Body, Soul and Spirit

Romans 8:1     There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.   

Have you ever thought about who you are... what makes you tick... or, the core of your existence?  Have you sat and pondered the idea of life after death?  Maybe you've heard people speak of body, soul and spirit, but to you, this is merely a phrase that describes some type of spa experience alluding to total relaxation through meditation or pampering.

Actually, human beings are made up of a SPIRIT who has a SOUL who lives in a BODY.  Initially, this may be too deep of a concept to grasp, but once we fully understand these three aspects of our being, we can obtain a clearer understanding of how God's Word brings life to the total person.

When God said, "Let us make man in our image," He was referring to the fact that man is a triune being in much the same way that God is a trinity. While God is only ONE, the scriptures teach us that He is made up of three parts: Father; Son; and Holy Spirit. In the same way, while each person is only one, each human being is made up of three distinct parts: Body; Soul; and Spirit.

Think of an egg. One egg has three parts. The shell houses the egg white and in the center of it all is the yoke. The same concept is true of the trinity of God (Father, Son, Holy Spirit) and the tripartite makeup of man (Body, Soul, Spirit); all are one, and yet, they are three.

When God created Adam, He molded him out of the dust of the ground.  Paying careful attention to every cell, blood vessel, nerve, organ, and body part, God created the human body to work in synchronized harmony so that His prized creation could live in a perfectly designed house of flesh and blood.  Every body part was carefully constructed so that this new being would be able to take dominion over the earth with physical excellence.  This earthly vessel had to be designed so that it could house something God decided to create in His image - something very precious to Him. 

Unfortunately, the body seeks to rule for the sake of pleasure. The body is always screaming, "FEED ME, FEED ME!" Left to itself, the human body tends to become gluttonous when it comes to the things that God has allowed with moderation such as: food; drink; touch; adornment; sex; approval; and accolades.  In addition, oftentimes Satan will bring drugs and alcohol into someone's life because he knows that the human body can begin to crave these "false highs" and the devil's chief desire is to kill, steal and destroy God's creation.  If the body is allowed to rule the being, there will be no thought for long term health and welfare.  This does not please God. 

So the human BODY is really intended to be nothing more than a shell.  It is our God-made "human suit" that clothes our spirit and soul.  Because of sin, our bodies will eventually wear out and die, but our real person - our soul and spirit - will escape death to live on, either in the presence of God or apart from Him for ever and ever.  In addition, the Bible teaches us that one day, those who have died to be with the Lord, will be reunited with their glorified body on the day of resurrection.  The newly created and completely perfected three-in-one, born-again Christian will continue to live throughout all of eternity as God originally intended: never dying; never breaking down; and never in need.  Our bodies will function at optimal (supernatural) level; free from the effects of sin.

At first glance, our soul and spirit may seem to be so closely related that it is hard for us to comprehend the distinct significance of the two.  Let's break down the function of each, so that we can gain a better understanding of the spiritual growth of a christian according to the scriptures.  When it comes to understanding human behavior and how to live the life of an over comer - as God commands - it is very important that we study the deep truths of God's Word and how to apply His Word to our total human being.

So let's look first at our SOUL.  Our soul is described as our MIND, our WILL and our EMOTIONS.  It is the part of us that thinks, makes decisions and has a personality.  We may assume that our soul is the "real us" - the one in control - and often it is.  The soul is strong, determined, opinionated, self -centered and selfish when left to itself.  The desire of the soul is to give the body comfort.  The seat of the soul wants to rule over the total man for the sake of self preservation - whether by means of good or bad.  The soul is the part of mankind that chooses to obey or disobey God on a day to day basis.  Man's soul was originally created to give God pleasure through fellowship.  God allowed each living soul the ability to choose whether it would obey or disobey His voice; but, He yearns for mankind to love Him freely and not out of mechanics or because of tyranny.

For the final touches on Adam's new life, God breathed life into him and man received God's Spirit.  The human SPIRIT is the supernatural part of man that is like God.  Even so, the human spirit is either that of God - as from the born-again experience - or, it is that of man.  Because of Adam's sin, the Spirit of mankind was separated from God.  The only way to reunite a holy intimacy between the creator of the universe and His prized creation is by the shed blood of a living sacrifice.  In the Old Testament, that shed blood was from bulls and goats and had to be repeated each year.  The blood of bulls and goats never seemed to fully purge man's conscious from the guilt of sin and so God knew that man needed a long term, once-and-for-all, sacrifice in order to be fully reconciled to a right fellowship with the Father.  So, He sent His Son, Jesus, to be that perfect blood sacrifice for all of our sins.  It is through the shed blood of Jesus - God's own Son - that mankind receives the Holy Spirit and is once again reunited with his creator, to commune with Him and live forever.  This was God's plan from the beginning.

Originally, by the Spirit, Adam was able to talk with God and understand His ways.  As Adam's Spirit received instruction from God, his soul and body would then come into agreement with God's plan through obedience; that is, until Adam and Eve decided to break covenant with God through disobedience in the garden.  It was then that God's Spirit was separated from mankind, leaving him to function as a body and soul who longed for the living Holy Spirit of God to fill the void in the center of his being.  All humans long to be complete. 

Left to ourselves, our soul will inevitably lead our bodies down the wrong path as every decision is based off of a self-centered motive of physical comfort.  Our soul only aims to protect the body, but has no basis for differentiating between good protection and bad protection.  Our bodies only aim to be fed.  Our bodies seek comfort - whether good or bad.  In conclusion, a human that is led by body or soul is destined for a life of brokenness and heartache.

God never intended for us to be a ship without a compass.  We were originally created to hear His voice and to seek His will daily.  This, however, can only be a reality through the power of the Holy Spirit; and even then, we have been given a free-will choice of whether we will obey God's commands or not.  Our body and soul must be trained to submit to the Holy Spirit as we grow in the knowledge and understanding of His Word.  That is why we are commanded to be transformed by the renewing of our minds (Romans 12:2).

So as we wash our minds with God's Word (Ephesians 5:26), our soul is strengthened for making right choices that will ultimately preserve the body according to God's wisdom, and not out of fleshly desperation.  Although the soul is the strong-willed seat who desires to control the total man, the born-again Christian who determines to be guided by the Holy Spirit (a much softer and more gentle voice) will enjoy more health and greater rewards in both body and soul.  This promise is for this life and for the life to come (1 Timothy 4:8).

When Jesus said the Spirit is willing but the flesh is weak (Matthew 26:41), he was explaining how the body and soul are constsantly vying for the leadership position of the human being.  Our spirit, whether the Holy Spirit of God or the unholy spirit of darkness, guides our soul through all eternity.  Therefore, we should always watch and pray that we might be able to hear the voice of the Lord, and then, that we would be determined to obey the voice of the Lord.

In the end, our soul and spirit will escape this earthly vessel of clay to either stand in the presence of God or to stand in utter darkness - forever.

We are a SPIRIT, who has a SOUL, who lives in a BODY.  We are three - yet, we are one.  And, on THAT DAY, all of our parts will be judged according to our salvation (marked by our acceptance of the blood of the Lamb) and rewarded for our good works, or the lack thereof.

The Lord wants everyone to be whole in BODY, SOUL, and SPIRIT.  He wants everyone to be restored to His original plan.  So let's seek to wash our minds with His Word, daily, as He transforms us into the perfect human that He originally intended for us to be... for all eternity! 

Galatians 5:16     This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.   

Deborah Ross
Speaker / Bible Teacher / Author / Singer
President / Executive Director of Operations
Deborah Ross Ministries, Inc.
www.DeborahRossMinistries.org

PRESSING ON... from 2010 to 2011

IF YOU SAY "WHEN?"... YOU NEVER WILL!

Philippians 3:14 

"I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus."

Reflecting on the desires, dreams, and goals of my past and how so many of them have become a reality today, I am reminded of how I, too, once said, "When I ___________, then I will ___________."  

We've all done it.  Perhaps you've said, "When I get my home together, then I'll have a baby."  I wonder how many dreams never become a reality because someone thought, "When I get others to affirm me (and I feel ready), I'll start my own business or ministry?"  Or, maybe you've vowed, "When I get my life in order, then I'll become a Christian."  The flesh always seems to wrestle with the spirit saying, "Once I get all of my bills paid, then I'll tithe."  Then again, many giving hearts have justified their reluctance to help someone in need by thinking, "When I have too much of something, then I'll be free to give the extra away."

The truth of the matter is that if we wait on ideal circumstances to have babies, start a business, go into ministry, become a Christian, tithe, or give to the poor... we'll never do it!  Why?  Because the enemy of our soul will see to it that we never reach that euphoric place of "perfect conditions" in an effort to thwart and even abort God's plan(s) for our lives.

Satan is in complete disobedience to the things of God and He wants God's children to act the same.  He is so jealous of mankind that he will stop at nothing to cripple man's confidence in an effort to cause God's creation to be paralyzed (afraid to act upon the deep desires of their heart).  Satan wants us to be fearful of moving forward with the things of God.  He knows it pleases God for us to live by faith (Hebrews 11:6) and he yearns to shut down all procreation and all Kingdom living.  The devil wants to rule and reign as the god of this world, perverting every beautiful, loving, and true thing that God has planned for all of humanity.

Thankfully, our enemy has been unsuccessful at completely shutting down those dreamers who are not afraid to act on their instincts.  There is always a REMNANT who will boldly swim against the noisy tide of "what ifs" - believing that they can accomplish and overcome in any environment and through any situation.  And, being a faith walking overcomer who is not afraid to act upon their God given dreams is exactly what the Lord has called each of us to do!  Jesus said that nothing is impossible to those who believe (Mark 9:23)!

What is it that God has placed on your heart to do this year? Has God been drawing you to salvation? Is it "your time" to become a born again believer of Jesus Christ; to repent from dead works and surrender to a life of holiness? Or, perhaps God is speaking to you about going to college, starting a business, stepping out in ministry, getting married, having a baby, tithing or being more generous to those in need. Whatever the Lord is saying to your heart, let me encourage you today to take that leap of faith and JUST DO IT!

It pleases God for us to have faith and believe that He will reward us for our efforts (Hebrews 11:6). We are made in His image (Genesis 1:26) and that means we have the same deep desires as those of God that need to be released by faith. He told us to be fruitful and multiply (Genesis 9:1). He told us that He has given us the power to get wealth (Deuteronomy 8:18). He told us that nothing is impossible to those who believe (Matthew 17:20). He said we could speak to mountains in our life and they would have to move (Matthew 17:20).

Procrastination is a deadly poison that aims to kill the God given dreams and desires inside of each human being. So if the Lord is speaking to you about moving forward with something this year, that means it's time! Time to live life on the edge... with Christ as your leader, of course.

Friend, the Christian life is far from boring. The Lord has exciting plans for each of us, but we must be willing to get out of the boat of the familiar before He can enable us to walk on water of newness. He never said it would be easy, but He did promise that He would give us the victory in every situation as long as we keep our eyes on Him. So, take a chance! Go for it! Live life out loud! Let 2011 be the year of diving in deep with God! This could be the year of incredible blessings in your life as you say "yes" to Him.

Remember, if you say, "When I ________, I will _________", ... you never will.

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With this message in mind, I'd like to share the dreams, goals, and desires of this ministry and reveal to you where God has taken us from, and where I believe He is taking us to in 2011... and beyond.  I continually stand amazed at His calling, His provision, the open doors of opportunity, our faithful volunteers and partners, and the lives that are forever changed through the power of the gospel of Jesus Christ.  As you read the statistics below, please pray about how God can use you to impact the lives of others in a powerful way.

DEBORAH ROSS PERSONAL & PROFESSIONAL TIMELINE
(Some of the dates listed are to the best of my memory.)

1979 - Opened my secular dance studio at the tender age of 16 in Marshville, NC
1984 - Married Jay and added a second dance & modeling studio location in Monroe, NC
1985 - Opened a Modeling Agency in conjunction with my studios
1990 - Opened a third dance & modeling studio in Wadesboro, NC
1990 - Became a born-again Christian
1992 - Changed the entire format of my dance studio(s) to be totally Christian based. Founded and Directed the Shekinah Glory Traveling Ministry Team.  First child, Preston, was born.  In obedience to the Lord, I sold the Wadesboro studio.  In disobedience to the Lord, I went in business with another and opened a studio in Charlotte, NC.
1994 - Second child, Garrett, was born.
1995 - In obedience to the Lord, I closed the Charlotte studio.
1996 - I sold the Marshville studio in obedience to the Lord.
1997-2005 - Worked as a freelance television spokes model for various campaigns (this was God's surprise blessing)
1999 - God called me to come completely out of my dance career/ministry to pursue His purpose as an full time minister of the gospel. The vision was not clear, but I knew it was to be world-wide and somehow involved television.  To start, I was to come home and see the salvation of my family.
2001-2009 - Part time jobs: Estee Lauder Regional Make-up Artist and Christian Dance Teacher for two different private Christian schools
2000-2002 - Home schooled my children.
2002 - I died - spiritually speaking. Marriage testimony journey begins.  See book Healing a Broken Marriage by Deborah Ross
2005 - DRM clear vision began. I'm resurrected! I said "yes" to the call and began working on developing this ministry, speaking & singing at events, foreign missions to Brazil three summers, writing my book, and teaching classes at my church.
2007 - DRM web-site was launched
2007-2008 - Laid the ground work for the DRM ministry...Launched out into the deep!  Continued to speak and sing at events, produced CD's and DVD's, developed the Marriage Bible Study, held Bible studies in my home, did research.
2009 - Doors began to supernaturally open in a BIG WAY for DRM... Television / Radio / Speaking & Singing Events / Prison Ministry / Fund Raising Efforts Begin / Volunteers Emerge
2010 - Book Published - Healing a Broken Marriage - Released August 3, 2010. In faith, I stopped all part time jobs to go full-time in ministry as the Executive Director of Operations for DRM.
2010 - DRM 501 c 3 was confirmed in August of 2010

BELOW - DRM GOALS ACCOMPLISHED IN 2010

Proverbs 29:18 

"Where there is no vision, the people perish:"

1) Cultivated a core group of STRONG, MOTIVATED, DEDICATED, HARD WORKING, HOLY GHOST FILLED volunteers who are passionate about spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ outside of the church and who COMMIT to putting forth time, talents, and resources toward promoting the vision of DRM and The Remnant. (See vision statement on web-site)
2) Tripled in partnerships and donors from the year before.
3) Acquired the completed 501 c 3 non-profit status for DRM, Inc.
4) Completed the publishing of Healing a Broken Marriage: Love Never Fails and raised over $10,500.00 to stock 2000 books at DRM to be used as love gifts for donations and to sell at speaking events. 
5) Deborah Ross served as a speaker, preacher, singer, volunteer and/or interviewee for churches, women's events, prisons, television, radio, newspaper, and magazines that include: 
Babbie's House * Atlanta Live WATC-57 * Harvest Ministries Church * Bible Studies at Borders Book Store at Stonecrest and at Hebrews Coffee * SC Prison Ministry with Safer Communities Ministry * Garden of Hope Speaker * FBCIT Life Group Guest Speaker * Deep Springs Baptist Church * Reflect-Remember-Rejoice Breast Cancer Awareness Event * Praise Explosion Celebration * Addiction Recovery Ministry * Rebound Ministry * China Grove Baptist Church * Boll Weevil Festival * Niteline WGGS TV 16 * Friends & Neighbors Show WATC-57 * Exalt! 2010 * MOPS Guest Speaker * WMU Guest Speaker * The Dottie Coffman Show / WIMO1300AM * FBCIT Marriage 911 Conference * Conversations of Courage  Syndicated Radio: Cincinnati, Louisville, Lexington, and Indianapolis * Proverbs 31 Ministry Volunteer * Taught praise dance at CDS & MCA * Wrote articles for WeUsedToBeYou Ministry * Wrote article for Kontagious Magazine    
6) Launched a new web-site.
7) Held 5 or more DRM board meetings.
8) Wrote, packaged, and FREELY distributed (worldwide) the SAVE IT! BIBLE STUDY / SAVE YOUR MARRIAGE... SAVE YOUR FAMILY.  Materials were mailed for launch in the USA, Kenya, India, and Pakistan.
9) Gave money to support other ministries including (not limited to): Daystar; Marilyn Hickey Ministries; The Crescent Project; Compassion International.
10) Held 10 fund raising events including: YARD SALES, BRUSTER'S ICE CREAM SALES, DINNER PARTIES, COUPON BOOK SALES, STEIN MART EVENT, GENIE SIGN-UPS, and preparation for CONSIGNMENT ONE DONATIONS TO BE RECEIVED
11) One photo shoot for ministry publicity.
12) Co-labored with Safer Communities Ministry - quarterly
13) Worked to build national and international awareness of DRM, The Remnant and their cause while ministering to all people the message of salvation through Jesus Christ under the platform heading of Strengthening Families & Encouraging Women. (See mission and vision statements on the web-site)

Proverbs 20:18 

"Every purpose is established by counsel:"

BELOW - DRM GOALS FOR 2011

1) To launch a radio ministry show

2) To launch a television ministry show
3) To minister across the USA by invitation
4) To produce more CD's & DVD's

5) To write for Kontagious Magazine & other magazines

6) To hold a Regional and/or National Women's Conference

7) To go on another foreign mission to another country

8) To triple in supporters & donors

9) To give to many more ministries than last year on a regular basis

10) To continue giving media interviews for my new book: television, radio, and newspaper

11) To attend the Women in Christian Media conference

12) To obtain grant funding
13) To teach Marriage Bible studies locally
14) To mail out 50 FREE Marriage Bible Study packages

WHY DO WE DO THIS???

Because we believe:


FAMILIES ARE WORTH SAVING...


HEARTS ARE WORTH HEALING...


SOULS ARE WORTH SETTING FREE...

Friend, I believe in the POWER of the gospel of Jesus Christ and I am about MY FATHER'S BUSINESS as a full time career. The goal is big. The need is great. But, the rewards are even greater! 

Would YOU be one who says, "Yes, I'll help, because I want to be a part of the Lord's work through the DRM ministry"?  So many will say, "I want to help... and I will... once I get some extra time... or, extra money." 

Friend, God is looking for people who will step out in faith and join His work even when it is not convenient. 

The wonderful thing about the Lord is that He gives back much more than we could ever give to Him.

Luke 6:38

"Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again."

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Romans 10:13-15

"For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!"

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If you would like a FREE BROCHURE containing more information about this ministry, please write to:

Deborah Ross Ministries, Inc.

P.O. Box 2186

Indian Trail, NC 28079

or email at Deborah@DeborahRossMinistries.com