March 7, 2012

“Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead?  Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”  Luke 11:11-13

Children with involved Fathers are more confident, better able to deal with frustration, better able to gain independence and their own identity, more likely to mature into compassionate adults, more likely to have a high self esteem, more sociable, more secure as infants, less likely to show signs of depression, less likely to commit suicide, more empathetic, boys have been shown to be less aggressive and adolescent girls are less likely to engage in sex.

63% of teen suicides come from fatherless homes. That’s 5 times the national average SOURCE: U.S. Dept of Health

90% of all runaways and homeless children are from fatherless homes. That’s 32 times the national average.


80% of rapists with anger problems come from fatherless homes. 14 times the national average. SOURCE: Justice and Behavior

85% of children with behavioral problems come from fatherless homes. 20 times the national average. SOURCE: Center for Disease Control

71% of all high school dropouts come from fatherless homes. 9 times the national average. SOURCE: National Principals Association Report

75% of all adolescent patients in chemical abuse centers come from fatherless homes. 10 times the national average. SOURCE: Rainbow’s for all God’s Children

85% of all youths in prison come from fatherless homes. 20 times the national average. SOURCE: U.S. Dept. of Justice

Daughters of single parents without a Father involved are 53% more likely to marry as teenagers, 711% more likely to have children as teenagers, 164% more likely to have a pre-marital birth and 92% more likely to get divorced themselves.

When Jesus tried to paint a word picture to illustrate the love of God He referred to the love of a father. In so doing, He placed a high value on the father-child relationship and the the power of a father's love on his child(ren).

Small wonder that fatherhood has come under such pressure over the past few decades.The Enemy knows that if he can distort how a child feels about his father, he may contaminate how that child will view God and the love of God.

If you have been struggling with this concept of God's "CRAZY LOVE" ,if you have had difficulty loving Him or receiving His love, perhaps you should prayerfully make sure you are not projecting negative notions about your earthly father upon your Heavenly Father.

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March 6, 2012

^“Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say: “Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Messiah. For the accuser of our brothers and sisters, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down.”  Revelation 12:10

I found this today in one of the regular pastoral leadership emails I receive. In my experience one of the things that prevent us from receiving the love of God is when we believe the lies of the evil one. Here, Steve Furtick wisely reminds us not to buy into the half-truths of the Accuser but believe the truth of God’s Word.

As you navigate the story that is unfolding in your life, you’ll be quick to find that discouragement is everywhere. It seems that the harder you run after God, the harder the devil is going to try to prevent you from getting where you’re going. And all he really has to do to trip us up is drop one little hint of discouragement in our ears.

You’re unworthy.

You’re a terrible father. (mother, spouse, Christian, etc.)

You’ll never be any better than this.

He’s said it to me and I know that he’s said it to you. The worst part is, the devil doesn’t necessarily speak in complete lies. He gives us half-truths with just enough reality to hit us between the eyes. But here’s an easy way that you can overcome those conniving schemes:

Finish the devil’s sermons.

It’s simple. The devil is only giving you half of the truth—give him the other half. Yes, I am unworthy. I am absolutely nothing without Christ. But thankfully, He died so that I may become a new creation, void of you and full of the purpose that He has for my life.

No, I may not be a perfect father, but I am loved unconditionally by a perfect father who breathed the stars yet knows the number of hairs on my head. And He’s making me more like Him every day.

You’re right. On my own accord, I can’t do any better than this. But I am not doing this by myself—I serve the LORD, who is able to do immeasurably more than I could ask or imagine.

You don’t have to be Charles Spurgeon to preach the devil out of your life. The name of Jesus alone is enough to send your enemy running for the hills.

The devil will always try to show you the downside of your story. Make him pay. Show him who Jesus says you are.

 

 

 

 

 

March 5, 2012

"Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God." I John 4:7

I knew my mother loved me with a fierce and intense love. She still does. BUT she is my mom and she HAS to love me.

My dad should have loved me. I think he did as much as he could. I am not sure he knew what was involved in loving someone else. I don't remember him ever telling me he loved me or that he was proud of me although I think he was.

So, when I heard that God loved like a Heavenly Father I didn't have much of a frame of reference for that. While I had no reason to not believe it I also had no point of reference for it.

That is, until we walked into a little Wesleyan Methodist Church in Silver Lake, IN one Sunday morning and felt instantly loved and accepted. That was a new experience for us - but we liked it! When we went back the next Sunday it was the same way! And the next week was also the same!

Granted, the eight people in our crew gave a huge boost to their attendance average but they didn't have to love us! They didn't have to but they did. We were experiencing the power of God's love for the first time! We liked it! We have never been the same!

The question that we had to wrestle with was, "Why do these people love us like they do?" Exploring that question led to the realization that they loved us because they loved God and God loved us!

Being loved so well by the people of God set us on a search to learn more about His love. That search continues to this moment but, over time each of us made a decision to receive His love by receiving His Son, Jesus Christ.

Fifty-two years after being loved well by God's people and having been tranformed by it, I still don't understand it completely and probably never will. But I know this, I can't live without it nor do it want to. And, I am committed to be used of God to build a church that loves like that little church did so others can have their lives transformed as my family and I did!

So, we are studying this great little book "CRAZY LOVE" by Francis Chan and trying to understand how to receive more of His love so we can love each other better and lavish love on all who come to worship with us!

Will you help me? Will take this journey with me? Will you rid yourself of shallow love and selfish love and open your heart to God's "Crazy Love"? If you do, FredWes will never be the same nor will you!

March 4, 2012

^“But now you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil. Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.”  James 4:17

God's love is expressed in big, bold, infinite and eternal ways through nature and through the magnificence of God's person and character. But, it must be experienced in the time constraints and pressures of daily living!

How does that happen? How can you maintain the love of God in the real world?

So far, I have offered two ideas: (1) Remember you are on God's clock; (2) Remember to put God on your calendar.

Third, remember to put God in your center.

The Bible says:

Deuteronomy 6:5 – “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.”

Mark 12:30 – “And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. ’This is the first commandment.^”

These verses are pretty clear that God must occupy your center! You must love Him at the very core of your being. He wants you to love Him more than anything else.

The whole concept of a GOD presumes HIM being foremost and central! If He is not central in your thinking and at the core of your desires He is not your God!

HOW DO I KNOW?

LOOK AT YOUR CHECK BOOK – what are you spending money on?

LOOK AT YOUR DATE BOOK – where are you spending most time?

LOOK AT YOUR STRESS LEVEL - does worry occupy my spirit more that worship?

“No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon. “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?  Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?  Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? “So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”     MT. 6:42-34

IF GOD IS NOT AT YOUR CENTER YOU WILL BE STRESSED AND WORRIED. IF THERE ARE THINGS YOU LOVE MORE THAN GOD YOUR WILL BE STRESSED! IF YOU ARE WORKING HIM AROUND THE EDGES OF YOUR LIFE – YOU WILL WORRY!

If you know how you SHOULD love God but don’t live like that – IT IS A SIN!

Watch this:

http://youtu.be/6xSGLZd9Vg4

If today was the day you were to die, what would you regret and why?

What must you change about your life to avoid those regrets?

You will live most of your life after you die, so love like you are dying

March 3, 2012

 ^"Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.”  James 4:15

Consider these facts:

40 MILLION MINUTES: The Average American spends during a lifetime?
Time spent on the phone: 2 Years
Time spent in the bathroom: 3 Years
Time spent getting dressed: 1 Year
Time spent watching TV: 7 Years
Time spent the God of the Universe: 7 Months, and many are much much less.

Looking at this research, what would you say is most important to the "average" American?

Sure, you have to go to the bathroom and you do have to get dressed, but are talking on the phone or watching TV more important than spending time with God?

I am guessing you would say, "No! Of course not!"

But how much different does your Day-Timer look from this "average American" schedule?

Let's be honest, you  and I are busy people and what gets scheduled gets done and those things that aren't scheduled don't. And the things that get scheduled seem to be those things that mean the most.

Here's what James is telling you in these verses: decisions made it time have consequences in eternity AND decisions about how you use your time impacts your eternity.

So, given these truths, how should you prioritize your time to express your love for God and receive His love for you?

How can you say you love God if He doesn't show up on your daily calendar?

Make time to worship.

People who love God worship Him! I am not talking just about the Sunday morning type of worship, I am talking about time spent in the Bible and in prayer. That time is necessary to commune with God, listening and speaking to Him.

Make time to line up with His will.

You will spend your days doing one of two things - His will or yours! Considering eternity hangs in the balance which do you think makes more sense?

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths."  Proverbs 3:5-6

"I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.  And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God." Romans 12:1-2

Did you do God's will today?

Make Time To Walk With Him.

"As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him,  rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving." Colossians 2:6-7

"But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him.  He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked." I John 2:5-6

Unless you are sleep walking you have to make a conscious decision how you will walk and where you will walk. That takes time to plan and decide how you should walk. How can you say you love God if you are not walking with Him?

Make Time To Witness For God.

"But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” Acts 1:8

People are watching your life as you live for Jesus. Based on your attitudes, actions, and affections others will form opinions about your faith and your God. The way your faith translates through your life can affect the eternal destinies of many people over the span of your life.

God expects you to live your life in such a godly way that when you get the chance to witness with your lips your life will match what your life shows.

A consistent witness requires time spent with God in prayer and Bible reading and soul-searching.

Do know people who will be in Heaven because of your witness? Do you know people who will miss Heaven because of your witness?

Since the vast majority of your life will be lived after you die, how should you spend your time today?

March 2, 2012

"For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away." James 4:14

When you go into your bathroom the next time, breathe on your mirror and watch the mist appear and disappear almost as quickly. According to this phrase from the Bible, that is your life span compared with eternity.

Here is a salient truth - "the biggest part of your life will be lived after you are dead". Therefore, where you spend eternity is HUGE! So, make sure you are prepared to spend eternity with God in heaven!

The tricky part is you do not know when your human life will end and your eternity will begin. You are on God's clock and it is ticking! So, you must make sure you are ready. You must be sure you have repented of your sins and received Christ as your Savior. Once you have received the CRAZY LOVE and amazing grace of God, then you must live and grow in that spiritual relationship based on loving God more than you love anything else.

To know God's love and grow in God's love requires time. You must make time each day to pray and study the Bible. How do you find that time when you are already stressed?

While that is a valid question let me remind you that you find time to do the things that are most important to you each day. Every day you find time to watch TV or get on Facebook. The average American spends 8 hours a day watching TV and almost 2 hours per day on the internet. You may not be average in these catagories and spend less time than this. BUT still, if you chose to give up ONE sitcom that is a half-hour you could spend with God.

Honestly, you know we find time to do the things we love. So, I ask you, if you don't make time for God do you really love Him?

And I ask you, "If your time runs out on God's clock and your life in eternity begins will you be wishing you watched more TV or surfed the web more OR will you wish you had spent more time with God?

To manage time well you must live in light of eternity. Realize that everything you do with time has eternal significance. You are compiling a "permanent record"! How that record reads will determine where you will spend the majority of your life.

Check your Day-Timer and see how much you love God. If it is not what it should be, adjust your time-managment before you run out of time!

Tick...... Tick..... Tick.......

March 1, 2012

 ^"Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit”;  whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away."  James 4:13-14

Yesterday was an extra day! Not often that we just get handed another 24 hours! That was only the 15th time in my lifespan that has happened!

Here's the question: "What did you do with it?"

Did you make it count?

Did you help His Kingdom come or His will be done?

Were you a blessing to someone?

Did you spend quality time with God?

Did you spend extra time with a loved one?

Did you make some memories?

What you did with that time will translate into eternity.

Davey Jones woke up yesterday excited about the extra day and never dreamed it would be his last. The '60's pop icon slipped into eternity at the relatively young age of 66 when he suffered a fatal heart attack.

If you are under 50, that probably doesn't mean much to you, but to my generation it is a sober reminder that we have rounded the last turn and are headed into the home stretch. On a day we are tyring to celebrate an extra day we get a slap down from reality. Thanks a lot, Davey!

I had the Monkees first record album and I once saw Davey live on stage in the Schubert Theater in Chicago when he played the lead in the musical "Oliver". Now he is not live anywhere - this side of eternity.

Not to be morbid, but this is one of the more important thoughts that can occupy your mind - "What if that had been you? What if that extra day had been your last one? Where would you be hanging out today?"

Again, I don't focus on this to frighten you or depress you, but the truth is you will spend most of your life after you are dead. That is what eternity is all about! And how you spend time will determine your eternal destiny. How you respond to the love of God in time will decide whether you live in that love for eternity or whether you suffer the agony of eternal separation from that love.

Today is an extra day for you! A day of opportunity to make sure you are spiritually ready to face eternity.

I pray Davey was ready.

I pray you will make sure you are ready today. Repent of your sin. Turn from selfish living to surrendered living in Christ and know the abundant life that leads to eternal life!