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The Universal Government of God                            16


        at chapter 3. Here Peter starts talking about this. He addresses the women,
        the wives, saying, “What you need is a meek and quiet spirit. If you want
        to gain your husband, it must be without a word; it is your manner of life”
        (1 Pet. 3:1, 4). Then he says even more to the brothers, the husbands, “You
        have to live with them according to knowledge” (v. 7a). It does not say love,
        but knowledge. What is that? Of the female vessel, the weaker vessel, he
        says, “Give honor to the weaker vessel, you are heirs together of the grace
        of life; otherwise, your prayers will be hindered” (v. 7b). (We are all weak,
        but she is weaker and that is why it says “weaker”.) This is a training, and I
        am applying God’s government but not too heavily. Let me make this general
        statement  first.  Only  the  Lord  knows  how  many  married  couples  have  a
        prayer ministry together as part of their married life. For them, it is just part
        of their married life; they can pray in harmony at any time about anything.
        I have no idea what the percentage is. My guess would be maybe about five
        or nine percent. Because of what goes on in the level of the natural life and
        the self, the prayers are hindered. In this matter, if we would live under the
        government of God with its wonderful provision of life, grace, wisdom, and
        understanding, then we can be enjoying one another in an affectionate way.
        Then five minutes later I can say to my wife, “I am burdened that we pray
        about this situation.” Then we just pray. This is just an illustration. We are
        talking about something real and practical here.
           The Subject of 2 Peter Being the Divine Provision and the Divine
         Government, Showing Us that as God is Governing Us, He Supplies Us
                            with Whatever We Need

            The subject of 2 Peter is the divine provision and the divine government,
        showing us that as God is governing us, He supplies us with whatever we
        need. Brothers, is this not precious? “Whatever we need!” I do not know
        how you feel, but from time to time when I fellowship with the Lord, I like
        to acknowledge and say, “Lord, actually, I really don’t know where I am and
        what I need. You know what I need. I just ask that You care for me according
        to Your understanding of what I need.” I have needs different from when I
        was thirty-five and fifty years old, before and after I became a grandfather. I
        have needs at every level. Actually, I find that I do not have to pray that much.
        I just receive the supply to live under His government, and He takes care of
        all the needs. What a government this is! You are going to hear a wonderful
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