5 Things EVERY Good Husband and Father Should Be

What do you want to be as a husband and father?

What are you looking for in a husband or father?



Seek to be, or find, these fives things in 1 Chronicles 7:40

"All these were descendants of Asher—heads of families, choice men, brave warriors and outstanding leaders. The number of men ready for battle, as listed in their genealogy, was 26,000. "

GOOD HUSBANDS AND FATHERS ARE "HEADS OF FAMILIES."
The Bible says God is the head of Christ, Christ is the head of the man, and the man is the head of the woman.  (1 Corinthians 11:3)  For good husbands this is a given. He may accept or reject it, but to deny it is to deny God Himself. 

GOOD HUSBANDS AND FATHERS ARE "CHOICE MEN."
A "choice man" is more striking than anyone else in his family, standing out more than anyone else, more distinct than anyone else. Think of  the man's beard like a lion's mane, or his gray beard like the silver back gorilla.  He is physically distinct by God's design, and spiritually distinct by Christ likeness.

GOOD HUSBANDS AND FATHERS ARE "BRAVE WARRIORS."
Not just warriors, they are brave warriors. They boldly defend their territory, proactively seeking and removing danger.  I'll say more about this later.

GOOD HUSBANDS AND FATHERS ARE "OUTSTANDING LEADERS."
Not just leaders, outstanding leaders.  As "choice men," they stand out in their family by Christlikeness.  They follow the principles of Christ like leadership that Jesus gave to the 12 apostles:

Whoever wishes to be great among you must be a servant. Whoever wishes to be first must be a slave of all.

They are the most self sacrificing.  As Christ on the cross gave more of Himself than any else in all eternity, the outstanding leader lays down his life for his family.

GOOD HUSBANDS AND FATHERS ARE "READY FOR BATTLE."
As brave warriors, they are "prepared for war," prepared to stop anyone who violates the God given boundaries of their families.  They have spiritual weapons to resist Satan, self control to resist attacks of the heart, and physical weapons of self-defense against physical attacks against their families.

What do you want to become as a husband and father?
What do you want to find in a husband and father?

If you become or find these five things, you will have found the very picture of Christ Himself.

The Easiest Way to Know You Are Following the Spirit (Part 1)

"Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires."  Romans 8:5

You can know right now whether you are following the Spirit of God.  Every step you take should be in step with the Spirit's leading.  This wonderful privilege is determined by one thing:  your mindset.

Read this definition of mindset with me:

A fixed mental attitude or disposition that predetermines a person's responses to and interpretations of situations.  (From Dictionary.com.)

Break the definition down, and apply it to what Paul says about those who live according to the Spirit:

1. A fixed mental disposition. This is what you choose to focus your mind on.
2. That predetermines.  This is a decision made before situations happen.
3. Interpretations.  This is how you see what is happening in your life.
4. Responses.  This is how you will choose to act or react to what is happening in your life.

Paul said that the Spirit led child of God has a mindset, a "fixed mental disposition," according to the dictionary definition.  The spiritual man or woman is focused on what the Spirit of God desires, so that this focus predetermines their interpretations and responses to every situation.

For example:  Anna, a Christian mother wakes up in the morning to begin her day.  Anna follows the Spirit.  Her "fixed mental disposition" is this question:  "What does the Spirit of God desire for me today?"  So she prays.  The desires of the Spirit predetermine her interpretation of the day, and her responses to situations that happen in her day.  The Spirit is leading her to take her children to the State Park.  So she is going.  (Read Part 2 to find out what happens...click HERE.)

The Easiest Way to Know You Are Following the Spirit (Part 2)

Having followed the Spirit to the State Park, Anna meets her friend Bonnie unexpectedly.  Bonnie wants advice about her husband.   "What should I do about him?" Bonnie asks.  Anna prays in her mind, "Holy Spirit, what do you desire for Bonnie and her husband?"  Anna predetermined that her answer will be whatever the Spirit desires for Bonnie and her husband.

If you are like Anna, and your mind is fixed on the Spirit's desire so that it predetermines how you see and respond to every situation, then you know that you are following the Spirit right now. 

Your focus is the Spirit's desire, not your own desire or anyone else's desire.  So you look at life through the eye glasses of this question, "Is this what the Spirit desires?"  If the answer is yes, your predetermined response is yes.  If it is no, your predetermined response is no.

Those who follow themselves, or "the flesh," have a fixed mental focus as well, "Is this what I want?"  If yes, their predetermined answer is yes.  If no, their predetermined answer is no.  Another mother would have simply decided what she wanted to do that day.  If she felt like going to the State Park, she goes.  If she feels like listening to the problem of a friend, she listens.  But if not, she's got other things on her mind that predetermine how she will see her friend, and how she will respond to her friend.

Look at your own mindset, the natural tendency of your interpretations and responses to life.  What is your "fixed mental disposition?"  Your desires or the Spirit's desires?  How do you define your day today, and how do you determine how you will respond to situations and people you meet?  How will you know that you are following the Spirit in these situations?

The easiest way to know you are following the Spirit is to know your mindset.

The Source of Everything You Do (And How to Impact It!) Part 3

If you will be like the teacher that I wrote about in Part 2 and guard your will against boundary breaches like the student who came to his house uninvited, you will discover the source of all your God given power, and you will change your life starting now. 

Jesus Himself said these words,
"Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me."  Revelation 3:20

Jesus, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, to whom God the Father gave all authority in heaven and on earth, doesn't just barge into our houses, though He could.





Or He could just use His key, like house keeping does in some apartments when they do maintenance.  They just come right on in. But not God.  Even God respects the freedom of your heart enough to knock and wait for you to invite Him in.  If God does this, so should every one else in your life, and so should you in everyone else's life.

By respecting the boundaries of God's supreme will, and by respecting the boundaries of your will and the will of people, you will find the source of everything you do, of every relationship.  The only will you absolutely always resist is Satan's will.  And the only will you absolutely always submit to is God's.  Knowing these two things alone, who to always submit to and always resist, gives you enough power to relate to any and every one, any and every situation, making you a powerful person.

• The source of everything you do is your heart! 
• You impact it by guarding it!

Above all else, GUARD YOUR HEART!

 

The Source of Everything You Do (And How to Impact It!) Part 2





"Submit to God, resist the devil and he will flee from you."  James 4:7

How do you know what to always choose and what to always refuse?

ALWAYS UNCONDITIONALLY CHOOSE GOD'S WILL.

ALWAYS UNCONDITIONALLY REFUSE SATAN'S WILL.

The wills of people are in the middle:

• If a person's will agrees with God's will AND YOURS, accept their will.
• If a person's will disagrees with God's will, reject their will.

It is written, "Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty."
It is written again, "The fruit of the Spirit is self-control."

So in guarding your heart above all else, you can know that God will never take from you the liberty of free will.  Now you will experience the consequences of every choice you make, but these consequences actually honor your will! 

• God's will inspires liberty. 
• Satan's will inspires slavery. 

People may be with God or Satan: 

• If they inspire liberty, they agree with God.
• If the inspire slavery, they agree with Satan.

Say someone calls you right when you and your family are sitting down at dinner.  If this person gives no concern about what you were doing before he called, or if she ignores you when you tell her you just sat down to eat, this is where you guard your heart, or your will.  You tell him that you can call him back at whatever time works for you.  You tell her she can call you back at a specific time on that night or the next day.

I once sat at a teacher's house when a student came over uninvited.  The teacher was watching a documentary, and told the student that he would talk with her after he finished the documentary, but not before!  So she sat and waited.  What my teacher did impresses me to this day!
(Read Part 3.  Click HERE.)

The Source of Everything You Do (And How to Impact It!) Part 1

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

What makes you do what you do? 

If you knew the answer to this question, you could determine every action you take, accomplishing every goal you set out to accomplish.  King Solomon, the wisest man to ever live, second only to Jesus, gives you the answer to this question:

YOUR HEART!

Everything you do flows from your heart.

But what is your heart?

Your heart is your inner person, with your will at the throne or the drivers seat. 

• Your volition determines your perception. 
• Your perception creates your emotions.
• Your emotions fuel your actions.

In other words, with your will, you choose what you think. What you think about creates what you feel.  What you feel motivates you to act or speak!

Solomon says to "guard your heart."  Not just to guard it, but to do so ABOVE ALL ELSE!

Your first priority, then, is to take complete custody over your will! 

This means you determine:

• What you actively choose and what you actively refuse.
• Your ability to set and respect boundaries.
• What you let in and out of your mind.

I'm a corrections officer, so Solomon's words make a lot of sense to me.  Working in a jail is all about custody:  I determine who enters and who exits.  I am the key master and gate keeper.

Yet even if you're not a corrections officer, you live in a house.  You have keys.  You determine who and what comes into your house, as well as who and what will leave your house. 

Your house is your heart, and your will is the key that opens the door to your heart.  Just as you guard your keys to make sure you don't lose them, so guard your heart to make sure you don't lose the freedom of choice God gave you.  Everything in your house is accessible if someone has your keys.  And everything in your heart is vulnerable if you don't guard your ability to choose and refuse.

But how do you know what to choose and refuse?  Read Part 2 to find out!  Click HERE!

(The image at the top is from www.theguardian.com )

The Definition of Sin (And How to Overcome It)

"Whosoever commits sin also transgresses the law of God:

for sin is the transgression of the law of God."  1 John 3:4

What is sin?
TRANSGRESSION

What is being transgressed?
GOD'S LAW

What is God's law?
GOD'S WILL.

So sin is ultimately when we don't respect boundaries.

We supremely dishonor the  boundaries of the Creator.

We dishonor the boundaries of His creatures.

 

Think of the first two  of the 10 Commandments, God's law, God's will for us:



1.  I am the Lord your God who brought you out of Egypt.  You shall have no other gods before me. 

The boundary:  God's Unique Identity.

2.  You shall not make graven images to worship them.

The boundary:  God's Unique Qualities

 

When God created the heavens and the earth, He distinguished, categorized, named, and separated some creations from other creations. 

• Light from darkness.  Day from night.
• The waters above (clouds) from the waters below (seas)
• The land, called earth, separated from waters, called seas.
• The greater light to govern the day (the sun) from the lesser lights governing the night (moon and stars)

To disregard God's supreme distinction is sin.

To disregard the distinctions in creation is sin.

We overcome sin by changing our minds, and thus our actions:  Repenting.

We stop thinking and acting like we are our own Creator and all creatures are subject to us, and we start thinking and acting according to the truth, since "we exchanged the truth for the lie and worshipped the creature instead of the Creator," according to scripture.

How do you feel when your unique feelings and perspectives are disregarded, treated as though insignificant, as though your unique existence makes no difference?  Remember how you and I have lived most of our lives treating God like exactly like this. 

Remember of how we've resisted the boundaries of our own identity.  We don't set limits, nor so we respect the limits of others.  We hate limits.  We want to be what we are not and do what we can not!  We want someone else's wife or boyfriend.  We want someone else's life or job.  We want to look like our favorite celebrity instead looking the way God made us to look.  We want any and everything except the life God gave us, or to be the person he made us to be.

But if we begin right now to accept what we are NOT, and what we ARE, by realizing who God is, and who God is not, we will overcome the essence of our sin in every situation: 

Boundary transgressions.

Choose to accept the boundaries of God in your life.
Say,

"God, you alone are God.  I am what you made me, nothing more or less.  I accept that everyone is yours, not mine, to be what you made them to be.  From now on, I will not cross the line of who you are, or who they are.  Nor will I allow anyone to overstep their boundaries with me."

• To overstep boundaries is the essence of sin.
• To over come sin, respect the Creator's boundaries supremely, and each of His creature's boundaries impartially.

(Image from phoenixajournal.wordpress.com)

 

THE TERROR OF GOD (PART 3)

"Hank, he's relentless, all right?  He won't quit."

Walter White, Breaking Bad.  Image from www.amctv.com

 

"Judah got a wife for Er, his firstborn, and her name was Tamar.  But Er, Judah's firstborn, was wicked in the LORD'S sight; so the LORD put him to death."  Genesis 38:6-7

 

God relentlessly pursues evil to expose and destroy it.  Evil.  Sin.  God won't let it go.  He won't quit until good triumphs.

 

What does this mean for you?

 

If you see the police behind you, how do you feel?  If you're obeying the law, you feel fine, though careful.  If you're speeding, you feel afraid, trying to slow down before the sirens come on.  But what if they DO come on?  Fear!  Do you run?  Never!  Because if you run, he will chase you.  If you fight, he will fight back.  If you shoot he will shoot back.  But he won't stop until he arrests you. 

 

This is the terror of God, as it is written,

For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and you will be commended.  For the one in authority is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are God’s servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer.  Romans 13:3-4

 

God, His angels, and His law officers relentlessly dedicate themselves to exposing and destroying evil. 

 

If there is sin in your life, know that God hates it.  But He doesn't hate you.  He loves you and gives you an opportunity to confess your sin to Him and Him alone.  He doesn't want to expose you or embarrass you.  He wants to forgive you.

 

But don't misunderstand.

 

God is relentless in destroying evil, so much so that He poured out all of His fierce angry wrath against evil on His Only Begotten and Sinless Son:  The Lord Jesus Christ.  He did this for you and me, for all of our self centered sinful living, which makes us worthy of death and hell.  But you know this already.  You've felt it in your conscience.  I don't need to convince you.

 

The Word of God says, "If we confess our sins, God is faithful and just to forgive our sins and cleanse us of all our unrighteousness."

 

But the Lord Jesus also says this,

"Dear friends, don't be afraid of those who want to kill your body; they cannot do any more to you after that.  But I'll tell you whom to fear. Fear God, who has the power to kill you and then throw you into hell. Yes, he's the one to fear." 

Luke 12:4-5 NLT

I've heard some say that "the fear of the Lord," doesn't mean we should be afraid of God.  This is true only if we are not in sin; for the sinless, the fear of the Lord means supreme ultimate respect for Him.  But if we are in sin, and stubbornly refuse to admit and stop sinning, we should very much be afraid of God, like those who are speeding and being pursued by the police.  As I quoted earlier, those who do good have nothing to fear.  But those who do evil should be afraid!

Choose.  Right now.  Which side of the Terror of God do you want to be on?  If you live by faith in Christ with your sins forgiven, then the Terror of God is your protection from those who want to do you wrong, just as the police protect law abiding citizens from criminals.  They will feel the Terror of God when they think of harming you.  But if you are the one doing wrong, YOU will feel the Terror of God like one who is being pursued by the sirens of a police car.

Choose.   Say these words,

"God, I supremely respect you.  Forgive me of all my sins because of the Lord Jesus' death for me.  I live for You from now on."

That's it.
You have nothing to fear.
The Terror of God now protects you from those who seek your harm.
Thank God that Jesus died for you and me.  He loves us.  He protects us!



THE TERROR OF GOD (PART 2)

 

Gus: "I told you before. You will not kill Walter White. Not until my business with him is concluded."

Marco: "We've waited long enough. We won't wait any longer."

From "Breaking Bad"

 

The two angels arrived at Sodom in the evening, and Lot was sitting in the gateway of the city.  With the coming of dawn, the angels urged Lot, saying, “Hurry! Take your wife and your two daughters who are here, or you will be swept away when the city is punished.” 

Genesis 19:1,15

Angels inspire the terror of God!  In the scriptures people fall to their faces, trembling with fear, as they see angels.  "Do not be afraid" is the consistent response of angels to people's fear of them.

What do they do to inspire such fear?  Nothing.  Their presence, and the glory of God upon them, causes us to who were born in sin to cower in their lightning presence.

Yet even they in the presence of God cover their faces and bodies! 

These angels are your protectors and messengers, if you believe in the Lord Jesus.  They guard you and protect you with fierce love and holiness.  They are silent, like "The Cousins" in "Breaking Bad," and even more fierce than they.  (Only two angels were necessary to destroy the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah.) 

So you can be confident in your life and travels that the Terror of God is with you by His Spirit and by His angels.  Live without fear, knowing that those who seek your harm have every reason to be afraid!

 

(Again, like Jesus' comparison of the unjust judge to God, my comparison of "The Cousins" to the two angels who destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah are not one to one correlations!)

THE TERROR OF GOD (PART 1)

"If that’s true, if you don’t know who I am,

then maybe your best course… would be to tread lightly."

Walter White, "Breaking Bad"

www.ljacanvasart.co.uk 

 

"Then they set out, and the terror of the God fell upon the towns all around them so that no one pursued them."  Genesis 35:5 (Emphasis mine)

 

Do you remember how the Lord Jesus used an unjust judge as an illustration of God, the perfectly just judge?  I'm about to do something like that.  Again, this is not going to be a one to one correlation.

 

Having said that...

 

When I thought of the terror of God as I read Genesis chapter 35, the character Walter White came to mind.  I thought about his scariness and realized it wasn't his meth dealing power or incredibly evil acts done in the name of his family or his ego.  It was an indescribable intensity that communicated immanent danger if you crossed him.  Not muscle or might.  Presence.  Danger's essence.  Manifest.  Real.  You can see and feel.

 

The terror of God is like that with the children of God who trust Him and are forgiven of sin.

 

In Genesis 35, Jacob and his family were obeying a command from God to go to Bethel, purifying themselves, and removing all idols from their midst.  In chapter 34, Jacob's sons had just killed all of the men in a town where their sister Dinah was raped.  Jacob feared danger from the surrounding cities, but instead the surrounding cities experienced the terror of God falling upon them, and did not pursue Jacob and his family.  The terror of God.  A feeling.  Menacing. 

 

The cities may not have known who God was, but because of this, they knew they should tread lightly!

 

If you are a child of God, trusting in Him, and purified from all your sin, then as you go through life, know that the terror of God is felt by those who mean you harm.

 

But if you are not God's child, or you  are His child and are living in sin, know that YOU will feel the terror of God.  Tread lightly.  Turn from your sin.  Do it now.

 

 



Will God Respond to You?

Have you ever felt like you had to practically beg someone to call or text you back?  Maybe you're the one being begged!  How does it make you feel, to beg and be begged?

It makes me feel anxiety, like the person doesn't really value me.  So why am I valuing him?  Why waste my time on her?

Because he is valuable to me.
Because she means so much to me.

So I persist in seeking him; I won't stop pursuing her.

But what about God?

Does God value you enough to respond to you without you begging Him?

Hear what God says:
"Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know." 
Jeremiah 33:3

Not only does God promise to respond to your call, but He promises to answer you with marvelous mind-blowing mysteries!  God will not leave you hanging after you've poured out your heart to him, like when you write a long heart felt email and get no reply.

Will God respond to you?  Yes He will!
Call to Him now, and wait for His answer!

Does God Regret Making YOU?

The Lord saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time.  The Lord regretted that he had made human beings on the earth, and his heart was deeply troubled.  Genesis 6:5-6

We've heard and we know that God loves us, but we don't often hear that He may regret making us.  It's happened before.  You know the story:  The Flood and Noah's Ark.

I can't think of anything worse than God looking at me and wishing He had never made me!

Can you?

Is there any disappointment, displeasure, or anger worse than God's?

So how do we avoid this hell on earth, this state where our Maker wishes He hadn't made us?

Faith.

By faith, we please God instead of deeply troubling his heart, as it is written in scripture:
"And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him."  Hebrews 11:6

Not only can we please God by faith, but He actually remakes us by this same faith!  Instead of Him regretting that He ever made us, wishing us dead ultimately, He recreates us and gives us eternal life!  A never ending intimate connection to Him!

Noah "found favor with God" by his faith!  This means that God regretted making every one on earth EXCEPT NOAH (and his family vicariously!)

Is there anything better than this?  Is there anything thing better than our Creator being glad He created us?!

If your complete trust and confidence is in God, and in Jesus Christ His Son, you are perfectly pleasing to God our Creator, who is glad that He decided to make you!

When You've Loved Until The Very End

Before the Passover celebration, Jesus knew that his hour had come to leave this world and return to his Father. He had loved his disciples during his ministry on earth, and now he loved them to the very end.  John 13:1

When you've loved until the very end, Jesus understands how you feel.  He understands giving yourself to those who will later betray you and forsake you.

He understands how you feel, because you've made Him feel the same way.  So have I. 

How many times have we betrayed the love of God for someone who could care less about us?  After all, has anyone died for us when we were at our worst?  Yes.  Only One.  Perfectly Innocent, dying for the perfectly guilty:  You and Me.

How many times has God served us and given us good things, in addition to Himself, only for us to argue about our greatness, making Him foolish promises?

When you've loved until the very end, forsaken by a friend, hoping for a response and getting none, Jesus understands how you feel.  Many times you've ignored Him after He's waited for a response from you.  So have I.

But in our rejection and depression, He doesn't say, "I told you so."  He cries with us and for us, because when you experience rejection, He's being rejected again, in you, and with you.

Feel His love and understanding, knowing that nothing you feel goes unfelt by Him.  It's been done to Him, and is being done to Him in you.

When you've loved until the very end, Jesus understands, because He loves you to the very end.

What Jesus Wants to Do For YOU Today

After his suffering, he presented himself to them and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive.  Acts 1:3

Did you know that Jesus wants to convincingly prove something to you?  That He wants to give you many convincing proofs about something that will change your life forever?

The word of God says that "Jesus is the same yesterday today and forever." (Hebrews 13:8.)  So what He did in the past, He still does in the present.  What He wanted in the past He still wants today. 

• After Jesus rose from the dead, He wanted to give His followers many convincing proofs that He was alive, that He rose from the dead. 

Now why would He want or need to do this?  After all, He told them on several occasions before He died that He would die and rise again after three days. 

It 's because His followers were no different from you and me.  They didn't understand Him or believe Him when He was alive, and they doubted Him when He rose from the dead.  Some make it seem like the women who went to Jesus' tomb were especially honored as the first to seem Him risen.  But these women went to anoint His body, which they assumed was in the tomb--DEAD!  They no more believed what He said about rising from the dead than His male followers did. 

But Jesus was merciful to the men and women who followed Him.  He is the same yesterday, today, and forever, so He is merciful to you and me. 

If you have any doubts about who Jesus is or what He did, know what He wants to do for you.

 

Jesus wants to convincingly prove this to you:

He rose from the dead;  Jesus is alive! 

As He died for you, He now lives for you!

 

Ask Him to convince you, and He will.

Today.

Right now.

How to Know God's Children

How do you know God's children?  Or how do you know if you are one of God's children?  The scriptures, the inspired words of God, give three clear and compelling proofs.

YOU BELIEVE IN JESUS.
The word of God says, "You are children of God through faith in Christ Jesus."  Galatians 3:26

What does faith in Christ Jesus really mean?  It doesn't mean going to church, reading the Bible, or simply knowing about Jesus.  It means:

• Actively trusting in who Jesus is and what Jesus did.
• Actively distrusting in who you are and what you did.

Jesus is the Son of God, God in human form.  He died the death you and I deserve to die.  When we trust Him, and Him alone, as the one who saves our lives, we are born again.  We become God's children.

GOD'S SPIRIT BEARS WITNESS.
"The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God."  Romans 8:16

When I said these words one night in my room, "I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and that He died for my sins," I felt the Spirit cover me like a blanket of peace.  Jesus Himself experienced God's Spirit bearing witness to His Father's words from heaven, "You are My Beloved Son, and I am very pleased with You."  Everyone who believes in Jesus has an initial and continual experience of God Himself affirming them as His children.  He does this by His Spirit.

I spoke to my senior class about the Lord Jesus Christ, telling them He died for their sins, and that this is the best graduation gift.  I felt the Spirit of God, like liquid power and presence before I spoke.  The Spirit bore witness to my words as a son of God. And I knew deep in me that I was God's son.

YOUR SPIRIT BEARS WITNESS.
"The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God."  Romans 8:16

From that night alone in my dark bedroom that I believed in Jesus, I knew deep in me that I was a child of God.  His son.  This defines me.  Like when Jesus was 12 and He said to His mother and earthly father, "Why were you searching for me?" he asked. "Didn't you know I had to be in my Father's house?" Luke 2:49.  It was Jesus' personal awareness of being God's son that made him say this.  He knew it.  Joseph and Mary, at that moment, weren't aware of His identity.  But He was, and so are those who believe in Jesus.

• You know you trust in Jesus for your very life, and that you were born again when that happened.
• You feel God the Father's attention on you as one of His Children.
• You feel deep inside your self that you are indeed one of God's children.

This is how to know God's children.
This is how you know you are one of God's children.

 

What my life would be like WITHOUT MARTIN LUTHER KING JR.

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.  Galatians 5:1

I'd be dead.
For looking at a white woman.
My wife Lucy.

I'd be hanging from a tree in Macon, Ga.
Lynched.
For loving my Lucy.

My seven beautiful children would not be here.
Neither would I.

I wouldn't be a Field Training Officer.
Black men weren't allowed to be officers.

You may not even be reading my words right now.
It's doubtful I'd have my own blog.

I'd be watched.
For changing my name.
From and Italian first name,
To a Nigerian first name.
After all, only Muslims do that, right.
Black nationalists.
Communists.
Not true and patriotic Americans.

What my life would be like without Martin Luther King Jr. is a constant fearful hell.

But God sent a prophet to lead my ancestors, the courageous, the honorable.

I'm alive to continue God's purpose: 
That America may be truly free.

Click HERE to read the article that inspired me.)

How to REALLY PRAISE GOD!

I will praise you, Lord my God, with all my heart; I will glorify your name forever. Psalms 86:12

When you really experience God, you will really praise God. 

Just like you really praise anything and everything else that you really experience and really enjoy.

Some misquote, or misunderstand, this verse:
Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise--the fruit of lips that openly profess his name.  Hebrews 13:15.

They interpret "a sacrifice of praise," as praising God EVEN WHEN YOU DON'T "FEEL" LIKE IT.  But read these verses, and see if this interpretation is correct:

Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise.  James 5:13

James isn't cheerleading God's people into "praising God any how!"  You know what I mean.  When you're in church and you're supposed to clap and yell and praise God even if you don't feel like it, the "sacrifice of praise."

This is not true.

When God speaks of the "sacrifice of praise," He is contrasting the offering given in the past that were merely external, like animal sacrifices done according to the Law of Moses yet without sincerity.  God wants us to "offer" our hearts in genuineness.  But this by definition doesn't mean acting like we are praising God when we're not.  In those times, in times of sorrow, we should pray, not praise.

God is real, and wants us to be real. 

Jesus hates hypocrisy, which is ironically one of the things we as believers are most criticized for!

Real praise comes from real joy in the experience of the real God!

This is what the psalms are about when they invite praise!  Those who are singing to God are sincerely in awe of God, which is very much unlike the lame and boring songs that some of us sing to God with no heart or emotion.  We give more genuine praise to a good movie we've seen or a good restaurant we've gone to than to the living God!  Why?  Because we aren't really experiencing Him, as the word of God says,

"Taste and see that the LORD is good."  Psalms 34:8

Tasting is a very intimate physical experience.  When we taste, we take food or drink into ourselves and digest them.  They become a part of us.  And we know the food or drink most intimately.  This is what the psalmist is inviting us to, an experience of God he has had and wants to share with us, just like when you eat something really good and can't help but invite someone to try it.

This is real praise!
This is how to you really praise God!

What it's like to FOLLOW THE SPIRIT

Think of following the Spirit like when you are following moment by moment directions.

Like when you're in a city you've never been in before and you're getting directions from a friend whose using map quest while you drive.

I recently drove in Miami Beach, having never been there before.  I stopped for directions to I-95, and followed the woman's directions as best as I could.  There always comes this point where I'm either not sure I heard the directions right, or not sure I was given good directions.  Why?  Because I'm having to completely trust someone who knows something I don't:  WHERE I AM!

So I follow.  Feeling uncertain, but having the directions, I follow. What usually causes the doubt is when it takes a little longer than I thought it would take to reach my destination.  The longer I drive, the more I start to feel doubt...until I see the first sign post she told me to look for:  The Dade Mall.  "You won't be able to miss it," she said.

I saw it. 
I was going the right way.

Later, I needed directions again and called Lucy.  She told me to look for a yellow building on the left that she could see on MapQuest while I drove.  I trust my wife, but I couldn't see the yellow building.  She told me to keep going and I would.  (She was actually watching online the route I was taking.) 

Sure enough, I saw the yellow building, followed the directions she found, and made it to my hotel.

• This is how it is to follow the Spirit.
• He knows where you are and where you're going, having been there before, seeing what you can't see.
• He knows how to get you from point a (where you are) to point b (where He wants you.)

Because you don't know where you are or where you're going, having never been to where the Spirit is trying to take you, it will feel like it does when you're on the road in a new city.  But you have to trust the one giving you directions.  His directions will be clear enough to follow.  (If the directions are not clear, THEY ARE NOT FROM THE SPIRIT OF GOD.) 

But you will have to trust him, even when you don't see the sign posts, until you do see the sign posts.

And you will. 

Christians, Satan, and Demons

Do Christians have authority over Satan and demons? 
Authority to cast them out or "bind them?"
Authority over them AT ALL?

To answer these questions, we must answer two questions:

1. Who has and is the source of all authority?
2. Does he share this authority with anybody?

The scriptures answer both of these questions, as it is written:

1. Jesus came and told his disciples, "I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth."  Matthew 28:18 NLT
2. Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.   Romans 13:1

The Lord Jesus has, and is the source of, ALL AUTHORITY.
The Lord shares His authority, establishing those who are in authority on earth.

Now does this authority apply to Christians over Satan and demons?

Take two more truths into consideration, and let the scriptures answer this question:

• The throne of God
• The right hand of God

In scripture, the throne of God and the right hand of God are expressions of God's sovereign authority.  Jesus is seated (on a throne) at the right hand of God! 

But who is seated with the Lord Jesus, at the right and of God? 

And what realms are under the authority of The Lord, and those seated with Him?

 

It is written:

 

• That power is the same as the mighty strength  he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms,  far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come.  And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church,  which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.  Ephesians 1:19-23 (Emphasis mine)
• And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus,  in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.  Ephesians 2:6-7

Christians are one with Christ, and seated with Christ at the right hand of God!

 

The throne of God and right hand of God are expressions of the Lord's authority.

 

The Lord has ALL AUTHORITY in heaven and on earth, and over every name and power category!

 

Because Christians are one with Christ, they are one with Him in His authority.

 

In other words, Christ shares His authority with the body, and this authority is over our enemy, the "principalities, dominions, powers, and rulers" mentioned in Paul's letter to the Ephesians, in relation to Christ and to Christians!



What does all of this mean in application?

1. We have the authority to pray in the name of the Lord Jesus against the works of the devil.
2. We have the authority to cast out demons in the Lord Jesus' name when demons oppress or possess people.
3. We have the authority to render Satan and demons silent, inactive, and absent (to "bind" them) in the same way Jesus and the apostles did.  To undo what the devil does, in the name of Jesus, and the power of His Spirit in us.

We have all of this in our union with Christ, being seated with Him at the right hand of God, having "every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms."

Some fear presumption against Satan and demons. They don't believe we do actually have authority over the enemy, and that the best we can do is ignore him, in hopes that he will ignore us.

But the word of God makes it very clear that we are at war, and our enemy is actively seeking to tempt us, oppose us, and devour us.  We are to actively resist Satan in submission to God.  We are also to actively expose and destroy his works, as it is written,

"Take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness; instead, expose them."  Ephesians 5:11

By the name of Jesus and His Spirit in us, we do as Jesus did:
"The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil's work."  1 John 3:8b

If you are in sin, then it is presumption to assume authority over the enemy.  But if your sins are forgiven and forgotten through Jesus' salvation, you can successfully resist Satan, and undo what the devil does.  After all, we are the children of light, light in this dark world.  Light, by definition, undoes darkness.  So it is with us, in the name of Jesus. 

The Truth about STRIPPERS, PORN STARS, AND PROSTITUTES

"If a man commits adultery with another man's wife--with the wife of his neighbor--both the adulterer and the adulteress are to be put to death." Leviticus 20:10

Some women love to sexually seduce men. And some men live to sexually seduce women.  These men and women commit sin.  They are equally responsible and accountable before God, not victims.  This is the truth about strippers, porn stars, and prostitutes--men and women who commit sexual sin for money.

THE ADULTERESS SINS AND IS NOT A VICTIM OF MEN

As the law of God shows, the adulteress and adulterer are guilty of adultery.  God never depicts adulterous women as victims of sexually perverted men, but as instigators and initiators of adultery and sexual sin, just as men are.  Here are two examples from scripture.

1.  Potiphar's wife and Joseph

Now Joseph was well-built and handsome, and after a while his master’s wife took notice of Joseph and said, “Come to bed with me!”  But he refused... And though she spoke to Joseph day after day, he refused to go to bed with her or even be with her. Genesis 39:6-8,10

 

The wife of Potiphar was instigator and initiator.  Why?  Was it because she was a "victim" of Joseph or any other man?  Not according to scripture.  She was physically attracted to Joseph, she wanted to have sex with Joseph, and she constantly pursued him for sex, though he constantly refused her.  I experienced something similar.

 

I was a virgin until I got married.  I used to tell certain girlfriends when I was dating that I didn't want to have sex until marriage, being a virgin.  I remember seeing an evil gleam in their eyes after I told them this.  And they tried to get me to have sex with them!

 

Not because they were victims of abuse, or because they were really just trying to find love.  I was loving them emotionally and putting no pressure on them physically, as is usually depicted being the case of "sex driven men."  As it was with Joseph, so it was with me, and other men I knew experiencing the same, but with their stories untold.

 

2. The temptress and the unwise man

Say to wisdom, “You are my sister,” and to insight, “You are my relative.”  They will keep you from the adulterous woman, from the wayward woman with her seductive words.  Proverbs 7:4-5

 

The Book of Proverbs repeatedly warns young men to avoid and resist "temptresses" or "seductresses" or "adulteresses."  They were the strippers and prostitutes of Solomon's day, and they are in no way presented as prey, but predators!  Their words and ways are presented by God as sweet poison.  God sees sexually sinful women and men alike.

 

THE ADULTERER SINS AND IS NOT A VICTIM OF WOMEN

 

The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group  and said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery.  In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?”  John 8:3-5

 

These teachers of the Law of Moses knew plain and well that the ADULTERER and the adulteress were to be stoned, not just the woman.  These teachers made the man a victim instead of a villain with the woman.  Some men blame sinful women for wearing revealing and tight clothing for the purpose of being tempting.  Though these women are indeed wrong, they don't make men victims when they sexually sin. 

 

CHILDREN AND SLAVES ARE VICTIMS OF SEXUAL SIN

"If anyone causes one of these little ones--those who believe in me--to stumble, it would be better for them if a large millstone were hung around their neck and they were thrown into the sea." Mark 9:42

There are boys and girls who are sexually abused to such an extent that their minds become sexually perverted.  They don't know that what they've experienced is not normal. These are victims.  Yet even they, when they come to see and understand the evil done to them, they have a moral obligation to refuse to do the evil done to them.

What if a pimp was so sexually abused by his mother that he came to love sexual perversion and despise women?  Is he a victim?  Yes.  But do we consider him not responsible for his rapes and sexual exploitations?  Of course not.  We hold him accountable and expect him to protect those who were abused like he was, not to join in their abuse.

God expects the same from women who were abused and victimized as little girls.  He is full of compassion and great in mercy towards men and women who have been traumatized.  Jesus is the one who saves them not just from their sins, but the sins committed against them.

But Jesus says what He said in times past: 

• To women caught in adultery, in His day and even today,  Jesus, without condemnation, still says, "Go and sin no more." John 8:11
• To men whom Jesus healed, in his day and today, Jesus is still saying, "Stop sinning or something worse will happen to you." John 5:14

Some make it seem like no stripper or porn star really wants to do what she is doing.  These say all prostitutes  are poor disenfranchised victims of men, past and present, who are so abused and have such low self esteem that they don't know any way out.  They say strippers are just trying to pay for college or take care of kids on their own.  For some of them, these things may very well be true...after all these things were very true---for the slaves in America!

Who was poorer, more disenfranchised,  and more abused than African slaves in America?  They were sexually exploited by the masters:  African men were breeders, African women were sex slaves.  Yet what was their normal response to all of this sexual abuse?  Becoming pimps and prostitutes?  Not my mother. Not my grandmother or great grand mothers.  They raised children on their own; yet none did so by selling their bodies.

The truth about strippers, porn stars, and prostitutes, is that some do it for money and power. 

Some love the quick money, others loves having sexual power, pimps over women, prostitutes over men.  They love their sin.  Neither God nor we should make them victims.  Nor should we condemn them, because God loves them and gave Jesus to die for their sins.  But before they experience salvation, they must be convinced of their sin. 

They cannot be made victims. 
To do so is most unloving. 
We must tell the truth about strippers, porn stars, and prostitutes.
About men and women who commit sexual sin.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What you should EXPECT after THE SPIRIT FILLS YOU (Part 2)

Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.  Ephesians 5:19-20

When the Spirit fills you, the most probable manifestation is verbal expression. Not necessarily tongues, or prophecy, though in the Old Testament and New, when the Spirit came upon people, many prophesied.  I'll go so far as to say most.  Yet even in saying that, the word of God does not make it mandatory to prophecy or speak in tongues when you are filled with the Spirit, even if they were common biblical expressions of the Spirit's filling. 

When the Spirit first came upon me, I didn't spontaneously speak at all!  I felt the Spirit cover my body like a warm blanket of peace.  This happened after I said these words alone, in the dark, in my room:

"I believe Jesus Christ is the Son of God and that He died for my sins."

 

Yet I will say this:  When I preached the gospel to my graduating class I felt "the anointing of the Spirit."  Literally.  It felt like an invisible liquid poured on my physical head. 

I must note:

• I didn't ask for it.
• I wasn't excited.
• I spoke calmly.

But there was very real super natural power when I spoke!  A holy hush fell over the audience. Time seemed to stop, and I received a standing ovation after leading the audience in a prayer to receive Christ.  Now you could experience this anointing by asking!  And you could be excited and shout, if the Spirit led you to. 

 

The main thing is this:

When you are filled with the Spirit, however it is manifest, you will be a bold witness of the Lord Jesus.

 

Yet when the Spirit fills you, the common biblical manifestations are verbal expressions:

• speaking to one another
• with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit.
• always giving thanks to God the Father for everything,
• in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

I have personally experienced each of these things, as well as tongues and prophecy, which may also happen.  Being filled with the Spirit in these ways feels like your heart is filled with words that overflow for the glory of God!  Whether known or unknown languages, the words flow from your mouth, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, and for the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ! 

Yet it is also possible TO ACT from a heart filled with Spirit power!  As Jesus was driven into the wilderness by the Spirit, you may feel His power driving you to act.

Or you may feel the perfect stillness of perfect peace emanating from you, affecting the atmosphere around!

But mark the word of God, when the Spirit fills you, something that glorifies Jesus WILL HAPPEN!

(READ PART 3!  CLICK HERE!)





What you should EXPECT after THE SPIRIT FILLS YOU (Part 1)

"After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly." Acts 4:31  Emphasis mine

 

After the Spirit fills you,

expect boldness as a witness of the Lord Jesus,

however this manifests. 

 

Boldness feels like the confidence of being convincing when you tell others something you perfectly know from personal experience.  It is convincing compelling conviction; you can't help but to tell what you know.

THE SPIRIT WILL MAKE YOU CONVINCING

Jesus called the Holy Spirit "the Spirit of truth," who "guides you into all truth."  A witness MUST bear witness to the truth he has PERSONALLY experienced.  The Spirit convinces her that Jesus Christ is really alive IN HER.  Being divinely convinced, she is divinely convincing.

THE SPIRIT WILL MAKE YOU COMPELLING

You will get and keep attention when the Spirit fills you; you won't be obnoxious, but you won't be ignored.  Peter and the early church caught and kept the attention of 3000 people when the Spirit filled them.  You may not have an audience of 3000, but however many you have, when the Spirit fills you, it will be noticed!

THE SPIRIT WILL MAKE YOU CONVICTING

When Peter spoke by the Spirit's filling, 3000 were "cut to the heart."  After Spirit filled Stephen spoke, those who heard him were:

• furious
• gnashed their teeth
• covered their ears
• yelled at the top of their voices
• and rushed at him to stone him!

When you're Spirit filled, it may not be THAT dramatic!  (Or it very well may be, so be prepared for whatever the Spirit wants.)  But you can be sure that you will have conviction and be convicting.

Some Christians say you will, or MUST, speak in tongues, or prophecy!  Some may you must fall as dead and be "slain in the Spirit."  Maybe some think you will have supernatural strength, like Samson!  Or have powerful warrior passion like Gideon!

These things are possible. I'll even say some things are probable (in the next blog!)

But what is CERTAIN is this:

After the Spirit fills you,

expect boldness as a witness of the Lord Jesus,

however this manifests.  

 

(Read Part 2 to find out the most probable manifestation!)

(Click here!)

What you should EXPECT after THE SPIRIT FILLS YOU (Part 3)

So what SHOULD you expect after the Spirit fills you?
Or SHOULD YOU EXPECT ANYTHING?
Maybe you should focus on faith and not feeling...unless you listen to the Lord Jesus!

Because if you listen to and believe our Lord, you should expect POWER! 

As the Lord Jesus said in Acts 1:8:

"You will receive power when the Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses...to the ends of the earth."

You should  AT LEAST expect to feel like a powerful witness feels:

1. Convincing
2. Convicting
3. Compelling

The most effective witnesses on a witness stand don't just give information, they speak with passion!  They arouse emotion from the jury stand!

• Like Stephen!
• Like Peter!
• LIKE JESUS!

Ignore those who speak of "fact, faith, and feeling" in this neat theological order!
Is that how an effective witness approaches the witness stand?

Or does he have something he HAS to say, something he can't hold in!?

• She has  seen something with her own eyes that CHANGED HER LIFE FOREVER!
• He has heard something with his own ears!  He WILL NEVER BE THE SAME!
• Their spirits in them compel them!

So does the Spirit of Jesus in us who believe!

If you believe in the Lord Jesus,
you should expect the Spirit to fill you!

After the Spirit fills you,
you should expect power as a witness of Jesus!

Expect to be convincing, convicting, and compelling,
in word or action!

Biblically truthful information WITH PASSION!

Like Stephen.

Like Peter.

LIKE JESUS!

Your ONLY Hope In This World

God hears and answers your prayers.  This is your only hope in this world.  You and I know that we are not in control.  We know we are helpless.  At God's mercy.  Thankfully, He loves us.  If He didn't withhold His only Son, as the scriptures say, will He withhold from us anything truly good? 

Is anything or anyone better than His son?
Is there any promise better than the one already given?

God reminded me of this promise through my wife's dream of the cross.  God showed her this in answer to her prayer for hope beyond this world.  She saw that no matter what good or relief we experience here on earth, as Solomon says, we're still going to die.  So she wanted to see what heaven has in store.

But instead, God showed her the cross of Christ.  This is what we can see now.  This is all we can comprehend of God's deep love. And even this be don't understand.

Yet what I came to understand through my wife's dream, and through songs I listened to while driving, is that the cross is the hope we have in this world.  Because Jesus died, I can pray.  I can ask for help.  I can have God's listening ear.

What does it mean when we say "In Jesus' Name?"

When we pray, cast out demons, or heal the sick in the name of Jesus, it means we do these things in His authority, for His glory,  and according to His reputation. 

IT MEANS SUBMISSION TO JESUS' AUTHORITY

The Lord Jesus said all authority is given to Him in heaven and on earth.  When we act in His name, or according to His will, we are acting on the supreme right of God's Son to rule all things in our lives.  We can know that Jesus Himself will enforce our words and deeds if they are done in submission to Him.

IT MEANS SEEKING JESUS' GLORY

Who are we focused on when we pray?  Who do we want to get the credit when we heal?  What name makes demons afraid?  Only the name of Jesus.  We want all attention on Him.

IT MEANS HONORING JESUS' REPUTATION

When I was in college, an under classmen wanted to rent a car.  But he didn't have a credit card.  I did.  He wanted to borrow it.  I said, "Now when you use my credit card, remember that it's in my name.  Everything you do with this car will reflect on me.  So don't do anything with this rental car that I wouldn't do."  My reputation was on the line.  When we use Jesus' name, so is his.

• We who believe in Jesus have the honor of approaching God the Father in the name of His Son. 
• When we say, "In Jesus' name," we have authority at the throne of God; we seek the glory of His Son, and seek to honor His Son's reputation. 
•  This is what it means when we say, "In Jesus' Name."

What is the sinful nature? (And how do we overcome it?)

When Adam sinned, sin entered the world. Adam's sin brought death, so death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned.  Romans 5:12

I've noticed something.  With each of my seven children, especially when they were babies, when they are left to themselves they do the most self destructive things.  Sometimes with foolish stubborn defiance.  They need constant guidance, for the sake of saving their own little lives.

This is the sinful nature:  Independence.  Separation.  Death.

Adam and Eve separated themselves from God, changing their natures from God connected to God disconnected. Every human in them were born in this state of God disconnection.  This is the origin of sin. 

Good sins.
Bad sins.

Good sins are when we do good without God, giving ourselves the credit for inherent goodness, thinking that we're "good people," and that all people, deep inside, are really good.  Self-righteousness.  Doing good to look good, not because we really love God or people.

Bad sins are the obvious ones.  You know them.  I know them.

The sinful nature is God disconnection. 
How do we overcome it?
The answer is in the definition.

By birth we were born in a state of God disconnection.

By rebirth we are reborn in a state of God connection.

How are we reborn?

• We admit that we have lived independently from God, trusting ourselves instead of Him.
• We admit that because of this we are dead.  Zombies.  God's enemies.
• We accept that God gave us a way of being forgiven and born again:   Jesus died for us. Jesus rose for us.
• We stop ignoring God and living independently from Him.  And from now on we live in total dependence upon His Spirit, as it is written:

"Whoever abides in Him does not sin.  Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him." 
John 3:6

The sinful nature is God disconnection.

We overcome it by God reconnection:

• by faith in Jesus, being born again,
• and by living in dependence on His Spirit.