The Two Headed Monster

The Two Headed Monster

By Kathy Clark

Have you ever heard that anything with two heads is a monster? When it comes to christian marriage the biblical pattern is to only have one head, the husband is the head of the wife, and Christ is the head of man.

Ephesians 5:23-25

"For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.

Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so [let] the wives [be] to their own husbands in every thing.

Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;"

In the day and age in which we live wives submitting to their husbands is considered an old fashioned travesty, but in actuality it is a blessing. I have been married for 41 years to my husband and have found that submission is the makings of a great marriage. Let me first say my husband did not ask me to submit to him, God did. And why, because there just can't be two heads on a healthy body.

Submission is not something that we women have to do, but something we get to do. There is a big difference. The man being the head, and the women next in authority is not a curse but a difference of office. One is not greater or less than the other, just walking in different callings.

I will just tell you in simple language what I do when a difference of opinion arises. I tell my husband what I think we should do, that is being a help-meet, then if he differs from my opinion, I leave the final decision in his hands, and look over the top of his head at God, knowing that if my life is consecrated unto Him, He will make my steps go where they are supposed to, and supply all my need according to His riches in glory. God is able to use circumstances, even when I don't necessarily like the choices that have been made, work out for my good. Now I will not compromise on morality, or dishonesty, but the day to day things can be left in the hands of God for the final outcome through my husbands headship.

Ladies how many of you have arguments all the time with your husbands over money? Most huh? Well first of all you don't need to buy stuff just because it's on sale. That, "hey I have to hit every sale to save money" can drive you into debt, that even goes for the thrift store. How many shirts, dresses, and pants do your really "need"? How many of anything?  Do you and your husband have issues every time you try to balance the bills at  the end of the month and he can't figure out where the money went to? Then give the check book over to him, and decide together what you will, and will not buy, and peace will begin to reign in your house. You might say well he will not be careful with the money, he won't give me what I need. Well we really don't "need" much, we want much. Now I am talking to women with christian husbands here. Your man that stands before God will only over spend a few times when he is in authority over the money before he will learn he has to be a good steward. He will have nobody to blame but himself. And  you will have to resist the temptation to say I told you so. You need to allow God to deal with the situation. Tell him what you think would be the wise use of the money and then leave it to God and him. He will become the man. I would also suggest if you don't have cash, either save for it, or don't buy it. Debt is not even biblical principle.

Romans 13:8

"Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law. "

How do I know, because I have lived it. My husband used to be mad at me at the end of every month and wanted to know where all the money went. I am sure I could have bought less books, my weakness, but the money just wasn't as big as he thought it was, and when I finally handed him the checkbook he found that out. It took him a few months to adjust but now his is an extremely responsible man when it comes to money, and in other areas too. The down side for us women is that we are now reduced to having to ask if things fit into the household budget, we don't like that much, we like being spontaneous, and going our own way. However when we are able to lay our pride, and covetousness down, we will see we really don't need much but love, and that will be given much more freely when the rest of our lives are in order. By the way I gave him the checkbook in 1986 and certainly don't regret it. He has truly become the man.

I have found that submission is a lovely word. I can tell my husband what I think in any given situation, and then walk away knowing that he respects my opinion, because I respect his, and he is very careful to try to make the right final decision. Sometimes my flesh doesn't like it when he says no about something I want, but I get over it. Now I  am free from strife in my household. I am never looking back, and I certainly am not lacking any good thing. God made men to lead, it is in their natures, and when we de-masculate them by usurping their authority they become less than men, they become hen pecked, and their buddies make fun of them. We need to allow our men to be all they can be. As I said it isn't a curse but an office of differing degrees of authority. But I promise you that this will change the entire atmosphere of your home. You will find as you walk this out that your husband will find you more valuable than the most magnificent rubies, and as my little picture above shows he will bring out of himself for you the deep things he could never give before because he feels safe with you. you will fit together like hand and glove. Praise the Lord of His wonderful plan, and order.

Proverbs 31:10-12

"Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price [is] far above rubies.

The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil.

She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life."

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Has Hospitality Become Archaic?

Has Hospitality Become Archaic?

By Kathy L. Clark

            The church of Jesus Christ was rebuked for leaving their first love in Revelation 2:4, that word love actually means in the Greek: affection, good will, love, benevolence, and brotherly love.

In modern times, a precious gift enjoyed by the early church has been almost lost, and needs to be recovered. Hospitality, in the biblical sense of the word, is that missing treasure within the reach of all believers. Those reaching out to recover it will find a wealth of treasure to be enjoyed and shared.

            There are four verses in the New Testament King James version on hospitality : Romans 12:13 Distributing to the necessity of the saints; given to hospitality, 1 Timothy 3:2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behavior, given to hospitality, apt to teach, Titus 1:6 But a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate, and finally, 1 Peter 4:9 Use hospitality one to another without grudging.

            The body of Christ is called to be the family of God. Members one of another, yet we are far from what a real family unit should look like. When members of a natural family come into town a special room is made for them, and everybody rejoices to see those who have been missing from the family hearth for so long. We cook their favorite dishes, clean our houses thoroughly, and make an inviting place for them to enjoy, so they know how much we love them.

            The body of Christ is called to be an even more loving family than the natural family. We are one in Spirit, members one of another, as these verses show. Romans 12:5 So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another, 1 Corinthians 12:25 That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another.

            God has placed wonderful unique gifts in each individual member of the body of Christ, to be shared, and treasured by all. We miss out on these opportunities by not taking our brothers and sisters into our hearts, lives, and homes.

Missionaries come back from their fields of labor to be refreshed, and strengthened. God has worked through them in ways we need to hear about, or in a state of discouragement which our love will relieve, and uplift in some way. We can not enjoy those gifts, or strengthen the weary, by just spending a church service and dinner at a restaurant with them. However taking them into our homes for times of refreshing will benefit them, and us. They will feel connected to the body, loved, and valued, and we will reap the benefits God has placed in their lives to refresh, and motivate us. How can an impersonal hotel or apartment make them feel attached to the body? Are they not our brothers, and sisters? Are they not more so than our natural brothers and sisters? Matthew 12:48-49 But he answered and said unto him that told him, who is my mother? And who are my brethren? And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren! Would we consider sending the mother, or brother we love to spend the night with strangers in an impersonal hotel room? So why do we send those who are members of our body there to be alone to stare at generic walls?

            There are also a great many lonely brothers and sisters out there that go home to an empty apartment after a few hugs, and I love you’s, at church, while we have empty guest rooms, and vacant spots at our family dinner tables. Psalms 68:6 God setteth the solitary in families. We have resources, and love, to be shared with those who wonder if anybody really loves or cares about them. Acts 2:44-45 And all that believed were together, and had all things common; and sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had a need.

            Many in the body of Christ have become happy with being isolated from one another. We like our “me” time, with no interruptions to our way of life. But this is not the biblical pattern of hospitality. It is time for the church of Jesus Christ to lay aside selfishness and take up love the way Jesus, and the early believers did. Jesus took time away from the crowds to give himself to prayer, but was moved with compassion because of the needs. Loneliness is a need, and we have the goods to meet it by God’s grace. What the world needs right now is love, the God kind of love that lays down its life for others. We wonder why so many believers fall away, but how many of these precious brothers and sisters have never felt a part of a real family, the family of God? They came in, and went out, feeling just as unloved as they did in the world.

            It is time church, that we inconvenience ourselves for loves’ sake and become a family once again. Love looks like something. It is tangible. 1Thesselonians 4:9 But as touching brotherly love ye need not that I write unto you: for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another. 1 John 3:11 For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. 1 John 3:16 Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.

            The fallacy is that we have to reorder our lives to receive guests into our homes, but these are no strangers, but our brothers and sisters in Christ. Every time our dad, or sister stops by we don’t feel obligated to scrub the entire house to make sure there isn’t a speck of dust, and our family in Lord does not expect it either. They would rather feel they aren’t just company, but a part of our family circle, a welcome addition that we don’t have to put on airs for. Heart of our heart, life of our life, love of our love. Let us make them feel at home, like one of the family, which we are all called to be to each other.

            Hospitality in the New Testament Greek means; “love to strangers, hospitable, generous to guests, lover of hospitality”. It is time we embrace this lost love, and make ourselves available to those we call our brothers and sisters in Lord. 1 Peter 1:22 Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned (undisguised, sincere) love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently.

            The Church wonders why with all our efforts we can’t turn the world up-side-down. True love is the only thing that looks different from what the world already has. In the era of cast offs, and unlovables, we can shine as a light that will touch the heart of the lost. How can they see any difference in us, unless they see the love of Christ in action? It all starts at home, in “our” homes, with “our” family, the family of God. In the process we will find the greatest treasure God has given us on this earth is the one sitting in the pew next to us on Sunday morning feeling as if nobody really cares about them, and in the missionary that wants to know the family back home supports their efforts, and values their sacrifice. Romans 13:7 Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour. 1 John 3:18 My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue, but in deed and in truth. Amen? Love looks like something.

All scriptural references are from the King James Version of the bible.

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