First of all we would like to wish a belated Happy Father's to all the fathers.
I spoke Sunday night June 21st about Fathers and our responsibility to be faithful in all we do. In the message we showed a very gripping video of a little boy telling his father that he is watching him. Sometimes we as fathers neglect our responsibility of parenting and we place all the hardship on our wives, but this is not what God had designed in marriage and parenting. There is an old familiar scripture that is quoted often about parenting found in Proverbs 22:6 "Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it." The sad thing is this scripture has been mistranslated time and again, it does not mean because you train your children in the ways of the Lord they will never depart. That will be a personal decision your children and mine will make on their own. This scripture is admonishing us as parents to teach, and train them in the ways of the Lord. To plant the scriptures and teaching of Christ in their hearts. When they are old no matter which path they have taken, the word of God has been planted in their hearts and this teaching will never leave them. I remember my brother when he had departed from the Lord made mention one day of the times when he was in sin he would hear my father preaching and praying even though they may have been hundreds of miles away from each other. He said he would toss and turn at night under conviction from the teaching of his father that he had been taught years earlier.
We as fathers need to step up and be the spiritual leader of our households, to lead our family in the ways of the Lord. Most men want respect and the authority in their household, but the fact is this, respect is earned. If you lead a large number of people on your job and you fail to lead your household, what have you accomplished? If we gain the whole world and lose our own family, we have lost it all. Some men think that leading their family can only come through being hard, loud, and demanding. A lady told me recently that her father was always sturn and firm with his hand and his word was the law, but he very seldom showed a soft heart to his children and family.
We as fathers need the Lord to soften our hearts, this does not mean we become soft to sinful and wrong actions of our children. BUT how can we ask our children to follow us if we do not show love and kindness to our own family?
I am reminded of a statement that I keep on my desk from President Dwight D. Eisenhower, " you do not lead by hitting people on the head, thats assault, not leadership."
Let us as fathers of our home remember the greatest mission field we have is in our own home. May God bless you as you lead your children and family with love and compassion in the ways of the Lord.
Pastor Stuart
Monday, June 22, 2009
Friday, June 5, 2009
Mr. Right Always
(sorry this will be a long blog)
I was reading a joke the other day about a young lady that recently had gotten married. She had met with some of her classmates and they were excited about the news of her wedding.
They asked how married life was and wanted to know about her husband. The new bride stated that she had finally found Mr. Right, but said, I just did not know his last name was "Always."
(Most of us men would have preferred that this joke stated Mrs. Right, but we will not deal with that issue in this blog.)
I was thinking about this joke and I began to realize that in everyone of us there is this drive to be right "Always." Most people want the satisfaction of being the one with the correct answers. I will admit that very few times in my life I have been incorrect in my opinion, until someone comes along and deflates my statement with the real facts and then I realize how few times I am correct. Kind of like the statement that "most statistics are made up." Anyone can make up so called facts.
I have met people that honestly have an answer to basically every situation, sometimes the answers is correct, but sadly sometimes it is not. One young man made the statement one day that "He was a vast resource of useless knowledge" and most people are not interested in useless knowledge.
As I thought about this subject there is nothing wrong with having answers, but the problem comes into play when we think all others are wrong except us. This could and can become great problems in our lives both in the physical realm and the spiritual realm.
In the physical realm there is nothing wrong with trying to better yourself with education so as to provide for our families in a greater way. But on the other hand problems arise when your great wisdom makes people feel like their opinion is not worthy of your interest because they are always wrong.
In the spiritual realm we all know that each of us needs a closer and deeper walk with the Lord. The word of God was given as an instruction book, with guidelines for us from the stage of birth til death. 2 Timothy 3:16 All scripture [is] given by inspiration of God, and [is] profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:"
We were given instructions to know Gods word in 2 Timothy 2:15
"Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth."
I will be the first to admit most of us do not study the word of God like we should. The scripture in 2 Timothy 2:15 makes a it clear that our studying is not to bring attention to ones self, but that we would be approved unto God. Then that we would be a workman that should not be ashamed, because we have become dependant upon the Holy Spirit and studying that we "rightly dividing the word of Truth."
A while back I was in a conversation with a person who informed me that the Bible was correct in some things, but was incorrect in other things. They went on to explain that because it was written by men, that makes the Bible fallible. They left out the scripture that stated that these men were moved upon by the Holy Ghost.
In our discussion I was asking how they knew that part of the bible was correct and some was not correct? He said that he would pray and that God would tell him what part of the Bible was right and what was wrong. The sad thing about this entire conversation was this person was very serious. I then stated to him that I thought it to be somewhat comical, that God would looked down and say, "oops, I made a mistake in the Bible." Now here is how I will correct it, I will tell you what is right and what is wrong, and then you will have all the answers to every ones problem." Needless to say this person did not have the same sense of humor I possessed and took offense. You see the problem did not stem with the Bible being incorrect, the problem was that this person did not want to abide by the word of God. During our conversation I noticed a pattern, the things in the Bible that was not correct, and was not a sin, were the things that he desired to do, so conveniently the Bible needed correcting to justify his actions.
Romans 3:4 "God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar ; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged."
Here is the facts, God's word is settled, it is unchangeable, it is the final authority, and whether you or I want to live by it will be our own decision. A young man made the statement to me that he had to realize that he was 100% wrong and God was 100% right before he ever received salvation, I thought that is something all of us need to remember.
People often come to us and ask for our advice, I have come to the realization that my advice is simply my opinion, unless it is backed up by the Word of God or past experiences of either victory or failure. If one is always right, and never wrong, then one must be decieved in their own heart..
One day while praying God began to speak to my heart with, "one that is always right has no need of being taught, and one that can never be taught, will never be qualified to teach."
I have decided to change my name to Mr. R.M.S
(Right Maybe Sometimes)
Let God be true...
Proverbs 12:15 "The way of a fool [is] right in his own eyes: but he that hearkeneth unto counsel [is] wise."
I was reading a joke the other day about a young lady that recently had gotten married. She had met with some of her classmates and they were excited about the news of her wedding.
They asked how married life was and wanted to know about her husband. The new bride stated that she had finally found Mr. Right, but said, I just did not know his last name was "Always."
(Most of us men would have preferred that this joke stated Mrs. Right, but we will not deal with that issue in this blog.)
I was thinking about this joke and I began to realize that in everyone of us there is this drive to be right "Always." Most people want the satisfaction of being the one with the correct answers. I will admit that very few times in my life I have been incorrect in my opinion, until someone comes along and deflates my statement with the real facts and then I realize how few times I am correct. Kind of like the statement that "most statistics are made up." Anyone can make up so called facts.
I have met people that honestly have an answer to basically every situation, sometimes the answers is correct, but sadly sometimes it is not. One young man made the statement one day that "He was a vast resource of useless knowledge" and most people are not interested in useless knowledge.
As I thought about this subject there is nothing wrong with having answers, but the problem comes into play when we think all others are wrong except us. This could and can become great problems in our lives both in the physical realm and the spiritual realm.
In the physical realm there is nothing wrong with trying to better yourself with education so as to provide for our families in a greater way. But on the other hand problems arise when your great wisdom makes people feel like their opinion is not worthy of your interest because they are always wrong.
In the spiritual realm we all know that each of us needs a closer and deeper walk with the Lord. The word of God was given as an instruction book, with guidelines for us from the stage of birth til death. 2 Timothy 3:16 All scripture [is] given by inspiration of God, and [is] profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:"
We were given instructions to know Gods word in 2 Timothy 2:15
"Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth."
I will be the first to admit most of us do not study the word of God like we should. The scripture in 2 Timothy 2:15 makes a it clear that our studying is not to bring attention to ones self, but that we would be approved unto God. Then that we would be a workman that should not be ashamed, because we have become dependant upon the Holy Spirit and studying that we "rightly dividing the word of Truth."
A while back I was in a conversation with a person who informed me that the Bible was correct in some things, but was incorrect in other things. They went on to explain that because it was written by men, that makes the Bible fallible. They left out the scripture that stated that these men were moved upon by the Holy Ghost.
In our discussion I was asking how they knew that part of the bible was correct and some was not correct? He said that he would pray and that God would tell him what part of the Bible was right and what was wrong. The sad thing about this entire conversation was this person was very serious. I then stated to him that I thought it to be somewhat comical, that God would looked down and say, "oops, I made a mistake in the Bible." Now here is how I will correct it, I will tell you what is right and what is wrong, and then you will have all the answers to every ones problem." Needless to say this person did not have the same sense of humor I possessed and took offense. You see the problem did not stem with the Bible being incorrect, the problem was that this person did not want to abide by the word of God. During our conversation I noticed a pattern, the things in the Bible that was not correct, and was not a sin, were the things that he desired to do, so conveniently the Bible needed correcting to justify his actions.
Romans 3:4 "God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar ; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged."
Here is the facts, God's word is settled, it is unchangeable, it is the final authority, and whether you or I want to live by it will be our own decision. A young man made the statement to me that he had to realize that he was 100% wrong and God was 100% right before he ever received salvation, I thought that is something all of us need to remember.
People often come to us and ask for our advice, I have come to the realization that my advice is simply my opinion, unless it is backed up by the Word of God or past experiences of either victory or failure. If one is always right, and never wrong, then one must be decieved in their own heart..
One day while praying God began to speak to my heart with, "one that is always right has no need of being taught, and one that can never be taught, will never be qualified to teach."
I have decided to change my name to Mr. R.M.S
(Right Maybe Sometimes)
Let God be true...
Proverbs 12:15 "The way of a fool [is] right in his own eyes: but he that hearkeneth unto counsel [is] wise."
Monday, June 1, 2009
Sis. Barbara Minger
Sis. Barbara Ann Minger went to be with the Lord Saturday May 23. Sadly she left this world with no living relatives, but left a church family in mourning. As I thought of her passing I was reminded of the scripture in James 4:14 "Whereas ye know not what [shall be] on the morrow. For what [is] your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away." How quickly our lives have come and gone, from the time of our birth to the time of our death. The sad thing about all of us is that we are so busy with life that we forget the true meaning of life. Your life on earth was not given from God for us to get so busy we forget and neglect God. When a minister stands before a congregation at a funeral or memorial service, they cannot preach your funeral because your life has already preached your funeral. Sadly people will forget the date of your birth and most will forget the date of your death. But there is a poem that is simply titled "The Dash" and it refers to the dash mark on a tombstone between your date of birth and your date of death. This dash reflects your entire life and what was accomplished and how you lived your life. Many people somehow have the idea that the preacher at the funeral can make their life acceptable to the community and also to God, but a minister can only console a family during this time they cannot change your past. Then there are funerals when you can stand before a congregation and know that the person being memorialized closed their eyes in this world and awaken in the joys of heaven. The point of this is that your final destination is up to you, not the preacher of your funeral. None of us has a guarentee of how long we will be on this earth, but we have already been informed of our time after death, ETERNITY! The choice is your, heaven or hell? You will be the one making the reservation for your destination, as Moses stood before the people in Deuteronomy 30:19 "I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, [that] I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:" Please choose Jesus the giver of Life.. Pastor Stuart
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