Tag: fathers
Lord, give us more ‘fathers’!
Scripture reading for August 4th: 1st Corinthians 4, Psalm 5, Proverbs 31
1st Corinthians 4: 9-15 “For I think that God has exhibited us apostles as last of all, like men sentenced to death, because we have become a spectacle to the world, to angels, and to men. We are fools for Christ’s sake, but you are wise in Christ. We are weak, but you are strong. You are held in honor, but we in disrepute. To the present hour we hunger and thirst, we are poorly dressed and buffeted and homeless, and we labor, working with our own hands. When reviled, we bless; when persecuted, we endure; when slandered, we entreat. We have become, and are still, like the scum of the world, the refuse of all things. I do not write these things to make you ashamed, but to admonish you as my beloved children. For though you have countless guides in Christ, you do not have many fathers. For I became your father in Christ Jesus through the Gospel.”
Paul was explaining how God used him in sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ. To the world, he appeared as a fool and a man of weakness and someone to revile. He had no permanent home, and was destitute of worldly goods. He was slandered and spoken of as evil, even as one sentenced to death. He was sometimes without food and poorly dressed and was treated as the scum of the earth by those in the world. But Christ in him gave him power to bless those who reviled him and to endure the persecution and ill treatment and hardships and sorrows. His encouragement was those who received the message of Christ Jesus and became children of God. He became their ‘father’ through the Gospel. The new ‘household’ of God was clothed in the scarlet of Christ’s blood and had a secure position in God’s eternal family! Amen!
Psalm 5:5-6 “The boastful shall not stand before your eyes; you hate all evildoers. You destroy those who speak lies; the Lord abhors the bloodthirsty and deceitful man.”
Prayer: Father God, Your heart of love and mature witness expressed in the life of the apostles and in Paul’s life convicts me and inspires me. I long to see more lost people come into Your eternal family and be clothed in the scarlet of Christ’s sacrifice and then the white robes of His righteousness. I pray for more fathers in the faith to be raised up who will fully give their lives to increase Your family and glory!
Proverbs 31:20-21 “She (the excellent wife) opens her hand to the poor and reaches out her hands to the needy. She is not afraid of snow for her household, for all her household are clothed in scarlet.”
Pastoring the flock!
Scripture reading for October 20th: 1st Timothy 5:1-25
Pastoral ministry involves working with people. A young pastor has to be taught how to properly work with all the different age groups in the church as well as the maturity levels of the believers. When a preacher is young, older people have a tendency to look down on them. Proper manners were needed for order and godliness.
“Do not rebuke an older man harshly, but exhort him as if he were your father. Treat younger men as brothers, older women as mothers, and younger women as sisters, with absolute purity.” (1st Timothy 5:1-2) A rebuke is a correction of behavior given verbally. Paul taught Timothy to treat the older men as if they were his father. He still was required to correct them, but the manner was important to unity. Younger men were to be treated as brothers, and this respect would bring about cooperative behavior. The same applied to the women with older ones being treated like a mother and younger like sisters. There must be absolute sexual purity, however. Paul understood the temptations that would come naturally to a young man and young women interacting together! This is needed today as well!
Widows were also to be cared for properly. The church has a responsibility to help these women, especially if they have been godly women and are left alone through the death of a husband. Family members were to be taught to take care of their widows in their own immediate family if possible. “If anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for his immediate family, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.” (1st Timothy 5:8, 16) Widows over sixty who had been faithful to their husbands and known for good deeds were to be cared for.
Elders who directed the affairs of the church were also to be financially compensated. Paul taught Timothy that he could expect to be compensated for preaching and teaching God’s word. (1st Timothy 5:17-18) But elders must also be held accountable for their actions. If they needed to be corrected, accusations must be brought by two or three witnesses. If true, the elder was to be rebuked publicly so all would be warned. (1st Timothy 5:19-20) Good pastors would keep these instructions without partiality! What a privilege to lead God’s people!
Prepared for battle!
Scripture reading for September 28th: Ephesians 6:1-24
Paul gives some more practical instruction and pastoral counsel on how to live in the fullness of the Holy Spirit and imitate Christ. He encourages children to obey their parents, citing the fifth commandment. He counters that with a word to fathers: “Do not exasperate your children, instead bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.” (Ephesians 6:1-4) Paul understood fathers tendency to over-react or come down hard on children who were disobedient. Fathers should spend adequate time in instruction and explanation of the truths of God’s word.
Slaves and masters are also addressed. Each one was to remember that God was their true Master and that they were working for Him. Proper attitudes and treatment of employees and their bosses in the workplace was a spiritual and moral requirement for Christians. Being a true Christian affected home life and business.
“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.” (Ephesians 6:10-13)
The real battle was not with people, either in the home or the workplace. The real battle was spiritual and the enemy was spiritual. The forces arrayed against the Christian were demonic and evil spirits who sought to scheme against Christians and get them to abandon their faith. This battle requires God’s power and armor, used each day in the battle to stand our ground and take new ground! We must put this armor on and stand.
In reality, each piece of armor listed by Paul speaks of Jesus Christ. He is the author and finisher of our faith. Jesus is the truth. Jesus Christ is the central message of the Gospel of peace. Jesus is our righteousness and our salvation. He is the sword of the word of God in human flesh! When we are ‘in Christ’, we are ready to stand in the daily battle! We are more than conquerors!