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More than a Feeling! #3

Discovering God's Design

 

[This month Pastor Kirk and Pastor Suzette join forces to help us take our relationships to a brand new level!]
 
God is a God of design.  He has a design for marriage.  Discover His design - and you will experience success.
 
I Peter 3:1-7
Ephesians 5:22-26
 
“Wives, be subject to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives, and do not be embittered against them.”   - Colossians 3:18-19
 
God has an order for marriage. Husband – lead and love. Wife - submit and support.
 
This doesn't mean all women submit to all men. Women are not less than men.  Men are not less than women. But they are different from one another.
 
1. God's order works in the context of love.
 
“Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity.”   - Colossians 3:14
 
I love Suzette, so I'm concerning myself with blessing her, covering her, and protecting her. She loves me, so she's concerned with supporting me, and encouraging me.
 
Love is not just a feeling.  It includes feelings – but it's much more than that.  The reason we have The Word to guide us is because feelings can be fickle!
 
2. Understand spheres of authority.
 
Authority and submission operate differently in different arenas.  There are spheres of authority – I may be in authority in one sphere, but have to submit to authority in another sphere.
 
Authority is not a matter of who is better or worse. These are roles that God assigns to us.
 
3. God has designed headship in the partnership.
 
Marriage is a partnership, a team. We're after the team win!
 
A great ball team will not win without proper headship. Everyone cannot call the plays. You can't even have a good party unless someone takes charge.
 
4. Submission is not intended to be suppression.
 
It's a covering, a protection. God's order and design brings peace.
 
Men - give your wives some room to breathe. Don't suppress their gifts or creativity.  Give them some room financially.  You are creating an atmosphere where submission can become organic.  God has called men to lay down their lives for their wives.
 
5. God's order requires God's grace.
 
God's order is not a natural order – it's a SUPERnatural order.
 
Genesis 3:16
Genesis 4:7
 
A desire to dominate is a part of the curse. Receive the grace to seek the best for each other.  Ladies – we need grace to do what God wants us to do, to curb the desire to dominate.  Men – we need grace to lead and love our homes. 
 
6. Headship is a call for men to rise up.
 
Men, take responsibility for your home. This is your calling. Stand at the door of your home – get the blessing of God in, and keep the devil out.
 
Men - give your wife something to follow. Don't press her under you.
 
Headship is not a position of privilege – it's a calling and a responsibility.