Loving by Subduing, What?

Psalm 115:16-18..................16 The heaven, even the heavens, are the LORD's;
But the earth He has given to the children of men.
17 The dead do not praise the LORD,  Nor any who go down into silence.
18 But we will bless the LORD
From this time forth and forevermore.        Praise the LORD!    NKJV

The LORD God gave us the earth to subdue. In thinking on scripture I had thought on it for awhile. I took it to heart. I found some teachings on it. And then prayed over it..........wow, Lord, subduing!

Well, the years have come and gone and still I meditate this word.

Oh, well, I have to get down to business here:

WAS thinking on what I needed to do for the day. I like to plan out the week in regards to cleaning THE HOUSE, LIKE ONE DAY FOR THE LIVING ROOM, ONE DAY FOR THE OFFICE, ETC.
Was working on this project today and it really wore me out! Seriously, all that moving of the rugs and wiping and cleaning! But we just cleaned in here and it needed it again. Yes, it is something that must be done.
We had done some spring cleaning awhile back, but I sensed we needed to clean the carpets again. So I started moving one thing out, and the next, and the next!

We could see the weather warming up, and that triple number in measuring the heat, is more than I want to think about. Today, seemed like the best day because of the cooler temps. Okay, let's get moving here on some carpet cleaning and furniture moving. As I was moving things around, and wiping the dust, I had this thought. Or I should say, I know the Lord gave me the thought. This is how you love each other! SUBDUING!

SERIOUSLY, LOVE IS SUBDUING THE EARTH, REALLY?

Now, I had never thought of it in those terms. I always thought of it as just doing "my duty" for those of my family and those I know. But it is more than that according to what I am hearing from the Lord. Every time I killed a spider in the bathroom, and every time I shampooed the carpet I was expressing love. What? Well, our grand-daughter does not like spiders, not in the house or in the bathroom she chooses to use! Every time I wiped a spill off the floor or removed a light bulb that burned out was an act of subduing.

Well. that seems simple, right? And then He talked more about every time we move a piece of furniture, every time we clean up a mess, every time we prepare something for others, as in food or sewing or repairing, we are expressing love to another. Every time we make a pitcher of ice tea, or a pot of soup, we are subduing!  It is not just about eating or washing dishes, but actually doing something for someone and not expecting to receive anything back. As the Lord spoke to me while I was cleaning and doing, I saw the magnitude this represents in His kingdom. So I gained wisdom from God and see with new eyes.  It is something to me that gives me a smile on my face  and  that my family will have a sanitized home tonight!

Yes, how much do we love those closest to us?
Well, how much clutter do you see around you? Is the place spotless? How about that office space at work or in the home? Does it look like someone moved in and is setting up housekeeping with things that belong in a "kitchen"?
How about the rest of the house....does it look like a bomb went off in it?

The earth has been given to you and me. This small piece of reality is located on a block, on a street, in a town. Within all this I (we) have a car, a truck, and a small pet! Although our pet is family, we regard her care as we do ours.
Yes, this ruling in the earth is an exact place where I reside. It has been given to me since birth. When I was given life, I had a room that I shared with a sister. My mother was prompting us always to dust, to keep our clothes picked up and and keep the bed made up. Yes, we got the idea pretty fast and our mother was one who would look at the drawers of the dresser and make sure every thing was neat and in its place. In regards to cleaning, we always saw our parents cleaning the vehicles we owned. That outside of the vehicle was as clean as the inside was! Those white walls on those tires looked like showroom beauty!  You could give it the "white glove test" and it would win 1st place!
As a rule, we could not eat in that vehicle unless at a drive-in movie. Can anyone remember those?  Then each of us were responsible for whatever mess we made. That is one teaching that has carried me through life. WHAT MESS HAVE I MADE? How much do I love my husband or my neighbor?

In regards to their dressing, my parents looked like they stepped from the cover of magazines. Seriously, my mother reminded me of a model. She cared for herself and she looked good doing it. My dad looked like a "Country Style" theme. He wore the nicest western shirts and jeans. Anyone who knew him, knew he would have on Tony Lama boots. He did not own a faded pair of jeans nor a faded shirt or wore out boots. His wear for the barn certainly looked better than some I have seen in the past. Their shoes had a shine whether they just came from the store or were three years old. They cared for everything they had bought.
Our home was one that was remodeled and it look wonderful and was kept in immaculate shape. Yes, I had many examples to follow when I was growing up.

IN writing this, I think of so many who go places to rule and they cannot clean their car! I always think of Pigpen from the Charlie Brown cartoons.
HOW many want to rule in other places and their car looks like the dump ground or their bathroom looks like hurricane Andrew went through it? Well, Shelley, I was not here when Hurricane Andrew went through Florida! Well, you are here right now.  And you have now heard of Hurricane Andrew. And you are responsible to subdue the earth, right?

Genesis 1:28-31.................28 Then God blessed them, and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth."

29 And God said, "See, I have given you every herb that yields seed which is on the face of all the earth, and every tree whose fruit yields seed; to you it shall be for food. 30 Also, to every beast of the earth, to every bird of the air, and to everything that creeps on the earth, in which there is life, I have given every green herb for food"; and it was so. 31 Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good. So the evening and the morning were the sixth day.    NKJV

And God blessed them.........."be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves on the earth."
SUBDUE!
Be fruitful and produce! I believe that means more than children. I believe it means we are to care for this earth as God did when He created it in beauty! I believe the more we care for something............that means "KEEP IT CLEAN" AND "TAKE CARE OF IT", THEN fruit is multiplied on that one thing. The more we work in caring for our pet "poodle", the more God brings to us in information in caring for her. The more we put into caring for our bodies, the more God brings information on good foods and those which bring energy and long life to them. The more I focus on the Word of God, the more Word He gives me pertaining to life, and godliness.



Genesis 2:18-25...................18 And the LORD God said, "It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him." 19 Out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field and every bird of the air, and brought them to Adam to see what he would call them. And whatever Adam called each living creature, that was its name. 20 So Adam gave names to all cattle, to the birds of the air, and to every beast of the field. But for Adam there was not found a helper comparable to him. 21 And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall on Adam, and he slept; and He took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh in its place. 22 Then the rib which the LORD God had taken from man He made into a woman, and He brought her to the man. 23 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."

24 Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. 25 And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.  NKJV

In scripture we find God assigning men to have a "helpmate". Her worth was to be his help, assist him in accomplishing goals in subduing the earth.......to encourage him, and partner with him in producing children to populate the earth they would subdue.
God did not want Adam to be alone.
Is the man subduing, as to working in the field, the place he is called? If he is taking his role seriously about being the man God created to be, then are you and I, as women, taking our role seriously and filling it?  In working alongside our husbands, we find a relationship and not only that, but we find a man who leaves his mother and father.......joins with his new wife, his partner for life in the grace of God and fulfill the assignment given to them. They join forces! They join together what God had always planned to do. He does not bring along all the ideas or thoughts his folks had...........no, he joins forces to find what God planned for him and his "helpmate"...........they join together. He knows his wife and her family. THE HUSBAND LEADS LIKE JESUS LEADS!

Proverbs 31:10-11............10 A wife of noble character who can find?
She is worth far more than rubies.
11 Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value.  NIV

A wife of noble character........who can find?

She is not the woman found on a "stripper pole". She can be found at that Bible study, that prayer meeting, or in church worshiping God.

Where are you the, man looking? Do you have your "helpmate"?

Then give thanks for the helpmate of noble character! If you do not see that "noble character" then profess and confess that you will see it. We must always remember that everything in life begins with us. Life and death are in the power of our tongues!  We have to make the effort, take that step into following God and His commands.

We take those little steps at first and see them grow. We grow and become those men and women of God that follow His instruction and hear His voice when He speaks.

In perseverance, we prove our appreciation to God and for His saving grace.

1 Corinthians 15:56-58............56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 

58 Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain. NIV

Our character is revealed the more time we spend with God. We gain strength the more we hear Him and obey. In that intimacy, like the husband and wife, our intimacy with God proves our faithfulness to do all that He commanded from the beginning. It is in that intimacy and connecting, that we find we can speak and be heard. But if I walk around just speaking and not hearing, then I miss everything God is speaking to me. If I think I am right, and just keep mouthing my opinions or thoughts, then I am going to be in a big mess!

I believe that in marriage, we should always reflect on the day we said, "I do", and remember that it is about a relationship of people and of a God. If we understand that the love displayed for all to us came at the darkest time of history, should not our light shine at this darkest time as well?

We can think we have all the answers, but ONLY GOD HAS THEM! OUR faith cannot be in ourselves. It has to be placed in God! His leadership demands us to obey to eat the good of the land.

 Isaiah 1:19-20................19 If you are willing and obedient,

You shall eat the good of the land; 20 But if you refuse and rebel,

You shall be devoured by the sword";  For the mouth of the LORD has spoken.     NKJV

So where you stand today, in a house, on a block, in a town or city, what are you doing to subdue the earth? Have you gathered the clutter and removed it to the trash or the "recycle"?

As the wife, are you available to your husband? Do you seek peace and pursue those things which make a place of comfort for him to come to? (or are you just hot and bothered by everything? ....and just speak your mind?) Remember God's thoughts and ways are higher than ours!

As the wife, do you hear and listen and communicate daily with God and your husband?

As the husband, do you seek that peace with your wife?

Do you hear her and listen by communicating with her daily?

As a couple, a team, do you work together to overlook each other's faults and weaknesses?

Are you goal setters?

Are you together, those worshipers of God?

Are you walking together in unity? Do you look good and sound like God speaking?

If you cleaned the house, take a look at the garage, since that is his domain! What will you find?

If your garage looks great, but your house looks like something from "Gone With the Wind"......then some changes must occur!  As for our family, my husband easily moves from the garage to the house at will. He certainly helps in the cleaning of the carpets and moving furniture. I have always said, "you can eat off the floors in our garage"....... as my husband is meticulous about keeping everything spotless. I have to work at it! Yes, I do. I am a work in progress, indeed! 
I better check the office again, and make sure it does not look like a second kitchen in this house!

Where you rule begins at birth? Have you or I graduated yet? 

Take this time to reflect on your marriage or maybe your future marriage. Take into your heart all that needs to be in your heart to receive a good thing. Consider the marriage with no distractions, but quiet time together. Expect to laugh and talk and remember every anniversary. As a person looking to marriage, think on what you desire that this woman/man of noble character would look like. Speak out loud about what you desire today in that godly new wife/husband. Profess those words of life in God for this marriage, whether a future one or an existing one. Profess to the importance of it and ask the Lord how to care for it. Talk about the disappointments you may have had in the past, but remember that you are not ruled by past hurts. Give thanks for your wife/husband or future wife/husband!

Consider these points: should consider to spend time together talking, where it is quiet with no distractions…………just two people…..to laugh and talk, a time to get acquainted again

        To have every anniversary together and remember why you married in the first place and give than always for all the memories you have together as a couple For each to know the kinds of foods and movies each person likes or dislikes………to always be asking questions and to get a reply…………..not JUST a nod of the head!

           To always attend church and pray for each other as well as for others ( pray for other couples as well, knowing they may have problems like you have or have had in the past)

    To do something for someone else that is in your power to help them out

          To minister to other couples the importance of marriage and how to care for it

   To always be open about affection for each other! (to always put away any hurt, anger or disappointment away from you)

          Thanking God for the gift of a wife/ husband and to bless her/him daily with words of power in prayer!

Father, thank You for the opportunity to subdue the earth. We cannot do that without loving the other person. In Jesus' name, we pray to be men and women who will diligently look in faith to hear YOU speak our directives from Your Word of truth. We want to be led in YOUR power and wisdom. We desire to search the Word of Truth and find that place YOU have for us to dwell. We desire not to be the complacent fool, but one who dwells in safety and ease without fear of harm.  We understand that we must subdue the earth and that means where we live, sleep and walk. Our subduing the earth starts with each of us and how we take instruction and how we care for that which You have given us.

Father, our obtaining favor from the Lord and walking in unity is done with NO COMPROMISE! It is our union with YOU is, that we speak as YOU speak, and to do as YOU have done!

Today, we choose to know Your ways and thoughts. They are higher than ours.  YOU created a vast universe that YOU look over, but the earth YOU gave to us to subdue. Father forgive us for thinking that if we cannot clean a commode, or empty out the trash, or take our pet to the vet,  then how can we take our community in prayer and expect YOU to hear. How can we possibly expect to rule in any place if our home looks like a mess, and the garage looks like storage unit for the city! Forgive us for being complacent where we needed to be fire to clean our homes, care for families, clean the garage and focus on taking our community and state in prayer.

It is YOU who sees the hearts of all who read and pray this out. Our desire is to be in unity with our mate, with our God. For those who have no mate, then Lord bring them according to YOUR plan for their lives. Help them receive that new "mate" You are bringing to them. For those of us who have a spouse, we desire that our union would be one that brings glory to God forever!

 WE know that You have given us Your Holy Spirit and according to John 3:34,35 “for since He Whom God has sent speaks the words of God [proclaims God’s own message], God does not give Him His Spirit sparingly or by measure, but boundless is the gift God makes of His Spirit! The Father loves the Son and has given (entrusted, committed) everything into His hand.” By this Holy Word, You gave to Us Your Holy Spirit without measure. I loose HIM now into our lives. Holy Spirit spark our lives with the match of faith. Show us where we have failed and show us how to love by doing good to others even in cleaning our homes, garages, and that car! Show us where we may improve that which we know will bring more favor to us and subdue the earth.

May our lives be dominated by YOUR truth that sets captives free! May we be couples in unity that hold up that Word of God as a standard. We are expectant God to have His will and way in our lives. In Jesus's name, amen and amen!

You can also visit my Youtube channel The Voice of Prayer for more teaching at http://bit.ly/1tNyBhV