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The helpmate God intended

Squadron of Sisters (Debbie Chavez) Leave a comment

Genesis 2:18 is a very interesting verse in the Bible. It actually explains why God created wives! In this verse, God says this: “It is not good for man to be alone; I will create a helper suitable for him.” Wow! That is God’s purpose for creating wives. So, in what ways does God intend for a wife to “help” her husband? Here are 3 ways that I have found to be huge and super impactful:
1) Pray for your husband. A wife’s temptation is for God to change her husband so that her husband meets all her desires. However, that is actually a bit self-centered, isn’t it? Instead, pray for God to work in your husband’s heart, mind and spirit so that your husband grasps the love of Christ and desires to honor and glorify God with his life! Huge!
2) Give respect and encouragement to your husband. Most men wrestle with insecurity and the fear of failure. However, when a wife treats her husband with honor and encourages him on a daily basis, he often has the motivation to become an even better dad, husband, and servant of the Lord!
3) Lovingly but firmly establish boundaries with your husband if he is engaged in a pattern of sin against you or your children. Simply sinking into self-pity or resentment is not helpful to you or your husband. However, if you set clear expectations for change as well as boundaries for your husband, God often uses those steps to get a husband’s attention so that he finally decides to repent of the sin and turn back to God.

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Catch this vision for wives!

Squadron of Sisters (Debbie Chavez) Leave a comment

God has given me a vision for Christian wives. I see him raising up an army of strong but gentle wives who do specific things in such a focused and powerful way that their husbands are propelled to become mighty men of God! Don’t we all want that?!
The qualities of these strong Christian wives are all Biblical, and if we press into them, I’m confident we will have a tremendous, positive impact on our men! As we encourage and pray for our men, our men will be much more likely to step up and become mighty men of God. Hallelujah!
The most important thing we can do is to respect, honor and love the Lord. But beyond that, catch this vision of the wife He is calling you to become. He is calling wives to be…
• encouraging (1 Thessalonians 5:11…encourage one another and build each other up)
• respectful (Ephesians 5:33….the wife must respect her husband)
• gentle (1 Peter 3:4 …the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight )
• compassionate (Colossians 3:12 …clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience)
• courageous (Joshua 1:9… Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.)
• loving but firm confronters of sin (Luke 17:3 If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him)
• prayer warriors (Colossians 4:2… Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful)

The mature view of marriage

Squadron of Sisters (Debbie Chavez) Leave a comment

Have you noticed that our culture is self-absorbed? We are receiving constant messages through advertising, social media, TV shows, and movies that life is all about pursuing personal happiness. When we follow that secular line of thinking, then we naturally assume our marriage is designed to make us happy. The minute our spouse wounds us or behaves below our expectations, we toss aside the marriage and try to find another man who will be the source of our happiness.
First of all, that is an unending quest because you will never find a perfect husband! But more importantly, this is not the purpose of a Biblical marriage.
As I study the Bible, I sensed the Holy Spirit revealing 5 purposes for marriage, although there are probably even more. As you read the purposes outlined below, ask the Holy Spirit to show you how to press into those purposes in your own marriage.
1) Marriage is designed for a husband and wife to have rich companionship as well as to provide help for each other as they navigate the challenges of life and seek to serve God together. Genesis 2:18 Then the Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper who is just right for him.”
2) Marriage is the primary place for you to learn how to carry out God’s major command to love your neighbor since the “neighbor” who is closest to you is your spouse! Matthew 22:39 “Love your neighbor as yourself.”
3) Marriage is designed to be a binding union and devoted partnership between a man and a woman. Genesis 2:23-25 The man said, “This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.” For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother, and be joined to his wife; and they shall become one flesh.
4) Marriage is designed to produce children and build a family. Genesis 1:28 God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number.”
5) Ultimately, marriage, as well as everything we do and every relationship we have, is supposed to bring glory to God. 1 Corinthians 10:31 “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” The question is this. Does your marriage glorify God? Is the way you conduct yourself as a spouse a great reflection of Christ? A mature view of a Christian marriage entails realizing it’s not all about YOU! It’s about glorifying God in everything you do, including reflecting the character of Christ in your marriage.

** or view this topic as a 3 minute VIDEO BELOW