The S word- Submission

Welcome to “Tuesday Together in the Word.” We are a group of ladies reading through the New Testament, Psalms and Proverbs together in 2009, and sharing what we are learning along the way. Visit DeeDee to read other "Tuesday Together in the Word" posts.

This week our reading was from I Peter 2-5; Psalm 38; 2 Peter 1.

1 Peter 3:1 In the same way, you wives, be submissive to your own husbands so that even if any of them are disobedient to the word, they may be won without a word by the behavior of their wives,as they observe your chaste and respectful behavior.

I have been part of a wonderful class the last few weeks where we have been reading through a book called the Strong-Willed Wife by Dr. Debbie Cherry. After taking the “Are you a Strong-Willed Wife?” test in the front of the book, the good news is that according to the test I “think and act fast, have strong and passionate opinions, tackle several things at once, and I am a take-charge woman.” The bad news is that it sure makes submission hard!!

This past class we read the following passage from the Strong-Willed Wife book that really hit me square between the eyes:

As much as we strong-willed wives struggle in the very depths of who we are with this submission thing, it all boils down to this: The way we treat our husbands here on earth is a direct reflection of how we are doing spiritually. It is the one and only relationship we have that God is looking at as a mirror image of how we would treat Him if He were standing among us. Each of us knows in our hearts that if Christ were sitting in our living room in the flesh, we would treat Him like the King He is.
But would we?
God has given us the perfect opportunity to show Him how much we love Him. He gave us a husband to love, respect, and submit to just as we would submit to Him if He were sitting beside us. He wants to see our love for Him through the way we love and treat our husbands each day of our lies. He’s using our relationship with our
husband as a measuring stick as to how much we really, truly love Him. Do you love your Savior? Do you really love Him? Do you love Him enough to obey all of His commands to you? Do you love Him enough to be submissive to your husband?

Wow- I have never thought of submission as a way to show my love for the Lord. I pray that I will remember on those days that "I really don't feel like being submissive" it is another way to show love to the Lord. Also, it is helpful to remember that submission is not the dirty word that many women's libbers make it out to be. God has given each of us a unique personality. Submission does not mean denying who you are but it is about using your unique personality that God has given you to honor both your husband and your Lord.

Please join us in our “Tuesday Together in the Word” reading for next week: 2 Peter 3, Psalm 39-41, Proverbs 10, and Galatians 1-3.

Blessing to You,
Kelly

Are you changed?

I recently chatted with a non-Christian who said that Christians did not really lead changed lives. He said that, while it may seem like their lives are changed on the surface, this is just a mask put on at church. His comments sadden me for many reasons. One reason is the realization that, when we live defeated lives, there are lost souls who are watching and interpreting that as Jesus being powerless to change lives.

Jesus does change lives. I have seen it with my own eyes. We had many walking testimonies on Sunday morning during our cardboard testimony time. If you have not already seen it, please watch the following video from the cardboard testimonies on Sunday. I have watched this video from our church service about 10 times, and every time I see it I cry. I just can’t help it. They are not tears of sadness, but tears of happiness. I am happy and so blessed to be a child of a God who changes lives, answers prayers, and enables us to overcome.

This week our ‘Tuesday Together in the Word’ reading from 1 Peter 1 really grabbed my attention. Over the next week we will continue reading through 1st and 2nd Peter. Please join us as we read the words from a life that was truly changed.

Peter’s cardboard testimony might look something like this:

Side 1: Denied Christ 3 Times.
Side 2: Redeemed with the precious blood of Christ 1 Peter 1:19a.

He denied Christ three times, but after Christ’s death on the cross we truly see a changed person. Once he was afraid to stand up for Christ out of fear, but it is a totally different man who wrote the following words:

1 Peter 1:6-7 ‘ In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while if need be, you have been grieved by various trials that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ’.

John MacArthur wrote in his bible commentary that, according to tradition, Peter had to watch as his wife was crucified, but he encouraged her with the words, “Remember the Lord.” When it came time for him to be crucified, he reportedly pled that he was not worthy to be crucified like his Lord, but rather should be crucified upside down, which tradition says he was.

From denying Jesus to totally devoted to Jesus, Peter was transformed.

Jesus does change lives.

Please allow your life to be a walking testimony of the freedom that there is in Christ, and show a dying world that He does change lives.

Milo's and Dirty Laundry

I am really enjoying today. After surviving another tax season, I am back to working four days a week and being off on Fridays. I have big plans for today: don’t put on makeup, wear sweat pants all day and try to do nothing. I love it! I am sitting here blogging right now with a big smile on my face as I finish off the last carton of chocolate marshmallow eggs. Life is good!

I am trying to catch up on all my favorite blogs. I have come to the conclusion that it is near impossible for me to blog during tax season. For the obvious reason, extra time is very limited during tax season (I worked around 130 overtime hour this tax season). I was doing good to just have dinner fixed and clean clothes for everyone in the house. Actually, we eat a lot drive-thru meals during tax season. I guarantee we hold the record for eating at the new Calera Milo’s more than any other family. Milo’s should give us a golden hamburger plaque in appreciation of our family paying their light bill for the last three months. As far as keeping the laundry done, I put my boys in charge of washing all our clothes when it's tax season. After some bribing and threatening, they really do a good job at washing the clothes most of the time except for when they got the clean clothes basket confused with the dirty clothes basket and put dirty underwear in everyone’s drawers!?!. Luckily, we quickly discovered the mistake.

I am really looking forward to getting back to blogging more. I am very excited about blogging with you about our upcoming mission’s trip to Ecuador. At our last Ecuador training class, we were told to plan on blogging everyday while in Ecuador to keep everyone at home updated on the amazing things that we will see the Lord doing! I can’t wait to have you on that blogging journey with me!

Blessings to you,
Kelly