Category Archives: Seriously

Could You Help?

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We have been asked to have a weekend conference in Wood Leaf, North Carolina the weekend of March 8th, 2024. As we begin preparation, there is an area in which I would appreciate your help. 

I am both amazed and grieved at the host of powerful, negative influences that you, as conservative Christian families, are facing today. I would be VERY grateful and blessed if you would provide your feedback as to how you feel your children are faring against the onslaught. If you have benefited and been blessed by Seriously Dads, would you consider taking a few minutes to be a blessing to others by your feedback? I would be most grateful if you would. 

On the following questions, “10” is the best. If you want to break it out by child, that is fine. Frankly, if you would prefer a phone call, I’d love to talk with you, schedule permitting. Let me know your time zone and general windows of availability. Likely the following would be a good husband/wife discussion prior to your responding.

  • Do you believe your children are on track up to be strong, dynamic Christian adults living for the Lord and not for the world? 1-10 ______
    • If so, what do you attribute that to? ________________________
    • If not, what do you attribute that to? ________________________
    • Is your family consistently in the Word
    • As a family?  Yes.   No 
    • Individually?  Yes.   No
  • How would you rate the influence of your church on your children? 1 – 10 (10 positive)
  • How would you rate the influence of their church friends on them? 1 – 10
  • Estimate how many hours a day of media (movies, social, etc) they consume.  ____
  • Do your children read books such as Harry P? Yes?   No?
  • Do your children participate in organized sports? Yes?   No?
  • Anything else you would like to share on this topic that you feel is important?

May this be a good opportunity for evaluating how it’s going. Any changes you should make? Is this consistent with your goals? Do you have goals? 

We are grateful for you all. I tried to keep this brief, but if you want to give more detail, please do. Maybe share this email with your wife as well. Thank you for your feedback.

“Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord” (1 Corinthians 15:58).

Who Me?

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Have you noticed how easy we are on ourselves and blind to our faults, which we expertly justify and minimize? It is one thing to destroy our health, morals, or even our testimony for Christ, but as we impress on our children by our example, the world’s media and entertainment (i.e. our “liberty”), that is serious. Certainly, the Lord Jesus treats it seriously based on the consequences He says we deserve in that situation. 

“But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea” (Matthew 18:6).

The survival instinct under water is to try to get back to oxygen. In this case, as you descend deeper and deeper, your head is down due to the weight tied to your neck. You can’t turn to swim up, even if you could overcome the weight. It’s impossible. You are totally helpless. Every effort to get free only uses precious air while you continue the rocket-like descent. Your lungs in agony “scream” for air and feel like they will burst as you eventually lose consciousness. 

The One Who died for us gave this example to vividly demonstrate His love for the young and innocent and how serious He is about not causing them to stumble in their faith. My heart breaks for innocent children who are “taught” by dad’s example to love the world through his media and entertainment.  

“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. 2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God” (Romans 12:1-2).

Wanted

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There is a giant LED billboard in our area that will occasionally display a huge “WANTED” at the top with the name and photo of someone who has committed or suspected of a crime and for whom the authorities are looking. Think of how troubling it would be to see your name and photo appear there. 

Similarly, those who are Christ’s and living for Him are “WANTED” by Satan and his demons to seek, devour, and destroy. However, we don’t have the “benefit” of the billboard-sized reminder that we are WANTED and being targeted by Satan. Scripture, however, should be our reminder! 

“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8). I observe many believers who seem to live without a hint of caution concerning being ensnared or devoured by Satan. Is it their pride that gives them a false sense of security so they live carelessly thinking they and their children are untouchable by the enemy?

Yet, all of a sudden, they wake up to a bad dream. Life is shipwrecking and everything they held as precious, including their children, are going down with the ship. 

“Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world” (1 Peter 5:8-10).

Are you alert, or sleeping? “Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.” (Ephesians 5:14-16). 

More of What?

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I wonder if this might be called the super-size age. “Up size mine, please.” More and bigger is the cry. Does man’s fleshly appetite know any limits? Our appetites are given to us by our wonderful, loving, all-knowing, all-good God. They are good when seeking the right things under the control of His Spirit. What do your appetites seek?

“Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things” (Philippians 3:19). “Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof” (Romans 6:12).

Or

“As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God. My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God” (Psalms 42:1-2)?

“For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace” (Romans 8:5-6). “For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live” (Romans 8:13). May we feed the spirit and starve the flesh. “But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof” (Romans 13:14).

Humbling

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I consider myself quite active in sharing Christ. I have a long list of people I pray for almost daily. I actively seek to engage neighbors with a desire to get to talk about spiritual things. When I am in stores or pumping gas, I try to strike up conversations with that same goal. I’m motivated by my love for the Lord Jesus and for others. However, there is something that I’m very reserved to do and that is to hand out tracts.

We have known a missionary couple, serving with their large family in Africa, for almost twenty years, and we observe their lives. They are the most active soul winners I know whether stateside or in their country of ministry. They recently came back to the US for a son’s wedding. They were engaging people in spiritual discussions or handing out tracts at every opportunity. It’s who they are. I love that about them. 

I have really good “reasons” why I don’t hand out tracts (at least I have convinced myself for the almost 50 years I have been saved that they are good reasons). So I asked their thoughts on my “reasons.” They gently reminded me of the power of the Word and prayer (Ugh, where’s my faith?).

What if over those 50 years, I gave out 100 tracts/year? That is only 2 tracts a week. That is nothing, agreed? Out of 5,000 tracts, what if 10 people were saved? Would that be worth it? What if only 5 were saved? Now what if only 1 single person was saved from eternity in hell? Of course that answer is YES!

“For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12).

Frankly, I have come to believe my “good reasons” stem from my pride and a lack of trust in the power of prayer and God’s Word. 

My brothers, I’m publicly repenting. 

What Do We Love?

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My heart deeply grieves for the dire need for us to be men of God, serious about living for Him Who died for us. Our Savior humbled Himself by leaving the glory of Heaven to come to this world to redeem for Himself a peculiar people. Are we living for Christ or the “gods” of this world? 

I believe we are living in the midst of a modern-day example of the Corinthian church. Paul’s admonition to them is highly appropriate for “us” today. 

“Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?  And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty” (2 Corinthians 6:14-18).

Brothers, do you love what unbelievers around you love? Are you spending your time on those things? Your children will love those things also. 

Ouch

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If you or someone you know has peripheral neuropathy you will have a practical understanding of how important it is for feet to communicate injuries (for example) back to the brain. A person with neuropathy might step on a nail and not even know it needs to be treated to prevent infection. If left untreated, serious infection sets in, and the danger of foot amputation is real. 

The body gives us a good example of how important communication is in life. Communication is the lifeblood of relationships. No communication, no relationship, and poor communication yields a poor relationship with the potential of severance. How many divorces might not have happened if communication had been diligently worked on?

Teri and I have been married 49 years. We know each other quite well, and you might  expect that by now communication is easy, having had so much time to “practice.” Yet, we are often amazed how we can still sometimes misunderstand each other. It continues to take effort to communicate well, but it is worth it. Oh my brothers, we communicate with those we value.

Communication takes your time and energy. Get rid of distractions, and make dedicated time with your wife a priority so you can talk. 

“Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it” (Ephesians 5:25). I have never had a husband tell me he regretted time spent nurturing communication with his wife. Love her by well by communicating with her. 

No Rx Required

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Ahhh, so pleasurable! It is not an opioid but just as addicting and how painful the with-drawl will be. Most are introduced to it as children, and by adolescence they are hooked. It does not have a stigma in our “circles” because it isn’t considered by most to be sinful. Since it isn’t seen as sinful, the appeal is irresistible. So what could be possibly wrong with it? 

Could it be the reason why the American church has not been about the Lord’s business, why many fathers shrink from their responsibility to disciple their children, why children have no interest in being discipled? Based on my observation, it appears to be the “free pass” to do anything that is not overtly sinful. It keeps God’s children from being busy with their hand to the plow, from redeeming their time wisely in serving Christ. Might it be Satan’s most clever deception yet? 

“And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment; That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ; Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God” (Philippians 1:9-11).

Oh my Brothers, even if FUN is neutral and not sinful, it is not excellent and will not bear fruit to God’s glory.

Great Advice to Heed

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“Thank you for recognizing the weakness of all of us men. I can’t help but think of Sampson. In one way, I cannot be compared with Sampson. I don’t have the physical strength. But, in another way, I can be compared with him. I am a man. Sampson had the Spirit of God when it came to his physical strength. But–his appetite was not controlled by the Spirit of God. And, how sad that he came to understand his spiritual blindness through his physical blindness.

Ironically I have been meditating on Titus 2 this past week. It has struck me like a load of bricks how the Grace of God is teaching me to DENY. I must say “NO. NO, NO” to my flesh the world and the devil. It is not Christian liberty to say yes. Jesus said no about the “harmless” temptation of turning stones into bread. I must not try to excuse anything as “harmless”. I must live by every Word that proceeds out of the mouth of God. I think that Christians are always in danger of allowing themselves to be governed by what falls into a category called “harmless” instead of what is pleasing to the Father. May the Grace of God continue to sanctify me. Thank you for your ministry.” Aaron 

“As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy” 1 Peter 1:14-16

I Can Handle It

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I think most realize that with the convenience of the smartphone comes lots of curses. I’ve known many who have admirably said they won’t have one. We use Accountable2You on my technology because the flesh is the flesh. Mine is as rotten as yours.

The weather program I used for years began having ads on it. At first, the ads didn’t bother me, but when they began including sensuous women’s clothing ads, that was unacceptable. I clicked “feedback” and selected “inappropriate,” which closed the ad. However, soon it was back. 

Even though I really liked that weather app, I decided I won’t compromise. I don’t want women’s flesh staring me in the face every time I check the weather. Even if many (most?) Christians would deem those ads not sinful, it’s small compromises that lead to darkness. Therefore, I deleted that weather app, and I’m getting used to another without ads. For similar reasons, we don’t have a TV or watch movies. 

My brothers, only a fool trusts himself. “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it”(Jeremiah 17:9)? That is why we are told to run from our lusts, not control them. “Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart” (2 Timothy 2:22).