Redemption and Reconciliation

Men and Brothers,

The end of the year has come and gone. I find myself busier than I want to be--as usual. Duty at home, church, and work have kept my schedule very full. I am grateful though for my family, being an elder, and certainly for God's providence in my job. My heart is devoted to God, family, and church--first and foremost. I pray that you have found the peace of Christ in the end of last year and the beginning of this year. I also pray that our Lord God would transform our lives in a very real and powerful way this year. That we might be deemed true disciples of Christ by all who know us--believer and unbeliever alike! I pray for power for us men to be submitted to the lordship of Christ and to one another in God's gracious love. I also pray for diligence in serving all of you in godliness and humility. Encouraging and challenging you with the truths of the Gospel and God's Word! In the name of Jesus!

Today, I was very encouraged by the message at our Sunday morning service that was delivered by my brother elder Ed. He shared a poem that really blessed me and I want to share it with all of you. Please take the time to read and reflect the following:

The Awakened Sinner

O my forgetful soul,

Awake from thy wandering dream;

     turn form chasing vanities,

     look inward, forward, upward,

     view thyself,

     reflect upon thyself,

          who and what thou art, why here,

          what thou must soon be.

Thou art a creature of God,

     formed an furnished by Him,

     lodged in a body like a shepherd in his tent;

     Dost thou not desire to know God's ways?

O God,

Thou injure, neglected, provoked Benefactor

  when I think upon thy greatness and thy goodness

     I am ashamed at my insensibility,

     I blush to lift up my face,

     for I have foolishly erred.

Shall I go on neglecting Thee,

  when everyone of Thy rational creatures should love Thee,

  and take every care to please Thee?

I confess that thou hast not been in all my thoughts,

     that the knowledge of Thyself as the end of my being has been strangely overlooked,

     that I have never seriously considered my heart-need.

But although my mind is perplexed and divided, my nature perverse,

     yet my secret dispositions still desire thee.

Let me not delay to come to Thee;

Break the fatal enchantment that bins my evil affections,

     an bring me to a happy mind that rests in Thee,

     for Thou hast made me an canst not forget me.

Let Thy Spirit teach me the vital lessons of Christ,

     for I am slow to learn;

An hear Thou my broken cries.

--my brothers, may we be aware of our condition an ever dependent upon grace and mercy of our most merciful Father in heaven. Reflect, ponder, cogitate even, on the Ways of The Lord God almighty. For in His Ways are joy, peace, and salvation. Be resolved to be completely surrendered to Jesus Christ, our Lord and our God. 

To God Alone be the Glory!

INDNJC,

sam 

The Man of God

Men and brothers,

     A quote from brother Norman Wakefield:

"God's evaluation of a church isn't based on what happens on Sunday mornings, but what happens in the homes throughout the week. As the men go, so go the families. As the families go, so goes the church. Men who have a vision for how they can express the heart of God as a Father to their wives and children are men who make the pastor's gospel preaching powerful and relevant and have the privilege of preparing the next generation for a relationship with God through Jesus Christ." 

Enough said my brothers! We need God to give us this vision! Stand firm, stand strong, all for Christ. To God be the Glory!

INDNJC,

sam

How Saved are We?

Men and Brothers,

I thought this excerpt would be a good challenge to our thinking. Read and be blessed and challenged! Love y'all,

An excerpt from "How Saved Are We?" by Michael L. Brown:

"The American Church at the end of the twentieth century is experiencing a crisis. For years we have preached a cheap gospel and peddled a soft Savior. We have taught salvation without self-denial and the crown without the cross. We have catered to the unsaved and compromised with the world. Now we are paying the price.

Our "instant salvation" message has dishonored God and deluded men. Our faulty seeds have produced a flaky harvest. What a pitiful crop we are reaping!

     As American "believers" we:

     - spend hours watching television but minutes watching in prayer;

     - are hungry for the sports page but have little taste for the Word;

     - spend more money on pet food than on foreign missions; 

     - love to feast but hate to fast;

     - welcome God's blessings but are wary of His burdens.

Is this what Jesus died for? Is this our "new life" in Him?

Stop for a moment and think:

     Anyone who spends more time playing video games than seeking God in prayer has no right to call Jesus Lord.

     Anyone who takes delight in today's perverted TV shows is serving another god. 

     Anyone who cannot die to sports for a season is worshiping idols.

Scripture says: "If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in Him..." (1John 2:15)

                        "...because friendship with the world is hatred toward God" (James 4:4)

In reality, whose friends are we?"

Certainly something to think about my brothers. May God grant us grace and strength to be sold out to Him and His will.

To God be the Glory,

Papa Sam 

The Paradox of Choice

Men and Brothers,

I wanted to share an excerpt from a book "Costly Grace" by Jon Walker. I pray you are encouraged and challenged.

"And His commands are not burdensome...." --1John 5:3

  ---As we follow Jesus down the hard path through the narrow gate into the kingdom of heaven, we find He consistently moves us toward a choice--and then He demands we make a choice.Will you follow Him into the kingdom of heaven, or will you remain a citizen of this world?

     You can remain in the kingdom of this world, but then you are not His disciple. Dietrich Bonhoeffer says, "It is the paradox of choice. When we live as a citizen of this world we seek easy choices that lead to an easy life. However, when Jesus brings us to a choice, the choice its self is easy, it is our decision that is hard because to follow Jesus means to abandon the life of apparent convenience."

     Bonhoeffer says the commands of Jesus free us from the chains of our own religious traditions. By submitting to Jesus wholeheartedly, we are free to be who we were created to be as we enjoy fellowship with Jesus.

     Jesus is not arbitrary or naive in His rule. He knows the realities of this life, but He also knows the realities of eternity. His eye is on the endgame. He knows there will be a judgement for those outside His grace, and so He approaches the world with a different point of view. Even on the cross, His prayer was for forgiveness and not for vengeance, and that is a perspective we must learn as we move from thinking like fallen beings to thinking like citizens in the kingdom of heaven.

     We may not understand all Jesus does, and that scares us, but that is also where faith emerges. It is at this critical junction between fear and faith that we can see the cost of discipleship clearly--and so Jesus pushes us constantly to this place of choice, where we follow in faith or pull back in fear.

     Think about your choices. What do they say about your relationship with Jesus?---

I pray these thoughts blessed you and gave you some real meat to chew on. There is no sense in us wasting our time pretending to love God. He will not be mocked. Chose to walk in God's ways today and every day. Rise up O' man of God! I love you and I'm praying for you.

 

To God be the Glory!

papa sam

Men and brothers, Starting in 2008 I created a blog and started sharing my heart and life with other brothers in Christ. My hope was to encourage and challenge us as godly men to be just that: godly men. As the Lord would share things in His Word with me through study, meditation, and prayer I would in turn write this in my blog for the benefit of the Church--at least the men of the Church. I recently have felt a pulling to share again via my blog and pray God would use it for His glory and our growth. I'd also like to repost some of my old blogs as well. I also made it a habit to sign them "Papa Sam" so everyone would know it was me and not Sammy! These blog post will come thru email but you can also go to the blog site to read(and leave comments-Please!!) and subscribe if you'd like. Again, I hope this is a blessing to all who read. To God be the Glory! Papa Sam

Radical Abandonment

Men and brethren,
Greetings in Jesus name! Something to consider for today and to encourage those in your influence to think on as well! We need a great awakening in American Christendom today!

Radical Abandonment: commanded by Christ!
"Any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple."

What? Give up everything you have, carry a cross--daily, and hate or despise your own family? This sounds a whole lot different than--"Admit, Believe, Confess, and pray this prayer after me."

What has become of biblical Christianity? What have we abandoned for Christ really?

"Follow Me"--contained radical implications in the lives of the disciples. Jesus was calling them to abandon their comforts, all that was familiar to them and natural for them. He makes the same call for all that follow Him--even today, here in this land of convenience and prosperity! This must be how we come to Jesus and also how we must follow after Him. Grace is a free gift, but it comes at a big price! Jesus was willing to pay the price for us! Are we willing to pay the price for being His true disciple? Well?

To God be the Glory!
s. everett


- Posted using BlogPress from s. everett's iPhone

Is it humanism?

Beloved, are you saved? Yes! Of course you say! But are you sure? I'm not speaking of "assurance"of salvation in Christ. I'm asking if "you" are assured that you have come to Christ with the right intentions! Did you come to Christ because you truly understand the enormity of your sins before a holy God or did you just feel guilty and don't want to go to "hell" in the end? The first is contrition, the second is humanism! One is about the glorious righteousness of God and the other is about saving yourself! Think about it for a while! God's worth it! The end of all being is the glory of God not the happiness of man!


- Posted using BlogPress from s. everett's iPhone

The Bride

Men and brothers,
Greetings to you all in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ! May He fill your hearts with joy unspeakable!
Today I was thinking about my bride and all that she is to me! Normally I post blogs on family and the man's role as a father and don't usually take time to consider--in writing--my second half! She is half of me by the way and I most assuredly am incomplete with out her! So, today I would like to dedicate this blog to my beautiful bride Angie!
Brothers, have you considered your bride today? How often do you remind yourself that the two of you are "one flesh" and that you are to be "as a loving savior" to her? When was the last time you washed her in the Word or prayed a blessing over her? Do you deal with her " according to knowledge" as instructed by the Word? How often do you praise her for giving her life to her children and the keeping of your home? The Bible informs us that they are the weaker vessel and need special consideration. How often do we give it to them?
Do you realize how important it is for us to encourage our brides? Men they need our love! They need us to remember to put our love to "work" in a real way. A way that says you are so grateful to God for giving you a helpmeet.
Also, maybe your thinking that your bride doesn't really live up to all the right godly attributes and it would be hard to be so loving! Well, your right it will be hard. Because you'll need to really look hard at yourself and the fruit of your life in order to make her a godly wife! That's right, you start being a loving savior to your wife and dying to yourself and she will have no problem treating you like a king!
Finally, I covet your prayers in this area for my life! Please pray for me--my bride really needs you to! I have often failed in this matter in the past but desperately want to succeed! You see, our relationships with our brides are a living witness and testimony of Christ's relationship with His bride--the Church! So when I fail here, I fail to be a good witness for Christ! Let's consider today how we can be a wonderful savior to our brides no matter what the circumstances, cause Christ is wonderful to us regardless of our circumstances! "Oh , to be like Thee!"

To God be the Glory!
PapaSam

- Posted from SE's iPhone

The Father's Goal

Men and brothers,
I would like to ask a question. What are our goals as fathers and leaders of our homes? I am going to share something I read with you. I hope to encourage and challenge you to take a hard look at yourself and the goals you have for your family!

"Today’s fathers are desperately trying to meet all the demands of their jobs and take care of many other obligations and pressures. Yet, while they are busy with their work, a disaster is taking place. Bright sons and daughters who have great potential to be used by God are being drawn into the traps of the world—trends of wrong music, wrong friends, wrong goals, and wrong decisions. Wives and mothers are frustrated with lack of purpose in their families and disillusioned by continual disappointments."

This clip really sobered me up! I started to look at my life from a different angle/perspective. Do I do these things? That was my first question! Am I so busy trying to stay on "top" of everything that the "bottom" is falling out? Oh sure, I can say that I do all this for my family and their well being--but what is really going to give them a "well-being"?
What really is our main goal? Do we have an eternal vision for our sons and daughters? Are we working diligently at being a loving savior to our wives? What is the fruit of our lives?
Think about this:
I want my children to be mighty for God but do I take the responsibility to personally train and disciple them in the Word? Or I am hoping Sunday school and youth group did a good enough job--even though scripture repeatedly tells me it's my job!

There is only one way we can be sure they will love God: to give our lives to the task of biblical training--of them and ourselves. To utterly exhaust ourselves in effort to love and disciple them. To place our focus completely on our families and not our hobbies, sports, television, etc.
Brothers let's let God know we care enough about His ways and love to submitt our whole lives to bringing up the next generation of godly soldiers--by the way, scripture instructs us men to do this even as grandfathers. Men, let's look at our lives and repent and change in the areas we need to and get on task for the sake of the Church and our families! To God be all the Glory!

PapaSam
- Posted from SE's iPhone

The Church Today? Where are we?

Men and brethren,
Greetings in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ! Forgive my absence on the blog scene! I wanted to wish all of you peace and love in Christ Jesus. I also wanted to share something with you from the mission field. Please take time to read it and consider what this brother is saying and let it challenge and charge our hearts for the Kingdom of Christ! To all who may read this: please print this out for the men in your family or have them come over to the screen and read this blog post. I would be grateful and the Church needs us men to read it and "Rise Up O' Men of God!" Lord bless you and keep you all. Article follows...

Sam

I just got back from China after 2 weeks working with the underground House Churches. It was so powerful and life changing for them and for me. When I listened to their testimonies and the things they have been through I spent many days crying tears of joy, sorrow and love for them. Simple Christianity is so different from what we think is Christianity,...

I went to teach them but I learned more from them than I taught. We have to stop treating Christ and Christianity like a game or a nice hobby. An add on to our lives, and we need to start being sold out! Not sold out to a system of worship, theology or our favorite distinctive or version of the Bible or organization but sold out to Christ. We have missed the boat in America (probably for the last 50years, maybe longer). We must stop playing games and die to ourselves and live for, to, and like Christ. These were the most genuine, loving and courageous Christians, I have ever been around.

When I asked the leaders what their churches needed most they said "more love." I was shocked to hear this,.. When I asked them how they could get more love they said they needed "to suffer more" that would cause their love to grow. This was not spoken flippantly or intellectually but with great sincerity by men who had spent 2, 5, and 8 years in prison for their faith. One had had two family members tortured to death by the authorities in prison. I felt like the puniest and weakest pretend, Christian on the earth, when I stood next to these people. One of the women had also been imprisoned and tortured in North Korea for taking the gospel to Korea from China.

I was left with this strong and powerful conclusion,... We must take Christ seriously and stop playing religious games! If Christ in us “ is the hope of glory” then Christ shinning out of us is the only proof of faith. It is not what we know, think or say that matters, it is what we live,… They said they learned a lot from me but I learned even more from these peasant farmers, who work two jobs to support their families and still minister every day and in some cases lead six or seven house churches with 150 believers under them. These men and women who are not afraid to die or be imprisoned for Christ. They consider suffering for Christ the most beautiful evidence of their faith.

Living the life of Christ is only words to us but it is who and what they are! Die to self and live, only for Christ! They also asked us to pray for them and for me to come back soon.

God keeps showing me over and over that we have to get back to the basics of a pure and simple faith. Of living the life of Christ no matter what the cost!

In Christ service, Carl

To God be the Glory!
Papa Sam

Hi honey

I hacked your blog as I sit here bored.

I love you
Your wife
Angie


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Feeding Time!

Men and brothers,
Greetings in the name of our Lord Christ Jesus. I pray that all is well with you all and that you are drawing closer to God each day.
I am sorry it has been a while since I last posted anything. Time is of the essence, as many of you know, and I have not had enough time to do all that needs to be done or all I want to get done!
I wanted to ask about your feeding time? Do you have regular times of feeding? Do you ever go without feeding yourself? I ask because the Lord has dealt with me in this area and I feel led to share it with you men.
I have a condition where if I don't eat regularly I will get sick. I get really bad headaches and become very irritable. My blood sugar gets to a very low level and if I eat sugar or sweets my body rejects it--or doesn't know what to do with it. This means I must eat about every 4 hours or less. I also take supplements. This, at times, is very inconvient. It becomes very frustrating. Well, recently I heard a Brother teaching on nourishing your soul. Towards the end of his teaching he made a statement about feeding our bodies but hardly evering feeding our souls. He stated that if we feed our souls as many times as we do our bodies think of the blessing. Wow, this really struck home for me. I started to think about putting this into practice and realized how much I would be reading God's living Word. Think about it for just a second! The Word of God would be such an intricate part of our lives. We might just be transformed and renewed by it. (Rms. 12:2). We might have "real" wisdom to make choices that aren't selfish but that actually glorify God all the time. We might have a "real" answer for the hope that lies within us. Or maybe, just maybe we will be able to have "real" victory over strongholds and lust!

What do you say brothers? Are you up for a challenge? I challenge us all to feed our souls with God's Word everytime we feed our bodies and let's just see what "will" happen. Maybe our hearts and families will be revivied for the Kingdom of God and Christ's Gospel. Happy feeding! Be blessed, be strong!

To God be the Glory,
Papa Sam
1 Corinthians 16:13-14


- Posted using BlogPress from Sam's iPhone

Hey Man! Where is your Heart?

Men and Brothers,
Greetings to all in Christ Jesus. I pray that peace is with you. Not
the peace of this world but the peace of our Father in Heaven, which
passes all our understanding--Amen! This week is pretty much the same
as most: work, church, family time (devotions), etc.

Well, time to get on with it! I was pondering again, for the hundredth time,
the affections of my heart. Where do they lie? What has a hold on it?
Is it God and His Word? Is it my wife And children? What? Where? Who?
And you? Are your affections set on things above?
(Col. 3:1-2)
"If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are
above,where Christ sitteth on the right hand of the God. Set your
affections on things above, not on the things on the earth."

Paul here is giving an admonition to make sure our heart is pure
towards that which we confess--Christ Jesus! That we are not just
making a profession but a confession of loving and living for God.
That our lives would radiate God's love and His presence. The key to
this type of love is obedience--of the heart.
(Matthew 22:37-38)
"Jesus saith onto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy
heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind."

The men of God now stand up and say, "Amen! Amen! We know that truth!"
Now I ask, when was the last time you missed a meal to spend time in
prayer and God's Word--to fervently pray over your wife, children, or
your church? Or when did you last choose time with your Savior over
your favorite TV show--or "the game?" Should we keep going?
Why is it that we won't spend 30 minutes with our "Lord" Jesus but
we will spend two stinking hours at the movie theater. Filling our
head with the immorality and corruption of Hollywood and vain
philosophies of this world.

We confess Him as "Lord," right? Or is it that we profess Him "Lord." There is a difference and the testimony of our lives will tell the tale of what is really "Lord" of our hearts and lives. We can fool our friends, our church, and maybe even our families, but we are not fooling God!

So men, have I pushed a button or stepped on your toes? I want to assure that it is not me and has nothing to do with me. This is between you and God--or between me and God for my heart. I want you to know that calling Jesus "Lord" is a very serious consideration. We have no right to call Him lord if He is not really lord. He has loved us and given Himself for us and He deserves our "unadulterated" love. We are His "bride" who He loves with everything He is. Now lets apply this to our lives! Think if our bride's heart was not ours. That she did not love us with all her heart, soul, and mind. What would that do to us as men? How could we continue to give ourselves to her and embrace her? That would be a terrible situation and would hinder our relationship dramatically.
Well, this is what we do to God when our hearts and mind our dedicated and intrigued by things of this world and not to Him. It is spiritual adultery!

I repeat the opening question, Where is your heart? Men and brothers, our Lord is worthy of our complete surrender and dedication.
(Romans 12:1-2)
"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. 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."

Let us meditate on this point for this new year. Let us seek God and His Word for insight into the "true" condition of our hearts. It is worth the time and He is worth the sacrifice. Please know and/or remember we have a bride that is counting on us to be "...as a loving savior..." and a godly, righteous husband. And/or we have children that our dependant upon us to be that earthly example of a loving and just father. They need us to be "sold-out" to the Lord. "WE" need to be sold-out to the Lord. We (men) need access to God's grace, wisdom, and understand so that we can be the servant-leaders He has called us to be.

I hope I have given you some "meat" to chew on for this week, month, and year. It has certainly been a great challenge--or should I say conviction--to me. But conviction is good. It brings us back to a right place with God. I pray that we all would consecrate ourselves for God's perfect will and purpose for this year. Lord bless you and keep you all. To God be the Glory!

P.S. If you receive this in an email, please go to the blog site and post your comments so others can read them and be encouraged and/or challenged by your words. Thank you. That site is: http://familymansam.blogspot.com

1Corinthians 16:13

Papa Sam

Just getting started - again!

Men and brothers,
Greetings in Christ Jesus! I hope and pray that our Father in heaven has blessed you today with His grace and mercy. I was posting this blog to try to give an update on things--as far as posting blogs anyways. It has been a year since I last posted anything on this blog. I am afraid I didn't have the motivation or the "true vision" of what it is I was trying to accomplish by blogging. This year has been a year of desperation spiritually. The blessing behind this is that God has shown me things about my self I really needed to see/know. I started this blog to encourage friends and family "to think" spiritually. To be used by God to invoke more "Christians" to think with a "christian mind." Hoping that it would draw them, and me, closer to our heavenly Father and that we would allow Him to transform our minds to be--and think--more like our Lord Christ Jesus.

Well, after God had dealt with me on various areas in my life and that of my family, I believe I should be a tool for Him to use to encourage and challenge men to be the God ordain leaders they are called to be for His glory. God has dealt with me in this area for some years now and I hope to share that insight and experience with as many men as possible--or those willing to take time and read these blogs. I pray that God will use me here to inspire, edify, teach, correct, convict, and transform men to be biblical men--modern day patriarchs with a multi-generational vision for God's Kingdom work. This, as many of you know, is the biggest problem of our day. Christendom needs her men to stand up and be just that: MEN!

Finally, I want to ask for your prayers for me and all whom God reaches out to through this blog. My prayer is that God would be glorified in all that I share--always. Lord bless you and keep you all and may the peace of Christ Jesus be with you. Blog at you soon.

To God Be the Glory,
Papa Sam

Test

This blog post is a test. It is only a test. In case of a real blog post you will be given instructions.


- Posted using BlogPress from Sam's iPhone

Thanksgiving Dinner again!

Hello Everybody,
I was blessed tonight--Sunday night--because I had another Thanksgiving dinner. My beloved had bought a turkey before the big day and decided to make it tonight--since we didn't have to make one for our big day. She put it in the roaster right after church and then started working on some Christmas projects. I worked on making our family schedule then I thought I might help cook supper with my wife. She was busy on her projects so I dug in and got started. It isn't often that I get to help cook any more or cook at all. I was excited to peel potatoes and start making the "cream" for the creamed corn. Basically, I pretty much took over the cooking on my poor wife. I enjoyed doing it and even kept up with the dishes. She said the the corn was a hit and that the dinner turned out well. (Her turkey turned out perfect. I can't remember when I had one so delicious--well, I believe it was the last time she made one!) I was finally able to eat more turkey than I needed to and I loved it.

Dinner was not only wonderful, so was the time sitting there with the people I love the most--my beloved and our six children. Our Lord has blessed me once again with such an excellent time of fellowship with them. It was full of lively stories and jokes and full of laughs and smiles. I could not be any richer than I am--unless the Lord would want to use my wife and I to bring more of His heritage into the world through us--more children. I love to sit around and just look at each one of them and I can't describe what a wonderful blessing it is to look into my beloved's big beautiful brown eyes in times like this--this is heavenly and only possible by God's graces.

I hope all of you reading this feel the same way about your spouses and children. If not, dive into the Word of God and let Him show you what they really are in your life and what you really are to them. I dare you! You will be changed eternally! To God be the Glory!

Sam E

Thanksgiving Holiday

Hello Everybody,
Thanksgiving has come and gone again. My family and I were able to spend it with my extended family--dad,mom,brothers,sister,etc. I was expecting the norm and it was pretty much the same. There was a couple of encouraging moments. The most profound was my older brother talking about what love is--what the bible says love is--and continues to relate those attributes to his wives character and how he sees this love in his wife--in tears of course. It really blessed my heart that my brother took the opportunity to share this about his wife. It was also nice to get more of a chance to talk with my sister and her new husband. I don't feel like we--my family has had to many chances to spend time with them--or able to.

Worst thing about the dinner was the turkey was as small as a chicken and i wasn't able to make a pig of my self eating it. The other option was ham and plenty of it--no thank you! The best was my wife's oatmeal whole wheat dinner rolls and next to that was mom's cream corn. Everything was good though, and I am thankful for the evening.

I am hoping that we are able to create some good memories with the Ythier family next year. It has been quite a few years since we have had Thanksgiving or Christmas with them.

About thinking. The only thing this really challenges you to think about is the memories you are creating with your family--all of it. To God be the Glory.

Sam E

Godly Fathers (Servant-Leader)?

Hello Everyone,
I am currently reading a book called "Family Man, Family Leader" by Phil Lancaster. It is very challenging to me and I am very thankful that I made the choice to read it. It addresses the problem of our society today and what "men" are doing about it, or NOT doing . He talks about how men have failed to be the leaders God has called them to be and how feminism reigns supreme--without much opposition. He also addresses how men have willingly stepped aside to allow the government to raise our children with their evolutionary theories and methods--which is one of the grandest schemes of Hell on earth, says the writer of this blog.

The book is enlightening at many times and at other times it is affirming of what God is revealing to me about what I am suppose to be as a father. I want to be a godly father, a perfect father, just as my Father in Heaven is a perfect Father. I believe that with the Lord guiding me and me submitting--and staying out of His way--this can be accomplished in my life. The hope--my hope--is that God would use me in this way so that my boys will be better (perfect) fathers to their children through God's power and guidance. This is my goal: my children will be far superior parents in all ways--in godly ways. For them to understand their full responsibility to God for their children, or should I say His children, His heritage. To know and understand what it is they need to do for their children before they even become parents. Lord help me and them! I pray this is all done to the Glory of God.

Christan fathers, what are we doing to draw closer to God so that we will be more godly parents. Are we compromising the Lord's principles for the sake of being "cool" to our children. Avoiding being "to strict" with them? Afraid to stand up for God and His Word to our children or even our spouses? Do we allow things or people in their lives that do not encourage their relationships with family or God? Are we using God's Word to "transform our families" so that they will not "conform to this world." Is this extreme? Is this writer's thoughts to "old fashion" or "traditional"--whatever that is? A "fundamentalist" maybe you call me? Has the church turned so far from God's truth that we call people that diligently live for God and the "fundamentals" of the Christian faith extremist or legalistic? God forbid, that means that "they" are no longer the "norm" in Christendom. So then I ask, what is the norm, carnality? How long will we sit by and let what God has entrusted to us--our children/His heritage--be taught and influenced by devilish philosophies?

It is very hard to be a godly father, I know, I have failed in many areas, many times. Consider though what is at stake here. The things and conveniences of this world are temporary and vain, and we will only live in this world a very short span in comparison to eternity. Eternity is "eternity" and we must make sure--no matter what--that our children and all of our generations to come will be there worshipping God with us and that they will--above ALL things--love God with all that they are.

Please Father in Heaven, give us the wisdom, insight, strength, perseverance, diligence, holiness, grace, and love that we need as fathers to raise Your heritage for Your purpose and Glory!

To God be the Glory!
Sam E

A rough morning!

Hello everyone,
I had a good morning to start--clean up, time with the Lord, my little buddy JJ awoke and made me eggs, and coffee. Typical morning. I set out for work and turned on the radio to listen to my morning inspiration on christian radio. No, sooner did I get on the way when the DJ gives a prayer request for a famly--especially the mother--because their baby was forgotten and left in the car--all day! Baby did not survive. Baby was suppose to be dropped off at day care but "busy mom" rushed into work and forgot baby. "My Father in Heaven, please help me to not be angry," was my first cry. After hearing this report I was floored. I began to cry--and still trying hard not to now--and talked to God some more. I shut off the radio and wasn't sure if I wanted to even go to work. Folks, I dont know why this effects me so badly but it does. Maybe it is because I am so disgusted with the ridiculous state of society in our age. Or could be that moms now have no choice but to go out and help provide--or do they? Could be that our "standard of living" and "financial prosperity" are far more important than the well-being of our families--our children. I am so distrubed by this matter I don't even know what to do--other than talk to God.

What this poor mother and father--whole family--must be going through is unimagineable to me. The grief and heartache would be to much to bear--without Jesus' grace, comfort, and mercy.

Dear Believers, brethren, beloved body of Christ, what can we do to help this sad commentrary on the "busy american family." How can we influence a society lost in vanity and covetousness. To show them that nothing is more important than the GIFTS--our children-- God has entrusted to our care--for His Glory. Father God, please help your children to see You and Your love and to seek first Your Kingdom and Your Righteousness and everything else will be added to us--or given to us. Help us to be content with what You have given us and our families. For give me, and us all, for our vanity, pride, and coveteousness. We love You and thank you for Your soverignty. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Let's take a moment to see: Are we Thinking? I know that: I Am Thinking! God help us all!

To God be the Glory,
Sam E

Humbled Again!

Hello Everyone,
Greetings in Jesus Name,
I wanted to share what I was thinking about yesterday(Sunday), and most of today. I was thinking all day long about how God shows us how truly ridiculous we can be in our judgements. Well, some time ago I start checking out Lakewood Church online and on TV--when possible, and I started doing some investigation on brother Joel Osteen and his ministry. There is loads of information on this man and his church. I watched it all and read as much as I could. I confess to you that I was very disappointed in this brother and his ministry. According to the media, this very influenceal man hardly ever refered to the bible or even proclaimed the name of Jesus. All that came out of Joel's mouth was how "you" could be a better "you." I was very disgusted. This brother had to much power and was very far from "biblical principals" and it seemed as if he was teaching a new age doctrine. I even started to "warn" the brethren about this fallacy in the "Church."
Well, I found out, one day, that my mother-in-law was coming to visit and she was set on going to Lakewood Church and meeting her "beloved" Joel Osteen. OH NO! Now I have to go. I couldn't possibly deny this fine lady her opportunity to meet the man that God had used to change her life. It was terrible. I really didnt want to go and see this ridicoulus display of "easy believism" and shallow, impersonal christianity.
The dreaded "day" had arrived. It was time to take the long drive down town to the vulgar display of "church" that this place puts on. I was ready and had my "defences" up. Church service started and everything was pretty typical for an evanglical Sunday service. Then Joel came out to share prayers and eventually a message and that is when I began to realize that I was an idiot. This man was not the man I had seen on the various forms of media. This man called on the name of Jesus more than most pastors I know and gave glory to our heavenly Father for EVERYTHING! I was amazed. This was certainly not the same. It was a blessing and I was encouraged in my faith. This message was not "prosperity" and "easy living." It was challenging and strengthing. I was awstruck and I have not even mentioned the blessing the "people" of the church were to me and my family. You could see the love of Christ working in them and thru them. The brethren displayed the Love of Christ. Far more loving and compassionate than a lot of conservative "family" churches.

Well folks, you have probably already seen that I have been humbled again and was very convicted of my thoughts and words in regards to my brother Joel Osteen and God's Lakewood Church. The Lord is working there and love is certainly present. I believe it would be a blessing to any believer--that really loves Jesus. All I can do now is ask God to forgive me and try to remember all the people that I opened my BIG mouth to so I can ask for their forgiveness also. Oh yeah, and to remember to not be so hasty with my discernment, to realize I don't know what God is doing thru everyone and how He is doing it. (Like I can really understand His ways--I don't think so.)
Now, I still don't understand how a church that large can be effective and intimate but I don't have to understand it. I just have to let God do what He does best--Love.

I am very grateful that my Heavenly Father loves me enough to chasten me still, and correct me when I am wrong. To let me know that He is in control and that I need to love, love , love. I need to seek first the Kingdom of Heaven and His(Jesus Christ) righteousness and worry more about my life and my family than others.

Today I Am Thinking and I hope you are too. Remember, see things in God's perspective and not your own and things will be clearer than usual.

To God be the Glory,
Sam E