Happy Father's Day

Luke6:36 Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.

My earthly Dad, I'm proud to say, is Edwin B Winskie. Most folks call him Butch. At present, he is 76 years old. That's an amazing thing, considering that he raised me and my sister. We put him through quite a lot. 

And Dad had an abundance of mercy. The fact that I'm still alive and breathing after all I did as a child is a strong testimony to that fact. 

My Dad worked hard for his family. When I was a young boy, he worked 2 jobs to try and sustain us. Then, he was hired by Delta Airlines during the height of the airline boom. We had to move, but it was a blessing. Many of the boys I was hanging out with were already into smoking. Later, many of them would get into drugs. Moving was good for me because I had to change crowds.

I never drank or did drugs. And that's because of my Dad. 

You see, my Dad- back then- was an alcoholic. The first prayer I prayed after I received the baptism of the Holy Ghost was for God to free my Dad from Alcohol. 

I was in the Army at that time. I went to the Gulf war as a newborn baby in Christ. I was still praying for Dad's deliverance.  

Don't take me wrong. My Dad was not a drunk. He didn't stagger around the house. He didn't beat us. He didn't meander from deadbeat job to deadbeat job trying to hold things together while he drank himself into oblivion. 

My Dad was a functional alcoholic. He could drink enough vodka to floor your average person and just keep right on going. But, when he did without it- usually for his family to have what we needed- he'd go through DT's. He'd shake and sweat, etc. 

One day, Dad was slightly tipsy, when he burst into my room and grabbed me. He hugged me close and begged me to forgive him. Then he said, "Son, don't ever drink. It's the only thing that's ever beat me."

This had a huge effect on me.  My Dad is one of the strongest willed people I have ever known. He is mentally tough as nails. So, when he said Alcohol was the only thing to ever beat him, I knew I'd never touch the stuff. 

I'm not nearly as tough as Dad. I had friends in high school and college that drank and partied a bit. I never got into that crowd. Every time I was tempted, I remembered what my Dad had said and it gave me the strength to say, "NO!" 

Then I married and joined the Army. There was lots of partying going on there. But, not by me. I remembered what my Dad had said. I knew if he couldn't handle it, It would destroy me!

I broke down and cried when I got his letter in 1991, I believe. Dad had realized he had a drinking problem and Delta Airlines- to their credit- was paying for him to go through rehab to be free from that addiction that had tormented him for years. I fell to my knees and cried thank you to my heavenly Father, for freeing my earthly father from one of Satan's traps. 

So, Dad, I just want to say thank you for always providing for us. Thank you for doing the best you knew how to raise us. Thank you for not killing me. And thank you for teaching me the value of hard work and personal sacrifice in taking care of a family.  

And thanks to my heavenly Father for giving me the Dad that you did. You knew what you were doing. And thanks for becoming a son and paying the ultimate sacrifice to pay the price for my sins.  

So happy Father's day, Jesus. And happy Father's day, Edwin B. Winskie

I'll love you both for eternity!     (That's Dad on the left.)

Take a fruit break today (and every day).

Galatians 5:22-23

King James Version (KJV)

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

John 14

King James Version (KJV)

14 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.

2 In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

John 14:27

Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

Philippians 4:6-9

King James Version (KJV)

6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
9 Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.

We live in a truly messed up world. We live at a very fast pace. We're going to work, to the store, to the doctors, and to kids concerts and practices. We have to fix our cars, our hair, our families, and our lives. We're always going and going. 

Is it any wonder that our stress levels are up, our families are in turmoil, and and our hearts are under tremendous pressure? We worry about everything and have peace about almost nothing. As a result, we scream at our families, rather than talk to them. 

Our lives seem to be built around overcoming one obstacle after another. It's crazy. What's a Christian to do in this overwhelming world?

First, take a cue from Jesus. Every time he started his day (and many times during the day and at the end if his day), Jesus prayed. Yes, Jesus was (and is) God in human flesh. But his flesh was still human. In order to make it through the day, perform the ministry he had to do, and overcome the enormous obstacles that were set before him, he had to pray.

The scriptures say that "(we) can do ALL things through Christ which strengtheneth (us)." (Philippians 4:13) The flesh of Jesus knew he had monumental tasks ahead so he started each day in communion with the spirit of God. We should to. If we are to make it through the many challenges that beset us each day, we need to stay in close contact with the spirit of God.

In fact, we need to do as Paul wrote and "Pray without ceasing." (1 Thes. 5:17) Whatever may come our way, we need to pray before, during, and after. If we don't, we will inevitably fail.

Jesus also tells us to "let not (our) hearts be troubled." In other words, it's a choice. We can either worry ourselves to death trying to figure out how to fix the problems we face, or we can remember that Jesus is in control.

"In everything by prayer and supplications...let your requests be made known to God," is what we need to do. We need to ask him for direction and then follow through with the actions that are required for us to do to play our part. 

Finally, we need to keep our mind and hearts focused on "whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things."

The more we keep our minds and hearts on God and good things, the less stress we will have in our lives. When we dive off into ungodly entertainment and activities, then we are much more easily discouraged and stressed. It then becomes a viscous and counterproductive circle.

The more we worry, the more stress we have. The more stress we have, the more we dive off into entertainment (be it books, movies, games, websites, alcohol, etc) to escape our troubles. The more we try and escape and don't face the problems, the worse the problems become. The worse the problems become, the more we worry- and the process begins all over again.

Let us stop the rat race, get off the wheel, and seek God and his righteousness. If we will, then "the God of peace shall be with (us)." Then, it won't be so hard to deal with life. And we will develop part of the fruit of the spirit that he so wants to develop in us- HIS peace.

May the Lord help us ALL follow this advice in our lives. In Jesus name!  

It's time to pass the salt.

Matthew 5:13-14

King James Version (KJV)

13 Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.

14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.

Some of today's headlines:

'A VERY BAD SCENE'
20 wounded in stabbings
at Pennsylvania school

WHERE IS RELISHA?
DC mayor orders review
in case of missing girl

• Jury convicts woman in Texas stiletto shoe killing 
• Lawyer: Nursing home striptease was residents' idea
• Is the Internet killing religion?
• UMass player comes out as gay
• Firefighters, cops in all-out brawl

That's just to name a few. How about this one:

"backtrack-on-prosecuting-clergyman-green-light-for-homosexual-weddings"

All I can say, is wow. We truly live in a world gone crazy. Paul said:

 2 Timothy 3:13

But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.

I'd say we are living in that day and hour. Yes, it was prophesied to happen, but the real question is WHY is it happening? 

The answer to that is found in our opening scripture above. We, his church, have ceased to be the salt of the earth. 

What did Jesus mean by calling us salt? What does salt do anyway?

A) Salt preserves things and helps to prolong it's life- keeping it from becoming spoiled (and causing the eater to become sickly). 

Jesus said that HE is the way, the truth, and the life. So, we, as his salt, are to keep HIM in the forefront. We are to stand for HIS ways, so we can help to slow (or even stop- in some cases) the progression of the spiritual sickness called- dare I say it- SIN. 

But, you say, what can I do? I'm a nobody. No one will listen. I don't walk in the hallways of power. 

First of all, yes you do. If you have a real relationship with Jesus, you stand in heavenly places! You walk in the very throne room of God Almighty! You can touch God for the situation and he will listen and move.

Secondly, you don't have to walk in the halls of congress, or corporate boardrooms, to have an impact. When you are at work, do you laugh at the risque and ungodly jokes you hear? Or, do you take a stand against them? Do you keep quiet in conversations that are lifting up ungodliness? Or do you stand for godly principles? 

Will you catch flack for it? Yes. Could you lose your job? Yes. But, your savior will be pleased. And you just might make an impact on those around you for Christ. 

If we, as his church, had stood up for righteousness, would our society be as far gone as it is? The truth is that we haven't done our job to be his salt. Therefore, the righteousness of God that we represent has greatly diminished in our society.

B) Salt adds flavor to the food it's added to. 

Let's face it. Some things in the word of God are hard to swallow. But, presented along with the love of God, they become much easier for people to accept. 

If we try to communicate the truth of the word of God- and we leave out the love of God- then we leave out the salt, making it near impossible for them to accept what they're being shown. 

C) Salt can be added to a wound and kill an infection and help heal a wound.

When people come to the church, they don't come in perfect. They come in with hurts. They come in with sin. They come in with spiritual and emotional wounds. You may not be gifted to sing, or teach, but you can share your testimony of how God delivered you. You can reach into their situation and show the love of God to them.

Through the spirit of God and his word, we can help to heal those wounds. This is called revival. Revival isn't a shout and a good feeling. True revival is when souls are transformed from unholy to holy. From ungodly to godly. From sinful to righteous. Only by us being his salt, can this happen.

We are his hands and feet. We are his mouthpieces to a lost and dying world. We have the power to show his love and speak his truth. We have the authority to stand in the gap for them and see God change them.

Isn't it about time we were about our father's business? Isn't it time for us to pass the salt to someone who desperately need it? 

 

A look at the commandments, Part 2: the second commandment.

Exodus 20

 ¹And God spake all these words, saying,

 .......

 ⁴Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.

 ⁵Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;

 ⁶And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.

Lets look a little at this passage. 

Verse 4 tells us the command. Verses 5 and 6 explain why. 

Some folks have actually read verse 4, stopped right there, and came to some dangerous conclusions. I do not mean deadly. They just start a string of events that the command was never intended to start. 

⁴Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.

If you read it and stop there, then there are a whole host of things that are a part of our everyday lives that we would have to Jettison out of our lives. We cannot have, if you take just this verse alone, any carved (graven) image of anything. No stars and planets. No decorative figurines of animals, fish, birds, people, waterfalls, etc. 

Some folks have taken this verse so far out of context that they are against pictures and drawings, as well. Yet, are there any clues here to help us to better understand what he means? 

The word for graven is the Hebrew word, "peh-sel". It means: "idol, image". So is this command referring to all images, only carved images, or what? Read the next verse for clarification. 

⁵Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them:

OK. So according to verse 5, together with verse 4, we can safely assume that this commandment is referring only to idols. 

There used to be a street vendor here in PA that could carve amazing things using ....... a chainsaw. I'm not joking. I  saw him in the process of carving (out of a huge log) 2 Bear cubs climbing a small tree. The detail was extraordinary! Whoever wound up with the piece, truly gained a work of art. 

Some folks say that this is a sin. Yet, no one was near it praying, bowing, etc. It was a wonderful piece of art, but it was NOT an idol. So relax. You can unpack those dolphin figures from your bathroom. If anyone were to buy a figurine, take it home, and begin to bow and pray and sing to it, then it becomes an idol.  

That having been settled, let us look at idols a bit. There are the obvious ones: The statues of Buddha, Vishnu, Mary (whom they call "the mother of God" and "the queen of heaven"), Rosary beads, statues of "the saints", the Totem poles, the idols used in Voodoo, and such. Anyone who bows down and worships these things, prays to these things, makes sacrifices to these things, etc, are definitely guilty of breaking the second commandment.


But, we civilized peoples say, we don't have idols! Really? Anything can become an idol, under the right circumstances. Look at Gideon's fleece in the book of Judges. Gideon and God used it as a tool to illustrate to Gideon that God really was calling him to go to battle and defeat Israels enemies. That's all it was- an object lesson. 


Yet, after the defeat of the enemy, Gideon and his sons set it up for all to see. Ostensibly, it was done to remind Israel of God's answer to prayer and their new freedom. However, scripture states that it became a stumbling block to the people, for it became an idol! 


How tricky the enemy of our souls is. We must guard our hearts carefully with prayer and the word of God. If we aren't careful, the very things that God used as tools to free us, can be used to become idols in our lives- pulling us away from God and ensnaring us worse than we were before. This is how we get a phenomenon that we call "preacher worship".


It's not new. Paul refers to it in 1 Corinthians 1. It manifests itself in statements like "I go to Brother or pastor/bishop/apostle so-and-so's church". "I was baptized by...". "Look how God used brother (x)! He's a mighty man of God." 


On the surface, these are true statements and can be alright to say. However, there's a PRIDE that enters in the attitude of the person saying these things. They'll have that sly smile and glint in their eye, as if to say: "I'm associated with THIS!" 


There's also a subtle hierarchy involved. They seem to deem themselves, and especially the "man of God" in question, as somehow better than others. 
Folks will even argue- heatedly- over who the greatest preacher is, how this man's anointing and preaching is so much stronger than all others. Watch out! This is idolatry! 


If God spoke through a donkey, we would do well to remember that just because he speaks through a man doesn't lift him higher than others. He just has a different calling on his life! 


One of the biggest idols in the land right now is "women's hair". It has it's roots in preacher worship, but has taken on a life of it's own recently. Br Lee Stoneking- a man whom God has used greatly over the years- is human. He preached a message about the power of women's hair recently that, to be perfectly blunt, was just dead wrong. 


DEADLY WRONG.


He, like many before him, took this scripture WAY out of context and ran WAY away from the word of God: 1 Corinthians 11:  ¹⁰For this cause ought the woman to have power on her head because of the angels.


The theory here is that there is something magical about a godly woman's hair. He went on to speak of instances of a woman praying over her sick husband, etc, and pulling her long tresses over the man's diseased body and- get this- "God healed him because of the power in her hair". He even went so far as to quote witches about the power in a woman's long hair! 


This is blatant idolatry! 


Verse 3 clearly says that "her head" is her husband. The "power on her head" that a woman has is a RIGHT RELATIONSHIP with her husband and her God. This is symbolized by her long hair, which shows her submission to her husband and God, but the long hair itself is not the source of her power. 


When God answers a woman's prayer, it's NOT because of her long hair, it's because she is his daughter and is in submission to him and her husband. Because she is submitted to him, then her desires are lined up with God's desires, so she prays in accordance with God's will and God says YES! It's that simple.


Samson's strength wasn't in his long hair, it was in his obedience. When he became disobedient, he lost his strength and became a captive of the enemy. How many Apostolic men and women today are losing their strength with God because they are worshiping her long hair as an idol! 


REPENT APOSTOLICS!


Be careful. Anything or anyone can become an idol to you. An entertainer, a writer, a politician, a computer, a game, a TV set, food, a house, a car, a sports team, a church building, etc. This is why we are warned to "set your affections on things above...". We need to carefully guard our hearts, bathing ourselves in prayer and the word of God. 


Now, lets look at three other things here:


⁵Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;


Ever hear the term "generational curse"? This is where it comes from and what it means. God says, if a person hates me, I will visit their sins on subsequent generations after them. 


The devil lies and tells us that our sin doesn't harm our loved ones. It does! Your secret sin may never be brought into the light of day for the world to see, but watch your kids. 


Abraham was called the friend of God and father of faith. Yet, he lied- twice. His son Isaac after him lied for the same reasons his Father lied- to protect his own hide. Jacob became a liar AND a thief. See the sin passing down and getting worse? 


Abraham also took a concubine and committed adultery with her- with Sarah's permission (that's truly mind blowing to me!) all in an attempt to bring God's promise of a son to pass. Jacob took 2 wives and was married to both of them at the same time (polygamy)! Follow the family tree and you'll find David taking several wives and Solomon taking hundreds of wives and concubines! See the sin passing down and getting worse? 


Did these men hate God? Yes- in the areas of their lives that they did not give over to God and allow him to cleanse them. Totally hate God? No. Yet, God allows their sins to be passed down and grow worse! The sins of their people grew worse and worse. Yet, along the way, there were curse breakers! 


Josiah became king at 8 years old. He brought mighty revival and cleaned up the nation beginning when he was 26. He threw down their idols and commanded the people to walk with God in HIS ways. He was a curse breaker!


Preachers! Teachers! Parents! We need to take personal stock! We need to pray "Lord, examine my heart. If there be any wicked thing in me, show me that I may repent!" Then, we need to boldly step up and begin to throw down the sins of our homes and churches! Cast down the idols! Get rid of the snares the enemy has your people trapped in. CAST OUT THE UNCLEAN THINGS! Then, we can break the curses! 


God is jealous over us. He loves us and will not share our affections with others. He will not permit idols. Would you allow your spouse to begin sharing themselves with others and only give you a small amount of their affections? Of course not. You'd get angry. Why? Because if you truly love your spouse, you will be jealous over them! We are the bride of Christ- God is jealous over us and will not share us. 


Finally, look at this amazing verse: 
  
⁶And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.


God is a merciful God and will forgive our sins, but we have to love him! He will cleanse us, but we must submit to him and his ways. How does he know we love him? We keep his commandments. In other words: He says jump and we say "how high". Our job is to trust and obey him. 


Oh, we can ask questions. He does say "come let us reason together". Yet, sometimes, he doesn't give us an answer to every question we ask that we can see. He says "wait". We may not see or understand the "why" of it until we see him on the other side. But, we still must obey him.


Now, this commandment was given to Moses for Israel. Israel was millions of people strong! Yet, the Lord says he shows mercy unto "thousands of them that love me". Thousands? As opposed to millions? WOW! That's a small percentage. Why?


Is it because God picks and chooses and plays favorites? No. He says whosoever will let him come. 


Is it because God doesn't love those that he doesn't show mercy to? No. The scriptures declare that he loves the whole world! 


Is it because those that he shows mercy to are so much better than the ones he doesn't? No. ALL have sinned and have fallen short. 


It's a question of trust and obedience. If we submit to him, he will show mercy to us and allow us into right relationship with him. If we do not submit to him, we are doomed. It's that simple. 


I urge you today. If you haven't been born again of the water and the spirit, obey Acts 2:38 "³⁷Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?

 ³⁸Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

 ³⁹For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the LORD our God shall call.

 ⁴⁰And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation.

 ⁴¹Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.


If you have been born again, let us let him search our hearts and show us the idols in our lives. Then, let us repent and cast them out of our lives, allowing God to cleanse us of all unrighteousness. 


God will have a people: will we be a part of that number?


God will have revival: will we be a part of it? 

Psalm 51

 ¹Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.

 ²Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.

 ³For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me.

 ⁴Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest.

 ⁵Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.

 ⁶Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom.

 ⁷Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

 ⁸Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice.

 ⁹Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities.

 ¹⁰Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.

 ¹¹Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.

 ¹²Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.

 ¹³Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee.

 ¹⁴Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation: and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness.

 ¹⁵O Lord, open thou my lips; and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise.

 ¹⁶For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering.

 ¹⁷The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.

 ¹⁸Do good in thy good pleasure unto Zion: build thou the walls of Jerusalem.

 ¹⁹Then shalt thou be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness, with burnt offering and whole burnt offering: then shall they offer bullocks upon thine altar.