Making it through the trials: A lesson from Psalms 42- enjoy the roller coaster.

1 Peter 4:12 Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial, which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you. 

Let's face it folks. We humans love the easy road. We, especially we in the "western world", love things to go smooth and  

gently. How else can we explain the proliferation of the false "prosperity doctrine" that we see and hear in our society. These "preachers" are not stupid. They line their pockets by telling folks that, if they will just get with "God's"- really their- program, then God will flatten every mountain, dry up every quagmire, heal every disease, as you live your lives "happily ever after" (as long as you send the "preachers" your check. 

Yet, they ignore verses like 1 Peter 4:12, and the like. 

The truth is, it takes intestinal fortitude and a made up mind to make heaven. 

The prosperity preachers scream that Jesus came to give us LIFE, and that more abundantly. Yet, life is a series of good times and hard times. Jesus said we were going to have even more- of both good times and bad times.

With this in mind, I believe there's a pattern that can be gleaned through reading Psalms 42. So, please, pull out your Bible and have a look. Here are some notes to help us understand it a little better. By the way, I only use the KJV. If my wordings don't match what you read there, then you are reading a different version.

Verses 1 and 2 deal with the fact that we must have a hunger and thirst for the Lord. David wasn't called "a man after God's own heart" because he was such a perfect man. He was called that because he spent his life in hot pursuit (ever going AFTER) God's heart. He knew when he messed up, where to go in repentance. We must have the same attitude. Try our best. But, when we fall, we must go to God in full repentance.  

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. But, just as a child with a godly father, there comes a point where the fear must turn to love. We stop doing good to avoid hell and start doing good to please the God who loves us. In other words, we must fall in love with him.

In verse 3, we see that in our hot pursuit of God, we run into some hard trials. This is not uncommon in scripture. Twice the disciples were in a boat going where Jesus told them to go (so they were in his perfect will) and they ran into terrible and life threatening storms. The prosperity preachers of our day, and even some hard liners, would say that, if you are having that much trouble in your life, then you are in sin- or at the very least, you have stepped out of God's perfect will. 1 Peter tells us to "think it not strange concerning the fiery trial" which is come to "try you." The word try in the Greek means test. Our trials are tests that we must pass to reach the next level in God. But, during this, our friends and enemies are all saying the same thing to us: "Where is thy God?"

"If you were right with God, you wouldn't be suffering like this, hurting like this, or be so broke, or (you fill in the blank)." Ever been told this by the "well meaning" believers in you life? Their "kindness" usually starts with some form of this phrase: "Brother (or sister), I want to tell you something in love." When someone starts a sentence like that, put on all your armor! You're about to get hit- hard. 

In verse 4 We must remember going to the house of God and pouring out our hearts to God with other worshipers. Check out the Greek meaning for "kept holyday." It's great!  It means, "song of thankfulness!" When we are going through, if we can just remember our God and our song, then we are beginning to see some light at the end of our trial. 

In verse 5, the words "cast down" mean "bow down." We need to shake ourselves. We must chide ourselves for submitting (bowing) to their interpretation of our trials. We must pick ourselves back up and begin to praise God. Notice the faith we must have: "I will YET praise him  for the help....," signifying that we must believe that in the future, this trial will be over (because we believe God is going to help us!) and we will praise him (afterwards) for the help he sends us. 

But, the meaning of "help" is really interesting. It means, in the Hebrew, "something saved, deliverance, aid, victory, prosperity." So, our deliverance comes when our faith and God's timing meet. Remember, there's a time for every purpose under heaven. God's purpose is to conform us to the image (representation) of the man Christ Jesus. So, he chisels away at our lives through the trials we go through. 

Our victory comes when our faith in God and his timing meet. Our prosperity comes when our faith and his timing meet. Please note: Prosperity does not necessarily mean wealth. It means the provision of what we need to accomplish his purposes in our lives. 

And why does our help come? Because we responded in faith (finally) and God's favorable countenance is turned on us! 

So, a) we go around in circles for a while in a pity party because we listen to the evil voices that chide us. b) Then, we shake ourselves and remember all God has done for us in the past. c) Then, our faith rises up and we believe this trial will end because God is going to send help. d) Finally, the trial ends and we receive from God salvation, deliverance, aid, victory, and prosperity. 

So, we can enjoy the mountain top- for a while- until the next valley. 

In verses 6-10, we enter another trial. This one is worse than the last one. (verse 10 says it is so severe an attack that we feel it in our bones!) Yet, in all this, our faith doesn't falter. Unlike the first attack and struggle, we don't lose our faith. We press through the attack. We are still holding onto our faith in God's help. 

In the midst of this trial (verse 7) God calls us by name! The word "calleth" here actually means "to call by name" in the Hebrew. Indeed, God uses this trial to change us. The words for "are gone over" mean, "transition, to cross over, cover." So the Lord changes us here (transition) and allows us to cross over into the promises he has given us in the past- and he provides us with a spiritual covering. So, now God has our back. 

But, the trial still goes on.

 The enemies are still yelling, "Where is your God?" We're still being tempted to give up. We almost do. But, in verse 11, we read the almost identical declaration as verse 5. We correct ourselves for doubting- though certainly not as much doubt as the first time. We place his focus squarely on God, pointing perhaps to the first trial(s) we went through to remind ourselves that God will bring us through again. We reach the point, again, where we say (in full faith of future deliverance), "I shall YET praise him..." 

But, this time, the outcome is different. Our HEALTH ("the health of MY countenance") is restored. Mental health? Physical health? Spiritual health? It's all under the broad term HEALTH. Our mental and physical health are made whole AND our relationship with God is made stronger than ever before (it says, "and my God.").

This, I believe is the true progression of a Christian's life. This is the true meaning of Romans 1:16-17:

"For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, the just shall live by faith."

Did you catch that? From faith TO faith.

The Christian life is a a God ordained progression of trials and triumphs, good times and bad times. Why? Because that progression builds our faith and relationship with him! Because each trial exposes some flaw in us that we can repent if. And each victory places in us godly fruit.   

If we will learn to trudge on through the trials of our life, holding on to faith in God, then a) our individual trials may not last as long, and b) we will grow up in God faster to become what he is intending the trials to make us to be in the first place.

God is the potter and we are the clay. The trials we go through are intended to change us into the vessel he needs us to be.

So, we need to stop complaining about the roller coaster (the ups and downs) and enjoy the ride. The end of the ride will certainly be worth it all.  

Psalms 23 through the eyes of a Father

23 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.

3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.

The heart of a Father is a curious thing. It can take you to tremendous heights and plunge you to astonishing depths. Since God is the only perfect Father, it may be instructive to learn what he thinks that the job entails. 

Verse 1: The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

The term used for Lord in this verse is Yehovah. It means, the self existing one, the one true God. Just as God is true, we, as Fathers, need to be true. We need to speak the truth. We need to live the truth. 

What is true, in a fatherly sense? 

We need to be a storehouse of wisdom that our families can go to for answers and help. They also need to know that we will be truthful in our answers to them, irregardless of whether or not it puts us in a bad light (our pasts can be pretty ugly). They need to know that we will tell them the truth, even if the truth hurts their feelings. I'm not advocating emotional brutality. We can speak the truth in a gentle manner. But, as fathers, we need to be men of truth.

Another meaning of the word true is to be faithful and dedicated. Our families need to know that dad is faithful to God, mom, and the children. They need to know that we have given our heart and dedicated our lives to them. They need to see us as a servant leader who will be there for them till death do us part. 

That means that we put their needs above our own. We must value their lives above our own. We must understand that God has given us a precious gift in our wives and children. We need to treat them as precious, love them as precious, and handle them well. The way we love and treat them is our gift back to the God who gave them to us.

And God takes this seriously. He may want us to lead others in some capacity (preacher, teacher, evangelist, prophet, bishop, deacon, etc). But, he can't allow us to walk in those callings unless we rule our own houses well. 

Because we love our families, we need to provide for them. We should work hard to provide for their physical needs. And we should work even harder to provide for their emotional needs. 

Going to work and earning a paycheck isn't all we're called to do. If we don't take the time with our wives and children to show them that we are concerned for their emotional well being, that we want to know who they are, and are willing to help them to become who GOD wants them to be, we are poor fathers.

Our homes need to be a safe haven for our families. A place where they know they can be who God is making them to be. A place where they know that, even when they fail, we will be there to help them get back up again. Our love needs to go beyond what they do right and correcting their wrongs. It needs to be a soothing balm that wraps it's arms around them when they need to cry out their hurt. They need to know that daddy's never too tired for them and they're never an inconvenience to us.

Our sons shouldn't have to go to the world for a father figure and role model. Our daughters shouldn't feel they need to give in to the whispers of worldly boys in order to feel loved and accepted. If they feel loved, needed and respected at home, the world won't have as much pull over them. 

The best thing we can do for them is to love God above all. They need to see our faith lived out in our homes. Ultimately, the God they choose to serve will be a direct result of what they see lived out in front of them day in, and day out in our home. 

verse 2: He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. 

We need to make our homes and families a place of rest and healing. When they try to get too busy, we need to make them stop being so busy. We need to make time for family time. Not just games, but talks and walks, laughter and love. 

Our families need to be led. We need to LEAD our families in the ways of God and life. If we leave them to find God on their own, the chances are high that they will find false gods instead. We can't be afraid of offending them. We can't put it off for another day, or assume that they know what we know just because we live under the same roof. We must be proactive in our leading them. We need to do our best to teach them the things of God and help them to find the spiritual oasis that only Jesus can provide. 

verse 3: He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

There is a false teaching out there that says that we cannot be friends with our children. Nothing could be further from the truth. We are Jesus' children. So were the Apostles. They stayed with him, day in and day out, for 3 1/2 years. For this to happen- and for Jesus to effectively teach them, they had to be friends. They didn't keep separate camping spots, eat separate food, and only speak when they were spoken to. 

If our children cannot be our friends, then they won't see God as their friend and they won't develop a relationship with him. EVERY relationship begins with friendship. It cannot progress to something deeper if we don't start as friends. 

As friends, we share our secrets- good and bad. We help each other- in easy times and hard times.

Our families need to be allowed to see our weakness. When we fail, we do not help the by hiding it. They need to see us on our knees- seeking forgiveness and answers.They need to see us study the scriptures and be taught how to do it for themselves. They need to hear daddy pray and be encouraged to pray for themselves. 

As daddy's we have to lead them in the ways of God's righteousness. We don't allow them to watch and read just anything. We cannot allow them to hang out with ungodly friends and family. We must not allow them to dress in ways that God is against. We are to guard the gate for our family. Sometimes guards have to correct- even though it won't be popular. They may not like it at that time (and you won't either), but they will thank you later.

And it's all for the glory of JESUS name. Remember, HE'S the center of our home- not us. 

verse 4: Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

Even when the hard times come and we have no answer to give nor clear path to show, they must see our steadfast faith in the deliverer- Jesus Christ. Our attitudes must be like the Hebrew children in Daniel: Our God is well able to deliver us, but if he doesn't, we still will not bow. 

We must show that we know that God is with us, even though we don't know where he is. Even when the circumstances of our lives would seem to indicate that he's not.

We must demonstrate in life our trust in God's protection and correction. We must be willing to protect our families at all times. We don't push our wives and children in front of us to shield ourselves. In fact, we should be their shield. We must be willing to fight to protect them.  

Verse 5: Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

When our family feels that the whole world is against us, we still must try to make our homes a place of provision and restoration for them. Living for God is not easy, regardless of what the prosperity preachers say. The word says that ALL those who will live godly in Christ Jesus SHALL suffer persecution. Our homes need to be a safe haven of restoration and healing to recover from the wounds of the war. 

Make no mistake: we are in a war. The world persecuted and crucified Jesus. 11 of the first 12 Apostles were martyred for their faith. Millions more have been killed and tortured for Jesus. If we are not facing persecution for our faith, then we need to find out where we left Jesus at and return.

When the kids are grown and circumstances turn against them, they must know that our arms and homes are always open to them. We may not condone their actions that may have led them there. But, we still love them and will help them get out of the mess.

We need to anoint them and pray over them from the day they're born. They must become familiar with the presence of God, so that when they are older, the false gods of the world will not be able to draw them away. 

They need to see and feel our love. Their emotional cups need to be so filled with love that it overflows into their own families- for they learned how to love from us.

 Verse 6: Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.

We set the tone in our homes. If they are raised in an environment of love and mercy, they will set the same tones in their own homes. They need to be raised in a loving environment. One that says, "I love you even when you're hurt- even when you mess up." This way, we pass the legacy on and we will have a much greater chance of all of us dwelling in the house of the Lord forever.

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!  

I learned something in Sunday School today.

Galatians 5:19-23

King James Version (KJV)

19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

Romans 3:18-20

King James Version (KJV)

18 There is no fear of God before their eyes.
19 Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.
20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.

1 John 3:4

King James Version (KJV)

4 Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.

I love Sunday School. 

It is a beautiful time of sharing and learning of God together. I generally do not like Sunday School books, but that's a rant for another time. In Sunday School, unlike a preaching service, the congregation is allowed and encouraged to ask questions and give feedback on the subject at hand. In this way, the body of Christ can share with each other, our experiences and lessons learned about a particular subject. We exhort one another and help each other to deeper and higher places in God.  

I got yet another reason to like Sunday School today. I learned something. Yes, I am supposed to learn something every time. In truth, most Sunday School books are little more than milk and I prefer the meat of the word. However, today was special. 

First, I was reminded that sin is simply the transgression (breaking) of God's law. Therefore, when we sin, we place ourselves back under the penalty of the law- death. To become free of that, we must repent. All this I already knew. But, it was a good reminder nonetheless. 

I didn't learn anything that most would consider earth-shattering. For me, however, it was. 

All of my life I have heard of the "nine fruits of the spirit." It's part of what most Christians consider to be basic information. Today, from a young man 22 years my junior, I learned that there's no such thing as the "fruits" of the spirit. Rather, there is only one "fruit of the spirit" that includes those nine things: "love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance."

This truly caused me to stop and take another look. After all, I've been writing on the "fruits" of the spirit for the last four blogposts.

Before I had time to analyze it too closely, the Sunday School teacher- a man around my age- agreed and told us that it is on LOVE that the rest of the pieces hinge. We cannot have joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance operating in our lives without the foundation of God's unconditional love. 

Indeed, love is the furtile soil from which the rest of it grows.

So, thank God for Sunday School. Thank God that he shares his knowledge throughout the body of Christ in order to teach each other. Thank God for the reminder that it's not just us old folks who know some things. 

And, to give honor where honor is due, thank you Aaron Sinsley and Miles Duncan, for letting God use you to share what he's taught you. 

Fruits of the spirit 3: Yet another look at love.

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.

1 Corinthians 13

King James Version (KJV)

13 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.

2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.
3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.
4 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,
5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;
6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;
7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.
8 Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.
9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.
10 But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.
11 When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.
12 For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.
13 And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.

John 13:35

By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

We are living in a very selfish society. In fact, we are living in the age that scripture warned us about: "Because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold." (Mt 24:12)

The younger generations have been described as "the ME generation." In just a few short years, we've gone from "Ask not what your country can do for you," to "What's in it for me?" 

Almost all of our decisions in our society are based on that one concept. "What looks like it will benefit me the most in my opinion?" That last phrase, "in my opinion," is extremely important. We vote for who will benefit us the most. We jump from job to job based on what's best to us. We (and I'm not advocating this) jump from spouse to spouse because the new one looks easier to deal with, or looks more attractive (we think), or can provide us a better standard of living, etc. 

For the Christian, our motivations in life should start and end with, A) what does Jesus want me to do?, and b) LOVE. 

Our questions should be like these: "What benefits the kingdom of God more?" "What will benefit my family more?" 

Love doesn't change because we hit a rough stretch on our road of life. Love is in it for the long haul (Beareth all things, suffereth long, seeketh not her own, etc). Indeed, when we pray and hold onto each other through the hard times, it makes our love grow and makes the good times that much better.

I once heard a story. I don't know who wrote it (or I'd give them credit here). I don't know if it is true or an allegory. But, it illustrates true love to me like no other story I've ever heard,  short of Calvary. 

There once was a man who was the president of a large Christian college. In his time there, he had expanded the programs and had been personally responsible for helping to send many preachers and missionaries to the world.

However, his wife came down with Alzheimer's disease. Because of this, he tendered his resignation in order to take care of her. The board of regents and many Christian leaders implored him to stay on and not step down. 

"Just put her in a home," some said. Others said, "Put her in a hospice care." "You're not equipped to take care of her anyway." "You have a great ministry here. You can't give it up for her. Besides, she doesn't remember who you are!"

With tears in his eyes, the man looked at these people and answered them: "This woman has faithfully stood by my side for over thirty years. She birthed our children. She stayed beside me in good times and she stayed beside me in the bad times. She loved me when I was right, and when I was wrong. She may not remember me. But, I remember her. And I will care for her and love her till death do us part and beyond."

With that, he left the board room forever.

Love truly means putting others first, no matter how difficult that may be. If we love our spouses and families, we will do what we need to do in order to care for them. We will lead them in the ways of God because we love them and God. If we love Jesus we will keep his commandments. 

No matter how hard it may be, how much trouble it may cause us, how much effort we have to put forth, we are to love others. 

That means swallowing our pride. That means not worrying about who's right in an argument. That means being willing to die for them. 

This is why we need the spirit of God. We cannot love others the way the Lord commands unless we let him love them through us. 

Let us stay connected to the branch so that his love can be shed abroad in our hearts and we can bear the fruit of love. And when hungry people are seeking the Lord, they will be drawn to him through the love fruit they see hanging on our branches. 

The path of most resistance: Honour thy Father and thy Mother.

Exodus 20: ¹²Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.

Ephesians 6

 ¹Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right.

 ²Honour thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise;

 ³That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth.

 ⁴And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.

We live in a day and an hour where rebellion seems to be the new name of the game. Like never before, this modern generation seems to scream, "I'm going to do what I want to do!" Parents, who are on the front lines of this battle, seem to be fighting a losing war.


The scriptures tell us to "train up a child in the way that (they) should go..." (Proverbs22:6), yet we find resistance to that training on every side. Children are indoctrinated by schools with false theologies (evolution, falsified history, global warming, etc). These ungodly philosophies paint parents as being "stuck in the past", uneducated, unable to cope or dwell successfully in the new and evolving world. Movies, television, and music, all to often paint the parent as an idiot and the child as the hero who shows up to save the day. So the kids begin to doubt the word of the very people who love and care for them, and want them to be successful in life: their parents.


The scriptures tell us that, "foolishness is in the heart of a child, the rod of correction shall drive it far from them." (Proverbs 22:15) Yet the schools we send them to, and even (in some cases) the laws of the land, have declared that spanking is child abuse. So, when the child is acting in rebellion, as children do, and we reach for the rod to correct them with, the child begins to reach for the phone and threatens to throw us in jail for attempting to do the very thing the scriptures TELL US to do: drive that foolishness out of their hearts and far from them.


Yet, when our children act up, the law wants to point a finger of blame at us for "not controlling our children properly." When we point out the obvious reasons of the shackles they have placed on us, they tell us to go see a psychologist. These "professionals" (for after all, we parents are the idiots and can't possibly know what's best for our own kids) then put our children on mind altering and harmful psychotropic drugs to help control them. These drugs open our children up to demonic attack! Many of the people who do the worst violence in our society were raised on these very drugs that the professionals tell us will help our children be good people.


Sadly, huge numbers of these children wind up leaving the God of their youth, going wild, and end up in jail for crimes that they probably otherwise wouldn't have committed. 


The 6th commandment boldly tells our children how they are to respond to their parent: Honour thy Father and Mother. What does the word Honour mean: I went to the Hebrew, but it basically said "Honor". So, I turned to Websters and found this: 

1: a : good name or public esteem : reputationb : a showing of usually merited respect : recognition honor to our founder>

2

: privilege honor of joining the captain for dinner>

3

: a person of superior standing —now used especially as a title for a holder of high office Honor please>

4

: one whose worth brings respect or fame : credit honorto the profession>

5

: the center point of the upper half of an armorialescutcheon

6

: an evidence or symbol of distinction: asa : an exalted title or rankb (1) : badge, decoration (2) : a ceremonial rite orobservance honors>c : an award in a contest or field of competitiond archaic : a gesture of deference : bowe plural (1) : an academic distinction conferred on a superior student (2) : a course of study for superior students supplementing or replacing a regular course

7

: chastity, purity honor and her life — Barton Black>

8

a : a keen sense of ethical conduct : integrity honor>b : one's word given as a guarantee of performance honor, I will be there>

9

plural : social courtesies or civilities extended by a hosthonors> 


So, since our children are commanded by God to look at us with respect, love, admiration, as being above them and obeyed by them, God gave them a promise. IF they will honour us, HE promises them "thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee." After all, if they will learn to honour us, they will one day learn to honour God.


This honour that they are to show us starts with how we raise them. If we raise them in "the nurture and the admonition of the Lord" by obeying HIS recipe for raising a child they will become children that bring us honour and respect us. 


Real love doesn't defer to "the wisdom inherent in the child". Rather, real love teaches them how to live and corrects them when they are wrong. 


Spanking is necessary because it teaches them that there are painful consequences to doing wrong. Planting the seed in them that they want to live Godly. It also reinforces God's warning of ultimate punishment (hell) for those who choose to live ungodly. After all, if my earthly Father will punish me, how much more will my heavenly Father punish me? 


But, we are also to teach them:


Deuteronomy 6: ⁴Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD:

 ⁵And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.

 ⁶And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart:

 ⁷And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.

 ⁸And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes.

 ⁹And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates.

We are to carry God's word in our hearts, decorate our homes in Godly ways, and take every opportunity we can find to teach our children about God and his ways. 

Spanking without this will do very little good. This PLUS spanking will reinforce the word of God in their hearts and minds. If we want Godly children, we MUST raise them up in the way they should go. Our lives should be a visible Bible that they can read. We need to LIVE the way we are teaching them to live. 

We don't need to entertain them, we need to teach them. We don't need

to drug them, we need to correct them and give them responsibilities and Godly activities to do. We don't need to get them all that they want, we need to provide them what they need to be successful for God. We can't let them be involved in ungodly activities and hang around ungodly so-called friends, we need to guard them against these things that will ultimately send them to hell. 


When the scriptures tell us not to "provoke our children to wrath", it doesn't mean not to make them mad. It means to raise them in a way that will keep them safe from God's wrath! Sometimes, a little pain to the rear or a little doing without something they think is so important, may be the difference in their lives between heaven and hell, freedom and jail. 


If we truly want our children to receive God's promise of a long and Godly life, then we need to honour them. We do this NOT by treating them as if they are in charge. We do this by praying, being diligent in the things of God, and setting up a Godly structure in our homes that they can later emulate in their own lives and homes. If we do this, then they will begin to honour us. If they begin to honour us, then they will be open to honouring God.


They may think us crazy now, but later, they will thank us for teaching them and showing them the way. They will proudly tell their own children: "Your Grandparents are the reason I am who I am today. I thank God for them and I thank them for teaching me about God."   

Shalom Shabbath: Enjoy the peace of the atonement!

Exodus 20:⁸Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.

 ⁹Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:

 ¹⁰But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:

 ¹¹For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.

In continuing our lessons on the commandments, the fourth commandment seems simple: "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy". But what does that mean, especially to the Christian? 

Do we have to keep the Sabbath? If so, what how do we do it? Can we work on the Sabbath day? There is much we need to learn about this commandment. After all, we cannot obey a commandment until we understand it. 

The word Sabbath comes from the Hebrew word Shabbath and means: 

"1) Sabbath

a) sabbath

b) day of atonement

c) sabbath year

d) week

e) produce (in sabbath year)

When we celebrate the Sabbath, we celebrate our atonement!

There has been much debate over these eight words. Some say they no longer apply, but Jesus said, 

"¹⁷Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.

 ¹⁸For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.

 ¹⁹Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:17-19) 

Obviously, the earth is still here and the kingdom of heaven has not yet been set up here on earth. We must, therefore, conclude that the law is still in force, to some degree. Of course some things, such as the sin sacrifices and the ceremonial aspects to the law are FULFILLED through Jesus' death on Calvary. Is the Sabbath one of them? 

The Lord's moral laws are still in force. "Looking at the ten commandments", it is obvious that these are part of God's moral laws. So, yes, we have to "keep the Sabbath day". But, how do we do this?

Some folks insist that Saturday (the Sabbath day- the seventh day) is the day we should meet and worship the Lord. They say that it was the Catholic church that changed the day of worship from Saturday to Sunday- in order to secretly worship "the sun God- Mithra". Is there any evidence in the scriptures to suggest the early church got together on the first day of the week (Sunday) to worship?

A few facts: 1) Jesus rose from the dead on the first day of the week. (Mark 16:) 2) Jesus appeared to the disciples on the first day of the week. (John 20:19) 3) Acts 20:7 suggests that the apostles did meet on the first day of the week. 4) 1 Corinthians 16:2 suggests that the early church met and took up offerings on the first day of the week. 5)Romans 14:5-6 says that, in essence, whatever day you wish to set apart for the Lord- do so, but don't judge your brother because they chose a different day. 

So, it would seem, that even back then, there was controversy concerning the Sabbath. Yet, there is evidence that the church did, in fact, meet on the first day of the week. It even became known as "the Lord's day" because Jesus rose on the first day of the week. Jesus appeared to John on "the Lord's day" while he was imprisoned on the isle of Patmos and showed him the book of Revelations.

For these reasons, I chose to take Paul's position in Romans 14. Whatever day you wish to make holy- do so! Just don't judge your brother who does differently than you do. 

If your group chooses to gather together on Saturday, great! There are some Apostolics who do worship on Saturday, rather than Sunday. This is the original Sabbath day. You cannot be wrong in gathering together that day to worship. Most Apostolics gather on Sunday, the Lord's day. Great! The early church seems to have done this as well. I have known some that gathered on BOTH Saturday and Sunday. Awesome! We need to "forsake not the gathering together" of the saints. I say go for it!  

So, we've settled the day issue. Is this all there is to keeping the commandment? Or is there more? 

What does it mean to "remember" the Sabbath day? Are we to simply say, in passing, "Ah, it's the Sabbath. I remember that now", as if we're remembering a recipe or some other lost bit of knowledge? The word "remember here comes from the Hebrew word, zakar, and means: 

1) to remember, recall, call to mind

a) (Qal) to remember, recall

b) (Niphal) to be brought to remembrance, be remembered, be thought of, be brought to mind

c) (Hiphil)

1) to cause to remember, remind

2) to cause to be remembered, keep in remembrance

3) to mention

4) to record

5) to make a memorial, make remembrance

Notice definition 5, "to make a memorial". 

Now this opens up a whole other can of worms to fish with! When we make a memorial, in our society, we set up a special place. We put time, money, and effort into that place. And we go there to visit that place to remember. 

Jesus died for US ALL! He then defeated death, hell, and the grave, for US ALL! We gather together in this place we've set aside and put our time, money, and effort into in order to REMEMBER and CELEBRATE what our Lord has done or us! The creator of all, loved us so much that he died and rose again for us. If we can get excited about anything, we can get excited about this!

This is far better than the new car, the new job, the new house, the new clothes, etc. This tells me that God loves me so much he died for me! As unworthy as I feel, he died to make me worthy! He arose to lift me up into heavenly places and experience his love and glory and to see his awesome power at work! 

Do we get to that place, simply by showing up? Is it enough to gather together in this place to take part in all what God wants for us? He said he has plans for our good for our lives. How do we take part in those plans?

In Acts 10, Cornelius is told "thy prayers and thy alms are come up as a memorial" unto God. 

Let's give to the work of the Lord, both in and out of church. God always honors giving. If we see our brother in need, and we have it to give, let's reach out and help him! 

Let's pray! Let's keep getting together to seek God. Let's keep setting aside specific times, both in private and as a body, to pray and seek the Lord- not just for what he can do, but also (and more importantly), for who he is! 

We want power with God. He wants relationship. If we have the relationship with him, the power will begin to manifest itself. Apostolic power and ministry is not based on our doctrine (though doctrine is important). Rather, it is based on developing a strong relationship with Jesus! 

A memorial is also a place to get away and rest. 

Sometimes, we just need a break from our lives. That time of prayer and study. That time spent talking things over with God! He says "Come unto me, all ye who are weary, and I will give you rest." 

Isaiah put it this way: "¹¹For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people.

 ¹²To whom he said, This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear." (Isaiah 28:11-12)

The Lord of all that is has made the whole world and offer we should not refuse. We spend most of our lives fighting with the world, with our flesh, with family and friends (sometimes). We sometimes, in spite of Paul's instructions, DO grow weary in well doing. How do we not when we sometimes feel as if we are fighting the hordes of hell every day?

Every boxing match has a break between rounds. Jesus, in the days of his flesh, got away every day to recharge his batteries and get instructions. The reason the Lord gave us the baptism of the Holy Ghost goes WAY beyond it being part of becoming a child of God. Yes, he gives us the power to become what he wants us to be. But, he also gives us a place of rest. An unhindered access to connect with him.

Sometimes a child just needs to feel loved. Sometimes a child just needs to feel the strong arms of their daddy around them, holding them, keeping them safe. Sometimes when we fall down or get knocked down, we just need to hear daddy whisper in our ear, "Hush child. Daddy's here. It's gonna be alright. I'll see you through. I'll help you do this."

Having the Holy Ghost gives us access to: 

1) the love of God being shed abroad in our hearts (Romans 5:5)

2) the ability to speak truth and a witness to our conscience when we're right (Romans 9:1)

3) righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost (Romans 14:17)

4) a hope that is born in our hearts and brought on by God giving us hope to believe (Romans 15:13) in spite of the circumstances we face! 

5) Our offerings, be they money, time, giving to others, helping others in our labor, giving a friendly and understanding ear, bringing sinners in to the house of God, etc, are useless in our flesh, but are made acceptable by the power of the Holy Ghost. (Romans 15:16)

6) the understanding of the word of God, as well as help to teach it's precepts (1 Corinthians 2:13)

7) the understanding that we are NOT our own. That we are bought with a price and have no right to live however we wish to live. (1 Corinthians 6:19)

8)1 Corinthians 12:3 says we can't even call Jesus LORD (Supreme controller) except by the power of the Holy Ghost in our lives!

9)We can commune with God only through his spirit (the Holy Ghost) being in us (2 Corinthians 13:14)

10) The ability to walk uprightly as an example to others, and the power to minister to others comes only from the Holy Ghost living within us and working through us. (1 Thessalonians 1:5)

11) joy in the struggle (1 Thessalonians 1:6)

12) The ability to stay right with God and complete his will for our lives comes only through the Holy Ghost (2 Timothy 1:14) 

13) Our salvation comes through the Holy Ghost (Titus 3:5)

14) When God chooses to, miracles and signs and wonders can be done through the power of The Holy Ghost. (Hebrews 2:4)

15) Guidance comes through the Holy Ghost (Hebrews 3:7)

16) The Holy Ghost is how God writes his laws on our hearts! (Hebrews 10: 14-16)

17) The Holy Ghost allows us to prophecy. (2 Peter 1:21)

18) We can build up our most holy faith by PRAYING in the Holy Ghost! (Jude 1:20)

What is the Christian Sabbath? It is the Holy Ghost! It is God dwelling in us. 

How do we access that needed rest? How do we grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ? Through praying in the Holy Ghost! 

For the christian EVERY day can be a Sabbath of rest! For, in essence, the Holy Ghost IS our relationship with God almighty! The Holy Ghost IS the power and love of God in our lives. 

What am I saying? If you need rest, healing, help, etc, the answer is found in a relationship with our Lord and Savior. When we Obeyed acts 2:38, we were born again. But, we need to actively work at our relationship with him to stay right. And we do this through the power he places in us out our new birth- the Holy Ghost. 

The Holy Ghost is NOT a person. It is the power, the connection with God that enables us to be used by him. This power is accessed through prayer. It is the phone line through which God almighty speaks with us and teaches us. It IS the Christian Sabbath! 

Shalom, Shabbath, dear friend! May the peace of the Sabbath (the joy of the Holy Ghost) be in you!