bones.”

Mark 11:26 – But if you do not forgive, neither will your father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.

1 Peter 3 – Read this passage over and over again. I recommend that each woman in the group posts 1 Peter 3 on her refrigerator and reads through it everyday while we are doing this study. Let the Lord speak to you about your marriage.

Below is a breakdown of each verse for teaching purposes...

Vs 1 = Be in SUBJECTION = dictionary: Under the power of; owing allegiance to another; not independent; liable; under the power of another.
Own Husbands
Win them with your sweet conversation (also VS 3) that causes them to fear God because they see you speaking in the fear of God.

VS 3 & 4 = Your husband should love the inner person more than the outward person. Keep a meek and quiet spirit to win his affection.

VS 5 & 6 = Sara, Abraham’s wife, reverenced her husband and called him Lord. Sara was an outwardly beautiful woman even in old age. However, her inner beauty is what made her husband trust in her.

VS. 7 = Husbands honor your wife as the weaker vessel. God will show GRACE (give you what you don’t deserve) to you and ANSWER YOUR PRAYERS.

VS. 8 & 9 = AGREE! Be of one mind. Give blessing to your husband, even if he doesn’t deserve it! YOU WILL INHERIT A BLESSING if you do!

VS. 10 = Watch your MOUTH!!! Watch your TONE!!! Speak kind words. In disagreements, use pleasant tones.

VS. 11 & 12 = The Lord will bless YOU and answer your prayers, if you seek PEACE!

VS. 13 = Don’t worry about what the world says about your sufferings for this season. Jesus suffered for our sins. We too, should be ready and willing to suffer for our mates sins, knowing that the Lord will REWARD US in due season. God has all power to CHANGE your situation.

What do you need to forgive your husband/wife for? Bad business deal, yelling at the kids, something he/she did last year, being insensitive, being boring, drinking, pornography, adultery, leaving you alone, being irresponsible, nagging…?????

More Scriptures to Ponder…

Proverbs 16:6 – By mercy and truth iniquity is purged. Offer mercy to your spouse while holding up the standard of "truth", according to God's Word.

Proverbs 6:20 & 21 - …forsake not the laws of thy mother and father…(God’s Commandments)… 21 – Bind them continually upon thine heart, and tie them about thy neck. When you pray for your spouse, bind the Word of God to their heart and neck.

End - Prayer

Deborah Ross Ministries / P.O. Box 2186 / Indian Trail, NC 28079
http://www.deborahrossministries.org/
http://www.deborahrossministries.blogspot.com/

MARRIAGE BIBLE STUDY NOTES - 1 A

2009-08-25T08:08:00.000-07:00

REMNANT WOMEN BIBLE STUDY – leader guide
By Deborah Ross 2007 http://www.deborahrossministries.org

GOD'S KINGDOM & THE POWER OF FORGIVENESS
(Introduction Lesson to the - A - Bibles Study Series on Marriage)

TURN OFF CELL PHONES

**Ice Breaker or snacks & socialize

1) Praise & Worship or Play the Song “Walking Her Home” by Mark Schultz (women close eyes & listen)
2) Prayer –
3) Write down 3 questions on marriage (or any Bible subject) that you would like to get answered during this study. Turn these in anonymous.
4) Have each woman introduce herself and tell her occupation or favorite hobby.
5) Pass out the Marriage Prayer. ALL READ TOGETHER.

Leader introduces this study.

Genesis 2:18-24 Marriage is God’s Idea!

1) Colossians 1:9-29 – READ
KNOWLEDGE, WISDOM, and UNDERSTANDING
Know God’s Will…Have Spiritual Understanding…Use Wisdom

Proverbs 4:7 “Wisdom is the principle thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.”

Proverbs 9:10 “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.”

Proverbs 11:14 “Where no counsel is, the people fall: but in the multitude of counselors there is safety.”

Colossians 1:12 Giving THANKS to God who has qualified us to be PARTAKERS OF THE INHERITANCE of the saints…

God has honored us with the potential of obtaining the inheritance of spiritual Canaan. (See Numbers 13:27-33) Caleb gave a good report to Moses and the Israelites but the others were fearful. In Chapter 14 of Numbers, Joshua joins Caleb as believing that God would cause them to defeat the giants of Canaan to inherit the land that was flowing with milk and honey.

What GIANTS are you believing God to defeat?

Verse 13 – You have been delivered from the POWER of darkness. You now live in the KINGDOM OF GOD”S LOVE.

Verse 14 – REDEMPTION THROUGH HIS BLOOD – Some of you need to plead the blood of Jesus over your marriage.

Verse 16 – God has dominion over “ALL” kingdoms. This includes spiritual kingdoms! This includes your marriage.

Verse 19-20 – God wants to reconcile “ALL” things to Himself (both on earth and in heaven) through the blood of Jesus! Plead the blood over your marriage!

Verse 21-23 – If God can transform and keep YOU, He can transform and keep your mate…but you must keep the faith.

Verse 24 – Rejoice in your sufferings over your spouse because you do it for the sake of God’s CHURCH!

Verse 28 – GOAL – To present every man PERFECT in Christ Jesus. This is your mission from the Lord... To present your spouse "perfect" in Christ Jesus.

2) Colossians 2:8-10 – READ
Do not do as the world does. Do not think as the world thinks. Do not get advice from the wrong sources – such as…

TRADITIONS (religious ideas or people, family ideas, patterns, statistics, etc.)
PRINCIPLES OF THE WORLD (Secular talk shows, Soap Operas, Friends not speaking by the Holy Spirit, Shrinks, etc.)

Verse 10 – Christ is over all principality and power – TRUST HIM!!!

3) Colossians 3:1-11 – READ
Do not act this way or you’ll suffer the consequences. Are YOU saved? Born Again? YOU must be born again if you want to see the Kingdom of Heaven in your marriage!

4) Colossians 3:12-19 – READ
(Also see: Galatians 5:22-26)
FORGIVENESS – Verse 13 – to do a favor, show kindness unconditionally, give freely, grant forgiveness, forgive freely
The word forgiveness has the same root meaning as GRACE. – Greek Word – Charis

Mercy is NOT GIVING someone what they deserve. (eye for an eye)

Grace is giving someone what they don’t deserve. (love your enemy’s)

FORGIVENESS releases the other person from the offense – refusing to enact the penalty due him. Refusing to allow that offense to affect the relationship.

FORGIVENESS does not condone the sin as being acceptable, to say it made no difference, or to license repetition of it. Rather, FORGIVENESS is a choice – a decision that you make saying you will no longer hold a grudge against that person. (See: Deut. 30:19 … choose LIFE)

HOMEWORK - Pray for your husband.

Deborah Ross Ministries / P.O. Box 2186 / Indian Trail, NC 28079
www.DeborahRossMinistries.org
http://www.deborahrossministries.blogspot.com

PRAYING FOR MY HUSBAND

2009-08-25T07:46:00.000-07:00

Marriage Prayer
Remnant Women Bible Studies
By Deborah Ross 2007

Dear God:

Help me to understand that I cannot change my husband.
I can only change me!
Help me to have faith knowing that YOU CAN CHANGE MY HUSBAND.

Lord, help me to be more like you toward my husband, so that your love will convince him of your presence, your power, your kingdom principles, and your authority in our marriage. Help me to do him good and not evil all the days of my life. I pray his heart will trust in me. (Proverbs 31:11 & 12)

May he be won unto salvation by my meekness in Christ Jesus. May he grow in Christ to become “ALL” that you have called him to become.

Lord, you ordained families and set them in order according to your wisdom. Empower me to be a “help meet” (Genesis 2:18). Teach me to compliment my husband and offer daily assistance toward my husband’s dreams, goals, desires, and plans. Help me to be at peace under my husband’s rightful place as head of our household. I know that YOU will take care of me, as I “do my part” by giving honor to my husband (even while he is a sinner or I disagree with his choices).

I will not forsake the truth, but I will always apply the truth in a loving way so that your glory shines through my convictions.

Help me to love my husband at all times, even when I feel that he doesn’t deserve my love. Help me to be intimate with my husband.

I pray that the blood of Jesus will cover my marriage and cause our family to flourish as an example to the world.

In Jesus Name,
AMEN

www.deborahrossministries.org

Deborah Ross Ministries / P.O. Box 2186 / Indian Trail, NC 28079