Author: petebeck3

Pete Beck III ministered as a pastor and Bible teacher in Burlington for over 34 years. He is married to Martha, with whom he has four children, ten beautiful grandchildren, and four amazing great grandchildren. He ministers in his local church as a Bible teacher and counselor. He has published two books - Seeing God's Smile and Promise of the Father - as well as a wide variety of Bible-related articles which he has compiled into books in PDF form.

The Dark Side of Following Christ

 

 

 

 

 

 

Once when Jesus forewarned his disciples that he would suffer, die, and rise again, the apostle Peter objected and gave Jesus what he felt was some much needed counsel.

And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, “Far be it from you, Lord! This shall never happen to you.” Matthew 16:22 (ESV)

Jesus’ response to his words must have shocked everyone present.

But he turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.” 24 Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 25 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. Matthew 16:23-25 (ESV)

Why did Jesus react so angrily to Peter’s words? Our Lord actually addressed Satan, which we might find strange, unless we realize that Satan was using Peter as a mouthpiece at that moment to tempt Jesus to turn away from his God-given mission to die as the Lamb of God. How could Satan so influence Peter without his being aware of it? I believe it was because in this matter Peter’s human desire for his and his Lord’s self-preservation meshed perfectly with Satan’s desire to manipulate Jesus away from the suffering and glory awaiting him. Our Lord came to give his life away, not to protect himself from harm. Peter could not fathom how it possibly could be advantageous for the leader of the movement to die, but going to the cross was the key to everything God had in mind. Our Lord knew that the cross was absolutely necessary and the only route to victory over sin, Satan, and death. Without the cross there could be no resurrection, and, without the resurrection, there would be no salvation for us or the restoration of the creation to God. Peter unwittingly asked Jesus to forsake his mission and disobey the Father’s will, all the while thinking that he was being considerate of Jesus’ best interests. It was a powerful temptation, which accounts for why Jesus reacted so strongly. No one wants to die an agonizing death, not even the Lamb of God.

Temptations to avoid God’s appointed suffering must be firmly rejected.

God’s Puzzling Ways

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD. 9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. Isaiah 55:8-9 (ESV)

God’s ways are very unlike ours. One of his ways that is hard for us to wrap our minds around is that God often makes his most dedicated followers pass through what some have called the “death of a vision.”

Between the mountain top experience of receiving a promise from God and the exhilaration of seeing its fulfillment there may be a period of contradiction and waiting, which is very difficult to endure.

We can call it “the cross” or the “valley of the shadow of death,” or, as it is described in Genesis, “a horror of great darkness.”

God tells us what he will do, and then requires us to wait. Only God knows for how long. As we wait for God to fulfill his promises, the Lord may allow something to come against us that seemingly threatens to destroy the promise, something we cannot run from or otherwise avoid. In such cases, God requires us to face down such adversity and contradiction by faith, go through the darkness of delay and disappointment, and come out the other side into victory and the fulfillment of the promise. We can only do this if we completely release the outcome to the Lord and fully trust in his faithfulness and love.

God asks us to place everything in his loving hands in order to gain the promise.

Some Biblical Examples

Abraham

After God promised that he would make him, a childless man, into a great nation and inherit the land of Canaan, he told our forefather of faith to divide some animals for a covenant cutting ceremony. As Abraham waited, the Bible says that a “horror (or terror) of great darkness” fell upon him (Genesis 15:12). Abraham fought off the birds of prey which attempted to steal the sacrificial animals, and God appeared in the darkness to seal the unilateral covenant and validate the promise. Abraham is a great example of fighting through every form of resistance in order to “press into God.”

We too must be prepared to be “horrified” by God in order to receive his wonderful promises.

Later God required him to endure the horror of surrendering his only begotten son to God as a human sacrifice. By faith he was willing to give back to God the one whom he had waited so long. It is one thing to wait patiently for a promise to be fulfilled, but quite another to surrender the promise back to God. Abraham, the father of our faith, did both.

Jacob

Jacob is one of my favorite people in the Bible. If God could use this deceptive rascal, there is hope for us all. God promised him all that he had pledged to his fathers, Abraham and Isaac. After Jacob fled from Canaan out of fear for his life and after having lived with relatives for years, God told him to return to the land of his inheritance. One major obstacle stood in his way – his estranged brother Esau, who had previously promised to murder him for stealing his birthright and inheritance. When Jacob and his family and all his possessions arrived at Canaan, Esau came with a party of 400 armed men to “greet” him. Jacob was terrified as he expected the worst. He wrestled with God all night (Sounds like prayer to me.), as he prepared to confront his worst fear. God blessed him at the end of that struggle. The next morning he faced Esau and found that God had given him favor with his brother and safe passage into Canaan. We learn from Jacob’s story that we can only run from our fears for so long.

For Jacob, receiving the promises required him to endure the horror of facing his fears with faith and courage.

Joseph

This great man of faith received the promise that he would have authority over his brothers and parents, but he had to endure the horrors of false accusation, betrayal, abandonment, and imprisonment for years before the promise was fulfilled. He never seemed to lose heart during the ordeal. The psalmist wrote: “Until the time came to fulfill his dreams, the LORD tested Joseph’s character.” [Psalm 105:19 (NLT)]

The “horror of darkness” and testing reveals our character and our faithfulness toward God, which illustrate whether we truly believe that He is faithful and loving.

Our faithlessness is an indictment against God’s character, as much as it is against our own. Unbelief is an insult to God and a disgrace to us. God is glorified when people hang on to their promises in the face of great contradiction.

David

King David received the amazing promise that God had ordained him to be the next king, but he spent the next several years of his life in a living “horror.” King Saul made it his goal to ferret him out of hiding and kill him. In addition, God did not permit David to take matters into his own hands. Instead he had to patiently wait for the Lord to act on his behalf.

The time of testing, the terrible interim between the promise and the fulfillment, forged David and his followers into mighty men of faith.

David is a great example of patiently waiting for God to work, in the face of external pressure to take matters into our own hands.

The Principle of the Resurrection

Each example above illustrates that before resurrection life can emerge, death first must take place, which is the principle of the resurrection. Jesus taught this to his disciples.

Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. 25 Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. John 12:24-25 (ESV)

God sometimes tests our faith because allegiance to him in the midst of suffering glorifies and pleases him and opens the door to amazing blessings.

If we choose to run away from the terror of the cross, we may miss out on experiencing the fulfillment of his promises that waits on the other side. This can interfere with our being able to share in God’s glory as we could have.

The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him. Romans 8:16-17 (ESV)

Since Jesus’ main goal in life was to please his Father in heaven, it is no wonder that he was so upset with Peter in our opening passage. Peter was voicing Satan’s attempt to derail Jesus and keep him from obeying God’s will and experiencing the resurrection with all the glory that would follow.

Application

Practically speaking, what does this mean for us? Has God promised to be your provider? Then you may go through a dark time of having no apparent provision. Has God promised to be your healer? Then you may be required to endure sickness through which you will experience healing.

Everyone likes the idea of resurrection, but few are volunteering to die. No death… no resurrection. No test… no testimony.

If God has given you some wonderful promises, and you find yourself in a situation that seems to contradict everything God has said, rejoice! You are in the midst of the cross. Hang on to God, be patient, and watch how he comes through for you. If you have the promise, but have not yet encountered the test, be patient. It is surely coming, and in Christ God has already given to you the necessary faith and courage to endure.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, 5 who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, 7 so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 1 Peter 1:3-7 (ESV)

If you have received the promise, endured the test, and experienced the resurrection side of things, encourage your brothers and sisters who are in the middle of their “horror of darkness.” We and God are in this together.

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The Real Story about Suffering

The pain mothers endure during labor and childbirth should give us a big clue that life and pain are connected. Although we do not remember our birth, it is never an easy passage from the either the mother’s or the newborn’s point of view. Why then do we sometimes imagine that life should be pain free? Something in us hearkens back to Eden and the pre-Fall state of humanity. Deep down we long for the restoration of Eden, which was promised by our God.

I heard a loud shout from the throne,  saying, “Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and  they will be his people. God himself will be with them. 4  He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there  will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone  forever.” Revelation 21:3-4 (NLT)

Just as our natural conception eventually requires us to go through the narrow gate of the birth canal to emerge into a difficult world of suffering, so too our new birth was accomplished through Christ’s travail and thrusts us into a road of suffering designed by God to prepare us for a glorious eternal destiny and reward with God.

Jesus often warned his disciples that following him would entail suffering.

Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate  is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who  enter by it are many. 14 For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that  leads to life, and those who find it are few. Matthew 7:13-14 (ESV)

Paul, who was no stranger to suffering, wrote the following to prepare his disciples for what would surely come.

The Spirit himself bears witness with  our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then  heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with  him in order that we may also be glorified with him. Romans 8:16-17 (ESV)

Big Idea: The pathway to glory must include suffering, or it is a false way that will take you away from the Lord and his plan for your life.

Beware of ingratiating teachings or glowing prophecies and promises that only assure you of a good outcome but conceal or minimize the painful process that God will use to get you there. Rarely does God immediately fulfill his promises. Why would faith be needed in that case? How would we be transformed into persevering, fearlessly trusting people? How would we bring glory to God by choosing him in the face of contradiction and adversity?

Our journey is often long and difficult. God tells us ahead of time what will be the eventual outcome in order to prevent our giving up. He wants us to hang on to his promises through whatever may come our way. The conclusion of the matter will be our participation in the life and glorious reign of God.

Few are those who begin with the new birth, and fewer still are those who choose to walk the difficult path of suffering to arrive at the glorious end.

 For many are called, but few are chosen. Matthew 22:14 (ESV)

When the angel Gabriel visited Mary to inform her that she was favored by God, the young virgin was troubled, and rightly so. Why would an angel give her such a greeting? She was waiting for the other shoe to drop, so to speak. Gabriel was like a proverbial door to door salesman who sets you up by telling you something that seems too good to be true. You just know that there must be a catch, and so there was for Mary.

God’s magnificently generosity is always working toward his intended end – our sharing his glory. This can only happen if we surrender to him and his will as an act of worship.

I appeal to you  therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a  living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual  worship. 2   Do not be  conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind,  that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good  and acceptable and perfect. Romans 12:1-2 (ESV)

When God comes to us as the angel did to Mary, it is absolutely wonderful. In his presence is fullness of joy. I have no doubt that Mary experienced something profoundly glorious during that angelic visitation so long ago. Nevertheless, being a perceptive and wise young woman, she realized that something was up. Next she was told not to be afraid because she had found favor (Greek: charis, grace) with God. God graced her for something extremely unique and special, but the associated price tag was incalculably high. She was to conceive the Messiah!

God brought Mary to the gate of promise that opened into a pathway of suffering that would eventually end in the fulfillment of her destiny. What would she do?

The first thing she did was to ask how God intended to do this remarkable thing, since she was an unmarried virgin? This was a very reasonable and proper question that received what must have seemed to be a very surprising and mysterious answer. Did she expect the angel to tell her that after she married Joseph they would conceive this amazing child of destiny? The answer she got must have been extremely disconcerting, even in the presence of an angel. God himself would impregnate Mary by the operation of the Holy Spirit! I wonder if Mary’s mind was somewhat befuddled, as mine probably would have been, or if she immediately grasped the fallout that would come her way should God do this thing. It sounds quite glorious to be chosen by God to be the mother of the Messiah, but at what price? God asked her to embrace a path of suffering and misunderstanding. Most people would not believe her story, as they do not even today.

Many unbelievers wink at Christians who claim to believe in the virgin birth and say, “You don’t really believe that Mary conceived Jesus without having sex do you?” Any sensible person would think that Mary was not only immoral but also either a liar or delusional, including her own family. (Mark 3:21)

How soon did Mary realize that agreeing to God’s plan might cost her relationship with Joseph? If Joseph stayed with her, Mary’s obedience would pull him into the path of suffering, too.

It’s hard enough when choosing to say “yes” to God costs us personally, but it is even more difficult when it brings suffering to those we love.

Joseph was brought to the same narrow gate that believers face today. Can we believe Mary’s story, that Jesus was indeed conceived by God?

The virgin birth is not some optional or insignificant doctrine: it is at the heart of the gospel. If Jesus was not born miraculously by God, he was not able to offer the perfect sacrifice, and we are still in our sins.

Even today adhering to Mary’s story costs us in the eyes of many.

What enabled Mary and Joseph to go through the gate of faith in God’s promises and start their journey down the narrow path of suffering and pain? What enables all believers over time to take the same journey? Mary had to embrace God’s promise and plan for her life. She had to be willing to take the narrow path of suffering. Her answer to the angel must be the answer we all give to God.

“Behold, the bondslave of the Lord; may it be done to me according to your word.” Luke 1:38 (NASB)

Her reply was a response of faith. She believed the angel and accepted God’s invitation to be obedient. She understood that her job was to be utterly submissive to God’s will, no matter how confusing or costly, which opened the door for God to fulfill his promises to and through her.

Surrender to the Lordship of Christ at the time of the new birth is the narrow gate that leads to life.

The reason why so few enter by this gate is twofold. First, it depends on God’s choice. God chose Mary, not the other way around. God did not post a job opening for mother of the Messiah for which Mary interviewed. God was sovereign in his choice. The Father also chose us to be Christ followers before the foundation of the world. (Ephesians 1:4) Jesus told his disciples that they had not chosen him, but that he chose them. (John 15:16) Becoming a follower of Christ has a divine component to it.

The gospel is not something we can comprehend merely intellectually and afterward “make a decision for Christ.” Unless the Holy Spirit reveals Christ to a person, he or she will not really understand who the Lord is or be able to believe and follow him.

Secondly, becoming a follower of Christ does not mean we merely receive the benefits of faith, such as eternal life, forgiveness, and reconciliation to God. It is also requisite that we grasp the significance of his identity as Lord of Lords. Seeing who Jesus is by revelation necessitates a surrender to his will. When Paul was knocked to the ground, his first question was “Who are you, Lord?”

When God reveals himself to us, if surrender is not our natural response, it is doubtful we had a true encounter with God.

True revelation produces true surrender. Both Mary and Joseph bowed the knee to God’s Lordship from the outset, and so must we.

Once we go through the gate of faith and allegiance to Christ, however, we discover that the continuing path is narrow and difficult, because it requires us repeatedly to choose to surrender to the will of God over a lifetime, no matter what the personal cost to us. The narrow path is a path to glory – not our own, but God’s.

Whoever chooses to walk the narrow path of obedience to God must make God’s glory the highest aim in life.

This is what Jesus did, what Mary did, and what we must do. What makes this journey so potentially excruciating is that we usually do not know where the finish line is. Will we have to suffer a short while or for a long time? Only God knows. Abraham waited 25 years for his promise and then was required to offer his son as a sacrifice. Joseph waited some 17 years, much of that time in prison, for God to fulfill the promise he made to him. David spent years hiding in the wilderness and fleeing for his life while he waited for God to make him king as he had promised.

Every God-given destiny begins with a promise that takes us through a narrow gate of faith and puts us on a narrow path of suffering until we reach our destination.

Few are those who enter and fewer still who persevere to the end in order to receive a full reward. Christ’s conception and birth are about the beginning of his journey. It concerns the coming of the Promised One who would bring salvation and blessing to so many. Only God knew what the price tag would be. Thank God for Mary who surrendered herself to God and his plan for her so it could all take place!

Will people one day thank God that you paid the price to be the bearer of good news to them? They surely will if you choose to enter the narrow gate and walk the difficult path, and keep going to the end. God’s grace will see you through. The reward of God’s glory is definitely worth it.

Want to read more about how to find God when life is difficult? Read Pastor Pete's book - Seeing God's Smile When Life Is Difficult.



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Don’t Waste Your Storm
																		
					

						
											
						
													
										
																													
						

										
					

						



Life comes with storms.




"Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on  them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock.  25  "And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds  blew and slammed against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had  been founded on the rock. 26  "Everyone who hears these words of  Mine and does not act on them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on  the sand. 27  "The rain fell, and the floods  came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and it fell—and great  was its fall." Matthew 7:24-27 (NASB)  




A storm is any potentially or actually calamitous situation that God allows to come our way. When we enter one of life’s “storms” we may feel pressure and/or fear for our safety. Most of the time our first inclination is to escape from the danger as quickly as possible, but if we learn that it is in the storm that we can discover who Jesus really is, we may change our strategy.




Storms reveal how solid is our foundation of faith. Are we relying on God’s promises or our feelings? Do we truly believe that God is sovereign over our affairs or just an onlooker? Do we think that God is bigger than our suffering or not? Are we controlled by faith or fear? All these things come to the surface very quickly when we enter a storm.




The disciples, who were in discovery mode regarding Jesus’ identity, entered just such a situation as they rowed across the Sea of Galilee. Jesus had fallen asleep before the storm arose and continued to slumber, despite the increasing intensity of the wind and waves. The disciples, all experienced fishermen, feared for their lives. It must have been a severe tempest. When their fear outweighed their competence as sailors, not knowing what else to do, they awakened their Master and informed him of the situation.




The disciples went and woke him up, shouting, “Master, Master, we’re going to drown!” When Jesus woke up, he rebuked the wind and the raging waves. The storm stopped and all was calm! 25  Then he asked them, “Where is your faith?” The  disciples were terrified and amazed. “Who is this man?” they asked each  other. “When he gives a command, even the wind and waves obey him!” Luke 8:24-25 (NLT)  




Here are some principles we can derive from the above passage that can help us survive and thrive in the storms that God allows in our own lives.




    
	
  1. Calm your soul in God’s presence. If Jesus is not upset, why should we be? Take your cue from the Lord. Listen to the voice of God’s Spirit when you are in the storm. He will tell you what to do.
    2. 
	
  2. Think about who you are and God’s purpose for your life. If the disciples had given some thought to their situation, they would have realized that the Messiah was not going to drown. God also will guard our lives and keep us safe as long as we are supposed to be here on planet earth.
    3. 
	
  3. Remind yourself of God’s power and sovereignty in your life. God is in control of every situation. Faith in his sovereign power is essential, if we are to remain at peace during the storm. Remember Romans 8:28: God is working all things for good in our lives.
    4. 
	
  4. Pray for God to be glorified in your situation. This is the fatal dagger we can thrust into fear. When God’s glory becomes our goal, fear has to go.
    5. 
	
  5. Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal more of Christ to you. If we have eyes to see, ears to hear, and an understanding heart, the Holy Spirit will open our eyes to see who Jesus really is. He is more than a man: He is the Sovereign Lord. A storm is an ideal place for us to have our understanding enlarged.
    6. 





Are you going through a storm right now? Don’t panic. Turn to Jesus and ask him to handle it for you. Ask the Holy Spirit to open your spiritual eyes and enlarge your faith. Don’t miss the opportunity. Don’t waste your storm.




 


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Roles and Responsibilities Given to Men
																		
					

						
											
						
													
										
																													
						

										
					

						









Each of us were born into this world with significant choices having been made for us. For example, none of us chose to be born. Our gender was not our own decision. Neither was our physical, intellectual, or personality makeup. We did not choose to which family we would belong, in what part of the world to be born, or with what race to be identified. We were not given the option of being born into a family that was poor or wealthy. We were not given the option of being born into a family with both a father and a mother or one having a single parent, or perhaps being an orphan. We did not get to select whether the nation in which we were born was free or oppressed, at peace or at war, impoverished or flourishing. Who made those choices? The obvious answer is God. As a result, we have the obvious option of being reconciled to God’s choice or resenting it.


Adam and Eve chose to rebel against how God made them. God created them and us to be dependent beings who don’t know everything and who must rely on God’s help. Satan, who had already resisted God’s creation order for himself, deceived Adam and Eve into falling for the lie that God did not have their best interests in mind. They thought that being able to decide how to live for themselves was far superior to trusting and obeying God. By casting off their dependence on God, they thrust the entire human race into darkness and destruction, the consistent result of sin. This mindset has been passed down through the ages to every single person born from Adam’s and Eve’s line.




It is the nature of sin to distrust God and seek to run our lives independently from him.




Jesus became a man, embracing his role as the Lamb of God who provided us with forgiveness for our rebellion and offered to us rebellion’s antitoxin – complete surrender to our loving God. All this was to put humanity and the universe back on the right track. This brings us to my first big point.




No one can be truly and thoroughly happy until he or she repents from thinking and living independently from God and surrenders to Christ’s lordship in every area of life.




Gender and Godliness


The Bible teaches that we are composed of three parts: spirit, soul, and body. (1 Thessalonians 5:23) As you would imagine, the salvation provided for us in Christ covers each part. The new birth takes place in the spirit, our innermost being, where we are made new in God’s likeness. We are made completely right with God or justified. We are joined to God’s Spirit, which provides us with God’s life, mind, and presence. We do not have to look for God in some distant place. He comes to live inside each believer. The new birth is based on what Christ already accomplished for us through his death and resurrection. It is a done deal that is activated by our faith in response to the Spirit’s work in our lives.


The salvation of the body awaits for us in the future. Our salvation will be completed on the day Jesus returns and raises us from the dead. At that point in history, God’s threefold salvation will be finished when we will be instantly changed into Christ’s glory and likeness, never to die again. It is a future hope.


The salvation of the soul is an ongoing daily process through which the Spirit of God is transforming us into Christ’s likeness as we respond in faith and obedience to God’s Word and the Spirit’s promptings. This is the present aspect of our salvation which will largely determine the nature of the reward we will receive at the Last Judgment. In other words, how we live today matters. Another way of thinking of this present daily salvation is that we live in a dynamic tension between what God has already done (justification) and what is coming in the future (glorification). In our present struggle against temptation and sin, we look backward to remember that Christ already defeated sin through his cross and resurrection. We also look forward to our certain future glorification, knowing that in God’s eyes it is a done deal. Nevertheless, it takes faith, courage, and determination to live for Christ each day. Paul called this “working out our salvation.” (Philippians 2:12) We work out what God has worked in us. We partner with God in an amazing “dance” of grace with our invisible Helper and Partner, the Holy Spirit.


What does this have to do with gender? I am glad you asked.




The new birth makes us all “sons” of God because the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of the Son, comes to live inside us, crying out “Abba” Father. Spiritually speaking, we are all sons of God.




Paul went so far as to say that, in this new birth spiritual reality, there is neither male nor female.


There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. Galatians 3:28 (NASB) 


Jesus also taught us that in the future resurrection, there will be no marriage, indicating that gender will not be relevant, which agrees with the previous passage in Galatians.


"For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. Matthew 22:30 (NASB) 


But what about now? Clearly in the present situation in which we find ourselves, gender is of great significance. In a real sense, in our present experience of life as human beings, we are influenced by our gender. Our physical and soulical makeup is vastly different depending on whether we are male of female. The way we view and experience life differs as well. The roles we play in the reproductive process are dissimilar. Only males can be husbands and fathers, and only females can be wives and mothers. This is by God’s design.




Even though spiritually men and women are the same, we must embrace the gender-based roles given to us by God in our present historical situation as we await the resurrection, if we are going to fully glorify God.




Roles Given Specifically to Men


All the world’s a stage,

And all the men and women merely players;

They have their exits and their entrances,

And one man in his time plays many parts,

(Shakespeare,  As You Like It)




A role, like a part in a play, does not fundamentally define who we are. It merely gives us parameters for living. We might think of it as a test of our obedience to God’s choice for us.




As believers, we are truly defined by our identity in Christ as children of God. At the identity level there is no distinction based on gender, race, age, nationality, politics, social status, or wealth. However, in the historical time bound world in which we all presently live, we are given roles to play. Over a lifetime, these roles may change. We first play the role of a child. Later, if we live long enough, we become adults. Within the adult world there are many roles we may play: boss, worker, leader, follower, etc. A boss is not superior to his workers, but he does have authority and deserves honor based on his role. Being able to distinguish between identity and role helps us to properly play our role as unto the Lord.




Properly serving based on the roles we have in this life is part of what it means to be godly in this present age.




Disciples


The first role every man or woman of God needs to embrace is that of a disciple.




Until we surrender to Christ and become his follower or disciple, we will not be successful at properly functioning in the other roles available to us.




Allowing God’s Spirit to transform our thinking and behavior enables us to live as God intends.


Husbands


A very important gender based role that most men will be able to play during their lives on earth is that of a husband. Only men can be husbands, if we accept the biblical and true definition and understanding of the word. What does it mean to be a husband? Paul gives us insight in the fifth chapter of Ephesians.


Wives, be subject to your own husbands, as to the Lord. 23  For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church, He Himself being the Savior of the body. 24  But as the church is subject to Christ, so also the wives ought to be to their husbands in everything. 25  Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, 26  so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, 27  that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless. 28  So husbands ought also to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself; Ephesians 5:22-28 (NASB)  


Let’s focus on two aspects of what it means to be a husband that are found in this passage.




First of all to be a husband means to be “head” of the wife and family. Secondly, husbands are to pour themselves out in love for those under their care.




Headship refers to the authority and leadership associated with the responsibility of being a husband. In God’s kingdom, the more responsible we are, the more authority we are given. Otherwise, being the head would be an exercise in frustration. Conversely, God does not give authority simply for its own sake or to be used selfishly.




Authority and responsibility go together.Husbands have authority from God to lead their wives, provide for them, nurture and develop them, and protect them.




In no way does this infer that the husband is superior to the wife. Quite the opposite, as Jesus pointed out, the lesser serves the greater. (Luke 22:27)




Even though the husband has authority as the head, he is the chief servant in the family.




This is how it works in God’s kingdom. Husbands are commissioned to lay down their lives in loving service to their wives and family, even as Christ laid down his life for the church. This brings us to an important insight about husbands.




Husbands have the unique privilege and responsibility to represent Christ to their wives.




It is hard to imagine a nobler or more challenging role in life than that! We need God’s help to do this, obviously. Most men are inherently selfish and self-centered. Marriage is designed to deliver us from this sinful orientation as we learn to properly love and serve.




When husbands properly model Christ to their wives, it is a way we indirectly preach the gospel. By demonstrating Christ’s selfless love toward our wives and families, people outside the faith get some understanding of Christ, especially when wives return the favor by loving and respecting their husbands.




Children of such a marriage are greatly impacted and will carry into adult life a positive image of marriage. When the wife reciprocates by loving, honoring, respecting, partnering with, and following her husband’s leadership, family life will become heavenly. Each spouse must choose to focus on what Christ has commanded him or her. Husbands should focus on loving and serving their spouses, and wives, on loving and respecting their husbands. It is usually a mistake to focus on what our spouse is supposed to do, especially if we try to nag them into doing their part. We can trust the Spirit to do his part as we do ours.


Fathers


Fatherhood is usually the natural outcome of marriage, if our reproductive systems are functioning properly and we cooperate in the process. If we cannot have biological children, we usually have the option to adopt. As challenging as marriage is, fatherhood may be even more.


Our heavenly father is the source of life itself. Paul wrote:


For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, 15  from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name, Ephesians 3:14-15 (NASB) 


In the human realm, God allows fathers to become the source of life for their children. Likewise, all blessings flow from Abba to us.


Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow. James 1:17 (NASB) 


Father God desires for human fathers to be conduits of blessings from God to their families.


God’s goodness is past human comprehension. Jesus had to become a human being in order to reveal to us by his words and example what Abba is like. We can only understand God’s nature by observing his Son. In a similar yet lesser way, children gain their first understanding of Abba through their human Dad.




Fathers represent Abba Father to their children.




How we fulfill this responsibility has an enormous impact on our children. If we are present in their lives in a loving and affirming way, it gives our children an enormous head start in life. If we fail our children by being absent or by actually harming them, we undercut their ability to know and trust the Father in heaven.


Some of the ways that Dad’s are commissioned to properly represent Abba are as follows.


    

  • Fathers should lavish love, delight, and affirmation on their children. This includes speaking blessings over them. Blessings release grace into their lives. Words have the ability to build up or tear down. Fathers’ words have extraordinary impact.
    • 



But even as he spoke, a bright cloud came over them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy. Listen to him.” Matthew 17:5 (NLT) 

Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it will eat its fruit.Proverbs 18:21 (NASB) 



    

  • Fathers should provide a safe and secure environment for development and growth.
    • 



Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine Within your house, Your children like olive plants Around your table. Psalm 128:3 (NASB) 



    

  • Fathers discipline their children in order to form them into God-fearing responsible adults.
    • 



He who withholds his rod hates his son, But he who loves him disciplines him diligently. Proverbs 13:24 (NASB)



    

  • Fathers teach their children the values and skills necessary to be successful in life. This includes spiritual, social, and practical things.
    • 

  • Fathers release their children into adulthood gradually at first and completely when they are ready. The goal of fatherhood is to produce responsible adults who will duplicate the discipleship process in their own children. Godly fathers get more pleasure in seeing their sons and daughters excel than in succeeding themselves.
    • 



Leaving a Legacy


A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children, And the wealth of the sinner is stored up for the righteous. Proverbs 13:22 (NASB)


Whether we intend it or not, each of us will leave a legacy to those who follow. It will be either a blessing or something to be overcome. While we are alive, we are able to choose which sort we will leave behind at our deaths.


No matter where we may begin our journey in life, we have the opportunity to move forward in God. Those who were born into unkind circumstances or inherited a poor legacy from their forefathers have a starting line for their race that is behind where those with a good inheritance may begin. God does not compare us one against the other, and neither should we. The important thing is that we move our family legacy forward.


The Allied soldiers who stormed the beaches of Normandy on D-Day laid a foundation for those who followed at great expense to themselves. Perhaps we find ourselves in a similar situation regarding our family. If our family has a long history of abuse, addiction, crime, abandonment, or other forms of sin and destruction, it will be very challenging for us to break free from that cycle in order to provide a better starting place for our children, but it will be worth it. Salvation is generational in that each generation builds on what the previous ones provided for them. I encourage you fathers to make the decision to build a lasting legacy for succeeding generations. Though future sons and daughters may not fully appreciate what you do, God sees and will reward you.


A Father’s Reward


Jesus came to restore us to a right relationship with his, and now our, Abba Father. That was his goal for us, in order to bring his Father glory and honor and us enduring joy.




By turning our hearts back toward Abba Father, he made it possible for earthly Dads and their children to be in right relationship, too.




When a proper relationship exists between father and son or father and daughter, it is a source of great blessing. The absence of the father – child connection opens the door to many negative consequences.


“Look, I am sending you the prophet Elijah before the great and dreadful day of the LORD arrives. 6  His preaching will turn the hearts of fathers to their children, and the hearts of children to their fathers. Otherwise I will come and strike the land with a curse.” Malachi 4:5-6 (NLT)


Much of the trouble we see in our nation and around the world originated in the break of the relationship between fathers and their children, which ultimately goes back to a broken or damaged relationship between human dads and Abba. When we get the Abba-human dad relationship right, the other can more easily follow.




Fathers who have been reconciled to Abba can help their own children grow up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.




Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 2  “Honor your father and mother” (this is the first commandment with a promise), 3  “that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.” 4  Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. Ephesians 6:1-4 (ESV)




A father’s joy is seeing his children do well.




Solomon said that a wise son makes a glad father. (Proverbs 10:1) Conversely, having a fool for a son or daughter is a heavy load for any parent to bear. Ultimately, our children must make their own way in life. A parent’s role is to give them the love, affirmation, blessings, and other tools they will need to succeed, but children must make their own choices.




Perfect parenting does not guarantee perfect results. Neither does poor parenting guarantee that children will fail.




Where human dads miss the mark, our heavenly Abba can supply what is missing. Where dads hurt their children, Abba can bring healing. Where parents did a good job, but kids nevertheless went down a wrong path, Abba can bring comfort to the parents and correction to the children. If parents realize they failed their children, there is forgiveness and hope for the future. We do our best, hopefully, but all of us make plenty of mistakes as a parent and as a child.




For those of us who do not have our own natural children, there are lots of opportunities to be a “father” to those who are natural or spiritual orphans.




Adoption is a very important theme in the Bible. Moses was adopted. So was Jesus. Every born again follower of Christ is God’s child through adoption. For those of us whose children are now grown, we can now invest in however many others God brings our way who need a fatherly touch.


One day we will receive a reward for our labors, but even now we can rejoice as we watch our proteges successfully navigate life using the skills and blessings we passed on to them.




A father’s reward comes from pouring out his life into his children and watching them succeed and go even farther than he ever did.




The blessing continues as we watch our children pass the blessing forward to their own offspring. And when we ultimately stand before God’s throne at the judgment, we will hear him say, “Well done!” Hallelujah!


After all, what gives us hope and joy, and what will be our proud reward and crown as we stand before our Lord Jesus when he returns? It is you! 20  Yes, you are our pride and joy. 1 Thessalonians 2:19-20 (NLT)



Click here to see entire series on The Roles and Responsibilities of Godly Men.


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Are You Stuck? Confused? Desperate?
																		
					

						
											
						
													
										
																													
						

										
					

						











 


 


 


 


 


Life is a journey with plenty of ups and downs, easy times and difficulties. All of us must make important choices along the way, and these decisions often have far reaching consequences. Sometimes we can back away from a bad decision and get back on the right path. Other decisions we make tend to lock us into a bad outcome that may leave us feeling stuck, confused, or desperate.


All believers have the Bible to guide them. It is up to us to study God’s word and familiarize ourselves with the truths it teaches, seeking to apply them to each life situation.


Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path. Psalm 119:105 (NLT) 



In addition, Jesus is the Lord of life and positions himself at every fork in the road in each of our life journeys, offering his guidance and protection, if we will choose to walk with him. All believers are indwelled by God’s own Spirit who guides us from within. Every follower of Christ has the ability to hear his voice and sense his guidance.


"My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; John 10:27 (NASB) 


Even when we do not have any objective way to discern his voice, we know that the Spirit guides us nevertheless in imperceptible ways.




These pivotal forks in the road on our life journey test our willingness to follow the Spirit and our ability to trust in God and his power, protection, provision, wisdom, and love.




If we are not yet at a place where we are able to trust in God, we generally try to figure out things for ourselves and rely on whatever strengths and understanding we think we have. By nature, we generally tend to become independent operators in a world which God designed for us to continually depend on him. Whenever we choose to walk alone, it often leads to an increasingly difficult and confusing path, causing much consternation and, eventually, desperation. Sin invariably produces bad consequences, even if they are slow in coming.




If we choose to walk away from Jesus and his path for us, he will pursue us, using the difficulties that we encounter will help us to come to our senses and return to him and his path of life.




People tend to get stuck in life when we are unable to trust God in some area and fail to take the road Jesus offers. There are multiple reasons why we get stuck: fear, pride, rebelliousness, greed, lust, and the list goes on. Basically, we get stuck or choose wrong paths when we love something or someone more than we love God. This is what the Bible calls idolatry. Idols can do nothing for us except strip us of our dignity and drain the very life out of us. Serving false gods is based on having false beliefs and false hopes. Jesus is the only One who offers real life and hope. He is the only One who can be safely trusted.


Are you stuck? Have you become increasingly aware that somewhere along the way you took a wrong turn, and now things have gotten dark and confusing? Are you finally ready to surrender your life to Jesus? You can be assured that he has been keeping a watchful eye upon you, waiting for the turnaround. If you return to him, he will never ever reject or belittle you. Instead, he will place your feet back on the highway of life and remove the desperation and confusion. It’s good to be back under the Shepherd’s care.


O people of Zion, who live in Jerusalem, you will weep no more. He will be gracious if you ask for help. He will surely respond to the sound of your cries. 20  Though the Lord gave you adversity for food and suffering for drink, he will still be with you to teach you. You will see your teacher with your own eyes. 21  Your own ears will hear him. Right behind you a voice will say, “This is the way you should go,” whether to the right or to the left. 22  Then you will destroy all your silver idols and your precious gold images. You will throw them out like filthy rags, saying to them, “Good riddance!” Isaiah 30:19-22 (NLT)  


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Beware of Mass Deception in the Last Days
																		
					

						
											
						
													
										
																													
						

										
					

						











 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


We live in a time when lying has become an art form practiced by the mainstream media and politicians. Joseph Goebbels, the infamous Nazi propagandist, said these words in Nuremberg in 1934 as he was helping the Nazis gain and maintain power.




The people should share the concerns and successes of its government. Its concerns and successes must therefore be constantly presented and hammered into the people so that it will consider the concerns and successes of its government to be its concerns and successes. Only an authoritarian government, firmly tied to the people, can do this over the long term. Political propaganda, the art of anchoring the things of the state in the broad masses so that the whole nation will feel a part of them, cannot therefore remain merely a means to the goal of winning power. It must become a means of building and keeping power. (http://research.calvin.edu/german-propaganda-archive/goeb59.htm)




Propaganda is the art and science of manipulating information to cause the masses to think and act in a desired way.


What would have been unthinkable fifty years ago is happening in the United States right now. We are being subjected to a Nazi or Soviet-like blitz of propaganda by a mainstream media that is complicit with the Democratic Party’s efforts to overthrow our constitutional republic. Whether or not they succeed will determine to large degree what our nation becomes. If they succeed, we will descend into dark totalitarianism, which will undoubtedly lead to persecution of truth speakers, especially Christians. How did we get here?


The Origins of Deception




Since the beginning of humanity, according to the Bible, people have displayed an inherent tendency to believe lies more than truth.




Adam and Eve fell for the serpent’s mis-characterization of God, even though the Creator had been only wonderfully kind to them. We learn from the Genesis account that, even in their most pristine state, Adam and Eve were easily deceived. At that moment of disobedience, Satan gained a foothold in the human race.




Sin entered our hearts, deforming our ability to reason properly.We have become even more susceptible to deception than our first parents were because now we are born with a default propensity to deceive and be deceived.




Some people call this the sin nature. No one needs to teach a baby how to sin. It comes naturally.


Jesus identified Satan is the “father of lies.” (John 8:44) Satan is an evil mastermind and the arch-propagandist. He is able to manipulate entire nations, as was the case with Nazi Germany and is becoming increasingly the case with the United States.


When the thousand years come to an end, Satan will be let out of his prison. 8  He will go out to deceive the nations—called Gog and Magog—in every corner of the earth. He will gather them together for battle—a mighty army, as numberless as sand along the seashore. Revelation 20:7-8 (NLT)  


There are various ways to interpret this passage, but, as I see it, we are seeing this happening right before our eyes. Mass deception is taking place on a global scale as the nations seem to be aligning themselves against God’s people in preparation for an apocalyptic battle. Whether or not you agree with my interpretation, I hope you can agree that Satan has the ability to deceive on a grand scale. How does he do this?


As I already mentioned, every person comes into the world with a built-in sin nature that defaults toward doubting God and embracing lies. If we refuse to acknowledge and glorify God as our Creator, it is a form of idolatry. We are going to believe in something. If we do not accept the truth about God, then we will fall for something else.




Satan gains a foothold into people’s minds when they embrace some form of idolatry.




Any time a person or a society rejects the truth about God and chooses to believe something else, they are given over to what the Bible calls an “unfit mind.” People like this lose their ability to think critically and easily fall victim to propaganda.


I will add my own notes, which are in blue italics, to the following Bible passage that clearly addresses this subject.


For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. [Truth must be suppressed for lies to flourish. Our government has systematically repressed the truth about creation for decades through propaganda about "evolution," producing generations of students who reject God and easily believe lies.] 19  For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. 20  For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. [Little children know intuitively that there is a God. If our minds were not darkened by sin, we would see God's hand all around us in the world he has made. We have to be conditioned not to see this.]  21  For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. [What else can account for our government’s routine denial of the severity of the external threats against our nation? We have lost our ability to think and are deluded that our enemies are of no real consequence.] 22  Claiming to be wise, they became fools, 23  and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things. 24  Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, 25  because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen. [Our nation has been given over to sensuality and immorality. That which for centuries has been called sin is now being embraced as good and normal.] 26  For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; 27  and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error. 28  And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased [Greek: adikomos – failing to be approved, unfit] mind to do what ought not to be done. Romans 1:18-28 (ESV)




The principle here is simple: if people embrace the truth about God, they will more likely be able to think correctly, but if we reject the truth about God, we lose our ability to properly reason.




As a nation, the United States has progressively rejected God and his truth. We eliminated prayer and Bible reading from the classroom, and outlawed the teaching of creationism. As with other examples of classic propaganda, those is power have gained ownership of the language and use terms that frame their goals in the most favorable light. For example, abortion, the termination of a living baby in the womb, has been reframed as a woman’s “right” and a non-negotiable part of “reproductive freedom.”




What is called “progressivism” is actually a calculated push toward totalitarianism and requires a wholesale abdication of Bible truth and a manipulation of the populace toward the desired end of globalist control.




Last Days Deception


Those of us who fear God can see what is happening, and it does not surprise us at all. Those who do not know Christ do not have the Holy Spirit, who is also called the Spirit of truth (John 14:17), residing in them.




The Holy Spirit gives believers a love for the truth. This truth is found in Christ, who is called the Truth (John 14:6) and in the Bible. (John 17:17). Those without the Spirit love lies. This is one way we can distinguish between those who truly know God and those who do not. Those who do not know him easily all for mass deception.




Jesus told them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, because I have come to you from God. I am not here on my own, but he sent me. 43  Why can’t you understand what I am saying? It’s because you can’t even hear me! 44  For you are the children of your father the devil, and you love to do the evil things he does. He was a murderer from the beginning. He has always hated the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character; for he is a liar and the father of lies. 45  So when I tell the truth, you just naturally don’t believe me! John 8:42-45 (NLT) 


The Bible predicts this kind of mass deception in the last days. Jesus warned us:


Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There he is!’ do not believe it. 24  For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect. Matthew 24:23-24 (ESV)


In his seminal book, The Islamic Antichrist, Joel Richardson points out that Muslims have their own doctrines of the end times. They state that Jesus was not resurrected because he never really died. Instead, God took him to heaven, where he remains until he will return to earth as second in command to the Mahdi, commanding the nations to convert to Islam and worship Allah. What deception could be greater? The Bible warns us that an Antichrist is coming (the Mahdi?) who will be served and accompanied by a false prophet, who will do signs and wonders to convince people to follow the Antichrist. This sounds very much in line with the Islamic version of Christ. If this happens, those who are nominal Christians will probably be completely deceived, along the rest of the world. Those of us who know the truth will not fall for this, however.


Paul wrote:


Let no one in any way deceive you, for it [the Second Coming] will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, 4  who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God. 5  Do you not remember that while I was still with you, I was telling you these things? 6  And you know what restrains him now, so that in his time he will be revealed. 7  For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only he who now restrains will do so until he is taken out of the way. 8  Then that lawless one will be revealed whom the Lord will slay with the breath of His mouth and bring to an end by the appearance of His coming; 9  that is, the one whose coming is in accord with the activity of Satan, with all power and signs and false wonders, 10  and with all the deception of wickedness for those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved. 11  For this reason God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they will believe what is false, 12  in order that they all may be judged who did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness. 2 Thessalonians 2:3-12 (NASB)


 


What must we do?


Here are some recommendations for those of us who understand the signs of the times.


    

  • Pray for God to open the eyes of the blind. Ask the Holy Spirit to remove the blinders from the eyes and unstop the ears of those who do not yet know Christ. Faith in Christ and surrender to his Lordship is the only means of escape from the mass deception that is descending upon the world.
    • 

  • Pray for our leaders. Ask the Lord to give our leaders insight and courage to do the right thing, despite the incessant onslaught of the “false prophets” in the mainstream media and educational establishment.
    • 

  • Pray for God to uncover hidden wickedness in high places. The “lie” prospers under the cover of darkness. Ask the the Lord to expose evil, wherever it may be, especially in places of power and influence.
    • 

  • Repent of any wickedness in our own lives. We must embrace truth personally, if we want this to happen on a national level.
    • 

  • Speak the truth courageously and with love. Evil people prosper when good people do nothing.
    • 

  • Share the Gospel. The Gospel is the only means for liberating deceived people. We can pray until we drop, but if we do not share the Good News and give the Holy Spirit the opportunity to convert people, nothing much will change. When a large number of people in a nation surrender their lives to Jesus’ lordship, things will improve.
    • 



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A Father’s Reward
																		
					

						
											
						
													
										
																													
						

										
					

						









Jesus came to restore us to a right relationship with Abba Father. You might say that was his end game for us, in order to bring his Father much glory and honor.




By turning our hearts back toward Abba Father, he made it possible for earthly Dads and their children to be in right relationship, too.




Having a proper relationship exist between father and son or father and daughter is a source of blessing. The absence of the father – child connection opens the door to many negative consequences.


“Look, I am sending you the prophet Elijah before the great and dreadful day of the LORD arrives. 6  His preaching will turn the hearts of fathers to their children, and the hearts of children to their fathers. Otherwise I will come and strike the land with a curse.” Malachi 4:5-6 (NLT)


Much of the trouble we see in our nation and around the world originated in the break of the relationship between fathers and their children, which ultimately goes back to the absence of a relationship between human dads and Abba. When we get the Abba-human dad relationship right, the other can more easily follow.




Fathers who have been reconciled to Abba can help their own children grow up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.




Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 2  “Honor your father and mother” (this is the first commandment with a promise), 3  “that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.” 4  Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. Ephesians 6:1-4 (ESV)


 




A father’s joy is seeing his children do well.




Solomon said that a wise son makes a glad father. (Proverbs 10:1) Conversely, having a fool for a son or daughter is a heavy load for any parent to bear. Ultimately, our children must make their own way in life. A parent’s role is to give them the love, affirmation, blessings, and other tools they will need to succeed, but children must make their own choices.




Perfect parenting does not guarantee perfect results. Neither does poor parenting guarantee that children will fail.




Where dads miss the mark, our heavenly Abba can supply what is missing. Where dads hurt their children, Abba can bring healing. Where parents did their best, but kids nevertheless went down a wrong path, Abba can bring comfort to the parents and correction to the children. Where parents realize they failed, there is forgiveness and hope for the future. We do our best, hopefully, but all of us make plenty of mistakes as a parent and as a child.




For those of us who do not have our own natural children, there are lots of opportunities to be a “father” to those who are natural or spiritual orphans.




Adoption is one of the important themes of the Bible. Moses was adopted. So was Jesus. Every born again follower of Christ is God’s child through adoption. For those of us whose children are now grown, we can now invest in however many others God brings our way, who need a fatherly touch.


One day we will receive the reward for our labors, but even now we can rejoice as we watch our proteges successfully navigate life using the skills and blessings we passed on to them.




A father’s reward comes from pouring out his life into his children and watching them succeed and go farther than he ever did.




The blessing continues as we watch our children pass the blessing forward to their own offspring. And when we ultimately stand before God’s throne at the judgment, we will hear him say, “Well done!” Hallelujah!


After all, what gives us hope and joy, and what will be our proud reward and crown as we stand before our Lord Jesus when he returns? It is you! 20  Yes, you are our pride and joy. 1 Thessalonians 2:19-20 (NLT) 



Click here to see entire series on The Roles and Responsibilities of Godly Men.


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Leaving a Legacy
																		
					

						
											
						
													
										
																													
						

										
					

						









A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children, And the wealth of the sinner is stored up for the righteous. Proverbs 13:22 (NASB)

The godly walk with integrity; blessed are their children after them. Proverbs 20:7 (NLT)


We may have received a wonderful inheritance from our ancestors or they have left us much to overcome. Each of us starts our personal faith journey at a line set by our forefathers. That is one reason it is quite impossible to properly judge a life. Only God can do that.




Regardless of where we begin our life journey, we can and should devote our time here on earth to helping those who follow us to have an easier time of it. We can leave something godly and good for our own descendants. This is the generational aspect of salvation.




Knowing a little about our family history can help us to better grasp how we can move our family forward in God. My own genealogical research has produced some great information. I found godly men and women, about whom I knew nothing previously and from whom I am no doubt a benefactor of their passing down spiritual blessings to me and others. Not surprisingly, I also found the opposite, which helps me to know better how to pray and stand by faith.




Our family’s past influences us, but it need not define our lives or legacy.




Alcoholism was something very prevalent on both sides of my family tree, but my Dad and Mom responded to God’s grace and made decisions that almost completely broke that curse from wrapping itself around other family members. The same can be said for many others families who have their own heroes who stood up to longstanding family bondage and sin, making it far easier for those who follow.


Over the years as a pastor, I have worked with many whose family inheritance was atrocious – everything from criminal activity, abandonment, addiction, violence, and abuse of various kinds.




Men who come from these sorts of families and who attempt to be godly husbands and fathers, without ever having experienced or even seen positive examples, are at an extreme disadvantage.




If that is our own situation, what can be done?


When the Allies assaulted the beaches of Normandy on D-Day, many men in the first wave gave their lives to make it possible for future waves to have safe access to the landing areas. Someone had to do it, and they were chosen. Those who came later in the day benefited immensely from the sacrifices of their predecessors. Leaving a legacy of godliness can be like this. If we are working to undo generations of family devastation, we must realize that we will have to fight more for our gains than some others who inherited something far better from their ancestors. Do not compare yourself to others. Simply be the best battler and legacy maker you can be. You will only be able to make a certain amount of progress during your lifetime and must depend on your sons and daughters to carry the banner forward in their time. That’s how godly legacies are begun and passed down.




Every one of us is going to leave a legacy of some sort.




Did we love our wives and family? Did we serve God? Did we model what it means to be one of Christ’s disciples? Were we faithful? These are the things for which we want to be remembered. None of us wants to pass on laziness, passivity, defeat, and other forms of bondage to future generations.




We must ask ourselves, “What price am I willing to pay now to bless my children and grand children?”




That is between you and God, but whatever you and I decide and do will be felt by many, many others. Future generations may not know to whom they owe a debt of gratitude, but God knows, and so will you. Whatever the price, it will be well worth it.


Below are some of the ways we can leave a godly legacy. It is never too early to start, which is why I listed each stage of life. Spiritually speaking, you may be in the childhood stage, even though you are an adult.


The Childhood Stage – Building Strong Foundations


    

  • Study God’s Word with all your might. Even children can hunger to know more of God’s Word for themselves. When our children were small, we played cassette tapes for them on which characters sang the scriptures. It worked very well to instill the Bible into their hearts.
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  • Learn to pray and make it a part of your life. True humility knows that it cannot do this thing called life without God’s help.
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  • Be a worshiper and share your faith with others.
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  • Exercise your faith. Don’t merely affirm doctrine. Trust God.
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  • Aspire to live in true holiness and purity without becoming legalistic. Devote yourself to God’s purposes for your life. If you do not know what they are yet, keep seeking. We can always simply tell Jesus that we are his to direct and command.
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  • Be accountable. Find a mentor (your father?) who will disciple you and encourage you to reach your spiritual goals.
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  • Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal more of the Father’s love to you.
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  • Be faithful in the small things. Serve those who are in leadership.
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  • Be careful to stay properly related to the authority people in your life.
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The Young Man Stage – Exercising Our Spiritual Muscles


    

  • Find true freedom by believing in the finished work of Christ and by learning to walk in the Spirit.
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  • Learn to exercise the authority you have in Christ in sharing the Gospel, praying for people, engaging in spiritual warfare, and responding to faith challenges.
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  • Be willing to take on new responsibilities. Let God stretch you by doing things outside your “comfort zone.” Refuse to limit yourself by what you think you can do. Trust God to help you accomplish great things.
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  • Continue to be a man who is under authority while learning to lead.
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  • Be faithful in whatever you do.
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  • Act as a protector of others in prayer and in other ways.
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  • Continue to be discipled while learning to disciple others.
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The Fatherhood Stage – Building for the Future


    

  • Transition from primarily focusing on your own life and goals to helping others discover and fulfill their potential.
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  • Invest heavily in the younger generation. Look for promising disciples and leaders and help them develop.
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  • Pass the leadership or ministry baton when appropriate and allow your disciples to try their wings. They may naturally defer to you, which is good, but insist that they learn to operate as the lead person with you on the sidelines acting as cheerleader and coach. Act as friend, counselor, and supporter in your new role as Dad of adult children.
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  • If your own children are grown and have left the nest, use your newfound freedom and excess time to expand your ministry horizons, which can also open up opportunities for those you mentor and lead.
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  • Stay connected in accountable relationships.
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Concluding Thoughts


Don’t be selfish; don’t live to make a good impression on others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourself. 4 Don’t think only about your own affairs, but be interested in others, too, and what they are doing. Philippians 2:3-4 (NLT)


    

  • You will not always be in the picture. Make good use of your time.
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  • God often saves the best for last.
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  • Make it your aim to be faithful in every stage of life.
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  • Prepare now to enjoy life and be fruitful in your latter years.
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Fathers Represent Abba to Their Children
																		
					

						
											
						
													
										
																													
						

										
					

						









As if accurately modeling Christ’s love to our wives were not daunting enough, men who have children are charged to be representatives of Father God, too.




Good fathers provide their children with a first and lasting idea of Abba’s character and love.




Jesus perfectly represented his Father to us, and we must do the best we can for our children.


Because of the poor job done by many human fathers, our heavenly Father has a public relations problem. I remember praying with one woman who had experienced terrible things at the hands of an abusive step-father. When she contemplated praying directly to Father God, it scared her. She had a very poor impression of a God who would allow such things to happen to her. That poisoned caricature of her loving Abba painted by a man who failed in his charge of properly representing Abba kept her from having a loving relationship with her Creator Father God for many years. Thankfully, Jesus set her free from all that, and she eventually came to trust her Abba. Conversely, when a father properly models Abba’s heart to his children, it gives them a tremendous advantage in life and in their knowledge of and relationship with God.




Knowing Abba is our greatest quest in life, and modeling Abba to our children is the greatest role in life.




If we succeed here, we have done what is most important. If we fail here, we will have transgressed in a major way and hurt a life incalculably. Below are some ways we can properly represent Abba to our children. But first, let’s meditate on the following passage from Ephesians.


For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, 15  from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, 16  that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17  so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18  may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19  and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Ephesians 3:14-19 (ESV)  


 


Fathers lavish kindness and love on their children and delight in them.


The “Parable of the Prodigal Son” is a great example. Many think that story should be entitled “The Parable of the Prodigal Father” instead. To be prodigal means to spend lavishly or wastefully. We learn from this parable that…




Fathers are to lavish love and attention on their children, even when they do not respond in kind. In other words, it is unconditional.




If we did not receive this kind of love from our own dads, we must ask Abba to teach us how to give away to our children what we did not receive. Abba loved us even when we were his enemies.




In order to do this, we must first receive love from Abba, if we want to have something give away.




The worst thing we can do is to model to our children the idea that Father God is indifferent and distant from us. We must choose to properly present a father’s love so that children gain the idea that God wants them around and is vitally interested in the details of their lives. The proper word to describe all this is “delight.” One of the great revelations in life is when we find out that Abba actually likes us, as well as loves us. Children know when they are merely tolerated. When parents show more affection for one child than another, it communicates rejection. This was true in the case of Joseph and his brothers. They hated him for it, probably because it so wounded their hearts that they were not loved in the same way. Good earthly fathers delight in their children. Of course, we will not be able to do this for our children, if we have not come to understand that Abba delights in us. We can only give away what we have received. This puts a burden on every father to seek God for what we need to be for our children.


Abba spoke words of affirmation and delight over his Son.


But even as he spoke, a bright cloud came over them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy. Listen to him.” Matthew 17:5 (NLT) 




Delight does more to affirm our children than perhaps anything else we can do for them.




Every child hopes and longs for his or her father’s approval. Do not withhold it. The withholding of delight is a powerfully negative form of covert rejection. Children know the difference between the words, “I love you,” and genuine delight.


Sometimes a father’s love is not returned, at least for a while, if his son or daughter is self-centered and determined to learn life’s lessons the hard way. Abba-like fathers will be there for their children when they finally come to their senses. Fathers who properly love their children will provide the kind of secure family atmosphere that God intends for all children.


Fathers bless their children and provide a secure and safe environment for growth and expression.


Earthly fathers, like shepherds, are charged with providing a safe and secure environment in which their children can grow and thrive.


The LORD is my shepherd; I have all that I need. 2  He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams. Psalm 23:1-2 (NLT)  


An important aspect of a father’s protection is shielding his children from undue criticism or rejection. Little children do not have adult abilities to discern what is true and what is opinion. Whatever a father tells his child will be believed when children are young.




If fathers speak words of affirmation and encouragement, it will build the child on the inside. Fathers who tear down their children with negative hurtful words impact those little lives for a lifetime in the wrong direction.




Children need to know they are protected from outside dangers and that the one they trust will never betray them. This is how ABBA is. It is how we fathers must be, too.


Whatever is good and perfect comes down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow. James 1:17 (NLT) 




Abba is the source of all blessings, and he designed things so that blessings flow from him through earthly fathers to their families, if everything is working as it should.




If an earthly father is serving the devil, demonic anti-blessings (curses) may be passed down.




Fathers need to realize that they are part of a long relay race coming down through the generations.




Every child inherits good and bad things from previous generations of fathers. Good decisions made by previous fathers often provide residual blessings for generations to come. Conversely sins and poor life decisions made by previous generations of fathers can negatively impact children, grandchildren, etc. We are not responsible for the sins of our ancestors, but we may reap the consequences of their sins. This called the law of sowing and reaping. (Galatians 6:7) Only Jesus can set us free from this vicious cycle. (If you want to read more about how this works, click here.)




One of the great things any father can do for his children is consciously and deliberately speak blessings aloud over them.




It may be done at a special blessing event when the child arrives at a milestone in life, such as a 16th birthday. It can and should be done informally on a continual basis. A father’s blessing carries great weight and goes a long way to insuring success. A father’s “curse,” hurtful words spoken in anger and spite, go into the heart and soul of the child, guaranteeing future problems, unless that child is set free by Jesus.




Good fathers carefully guard their words to their children, knowing that what they say shapes their lives.




Fathers teach their children how to be successful in life.


When children are small, they need love and watchful care. As they mature, they must be prepared for the coming day when they will be thrust into the world as self-governing adults, who will need to provide for their own families. Fathers are charged to teach their children a wide variety of life skills, including a love for the truth, a fear of God, a devotion to Jesus, love for family, loyalty to friends, obedience to authority, and faithfulness in performing responsibilities. Fathers have the ability to intuitively know in what areas each of their children have talent and can gently guide them into appropriate fields of work. Fathers should model how to be a good husband and father and teach their sons and daughters how to select a spouse.


Fathers discipline their children.


For the LORD corrects those he loves, just as a father corrects a child in whom he delights. Proverbs 3:12 (NLT) 



Loving fathers discipline their children. The opposite is also true, disinterested fathers fail in this area. Discipline is difficult. It requires loving firmness and consistency. When parents get lazy, they tend to let their children get away with things until things reach a point that the parents get angry and react sometimes inappropriately harshly. Proper discipline is done with love and restraint with the ultimate good of the child in mind. We are preparing children for life, not simply trying to make things easy for ourselves as parents.


Fathers release their children into adulthood.




Godly fathers get more pleasure in seeing their sons and daughters excel than in succeeding themselves.




They are able to hand off the baton and get out of the way as soon as possible and advisable. Fathers want their children to grow up and be able to make wise decisions; so, they provide opportunities to make some choices while they still under their watchful supervision. While children are very small, they must be led with a strong hand, but as they grow older, parents must learn to give them room to develop, mature, and “spread their wings.” We should encourage our children that they are able to survive and thrive in the “adult” world.




If we succeed in adequately representing ABBA to our children and others we may mentor, we lay a foundation for their spiritual and practical growth that is incalculable.




If we misrepresent God in these areas, we can do enormous damage. Where there has been abuse or abandonment, children will need to overcome deeply embedded lies about who Abba is and what his attitude toward them is. Where there has been a failure to protect, children may have difficulty in trusting God. Where there has been criticism, children may fear expressing their true opinions and personalities or even attempting new things.




We dads have enormous shoes to fill, but God’s grace is sufficient.




It may be that you will need significant healing and breakthroughs in accepting God’s love and truth in your own life before you can be an effective father. If that is the case, please do not delay in getting the help you need. There is no sense in passing on our dysfunction to another generation. Perhaps the challenge of being a good father will be just the motivation you need to finally come to know your heavenly Father as he desires. It may well be the greatest thing to ever happen to you.


I am writing to you, fathers, because you know Him who has been from the beginning...  1 John 2:13 (NASB) 



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Husbands Represent Christ to Their Wives
																		
					

						
											
						
													
										
																													
						

										
					

						











Two significant gender specific roles men may play over a lifetime are husband and father.




Both are so weighty and beyond our natural ability that we must rely on God’s help. If we get these right, we will be a huge blessing. If we fail, we will damage those we should be helping. First, we will look at how husband represent Christ to their wives.


The following passage written by Paul to the church in Ephesus is often used in pre-marital counseling, post-marital counseling, in the wedding service itself, and generally in teaching the responsibility of husbands to love their wives. Unfortunately, men often focus more on what Paul wrote to wives regarding obeying their husbands, instead of on what God says to us men.




Scripture was never meant to be used as a whip to beat others into submission. Rather, it is given to bring us to repentance and obedience ourselves. When men learn to love their wives properly, their wives will be encouraged to lovingly and biblically relate to their husbands.




Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, 26  that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, 27  so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. 28  In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. Ephesians 5:25-28 (ESV)


God has made us husbands responsible to love our wives as Christ loves the church. There could hardly be a more challenging and humbling role. Jesus called himself the Good Shepherd. Husbands are shepherds to their families, representing the Chief Shepherd in various ways.




We husbands are to model Christ to our wives and families in attitude, word, and deed.




We will only be able to get this right with the help of God’s Spirit. It is no small thing to be Christ’s representative in the home. We will greatly influence our wives and children either positively or negatively, depending how well we do this. God charges every husband with the duty of loving his wife sacrificially, providing for her, protecting her, teaching her, developing her, helping her, and giving her godly leadership.


Many young men come into marriage with a very selfish perspective, which is the opposite of Christ. Young men are selfish sexually and in their use of time and money. The wife is often more naturally nurturing and unselfish and can be deeply hurt by her young self-centered husband over and over again during these early years. Husbands are told to be gentle with their wives. Harshness undermines our role as Christ’s representative.


In the same way, you husbands must give honor to your wives. Treat your wife with understanding as you live together. She may be weaker than you are, but she is your equal partner in God’s gift of new life. Treat her as you should so your prayers will not be hindered. 1 Peter 3:7 (NLT) 


God works in men through marriage to make us more other-centered and unselfish. This is part of our preparation for dynamic fatherhood. Let’s take a look at some specific aspects of our responsibilities as husbands.


Husbands model Christ’s unselfish love through serving.


Shepherds exist to care for the sheep. If you are a man who thinks that your wife and children are supposed to wait on you because you work so hard all day, you are a man who does not understand Christ’s relationship to the church. Jesus poured out his life for his followers – literally. He washed their feet. He suffered and died for them. Despite clearly understanding his role as Lord, he did not “lord it over” them.




Husbands should view themselves as the home’s chief servant. Our families learn Christ from us.




Sacrificially loving our wives means we put their needs and desires in front of our own, which is not easy for us to do. We are called to deny our own wants in order to bless her. This means we cannot do everything we want to do as young men. As Jesus put it: we are not here to serve ourselves, but others.


So Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers in this world lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them. 43  But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, 44  and whoever wants to be first among you must be the slave of everyone else. 45  For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Mark 10:42-45 (NLT) 


 


Husbands are providers.


As shepherds of their families, an important way that men serve their families is by providing for them.




Some men feel overwhelmed by this responsibility, but that is only because they have not learned that Abba Father is fully committed to provide for them.




As husbands and fathers grow in their relationship with Abba, it helps them properly represent Christ. In years past, men were expected to be the sole breadwinners. Today the husband and wife often share this burden, and in some cases the wife may be the primary earner. There is nothing inherently wrong with this set up. It may simply reflect the wife’s greater abilities and opportunities. It can go wrong, however, if the husband begins to think less of himself because of his wife’s success, or if the wife begins to despise her husband as a result. Regardless of who makes the most money for the family, the husband can never abdicate his responsibility carry the primary spiritual weight of being the provider. Nor is he allowed to slip into a despondent or passive attitude, thereby thrusting the weight of the role of provider onto the shoulders of his wife.


The LORD is my shepherd; I have all that I need. 2  He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams. Psalm 23:1-2 (NLT)



 


Husbands are protectors of the family.


Shepherds protect their flocks from outside attack and from bullies inside the flock. This protection includes financial, spiritual, relational, and physical aspects.




Husbands are called to be the “point man” to confront the enemy, to stand in the gap for their families.




A husband who is introverted and less bold should never press his wife to do the hard and and uncomfortable things; so he can avoid his responsibilities. Any woman who does this for her husband becomes an enabler. The husband is supposed to take the initiative to ensure that the forces of darkness are kept at bay. He should close all known doors of temptation and demonic oppression through personal repentance and careful watching.


Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me. 5  You prepare a feast for me in the presence of my enemies. You honor me by anointing my head with oil. My cup overflows with blessings. Psalm 23:4-5 (NLT)  


Husbands are teachers.


Many adults were never taught the great truths of the Bible or how to do even the simplest things by their parents. Husbands should take the lead in seeking the Lord with their wives and helping them grow in the Lord. We should be humble enough to draw upon whatever knowledge and wisdom our wives possess. Wives may come into the marriage far ahead of us in spiritual things, but this is no excuse for not taking responsibility. There is an “anointing” upon the husband to lead and teach. God will help us “catch up” if we are behind.




We cannot allow ourselves to be intimidated in spiritual matters. This puts a responsibility on husbands to study. Many men are lazy when it comes to spiritual things and, as a result, have little to offer, which is a great travesty and robs the wife and family of what God would have provided for them.




Husbands are leaders.


Leading does not mean that husbands get their way exclusively or have permission to “lord it over” their wives and children. It does mean that he must seek God and work with his wife to arrive at wise and godly decisions.




Even if a husband delegates some of the decision making to his wife, he is ultimately responsible before God.




Modeling leadership is one of the most effective ways to lead. The husband models what it means to be a servant leader. His wife and children benefit from the way he pours himself out in loving service to them.


He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams. Psalm 23:2 (NLT) 



Husbands are developers.


One of the goals of a godly husband is to help his wife become all God intends, thereby reaching her full potential. Wives were never intended to be passive doormats. They complement their husbands and often have tremendous callings and abilities that need to be developed and flourish. The amazing woman in Proverbs 31 is our model.


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