As I write these weekly blog postings, I DO NOT do so from a position of “I know that I am right,” but, as a learner, I am sharing what I believe God has shown this octogenarian “little child” in my heart. That is particularly true this week as we look at the “the role of women in society,” a very controversial topic in the church today. Women are created to rule over the earth, in a unique, irreplaceable role (Genesis 1:27). They complete…
The Bible is clear in its answer to this question, although the culture today hates that answer. The man has been given the task of ruling over the earth; the woman is his “helper:” “But I want you to know that the head of every man is Christ, the head of woman is man, and the head of Christ is God” (1 Corinthians 11:3). Man’s first calling in his relationship with his “helper” is the first of two foundational pillars in a powerful, effective,…
Last week we looked at the first foundation stone of what I believe to be the Bible’s plan for a successful marriage and the training ground for us to learn how to rule over the earth for God. That foundation stone was loving our wives, our assistants in our ruling task, with agape love. This week we will begin to look at foundation stone #2 2. Lead your wife with strong, firm, decisive, decision-making. “Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord.…
We are gradually learning to become more and more like little children in the family of Father God. We are learning not to demand of our Heavenly Father to “know for ourselves,” but to simply trust our Daddy to lead, show and then, actually, do His will for us Himself in our lives. As we do so, He begins to explode in our minds new insights, ideas and innovations! This is not surprising. It is God’s way to naturally, spontaneously and unconsciously do the…
We have been investigating what the Bible means by “walking by faith” as a necessity for our task of “ruling over the earth.” In this posting, I want to apply this truth to the practical situation of ruling in our families. What does that look like? In a nutshell, walking by faith in my family begins by walking in the light with family members in everything. Exposing my sin to the glorious, freeing, cleansing light of the grace of God, knowing they are all…
That’s a crucial question for me to ask myself as I consider my mission of ruling over the earth. Jesus is actually empowering me from within to rule right now, ONLY as I walk, not “according to the flesh but according to the Spirit” (Romans 8:4), i.e., as I live or walk “by faith.” “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live…
We are one-third of the way through a discussion of life’s foundational question: “Why am I alive on the earth today?,” as revealed to us in the creation account in Genesis 1:26-28. Last week we looked at purpose #1 of that three-fold commission: “To bear God’s image.” This week, #2: 2.) “Have dominion (rule)…over the earth… and every living thing that moves upon it” (vs.28). In these verses, God expresses why all descendants of Adam, every person who ever lived, including you and me,…
What if someone asked you, “What is your purpose for living? Why are you here?” What would you say? I have heard traditional answers to these questions, such as “To know God and to make him known,” and, to “Love God and enjoy Him forever.” Is that why you are alive? Is there not a more tangible, concrete answer to that question? I believe the Bible does give us a much more specific purpose for our existence. It is hard for me not to…
I am starting to learn to live a totally new way, as described in the Bible—with the attitude of a little child simply doing what Daddy tells me. Shockingly, and I am beginning to notice (naturally, spontaneously and unconsciously) some amazing things happening to me. I find myself beginning to think of loving and not being loved; giving not receiving; being last, not first; serving, not being served; being a sinner, not a righteous Christian saint, etc., This is just the opposite of the…
In all three of the synoptic gospels, Jesus proclaims that we must become “as little children” in order to enter His kingdom (Matthew 18:2-5; Mark 10:15; Luke 9:46-48, 18:16, 17, 46-48). Also, God the Father is called “Abba,” three times in the New Testament, once by Jesus and two times by Paul (Mark 14:36, Romans 8:15, Galatians 4:6). This is an Aramaic word that signifies an intimate, experiential (ginosko) relationship with one’s Father, a word that many scholars contend is equivalent to our word,…