Formula For A Happy Marriage
22. Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.
23. 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.
24. Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.
25. Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;
26. That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,
27. That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.
28. So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself.
29. For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church:
30. For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.
31. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.
32. This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.
33. Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.
22. Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.
That "seems" rather clear cut doesn't it ?
Wives are to submit........"surrender" their will, their desires to their husbands,as they would their wills, their desires to
Jesus.
The word submit comes from submission --which when looked up in every Bible dictionary I could find always refers one back to the word "OBEDIENCE"
1 Peter:3
6. Even as Sara obeyed Abraham, calling him lord: whose daughters ye are, as long as ye do well, and are not afraid with any amazement.
Now I know this isn't readily received in todays society (women's movement and all) but it IS the Word of God anyhow, whether we like it or not !!
But let me add that if one finds a "Godly" man--there isn't any woman I know who wouldn't readily "submit" to them if they were their husband.
Ephesians 5:
25. Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;
Christ DIED for the church (us) He loved us that much.......and not while we were being "obidient or submissive" either--but while we were yet sinners.
THAT is how husbands are suppose to love their wives--enough to die for them WHILE they are being rebellious.
You find me a man who LOVES his wife that way,and I will show you one happy wife who would GLADLY submit to her husbands will.........in ALL things.
Women "want" to be submissive. God put that desire into their hearts. To be a "womans libber "(in the true sense of the word) is not Biblical--it is unnatural.
Deep down women WANT a man they can rely on....depend on....lean on. TRUST.
As in verse 33:
33. Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.
A wife will naturally "reverance" any husband who LOVES her like that...one that she KNOWS she can TRUST in all ways with ALL things....that he would die for her without giving it a second thought.
That is how GOD intended it to be between a man & his wife.
28. So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself.
29. For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church:
30. For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.
31. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.
WE are to be ONE..the same as if we were siamese twins joined at the hip, sharing the same heart.....the same
lungs.........the same liver, etc.ONE BODY--flesh of his flesh.......bone of his bone.........ONE............not
two........but just ONE.
IF we are ONE, then there would be no divisions between us.........no conflicts...........no, HE wants to do this, but "I"
want to do that.
No, HE wants to live in Vermont, but "I" want to live inCalifornia..
No, he wants to sit and watch sports all day , and "I" want to go visit Aunt Sally.
That is isms & scisms.............we arent to have those in the body of Christ--neither are we in our "marriages"
We are to be ONE mind, ONE spirit.........one BODY.........flesh of his flesh...........bone of his bone..............
And HE is to love us enough to die for us..............not just when we are being the "perfect little woman" either..........but even when we are not at our best............ without hesitation.......without thought........to die for........
A man who would die for his wife,will not struggle to get his own way................any more than a "submissive" wife will struggle or manipulate to get her own way............
But each will prefer the others desire over their own...............
When you are compelled by love to strive to make one anothers desires come to pass, you are NOT quarreling, or bickering at one another-it is a conterdiction of terms. One can NOT be sweet and bitter at the same time.
Always your mates happiness should take presidence over your own-- it should be what makes YOUR happiness--"theirs"
If not--you are selfish, self centered and not abiding in Gods will as a Christian or as a married 'mate" You are not being
ONE...........
I have learnt that when I give in and strive for my hubbys happiness-- it results in MY happiness. God just made it that way. When he is happy, it makes me happy.
Ever see one of those signs in the tourist shops ? Reads something like this:
If Momma aint happy......
Ain't NO body happy.....!!
We can see that and crack a smile,for everyone knows SOME woman that can readily apply to............and we can laugh--but it REALLY isnt funny. It is sad.
Sad that some family has to endure that kind of heartache, and stress in their every day lives.........
And sad, that our society has gotten to the place where we would even find it amusing to laugh at others sadness............
Women use to be " respected" Mother hood , and apple pie..........?
Remember those days.........?
But of course in those days, Mothers didn't kill their babies...........
And even though some husbands beat their wives--not like they do today.I think there is a battered shelter in every city in America now.......some I think, seem to have one every other block or so.......
How can a Christian man BEAT his wife..and say he is loving her like Christ loved the church.............?!!
Yet it happens.
I knew a Minister who frequently beat his wife and small son. It got so bad one day, I couldnt help it--I had to call the police on him. I was afraid she would be dead before they got there.
These things ought not to be...........but unfortunately they are, in many homes. Even in Pastors homes..
If we dont WALK after the Spirit....we WILL fulfill the lust of the flesh.............
And both sides "justify" it...
Men justify beating their wives...........
and women justify defying their husbands..........
This is sin. On both parts.
You can not expect the other to quit. It MUST begin in YOU.
YOU must be the first to say:
I WILL do it God's way NO matter what................
I will OBEY GOD'S desire for me and my marriage whether my mate does or not........I WILL!!!!!!!!!
And in most cases, it takes hardly any time at all (if both partys are saved at least) till the other party is also surrendering and doing it GODS way..................
LOVE is contagious.........it catches on like wild fire.
A wife who "reverences" her husband.....it is hard for him NOT to LOVE her..............
It is just like breathing--a natural reaction or response to her actions.
And a husband who treats his wife as his own flesh..........? who loves her to the point of dying for her.....?
What woman could not reverance and submit to such a man..........?
God bless,
In Jesus name,
Jackie
copywritten Feb 18, 2003
or write:
Light of the World Ministrys
P.O. Box 3015
Arcadia, Fla.
34265
