Many marriages are broken. This is a brokenness that can only be repaired by the God of Heaven. Therefore, you must look to Him in prayer and the pages of the Bible to find the “fix” for the problems in your marriage. Join the Fixer Upper Marriage Class as we learn about things you should be praying for in your marriage from Galatians 5: 22-23. This is the final installment in a three part series about this subject.

FixerUpperMarriage.org/prayer3

For part one of this series:

FixerUpperMarriage.org/prayer

For the previous lesson in this series:

FixerUpperMarriage.org/prayer2

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: Against such there is no law.

This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope. It is of the LORD’S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.

Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have for he hath said, I will never leave thee, not forsake thee.

• Faithfulness is in God’s character.
• God is faithful to me all the time.
  • He has made promises to me that He will keep no matter what happens.
• God is faithful to me despite my own unfaithfulness.

If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself.

• Consider the dangers of an emotional affair.
  
  • An emotional affair often precedes a physical one.
  • Signs that you are falling into an emotional affair. When a simple friendship turns into more. When you are investing emotional energy in someone besides your spouse.
    1. You contact this friend when you are not together.
    2. You talk to this friend about personal problems like your marriage.
    3. You create ways to be with this friend.
    4. You think about your friend when you are not together
    5. You compare your friend with your spouse.
    6. You neglect your spouse for this other friend.
• Don’t throw your marriage away for a fantasy.
  • Your new love interest has problems too.
  • The thrill and passion of the moment is only momentary. The thrill of doing something wrong without getting caught will is temporary.
  • In this day, people are throwing away their marriage for online fantasy.
    • The social media “friend”.
    • The pornograhy that is fills the internet.
      • According to the non profit organization Enough is Enough 30 percent of internet industry is pornography. see Enough.org (https://enough.org/stats_porn_industry)
      • See Matthew 5:28

1. Build security with your spouse.
   • Be aware that past mistakes can make your spouse insecure.
   • You build trust and security with transparency and live proof.
   • Learn to “check-in” with each other. For example, “I am going to be late getting home because…”
     • Although you may not like doing this, it helps to build trust.
     • This promotes accountability with each other. If your spouse knows what you are doing, there is no room for secrecy.
2. Be clear about your commitment.
   • Wear your wedding ring as much as possible.
   • This is a symbol to other people that you are taken.
   • If you come across someone and you feel a connection or chemistry with them, make sure they see the ring on your finger.
   • Be utterly clear, even RUDE if necessary. If things seem flirty, then it is OK to be rude because your marriage is more important.
3. Escape potential compromising situations.
   • If you are in room with someone by yourself, leave.
   • Sometimes temptations are closer than you realize, including close friends or even family members.
   • Don’t be afraid to walk away or leave to protect your wedding vows. Your marriage is more important than any social group.
4. Be together.
   • Spend time with your spouse.
   • Every moment you are together is a chance to honor your commitment and your love.
   • Being together protects you from unfaithfulness.

Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.

• Jesus was so meek that in John 13 in the story of the last supper, He washed and dried the feet of His disciples!
• Meek does not mean weak, but it means strength in the face of your own pride and self desires.
  • A man who is meek is not weak, but filled with strength and power.
  • The opposite of meekness is pride.
  • Meekness and humility is the forgotten Christian virtue of our day.
• According to Noah Websters 1828 dictionary Meekness is a noun that means, Softness of temper; mildness; gentleness; forbearance under injuries of provocations.  See WebstersDictionary1828.com

• We are programmed to be proud of our assertiveness and arrogance.
  • You can see it in the phrases that we use.
    • I will let you have it.
    • I will give you a piece of my mind.
    • I will show him a thing or two.
  • You can see it in the attitude that we have.
    • We are self-assertive in our minds.
      • It is all about my rights, my image, and what I deserve.
    • We are filled with self-interest
• Girls from childhood are taught to be the opposite of meekness.
  • They are taught to be aggressive, to fight, to take charge.
  • The Bible however, teaches something entirely different.

But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price. For after this manner in the old time the holy women also, who trusted in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection unto their own husbands:

• Marriage is filled with conflict because we care more about me than we.
• It is no wonder marriages are filled with fighting today- there is no meekness.

• Your pride wants you to restore your reputation, but meekness wants to reconcile.
• Your pride wants to rehearse all the wrongs done to you, but meekness wants to forgive and forget.

• The things that typically control us.
  1. The sin nature
  2. Human appetites
  3. Fleshly desires
• The thing that should control us.
  • We should have discipline and self control with the help of the Holy Spirit.
  • The reason word disciple sounds so close to discipline is because they are so related.
  • This is why we have to pray for these things in marriage, because we need His help.

In your words…

Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.

In your mood… Moodiness is ungodly since He is always the same.

For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;

In your thoughts…

Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;

In your temper…

He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls.

In your eyes…

Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.

3 Additional Things You Should Be Praying About in Your Marriage.

1. Pray that you will stay faithful to one another.
2. Pray that God will teach you meekness.
3. Pray that God will empower you with temperance.

God has something amazing planned for your marriage.

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