I am addressing us men specifically. I just had a revelation about how we are responsible for the state of relationships and the level of divorce in the church.
You who is reading this. What are you going to do?
I would ask you to stop what you are doing right now in persuing any relationship and become not just familiar but intimatly aquainted with all scripture pertaining Divorce and remarriage.
Stop what your doing and learn what Jesus says and why. learn what Paul writes and why.
We men need to turn this around and it starts here at the front line of the battle. The enemy has waged war against the family and who will stand with me?
For all intent and purposes; I did say it was from an amplified trans and maybe not perfect. There really is no need to attack me. I have a passion for understanding God, and it is THAT that I am guilty of, and as a result, have nothing to prove; to you..
Would like to know your thoughts on Deborah from the book of judges, the prophet? (mentioned her earlier�??) She was married. The bible says (in every trans I've read ) that God is the same today, yesterday and FOREVER And yet God used this woman, who was married to Barak (that was his name and I don't want to hear about it) to LEAD an army. Man has authority over HIS wife � not EVRER OTHER woman on the planet.
So, did God change his mind at some point.. Deborah certainly didn�t lead an army of MEN with sign language and no anointing?? If you study Paul (his writings) you will see a certain �flavor� from this man. You will see wisdom and you will see �how� he writes. He expressed his feelings on the subject as he did more than once in the NT. He said �I� do not permit, not God does not permit, not �it is Godly to�, not �God commands�. �I� do not permit; women to speak�
But I will not turn this into a bible study/ I will probably turn it into a play thought.. well, I'll see what God says about this one.. At any rate, I am not responsible for how you study the bible.
I am filled with the Holy Spirit (regardless of one�s judgement), chosen by God, more than a conqueror, whose dreams desires, hurts and wants are acknowledged by God and tallied to boot, made in the image of God for His Purpose. I was called, given gifts that I have no doubt He has used for His purpose. And with MUCH to Learn, my God takes delight in my worship and my telling him my deepest secrets and rest in Him.
He does not change but equips me for His glory, His purpose and He uses me in the way that HE has chosen, I�ll take that any day over backward or manly thinking.
Respectfully, let me try to answer some of your questions.
Deborah was a judge in a theocracy. The closest thing to that today would probably be the Ayatollah Khamenei in Iran. This is very different from the position of a local pastor. I am sure in that light, you can see the difference. Therefore, it's an apples to oranges comparison.
To do away with the idea that this was just Paul's opinion speaking as a man, please refer to 1 Cor 14: 34. " Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience, as also saith the law."
Women are not permitted to be in functions that carry direction, instruction, government, or authority. They are not permitted to teach or preach. Obviously, they can worship, sing, pray, etc. Speaking has to do with authority.It is not allowed by God for women to speak in any authoritative manner in the church.
So there is no misunderstanding, I am not judging Paul, or you for that matter Marvel, and so very glad that is not my �job�� I do know that God says everything should be done decently and in order. But a woman OF GOD speaking in church is neither indecent nor out of order, unless it is against the �wishes OF THE PASTOR and/even regardless of the fact that God has equipped her with gift to be utilized in that way, HE decides. So believe what you will, and I will continue to experience the awesomeness of our Farther, cause He is truly awesome :applause:
I understand. I respect that there's nothing I can do to change your mind, though prayer is a strong thing. One of my favorite teachers used to be Joyce Meyer. I'd watch her almost every day, until my heart was changed and it took some time for such an occurrence. I am not a perfect person, and I don't approach you as one. There's many things I've needed to be forgiven for. I'm sorry if my words before seemed harsh, as I stated before it was not my intention to rattle you.
One of the posters here offered this advice and I quote:
"At the end of the day, if man treated woman as man would like to be treated, the majority of marriages would be fine. Instead man treats woman how man wants to treat woman out of a disillusioned sense of superiority and sexism, and lo and behold women don't like that. Woman finds out man expects more than he is willing to give and she moves on... to the surprise of nobody.
You want your wife to obey you? Then obey your wife.
You want your wife to be sympathetic to your problems? Be sympathetic to hers.
You want your wife to be more energetic about your interests? Then be more energetic about her interests.
You want your wife to express her love for you more? Then express your love for her more.
It's rather simple really."
The next poster went on to praise this advice.
Wow- sounds good, doesn't it? However this neglects a few key things.
1. The understanding of authority is missing completely. A husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church. If Christ wants us to obey him, should he obey us? Ridiculous. If I want my children to obey me, should I obey them?
A husband is not to "obey his wife". They are not equals as it pertains to authority.
2. This "simple formula" will lead to false expectations, disillusionment, resentment, and ultimately failure. Many people here can testify to the fact that despite their loyalty, their spouse was disloyal, despite their taking an interest in football their spouse never took an interest in Lifetime movies, despite their love and affection for their spouse, their spouse never returned it in kind and so on. This just simply isn't how fallen human nature functions.
Love in a marriage should be a lot like our love to the Lord.
The Lord loves us but expects love and obedience to him.
However the Lord is perfect, the man is not perfect but should strive to be perfect and love his wife and his children. The bible says the husband is to love the wife as Christ loved the church and gave himself for her. If you loved someone enough to lay down your life for them, you would not harm them or ask anything of them that would hurt them.
I know what real love looks like because I've seen it. And we are to respect to the Lord and his directions for us, because he only has our best interests at heart. I trust in him.
The wife should trust in her husband, that he will take care of her and love her, but more importantly the man should be -trustworthy-. I've not known one trustworthy, gentle spirited man in the whole of my life. So I must struggle to see that in someone.
Most marriages fail because people are unequally yoked. Which is why we must seek the Lord's wisdom, and perhaps even his permission before choosing a spouse.
I appreciate your strength and your commitment to obeying God no matter how difficult it might be and what others might say.
For a young woman you have great strength and unwavering commitment to our God.
To bring us back to my original post. Speaking to all of us.
MsMarvel you hit it right on the nose.
Divorce in the church is because of our lack of commitment to obey Gods commandes.
I see no other command violated then fiorgiveness.
Forgiveness and reconcilliation go hand and hand. Their is NO excuse to great for us not to continue to forgive and seek to reconcile with our spouses.
This is what God has done with us even though we dont deserve it and what God requires from us with those who dont deserve it...Period.
How can we dismiss this basic principle of Gods word?
These are the top five requirements I have for my future husband.
1. Has to remove all bugs that freak me out, preferably not kill, but do what you must. (I just can't watch)
2. Open jars I can't open, mainly those large jars of dill pickles.
3. Willing to lie to me when I ask him "Do these corduroys make my butt look big? They fit me 6 months ago..."
4. Won't be cross with me when I tell my girlfriends about the most recent thing growing on his body that weirds me out.
5. Last but certainly not least, Loves the Lord with all his heart, then his momma, then hopefully...me.
Are you afraid of spiders, or do they just gross you out? Some men are afraid of mice, which I think is cute, because I happen to be less afraid of mice than spiders.
