October 19, 2015

"Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the LORD, and who meditates on his law day and night.  Psalm 1:1-2

I found this article that describes well the spiritual progression expressed in verse one: walk, stand, and sit.

"From birth there are distinct phases that mark the normal development of a human being in terms of their ability to move. At first we are completely helpless and need to be carried and supported as our bones, spine and muscles strengthen. Soon we learn to hold up our heads and push ourselves up, eventually to a sitting position. After this we build up the courage to pull ourselves up to stand and in short succession we, with faltering steps, learn to walk and then run.

Perhaps it is a coincidence that the order in Psalm 1 is opposite to that of positive, healthy development of a human in the physical world. Perhaps it isn't.

In the physical, so in the spiritual.

In Luke 10:39 we read that Martha ‘…had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet listening to what he said….’.

Sitting is not a bad thing, if we are sitting at the feet of Jesus.

In Ephesians 6 the church in Ephesus is encouraged by Paul to, ‘… put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes...’ (Eph 6:11)

Standing is good, if we are standing girded with the full armor of God.

Earlier in Galatians Paul wrote “…This I say then, walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh….” (Gal 5:16)

and in Ephesians:

“… As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received…” (Eph 4:1).

(It is a commonly known fact that here, and elsewhere in Ephesians, the verb ‘live’ is actually the Greek verb normally translated ‘walk’ as reflected in the King James Version).

“…I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called…” (Eph 4:1)

“…And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour...” (Eph 5:2)

“…For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light…”(Eph 5:8)

So let me ask you what is your spiritual posture or condition today?

Are you sitting at the feet of Jesus or in the seat of scoffers?

Are you standing in the full armor of God or in the way of sinners?

Are you walking in the Spirit or are you walking in the council of the wicked?"

My prayer is that your delight “…is in the law of the LORD…”, that you will be “… like a tree planted by the streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither….”

That whatever you do prospers. (Psa 1:2-3)

October 18, 2015

"I cried out to God for help; I cried out to God to hear me. When I was in distress, I sought the Lord; at night I stretched out untiring hands, and I would not be comforted. I remembered you, God, and I groaned; I meditated, and my spirit grew faint."  Psalm 77:1-3

This week begins the fourth week of my "Summer in the Psalms" series of messages. I will be camping out in Psalm 77 all week. This Psalm is timely and insightful because it shows how to battle discouragement.

Christians are not immune from discouragement and may, in fact, be prone to discouragement for several reasons:

1) We tend to care more than other people

2) We tend to care more about other people

3) We have intimate knowledge of a God Who has the power to "fix things" but sometimes doesn't

4) We are under constant attack from the Enemy who continually attempts to discourage  us

5) Faith is a journey that doesn't have clear mile markers and progress can be hard to measure

6) There is a constant dynamic tension between the work of grace God has accomplished in our lives and the awareness of how much more growth needs to happen - this "holy dissatisfaction" is necessary but hard to manage.

7) We are called to accomplish a task that is never completed and often overwhelming

8) We hold ourselves and our leaders to a high standard and therefore, are often disappointed

I could go on, but I think you get the picture!

Psalm 77 is a Psalm of Aseph. Who was Aspeh?

Aseph was one of the three musicians who worked for and with King David. He and his cohorts were responsible for developing inspiring worship to maintain the spiritual climate of God's nation and His people.

Sort of a big job, eh?

If Christians are prone to discouragement (and they are) how much more so for the "point people" who serve on the front lines of ministry?

Discouragement not properly handled will lead to despression. Over the seens I have seen many good and effective ministry people knocked out of the game by perpetual discouragement that morphed into depression.

Before I depress you with these thoughts, let me get to the good news! Aseph discovered how to work through discouragement before it became depression.

Read and meditate on Psalm 77 and see if you can find out how he did it. See what the Spirit says to you.

That is what I will be sharing throughout this week in my preparation for Sunday's message. But here's a hint - devotion has to trump emotion.

Be encouraged today!

October 17, 2015

“The wicked flee though no one pursues, but the righteous are as bold as a lion.” Proverbs 28:1

When I played baseball I was a good contact hitter. I had a wide stance and a short quick batting stroke which meant I hit a lot of line drives and seldom struck out. In fact, during my first two years of college ball I didn’t strike out at all. I didn’t hit any home runs or many extra base hits either.

Going into my senior year I decided I was going to start swinging for the fences. Sure, I struck out a few more times but I also got more extra base hits!

I share that to say this, how can you be a Home Run Kid if you don’t swing for the fences? As I close out this series on Raising Home Run Kids I am going to challenge you to raise kids who live out their faith boldly in a rapidly deteriorating culture.

How can you raise kids who swing for the fences unless you are willing and ready to go deep as a parent? You must be willing to swing for the fences with three bold parenting decisions. Tomorrow I will share those in greater detail and share practical suggestions to help you with those decisions.

Solomon says that “the righteous” are bold as a lion. What does he mean by that?

Here are a few thoughts on boldness.

Those who are righteous have the peace of God. If He has made you righteous you have made peace with your past through His forgiveness and grace. You can also have peace in the present because He is with you! And you can have peace over your future because He has said He will be with you always!

The righteous can be bold because they have the presence of God! When you have His presence you also have His power, so why fear?

When you are righteous you can claim the promises of God. You know what God has done for His righteous people in the past and His Word promises what He will do for His righteous today and tomorrow! You can live with courage when you trust His promises!

Righteous people have the partnership of other believers! Everything that righteous people have individually they also have corporately as they worship, fellowship and serve together! We have each other’s back and God has all of us covered! Why should we fear?

To Raise Home Run Kids who swing for the fences, kids who are bold as lions in believing and living their faith it will require bold parenting on your part and bold pastoring on mine.

I pledge to live righteously before you and before them. I pledge to call you to righteousness through the Word in my preaching and teaching and leading.

Together, let’s help them to know the peace of God in a world of strife and turmoil!

Together, let’s cherish and nurture God’s presence in our lives in everything we do at FredWes!

Together, let’s help them know the promises of God through the Bible and by making bold decisions based on God’s promises for the church and in our individual lives!

Let’s make bold decisions that will show our kids what happens when we trust God courageously and He comes through in supernatural ways for His glory at FredWes!

You can’t have a Home Run Life or Home Run Kids if you aren’t swinging for the fences!

October 16, 2015

“The wicked flee though no one pursues, but the righteous are as bold as a lion.” Proverbs 28:1

It takes three courageous decisions by a parent determined to Raise A Home Run Kid. Those three decisions are:

GUIDE YOU KID’S HEART!

DON’T CARRY YOUR KID’S LOAD!

We have taken a look at the first two, today we will look at the third decision:

RELEASE YOUR KID FROM YOUR FEAR

You can choose if you want to be courageous or cowardly and if you want to raise courageous kids or cowardly kids.

“Boldness” = increased capacity for courage

Actually, if you make the first two courageous decisions you are 2/3 of the way there because fearful parents carry the load for their kid. By carrying the load for your kid you diminish his capacity to cope with his world. In so doing you erode his confidence and project your fear upon him.

However, if you have the courage to allow your kid to carry his own load and if you assure him you will be there when  he gets over-burdened you are instilling confidence in him. Your confidence in him will be transferred to him.

The “RIGHTEOUS” are bold as lions!           

What does it mean to be “RIGHTEOUS”?

The righteous are those who have trusted Christ for the forgiveness of their sins and who have received salvation. Receiving the gift of salvation makes you right with God through the atoning sacrifice of Christ.

Why are the righteous bold?

·         They have God’s peace

·         They have God’s presence

·         They have God’s purpose

·         They have God’s perspective

·         They have God’s power

Knowing Christ and what He has accomplished in the past will give your child boldness in trusting Him for the future!

When my boys were small and just beginning to be interested in baseball they wanted me to teach them to bat. So I took them to the ball field with their bat and as many baseballs as we could find. My boy would take the bat and step up to the plate and I would lob a ball to him. Now I was capable of raring back and firing fastballs past him all day long. But I wasn’t trying to teach him how to swing and miss, I wanted to teach him to HIT the ball so I had to serve it up to him down the middle of the plate so he would experience the thrill of connecting with the ball. Each time he hit the ball he would get more excited and want to hit it harder. I wanted my boys swinging for the fences!

How can your kid be a Home Run Kid if he doesn’t swing for the fences?

IF WE WANT TO REALIZE OUR VISION OF RAISING UP A GENERATION OF BELIEVERS WHO ARE MORE PASSIONATE AND COMMITTED TO GOD THAN WE WILL NEED TO RAISE COURAGEOUS KIDS!

RAISING COURAGEOUS KIDS WILL REQUIRE COURAGEOUS DECISIONS BY THEIR PARENTS!

October 15, 2015

“Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. If anyone thinks they are something when they are not, they deceive themselves. Each one should test their own actions. Then they can take pride in themselves alone, without comparing themselves to someone else, for each one should carry their own load.”  Galatians 6:2-5

If you wonder, “Where did America begin to go wrong?” you can begin here with a misunderstanding or disregard of this Scriptural principle.

Biblical wisdom offered by Paul and inspired by the Holy Spirit says each of us must carry our own load but when the load gets too heavy we should be available to help lift the load for a while.

That is Christian love and compassion. That builds healthy relationships, healthy fellowships, healthy families and healthy people.

As I shared in the previous post, the Greek word used in these verses is a shipping term. A “load” denotes the capacity of a ship. So, when the entire capacity of a ship is filled with cargo that ship is said to be carrying its “load”. However, if more is added to that ship it will be burdened and becomes in danger of sinking. If that should happen then another ship would come next to it and help bear the burden of the load by taking on some of the cargo.

That used to be the norm for our American culture. Each American was expected to carry his own load. As a result each American developed a self-sufficiency and independence that led to citizens that were strong and proud. When a neighbor or family member became overloaded and burdened they would come alongside them to help bear the burden.

However, when that principle is not honored and people begin picking up the load of others in a misguided effort to help others they hurt them rather than helping them. When a person is not allowed or not expected to carry his own load his capacity for load carrying is diminished. Rather than becoming stronger and increasing his capacity for carry life’s demands he loses that capacity and becomes easily over loaded. In addition, the well-meaning person in trying to carry the load for another becomes unable to bear his own load.

Multiply that across scores of families in scores of cities and towns across the 50 States of America and it totals up to overloaded people, families stressed to the breaking point and thousands of needy people.

As people and families and towns and cities and states become overwhelmed, political leaders see an opportunity to expand their power by offering government assistance in carrying their load. But since government has not resources other than what they take from their citizens via taxes and fees, the financial load increases for everyone. It doesn’t take long for government to become larger and stronger while the citizens become weaker and more dependent.

Rather than developing Home Run People you have a system that develops strike out people.

When this Biblical principle is applied in individual lives, in families and in communities you have the benefits of Christian living. You have strong people and satisfied people.

But when you violate this principle in the ways mentioned above you have socialism or even communism.

As I have listened to the Presidential Candidates debates from both parties I have heard the candidates offering more promises of how they will use government to carry more of the load for individual citizens. Never mind a mounting debt over $19,000,000,000 and growing annual budget deficits continue to promise more. The increasingly more dependent citizens grow weaker and the State rapidly gains strength and dominance over those individuals. With every promise of security comes increased dependence and reduced freedom.

“What can I do about this?” you may be wondering. One thing you can do is Raise Home Run Kids! Take to heart the teachings of the last several weeks and apply them to your child rearing. Cultures are restored one healthy family at a time and one healthy church fellowship at a time!

Carry you own load. Raise children who are taught to carry their own load. Connect with a church fellowship that can encourage you and carry your burdens when necessary.

October 14, 2015

If you never hear another of my sermons make sure you don’t miss this Sunday’s message! This will be one of the most practical and helpful messages I have shared about parenting. I will challenge you with three courageous decisions facing parents who wish to Raise Home Run Kids. Yesterday I posted the first courageous decision: To Guide Your Child’s Heart.

Today I share the second courageous decision: Don’t Carry Your Kid’s Load.

^“Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.  If anyone thinks they are something when they are not, they deceive themselves. Each one should test their own actions. Then they can take pride in themselves alone, without comparing themselves to someone else, for each one should carry their own load.” Galatians 6:2-5

The apparent contradiction – “carry each other’s burden – BUT – carry own load” – WHAT?

Here’s the answer:

Both of these words in the Greek are shipping terms……

“LOAD” = THE SHIP’S CAPACITY

“BURDEN” = A SHIP OVERLOADED

A ship is usually loaded to its capacity. When it is filled to its capacity a ship can carry its load. But if it is overloaded or if the load shifts it is endangered on the sea. It will send out a distress signal and the nearest ship will come alongside to help relieve its burden.

You have a load to carry, I have a load to carry, you are not called to carry my load nor am I called to carry your load. But occasionally you get overloaded and I need to come along side and help carry your burden. You are to do the same for me!

This is what you are called to do for your kid and his parent. You are NOT to carry his load but you SHOULD be available to come along side in those rare times he may be overloaded.

A KEY ROLE OF A PARENT IS TO WORK WITH GOD TO INCREASE YOUR KID’S CAPACITY FOR CARRYING THE LOAD OF HIS LIFE. THAT TAKES COURAGE BECAUSE THE HEART OF A PARENT WANTS TO CARRY THAT LOAD FOR YOUR KID.

CAPACITY IS INCREASED BY THE CHALLENGES LIFE BRINGS!

Maturity = increasing your capacity for load carrying

ATTENTION KIDS: You may want your parents to carry your load but you shouldn’t expect them to. If you allow your parents to “rescue you” and carry your load you will hurt yourself by remaining dependent upon them. What comforts you now will only cripple you later.

• JOB/CAREER – If you can’t carry your work load in your workplace during your career you will lose your job!
• RELATIONSHIP/MARRIAGE - If you don't carry your own load in a relationship you will not have a healthy relationship!
• SPIRITUALITY/CHURCH - If you don't carry your load God won't be able to use you or cause you to grow!

LEARN TO CARRY YOUR OWN LOAD!

You may be wondering, what is my load? What is my kid’s load?

INFANT STAGE

Parent’s Load – To create an environment of love, security and a

Kid’s Load – To be loved, blessed and secure

TODDLER/PRESCHOOL

Parent’s Load – To create a climate of consequence

Kid’s Load – To learn respect and obedience

ELEMENTARY SCHOOL YEARS

Parent’s Load – To create an environment of personal responsibility and achievement.

Kid’s Load – To manage increasingly complex calendar, workload and relationships

Examples:

·         Who is responsible to make sure your kid gets to the bus stop on time in the morning?

·         Who is responsible to make sure homework assignments and deadlines are clear?

·         Who is responsible to complete homework assignments on time as assigned?

Key Question From Parent To Kid – What are you going to do about it?

TEEN YEARS

Parent’s Load – To create an environment of openness and acceptance.

Kid’s Load – To develop a healthy identity larger than the family.

Parents, if you do the previous stages well this stage can be a joy, if not and if you have to play catch up this stage will be difficult.

YOUNG ADULT YEARS AND BEYOND

Parent’s Load – To create an environment of honor

Kid’s Load – To set a healthy trajectory for life

It is during these years your kid will make the three major life decisions

MASTER – Who will I serve?

MISSION – What will I do with my life?

MATE – Who will I share my life with?

What stage of life does your kid find himself right now?

What courageous decision(s) must you make?

October 13, 2015

“Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” Proverbs 4:23

There is the old story about the strong-willed boy who was acting up and was told by his mother to go sit in the corner. When he ignored her his father stood and sternly commanded him to the corner. As he begrudgingly made his way to place of his punishment he muttered under his breather, “I’m may be sitting down on the outside but I’m standing up on the inside!”

Humorous as that may be it illustrates the truth of my first point for the final message on Raising Home Run Kids, GUIDE YOUR KID’S HEART.

It’s good to be mindful that bringing your kid’s behavior into compliance or conformity with your demand is one thing but it doesn’t necessarily mean you have dented his will.

Courageous parenting is not just correcting his behavioral while he is under your roof but it is capturing his heart so he will be able to control his behavior after he leaves.

What are some ways to capture his heart while you correct his behavior?

You can pray together with him.

This is a home plate issue. You can teach him to connect with God through prayer. By praying with him you can hear his heart and get to know him better. By praying with him he will get to hear your heart and get to know you better. At some point you can lead him in the sinner’s prayer so he can give his heart to Jesus. The best way to guide his heart is to put it under the control of the Holy Spirit.

You can praise together with him.

This is a first base issue. You can teach him to recognize God’s goodness and grace in His life and give praise to God regularly. You can let him hear your expressions of praise and thanksgiving to God. You can make sure you get your family to church so he can learn to worship and praise with you and your church family.

You can play together with him.

This is a second base issue. Spending time with him on the lake fishing, or in the woods hunting, or in the back yard playing catch, or hiking together can create a closeness that opens lines of communication. Unguarded moments lead to deeper insights into his heart and mind. Those moments are invaluable and instructive. It also breaks down some his defenses and allows him to hear you at a more intimate level.

You can plan together with him.

This is a third base issue. Teaching him to order his time, set his schedule and establish priorities is a very practical way of shaping his behavior and capturing his heart. Knowing what is right and what is best is a huge help in doing what is right! Learning effective planning is a life-long lesson!

I hope you will find these suggestions helpful as you work to have your kid sitting on the inside while he sits on the outside. Capturing his heart as you correct his behavior is a massive head start in building a successful satisfying life!

What do you need to stop doing to guide your kid better?

What do you need to keep doing to guide your kid better?

What do you need to start doing to guide your kid better?