Fathers: Teaching beyond Your Family

I find that as I live beyond my comfort zone I move into situations where I can influence several of my children’s friends. In particular as an assistant coach of my son’s football team I find myself challenged with opportunities to help a great group of young boys see their own potential. These are not opportunities I seek for myself but doors opened by God, with an expectation that I will have a positive impact. An incident this past weekend really opened my eyes as to how important it is for today’s father to be ready to teach not just his own children but his neighbor’s children as well.

One of my son’s teammates found himself being teased by other members of the team after their game. I did not witness what happened and only learned of the seriousness of the events after they were over. By the time I came upon the scene the child was crying and began to speak of how he wanted to quit the team. The Lord was gracious and gave me the words to encourage the child to continue playing and to talk about not letting others take away his dreams. I hope he thinks about what was said and I thank God for putting me at the right place at the right time.

We live in a time when single parent families are common and a lot of single moms are doing their best to prepare their children for the future. It would be nice to hide behind my own door and say these children are not my responsibility. Doing so would shine as a great example of selfishness, ignoring the need our communities have for men to stand beside the many children who live without a strong male presence. These children are often wounded and/or left adrift, hungry for someone to come along side with a word of encouragement. Eventually they will become our leaders, acting without a clue as to what leadership and/or masculinity should look like.

I know of this need from my own childhood. I know the pain of being teased or feeling like an outsider and not having someone at home to teach me how to deal with life. I remember quitting because of a lack of support when I needed the strength that comes with a male shoulder. Yet, even as I knew this pain, I chose to hide thinking I had nothing to offer. Now with God challenging me to step outside my comfort zone I find that He provides the tools I need to make a difference. What He wants to see is a willing heart.

What does God see in your heart? Does He see a heart willing to reach beyond your own four walls? The opportunities to teach and to be an example are out there. Open up and let God use you to touch the lives of our future.

Prayer for Rifqa Barry on Her Return to Ohio

As has been widely reported, a judge in Florida has decided Rifqa Barry should be returned to Ohio where she will stay with a foster family while waiting for a court hearing. I encourage readers to continue in prayer. We need to pray that the Ohio court ruling is based on fact and not on political correctness or on a knee jerk reaction to an emotional issue. Pray also for peace for Barry who, based on reports, still fears for her life.

I know many Christians believe that returning Barry to Ohio brings her a step closer to her death. That could well be true. However we must remember the God we serve: the God to whom Rifqa Barry professes her faith. The Bible is filled with men and women whose lives were threatened because of their faith and/or nationality. God was able to protect them and he is able to protect Rifqa Barry.

Let us also remember to pray for her family. If Rifqa Barry truly believes in Christ there is nothing her family can do to her that measures up to what happens to those who deny the truth of the Gospel. Pray that their eyes will be open and that they will see the truth.

How Do You Know God Is Listening?

I Kings 18:21-29

The world has a number of religions, each calling on a higher power with the expectation that someone is listening. Some even claim to call upon the same God, though they believe different things about him. Some claim they can pray directly while others must pray via angels or dead ancestors or by using the names of past believers. So what is the basis of the Christian claim? How do we know that God hears when we pray? What would you tell someone if they asked how you know that God listens when you pray?

When asked how they know that God answers prayer I find that most Christians begin to talk about all the great things they believe God has done. They testify to great miracles, speaking of people being healed and problems being swept away. Songs are written and whole sermons preached on how one person’s debt was cleared while another was spared from some accident all because they called upon the Lord. These testimonies are important as they encourage others and show our dependence upon God, but at the same time there are people of other faiths (or with no faith at all) who can claim similar experiences: people who follow other religions and are just as sure as we that their god hears their voice. The corner stone of the foundation of the Christian belief in the power of prayer is the death and resurrection of Christ and his promise that God will answer.

Matthew 27:50-51

When Jesus died on the cross a barrier was removed. This barrier stood between righteous God and sinful man. Christ’s death opened a door and in his blood we are cleansed, allowing us access to stand before God (Hebrews 10:19-20). The resurrection is evidence of his victory over sin and death, the declaration that God’s plan of salvation is complete. With this declaration comes certification that the promises of God will be kept in Christ. Thus by his word we know that whatever we ask in the name of Jesus God hears and will respond according to his will (John 14:13-14).

Because Jesus died and rose on the third day and because he promised our prayers would be heard, the true follower of Christ is able to know for certain. Even the voice of mustard seed sized faith is heard by the Almighty. This is the system established by God that we should have no doubts, able to walk daily knowing we have his attention. Testimonies of answered prayer are the physical manifestations of the work of God but they are not the bedrock on which we should lay our faith. The testimony of Christ and the historical record of his death and resurrection are the answer to the question: the reason we know our prayers are heard.

See also: “God’s Emphasis on Prayer”
“Prayer, Our Way of Connecting with God”

Prayer for Ethiopia (the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia)

Twenty-five years ago 1 million people died during a massive drought in east Africa. News reports of famine with pictures of malnourished children were routine on the evening news in the United States, with Ethiopia becoming synonymous with starvation. Today the region is again faced with drought and the possibility of a large number of deaths. As a result the government of Ethiopia has called for enough food to feed 6.2 million people.

The lack of rain is a major problem for a nation of people who are heavily dependant on the land for sustenance. This year’s harvest is expected to be small and the cost of supplementing the lost crops is very high due to a spike in food prices during last year’s world economic crisis (See report at wsj.com). The nation has not prepared for this crisis and has not made the needed investment in infrastructure or in the agricultural base that would allow the people to weather such a storm. Its people must again depend on the United States which, according to the Wall Street Journal, represents 70%-80% of the aid received by the Ethiopian people.

Prayer Needs:
The people of Ethiopia need food. While it may be too late for this year’s crop, I suspect they need rain in order to help with next year’s planting. They also need non-food aid such as help with building wells and storage systems for keeping food for emergencies. The nation needs medicine as well as help with preventing malaria. With elections coming in 2010 the nation’s government is also an area that needs prayer.

This week I ask that you join with me in praying for the needs of the people of Ethiopia.

Should Megan’s Law Extend to the Church Pew?

The people of North Carolina are witness to a collision between the duty of the government to protect its citizens and the duty of the church to extend the Gospel to all, even those who have committed crimes. James Nichols was arrested after attending Sunday church services (See FoxNews.com). A convicted sex offender, Nichols is barred by state law from coming within 300 feet of any childcare center. He did not realize he was in violation of this restriction when he visited a church which offered babysitting services for parents during services. Should the government, in the name of protecting children, be able to extend the reach of Megan’s Law to the church pews?

I personally believe any person who is not incarcerated or the subject of an arrest warrant should enjoy the liberty of being able to attend church. That being said the pastor should receive a Megan’s Law notification prior to a convicted offender visiting the church. Notification would give the one who should best know his congregation the opportunity to decide on a course of action. The church doors should remain open without government interference with the appropriate attention paid to the details needed to protect families both in and around the church building.

Prior to Megan’s Law the members of the church had no way of knowing about the convict sitting next to them. Megan’s Law should be used to protect children but there must be a way to do so without isolating a broken person from the benefits of the Gospel. After all we Christians claim that there is a great deal of power in the Gospel, the power to set men and women free, and I believe each individual church should have the right to prayerfully decide how to deal with those who cross the threshold without interference from the state.

For the record I do not think every church is prepared to handle a convicted sex offender. Such a situation would call for a level of spiritual maturity, where the members of the church are able to see people as God sees them. The leadership of the church must be willing to extend the love of Christ while exercising the wisdom we are told to receive from God, understanding the duty of the church to protect the vulnerable. Churches that are lead by the Spirit of God to welcome someone who has served their time should be allowed to do so. We should when ever possible avoid government barriers that would keep people from the truth.

God’s Example of Discipline

Genesis 3:22-24

I wish I could say my kids are perfect. But they are normal children who sometimes don’t do what is right. So I find myself looking for examples of how to handle my less than perfect little angels. I appreciated the examples set by older parents and their advice. Also, there are some great examples found in the Bible, starting with our Creator. How God responded to Adam and Eve after their sin gives us a great example of how we should handle our children when they do wrong.

Adam and Eve disobeyed a direct command from God. In His response God gives them the opportunity to own up to their transgressions. He then delivers his punishment. There is no attempt at psychology nor does he spend a lot of time in long discussion. God did not worry about Adam’s or Eves’ psyche. He simply punishes without debate. In verse 22 we see his reason for reacting as he did.

In verse 22 we see that God is truly concerned about the well being of Adam and Eve. I suppose we could read this verse in a way that gives the impression that God is simply out to keep the two people from becoming like gods, but this is where we must keep the verse in the context of the entire Bible. God is described fair and just. If this is true than God would never hold something back just to keep us from becoming our best. Thus I think it safe to say that Adam and Eve had to leave the Garden of Eden for their own good. This is in line with the explanation given in the Bible for why God chastises his children.

Hebrews 12:11

God acts for our good. When he chastens his actions are pinpointed to bring about righteousness in the lives of his children. His goal is not to tear down the person or to make someone feel bad. He works to mold us in his image, working to break off those aspects of our character which do not align with his design. God does not discipline out of anger or out of spite. He reacts to us out of love and with the desire to make us better. This is the example we should follow as parents.

What will best help our children learn from their sins and prepare them for the future? That should be the goal for every parent when having to deal with negative behavior. We must look for ways to replace bad with good. We must train the child and not simply punish. Parenting is a call, holy and righteous in the eyes of God. We must make sure we answer this call in a way that builds up without tearing down. The goal must be to do what is best for the child, without giving in to the fleshly desire to simply do what is convenient.

Bush Ignores EPA Email. What Else Did They Ignore?

A relative recently asked if I still follow politics as closely as I had in the past. I do but I do not blog about politics as often. There are many reasons for this. Mainly I find I am unable to tell who the good guys are as I watch our leaders drift away from the ideals of the common good, taking up whatever position best suits their personal agendas. As exhibit ‘A’ I present reports of a Bush era EPA email that was conveniently ignored (see AP report).

My biggest problem with the global warming crowd has been the tendency among its most vocal adherents to attempt to squash debate. Rather than encourage open scientific debate the greens stoop to name calling and personal attacks. But it was clear even before the latest revelations that those who spoke against global warming were also in their own way attempting to avoid open and honest dialogue. By ignoring an EPA email the Bush administration sent a clear message that their agenda was the only one that mattered, even if the truth told a different story.

This latest revelation is one of many which have left me disappointed in the former administration. These sorts of tricks make it difficult to know who is worthy of my support. It was politics as usual and I suspect that continues to be the case no matter which party is in charge. This might be good for television ratings but is it really good for our nation?