Rightly Dividing the Word of Truth

Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. ~ II Timothy 2:15 KJV

Recently, I had the opportunity to share a few things I believe the Bible is trying to teach me about my walk with God and my home.  When I shared these thoughts, I had someone who felt that I wasn't seeing the Scripture the same way as she.  When she began to share with me her thoughts, I could see that she was taking a lot of scripture out of context.  As I began to share with her that I felt she was taking these scriptures out of context, she began to say that the Bible was written by certain authors that told their opinions of the time they lived and that while what MOST of what they wrote was inspired by God, the rest was inspired by their culture.

I beg to differ.  At that point, I didn't feel the need to debate with her.  The Bible is clear on many things, the infallibility of the Word being one of them. 

ALL scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.  ~ II Timothy 3:16-17 (emphasis mine)

The Bible doesn't say that some of the scripture was given by inspiration, or that most of the scripture is given by inspiration, but it say ALL!  So everything in the Word of God was given to these prophets and men of God by the Holy Spirit to be penned down for us today.  Why?  "That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works."

That means when Paul wrote "Wives submit yourselves unto your own husband" or when he wrote "But 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. " ~I Corinthians 11:3  That GOD inspired him to pen those words.  That those words came straight from the Holy Spirit and Paul obeyed God and wrote them down.  The reason was not because the ladies in those days were rebellious (even though many of them may have been) but because God's will for the home was for the man to be the head and for the wife to follow her husband and allow GOD to correct him if he failed. 

You see, the feminist society today has crept into our churches and made women believe that because we are joint heirs with Christ (as far as WHO we are in Christ if we are saved) that we no longer have to submit, be subjection to, and obey our husbands in every thing as the church is to be subjection in every thing.  This is wrong thinking.  The Bible speaks about the role of the wife and the head of the wife in many verse in the New Testament!  The New Covenant! 

So my point is this, before you take scripture out of context because you don't like what it is saying, take time to pray and ask God how you may need to change.  Study other scripture and compare scripture with scripture.  Don't take one verse from one chapter about something totally different and say it negates the role of the home.

Study the Word of God and search out what it means!  Don't just go by your feelings, because they will lead you wrong.  The Word of God is clear and it will change us if we let it.!

Desire the sincere milk of the Word.....

        As Christians, when we get to the point where everything someone does or says offends us, we become less effective in the work of Christ. Our goal as Christians is not to find what wrong with everyone and everything and fix it.

        It is to shine the light of Christ, share the truth of God's Word, and let God do the work in their hearts and lives. We don't need to get wrapped up in the drama of the world, but keep our eyes on Jesus and be a witness. When we allow ourselves to get offended so easily, it shows our need for more spiritual growth.

       I Peter 2:1-3 says, Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings, ² As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: ³ If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.

Let's break these verses down a little and try to understand them a little more.

laying aside - to put away, cast off, lay apart

Malice - ill-will, desire to injure, wickedness, evil, naughtiness, trouble

guile - craft, deceit, trick, wile, entice, entrap

hypocrisies - acting under a feigned (insincere) part, condemnation, dissimulation (concealment of one's thoughts, feelings, or character; it's a form of deception in which one conceals the truth, telling half truths)

envies - envy, jealousy

evil speakings - backbiting, defamation (the communication of a false statement that harms the reputation of an individual person)

So verse one is telling us that as Christians these things should not be in our lives.  We should lay them aside, cast them off.  We shouldn't be wishing ill-will on someone, enticing them to do evil, being deceitful whether totally or telling half truths.  We shouldn't be envious or jealous and backbite or gossip about others.  These are things that are not Christ-like and we are told to be like Christ. 

Now verse two:

As new born babes desire (intensely crave, earnestly desire, greatly long for) the sincere (unmixed, unadulterated, pure, guileless, undeceitful) milk (truth of God's Word) of the Word that ye may grow (grow up, increase, become greater)  thereby.

The Bible tells us that in order to grow, we MUST lay aside those things that hinder us, and desire God's truth for our lives. 

No one likes to see or hear the truth about themselves, not even myself.  However, how many of us who are parents have to sit down and have a heart to heart with our children every now and then?  Sure we do!  God is having a heart to heart with us in those verses.  He's saying, "Listen children, you need to grow up!  The only way it's going to happen is to lay aside these things that hinder you and allow me to work through my Word."

Are you ready for the new year?  Are you ready to allow God to change your heart through His Word?  Will you let Him?

The Wife of the Evangelist

          Yesterday, I had the privilege to visit the Billy Graham Library in Charlotte, NC.  It was a very nice place and inspirational to me.  I've heard a lot over the years about Billy Graham, some good and some bad.  Regardless, he has preached the Gospel for a very long time.  The witness that he had all over the walls of the tour tell the story of Jesus Christ and that Salvation is ONLY through Jesus Christ.  Regardless of whatever else people do not like about him, he has preached the Gospel message. 
        One thing that I noticed that got me a little emotional, was the tribute to his dear wife, Ruth, who passed away several years ago.  I began to think about my husband, our ministry, the hardships we have endured, and the privilege of being the wife of a preacher. 
         I think many times those of us who are called to be preacher's wives, yes it is a calling, know the sacrifice it takes to be in that role.  Not everyone has the same calling.  Some are pastors, some evangelists, some church planters, some missionaries, but all wives of these men are important to their ministry.  The wife of a minister should never have the attitude that "That is HIS ministry, not mine.  God didn't call ME to preach, he called my husband.  The church doesn't pay ME, it pays my husband.  I'm not required to be active because it's HIS ministry."  If you married him, and called him, then he has called you, plain and simple.
         Recently, I've noticed preacher's wives are becoming less and less active in their husband's ministry.  I see evangelist's wives staying home or not coming with them, when they have no real reason other than they just do not want to come.  This bothers me deeply.  Satan wants to destroy our families.  He will start with Christ's church,  the bride of Christ!  This starts with the ministers that God has ordained and set apart for the ministry!  Let me encourage all of you young and old evangelist and preacher's wives.  Take part in their ministry!  Be active and be supportive!  If you can't go because you are unable to travel with them, then pray at home and get excited when they do about the work God is doing through them!  Stop being jealous of God's work!
       Ruth Graham did not go to every place her husband ever preached.  She couldn't, she had children to raise and a home to keep.  However, I'm sure when she could she was there.  It is so vitally important to a preacher's ministry that his wife support him.   That means when she is able to be in a service where he is preaching, she goes.  She probably got to see very little of her husband when her children were little.  She could not go out of the country or probably out of the state very much!  But I'm sure she prayed!  She may have even fasted!  She supported him and when he did come home she loved him as if he had been there the whole time!  But I'm sure when there was an event in the area where she could go, she went.
        My life as a preacher's wife has not been easy.  I have been an evangelist's wife and a pastor's wife.  However,  my heart is to support my husband however I can.  There are only a few places that I have not gone with him when he has preached.  I feel it's important to support him and if I'm the only one saying amen, then I say it! 
         My prayer is that God will help me to be the wife that my husband needs.  That I will be supportive of his ministry and that I will never hinder him.  That was my prayer when we married and that is still my prayer now.  If you are the wife of a minister that should be your prayer as well.

Should a Wife Be the Spiritual Head of the Home? Part 2

     One of the blogs that I follow recently create a podcast that spoke about the very topic about which I had just written a few days ago.  Should a wife be the spiritual head/ leader of the home?  I found this podcast the perfect timing.  The Lord knew I needed the confirmation.  I pray it blesses and confirms to you what it did to me. It's from Jolene Ingle's blog and it's called What to Do When a  Husband is Not Spiritually Leading the Home.  Please listen to it with a open and humble heart.

http://joleneengle.com/husband-isnt-spiritually-leading-home-podcast-44/

JJ

Dwell With Them According To Knowledge

"Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered." I Peter 3:7
"Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing. Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;" Ephesians 5:22-25

God knew that husbands would need a lot of knowledge to live with their wives. He also knew that the women would need shelter, protection, love and cherishing. Yes, ladies we are the weaker vessel and we need our husbands.

 They need respect and honor from us. They do not need to be raised or trained. They are not little boys and we are not their mothers. They need us to love them and respect them. If we respect and reverence them (as we are commanded in the Bible) and they love and honor us (as they are commanded in the Bible) then our marriages will be much happier.

Our submission and respect should not be based on whether or not they loved us like we thought they should. Our submission and respect should be based on a Biblical command just as their love for us should. The Bible doesn't say "Wives submit yourselves unto your own husband as long as he treats you with respect." No, it says "Wives submit yourselves unto your own husband as unto the Lord." Eph. 5:22

 If you have a husband, stop and take a look at yourself and what YOU can do to make the marriage happier, not what he can do. My husband as always loved me, even when I was very unloveable and stubborn. I'm thankful that God and my husband are patient with me because it's an everyday learning experience with many failures along the way. However, I know that if I do what I am supposed to do, with God's help, and God will help my husband to do what he is to do without my training him, our marriage will continue to be a happier one, and maybe even more happier as we go along! Just my thoughts for the evening.

JJ

Should a Wife Be the Spiritual Head of the Home?

       A conviction about an issue and a Biblical commandment are two different things. I may have a conviction about wearing pants, which is my own, but the Bible is clear on modesty regardless if you wear pants or dresses

     When reading what the Bible says, it is important to make sure that I am applying the Bible correctly to my life and not putting off what someone else says as their conviction. The Bible is clear on the role of the husband and wife. The husband is the head.

     Ephesians 5:22-23..., "Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body." The Bible does not separate between spiritual and physical head. The Bible clearly states that the husband is the head of the wife. 

 Why? 

      The husband 's job is to love his wife, protect her, be a covering for her. That's what God intended with a husband. Why do you think men throughout the ages have been the tougher ones, defending their ladies honor? It's in them to do this!

         Just to clarify, I am not saying that a wife does not need her own personal relationship with Christ.  She must be led by God everyday.  However, a true spiritual Christian woman is going to allow God to lead her not only in spiritual matter but in the home and in her marriage.  By allowing her husband to be the spiritual leader, she is obeying God.

     There are times when a husband does not take the role he is supposed to as the spiritual head of the home. Christ is his head, and he will deal with that husband accordingly. It is not our place to rule our husbands. 

      I Timothy 2:12 is clear on this. "But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence." Does that mean we don't have an opinion? No, absolutely not. But ladies we must use tact, even which at times I lack, with our husbands. 

      Either way, the Bible is clear that the husband is the head of the home and there is no separation of spiritual or physical. 

      If your husband is not taking the role of head as you think he should, talk to God about it. You see, if Christ is his head, then he will convict him about such matters. Keep doing what you know to do to be spiritually fit, having devotions, being faithful to church, loving your husband (like it talks about in Titus 2:4-5), praying for him and your family. God will work on him and you will be blessed for it.

      I pray that you will allow the Lord to lead you to a life of a submissive, loving, cherished marriage.  This can only happen when we follow God's design for the home.

JJ

Christmas and it's meaning

I recently posted in a public forum why we do not teach our children to believe in Santa Claus.  I quickly got some response defending why they teach their children about Santa.  Tradition was even brought into it, to which I say we are not supposed to be bothered with tradition.

Did I believe in Santa growing up?  Yes, I grew up believing in Santa and I didn't grow up mad that my parents lied to me all those years.

However, we have chosen not to teach our children that Santa is real.  Over the years we have taught them to be courteous to those that teach their children this to avoid offence. 

People can get REALLY touchy when it comes to Santa.  One year one of my boys blurted out that there wasn't any Santa, he was five at the time, and a family member said that was his opinion and he needed to keep it to himself.  I was a little upset with them that they put so much stock in Santa that my child was left not to voice what he believed because she was afraid her daughter would stop believing the fantasy. 

Honestly, you do in your home what you wish, however I have just one problem with the whole Santa thing.  It's not real!

I had a lady one time tell me that she taught her kids about Santa to teach them about Faith.  I was mortified!  So you teach your children that there is a real Santa, when there isn't, to teach them to believe in a real God, which there is?  How does that work?  I imagine there have been children that have stopped believing in God because they found out that their parents had lied to them all these years about Santa.  Maybe not that many, but the point is, why lie to your children to teach them about faith?  How is that teaching them faith?  Faith in a lie? 

Many atheist believe that Christians believe in a lie.  That our faith is in a fantasy.  We know that's not true, but teaching our children faith through Santa is not the best way to teach faith.  If you want to teach your children faith, then teach them to pray and believe God for the things that they need.  Help them to understand that even though we may not get everything we want that God will supply our needs and does still heal the sick.

My children have learned what true faith is.  How is that?  We have taught them to trust the Lord to supply needs and He has.  We have taught them to trust the Lord for healing, and He has brought it.  They have seen God do some mighty works.  We didn't need to teach them about Santa to teach them about faith.

A couple other things about Santa that are interesting. 

He sees you when you're sleeping
He knows when you're awake
He knows if you've been bad or good

Um, we teach our children that God is omnipresent and all knowing.  If we teach our children that Santa is all of the above, then it looks like we are teaching them that Santa is right up there with God.

How about the fact that Santa can be all over the world in one night?
Or that they send him letters to tell him what they want?

Something about that bothers me.  The Bible says to make our request known to God.  Not Santa.  We are treating Santa like a god if we teach our children these things!  I mean if you really look at what we say Santa can do, we tell our children that God does the same things. 

The Bible is clear that there are to be no other gods before God.  I realize that is in the Old Testament and all of us under grace are no longer under the law, but tell me does it make it right?

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

If there is only one God, then why teach our children that Santa can do everything God can do?  Let teach them about God and that the blessings they get at Christmas come from Him!

What about St Nicholas? Saint Nicholas was a man that gave to the poor and needy, not to spoiled kids who asked him for toys and games they really didn't need anyway.  If you really want to teach your children about Saint Nicholas, goes ahead but teach them to give to others.  Find a way to give to others at Christmas and then tell them that the gifts they receive are not from some ficticious man that comes down a chimney to lavish them with their every wish. Tell them that God has blessed the family with the opportunity to get everyone a gift and that those gifts come from the Lord and their parents. 

Have my kids missed out on anything?  No.  They are actually grateful that we didn't teach them that Santa was real.  They have always believed that every gift they received was from God and that He had blessed their parents with the opportunity to give. 

I do not condemn you if you teach your children about Santa.  However, I do feel that if more parents would really look at the facts and similarities between Santa and God, they would stop teaching this and start teaching where our gifts truly come from.  It's all about Christ!

So with this I say have a Merry CHRISTmas!  Keep Christ in Christmas!  Don't let satan keep our children from knowing and truly understanding the real meaning of Christmas, Christ's birth.  The ultimate Christmas gift from God.