Bible Ballistics: Vol. 13 No.14      Are You A Keeper???

 

It’s been a lovely weekend here in Oklahoma, the weather has been lovely, a bit of rain without dangerous conditions, although some near us were afflicted by damaging tornadoes.  Please pray for those throughout our country who are encountering damaging weather and trials.  I’d like us to consider prayerfully another area in danger—our homes.  We live in a culture that is not only minimalizing the import of the home but is continually bombarding and attacking the natural order of things—and the authority of parents to guide, teach and direct their children in living godly lives.

We need to “get back to basics”, as coaches often say to their teams!  We need to get back to God’s Word and teach and direct our families accordingly, regardless of what the world thinks or says. Jesus Himself, warned us to be aware of the reality of the conflict around us!

“Therefore said he unto them,

 The harvest truly is great,

but the labourers are few:

pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest,

that he would send forth labourers

into his harvest.

3 Go your ways:

behold, I send you forth

as lambs

among wolves.”  Luke 10:2-3

We are Jesus’ sheep in the midst of a world full of wolves: Paul warned the Ephesian church of this very thing—and it is rampant about us—even among us.

“Take heed therefore unto yourselves,

and to all the flock,

over the which the Holy Ghost

hath made you overseers,

to feed the church of God,

which he hath purchased

with his own blood.

29 For I know this,

that after my departing

shall grievous wolves enter in

among you,

not sparing the flock.

30 Also of your own selves

shall men arise,

speaking perverse things,

to draw away disciples

after them.”  Acts 20:28-30

We often think that no one else has had to deal with sin the way that we have, but that is just not true.  Solomon clearly declared:

“The thing that hath been,

it is that which shall be;

and that which is done

is that which shall be done:

and there is no new thing

under the sun.”  Ecclesiastes 1:9

So, what are we to do?  We must heed the scripture, lean on Jesus, and follow His Holy Spirit’s leading and promptings. As we follow His voice in all our ways, we will find that God’s Word is liberating, not restrictive.  And while God has given each of us a free will, He has also revealed HIS will for each person, individually; for the family as a unit; for the church as His body; and to men, women, leaders, and children!  God has a plan for us all—and HE hasn’t changed the design, the rules, or the purpose of the family.  I read something the other day, that accused those who choose to believe and uphold the biblical teachings of morality and the family of ‘picking and choosing’ what scripture we upheld!  I find that totally amusing, especially in light of the fact that the scriptures that they used were out of context specifically and totally out of the context of the whole counsel of God!  Peter talked about this in his second letter warning us of those who would “twist” God’s Word for their own purposes and benefit.  But God gave us the plan, and Jesus Himself confirmed the sanctity of marriage, and the truth that it Is between one man and one woman, till death!

“The Pharisees also came unto him, tempting him, and saying unto him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause? 4 And he answered and said unto them,

Have ye not read,

that he which made them

at the beginning

made them

male

and female,

5 And said,

For this cause  (marriage)

shall a man leave

father and mother,

 and shall cleave to his wife:

and they twain

shall be one flesh?

6 Wherefore they are no more twain,

but one flesh.

What therefore God hath joined together,

let not man put asunder.”  Matthew 19:3-6

Jesus makes several things clear here; God made “male” and “female”—nothing in between!  He made them “at the beginning”, and HE established marriage for the “man” and “his wife”; He also blessed them to be “one flesh”; and Jesus makes it clear that God created this “union” and man isn’t to ‘recreate’ it into something else!  This IS God’s plan, for the welfare of the man and the woman, for the benefit and well-being of the children in the home, and for society to flourish and continue to receive the blessings of God!  Yet we have become a culture with women lined up in the street demanding the “right” to kill their own children!  I never thought I could live to see this—but I have, so I must take that as an opportunity to speak His truth from The Word!  God has a task for us all, and for we who are women, whom HE created, designed and equipped to be “keepers at home” are blessed!  Uh-oh, I just lost some of you—who think that means every woman must be a stay-at-home mom—and while I do think that is the optimal design for the home, it isn’t the main thing that phrase is talking about!

“The aged women likewise,

that they be in behaviour

as becometh holiness,

not false accusers,

not given to much wine,

teachers of good things;

4 That they may teach the young women

to be sober,

to love their husbands,

to love their children,

5 To be discreet,

chaste,

keepers at home,

good,

obedient to their own husbands,

that the word of God

be not blasphemed.”  Titus 2:3-5

Paul gives instructions to this young pastor, Titus, to call his church to right living before God and the world, and while his focus is to the church, these principles apply to any who will heed the true message.  Many become so distracted by the “keepers at home” that we miss the message.  Paul calls the “older” women (Every woman alive is ‘older’ than someone else and can teach, but by the same token, every woman is ‘younger’ than someone else, and can receive instruction!) to teach, but only after he admonishes them to live lives that are holy, truthful, sober (not controlled by external substances), teaching ‘good’ things, in contrast to being, by our living, a corrupt influence!  Godly women are to teach younger women to live holy lives—keeping their eyes fixed on Jesus—and considering things that are profitable (See 2 Timothy 2:15 and 3:16-17, as well as Philippians 4:8) to them personally which will result in beneficial things for the family.  And I find it interesting that many who oppose what this passage teaches, get so caught up in the one phrase, that they miss the message—homes need godly mothers who can influence the next generation for God—not the world!

As women we are called to be:

Sober—not given to the control of external drugs

 “not drunk with wine…but filled with the Spirit”

Loving our husband—NOT someone else’s

Loving our children—more than our own pleasures

Discreet—being wise, gentle and quiet-spirited

Not the ‘drama queen’ of the block!

Chaste/Pure—in our speech, demeanor, and dress

 Keepers at home—We are the front-line of defense—

  ‘keeping’ our home safe in

  Mind—

  Body—

 Spirit–

Good—just doing right before God and our family

Obedient to their own husband—Pleasing our mate

before our in-laws, out-laws, neighbors or friends!

All because we have influence—and what we say and do will affect the atmosphere of our home—we can make or break our husband and our children!  What are you using your tongue and actions to do?

“A wholesome tongue

is a tree of life:

but perverseness therein

is a breach in the spirit.”  Proverbs 15:4

Ladies, we have the ability to influence our homes (and other people’s homes as well) by our life, our words and our actions IN our own homes, in the public arena and as God directs our steps, into perhaps greater arenas—but we must guard our heart and mind, and then set ourselves as “keepers” at home, and “keepers” of the home!  It’s not just what I do “at” home but what I do “with, for, in, around, and through” my home that will make a difference.  Many of you women have no other choice but to work ‘outside’ of the home to provide, but that doesn’t mean that we don’t work “inside” the home no matter where we are!  But it must be a deliberate choice of the will—to keep my eyes on Jesus, and meet the needs of my family by guarding, protecting, and training the young (and old) souls whom God has placed in my care!

There are false teachers/preachers/leaders around us everywhere, but if we will simply avail ourselves of the truth of God’s Word and stand in it, we can overcome and be victorious “keepers” at home as well as for our home!  If we don’t, who will?  If not now, when?  Time is fleeting and there are those all around us trying to steal the hearts and minds of our children; they are determined, malicious, and well-funded.  But by God’s power—we can overcome.  And dads this includes you too, your children are at risk!!!  We must act NOW to ‘keep’ our homes safe!

“Ye are of God, little children,

and have overcome them:

because greater is he

that is in you,

than he

that is in the world.”  1 John 4:4

 WE WIN!!!  We must stand fast!!!  Amen and Amen!!!