Lesson 14 - How To Build Oneness In Your Marriage
What causes the spirit of a husband to react to the spirit of his wife. 1. Not respecting him as a man. * When a wife sows lack of respect for her husband's decisions and resistance to proper physical attention, her husband doubts hi ability to meet her need and is sometimes drawn to other women who respect and admire him. How to communicate respect to your husband as a man * Praising him for the positive qualities you see in him. Focus on his positive qualities. * Trust God to provide financial needs through his leadership. Be content with the basics. * Support and become actively involved in his ideas and goals. This is the basic function of a wife as a helpmeet. (If his goals are not godly or in harmony with scripture, make a wise appeal to him.) * Demonstrate a willingness to respond to proper physical attention. The wife should respond according to 1 Cor. 7:4, within the limits of God's specific directives for the marriage act. 1 Corinthians 7:4 The wife hath not power of her own body, but the husband: and likewise also the husband hath not power of his own body, but the wife. 2. Not accepting him as a spiritual leader * When a wife sows resistance to her husband's spiritual leadership and when she lacks confidence that God is working through him, her husband becomes discouraged and frustrated in trying to be her spiritual leader. How to demonstrate to your husband that you accept him as your spiritual leader * Express gratefulness for any attempts he makes to be a spiritual leader. Thank him for his prayers and scripture reading.> * Communicate confidence that God is working trough his decisions. If you disagree with them, wisely report what you see. If he doesn't listen, you can be confident that God is going to work through his decision to accomplish other purposes. * Admire qualities of spiritual leadership that you see in your husband. Spiritual leadership involves prayer, reading the Bible, and witnessing, and also inward strength of character that is demonstrated by standing for what is right. Whenever a man refuses to compromise scriptural convictions, he deserves the highest praise and admiration from his wife. 3. Failure to wisely and lovingly appeal to him. * When a wife sows pressure by demanding, nagging, and manipulating, her husband reacts in harshness or gives up in frustration. How to appeal to you husband * Being in right standing before the need to appeal arises. To be in right standing means to be under the authority of your husband and in good fellowship with him. * Use the same basis to appeal to your husband that you use to appeal to God. (Not that you pray to him, but have the right approach.) The factors should be : concern for his reputation, concern for his goals, and concern for his authority. * Convey the right attitudes. Demonstrate the attitudes of love, loyalty, gratefulness, honor, obedience, and a servant's spirit. These will influence him greatly. Otherwise, your appeals could fall on deaf ears. * Wait for the right timing and cheerfully respond to his final decision. 4. Neglecting to develop inward beauty. * When a wife sows lack of inward Godliness and outward neatness and modesty, her husband loses respect for her and is more easily tempted by other women. How to develop genuine attractiveness * Concentrating on the inward qualities that are of great value in the eyes of God. A meek spirit - is demonstrated when you yield all personal rights and expectations to God and are sincerely thankful. A quiet spirit is developed when you experience freedom from worry and fear and you show an inward confidence. * Maintaining personal neatness in appearance and dress. The way you appear to your husband when he arrives home may indicate to him how important he is to you. * Dress to draw attention to your countenance. Learn how to dress to enhance your natural beauty. Learn the best use of makeup and hair styles to enhance your natural qualities. * Controlling your weight on the basis of five scriptural truths 1. Your body is made in the image of God 2. " " is the temple of the Holy Spirit 3. " " is a member of the body of Christ 4. the members of your body are weapons of God's righteousness by yielding them to God 5. :You can claim victory over the lusts of the flesh because of Christ's victory 5. Lack of genuine gratefulness shown to the husband. * When a wife sows continual expectations of her husband for things she wants him to do for her, her husband feels that he is a prisoner of her expectations. He does not believe he can ever please her, and he reacts to her lack of gratefulness. How to develop a spirit of gratefulness * Giving all your personal expectations to God Unfulfilled expectations are devastating to relationships unless they are given to the Lord. * Learning to be content with the basics * Setting affections on thing above Your life does not consist of the things you have. * Telling your husband how he is benefiting your life and making you joyful in the Lord. 6. Resistance to his attempts to protect you. * When a wife sows lack of understanding, appreciation, or heed to her husband's cautions or verbal warnings, he stops sharing the warnings, counsel, or direction that God gives to him. How to respond to the warnings of your husband * Telling him about the hidden fears, pressures, and weaknesses you have so he knows what kind of protection you need. Most men need direction in this area. * Ask him to pray for you and with you when you are going through times of temptation, discouragement, or pressure. * Refusing to do things you know would displease him and would not be beneficial to you. 7. Reaction to his need for times to be alone with God * When a wife sows reaction and feelings of rejection when her husband wants to be alone with the Lord, he feels frustrated and spiritually empty. How to encourage your husband to spend more time alone with God * Let him know that you are pleased when you see him spending time with the Lord. Realize when he is out of fellowship with the Lord, he will be out of fellowship with the family. * Encouraging him to find a quiet place to study, pray, read and think.
Study Guide For "What The Bible Is All About"
by Henrietta Mears
Chapter 14 - Understanding Esther
1. Who was Esther? 2. Her name means __________. 3. King Ahasuerus was also called _________________. 4. Why did the King have his wife, Vashti, executed? ____________ __________________________________________________________________ 5. Who was Mordecai? ____________________________________________ 6. Esther’s marriage to the king made what possible? ____________ ________________, and ____________________________________________. 7. How did Mordecai save the king’s life? ________________________ __________________________________________________________________ 8. What did Mordecai do to upset Haman? _________________________ 9. What did Haman want to do? ___________________________________ 10. Write out Esther 4:14 here and memorize it. _________________ __________________________________________________________________ 11. ___________ is not sin; __________________ is. 12. What happened the night the king couldn’t sleep? ____________ __________________________________________________________________ 13. In what way did Haman and Mordecai trade places? ____________ __________________________________________________________________ 14. What is the feast of Purim? _________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ 15. God has always delivered the nation of Israel from __________ and ______________.