Singleness - God's Perspective

Oyan Simatupang

1 Cor 7:7-9 ; 25-38 (The Message)

Singleness and Marriage are both gifts from God

Singleness is a good state to be in

v.8 ".. singleness might well be the thing for them, as it has been for me.."
v. 26 .. I think it would probably be best to stay just as you are.

Value of being single :

• Free from the stress marriage brings - v.28
• Free from the responsibilities that marriage brings - fewer baggage. Philippians 4:6 can be more applicable for single people, too hard for married ones. e.g. John Wesley, actually can please both if there's a submission to God.
  

For Singles

Satisfaction comes from:

Contentment - learn to be content.
Phil 4 : 11

married/single, will feel content when our identity is ground by God - we are special, we are righteous, etc.

Things that takes your contentment:

• Speculation - if only this... live in the past.
• Jealousy
  

James 3:16 (NLT)

• Self pity - we need to stop feel sorry for ourselves

Phil 4 : 13 I can do all things through HIM who strengthens me.

What so great about being single?

• Spontaneous
• Freedom
• Flexibility
• Time alone

Key Question #1 : Are you pursuing other things so vigorously that you are loosing your contentment in God?

Commitment

• Free to Please God - v. 32
• Free to Pursue God - v. 34

Key Question #2 : What has been your attention, affection, and attraction?

Caution

• Purpose - fulfill God's purpose
• Parents - seeking counsel from your parents
• Preparation - Do your planning and prepare your fields before building your house. Pr 24:27
  

²⁷ Finish your outdoor work
and get your fields ready;
after that, build your house.

Key Question #3 : Does this person complement my ministry and passion for Christ?


For Parents
Teach the benefits of marriage and singleness
Christian values over Traditional values

For the rest of us
Our objective is to fulfill God's purpose - marriage can be a deal maker or a deal breaker for God's purpose (e.q John Wesley)
Respect those called to singleness.

Women's Weekend

Yayu Bramono

Proverbs 31 : 10 - 31

What do people say about women?

define [women] :

• an adult female person (as opposed to a man); "the woman kept house while the man hunted"
• with man
• etimology : accompanying man
• culture : Traditionally, middle-class women were typically involved in domestic tasks emphasizing child care
  

society and culture already dictate women as second class.

What does God say about women?
men and women are equal
Gen 1:27
Gal 3 :28
Gen 2:18 - helper, counter part

not a mistake
Psalm 139 : 13,14

God honors women
Deborah
Prophetess Hulda

God also honors women who are :

• Barren
• or those who are widows
• or those who have been left by the husband

God showered us with all the love.
It is effortless for us.

What do women have to do? [to please God] - not a retired women.

The Person She is.
She is a Wise and Gentle woman
v. 26 - get wisdom by draw near to God

She is a Valuable WIFE
doesn't mean you can't reach this when you're not married - 1 Cor 15

v.10-12
example. Abigail & Nabel
David was about to kill Nabel

wives must work together with husbands.

Eph. - submit to husband, like Jesus loves you unconditionallly.
what happened if it doesn't goes like this?

1 Pet 3 - accept the authority of..

She is a fabulous Mother
v.13-15, 26,27

• take care of the children's emotion
• instructions and guidance only comes from mother
• usually sacrifices

She is a Vigorous WORKER

• She works hard at Home
  v.15, 27 - a women's work is never done

• She works hard on the Job
  v.18,24 -a carrier women : buying, selling - bible doesn't condemnt carrier women
  
  
• She even works hard when she Shops
  v.13, 16

She is a VIRTUOUS woman
v.20, 25, 26
ideal woman is Christian live : a woman of substant and virtous. God doesn't ask for perfectness, just Good Enough!

The Praise She Deserves
v.28-31

Because it feels GOOD - feels good to be positive
Because it honors GOD - praising something that God made
Because it STRENGTHENS godly women.

Real Men Make Right Choices

Pt. Dave Kenney

Acts 16 : 25 - 34 (MSG)

Real men make right choices about God - you need to choose.
Joshua 24:15 (NIV)

• Choose right habits - we're all creature of habits.
  if you don't decide to change, there won't be a new habit.

• Choose spiritual growth - by always doing the right thing ; that's creating habits also.
  Our God is a God that forgives, but you won't grow if you can't overcome old bad habits.
  You need to be doing the things that leads you grows, not on the activities.

• Choose to influence others.
  You will influence people by the things you choose to do.

Real men make right choices about their single life.

• Choose honesty - single men tends to have less responsibilities and that makes the opportunity of dishonest to be bigger.
  Matt 5: 16 (NIV)

• Choose purity - whatever worldly concepts that is going out there, is a NO GO for Christians. Being single doesn't mean you have less responsibilities to about holiness and purity.
  1 Cor 6:16-20 (MSG)
  
  
• Choose others - can choose to do so many activities to be an influence to others. Be used by God to touch others.

Real men make right choices about their marriages.

• Choose to love - your own wife.
  Love is not about feeling. You need to tell it. Emotions is great, but it comes and goes.

• Choose to build - instead of tearing down.
  "..two become one.." if you attack one, you're attacking yourself.

• Choose to be faithful
  the only thing that can break this faithful is the sin of sex, and it's a matter of choice.
  in the Old Testament: idolatry = adultery.
  

Real men make right choices about their children.
Eph. 6 : 4 (NLT)

Choose to discipline :

• for real violations - not because they embarrasses you.
• not in anger - you don't want to deliver a message : you got punished because you make daddy angry.
• not in extreme - not let them remember the discipline, and not the lesson
• consistently

Choose to teach - have to talk, to listen to them, and spend more time with your kids.
Choose to model - children will follow what you DO, and not what you SAY.
Choose to lead - cause the world is full of trap. You need to lead examples for them.