Fireproof Your Marriage

Fireproof Your Marriage
Let It Burn
Conforming You to the Image of Christ

If the people we work and fellowship with lived with us and had to be in a marital relationship with us, would they still respect us? A spouse has the ability to bring out the worst in us. And God did that on purpose, because a marriage relationship is designed to be a discipleship tool of the Lord to form us into the image of Christ. If we’ll see it that way rather than resisting this person, we’ll say, “God, you’re revealing things that are not like Jesus that are in me that need to be dealt with so that I can be more like You.” God uses a spouse to be like a mirror to us, and He will reveal to us how selfish we are, how greedy we can be, and how we’ll claim our own rights. There’s nothing like a spouse to reveal to his/her spouse his/her real nature. We’ve got to begin to Let it Burn!

I. Definitions of Fire - I Peter 1:5-7
A. a state, process, or instance of combustion giving off light, heat or flame.
B. A severe test; trial or torment
II. Productive Uses of Fire
A. To Purify – Proverbs 17:3, Malachi 3:3
B. To Give Light – show our darkness – Psalms 18:28
C. To Provide Direction – Exodus 13:21
D. To Provide Warmth – Mark 14:54
E. To Burn Away – Daniel 3:19-25
F. To Intensify the Aroma – burning of candles and oil – Ephesians 5:1
III. You Are Not Exempt – I Peter 5:8-9
IV. Where Does It Start? - James 4:1-10, James 1:14-15
V. What Areas of Your Life Can Stand Some Fire?
A. Attitude
1. Unforgiveness – Matthew 6:14
2. Pridefulness – Proverbs 13:10
3. Discontentment “No Satisfaction” – Proverbs 17:1
4. Independence – Matthew 19:4-6
5. Selfishness – James 3:15-17
B. Actions
1. Service – I Corinthians 7:35
2. Commitment – I Corinthians 7:29-32
3. Sacrifice/Compromise – Philippians 2:1-5
4. Conditional Love – Romans 15:5-7
5. Comments – James 3:1-12
C. Appetites
1. Greediness – Mark 7:21-23
2. Lustfulness - 1 Thessalonians 4:4-6
VI. Don’t Run From the Fire - Just Let It Burn! - Romans 8:29, Ephesians 2:10