Sunday, May 29, 2016
GodsView : For Dads!
GodsView : For Dads!: I don't often recommend a volume without reservation, but I think every man should read Temptations Men Face by Tom Eisenman. I'...
For Dads!
First, the temptation to give things instead of giving ourselves — our presence, our personal involvement.
Don't misunderstand. Providing for one's family is biblical. 1 Timothy 5:8 calls the man who fails to provide for his family's needs "worse than an unbeliever." But the temptation I'm referring to goes far beyond the basic level of need. It's the toys vs. time battle: a dad's desire to make up for his long hours and absence by unloading material stuff on his family rather than being there when he is needed. Like in the bleachers during ball games or in the audience during a band concert, like by your child's side when the homework calls for a father's encouragement, or driving the boat when your child is learning to water ski. Nothing takes the place of a father who gets involved. N-O-T-H-I-N-G!
Second, the temptation to save our best for the workplace.
Nobody has an endless supply of emotional energy, creativity, enthusiasm, ideas, humor, leadership drive, and a zest for life. How easy it is for dads to use up all those things at work, leaving virtually nothing for the end of the day. As a result, the wife and kids get only the leftovers. Fathers, our families deserve better! By failing to pace ourselves, by not deliberately saving some of our creative energy for home, we tend to be listless, negative, boring, and predictable around the house. How rare are those unselfish men who think ahead, maintain right priorities, and keep their families surprised by joy.
Third, the temptation to deliver lectures rather than earning respect by listening and learning.
James 1:19 is worth a look, here: "My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry" (NIV). When things get out of hand at home, it's our normal tendency to reverse the order James suggests. First, we get mad. Then, we shout (lecture No. 38...or is it No. 39?). Last, we listen. When that happens, we get tuned out (I've learned that the hard way). Our family members may stop. They may look. But they aren't listening. They go through a slow burn. It's a sobering realization, dads, but our home is not an extension of the office...and our wife and children are not employees. Maybe we get respect automatically where we work, but at home we must earn it the old-fashioned way. We must work for it.
Fourth, the temptation to demand perfection from those under our roof.
We fathers can be extremely unrealistic, can't we? It does me good to remember that a .350 batting average is considered tops in the big leagues. That means the professional ballplayer swings and misses well over half the times he's at the plate. Yet .350 means that he's still considered the batting champ. In fact, if he keeps that up long enough, he's Hall of Fame bound. Sure is easy to set our expectations for the wife and kids out of reach, expecting them to bat a thousand. Fathers are commanded not to exasperate their children (Ephesians 6:4), which suggests being an annoyance, an irritation, one who causes grief. An exasperated kid is one who can't jump quite high enough, thanks to a demanding father who mistakenly thinks good coaching means always raising the bar.
Fifth, the temptation to find intimate fulfillment outside the bonds of monogamy.
Thanks to our ability to rationalize, we men can talk ourselves into the most ridiculous predicaments imaginable. I've heard most of them. I've also listened to the children of adulterers after the fact, who never understand, who hurt beyond description, who carry scars indefinitely. The charm of seductive passion is incredibly strong, able to blind even the godly. The enticement can be powerful enough to make a man momentarily forget his family as well as ignore the crippling consequences of his sin. That's why I suggest that dads carry a picture of their brood and look at it often. It's impossible to fantasize sensual lust while looking at the smiling, trusting faces of your family.
Sixth, the temptation to underestimate the importance of your cultivating your family's spiritual appetite.
Yes, you cultivate it. Fathers, listen up: Your wife and kids long for you to be their spiritual pacesetter. Children love knowing that their dad loves God, walks with God, and talks about God. Never underestimate your role as the spiritual head. If your wife is running circles around you in this area, that tells me a lot more about you than about her. And don't think the kids don't notice, and wonder.
Ready for a challenge? Begin to spend time with God, become a man of prayer, help your family know how deeply you love Christ and desire to honor Him.
Sunday, May 22, 2016
GodsView : Abortion in Cases of Rape, Incest, Disability?
GodsView : Abortion in Cases of Rape, Incest, Disability?: There are those who think your position on abortion is extreme because you wouldn't even permit it in cases of incest, rape, or when...
Abortion in Cases of Rape, Incest, Disability?
Only in rare instances when the life of the mother is literally at stake do I feel we have the moral authority to destroy a developing fetus. My reasoning is based on this simple question: Is there any fundamental difference between a baby who resides in his mother's uterus and one who has made an eight-inch journey down the birth canal? If so, what is that difference? At what point in the birth process does God's mantle of humanness fall upon an individual? Is there anything particularly mystical about the expulsion from the mother's body that could account for a transformation from mere protoplasm to a human being with an eternal soul? I think not. Surely the Lord does not look upon the baby inside the uterus with any less love and concern than one who enters the world a few minutes later. The only difference between them is that one can be seen and the other cannot.
If that premise can be accepted, then it is equally immoral to kill either those born or those yet to be born. Physical and intellectual health and the nature of conception are irrelevant to the issue. Even most pro-abortionists would not propose that we destroy children arriving in the delivery room with unexpected deficiencies. Indeed, the authorities would charge them with murder for killing a neonate who lacked adequate cognitive function or who had only a few weeks to live. We would be obligated morally and legally to let nature take its course, regardless of the severity of the baby's condition. Likewise, we would not kill a one-day-old infant who was conceived in a rape or an incident of incest.
Once born, the deliberate destruction of life is unthinkable. Why, then, is such a baby considered "fair game" when he resides within his mother's uterus? It is true that the law sometimes recognizes a different status for those born versus those unborn, but the law in those instances is wrong. There is no biological or moral basis for this distinction. Infanticide merely seems acceptable when we don't have to witness the death process of a tiny victim we have not yet met.
Therefore all the arguments in favor of terminating the defective or handicapped unborn child must be weighed against this understanding, including, "he's going to die anyway," "he'll only suffer if we let him live," "his life will only bring pain to his parents," "he has no chance of living a normal life," and "this is really the best way out for everyone concerned." When applied to the baby who has managed to limp into this world, the evil of these rationalizations becomes apparent. No justification will permit us to give a newborn a lethal injection of cyanide. But hours earlier, when the mother's contractions have not yet begun, some would feel righteously justified in tearing the same defective or ill-conceived infant to pieces. The proposition is categorically immoral in my view.
I am aware that these views are infinitely easier to articulate from a philosophical or theological perspective than they are for the mother or father who must face them personally. Of special concern is the woman who is carrying a baby conceived during a rape. Her pain and agony are beyond expression. I am convinced, however, that such a mother, if she carries the baby to term and either keeps her baby or places it up for adoption, will never regret her decision. What is right and moral for the unborn child is ultimately best for the mother and father, too. I know this statement will be inflammatory to some, but it is what I sincerely believe.
Sunday, May 15, 2016
GodsView : A Dad's Greatest Gift!
GodsView : A Dad's Greatest Gift!: Hear, O sons, the instruction of a father, And give attention that you may gain understanding. — Proverbs 4:1 Dad, is it possible you’ve...
A Dad's Greatest Gift!
And give attention that you may gain understanding.—Proverbs 4:1
Dad, is it possible you’ve gotten overly committed, so involved in your work or some away-from-home project or hobby that it is draining your time and energy with your family? I understand, believe me, I do....
Instead of challenging fathers to give of themselves, our cultural system encourages them to give the stuff their increased salaries can buy — a better education, a membership at the club, material possessions, nicer homes, extra cars.... But what about dad himself? And that priceless apprenticeship learned in his presence?... It’s gotten lost in the shuffle....
C’mon, dads, let’s lead a revolt!... Let’s refuse to take our cues from the system any longer. Let’s start saying no to more and more of the things that pull us farther and farther away from the ones who need us the most. Let’s remember that the greatest earthly gifts we can provide are our presence and influence while we live and a magnificent memory of our lives once we’re gone.
Monday, May 9, 2016
GodsView : Reaping the Whirlwind!
GodsView : Reaping the Whirlwind!: I have had the privilege of traveling throughout the world, and have visited many countries, including a few communist nations. But I am ...
Reaping the Whirlwind!
Imagine what kind of world we would live in today if there never had been a United States of America. There would have been no one to turn back the Nazis and their allies in World War II, no one to stand up against the tyranny of communism over the years, and no one to stand up for the small nations that are unable to help themselves. That is not to mention the billions of dollars in foreign aid that has been sent to help those in need.
As you know, in 1776, our founding fathers signed a document called the Declaration of Independence. Among other things, this declaration says, "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."
Our Declaration of Independence states that we have the right to pursue happiness. Yet, are we a happy people?
Some of us might think, "I would be happy if I could just be rich and famous and have disposable income." But if that were the case, why are there miserable wealthy people? One philosopher has observed, "The search for happiness is one of the chief sources of unhappiness."
In the United States today, the accumulation of material goods are at an all-time high. So is the number of people who feel emptiness in their lives. What has gone wrong? Even the person on the lowest rung of the economic ladder in America has it better than the majority of the people living in many other countries today.
Yet there is emptiness. As the Bible says, "They sow the wind, and reap the whirlwind..." (Hosea 8:7 NKJV).
We have what you might describe as "trouble in paradise." According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, suicide is the 11th leading cause of death in the United States and the third leading cause among U.S. residents ages 10 to 24, comprising 11.7 percent of all deaths in this age group.
Why is there hopelessness in the hearts of America's youth? The answer is that we have forgotten God. In our pursuit of freedom, we have lost sight of the Creator who gave us clear parameters to live by. For many, that pursuit of freedom has led to a life of bondage and despair.
But in all fairness, what did we expect? After all, this is a generation that has been raised to believe we are all products of the evolutionary process. They are told there is no God, there is no plan or purpose for their lives, and they are the masters of their own destinies. They are taught they are good inside and are products of their environment.
Yet in the Bible's assessment of the problems of man, it doesn't say we are all victims, as some would assert. It doesn't say we all have diseases, as others would tell us. It doesn't say we are merely dysfunctional.
It says, "The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked..." (Jeremiah 17:9 NKJV). That is why we do the things we do.
Because of this, we need to realize that no politician will save us. No act of Congress will turn America around. Even the president cannot solve all of our problems.
The answer to America's problems is not political; it is spiritual. Although we have forgotten God, He has not forgotten us. We need to turn back to God, and I think we had better do it soon.
We need to get back to the God our founding fathers believed in when they established this nation. We need to get back to the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. We need to get back to the God who sent His Son Jesus Christ to die on the cross for our sin. We need to get back to the true and living God who can save America.
It is my belief that our nation has two choices before her today. One is judgment. The other is spiritual awakening or revival. That is what we need to pray for in the United States of America.
Sunday, May 1, 2016
GodsView : The Profile of a Godly Mother!
GodsView : The Profile of a Godly Mother!: I once came across an interesting article on motherhood by a man named W. L. Caldwell written back in 1928. Here's what he said: ...
The Profile of a Godly Mother!
Well may we pause to pay honor to her who after Jesus Christ is God's best gift to men, mother. It was she who shared her life with us when as yet our members were unformed, into the valley of the shadow of death she walked that we might have the light of life. In her arms was the garner of our food and the soft couch for our repose. There we nestled in the hour of pain; there was the playground of our infant glee.
Those same arms later became our refuge and stronghold. It was she who taught our baby feet to go and lifted us up over the rough places. Her blessed hands plied the needle by day and by night to make our clothes. She put the book under our arm and started us off for school. But best of all, she taught our baby lips to lisp the name of Jesus and told us first the wondrous story of a Savior's love.Caldwell went on to say, "The pride of America is its mothers. There are wicked mothers like Jezebel of old. There are unnatural mothers who sell their children into sin. There are sin cursed rum soaked and abandoned mothers to whom their motherhood is the exposure of their shame. I am glad to believe, however, that there are comparatively few in this class."
Is that true? Are there merely a few unfaithful mothers? Maybe that was the case in 1928, but it's sadly not so today. High rates of illegitimacy and divorce reveal the contemporary abandonment of marriage — motherhood's foundation. Annual abortions number in the millions, which shows the heart of many mothers has grown cold.
Millions of children whose mothers allow them to see the light of day cower in fear under angry abuse. And countless are the mothers who ignore, neglect, or abandon their children in pursuit of self-centered "fulfillment" — motherhood is an inconvenient interruption to their lifestyle. For better or worse, mothers are the makers of men; they are the architects of the next generation. That's why the goal of becoming a godly mother is the highest and most noble pursuit of womanhood. God has specially equipped women for that very purpose, and in Christ, women can experience profound satisfaction in that divinely ordained pursuit. They can be who God created them to be.
Ladies, please pay attention. There are so many who would capture your interests today, to tear you away from God's high calling on your life. "Focus on your career," "Buy more stuff," "Pamper yourself" — you've heard it all, I'm sure. Don't buy what they’re selling — it's all a lie.
With that in mind, I want to encourage you this Mother's Day to consider one biblical example of motherhood. It's Hannah, the mother of the prophet Samuel, an emblem of the grace of womanhood. You can read all about her in 1 Samuel 1 and 2.
Hannah became a mother by faith. In the opening verses of 1 Samuel, she is introduced as a childless woman. But God granted her a precious gift and she became the mother of one of the greatest men who ever walked the earth. As you follow this account, you'll see the profile of a godly mother.
Devoted to Her Husband
Contrary to popular opinion, the most important characteristic of a godly mother is her relationship, not with her children, but with her husband. What you communicate to your children through your marital relationship will stay with them for the rest of their lives. By watching you and your husband, they are learning the most fundamental lessons of life — love, self-sacrifice, integrity, virtue, sin, sympathy, compassion, understanding, and forgiveness. Whatever you teach them about those things, right or wrong, is planted deep within their hearts.
That emphasis on marriage was very evident between Elkanah and Hannah. They were dedicated to the faithful worship of God (1:3), and they were dedicated to loving one another (1:4-8). Their situation — being unable to have children together — was like an open wound. But it was an experience that drew out of Elkanah tender expressions of love for his wife.
At a particularly low point in Hannah's discouragement, Elkanah comforted his wife with these words: "Hannah, why do you weep and why do you not eat and why is your heart sad? Am I not better to you than ten sons?" (1:8). That may not seem like a tremendous comfort to you, but he was appealing to the satisfaction they enjoyed in their marriage. Notice the effect: Hannah was encouraged — she started to eat and drink again (1:9), and she went to the temple to seek the Lord (1:9-11).
That's the kind of marriage to which a godly mother is devoted — dedication to loving God, dedication to loving one another. That's the soil where godly mothers grow and flourish.
Devoted to Her God
Hannah struggled through acute pain and adversity. She was barren, she had to share her husband with another woman — one who could produce children, and she had to endure the pain of that woman's cruelty (1:6-7). And though Hannah was tempted to despair (1:8), she received the encouragement of her husband, turned to the Lord, and poured out her heart to Him in humble devotion (1:9-18).
Like many women today, Hannah struggled with the pain of infertility. She wanted God's best, to be a mother. In her sadness, Hannah didn't complain to her husband — there was nothing he could do about it — and she didn't fight back when Peninnah tormented her. Instead, Hannah trusted God through prayer.
That's a beautiful characteristic. She understood that God was the source of children, that God alone could alter her sterility. Her distinctive virtue was her constant faith. 1 Samuel 1:12 says, "It came about as she continued praying before the Lord". Her prayers were constant. She stayed there praying with a broken heart, pouring out tearful prayers. Hannah knew where to go with her problems.
Hannah was quite different from many today who long for children; she wasn't seeking a child for her own fulfillment. Childless parents today spend millions on infertility treatments — medications, special diets, egg-harvesting, even in-vitro fertilization. They worry and fret and sin in their continued anxiety.
Not Hannah. Hannah was willing from the start to give the child back to God, for life (1:11). It wasn't about her. It wasn't about getting what she wanted. It was about self-sacrifice, giving herself to that little life to give him back to the Lord. After coming to that place in her heart, after expressing her desires to the Lord in prayer, she experienced the peace of humble devotion to God. She "went her way and ate, and her face was no longer sad"(1:18).
Devoted to Her Home
According to His perfect will, God gave Hannah a son-Samuel.
And Elkanah had relations with Hannah his wife, and the Lord remembered her. It came about in due time, after Hannah had conceived, that she gave birth to a son; and she named him Samuel, saying, "Because I have asked him of the Lord." (1:19-20)Hannah named her son in remembrance of God's goodness, and she devoted herself to her motherly responsibilities — she was fully committed to her home. The time came for one of the annual trips to Shiloh, and Elkanah came to Hannah to prepare her for the trip.
Then the man Elkanah went up with all his household to offer to the Lord the yearly sacrifice and pay his vow. But Hannah did not go up, for she said to her husband, "I will not go up until the child is weaned; then I will bring him, that he may appear before the Lord and stay there forever."When God gave the child, Hannah dedicated herself to raising him. She would be devoted to that task for several years, knowing her time with him was short. That's so different from what you see today, isn't it? Women have babies, and a couple of months later they slam the baby in some day care center and take off for the job.
Not Hannah. She was totally committed to stay in the home until that little life was trained. She had important work to do — nursing, loving cherishing, instructing. Hannah understood how vital those early years are, when 90 percent of personality is formed. She prepared him in those formative years for a lifetime of service to God — such a high calling.
Don't mistake her devotion to raising Samuel for the modern tendency to make the child the center of the universe. Hannah discharged her responsibility as a steward — one day she had to give Samuel back. It wasn't about fulfilling her deepest needs through her child. It was about fulfilling her oath to God. It was about being faithful to her calling to be a godly mother.
For those of you who are mothers, think about Hannah this Mother's Day. Be devoted to your husband; be devoted to your God; and be devoted to your home in the fear of the Lord. That's your high calling and your greatest joy.
For those of you whose mothers are still living, recognize your mother this Mother's Day for the things she did well. Look in love beyond any of her shortcomings and honor the one who introduced you to life.
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