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Like Father
...Like Son Luke 15:11-32
Everything is made after its own kind.
A dog does not give birth to a cat. A bird will only produce a bird. In a
similar manner God allows the sins of the fathers to be reproduced in the
next generation.
Num. 14:18 "...visiting the iniquity of the fathers
upon the children unto the third and fourth generation." (Dt. 5:9, Ex. 20:5, etc.).
When reviewing the sins of the lost son who left
home, we find that he wandered away from home. He wasted
all his money. He came to want because he lived in sin. His worldly
friends couldn't help because he was lingering with the wrong crowd.
His work didn't help make him happy because he was out of God's
will. In essence, self was on the throne in his life. His life revolved
around himself. His emotions were in control. He was changeling the very
right of God to rule in his life.
The lingering son who
liked home, because he was going to be given the farm, was like his
brother in many ways. When news came that his brother was home he made a selfish
decision. He did not rejoice, but rather he wanted the farm for himself.
He rejected his brother and his anger robbed him of self respect. He made a sensual
decision as he chose to act in the flesh. He made a sacrificial
decision when he refused to go inside where his brother and father were.
His stubborn decision resulted because he wanted things his way. He
felt that his rights were violated. When his father came out to talk to him
he resorted to carnal reasoning and made self righteous decision in
trying to justify himself. In essence, self was on the throne in his life
also. His emotions were in control, not the spirit of God. He was enslaved in
his sin also, but believed he was righteous.
The loving father who leads the
home had great compassion on both of his sons, but when he counsels
his older son (v.31 ..."and all that I have is thine.")
he appeases him. He didn't deal with root causes,
rather he promised the entire estate to his angry son. As fathers we needs to lead our homes in discipline, in discipleship, in
direction, and in doctrine. We cannot expect our children to have more
discipline in their life that we have in our life. The weaknesses in your
life will be magnified by those who follow after you. More is caught by your
life than is ever taught by your life.
Three
Generations Deuteronomy 6:1-12
There are many parents today whose
hearts are broken because their children are turned away from God. For others
their grandchildren have turned away from following the Lord. There are many
good folk who love the Lord but are heart broken because of what is happening
to their family. Moses gives us a stern warning to do the will of God,
teach the word of God to ...."thee , and thy son, and thy son's son...." The
responsibility is given to the parent, not the schools, not the pastors, nor
the youth pastors. It's ours! If we do not teach our children to fear the
Lord they are not going to follow the things that God will bless. Many
parents would rather pay someone else to do what they know is their responsibility.
Have you fallen prey to the trap of showing your
love to your child by flooding his or her life with materialism? You need
only look into your teenagers bed room to answer
that question. The promised land was full of all the children of Israel could
dream. Materialism abounded with things that the generations following Moses
did not have to work for v.10. Because of this, Moses gave a stern
warning, v.12, "Then beware lest thou forget the Lord,..." There is a danger in riches, i.e., we tend
to forget the Lord. Too many parents think that their children are better off
because they have more materialistic things. We should be measuring "better
off " by the fact that our children are
walking closer to the Lord than we were. Parents are failing to pass the
baton of the fear of the Lord by indulging is so much credit. We have forgot the God who supplies all our needs according to His
riches in glory. Our families and churches have indulged in so much credit
that we wouldn't even notice if the power of God was not with us. The
generation of Moses knew the power of God through the exodus. The next
generation knew only about the power of God. The third generation, those who
were born in the land of plenty, forsook the Lord, Judges 2:12-13. The first
generation had a heart for God. The second generation had a head full of
knowledge. The third generation after the exodus became hedonistic.
For many broken hearted parents the progression is the same. The first
generation is on fire for God. The second generation may be saved, but there
is no fire. The third generation is not saved and will be on fire for
eternity. One generation is spiritual, the next generations' focus is success
and the third generations' focus becomes self. One generation lives by convictions,
the next generation lives in compromise, then the third generation lives in
conflict and confusion.
We must do the will of God and teach diligently the word
of God, lest our next generation forget the Lord.
Other side
Religion Luke 10:30-37
When Jesus was teaching his disciples,
a proud lawyer seeking to find fault in Jesus asked the question, "What
must I do to inherit eternal life?" This lawyer was not interested in
eternal life, but wanted only to justify himself (vs.29). Jesus answered him
a second time with the parable of the good Samaritan. In this story there was
a man on his way to Jericho
when he was robbed, bloodied, and left half dead. Even his clothes were taken
from him. He was a terrible sight to look upon. Three people came down
through that same mountain pass that day. The first
was a Priest. When the priest saw the bloodied man, he
went on the other side of the road. He didn't want to get anywhere near
the problem. Most Christians I know are experts at leaving the job for some
else to do. We are to busy, so we must get on the other side.
"Why, I'm serving as an usher already, and I count the offering every
fifth Sunday. Preacher, you can't expect me to go soul winning every Thursday
night too!" We offer our excuses because we don't want to be involved.
(An excuse is a skin of a reason stuffed with a fat lie). The next man to
come by was a Political figure. His theology was a disaster
and his service was an example of looking the other way when he saw the need
of the naked man. He too went on the other side. He had no delight
in being used of God. He was unwilling to be burdened for the needs of
others. He took comfort in thinking that someone else may do the job. The
nest man to come by was the Passionate man. He didn't just say,
"God bless you." He went out of his way trying not to practice other
side religion. He stopped even when he was busy. He saw the needs of
others and followed up on them when he came again. He sacrificially gave his
time, his toil, and his treasurer for the needs of others. The best answer
for meeting the need in your life is to start meeting the needs in the life
of others. We need to get on the need side, not the other side!
Redeeming the Time
Ephesians 5:16
No man can spend money, but he spends
time. Money is only a medium of exchange for our time spent. A man working
for 40 years earning $25,000 per year will earn a million dollars in a life
time. He will spend a third of his life time working to pay for a home.
Another 15% of his life time earnings will be spent working to buy food.
About 17% of his working time will be spent to buy the automobiles he'll own
in his brief life. Other areas of his working years will be spent as follows:
6% for insurances, 7% for consumer debt, 5% for clothes, 5% for doctors and
dentists, 5% for recreation, 2% on hair care and beauty, and the balance on
other miscellaneous . Beyond our children man
has very little that he can point to that will amount to more than a pile in
the city dumb 100 years after he has died. Life is too short to invest it in
things. Invest your time here on earth in things that will count for
eternity, Mt. 6:19-20. Materialism leads to apathy. Apathy leads to apostasy , and apostasy leads to anarchy. Evaluate your
life to see what you are giving your time on earth. Eliminate time wasters
such as disorganization, disinterest, distractions, disobedience, and
disappointments that cause you to throw your system to coast. Prioritize your
time with a clear direction, a clear desire, a clear
determination, a clear discipline, and clear delegation of duties
. You will be held accountable for the stewardship of your time.
Invest your time for God, not the city dump.
No man kills time, time kills you.
Step to the
Juniper Tree I Kings 19:14
Elijah had seen God perform many miraculous things. He
saw how the ravens had sustained him when he was at Cherith.
When he was at Zarephath he saw how God used a
starving widow woman to sustained him. He saw how
God had made the cruse of oil never to run dry. When the widows
son died he saw how God had brought him to life again. At Mt. Carmel
he saw how God sent fire from heaven and slew the prophets of Baal. How did
Elijah come to the point where he was fearful of Jezebel, hiding himself behind a juniper, and wishing to die. (Elijah
didn't really want to die because if he did he would have been running to
Jezebel). He allowed himself to become discouraged and distressed. You will
never make a right decision when you are discouraged. Discouragement comes
from taking our eyes off of God and making things dis
apportioned. We begin to allow ourselves blow things out of proportion. When
things become dis-apportioned we will become
dissatisfied. Things will start to look better somewhere else. The next step
when we run from God's Biblical plan for our life to become disappointed. We
will become disappointed in ourselves for running from a circumstance.
Disappointments in life will either be a stepping stone or a stumbling block.
Disregard for the Word of God will always lead to discouragements and
eventually a disaster in your life. When Elijah was under the juniper tree he
was dis-burdened for souls. He had his own pity
party and wanted to die. Are you taking a trip to the juniper tree today?
Have you lost your burden for souls? Do you dislike going to church any more?
Have you become distracted by the things of the world? Are you disassociating
yourself from your church friends? You are on the road to the juniper tree
which is the road to disaster. You need to confess you sin to God. Call upon
God! Cast your eyes upon God! Correct you thinking and direction.
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