Category: Discipleship Essentials

Talk to People

 

 

 

 

 

When Jesus engaged the woman at the well in John Chapter Four, he demonstrated a very important principle for ministering to people.

He [Jesus] had to go through Samaria on the way. 5  Eventually he came to the Samaritan village of Sychar, near the field that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. 6  Jacob’s well was there; and Jesus, tired from the long walk, sat wearily beside the well about noontime. 7  Soon a Samaritan woman came to draw water, and Jesus said to her, “Please give me a drink.” 8  He was alone at the time because his disciples had gone into the village to buy some food. John 4:4-8 (NLT)

Jesus was on the way to a specific ministry destination, but opportunities to minister to people often present themselves as we are “on the way”.

Ministry to people should happen wherever we are, not just in a building at a set time on Sunday.

Jesus broke with religious tradition at several places in this account of his interaction with the woman from Samaria. The focus of this gospel snapshot is that he engaged her in conversation, regardless of whether others might consider it appropriate. In fact, its apparent inappropriateness was the initial reason the woman became interested. Was Jesus just another man trying to “pick her up,” or was this something else? Being extremely thirsty, Jesus had a genuine need and asked for her help.

No matter how we start a conversation, unless we actually talk to people, we are never going anywhere ministry wise.

If we learn nothing else from this passage, make it a practice to engage people around you. Ask the Holy Spirit to show you how to do this. If we are genuinely interested in them and their lives, there is no telling where a conversation may lead. Jesus’ unplanned conversation with this woman led to the entire village believing that Jesus is the Messiah! Where will the Spirit take us if we make it our practice to engage people?

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Frustrated? Here’s the Cure.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The dictionary defines frustration as the feeling of being upset or annoyed, especially because of an inability to change, control, or achieve something. We get frustrated when our desires are blocked in some way. Sound familiar? Many people try to deal with frustration by trying even harder to make things turn out the way they want. There is a better solution.

Some parts of life are meant to be under our dominion, but God reserves many areas to himself. Only God has the wisdom to guide our daily lives. When we try to take over, it reveals our pride and lack of trust in him. The Book of Proverbs teaches us that our very “steps” are beyond our control, being sovereignly directed by the Lord. (Proverbs 20:24) God reveals himself throughout Scripture as the Sovereign Lord who rules over all things, including the details of each individual life. He even directs the courses taken by nations and nature. It is true that he grants some people enormous power and authority in leadership positions; but, it is only an illusion if they think they are ultimately in control.

Some of us have very strong personalities and wills and are able to manipulate people and situations to our benefit and desire, but we are never truly in control. God retains that right to himself. Until we come to terms with that we will be frustrated.

It has long been man’s desire to be in control and independent from God. This was first revealed in the Garden of Eden when Adam and Eve quickly traded their status as highly favored, God-dependent children of God for being fallen, lonely, dying, self-directed beings. They rejected the God who created them because they neither understood nor trusted him, which made them susceptible to the devil’s lie that it is possible to live freely and fully while being autonomous from God.

When we refuse to live in dependence and partnership with God, we experience a life filled with frustration. It has to be that way, since we are acting outside of the parameters given to us by our Creator.

Since Adam’s and Eve’s first act of rebellion against God’s created order, men and women have been hell bent on pursuing complete autonomy from God. Some of us choose to deny God’s existence outright, thinking that we can get rid of him. Others of us create “gods” in our own image, which will approve or at least allow all the things we want to do. Both “solutions” are an attempt to be in control.

When Moses ascended Mount Sinai to spend forty days in God’s presence, the Israelites grew restless and frustrated. They felt “out of control,” not knowing what was happening.

When the people saw that Moses delayed in coming down from the mountain, they gathered around Aaron and said to him, “Get up, make us gods that will go before us. As for this fellow Moses, the man who brought us up from the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him!” Exodus 32:1 (NET1)

Idolatry is rooted in our desire to be in control of our lives and God. We don’t like the God who cannot be manipulated; so, we choose for ourselves gods after our own image, who allow us to do whatever we wish. Since the true God is not able to be manipulated, we become frustrated.

The god manufactured by Aaron in response to the people’s wishes was to “go before” Israel, but such a god could only go where the people took him. It is amazing how easily we fool ourselves. The desire to be in control of our lives will always lead to sin and deception. Even people who believe in God and try to follow Christ are susceptible to this kind of idolatry.

  • We devise religious rules and regulations, thinking that by keeping them we can manipulate God into loving and accepting us. This is the basis of legalism.
  • We create a theology in which we imagine that God would never allow suffering to come into our lives, only what we consider blessings.
  • We use prayer as a sort of magical incantation, thinking that if we get the words just right (translated “positive confession”), God will be bound to respond to our “faith.”
  • We get depressed and discouraged, or, maybe, angry, depending on our personality type, when things do not turn out the way we desire, because we are just not quite sure that God is truly sovereign, loving, wise, and faithful.
  • We try to “cut a deal” with God, telling him that if he will answer our prayer, we will fulfill some vow. And the list goes on.

When we try to be in control, we show that we have never comprehended what it means to surrender our lives to Jesus the LORD.

Jesus knew what it meant to be completely surrendered to his Father’s will, which is what he wants for us, too. Jesus was able to do this because he was convinced that his Father loved him beyond comprehension. Faith in God’s faithfulness will enable us to follow in our Lord’s footsteps of surrender.

The only way to properly deal with the root of frustration is to completely submit our lives, desires, relationships, money, health, and futures – everything – to the Sovereign Lord, who loves us beyond our comprehension. We must cast aside the fear that he is not trustworthy.

So, the next time you find yourself angry, depressed, discouraged, afraid, or frustrated, ask yourself, “Have I truly surrendered myself and my situation to the Lord?” “Am I trusting him completely, even if I do not understand how he is directing my steps?” If not, you know what to do. The cure for frustration is both simple and difficult. Simple to understand and difficult to do. But it is worth it.

“Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations,I will be exalted in the earth!” Psalm 46:10 (ESV)
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Habitual Thankfulness – Your Key to a Happier Life

 

If you could discover one thing that would guarantee a happier life experience, would you do it?

The Bible shows us that a most important key to joyful living is the practice of being habitually thankful.

Genuine thankfulness is possible when we believe that we have reason for which to be thankful. That is easy to do when we contemplate the good things in our lives or have just received an answer to prayer or some unexpected blessing. If we can learn to be habitually thankful for known blessings, that is a great start for building a thankful and happy life. Many people never even get that far. They take God and blessings for granted, complaining about everything that doesn’t seem to go their way.

Complaining is one of the biggest sins in the Bible. Perhaps that surprises you. If you want to check it out, read through Numbers and see how many times God came down hard on complainers.

When we gripe about our circumstances, we are actually complaining about God’s rule in our lives. Complaining is an overt act of rebellion.

The reason this is so is because the Bible clearly teaches that our Lord is working everything, yes, everything, out for our good and his glory.

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28 (ESV)

When we complain, we call God a liar.

Thankfulness is built upon the conviction that God loves us and consistently acts in our behalf in a way that is good, powerful, and wise. It becomes habitual when we surrender to God all our demands and desires, believing that he is generous and will give us everything we need. It is complete when we would rather glorify God than do anything else, which means we let go of our demand to understand why he allows pain to come into our lives.

Thankful people are happy people who bring honor and glory to their Creator and encouragement to others.

The practice of being thankful is simple to grasp but costly to do. It costs us our pride. The gains are well worth it, however.

How about you? Are you willing to lay down your pride and become thankful in all things? I hope so. If so, why not start now?

Rejoice always, 17  pray without ceasing, 18  give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.  1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (ESV)

Prayer

Father in heaven, thank you for creating me. Thank you for the gift of life. Thank you for all the good things you have given to me over the years and your promise to provide and care for me forever. Thank you for sending your Son, Jesus, to die on the cross and rise again, so that I could be restored to a right relationship with you. I also give thanks for the difficult things going on in my life right now. (List them out loud.) I believe you are working all things out for my good and your glory. Glorify yourself through my life, Lord, and through the situations and circumstances surrounding me. Let me bring glory to you by modeling trust and thankfulness to others. I believe you love me and always have my best interests in mind. Amen.

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Gospel vs. Culture: How the Gospel Confronts the Culture’s Idols and Lies

 

 

 

 

The Gospel

The gospel is a proclamation of truth about God, mankind, Jesus the Messiah and Lord, and the coming judgment. It offers a way of escape from the judgment that has been pronounced upon the world through the cross. It offers an opportunity to join God in ruling over a new creation at the end of time.

By nature, the gospel confronts the sinful status quo – the embedded lies and rebellion against God found in the human soul and the prevailing culture.

The gospel is powerful and is God’s designated means to overthrow Satan’s rule in individual lives and ultimately in nations and cultures.

For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes—the Jew first and also the Gentile. Romans 1:16 (NLT)

 

Culture, Idolatry, and Lies

One definition of culture is that it is…

…a shared vision of the nature of reality. This vision must include some understanding of both the immanent and the transcendent orders. It will incorporate unseen actualities and accepted moral verities that are believed to affect the arrangement of both the natural and social world. In short, a culture incarnates and expresses a religion. (From Sharper Iron Blog)

From the gospel’s perspective, cultures and the people who live in them thrive to the degree they embrace the truth about God and put into practice the values that define godly living. We see this historically. Those cultures that have embraced Christianity have thrived; whereas, those who reject the Bible’s testimony about God languish. Those cultures which attack the Jews and Christians descend into darkness, inhumane practices, and depravity.

Cultures degrade in proportion to how much they suppress truth and reject biblical norms. (Romans 1)

Human beings are idolators by default as a result of the Fall. We were designed by God to be dependent creatures, who are programmed to worship and serve him. When we turn away from God, the drive to worship and serve will be transferred to an inferior replacement for him, what the Bible calls an “idol.” Idols are products of the sinful human desire to have a “god” who protects and serves us, while condoning our sinful and rebellious behavior toward the true God.

In other words, idols are gods created in our own image which never confront our sin.

The Bible teaches us that we become like whatever we worship. (2 Corinthians 3:18) If we worship God, we become like him. If we worship something inferior, we degrade from God’s created purpose for us. This is by God’s design. God’s purpose is for humanity to reflect God’s glory as we worship him, but when we bow down to and serve an idol, we are transformed into that corrupt image. Idols are not always images made of metal, wood, or stone. Idols can be as subtle as devotion to the pursuit of wealth, if that pursuit displaces our worship of and reliance upon God who is our Provider. Jesus called this serving “Mammon.” In America, the pursuit and deification of “liberty” has led us to believe that freedom in and of itself is worth putting on a pedestal. Freedom apart from God, however, inevitably leads to slavery to our own sinful desires. True freedom is found in obeying God and always results in worshiping and serving him.

Our modern secular culture has major embedded idols and lies. Here are a few that I will cover in this article.

  • There is no God, and we got here by ourselves. The denial of God’s existence is the chief lie. It is intended to eliminate our accountability to our Creator and elevate us to godhood status, the pursuit of which was the original sin. We want to run our own lives without reference to God. A necessary corollary to atheism is self-creation or spontaneous evolution. This bold lie elevates man to the highest rung on the developmental ladder in a godless and amoral universe, giving him a virtual godlike status. Self-worship is the ugliest form of idolatry. Because of the deification of self, Satan receives our worship, too. Our culture has become grossly narcissistic.
  • Truth, sin, and morality are fluid human constructs. Having thrown out God and elevated man to be the measure of all things, our culture maintains that truth, morals, and laws are human constructs which can be changed or discarded at will. The first domino to fall was the belief that truth is absolute. If there is no God, then truth does not come from him. Once truth falls, everything else is up for grabs. Our concept of sin can no longer derive from what God says it is. Instead, sin is viewed as a violation of a societal norm, something changeable. Morality is the next domino to fall, as man attempts to redefine what it means to be good or right. Once again, self-worship is behind it all, propelling the culture to slide into behaviors and beliefs that ultimately destroy it from within.
  • We are accountable only to ourselves. If there is no God, we not only get to make our own rules, but we are accountable to no one but ourselves. The idol that this lie engenders is pure power. Cultures that reject accountability to God slide into totalitarianism.

How the Gospel Confronts the Culture

The gospel directly confronts each of these lies. The proper delivery of the gospel should challenge and refute whatever idol is being worshiped by the hearers. Remember, the gospel presents Jesus as the Lord of Lords, not simply as Savior.

The devil and the anti-god world system seek to encapsulate the gospel and render it impotent in a way that is similar to how a human body walls itself off from infection. The powers that be tell us that all religions are created equal, and therefore, none can issue a moral imperative. None have the “right” to tell people what to do or believe, since no religion is “right.” We are told that what we believe is a private matter and has no inherent authority in the secular public square.

The culture and ruling powers are not usually too upset with the gospel’s claim that Jesus forgives sins. What it hates and fights against is Jesus’ claim to be God, the sole arbiter of truth, the judge of all mankind, and the ruling eternal king.

There Is a God

The Bible declares up front that there is a God who is the Creator. Paul wrote that the entire creation unequivocally declares the existence and power of God for all to see. The only way people can arrive at the position that denies God’s existence is by deliberately suppressing the truth. (Romans 1:18-20) Deep down everyone knows there is a God. The gospel calls its listeners to acknowledge that he exists but that it is to him we owe our existence.

In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2  He existed in the beginning with God. 3  God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him. John 1:1-3 (NLT)

Unless we come to grips with God’s existence and preeminence, we can go no further. The gospel confronts the lie of atheism first of all and calls people back to our obligation to worship, serve, and glorify God the Creator. Our greatest joy in life is experienced in returning love to the God who loves us past comprehension.

May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God. Ephesians 3:19 (NLT)
We Are Dependent on our Creator

Not only is there a God, but everything we see and experience came from him and is sustained by him.

Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation, 16  for through him God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth. He made the things we can see and the things we can’t see— such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world. Everything was created through him and for him. 17  He existed before anything else, and he holds all creation together. Colossians 1:15-17 (NLT)

This gospel truth strikes a fatal blow at man’s desire to be his own god. As dependent creatures, we are humbled to admit that we need God every moment. Coming back into alignment with the truth about our relationship with God allows us to once again draw life, direction, and wisdom from our Creator – Sustainer – Redeemer. This gives us the greatest joy, freedom, and fulfillment.

Truth Originates in God and Is Absolute

Jesus the Messiah called himself “the Way, the Truth, and the Life.” (John 14:6) Truth exists because God is truth. Truth is defined by and comes from God. God is unalterably true in his words and deeds. He means what he says and says what he means. He never lies. The gospel confronts us with the truth about God, ourselves, our sin, judgment, life, and the our eternal destiny. Unless we repent of our lying ways and accept God’s truth, we cannot be saved. This includes accepting the gospel as God’s true testimony about himself, his Son, and his offer of salvation.

He [the devil] will use every kind of evil deception to fool those on their way to destruction, because they refuse to love and accept the truth that would save them. 11  So God will cause them to be greatly deceived, and they will believe these lies. 12  Then they will be condemned for enjoying evil rather than believing the truth. 2 Thessalonians 2:10-12 (NLT)
Sin Is Real and Produces Death

The Bible clearly teaches that every person born from Adam is a sinner. (Romans 3:23) All sin derives from our inborn rebellion against God, which is demonstrated by our choice to live on our own terms instead of in humble cooperation with and dependence upon God. Separation from God results from sin and always produces death. (Romans 6:23)

When we knowingly align ourselves with that which brings death, it produces a terrible tension and guilt within us. God gave us consciences to help us be aware of our terrible situation. When confronted with the truth, if we refuse to repent, our consciences can become unfeeling and useless. People become hardened in their rebellion against God, which darkens their ability to think clearly and correctly. (Romans 1:21) Many such people develop philosophies and theologies that agree with their sinful position in an attempt to soothe their guilty consciences. None of this works because we do not get to define sin for ourselves. All it does is keep people alienated from God and reserved for the coming judgment. (Acts 13:46)

The gospel identifies and confronts our sin. It calls us to turn away from our sins and reach out to God in faith to receive the complete forgiveness that Jesus died to give us.

Morality Is Part of God’s Order

Morality, the culture’s accepted standards of good conduct and justice, is woven into God’s creation order. We do not get to determine our own versions of what is good and virtuous. One reason God gave Moses the Law was so that we would have a written standard that reflects God’s righteousness. Society and individuals generally adopt a morality that agrees with their sinfulness. The further from God a culture drifts, the more its morals become skewed. The gospel calls the culture back to God’s moral order and gives people the transformative grace to live according to God’s ways.

We Are Accountable to God Who Will Judge All People

The last major lie confronted by the gospel that I will cover in this article is that people have no ultimate accountability to anyone but themselves. This untruth is a logical derivation from the lie that there is no God. Even people who acknowledge God’s existence often live as functional atheists, which means that by looking at how they live you would never know they believe in God.

The gospel directly confronts this lie by announcing that Jesus is coming back to judge the living and the dead.

“God overlooked people’s ignorance about these things in earlier times, but now he commands everyone everywhere to repent of their sins and turn to him. 31  For he has set a day for judging the world with justice by the man he has appointed, and he proved to everyone who this is by raising him from the dead.” Acts 17:30-31 (NLT)

The gospel calls all people to repent and receive forgiveness and then live in a way that brings honor and glory to God.

Peter replied, “Each of you must repent of your sins, turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ to show that you have received forgiveness for your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39  This promise is to you, and to your children, and even to the Gentiles—all who have been called by the Lord our God.” 40  Then Peter continued preaching for a long time, strongly urging all his listeners, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation!” Acts 2:38-40 (NLT)

The Second Coming of Christ

The Second Coming of Christ is an integral part of the gospel. When we proclaim that Jesus is coming back again, it enables us to establish several important truths.

  • Jesus, eternal Word of God who created all things, became a man who died for our sins as God’s Lamb and rose again as Lord of Lords.
  • His Second Coming will finally and completely establish is God’s rule over the earth.
  • He is the glorious Son of Man prophesied by Daniel who will judge the living and the dead.

Once he appears in the sky, every aspect of the gospel will be proved true. Then it will be too late to get right with him. Today is the day of salvation. Now is the time to repent and believe the good news that in Christ God is offering to reconcile us to himself!

The gospel is not merely a presentation of what Jesus did on our behalf to save us from our sins. The gospel reestablishes who God is so that we can come into proper alignment with him through repentance and faith. The gospel affirms the honor and glory of the risen Lord. The gospel is a declaration of war upon the lies and idolatry of mankind. The gospel is a clarion call to become part of God’s eternal kingdom, which will eventually destroy all opposing kingdoms.

As my vision continued that night, I saw someone like a son of man coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient One and was led into his presence. 14  He was given authority, honor, and sovereignty over all the nations of the world, so that people of every race and nation and language would obey him. His rule is eternal—it will never end. His kingdom will never be destroyed. Daniel 7:13-14 (NLT)
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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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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.
  • 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.
  • Be a worshiper and share your faith with others.
  • Exercise your faith. Don’t merely affirm doctrine. Trust God.
  • 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.
  • Be accountable. Find a mentor (your father?) who will disciple you and encourage you to reach your spiritual goals.
  • Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal more of the Father’s love to you.
  • Be faithful in the small things. Serve those who are in leadership.
  • Be careful to stay properly related to the authority people in your life.

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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • Continue to be a man who is under authority while learning to lead.
  • Be faithful in whatever you do.
  • Act as a protector of others in prayer and in other ways.
  • Continue to be discipled while learning to disciple others.

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.
  • Invest heavily in the younger generation. Look for promising disciples and leaders and help them develop.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • Stay connected in accountable relationships.

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.
  • God often saves the best for last.
  • Make it your aim to be faithful in every stage of life.
  • Prepare now to enjoy life and be fruitful in your latter years.

Click here to access all articles in this series.

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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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