In this sermon, Brother Denny discusses the importance of faith and its role in our lives as Christians. He emphasizes that faith is not based on our emotions or the influence of others, but rather on the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen, as stated in Hebrews 11:1. He encourages listeners to examine their faith and consider if it is growing and active in their lives. Brother Denny also highlights the transformative power of faith in relationships, using the example of a wife's changed behavior leading to her husband's conversion.

Hello, this is Brother Denny. Welcome to Charity Ministries. Our desire is that your life would be blessed and changed by this message. This message is not copyrighted and is not to be bought or sold. You are welcome to make copies for your friends and neighbors. If you would like additional messages, please go to our website for a complete listing at www.charityministries.org. If you would like a catalog of other sermons, please call 1-800-227-7902 or write to Charity Ministries, 400 West Main Street, Suite 1, AFPA, 17522. These messages are offered to all without charge by the freewill offerings of God's people. A special thank you to all who support this ministry. Greetings in the name of Christ Jesus, our Lord. What a joy to be here already this morning. My heart has been warmed and filled. I think we could go home right now and say it has been good to be together this morning. We also would want to welcome each one to the service this morning, the visitors that are with us this morning. God bless you for coming our way and sharing in this worship service. I don't know why you came this morning, but I trust you came to worship the Lord God, our King, our Savior. And thank God this morning for those exhortations in faith, the lesson for cleanliness, neatness and orderliness, and those beautiful songs. I want us to be together in heaven. I have no greater desire as I look out upon your faces this morning that we could all be together in heaven. You know, sometimes as we go through life, we get sort of bogged down with the everyday things. But you know, He that shall come will come and will not tarry. I don't know about you, but it's very likely this morning, I've entertained this thought quite often that I may see Jesus come in my lifetime. I might be one of those that will not taste of death, but to be caught up in the air when He comes. And there forever to be with the Lord. My, what a day that'll be. Are we ready? Are we ready to meet Him? I trust that we believe in Him this morning, not only with an intellectual assent or agreement that Jesus is the Christ, but we are those that believe unto the saving of our soul. Oh, bless God. Well, I would have been glad to sit this morning and listen to Brother Mo's preach, but the Lord ordered it this way this morning, so we'll trust God. Let's open up our Bibles to Genesis. Genesis chapter 2, reading from verse 18 through verse 25. And the Lord God said, It is not good that the man should be alone. I will make him and help meet for him. And out of the ground, the Lord God formed every beast of the field and every fowl of the air and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them. And whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof. And Adam gave names unto the cattle, to the fowl of the air, to every beast of the field. But for Adam, there was not found and help meet for him. And God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept. And he took one of his ribs and closed up the flesh instead thereof. And the rib which the Lord God had taken from man, made he a woman. And he brought her unto the man. And Adam 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. Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother and shall cleave unto his wife, and they shall be one flesh. And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed. Let us pray. Our Father in heaven, we stand this morning in Jesus' name before you, God. We are thankful this morning that we have this privilege to meet like this, Father. To open up the holy book of God. The inspired word of God. And Lord, we ask this morning that you would teach us, Father. Father, I give myself to you, Lord. Lord, I acknowledge this morning, I know that in me, in this flesh, in this body, there dwelleth no good thing. But Father, I ask this morning, oh God, would you just take this vessel, Lord. Wash me and cleanse me in the blood of Christ. And fill me afresh and anew with your Spirit. And God, not me only, but all of us here this morning, Father. Father, I pray, God, that you would fill each one of us, Lord, with your Holy Spirit. Father, that you would give us ears to hear the word of the Lord this morning. And Father, I pray that you would touch these lips with your hot coal from off your altar, Lord. And speak to us this morning. Father, I give you this message, Lord. And ask, Father, that you would accomplish your divine will and purpose through your Holy Word, by your Holy Spirit, Lord. Father, I pray, let us all sit at the feet of Jesus this morning, listening to the word of God. Father, I pray for each one of us, Lord, that we might have a sincere, open and honest heart, desire to learn of you. Father, I pray that we might grow in faith, in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus, and grow in the grace that is in Christ. Father, we commit the rest of this service to you, and we thank you, Lord, that you're so close to us, Lord. Father, when we draw near to you, you draw near to us. I pray, Father, this morning, especially for any heart that is estranged from God, that is not near, Lord. I pray, Father, that you would take the message, Lord, and tailor it, God, as only you can do, that it might reach out and touch every heart and every need here this morning. Yet I know you've laid upon my heart a specific message this morning. And I pray, God, this morning, you would bless this word, especially to our sisters this morning. I thank you for them, Lord, and I ask your blessing upon them, Father. In Jesus Christ's name we pray. Amen. Well, by way of introduction this morning, I have shared a message here different times to the men, particularly to the husbands. For quite a number of time, it's probably a year or more, that I felt some time to share a message directed particularly to the wives, to the sisters. And I must admit this morning, it's not, for a man to share a message to the sisters, it's not something that I have looked forward necessarily to. And yet I don't shrink from it. The word of God does have a lot to teach us this morning to our sisters, to those who are wives, those who would be wives and will be wives. And we want to take the word of God and open it up and receive instruction from the Lord. And I believe it's a very important subject. It's a very important message that God has for us. And so this morning, if you allow me to focus particularly on the wives and husbands, you all remember the message on husbands, love your wives. Which is nothing more than straight from the word of God. It's not my message, it's God's message to us. And I trust this morning that as we understand the instruction and the wisdom and direction that God has for us in His order, in His structure, in husbands, wives, in our families, that this message will be a blessing. And so this morning I share this with you sisters, not to condemn you, not to find fault with you, but rather to exhort you and encourage you through a beautiful relationship in God's perfect divine order, that you may receive a blessing. I would title this message this morning, Wives, Reverence Your Husbands. Now as we read here in Genesis, when God created all things, we see He said, behold it was good, and it was very good. And the first words that appear from the lips of our God that it was not good, was that it was not good for the man to be alone. And so this morning sisters, God as He saw the man there and He said, it is not good that the man should be alone. Man is a sociable creature, he desires fellowship, one with whom he can exchange affection, to be informed and to inform and to communicate, to love and to be loved. And God looked upon man and He said, it is not good that the man should be alone. And so God resolved to provide a society for the man. You know this is beautiful, if you just look at that scene there. He created all the animals, and we know that they were brought before Adam, and Adam named them. But it says there was not found and helped meat for him. There was not one that was suitable for Adam. The insufficiency of the animals and all the created beings for the pleasure of man or the satisfaction of man was not found in the animals. We see there the dignity and the excellency of man, created in the divine image of God. On earth there was not His like. There was not a peer to be found among all the visible creatures. Not one to suit the nature of His soul to supply His need or satisfy His just desires. There was none. And Adam was alone. Now I should maybe interject this morning that if you have chosen as a brother a life of singlehood for the sake to serve God, I'm not against that. I believe that's good and right. But this morning we are going to focus in on a message to the sisters and how that God created a new being. It tells us here in Genesis 2, 21, And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept. And he took one of his ribs and closed up the flesh instead thereof, and the rib which the Lord God had taken from man made he a woman and brought her unto the man. God, as He looked at Adam's aloneness, He created from a rib and helped meet for Adam. He created a new being. Woman's formation from the rib of man, it indicates an inseparable unity and fellowship of her life with His. You know, the Bible says He created and helped meet for Adam. But you know, she's far more. Sisters, this morning, you're far more than just an assistant to your husband. You're far more than just someone to do the dishes and wash the laundry. You're far more than one to just keep house. You were created as an helpmeet and more than an helpmeet. You were created to be man's complement. Oh, this morning, brothers, I trust that you'll get something from this message also. A new appreciation for the helpmeet that God has created for you and given to you. Now we see that woman being created as a helpmeet for man. In her relation to man, she's described as a helper rather than the initiator. You know, woman is the one who comes alongside and is the helper. She's looking for direction from her man, her Adam in her life. And she will come alongside and be that helper suitable for him. She's not the initiator, but rather a helper and yet an equal. As far as spirituality is concerned, as far as mental intellect is concerned, but she is the weaker vessel. But she is not inferiority to the man. She's not to be stepped upon and to be treated as a slave. I'm preaching to the men a little now. But sisters, you were fashioned and formed by God and His plan to be a sociable companion to man and to be in helpmeet for Him. You were not made to be the initiator and to lead out, but you were there created supplying perfectly man's social need, man's need for affection. She is the helpmeet for him. You know, a helper looks for direction and instruction in another. A helper is one who does not lead out. They're not the foreman and the boss. They are ones who look to another for instruction and direction. This morning to the sisters, you were created and formed to that purpose. Those of you who are married and who are in a situation of a family, in a home and a wife, your primary role is to be that helpmeet for your husband. Not to initiate and lead out, but to look to him for direction and then to respond to his direction, a follower. We can see by the name given to her, the name woman is not strictly a name, but a designation referring her relationship to man. She was created to fulfill and be a true companionship and represented the intimate and sacred. I'm sorry, I'm getting a little not clear there. She represented the intimate and sacred, that which is beyond parent and child. Because we see here in verse 23, and I want to point this out to us. Adam said, this is now bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh. She shall be called woman, for she was taken out of man. Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother and shall cleave unto his wife and they shall be one flesh. It calls for a relationship that is even beyond the relationship of parent and child. It is an intimate, sacred relationship. Man shall leave his father and mother and shall cleave unto his wife. Then as we look on into this matter this morning, we see that in Genesis 3, we have the fall of man introduced. Now we have another name given to the woman. And her name now that was given to her, the second name after the transgression, is Eve. And Eve refers to her function and the destiny of the spiritual history of which she is beginning. Let's turn over to Genesis 3 verse 20 and read 3.20. And Adam called his wife's name Eve because she was the mother of all living. Adam called his wife's name Eve because she was the mother of all living. Now as we would look at the fall and examine that a bit, we can see very clearly how that she acted true to her nature in not being an initiator, but a follower and a help me. I think we will read Genesis 3, take time to do that. Let's read Genesis 3 starting in verse 1. Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden, but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die. For God does know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and it was pleasant to the eyes, and the tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her, and he did eat. And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked, and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves aprons. We'll stop reading right there, and I won't go into all of what is contained in these scriptures here concerning the fall, but one thing we'd like to point out and notice is that true to her nature of a helpmeet, she is not one to act upon, but rather she is one who is quicker to respond to the suggestion or the direction of another. And we see that she responded to the suggestion initiated by the serpent there in the garden. And her nature, being a helpmeet, created for that purpose, she was looking for direction in life. And here comes the serpent, and he begins to suggest to her that, well, you know, as God said, and we know the dialogue he goes in with her, and she looked at it rather differently than a man looks at things. Quite different from the matter-of-fact attitude of a man. To her, she saw the view wholly from the alluring side. But to him, it was like taking more of a risk. And yet, we're not sure what all was taking place there, but we can see that her nature of a helpmeet, it seems like that was a weakness as the serpent came and suggested to her, and began to entice her to not believe God, and to disobey God. But as we see also, I believe, here in Genesis 3, in the narrative of the fall, the article, there it ascribes to the woman the supremacy of influence. For through her stronger personality, man was led to disobedience to God's command. Isn't that something? That Adam, he had heard the same command that Eve did, or that the woman did, but through her being persuaded and convinced and beguiled by the devil, she then took of the fruit, and then through her influence, she persuaded Adam to eat also. Now, the reason I'm bringing all this out here this morning, is that, sisters, as we look at the fall, we can learn something about the areas of battleground for you, and where that you need to find yourself in the place of submittedness and yieldedness before God and to your husband. But here's going to be some areas where you are going to have to crucify yourself, desire against, and that is that of trying to influence and bring your husband under, so that you can influence and get him to respond to what you want. And we see that here. This was quite an awesome thing to me as I studied this out, how that she was the one who was in transgression and fell, but then she also persuaded Adam to partake of the fruit. How many women today in the world are of that type of a personality and nature, of that evil nature, that sin that came upon mankind, and they allow that thing to dominate in their hearts, and they are enticing and persuading the men and leading them around by the nose, if I may use that term, you know. And so this morning, it is my heart's desire that as we look at this, that we would see the power of influence that a woman has. And sisters, this morning, God has given you a beautiful place to stand. You have power of influence to influence your husband, to influence your children, and if that is brought under the obedience of Christ, it is a beautiful thing. But if self is on the throne and self hasn't been crucified, it will bring men to nothing and bring them to even disobey God and to sin. It's an awesome thing this morning. We looked at Solomon and some examples in the Scripture. The Bible tells us in Nehemiah 13.26, you don't need to turn there, but it tells us that did not Solomon, king of Israel, sin by these things. And these things that are being referred to are marriages to heathen women who did not have the spirit of God burning in their bosom and a love for God, but rather they were worshipping idols and they were self-centered and conceited and proud and all of these things. And it says, did not Solomon, king of Israel, sin by these things. Now listen to this. Yet among many nations, there was no king like him, like Solomon, who was beloved of his God and God made him king over all Israel. But listen to the end of this commentary. Nevertheless, even him, even Solomon, did outlandish women cause to sin. What is an outlandish woman? Well, as we study it out, it might not be what we think of, we sometimes hear the term outlandish, but it was by foreign women, women who were not believers, who were not believers in God. And by that, Solomon, king of Israel, was led into sin. Oh, the power of a woman to influence a man of God like Solomon. No king like him. And all the nations around, he was beloved of God. He was loved of God and he loved God. These women whom he married, who loved not God, had an influence upon his life. And as time went on and Solomon began to grow older, these women may be submitted outwardly at first so they could be his wife, but as he got old and as he began to get his eyes off the Lord, it says he loved many strange women, and they led him astray and caused him to sin. Even he was led into sin by these women. Now we have another example in Scripture, in 1 Kings 21-25, and it talks about Ahab. There was none like Ahab, which did sell himself to work wickedness in the sight of the Lord, whom Jezebel, his wife, stirred up. Ahab did all this wickedness before the Lord and caused the people of Israel to sin and led them into idolatry. But there was a woman behind Ahab and her name was Jezebel, a woman of influence. Oh my! She incited him and stirred him up to sin. One day Ahab turned his face to the wall because he was sad because he couldn't have Naboth's vineyard. But Jezebel came along and said, Don't worry, I'll work it out for you. A wicked woman. Oh, my dear sisters this morning, you have power to influence, for good or evil. The power of a woman. You could go through the Scriptures and read many, many accounts, and I will not have time to turn to them all this morning, but you could do a search on it yourself. Many mighty men have been slain and brought to nothing by the power of the influence of a woman. But God planned it that you should have influence, but not that it should be running wild and selfishly controlled and manipulative, but rather that it should be under the obedience of the Spirit and power of God, and it's a beautiful thing. Beautiful thing. But oh, if there's selfishness and rebellion in the heart of a woman who is to be under the subjection of her husband, what a damaging, cursed thing. Solomon. Even Solomon, who was beloved of God and was king, was made to sin by these outlandish women. Well, it's very clear that as sin entered the garden there, Genesis 3, Genesis 3, 16, it's very clear that a part of her penalty is henceforth to be the subordinate one of the pair of Adam and Eve. She was to be under Adam. Let's read there in Genesis 3, 16. And unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception, and in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children, and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee. She's put in a state of subjection under the dominion of her husband. Thy husband, he shall rule over thee. And that act of sin of Adam and Eve, both of them sinned. It does tell us in the New Testament that Eve was the one who was deceived, it wasn't the transgression. She was deceived, but then she persuaded Adam. And he also took of the fruit. But we see there that her penalty for such ill-favored or ill-fated leadership was that her husband should rule over her. And she forfeited the privilege which entitled her to equality of leadership in family affairs, and now she is to be under her husband. I'll just read a few verses here, don't need to turn there right now. In 1 Peter 3, we'll turn there later. Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands. In 1 Timothy 2, 11. Let the woman learn in all silence with all subjection. I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to yourself authority over man, but to be in silence. For Adam was first formed, then Eve. And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression. So we see very clearly here a couple of things, sort of going back and looking at the message we had last Sunday, we see headship taught here. Adam was first formed, then Eve. We see God's divine order as he had planned it for man and woman. And we see also that because of the sin, it also brought her to a place of subjection and subordination to Adam, to man. If we can just imagine for a moment that if there had not been sin, her husband Adam would always have ruled with wisdom and love. And if the woman had not sinned, she would always have obeyed with humility and meekness. And the rule that Adam was to have over Eve, it would not have been a grievance, but it's our own sin and folly that make our yoke heavy. I'd like to also bring out at this point that the wives who not only despise and disobey their husbands, but domineer over them, do not consider that they not only violate a divine law, but also block or defeat a divine sentence. Did you catch that? Wives who not only despise and disobey their husbands, or domineer over them, do not only violate God's law, but they also block or defeat a divine sentence. How many men are brought into a place where they are not able to rule and lead out because of a wife who is not in a place of submission. Let us now turn to Ephesians. Ephesians 5, 22. The many scriptures we could turn to this morning, and we cannot turn to them all, but I just desire to give this message from the word of God. Ephesians 5 and verse 22. Maybe we'll start in verse 20. Pardon me. Giving thanks always for all things unto God, the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God. There needs to be a submitting one to another in the fear of God. I'm not giving a message this morning of giving any husband in this room a right to be a lord and to be a boss over his wife. There needs to be a submitting one to another in the fear of the Lord. It's a two-way street. However, in the order of headship and the order of structure and authority in the home, we see it very clearly. Verse 22. Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands as unto the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church and he is the savior of the body. Therefore, as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything. This morning, I just want to bring this real practically home to us. Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands as unto the Lord. It's a high call. When I preach to the men, husbands, love your wives as Christ loved the church. And this morning, we see the balance of the scale, of the duty and the role of the wife. Submit yourself unto your own husbands as unto the Lord. How are we called to submit ourselves unto the Lord? We submit to the Lord without reservation, holding back nothing. We have no rights. We give everything to the Lord. I am His. He has bought me with His precious blood. I'm not my own. Wives, this is a high calling. Submit yourselves unto your husbands as unto the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church. And He is the Savior of the body. Isn't any question in your minds this morning what it means to submit? I think the word is pretty self-explanatory. We all pretty well know what it means to submit. To submit is to surrender my will, my purposes, my plans unto God, unto my husband. When God designed in His divine plan to make an helpmeet for man, He made a woman. That man should have companionship and fellowship and should have a partner, one of equality, one of equal worth and value, but one who should take a subordinate role in submission under the husband. Wives, you will find yourselves to be the most blessed when you are in line with God's divine design and plan for your life. Submit yourselves unto your own husbands as unto the Lord. And submission is a hard issue. It shows up in things that are done, yes, but it is a hard issue. One who is submitting grudgingly, one who is yet resenting inwardly, well, I'll do what I have to do. Is that true submission? No. That does not bring the blessing of God down upon your life. But true submission is surrender gladly, joyfully under your husband as unto the Lord. Oh, the damage that is done by an unsubmissive spirit in a husband and wife in a home. What else? What could we call an unsubmissive spirit? What is an unsubmissive spirit? An unyielded spirit, unsubmitted is rebellion. Where there is rebellion in a relationship between a husband and a wife, and a wife in rebellion and not submitting to her husband, it wrecks havoc in that relationship and it brings a curse into that home. How many times have you heard a woman lament, Oh, if only my husband would rise up and be the man of God like maybe brother in so-and-so that I could submit. May I suggest to you this morning maybe the reason that your husband cannot rise up is because he has a rebellious wife who will not submit and she'll not allow him to lead out and to guide and to rule in the home. Oh, I know this is a pretty strong message this morning, but it has a beautiful blessing in it, a beautiful jewel. A wife who is not in submission to her husband features her daughter's rebellion in her home. She may say what she wants to with her lips, but when she's not in submission to her own husband as unto the Lord, she teaches rebellion to her daughters. Oh, the wreckage and the ruination to those daughters who grow up being taught rebellion by example of their mom. Oh, it is a very grievous thing. It can take many tears and trips to the altar to wrestle through and get a right perspective, relationship before God. It can carry into the next generation when your daughter gets married. Oh, she thinks she loves this man. She would never treat him like her mother treated her dad. But lo and behold, rebellion was taught so thoroughly, so consistently day by day by her mom that it begins to come out in her. And now she is in the same place with her husband. Just ask you this question this morning in the depth of your heart. Wives, are you in submission to your husband as unto the Lord? Or do you try to manipulate, try to influence purchases he makes, decisions he makes, what he does? No, I don't want to go that way. There are wives who have made their husbands wimps because they will not allow them to be a leader. No. No. I don't want to go to that church. No. I don't want to do that. They nag. They entice. And they plead. And they persuade and influence to have their way. Sometimes it's very evident. We say, well, it's clear to see who rules the house around there. Sometimes it's not so evident. Sometimes it's more subtle. But the effects are yet as damaging. Some put on a pretty good show. When the company is there, when they're in church, everything looks wonderful. You'd never know there's a war. But as soon as they drive out, the drive, it all starts again. They pick up where they left off on the way to church. It is very sad indeed. Many homes are wrecked. And we wonder why the children turn up in rebellion. And I know the husband, the father, has a lot to do with this too. But if you allow me, we'll just look at this awful sin that plagues our nation and our churches. Women, out of order, out of their place, ruling, domineering their husbands. Wives, in love, I beseech you, submit yourselves to your own husbands. Now, the Bible does qualify it. If your husband is a tyrant, an evil, wicked man, and he asks you to submit to him, to disobey Christ, no, no. Colossians 3.18 says, Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands as is fit in the Lord. As is fit in the Lord. However, don't grab onto that one. In Ephesians 5, verse 31, we have, For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother and shall be joined unto his wife, and they twain shall be one flesh. This is a great mystery. But I speak concerning Christ and the church. Nevertheless, let every one of you, in particular, so love his wife even as himself. And the wife see that she reverence her husband. Wives, reverence your husbands. You know, there is nothing sweeter, O Glory, than when everything is open. You know, this is far more than a one flesh relationship that God has called us into. This is to be one in heart and in spirit. Oh, I trust that you all know what it is to be one in spirit. When there is that beautiful flow, God's blessing is shining down upon your life. You love your husband. You're in submission to him. Your husband loves God. He's in submission to Christ. And the blessing of God flows down upon your life. And there's that beautiful oneness of spirit. Nothing unsettled between us. Nothing. Oh, what a joy it is. That's how God planned it. That was his design. That is his desire. Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands. And now he says, and the wife see that she reverence her husband. That sounds pretty short there, doesn't it? Just see that you reverence your husband. Well, what does it mean? As I studied that out a bit, that little word, see, see means you purposefully make it your aim and you see to it that you reverence your husband. You know, as life just goes on, it's easy to fall into routine and take that husband for granted. It's easy to not honor and esteem him like you did on your wedding day. It's easy to just fall into the rut of normal life, day by day. But he tells us here, wives see that she reverence her husband. I believe it's right for a woman who is married and has a husband to purposefully, on purpose, see that she reverence her husband. She respects him. She honors him. She holds him in high esteem. She reverences him and she submits to him as unto who? The Lord. That's a high calling. Now men, we should not act like lords and say, wife, bring me this, bring me that. Do this. Treat her as a slave. Beautiful balance. But oh, if you want to see your husband prosper, if you want to see him grow in his love and his responsibilities and duties as a husband, you start treating him with reverence and respect and honor. And he may become the man you wish he were in a shorter time amount than you thought possible. But you nag at him. You resist him. You're fighting against God. May I say it that strong? I believe so. I believe so. Well, let's go on quickly to Titus. There are many scriptures we can look at this morning. And we'll look at a number of them. Titus chapter two. Yes. Beautiful. Inspired word of God. Titus two verse one. But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine, that the aged men be sober, grave, temperate, sound in faith, in charity, in patience. The aged women, likewise, that they be in behavior, as become of holiness. Not false accusers, not given too much wine, teachers of good things. That they may teach a young woman to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands. That the word of God be not blasphemed. There's a whole message right here. It teaches us many things. But I'd like to zero in on verse four. The older women, teaching the younger women to be sober, to love their husbands, and to love their children. To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands. That the word of God be not blasphemed. We have a lot of different virtues given here. The young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, keepers at home. These are all so vital to a beautiful, blessed home. And today, every one of these, I believe, is under attack by the enemy, by society. You mean, you stay at home, and bear children and guide the home. You're a homemaker? You know, they ask you, what is your occupation? Homemaker. You go out into this world and they say, are these all your children? Oh, sisters, you have a blessed, and a high, and a holy calling. I'm not just a homemaker. I'm a homemaker for God. And I'm raising my family for God. When these virtues are in place, it makes for a beautiful home, where there's home sweet home, and the children are happy in that home, and the wife is happy in that home, and she's finding fulfillment in being discreet. She's finding fulfillment in loving her husband. She doesn't have to go out in the workplace and work for somebody else in some office somewhere. She'd much rather serve her family and her husband. She'd much rather be adorned with a spirit of sobriety than be out there in the workplace where the women are given over to flattering and fussing with the men and all these things that go on. Oh, but what a curse it is to a man who has a wife who does not like it at home. I don't want to be home. Oh, what a curse it is when they're not discreet, and chaste, and pure, and hard, and motive, and thought, and action, and dress, and on and on goes the list. Are you contended to fill the slot that God has given you this morning to be a keeper at home, to be obedient to your own husband? There is a tremendous price to pay for disobedience to your husband. It says here that the Word of God be not blasphemed. You know, when the principles of God are violated, and a woman is not in that place of submission and subjection to her husband, and obedience to her husband, but rather she's pushing. She's just constantly pushing, you know, at the direction he wants to go, at where he sets the standard. She's constantly vexing against it, pushing against it. It brings shame to the name of God. It brings blasphemy, he says, to the Word of God. Let the Word of God be not blasphemed. You know, the world looks on, and in many cases they just mock, and they can say, ha ha, where is your God? You're no different than we. Your women are no different than us. Your men are no different than us. You're all just doing just like we are. You have the same goals and dreams, and your women are chasing after the same things. What a shame to the testimony of Christ. Oh, it's pretty amazing, brother. Where are you now? When you get up and you stand up for Jesus with your family, and they say, my, how do you do this? You see, when God's order is followed, and Mama is in her place of obedience to her husband, the children are in their place of obedience to their parents. The world doesn't know what's the secret. How do you do it? That is really clearly seen in this world today. Children are rebels, running wild. Women are trying to run their husbands. But when they see it in God's beautiful order, it makes them say, what is this? And the name of God is glorified and honored. And you can give credit and testimony to Jesus. My, what a time to testify for Christ. When the testimony of your life and the conversation of your life speak so loud that they can't help but see it. But you just throw a disobedient, unsubmissive spirit in a wife in there, and it's just going to shatter that beautiful picture I just shared with you. You know that? It will just take the wind right out of it. Oh, maybe not right away, but you know, if that spirit is there and working, it will reveal itself. Wives, I just want to encourage you today. Reverence your husband. Respect him and honor him. Be happy to be at home, a keeper at home. Obedient to your own husband. Let the word of God be not blasphemed. Alright, now we're going to move over to Peter. 1 Peter 3. And we'll take a look there. 1 Peter 3 and verse 1. Yes, I know I'm getting all the ones who speak most plainly and clearly concerning this subject this morning, I believe, and yet there are many others. But 1 Peter 3, verse 1. Let's read through verse 7. Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands, that if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives. While they behold your chaste conversation, coupled with fear. Whose adorning, let it not be the outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and wearing of gold, or putting on of apparel, but let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible. Even the ornament of a meek and a quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price. For after this manner, in the old time, the holy women also, who trusted in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection unto their own husbands. Even as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him Lord. Whose daughters ye are, as long as ye do well, and are not afraid with any amazement. Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honor unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel. And as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers be not hindered. Well, we have again, a text here that could be a whole sermon. But I'd like to this morning just point out, wives, be in subjection to your own husbands. That if any obey not the word, they may also without the word be won by the conversation of the wife. Here is a promise. A beautiful promise. The scriptures give us direction concerning if a wife be married to an unbeliever, or if the husband, if he departs from God. If they be pleased to dwell together, let them not separate. And here is a beautiful opportunity for evangelism. You wives, be in subjection to your own husbands. And if your husband, if he is bucking against God, and you know it, he's being disobedient. You have a concern for your husband. I think I better straighten him out. I better start preaching to him. Is that what God says here? Oh, you sisters all know what God says. He says, be in subjection to your own husbands. And if any obey not the word, they may also without the word be won by the conversation of the wives. By her testimony. By her life. You see, you can't fight disobedience with disobedience. Hear me now. A disobedient husband who is disobedient to God and is not listening to God, you can't make him right. You can't bring him into obedience by you stepping out of your place into disobedience and be the Holy Spirit or try to be God for your husband. No, it will not work that way. It will not work that way. It usually only drives things further apart. It usually only causes things to get worse. Maybe sometimes it might look like it's doing something and there is a time to entreat a husband. I'm not saying there's no time to entreat a husband if he's going astray and going the wrong way. But you follow God's plan and God's direction and God will go to work and he'll go to bat for you. Look at later in the scripture it says, Sarah obeyed Abraham calling him Lord. Do you know what Abraham put Sarah through? He said, now when we get over here to this land you're such a beautiful woman. I'm afraid they're going to kill me so they can have you. So you say you're my sister. Remember the story? We're all familiar with it. Now I wonder this morning. I really have taken that one and held it up beside Colossians 3 where it says that the woman is to be subjected to her husband as his fit in the Lord. That almost seems unfitting. But she obeyed Abraham and what happened? God began to speak to the heart of that king who took her into his harem to be one of his wives and began to trouble that king. My! What God can do! You see when we trust God and we obey God and we're not afraid to obey God, God will come to the rescue and he'll go to bat for you for your husband. The main work that you have to do for your husband who's disobeying God is to get on your knees and to pray for him and to reverence him and treat him like a king. He'll wonder what happened to you. I've heard that testimony many times and so did you. You've heard that testimony. All at once, the nagging wife gets right with God and she says, I'm not doing it anymore. My lips are sealed. She comes home and the husband expects the same treatment as he has had for day to day, for week to week, for month to month, year to year, but something happened to his wife and she treats him completely different. She honors him. She respects him. She reverences him and he begins to wonder what happened to her. But now she got a hold of the grace and power of God. And you all know the testimony. Many times, within a short period of time, sometimes longer, he becomes converted because the Spirit of God now goes to work on him as she is on her knees praying and by her conversation of her life fulfilling the role that God has given her and she wins her husband without a word. Many times. However, I want to hasten to say this morning, sometimes the answer may seem long in coming. So if you're here this morning and you have an unbelieving husband and a disobedient husband, may this only encourage you to reverence him more and to pray for him more and to bless him more and to honor him more in every area that you can without disobeying God. And wait with faith, believe in God for the answer for your husband. Well, I would like to say there are many men who have been brought to nothing by the power of a woman. However, there were some who stood their ground. Adam, he hearkened unto his wife and he took of the fruit. But you know, there was one day that God was looking upon the face of the earth and he said to Satan, as Satan came before the Lord, Have you considered my servant Job? Job's wife said, What is wrong with you, Job, after all that has happened? Do you yet retain your integrity? Curse God and die. But Job did not hearken to his wife. He said, You speak as a foolish woman and he did not hearken to her. There are men who in the heat of preaching the gospel, which evangelist was that in some years history gone by who we read his biography, who preached the word of God and his wife used to mock him from the audience, used to stand outside and say, Don't go in and listen to him. He's a liar. Who was that? Remember? I don't know if it was John Wesley or not. Was it John Wesley? There are some men who have risen up above it, but there are many men who when it comes to the choice to cleaving to their wife or obeying God, they will cleave to their wife. It's God designed. It's God intended. There's a strong bond there. I mean, you have a lot more going for you to bind together than you have to do to come apart and to be at odds. There's a lot more going for your husbands and wives to stick together than there is to fight against each other. But the devil wants to destroy the beautiful plan of God and he has been quite successful in usurping the authority and the order of God's headship. And women are not in their place. And it's wrecking havoc in homes, in families everywhere. Sisters this morning, don't adorn yourselves with that outward adornment. Verse 2 says, While they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear, when they see your purity, when they see your reverence of your Godly life, but then he goes on to say, Don't adorn yourselves with that outward adorning. There's something wrong when a sister has to try to catch the attention of someone else, another man. There's something wrong, men. If you say, Yeah, sure. Go ahead. Go ahead. Dress up. Show off. I like that. There's something wrong. It's not a pure. It's not a right heart. I remember when I first heard that of a man saying that, Yeah, he likes that. And I thought, What is wrong with you? You know, so they show it off to everybody else. No. No. And there's something wrong when there's a sister, there's a desire to flaunt herself and to adorn herself. Putting on of apparel, the plaiting of the hair and the wearing of gold and all of these things. But rather, let it be the hidden man of the heart which is not corruptible. No wonder the world is so without purpose and without focus. But all they have their attention on is corruptible. You take away their makeup. You take away their jewelry. You take away their dress. And they look like spooks. They look horrible. A lot of them do. It's awful. It's really awful. I mean, they paint their faces so bad that they get their skin so out of order that they have to do it. I love to see the beauty of my wife in the way that God has made her. Don't need any paint and powder. Thank the Lord. But the hidden man of the heart, that is the most beautiful part. The hidden man of the heart, which is not corruptible, the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit. I'll tell you, take the ornament of a meek and a quiet spirit. Many women in the world know nothing of it today. And sad to say, many of our churches are sadly lacking. And I mean even plain communities. Oh, they may deck the body out and clothe it down to the foot in dark robes and garments. But she rules the roost around there and everybody knows. You know? Happens. Happens. And there's a divided home and there's rebellion in the children and they wonder why. But oh, I want to encourage you this morning. A meek and a quiet spirit receive the sight of God at a great price. Even as the holy women of old. Well, I'd like to look at one more. Then I have a few other verses out of Proverbs and I'll close. But let's turn to 1 Corinthians. 1 Corinthians 7. And I believe those to whom it pertains and need to understand what it's saying will understand what it's saying. 1 Corinthians 7. And we'll just pick up in we'll start in verse 1. Now concerning the things whereof ye wrote unto me it is good for a man not to touch a woman. Nevertheless to avoid fornication let every man have his own wife and let every woman have her own husband. And let the husband render unto the wife due benevolence and likewise also the wife unto the husband. The wife has not power of her own body but the husband and likewise also the husband has not power of his own body but the wife. Defraud ye not one the other except it be with consent for a time that ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer and come together again that Satan tempt you not for your incontinency. So anyhow, here I believe that one thing that often we find that a woman is tempted to is to withhold and defraud. If it gets down to the wire and all the other manipulative procedures are not working they may try this one. But this is clearly not right. It is wrong and it is sin. And if you have been guilty of that or are, I would advise you to repent and turn away from that rebellious spirit. I'd like to just read a few verses in closing and don't turn there. Proverbs 12 4. A virtuous woman is a crown to her husband but she that maketh ashamed is as rotten as in his bones. Oh, what a blessing. Sisters this morning, all of you wives, you can be a beautiful crown to your husband and I know that many of you are, perhaps all of you maybe that crown, God wants to just polish it up this morning a little bit maybe make it glow a little brighter. A virtuous woman is a crown to her husband. But she that maketh ashamed, she who is continually shaming him, second-guessing his judgment, belittling him, it's rottenness to the bones. Don't do that. Don't do that to your husband. Proverbs 14 1. Every wise woman buildeth her house but the foolish plucketh it down with her own hands. Goes along foolishly in rebellion. Yes, that's what it is. Not in submission. Not in subjection. Not gladly yielding to her husband. Looking up to him in reverence and saying, yes you lead, I'll follow. I'm with you. Where you go, I'll go. But rather resenting, resisting she's like a woman who plucks down her own house with her own hands. Proverbs 19, 13 and 14 says, A foolish son is the calamity of his father and the contentions of a wife are a continual dropping. I don't have anything to illustrate that but you know if there's a noise going on continually it's just continually. It can be very annoying. Very irritating and it won't be too long until you try to find the source and stop that thing. You're driving down the road in your car and that wing is cracked just a little and it's whistling. You know, you pull that thing shut. Or there's a leak somewhere and there's a dropping and it just keeps dropping. I like to hear the sound of rain on a tin roof. But this is something else. This is this contentious wife, it's like a continual dropping that's a continual annoyance and distraction. House and riches are the inheritance of fathers and a prudent wife is from the Lord. Amen. Proverbs 21, 9 It is better to dwell in the corner of a housetop than with a brawling woman in a wide house. Sisters this morning, are you a brawling woman? What's that? A brawling woman is a quarrelsome woman and a quarrel is the basis of a conflict and it doesn't matter so much what the circumstances are, whether it's green or white. That's not the issue. But are you a quarrelsome woman? Are you disposed to quarrel? Every time your husband says something, you have another suggestion. But I think it should be this way. and on goes the list. The proverb writer determined it would be better to be in the corner of the housetop than with a brawling or a quarrelsome woman in a wide house. Proverbs 21, 19, very similar. It's better to dwell in the wilderness than with a contentious and an angry woman. A contentious woman? Again, it's pretty similar to quarrelsome but it's a state of contenting. It's being argumentative. Maybe you don't even raise your voice when you do it but you're argumentative. Are you an angry woman? Oh well, surely I'm not angry. But you know that word angry is pretty revealing. It's simply showing or feeling or showing strong displeasure or bad temper. So I won't say anything back but I'm going to show my displeasure. Or maybe I'm not going to even show it much but I'm sure feeling it. And I'm going to let him know I'm feeling it. I'm going to hide it from the children. They won't know but he'll know. But really, you can't hide it from your children. They know. They learn by example. They sense the spirit of what's going on. It's better to dwell in the corner of a housetop than with a brawling woman. Or it's better to dwell in the wilderness with a contentious woman, one who's contented and argumentative and angry, showing her displeasure or bad temper. Proverbs 31, I'll close. Who can find a virtuous woman? Her price is far above rubies. The heart of her husband does safely trust in her so that he shall have no need of spoil. She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life. The heart of her husband does safely trust in her so that he shall have no need of spoil. Her husband has full confidence in her that wherever I lead, she's with me. She's my helpmate in the truest sense of the word. She's my partner in all that God has called me to. She's my supporter. She's my helpmate. She is a blessing to me. I'd never be where I am today if it were not for my godly wife. That's the kind of wife you want to be. A virtuous woman. He shall have no need of spoil. He has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value. Shall we kneel together in prayer? Father in heaven, we wait before you this morning and quiet our hearts before you Lord and just desire to ask in the name of Jesus a blessing upon every wife here today and upon every wife who should hear this message whether it be by tape or whatever means Lord. Father I ask in Jesus name, would you heal areas that need healing? Would you convict in areas that need conviction? Father, I have no greater desire than that our sisters if they are feeling heavy under the message, they could find a place of repentance. Get right with God, get right with their husband, get right with their children. Lord, I just pray Father, do bless these words that they may bring forth fruit in the hearts of our wives. I thank you for my wife and I know that every husband in this room I trust is thankful for his wife and I pray Lord that we husbands would not go home and say, well now there you heard it wife. But Lord, help us to love our wives as Christ loved the church. Father I pray, may our wives submit themselves unto their own husbands as unto the Lord and may we reap a beautiful blessing of peace, love and joy and harmony in our homes with children who are taught by the example of their moms, the beauty and the blessing and the joy and the fulfillment of being a godly wife and mother. I pray it in Jesus name. Amen. We see women's objection and we see women suppressed under the heavy hand of a very strong husband. Both I believe are not right. But God has given us in between there a balance that I felt was very often touched upon this morning. May God give us wisdom in it all. And I especially would like to emphasize that last part. If it's not that way, face it. Have a family meeting. First have a meeting with God. And then second have a family meeting. And get it clear. And may I say it in a crude way, take the bull by the horns. Take the situation and do something about it. Instead of just brushing it off after you go home for dinner today and say, I know he stepped a little on my toes. That's just the way it is around here. Don't do that. Don't do that. Face it. Determined by God's grace to change. And God will give you grace. But if you brush it off and just say, that's the way I am, you won't get anywhere. Your home won't change five months from now. Somebody else will step on your toes again. But that's my advice. I'd just like to open it up. Does someone have a word to say up here? Well, I'd like to thank the brothers for all the messages today. Especially you, Brother Dean, for your exhortation on faith. I have a few notes here I'd like to look at as I talk. I especially appreciate your comments about faith with shoes on. And also, faith is not how one is feeling at the moment. It is not an emotional high. It has substance and should not be controlled or manipulated by our feelings or by others. Hebrews 11 1 says, Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Let's consider a few questions. Where is our faith? Is it growing? Does it have shoes on? Is it misplaced or out of place? Has it found a resting place? I have here one of our famous hymns says, Faith of our fathers, living still. Are we still actively living our faith in Christ Jesus? Are we? And I covered your prayers that I might diligently seek faith for myself, live out that faith in my own life and the lives of my family and may God bless you. Also, Brother Aaron, I thank you for that exhortation to the wives. I really appreciate that. And I just had a word for the brothers here. Later on in Ephesians 5.25 we need to put this in perspective. Where is this? Hold on for a second. Husbands, love your wives. How, even as Christ also loved the church and gave himself for it, are we doing our part by following Christ's example? God bless you. Next here. Okay, I'm sorry. I'd like to praise God today that he's able to do in us and through us what we cannot do ourselves. I know that so we acknowledge our weakness before him that his power is made perfect in us. I'd like to testify to the fact today too that I'm being the wife of an unconverted husband. I'd like to testify that it's when I'm living under his grace and giving myself to the Lord to let him work in and through me and let my husband be in his hands for him to change and then it's, I can see the power of God and I can I have faith in my husband but it's those times when I take, try to take things in my own hands and think that I have some rights and everything looks like a hopeless situation. I just thank God for his grace today and I do covet your prayers that I can just live under his grace day by day and moment by moment. Amen. Luke? I have a wonderful wife and I want to lift up the value of wives and women. That there will be often taken for granted that could change in the coming world. I don't know how many are aware of it but just a few weeks ago there's a sad news to me and it's scary when man is now able to choose the sex of their babies that they have. They can choose whether they have a boy or a girl and I don't know how that's all going to turn out. I'm sure it will vary from culture to culture but when man plays God they used to mess things up and have problems. 28 years ago when China came out with a strict rule that you're only allowed to have one child per family because of the culture boys were preferred and many girls were killed so they had an opportunity to have a boy then. Well that backfired in a way because then women became very valuable and precious because there wasn't enough of them to reach around for the men so I don't know how it's going to turn out with this new thing that man is going to play with but I'm just thankful that my faith is in God.