Life Unscrewed Devotions–part 2
DAY 1
We continue in our series, “Life Unscrewed.” It’s very easy to “screw up” my life. It’s a lot harder to get it “unscrewed.” Last week we looked at how we bring stress upon ourselves.
This week we look at male-female relationships.
For millennia, in cultures around the world, women have been undervalued. One way our secular culture has tried to overcome this problem is by minimizing the differences between men and women in the hopes of creating equality of value. But to do that we lose important understanding in relating to the opposite sex. (The bible sees women as men’s equal in value before God).
Read Genesis 1:26-27
1. What attributes do men and women share together?
2. What do these verses imply about the value of women?
3. Verse 27 says, “…male and female he created them.”
How do you think man and woman are different?
A. Physically-
B. Sexually-
C. Emotionally-
D. Personally-
When I was a kid I remember comedians had a field day with “understanding the opposite sex”! The biggest joke was about the man trying to figure out his wife. Down in flames he goes, and the crowd roars in laughter. Why the hilarity? Because folks realize that understanding the opposite sex is a lot more complex than you ever imagined!
Tune in for Day 2!!!
DAY 2
Today, we look at “a woman’s world…”
After the sin of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, God pronounced curses on Satan, woman and man.
Read Genesis 3:14-19
You may wonder, “Why in the world would God curse man and woman?” The answer is simpler than you might suspect. Now that man and woman had a sin nature, it would be impossible for them to respond to God in humility and obedience, willingly. Man and woman would only come to God when they realized they could not make life “work” like they wanted. In other words, man and woman needed to lived in a world where pain was inescapable.
Read Genesis 3:16.
1. What is the first pain women will experience?
2. Do you think God means this is limited to “labor and delivery?”
3. What is the second “pain,” – associated with a husband?
4. Note: The Hebrew word for “desire” means “the desire to control.” What battle will every wife fight internally?
5. The last part of the verse says that every wife will attempt to control her husband. According to the end of this verse will her plan work?
6. A woman’s “world” means she will experience her deepest pain and aggravation in relationships, and particular, her closest relationships. What insight does that give you into the women in your life? (daughter, wife, mother, in-law, sisters at church)
DAY 3
Today, we look at a man’s world.
Yesterday we looked at how the curse affected a woman’s world. Today, we look at how the curse affects a man’s world.
Read Genesis 3:17-19
1. In a woman’s “world,” her deepest pains are going to be relational. Where will a man feel his deepest pain?
2. Do you think this is just “bad news” for farmers, or is this affected in every man’s work?
3. Have you ever weeded a garden or flower bed? What can you expect 1-2 weeks later in the flower bed you weeded? Is there EVER a time when you won’t have to weed the garden or field?
4. When you plant flowers, vegetables or a crop what do you “expect” would come out of the ground? Gen. 3:18 says there are some other things that will pop out of the ground, as well! What are they?
5. What does 3:19 say to you about a man’s day?
6. A woman will experience her deepest pains relationally. Her tender spots will be things like rejection, insecurity, easily hurt, feeling unloved, etc.
A man will experience his “pain” in what he does, his work, chores, fixing things, etc. His “pain” will be experienced as things like:
___ Failure
___ Futility
___ Frustration
How does this strike you about a man’s world?
DAY 4
Today, we’ll look at a “woman’s world”
Today we’ll look at verses that relate to being a wife. THE PURPOSE OF THIS IS TO GIVE INSIGHTS INTO THE HEART AND SOUL OF A WOMAN…
Read Ephesians 5:22-33
1. How do verses 22-24 relate to Genesis 3:16?
2. Does God commanding a wife to submit to her husband “mean,” or is there “method to the madness?”
3. What are some of the benefits of submitting, whether it’s in a marriage, or as children to parents, workers to bosses, or soldiers to officers?
Read Ephesians 5:28-29
4. Paul illustrates how a man is to love his wife. What is his illustration?
5. Paul uses two verbs in verse 29. Put in your own words what you think he means?
* “Nourish” –
* “Cherish” –
Read 1 Peter 3:7
6. A man is to “understand” a woman or live with a “understanding” the make-up of a woman, that she is easily hurt. What does a man need to remember when relating to a woman?
7. We saw in DAY 2 that women experience their greatest pain in relationships. What strikes you about today’s verses?
DAY 5
Today, we’ll look at a “man’s world”
Today we’ll look at verses that relate to being a husband. THE PURPOSE OF THIS IS TO GIVE INSIGHTS INTO THE HEART AND SOUL OF A MAN…
Read Ephesians 5:22-33
1. What need does a man have that is specifically pointed out in verse 33?
2. How does verse 33 relate to Genesis 3:17-19?
3. What would the effect of being respected have on a man who daily deals with a sense of failure, futility and frustration?
Read 1 Peter 3:1-6
4. When a man tries to lead, whether in his home, work, church or community he will experience failure, futility and frustration. A woman has a unique opportunity to make his leadership easier. Peter mentions two qualities.
* Gentle spirit–this quality means “encourager.” She has the ability to be encouraging while helping the “team” move forward.
* Quiet spirit–this quality means, “calm in a crisis.” She has the ability to still help the man be responsible and believe he can lead even when the ship hit an iceberg.
5. What strikes you about these two qualities?
6. As you relate to the males in your life, whether they be husband, son, father, boss, neighbor, pastor, or friend what do you want to remember or do from today’s verses?