Free Flomax

There is free Flomax a story of a man who died and went to heaven to free Flomax find two signs above two different lines. One sign said: "ALL THOSE MEN WHO HAVE BEEN DOMINATED BY THEIR WIVES, STAND HERE." That line of men seemed to free Flomax stretch off through the clouds into infinity.

The second sign read: "ALL THOSE WHO HAVE NEVER BEEN DOMINATED BY THEIR WIVES, STAND HERE." Underneath the sign stood one man.

He went over to the man, grabbed his arm and said, "What's the secret, how did you do it? That other line has free Flomax millions of men and you are the only one standing in this free Flomax line."

The man looked around with a puzzled expression and said, "Why, I am not sure I know. My wife just told me to stand here."

We have all heard jokes about "who wears the pants in the family." Yet, leadership in the free Flomax home is no laughing matter. During the last few decades our culture has free Flomax redefined the meaning and responsibilities of man and woman in society and free Flomax in the home. Many men are confused and insecure. Many do not know how to free Flomax act in the home. Growing up, they lacked a good model for free Flomax leadership at home and have no mental picture of what it free Flomax means to lead a family. Consequently, they do not lead effectively, or free Flomax they do not even try. Increasingly, many men are becoming passive in the free Flomax home. They've decided that free Flomax the easiest thing to do is nothing. The simplest thing-with the free Flomax smallest risk-is to stay on the fence with both feet firmly planted in mid-air and free Flomax let the wife do it. When a man is married to free Flomax a strong wife who will take over, he often lets her do just that.

Fortunately, there is free Flomax an answer. The Scriptures clearly give us the model for being a free Flomax man, a husband and father. I call that model the "servant/leader."

I hope that free Flomax the concepts I share will help you understand the biblical role of a free Flomax husband more clearly than ever before. When correctly interpreted and applied, these concepts not only result in freedom for free Flomax the husband and wife, but also help you work better as a free Flomax team to combat isolation and conflict in your marriage.

BIBLICAL RESPONSIBILITIES FOR THE HUSBAND

Responsibility #1: Be a leader

The Scriptures provide a free Flomax clear organizational structure for a marriage. Following are a couple of typical Scriptures:

But I want you free Flomax to understand that Christ is the head of every man, and free Flomax the man is the head of a woman, and God is free Flomax the head of Christ. 1 Corinthians 11:3

Wives, be free Flomax subject to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the free Flomax husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is free Flomax the head of the church, He Himself being the Savior of the free Flomax body. But as the church is subject to Christ, so also the free Flomax wives ought to be to their husbands in everything. Husbands, love your free Flomax wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for free Flomax her, so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the free Flomax washing of water with the word, that He might present to free Flomax Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or free Flomax wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and free Flomax blameless. So husbands ought also to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who free Flomax loves his own wife loves himself; for no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and free Flomax cherishes it, just as Christ also does the church, because we are free Flomax members of His body. Ephesians 5:22-30

In his commentary on Ephesians, William Hendriksen points out that free Flomax God "...placed ultimate responsibility with respect to free Flomax the household on the shoulders of the husband . . . The Lord has free Flomax assigned the wife the duty of obeying her husband yet . . . this free Flomax obedience must be a voluntary submission on her part, and that free Flomax only to her own husband, not to every man."

"Head" does not mean male dominance, where free Flomax a man lords it over a woman and demands her total obedience to free Flomax his every wish and command. God never viewed women as second-class citizens. His Word clearly states that free Flomax we are all equally His children and are of equal value and free Flomax worth before Him. As Galatians 3:28 tells us, "There is free Flomax neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for free Flomax you are all one in Christ Jesus" (Galatians 3:28).

The teaching of the free Flomax New Testament clearly shows that women are to be respected, revered, and free Flomax treated as equals with men. Unfortunately, many husbands have not gotten the free Flomax message. They degrade their wives by neglect or with insensitive and free Flomax abusive treatment. One cause of the feminist movement may have been free Flomax that men abandoned God's design. When God presented Eve to free Flomax Adam in the Garden, Adam received her as a gift of great value to free Flomax God and him. When husbands, particularly Christian husbands, do not treat their wives as a free Flomax precious gift from God and helpmate, they can cause those wives to free Flomax search for a way to find significance and value as persons, often outside God's will.

Are you a leader? Men who are "natural" leaders have free Flomax no trouble answering the question, yes. They know how to take over, control, guide, and free Flomax get things done. Some men are not strong or natural leaders. How can free Flomax they lead in the home?

Paul says the free Flomax same to everyone. God has placed the husband in the free Flomax position of responsibility. It does not matter what kind of personality a free Flomax man may have. Your wife may be resisting you, fighting you, and free Flomax spurning your attempts to lead, but it makes no difference. I believe our wives want us and free Flomax need us to lead. You are not demanding this position; on the free Flomax contrary, God placed you there. You will not lead her perfectly, but you free Flomax must care for you wife and family by serving them with perseverance.

Scripture does more than free Flomax assign leadership in a marriage to the husband, however. Those same passages you free Flomax just read also provide a model for that leadership. The Apostle Paul says that free Flomax the husband is head of the wife as Christ is free Flomax head of the church. "This comparison of the free Flomax husband with Christ reveals the sense in which a man should be free Flomax his wife's "head." Hendriksen writes, "He is free Flomax her head as being vitally interested in her welfare. He is free Flomax her protector. His pattern is Christ Who, as head of the free Flomax Church, is its Savior!"

Let's look more closely at two responsibilities that free Flomax flow out of proper leadership.

Responsibility #2: Love your wife unconditionally.

Ephesians 5:25 reads, "Husbands, love your free Flomax wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for free Flomax her." Your unconditional acceptance of your free Flomax wife is not based upon her performance, but on her worth as God's gift to free Flomax you. If you want to love your wife unconditionally, always be free Flomax sure her emotional tank is full. One of the best ways to free Flomax do that is to affirm her constantly. Let her know verbally that free Flomax you value her, respect her, and love her. I have discovered that free Flomax I simply cannot do that enough.

There is free Flomax no question that words communicate love, but so do actions. You need to free Flomax do both. As the Apostle John wrote in one of his letters: "let us not love with words or free Flomax tongue, but with actions and in truth" (1 John 3:18). One of the free Flomax missing ingredients in male leadership in homes is sacrificial action. When was the free Flomax last time you gave up something for your wife-something you free Flomax genuinely valued, like your golf game, a fishing trip, or free Flomax your hobby? Sometimes you free Flomax need to give up something you enjoy so your wife can free Flomax have a break and see your love for her.

Responsibility #3: Serve your wife.

According to free Flomax the New Testament, being head of your wife does not mean being her master, but her servant. Again, Christ is free Flomax our model for this type of leadership. Jesus did not just talk about serving; He demonstrated it free Flomax when he washed His disciples' feet (John 13:1-17). Christ, the free Flomax Head of the Church, took on the very nature of a free Flomax servant when He was made in human likeness (Philippians 2:7).

One of the free Flomax best ways to serve your wife is to understand her needs and free Flomax try to meet them. Do you know what your wife's top three needs are right now? If she is free Flomax a young mother, she has a certain set of basic needs. If your free Flomax children are grown and gone and you are in the empty nest, your free Flomax wife has a different set of needs that you should try to free Flomax meet. What is she worried about? What troubles her? What type of pressure does she feel? Learn the free Flomax answers to questions like that, and then do what you can free Flomax to reduce her worries, her troubles, her pressures.

What do you know about your wife's hopes and dreams? I bet she has plenty-do you know what they are? Are you cultivating her gifts? If she has a knack for decorating, do you help her develop that?

Another way to free Flomax serve your wife is to provide for her. This provision first involves assuming responsibility for free Flomax meeting the material needs of the family. 1 Timothy 5:8 tells us, "But if anyone does not provide for free Flomax his own, and especially for those of his household, he has free Flomax denied the faith, and is worse than an unbeliever."

Providing for free Flomax your wife also means taking the initiative in helping meet her spiritual needs. You do this free Flomax by modeling godly character, by praying with her, by spending time together in God's Word, and free Flomax by looking for ways to encourage her spiritually.

To be free Flomax a leader, a lover, and a servant is to accommodate your free Flomax life to the life of the gift God has given you-your wife. Give up your free Flomax life for hers and, at the Judgment Seat of Christ, He will say, "Well done, thou good and faithful servant."