MARRIAGE - Bible Study Notes

Removing the Beam to Deal with the Dust

Luke 6:39-42 - KJV
"And he spake a parable unto them, Can the blind lead the blind? shall they not both fall into the ditch?

The disciple is not above his master: but every one that is perfect shall be as his master.
And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but perceivest not the beam that is in thine own eye?

Either how canst thou say to thy brother, Brother, let me pull out the mote that is in thine eye, when thou thyself beholdest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, cast out first the beam out of thine own eye, and then shalt thou see clearly to pull out the mote that is in thy brother's eye."

MOTE = (what you see wrong with others)
Dictionary - a small particle or speck, esp. of dust
Strong's - dry stalk or twig; a straw; chaff

BEAM = (what God says needs to be addressed in our own lives)
Dictionary - any of various relatively long pieces of metal, wood, stone, etc.
Strong's - a beam; through the idea of holding up (could it be "holding up of ideas about ourselves that are not pure, true, holy, or the way God wants us to be)

LIFE LESSONS:
*In order to effectively PRAY for your wayward spouse, you will need to come to terms with the ROOT OF THE PROBLEM.
*Finding the ROOT will involve peeling away layers of masks: things normally “swept under the rug”, excuses, preconceived ideas, and even denominational theologies that have hindered your ability to see things through the eyes of God.
*As you pull down these strongholds, your understanding will be enlightened, creating a flow of prayer that is honest and unwavering.

***My Double Disc CD Series entitled ROOT DIGGER, NOT A RUG SWEEPER is a great resource for learning more about getting to the root of your problem. This study is available on my web-site at http://www.deborahrossministries.org/.***

We should ALWAYS examine ourselves before we examine our mate!

READ: PSALM 51 in its entirety - Point out 10-13...amplified version below…

"Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right, persevering, and steadfast spirit within me.
Cast me not away from Your presence and take not Your Holy Spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of Your salvation and uphold me with a willing spirit.
Then will I teach transgressors Your ways, and sinners shall be converted and return to You."

How do you “teach” transgressors God’s ways? First, YOU must start with a clean heart. Then, God can use you to teach others. His promise is that sinners will be converted and turn to Him!!!

LIFE APPLICATION:
Marriage is a covenant. Once you are made one flesh by the supernatural power of God, you must work through difficulties that arise throughout life, no matter how painful. As you do your part - by doing what God commands of YOU - the Lord will do His part by arranging circumstances in your favor.

READ - 1 Peter 3:1-14 ... before continuing on with these study notes...

VS 1 – Be in SUBJECTION = dictionary: Under the power of; owing allegiance to another; not independent; liable; under the power of another.
_LOVE YOUR OWN HUSBAND, don’t wish he were like another man
_We should win them with our 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 husbands’ 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 her.

VS 7 – Husbands honor your wife as the weaker vessel. God will show GRACE (give what’s not deserved) 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.

God's Word says in 1 Corinthians 13:8, "Charity never faileth". LOVE NEVER FAILS! This means that the love of God coming toward us will not fail and it also means that the love of God flowing out of us will not fail.

*Are you "loving" that wayward spouse into the kingdom?

*Are you speaking the truth in a loving manner, or are you nagging? Men turn off the volume on women who nag... don't do it! (James 1:26)

*Are you praying effectively? Praying without wavering? Praying about the "root" of your problem? Praying about the "root" of your husband's problem? (James 1:5-6)

*Have you allowed the Holy Spirit to reveal YOUR shortcomings and then repented of those things which may be hindering your ministry toward your spouse?

*Are you a "doer" of the Word and not just a "hearer" only? (James 1:22)

READ - James 1 - Entire Chapter

God is FOR YOUR MARRIAGE! He wants your marriage whole. He wants your mate saved. Will you be strong and of good courage? Will you walk in love, pray in faith, live in truth, and break generational curses... as you BELIEVE FOR GOD'S BEST... knowing He has good plans for you, your spouse, and your children.

Friends, my husband was an alcoholic, gambler, druggie, lying, cheating fool - for eighteen years of marriage - before Jesus transformed him into a gloriously new creature. Praise the Lord! Now, our family is whole.

Yes, I had to forgive (and it was not easy). Did you know forgiveness is a commandment, it is not an option? I figured, if I had to forgive, I wanted the prize! I wanted to be with my husband... until death do us part. Another great resource on "forgiving" is my CD Faith, Forgiveness, Future. You can order a copy at http://www.deborahrossministries.org/.

There is nothing that is too hard for God!

... so there it is... Love Never Fails! Your Prayer: "Lord help me get the BEAM out of my own eye, so that I can deal with the DUST in my mate's eye. Help me, Lord, to see things clearly through YOUR EYES. Take me up to the high place so that I may look down upon my situation to see things from your perspective. Thank you, Lord, for loving my family. Thank you for making us whole. I believe your Word is the truth and I stand in faith that my miracle will come to pass. In Jesus Name, Amen."

Revelation 12:11 - KJV
"And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death."

GET YOUR COPY TODAY!

MY NEW BOOK IS REAL AND IT IS RAW.

A powerful testimonial of believing God for my marriage to be healed... against all odds... this book teaches you how to "apply" Gods Word to your situation while waiting for your miracle. Precept upon precept, you will laugh and you will cry as you journey down a familiar road of intimate thoughts, secret pain, and shattered dreams. Even so, you will be ENCOURAGED and EMPOWERED to fight the good fight of faith in your own marriage knowing...

"What He did for me, He'll do for you. Just believe!"

Hebrews 11:1

Todays mini-study corresponds to Chapter 2 of my new book -

Healing a Broken Marriage / Love Never Fails.

• To order your copy, mail $16.00 (includes shipping & handling in the USA) to the address below.
• For donations of $50.00 or more, a SIGNED COPY from the first print press run will be shipped to you immediately following the books release - FALL/WINTER 2009.
• Be sure to include your check along with your: MAILING ADDRESS, STATE, AND ZIP CODE. In addition, including your PHONE NUMBER with AREA CODE will expedite the process of your order.
• Mail in your order or donation today: Deborah Ross Ministries, P.O. Box 2186, Indian Trail, NC 28079

Yours In Christ,

Deborah Ross

Deborah Ross Ministries

http://www.deborahrossministries.org/

Spiritual Warfare

Taking Back Territory!


Have you ever wondered how you ended up being in the middle of so much chaos, when you thought you were doing "exactly" what the Lord told you to do? Maybe you ministered to someone, only to have them turn and despise you. Perhaps you moved to a new city, but quickly found life to be in turmoil. Did you take a new job -thinking it was God's perfect plan - only to find yourself miserable? Some of you have raised children in godly homes, but are now faced with the nightmare of watching them choose sinful lifestyles. Still others of you married the man of your dreams, but soon discovered your prince was a toad!

Whatever your dilemma, the Lord is well aware of every struggle. In fact, it may surprise you to know that sometimes the Holy Spirit will lead us "into" enemy territory for the purpose of SPIRITUAL COMBAT!

Yes friend, God has appointed us to be "more than conquerors". Oftentimes, this means we are to go on the offensive and overthrow spiritual wickedness in high places. When we come out on the other side of our trials, the Lord has revealed yet another facet of His endless love, as He molds us and shapes us for His glory.

I know, as women we would much rather sashay along a "rose garden" Christian lifestyle without any of life's thorns and thistles. If you are anything like me, you would do anything to avoid problems, confrontation and hardship. Still, God has a plan for us as He leads us into enemy camp, knowing we are well equipped and able to come out VICTORIOUS!

Let's look at scripture to see what God's Word has to say about this...

Exodus 23:20-28... KJV

"Behold, I send an angel before you to guard you on the way and to bring you to the place that I have prepared. Pay careful attention to him and obey his voice; do not rebel against him, for he will not pardon your transgression, for my name is in him. But if you carefully obey his voice and do all that I say, then I will be an enemy to your enemies and an adversary to your adversaries. When my angel goes before you and brings you to the Amorites and the Hittites and the Perizzites and the Canaanites, the Hivites and the Jebusites, and I blot them out, you shall not bow down to their gods nor serve them, nor do as they do, but you shall utterly overthrow them and break their pillars in pieces. You shall serve the LORD your God, and he will bless your bread and your water, and I will take sickness away from among you. None shall miscarry or be barren in your land; I will fulfill the number of your days. I will send my terror before you and will throw into confusion all the people against whom you shall come, and I will make all your enemies turn their backs to you. And I will send hornets before you, which shall drive out the Hivites, the Canaanites, and the Hittites from before you."

In this passage, God tells the Israelites that He has sent an angel (the Holy Spirit) to bring them to the place "He has prepared for them". Strangely, this land of promise is a place where the Israelites must face confrontation from enemies; even those who worshipped false gods. I bet the Israelites were a little confused over "why" God would lead them into hostile territory, calling it the "land He had prepared for them". I know for me, it sure doesn't sound like a place
I'd like for God to lead me. I'd rather be led into a land of peace and tranquility.

Just the same, the Lord goes on to tell the Israelites they must "overthrow" these enemies. He even tells them to tear down their images - to destroy their false gods. The Lord does comfort them by saying He will go before them. He says He will be an enemy to their enemies but their only stipulation is that they "obey" their angel (for us, the voice of the Holy Spirit). They are to pay careful attention to him. God says that they should not bow down to the gods of their enemies nor should they "do" as their enemies do. I think for us, the Lord is teaching us to not get caught in the trap of following the methods, mannerisms, and tactics of those who persecute us.

Has the Holy Spirit ever led you into a place that you felt was exactly where God wanted you, only to find out that hostility, conflict, and disappointment awaited your arrival? Yuk! Well, PRAISE THE LORD! It is here that God has promised you the victory over your situation. Your only responsibility is to "obey" the voice of the Holy Spirit and then TRUST THE LORD to take care of your adversaries... your problems, your heartaches, and your obstacles.

Are you in need of some basic necessities? Perhaps you are in a position of choosing between buying groceries or paying the mortgage. Do you have sickness and disease that are plaguing your body? Have you had a miscarriage - whether a literal miscarriage or perhaps aborted dreams and visions that have been lost in a sea of disappointment? In this passage of scripture, God says He will make sure you have food and water. He says He will take sickness away. He even declares that women who trust and obey Him will not miscarry their babies but will be fertile for child bearing. Wow! Do these promises speak to any of you? Be sure to notice the contingency... obey the voice of the Holy Spirit.

Precious friends, THE LORD WILL CAUSE YOUR ENEMIES TO TURN THEIR BACKS AND RUN FROM YOU! He will drive away life's ugly obstacles as you "obey" the voice of the Holy Spirit and then place your complete trust in His promises.

Wow!!! I hope this quick study will brighten your day as you face your giants! Remember, don't be discouraged if it takes a while for you to see your victory. Some things the Lord will do "little by little"(Exodus 23:30). Never-the-less, God is not a man that He should lie (Numbers 23:19 & 1 Samuel 15:29)!

You know, I used to ask God, "Lord, what do you mean by obey? Do you mean 'obey the ten commandments' or are you talking about 'obeying the greatest commandment'?" It frustrated me to think I might have missed God by not obeying (whether intentional or unknowingly) His commands, thus disqualifying me from His blessings. The devil always tries to clothe us with guilt so that we will be insecure about believing God's Word.

I was so relieved to find out that "obeying" is nothing more than fellowship with God; conversing with Him about each and every situation. Really, the Lord just wants us to trust him... step by step... in every situation.

Obeying the voice of the Holy Spirit requires us to commune with our heavenly father. It requires us to pray without ceasing. This is not a legalistic set of rules we must obey, but rather a deep yearning desire to do whatever pleases God... in every aspect of our lives.

Friend, God loves you and has good plans for you! Obey Him and walk in the fullness of His provision.

Yours In Christ,

Deborah Ross

Deborah Ross Ministries

http://www.deborahrossministries.org/