Heard From Inside

Heard From Inside

1 Peter 2: In the same way you wives must submit yourselves to your husbands, so that if any of them do not believe God's word, your conduct will win them over to believe. It will not be necessary for you to say a word, ² because they will see how pure and reverent your conduct is. ³ You should not use outward aids to make yourselves beautiful, such as the way you fix your hair, or the jewelry you put on, or the dresses you wear. ⁴ Instead, your beauty should consist of your true inner self, the ageless beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of the greatest value in God's sight. ⁵ For the devout women of the past who placed their hope in God used to make themselves beautiful by submitting themselves to their husbands. ⁶ Sarah was like that; she obeyed Abraham and called him her master. You are now her daughters if you do good and are not afraid of anything.

 

============

 

Ugh! Another tough message.. Here goes from a male… Ogling at body parts, they guys discussed what they would like to do and who they would like to do it with. I was scared to join in, but wanted to “fit in.” So I did. After a while, I was like the other guys.

 

• I discussed looks before discussing heart.
• I talked about sex before talking about service.
• I made jokes about body and never considered the soul.

 

Peter provides instructions to wives and husbands. He begins with the wife, stating a foundation that would address insecurity, namely inner beauty. He used a term “submit” that is hard to grasp because of its misuse and abuse. But his plea was written to women leaders who are in charge and maintained self-control given by the spirit.

 

My Observations:

• Serving GOD from the heart shows.
• My heart needs to look for the heart that serves GOD.
• I should desire what GOD wants versus fulfilling the lust of the eyes.

 

Communication goes both ways. I mean when a message is sent, the message needs to be received and understood in order to have good communication. GOD’s heart can be heard loudly when that message is sent.

 

HE lives inside us and provides the means for us to deliver unselfish messages that further HIS kingdom that external beauty cannot. I am glad GOD sees the heart first and wants me to do the same.

 

Challenge

• Why does the writer make this plea?
• Has the world become more divided in different ways?
• What suggestion do you have for unity?
• Will you seek to love one another by looking at the inside of people as GOD sees him or her today?

Balanced

Balanced

Colossians 3: ¹⁸ Wives, submit yourselves to your husbands, for that is what you should do as Christians.

¹⁹ Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them.

²⁰ Children, it is your Christian duty to obey your parents always, for that is what pleases God.

²¹ Parents, do not irritate your children, or they will become discouraged.

============

 

Imperfect people with many life changes, needed a way to navigate ambiguity. With hurt happening all around, something needed to be said. But what could be the problem? Imbalance.

 

• Wives had complaints about husbands.
• Husbands had complaints about wives.
• Children had complaints about parents and parents complained about their children.

 

Paul addressed issues that continue to this day. Families had become imbalanced and looked for solutions. Unfortunately the solutions must not have worked so the complaints remained. He brings the ultimate solution to address imbalance.

 

My Observations

• Only GOD can bring families back into balance.
• With CHRIST as the foundation, imbalance can be cured.
• GOD wants me to look at my role through HIS eyes instead of mine.

 

Looking at CHRIST as the answer sounds easy, but can be difficult if things are out of balance. I mean, if CHRIST is used to wound people into doing a role that is expected by another person, regret, distrust and resentment can appear. The result is more imbalance. BUT GOD has this too.

 

HE has seen family after family after family try and make mistakes. HE knows the walking wounded need help and HE is willing to bring balance to a specific role. HE wants me to come into balance with HIM first so I can see my role through healed, not hurt lenses. I am grateful for my family and love the fact that GOD loves each person far more than I could ever imagine.

 

Challenge

• What words do you get stuck on from the writer?
• What words from the writer can throw things out of balance?
• Does looking at your own role hurt or bring excitement to you?
• Will you seek a balanced approach by understanding the love that CHRIST has shown can live in you today?

Human Nature

Human Nature

Philippians 2: ⁵ The attitude you should have is the one that Christ Jesus had:

 ⁶ He always had the nature of God,

    but he did not think that by force he should try to remain equal with God.
⁷ Instead of this, of his own free will he gave up all he had,
    and took the nature of a servant.
He became like a human being
    and appeared in human likeness.

 

============

 

Tying a towel around my neck, I adorned myself with a cape. Holding my hands out in front of me, I ran as if I was flying. For a moment, I was not me but a superhero. I could fight crime while remaining invincible!

 

• I pretended I was impervious to pain.
• I pretended to be the “good” guy.
• I pretended I was able to do anything I wanted because of my superhuman strength.

 

Paul describes a very strange attitude that is hard for humans to understand. JESUS took on the nature of a servant by becoming a human. HE, being GOD, gave up everything voluntarily to become a weak, needy human. HE did not become a high ranking official, rather a servant.

 

My Observations

• GOD wants me to see the example of JESUS as attitude adjuster.
• GOD wants me to fight what comes natural to me, namely sin.
• GOD wants me to give up all I have to HIM so HE can use it for HIS good.

 

JESUS gave up everything to save you and me. I mean, HE did not have to be born or grow up, or be chased, or insulted or murdered, but HE chose to be. HE became the lowest of the low, not only to save us, but to be an example of what the FATHER wants us to be.

 

Sin is our nature and the only cure is the nature of GOD. For a moment, I can pretend to be JESUS by becoming a servant. HE looked for people to serve rather than being served. HE delights when I seek to be like HIM. I am glad HE gives me opportunities to serve HIM by serving others.

 

Challenge

• What do you think GOD is?
• If you were all knowing, all seeing, and all powerful, would you give it up to become a servant to people you know would hate you enough to kill you?
• Will you see what JESUS has done for you, so you can praise HIM and seek HIS nature and bring many to HIM today?

Marriage Expectations

Marriage Expectations

Ephesians 5: ²¹ Submit yourselves to one another because of your reverence for Christ.

 

²² Wives, submit yourselves to your husbands as to the Lord. ²³ For a husband has authority over his wife just as Christ has authority over the church; and Christ is himself the Savior of the church, his body. ²⁴ And so wives must submit themselves completely to their husbands just as the church submits itself to Christ.

 

²⁵ Husbands, love your wives just as Christ loved the church and gave his life for it. ²⁶ He did this to dedicate the church to God by his word, after making it clean by washing it in water, ²⁷ in order to present the church to himself in all its beauty—pure and faultless, without spot or wrinkle or any other imperfection. ²⁸ Men ought to love their wives just as they love their own bodies. A man who loves his wife loves himself. (²⁹ None of us ever hate our own bodies. Instead, we feed them, and take care of them, just as Christ does the church; ³⁰ for we are members of his body.) ³¹ As the scripture says, “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and unite with his wife, and the two will become one.” ³² There is a deep secret truth revealed in this scripture, which I understand as applying to Christ and the church. ³³ But it also applies to you: every husband must love his wife as himself, and every wife must respect her husband.

 

============

 

Seeing my beautiful bride walk down the aisle brought tears to my eyes and a smile to my face. I was finally married to someone until death do us part. I never expected any arguments, disagreements or opposite opinions, but they happened.

 

• I wondered how I could fix things under “my” energy.
• I questioned “my” every move and action.
• I felt lost and needed direction.

 

Paul addressed an issue brought to him, namely marriage. Knowing that marriage had the curse of inequity mentioned in Genesis, he mentions the only cure for balance and that is JESUS.

 

My Observations

• JESUS wants me to love my wife as HE loved me.
• JESUS wants me to leave my parents and have my own family.
• JESUS wants me to dedicate my family to GOD by HIS word, making all clean and presented without a spot or wrinkle or any other imperfection.

 

Hatred cannot exist in GOD’s marriage. I mean, the yearning for self-protection must be reduced beneath that of loving like JESUS does. Unfortunately this is not easy. Different styles, experiences and choices makes unity sometimes seem evasive. BUT GOD has a remedy.

 

HE gave HIS only SON as an example of true submission. JESUS never got caught up in the world’s tactics and showed what pure love looks like. HE, being GOD, suffered insults, never owned anything and was murdered by HIS own creation. HE said “FATHER forgive them” out of love. I am grateful for my wife and the example JESUS shows us and pray for continued growth in HIS love.

 

Challenge

• What do you notice about this passage?
• How do you think GOD brings couples into balance and back into full equality?
• If married, will you seek JESUS ways as the solution to true balance, peace and love today?

Recognizing the Curse

Recognizing the Curse

1 Corinthians 11: ² I praise you because you always remember me and follow the teachings that I have handed on to you. ³ But I want you to understand that Christ is supreme over every man, the husband is supreme over his wife, and God is supreme over Christ. ⁴ So a man who prays or proclaims God's message in public worship with his head covered disgraces Christ. ⁵ And any woman who prays or proclaims God's message in public worship with nothing on her head disgraces her husband; there is no difference between her and a woman whose head has been shaved. 

 

============

 

Very confusing verse. I mean, I don’t have a story to associate with this because it is very unusual. Paul speaks about head coverings relating to men and “married” women.  He gives the hierarchy of CHRIST being over the man (or husband) and the husband being over the woman (or wife) and GOD being over CHRIST (or JESUS).

 

My head explodes trying to make sense out of this. The only thing I can figure is that before Genesis 3, man and woman were equal and shared the responsibilities. But an external source, Satan, came in and tempted the woman by tricking her into doing something she was told not to do.

 

After this, GOD cursed the relationship by putting a hierarchy in place. Who wants that? No one. But unfortunately it is there. Now, because of a curse, ill equipped men will need to seek CHRIST and lead a wife who was supposed to be equal.

 

How unfair is that?

 

• GOD wants me to know the curse can be fixed.
• GOD wants me to know the curse has been lifted.
• GOD wants me to recognize the curse and follow HIM as the only master.

 

Leading a wife just because I am a male is a curse. I mean, I have no qualities to follow. BUT JESUS does. HE wants me to point my wife to HIM versus thinking she is “my” servant. Fortunately, CHRIST brings us back into equilibrium. When she speaks, she can recognize the curse and speak about JESUS.

 

No challenge questions today, only a prayer that we all seek peace through CHRIST who is the answer.

GOD not me, send someone else!

Exodus 4: ¹⁰ Moses said to the Lord, “Pardon your servant, Lord. I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue.”

¹¹ The Lord said to him, “Who gave human beings their mouths? Who makes them deaf or mute? Who gives them sight or makes them blind? Is it not I, the Lord? ¹² Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say.”

¹³ But Moses said, “Pardon your servant, Lord. Please send someone else.”

¹⁴ Then the Lord’s anger burned against Moses and he said, “What about your brother, Aaron the Levite? I know he can speak well. He is already on his way to meet you, and he will be glad to see you. 

============

“Why doesn’t this church have a good choir?” was the thought that ran through my mind. Then another thought popped in my head, “why don’t they have a program that reaches out ‘this’ group of people?” Then another thought came to mind, “wow this building is old, they should fix it up.”

Then the pastor asked for volunteers to help with “something” but I wasn’t listening. I mean they are always begging for money or volunteers. I’m sure someone else will step up.

• Sometimes when there is a need I make excuses.
• Sometimes I can’t see people in need because I have my head down doing my thing.
• Sometimes I ignore the needy because it just seems like it would take so much work to help them and I don’t have the time, resources or energy to assist.

GOD speaks to me all the time; I just choose to not listen to HIM.  HE shows me people in need during what seems like the most inopportune times.  Whether tired or worn down or busy, it seems like something will pop up when I’m at my worst. “Can’t you send someone else?” I ask.

• GOD has a special purpose for me that only I can do.
• GOD has a plan for me that does not always include my plans.
• GOD wants me to see HIS plan as a benefit, not an inconvenience.

Quite honestly if it were my plan, I and everyone I know would be wealthy, retired and on constant vacation. BUT GOD wants something different. HE wants me to prepare the way for HIS SON’s return. This will be met with anguish, fights and challenges. I choose to accept HIS plan.

• Are you avoiding people in need because you are in need?
• Do you feel you have nothing left to give?
• Can you look to GOD and ask HIM what HE wants you to do?
• Won’t you reach out and help someone today?