The second thing was to rule. When you hear the word rule, you think of bossing, but it's not like that at all in the kingdom of God. To be a ruler means you protect something that could be hurt, and then you also cultivate it, provide the environment so that it will produce. So if you're a father, the head of the household, you're called to protect the home. It's a primary male function to protect the home, and to protect the marriage. Protect - it's in men to protect. It's designed in men to protect, to lay your life down, to protect. It's also put in men to cultivate the environment within which relationships can flourish, and a family can grow. So fathers are responsible for that, as sons.
The mother will work with the father, as a team; and they work together, each contributing their own amount. But ultimately, the dad is held responsible. When Adam and Eve sinned, Adam was the one called to account - because Adam was in charge. Men cannot get away from their responsibility to rule over their households, to protect them, and to cultivate the environment where it'll be fruitful and productive, and relationships will be healthy. That's a God-given thing to do.
God prepared and gave a territory. The interesting thing is, God didn't just have a plan; before the plan, he had a territory called the Garden of Eden, and he planted a man in the garden he'd already made. You are born into an environment. God put you in an environment where you can outwork His plan; and God, although he gave Adam rules over the whole earth, only gave him a little bit to start with, to see how he'd do; with the plan being that as he grew and matured, he could add more and more and more to it, until he filled the whole earth. He gave him a little bit to work with. God puts us in a garden, he gives you something to be responsible for. Your territory, whatever you're responsible for, is your garden, and God designed you to tend and to keep it.
When you look at every person through the Bible, the one problem comes through, right through the whole Bible - everyone since Adam has sinned! Noone produces the perfect picture, except for one person, who is called Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is called the pattern son; and he is preeminent, and the center of all God's plan.
God has got this wonderful plan involving people. However, the center of the plan is the person of Jesus Christ. Absolute center. He is the pattern Son.
Colossians 1:15-16 - "He's the image of the invisible God, the first born over all creation. By him, all things were created in heaven and earth, visible and invisible Thrones or dominions, all things were created through Him and for Him."
He's the Son of God. He's the express image of God. When you see what Jesus is like, you're seeing what the Father behaves like. Don't get upset because some Christian offended you - it's totally predictable. Even Jesus caused great offense, because he held up to the word of God. What it offends is our flesh. The thing is, if you want to overcome the issue that people within the church, and sometimes how the church does stuff, and the decision they made, and all that kind of stuff. It's never perfect; but don't get offended, because God can use it, even though it's imperfect, to change you; but that will only happen if you keep your eyes on the one who is perfect - Jesus.
He's always there. He's always the one. Get your eyes on him. Don't make an idol out of any person, any ministry, no matter how anointed, they are just the servants of God. If you keep your eye on people, you get offended and upset, and then you lose your destiny. Keep your eyes focused on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith. He's the one. You have to keep your eyes fixed on him, because he's the pattern.