The first topic I want to share on is Submission. It’s not a popular marriage term, and its often misused. Submission in marriage is not slavery. Submission in marriage involves marriage “teamwork”. Here is a passage in Ephesians… Ephesians 5:21-24 ESV “submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ. Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands.” Does it mean and say slavery? does it mean the husband is the “boss”? Does it say wives have no say, opinion, or voice in marriage? no, no, and no. No one is above the other, but as equals as brothers and sisters in Christ. The idea expressed in this passage is a model of how Christ is with us and we as the church is to Christ. we as Christians submit to Christ in ways of trusting in His plan, leadership, love, and guidance. That is the model men and women “the church” are to Christ, and hopefully the wife is to the husband. Husbands, are you leading, guiding, and loving your wife as Christ does for us? Husbands, is your love for your wife unconditional and sacrificial? wives, are you letting your husband lead in this way? why or why not? lack of trust, lack of spiritual leadership? In marriage, the husband is the head, does not mean the wife has no say. If the husband is not a spiritual leader and not leading in the right way, the wife is to “help” the husband lead as a “suitable helper” as says in Genesis. Wives are not to take over the husband in dominating over him for its like a nation conquering another nation. It can lead to a destructive marriage and be a marriage war. that’s why most couples fight. Who is leading? is there trust issues? playing the “more spiritual” card? Husbands step up!! Wives step down!! That is the one thing that I learned in my marriage that my wife and I knew we had to work on first thing. I needed to step up and man up. my wife was a leader and I had to show over time that she could trust me, have faith in me to lead, and be the man of God she needed me to be and a man of God I needed to be for her. That leads to a healthy marriage submission. In a way the husband is in charge as to the responsibility he has to lead as a spiritual leader, but not as a dictator or the boss. Wives MUST let their husbands lead, and help them lead by being their greatest supporter and cheerleader. My wife gave me a chance to prove I can lead, and it took time. She became my biggest cheerleader and supporter! 🙂 The husband gaining support from the wife, helps the husband want to lead and please the wife. If the wife nags and show no support, what motivation does the husband have in wanting to lead? Submit to one another in your marriage as a team. You win as a team and lose as a team. What kind of “team” are you on? Don’t you want your “team” win and be successful? WORK as a team and LOVE as a team. Different parts of our bodies has different roles and responsibilities just as the church we have a pastor, worship leader, etc. Our marriage is a church body in our home, and we as a husband, and a wife have our own roles to play with responsibilities. That will be the next couple of blogs. 🙂 HOMEWORK/CHALLENGE: Compliment/thank your spouse in appreciation to what they have done and do for your marriage. A compliment can go a long ways. Do you thank your spouse enough? compliment them enough? Remember, you guys are each there’s greatest supporters. Any questions, comments, or need more clarity, please email me at dlongmarriages@gmail.com Love you all, and until next time, love your spouse. David Long P.s. Forgive my grammar, I am not a writer. 🙂
Next week starting on Monday I am going to be doing a Bible study/devotional on one of the most popular marriage portions in The Bible on Ephesians 5 right here on my blog.
I will go through:
-roles of the husband
-roles of the wife
-submission in marriage
-respect in marriage
I will share multiple scriptures, devotional questions, fun challenges to apply to your marriage. 🙂
Stay tuned… 🙂
David Long
My plan was not to attack anyone, but to help those that might be struggling with porn and lust. I was addicted to porn and had issues with lust. I felt led to try and help those who are going through the struggles and to break free from their addictions. Porn and lust consumes you to where you feel “stuck” and can’t get out of it, and even shake the shame. Porn and lust, believe it or not, WILL affect your marriage. married or not married, knock it off before you do more damage to yourself and/or your marriage.Â
Guilt and shame plays a huge factor from to coming back to God and its hard trying to put it in the past. Sin, sadly is part of our human nature, but porn and lust does not have to be. God loves us ALL no matter who we are, what we’ve done, or where we’ve come from in life.Â
Sin will always be there, addictions doesn’t have to be. We will have moments in which we sin. Being addicted and consumed by a sin like porn, its definitely harder to shake because it has now become habitual, a daily routine, and a part of your life.
Sinning with anger, cursing, or giving the “finger” over a car cutting you off may not be a daily routine as you find pleasure in it. (hopefully not 🙂 ) But porn and lust for most creates pleasure, maintains satisfaction, and self gratifaction is very much harder to break free than from yelling at every car cutting you off. if that makes any sense.
Well what I am saying is knowing what’s an addiction. Most men will say they have a problem with lust, and sadly that’s normal. Its normal to see that a girl is attractive. But, its how far in your mind you take that thought of the girl, and the actions you take mentally, and physically.Â
The “Flee to be Free” is me taking my dark times of my life and trying help those that are now in the dark and guide them to THE light, in Christ Jesus.Â
If you need prayer, someone to talk to, or anything. please email me at dlongmarriages@gmail.com and I will not judge, for who am I to judge when I had the same problem.
-David Long
Hi this is my first blog and I am new to this, so lets see how this works. I wanted to start a blog as a marriage ministry tool. Below is my “profile”, and it pretty much sums it up to why I am doing this.
Firstly, I am a Christian. 🙂 I am happily married to an amazing wife and a blessed father to two beautiful daughters. I have a passion in ministering to couples in all stages of their marriage by equipping, enriching, and empowering their marriages. Using this blog does not make me an expert on marriage, but using this as a tool and resource to help our marriages.
SO…spread the word, follow me, and lets be on the same team to help make our marriages awesome!
David Long
dlongmarriages' Blog 