That Thing or Person Begins to RULE Our Lives. - Part 2

In reference to what we discussed yesterday......"Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you."(NIV)  The Hebrew offers us a clearer understanding of the "R" word so misused.  Literally, this translation states that because of the turning of your heart to your husband (and, by implication, away from God) for validation, completion, and affirmation, your desire for your man to fill a position he was never designed for shall rule over you.  This is the case with anything or anyone that we rely on other than God for our sense of self.  That thing or person then begins to rule our lives.

This was Eve's dilemma.  I will reiterate that this is not just a married woman's issue.  It affects single women, too.  Remember, this was a universal curse.  It included all women.  Look at how women today are ruled by the desire to get a man, have a man, and keep a man.  How many waking moments are spent laboring over this issue with friends or alone?  How many women have settled for unhappy relationships merely because they've come to the sad conclusion tht to have some man is better than no man at all?  The words of the prophet are being played out in modern-day scenarios the world over.

"In that day seven women will take hold of one man and say, "We will eat our own food and proved our own clothes; only let us be called by your name.  Take away our disgrace!'"  (Isaiah 4:1 NIV).

It is interesting to note that it was not until after the fall that Adam named Eve.  Before she was created Adam had named all living things in the garden, yet Eve seemingly remained unnamed.  Why?  Because God had named her a helpmeet, yet He allowed Adam to call her woman --an accurate description of her being part of man.  a name is the definition of who you are.  God is very fussy about names.  We see throughout Scripture His participation in nameing babies according to His purpose for their lives.  Now, after the fall, it was man who gave woman her definition, according to her heart's desire, by re-naming her Eve, which means "mother of all living things."  Today women still crave to be "named" by man.  Now hear this:  You don't have to wait for a man to define who you are.  God has already given you a name.

"No longer will they call you Deserted, or name your land Desolate.  But you will be called Hephzibah (my delight is in her), and your land Beulah (married).... as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride, so will your God rejoice over you"  (Isaiah 62:4,5 NIV).

Because of God, a woman is a complete woman whether she has a man or not.  The lord is a husband to the husbandless.  And that's some husband to have!  He's One who owns everything you could ever dream of or hoep for.  We're talking about having teh wealthiest husband in the world!  "For your Maker is your Husband --the Lord Almighty is his name-- the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer" (Isaiah 54:5).

When we lose ourselves as women

and begin forcing ourselves to develop

muscles we're not designed to have, our

internal and relational system suffers.

 The Power of Being a Woman by Michelle Mckinney Hammond

That Thing or Person Begins to RULE Our Lives. - John 3:16

The Bible very clearly states that God selected the judges.  "And when the Lord raised them up judges, then the Lord was with the judge, and delivered them out of the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge..." (Judges 2:18). 

 Deborah is listed in Judges 4:4 as first a prophetess --her spiritual calling before birth, then as the wife of Lappidoth --her natural calling as a woman, and finally as judge of Israel. This was a woman who was seasoned from years of being a godly wife. As God observed her behavior toward her husband, He knew that He could trust her as judge over Israel. I doubt very seriously that if Deborah had a reputation as a rebellious wife who ran her husband, the people would not have respected her the way which they did. No one likes to see a henpecked man. God knew he could not put a woman like that in power. Its a simple lesson but a deep one....The more we yield, the more we are released to be elevated!

There is no way around God's order of authority.  It is for our own protection.  Within the confidence of submission we are released for profound influence and leadership.  Every time we rebel, we become a servant to what we try to rise against.  This is what happened in the garden.  

It is time to take an honest look at what being out of order costs us as women.  It costs us the covering and protection of confident men.  It costs us the security of our homes and the soundness of our children.  Lets look at the original curse following the fall.

"Unto the woman he said I will greatly multiply the sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.  And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it:  cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; in the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken..." (Genesis 3:16-19 KIV)

In other words, what was supposed to be easy will now be difficult.  The thing that gives you the most joy will also give you the most pain.  I always like to dig a little deeper, so as i look at these passages, I see more than the usual summation that women would experience pain during the delivery process.  I see this as a perpetual state of difficulty beyond the initial birth of a child.  The Bible makes several references throughout to women weeping over, or being in a state of sorrow over, their children.  


"Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you."(NIV)  The Hebrew offers us a clearer understanding of the "R" word so misused.  Literally, this translation states that because of the turning of your heart to your husband (and, by implication, away from God) for validation, completion, and affirmation, your desire for your man to fill a position he was never designed for shall rule over you.  This is the case with anything or anyone that we rely on other than God for our sense of self.  That thing or person then begins to rule our lives.  

The Power of Being a Woman by Michelle Mckinney Hammond

Where Is Your Focus?

Too often we lose sight of the fact that it is not our abilities that give us the ability to prosper and succeed -- but it is God who blesses, God who empowers.  In Genesis Chapter 1, we see where God created the heavens and the earth.  But notice verse 2, "And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep.  And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of he waters. "

Notice what it says:  The Spirit of God moves in darkness.  The Spirit of God moves in empty wastelands.  The Spirit of God moves when there is a void.  Do you have an area in your life right now that is void, without form and dark?  Is there an area that is not in alignment or matching up with what God has said in His Word?

So if we are speaking -- expecting to see results -- without moving, then we cannot expect to see the fulfillment of promises.  Simply put:  You cannot claim the promise of God while violating the principle of God.

A great example is the life of Hannah, the mother of the prophet Samuel (1 Samuel 1).  Hannah was the wife of Elkanah, and to her shame and bitter disappointment, she had not been able to conceive.  She deeply desired a child, and her own limitations became her focus.  Elkanah's other wife, who was seeing God's promise fulfilled with the gift of many children, frequently provoked and tormented Hannah, bringing her to tears.  Perhaps it was even unintentional, but often someone's "success" pours salt on the wound of  our "failures."

So one day Hannah "stood up" (v.9), and went to the Temple to pray.  There she poured out all the bitterness and hurt to the Lord through silent, tear-filled sobs.  I believe it was during that pouring out of her heart that revelation hit her spirit.  She vowed, "If you will only look upon your servant's misery and remember me, and not forget your servant but give her a son, then i will give him to the Lord..." (v.11)  The revelation that hit her spirit took her eyes off herself, and shifted her focus to the Lord.  So she gets up, wipes away her tears, straightens her clothes and heads home to her husband.  notice that her situation had not changed, but revelation had motivated her spirit.

Instead of giving up, she went home to Elkanah, and the Bible says, "in the course of time she conceived and gave birth to a son" (v. 20).  Hannah put God first!

First Fruits by Paula White

Train Young Women - Young Women Listen

 

Older Women Train Young Women.....

Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled. Titus 2:3-5 ESV

Young Women Listen.....
1)   love your husbands and children
2)   be self-controlled
3)   be pure
4)   be working at home
5)   be kind
6)   be submissive to their own husbands

John 14:15

"If you love me, keep my commandments."

Are you legalistic or are you spiritually disciplined?  What exactly is legalism? A lot of people in this day and age seem to think that legalism is doing just about anything!  “You are being legalistic because you told me I have to do something that I don’t want to do!”

Legalism is a list of rules that you feel will make God happy with you. If you have a set list of do’s and don’ts that make you feel ‘more spiritual’ then anyone else and the heart attitude does not have to change then you are legalistic. Legalism is self-centred and desires to do things to gain merit with God. Legalism is a heart issue.

Spiritual discipline is also a heart issue but the motivation is that you love God and you are willing to please Him no matter what it takes or what others say about you! Spiritual discipline is a relationship with God and not a list of do’s and don’ts.

Legalism will have the same attitude of desire toward sin. The inner heart will still be in rebellion towards God although the outer life LOOKS like they are serving God. The difference will be when someone, who has true spiritual discipline, will humbly accept rebuke and exhortation. They will desire to change and hate even the smallest sin within their life. The legalistic person will show anger towards those who try to rebuke and exhort them because they feel there is nothing wrong in their life! These are the differences between a legalistic person and someone with spiritual discipline.

There should be an understanding that these things listed for young women to do are NOT legalistic if they are done properly. If you do these things because you love God and want to please Him (If you love Me, keep My commandments) then you are using spiritual discipline and this is pleasing to God.

Titus 2:3-5 ESV Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, (4) and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, (5) to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled. - See more at: http://ministry-to-children.com/bible-verses-about-parents-children-mothers-fathers/#sthash.eE5egAos.dpuf

I'm Attending A New Bible Study At Church - JONAH

I just joined a new bible study at my church.  My daughter is attending Awana's while I go to the women's bible study on JONAH - Navigating a Life Interrupted.  This bible study was written by Priscilla Shirer.  All the ladies in my group are new to me so I am looking forward to making new friends and studying the Word of God with them!

Subject of this Bible Study:
What do we do when God interrupts our lives? Many times, like Jonah, we run! Jonah: Navigating a Life Interrupted by Priscilla Shirer is a 7-session Bible study that redefines interruption and shows how it can be God's invitation to do something beyond our wildest dreams.

The Bible Study started off with the verse.....Isaiah 55:8   "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways," declares the Lord. 

How has your life been interrupted lately?

Jonah was the only prophet who received instructions from God and ran from what God told him to do.  Our journey with Jonah helps us revamp our view of life interrupted.   THE INTERRUPTED LIFE is the privilege life.

Jonah 1:1  "The word of the Lord came to Jonah the son of Amittai saying"  The first two miracles in the Book of Jonah are found in the very first verse.  1)  God spoke.  2)  God allowed a mere human to hear His voice.

To get a new view on what the interrupted life really means for believers in Jesus Christ, we need to get a new view of God.   We may have our own plans for our life but God may have different plans.  We may look at this change in our plans as an interruption but really it is A DIVINE INTERVENTION.  God is knocking on your door with A DIVINE INTERVENTION!

Its like a volleyball game.  You and your team mates are ready for the return.  The ball passes over the net to your side and you all say "GOT IT!"  "I GOT IT!"  But when it finally comes down NO ONE GOT IT.  Because everyone thought the other person HAD IT.  When the interruption life comes...we say GOT IT!  But when we find out what Gods plan is we run away and say YOU GOT IT!   

We must remember that the Interrupted Life is a privilege and God has knocked on our door to instruct us.  We must follow His instruction.  When the interrupted life comes, say "I got it" and mean it....GET IT!

One of the greatest revivals in history occurred because one man responded in obedience.  Jonah was a prophet.  His job was to hear the word of God and then to administer it to other people.

"Arise, go to Ninevah the great city and cry against it, for their wickedness has come up before Me" (Jonah 1:2)

Ninevah was a place of hopelessness.  Only God can handle our hopeless situations.  God often sends us into the hopeless place because it's in the hopeless place that we can see the hope of God.

THE INTERRUPTED LIFE is the significant life.  The only scripture that talks about Jonah before the book of Jonah is in 2 Kings 14:25.  We find out only 5 things about him.  1) His name  2) His religion  3) His family  4) His job  5) His hometown.  But after his interrupted life there is a lot of significance now with Jonah's life.

There is significance in your life that will come out once your life is interrupted.  This significance will mark others' lives!

Spiritual Pruning

A pastor's wife asked, "When one witnesses a work he ahs poured his life into 'go up in flames' is it the work of Satan or the hand of God?"

I looked where I always look for clues --to the Bible, and I thought of moses' repeated efforts to persuade Pharaoh to let the people go, of Jeremiah's pleas for repentance, of the good king Josiah's reforms, rewarded in the end by his being slain by a pagan king.  I thought of the beloved Son, despised and rejected.  "The world, though it owed its being to him, did not recognize him.  He entered his own realm, and his own would not receive him" (John 1:10-11).

Satan was certainly at work in every case, but he was not the only one at work.  When a man or woman belongs to God (when the branch dwells in the Vine) it is the hand of God at work when the pruning comes, regardless of the second causes.  A life's work --what to us is a perfectly good branch, perhaps the only "important" branch --may be cut off.  The loss seems a terrble thing, a useless waste.  But whose work was it?  This is a question I have had to ask a number of times about work which I had thought of as my vocation, my life's work, apparently thrown on the brushpile.  Was it not work given by God in the first place, then given back to Him day by day?  Jesus said God is the Gardener, the One who takes care of the vines.  The hand of the Gardener holds the knife.  It is His glory that is at stake when the best grapes are produced, so we need not think He has something personal against us, or has left us wholly to the mercy of His enemy Satan.  he is always and forever for us.

So we let go our hold of things we held very dear.  Things that once were counted as gain we now count as loss, and out of what seems emptiness come beauty and richness.  "Those who receive ...God's grace, and his gift of righteousness, live and reign through the one man, Jesus Christ"  (Romans 5:17).  The branches "live and reign" through the Vine.

A Path Through Suffering by Elisabeth Elliot
I highly recommend this book!  Get it today and finish this wonderful study!

Life Out of Death

The people of Israel were up against impossible odds when they found themselves between the chariots of Egypt and the Red Sea.  Their God is our God.  The God of Israel looks down on us with love and says, "Nothing has happened to you which is not common to all.  I can manage it.  Trust Me."

He wants to transform every form of human suffering into something glorious.  He can redeem it.  he can bring life out of death.  every event of our lives provides opportunity to learn the deepest lesson anyone can learn on earth, "My present life is not that of the old 'I', but the living Christ within me" (Galatians 2:20).  When our souls lie barren in a winter which seems hopeless and endless, God has not abandoned us.  His work goes on.  He asks our acceptance of the painful process and our trust that He will indeed give resurrection life.

How often I am troubled about something that looms ahead wondering how I am to cope when the time comes.  Why do I not bring it at once to the Lord, who stands ready with the next grace for the next thing?  Why is it so easy to forget His simple word, "If you need wisdom, I'll give it to you.  If you need strength, it will be there in exact proportion to the difficulties of the day.  If you need guidance, I'm your Shepherd.  If you need comfort, My name is Comforter."

When in pain it is hard to think of anything but pain.  Amy Carmichael wrote of being so weak she could not think or pray, but she took comfort from the Psalm, "Let the lifting up of my hands be as the evening sacrifice" (Ps 141:2, AV).  She was able simply to lift them to the Lord --a gesture of acceptance, of adoration, of faith.  We have our Father's promise, linking the pain to an unimaginable glory:  "If we suffer, we shall also reign with him" (2 Timothy 2:12).

A Path Through Suffering by Elisabeth Elliot
I highly recommend this book!  Get it today and finish this wonderful study!