Hasten To The Word of God

Can’t See the Trees for the Forest.

A good friend of mine tells me every now and then, “you’re very particular, Teri”.  And she’s right when it comes to studying the Bible.

 

The Lord gave me a vision for it today.  If we stand back and look at the forest, the trees blend into a vast expanse that is grand and intimidating.  But when we walk into the forest it all opens up into an endless hodgepodge of diverse kinds of life.  We see the trees up close, with branches, leaves bark and living things in them.  We look around and see an enormous expanse of bushes, trees, with flowers, seeds, fruit and many kinds of colors of leaves.  Then we see hundreds of kinds of living creatures, crawling, walking, prancing, running, flying, hopping, flinging themselves around in a variety of ways.  We see moving life in all kinds of fancy attire, colors, sizes, with all kinds of skills.

 

Then when we walk back out and look back at the forest we know that it is veritably teeming and swarming with life of all kinds.  It becomes rich and knowable and exciting and not so intimidating. In fact we can barely wait for another chance to walk though it.

 

So, it is with the Bible.  A cursory reading leaves us feeling intimidated.  But when we get “particular” and go in digging for deeper things we find it teeming with life, truths, directions for finding healing, comfort, deep wisdom and insight,  ways to break the chains that bind us, how to love, how to forgive and so on and so forth.  We can get particular with reading the Scriptures and will find that we can never get enough, see enough, feel enough, nor understand all.  And all of this will draw us closer to the presence of God and help to release the Holy Spirit in our lives.  It will become a book teeming with Life and hope.   And more.  So much more that we can barely wait for another chance to turn the pages and drink of its riches.

 

 

 

Paul’s Concept of Sincere Affection

 

 

Paul was originally a man who was willing to allow harm to those who he felt did not uphold the Law and God he so cherished. His zeal was so great he approved the stoning of Philip and began making house arrests putting Jesus believers in jail. (Acts 7:54-8:2)

It was not until Jesus came to Paul (at that time Saul) in a bright light on the road to Damascus and said, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting and oppressing Me?”. This word diako has a range of meanings revolving around pursuing or troubling. Paul was “troubling” the Lord. Paul told this story many times because of what the Lord instructed him to do after. Paul was to go to those formerly he despised and bring them the love of Jesus.

Paul’s message changed from law to love filled grace, something I like to call sincere affection. In Phil. 2:1-4 Paul talks about the fellowship of the brethren being one of deep affection and compassion. In verse one the noun translated as compassion (splagchnon) has a root meaning of bowels. According to Thayers Greek Lexicon, the bowels were regarded by Greek poets as the seat of strong passions such as anger and love.  But the Hebrews regarded it as the seat of tender affections such as kindness, benevolence, compassion.  It is coupled with the word “mercies” and then expanded upon in verses 2-4.  One could say that if we are to have true fellowship of the Spirit between us we are to draw from deep within our hearts and souls a compassion coupled with deep mercy and seek to unite our fellowship together in that kind of brotherly love. Certainly it required a humility that considers others needs as well as our own.

These are such lovely words. But how do we think Paul hoped for us to live them. Perhaps, it looks different for each of us.  What do you think?

 

1st Timothy one thru three

 

I don't agree with the assessment of Paul not being the author of the Timothy letters. We've heard so much and so long about how negative 1 Timothy was toward women from the authoritarians that we have not stopped to rethink it. It is my assessment that the first three chapters are actually very affirming of women when read in context, recognizing cultural influence and paying close attention to original language. Those three things are all it takes to clarify certain things. Because I see Paul’s strong affirmation of women in those three chapters I can relate it to his other affirmations of women: Priscilla (and Aquila) Phoebe, Junia and others.

First the arguing in chapter one includes both men and women. The Grk. word tis is an inclusive pronoun. One might ask what women would feel qualified to debate with men. Possibly women who have some sort of stature in society and who knew nothing about the Torah and Jewish spiritual teachings. A couple cues are Paul's admonition to attire and hair. Another clue was the need for the women to learn probably basic Biblical concepts like the Jewish beliefs of origins and Adam and Eve, holiness, charity, etc. Culturally in Ephesus we see non Jewish women who meet that criteria need. Ephesus was home to one of the seven wonders of the world, the temple of the goddess Artemis. There were women who served and taught there and held influential positions in the society. No Jewish woman would need to learn that it was Eve who was first deceived. But the women of the temple of Artemis taught that the man was the first to err and the second born along with a lot of other strange things. Poor Timothy would have been wise to have contacted his spiritual father, Paul, asking for help in dealing with these and related issues.

Second, Paul cites himself as one who was once a blasphemer and persecutor and who obtained mercy from God in Christ Jesus. The teachings of the temple of Artiemis qualify as a comparison in ignorance. But Paul obtained mercy in Christ as any sinner (wicked person, one devoted to erroneous beliefs) can, man or woman. However, Paul did not extend that mercy towards those who somehow knowingly blasphemed the Lord: Hymenaeus and Alexander.

Third, Paul extended that mercy to the deceived (himself included since he was deceived in not believing that Christ was the Messiah and persecuted many). Instead he pointed out what the women needed to do. They needed to put off their flamboyant temple attire and dress normally or modestly. The servants in the temple were known to have lavish attire and hairdo’s. Then, they must Learn. The word learn was in the imperative. “Manthano”, included hearing, increasing one’s knowledge and to learn by use and practice. Typically a Jewish student sat at the master’s feet (remember Mary sitting at Jesus’s feet) with quietness, obedience and attentiveness. We do not know how many women were involved with the arguing but the epistle curiously changed from addressing women (gunaikas: pl. ) to addressing “a woman” (gune: singular).   We don’t have enough info to determine if that specified a group or actually one woman. At any rate that woman was to take the typical attitude of a learner: being submissively quiet and not debating. The word erroneously translated as usurp authority (authentein) was actually quite stronger. It is not used anywhere else in the new testament. Much research suggests that at that time it could still have had qualities of murderous intentions but possibly more likely it was noting the intent to take dominating control of another. This could indeed be something attributed to the servants of the temple.

Fourth, we enter chapter three. Here we note that anyone (tis: inclusive) not just “a man” can desire the good works of a bishop. The qualities listed start with being faithful in marital relationships. “A one woman man” is a saying indicating faithfulness and is still used today. The rest of the list are about one's character.  I know there have been huge debates saying verse two was indicating the need to be married, to have never divorced, or to have only one wife. But none of those criteria are put forth anywhere else, while faithfulness is a common quality needed by those who are leaders. And the same phrase is used in 3:11-12 when addressing women deacons.

So, there are a few reasons why I do not discount 1^st or 2^nd Timothy and why I believe the author is indeed Paul.

AN ADVENT STORY IN A BUCKET OF RAIN

 

 

Christmas Advent celebrates the arrival of God on the scenes of our lives, specifically in the form of His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ born 2000 years ago to the young virgin woman Mary. Because of His birth (and His life, death and resurrection) we have more access to a closer relationship with our Creator. Those who step up and embrace such a relationship will find much help in the struggles of life and much joy.

Some years ago feeling oppressed and trampled upon I ended up standing on the rocky edge of the ocean in the shade of two large trees having a grumble time with Almighty God. Weeping out frustrations, begging for answers, and even singing out my hope in His goodness I conversed for probably 30-45 minutes.

Suddenly a question popped into my mind. Is God actually listening to me right now. Are my words reaching Him specifically or in an entangled morass of zillions of other peoples’ prayers. So I loudly sang out a series of complaints aimed at the Lord God, “are you listening God or am I speaking in vain”.

After a few minutes of this, a huge “bucket” of rain poured down on my body and completely drenched me. Running through the resulting heavy rain back to the car, a thought popped into my mind. That was the Lord. He heard. Only God could be so specific in both timing and aim to start the rain on my head. Standing in the rain laughing with tears of joy, my entire countenance changed. Singing praises to God in the rain I found the answer. God heard me right then and would answer my need. In joy and peace I drove away.

Through out the centuries before Jesus, people prayed for help and direction from God. Speckled throughout time, God almighty would chose an imperfect human to bring us answers, help and direction. We have the stories and words of guidance in the Old Testament. Two thousand years ago God fulfilled His promise to send from heaven His anointed one, His Son, to walk among us and bring us into new and close relationship with Him. We have the stories and teachings in the New Testament. Jesus is the answer of all answers for anyone who will reach out to Him in truth and trust. Christmas is the celebration of His birth. Easter is the celebration of His resurrection back into the heavenlies to sit at the right hand of the Father. Jesus Himself said, “I am the way, the truth and the life.”  

In the coming of Jesus is God’s long awaited answer to all human struggles. Now the doors of heaven are waiting for all who would seek Him. Come, sit down with Him and have a conversation of the heart and soul.

 

Matthew 7:7  (JESUS said) “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.”

 Isa. 11:10-11  10 In that day there shall be a Root of Jesse, who shall stand as a banner to the peoples. For him shall the nations seek. And his rest shall be glorious. 11 In that day the Lord shall set His hand again the second time to recover the remnant of His people, who shall be left, from Assyria, from Egypt, from Pathros, from Cush, from Elam, from Shinar, from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea.

 

 

PRIDE AND ALLOWING OURSELVES TO BE BESTED

 

 

Prov. 16:18 Pride goes before destruction, And a haughty spirit before a fall.

Prov. 26:18 ‘And after all this, if you do not obey Me, then I will punish you seven times more for your sins.19 I will break the pride of your power; I will make your heavens like iron and your earth like bronze.20 And your strength shall be spent in vain; for your land shall not yield its produce, nor shall the trees of the land yield their fruit.

 

Pride is something I’ve pretty much always avoided talking about. It’s not that I think I am so proud and dare not discuss it. Rather I know that I am like most humans and have a natural tendency toward pride from time to time. We generally do some small bit of exulting when we do well, because really we know we are not all that great. We feel good when we accomplish something. The real problem comes when it gets out of balance and we don’t exult in others when they do well or when we don’t give space for them to do well. And that is the point I wish to discuss today.

Leviticus is kind of scary on this subject. God must always be first. God is love and when we keep Him first we love well. When God is not first we love poorly and slip into different kinds of destruction, one being pride. When we walk in God’s Love as we should, God’s Holy Spirit rains on us and we produce the fruit of the Spirit and the anointing of the Spirit flows through us upon others. The peace of God falls upon us, we praise and honor God and rejoice in Him.

When we get off track and give ourselves the credit justly due to God, Leviticus says God will break the pride of our power and life gets hard around us. We know that life around us can be hard anyway. So, the idea that God would make life harder when we take honor upon ourselves is just scary. But the truth is that we humans do it to some degree all the time.

One area I am thinking of this morning is that of churches and leadership. The world teaches us that leaders are supposed to be better than others. Certainly, leaders need to be accomplished to some degree in order to be able to lead others somewhere. Too often I have seen this taken to the point of control. If we control who serves around us and only allow ministry to those who won’t in our opinion do better than us, then we can maintain our position of leadership. If we just don't give opportunities to others to grow, we can prevent them from possibly doing better than us. This is an issue of pride and fear. Keeping this attitude will make life hard around us. It will also make life difficult for those seeking to mature and gain experience in their Spiritual giftings. And that doesn’t please God who loves us all and wants all of us to be released into the fullness of our callings.

Speaking practically, men do this to women, and then women do it to each other. Men and women who believe that only men are to be leaders and teachers or preachers often become inwardly furious when they see women besting them in some area of church leadership. So, they begin to work to prevent and control these women. Pastors and church leaders will do this when they watch someone preaching a better sermon or teaching better. They feel that their position of superiority is being challenged. So, they simply will refuse to honor or encourage that person in those things giving them fewer opportunities. This is the ugly side of pride. And we will sense the heavens becoming like a wall of iron and the earth like a wall of bronze in being immovable. We will be stuck and either go backwards or simply not move forward.

One of the errors in this is thinking that in order to serve well leaders must do better than those around them. In general they should have a certain degree of competency. Men who think men must be leaders, think they must know more than women. Really men just need to give their strengths, whatever they are, to serving those around them. Being concerned over who is doing better than whom is not an option. In this way anointed leaders can allow themselves to be ministered to by whomever God sends. The best leader releases those around them into ministry and service so much so that eventually he or she will be surpassed in excellence from time to time. This has the potential to blossom into amazing Spiritual ministry and growth.

But pride will stop it all, pitting one against another, shutting down the wind of God’s Spirit. Let us instead concentrate on opening doors for others to do well and rejoicing with them when they do.  So, if you suddenly get a lot of bananas, share some.   :)

 

 

IS BIBLE COLLEGE BAD FOR CHRISTIANS

For the past several years I keep hearing whispers by spiritual minded Christians that Bible learning and schooling in Bible colleges is bad for Christians. The idea is that somehow too much learning hinders one from hearing the Holy Spirit influence our minds and hearts. In addition to that we hear that all one needs is a good memory and the clear words of the Scripture will be sufficient.

First a few words from a friend about rightly dividing the words of Scripture as 2 Timothy 2:15 says we should do.

“When I come upon a baffling passage or set of passages, it is an indicator that I need to dig deeper, seeking more context. The whole Bible is inspired by the Spirit, but a human is limited in what they can hold in their mind at one time. If I am given a few jigsaw puzzle pieces and am informed that they are part of a larger picture, yet I cannot get them to fit together, I suspect I need to look for more pieces.”

What my friend is describing is inductive study. Inductive study has to do with reasoning into. I like to think of it as leaving the Scriptures in their Biblical context and see the meaning from within Scripture. The opposite is deductive study, which means to deduce from one’s own thinking. In other words if we take a Scripture out of the context and reason from that particular set of words it’s meaning, that is deducing. Deductive study can and does create a barrage of ideas according to the thinking of different people with different ideas and experiences. What Christians desperately need to do is to do inductive study, leaving the Scriptures in their context and finding the meaning from the context of the book they are written in as well as the entire Bible.

I am fairly certain that all Bible Colleges have courses on how to properly study the Bible outlining exactly how to do inductive, contextual Bible study. This is essential for everyone and in my opinion pastors, preachers, and Bible study teachers should have the training to be instructing Christians how to do that. It would indeed cut in half the amount of dissension in the Body of Christ. Instead we have a large number of untrained, uninformed, opinionated Christians following believers who talk the loudest and sound spiritual. And often these people like to say that college almost always shuts down a person’s ability to hear the Holy Spirit leading and guiding us.

However, there is a believer in Scripture that was a diligent Torah observant Jew, who was trained by the most famous Hebrew teacher of that era 2000 years ago.  Gamaliel was the grandson of the famous Jewish teacher Hillel the Elder. Almost any Hebrew book or set of Torah translations will have notes by Hillel. Gamaliel, influenced in his studies by his grandfather Hillel, became famous for his knowledge and understanding of the Torah and writings. He became a leading authority in the Sanhedrin in the time of the early church. Paul of Tarsus who wrote a large part of the New Testament letters is the believer who was instructed by Gamaliel. In fact, Gamaliel even defended Paul and the apostles when the Jewish High Court, the Sanhedrin, wanted to kill Paul and the apostles. [i]

Now Paul, a highly trained student of the Scriptures, used his training and knowledge to impart understanding of God’s Word. Anyone who thinks the Holy Spirit did not inspire him is being foolish at best. Paul is one of the best examples of using our minds and hearts to understand God’s messages to us. Paul extensively used examples from the Torah and writings. He praised the Bereans who searched the Scriptures to see if what they heard were true. [ii]

Reading in ontext also means to read before and after the verse one is reading. Often the writers set the stage for a point. If we read before,  we may see what he was thinking about. Reading after may give us some further clarity. Sometimes we best see the picture by reading the whole epistle or story and then go back and note all the elements. Not doing these things is how one gets odd and often antiBiblical concepts and teachings.

If more believers learned how to effectively search the Scriptures we would have less divisions in the Body of Christ today. And we would have far fewer injustices being proclaimed as God’s ways. Searching the Scriptures does not mean only doing a search on one word and compiling Scriptures into a teaching. Believers need to learn what it means to read in context. One compelling picture of “context” is to put oneself in the authors’ cultural setting and to hear as if one were there at their feet listening. This would include a picture of life in that era, knowledge of the things they might experience and insight on what was happening around them. It would also include some degree of understanding that the language we read Scripture in was not the language spoken by the apostles of the New Testament or the writers of the Old Testament. We read a translation. Thus, sometimes it really does help to find a means of understanding something of the original words used, whether going to a book (or app) written by some studious college trained person, or by seeking out a linguist. Just as the Holy Spirit used Paul with all his training and knowledge, so we can be not only helped in our studies by the Holy Spirit, but also directed by the Holy Spirit through our studies. College training need not get in the way.

Training and/or degrees from Christian institutions of higher education does not get in the way of hearing the Holy Spirit speak to our spirit. Rather if submitted to the Lord, our learning will amplify our ability to hear.

 

[i] Acts 5:27-42, [ii] Bereans Acts 17:11

 

 

 

STIGMATIZING THOSE DIFFERENT

 

To stigmatize someone is to mark them as disgraceful or contemptible in some manner. To mark in a negative manner is to brand, to make an end judgment, to deem as unworthy or below oneself. This is something we humans do that is usually an inaccurate assessment of one’s whole person.  The picture above is me in the 1970's.  Hippie Teri.  Now there were some interesting viewpoints of hippies from back then.  :)

Humans are a unique creation of God’s. We have a capacity to be a vessel for either good or bad, and also for both. Thus, judgments and perceptions must be fluid in that we know that people can change directions or go deeper in the direction they are in. We cannot see that deeply into a person’s heart even though some people are more adept at perceiving where a person is at in the present.

Sometimes I wonder how God manages to stay compassionate to those who stray far from His amazing love in how we treat others. And then there is Genesis 6:17.

For behold, I, even I, will bring a flood of waters on the earth, to destroy all life under the heavens in which there is the breath and spirit of life; everything that is on the land shall die.

The hatred, contempt, fear and pain in human’s hearts and experiences of life must have just been too much for God to handle or to see, after creating humanity with so much hope for grander things. It is interesting that God says, “I even I”. In both the English and the Hebrew it looks like God is even dismayed with Himself. In Hebrew, “I, even me”.   God’s judgment was correct but even then God’s amazing love led Him to determine to find another way to lead mankind toward redemption. Four hundred years after the flood came Abraham who was to be the progenitor of God’s people. Out of the faith of Abraham was born a deep and intimate relationship with God bringing forth the Torah and eventually bringing forth the Messiah to the entire world.

Today we have racism and misogyny as the great universal dividers of humanity. The unimaginable wickedness that is born of this stigmatizing of national differences and gender differences must be painful beyond our understanding to the heart of God.

I just watched a tape of former Prime Minister of Australia, Julia Gillard in 2012. She was addressing some proposition being put forward by a member of their parliament (?). The proposition was openly misogynistic and she addressed many of the instances of this attitude in the members present, which was an incredibly brave thing to do. Because of her speech to which the majority said, “hear hear”, the Macquarie Dictionary of Australia adjusted its definition of misogyny to include, “entrenched prejudice of women”. To say I am shocked is an understatement. The hatred of determined misogyny is deeply ugly in so many ways. I think I understand just a pinch of why God said, “I, even I” am going to do this thing (cause a flood to wipe mankind off the earth) because I am overwhelmed with the darkness of heart that mankind has come to with misogyny and racism.

Those are the big ways we brand people we have chosen to elevate ourselves above. We make their very humanity as less than ours because we brand things that cannot be changed, such as gender and nationality (skin color, body shapes, etc.) as less desirable. And when we do that we lead the way to degenerate treatment, cruelties beyond normal thinking, tortures, limiting life styles, etc.

We also brand small things as reason for rejection such as religion, careers, life styles, social status, wealth, political choices, health, and intelligence and so forth to an unending list. To say that arrogance and criticalness have infiltrated humanity and the church to a huge degree is an understatement.

Why do we do this? I have concluded that the biggest reason is because we do not know or understand God’s LOVE. And since I am speaking to the international body of Christ, believers in Jesus as Lord and Messiah, I believe that it is our fault that we have allowed these stigmatizing sins to run rampant in the world without any noticeable check. And yes, that includes me.

We who know the intimate deep love of God toward all, without racism or misogyny, need to speak up. It is time. We will be castigated for it and called many ugly names, no doubt. But if you believe and know God does not segregate, brand or limit people through racism or gender stereotyping, I believe that gift was given for us to share with patience, compassion, forgiveness and diligence. And I sincerely hope that more people will stand up and stand against this international condition of a lack of God’s Love.

Let us read the Bible with prayer and share the truths of God’s healing, deliverance, and freedom to live with all who will hear us. And let us start today.

WHY WE VOTE AND HOW WE VOTE

Just a thought about reasons for voting.  God has set us in a country that allows voting.  That is His doing in the big picture.  We should use this great freedom wisely.  IMO it would pain God's heart to see us not voting when that is one of God's gifts to us in the U.S.A. and other countries.  What voting is, is giving the people a controlled choice.  If God were to choose for us, we would still be being led by the prophets and Judges of old like Othniel, Ehud, Deborah, Gideon. Not only did these men and a woman, bring the peace to the nation but they kept it for 40 and 80 years.  Frankly, for the times it was a superior system.

The choice we have before us is not as a king or queen, or a dictator that takes the throne by overpowering the people.  We don’t have to win good treatment by wooing and pleasing the ruler.  God never wanted us to have such leadership.  Rather God did and still does want to be our only King (ruling today by the Holy Spirit through Jesus the Messiah), because only He is trustworthy enough. (Deut. 33:5) When God was King in Israel, he chose all the leaders: 1^st the prophets, then the Judges, then the Priests.

What voting is about in our era is choosing a person within the guidelines of our country who will implement the good desires of the nation’s people. It is supposed to be by the people and for the people.  This is about a whole system that God has allowed, for us to have a voice in what kind of life we live in this nation.  We are a mixed nation of good and not so good people, of people who trust in God and people who don’t.  This system will work if we get out and vote.  That is the proper use of our voice.  Angry debating, trying to coerce people into choosing your choice is not God’s Way. Paul chastised Timothy’s people to stop arguing, because they didn’t even understand the Law they were arguing over. (1^st Timothy 1)  If we don’t know who to vote for then with God’s guidance and prayer, we should learn all we can about them.  Because it is not only their words that are the picture into their soul but their past and present actions as well.

And now some thoughts about how we choose. Yes, we choose with compassion, not seeking to destroy the reputation of the ones we don’t choose.  It’s not about who we don’t want as much as it is about who we do want.  Because it is our individual voice that God has given us freedom to use, our reasons are ours and important to God. What may be a reasonable choice for one person may not be a reasonable choice for another.  That is the way this works.  Then the collective vote will determine which person is more needed by the collective people of this nation at this time in history. 

It is a mistake for churches to seek to instruct their members as to which is the “right” person to vote for.  I’ve had that happen before where certain ones have passed around a list to people to vote for to make sure that everyone understood who were the right people to vote for in all categories, even advising which party platform to vote on.  This is in effect seeking to override the individual’s voice and implement your own.  Sometimes, families are taught that every voting member of the family must vote as the husband/father decides.  This not only adds voice/votes to the husband/father but overrides the individual’s choice.  Essentially that has an element of evilness to it. 

Not everyone is going to have the same reasons for their choice.  Trustworthiness is an important factor.  People have different points of trust that are important to them.  If a person believes some government action brought damage to them, then it is reasonable for that person to not trust the ones they feel share some responsibility for it.  If a person does not trust an attitude expressed, a position of belief, past actions of a candidate and feels unsafe with such a person leading then it is reasonable not to vote for that one.  Each person of mature age is to get a vote so that their voice is heard.  That is the present system. It is also acceptable to not want a person of a particular race, gender, or social standing or to want a person of a particular race, gender or social standing.  It is about YOUR voice being heard.

Some suggestions!  I recommend hearing both candidates talk, watching both candidates in action (sometimes actions are louder than words), researching both the negatives and the positives.  Make a personal list.  List all the negatives on one side and all the positive on the other side.  This is your viewpoint and your view.  I suggest that we do not finalize this list until near the time we are scheduled to vote.  Pray constantly for God’s Spirit to guide you so that your heart is expressed.  The Lord wants you to find your voice and let it be heard on the ballots.

ENDNOTE:  this is not a subject I usually write on.  So, I encourage you to add to this.  Give me/us your suggestions as to how you go about deciding, listening, etc.  What do you do about those who want to debate you, who want to paintbrush out your reasons, who do not want to let you have your voice.  How do you encourage others.  How do you have and encourage compassion on those who think differently.   :)

KEEPERS AT HOME

 

 

One would have thought this piece of a sentence that has been taken out of context for so many years in Christiandom might have finally been left behind.  Yet I continually see it pop up in online writings with the implication that wives are to stay home and “keep house” as if that were their only allowed work in life.

Titus 2:5

To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed. KJV

5 to be self-controlled, pure, fulfilling their duties at home, kind, being subject to their own husbands, so that the message of God may not be discredited.  NET

5 and that they be prudent, chaste, sober, having care of the house, benign, subject to their husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.  WYCLIFF  1380

 

This is in Paul’s letter to Titus, explaining a little of why he had left Titus in Crete to organize the church and find those older (literally seniors) who were willing to serve as guides and overseers. In 1 Timothy he refers to them as presiding elders (1 Tim. 5:17). From what I read, Crete was around half the size of the Big Island of Hawaii, where I live.  So there would be a significant number of groups of people that would need presiding Elders to help supervise, guide and serve the people.  This was to be a daunting task since it is noted that one of Cetan’s own non believing prophets said, ““Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.”

In chapter two Paul is telling Titus to be sure what he speaks is sound doctrine.  And then details some of the admonishments Titus should be giving to the seniors in general.  Older people should be living lives of wisdom and discretion.  Older believers should, by their lives and words, be teaching those younger discretion, reverence, wisdom, and to be good examples of God’s influence in our lives.  While Paul gives some details these are not meant in the sense of outlining rigid rules for the genders, but rather pointing out what common sense godly living looked like in those days.  It would be difficult for Paul to be implying that all women should stay at home and keep house when so many women traveled around the country with him ministering God’s Word to everyone.  Paul even sent Phoebe with a large group of men and women to travel to Rome and read his letter to them.

Paul uses two words referencing wives duties at home.  In Titus 2:5 we have oikouros, literally home-see-er.  In 1 Tim. 5:14 we have oikodespotein ¹, literally home-owning or home-managing.  Neither of these gives us a picture of subservient duty.  Rather, this is a picture of worthy responsibility.  You may have noticed that the combination of Greek words in oikodespotein is oiko meaning house, and despoteo²  (G1203 in Strongs) meaning ruler of the house or householder. Despoteo is used 12 times in the NT, always referring to a guide of the household.  1 Tim. 5:14 where it is clearly used of the woman.  And that with no apologies.

Thus, our brief look into Crete and Paul’s words to Titus do not reveal some kind of admonition that all wives should be confined to housekeeping duties.  Rather, I would say that Titus was to be admonishing elder believers to be living responsible lives of good examples to younger believers, including that first women take care of their own home duties (whatever that might be around 50-60 A.D).  And as well older men should be living so as to teach younger men to behave in similar ways including being sober.  In all ways all believers should be living life in ways revealing good works and a good knowledge of the presence of God in their lives.

 

NOW LET ME SPEAK PERSONALLY!  I tend to write in a teacher/preacher sort of style. But when I talk I do share a lot of personal stuff, that often get's left out in my writing. So I just wanted to add that I've had a lot of sometimes horrific experiences dealing with this patriarchal misreading of Scripture. I personally enjoy my home up and running and comfortable to live in. But I think that if that were all I had to look forward to being a single woman (even if I were married and had a child) I think I would sink into a terrible depression asking God if that were all there is to life.

There was a man from my church who was male authority minded and made a suggestion to me.  He was reading a Costco flyer and turning to me suggested that I might like that.  This man hated the idea that I taught and preached in our church at the time.  Looking in his face and eyes, all I heard was the suggestion that since I was a woman I must like to shop and.  I didn't say anything because I was speechless. I suppose everyone likes to shop when they need something.  And some women do shop looking for "something" to brighten their days.  That isn't me.  For all the years I have known this man, he has never "seen" me.  

Even today when I am old enough to be a grandmother (and am) I cannot imagine anyone lovingly suggesting to me that my place in the Body of Christ is care-taking or managing a home. And yet they do. I've tried at various times to talk with those who have mismanaged the Scriptures this way. But especially the men are just not interested in hearing about it. Many men have put themselves up on a pedestal that they expect the women to "keep" shiny clean and they like it that way.

 As long as women are willing to be dominated in that way, this small group of people will continue to teach this.  Now this is not to say that some women cannot have a fulfilling and rich life being primarily homebodies. It isn't about that. It is about choice. We are all unique and really incredibly cool people. Our life styles should reflect who we really are and not somebody else's ideas of who we should be. God is a creative God and every human soul He creates is beautiful and should be allowed to thrive. 

 

NOTES:  1)  scripture4all.org   2) blueletterbible.org; G1203 in Strongs; despotes in Concordant Greek Elements pg 77 - owner

A Real Church

 

 

A real church is a group of people who realize their fallenness and ALL their lives will aim toward getting closer to Jesus.  They will reach backwards and help people move forward. They will join arms and hearts with with those beside them to encourage and help each other keep going forward.  And they will gladly reach forward to those ahead of them.

3 Wheels of a Church

A wheel in a wheel in a wheel.  

 

Last night in a vision with insight I saw a wheel in a wheel in a wheel describing how a church body works together.  The good success and even the bad success depends on whether or not at least two wheels operate together.  If there is no wheel but only a hub, then all we see is potential.  The hub is the potential core group of a church.  One person is a beginning with a promise not the fulfillment. A healthy hub is 5 men and women, three will end up crippling the hub into a power struggle. God is able to work in a trinity because they are all of the same essence, power and will.  The design for the building up of a church body is a five fold ministry in which all have the same goal, all working together with the same harmonious unity.  It is not necessary for the five fold ministries to be singular, such as one ministry calling for each person.  In real life believers generally weave two or 3 types of callings into one, with one primary.  Then when these men and women are joined together in a hub there is available all the ministries with the attached gifting of the Spirit, and the ministries interweave supporting and giving strength.  That kind of a hub is powerful. It is powerful when each believer is respected, honored, encouraged and released into their callings and gifts.  Generally the one with an apostolic calling is the fulcrum of the nucleus.  But without the interworking of the other five ministries, life is minimal and cannot grow.  

It is necessary to have some understanding of the five fold ministries.  They are life callings, not gifts or grace effects of the baptism of the Holy Spirit.  Of course those personal callings will grow and must have the support of whatever gifts the Holy Spirit chooses to equip them. Ephesians 4:11 tells us that Jesus Himself personally calls those in the fivefold ministries.

The first wheel around the hub is the beginning of the life of the Body of the church group.  It is composed of those who are supported, encouraged and held together by the core group.  Jesus painted a picture of service and leadership in Matt. 20:25-28 in which Jesus suffers death (came to give His life for us) and came to serve and support life in others.  This is how life is brought forth. If the core group in strong unity does not call forth, encourage other's (outside the core) into service themselves, then there is no life, only the potential for life. The first wheel is composed of elders and deacons.  These are people who desire to work in the ministry of the church and who join "hands" with the core like the spokes of a wheel.  They must be individuals with good character, mature in Christ. My understanding is that elders are more mature individuals having been in Christ longer, who hold enough wisdom and example to be good role models for new believers. Deacons do not need to be older or as mature, but must be as dedicated to serve.  But they must have something to contribute.  Elders may not have a life calling to teach or evangelize but they must be able to do so on some level. There must be wisdom learned from being a long time believer. The deacons are often the ones who faithfully keep up the daily work of worship, Sunday morning services, keeping up the church grounds, kitchen service, helping in all areas of the daily needs of the church.  All must be ready and willing to faithful lift up a body of believers in prayer.

A church can be strong even though small with this one hub and one wheel.  The second wheel are those who come supporting the ministry of that church.  Many churches have a crippled hub and a crippled first wheel, or even no first wheel, only the second wheel which is those who attend.  That is like a wheel with missing spokes and missing spots on the wheel.  Those who attend need the personal support of dedicated spiritually anointed elders and deacons.  They are the hands that reach out in the personal lives of believers to fill in the areas the hub/core cannot reach or fulfill.

Throughout this picture of interlocking wheels attached to a center hub must be men and women with not only a true commitment to Jesus as savior and Lord but the hub and the first wheel need to be dedicated believers who have the anointing of the Holy Spirit working in their lives.  If we only have one gender in the hub and in the first wheel, then the church is imbalanced. And since the one gender is usually male, the imbalance is usually one of authoritarianism. But that imbalance can happen even with a good mixed group and must be diligently guarded against.  If we have true believers in these places but who have not been baptized in the Holy Spirit then we are imbalanced and flesh will work against the Spirit.  

 

This is the vision and the insight I saw.  I will update as I see things I may have missed.