Submission to Husbands

I recently left a ministry that I had been a part of for almost three years. This ministry consisted of myself and three other women. From the outside, they seemed to be walking according to God's Word. They are very involved in the community, with a bread ministry, a detention center ministry, as well as a sidewalk bible teaching ministry.

No matter how wonderful a ministries works are, if they are teaching things that are contrary to the Word of God, it is not a ministry I care to be a part of. One of the reasons I left the ministry is because of their submission to husbands teachings. (There are many more, but I would be digressing from the intention of this post.)

God's Word says to be submissive. There is no post script, there are no amendments, there are no exceptions (unless your husband asks you to sin against God.) God says what He means and means what He says.

Paul wrote to Titus and told him that the aged women should teach, "the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands that the Word of God be not blasphemed." Titus 2:4-5

Colossians 3:18 says, "Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands as it is fit in the Lord." The word "fit" in the Greek is anēkō which means duty. Meaning, it is your duty in the Lord to submit to your husband.

Ephesians 5:33b "...and the wife see that she reverence her husband." The Greek word for reverence is phobeō which means to fear, be afraid or to reverence, venerate, to treat with deference or reverential obedience. It is the same word that is used in 1Peter 2:17, Revelation 14:7, Revelation 15:4, and Revelation 19:5 when the Word speaks of fearing God.

In fact, in Ephesians 5:22-23 it says, "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..."

Peter even writes to the wives of unbelieving husbands (or at least those who don't follow the Word) to be in submission to them so that the husbands can be won by the conduct of the wives. Husbands can be won through submission! 1Peter 3:1-4.

That is five different verses from four different books in the Word of God! Think it's important to Him?

Some will try (as this ministry did) to use Esther as an excuse to push aside this commandment of God. They say she defied her husband. Esther risked her life to save her people from genocide! The only reason she succeeded was because she found favor with her husband.

In fact Esther 2:15 says, "Esther obtained favor in the sight of all them that looked upon her." Verse 17, "And the king loved Esther above all women, and she obtained grace and favor in his sight."

When Mordecai told Esther of Haman's plot to kill the Jews she agreed to help by going to her husband. She didn't take matters into her own hands and have Haman arrested. Her husband dealt with the issue because of her appeal to him. Praise God that the king favored her and listened!

You see, if anyone came before the king without invitation, they were to be put to death, unless the king held out his golden scepter. (Esther 4:11) Esther knew this but approached the king's inner court in spite of this to save her people. Esther 5:2, she has entered the inner court and "she obtained favor in his sight: and the king held out to Esther the golden scepter." Remember Esther 2:17? She obtained favor because of who she was to her husband. (In fact, Vashti, the original queen was dethroned because she was not submissive to the king, her husband.)

It's no wonder divorce rates are so high, even among Christians! God's people have laid aside, even forcefully pushed aside, His Word because it is often hard to swallow or it doesn't seem to make sense. Romans 11:33-34, "O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out! For who hath known the mind of the Lord? Or who hath been His counselor?"

Acts 17:11, Paul was speaking to the Bereans and this was what was said of them - "These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they receive the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so."

We should all be noble. When we receive a teaching, whether at a bible study, internet article, or sermon at church, we should search the scriptures. If it doesn't line up with the Word of God, it is not of Him.

Marriage is sacred to God. So much so that He calls the Church His bride and He is the bridegroom. (Matthew 9:15 and Revelation 19:7)

I find it fascinating that when Jesus is talking about how He didn't come to bring peace but division, He never says, "husband against wife" or "wife against husband." (Luke 12:51-53)

My prayer for anyone who reads this is that any teaching you receive is brought to God's Word to be challenged because that is what God desires. It is the only sure way to keep from being deceived. God's Word is infallible, unchanging, and utterly amazing.

In fact, I encourage you to take everything I just said to the Word. Challenge it. I want to know if I am wrong, and I don't want to lead you astray either. We all should desire to follow God's Word who is Christ Jesus.

John 1:1 "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."

Revelation 19:13 "And He was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and His name is called The Word of God."

That is Who I follow.

I spent three years listening to false teaching. I wish I would have been a Berean! I now have to wade through every teaching I ever received to search the scripture to verify (or debunk) its validity. Don't make my same mistake. Open your bible. It's why God gave it to us. Lean on the Holy Spirit of God to guide you and open your understanding to what the scriptures mean. He is faithful. He will reveal it to you.

In Christ Jesus, Our Lord and Saviour, the Word of God,

Tami

Persecution

Living life as a Crucified Christian will bring persecution, there is no doubt about that. When you begin to shed the things of this world, it will look strange to those who are quite comfortable living here. In my experience, the most intense and persistent persecution comes from other believers and even family members. That shouldn't be surprising though looking back at the life of Christ. Who persecuted Him most? Religious leaders and those in His own house. Mark 6:4 "But Jesus, said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, but in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house."

Do not allow the enemy to discourage you. Look to the Word of God to encourage you!

Matthew 5:10-19

Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.

Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.

Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.

Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.

Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.

For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.

Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

In Christ Jesus,

Tami

The Truth About Christmas

Truth - Christ was not born on December 25th.

• "And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night." - Luke 2:8

Truth - Roman Catholic Church created the holiday in the 4th century.

• In the early years of Christianity, Easter was the main holiday; the birth of Jesus was not celebrated. In the fourth century, church officials decided to institute the birth of Jesus as a holiday. Unfortunately, the Bible does not mention date for his birth (a fact Puritans later pointed out in order to deny the legitimacy of the celebration). Although some evidence suggests that his birth may have occurred in the spring (why would shepherds be herding in the middle of winter?), Pope Julius I chose December 25. History Channel

Truth - Nowhere in the Word of God does Jesus command us to celebrate His birth only His death. Nowhere do the apostles command us to celebrate His birth only His death.

• "And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, Take this, and divide it among yourselves: For I say unto you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine, until the kingdom of God shall come. And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me." - Luke 22:17-19

• "For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, that the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread: And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, this cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come." - 1 Corinthians 11:23-26

Truth - The Roman Catholic Church used the pagan forms of worship of their gods to form the holiday.

• It is commonly believed that the church chose this date in an effort to adopt and absorb the traditions of the pagan Saturnalia festival. History Channel

• "When the LORD thy God shall cut off the nations from before thee, whither thou goest to possess them, and thou succeedest them, and dwellest in their land; Take heed to thyself that thou be not snared by following them, after that they be destroyed from before thee; and that thou enquire not after their gods, saying, How did these nations serve their gods? even so will I do likewise. Thou shalt not do so unto the LORD thy God: for every abomination to the LORD, which he hateth, have they done unto their gods; for even their sons and their daughters they have burnt in the fire to their gods. What thing soever I command you, observe to do it: thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it." - Deuteronomy 12:29-33

Truth - Pagans continue to worship their gods the same way they did before the birth of Christ.

• Wikipedia - Yule Origins

Truth - The holiday is a man made tradition.

• See above references

Truth - God hates man's traditions when they break His commandments.

• "For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do. And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition." - Mark 7:8-9

• "Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread.But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition?" - Matthew 15:2-3

• "But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men." - Matthew 15:9

• "Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ." - Colossians 2:8

"Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you." 2 Corinthians 6:17

In Him,

Tami