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03C - REAL Women
Critical
Intermediate
Video
Divine Design
18 Lessons
0% Not started
About 03C - REAL Women
Is the world’s view of women more distorted than that of men? As I review books, blogs, editorials, movies, and news, the world’s view of women rarely fits God’s view. But is it any worse than what is said to men?
Probably not, but the volume and constancy of the world’s message to women seems more intense. On the other hand, probably yes, because the message is focused on women and impacts men secondarily. For example, when you hear a message about women’s rights, it is often compared to men's. Therefore, the message is to women but does imply something about men.
Because the world’s message is so intense to women, you will see most of this course is counter-cultural – but straight from God’s Word. In the multiple years of teaching this information, almost always, some women take offense at me for teaching what the Bible says. Understandably, the information is difficult, especially since women have been treated poorly throughout history. Nevertheless, that does not make the Bible wrong or what is written here incorrect.
Ready?
03C - REAL Women
Critical
Most of Satan’s strategies blatantly oppose anything that looks like God-designed womanhood. Instead, he pushes for women to move away from their design and be more like a man in demeanor, attitude, and action. Or he mixes in some of the God-given design of woman but gets them to use their design for power and control. No matter the strategy, if it does not completely match how God designed a woman and how God asks women to act, it will ultimately hurt you.
Critical
Are you a REAL woman? They are rare, so the odds are against a “yes.” Are you listening to your sin nature, your “Flashing ME” more than God’s Word? Selfishness or the Flashing ME is THE problem for relationships, and it prevents you from being a REAL woman. When you grasp that your judgment fuels your Flashing ME, you will understand why the following are too familiar.
Critical
You are on the right path to being a REAL Woman if you want to live with God’s Word as your guide and foundation. God designed a woman and has defined the qualities, values, and actions that He desires of godly women. God perfectly designed you to fit your role and everything He asks you to do.
Critical
God desires older women to be examples for younger women. He wants you to act based on your Godly values, take your “gentle and quiet spirit” inside, and display it to other women, especially young women.
Critical
How could you be an example to others without behavior that is reverent? Maybe reverent is not a good word for you, so how about “showing profound respect, especially for God.” Does that help?
Critical
The broader meaning of “not given to much wine” is Self-control. Without self-control, you will be operating in the flesh, “Flashing your ME, " creating problems in any relationship.
Critical
Did you note the teaching sequence that Paul provided to Titus? Paul said the teaching was to happen this way – Titus teaches the older women, and the older women teach the young women. Seems a little inefficient; why not have Titus teach them all simultaneously?
Critical
As a younger woman, you hopefully are developing internal values that will grow into consistently good actions. God provides the model to help this happen when He asks you to look at, listen to, and learn from older women who have great values. Develop your inside, your heart, first with these three words or virtues in mind – Loving, Virtuous, and Submissive. As a young woman, typically, God asks you to focus those virtues on your home.
Critical
Here in Titus 2, the Greek word used for the woman’s love for her husband is not the same as the Greek word used in Ephesians 5:25 for the husband’s love for the wife.
Critical
When you have discretion, you have excellent and careful thinking. When you are careless and impulsive in your thinking, the result is usually inappropriate words, actions, and relationship pain. Instead of impulsive thinking, God asks you to curb your impulses and desires, especially in your words and actions.
Critical
You are like the Bride of Christ, described as “without spot or blemish.” What a great picture of “pure.” While this is your responsibility, it directly ties to the husband’s role to be helping you – God asks him to have a purifying love for you in Ephesians 5. The husband helps “purify” his wife with the Word of God, which implies that the process works when the wife accepts and applies the Word of God offered.
Critical
“Good” does not seem to be something that would be difficult. When I think of “good,” it is like trying not to fail a test. But, when you see the above definitions, that is different. It is like Dorcas in Acts 9:36, who “…was full of good works and charitable deeds….” And it goes far beyond words and deeds into attitudes – pleasant, agreeable, joyful, and even excellent- typically the more difficult areas for anyone.
Critical
If you went to a party and did an informal survey with the guests about their views of being a stay-at-home mom, what do you think would be said? I bet that few people would provide positive feedback in most areas of the Western world. And if you were seeking encouragement to be a homemaker, there would be fewer honest encouragers. The media portrays a homemaker as a silly option and, in some cases, even sub-human!
Critical
Now to a topic near and dear to most women’s hearts. Yes, that was meant to be a joke! What is your attitude about submission? How would you define it? Submission tends to be placed at the same level as a curse word, so you may not understand how beneficial this word is to both men and women. (Submission is covered in depth in course 09A titled “The ‘S’ Word – Submission”)
Critical
1) – Help Him by Using Your Talents. Offer your unique talents to him. God created woman to be a Helper (Genesis 2:18, 20). 2) – Use a “No or Few Words” Strategy. Your desire to change your husband is real, and it most often creates nagging. 3) – Make Your Body His Property. Neither the husband nor the wife is to deprive the other of sex, specifically each other’s body (1 Corinthians 7:2-6).
Critical
This is an outstanding opportunity for you to participate with God! If you do what He asks in Titus 2 – live your life as He asks – you are not maligning or blaspheming His Word. When you do not have those character traits or actions in your life, you malign God’s Word and say that God’s Word is invalid and flawed! It is like God is saying very clearly, “Your life as a REAL woman shows My Word to be true. Otherwise, you blaspheme it.”
Critical
God is PERFECT, and it is wonderful how different He made men and women. It is clearly shown to be true in scripture and is vital to any relationships you have with the opposite sex, especially in marriage.
Critical
This summary of Proverbs 31 was adapted from Different by Design by John MacArthur, Jr.