MY LORD GOD, I have no idea where I am going. I do not see the road ahead of me. I cannot know for certain where it will end. Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think I am following your will does not mean that I am actually doing so. But I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you. And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing. I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire. And I know that if I do this you will lead me by the right road, though I may know nothing about it. Therefore I will trust you always though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death. I will not fear, for you are ever with me, and you will never leave me to face my perils alone.

There is no law against disappointment.

The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality,impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like.

I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.

Instead, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace.

And be thankful.

Thank you.

GREAT wisdom!! I just resigned this morning as Executive Minister(after almost 10 years) this morning after a really painful season of Ministry. If I would have followed someof these steps, I might have not gotten to the point I am today. Information I needed to hear.

Thanks,
Greg

Nevertheless, i would like to respond to your allegations of “theological acrobatics” and “elevating our own ‘good’ ideas above the truth of Scripture”.

We are in agreement that it’s “vital to consult the Bible on these issues and interpret the Bible with the Bible”.
Therefore, i encourage you (and anyone interested in further study) to invest in reading what a renown biblical scholar has written as it relates to some of your opinions and conclusions.

Dr. Gilbert Bilezikian wrote “A Challenge for Proponents of Female Subordination To Prove Their Case from The Bible”. He writes: “The purpose of this challenge is to prompt Christians to grapple with biblical facts rather than to accept traditional assumptions about female roles. What is at stake is not the role of women as much as the definition of the church as authentic biblical community. Is it possible for a local church to aspire to define itself as biblical community when more than half its constituency is excluded from participating in the most significant aspects of its life?”

In this article, with wisdom and grace, i believe Dr. Bilezikian biblically addresses your comments~ http://www.godswordtowomen.org/bilezikian.htm

For a brief bio of Dr. Bilezikian, go to~ http://www.godswordtowomen.org/Apostles.htm

Andrew, working with couples for decades, i observe God inviting humble and teachable men, women, and couples to revisit His original marriage design before sin entered the marriage story. This included mutual equality (both man & woman made in the image of God); and mutual authority (both man & woman given the procreation and dominion mandates).

Similarly as in other epochal seasons of church history (e.g. Protestant Reformation and abolition of slavery), my humble sense is that God is in the incipient stage of birthing a “marriage reformation.”