Weak Men – Strong Women

For any of you out there who know me, you know that I have a tendency to be a “strong woman”. As a Strong Woman I run into many challenges “submitting” to the BIBLICAL authority of my husband. I could NOT do this without the continual work of the Holy Spirit in my life. It is not easy and the bible itself foretells of this issue.

Your desire [shall be] for your husband, And he shall rule over you.” Genesis 3:16.

This and many other bible verses like this are continually perverted and misused to forward the non biblical agendas of Feminists encouraging you to rebel against men and by some evangelicals who read this as a license for men to RULE OVER their wives. Neither is correct. If God had meant men to RULE OVER their wives then He would not have warned men to live in understanding with their wives.

Husbands, likewise, dwell with [them] with understanding, giving honor to the wife, as to the weaker vessel, and as [being] heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers may not be hindered.
1 Peter 3:7.

The Lord intends the marriage to be a picture of the relationship between Christ and His Bride…the Church… No where in scripture do we see any example or read any teaching that indicates the husband (Christ) is allowed to rule over or in any way abuse his wife… Likewise we see many examples of the bride submitting to her husband (Christ)

When Greg and I were married Dr. Newkirk, the Pastor went over the marriage vows with us in preparation. He said I was to say, Love, honor and respect. I said I WANTED to say love, honor and obey. The pastor said no that respect was what the Bible said:
Nevertheless let each one of you in particular so love his own wife as himself, and let the wife [see] that she respects [her] husband. Ephesians 5:33. I wanted to say obey as I knew Greg would never ask me to do anything sinful… Needless to say when I repeated my vows I said love, honor and respect… I told you I could be a Strong Woman… how many brides argue with the pastor over the vows?

Thank you Dr. Newkirk for “speaking the truth in love to a young strong willed woman.

Ladies may you read this article and remember you DO NOT have to give up your strength to be a woman of submission…. But likewise you must encourage your husband to lead. As I said to a friend once; if we ask something of our husband (empty the trash) and he does not and then we come behind him and complete the task. What has he learned?

He has learned that you will do it for him. STOP! Don’t complete the task, gently remind him. If you always fill the void of his leadership, he will never have a leadership role to step into. You dear sisters are blocking the WAY!!!

Originally Posted on 20 February 2009 CBMW Blog
by: Wayne Grudem

The number one all-time marriage counseling issue that I have dealt with is passive husbands and non-complementing wives. It is so far ahead of number two in counseling issues that I’m not sure what number two would be.

All marriages are suspect and should be dealing with this issue at some level of their marriage. For the singles looking to get married they need to know there will be complementing struggles no matter who they marry.

It takes a lot of work for a man to lead and a woman to follow. The reason for this is because they both have core sin issues that they have to deal with. The man and woman’s issues are different and polarizing. Unfortunately when two people marry the pushing against each other is pretty common.

Lucia and I have dealt with this throughout our marriage and fortunately God has given much grace to motivate both of us to model the truths taught in the Bible. Daily we have to remind ourselves of our roles as the leader and complementor of our home. At times it is more of a struggle than at other times and the struggle has nothing to do with a lack of love for each other.

I think my wife is incredibly hot! And I’m aware that I “married up.” No doubt I got the best deal from our covenant relationship. Furthermore, I’m convinced that when rewards are given out in heaven she will receive far more than me. I could go into great detail to prove my point here, but won’t. It is true.

In short, we really like each other. We are best friends. The issues aren’t so much about love. Our issues are that my desires toward passivity and her desires toward leading are “native” within us.

For Men Only A Heart Cry From Women to Their Pastors…

I would like to start this blog off by saying I have been personally blessed with some tremendous “Pastors” in the past 10 years. My blog today is addressed to those churches who have a “Preacher” and not a “Pastor”.

During a recent conversation with some friends and relatives, one of them shared that thier Mother had been a faithful member of her church for decades. During this time she had served as God had called and been a prayer warrior and true Titus 2 woman. A few years earlier her church had called a new “Preacher”. He was a powerful Preacher, Gifted Teacher and Wonderful leader… but he lacked the heart of a Pastor. He found himself feeling akward when it came time to call on a member of the church who had been hospitalized. When couples needed marriage counseling he sent them to a secular counselor and if any in the church were in need of admonishing… well who was he to judge? As a result this Godly woman was not ministered to in her final hours by her Pastor.

In his book entitled “Brothers We Are Not Professionals”; John Piper starts Chapter One with these words: ” We Pastors are being killed by the profesionalizing of the pastoral ministry. The mentality of the professional is not the mentality of the prophet. It is not the mentality of the slave of Christ. The more professional we long to be the, the more spiritual death we will leave in our wake. For there is no professional childlikeness (Matt. 18:3); there is no professional tenderheartedness (Eph 4:32); there is no panting after God (Ps 42:1)

Men, there are many in the Christian World who use this as a reason to ordain woman as Pastors. The argument made that women are more caring, more tender hearted, and more compassionate.

Pray let it not be so….

Would you say that you just aren’t the warm and fuzzy kind? Would you say that is what deacons are for? Or are these all excuses. Are you willingly abdicating your role. If you were called ,God will equip, if you are a little rough around the edges God will soften you.

Please gentlemen…

I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at [fn] His appearing and His kingdom: Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching.

These words of Pauls are mentioned in almost every ordination of a Pastor and are consider the “job desription” of the Pastor… but take to heart all that is said… convince (counsel and talk with), rebuke (talk to them and show them their error, speaking the truth in love) exhort, with all longsuffering and teeaching.

It is with great humilty I cry out to my brothers in Christ who have been called by God to Shepherd the flock…. please brothers open your hearts and become a Pastor. Don’t let any feelings of inadequacy or pride get in the way of the glorious vocation to which you were called.

I close with some words from James Meikle on the nature, importance , duties and qualifications of the pastor.

Seek not great things for yourself. Seek not great fame, great applause, great comforts, or a great income. But seek great things for Christ. Seek for him great glory, many converts, and much fruits of righteousness.
Consider the preciousness of souls, the value of salvation, the weight of the sacred charge, the terrors of the Almighty, the solemn day of judgment, and your own utter inability. Then shall you have no vain confidence, but depend on God alone.

Please all men so long as you are consistent with the truth—but do not wound the truth to please any. Let your flock be continually on your mind. And not only pray with them in public, and from house to house—but carry them to your closet, and pray for them in private.
Do not neglect to visit them at all proper times, but especially embrace those golden opportunities—sickness and affliction.
Have sympathetic feelings with the sufferings of all your flock.

Thank you for your time and I welcome your comments

Prayer Requests

“My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is
made perfect in your weakness.” 2 Corinthians 12:9

Have you lost a job, losing a house, can’t pay bills, are you concerned about your next meal? For those unnamed brothers and sisters who are suffering financial set backs and worse.

You who are tried in worldly circumstances,
who have to endure the hard lot of poverty
—”My grace is sufficient for you.”

For our loved ones in “the world” and those who are fighting spitirual warfare hour by hour.

You who are tempted, day by day, to say
or do that which conscience testifies against
—”My grace is sufficient for you.”

Is a loved one unfaitful? Have you been unfaitful? Are your children disobedient? Do you have older loved ones you care for? Dear ones no matter what the affliction or trouble in your family.

You who are harassed with family troubles
and afflictions, and are often drawn aside into
peevishness and fretfulness—”My grace is
sufficient for you.”

For all our friends and loved ones suffering physically…
For: Tim, David, Jo, Roxanne, Karisa, Sully, Audrey, Lindy, Elizabeth and so many who remain unamed here but are known to the Lord.

For all our loved ones who are still in need of Your Grace and Redemption Lord…

Believer, your case is never beyond the reach
of the words—”My grace is sufficient for you!”

The free, the matchless, sovereign grace of God,
is sufficient for all His people—in whatever state,
or stage, or trouble, or difficulty they may be in!

“My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is
made perfect in your weakness.” 2 Corinthians 12:9

Heavenly Father we boldly approach the Throne of Grace to declare our praises for you Oh Lord. To confess the multitude of sin that lay within our hearts and to intercede on behalf of all in need.

Asking in the name above all names. Jesus Christ. Amen

We confess with shame

Are you satisfied with your prayer life? Do you ever get to the end of the day and realize you have missed multiple opportunities to intercede before the throne of grace on behalf of friends and loved ones? If you are with me and can be counted amongst those who have not prayed as you should. I encourage you to seek His face and His grace today!

Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Hebrews 4:16

O Eternal God, who alone has immortality, ever living in glory, unchanged, unchangeable, bend down Your ear to hear. We confess with shame–past hours wasted in unprofitable reading and other worldly entertainments. If future days are ours–guide us that no more time be squandered in vain pursuits.

Impress on our minds . . .
the shortness of time,
the work to be done,
the account to be rendered,
the nearness of eternity,
the misery of lamps expired, when the voice of the Bridegroom is heard.

May we never forget that . . .
Your eye always sees us;
Your ear always hears us;
Your recording hand commits all to a book of remembrance;
all hidden works must be unveiled at the judgment day!

Above all things–may we seek Your favor!

Above all things–may we dread Your frown!

May Christ be the pulse of our hearts.

May He speak in every word of our lips.

May He shine in every step of our earthly walk.

Grant our requests, for His dear sake. Amen.
(Henry Law, “Family Prayers”)

It’s Cancer….

As God would have it, this was posted to Jaye Martins blog on the same day I posted my message about The Body…. A picture of the beauty of The Body as it should be…Reflecting Christ.

So we’re not giving up. How could we! Even on the outside it often looks like things are falling apart on us, on the inside, where God is making new life, not a day goes by without His unfolding grace.” 2 Corinthians 4:16-17

The Message Paraphrase

“It’s Cancer”…I will never forget the day that I heard these words shared with me from my doctor during the summer of 1994. My husband had just been transferred to East Texas and he was already working out there during the week and coming home on weekends until we could get moved. We lived in Plano, Texas at the time, and I was not feeling like myself so I went to get a check-up before we entered the moving process of packing boxes and all that goes into relocating to a new city. Our house in Plano sold in just a few days on the market and we were down to our last couple of weeks before we were to move.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=aB9t2p6ii6k&feature=related

Our wonderful church family in Plano, Texas (Meadows Baptist Church) had a very very special “send-off” prayer service for our family that included a time at the alter when our pastor and church family prayed for us as we were about to be “sent” by The Lord as “missionaries” to East Texas. (They also presented us with a portrait of “The Lord is Our Shepherd” that to this day hangs over our fireplace.-that God uses to remind us that He is always taking care of us, His Sheep!) During that special church service prayer time at the alter I vividly remember hearing someone whisper a prayer into my ear that God would lead the church to us that He wanted us to serve in in East Texas instead of us having to search for a church (they knew that was a concern we had, finding the exact church that The Lord had for us for the next season of our lives), our home was already sold and we only had a few days to finish packing and move out so that the new owners could move in…BUT, the very next day, Monday, of the week that we were to pack up the moving trucks and move, my doctor called me with the results of the tests that he had run when I went to see him for that check-up…(a call that I didn’t expect as I thought that I was just run-down from the upcoming preparation for our move). When my doctor shared with me that I had cancer and that I needed emergency surgery right away, God’s Peace and Provision unfolded through the Power of Prayer like I have never experienced before!! Here is a time-line listing of the “unfolding grace of God” that I experience through our church family (praying friends) sharing their gifts of service in action!!!

Praying friends took over all of my daily responsibilities (cooking, cleaning, etc.)
Praying friends took care of our 3 small children as I went into the hospital
Praying friends sat with me, prayed with me, read to me, encouraged me
Praying friends mobilized and actually packed everything up, loaded the moving truck, came to our new home in East Texas, contacted a new praying friend in East Texas to meet her at my new home without ever even meeting her before, unloaded the moving truck, unpacked all of our boxes, set-up our new home, set-up our children’s rooms that even included lots of decorating so that they could have their toys to play with right away (brings tears to my eyes as I share these precious memories with you), they did everything they could do., through God’s loving gifts of service & grace to minister to our every need, it was overwhelming!! You see, I was in the hospital while all of this was taking place-I did not even know that God was doing all of this through my church family!
Praying friends came with me to East Texas when I was strong enough to travel and stayed with me, cared for our family & God raised up a new church family to take over where they had left off…what Glory God received!!!
So many more details I could share, but for the Grace of God here I am today as a testimony of His unfolding grace shared through His People!! Cancer or any crisis is a strategic opportunity to share your giftedness given by God with others! The person you may be sharing your acts of service with may already be a believer, but it is important to remember that there are people around watching and seeing the Body of Christ mobilized by His Gifted Love!! You may be the only “bible” someone else sees lived out through actions!! Matthew 22:37-39
I share this testimony with you today for a very special prayer request that I have permission to share with you all… I ask you to pray for one of my praying friends here in our dear church home in East Texas (Macedonia Baptist Church), Roxanne. Roxanne has just heard the words that I have entitled today’s Blog…”It’s Cancer”… thank you for praying for my praying friend, Roxanne, as the Lord ministers to her through surgery, chemo & radiation beginning next week!

As my friend Roxanne begins to experience the indescribable love, peace, and unfolding grace of God, I sent her the picture of the biggest flower that I have in my praying friends flower garden as we begin to pray & mobilize, as The Lord leads, ministry to unfold upon her & her families life…this flower garden is a small reminder to me of God’s unfolding Grace & Care from many praying friends that God blessed my life with!! When something significant happens in my life, I add a flower or plant to this garden as a reminder of how Faithful God Is because He Makes All Things New Just Like A Flower In A Prayer Garden as we Bloom Where He Has Planted Us!

Isaiah 58:11 “The Lord will guide you always; He will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail.”!!

Posted by Tracy Jones @ www.jayemartin.blogspot.com

Read The Word

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Forsaking Assembling

Have you ever known someone who said,” I don’t need to go to church to love God?” Chances are we all know someone like this. So what is our answer to this declaration? Below are some scriptures and comments to be considered.

And let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another as the day draws near. Hebrews 10:24-25.

Remember… church is not a building. How different things  would be if we learned to call the building the meetinghouse and the congregation/parishioners …the Body.

By understanding ” the body”

Ephesians 4:16 …from whom the whole body being fitted and held together, by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the Body for the building up of itself in love.”

 How can a body exist without it’s heart, how can it walk without it’s legs. By seeing the people as a body as Paul has shown us here, we can more fully grasp the “need” to gather together as the Author of Hebrews tells us….
If not gathered together how can the body stand?

Ponder for a moment how your head would remain on your body if it were not for the neck. How then do we as Christians get through life without our “body of Christ”?

Where would we find peace?
Where would we find assistance in our time of need?
Where would we have a friend who loved us enought to say we were doing something wrong?
Where would we find others to rejoice with us when a child is born?

Church is The Body….. Please do not forsake your brothers and sisters. God has so many blessings in store for you and the vehicle He will use is The Body His Church..

Heart Corruptions

Do not boast against the branches. But if you do boast, [remember that] you do not support the root, but the root supports you. Romans 11:8

O God, may Thy Spirit speak in me that I may speak to thee. I have no merit, let the merit of Jesus stand for me. I am undeserving, but I look to Thy tender mercy. I am full of infirmities, wants, sin; Thou art full of grace.

I confess my sin, my frequent sin, my wilful sin; all my powers of body and soul are defiled: a fountain of pollution is deep within my nature. There are chambers of foul images within my being; I have gone from one odious room to another, walked in a no-man’s-land of dangerous imaginations, pried into the secrets of my fallen nature.

I am utterly ashamed that I am what I am in myself; I have no green shoot in me nor fruit, but thorns and thistles; I am a fading leaf that the wind drives away; I live bare and barren as a winter tree, unprofitable, fit to be hewn down and burnt. Lord, dost Thou have mercy on me?

Thou hast struck a heavy blow at my pride, at the false god of self, and I lie in pieces before Thee. But Thou hast given me another master and lord, Thy Son, Jesus, and now my heart is turned towards holiness, my life speeds as an arrow from a bow towards complete obedience to Thee. Help me in all my doings to put down sin and to humble pride. Save me from the love of the world and the pride of life, from everything that is natural to fallen man, and let Christ’s nature be seen in me day by day. Grant me grace to bear Thy will without repining, and delight to be not only chiselled, squared, or fashioned, but separated from the old rock where I have been embedded so long, and lifted from the quarry to the upper air, where I may be built in Christ for ever.

Tears Have a Voice

“The Lord has heard the voice of my weeping.”
Psalm 6:8
“Tears have a voice. God has an eye as well upon
a man’s tears—as upon his prayers. Penitent tears
are divine ambassadors, which never return from
the throne of grace without answers of grace. Peter
said nothing, but went out and wept bitterly—and
obtained mercy. Tears are a kind of silent prayers,
which will at last prevail for mercy.”
And the second time the cock crowed, and Peter called to
mind the word that Jesus said unto him,
Before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice.
And when he thought thereon, he wept. Mark 14:72“I have heard your prayer; I have seen your tears.”
Isaiah 38:5“A sinner’s face never shines so beautiful, as
when it is bedewed with penitential tears.”

(Thomas Brooks, “The Crown and Glory of Christianity,
or, HOLINESS, the Only Way to Happiness”, 1662)

What is the nature of your weeping? Do you weep because things have not turned out as you wanted? Do you weep because perchance you were caught at something you should not have done? OR do you weep because you can see the blackness of your heart and as a result shed tears of sincerest repentance?

Whatever the nature of your tears, be assured God hears the tears of His children. However; God will never bring peace to one who stands outside His will.

Adopted….

For all of you out there that are adopted, have adopted or have work with crisis pregnancy centers please view this and pass it on…

Blessed [be] the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly [places] in Christ,just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love,having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will,to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved. Ephesians 1: 3-5

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