The Seriousness of Submission
Greetings sisters in Christ!
Praise the Lord, we have another opportunity (today) to shine His truth in this dark world that hates the things of God. We saw that yesterday, the total hatred of God's Word being proclaimed, while we were at an event attended by thousands of people. Up and down the streets were people lined up, waiting at the gates to go see a famous false teacher and 'so called' Christian rock band. We held our gospel signs and brother Jim preached the gospel, warned them about the false teacher, warned them about man made religion and exposed many lies that the typical American Christian believes...for about 6 hours until they went inside.
Here's a picture of just a portion of the empty bleachers...
They were an angry bunch, in fact the police intervened on a couple men who became physically aggressive toward brother Jim. (We were blessed with a couple very nice, very kind, very helpful police officers who were encouraging to us throughout the day. That's a rare thing!) The masses of people are so blind they don't even see the irony of claiming Christ while they are screaming 'Jesus is love' on one side of their mouth and hate filled, angry words out the other.
Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.
James 3:10
Just a note to say that we don't get in anyone's face, we don't target individuals or call any individual out, we usually either keep moving down the line while people are waiting or we stand on a corner while they pass by. We keep our distance and do not get into their personal space. They are the ones who come up to us, get in our face and get physically aggressive. You can see an example here...
At one point brother Jim said to them "We are to love our enemies and if I'm your enemy why aren't some of you men getting out a bible and showing me my sin?"
Silence....
After they all filed into their sinful, unbiblical event, we took a quick break. Our van was parked in view of the entire stadium and I thought of how they could all look down and see us standing outside.
All of them inside and us outside.
I felt for a moment, like we were in the Roman Coliseum and at any moment the wild animals would be let loose on us. It wasn't long and the wild animals (all those people) were streaming outside and boy were they pumped up, letting the nastiness of their hearts fly even more than when they went in, while brother Jim preached for another hour.
I felt like this verse:
As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.
Romans 8:36
But we stood boldly, as a testimony against them and their lies, for the glory of God.
Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
Romans 8:37
I had many hours to think, while we were out there in that mess of sin and rebellion, thanking God for being transformed to an obedient child of God. I thanked Him for helping me become a submissive woman for my husband because we could never do such things if I wasn't. The only way I got here (and I have a way to go) is by beating my flesh (daily) into submission. I mentally had to work hard at it, not just sit back and wait for God to do it. God will work with us if we are working toward something, but nowhere in scripture do we see God supernaturally changing a person's desires against their will or without them striving in it. It must be a matter of our will, meeting with God's will and then He can help us. If we don't lay ourselves down on a continuous basis, it will never happen.
Because I am a submissive wife, my husband has confidence that he can take me out on the streets with him and that I will be a helper to him, not a hindrance.
He has confidence that I will be by his side and that I have watched him closely to learn him and his ways so I understand and follow what he wants to do. He has confidence that if he says we need to do something of which I don't feel comfortable doing, I will do it. He has confidence that I will be by his side through whatever happens and what he decides.
She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life.
Proverbs 31:12
Not being submissive is doing evil.
We didn't get to this place overnight, it came through years and years of steadfast flesh killing from both of us.
But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.
1 Corinthians 9:27
This takes time and diligence but the only way you can reach that with your husband is by crucifying your flesh daily, being obedient to scriptures, focusing on him and what he needs to do and being a reliable helper. You are also to be a helper to your husband even if he is not a believer and obey him in all things (except sin.) Who knows what your obedience could do in his heart to turn him, but that's not to be your reason for doing so, your reason is to glorify God.
Don't forget that God created man and then He created a helper (woman) for him.
And the rib, which the Lord God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man.
Genesis 2:22
It is a valuable role because our Father has ordained it. What an awesome role to fill!
I want to encourage you sisters who are married to diligently work in this area because a submissive wife in all things, will do wonderful things in a household. You should work to get to the place that your husband is never afraid to approach you about anything. (I'm not saying we will every attain that, but we should strive for it.)
Okay so the good news of our witnessing all day yesterday to thousands of people was this...there were a few (4?) people who seemed to genuinely want to talk and were kind about it. The Lord will increase what they have, if they seek more truth.
Love in Christ to my submissive sisters,
Sister Deb
Praise the Lord, we have another opportunity (today) to shine His truth in this dark world that hates the things of God. We saw that yesterday, the total hatred of God's Word being proclaimed, while we were at an event attended by thousands of people. Up and down the streets were people lined up, waiting at the gates to go see a famous false teacher and 'so called' Christian rock band. We held our gospel signs and brother Jim preached the gospel, warned them about the false teacher, warned them about man made religion and exposed many lies that the typical American Christian believes...for about 6 hours until they went inside.
Here's a picture of just a portion of the empty bleachers...
And here they are full...
And that's just a portion of it.
Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.
James 3:10
Just a note to say that we don't get in anyone's face, we don't target individuals or call any individual out, we usually either keep moving down the line while people are waiting or we stand on a corner while they pass by. We keep our distance and do not get into their personal space. They are the ones who come up to us, get in our face and get physically aggressive. You can see an example here...
At one point brother Jim said to them "We are to love our enemies and if I'm your enemy why aren't some of you men getting out a bible and showing me my sin?"
Silence....
After they all filed into their sinful, unbiblical event, we took a quick break. Our van was parked in view of the entire stadium and I thought of how they could all look down and see us standing outside.
All of them inside and us outside.
I felt for a moment, like we were in the Roman Coliseum and at any moment the wild animals would be let loose on us. It wasn't long and the wild animals (all those people) were streaming outside and boy were they pumped up, letting the nastiness of their hearts fly even more than when they went in, while brother Jim preached for another hour.
I felt like this verse:
As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.
Romans 8:36
But we stood boldly, as a testimony against them and their lies, for the glory of God.
Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
Romans 8:37
I had many hours to think, while we were out there in that mess of sin and rebellion, thanking God for being transformed to an obedient child of God. I thanked Him for helping me become a submissive woman for my husband because we could never do such things if I wasn't. The only way I got here (and I have a way to go) is by beating my flesh (daily) into submission. I mentally had to work hard at it, not just sit back and wait for God to do it. God will work with us if we are working toward something, but nowhere in scripture do we see God supernaturally changing a person's desires against their will or without them striving in it. It must be a matter of our will, meeting with God's will and then He can help us. If we don't lay ourselves down on a continuous basis, it will never happen.
Because I am a submissive wife, my husband has confidence that he can take me out on the streets with him and that I will be a helper to him, not a hindrance.
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: and he is the saviour of the body.Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.
Ephesians 5:22-24He has confidence that I will be by his side and that I have watched him closely to learn him and his ways so I understand and follow what he wants to do. He has confidence that if he says we need to do something of which I don't feel comfortable doing, I will do it. He has confidence that I will be by his side through whatever happens and what he decides.
She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life.
Proverbs 31:12
Not being submissive is doing evil.
We didn't get to this place overnight, it came through years and years of steadfast flesh killing from both of us.
But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.
1 Corinthians 9:27
This takes time and diligence but the only way you can reach that with your husband is by crucifying your flesh daily, being obedient to scriptures, focusing on him and what he needs to do and being a reliable helper. You are also to be a helper to your husband even if he is not a believer and obey him in all things (except sin.) Who knows what your obedience could do in his heart to turn him, but that's not to be your reason for doing so, your reason is to glorify God.
Don't forget that God created man and then He created a helper (woman) for him.
And the rib, which the Lord God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man.
Genesis 2:22
It is a valuable role because our Father has ordained it. What an awesome role to fill!
I want to encourage you sisters who are married to diligently work in this area because a submissive wife in all things, will do wonderful things in a household. You should work to get to the place that your husband is never afraid to approach you about anything. (I'm not saying we will every attain that, but we should strive for it.)
Okay so the good news of our witnessing all day yesterday to thousands of people was this...there were a few (4?) people who seemed to genuinely want to talk and were kind about it. The Lord will increase what they have, if they seek more truth.
Love in Christ to my submissive sisters,
Sister Deb
The biblical gospel...