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DEVOTIONAL ARCHIVE

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June 17, 2006
Ed Young Ministries Weekly Devotional

Men and Women - The Final Four
by Ed Young

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her (Ephesians 5:25).

Because God made us, both male and female, in His image, God has stamped his masculine qualities on men and his feminine qualities on women.  And one of the characteristics that God has stamped on men is that of initiative.  Man is wired up to lead, to step out, and to close the deal.

God expects men to take spiritual initiative in the family and in the church.  The husband should take the romantic initiative in dating and marriage (this includes romancing your wife after marriage!).  Men should also take the moral initiative in the workplace and in society.  But, most importantly, men should take the initiative in service and sacrifice, just as Christ served and sacrificed himself for his bride, the Church.

Men are initiative-takers because God is an initiative-taking God.  1 John 4:19 says, "We love because he first loved us."  Men, lead the way this week in love, in forgiveness, in sacrifice, and in righteousness, just as God, in Christ, led the way for you.

For more information about relationships and other subjects, visit the Ed Young Ministries website: www.edyoung.org

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