Isaiah 58 Ministries
Pastor Leah Svensson
Theme
Marriage: Ordained by God: To bless, give life, liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. To full fill the human needs of everyone in the whole world!!!! We all need a "Father and Mother"'. To honor them is to full fill the 4th Commandment. These are the only two people in the world that God has given his divine Power and authority to. Parents have divine rights from God to the raising and education of their children. No one else can interfere ! No one else can interfere Not government, grandparents, governments, organizations like feminist, gays, businesses, etc.........
But!!! Men must love their wives so much they would willing die for them and wives must love their children that they would willing die for them. Men must respect, honor, and treat as highly intelligent beings made in the image of God, their wives and children. The wive must treat her children the same as her husband treats her!
It is impossible to be a good husband, wive or child without a supernatural connection with God through 100% obedience to the leading of the Holy Spirit sent to us by God to lead us!
Sermon
An old friend of mine took a comment on mom's staying at home personally. I usually do not have anyone in particular in mind when posting things like that, but just what the Lord has put on my heart. Actually, it was in reference to the Australian Prime Minister's speech on how they were a Christian people with Christian principle's taught in their schools that led my mom to write a comment wishing she had taken it a step further and called for more old fashioned ideals such as mom's staying at home to raise their own children. I went to school to be a minister. I prayerfully consider anything I say on fb or in person, searching the deep things of the Lord. To clarify, in no way do I believe that all working moms are selfish. 95% of all the females I consider friends work outside the home. This puts me in a great predicament. When the Lord shows you something so clearly and you have spent years searching out the will of God on something and come to a definitive Biblical view point on a subject that touches the lives of so many innocents, it's imperative to not stay quiet. I know as a little girl I needed my mom to stay at home and home school me. I met quite a few women who saw this as an evil thing. I saw the difference between those who were homemakers or homemaker wanna bes and those who thought homemaking was a sort of prison. There are many people in between. To those women who look down upon stay at home moms, I call them selfish and arrogant and detrimental to their children, families and society in general. To those stay a home moms, I applaud you as heroes because it's not easy today sometimes to feel your value. To those moms who work but don't see a problem with others staying at home, I welcome you to read the following teaching. In the love of God, I salute you all. :)
Alright, put your seatbelts on... ha!
First off, the disclaimer I must say is, "We don't live in a society like we did 50 yrs. ago." Things have changed, government run amuk". We are taxed out our eyeballs. What I say here is for a just and moral society where people can keep their paychecks and government is minimal. That is not the point of this though. This is called the Happy Homemaker. Is she fictitious a fad, or based in faith? I know that in today's society it's not really acceptable to say that men should be the breadwinners and women are to be homemakers, but in my heart I really believe that this is the way to go. It's totally Biblical, but it's not really practical because so many households seem to need 2 incomes. Most people don't have any inclination to work together as a team- both people just go their separate ways for the majority of each day- come home and see each other for a couple hrs and then try to fit in "quality time" on the weekends. I don't believe that God ever wanted children to be raised in "pods" like in daycare, etc (do you know most of those workers are minimum wage... I mean I cannot imagine handing my child over to a stranger for 8-9 hrs a day for the most formative years of their life- :) I think there is a reason women breast feed their children for around 6 months- it's a God thing, mentally, physically, and emotionally for the mother and the child. It's a proven fact that formula fed babies don't get the same antibodies/nutrients- I mean now there are pumps (sorry, I know, gross, but not if you think about it in a pure way)- but that's not what God intended. Moms are to be moms lol :) Really, though even nature shows us that- humans try to manipulate God's way of doing things and it's just not healthy...
Titus 2:1-6 says
1BUT [as for] you, teach what is fitting and becoming to sound (wholesome) doctrine [the character and right living that identify true Christians].
2Urge the older men to be temperate, venerable (serious), sensible, self-controlled, and sound in the faith, in the love, and in the steadfastness and patience [of Christ].
3Bid the older women similarly to be reverent and devout in their deportment as becomes those engaged in sacred service, not slanderers or slaves to drink. They are to give good counsel and be teachers of what is right and noble,
4So that they will wisely train the young women to be sane (yes, yes, comments from the peanut gallery will fly on this one- I can take it... lol) and sober of mind (temperate, disciplined) and to love their husbands and their children,
5To be self-controlled, chaste, homemakers, good-natured (kindhearted), adapting and subordinating themselves to their husbands, that the word of God may not be exposed to reproach (blasphemed or discredited).
6In a similar way, urge the younger men to be self-restrained and to behave prudently [taking life seriously].
The Greek word for homemakers is oikourgos which means :
1) caring for the house, working at home
a) the (watch or) keeper of the house
b) keeping at home and taking care of household affairs
c) a domestic
This scripture is not meant to be a restraint but, in my opinion, a liberation- like "hey, I don't have to be the pilot, but I can be the co-pilot- I can still fly the plane if needed. I don't have to be the team captain but I can be the co-captain and know all the plays" But someone has to be the tie breaker and God says that's the man... :) Ha- you have no clue how big of a horse pill that idea is for me to swallow sometimes... which is why I want to make sure that guy has his "backstage Jesus pass" lol :)
I think homemaking is a beautiful art. My mom stayed at home with us most of the time but my dad kept wanting her to go to work. After my parents divorced we had a bunch of different baby sitters.. and let me tell you I have some really odd stories... I hated every minute. Most of the time we just were watching ourselves or watching the other kids for the sitter. Then there are the horror stories I've heard from friends who were molested by their sitters... Ugh! Before I handed my child over to someone else I'd have to really trust them- it's just not fair to the kid. :)
" I would have you know that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is the man, and the head of Christ is God. Nevertheless, neither is the man independent of the woman or the woman independent of the man, IN THE LORD. For as the woman is of the man, even so is the man also by the woman- BUT ALL THINGS OF GOD!!" 1 Cor. 11:3 :)
Okay, so I was raised non-denominational- women and men being equal in the church, but there are other denominations that are really legalistic about women "submitting" to their husbands and not speaking in church at all. I've been around a lot of different Christians, have heard many many different preachers, but I think it's really important for every believer to search the Word of God for themselves. I went to school to be a minister (but I didn't know in what capacity that would be)... so that pretty much kicks me out of the Baptist churches... lol.. :) (no, really, I have some Baptist friends... they let me speak to and sing for the kids ministry/youth/young adults...:) But they are really strict when it comes to women's activity in church.
Many feminists have brainwashed a generation of young women to believe that if they don't "do something with their lives" ie- work outside the home- then their lives will have little to no meaning. But NOTHING could be farther from the(God's) truth. There is a difference between the woman I want to be- (the one I believe all women are called by God to be)- and your average American stay at home mom. But our government has corrupted the natural way of living, stripping the very means it's citizens need to be self supporting. We are overtaxed by a nanny state that believes the Constitution is a changeable document. (Obama and Clinton have both expressed this belief). Neither the Bible nor the Declaration, nor the Constitution, are changeable Our rights to live and breath and own property without public school/property taxes have been stolen. Our nation was founded on freedom and a people that took care of the poor and parents who educated their own children and we are going to get back to those national sets of morals. But in no way do I believe that being the woman God has called me to be is passing up on anything great- but striving to be the fullness of the greatness God has in me!!!...:) :)
Under the proper government, the Lord shows us through the Proverbs 31 woman, what the ideal mother and wife should look and act like- who I strive to be. Who all women should strive to be. I think this woman of God has a PHD, doctorate, masters, AND a da-gum NOBEL PRIZE! I really think that God has been preparing me to be THIS WOMAN- who can "can", garden, use a chain saw, has run and been successful at 3 self-employed businesses- and has learned A TON of medical and nutritional info through all the years of taking care of my grandmother and uncle. I have to say that MY MOM comes as close to this ideal as ANY WOMAN I'VE EVER MET- she has ALWAYS pushed herself- despite the BIGGEST obstacles of finances and no support- to be the best mom and godly woman she could be. She's the one that encourages every good and industrious part in Michelle and I. She taught us how to sew- and keeps us from being slothful...:) but in a healthy and awesome way that ALWAYS results in some crazy blessings in our lives. She takes steps of faith like no one I know- doing things most would call crazy (even homeschooling was crazy back in the day)
I did want to be a lawyer for the majority of my teenage years... Guess I like to stand in front of groups of people and tell them what to do. :) If you're a minister, people have to just sit there and take it!.. :) ha! just kidding!! Then, when I moved in to take care of grandma/uncle jac.. garden and everything- something else began to be impressed upon my heart... and then the Lord began to show me scriptures and I finally knew what I wanted to do with my life and it lined up completely with the Word of God.
Proverbs 31
10A capable, intelligent, and virtuous (pure, virgin before married type) woman--who is HE who can find her? She is far more precious than jewels and her value is far above rubies or pearls.
(This verse is kinda the beginning of my next Bible teaching e-mail here for ya, to come at a later time, maybe the great Teo is not quite ready for the next one:) lol- Okay so here, though- a MAN is supposed to FIND a godly woman, not the other way around- girls don't call boys or ask them out- it's not their place)
11The heart of her husband trusts in her confidently and relies on and believes in her securely, so that he has no lack of [honest] gain or need of [dishonest] spoil.
(a godly woman is a FINANCIAL BLESSING TO HER HUSBAND. She is intelligent and frugal- she DOES NOT RUN AROUND CRAZY WITH A CREDIT CARD- but her husband TRUSTS HER with financial affairs and relies on her opinion in money matters)
12She comforts, encourages, and does him only good as long as there is life within her.
(self explanatory...lol:- except this takes a humble woman who sees her husband as a HEAD of a household)
13She seeks out wool and flax and works with willing hands [to develop it].
(okay, so she is INDUSTRIOUS! Your average stay at home mom doesn't have a way of bringing in finances- but Godly women are lead by God to work within the home to produce goods for sale and SHE IS A HARD WORKER:)
14She is like the merchant ships loaded with foodstuffs; she brings her household's food from a far [country].
(This gal KNOWS HOW TO SHOP! She has a sharp eye for QUALITY- ie, fine goods and makes sure her family is well fed and supplied for)
15She rises while it is yet night and gets [spiritual] food for her household and assigns her maids their tasks.
(she is not slothful, but eager to work, every ready to seek the Lord for her family and make sure their souls are fed as well as their bodies:)
16She considers a [new] field before she buys or accepts it [expanding prudently and not courting neglect of her present duties by assuming other duties]; with her savings [of time and strength] she plants fruitful vines in her vineyard. [S. of Sol. 8:12.]
(This one here tells me that Godly women are HIGHLY INTELLIGENT IN BUSINESS MATTERS- shrewd and no pushover able to make purchases on her own. The vineyard here isn't your average garden- but a family INDUSTRY...why I need a cabbage patch farm of kids I guess...lol:)
17She girds herself with strength [spiritual, mental, and physical fitness for her God-given task] and makes her arms strong and firm.
(A Godly woman spends time working spiritually and physically:)
18She tastes and sees that her gain from work [with and for God] is good; her lamp goes not out, but it burns on continually through the night [of trouble, privation, or sorrow, warning away fear, doubt, and distrust].
(She is full of joy and happiness and ENJOYS WHAT SHE DOES!! And she never takes a break from her post that God has given her- and this is FULFILLING FOR HER...:)
19She lays her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff.
(a distaff is a fiber spinning tool, but really what this means is that a Godly woman makes things on her own- ehmm... why I believe the Lord really wants me to know how to do things like sew and crochet- might not be "cool" but when you can sew you can do just about anything in the home from curtains to chair covers, which is a HUGE money saver... also on the literal side I do think it would be cool one day to have sheep and wool and to actually be able to make things like scarves or hats from "scratch"- to me, this takes a lot of intelligence and hard work- sure, you can by your stuff from China, but there is something about making things yourself and being self sufficient.:)
20She opens her hand to the poor, yes, she reaches out her filled hands to the needy [whether in body, mind, or spirit].
THIS is where I believe God wants me to APPLY MY MINISTRY THAT I'VE LEARNED-:) :) reaching out from a solid home to help anyone God brings across my family's path- and we should help them in any way we can- teach a man how to fish- heal their hearts... and be able to do so wisely so as not to be duped. :)
21She fears not the snow for her family, for all her household are doubly clothed in scarlet.
(She is industrious enough to make sure her family is well clothed- not name brand, but QUALITY:)
22She makes for herself coverlets, cushions, and rugs of tapestry. Her clothing is of linen, pure and fine, and of purple [such as that of which the clothing of the priests and the hallowed cloths of the temple were made].
(She's not your average Wal-mart mom- but is frugal yet, again, God's focus is on LASTING QUALITY- fyi, purple was VERY RARE and used only for kings...:)
23Her husband is known in the [city's] gates, when he sits among the elders of the land.
(Her husband is a leader and honest and known for his wisdom- and with a wife like this how can he NOT be lol:)
24She makes fine linen garments and leads others to buy them; she delivers to the merchants girdles [or sashes that free one up for service].
(Again, with the home industry here... I've yet to figure out exactly how the Lord will have me apply this, but I know that ALL THE INDUSTRY IS WITHIN THE HOME and that the Lord has a plan, I just have to listen for it...:)
25Strength and dignity are her clothing and her position is strong and secure; she rejoices over the future [the latter day or time to come, knowing that she and her family are in readiness for it]!
26She opens her mouth in skillful and godly Wisdom, and on her tongue is the law of kindness [giving counsel and instruction]. (homeschool, anyone?)
27She looks well to how things go in her household, and the bread of idleness (gossip, discontent, and self-pity) she will not eat.
28Her children rise up and call her blessed (happy, fortunate, and to be envied); and her husband boasts of and praises her, [saying],
29[c]Many daughters have done virtuously, nobly, and well [with the strength of character that is steadfast in goodness], butyou excel them all.
30Charm and grace are deceptive, and beauty is vain [because it is not lasting], but a woman who reverently and worshipfully fears the Lord, she shall be praised!
31Give her of the fruit of her hands, and let her own works praise her in the gates [of the city]!
I have to warn you, a lot of what I say here is considered REALLY, REALLY old fashioned by today's post 60's Sexual Revolution- like feminists rolling in their grave old fashioned- (I really believe that the whole feminist movement with the "it's my body I can do what I want/abortion/birth control so women can sleep around without 'consequences' ie- getting pregnant" - has done more to harm people and marriages in this country then almost anything else. It's really funny because the femi-nazis - ha- look at Michelle and I and all we do and think we're one of them as they've basically turned the tables on sexism and thrown out men and their importance in a family saying "we don't need men- they're just good for one thing..") But in our hearts the Lord has shown us that God created Eve as a helper for Adam and this really makes sense to me and I've talked to a lot of other women who the Lord has shown them the same thing- women who have started ministries on how to submit to their husbands/honor them as the head of the household/yet not in a controlling way, but in a way that makes their marriage stronger...
First off, marriage is a partnership. Most men would really like to have someone there to hold up the other end of their siding/drywall - to encourage them when they can't get motivated on a project- that is what a wife is for, I believe. :) Adam was caretaker of the Garden; God had put him in charge of the animals, but he was alone 18Now the Lord God said, It is not good (sufficient, satisfactory) that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper meet (suitable, adapted, complementary) for him." But here's the thing, God didn't make Eve so she could leave Adam and go work at the Macy's makeup counter all day... lol I really think that in God's perfect way of doing things, it's ideal that a husband and wife work together- like here in the Garden- Adam had a job- tend to the Garden/Animals (not sure exactly what that meant then but...) and God made Eve to help him and be by his side. :)
So, in the mean time for me, until/unless I meet said Adam and become a "helpmeet"- I spend a lot of time in 1 Corinthians chapter 7- (It wouldn't hurt to read this whole chapter :) http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Corinthians%207&version=
explaining how in certain times it's actually better to be single and be a virgin... yes, there are scriptures on that... :) ha ha. I know that if I had been married the past 10 yrs of my life would have been different and I truly believe that they have been completely led by the Lord. But between our bike trip and taking care of our family members and all the crud we've had to deal with with some really bad family members...if I were married and had my own family the help I've been able to give to others would have been greatly limited
vs'34-35And the unmarried woman or girl is concerned and anxious about the matters of the Lord, how to be wholly separated and set apart in body and spirit; but the married woman has her cares [centered] in earthly affairs--how she may please her husband.
35Now I say this for your own welfare and profit, not to put [a halter of] restraint upon you, but to promote what is seemly and in good order and to secure your undistracted and undivided devotion to the Lord.
Ha! :)So, I've been living my life in "undivided devotion to the Lord..." :) But as I have, he has shown me what a real, godly marriage looks like- how a man is supposed to treat his wife and what her role is. It's pretty clear in scripture that when a woman gets married, her attention switches. Not that her eyes don't still center on Christ, but she now has more worldly affairs to take care of and really, she now focuses on how to "please her husband"- who in turn is supposed to be 100% focusing on pleasing Christ.
I. Ephesians 5:21-33
21Be subject to one another out of reverence for Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One).
22Wives, be subject (be submissive and adapt yourselves) to your own husbands as [a service] to the Lord.
23For the husband is head of the wife as Christ is the Head of the church, Himself the Savior of [His] body.
24As the church is subject to Christ, so let wives also be subject in everything to their husbands.
25Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her,
26So that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the Word,
27That He might present the church to Himself in glorious splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such things [that she might be holy and faultless].
28Even so husbands should love their wives as [being in a sense] their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself.
29For no man ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and carefully protects and cherishes it, asChrist does the church,
30Because we are members (parts) of His body.
31For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother and shall be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.(Gen 2:24)
32This mystery is very great, but I speak concerning [the relation of] Christ and the church.
33However, 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 that she defers to him, praises him, and loves and admires him exceedingly]. [I Pet. 3:2.]
God has a natural order, since the beginning of time, to a marriage- like my mom says all the time you shouldn't have "too many chiefs and not enough Indians"- Men and women are equal in the Lord- but God has given you guys gifts that he hasn't given women- so that there is order. Just like in the Garden of Eden- Eve sinned first -but to God, really, Adam was the guy in charge... but then there is Eve's punishment that women for the ages have been pretty ticked about... lol
Gen 3:16To the woman He said, I will greatly multiply your grief and your suffering in pregnancy and the pangs of childbearing; with spasms of distress you will bring forth children. Yet your desire and craving will be for your husband, and he will rule over you.
Yikes! Way to go Eve! Ha! But the New Testament turns the tides on "Adam" and puts a heck of responsibility on the man- I mean, think about what it means to "love your own wife as your own body... and to love her "as Christ loved the Church AND GAVE HIS LIFE FOR HER." (Kind of heavy stuff there.) So, if a man is supposed to love his wife as Christ loves the Church, we have to look at what exactly does that mean. It's pretty intense- but not impossible... If God asks someone to do something, he gives them the will, the desire, and the necessary knowledge/wisdom to help guide them. This kind of teaching could really help a lot of marriages where there is a big tug of war- and it totally doesn't work in abusive relationships- God's way of doing things is best- and a godly marriage takes two people making their way to the center of that wheel- which is Christ... :)
So... we have to look at just HOW CHRIST TREATS US, THE CHURCH- to see how a husband should treat his wife- and then look at how we are to honor and submit to Christ to show how a women should honor and submit to her husband...
Such as- we can go to Christ and "if we ask anything according to his will," he will give that to us. (according to his will the key there)
- So, then a wife should be able to ASK HER HUSBAND FOR ANYTHING AND HE SHOULD BE ABLE TO GIVE IT TO HER! (If it is right and good and according to God's will) (someone had suggested the purchase of a certain guitar, and that really pierced my heart because I saw this in action with that thought in your head- it was very cool that you would think in this vein though:) like racking up points cool... :)
At the same time no person should submit to anything other than the Word of God. A woman can't submit to a husband who is not walking in the will of God. A guy has GOT TO BE TRUSTING GOD BEFORE A WIFE CAN TRUST HIM! In Proverbs 31 (which is how I try to arrange my own life), We read all about how the wife takes care of her household, her household and children, but the husband HAS TO TAKE CARE OF EVERYONE! He's got to make sure his wife has enough so she can pass it on to her children- it's the way God has ordained families to work.
I don't know whatever happened to Lucille Ball and the whole housewife thing... maybe it was the Kirby vacuum, dishwashers, and other modern appliances? :) l But at some point women felt the need to be "liberated" and also have an "out" card should the marriage turn sour and suddenly this stay at home mom is out on her own with no professional skills- or rusty ones at best. I've talked to quite a few housewives who secretly say that they felt like they should go back to school just in case they ever needed a divorce. I don't want to ever contemplate divorce- EVER. That's why I want God to show me who I should marry instead of going out like everyone else and randomly falling in love with some guy. - Especially because I would want to have kids and one thing I've always asked the Lord is "Please, God, let me be in a godly marriage where both parents are looking to you and they stay together forever- so the child can see and experience God's love through their parent's love for God and each other."
I know this might be a stretch for some, but when I read in John 15 here, I see how, we as Christians can only bear fruit as long as we are connected to Christ. So, then if A+B=C
Then (A) Husbands are to their wives as (B) Christ is to the Church = then husbands are like the vine here and wives bear fruit when connected to and working with their husbands:
John 15: 1-9 I Am the True Vine, and My Father is the Vinedresser. Any branch in Me that does not bear fruit He cuts away, and every branch that bears fruit he cleans and prunes to make it bear more and richer fruit. You are cleansed and pruned already because of the Word which I have given you, (the teachings I have discussed with you). Live in me and I will live in you. Just as no branch can bear fruit of itself without abiding in the vine, neither can you bear fruit unless you abide in me. I am the Vine, you are my branches. Whoever lives in Me and I in him bears abundant fruit. However, apart from me (cut off from vital union with Me) you can do NOTHING. If a person does not dwell in Me, he is thrown out like a broken off branch, and whithers; such branches are gathered and thrown in the fire and burned. If you live in Me, (abide virtually united to Me) and My words remain in you and continue to live in your hearts, ASK WHATEVER YOU WILL AND IT SHALL BE DONE FOR YOU! When you produce much fruit, My Father is honored and glorified, and you show and prove yourselves to be followers of Mine. I HAVE LOVED YOU JUST AS THE FATHER HAS LOVED ME, ABIDE IN MY LOVE!
I don't think a wife can independently work outside the home because just as we cannot bear fruit outside of Christ, a woman cannot bear fruit when she is completely doing her own thing outside/apart from her husband- still bear fruit. Sure, she can bring in a great income but what I'm talking about is a different kind of fruit. I see Adam and Eve working together; the Bible talks about a couple called Aquilla and Pricilla who were tent makers like Paul and after his conversion they worked together in their trade and in expounded the Word of God to Paul.
When I was a little girl and I heard about Marie and Pierre Curie I was like "that's what I want to do, I want to work in a field and work beside my husband"- the dedication and commitment they had together and then she worked with her daughter to- a family playing off of each other.
I've also read a lot about Abigal and John Adams and how romantically their lives were entwined- like crazy in love and such a blessing and encouragement to each other and he was such a STRONG Christian- one of my heroes :) You know what they say "Behind every good man is a great woman" - I actually think this is true and God's way of doing things. I know a lot of people today don't see marriage this way and it goes against being 'politically correct' but when God makes two people "one flesh" he says it's a "great mystery"- not that they do everything together, but they do play for the same team. :)
I guess if God wanted me to marry a lawyer I might have gone to law school, who knows. I don't really believe in sitting on the sidelines. I like to be in the game... :) But if a woman stays connected to her husband and God's plan for his life, in him, like we're supposed to be in Christ- she can bear MUCH FRUIT, just like the Prov 31 woman does- she works for her husband/family - she's her own boss, she works hard, but no one else is her master. No one tells her she has to work nights or weekends or have her 7 yr old get themselves off the bus because she has a meeting that is mandatory and if she doesn't attend, she looses her job. However, if a woman does submit to a her husband and allow him to be the head honcho- this is a BIGGGGG responsibility for a man. And it takes a REAL MAN to live up to the calling of God for a husband.
Also, another connection- we as Christians cannot serve two masters- we can't be in the world and in Christ at the same time. So, applying our same theorem.. :) Women can't really go out, separate themselves from their husbands, (be controlled time wise- like having to miss their kid's drs app. or loose their job- or have to compromise their own morals just to please their boss)
"Let no man (or woman) serve two masters, for he will either hate one and love the other or he will love one and hate the other. You cannot serve God and riches. Do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor yet for your body, what you will put on, Isn't life more than food and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air, they don't sow, nor they reap, or gather into barns, yet your Heavenly Father feeds them , aren't you better then they?... And why do you worry about clothes, consider the lilies of the field, how they grow, they don't toil or spin. And yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like one of these. Therefore, if God so clothes the grass of the field which today is and tomorrow is cast in to the oven, won't He not MUCH MORE CLOTHE YOU oh you of little faith? Therefore, don't worry saying "What will we eat or with what will we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek) For your Heavenly Father knows that you have need of all these things." Matt 6:24-32
A woman can't depend upon her boss and her husband at the same time. I feel really blessed to be in a position where if I don't feel comfortable doing something or working for someone I can walk away and I have 2 times. Once because I didn't feel comfortable with the owners and the other one abused their dog right in front of us with a electric collar not being properly used... kind of scary actually. I honestly don't feel that anyone should ever be in a position that they have to choose between their family and their job. There are a lot of morally compromising things people have to do in order to please their bosses and keep their jobs- this goes for men and women. I mean, even if I worked at Barnes and Noble I'd have to sell some pretty un Kosher material that I would really have a hard time doing. I also know so many women who want to stay at home and raise their kids- who cry daily to have to send their children to daycare and babysitters and they'd love to be able to be able to "submit to their husbands." :) Yes, I know this is totally not 21st Century- I know your mom's work is really important and she works with a lot of abused kids. There are great female drs, lawyers, whatever out there and to talk about the need for women to stay at home pretty much gets people hog tied/tarred and feather now a days... I'm just kind of talking about what I've seen in the Word of God and the real 50/50 partnership God has laid on my heart. :)
1st Peter talks about how a woman is truly DEPENDENT upon her husband a. 1 Pt. 3:1 "In like manner, you married women, be submissive to your own husbands (subordinate yourselves as being secondary to and DEPENDENT ON THEM, and adapt yourselves to them), so even if any do not obey the Word, they may be won over not by discussion but by the godly lives of their wives." (the Word here is in reference to believing in Christ, but NOT against the Ten Commandments. A woman who obeys her husband and the ten commandments could win him over. She still cannot do anything contrary to the Word of God, even if he asks her!) This verse here says that a woman who depends upon her unsaved husband can win him over. Why? Because the Lord has a NATURAL ORDER TO THINGS and if we walk in them THE HOLY SPIRIT CAN MOVE IN OUR LIVES!
I think that if a guy is truly seeking the Lord he'll want to be the bread winner in the family and he'll feel that sending his wife out for the major part of each and every day kind of weakens his position as a man and causes the framework for a godly marriage to crumble. We have a friend who has 3 kids and for awhile he was a stay at home dad because his wife makes more money than him. Now they both work but he is CONSTANTLY complaining about his marriage and they are contemplating divorce on and off all the time, but neither of them really want to get divorced.. :) He is really a man's man but can't get passed the money thing... they have a lot of it...lol However his wife has an "office husband"- have you heard this term before? She openly talks about her infatuation with this other guy and even had our friend take her to Kohl's to buy her an outfit because she was going to see said "office husband"....
But it happens with couples everyday who live these lives with giant separations between them and then they eventually hook up or fantasize about the people they actually spend time with throughout the day.
A wife cannot serve TWO MASTERS! She will either serve her boss at work, or she will obey her husband at home (because he loves her and is providing for her and has her BEST INTERESTS AT HEART, and is constantly seeking God to become the most wonderful husband on the face of the planet!) If a man, as a husband, is supposed to treat his wife like Christ treats the Church, and if she is supposed to obey him like the Church obeys Christ, then he has the responsibility to TAKE CARE OF HER, PROVIDE FOR HER AND HER EVERY NEED. THIS IS WHAT IT MEANS FOR A WIFE TO SUBMIT TO HER HUSBAND! She is not a servant, but someone who he makes a covenant with that if she trusts him, he will take care of her for the rest of her life, JUST LIKE CHRIST TAKES CARE OF HIS BODY!!!
Submission, though, isn't all whips and chains.. ha! It's very SIMPLE
. Submission comes from two Greek words:
Hupo= "under", and Tasso= "to arrange in an orderly manner" Men for centuries have jumped on this band wagon and said "Woman, da Bible tells ya that ya gotta do what I's says!" But NO, this is not how it is supposed to be!
***Husbands must be careful!*** - when they pull out the whole "submission" card (like I said, you may not have seen guys pull this card out, but it can totally be abused.. think Taliban... lol) :) Before a guy expects his wife to submit to him, He must be in submission to CHRIST! He needs to ask himself, am I in submisson to God?
a. James 4:7 "Submit yourselves to God, resist the devil, he will flee." Also, a guy has to follow Christ's example of total humility:
Phil 2:3-9 "Let NOTHING, STRIFE (fighting) or VAINGLORY (vanity, worldly praise) but in LOWLINESS OF MIND let each ESTEEM EACH OTHER AS BETTER THAN THEMSELVES!!! Don't look on your own things (needs) but every man look also on the interests of others. b. vs 5 "LET THIS MIND BE IN YOU THAT ALSO WAS IN CHRIST JESUS..."- vs 8 being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient (submitted) unto death, even the death on the cross. Wherefore God has highly exalted Him and given him a name which is above every name. "
Now we look at real, bonafide love- we see that Christ says over and over the a husband should love his wife as Christ loved the Church, but what does it really mean to love someone like Christ?
Love, Love, LOVE!!!!!!! WHAT IS LOVE, REALLY? I am SOOOO not talking about lust here :) but REAL, BONAFIDE, HARD CORE, LAY DOWN YOUR LIFE LOVE!!!! Love is the TOTAL ABANDONMENT OF SELF(LOVE)!! 1 Corinthians 13 is known at "The Love Chapter"
chapter 13:4 a. Love suffers looonnnngg (is extremely patient!) b. And is Kind! c. It does not envy! d. It does not BRAG ON ONESELF!! e. It is not Arrogant! f. Love does not behave itself Rudely!! g. Love does not Seek It's Own!!!! h. Is not easily Provoked!! i. Keeps no accounts of evil j. Does not rejoice in wrong doing or unjust acts, but rejoices in the Truth! (reality, sincerity, accuracy, integrity) k. Bears All things, believes All things, hopes All things, endures All things L. LOVE NEVER FAILS!!!!!!!!!!!
Pretty heavy stuff here... I wish most couples could go through some crash course on what real love is... and then make sure they don't turn around and point fingers and say "you need to love me.. ha... you're not being patient or kind..." lol :)
A man needs to know the Love of Christ- just how abundantly he loves us (So he can Love his wife the way Christ loves all of us!) 1. Eph 3:14-19 "For this reason (seeing the greatness of this plan by which you are built together in Christ) I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Of Whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named (The Father from Whom ALL FATHERHOOD takes it's title and derives it's name). That he would grant you, out the the rich treasury of His glory to be strengthened and reinforced with MIGHTY POWER in the inner man by the Holy Spirit (Himself indwelling your innermost being and personality) May Christ through your faith (actually) dwell (settle down, abide, make His PERMANENT home) in your hearts! May you be rooted DEEP IN LOVE and FOUNDED SECURELY IN LOVE! That you may have the power and be strong to comprehend and grasp with all the saints , what is the BREADTH AND LENGTH AND DEPTH AND HEIGHT. (That you might REALLY COME) to know the LOVE OF CHRIST which far surpasses mere knowledge (without experience); that you may be filled through ALL YOUR BEING) unto the FULLNESS OF GOD (may have the richest measure of the divine Presence, and become a body wholly filled and flooded with GOD HIMSELF!) (Amplified version here for emphasis:)
In the Gospels, Jesus is asked about the Ten Commandments but he responds that there Are ONLY TWO Commandments and the rest are summed up in them
1. Love the Lord your God with all Your heart, soul, and Mind 2. Love your neighbor as yourself
So, a husband, in having his wife submit to him can really only ask her to do these two things and they BOTH have to do with LOVE!! :)
John 15:10-17 If a guy is going to go the whole submit to me route, and have his wife "obey" him, he needs to know what it is she's supposed to be doing. It's not about just obeying him blindly, "Honey take out the trash, obey me." HA! Is that how Christ treats us? Is Christ a selfish, self-centered power hungry maniac who wants slaves? NO! He LOVES US! Now, read on and see what Christ demands of us- THIS is ALL a man should expect from his wife. If she does these things that Christ has laid out for us, and a man does these things, life will be very happy and joyful, (not to mention peaceful, for if they are both walking in love THERE WILL BE NO ARGUMENTS!!!!! :) vs10 " If you keep my commandments, you will abide in My love and live on in it, JUST AS I HAVE OBEYED MY FATHER'S COMMANDMENTS ," (See, his wife in him, him in Christ, Christ in God AND ALL ARE OBEYING GOD THE FATHER! He's GOT TO BE obeying Christ!!!!) "and live on in his LOVE. " (His wife should only be obeying him if he is obeying Christ, [she cannot disobey Christ just because he tells her to!] AND He SHOULD LOVE HER SO MUCH WHEN SHE IS OBEYING CHRIST!
vs 11 "I have told you these things, that My joy and delight may be in you, and that your joy and gladness MAY BE FULL MEASURE, COMPLETE AND OVERFLOWING. - A man should want to make his wife to be happy! Anything he asks her to do will NEVER be to benefit himself, but he will ONLY ASK HER TO DO THINGS THAT WILL LEAD TO HER HAPPINESS AND MAKE HER A COMPLETE PERSON, OVERFLOWING WITH EVERYTHING SHE NEEDS FOR A GREAT LIFE! (Just like Christ never asks us to do anything out of His selfish ambition. As a Christian husband, he's got to decide to never again have a self seeking bone in his body! Everything he does from his wedding day on is to please his wife and make sure she is happy and safe.) This is why it is sooo important for wives to give honor to and obey their husbands-- SO THEY DON'T TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE MAN WHO IS BASICALLY THEIR SLAVE IN A MANNER OF SPEAKING. :) The guy now is totally focused on his wife. She cannot order him around, but he is supposed to forsee her needs and be in ready to supply them AT ALL TIMES! Now a lot of guys aren't really able to do this because they are too immature to take care of a wife like Christ takes care of the Church, providing it's every need. A lot of people aren't really financially sound and to get married without counting the cost isn't really wise. Have you ever seen in movies where the dad is like "Now, I want to make sure you are able to provide for and take care of my daughter..." That is actually a very Godly thing of a father to make sure of.
vs 12 "This is my commandment THAT YOU LOVE ONE ANOTHER, as I have loved you. " (a wife should love others also, as her husband and Christ have loved her)
vs 13 "No one has greater love (no one has shown stronger affection) than to lay down (give up) his life for his friends." (He gives up everything for her. Especially the stupid immature things like video game... lol or anything that keeps a person's attention off of God and off of taking care of their wife. Guys aren't really supposed to have tons of "free time," it's ALL about their family and wife after he gets married.. not that he can't have fun and do his own thing, but he's always got his family's needs on his heart.
vs 14 "You are My FRIENDS if you keep doing the things which I command you to do, (LOVE)."
vs 15 "I do not call you SERVANTS, (slaves), any longer, for the servant does not know what his master is doing (working out) But I have called you MY FRIENDS, because I have made known to you EVERYTHING THAT I HAVE HEARD FROM MY FATHER. - So a girl is not a slave, she is not ignorant, and as Christ reveals everything to us and doesn't hide anything- husbands and wives shouldn't hide anything from each other. As Christ calls us friends- a true, godly couple really becomes buddies now, pals, comrades. They share EVERYTHING with each other. (If people did this, I tell ya there'd be a lot less fooling around going on- if a guy told his wife he was looking at other women, I'm sure she'll straighten THAT out in a hurry!)
vs 16 "You have not chosen Me, but I have chosen you and I have appointed you that you might go and bear fruit and that your fruit may be lasting, so that WHATEVER YOU ASK THE FATHER IN MY NAME HE MAY GIVE IT TO YOU." - -- BEAR FRUIT! I'm not going to go into this, but just as Christ wants us to bear fruit, a true, godly husband wants his wife TO HAVE BABIES, lol :) BEAR FRUIT!
vs 17 " This is what I command you, that you LOVE ONE ANOTHER!"
So, to sum it up- a husband, a man of God- his first priority is to his wife and children- to see to their total spiritual, mental, and emotional health and well being. It's not that a woman CAN'T do a man's job... but that she puts her trust in and relies on her husband AS HE PUTS HIS TRUST IN AND RELIES ON CHRIST. His role is to be that husband, (like Christ), to his wife (like the Bride of Christ).
That is all... :)
I also very much like this minister's teaching and found it quite refreshing. I read his this evening and it was very biblically sound.
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