Do Something of Real Value today?

Has it ever entered your mind that you could give God pleasure? Think about it. The righteous and holy Almighty God, Who owns everything and has need of nothing, receives pleasure when His children worship Him. God created man to give Him the glory, honor, praise, and worship that is due Him.1  “Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created” (Revelation 4:11). Would you meditate on that verse for awhile?

Does knowing that you can give God pleasure motivate you to do it? It sure does me because I love Him and want to please Him. 

To many, worship is something they do at church, but worship is much more than that. Consider how you might live out this verse. “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service” (Romans 12:1).  

Steve

1 However, that wasn’t possible after man sinned in the Garden and that is why only saved, regenerated man can worship God in spirit and truth. “So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God” (Romans 8:8). Hence the theme of the beginning of this Seriously series last week was: you must be saved to worship God.

Beginning With The Beginning

Are you a spiritual brood-parasite? There are a few types of birds, (I.E. cuckoos and cowbirds) where the mother lays her egg in another type of bird’s nest. The other, unsuspecting mother bird then hatches and feeds the imposter hatchling, thinking the imposter is her own offspring. 

 Churches seem to have a similar problem. Each week, professing Christians (spiritual brood parasites) who are not saved go to church “worshipping” and “fellowshipping” outwardly. They then go home feeling like they are part of the family of God, but in actuality, they are a bird of a different feather. That imposter cannot please God in anyway. “So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God” (Romans 8:8). 

Jesus said you must be born again (John 3:7). Friends, that new birth is real and imparts a new nature. Our old nature is hell bound, but the new nature, is heaven-bound. The lost person cannot worship God as he is under the wrath of God. “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him” (John 3:36). If you aren’t saved and want to be, or not sure if you are saved and tired of pretending, reply to this email with “let’s talk” in the Subject Line. 

The saved person can worship God. The question is, will we? (To be continued.)

Proving Opportunities

We are approaching a day at the end of the month that Christians are quite divided on. Some say it is simple, harmless fun for children. Others say it is evil, and every aspect related to it should be abhorred. 

Where do you stand, and what do you base your position on? Maybe it was how you were raised, or it is simply your opinion because you feel that way. As believers, purchased by the blood of Jesus Christ, we should have a Scriptural basis for everything we do. 

“And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him” (Colossians 3:17). Doing in the name of the Lord Jesus means we only do things consistent with God’s Word. 

It is easy to mindlessly do things that others do without questioning. In this case, we should, however, ask ourselves: Is the name of Jesus being exalted or debased in having ANYTHING to do with “participating” in that holiday? “Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. Abstain from all appearance of evil” (1 Thessalonians 5:21,22). “The fear of the LORD is to hate evil…” (Proverbs 8:13). 

My Brothers, we have proving “opportunities” that reveal our love for our Savior, all day, every day.

Your Input Needed

I would appreciate your thoughts on the topic of worship.

Mankind has been made with an innate need/desire to worship. What do you see people  worshipping today? How would you define worship?

I’ll read all of your responses when you reply to this email.  

“But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.” (Daniel 3:18)

Family Time Doesn’t Just Happen

Recently a mom asked this question for a Mom’s Corner topic:

One other area I want to improve is our family time together. Our children are growing up so fast. We often are busy doing our own things at home. We homeschool our three youngest children. Our oldest is taking classes at a nearby Christian college, but he lives at home. We want to make sure we are living in such a way that we are making time for each other and that we have our children’s hearts. We so admire reading your blog and seeing how your family gathers together for special occasions or ordinary time that is also special. I know those times don’t happen without planning. I would be grateful if you would write about how others could cultivate those times in our families. I was better at planning fun things when our boys were little, but I find it harder to do now that they are older. Our sons are 18, 15, 13, and 9 years old.

A Planned Evening

For our family, scheduled dinner time with clean up and family Bible time right after it was key to having consistent family time. We picked a dinner time that fit best with the whole family. Sometimes we would float it earlier or later if that would accommodate someone for one particular evening, but generally it was a stable time, and everyone showed up for dinner at the right time.

Our evening meal together allowed the family to debrief about their day. There was always lively conversation around our dinner table that everyone enjoyed and participated in. When someone wasn’t there for that meal for one reason or another, they were disappointed to miss the family news that was shared and the discussions that had gone on.

In the process of these discussions, there were opportunities to discuss God’s truth and how it applied to what we had observed during the day, what we had experienced, or what we were dealing with. “My son, attend unto my wisdom, and bow thine ear to my understanding: That thou mayest regard discretion, and that thy lips may keep knowledge (Proverbs 5:1-2). 

Even now, with three grown daughters having busy schedules, we still value our family dinners and plan a time for dinner that will work for all of us on the evenings we have activities.

Clean Up and Bible Time Together

Working together on dinner clean up made it go faster and continued our family time. 

When clean up was finished, we transitioned to family Bible time. Family Bible time was a habit that we prioritized for every night. Often as we gathered in the living room our family talk was still going on and would continue for a while before we moved into reading the Word. 

What better way to grow together as a family than around God’s Word as we read it, discussed it, and sought to nurture our walks with Jesus. “And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord” (Ephesians 6:4). 

Working Together Is Better Than Fun

A few years into our parenting, Steve and I became disillusioned with fun being a good basis for growing family relationships. Experientially we observed activities that had no benefit besides fun generating selfishness, greediness, and laziness in our children. So we transitioned to focusing more on quality talking time, working, and serving together. In the midst of those projects we did as a family, there was lots of laughter and enjoyment, plus the accomplishment of a productive goal.

Parent/Child Times

When the girls were in their teens, I planned regular time (usually once a month) to take a daughter with me on errands and out for dinner. 

For many years, once a month Steve and the boys went to an inner-city mission to minister to the men. The girls and I made and individually wrapped chocolate chip cookies for them to bring. Steve would often take a child with him on errands. It was a great dad-son or dad-daughter time. There are many special family memories tied up with these activities.

Family Walks

With communication key in family relationships, we regularly took family walks in the evening or on the weekend (And still do but not nearly as often, and it can be a much bigger group!). During those walks, we had the family gathered together doing one focused thing, we were talking with each other, and we got some exercise in the process.

Often we saw neighbors when we walked so we could stop to visit for a bit and develop those relationships as well.

Extended Family

We have five married sons and 17 grandchildren, along with my mom, who all live less than an hour from us. On holidays, we generally have a special meal here with whoever can and wants to come. Also, on Sundays, after church, those who are available are welcome to come over for lunch. Some Sundays we have a big group, sometimes fewer or even just one other family, and occasionally, it is just us. Each of those Sunday groupings has its own benefits and joys. And both of those traditions we’ve had for many years, even when only one or two sons were married, and we’ve continued that on. There is no pressure to come, but they know they’re welcome, and we think that has fostered family relationships.

Prioritize Family Time

I doubt you will regret prioritizing family time and protecting it. When that time is built around the Word, you not only develop family relationships but also help your children to grow spiritually. When family time involves working and serving together, you have the added benefit of showing your children the joys of giving rather than taking. Strong families come from purposeful parenting. 

Posted in: Mom's Corner