Welcome to God's Lemonade Stand

It is my hope that by reading this daily you will grow in your walk with Christ and knowledge of scriptures and be set free from any struggles in your life that are weighing you down. Be blessed to be a blessing.

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

YOU REBEL YOU!

Submission is a dirty word. You hear it mostly in relation to marriage but it also encompasses much more. I will go over a few areas in this devotion.

 First as related to marriage it is very important that only one person be in charge of final decisions. In the military there is a  chain of command and likewise in marriage you need a chain of command of sorts. This does not mean that the lady is not as important or valued as her male counterpart but that there has to be one person who makes the final call. Of course it is important to discuss decisions and treat the wife with ultimate love and respect. She is not to be trampled upon or treated like a second class citizen such as how Muslims apparently treat their females. Women are special and vital but God designed the man to  be the head. Adam was created first then woman was made from him. This is not meaning she is less important. No matter how much the Women's Lib movement wants to redefine marriage, say marriage is unnecessary  or feel superior to men, God had a plan for the man to take care of the wife, nurture her and  be the spiritual  head of the home. Submission does not imply servitude like in cave man days where the man is some big 'He Man' dragging his wife by the hair and ordering her around. Submission is beautiful when done GOD'S way and it is nothing for the godly woman to fear. The man and woman are joint heirs to the gift of life. Once they say " I do" everything becomes joint. A new family is formed. But there has to be someone who makes the final decisions after all is said and done. The Bible says in Ephesians 5:21-26 "Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord.  For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior.  Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word." What about the lady who is married to someone who is not a believer or is but maybe does not read his Bible and know all this? Well in that case 1 Peter 3:1-2 applies and it says "Wives, in the same way submit yourselves to your own husbands so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without words by the behavior of their wives, when they see the purity and reverence of your lives." Let  your life be a witness. Husbands,Colossians 3:19 says "Husbands, love your wives, and do not be harsh with them."  Proverbs 21:19 is a reminder to wives and it says "It is better to live in a corner of the housetop than in a house shared with a quarrelsome wife." Hey ladies let your light shine in your home for Jesus! In 1 Samuel  15:23 says "For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance like the evil of idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, he has rejected you as king." Ouch rebellion like witchcraft or divination. Now that makes you think doesn't it?

Secondly submission applies to people submitting to their leaders and those in authority over them. A President, for instance,  is not a King, Dictator, or Lord but he is an elected representative who is supposed to lead and serve the people, not dictate and bully them into submission. When  leaders get haughty and power goes to their head and they start lording over the people, here in the United States we have a Constitution that says we can impeach them. We are to obey and submit to rulers who are fair and just. Hebrews 13:17 says "Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you." God will take care of the evil rulers in the end who are hurting the people. He is not pleased with those who try to be more powerful that He is. 1 Peter 2:13-14 says "Submit yourselves for the Lord's sake to every human institution, whether to a king as the one in authority, or to governors as sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and the praise of those who do right." If a leader tries to tell you you are not allowed to speak about Christ then he is wrong. Acts 4:18-20 says "Then they called them in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus.But Peter and John replied, “Which is right in God’s eyes: to listen to you, or to him? You be the judges! As for us, we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.”

A third type of submission would be in your workplace or even as a volunteer job .You are to work heartily as if working for the Lord and not be a slacker. Colossians 3:23 should be your job description and it says "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters." You are to be fair, honest and full of integrity. Show up on time, work hard, go beyond the call of duty and help others.Let your light shine in your place of work or where you volunteer. Be dependable. Do not cheat or steal. Do not be wasting time on the internet when you are supposed to be working. You submit by  following the rules or the operating procedures or you get put on probation or fired.

A fourth form of submission is to those older than we are. Often times people poke fun of older people and call them derogatory names. Elderly people have paid their dues, so to speak, and we have much to learn from them and they have much to contribute. Just because some of them may not be familiar with  today's modern technology is no reason to discount them or make fun of them. Take time to talk to older people and show respect for them. Help them do things but also realize they still have much to contribute. Many older people feel as if others think they should just go on to the cemetery. What a travesty. If your parents are still living or your grandparents, call them, write them and if nearby go spend time with them. 1 Timothy 5:1-2 says "Do not rebuke an older man but encourage him as you would a father, younger men as brothers, older women as mothers, younger women as sisters, in all purity." You are not really submitting to the older person but honoring them which is a type of submission.Older people deserve respect!

A Christian leader should be submissive to those they are serving. Never lording over those underneath you to make you feel more superior to them. 1 Peter 5:3 says "not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock." Be a willing listener and learn from those you teach.

Finally we are to most importantly to submit to Almighty God. James 4:7 says "Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you."

There you have it. Somewhat lengthy but very important points to remember.

PRAYER: Lord Jesus I desire to have a submissive spirit. Forgive me when I have acted with rebellion as I know that is not pleasing to you. Help me live a life to glorify you in all areas of my life. In Jesus Name. Amen.  

Interesting side note: I wrote the first nearly finished draft at the Tulsa Airport about 1 p.m. yesterday while waiting on a flight. While transferring it to my inbox it mysteriously disappeared into cyber space never to return. the enemy must not want some of these out there. I tried my best to recreate as much as I could remember of what I wrote the first time. I recreated this after getting off an airplane at midnight.

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