Let's turn to the book of Genesis. We're going to start a study, and we're going to be in this for a while. It's something we'll be going over in the Home Fellowship Groups, quite extensively, here in the next couple of weeks, because it's dealing with the hour that we're in and it's affecting the fellowship here. It's something that's going to continue to manifest. So, we're going to talk about preparing our homes for the last days.
We, right now, have ten marriages in this fellowship that are about to go up in flames at any moment. There are going to be more. It's the hour that we're living in. We're going to look at some of the things we can do to make sure we're right with God, that we're doing our jobs in the relationships, the covenants that we have. Many of you young people, the young adults, should the Lord tarry, who are going to be looking to cut covenant here. That you'll enter into this wisely and understanding what God's responsibility is, as it's been placed upon you. So, we're going to deal with the subject of Adam's Rib and start from there.
Let's look at Genesis, Chapter 2. Let's start at the very beginning, here. Verse 18 says, "And the Lord God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him." "I will make him an help meet for him." Interesting phrase, isn't it? God is the author of this thing. God said, "I will decide who he needs for him." Now, in our society we think we're to decide who we need. Who we're to marry, who's best for us. God says "No, I've already chosen the parameters you can move in." Okay? So right now, we begin to see the biggest problem that we have in our society today...
Adam's Rib, Part 2
January 7, 1996 • Pastor Star R. Scott
We went down and saw in 1 Corinthians 11, verse 8, then, "For the man is not of the woman; but the woman of the man." We spent a lot of time on that in our study this morning. "Neither was the man created for the woman; but the woman for the man." And as we were dealing with that premise, we were talking about the woman's role of helpmeet. Remember we said that role was one that was to stand before, to bring assistance and aid. We saw that the term "help meet" really came from the Hebrew word neged, which was negative, or the opposite perspective, that we were looking at, that ability to give the full picture by bringing that opposite perspective of what was in man but was removed in the person of Eve. So we need that counsel to be a whole individual, to move in wisdom.
But we saw also this morning that the reproof that came to Adam was that he did what? He hearkened, or listened to, his wife. Now, what did we say that meant? It didn't mean that you don't go for counsel to get that feminine perspective. That is what we are admonished to do. That's why woman was created. But it meant that the man could never listen to the wife's, whatever it is, perspective from an emotional or position that we saw in the woman. We saw the woman was the source, according to Timothy, of deception. The man could never allow womanly wiles, the woman's influence under demonic powers that bring her to deception, to bring a different direction in the man's life than what God has already spoken. That's what it means to "hearken" to your wife, to take her perspective, to allow the pressures or whatever to move you contrary to the established Word of God. So it's very important that we allow that principle to be established in our hearts. So we see, then, that the woman was created for the man. It wasn't good for man to be alone...
Adam's Rib, Part 4
January 14, 1996 • Pastor Star R. Scott
Let's turn to the book of Genesis. We want to look at Chapter 2, and we want continue our study on Adam's Rib. The Spirit of God has been ministering grace to us and preparing us for this last day. We understand that in the last days, as the spirit of antichrist is on the move, that there will be marrying and giving in marriage as one of the signs of the last days. It's a sign of the times as it was in Noah's day, it will be in the last day, and this is the last day, and we realize that divorce, the ruin of families, is epidemic in our nation, and the funny thing is-I say funny, not "ha, ha," sad-there is little distinction between the professed Christian church and world, statistically. Now there's absolutely no place for that, so we need to understand what our roles are and what God requires of us before we cut the covenant of marriage, and with many of you young adults, should the Lord tarry, this is something that you will be considering, and we want to see this dealt with here in our midst.
The second chapter, verse 18, "And the Lord God said it's not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a 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 none of them did he call help meet. He called them hippo, rhino and other terms. And we realize then that there wasn't any help meet found for him, and it says that whatever he named then that was their name.] And Adam gave names to all of the cattle… but there was not found [verse 20] an help meet for him. And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and [the Lord] 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. 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 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."...
Adam's Rib, Part 3
January 10, 1996 • Pastor Star R. Scott
Amen! Good to be dug out [of the snow]? Praise God! Many of you made it here Sunday, and we had a tremendous time in the Lord's presence here on Sunday. In fact, there's something that I've been going over for weeks in preparation, and we started-we were going to be having that for the body on Sunday. There were sufficient that were here that we did begin this series on Sunday, and those that weathered the storm came out, and we had a good time.
As I was sharing with the people Sunday, the thing that is so important-we have, right now in our fellowship, ten marriages that are on the verge of breaking up. They're capable of going up in flames at any time. And there's a reason for it-a couple of reasons, really. One of the reasons is the day we're living in. And we understand that there's going to be the destruction of the households. Jesus came and said, "I've come not to bring peace, but I've come to bring a sword, and I'm going to split your houses right down the middle. Three against two. Two against three." Amen? So the source of some of this is the Lord Jesus Christ and the purity of the gospel of Jesus Christ. So it's not something that we're to look at and be bewildered by. That's one of the causes however; but there's another cause, and that's just plain selfishness. Flesh. Rebellion. Okay? So those are the other causes that are infiltrating people's lives and those are all signs of the last days, aren't they? These are going to be on the increase and we understand that. Men are going to be lovers of their own personal pleasures more than lovers of God, so we're going to see the self-indulgence that is part of the last days that Paul prophesied of in Timothy. So it's the hour that we're living in...
Adam's Rib, Part 5
January 14, 1996 • Pastor Star R. Scott
Let's go ahead and pick up our study. We want to allow the Lord to minister to us. As we were finishing up out of the epistles this morning concerning the responsibilities of the wife's role in the marriage union and the covenant that was cut, looking at all of the different functions that she was to perform, and I think you've already begun to see that before we can be successful in our roles, the most important thing is our own personal relationship with the Lord; amen? You can't pull your job off-husbands, you cannot love your wives, and wives, you cannot submit to your husbands-until you've worked out your own submissive relationship to the Lord Jesus.
So that's bottom line. So let me just share something with you. That if you're not doing well in your relationship, from your part, from your responsibility, it's because of your relationship with the Lord. It's nothing to do with your spouse. Okay? I'm talking about from your responsibility, and so it's very important for us to understand those particular principles.
Now, we want to go back to Genesis again. We're going to allow the Lord to speak to us from the original text, because I want to draw off of the helpmeet aspect one more time for this evening. In the eighteenthverse of the second chapter of Genesis, "And the Lord God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an 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.…but for Adam there was not found [the last part of verse 20] an help meet for him. 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;"...
Adam's Rib, Part 6
January 17, 1996 • Pastor Star R. Scott
Let's turn to the book of Ephesians. We want to continue with our study on Adam's Rib. There has been some tremendous feedback so far from many that have talked about how the Lord has illuminated their hearts in this area of husband-and-wife relationships. They said, "We wish we'd known this years earlier." Many responding say, "Obviously, this is what God is speaking to my heart at this time." Some great results are coming back to us. Some of the young people have shared that this is just what God is saying at this time as they are getting ready to choose a life's mate. So we're going to spend more time on it. I think this is our sixth session on it, and we'll be spending numerous more when we get back from California. So you will probably be healed up by that time. Some of you have been taking quite a beating in the process, so what we'll do is give you a couple weeks to heal. And we'll come back and pick this thing up again.
Ephesians, the fifth chapter, we want to start and catch the Spirit again of what we were relating from the very first session: and that is what we're looking for is to see the Lord, as the head of His church, honored as each one of us fulfill our God-given role. Because marriage is not an end unto itself: it's a mechanism that God has given man to bring glory to Himself. Marriage is not the final institution. Marriage is vehicle that brings two people together to multiply their strength to serve God. That's what marriage is for. So you're not out looking for "sweet thing," "babycakes." What you're looking for is someone that can strengthen your arm (husbands and wives) to fulfill God's call on your life. The whole duty of man is what? To love God, fear God, and keep His commandments. That's what we're here for...
Adam's Rib, Part 7
February 4, 1996 • Pastor Star R. Scott
Well, ladies, how many of you think it's the men's turn? You have been waiting for this, haven't you? We are going to continue with our study titled Adam's Rib, and talk about the necessity of seeing the household built and prepared for the day that we are approaching. We must fortify our lives (amen?) against the spirit of antichrist that's running rampant in the world today. Let's remember what Jesus said: "As it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days [of the coming] of the Son of Man" (Luke 17:26). We saw that he said that there would be marrying and giving in marriage, and so we see that the household is going to be under attack; it's the sign of the times; it's supernatural, it's not just that you married a jerk-it's supernatural. You might not have married a jerk, but he is supernaturally becoming one because of the days that we are in, because, as it was in the days of Noah, so shall it also be; amen? So we realize then that what we are going to be confronting is not just the natural conflicts humans have, that every marriage relationship has-we are not talking about that; we are talking about the signs of the time, something supernatural such that, if you do not fortify yourselves spiritually, your home will be destroyed. You will be another statistic in this day. But the Scripture says, "What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder" (Mark 10:9). Amen?
So this is something that we are going to do to strengthen ourselves. We have spent a lot of time on the relationship of the wife in her role as help meet. We saw that the head of every woman was the man, so we are going to talk about that headship. We saw that the headship didn't end with the man, did it? "The head of every man is Christ" (1 Corinthians 11:1). And so we begin to speak toward the husband's role, or the man's role. The first thing we need to understand is that the man's role is one of subordination. Now, to subordinate to the wife is sin: Adam was cursed; and you and I were cursed; and you and I have sin in our members today that we have to battle on a daily basis because God said very clearly in the book of Genesis, "You hearkened to your wife" (Genesis 3:17)...
Adam's Rib, Part 8
February 4, 1996 • Pastor Star R. Scott
We want to continue with the study we've been doing on Adams's Rib, and see what we can do to set order in our lives. As we were talking this morning, it's an eschatological purpose. It's because of the days that we're living in; it's the last days. Satan began his assault on the house, on the family, and he's going to continue with his assault on the family in the last days. We saw that "as it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be in the days of the coming of the Son of Man" (Matthew 24:39). We saw one of those aspects is going to be marrying, giving in marriage. We need, then, to understand that we have to fortify our households. We have to begin to fortify and protect, men, our families. I say "men," because the responsibility of the home being in order is yours. The reason that we're having so many of these problems today is because this nation has turned into a matriarchal society. The women have run the homes. The women are running our communities, today, through all of the little counsels. All of this little group and that little group. We see all the different things that are taking place. You say, "Pastor, are you opposed to women?" No, I married one. I'm opposed to biblical disorder; amen? I'm opposed to anything that goes contrary to the Word of God. It's important for us to see that there has to be order established in our lives. We're not going to change society. So, just put that up on the shelf right now. You're not going to go out there and champion the cause for the Word of God and change this nation. This nation will not change; it will continue to pervert itself to destruction. You're responsible for your household; amen? Men, "…as for me and my house, [Say it!] we will serve the Lord" (Joshua 24:15). Amen!
We realize that's the call of God on our lives. We have to break this momentum of the matriarchal influence in our lives and in our children, the next generation, just in case the Lord tarries. I don't think He is going to. But, just in case the Lord tarries, we need some godly men in the next generation. Thank God we have some in this generation; but not nearly as many as we need; amen? But we're going to get some more! We're going to get one before the night's over. I believe we're going to get one of you tonight, praise God. I believe at least one life will be changed tonight. We'll begin to see lives put in order. We'll pick them off one at a time. I'll take them any way I can get them, praise God! Seeing the house of God honored and Jesus exalted in our lives...
Adam's Rib, Part 9
February 7, 1996 • Pastor Star R. Scott
Glory to God. Amen. Good to be in His presence (Amen?), gathered with God's family.
Especially for one of our male congregants. Yesterday, as he was having some examinations done, his blood pressure went to zero and heart stopped on the table, and God raised him up, praise God! Amen! So it's good to have him in church tonight instead of in heaven. Amen? He'd rather be in heaven, but he's back here with us. So we've got to put up with him a little longer, and just thank God for His grace and His mercy, praise God. It's exciting to see the goodness of the Lord. As he was having his heart examined, there were some problems, and when they finally got through, you know, trying to kill him, they found out that his heart is getting better, praise God! So we give the Lord the glory for that. We've been praying for him, and we're looking for progress in that.
Let's turn to the book of Titus. Just continue to pray for him, and we're going to see the complete restoration in that heart, praise God! It's exciting to see the reports, not only of what the Lord did there, but physically there's improvement, and we thank God for that. They thought they were going to have to do the angioplasty with the balloon. Anyway, they didn't have to, and he's getting better, praise God! So let's look for the finished work.
Titus, the second chapter. We want to continue on our study here in looking at what makes a godly man. We've been talking about husband and wife relationships, and we were saying that before you can become a husband you've got to become a man. Amen? Now, we know that people become husbands without being men, but we're talking about doing it in biblical order, because, frankly, there are a lot of husbands that aren't men. A bunch of wimps and we're trying to get them turned into men, praise God!...
Adam's Rib, Part 10
February 11, 1996 • Pastor Star R. Scott
Aren't you glad He didn't give up on you? How many of you would have given up on you? That's why He's Lord, praise God. The love of God that has been shed abroad in our hearts, that's what we owe to one another. He said, "We ought [or owe it] to love one another" to the same degree that we've been loved; amen? So that's what we've been learning here, trying to learn for these last months and years, is just how to love one another, how to fulfill the lordship of Jesus in our lives and become a family, to become a community and not give up on each other. All the while, still demanding righteousness and holiness; amen? That is the balance that we're looking for. So we're going to continue along with the men, because I think we need to get the men straightened out. And all the ladies said-
We've spent six tapes on you ladies. Men, I've been trying to get it in less than that, but we're not going to do it. I think you're going to take more than the ladies to get this thing done. We've got the ladies finished in six, and who knows how long it's going to take to get the men straightened out.
Let's turn to the Book of Ephesians and the Book of Colossians, the Book of 1 Peter, and the Book of 1 Corinthians, and we'll start on the men.
Ephesians, Chapter 5. We've been talking about what it takes to be a godly man. And now we're going to talk about what it means to be a husband. You can be a godly man without being a husband. You can be a godly man without being a husband. You don't have to get married, men. But God said it's not good for you to be alone. So there is the feminine perspective, that we talked about, that is so necessary. God may call you to a life of singleness in serving Him. But most likely, He has for you a helpmeet. And you can't confuse Paul's writings in 1 Corinthians and exclude the rest of the passages in Ephesians, Colossians, and in Peter's writing to us in his first epistle, when Paul was dealing from an eschatological perspective, really believing in Corinthians that the coming of the Lord was so imminent that it could take place at any moment...
Adam's Rib, Part 11
February 11, 1996 • Pastor Star R. Scott
Glory. Amen. Good to be in His presence. Let's turn to Ephesians. We want to pick up where we left off this morning and check out a few more of the responsibilities that the men have in overseeing the household and fulfilling the call of God on their lives. We saw this morning that the husbands were to love their wives as Christ loved the church and gave Himself for it, and we talked about the spirit and the attitude in which he's to give himself, the character traits. How he's to be long suffering and kind and to minister according to the needs of the wife. We saw this morning that the wife was a joint heir with the man, and until you begin to treat them accordingly the Scriptures says your prayer life will be affected. Your prayers will be hindered when you don't understand the relationship and have it in proper perspective with your wives. We're dealing with the fact this morning that a woman in the Christian home is not chattel. She's not property, okay? Many of us seem to think, "Well, you know, okay, sure, we understand that." But not everybody acts that way. Not everybody lives that way, and as Christians we see that it's not only something that's preferred it's something that's commanded-that the women be honored and that we dwell with them according to knowledge. I think most men think that's a miracle. How in the world can you ever know a woman? Well, by knowing Jesus. Amen? You want to know how to understand your wife? Just get to know Jesus a little bit better and you will understand your wife.
And it's something that as you being to grab that feminine perspective, the love of God as it's expressed to you-His tenderness His compassion all of these different things that are expressed to you-you'll understand then why your wife responds in certain ways and you'll be able to understand that missing part, the feminine perspective. Or as we like to call it in our vernacular, our "better half" Okay. We find outside [the body of Christ], "Well this is my better half," and most men say jokingly, "Ha Ha Ha." And they're telling the truth, you know. And what we need to realize then is that this aspect, this part of man, woman, that that was taken out of man, is so vital and we need to realize then as we were looking that their to be honored as the weaker vessel...
Adam's Rib, Part 12
February 14, 1996 • Pastor Star R. Scott
How many of you ladies got flowers sometime this week? Let me see your hands. How am I doing? Alright, some of you guys really fell down on the job here. Some of you got to go out to dinner, I hope, and all of these different things for these men to be able to show their love and their affection for their wives, praise God. Now, I know some of you do it all the time anyway and it's nothing special, it's old hat, you're always there and your wife receives everything her heart desires and this is just another old week that's gone by where you've just been blessed out of your socks; amen? And for you, ladies, we want to talk to you after the service and put you in touch with some of these others that don't believe it can happen, praise God. My wife could have said, "Amen," to that, but I didn't hear her.
Let's turn to the book of Ephesians and finish up our study on Adam's Rib. This will be our twelfth week and we want to finish this with a little further admonition to the men. As we've looked at these God-ordained principles, the thing we have to realize as we are closing this study is the same way we began, these are not suggestions, these are commandments, and there is no other way to live. Husbands, this is not an option. Wives, it's not something that you consider. The husbands will love the wives as Christ loved the church, and they are willing to die for them. It's not an option. Those of you that are single men, before you dare ask one of these young ladies to cut a covenant with you, understand what's involved in this: it's the laying of your life down, men, to serve this woman and to make sure that she's sanctified and washed with the water of the Word and prepared for the coming of Jesus Christ...
