THE LIVING WORD TRANSCRIPT<br> <br>

PROGRAM AIR DATE – 1-22-17

<br> <br>

LESSON TITLE: “THE HUSBAND IN THE HOME”<br> <br>



WELCOME<br> <br>

      TODAY WE ARE BLESSED WITH A WONDERFUL GIFT FROM GOD, THE BIBLE. THIS BOOK IS GOD'S LIVING WORD. IN ITS PAGES, WE ARE TOLD “FOR THE WORD OF GOD IS LIVING AND POWERFUL AND SHARPER THAN ANY TWO-EDGED SWORD.” IT IS IN THIS BOOK OF BOOKS THAT WE FIND THE ANSWERS TO ALL OF MAN'S QUESTIONS AND NEEDS. THIS MORNING YOUR AREA CHURCHES OF CHRIST WELCOME YOU TO A PROGRAM COMMITTED TO THAT PERFECT LAW OF LIBERTY AS WE PRESENT THE LIVING WORD. NOW HERE IS YOUR HOST RAY SULLINS.<br> <br>

      WELCOME TO THE LIVING WORD PROGRAM ON THIS WONDROUS LORD’S DAY MORNING!   THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TODAY AS WE COMMIT THIS TIME TO THE THINGS OF GOD.  TOGETHER WE WILL HAVE THE PRIVILEGE TO STUDY FROM GOD’S HOLY WORD AND TO SING PRAISES TO HIS WONDERFUL NAME.  LET’S EACH DO OUR PART THIS MORNING IN MAKING THIS TIME OF OFFERING ACCEPTABLE IN HIS SIGHT.  WILL YOU BOW WITH ME IN PRAYER AT THIS TIME.  <br> <br>

      PRAYER: OUR GOD AND FATHER IN HEAVEN, WE THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS DAY - THE LORD'S DAY - AND FOR THE PRIVILEGE THAT WE HAVE AS YOUR CHILDREN TO BE ABLE TO DO THOSE THINGS THAT YOU'VE ASKED OF US IN YOUR WORD, KNOWING THAT WE MIGHT BE FOUND FAITHFUL AND THEREFORE RECIPIENTS OF YOUR GREAT BLESSINGS IN THIS LIFE AND THE LIFE TO COME. AND FATHER, WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR GOODNESS - WE THANK YOU FOR THE GIFT OF JESUS KNOWING THAT IS ONLY THROUGH HIS SACRIFICE THAT WE STAND PRESENTABLE BEFORE YOU AND WILL ALSO RECEIVE THAT GREAT REWARD IN THE END. FATHER, HELP US TO ALWAYS GIVE YOU OUR VERY BEST. IN JESUS NAME WE PRAY, AMEN.<br> <br>

      NOW IT’S TIME TO JOIN IN OUR FIRST SONG OF THE MORNING.  THE NAME OF THE HYMN, “I’LL FLY AWAY.” <br> <br>



DEVOTIONAL THOUGHTS<br> <br>

      HOW MANY TIMES HAVE YOU SAID SOMETHING THAT YOU REGRETTED?  YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN, “OPEN MOUTH AND INSERT FOOT.”  I THINK WE HAVE ALL BEEN THERE AND DONE THAT.   HOWEVER, THE REAL QUESTION THAT WE MUST CONSIDER IS, JUST HOW IMPORTANT IS IT THAT WE DO AND SAY THE RIGHT THINGS?  WELL OUR LORD SAID IT IS VERY IMPORTANT. <br> <br> 

      IN MATTHEW 12:35, JESUS SAID, “BUT I SAY TO YOU THAT FOR EVERY IDLE WORD MEN MAY SPEAK, THEY WILL GIVE ACCOUNT OF IT IN THE DAY OF JUDGMENT.”  ALSO IN REVELATION 20:13, WE READ THAT EACH ONE IS JUDGED ACCORDING TO HIS WORKS!  NOW WE HAVE THE ANSWERS!  IT MATTERS BECAUSE THE THINGS WE DO AND SAY WILL JUDGE US IN THE LAST DAY!  WE WILL EITHER RECEIVE A GOOD REWARD FOR THE RIGHTEOUS LIVES THAT WE HAVE LIVED OR WE WILL RECEIVE DAMNATION, ACCORDING TO OUR CHOICES IN THIS LIFE WHICH FORGOT GOD.<br> <br>  

      IN THE SAME TEXT BACK UP IN VERSES 33 AND 34, JESUS SUMMED WHAT CAUSES US TO DO AND TO SAY THE THINGS WHICH WE DO.  THERE HE SAYS, “…FOR OUT OF THE ABUNDANCE OF THE HEART THE MOUTH SPEAKS.  A GOOD MAN OUT OF THE GOOD TREASURE OF HIS HEART BRINGS FORTH GOOD THINGS, AND AN EVIL MAN OUT OF THE EVIL TREASURE BRINGS FORTH EVIL THINGS.”  CHRIST SAYS WE DO AND SAY THINGS ACCORDING TO WHAT WE ARE INSIDE.  THE HEART AND SOUL OF MAN CAUSE HIM TO PRODUCE EITHER GOOD TREASURES OR BAD.  SOLOMON SAID, “AS A MAN THINKS IN HIS HEART, SO IS HE,” PROVERBS 23:7.  <br> <br>

      THE THINGS WE CHOOSE TO FEED OUR HEART, SOUL, AND MIND WITH, WILL DETERMINE WHETHER WE PRODUCE THAT WHICH IS GOOD OR BAD.  YOU AND I KNOW THAT A GOOD TREE DOESN’T PRODUCE BAD FRUIT NOR DOES A BAD TREE PRODUCE GOOD FRUIT.  AGAIN, IT WAS OUR SAVIOR WHO SAID, “THEREFORE BY THEIR FRUITS YOU WILL KNOW THEM,” MATTHEW 7:20.<br> <br>

      SO MY QUESTION TODAY IS, WHAT TYPE OF FRUIT DO YOU PRODUCE THROUGH YOUR WORDS AND DEEDS?   IS IT THE GOOD FRUIT ACCORDING TO THE WILL OR CHRIST, OR IS IT BAD FRUIT ACCORDING TO THE EVIL’S OF THIS WORLD?  REMEMBER, IT DOES MAKE A DIFFERENCE, IT DOES MATTER - SO CHOOSE THIS MORNING TO ONLY BEAR THAT FRUIT THAT MAKES YOU ACCEPTABLE BEFORE GOD.   <br> <br>

      TODAY, WE WILL CONTINUE OUR SERIES OF STUDY ENTITLED, “AND THEY SHALL BECOME ONE FLESH!”. OUR SPECIFIC LESSON THIS MORNING WILL BE “THE HUSBAND IN THE HOME.”  AFTER OUR NEXT SONG TOGETHER, I WILL RETURN WITH THIS STUDY FROM GOD’S WORD.  NOW, WON’T YOU JOIN IN WITH THE CONGREGATION AS WE SING, “PREPARE TO MEET THY GOD.” 

      <br> <br>

      LESSON<br> <br>

      BY RAY SULLINS<br> <br>

      THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR CONTINUING WITH US TODAY AS WE NOW GO TO GOD'S WORD AND CONSIDER ANOTHER LESSON IN RELATIONSHIP TO THE HOME AS GOD DESIGNS IT. WE NOW HAVE LOOKED, AT LEAST FOR ONE WEEK, AT REALLY THE HOME IN RELATIONSHIP TO MARRIAGE AND THE INSTITUTION ITSELF THAT GOD HATH ESTABLISHED FROM THE VERY BEGINNING OF TIME EVEN WITHIN THE FIRST OF CREATION. BUT TODAY WE WOULD LIKE TO BEGIN TO LOOK AT REALLY GOD'S DESIGN OR GOD'S PLAN IN THE HOME STARTING WITH MAN. BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT THERE ARE DIFFERENT INDIVIDUALS IN THE HOME. THAT WAS EVIDENT LAST WEEK WHEN WE SAW THAT A MAN WILL LEAVE HIS FATHER AND MOTHER AND A WOMAN WOULD LEAVE HER FATHER OR MOTHER AND THE TWO WOULD COME TOGETHER AS ONE FLESH. OBVIOUSLY MEN AND WOMEN ARE DIFFERENT. MEN AND WOMEN HAVE DIFFERENT ABILITIES AND THEREFORE HAVE DIFFERENT ROLES TO FULFILL EVEN ACCORDING TO WHAT THE OLD AND NEW TESTAMENTS INDICATE. SO WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND WHAT IS THE ROLE OF THE MAN OR THE HUSBAND SPECIFICALLY IN THE HOME IN RELATIONSHIP TO THE WOMAN OR HIS WIFE IN WHOM HE HAS MARRIED. AND WE DON'T HAVE TO GO VERY FAR AGAIN TO BEGIN TO SEE A LOT OF SCRIPTURES AND EXAMPLES - BIBLICAL EXAMPLES - OF THOSE IN THE SCRIPTURES WHO CERTAINLY WERE, ACCORDING TO THE WILL OF GOD, BEING THE HUSBANDS THAT THEY NEEDED TO BE. BEING THE MEN OF GOD AND RULING THEIR HOMES IN THE RIGHT WAY. <br> <br>

      AND SO TO BEGIN TO UNDERSTAND REALLY WHAT THE HUSBAND'S ROLE IS, WE WILL GO TO EPHESIANS CHAPTER 5. AND ITS SIGNIFICANT HERE IN EPHESIANS CHAPTER 5 BECAUSE A LOT OF TIMES INDIVIDUALS LIKE TO GO HERE AND SOMETIMES ESPECIALLY MEN - AND THEY LIKE TO THINK ABOUT THE IDEA OF THE WOMAN'S ROLE IN THIS PASSAGE AND CERTAINLY IT DOES DEAL WITH THE WOMAN'S ROLE AND WE'LL BE LOOKING AT THE WOMAN'S ROLE IN THE HOME NEXT WEEK. BUT AS WE THINK ABOUT THE MAN'S ROLE CERTAINLY IT IS A ROLE EQUALLY SIGNIFICANT AND PERHAPS WITH EVEN GREATER RESPONSIBILITY. WHICH ALSO THEN WOULD INDICATE EVEN DIRE OR EVEN MORE DIRE CONSEQUENCES WHEN THE HUSBAND IS NOT WHAT HE SHOULD BE. NOW THE FIRST THING I THINK IS QUITE SIGNIFICANT IN RELATIONSHIP TO THE HUSBAND IS FOUND THERE IN VERSE 23. IN VERSE 23 IT SAYS, “FOR THE HUSBAND IS HEAD OF THE WIFE.” YOU KNOW, A LOT OF TIMES PEOPLE SAY, “WELL, YOU KNOW PAUL WAS NEVER MARRIED. HE DIDN'T UNDERSTAND THINGS. HE WAS A MAN WHO WAS A CHAUVINIST. HE OBVIOUSLY DIDN'T LIKE WOMEN.” WELL ISN'T IT QUITE INTERESTING THAT ALSO THE BIBLE TELLS US THAT ALL SCRIPTURE IS GIVEN BY INSPIRATION OF GOD. WE KNOW THAT EVEN PETER SAID THAT THE APOSTLE PAUL WAS LED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT - THE INSPIRED SCRIPTURES THAT HE WROTE - SO PAUL IS NOT JUST WRITING WHAT HE THINKS OR FEELS OR WANTS. PAUL IS WRITING WHAT GOD HAS DELIVERED TO HIM ACCORDING TO THE TRUTH OF HIS WORD. YOU KNOW, I'VE OFTEN THOUGHT ABOUT THE IDEA, AND EVEN WHEN I WAS A YOUNGER PREACHER WHEN I FIRST WENT OUT AND BEGAN TO PREACH BEFORE I WAS MARRIED, I MIGHT PREACH ON MARRIAGE AND SOMEBODY SAYS OH, HE DOESN'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT MARRIAGE. WELL SURE, I KNOW THINGS ABOUT MARRIAGE IF I PRESENT WHAT IT IS FROM GOD'S WORD THAT THE BIBLE SAYS ABOUT MARRIAGE. I MAY NOT HAVE EXPERIENCED IT BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT I CAN'T UNDERSTAND AND TELL YOU ABOUT MARRIAGE. AND SOMEBODY MIGHT SAY, “WELL, YOU'VE NEVER BEEN A WOMAN. YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND...” I DON'T HAVE TO BE A WOMAN TO FULLY UNDERSTAND. I MAY NOT HAVE EXPERIENCED IT BUT I KNOW WHAT GOD SAYS. THE ROLE OF A MAN - THE ROLE OF WOMEN CERTAINLY ARE. <br> <br>

      AND SO IT SAYS HERE THAT THE HUSBAND IS HEAD OF THE WIFE, WHAT IS HE TALKING ABOUT? HE'S TALKING ABOUT SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN IN EXISTENCE FROM THE DAY THAT PAUL WROTE THIS AROUND 60 TO 62 A.D. ALL THE WAY BACK TO THE VERY BEGINNING OF TIME. YOU’RE NOT SURE ABOUT THAT? LET'S FIND OUT WHY IT IS THAT THE WOMAN IS TO BE SUBMISSIVE TO MAN AND THAT MAN IS REFERRED TO AS THE HEAD OF THE HOME OR THE HOUSEHOLD ALL THE WAY BACK TO THE CURSE GIVEN BY GOD TO THE SERPENT - TO THE MAN - TO THE WOMAN WHEN THEY HAD EATEN OF THE FORBIDDEN FRUIT. THERE IN VERSE 16 OF GENESIS 3 - AS WE READ THERE, NOT ONLY ABOUT THE PAIN THAT SHE WOULD BEAR IN CHILDBIRTH. DOES THAT STILL TAKE OLACE? YES. FROM THE VERY BEGINNING, WHEN EVE HAD PAIN SHE HAD PAIN IN CHILDBIRTH. YOU KNOW WHY? BECAUSE OF THE CONSEQUENCES OF HER SIN. AND THEREFORE, ALL WOMEN OF ALL AGES WOULD BEAR THE SAME CONSEQUENCES OF HER SIN TO BE A REMINDER THAT THERE IS A GOD AND THAT WE BETTER OBEY GOD. BUT I ALSO WANT YOU TO NOTICE WHAT IT GOES ON TO SAY, “AND YOUR DESIRE EVE SHALL BE FOR YOUR HUSBAND AND HE SHALL RULE OVER YOU.” AND DON'T YOU FIND IT INTERESTING THAT THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF YEARS BEFORE PAUL WROTE THAT THE CURSE THAT WAS GIVEN TO WOMAN WAS THAT SHE WOULD HAVE HER HUSBAND RULE OVER HER AND THAT HER -  THE DESIRE OF HER HUSBAND WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT SHE WOULD HAVE TO GIVE IN OR SUBMIT TO? WHAT IS IT THEN THAT...WHAT'S BEING SAID IS THAT FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS THAT'S WHAT GOD REQUIRED. PAUL REITERATES IT IN EPHESIANS CHAPTER 5. THE HUSBAND IS THE HEAD OF THE WIFE. AND YET SOMEONE TODAY WILL SAY, “OH, BUT IT'S CHANGED IN THE LAST THOUSAND YEARS. IT'S BEEN THE SAME FOR 5 OR 6 THOUSAND YEARS. BUT IT'S DIFFERENT TODAY BECAUSE WE LIVE IN A MODERN SOCIETY. WE LIVE IN A MODERN WORLD.” OH HOW RIDICULOUS! HOW RIDICULOUS BECAUSE I WANT YOU TO NOTICE ALSO THE STANDARD THAT HE USES. HE SAYS THAT HE IS THE HEAD OF THE WIFE AS CHRIST IS WHAT? HEAD OF THE CHURCH. HAS THAT CHANGED? NO - CHRIST IS HEAD OF THE CHURCH. THE HUSBAND IS HEAD OF THE WIFE AS CHRIST IS HEAD OF THE CHURCH. WHAT A BEAUTIFUL THOUGHT! WHAT A WONDERFUL THING! BUT DO YOU UNDERSTAND WITH ME - MEN OF GOD? WOMEN OF GOD? THE RESPONSIBILITY THAT IS THEREFORE PLACED UPON THE MAN? IF HE IS, AND CERTAINLY THE SCRIPTURES INDICATE TO BE THE HEAD OF THE HOME, WHO'S RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CARE OF THE HOME? WHO'S RESPONSIBLE FOR PROVIDING FOR THE HOME? WHO'S THE PRIMARY ONE? WHO'S THE ONE RESPONSIBLE WITH THEIR LIFE FOR THE PROTECTION OF THE HOME? WELL, THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT THIS TEXT GOES ON TO SAY IN RELATIONSHIP TO THE ROLE OF THE HUSBAND. FOR INSTANCE IN VERSE 25, “HUSBANDS LOVE YOUR WIVES AS CHRIST LOVED THE CHURCH AND GAVE HIMSELF FOR HER.” HOW MUCH IS A HUSBAND OR HOW FAR IS A HUSBAND WILLING OR NEED TO BE WILLING TO GO IN RELATIONSHIP TO CARE FOR THE WIFE AND PROTECTION? EVEN TO THE DEATH. IN THE SAME WAY THAT JESUS WAS WILLING TO DIE FOR THE CHURCH - IN THE SAME WAY THAT HE WAS THE SAVIOR OF THE BODY AND THE ONE WHO CARES FOR THE BODY. THE BODY WHICH IS THE CHURCH - THAT IS WHAT THE HUSBAND IS WELL REQUIRED TO BE FOCUSED ON IN THE SIGHT OF GOD. SO NOW I HOPE YOU BEGIN TO UNDERSTAND THE AWESOME RESPONSIBILITY, THE HEAVY WEIGHT, THAT IS PLACED UPON MEN, NOT ONLY TO BE HUSBANDS BUT TO BE EXAMPLES, PROVIDERS, PROTECTORS. HEAD OF THE HOUSEHOLD WHO WILL ANSWER TO GOD WITH THEIR VERY SOULS IF THEY HAVE SERVED WELL OR NOT. YOU SEE, EVEN IN JUDGMENT MEN WILL BEAR THAT RESPONSIBILITY. <br> <br>

      BUT I WANT YOU TO NOTICE SOMETHING ELSE ABOUT THIS PASSAGE AND REALLY THIS IS PROBABLY MY FAVORITE PART ABOUT THE INSTRUCTION GIVEN IN EPHESIANS 5 TO THE MAN OR THE HUSBAND IS IN WHAT WAY?  WHAT TYPE OF HEAD IS HE SUPPOSED TO BE? AS A SAVIOR, AS ONE WE HAVE JUST READ WHO HAS GIVEN HIMSELF. WHAT IS THE FOUNDATION? WHAT IS THE MOTIVATION OF THE MAN, THE HUSBAND, THAT REALLY IS THE START OR THE BEGINNING OF ALL THINGS? LOVE…LOVE. DO YOU KNOW THAT A HOME IS ONLY GOING TO BE SUCCESSFUL WHEN THE MAN AS HEAD OF THE HOME LOVES - GET THIS - AS CHRIST LOVED - AGAIN WILLING TO DIE FOR HIS WIFE. WILLING TO DO WHATEVER IT TAKES TO PROVIDE FOR HER. DO WHATEVER IT TAKES TO GIVE HER WHAT SHE NEEDS AND TO BE THE MAN OF THE HOUSEHOLD. OH, THE BEAUTIFUL PLAN THAT GOD GAVE, AND THREE TIMES IN THIS TEXT, THE HOLY SPIRIT REVEALS TO US THROUGH PAUL THE NEED THAT A MAN HAS TO LOVE HIS WIFE AS CHRIST LOVED THE CHURCH. BUT NOT ONE TIME IS A WIFE TOLD TO LOVE HER HUSBAND. YOU KNOW WHAT WORDS IT USES FOR THE WIFE? SUBMIT AND SUBJECT. WHAT DOES THAT TELL US? THE MAN HAS TO SET THE STANDARD. MEN, IF YOU'RE NOT STEPPING UP TO THE PLATE AND IF YOU'RE NOT HUSBANDS AND LEADERS AND HEADS OF YOUR HOUSEHOLD PROVIDING AND PROTECTING AND CARING FOR YOUR HOUSEHOLD AS YOU SHOULD - THERE'S NO WONDER AS TO WHY YOUR HOUSEHOLD IS NOT WHAT GOD DESIRES. BECAUSE THAT'S YOUR RESPONSIBILITY AND YOU WILL ANSWER TO GOD WITH YOUR SOUL IF YOU DON'T REPENT AND BEGIN TO BE THE MEN THAT GOD REQUIRES. THE HUSBANDS, BECAUSE YOU ARE REQUIRED TO LOVE - VERSE 25, “HUSBANDS LOVE YOUR WIVES.” VERSE 28, “SO HUSBANDS OUGHT TO LOVE THEIR OWN WIVES.” AND VERSE 33, “NEVERTHELESS LET EACH ONE OF YOU IN PARTICULAR SO LOVE HIS OWN WIFE AS HIMSELF.” YOU SEE, LOVE. YOU KNOW THAT MAKES ME THINK OF WHAT JOHN SPEAKS ABOUT THERE CONCERNING CHRIST IN FIRST JOHN CHAPTER 4. IT'S NOT THAT WE LOVE GOD BUT THAT HE LOVED US. HE LOVED US ENOUGH TO GIVE HIS WHAT? HIS OWN SON TO DIE FOR US. THAT'S LOVE! WHAT GREATER LOVE HAS MAN THAN THIS TO LAY DOWN HIS LIFE FOR A FRIEND. JESUS HAS SHOWN US THE FAMILY, THE CHURCH OF GOD, THE GREATEST EXPRESSION OF LOVE. AND WHAT IS IT THAT MEN ARE ASKED? OR WHAT IS THE REQUIREMENT ASKED OF MEN BY GOD HIMSELF? THAT THEY LOVE THEIR WIFE. THAT THEY SET THE STANDARD. YOU LOOK AT A FAMILY TO ME WHERE A WIFE DOESN'T LIVE AS SHE SHOULD LOVE HER HUSBAND. IT'S BECAUSE THE HUSBAND IS NOT LOVING FIRST, HAS NOT DONE WHAT HE NEEDED, HAS NOT SET THE STANDARD - THE MOOD HAD NOT FOCUSED ON GOD. YOU SEE WHERE THE BUCK STOPS? DO YOU SEE WHERE THE PROBLEM BEGINS? YOU SEE, WE AS THE CHURCH ARE ABLE TO HAVE THE CONFIDENCE WE HAVE AND FOCUS AND COMMITTMENT TO GOD BECAUSE WE KNOW THE LOVE OF GOD. HE HAS FIRST LOVED US. HE GAVE THE EXAMPLE. HE DOES EVERYTHING FOR US. HE PROVIDES FOR US. AND THEREFORE, WE CONTINUE TO LOVE AS HE LOVES. BUT HUSBANDS MUST DO THE SAME. YOU SHOW ME A HOUSEHOLD THAT IS FAILING AND I'LL LOOK TO THE HUSBAND, THE MAN OF THE HOUSEHOLD. YOU SHOW ME A HOUSEHOLD THAT IS DYSFUNCTIONAL AND I'LL AGAIN LOOK EVERY TIME TO THE MAN. AND WHAT I'LLL FIND IS IN SOME WAY THE MAN DOES NOT LOVE THE WIFE AS GOD LOVES THE CHURCH. AND THEN THAT SAD PREDICAMENT OR REALIZATION, WE UNDERSTAND HOW SIMPLE IT IS TO KNOW WHAT WOULD MAKE THE HOME WORK IF THAT MAN WOULD TRULY LOVE AS HE HAS BEEN LOVED. IT'S ALSO AMAZING TO ME THAT AS WE LOOK THROUGHOUT SCRIPTURES THAT THE SCRIPTURES TIME AND TIME AGAIN REVEAL TO US THE FACT THAT WE ARE TO LOVE ALL MEN. WE ARE TO LOVE OUR ENEMIES AND DO GOOD TO OUR ENEMIES. I LIKE WHAT PAUL SAID TO THE PHILIPPIAN CHURCH IN VERSE THREE OF CHAPTER TWO. HE SAYS, “LET NOTHING BE DONE THROUGH SELFISH AMBITION OR CONCEIT BUT IN LOWLINESS OF MIND. LET EACH ESTEEM OTHERS BETTER THAN HIMSELF.” WE ARE TO ESTEEM OTHERS BETTER THAN OURSELVES AND LOVE OUR BRETHREN AND BE BENEVOLENT TO OUR BRETHREN AND HELP THE NEEDY. WE'RE TO DO ALL WE CAN FOR ALL OF OUR FELLOW MAN AND TO LOVE THEM AND TO TREAT THEM AS WE WOULD TREAT CHRIST HIMSELF. BUT THEN AS MEN, AS HUSBANDS WE GO HOME AND WE MISTREAT OUR WIVES. WE SPEAK IMPROPERLY TO OUR WIVES. WE PUT OUR WIVES DOWN. WE DON'T DO THE THINGS THAT GOD HAS SHOWN US BY EXAMPLE. BUT WE'LL GO OUT TO THE JOB AND WE'LL GO TO OUR NEIGHBORS AND WE TREAT OTHERS OUTSIDE THE HOME BETTER THAN OUR WIFE AND WE WONDER WHY THE WIFE IS NOT WILLING TO SUBMIT. WE WONDER WHY THE WIFE IS NOT WILLING TO DO HER PART TO FULFILL HER ROLE WITHIN THE HOME WHEN WE OURSELVES - THE VERY STANDARD FOR THE HOME - THE STANDARD BY GOD OF LOVE - ARE NOT THE FILLING THE ROLE THAT WE NEED TO FULFILL. <br> <br>

      AND SO AS WE THINK ABOUT THESE THINGS CERTAINLY WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO GAIN GREAT STRENGTH BECAUSE THE WIFE IS A BLESSING, A GIFT FROM GOD. I LOVE IN THE SAME TEXT THERE IN EPHESIANS CHAPTER 5 WHAT IT IS THAT JESUS SAYS ABOUT THE CHURCH WITHIN THE SAME COMPARISON. HE SAYS THERE HE LOVED HER SO MUCH HE DIED FOR HER. REMEMBER WE READ THAT IN VERSE 25. BUT THEN HE SAID, “THAT HE MIGHT SANCTIFY AND CLEANSE HER WITH A WASHING OF WATER BY THE WORD.” VERSE 27, “THAT HE MIGHT PRESENT HER TO HIMSELF A GLORIOUS CHURCH HAVING NOT SPOT OR A WRINKLE OR ANY SUCH THING, BUT THAT SHE SHOULD BE HOLY AND WITHOUT BLEMISH.” THE SAME WAY THAT GOD WANTS HIS CHURCH, TO BE A BEAUTIFUL AND GLORIOUS THING - TO HAVE WHAT IT NEEDS AND TO SHOW FORTH IT'S LIGHT TO THE WORLD. HOW THAT GOD HAS CARED FOR HIS OWN. IT'S THE SAME THING THAT WE SHOULD SEE WITHIN THAT MARRIAGE RELATIONSHIP. YOU KNOW, YOU THINK ABOUT THAT DAY WHEN YOU WERE MARRIED AND HOW BEAUTIFUL SHE LOOKED AND THE WAY SHE FIXED UP AND THE WAY SHE CAME DOWN THE AISLE AND WE'RE ALL EXCITED AND EVERYBODY THINKS OF THE LOVE THAT IS IN THE ROOM. BRETHERN, THAT'S JUST THE FIRST DAY OF THE LOVE. THE START OF THE LOVE. THE LOVE THAT HAS TO CONTINUE EVERY DAY THEREAFTER EVEN THOUGH THE DRESSES NO LONGER HIDE THE WRINKLES AND WE GET OLDER AND WE'RE MAYBE NOT AS YOUNG OR CAPABLE AS WE USED TO BE. LOVE AS CHRIST LOVED! BE MEN OF GOD. BE MEN THAT MAKE GOD PROUD OF WHO WE ARE IN THE HOME, AS THOSE LEADERS, AS THOSE HEADS, AS THOSE PROVIDERS, AS THOSE PROTECTORS - LET'S MAKE SURE THAT WE UNDERSTAND THAT A MAN, AS THE HOLY SPIRIT REVEALED, WILL NOT PROVIDE FOR HIS OWN IS WORSE THAN AN INFIDEL. WE ARE MEN OF GOD! LET'S ACT LIKE IT. LET'S SERVE HIM AND UNDERSTAND THAT BY OBEYING HIM AND BEING MEN AND HUSBANDS AS ARE REQUIRED WE THEREFORE FULFILL THE ROLE THAT GOD HAS GIVEN US IN THE HOME TO MAKE SURE THAT THE HOME WILL FUNCTION - THAT THE WIFE WILL BE WHAT SHE NEEDS TO BE - THAT THE CHILDREN WILL HAVE LEARNED BY OUR EXAMPLES - AND OUR LOVE AND OUR COMMITMENT AND OUR RELATIONSHIP TO THEM - THAT WE LOVE THEM AS FATHERS AND THAT WE WILL ENCOURAGE THEM AS FATHERS. <br> <br>

      YOU SEE BRETHERN, WE MUST BE THAT STANDARD. WE MUST BE THAT LIGHT ON THE HILL. WE MUST BE THOSE PILLARS AND THOSE FOUNDATIONS IN THE HOME THAT GOD DESIGNED. AND WHEN WE ARE - OH, HOW BEAUTIFUL IT IS. WHAT A BEAUTIFUL THING TO SEE A HOME BEFORE GOD THAT FUNCTIONS ACCORDING TO HIS PERFECT WILL. MEN, LET'S MAKE SURE THAT TODAY WE ARE RIGHT WITH GOD AND RIGHT WITH OUR WIVES. IF NOT - SET THINGS RIGHT THAT YOU MIGHT RECEIVE ETERNAL LIFE.<br> <br>

CLOSING COMMENTS<br> <br>

      AGAIN, LET ME THANK YOU FOR PUTTING GOD FIRST AND CHOOSING TO GIVE THIS TIME TO HIM. IT IS ALWAYS A PLEASURE TO HAVE YOU WITH US.  WE INVITE YOU TO JOIN US EVERY SUNDAY MORNING AT 7:30, AS WE COMMIT OURSELVES TO WORSHIPING GOD IN HIS WAY!  <br> <br>

      NOW, LET ME ASK YOU IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ABOUT TODAY’S LESSON?  MAYBE, YOU WOULD LIKE A FREE TRANSCRIPT OR CASSETTE TAPE OF THIS PROGRAM?  POSSIBLY, WE COULD ASSIST YOU WITH FREE BIBLE MATERIALS OR CORRESPONDENCE COURSES?  NO MATTER WHAT YOUR NEED IS, PLEASE CONTACT US AT THE FOLLOWING ADDRESS:  

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The Living Word

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      AS MEN OF GOD, MAY WE ALL STRIVE TO BE PROPER HUSBANDS ACCORDING TO WHAT GOD REQUIRES IN HIS PERFECT LAW.  HOW BLESSED WE ARE TO HAVE GOD’S GUIDANCE TO FOLLOW IN ALL THINGS, KNOWING THAT THE FAITHFUL WILL ALWAYS BE BLESSED BY GOD.  PRAISE BE TO GOD!

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