What is the Truth of the Matter?

Many years ago, God created marriage between a man and a woman, and He intended for it to be an institution of sweet intimacy, meaningful fellowship, and lasting commitment. The serpent interrupted God's design by tempting Eve to disobey, and as we all know, she ate the fruit and induced Adam to join her. Thus was Satan's first assault, and it was on the marriage.

Today, Satan's main objective has not changed. His purpose is to destroy your marriage, and his first step is to plant the thought that divorce is a better option than staying in an unhappy marriage. If this thought is not recognized as a lie and rejected, then before long it is acted upon.

The purpose of this Bible study is for women to be made aware of the Lies we are told everyday. With our eyes wide open, we can be wise to the schemes of the devil, and we do not have to live our lives in ignorance. The Truth dwells in the Word of God, and when we receive it, the Holy Spirit will quicken it in our spirits that we might be set free from the lies we have believed concerning our wedded state.

Come with me and search the Scriptures:

Genesis 2:21-24
"And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall on Adam, and he slept; and He took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh in its place, then the rib which the Lord God had taken from man He made into a woman, and He brought her to the man. And Adam said: 'This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; he shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.' Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh."

Malachi 2:13-16
"And this is the second thing you do: you cover the alter of the Lord with tears, with weeping and crying; so He does not regard the offering anymore, nor receive it with goodwill from your hands. Yet you say, 'For what reason?' Because the Lord has been witness between you and the wife of your youth, with whom you have dealt treacherously; yet she is your companion and your wife by covenant. But did He not make them one, having a remnant of the Spirit? And why one? He seeks godly offspring. Therefore take heed to your spirit, and let none deal treacherously with the wife of his youth.

'For the Lord God of Israel says that He hates divorce, for it covers one's garment with violence,' says the Lord of hosts. 'Therefore take heed to your spirit, that you do not deal treacherously.'"

Mark 2:2-10
"The Pharisees came and asked Him, 'Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?' testing Him.

And He answered and said to them, 'What did Moses command you?'

They said, 'Moses permitted a man to write a certificate of divorce, and to dismiss her.'

And Jesus answered and said to them, 'Because of the hardness of your heart he wrote you this precept. But from the beginning of the creation, God 'made them male and female.' 'For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh'; so then they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate."

We find reinforcement in the Word of God that marriage is God's idea. We also find that we must be committed to permanence. Is there a lingering idea in the back of your mind that tells you that divorce is an option? Maybe you are entertaining the notion that when your children grow up, then divorce is possible. These ideas are directly contrary to God's design for you.

The Truth of the Matter is:

Marriage is a lifelong covenant. There is no marriage that God cannot heal. There is no person God cannot change. God's grace is sufficient, even in the most difficult or extreme circumstances.

May you find true joy and peace with the knowledge of His Word.

Love, Karen

Practice Waiting on the Lord

Question of the Day

When a woman determines to wait on the Lord rather than taking the reins (in her marriage), what blessings could result in her life?

Whenever we open our Bibles with a sincere desire to search and find the Lord's heart in a matter, He allows us to see Him and to discover His truth. Deuteronomy 4:29 informs us clearly, "But from there you will seek the Lord your God, and you will find Him if you seek Him with all your heart and with all your soul."

Based on this promise, we are going to study the following Bible passages in order to find an answer to our question of the day:

Isaiah 40:31, "But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint."

Psalms 27:7-8, 14, "Hear, O Lord, when I cry with my voice! Have mercy also upon me, and answer me. When You said, 'Seek My face,' my heart said to You, 'Your face, Lord, I will seek.' Wait on the Lord; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the Lord! "

1 Peter 3:4, "...rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God. For in this manner, in former times, the holy women who trusted in God also adorned themselves, being submissive to their own husbands."

Jeremiah 17:7, "Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, And whose hope is the Lord."

The Lord God, the One Who loves each of us unconditionally, allows different circumstances into our lives that affect us deeply. Many times, we cannot do one thing about them on our own, even though we tend to want to rush to find a remedy. We try on our own to relieve the situation, but we realize that by ourselves, and with our strength, there is absolutely nothing we can do. This is when we fall on our knees and cry out to the One Who owns the solution to our problem. However, it is surprising how many times the Lord answers our prayers with, "Wait on Me."

Many of us have discovered that we can apply this Truth to our marriage. Are you now or have you been faced with a trial? Perhaps you have cried out to God, and His response seems to indicate that you should do nothing but wait. As you have read, the Bible has much to say about the blessings we all receive by waiting on the Lord. You see, as you wait on God, you are in reality allowing the Lord to work in your husband's life without interference from you. It is true that this practice requires much patience on the part of the wife, but that is part of the blessing. The inner strength a wife needs, such as patience, diligence, and endurance produces faith, which is from the Lord.

If you have found yourself with the "reins" of your marriage in your hands, perhaps it is time to give them to the Lord. The Lord will give them back to your husband, which is where they belong.

And now it is time to wait...

...but you can do it! God has already given you the grace to obey Him. He will not let you down because He is faithful to fulfill His promises.


Love, Karen