Pages

Welcome!

Just a quick note to let you know I've moved my blog to the following address:

http://www.michellebenthamcreates.com

Please visit me at REDEEMED...RESTORED...RELEASED: One Woman's Story of Living Free to read more about what God is doing in my life and how He is working those things to set me free. Thanks so much for following, visiting, reading all about it and supporting me as you have done so many times these last few years. If you follow my other blogs, the posts from all three of my blogs are going to be transferred to the new digs for one big blog about our journey to restoration and freedom in Christ.

Friday, February 27, 2009

Sticky POST: Marriage Survey For Wives

**THIS IS A STICKY POST. PLEASE SCROLL DOWN FOR NEW MESSAGES.**

Please post your answers to this survery in an anonymous comment. I have been reading up on the marriage passages of Scripture and found some things that made me go - OH! Like the Amplified version of Ephesians 5:33
.
"However, let each man of you [without exception] love his wife as [being in a sense] his very own self; and let the wife see that she respects and reverences her husband [ that she notices him, regards him, honors him, prefers him, venerates, and esteems him; and hat she defers to him, praises him, and loves and admires him exceedingly]." (Emphasis Added)
.
So here we go, copy and paste the following into the comment and provide your answers:
.
1. How would you define respect and reverence? Explain in one paragraph if possible.
.
2. AGREE of DISAGREE: I believe if he does not do his part that I don't have to do mine. Explain your answer.
.
3. How do you feel when you read the latter part of verse 33 "... let the wife see that she respects and reverences her husband [that she notices him, honors him, prefers, him, venerates, and esteems him and that she defers to him, praises him, and loves and admires him exceedingly.]"?
.
4. How would you define submission or being subject to?
.
5. Please select which of the following areas that are the most difficult for you to submit to your husband in (order them from the most difficult to the least, if it is equal - use one line and separate with commas as needed).
.
Finances
Raising Children
Spiritual Matters
Extended Family Issues
Daily Decisions
How to Manage Your Home
Where you go to church
How to settle disputes
When He is wrong
.
6. Now select which of the following areas we are commanded to relate to her husband in a Spirit of and number them with this scale: 1 - Struggle Greatly, 2 - Struggle, 3 - Struggle Some, 4 - A Little Struggle, 5 - I Don't Struggle with it much.
.
RESPECT
.
REVERENCE
.
Noticing Him
.
Regarding Him
.
Honoring Him
.
Venerating Him (I found these words to define venerate: adore, worships, enshrines, dignifies, reveres)
.
Esteeming Him
.
Deferring to Him
.
Praising Him
.
Loving and Admiring Him Exceedingly
.
Submitting to your husband out of reverence for Christ. (Eph 5:21)
.
Serving your husband as a service to the Lord. (Col 3)
.
Admonishing your husband with your lifestyle rather than your words. (1 Peter 3)
.
Having a quiet and gentle spirit. (1 Peter 3)
.
Keeping an orderly home. (Titus 2, Proverbs 31)
.
Considering his needs as your own. (Matthew 19:19, Romans 13:9, Galatians 5:14)
.
7. Note the priority in leadership that is given by God for marriage. Then answer the questions that follow:
---------------------------------------------------------------------.
"3 But I want you to know and realize that Christ is the Head of every man, the head of a woman is her husband, and the Head of Christ is God.
.
4 Any man who prays or prophesies (teaches, refutes, reproves, admonishes, and comforts) with his head covered dishonors his Head (Christ).
.
5 And any woman who [publicly] prays or prophesies (teaches, refutes, reproves, admonishes, or comforts) when she is bareheaded dishonors her head (her husband); it is the same as [if her head were] shaved.
.
6 For if a woman will not wear [a head] covering, then she should cut off her hair too; but if it is disgraceful for a woman to have her head shorn or shaven, let her cover [her head].
.
7 For a man ought not to wear anything on his head [in church], for he is the image and [reflected] glory of God [ his function of government reflects the majesty of the divine Rule]; but woman is [the expression of] man’s glory (majesty, preeminence).
.
8 For man was not [created] from woman, but woman from man;
.
9 Neither was man created on account of or for the benefit of woman, but woman on account of and for the benefit of man.
.
10 Therefore she should [be subject to his authority and should] have a covering on her head [as a token, a symbol, of her submission to authority, that she may show reverence as do] the angels [and not displease them].
.
11 Nevertheless, in [the plan of] the Lord and from His point of view woman is not apart from and independent of man, nor is man aloof from and independent of woman;
.
12 For as woman was made from man, even so man is also born of woman; and all [whether male or female go forth] from God [as their Author].
.
1 Cor 11:3-12 (AMP)
--------------------------------------------------------------
* How are you doing with the idea that your husband is the final authority under God in your home?
.
* How about when you see your husband's decisions and actions are not reflecting a godly attitude?
.
* Do you see the passages here as specifically about the role of women in church, or about the issue of women TAKING and ASSUMING authority in place of a man? How do you understand the roles of women in leadership in the church?

* Did the words in verse 9 impact you? How do you feel knowing God created you specifically for your husband?

* Read verse 7 again. How are you doing with reflecting your husband's glory? What do people think of your husband based on what you say, how you act toward him and the way you represent him in your daily life?
.
8. Is divorce an option (meaning: do you feel there are circumstances in which a divorce would be justified) in your marriage?
__________________________________________

I know there are a lot of questions here, but they are so important. Please take your time, even print these off and weigh your answers and the Scriptures offered before responding. AGAIN, please do not include your name in your comment and be as honest and forthright as discretion allows.

The comments for this post will be open through March 11th. Please feel free to come back and respond. Also, visit our dream blog: Restoration Ranch and read all about the building of a dream marriage.


4 comments:

luvmy4sons said...

I will have to come back and do my annonymous answer post...but I have to say this a journey I took several years back after reading Created to Be His Helpmeet. I can't begin to say what it did for our marriage when I began to respect my husband and show him deference and let him be the leader of our home. When I stopped to realize that I am commanded to honor him whether he deserves it or not, when I realized that I cannot always trust my hsuband but I can trust God and He will protect and bless me when I obey HIM by respecting my husband, things changed for the GOOD! This is all good stuff...and the daily walk of it is a forever learning and growing experience. I needed to hear all these things again and reflect. I will be back! "The degree to which you respect and honor your husband is the degree to which you respect and honor God."

Chel said...

I too will come back and answer anonymously, but I wanted to say that it is an honor to call ourselves a "helpmeet", afterall Jesus calls His Holy Spirit a Helper as well. Now that shows His esteem for us. :-)
Chel

Lindsay said...

Looking forward to looking at this thoroughly. I may also put this as a link on my blog-hope you don't mind!

Unknown said...

Link Away! :o)