STRENGTHENING YOUR MARRIAGE 1

STRENGTHENING YOUR MARRIAGE

LESSON 1: Marriage -- God's Plan to Establish His Kingdom on Earth

Reference:	Life in the Spirit by D. Martin Lloyd-Jones; Ephesians 5:18-6 :9
Doctrine/Principles:	Ephesians 1 through 4:21
Application/Practice:	Ephesians 4:22 to end
Text:	Ephesians 5:22-33

GOD'S OBJECTIVES:
1. Hosea 4:6-7 ; Matthew 6:9-13 : Ignorance allows Satan to control our lives, to control our families, and to establish his kingdom of evil on this earth through us, whereas God has given us His authority to establish His kingdom and His will upon this earth.
2. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 ; Hebrews 5:14-16 ; James 1:2-4 : Through skillful use of God's Word, by faith in His word, we become overcomers, no longer controlled by our genealogy, environment, nor by the circumstances of life, but we become complete, controlled by the Spirit, lacking in nothing.
3. Proverbs 1:7-9 : Accordingly, parents are to study God's principles, to be examples, to train children likewise, to multiply righteousness and to exercise dominion over this earth system. This experience qualifies us to rule and reign in eternity.
4. Genesis 1:28 ; 2:24 ; Galatians 6:1 , 4-5 : Family is the basic training unit, an excellent classroom for teaching, a birthplace for creativity, a formation center for human relationships, a shelter in a storm, and a perpetual relay unit of truth passed on from one generation to the next. Therefore, the relationship of husband and wife is critical to establish God's truths as demonstrated in family living.
5. Malachi 45-6 ; Ephesians 6:11-13 : For congregations, for the Body of Christ, to increase their abilities to stand, holy and strong, families must be restored according to God's principles, in the power of the Holy Spirit.
PERSPECTIVES FOR BIBLICAL CHANGE: The following principles are foundational to our Christian walk, and must underline all our thoughts and reasonings:
1. John 14:21 : By an act of our will, we do what God's Word says regardless of our feelings ( Matthew 21:28-31 )
2. John 3:21 ; Matthew 7:24 : By deeds, not by feelings, we reveal our love. Remember, the old self gets its life from feelings (a fertile area in which Satan receives his food). Give him no ground.
3. John 14:27 ; 15:11 ; 16:22-24: Our peace and joy are not dependent upon others, on things, on possessions or on circumstances of life but only on doing what God says to do.
4. Ezekiel 18:20 : It is not my responsibility, but God's, to cause change in others.
5. Matthew 7:1-5 : The only authority I have to judge is to judge and to change myself first: then, I can help and influence others.
6. Romans 8:28 : Regardless of results or what others do, if I biblically respond, God will turn the situation to my advantage.
7. 2 Timothy 2:23-26 ; Deuteronomy 8:2 : Irritation is a signal that I must change; the situation or the other person does not create my spirit, but only reveals what is in my heart.

Homework

Memory/Meditation/Prayer :: Matt. 7:5
Devotions :: Read and study Unit 1 in "Strengthening Your Marriage".
BSAF:: Study and select at least one verse a day from Unit 1 and BSAF on that verse.

Note: The perspectives are foundational to our Christian walk, and must be reviewed and practiced until these truths are embedded into our consciousness.

COUNSELING EXERCISES

Becoming a doer of the Word requires:

Devotions: Daily contact with God the Father for spiritual life and sustenance ( Matthew 4:4 ; John 15:5 )
Changes: Daily examining one's walk and talk to insure a biblical response to life's confrontations ( Ephesians 4:22-24 ; 1 Corinthians 11:26-32 )
Actions: Separate self from the world and pursue the Lord's plan for your life in losing self by meeting needs of others, widow, orphan, etc. ( 1 John 2:15-17 ; Hebrews 10:25 ; James 1:26-27 )

Exercises to renew the mind and attitude:

BIBLE STUDY AND APPLICATION FORMAT (BSAF)

BIBLE VERSE TEACHING
What is the
command or
principle? REPROOF
How did I fail
to keep the
principle? CORRECTION
What do I
need to do? TRAINING IN
RIGHTEOUSNESS
How do I do it?

Psalm
103 Bless the Lord whenever I think. Been dwelling on problems, self-pity, hardly on God. Whole of me is to thank, praise, dwell on the Lord, not on self. Each time I think negative, I will use the thought as a springboard to remind me to thank and praise the Lord.

VICTORY OVER FAILURE WORKSHEET (VOSWS) ( 1 JOHN 5:4-5 )

My Specific
Unbiblical
Thoughts, Words,
Actions
( Matt. 7:1-5 ) "Put Off" and
Biblical Ref(s)
( Ephesians 4:22 ;
Colossians 3:5-9 ) "Put On" and
Biblical Ref(s)
( Ephesians 4:23-24 ;
Colossians 3:10-17 ) My Plan Not to Repeat
This Sin and to Respond
Biblically Instead
( Titus 2:2-11014 )

Forms and Worksheets
BSAF: Bible Study & Application Form	Think and Do	Love Is
VOSWS: Victory Over Sin Worksheet	Dying to Self	Problem Solving
Freedom from Anxiety	...

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BIBLE STUDY AND APPLICATION FORMAT (BSAF)
BIBLE VERSE	TEACHING What is the command or principle?	REPROOF How did I fail to keep the principle?	CORRECTION What do I need to do?	TRAINING IN RIGHTEOUSNESS How do I do it?
Psalm 103	Bless the Lord whenever I think.	Been dwelling on problems, self-pity, hardly on God.	Whole of me is to thank, praise, dwell on the Lord, not on self.	Each time I think negative, I will use the thought as a springboard to remind me to thank and praise the Lord.

VICTORY OVER FAILURE WORKSHEET (VOSWS) ( 1 JOHN 5:4-5 )
My Specific Unbiblical Thoughts, Words, Actions ( Matt. 7:1-5 )	"Put Off" and Biblical Ref(s) ( Ephesians 4:22 ; Colossians 3:5-9 )	"Put On" and Biblical Ref(s) ( Ephesians 4:23-24 ; Colossians 3:10-17 )	My Plan Not to Repeat This Sin and to Respond Biblically Instead ( Titus 2:2-11014 )