* Matthew 7 *
Verse 11
*
If you then, being evil,
know how to give good gifts
to your children,
how much more shall your Father
who is in heaven
give what is good to those
who ask
Him!
(Soul Winner's New American Standard New Testament)
~~~~~~~
(In Loving Memory)
*Of*
(My Earthly Father)
He was there for me as a child, watching my growing steps & falls. Nudging me to grow up & be a man someday. Protecting, teaching, guiding, scolding, yet patiently steering me in the right direction towards my own independence. He loved & supported his family, respected my mother & never once did he lay a hand to her. Providing in every way for each of us to enjoy some of life's pleasures. Teaching about the goodness & mercy of God & leading by example. I truly miss my Earthly Father, to hear his words of advice & wisdom. To see his stern face & eyes of strength. A Mighty Oak has fallen from this earth in him.
Just as a fleeting vapor is here only for a moment, he too has gone away.
The bible says, I shall see him later.
(Hebrews 12:23; Luke 9:30; I Corinthians 13:12)
I await that glorious day in reunion.
~Happy Father's Day~
Ernest Roy, Jr.
*
[Love You Always]
Thank You Lord
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Grace be unto you from me my beloved Christian brothers & sisters. Thanking God almighty for yet another week, that we can share through this Scripture group His Word. Thanking each of you again for sharing the thoughts on last week, it was a blessing to me & I hope to everyone. Take out some time in this upcoming week out of your schedule, to give God praise & honor for all he has done for you. This Sunday is Father's day & many of you will give thanks & honor to your dad. There are not many men in this group, but nevertheless, if you are a Father, may your day be a reflection of how God wants you to be. To others who will honor your dad, thank God for him & if he is gone on to be with the Lord. Be of good courage, for you shall see him later. For those who never knew your dad, as I stated for mother's, thank God for the one who raised you. I am the father of one son & daughter, & one grandson & I thank God for allowing me to be dad. I am reminded of a story I heard a week ago & I thought it befitting to share with the dads & of course the members. There was a student in a theology seminary, a little older than rest of the students, already with a young son. During the course, his son took deathly ill, in the coming week, he was to speak before the class, but this had taken such a toll on he & his wife. They moved in with the son in the hospital room where he studied & prayed. He & his wife literally left their home to come & stay by the son's side. What a wonderful sign of family dedication & the faith that God was to raise up that son. Doctor's reports even came back that the son would not make it, nor should they have any more children. O friends, doctors are limited in what they can do, but our Father can do all things. Well, being a father who knew The Heavenly Father, it was time for him to speak & his topic was God + 1. Well, are you feeling this friends?
It turned out that he still made his speech & now he has a daughter & the son is now 15. This was a praying father, who is now a minister. What a wonderful story & God is so good. You see friends
God + 1; in our shortcomings, fears, rejections, downfalls, struggles, illnesses, O, I could go on, will defeat anything we face, if we trust & ask
Our Heavenly Father.
(Psalm 103:13)
Am I right About It Dear Friends?
For this brings me to my topic on this week:
(Where Are The Praying Fathers?)
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
God is looking for fathers of today to live up to their tasks, for there is a great need for Christian fathers. How we live at home is a sure test of a Christian parent. Just as the father should show his friends his God-like lifestyle in the public scene, so much so should it be in the home & with his children. God speaks to us in His word, that we are connected to Him & should bear fruit.
(John 15:5)
The church body is also weak in leadership, as the lack of spiritual fulfillment by fathers is present. Most of the youth today has turned to premarital sex, drugs, violence, & other areas of sinful activity, due to the absence of a strong father figure. Here me well fathers & grandfathers, we must take a stronghold on the preparation of teaching & leading by example of our youth. We have a Christian duty before God to do so. We must do more than just play games with our children, we must show ourselves strong & spirit led to them.
As a Godly parent, our prayer life should always stay strong.
Now if you allow me to teach a little.
Is that alright?
Ok!
The Kind Of Fathers Not Needed
We do not need the type of father, who were like the ones of ancient Lot, who turned to Sodom. When it was time for Abraham & Lot to separate, Lot chose materialism.
(Genesis 13: 10-13)
Sodom was not the place worthy of raising a Christian family, in that, if Lot himself was troubled day after day by the wickedness around him, how then could this be without effect on his family?
(II Peter 2:7-8)
We see in (Genesis 19), that some of Lot's children chose to stay behind. Even when we have taught our children the right way, some choose the wrong path anyway, sometimes leading to their demise, but God never gives up on us, giving us chance after chance to come to Him. In this life, society says, a father is not in the click, you know what I mean friends?, if he has not gained material wealth. Fathers often divorce, murder, or even worse commit suicide over this illusion.
Eli wasanother father, who did not watch over his children.
(I Samuel 2:12,17-24; 3:13)
Children of today fail to see the restraints of their father, in his absence in the home or even while he is in the family. A father who lets his child do or say anything is a great obstacle for that child. A child does not have to get everything he/she wants.
Discipline must be carried out in the home.
(Proverbs 29:15-17)
(God Is So Wonderful, Is He Not, Dear Friends?)
As in the day of Joshua, theft & dishonesty was present in a father named Achan. God told Israel to capture Jericho
(Joshua 6:2),
& the spoils were to be His.
(Joshua 6:17-19)
After the defeat of Jericho, they traveled to defeat Ai, but not to be, Joshua asked God why? There was sin in the camp, due to Achan, stealing what belonged to God & everyone suffered for it.
(Joshua 7:11; 25-26)
Fathers that are dishonest, where is their justification to their family? Jeroboam was not a good father to his son Nadab, he chose not to be a righteous king. When a child has no father to emulate they often suffer for it.
(I Kings 15:25-26)
This father, as many of this day, let his children have improper speech. His name was Ashdod.
(Nehemiah 13:23-24)
In this day & time, children often speak, as if adults are extinct. Our fatherly leadership is often the blame for this rampant epidemic of child disrespect.
Now dear friends to the good stuff.
The Kind Of Fathers Truly Needed Today
We need more fathers like Enoch, one who walked with God, he had a steadfast premise of faith & shied not away to tell those who were committing ungodly practices.
(Genesis 5:21-24; Hebrews 11:5; Jude 14-15)
Noah was a great father, he taught them, leading by example. Concerned about the saving of his children as well.
He also walked with God & God knew him.
(Genesis 6:8-9; Hebrews 11:6; II Peter 2:5)
Abraham called the "father of faith", was a wonderful father, for he obeyed God even to put his own child to death to obey him, but God had provided a ram to take the place of his son, so that His covenant with Abraham would come to pass.
(Genesis 18:19; Ephesians 6:4; Proverbs 22:6)
Joshua & Zacharias we two more prime examples of wonderful fathers.
(Joshua 24:15; Luke 1:5-6)
Fathers, I know there are not many in the group, & mothers, we must ask ourselves are we going to be the type of parents/grandparents that will be a spiritual beacon to our children & pleasing to God? Fathers, make the choice to play a vital role in their reverence to God.
Just as
(Psalm 143:1)
exudes a prayerful spirit. A praying father will "ask", "seek", & "knock" on behalf of his children, persistently trusting his wise Heavenly Father to do what is best.
Sunday is Father's day & may God bless each of you.
(A Praying Father Reflects The Love Of Our Heavenly Father)
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Pray for one another in the uplifting of spirit & healing. If this has been a beacon of light for any of you, please send a note of reflection. As always, if you wish to be opted from this list, send me a note & I shall delete your name, as I wish not to offend anyone. Seek God's face this week in His guidance in your life.
May you always walk with God & God with you.
Peace
Don
F-orsaking
A-ll
I
T-ake
H-im
