Preventing Forest Fires

1 John  1:9 - "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

Before marriage, the bachelor life takes a heavy weight on a man's soul.  Past relationships, past regrets, and just simply the past has that painful ability to rise up and pull you under.  After all, Satan is the Accuser. My first year of marriage was a rocky one.  A lot of it was due to girls I had previously been in relationships with and even ones I simply talked to.

The moment my wife and I even started dating, past relationships tried to bug our relationship.  Even for my first birthday after my wife and I married, I received a, "Happy Birthday, sexy!" from some girl I danced with on the cruise ships.  There were guys trying to mess with my wife.  Guys she never even had any involvement with.  This is how people are.  This is how the world is.  Because of the rise in divorce, people seem to have the "They are married but they are still available" mindset.  

The world always promotes "Unity" yet does all that it can to destroy marriage.  I had a strong addiction to pornography starting young in middle school.  I picked it up simply by watching a Disney Halloween Original movie called, "Underwraps."  In this "children's' movie" while riding bikes, a girl tells some boys that she sleeps in the nude.  After that, I fell fast, all through high school. You've got Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders, "Laker Girls", Wrestler girls.  It's everywhere!  And this is where the destruction starts; at a young age, before one even begins to think of marriage.

The other struggle is that constant New Age obsession with love that Disney promotes from Aladdin to The Little Mermaid.  That obsession that says you have to find that "perfect soulmate" and live "happily ever after."  Aside from that, you have the media with bad news of divorce.  You have war, school, and the industrial revolution that have completely ripped the family system apart.  You have all these things pulling and pulling and pulling.  Then you have college which was specifically designed to "enlighten."  And even before you go, you have people saying, "you know there are a lot of girls trying to get their MRS. degrees."  That push is heavy.

And so after the many relationships that have taken a toll on the soul, I finally found that woman willing to be with me for life.  And the hard struggle of my first year was getting rid of all the materials that had any small thing to do with my past relationships.  I would sometimes fight for my right to have them.  For instance, a wall hanging that I got from a past girlfriend.  There was a domino set that had ties to another girlfriend that for the longest time, I never told my wife about.

We are at 3 and a half years of marriage now and I tell you, we have had our fights.  I'd like to propose a question:  what fight would you like to avoid?  Just like Smokey the Bear says, "Even you can prevent forest fires," even you can prevent certain fights from ever happening.  That wall hanging:  what good did it do me?  It was something material but yet it represented somebody no matter how much I said it didn't.  And the dominoes;  for as long as I had them, it reminded me of why I have them and they represented somebody else.

We need to realize that everything we have ever obtained, owned, or come across represents something in our lives.  Just as scars are considered, "the road map of the soul," so does anything you tangibly possess represent a moment in your life.  Whether it be a picture, wall hanging, clothing, movie, a location, or anything else, it represents a piece of the story of your life.  And while everybody loves knick-knacks to tell their story, it's unnecessary because the story, if important enough, will always be remembered when it is time to teach or lead others.

So, in order to prevent certain fights, knowing that there will always be other things to fight about, one step is to clean out your closet.  After a big relationship before my wife, I was getting too burnt out, so weighed down that I was fed up with Kansas itself.  That is the greatest reason why I left First Baptist Church:  not because they were planning on hiring a new pastor but because I just needed to breathe.  And so, I went back to the cruise ships.  Probably not the best place to go but the Lord always calls His children back where they need to be at the time He needs them.  It just so happened that He used my wife for that purpose.

If I would have given the wall hanging away and if I would have deleted all the girls on Facebook that simply don't matter; if I would have thrown away the dominoes, it would have saved me from at least 50% of my fights.  But after thinking we have made up our minds about our "rights", it takes a lot of breaking down the walls of stubbornness to be remade.  The philosophy of man is that we build ourselves.  The Truth of God is that He rebuilds us.  We couldn't have that power.  We don't have the strength.

Today, you hear of affairs that have occurred because either the husband or wife put out too much information about their relationship to past friends.  And those so called, "friends" will try to be the comfort.  They cannot and should not be your comfort, especially if your spouse doesn't have an equal relationship with them.  Your spouse, the one you fight with the most, should also be the one you comfort the most.  That is how we were designed.  That is how we are humbled, should we let our pride fall.  And, that is how we learn compassion.

I used to believe I understood love even during my previous relationships.  But love is just as we vowed, for better or worse.  And I love my wife.  What I do to humble myself for her doesn't mean I worship her but it means I respect her.  We don't just play house.  All those worldly things that don't matter shouldn't be even close to her ranking in my life.  So in our age where there are so many stumbling blocks, you can call me old fashioned but there are just some things we need to rid ourselves of.

Now, we have deleted old friends and gotten rid of those things of the past.  We have even created a joint account on Facebook.  God is leading us to grow closer together.  That was His plan from the beginning.  We still have our fights and disagreements but I'm so glad we came to agreements on issues such as these.  I am so blessed to have a wife who is willing to seek God as deeply as I do.  A wife that I can talk to and I can trust that whatever I say, good or bad, she will keep it behind closed doors.  And we can trust each other that no matter what the topic is, we will work on not exactly who is right but what is right.

I used to think my parents were overprotective but even I, I believe, am even more protective than them because I know the outcomes of not being careful what you see, hear, or do.  So, in that sense, thank you to my Father & Mother for doing their best, being just as human as I and only knowing so much, for trying to protect me from the traps of this world.  What I have to work on at this current point in my life is compassion.  Thank you, my wife, for forgiving me of my stubbornness and standing in faith with me through the many stormy seas we have traveled.  Thank you, Lord, for forgiving my pasts and delivering me from so many strongholds.  Please give me an overflowing kind of love.  Amen.

Blessings, Miracles, & Discipline

Last night, my family relaxed to the movie, "Indescribable" which is the story of how the song, "The Love of God," came to be.  The underlying message throughout was to, "Feel God, Know God, Understand God, and have Strength in God."  Luke 10:27 - "And He answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself."

One way to better understand God, is to be a Father, as He is the ultimate, sinless Father.  This morning, as I was picking up my baby boy, my 2 year old girl, was crying for me to pick her up, as well.  At that point, I began to think how I wasn't going to spoil her and give in.  I came to a conclusion about God.  

I confess that sometimes I am a bit envious when I hear of miracles that have happened to others.  
1 Corinthians 1:22 - "For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom."  I have prayed all my life for a "miracle" to witness; something spectacular that would just amaze me.  You hear of a man who was nearly dead who was miraculously revived.  You hear of those who were sick and were suddenly healed.  I believe in the power of miracles.  When I was in high school, I would lay in bed and wait for an angel to come and visit me, or something.

It's clear to me that God must carry those who simply can't walk.  My family and I have been placed in many circumstances where we have needed to live by faith alone.  Had we no faith at all, we would have severe troubles.  Before marriage, I found my toes dipping into the flood of deception.  When you lack faith, you begin to accept worldly things as a "temporary fix".  And it doesn't have to be "alcohol" or "cussing".  It can be something as simple as TV or food.

Even though, I was becoming more "philosophical" minded than True "Truth-minded", I still had a bit of faith and believed there was way more out there.  Those who have even the faith of a "mustard seed" can indeed walk.  And, even though, they fall and can be tripped by the many stumbling blocks laid out before them, they have the faith to continue the race.  After much practice, and much falling down, eventually the hurdles can easily be jumped over, given the proper conditioning and preparation.

Then, there are those who simply haven't learned how to walk yet.  And what do they need sometimes?  They need to be carried.  They need it more than my family and I who sometimes just need to measure ourselves up to the Word of God; that Word by which we put our faith.  To those who lack faith or simply don't know what to believe, miracles give them something to hold on to.  The philosopher would tell you that it's "beginner's luck" which was designed to give you a "taste" so that you will strive for more.  But, luck, is simply chance without anything greater behind it.  Luck and karma are all about what you do to be better off for yourself.  Miracles are not luck, they are blessings by the All Powerful One.  A blessing prepares you.  A blessing gives you hope when you had none.  A blessing is something big that you look back upon to remind yourself why you ran the race in the first place.  

In the light of this understanding, I have had miracles.  When I was a child, I was hit by a car and ended up with mere scratches on my back from the pavement.  I remember telling people that, "God caught me."  That was my blessing and my reminder that He is there.  That's my reminder that He was always there.  

We spend our lives playing "hot and cold" trying to find God.  Sometimes we get super hot and then walk by and begin to grow colder.  And even though we are playing that game, as long as we are still seeking the "True Word" we carry the faith we need to prosper.  When we grow stronger in our faith, we don't need signs and wonders.  Ironically, the deeper you dive into that faith, the deeper you discover that there are miracles all around.  There are signs of God's presence, everywhere.  Romans 1:20 - "For the invisible things of Him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse."

So, sometimes you have to carry the child that can't walk yet.  And even though it feels unfair to make the other child walk, it is not because there is no love; it is because they need to walk on their own.  And sometimes, that child will fall and scrape her knee.  So, then will I pick her up and carry her.  If I only pick her up every time she cries, she doesn't mature.  Raising up a child starts at the moment they are born.  Now sometimes, I confess I can be too harsh.  If I strive to be like our Father in Heaven, I can obtain the mindset necessary to train up my children in the way they should go (Proverbs 22:6).  I pray that I can rise against my flesh and whenever I lead, whenever I father, I do it not in the order of man but, instead, in the order of the Lord.

Under Control

When I was a boy, I imagined what it would be like to run my own robot.  I imagined looking through the eyes of a gigantic robotic dog.  After some time driving the trains, I have, finally, realized that I am operating a robot.  It opens the doors when I push certain buttons, it sounds its bells when I press another button, and it reflects how I feel.  So, in essence, the train is just an extension of myself.

A few weeks ago, I watched The Cobbler.  This movie is about a man who discovers a machine passed down from father to father.  The man finds out that when he fixes shoes with it, if he puts them on, he will suddenly become that person in the flesh.  He still has his own thoughts but looks and sounds exactly like whichever person's shoes he steps into.  The catch phrase throughout is, "You don't know a person until you have walked in his shoes."

The premise, however, is a little darker when you realize that it is a movie about somebody's soul possessing another body.  This whole idea got me thinking.  Who is in control?  Is it a good spirit, a bad spirit, or simply weak and clueless, me?  Sometimes, I feel like it is so easy to start becoming numb to situations and when you become numb and empty, that is when danger takes a foothold.  I believe this is the way the enemy works on men.  First, the serpent tears down the wife, and then when the wife becomes confused or anxious, then the serpent freezes up the husband to where he is utterly useless.  It is an age old battle and there is nothing new "under the sun."

But I heard something in church this Father's Day.  Kind of a reminder:  Deuteronomy 6:5 - "And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might."  When you are numb, just how much might can one person contain?   That means, even when your back is up against the wall, you have to keep believing.  I used to think the last word in the passage was "mind" but no, "it is MIGHT."  It was no coincidence or a little utterance when we were given this charge.  We have to continue loving the Lord.  


Otherwise, we let the enemy control.  If you are unsure who is directing you at any given time, it is important to remember what Jesus said in Mathew 15:18, "But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man."  Even though we are told this all of our lives, sometimes, we just keep missing the mark.  And Satan, being the accuser, causes us to remember how sinful we are.


That's where it is important to remember to "Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you (James 4:7)."  I am fully convinced that a lot of these pop stars and famous actors have been seduced by the works of the devil, and they have given themselves over to his demons. After the artist's first hit album or movie, those demons take over them if they have completely submitted.  A lot of these stars and actors are icons and "models" for people.  Children and adults alike are influenced daily by what they see.  And the more you try to say, "That has no affect on me," the more it actually does.  That is how the demons try to crawl into your life and my life.  And just like a flame, we easily pass them along from generation to generation.


But we are to resist the devil, however much he attempts to desensitize our thoughts, minds, and strength.  We are not to submit to the the demons of this world but we are to submit to God.  When we have no strength to move our arms, we should allow the Holy Spirit to move them and not the works of demons.  I have noticed that many cartoon characters in big screen movies always have an animal sidekick who whispers in their ear or makes a funny gesture to tell them what to do.  


You don't need an animal sidekick.  What we all need is to be controlled by the right Controller.  How we act, what we say, and where we go represents who it is that controls our flesh.  So men, be aware of those nights when you feel like just walking away.  That's exactly what Satan wants us to do.  He hates unity because our unity with our wives reflects the unity/communion between the church (the new Eve) and Christ (the new Adam.)  



"Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest." - Joshua 1:9


We are in a battle.  Let us fight on the right side!

From Father to Leader

When we allow the maker, who is above any name, to be placed in the position of Father, men have a better understanding of who they are supposed to be.  Within the past year, I have come to some incredible revelations of how men are to be.

When we tackle the job of leader, we want to control everything ourselves.  Take a prodigy who knows how to play all instruments in an orchestra and has been set forth as the conductor.  What good would it do if the conductor constantly told himself, "I wish there were a hundred of me because I know I can do it better"?  To possess this mentality builds up a wall of pride that in turn leaves no room to teach or to guide.  When the conductor says, "I could do it all better," he is then set up to be angry at the players.  After that, he becomes patronizing and belittles the players.

The One who created us knows everything.  Everything is more than just the little sliver we can fathom in our minds.  The difference between Him and the arrogant conductor is that our Maker is so patient that His goodness causes us to discover the truth without drilling it into our heads until we become numb to our throbbing skulls.  

Philippians 1:6 - "He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Jesus Christ."

We have umpteen days to "get it right".  We have many years to dwell and find out the poisons that this world brings.  Once we see the turmoil and the distress of the people, we long for peace and rest.  Some are drunken from riches, food, fame, etc and then there are those that find hope in death.  That is the peace of the Father that we strive for.

The church falters many times.  Many of us say to God, "Fix this..." or "Change that..."  We can become anxious and say, "God when are you going to do something!"  Rather than angrily screaming back at the church, He speaks in a still small voice which is the truth that grabs a hold of our hearts until we have no choice but to surrender ourselves to Him.

Here on Earth, however, we men become upset and tend to think that we should point out our wives flaws since they are so zealous to point out ours.  The difference between man and woman is this:  our wives are seeking stability and leadership in us just as the church seeks stability in the Father.  We are not to be seeking stability from them.  

If my wife sees a flaw in me, she tells me about it.  I am just now beginning to realize that it is not because she is mad at me but because she wants security and if I want to be a good leader I have to recognize my flaws and seek maturity.  That's what all wives want or should want.  They want to know that their leader is leading them in the right direction.  If not, they are going to let that leader know where they can improve.  

In my stubbornness, I have fought back so many times but I finally have come to realize that my wife is begging me to lead. As any good leader does, a father should not angrily rebuke his wife for mistakes that she makes.  Rather, in peace and love, he should seek out how to encourage her to break away from those mistakes.  Fighting back with excuses is never going to get us anywhere.  We should accept where we fail, make it right, and learn to direct our families in love.

Just as we all strive for that rest in our Father, our wives strive for rest in us.  I truly believe, growing up, we are programmed to worship women.  We are like that old wolf drooling at the lady singing on stage with his heart pounding out of his chest.   We believe we have to worship our wives and tend to their every beck and call.  The truth, however, is all our wives really want...is just want us.  

This resembles the church.  The Father doesn't worship the church.  He helps it and guides is when it begins to falter.  He patiently waits for the church to walk into His arms and say, "I have waited for You all my life." In parallel, deep down inside, our wives are saying, "I have waited to rest on your shoulders all day!"

The difference between earthly father and Heavenly Father is this:  When our work is finished in one day, all we can think of is how we want our rest.  When the Father's work is finished after this age, all He can think of is how joyful He is to see His church.

We should remember to always tend to our wives and children when we get home.  TV can wait.  News can wait.  Music...I cringe but say...it can wait.  Family:  It can't wait.  It won't wait.  Every second is a chance to be the rest that our family needs.  It's a chance to be the encouragement that our families need.  

So where in the world do we find our encouragement?  From the Lord Himself (and He is most definitely not in the world).  We fall down on our knees or think upon His love every second of every hour.  I will be one to admit that I have been lost and confused in this train of thought but maybe if I can pass it on, it will lay even more securely upon my heart, soul, and mind. 

If we allow the Father to be Father, we can begin to understand, day by day, how the Maker of all things desires us to live.  It takes time to turn away from everything we told ourselves and the defense mechanisms we built up for ourselves but we can let them fall away even faster when we run to the truth of who we were always supposed to be.
Matthew 5:48 - "You therefore shall be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect."

The Fight for Masculinity

Our new age culture is doing everything it can do to make God as feministic as possible.  They want you to be comfortable with calling Him, "Mother" even though all the prophets, apostles, and Jesus referred to Him as (Abba) Father.  The bits and pieces of information they share for this philosophy is that El Shaddai means, "God of Breasts" or the "God of fertility".   Here are some verses that are used to support this way of thinking:

Genesis 17:1-6 - "When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to him and said, “I am El-Shaddai—‘God Almighty.’ Serve me faithfully and live a blameless life. I will make a covenant with you, by which I will guarantee to give you countless descendants.”At this, Abram fell face down on the ground. Then God said to him, “This is my covenant with you: I will make you the father of a multitude of nations! What’s more, I am changing your name. It will no longer be Abram. Instead, you will be called Abraham, for you will be the father of many nations. I will make you extremely fruitful. Your descendants will become many nations, and kings will be among them!"

Genesis 35:11 - "Then God said, "I am El-Shaddai--'God Almighty.' Be fruitful and multiply. You will become a great nation, even many nations. Kings will be among your descendants!"

Taking this name of our God, who is above any name, and using it to support a case for God being our "Mother" is comparable to when "priests" took Deuteronomy 6:8  - "You shall bind (My commandments)  as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes." - literally and wore cards with scripture on their foreheads.  They completely missed the point and Jeremiah tells us that: "For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the LORD: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people."

The way God causes us to understand things is through metaphors.  If we start saying, God can be a woman, because El-Shaddai means, "God of fertility" then we miss the concept that God has the power to multiply or leave barren.  Job 1:21 - And he said, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.”

If we take the apostle Paul's words in 1 Corinthians 3:2 - I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for it. And even now you are not yet ready - literally,  are we then allowed to call Paul a woman?  When Jesus said in Matthew 23:37, "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing," did He all of a sudden become a woman?

Genesis 1:27 says, "So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them." but 1 Corinthians 11:7-9 says, "For a man ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of God, but woman is the glory of man. For man was not made from woman, but woman from man. Neither was man created for woman, but woman for man."  Genesis 2:23 backs this up when Adam says, "This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.”  Adam was not made of bone or flesh but dirt and the Spirit of God.  

What this means is that the woman obtained her physical and spiritual flesh from man.  This means that man is perfectly capable of being compassionate.  A man is perfectly capable of gathering the lost sheep.  If man was just a ravage and ruthless warrior, what kind of humble father or leader would he be?  Can a man not be related to a mother eagle who guides her young, as well, and still be completely man?  The reason God is the Father is because, not only does He contain the bone of structure and the flesh of compassion and love but He is a God of discipline and does not back down from His word.  It is the duty of earthly man to learn to represent this character because that is who God chooses to be like Him. 
 The man was designed to be the head of the wife just as God is the head of the church.  Just as the wife tries to "wear the pants" some times so does the church (the bride of Christ) try to take God's role.  It can't be done!  There are many single mothers out there and they are doing a great job thriving through it but if they search deep within themselves, they know that what their child needs is a father.  

If we even consider God to be a woman, we break up the DNA of marriage and promote homosexuality.  The cross is the prime example of the upward, Godly, way being masculine and the horizontal, earthly, way being feminine.  If we allow God to be a woman, then we have an equal sign (=) with no crossroad to Heaven.  God used the cross to mock the Egyptian gods who came down to earth and had relations with women of this earth.  While the Egyptians used the crux to "bring life" and bring down the gods, our heavenly Father used the cross as a symbol for His people to meet with Him in the heavens and leave the enemy behind.

One of the biggest issues God had with earth was homosexuality - Romans 1:27:  "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."

Why does God have such a problem with homosexuality?  Because it doesn't lead us to who God is.  God says, "I hate divorce." He says that when man and woman come together, they become one.  When God comes together with the church, they become one.  Amos 3:3 - "“Do two walk together, unless they have agreed to meet?"  

The Almighty, Masculine, Disciplinary, yet compassionate God of fire doesn't seek to agree with the precepts of men.  He searches the heart of man that it might come to agree with Him.  Remember that Satan whispered in Eve's ear, "Did God really say that?"  Even today, Satan is telling the church, "Did God really say that?"  The church cannot try to redefine who God is.  Anytime the church does not walk in the truth of God, the Holy Spirit will take no place in it.  God sets His foot down.  We have the opportunity to look Him in His eyes of fire and agree with Him or turn around to who we were and turn into a pillar of salt that just blows away with the wind.  

God designed Man to be head of the household because God is the head of the church.  If we start telling ourselves that we can call God "Mother", we are telling God that we don't need the stern discipline of a Father.  

Ezekiel 13:17-23 - "Now, son of man, speak out against the women who prophesy from their own imaginations. This is what the Sovereign LORD says: What sorrow awaits you women who are ensnaring the souls of my people, young and old alike. You tie magic charms on their wrists and furnish them with magic veils. Do you think you can trap others without bringing destruction on yourselves? You bring shame on me among my people for a few handfuls of barley or a piece of bread. By lying to my people who love to listen to lies, you kill those who should not die, and you promise life to those who should not live.

“This is what the Sovereign LORD says: I am against all your magic charms, which you use to ensnare my people like birds. I will tear them from your arms, setting my people free like birds set free from a cage. I will tear off the magic veils and save my people from your grasp. They will no longer be your victims. Then you will know that I am the LORD. You have discouraged the righteous with your lies, but I didn’t want them to be sad. And you have encouraged the wicked by promising them life, even though they continue in their sins. Because of all this, you will no longer talk of seeing visions that you never saw, nor will you make predictions. For I will rescue my people from your grasp. Then you will know that I am the LORD.”

My friends.   Seek not to just use precepts of your minds but seek to know God for who He really is.  Seek to find the signs on earth of who God designed mankind to be and how mankind reflects the Image of God.  Don't wear a card on your forehead with fancy scripture but know God's heart.  Jesus' resurrection and pouring out of the Holy Spirit grants us that mark on our foreheads.

Ezekiel 9:3-5 - "Now the glory of the God of Israel had gone up from the cherub on which it rested to the threshold of the house. And he called to the man clothed in linen, who had the writing case at his waist. And the LORD said to him, “Pass through the city, through Jerusalem, and put a mark on the foreheads of the men who sigh and groan over all the abominations that are committed in it.” And to the others he said in my hearing, “Pass through the city after him, and strike. Your eye shall not spare, and you shall show no pity."

My friends, no priest can give you this mark with ashes or any notecard. Only Christ Himself places this mark on your foreheads.  Fervently pray to know Him more and He will reveal Himself! In the name of God the FATHER (not the mother),  God the SON (not the daughter), and God the HOLY SPIRIT (not a physical mark), Amen.

Hearers & Doers

^{Deuteronomy 6:6-7 -  "}And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart:  And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up."

I am in no way perfect.  I mess up big time.  Sometimes, I don't know who I am.  I know what I want to do and yet I don't do it...right.  Even though I may be a little too strict or a little too harsh, or maybe sometimes a little too relaxed and non-chalant, I still have a duty above all else to tell my children who God is.  If I can convey what I know and who God is to me, maybe they will be better than me and be able to handle situations better than me.  Hopefully, they will learn to have more faith.

Matthew 7:24-27 - Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:  And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.  And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.

Here is the first paragraph of the Early Learning section of Whitehouse.gov:  "Expanding access to high quality early childhood education is among the smartest investments that we can make. Research has shown that the early years in a child’s life—when the human brain is forming—represent a critically important window of opportunity to develop a child’s full potential and shape key academic, social, and cognitive skills that determine a child’s success in school and in life. "

It is the will of our society to shape not only the academic aspects of our children's life but also their social and cognitive skills.  Read Deuteronomy 6:7 once again.  Also, read Proverbs 22:6 - " Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it."  It is society's goal to start early education "beginning at birth and continuing to age 5."  The sooner our children are sent to others to be taught how to live, the less foothold we play in their lives.  

Family make-up is designed in many different aspects these days:  1)  Two Parents - one who works.  2)  Two Parents - both work.  3)  One Parent - who has to work and also receives child support.  4) A Parent who lives with their parents.  

I could continue to list the varieties but the point is that we have a choice of who we allow our children to be educated by whether it is ourselves, our parents, a babysitter, or a teacher.  Regardless, it is our responsibility to mold the character of our children.  As mentioned before, we are not perfect and we may never be perfect parents but we can make every effort in our lives to steer them in the right direction.  People who work with children (Teachers, Pastors, Coaches, etc) have an ability to assist but they might have their own children to train up.  We all have an obligation to raise our children ourselves.

It is our responsibility to discipline them.  Proverbs 13:24 - "He who spares his rod hates his son, But he who loves him disciplines him promptly."  

There is a difference between correcting with a loving intent and lashing out in anger. Colossians 3:21 - "Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged."

With everything we do and everything we say, we are teaching our children.  I have not been a parent for too long so I understand there is much to learn; however, one thing I observe is that children imitate a great deal and try to figure out what it is their parents are interested in or not.   

So we should be cautious in what we watch, eat, and say.  If we don't want our children eating a "ding-dong", then we shouldn't do it either.  If we don't want them gossiping and talking bad about others, we shouldn't either.  If we want them to learn how to interact with others, we should allow them to watch the way we do business and treat others.  If we want our children to be able to take action, we have to show them how!

The most amazing thing that Christ taught us is that it's not about what we say but what we do.  Isaiah 29:13 - "Therefore the Lord said:  “Inasmuch as these people draw near with their mouths And honor Me with their lips, But have removed their hearts far from Me, And their fear toward Me is taught by the commandment of men..."

The Old Testament was about telling us how to act.  The New Testament was about showing us how to act.  For Christ was the greatest example.  In our discussions and writings, we know full well that words only go so far.  If we observe what Christ has done, we can say, "Yeah!  That works!"   and we can in turn know what we are supposed to do.  The same is with children.

We have many battles to fight with our children.  We can curb them by listening to appropriate music, watching appropriate movies, and playing appropriate games.  We can take part in their lives so they don't hide in their headphones.  More importantly, we can show them that they are a part of our life.  We need to teach them to "not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world." (1 John 4:1) 

Above all things we can teach by example is our relationship with God.  If our children see our devotion, passion, and yearning, they will find interest.  Even if they see us falter a million times, if they find us praying, reading the bible, and desiring for understanding, then that alone will inspire them.  That is only if we treat them right and love them.  

So don't leave it all up to somebody to develop your child.  You know what you want out of your children more than anybody else.  And, I know that sometimes it feels best to just give up.  But don't!  It is complicated from square one.  Even if they don't get it right away encourage them every step of the way.  When they see you haven't given up on them, they won't give up on you and they won't forget who you are.  

So be that light in the darkened place, if not to the whole world, to your children.  You have the power to pass that light along like a flame passes from candle to candle.


^{James 1:212-27 "}Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.  But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.  For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.  If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one’s religion is useless. ²⁷ Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.

Heroes of the 21st Century

Men,

If you were to ask your child who they would like to be like when they grow up, what would they say?  Superman?  Terrell Owens?  Barak Obama? Hulk Hogan? Or you?  Broken, clueless, uncertain, you?

I once had a conversation with a boy who was disrespecting other people, mostly females.  When I told him he needs to respect others, he told me, "I don't respect anybody but my mom, my grandma, and my auntie."

I asked, "What about your dad?"

The boy said, "I don't even want to talk about that."


What a burden.  What a load.  There is something deep in this boys heart.  He is way to young to possess a hard heart. I believe this is a plague globalizing at a rapid pace.  And I am more convinced this problem is due to fathers and husbands who's hearts have been silenced (and not necessarily by force but by persuasion.)

The greatest things that have suffered a man from their families are war and media.  The toughest plague in a man, however, is the struggle of not measuring up to the heroes we think our children look up to.  When we compare ourselves to the heroes of this world, we continually come in second place.  That's exactly what The Destroyer wants.

Satan wants us to believe that we know nothing.  Just like in Everybody Loves Raymond.  Though this sitcom is extremely funny, the gist I have picked up season after season is this:  The wife is smart, the husband is dumb.  And everybody who loves Raymond laughs because they believe that that is the common family structure of today.

Ephesians 5:22-23 "Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.  For the Husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church:  and He is the Saviour of the body."  Now this doesn't mean men can do what they want for the Word also says in Ephesians 5:25, "Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it."

One thing I will never forget is what my wife has told me:  "I may want this and this and this and that but in the end what my husband says...goes."

Satan wants us to think that we have to be super buff and super suave in order to be a hero.  We have to be the fastest and the most cunning.  Chapter 10 in Genesis speaks of a man who was considered "A Mighty One" upon the earth.  His name was Nimrod and he ruled Babel, Shinar, and a few other cities.  In Shinar, he attempted to build a tower to the heavens.  This did not work out so well, for then the Lord caused him and his men to speak different languages.  This is a mighty recognition of who the real "Mighty One" is.  One important thing is to remember that "God created man in HIS own image (Genesis 1:27)" not Nimrod's image.

Another important thing to remember is that Jesus said, "The last shall be first, and the first last:  for many are called, but few are chosen."

Satan wants us to crave silver and gold.  He wants us to crave sex.  He wants us to crave being the best.  He wants us to want. We are grown up to believe that if you don't flirt the right way or look the right way, women will not accept you.  We are grown up to believe that "the more women you have, the better you are."

Here's what Paul had to say in 1 Corinthians 5:11 - "But now I have written unto you not to keep company if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such and one no not to eat."

Jesus said in Matthew 6:24 - "No one can serve two masters.  Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to one and despise the other.  You cannot serve both God and Money."

And from America's Idol to The Voice, being a "star" is everybody's dream. Once again, "The first shall be last, and the last shall be first."

Satan wants us to be fighters.  Toby Keith stated that, "We'll stick a boot in your a**."  Through games and role play, it is promoted that you are nothing unless you are part of the elite:  the navy, marines, army, or the air force. If you don't want to fight, you are not a man!  While I truly believe that many soldiers go in with an intention to protect, they have to leave their children at home to fight a war that nobody is 100% sure of the reason.

Satan wants us to hate somebody without giving any real thought to why.  In the movie, "42", a documentary about Jackie Robinson, there is a scene when a father yells at Jackie Robinson from the bleachers, calling him a "N*gger".  His son looks at him a few times in confusion and then eventually yells the same thing.

Where I am from, our high school mascot is an indian.  The catch line of pride for our football team was, "Skin 'em."  This is the way we are encouraged to think.  They are not on our side so get rid of them.  And in reality, we don't always quite know who the good guy is and who the bad guy is.

Jesus' reply to our issues is:  Luke 9:56 - "The Son of Man did not come to destroy man's lives but to save them."

And also in Matthew 5:22 - "But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment:  and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca (or worthless; empty), shall be in danger of the council:  but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire."

I know that not everybody believes in a higher being but I think it may help to realize that there is a vast encouragement throughout the world for men to feel inferior and need to be a superman, to desire wealth and fame, and to be a warrior. And it is important to understand that the one thing that keeps us from welling up with pride of these egos is love.

Who do you want your children to look up to?  What is the one thing that you desire for them?  If you are submissive, you are not a leader.  If you are a superhero, you have to fight alone.  If you seek fame, fortune, and ladies, will you really be there for your children?  If you are out on a mission, who is leading your family at home?

I have sat back and seen to many hurting children.  And I know far too well that it begins with the parents.  You see, we seek a leader in our presidents and kings but never realize God designed every man, in His image, to be leader.  And when we find no value in ourselves, God finds value in us.  Your wives and children find value in you.  Don't give up on them.  Don't let your son say, "I don't want to talk about my dad."  Let your son say, "My father loved me and my father was there for me."

I, myself, struggle with this; due to the media, my own desires, and my own pasts.  That is where we have to remember when we were children and told ourselves, I don't want to be like that.  If we ever want this oppression to stop, at least in our own families, we have to put in every effort.

And like I said, I know not everybody believes in God but if you need a light of hope, look up to those who celebrate their 50th anniversaries.  Seeing the love that remains in them will show you that love is real and that it can conquer any hate.  God is love.  Satan is hate.  God will win in the end.  Amen.