Sticky POST: Marriage Survey For Wives

**THIS IS A STICKY POST. PLEASE SCROLL DOWN FOR NEW MESSAGES.**

Please post your answers to this survery in an anonymous comment. I have been reading up on the marriage passages of Scripture and found some things that made me go - OH! Like the Amplified version of Ephesians 5:33

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"However, let each man of you [without exception] love his wife as [being in a sense] his very own self; and let the wife see that she respects and reverences her husband [ that she notices him, regards him, honors him, prefers him, venerates, and esteems him; and hat she defers to him, praises him, and loves and admires him exceedingly]." (Emphasis Added)

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So here we go, copy and paste the following into the comment and provide your answers:

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1. How would you define respect and reverence? Explain in one paragraph if possible.

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2. AGREE of DISAGREE: I believe if he does not do his part that I don't have to do mine. Explain your answer.
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3. How do you feel when you read the latter part of verse 33 "... let the wife see that she respects and reverences her husband [that she notices him, honors him, prefers, him, venerates, and esteems him and that she defers to him, praises him, and loves and admires him exceedingly.]"?
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4. How would you define submission or being subject to?
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5. Please select which of the following areas that are the most difficult for you to submit to your husband in (order them from the most difficult to the least, if it is equal - use one line and separate with commas as needed).
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Finances
Raising Children
Spiritual Matters
Extended Family Issues
Daily Decisions
How to Manage Your Home
Where you go to church
How to settle disputes
When He is wrong
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6. Now select which of the following areas we are commanded to relate to her husband in a Spirit of and number them with this scale: 1 - Struggle Greatly, 2 - Struggle, 3 - Struggle Some, 4 - A Little Struggle, 5 - I Don't Struggle with it much.
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RESPECT
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REVERENCE
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Noticing Him
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Regarding Him
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Honoring Him
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Venerating Him (I found these words to define venerate: adore, worships, enshrines, dignifies, reveres)
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Esteeming Him
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Deferring to Him
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Praising Him
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Loving and Admiring Him Exceedingly
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Submitting to your husband out of reverence for Christ. (Eph 5:21)
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Serving your husband as a service to the Lord. (Col 3)
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Admonishing your husband with your lifestyle rather than your words. (1 Peter 3)
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Having a quiet and gentle spirit. (1 Peter 3)
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Keeping an orderly home. (Titus 2, Proverbs 31)
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Considering his needs as your own. (Matthew 19:19, Romans 13:9, Galatians 5:14)
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7. Note the priority in leadership that is given by God for marriage. Then answer the questions that follow:
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"3 But I want you to know and realize that Christ is the Head of every man, the head of a woman is her husband, and the Head of Christ is God.
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4 Any man who prays or prophesies (teaches, refutes, reproves, admonishes, and comforts) with his head covered dishonors his Head (Christ).
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5 And any woman who [publicly] prays or prophesies (teaches, refutes, reproves, admonishes, or comforts) when she is bareheaded dishonors her head (her husband); it is the same as [if her head were] shaved.
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6 For if a woman will not wear [a head] covering, then she should cut off her hair too; but if it is disgraceful for a woman to have her head shorn or shaven, let her cover [her head].
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7 For a man ought not to wear anything on his head [in church], for he is the image and [reflected] glory of God [ his function of government reflects the majesty of the divine Rule]; but woman is [the expression of] man’s glory (majesty, preeminence).
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8 For man was not [created] from woman, but woman from man;
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9 Neither was man created on account of or for the benefit of woman, but woman on account of and for the benefit of man.
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10 Therefore she should [be subject to his authority and should] have a covering on her head [as a token, a symbol, of her submission to authority, that she may show reverence as do] the angels [and not displease them].
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11 Nevertheless, in [the plan of] the Lord and from His point of view woman is not apart from and independent of man, nor is man aloof from and independent of woman;
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12 For as woman was made from man, even so man is also born of woman; and all [whether male or female go forth] from God [as their Author].
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1 Cor 11:3-12 (AMP)
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* How are you doing with the idea that your husband is the final authority under God in your home?
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* How about when you see your husband's decisions and actions are not reflecting a godly attitude?
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* Do you see the passages here as specifically about the role of women in church, or about the issue of women TAKING and ASSUMING authority in place of a man? How do you understand the roles of women in leadership in the church?

* Did the words in verse 9 impact you? How do you feel knowing God created you specifically for your husband?

* Read verse 7 again. How are you doing with reflecting your husband's glory? What do people think of your husband based on what you say, how you act toward him and the way you represent him in your daily life?
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8. Is divorce an option (meaning: do you feel there are circumstances in which a divorce would be justified) in your marriage?
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I know there are a lot of questions here, but they are so important. Please take your time, even print these off and weigh your answers and the Scriptures offered before responding. AGAIN, please do not include your name in your comment and be as honest and forthright as discretion allows.

The comments for this post will be open through March 11th. Please feel free to come back and respond. Also, visit our dream blog: Restoration Ranch and read all about the building of a dream marriage.

Holy Spirit Fall On Us...

**THIS IS A STICKY POST... For Newer Posts Scroll Down The Page**

** UPDATE: NEW QUESTION ADDED - See Bonus Below **

Hey Sweet Blog Friends,

I'm sitting here while about 40 pages of Bible study written by the women's writing team at our church cycle through my printer. I'm about to begin study and research in preparation for writing one lesson about the Holy Spirit which brought me to my blog.

If you were looking for an IOW post... I'm taking a break from IOW until Spring. I just have one or two too many irons in the fire, and want to focus on the ministries God has given me this coming season and doing them well.

Last night I facilitated the first group meeting for a Crisis Grief group. This is basically a support group for people struggling with grief and awaiting the beginning of the next Recovery Group classes at the end of January. It is different than my Bereaved Mothers Recovery Group in that we have no curriculum or basic structure. We simply talk and rely on the Holy Spirit to lift out of our conversation the areas that need His work and touch in the grief.

As I marveled at His absolute power in the room last night, I found myself drawn to preparing for this lesson this morning. And, I have some questions I would like your help in answering. I will leave these questions up for quite a while maybe through the first of the year... And if I can figure out how to make this a "sticky post" I will. (You may need to scroll down to read new posts.)

If you would send people my way and encourage them to answer my questions by linking to this post - I WOULD MUCH APPRECIATE THE SUPPORT and response.

I would like to ask that you reply to these as ANONYMOUS comments and be completely honest. I need some honest feedback about where you are with the Holy Spirit and your understanding of Him from Scripture.

Here are my questions: (Scale questions are 1 being not at all and 5 being an absolute must)

1. On a scale of 1 to 5, How important is the presence of the Holy Spirit to you in your daily life? Why did you choose the answer you did?

2. What do you believe the Holy Spirit's role is when it comes to your daily walk with the Lord?

3. When and how does the Holy Spirit begin His work in your life?

4. On a scale of 1 to 5, Rate your understanding of the Holy Spirit based on what you know today.
Please tell me the area you struggle with the most in regard to the Holy Spirit.

5. Who is the Holy Spirit to you?

6. How does the Holy Spirit help you?

7. What importance does your denomination place on the baptism of the Holy Spirit?

8. What do you personally believe about the baptism of the Holy Spirit?

9. How important is the Holy Spirit in the administration of spiritual growth and gifts?

10. When did you first realize the work of the Holy Spirit in your life?

11. When would you say you rely on the Holy Spirit the most? (IE: All the time, times of distress or trouble, some of the time, when I hear a teaching about it... etc.)

12. Would you like to learn more about the Holy Spirit?

Bonus: What are the distinctions between the persons of the Godhead (Trinity) as you understand them (Father, Son and Holy Spirit)? How is the Holy Spirit separate and distinct from Jesus as the Son of God and Christ?

If you would be willing to answer these questions you would be helping me to develop a curriculum that reaches across denominational lines and speaks to the heart of hurting women. While I will definitely be tailoring my curriculum to agree with the doctrinal teachings and statement of faith of my church, I also want to answer and validate the truth about the Holy Spirit by reaching beyond the assumption that anyone coming to my group would know what our church teaches. I ran into this very issue this semester and realized I need to do a little more homework. Again, please do not include your name with your comment - Anonymity is very important.