Making Sure

Now we got the Elementary Principles, we know what the next step is, let's make sure we are headed in the right direction & how can we tell we are headed in the right direction.   In 2 Peter 1:3-12 helps us with that.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+peter+1%3A3-12&version=NIV 

 Step 1: we need to have knowledge of Jesus Christ who has called us to his own glory & excellence

Step 2: After step one, we can then be partakers of the divine nature. This really points out that it is not "our call" or "our mission", but we are joining Jesus in his.   For it is all for the glory of God. 

Step 3: We are to continue to added to our faith goodness,  from goodness knowledge & to knowledge ,self-control, from self-control, perseverance,  from perseverance, godliness & to godliness, mutual affection & from mutual affection , love.

 Step 4: Be firmly established in truth.

Possessing these qualities in increasing the measure of them,  these qualities will keep you from being ineffective & unproductive in your knowledge of Jesus Christ.

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After the Elementary Princples

After the elementary principles we need to move to the next step.  What does the next step look like?
In 1 Peter 4:7-11 gives us what the next step looks like.    
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+peter+4%3A7-11&version=NIV

Step 1: self-control & sober-minded, for the sake of your prayers. 

Step 2: keep loving one another, love covers a multitude of sins.

Step 3: show hospitality to one another without grumbling,  
hospitality with a joyful heart.

Step 4: each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, not to build self up.

Step 5: May God be glorified through all that you do.

These look like simple steps.  So why are so many missing it?   It could have been many were stuck at the Elementary Principles & did not know there is a next step.   I hope this help shed more light on it.  

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Christians are Stuck

Christians need to know the elementary principles which are covered in 1Timothy 5:21 & 
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+timothy+5%3A21&version=NIV
then move to be mature Christians as it speaks about in Hebrew 5:12.   Christians are to do that

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews+5%3A12&version=NIV
till the day Jesus returns as in Revelation or they die. Keeping what God command us to do,
Matthew 22:37-40. 
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+22%3A37-40&version=NIV

The elementary principles are the foundation to being a Christian.  We are to learn them & then build from there & grow to maturity.   Most Christians know the elementary principles that 1 Timothy 5:21 covers. But that is where most Christians get stuck at that level.   We are called to grow to maturity & to help others.  How do we grow, if we don't know we are stuck?  Or do you know you are stuck & want  to grow to maturity & don't know how?

Christians are humans & can become comfortable & move towards convenient. Instead of facing growth & moving towards maturity & helping others.   Some of what holds you back is how you are brought up.  We learn from our parents & the family around us.   They teach us our values/morals/principles.  That is our foundation.  Our parents sculpt the way we think.   

Our parents want what is best for us.  We have to be careful not to move towards stuff that is convenient & comfortable.  That's where we can get stuck.  If you are stuck how do you get unstuck & move towards maturity?

We are not to move away from the  elementary principles, but grow from there.   In Hebrews 6:1-6 lays it out for us.
Hebrews 6:1-6 (NIV)

"Therefore let us move beyond the elementary teachings about Christ and be taken forward to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God,  instruction about cleansing rites, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment.  And God permitting, we will do so.

 It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit,  who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age and who have fallen away, to be brought back to repentance. To their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace."   

 We as Christians need to dig deeper to grow deeper to be able to mature as Christians.  We sometimes loose track of the digging deeper to mature & get stuck at the elementary principles.  
Are you ready to move towards maturity? 

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A Woman's position in Relation to Man

This is a summary of Adam &Eve/Submit/Help Meet.   God said it was not good for man to be by alone, God made a help meet who was  fit/suitable for him.  God created Eve to be Adam's help meet.  Eve was created for a pacific purpose.  Eve was not created for to rule but be a help meet.

God placed Adam in the garden which was crated by God.  God put Adam in a deep sleep, took a rib.  From the rib from man, God created woman (Eve) & brought her to Adam.  When Adam a woke he received her & proclaimed they were one flesh.  They were "married" at that point.  

In 1 Corinthians 11:7-12, gives us more of a description of one flesh, we wives are one flesh with our husbands & are help meets to them.  
 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Corinthians+11%3A7-12&version=NIV  
 -Man is made in the image & glory of God, women is the glory of man.
-man was not made from woman, but woman from man.
-man was not created for woman, but woman was created for man.
-woman is not independent of man nor man of woman.

Women have been referred to as the weaker one in the relationship.  Some may not agree with that & feel that women can do what ever men can do.  I feel when that statement is used, it's only said when someone has been hurt.   If woman was as strong as man, then why did the serpent go temp Eve instead of Adam?   

Let's look at the weaker for a moment.  In 1 Peter 3:7,  it states wives are weaker vessels, that need to be treated with respect.  Not to walk over the wives & push them around.     1 Peter 3:7 (NIV)
^" Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers."

1 Thessalonians 4:4 tells husbands they need to learn to live with their wives, the weaker vessel.  Key words learn to live with, as to take care of, not to control.  Remember women are a gift from God not a property.  A gift you care for.   In the garden Eve shown she was the weaker vessel.  God put Adam over Eve to help lead, protect & provide for.
 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Thessalonians+4%3A4&version=NIV

We as wives should submit to our husbands, with a servant heart.  We wives need to be life giving to our husbands.  A servant heart is joyful & not groaning.   How are you in your position in relations to man?  Do you have a servants heart & are life giving?

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Help Meet

The posts Adam & Eve/Submit are tied in with this post.   In Genesis 2:18 God made a Help Meet for Adam, which was Eve.  Eve was an opposite of Adam.   God created Eve different from Adam.  Adam was made in the wild, out of dust.  God made Eve in the beautiful garden & from a rib, from Adam.  Eve is the opposite of Adam, that came from Adam.  Eve was spiritual equal to Adam.

God called Eve a Help Meet.    What is a Help Meet?   Is it the same as a Help Mate?    I did some digging.  I hope you do your own too!!  The definitions I have found help shed light on to the verse.  

Help Meet means suitable helper, equal help. One who assist another.    Help Mate is a person who is a companion & helper, that is from the Merriam-Webster Dictionary.   Suitable  from Genesis 2:18 refers to strength, to be strong, fit for.  

Eve was created suitable for Adam.  Adam was to name & tend to the garden. Eve was to be by his side for Adam.   One day in the garden Eve ate from the tree of Good & Evil, as a result of that was cursed.  Part of the curse Adam was to ruler over her.   Eve need to be cared for.  Eve is still to be the help meet for Adam, but with Adam to rule over her.  

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Submit

This post ties in with Adam & Eve post.  In Matthew 26:39,42 shows us how Jesus submitted to God. Jesus trusted God in what God had planned & had for Jesus.   Jesus knew what laid before Him, asked God if there was another way, but He only wanted God's will.   

In Ephesians 5:22, Wives are told to submit to their husbands as to the Lord.  The Geek definition for submit in that verse is "Voluntary attitude of giving in, cooperating, assuming responsibility & carrying a burden".   The wives are not to be in a slave submission, but a voluntary submission.  She gets to pick if she will submit.  It's not just once you get to decide to submit, marriage gives you many chances to submit.   

In Genesis 2:24 Adam & Eve were called  "one flesh" since they were married.   Should one body fight itself? Or should all the working parts work together as a team to get things done.   A team has one captain, to make the final decision.  

This post is not going to talk about what the husband needs to be doing.  It's not going to refer to what if he.....fill in the blank.   This is just referring to the simple word submit & what the Bible as referring to.   Submit has had a negative surrounding it.  

If you are having problems submitting in your life ask yourself a couple of questions, Do you trust him?  Do you respect & honor him?  What are you afraid of?  Once you have the answers there you will be able to move forward.  

Next post will be on the Help Meet. Yes, meet not mate.  

If what I offer here is relevant to you in any way, please consider donating. As I tend to my family (disabled hubby and homeschooled kids) I write in my free time. No knitting here but I love Taco Bell now and then and your donations help keep the spicy food coming. Every donation is appreciated!!!

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Adam & Eve

Most of us know the story of Adam & Eve.  For those who don't, it's in the Bible in Genesis.  I have read this many times myself & have had many discussions with other people about it.   I have missed or over looked a simple but powerful verse.   I came across the verse while looking into another subject but the two go together.   As I dug for wisdom & knowledge on the subject matter,  I was lead to start sharing what I found.   I understand that this may upset/offend some or even many.   But before you decide not to read anymore or give me a piece of your mind, read it to the end & read all of it.  Keep in mind there will be many posts on this load subject.  Let's start!!!!!!

The verse that was brought to new light to me was Genesis 3:16.  It's the curse Eve received from God, that was brought on my her own choices.  The first curse is "increased pain in childbearing, with pain you will give birth to children."  The second curse is "your desire will be for your husband & he will rule over you". 

In Genesis God gave dominion over the earth & everything in it to Adam.  God also made Eve as a help meet for Adam, Genesis 2:18.  Make notice it is meet & not mate.  Other post will talk about that in the near future.    

Eve was created to be an equal with Adam.   Because of her choices God then placed Adam above her.   Some may say she was misled by the serpent, that was Eve's plea to God too.  Eve also informed the serpent what God said about the fruit from the trees in the garden. The rules were clear when she made her choice to eat from the tree of  the knowledge of good and evil in the garden.  Adam was aware of the rule also & he made his choice to take the fruit from Eve.    

With the choice that was made by Eve, God placed Adam as the head in their marriage, making them no longer equals.   Yes, at one point in time man & women were 100% equal.  With Adam now the head of the relationship with Eve, he does not have the right to have her be abused in any way.  She is still the gift from God to be his Help Meet.  That is still the same.  

Being the head has lots of responsibilities, it's not a free pass to rule over everything & do what you want to make yourself happy.  God made Adam to take care the earth & everything in it.  Eve fits in that too.  Adam is to take care of Eve.   

Eve is to submit herself to Adam now.  There's the other word that causes a lot of feathers to be ruffled.  Submit!!!!  Yes, I said it.    Submit has had a lot of negative attached to it.   I will have a near future post on that.    

I want to encourage everyone to do their own digging on these subject matters.  Don't just take my word for it.   Happy Digging!!!!

If what I offer here is relevant to you in any way, please consider donating. As I tend to my family (disabled hubby and homeschooled kids) I write in my free time. No knitting here but I love Taco Bell now and then and your donations help keep the spicy food coming. Every donation is appreciated!!!

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