Ephesians 5:22-33 “Wives,
submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is head of
the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of
the body. Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ, so let
the wives be to their own husbands in everything. Husbands, love your
wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for
her...so husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies; he
who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh,
but nourishes and cherishes it, just as the Lord does the church. For we
are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones. 'For this
reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his
wife, and the two shall become one flesh.' This is a great mystery, but I
speak concerning Christ and the church. Nevertheless let each one of
you in particular so love his own wife as himself, and let the wife see
that she respects her husband.”
There's been a lot said about the husband's role in the marriage.
This is only right; after all, he has an enormous responsibility placed
on his shoulders. He is called to love and lead his wife at the same
time – this balance is not always an easy thing! On the one hand, the
spiritual direction, physical security, and weighty decisions all fall
squarely on his shoulders. On the other hand, he isn't allowed to be
bitter or harsh toward his wife or treat her with misunderstanding. I
believe that this is the largest calling any man can step into during
his lifetime; it's the calling to represent Jesus' own love to his wife!
Having
said this, there has been surprisingly few writings or discussions
about the wife's side of marriage. There are far too many “real men do
this...” and “real men do that...” quotes flying around – and they're
usually written by women (or teenage girls) who are simply reiterating
what they wished men would be like. When was the last time you saw a
“real women...” quote? Have you ever seen
one? We've given all the blame for failed marriages and relationships
to the men involved, without realizing that the Bible's formula for
marriage goes beyond “husbands, love your wives.”
Wives
have a responsibility in their marriage too! To start with, let's look
at three Biblical responsibilities of every born-again wife.
#1 – Submission
Ephesians 5:22-24 “Wives,
submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is head of
the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of
the body. Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ, so let
the wives be to their own husbands in everything.”
This
is probably one of the most ridiculed passages in the Bible. Today's
society belittles this passage as chauvinistic, anti-woman, abusive and
backwards. But, as believers we know this passage was written by the
foremost Expert on marriage. God was the one who designed marriage, and
let's just pretend that He knows what's best for us!
Remember how the husband has the responsibility of modeling Jesus' love for His church?
In
the same way, the wife has the responsibility of modeling the church's
submission to Jesus! We should be submissive to Jesus in everything,
right? What if we don't agree with what He thinks is best for us? Should
we still submit to what He wants? Of course we do! We submit to Jesus
through trust – knowing that He loves us and wants what's best for us.
This is the way a wife should submit to her husband. Whether she agrees
or not – she should submit to him, trusting in his love for her.
#2 – Respect
Ephesians 5:33 “Nevertheless
let each one of you in particular so love his own wife as himself, and
let the wife see that she respects her husband.”
This verse is the ultimate summary of what every Christian marriage should look like.
Now,
we all agree on what is being said to the husband. Inevitably, every
failed marriage is blamed on the man's lack of love. While that may be
the case sometimes, let's not forget that the woman is called to respect
her husband in the same way that he is called to love her. In other words, a wife's respect for her husband should be unconditional, just like his love for her is to be unconditional.
Wife,
do you want to have your husband's love only when you deserve it? Would
you rather feel safe, knowing that he loves you no matter what – or
would you want to constantly wonder about how he feels about you?
Remember
this, your husband feels the same way about your respect toward him as
you feel about his love toward you! Your marriage wouldn't last long
without his love toward you, would it? Do you realize that there are
marriages in danger because of the lack of respect towards the husband –
probably as much as the lack of love towards the wife?
Women crave love – this is why the Bible tells husbands to love their wives.
Men crave respect – this is why the Bible tells wives to respect their husbands.
Men and women have been made differently. So is it really surprising that we look for different things from our marriages?
#3 – Phileo
Titus 2:4 “...that they admonish the younger women to love their husbands, to love their children,...”
If
women were created to give and seek after love, then why would God have
to remind them to love their husbands and children? The answer is found
in the Greek word that is used in this verse. This isn't the kind of
love that most would think of. It isn't the Greek word eros – or the romantic type of love. It isn't the word agapeo – or unconditional, God-kind of love. This word in Titus 2:4 is phileo – it simply means “friendly.”
In
this passage, God is reminding wives to be friendly towards their
husbands and children. Why would God have to remind them of this?
Because the pressures of life, the overwhelming emotions that they feel,
and the cares and concerns that weigh on the mind will sometimes
pressure them into being “unfriendly.” It isn't intentional – it isn't
due to the lack of love – it is simply because they're feeling
overwhelmed!
God
was – and still is – calling women to rise above what they feel, and
live in the proper relationships that He made them for! This is as much
of a challenge for them as the call to love is to a man – both of them
take work and neither comes naturally. But, for those couples who choose
to live God's way, the rewards are well worth the effort!
Showing posts with label respect. Show all posts
Showing posts with label respect. Show all posts
Monday, August 27, 2012
Wednesday, July 18, 2012
Obedience and Honor
Exodus 20:12 “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the Lord your God is giving you.”
Ephesians 6:1-3 “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. “Honor your father and mother,” which is the first commandment with promise: ‘that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth.’”
God is a parent/child kind of person. He is in complete support of the relationship between a child and their mother and father. After all, God is a Father and a Son! Remember? God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit - three-in-one? If He is Father and Son, and we are made in His image, what should that say about our own relationships with our parents?
The first thing you should realize is that the fifth commandment doesn’t even mention obedience. It says to honor your father and mother. God is most interested in your attitude towards them. Honor goes much further than mere obedience - it deals with our heart. Honoring your parents means to respect them, to have a high regard for them, and to highly value them. This is the attitude God wants His people to have toward their parents.
Ephesians 6:1 tells christian children to obey their parents in the Lord. This means that as long as their parents aren’t telling them to disobey God’s Word, they should obey. Obedience to parents is required for as long as a child is under their authority. When a child grows up and leaves the home, the command to obey is no longer binding on them. But notice this, the command to honor has no age limit!
Even grown-ups are commanded by God to honor their father and mother. This attitude of respect and esteem should continue from childhood into adult years. Even after one’s parents have passed on, their memory should be honored and respected.
How important is this attitude of honor to God? Extremely! Even though it is the fifth commandment, it is the first to have a promise attached to it. The promise is this: “that it may go well with you and you may live long on the earth.” This is a concrete promise from God; if you honor your father and your mother, you will have a long, good life! Count on this: if things aren’t going so well for you - the first thing you should examine is your attitude and respect for your parents!
Now, this gets a little delicate in some situations. What if parents aren’t deserving of honor? What if a parent was abusive, neglectful, or hurtful? What should we do when we’re commanded to give something that isn’t deserved? All too often, adults are still struggling with what their parents did or didn’t do for them as a child. Even after the parents are dead and gone, those wounds can still fester. Surely God doesn’t expect honor in these situations, right?
Wrong. It is true that God’s command to obey our parents has a condition attached (“in the Lord”). But His command to honor our parents has no conditions on it. He told us to honor them, whether they deserve it or not. But when you think about it, this unconditional honor isn’t anything new. After all, God loved us when we didn’t deserve it - right? Doesn’t He command us to love each other - unconditionally? Even His command for us to forgive others has no strings attached to it. We’re just told to do it! So why would it be surprising for God to command honor towards parents, whether it’s deserved or not? You see, God is far more interested in our obedience from the heart than He is about whether someone deserves your honor (or love, or forgiveness).
So how do we honor a parent that doesn’t deserve it? You honor them by releasing the pain they’ve caused. You honor them by giving them the respect of a parent. You honor them by forgiving them of the wrongs they have done. You honor them by letting go of any hurt they may have caused. And you honor them by praying for them.
Of course it’s not easy. Not a single one of the ten commandments are easy. If we could do it on our own, then we wouldn’t have needed salvation! But, through the amazing, empowering grace of God we can receive the strength we need to obey this command from the heart.
Ephesians 6:1-3 “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. “Honor your father and mother,” which is the first commandment with promise: ‘that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth.’”
God is a parent/child kind of person. He is in complete support of the relationship between a child and their mother and father. After all, God is a Father and a Son! Remember? God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit - three-in-one? If He is Father and Son, and we are made in His image, what should that say about our own relationships with our parents?
The first thing you should realize is that the fifth commandment doesn’t even mention obedience. It says to honor your father and mother. God is most interested in your attitude towards them. Honor goes much further than mere obedience - it deals with our heart. Honoring your parents means to respect them, to have a high regard for them, and to highly value them. This is the attitude God wants His people to have toward their parents.
Ephesians 6:1 tells christian children to obey their parents in the Lord. This means that as long as their parents aren’t telling them to disobey God’s Word, they should obey. Obedience to parents is required for as long as a child is under their authority. When a child grows up and leaves the home, the command to obey is no longer binding on them. But notice this, the command to honor has no age limit!
Even grown-ups are commanded by God to honor their father and mother. This attitude of respect and esteem should continue from childhood into adult years. Even after one’s parents have passed on, their memory should be honored and respected.
How important is this attitude of honor to God? Extremely! Even though it is the fifth commandment, it is the first to have a promise attached to it. The promise is this: “that it may go well with you and you may live long on the earth.” This is a concrete promise from God; if you honor your father and your mother, you will have a long, good life! Count on this: if things aren’t going so well for you - the first thing you should examine is your attitude and respect for your parents!
Now, this gets a little delicate in some situations. What if parents aren’t deserving of honor? What if a parent was abusive, neglectful, or hurtful? What should we do when we’re commanded to give something that isn’t deserved? All too often, adults are still struggling with what their parents did or didn’t do for them as a child. Even after the parents are dead and gone, those wounds can still fester. Surely God doesn’t expect honor in these situations, right?
Wrong. It is true that God’s command to obey our parents has a condition attached (“in the Lord”). But His command to honor our parents has no conditions on it. He told us to honor them, whether they deserve it or not. But when you think about it, this unconditional honor isn’t anything new. After all, God loved us when we didn’t deserve it - right? Doesn’t He command us to love each other - unconditionally? Even His command for us to forgive others has no strings attached to it. We’re just told to do it! So why would it be surprising for God to command honor towards parents, whether it’s deserved or not? You see, God is far more interested in our obedience from the heart than He is about whether someone deserves your honor (or love, or forgiveness).
So how do we honor a parent that doesn’t deserve it? You honor them by releasing the pain they’ve caused. You honor them by giving them the respect of a parent. You honor them by forgiving them of the wrongs they have done. You honor them by letting go of any hurt they may have caused. And you honor them by praying for them.
Of course it’s not easy. Not a single one of the ten commandments are easy. If we could do it on our own, then we wouldn’t have needed salvation! But, through the amazing, empowering grace of God we can receive the strength we need to obey this command from the heart.
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
Responsibility Of A Husband
Ephesians 5:22,25 “Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord... Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church...”
Many husbands know the verse 22 better than they know verse 25. They’re adamant about the respect and submission that their wives are always lacking. Unfortunately for them, verse 22 was only written to their wives, not to them. God never said, “Husbands, make sure your wife submits to you.” His command for submission and respect was to the wife, it has nothing to do with the husband! Guys, you’ll never have to answer for her lack of submission. You will have to answer for verse 25 though; how are you treating her?
Sure - she’s responsible for submitting to and respecting you. That’s God’s command to her as a wife. But that’s between God and her. It’s not your responsibility and it’s not what I’m writing about today.
You are called to love her, and there are no conditions attached to that! No matter how she acts, no matter what her attitude is like, whether you think she deserves it or not - your Lord and Savior commanded you to love her. That’s your responsibility, and it became your primary calling on the day of your wedding. You don’t get sick days, vacation time, or credible excuses. Your God commanded you to love her!
You’re called to love your wife in the same way that Jesus loves us.
Faithfully. Jesus is always faithful to us. He’s never left us, never failed us, and never cheated on us. His entire focus is on us. Romans 8:34 says that He ever-lives to pray for us. We are constantly on His mind! This is the way you’re called to love your wife. You must be so faithful to her, and focused on her, that there is no room in your heart or mind for anyone else.
Selflessly. Jesus’ love for us is selfless. When He came to this earth, He never once questioned His mission. He knew that He was going to the cross, but you never see Him say things like, “But what about me?” No, He gladly laid down His life out of love for us! John 15:13 says, “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.” This kind of love is sacrificial. It’s not only about dying for someone, it’s about laying down your life for theirs. This type of love is evident when you abandon your desires for the sake of your wife. When you yield your hobbies, ambitions, and your interests to make your wife happy - you start showing Jesus’ kind of love.
Progressively. Jesus’ love for us makes us better. He always seeks our improvement, without ever condemning us for our weaknesses. You see, Jesus always sees who we could be in the future without ever loving us less for who we are now. Too many husbands are critical of their wives’ weaknesses. This is wrong! True, our love and leadership should always be changing our wives. True, we may see things that our wives could improve on. But who are we to criticize? Don’t we have areas like that too? Aren’t you glad that Jesus doesn’t jump on us when we make mistakes the way some guys jump on their wives? We must help our wives grow while covering their weaknesses with love. You can be sure of this; if you love your wife unconditionally for who she is now, the growth (in both of your lives) will almost take care of itself.
Above all, your love for her must be unconditional. It should be an unchanging reflection of Jesus’ love for you.
Colossians 3:19 NLT “Husbands, love your wives and never treat them harshly.”
Many husbands know the verse 22 better than they know verse 25. They’re adamant about the respect and submission that their wives are always lacking. Unfortunately for them, verse 22 was only written to their wives, not to them. God never said, “Husbands, make sure your wife submits to you.” His command for submission and respect was to the wife, it has nothing to do with the husband! Guys, you’ll never have to answer for her lack of submission. You will have to answer for verse 25 though; how are you treating her?
Sure - she’s responsible for submitting to and respecting you. That’s God’s command to her as a wife. But that’s between God and her. It’s not your responsibility and it’s not what I’m writing about today.
You are called to love her, and there are no conditions attached to that! No matter how she acts, no matter what her attitude is like, whether you think she deserves it or not - your Lord and Savior commanded you to love her. That’s your responsibility, and it became your primary calling on the day of your wedding. You don’t get sick days, vacation time, or credible excuses. Your God commanded you to love her!
You’re called to love your wife in the same way that Jesus loves us.
Faithfully. Jesus is always faithful to us. He’s never left us, never failed us, and never cheated on us. His entire focus is on us. Romans 8:34 says that He ever-lives to pray for us. We are constantly on His mind! This is the way you’re called to love your wife. You must be so faithful to her, and focused on her, that there is no room in your heart or mind for anyone else.
Selflessly. Jesus’ love for us is selfless. When He came to this earth, He never once questioned His mission. He knew that He was going to the cross, but you never see Him say things like, “But what about me?” No, He gladly laid down His life out of love for us! John 15:13 says, “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.” This kind of love is sacrificial. It’s not only about dying for someone, it’s about laying down your life for theirs. This type of love is evident when you abandon your desires for the sake of your wife. When you yield your hobbies, ambitions, and your interests to make your wife happy - you start showing Jesus’ kind of love.
Progressively. Jesus’ love for us makes us better. He always seeks our improvement, without ever condemning us for our weaknesses. You see, Jesus always sees who we could be in the future without ever loving us less for who we are now. Too many husbands are critical of their wives’ weaknesses. This is wrong! True, our love and leadership should always be changing our wives. True, we may see things that our wives could improve on. But who are we to criticize? Don’t we have areas like that too? Aren’t you glad that Jesus doesn’t jump on us when we make mistakes the way some guys jump on their wives? We must help our wives grow while covering their weaknesses with love. You can be sure of this; if you love your wife unconditionally for who she is now, the growth (in both of your lives) will almost take care of itself.
Above all, your love for her must be unconditional. It should be an unchanging reflection of Jesus’ love for you.
Colossians 3:19 NLT “Husbands, love your wives and never treat them harshly.”
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
A Little Too Far
1 Corinthians 10:11 Now all these things happened to them as
examples, and they were written for our admonition
According to this verse, everything that
happened to the Israelites in the wilderness served as examples for us. We can
learn about our Christian walk by studying what they did in the desert. If that’s
the case, what do you think we can learn from Numbers 16?
I’ll abbreviate the story here, but
it might be good to read that chapter for yourself! When God made Aaron and his
family priests, He also assigned the Levite tribe as their helpers. Basically,
they were the helps ministry in the tabernacle. Everything that the priests
needed done, the Levites would to it for them.
In Numbers 16, a Levite named Korah
got a little too ambitious. He and his three friends gathered 250 leaders of Israel Israel
They were after the priesthood that
God gave Aaron.
Moses responded, “Tomorrow, God will
show who He set in that position!” Then he said, “Korah, isn’t it enough that
God chose you to serve in His house? Isn’t it enough that you’re responsible
for the care of the Tabernacle? And now you’re demanding the priesthood too?
Who is Aaron that you’re complaining against him? God put him there! You’re the
one who has gone too far!”
The next morning was the test. Moses told every
one of the 250 leaders to fill their pans of incense to burn before God –
something that God told the priests to do. They wanted the priesthood, so they were going to find out if God would accept their ministry. Aaron also filled his incense pan to burn before God.
Moses called everyone to come and see who God would choose, but Korah’s friends
refused to come. They even complained that Moses ordered them to come – accusing him
of trying to be their king!
It didn’t take long for God to make
His point. The ground opened up under Korah’s friends and swallowed them up! At
that very moment, fire erupted in the incense pans of Korah and the other
leaders, and burnt them to a crisp! Only Aaron was left standing there! God’s
decision was clear; Aaron was the man He chose.
So if this is an example for us,
what can we learn?
Korah and his following thought that
Moses and Aaron set themselves in their positions. They failed to see why Aaron
was the only person that got to be priest. Their complaint was, “Everyone here
has been set apart by God, what right do you have to take charge over us?” They
didn’t realize that God chose Moses and Aaron to stand between Him and them.
Sound familiar? This happens in
churches all over the country. People are unhappy with the man that God placed
in authority and with the decisions he makes. Sometimes they’re angry about
nothing more than the way he preaches! They rise up against him, claiming that
they have just as much right to run the church. In the words of Moses, they go too far! God’s response to them
is clear, even in the New Testament!
Ephesians 4:11 And He Himself gave some to
be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers. – Not everyone
is called to these positions! The responsibility of the ones called to be
leaders is found in 2 Timothy 4:2, “Preach
the Word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, encourage,
with all longsuffering and teaching.” They are responsible to teach us, to rebuke
us and to encourage us. Most church-goers are lost when you get to rebuke – but
correcting sin is part of a spiritual leader’s responsibility!
God will be the One to judge them
based on their responsibilities – that’s not our job! Our responsibility to
them is found in Hebrews 13:7 “Remember
your leaders who taught you the word of God. Think of all the good that has
come from their lives, and follow the
example of their faith.”
Again in 13:17, “Obey your spiritual leaders, and do what
they say.” That is our responsibility. It’s not our job to oversee them;
their job is to oversee us!
Theirs is the bigger responsibility by far, and God holds
them accountable to it! The rest of Hebrews 13:17 is, “for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account. Let
them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you.”
They are going to give an account to God for us. Wouldn’t you like that account
to be joyful? How would you feel if their account is only about the grief you
caused? That would definitely be “unprofitable for you!”
Monday, February 20, 2012
Covering Sin
Proverbs 10:12 Love covers all sins.
Pop quiz, how many kids did Noah have?
We all know the story of Noah. Somewhere between 1,500 and 2,000 years after the world was created, the human race had become very, very wicked. The Bible says in Genesis 6:5 that "everything they thought or imagined was totally evil." Then again in verse 11 that the whole earth was filled with violence. Can you imagine being Noah - the only righteous man on the planet?
Well, fast forward about a hundred years or so. Noah and his family had just gotten off the ark into a brand new world. Nothing here was the same. All of a sudden, all of humanity bottlenecks into one man and his family! So, it's easy to see that Noah might've have been a little overwhelmed for a while. Unfortunately, the way he handled that pressure wasn't very smart. He made some wine and got drunk. The New King James Bible says, "he became uncovered in his tent." That's a nice way of saying that this mighty man of faith was passed out naked. Can you believe that? How could Noah, a "preacher of righteousness", hero to our faith, ancestor of everyone on earth, do something so stupid?
While he was passed out drunk, naked in his tent, his son Ham walks by and sees him there. He was shocked that his father would do that! He was disgusted at how Noah was acting! But now Ham had a choice to make. Was he going to take care of his dad in this moment of weakness?
He didn't so much as close the tent! Instead, he literally told the whole world! He went to his two brothers, Japheth and Shem, and told them. "You are not going to believe what our dad is doing! That old man got himself so drunk that he can't stand up. Now he's in bed naked - how in the world did he end up naked?"
Japheth and Shem didn't listen very long. They loved their dad too much to let him stay like that! The went to his tent, put a blanket on their shoulders, and walked in backwards. They didn't want to look at what Noah was doing wrong! They covered his sin! If I had to guess, they never brought it up again.
Now think about this. In your mind, which was worse - to pass out naked and drunk, or to pass on the news that someone is passed out naked and drunk? The fact is, nothing more came out of Noah's little episode. He seemed to sober up and still remained the head of his family. Ham's gossip, though, brought a curse on his family line! The flip side is, Shem and Japheth's act of love (their covering of their dad's sin) brought a huge blessing on their families!
Remember this when you see your brother or sister do something stupid and crazy. In God's eyes, your repeating the matter to your friends is worse than the matter itself! God hates gossip! According to Proverbs 6:19 ("these things are an abomination to Him...one who sows discord among brethren") and 24:9 ("a scoffer is an abomination to men") - God feels the same way about gossip as you would feel about someone who is constantly laughing and making fun of you. He hates it!
If you want to walk in God's love. if you want to receive your Father's blessing like Shem and Japheth did, then you must guard your tongue from gossip. Even if what your saying is true, even if you really did see that person mess up - love will cover that up. No one else needs to know!
Pop quiz, how many kids did Noah have?
We all know the story of Noah. Somewhere between 1,500 and 2,000 years after the world was created, the human race had become very, very wicked. The Bible says in Genesis 6:5 that "everything they thought or imagined was totally evil." Then again in verse 11 that the whole earth was filled with violence. Can you imagine being Noah - the only righteous man on the planet?
Well, fast forward about a hundred years or so. Noah and his family had just gotten off the ark into a brand new world. Nothing here was the same. All of a sudden, all of humanity bottlenecks into one man and his family! So, it's easy to see that Noah might've have been a little overwhelmed for a while. Unfortunately, the way he handled that pressure wasn't very smart. He made some wine and got drunk. The New King James Bible says, "he became uncovered in his tent." That's a nice way of saying that this mighty man of faith was passed out naked. Can you believe that? How could Noah, a "preacher of righteousness", hero to our faith, ancestor of everyone on earth, do something so stupid?
While he was passed out drunk, naked in his tent, his son Ham walks by and sees him there. He was shocked that his father would do that! He was disgusted at how Noah was acting! But now Ham had a choice to make. Was he going to take care of his dad in this moment of weakness?
He didn't so much as close the tent! Instead, he literally told the whole world! He went to his two brothers, Japheth and Shem, and told them. "You are not going to believe what our dad is doing! That old man got himself so drunk that he can't stand up. Now he's in bed naked - how in the world did he end up naked?"
Japheth and Shem didn't listen very long. They loved their dad too much to let him stay like that! The went to his tent, put a blanket on their shoulders, and walked in backwards. They didn't want to look at what Noah was doing wrong! They covered his sin! If I had to guess, they never brought it up again.
Now think about this. In your mind, which was worse - to pass out naked and drunk, or to pass on the news that someone is passed out naked and drunk? The fact is, nothing more came out of Noah's little episode. He seemed to sober up and still remained the head of his family. Ham's gossip, though, brought a curse on his family line! The flip side is, Shem and Japheth's act of love (their covering of their dad's sin) brought a huge blessing on their families!
Remember this when you see your brother or sister do something stupid and crazy. In God's eyes, your repeating the matter to your friends is worse than the matter itself! God hates gossip! According to Proverbs 6:19 ("these things are an abomination to Him...one who sows discord among brethren") and 24:9 ("a scoffer is an abomination to men") - God feels the same way about gossip as you would feel about someone who is constantly laughing and making fun of you. He hates it!
If you want to walk in God's love. if you want to receive your Father's blessing like Shem and Japheth did, then you must guard your tongue from gossip. Even if what your saying is true, even if you really did see that person mess up - love will cover that up. No one else needs to know!
Sunday, February 19, 2012
Loving God's House
Genesis 28:16-17
Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I did not know it.” 17 And he was afraid and said, “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven!”
There's a growing problem in the Church of God today. It's an issue that strikes at our very heart. It's a problem that, if not solved, will destroy individual believers as well as local churches. That problem? Apathy.
We've lost our passion for God's house. We've forgotten what coming to church is all about. In a very true sense of the word, we've been asleep. Just like Jacob, we've wandered into Bethel ("the house of God") without realizing Who's here with us! Why else is it surprising to us when there's a "great service"? During those moments, we wake up like Jacob and say "God is surely in this place!" But too often we fall right back asleep again. It shows on our faces...we're bored. In God's house, the very gate of Heaven...we pay no attention!
The answer isn't more exciting church programs. It isn't attendance drives or more "relevant" messages. It's God's word, people...if a preacher just got up and read three chapters and sat down, it would be relevant! The answer is for us to realize where we're at!
"How awesome is this place!" That was Jacob's realization, and it needs to be ours too. This isn't just a building. I know that we've been taught that over and over, but we've been misled. Sure, you and I are the church of God - that's part of the truth. But the rest of that truth is found in 1 Timothy 3:15 "I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth" I know that we are the Church, but when you and I (the body of Christ) meet together - wherever we meet becomes the church of God - God's house on earth! Where we meet together with God is Bethel!
Now listen to what else Jacob says! "This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of Heaven!" Are you wanting more from God in your life? do you want to see God do more in your life? Do you feel like Heaven is closed up to you? I would examine your attitude toward your local church! Where you come to meet with God is the gate of Heaven in your life! Everything God wants in your life has to come through the gate of Heaven - the house of God!
Now...concerning your attitude toward your church. Are you fussing with your brothers and sisters? Are you eating your pastor (God's gatekeeper, if you will) for dinner on Sunday afternoon? Are you always half-awake, half-hearted, and a half-hour late? How would your friends feel if you showed up to their house like that all the time? How would your boss feel? Why do we reserve that kind of indignity for the gate of Heaven?
The bottom line is this, if you want what Heaven has - you have to treat its gateway with a little more respect.
There's a growing problem in the Church of God today. It's an issue that strikes at our very heart. It's a problem that, if not solved, will destroy individual believers as well as local churches. That problem? Apathy.
We've lost our passion for God's house. We've forgotten what coming to church is all about. In a very true sense of the word, we've been asleep. Just like Jacob, we've wandered into Bethel ("the house of God") without realizing Who's here with us! Why else is it surprising to us when there's a "great service"? During those moments, we wake up like Jacob and say "God is surely in this place!" But too often we fall right back asleep again. It shows on our faces...we're bored. In God's house, the very gate of Heaven...we pay no attention!
The answer isn't more exciting church programs. It isn't attendance drives or more "relevant" messages. It's God's word, people...if a preacher just got up and read three chapters and sat down, it would be relevant! The answer is for us to realize where we're at!
"How awesome is this place!" That was Jacob's realization, and it needs to be ours too. This isn't just a building. I know that we've been taught that over and over, but we've been misled. Sure, you and I are the church of God - that's part of the truth. But the rest of that truth is found in 1 Timothy 3:15 "I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth" I know that we are the Church, but when you and I (the body of Christ) meet together - wherever we meet becomes the church of God - God's house on earth! Where we meet together with God is Bethel!
Now listen to what else Jacob says! "This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of Heaven!" Are you wanting more from God in your life? do you want to see God do more in your life? Do you feel like Heaven is closed up to you? I would examine your attitude toward your local church! Where you come to meet with God is the gate of Heaven in your life! Everything God wants in your life has to come through the gate of Heaven - the house of God!
Now...concerning your attitude toward your church. Are you fussing with your brothers and sisters? Are you eating your pastor (God's gatekeeper, if you will) for dinner on Sunday afternoon? Are you always half-awake, half-hearted, and a half-hour late? How would your friends feel if you showed up to their house like that all the time? How would your boss feel? Why do we reserve that kind of indignity for the gate of Heaven?
The bottom line is this, if you want what Heaven has - you have to treat its gateway with a little more respect.
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