The Second Promise to Women

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^“To the woman he said,“I will make your pains in childbearing very severe;with painful labor you will give birth to children.Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you.” Genesis 3:16

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I want to us to look at this second part of Genesis 3:16 for a moment. You are probably wondering what I am going to say with verses in the New Testament are quoted. It’s not as bad as one might think. Please let us look at this, in a reasonable scripture context.

Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you.” Genesis 3:16 (second part)

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But I want you to realize that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is man,and the head of Christ is God. 1 Corinthians 11:3 

Here in 1 Corinthians 11:3 is very clear the man is the head of the woman. This is another statement stating the obvious. Is this humorous?  If we look closely at the verses below carefully, women it’s not as bad as you may think.

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Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.

Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord.

For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Saviour.

Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her

to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word,

and to present her himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. Ephesians 5:21-27

It is quite clear we need to submit to one another. To submit doesn’t give the man the right to rule with an iron fist or abuse. In the bible reference above it say’s for the man to love their wife. This means to listen to them, and after seeking God’s wisdom to then make a ruling. Then the wife needs to submit.

“But my man is wrong a lot of the time.”

ok he may be wrong.  First God will deal with the man. This isn’t your responsibility. He needs to learn by his own mistakes. If he loves you he will take time to think things through of whatever you have suggested to him during the discourse of a debate.

Next thing which needs to be considered is “God has a plan” He ‘God’ has brought you both together for a reason. God can stop any plan your man may have in the making. You need to trust the almighty God to deal with him when and if he is about to make the biggest mistake of his life.

Let me give an example: Your man has just injured his back. He is nearly recovered. Then he gets this awesome opportunity to apply to work as a truckie unloading heavy machinery. Because of shortage of money he bull headedly goes to the interview that could potentially change his life. But you know this is a very bad situation.  The only thing that is open and possible to you is prayer and your faith in God that he won’t land this job. He then comes home with his tail between his legs (so to speak) He is upset because now he is back to looking for another job. You have submitted to your man, but God has taken care of a bad situation that could have occurred through your faith and prayers.

You see God will bless your submission to your man. Men have a more of a responsibility, because if you love your wife as Christ loves the Church and gave himself for it, it is only then you have a sacrificial love for your wife. It is also then that decisions made together and the proper roles in the home are integrated that God can bless two couples together in the decision making of the home.

Yes, sometimes men we need to step up and make some serious decisions for our wife and family, but let us do it in love, not in an abusive way with an iron fist. 

But I want you to realize that the head of every man is Christ,…1 Corinthians 11:3  NOT YOU

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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God is Spirit

First, let me be clear. I believe God is a Spirit. I believe that Jesus by the authority of God sent His Holy Spirit to be in us once we believe in the death of our Lord Jesus Christ who died on the cross of Calvary for our sins past present and future. Also I believe we ourselves are mortal human beings. Jesus came to this earth as both God in the form of human flesh. We as human beings aren't little gods as some would believe.

Having said the above lets look at some verses that may cause us some concern in this area of God a Spirit and God coming to this earth through His Son the Lord Jesus Christ as a flesh and blood. Also in the old Testament (Old Covenant) are some examples when God took the form of a man.

Lets look in Genesis

²⁶ Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” Genesis 1:26

When God first made man and woman, they were without sin. God didn’t sin or has sinned. When the fall took place, man moved away from God and His fellowship with Him. As we look back on this, if we take this literally, I believe we were made in the image of God, only we have the sin nature because of the fall.

“When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father—the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father—he will testify about me. John 15:26

Here is God the Spirit In John 15:26. God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit is GOD (the trinity) the three in one. Because the Holy Spirit had already came from the Father (God) through our Lord Jesus Christ when John wrote the Gospel of John it is rightly said in John 4:2 that God is Spirit.

God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” John 4:2

God did produce himself in the promise statement of “Let us make man in our own image.” The “US” there I believe is God in trinity the three in one Father, Son and Holy Spirit.” This happened in the fiery furnace of  Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego recorded in Daniel chapter Three. We see that four men appeared in the furnace not three. God appeared as a man.

24 Then King Nebuchadnezzar leaped to his feet in amazement and asked his advisers, “Weren’t there three men that we tied up and threw into the fire?”

They replied, “Certainly, Your Majesty.”

25 He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God. (This verse KJV)

26 Nebuchadnezzar then approached the opening of the blazing furnace and shouted, “Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out! Come here!” So Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego came out of the fire, … Daniel 3:24-27

What do we then do with these verses regarding that God is Spirit and we were made in the likeness of Him. I want to take a simple view without getting tangled up in views that we may speculate on.

In Genesis it says we were made in the likeness or in His image. I Believe this can be explained in a literal sense.

 Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have. Luke 24:39

The Later verse is also true. No the Bible doesn’t contradict itself. God sent His Son into the world in the likeness of man did he not? This happened because God had a perfect Holy plan that Jesus would look like us when He died on the Cross for you and me. This is also revealed In Isaiah fifty three

3 He was despised and rejected by mankind,a man of suffering, and familiar with pain. Like one from whom people hide their faces he was despised, and we held him in low esteem.

⁴ Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted.

⁵ But he was pierced for our transgressions,he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was on him,and by his wounds we are healed.

⁶ We all, like sheep, have gone astray,each of us has turned to our own way;
and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. Isaiah 53:3-6.

If God didn’t have a plan at the beginning in creation, then where would prophecy of Jesus be today?

This was also revealed in the burning bush that God had something for Moses to look upon that wasn’t safe for Moses to see.

⁴ And when the Lord saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here am I.

⁵ And he said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground.

⁶ Moreover he said, I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. And Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look upon God.

You can’t look on a Spirit. God Is a Spirit being without any denial from me. When we refer to God we more than likely are talking about The Holy Spirit Is the Holy Spirit God? Yes! Was Jesus God and man in human form? Yes! The Holy Spirit came from God through Jesus Christ before He left the earth.

 

 God [is] a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship [him] in spirit and in truth...John 4:24

Here is God in Holy Spirit form sent from God Himself, So then because we have the Spirit of God living in us we should worship him in “Spirit and in truth” of whom is God himself.

As He is God, if He so desired could turn himself into or turn something into what ever He desires. But He has chosen not to. The only thing He desires of you and me, is to be more like Him before we leave this earth.

God had a Holy plan for us to be His image, yet His Spirit abides in the believer. We are an image of what God wanted us to be. From the very beginning after the fall, had a plan of fulfilment of His Son coming to earth by HIs Holy will. He also had a plan to form us into an image that is pleasing to God. Now we must do our part and be transformed to be more like Him in our daily lives. We are always going to look the same on the outside as someone special that God has made, but we need to change on the inside to be more like Christ by the renewing of His Spirit in our lives daily.

I pray that God will reveal Himself to you today.

God’s Promise To Women.

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^“To the woman he said, “I will make your pains in childbearing very severe; with painful labor you will give birth to children….” Genes 3:15 (first part)

Stating the obvious sometimes can be fun. This verse has the intent of stating the obvious. This isn’t fun. There is pain in childbearing. Not experiencing it myself, I can only go on what has been told. Is pain in childbearing happening today? Yes! Is it happening in the Church age? Yes! Did it happen in the old and new covenant? Yes! Lets have a look.

Verses in the Old Testament (Old covenant)

“Trembling seized them there, pain like that of a woman in labor.” Psalm 48:6

“At this my body is racked with pain, pangs seize me, like those of a woman in labor; I am staggered by what I hear, I am bewildered by what I see.” Isaiah 21:3

“We have heard reports about them, and our hands hang limp. Anguish has gripped us, pain like that of a woman in labor.” Jeremiah 6:24

9 “Why do you now cry aloud-- have you no king? Has your counselor perished, that pain seizes you like that of a woman in labor?”

10 “Writhe in agony, O Daughter of Zion, like a woman in labor, for now you must leave the city to camp in the open field. You will go to Babylon; there you will be rescued. There the LORD will redeem you out of the hand of your enemies.” Micah 4:9-10

God, I am sure willing will allow me to get to prophecy later. But it is clear in the Old Testament (Old covenant) that the process of child birth women bore pain. God promised this to every woman including Eve.

Some New Testament Verses of the Bible is relevant to giving birth is pain for a woman.

“A woman giving birth to a child has pain because her time has come; but when her baby is born she forgets the anguish because of her joy that a child is born into the world.” John 16:21

Although painful for a woman to give birth, there is wonderful joy when that baby is born. Especially that first born. She forgets her pain because the Joy is so overwhelming.

“She was pregnant and cried out in pain as she was about to give birth.” Revelation 12:2

Friends, it is obvious today women do travail in pain giving child birth. This was a promise given by God. As a father, I know the joy that was ours when we had both our Children. As fathers we need to respect what women go through to multiply on the face of this earth to make a difference to our world.

It is also recognised that in this age of Grace Christian, non Christian alike will go through pain in child birth. There is no difference between the Old covenant, the new covenant and the child bearing society we live in today.

Verses from the bible are quoted from the NIV New International Version 

Add other verses and quotes if you like in relation to this topic. Willing to be challenged. Author has the right to delete comments and challenges if so desired. Phil.

 

 

 

God’s first Promise

God fulfils His promises in Scripture and is revealed in the New Testament or New Covenant It is with a saddened heart that many will say it doesn’t apply because that was in the Old Testament or Old covenant.  I assure you that Satan is real today; he still lives on and proved He does in confronting moments in Jesus’ life.

In Genesis 3:14-15… God talks to the Serpent. 

14 The LORD God said to the serpent,“Because you have done this, cursed are you above all livestock and above all beasts of the field; on your belly you shall go,
and dust you shall eat all the days of your life.

15 I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.”

In Revelation 12:9… The great dragon was hurled down--that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him.

The good news is that in the New Testament or New Covenant Satan is going to be destroyed.

 

Romans 16:20 …The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.

Colossians 1:13
For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves.

My friends this is how he was defeated. We have been brought in the light of the gospel. This is how Satan was bruised. God in human form took our place on the cross and was bruised for our Iniquity.  When we come to know Him. We are His forever. John 10:29…  My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand.

Because of  Jesus Christ God’s only son died on the cross for us, we are His forever and more powerful than Satan. 

1 Peter 2:24 …"He himself bore our sins" in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; "by his wounds you have been healed."

 

Matthew 4:10,11  When Jesus was in the wilderness…

10. Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only,

11. Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.

Let us then Worship The Lord our God and continue to defeat the Devil by the Holy Spirit in the age of the Church as the Old covenant  is revealed in the New Covenant which includes the Church.

John 16:11… and about judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned.

Bible References come from NIV