The Fall is not our Model for Marriage

The husband is the protector and leader of the family but he is not a master over them. The wife and husband are one half of one another; they work together, each one in their roles, as you said.

Neither one should be micromanaging one another's roles but they should complement, support, and correct one another as equally.

The man does not tell the woman how to do her homemaking job but supports her decisions in it with occasional suggestions for the man's perspective. And, the woman should do the same for the man.

Here is the problem: people are teaching the church that because of the fall the man will dominate her as she tries to dominate him because of this fallen state. However, that is a condition of the fall, not how husband and wife should act in a Christian relationship. Unsaved people want to dominate one another; born-again people should act differently from the fallen state.

A Christian marriage should not be operating as though still in the fall of man. Because of Christ, we look to Him for our model of marriage, not the fall and not the culture.

Genuine Help God's Way

It is true of adults who are given everything by the government that they tend to be less grateful.

Many people who are entitled on welfare are angry when they are not given something and ungrateful for what they were given.

2 Thessalonians 3:10 "For even when we were with you, we used to give you this order: if anyone is not willing to work, then he is not to eat, either."

God's way is the best! When we must discipline ourselves to get up and do what we need to do, even if it is uncomfortable, we tend to appreciate the job we did and the reward of the accomplishment.

Those who are given everything without working for it tend to be bitter, lazy, and unproductive. Of course, not every single person who is supported by the government is this way, but most!

The government is like a bad parent often; they give out things without vetting the people wisely, creating a welfare state that produces multigenerational laziness and entitlement.

Normally, I don't like to speak about politics on my page, but this is not just politics; this is about God's principle of working hard to earn what we have, using it wisely, and sharing when we can.

Entitled people who are supported by the government do not tend to be generous people. Their focus is entirely on their own needs and sponging off of others to obtain them.

I know this sounds harsh to some, but my concern for others leads me to want my brothers and sisters in Christ to experience the blessing of hard work and accomplishment.

Ephesians 4:28 "28 Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need."

We glorify God when we do things His way.
1 Corinthians 10:31 "31 So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God."

What so many believers miss is that we benefit from doing things God's way. God gave us His commands and principles to benefit us while at the same time glorifying Him.

Giving indiscriminately without assessing what a true need is does not take into account what literal help looks like. Sometimes giving this way is for self-gratification and can be ruinous to others. Withholding help for another person teaches that God's way would benefit them much more.

There is a saying, "Give a man a fish and feed him for a day, teach him to fish and feed him for a lifetime."

There is great pleasure and a sense of fulfillment in doing a job well and receiving the reward. When we give with only ourselves in mind to feel good, we rob the receiver of the greater achievement and even growth in maturity.

May believers remain faithful to God's principles and be a genuine help to those who are genuinely in need.

Acts 20:35 "In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”

Sin Matters Even More Since Christ Had to Die to Pay its Penalty

It makes no sense at all to think that sin, which required the death of the Savior to pay the debt, makes it all right to do what Christ died for; it is lunacy.

Romans 6:1 "1What then shall we say? Shall we continue in sin so that grace may increase? 2Certainly not! How can we who died to sin live in it any longer?"

Seek Christ not Men

A missionary couple who were retired once told me many years ago, when I was a young new believer, that we should compromise the principles of God for the sake of unity in the church.

I was young and far less educated in the Word than I am now and yet I was still shocked. I knew that didn't make sense because God told me to obey from the beginning. How could I disobey God to please another person? It was unthinkable, even then as a baby believer.

I was once told by a believer that someone was not a liar just because they told one lie. I knew that couldn't be right because someone who was not a liar could never tell even one lie.

I've been told by Christians that we should just forgive the unrepentant, even though God does not do that and even instructs us to wait for repentance before forgiving. It is a model of how He operates with mankind. I was told I would not be forgiven by God if I did not forgive the unrepentant and that I would become bitter. But none of this made sense when I read the Bible and the following verses. God said to bless those who curse me; this is not forgiveness. Repentance and forgiveness is to reconcile a broken relationship, both are needed. When someone is not sorry, there can be no reconciliation.

Luke 17:3-4 "3 Watch yourselves. If your brother sins, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. 4 Even if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times returns to say, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive him."

We are to bless those who curse us so we do not become like them; this is not forgiveness. The purpose here is to ensure we protect ourselves from being influenced to act as the unrepentant person acts.

Peter 3:9-14 "9 not returning evil for evil or insult for insult, but giving a blessing instead; for you were called for the very purpose that you would inherit a blessing."
“The one who desires life, to love and see good days,
Must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit.
11 He must turn away from evil and do good;
He must seek peace and pursue it.
12 For the eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous,
And His ears attend to their prayer,
But the face of the Lord is against evildoers.”
13 And who is there to harm you if you prove zealous for what is good? 14 But even if you should suffer for the sake of righteousness, you [b]are blessed. And do not fear their intimidation, and do not be in dread,"

Romans 12:17-21 "Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Carefully consider what is right in the eyes of everybody. If it is possible on your part, live at peace with everyone. Do not avenge yourselves, beloved, but leave room for God’s wrath. For it is written: “Vengeance is Mine; I will repay, says the Lord.”

Matthew 5:39-42 "But I tell you not to resist an evil person. If someone slaps you on your right cheek, turn to him the other also; if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well; and if someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles."

It has been suggested that in this passage, "give him the other cheek also" means turn and walk away. This would not be a command to let him hit you again; it is a command to turn and leave, without comment.

As the years went by, I was told many things that were unbiblical, and yet scripture was used out of context and without understanding to justify the opposite of God's meaning.

Bible study women's groups are encouraged to think about what they want to believe superficially about a passage, rather than delving into its true meaning.

There is a saying that sounds good but has been misleading: "If the plain sense makes sense, then do not seek any other sense." I disagree with this because when we read the Bible through the lens of the Western mindset, we will get many things wrong.

We must pray that the Holy Spirit show us the truth so that we do not operate from false presumptions based on our own culture. Sadly, psychology has permeated many ideas in the intellect of the modern Christian. Some of what psychology has observed is correct, but how they interpret it will be wrong, and often what to do about it will be erroneous.

If you asked a person in our day what "church" means, they are most likely going to point to a building with a paid pastor overseeing things. This is not at all what God commanded in His Word. We were never told to build temples or pay one man to be over all the other men in the group.

The mindset of the modern Christian is that the man in the elevated pulpit is the man with the knowledge, and that we could not measure up to that. The practice of elevating that man with all the pews facing forward in a worshipful stance sends the message that everyone else is to sit, listen, and believe whatever he says. He has become the mediator between those in the pews and the man on the pedastal.

I have been told by Christians that I couldn't know something from the Bible because I didn't have a degree from a seminary. This tells us it is not the Holy Spirit believers are seeking, but rather educated men from colleges with accreditations, as though these places have a special in with God that we could not have.

John 16:13-14 "13 However, when the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all truth. For He will not speak on His own, but He will speak what He hears, and He will declare to you what is to come. 14 He will glorify Me by taking from what is Mine and disclosing it to you.…"

What has happened in the church gatherings is that man is elevated above Jesus Christ. The people trust the man to tell them the truth, but do not seek the Holy Spirit for truth.

When we seek men first, we are making the man our mediator instead of Christ.

1 Timothy 2:5 " 5 For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,"

Who is your mediator, God or man?

The Highest and Most Fulfilling Role of the Woman

Women's lib has been deceived into thinking they must be just like men to be worthy of respect. Since they have lowered themselves by rejecting what and who they are, they have created a world less respectful of them than they were when they were following their God given role as keepers of the home.

There was a quote from William Ross Wallace that says, "The hand that rocks the cradle rules a nation."

Women had far more influence in the culture than they realized when they nurtured and protected children, as well as took charge of and managed the home front.

Women were the stabilizing force behind the family structure. The foundation of the emotional and spiritual power and energy in the family unit.

Those who relegated women to a position of silence in the home debilitated the family. They silenced an integral part of the functioning of the marriage and steadiness of the family.

Yes, men were given the roles of the wage earner and those who fought the wars. When they came home from those demanding and exhausting activities, they were met with the stable environment of safety provided by the woman.

In our day, women are the wage earners and the combat fighters, leaving their homes defenseless as they attempt to act like men, while abandoning the greatest calling of all, which is to shape the hearts of the young ones who will one day be the influencers of the next generation.

Satan was very clever, using the same ploy he did in the garden with Eve. He convinced her that her calling was not enough and that she was missing out on something greater for herself.

Satan has always used "self" as the motive for people to desert their most important calling to chase after something that enticed but in the long run was ruinous, not only to themselves but also for their families and for the nation as a whole.

If you wish to read God's way for the powerful and productive life of the woman, read Proverbs 31. It is the story of a woman who is greatly fulfilled, busy, and productive in her very important role.

Edify One Another Through the Holy Spirit

If you are in a church gathering in which the people are not edifying you and will not allow you to edify them, it is time to leave.

God said the purpose of meeting together is for us to edify one another, equipping one another in the Lord, to go from that place living more fully for the Lord than you did before.

God never placed one man in charge of edifying a group. He commanded that we all edify one another with the truth allowing the Holy Spirit to be the One Who directs everything.

Hebrews 3:13 "But exhort one another daily, as long as it is called today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness."

Ephesians 4:29 "Let no unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building up the one in need and bringing grace to those who listen."

Romans 14:19 "So then, let us pursue what leads to peace and to mutual edification."

Colossians 3:16 "Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God."

Hebrews 10:24-25 "And let us consider how to spur one another on to love and good deeds. Let us not neglect meeting together, as some have made a habit, but let us encourage one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching."

May each one depend on the Lord Jesus Christ, not on others, and may that dependence help one another to more fully rely on our Savior.

Changing God's Word is to Corrupt it!!!!

"Corruptio opotimi pessima" The corruption of the best is the worst. Think about this in terms of God's Word and how we use it!