The Weekly Sermon » Family

Church Important to the Life of Your Children

Pastor David Miklas — Sun, 17 Oct 2010 11:38:31 +0000

Sunday October 17, 2010	Phone: 570.829.5216
Pastor David Miklas	e-mail pdmikBBM@aol.com
Message: Power & Glory in the Church # 19	Text: Ps 122:1; ITim 3:15

“Importance of Church to the Life of Your Children”

Introduction: Today the church has become institutionalized and satisfied with the status quo. Forty years ago, it was simply a matter of opening the front door and the people would come. That is not true in 2010. Today, we have a large percentage of TWO full generations that do not attend church. Many children that grew up in homes void of God are now having children of their own, who may also grow up in homes void of God. The world that we live in continues each day to boldly present a message that is in direct opposition to the truth of God's Word.

Sadly, rather than going out and challenging that ungodly message, the church has decided to withdraw from the world and isolate itself. Rather than being the salt and light God has called us to be, we have found it more "comfortable" to simply withdraw and stay to ourselves. We feel safe in our churches since we are with "our own kind."

We have OUR OWN TV and radio stations.

We have OUR OWN books and magazines.

We have OUR OWN music and our OWN schools.

Rather than using these great resources to reach the lost, we have found it is much easier (and more profitable) to simply "preach to the choir" and isolate ourselves from the rest of the world.

This message today is a wake up call to God’s people who love the Lord.

God did not call us to isolate ourselves from this world, but to go out into the world and share the hope and love of Jesus Christ.

Did you not read in the Bible that we are called to go out into the "highways" and invite the lost to know Christ?

God did not call us to hide our light under a bushel, but to share that light with this dark world we live in!

God is looking for men and women with "spiritual obedience and courage" to take His message to the lost and hurting of this world.

There is a world outside of the four walls of the church that is lost, hurting, and looking for answers. To reach these people, we have to do what Jesus did and GO TO THEM. Understand that when you take Christ into the world, the people of the world will not always be nice. They have lived their life rejecting God, so most likely will not be open to your message.

However, never forget that your labor for the Lord is not in vain. Even those who reject what you are saying have at least had a seed planted in their life by you. Jesus told us that the harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. The church may have forgotten the most important part of being a Christian, and that is we are here TO serve, NOT TO BE served.

Since our recent messages have been dealing with issues in the Christian Home, and having said the above, let me draw your attention to the theme of this message. What are our children going to be like, and likely to be engaged in spiritually in the 21st century?

In Isaiah 54:13 we read, "And all thy children shall be taught of the LORD, and great shall be the peace of the children." Here we are instructed to teach our children spiritual truths.

In the III epistle of John verse 4 we read, "I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth." What a heritage, knowing that our children raised in our homes are found "walking literally in truth." The truth here refers to the "Word of God."

Parents, and for that matter grandparents, I rejoice greatly when I hear of your children walking in the principles, precepts and commandments of the Word of God. On the other hand, it hurts when I hear of children who are no longer walking with the Lord nor attending services in the House of God. How can the former come about?

First: Lay truth before your child: Teach them reverence for the Word of God. Teach them the Fear of God in their lives. Use your life as an example to demonstrate godliness before them. Often what you do in your walk is far more powerful than what you say to them.

Second: Commit your child to the Lord. Remember from Psalm 127:3 "Lo children are an heritage from the Lord…" They are God's gift, but not play toys. They are loaned to us, to be trained by us, for His glory.

Third: Remember that one day your children will leave your home and God will take-up where you left-off. God will take-up either in blessing them or in disciplining them. Take great comfort in Proverbs 22:6, "Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it."

Now the question: "How should we train our children so they will be walking in "The Truth?" Let me share three ways. Two of these will be very brief; the third very extensive.

Number 1: If you want to have your children "walking in the truth" TEACH THEM TO HAVE REVERENCE FOR GOD. Every child has the capacity to be aware of and to KNOW GOD.

Teach them that God made the universe in all its grandeur. Show them the wonders of God's creation which all belongs to Him, and for which we are to praise and worship Him.

Teach them the wonders of life as you study Psalm 139 with them. Teach them that they came from God, and belong to God, and because of that relationship, one day they will give an account to God for their life.

Teach them to have a reverent fear of God, His holiness, sin and its consequences, and a fear of disobedience to His Word.

Teach them to love the Lord their God with all their heart, with all their mind, and with all their strength.

Teach them to develop a scheduled quiet time with the Lord. Show them how to read their Bible and meditate on the scriptures.

Teach them to develop a prayer list, and to spend time in praise unto the Lord for answers to prayer.

Number 2: If you want to have your children "walking in the truth" TEACH THEM TO HAVE REVERENCE FOR THE WORD OF GOD.

Teach them that the Word of God is a SPECIAL Book, a HOLY Book written by God for them. It ought to have a prominent place in the home and its truths ought to be demonstrated in your lives.

Teach them Bible stories along with the principles of life they represent

Teach them to memorize scripture. If I had it to do over again with our children, I would have had them memorize whole chapters in the Bible instead of just individual verses.

Teach them to have reverence for the Word of God and you will have passed on to them a spiritual heritage that will always go with them and keep them grounded wherever they go.

Number 3: If you want to have your children "walking in the truth" TEACH THEM REVERENCE FOR THE HOUSE OF GOD. Psalms 122:1 says, "I was glad when they said unto me let us go into the house of the Lord." Children grow up to attach importance to the things that are important to their parents. Someone said, "The church is the family's best friend and its confines should be the child's second home." The one tool God has used through the centuries, and will use until Jesus returns, is HIS CHURCH. Admittedly, the church is not perfect, but it is the tool created especially by God to reach the world for Christ and it is indispensable to a Christian and his family. Remember the church is not the four walls of this building. The church of Jesus Christ is made up of BLOOD-BOUGHT, SAVED, and BAPTIZED people.

So why DO I love the Church?

First: Because Christ loved the Church as we read in Ephesians 5:25-28. As Christ loved the Church, so I love the church.

Second: Because I made life-time friendships through the Church. Over the years my dearest friends have come from the Halthrope Community Church, the Overlea Baptist Church, the Perry Hall Baptist Church, the Cherrydale Baptist Church, the Odenton Baptist Church I pastored for 23 years, the Grace Bible Baptist Church, the Arlington Baptist Church, the Foot of Ten Bible Church, the High Point Baptist Chapel, the Wagontown Union Chapel and now the Green Street Baptist Chapel.

Third: Because my life's decisions have been made with the Church in mind. I can honestly say ministering in the church is not only my job, it has become my life.

Now here are TEN SUGGESTIONS on teaching your children or grandchildren the importance of the House of God. Perhaps someone is saying, “Ok, Pastor, are these your opinions?” No, they are scriptural in foundation, and we practiced each of them in our home.

First: Teach them the importance of Church attendance by example. There should be no discussion as to whether or not the family will be going to church on any Sunday for Sunday school, the morning service, Sunday evening, or on any Wednesday night. It should be understood that yours is a Christian family and your family is attending church regularly. And by the way, this is a family affair, not just for the youngsters or for one parent. Everyone in the family should march in and sit together in the House of God.

Neglecting any services allows your children to question, "Oh, well if it isn't important to them, why should it be important to me?"

When I was growing up we took it for granted that:

SUNDAY SCHOOL was a time to teach the Word of God.

SUNDAY MORNING SERVICE was a time to hear preaching of the Word of God.

SUNDAY EVENING SERVICE was a time of fellowship and preaching, and

WEDNESDAY EVENING SERVICE was set aside for Bible Study and prayer.

You ought to build the right habits of being here for every service, and you should maintain that habit at all cost. In Hebrews 10:25 we read, “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.”

Some say forcing a child to attend the church services will turn him against the church one day. No, my friends, it is the HYPOCRISY in the home that makes a SHALLOW MOCKERY OF THE CHURCH. There should be no question concerning Sunday school, Sunday morning worship, Sunday evening, Wednesday evening, nor any other special service. TEACH THE IMPORTANCE OF CHURCH ATTENDANCE BY EXAMPLE.

Second: Start preparation on Saturday night. Begin to prepare for the Lord's Day on Saturday evening. Prepare for Sunday like it was a very important day. In fact, it is, for it's the Lord's Day, and time to worship the Lord of Lords, the King of Kings!

This means there should be NO late night TV and NO late visiting on Saturday evening.

The motto on Saturday should be: “Early to bed, early to rise, it's the LORD'S DAY AND WE’RE GOING TO HIS HOME FOR AWHILE.”

On Saturday evening, gather the family around to pray and ask God's blessing on His day. When our children were younger, each Saturday evening just before bed time, each member of the family would pray for their Sunday School teacher and one other area of the church ministry.

Third: Never criticize the church, the pastor or the staff in front of your children. Someone said, “No church is perfect, so if you think you have found the perfect church, don't join it, you'll ruin it!" You are bound to find things wrong with your church. If you have to criticize, do it in your private prayer closet. Many thoughtless words of parental criticism against some little detail in church have turned children against the whole church. Parents, you are the real losers in a case like this, and so are your children.

The wise parent will see to it that the child develops a close relationship with the pastor. The pastor should become his friend. If your child has a problem, bring him or her to me for council. Oh, may I encourage you to take very, very seriously the words of Hebrew 13:7 and 17, “Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation. (17) Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.”

Fourth: Praise and pray for your church, pastor, assistant pastors and staff in the presence of your children. Occasionally invite your child's Sunday school teachers, Christian school teachers, the pastor and his wife, even the youth leaders to your home. Get in line to invite visiting missionaries and guest speakers. Why, because you need to keep godly influences before your family.

Fifth: Discuss their Sunday School lesson at home throughout the week. Encourage your child's work in the C-Clubs, and discuss life and life's events in light of the Word of God with your teenagers.

Sixth: Teach your children the importance of tithing. If you are going to teach the importance of tithing, first you must tithe with I Corinthians 16:2 in mind, “Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come.” You might want to explain what is meant by Malachi 3:10, “Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.” Get them to understand that one tenth of what they earn or receive belongs to God. Instruct them to put that amount in the offering plate. It's OK for you to give them something, but it's far better to encourage them to put their own money in the plate.

Remember God has commanded us WHEN TO GIVE, THE AMOUNT TO GIVE, AND THE PLACE TO GIVE IT. I believe if every Christian was honest in their giving, there would be no need to plead for funds, nor would there be any lack of funds to take care of the house of God.

Seventh: Teach your children to be servants. Teach them the joy of helping others. Teach them to minister to the sick and the older folks. Take them out soul-winning with you. Encourage them to give out tracts everywhere to everyone.

Eighth: Teach them age-appropriate Church manners: From I Timothy 3:15, we read “But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.” Church time is a time to worship, not a time to play. If they act up during a service, immediately take them out. Discipline them to accept that church time is NOT a time to PLAY AROUND. Here are six, simple, church manners to teach your children:

1. No talking, chewing gum or leaving their seats.

2. Sit up, listen to instructions, and sing out from the hymn book.

3. Be especially quiet during the specials and the offering.

4. Follow along in the Bible with the Preacher.

5. Take notes on the sermons when old enough to do so.

Ninth: Do not let other activities take priority over the services of the Church.

The church services ought to be more important than school functions and more important than any sports activity.

The church services ought to have priority over a picnic, outing, or a visit to relatives.

The first time you allow any other activity to come ahead of church time YOU LOSE. The next time you consider missing a church service, it will be easier to miss. Church time is a family affair, NOT FOR ADULTS ONLY WHILE THE CHILDREN STAY HOME.

I believe it is more important to have your children well for Sunday school on Sunday than to be well and ready for school on Monday. But here is what I have witnessed. You keep your sick children home on Sunday, so they can be well for Monday school. I say, NO, NO, NO! You need to keep them home on Friday to get them well for Sunday school. Who are we to seek first? I believe our Bible tells us to SEEK THE THINGS OF GOD FIRST!

Tenth: The Child should build his life around the local Church. As the child grows older, we need to give added emphasis to the activities of the church. It has been said:

A Beginner child ages 4-5 is 90% dependent upon his parents.

A Primary child ages 6-7 is 75% dependent upon his parents.

A Junior child ages 8-12 is 50% dependent upon his parents.

A Junior High Student is 25% dependent upon his parents, and

A High School student is 10% dependent upon his parents.

Now the wise parent will graciously relinquish the parenting, and then run to the church house to aid in the activities that provide that lost percentage the child is no longer dependent upon them for.

As the child grows older, he or she is going to spend more and more time away from home. He will become less dependent upon his parents. HE IS GOING TO GO SOMEWHERE. MAY GOD HELP US TO PROVIDE THROUGH THE CHURCH THE "SOMEWHERE."

This is the reason we must as pastors, children's workers and youth workers increase the number of activities and the time consumed by the activities as the children grow older. By the time your children enter high school, he or she should be so involved in the activities that they will have NO time to run with the WRONG CROWD.

Warning: there will come a time when a teenager will become un-co-operative and decide "I am not going!" Now, please hear me out. IF YOU GIVE IN, YOU ARE MAKING A BIG MISTAKE. If they are not here in church, they will drift into the world with worldly friends and activities.

Movements come and movements go, but God's church will still stand. It will be here to carry out God's plan of world evangelism until Jesus comes. Children should be taught to love the House of God and the people of God. Parents and grandparents, you are the key to training your children, so that they will want to say the words of Psalms 122:1, "I was glad when they said unto me, let us go into the house of the Lord."

******************************************************

If God has spoken to your heart after reading the sermon “Importance of Church in the Life of Your Children” then right now talk to God about what He has spoken to you.

Do you have the assurance that one day you will go to heaven? If you have no assurance that you know Jesus Christ, then I trust you will decide to accept Him as your personal Savior. The Bible tells us in

Acts 16:31, “…Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved…”

Romans 10:13, “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

This prayer is here for those who need to ask Jesus to be their personal Savior: “I do want to go to Heaven. I know I am a sinner, and I do believe Jesus Christ died for me. I realize I cannot buy this great salvation, nor can I earn it. Knowing Jesus died on the cross and arose from the grave to pay my sin debt and to purchase my salvation, I do now trust Him as my Savior, and from this moment on I am completely depending on Him for my salvation.”

If you made the decision to accept Jesus Christ as your personal Savior, let me know. Please send an e-mail to, pdmikBBM@aol.com and I will send you some literature that will help you in your Christian life.

The “Weekly SERMON” was sent as a ministry of Bible Baptist Ministry, 48 Alexie Rd., Hanover Township, PA 18706. Privacy policy: your e-mail address will not be sold, or shared with any third party.

Copy write permission: Because the “Weekly SERMON” will be reproduced into other formats, PLEASE TAKE NOTE OF THE FOLLOWING: The “Weekly SERMON” in its original form, without any changes, may be copied and re-transmitted by electronic mail, and copies may be printed for individual or ministry purposes, provided that such copying, re-transmission, printing, or other use is not for profit or other commercial purpose. Any copying, re-transmission, distribution, printing, or other use of the “Weekly SERMON” must set forth in full the heading that is given before each “Weekly SERMON.” Any other request for use, please contact Bible Baptist Ministries at pdmikBBM@aol.com or by phone at 570.829.5216.In His Amazing Grace,

PS: In order to access the Weekly SERMON, please click the link to Weekly Sermon Library, where you will be able to choose: Plain Text (TXT), Microsoft Word document (DOC), Microsoft Word 2007 document (DOCX), Rich Text (RTF), Web Page (HTML) or PDF (Portable Document Format), any of the format(s) you desire. After you decide on the appropriate format(s) you may then print a copy of the Weekly SERMON, save it to a file on your computer, or download it and save it to a disk for future use. Your use of this material is meant to be flexible.

http://BibleBaptistMinistry.org/…/MMX42/

A Father Is a MAN: who . . .

Pastor David Miklas — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 08:09:59 +0000

Volume No. 2010 Issue No. 21 Date: June 13, 2010

Publication of the BIBLE BAPTIST MINISTRY, 48 Alexie Rd, Hanover Township, PA 18706

Phone: 570.829.5216 pdmikBBM@aol.com pastormiklas@aol.com

In Psalms 112:1-10 we read, “Praise ye the LORD. Blessed is the man that feareth the LORD, that delighteth greatly in his commandments. (2) His seed shall be mighty upon earth: the generation of the upright shall be blessed. (3) Wealth and riches shall be in his house: and his righteousness endureth for ever. (4) Unto the upright there ariseth light in the darkness: he is gracious, and full of compassion, and righteous. (5) A good man sheweth favour, and lendeth: he will guide his affairs with discretion. (6) Surely he shall not be moved for ever: the righteous shall be in everlasting remembrance. (7) He shall not be afraid of evil tidings: his heart is fixed, trusting in the LORD. (8) His heart is established, he shall not be afraid, until he see his desire upon his enemies. (9) He hath dispersed, he hath given to the poor; his righteousness endureth for ever; his horn shall be exalted with honour. (10) The wicked shall see it, and be grieved; he shall gnash with his teeth, and melt away: the desire of the wicked shall perish.” Being a father may seem like an impossible task, but it is not! Remember that even God, who is the perfect Father, has children who go astray. So what is a father?

A father is a man who agonizes over the “ifs.” He asks, "Did I do enough?" He weeps when his children go astray, but clings to the hope that they will return home seeking the right path.
A father always seems to be learning to love as he forces himself to adapt, because his children are growing and changing.

A father recognizes the importance of being there, of being available.

A father does not panic when the independence he has been trying to cultivate in his children for many years suddenly shines forth as confrontation.

A father is a man who enjoys having his daughter's arms around his neck, but who knows for certain that a day will come when her arms will encircle another.

A father is a man who is honest enough to know that he has to be more than just a good man to his children. That is, he understands that there is a God who gave him his children, and that God loves them even more than he does.

A father is a man who feels, shares, cries, laughs, wrestles and hopes.

A father listens when he does not understand, and loves when he is tired.

A father is a man who has his priorities straight. He is a man who is not just going through the motions.

A father will have the courage and conviction to get up on Sunday morning and announce to all the family, "Today, we are going to Sunday school and worship" (Joshua 24:15) because:

He is to command his children as the spiritual leader for his household..

He wants to avoid a bad name for failing to provide for his household in matters spiritual.

He knows of the influence for righteousness attendance at God's house will have upon the family.

He knows the influence bestowed at the church will result in the sweetening of home life.

He knows the preached Word will cause members of the household to know the plan of salvation.

He knowsothers will be inspired to greater Christian living by the presence of his whole family at church.

He knows that God is glorified in such services where whole families worship, and sing, and give, and listen to the preached Word in God's house.

A father is more afraid of offending Christ than he is of offending his friends.

A father is courageous enough to invite his friends to go to God's house with his family when they come on Sunday (Hebrews. 10.23-25).

A father has the fortitude to hold up the name of Christ when others would profane it (Psalms 34:1).

A father is big enough to walk calmly away when he is mistreated, and he will hold malice against no one (Romans 12:17-21).

A father is strong enough to give God first place in his heart, his time, his talents and his paycheck (Matthew 6:33).

A father has sufficient stature to give all the praise and glory to God for all that is ever done for good (Psalm 115:1).

May the Lord bless you this week as you prayerfully read and meditate on the attached Weekly SERMON leading up to FATHER’S DAY, entitled “A Father’s Godly Influence.”

In His Amazing Grace,

PS: In order to access the Weekly SERMON, please click the link to Weekly Sermon Library, where you will be able to choose: Plain Text (TXT), Microsoft Word document (DOC), Rich Text (RTF), Web Page (HTML) or PDF (Portable Document Format), any of the format(s) you desire. After you decide on the appropriate format(s) you may then print a copy of the Weekly SERMON, save it to a file on your computer, or download it and save it to a disk for future use. Your use of this material is meant to be flexible.

http://BibleBaptistMinistry.org/../MMX24/

Father’s Godly Influence

Pastor David Miklas — Sun, 13 Jun 2010 20:06:31 +0000

Sunday June 13, 2010	Phone: 570.829.5216
Pastor David Miklas	e-mail pdmikBBM@aol.com
Message: Father's Day	Text: Psalm 112:1-10

“A Father's Godly Influence”

Introduction: In an article written by the director of a Children's Home, this thought- provoking statement caught my attention, "If you feed your children a WEAKENED form of Christianity, you may be setting the stage for the rejection of Christianity itself." Please listen carefully as I read to you part of the article.

"Over the years we have received multitudes of troubled youth from Christian homes into our ministry who have been students in some of the finest Christian Schools in our land and grown up in some of the best churches in our country. Despite their Christian up-bringing and Christian education, they remained cold-hearted and worldly. Such students know Christian vocabulary, terminology, doctrine and theology. They outwardly conform to long lists of rules and expectations, but inwardly they have a hard heart. Polished on the outside, they inwardly are carnal and worldly. This reminds me of I Samuel 16:7,"But the Lord said unto Samuel, look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him; for the Lord seethe not as a man seethe, for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart."Where have these youth learned this DUPLICITOUS life -style? I believe that they have learned this in their homes.

Many youngsters have learned from their parents how to openly and outwardly espouse fundamental Christianity, and yet privately they live as they choose. Such a life-style produces a hard heart.

How can a father, who fits his Christianity into his life only when it is convenient, ever expect his son or daughter to choose something other than a religion of convenience? How can a home, thoroughly desensitized to the awful wickedness of sin through its TV, music and worldly life-style ever expect the children raised within its walls to be holy and separated believers?

Pastors and youth workers grieve over these children. They outwardly conform, but don't expect them at the altar during the invitation at the next church service. Don't expect them to give testimony of how God is changing them from sin-stained to glorifying. What you can expect from them is to be thoroughly engrossed in boy-girl relationships, the latest clothing and hair styles. They are interested in having fun, seeking pleasures, and making friends outside their homes. They are worldly-minded and resist a New Testament Christian life-style. You see, they have learned from their parents."I am rich, and increased with goods and have need of nothing."A lukewarm heart learns how to accommodate religion and resist the Holy Spirit.

Tragically, they do not see their deep spiritual need, of which we read in Revelation 3:17, "… and knowest not that thou are wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind and naked." Do not expect your Christian school and church to accomplish in the life of your child what must first be accomplished by his parents.

We must be aware of a principle currently working in many homes. Let me explain. Scientists in the field of immunology long ago demonstrated the effectiveness of vaccines in preventing certain diseases. What did they do? They took actual disease-producing germs and weakened them. These were then placed in a vaccine which was given to children by injection. The defense mechanisms of the child's system attacked these foreign proteins and formed anti-bodies, thus preventing the child from contracting the disease. To put it plainly, when children were given a weakened form of the real thing, then they never got the real thing! Thus real mumps, measles, diphtheria and tetanus are not contracted when children get a weakened form of them. DO you see the parallel of this principle? If you give your children a weakened form of New Testament Christianity, they will never get New Testament Christianity! Parents, as you see hardness in your children's hearts, a desire for the world, wrong friends and wrong goals and a sassy, reluctant obedience to your authority; it is because you have allowed it, nurtured it and produced it by your example. Moreover you are just beginning to experience the grief and heartbreak that will later come your way from your children."

This being FATHERS DAY, please allow me to ask these questions of all the MEN and FATHERS of our church:

Do you have the ear to hear what is happening to your family?

Do you have the discernment to see the needs of your family?

Do you see "your seed becoming mighty upon the earth?"

Psalm 112 seems to underscore much of what a man ought to be.

“Praise ye the LORD. Blessed is the man that feareth the LORD, that delighteth greatly in his commandments. (2) His seed shall be mighty upon earth: the generation of the upright shall be blessed. (3) Wealth and riches shall be in his house: and his righteousness endureth for ever. (4) Unto the upright there ariseth light in the darkness: he is gracious, and full of compassion, and righteous. (5) A good man sheweth favour, and lendeth: he will guide his affairs with discretion. (6) Surely he shall not be moved for ever: the righteous shall be in everlasting remembrance. (7) He shall not be afraid of evil tidings: his heart is fixed, trusting in the LORD. (8) His heart is established, he shall not be afraid, until he see his desire upon his enemies. (9) He hath dispersed, he hath given to the poor; his righteousness endureth for ever; his horn shall be exalted with honour. (10) The wicked shall see it, and be grieved; he shall gnash with his teeth, and melt away: the desire of the wicked shall perish.”

I must remind you, that unless we men consistently apply the Word of God to our present situation in our homes, then I’m afraid that everything HOLY, SACRED and RIGHTEOUS that needs to be passed on to the NEXT GENERATION will be gone! That previous statement haunts me. Does it haunt you as well? “If you give your children a WEAKENED form of New Testament Christianity, they will never get the real New Testament Christianity!”

Using this brief Psalm, let me challenge the men of our church in FIVE areas that will enable you and I to pass on to the next generation a “strengthened form of Christianity.”

FIRST: We must be men of FAITH, verses 1-2 “Praise ye the LORD. Blessed is the man that feareth the LORD, that delighteth greatly in his commandments. (2) His seed shall be mighty upon earth: the generation of the upright shall be blessed.” Notice again the phrase, “…Blessed is the man that feareth the LORD” If we are going to discern the needs in our homes:

We must be men who are STRONG in their FAITH.

We must be men who are saved, who know it and show it.

We must be men whose priority is Jesus Christ, men who know and practice Matthew 6:33, “But seek ye first the kingdom of God…" These men put Christ first in their life.

One day, a father over-heard one of those routine “boys among boys” conversations.

One lad said, "My Dad can beat your dad, he knows the mayor."

Another lad, not to be out done said, "That's nothing. My Dad knows the governor."

Then the boy whose father was listening said, "Well my Dad is better than both your dads, he knows God!” Perhaps your prayer this morning should be, "O God, may I live so my boys can say, "My Dad knows God."

Men of Faith must not only be concerned about the absolute assurance of their faith, but they must also be concerned about the salvation of their children. How many of you as fathers or grandfathers can say, "I know my children and grandchildren are truly born again?" How thankful I am that all five of my children came to know Christ at an early age. I beg you don't let the devil have them a day beyond the age of accountability, whatever age you consider that to be. Help your children to know Christ. Happy is the man who can say, “These are my children, they are saved and on their way to heaven.” Happy is the grandfather who can say that their grandchildren also know Christ as their Savior.

The only thing any of us can carry to heaven are those who have been won to Christ. According to I Thessalonians 2:19-20, “For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming? (20) For ye are our glory and joy.” You will not be able to carry your JOB, FAME, FORTUNE, REAL ESTATE OR PLEASURE. The only possession you will be able to take to heaven with you will be your children, if they also know Jesus Christ as their Savior.

Friends, please listen. If you don't settle this matter of your faith and settle this matter of leading your children to Christ to be saved, one day your children's children will set the stage for the rejection of your faith. THINK ABOUT THAT, as you contemplate the importance of being a MAN OF FAITH.

SECOND: We must have men who know WORD OF GOD. Please notice again the last part of verse 1, “"who delighteth greatly in his commandments." Men who have discernment regarding circumstances and needs within their homes are men who are regular, systematic readers of the Word of God. Now, the word "Blessed" in verse 1 means "happy." Happy is the man "who delighteth greatly in his commandments." Being STAGNANT and COMPLACENT spiritually is a dangerous thing.

Over the years, I have watched Godly, spiritual people who were once on FIRE for the LORD, lose their fire. They lost it, because, they no longer gave the WORD of GOD priority in their lives. They stopped reading the Word of God and then they developed a COLD, STAGNANT, COMPLACENT spiritual outlook.

Just let me say, you can't live as God would have you live, and develop a STAUNCH, STABLE FAITH, with oft-repeated hand-me-down phrases or with a few memorized scriptures verses. YOU MUST DAILY LIVE IN THE WORD OF GOD. Let me ask you. Please be careful how you answer this.

How many Bible verses can you quote from memory?

Can you quote the Books of the Bible in order?

Could you name 5 cardinal doctrines of the faith and defend your belief with scripture?

Any man's faith can become stale. One of the most deadly threats to a man's faith is the SECOND and THIRD GENERATION Christian. You may be a man of faith. You may be a dynamic motivated Christian. Praise God for that! But your children and grandchildren must also be taught to know Jesus personally; to know Him as you know Him.

Christianity is something you cannot just hand down. EACH NEW GENERATION MUST ACCEPT IT. EACH PERSON MUST PERSONALLY RECEIVE JESUS CHRIST.

John Quincy Adams was a strict Puritan both in faith and morals.

His son retained his father's morals, but dropped his father's faith.

His grandson dropped both faith and morals, so that in the space of two short generations, the experience of the gospel was lost to that family.

Gentlemen, if you and I are to live for Christ convincingly, the Word of God must maintain its freshness in our heart. If we are to know God, and have a realization of what God wants to do in and through us:

We must draw daily from the Bible.

We must stand up and lead the way.

We must live in the Bible.

If not, we are likely to have a SECOND or THIRD GENERATION who knows of our Christianity, but does not live their Christianity in a real, personal way.

THIRD: We must be men who serve the Lord. Please notice:

Verse 4 "he is gracious and full of compassion, and righteous."

Verse 5 "A good man showeth favor and lendeth."

Verse 9 "He hath dispensed, he hath given to the poor."

God is looking for men who understand and are committed to God's purpose for their lives.

These men do not drift though life, waiting for things to happen.

These men do not spend their lives in an easy chair with their feet propped up, with one eye on the sports page, and one eye on the latest prime-time rage.

These men do not live for retirement, neither do they allow their lives to be lived in a frantic rat-race, controlled by activities and busyness.

God is looking for:

Men who have set their wills, minds and affections on one objective – to know, love, obey, and serve God with all their heart.

Men who are more concerned about building God's Kingdom than their own, and one day hearing from the Master, "Well done, thou good and faithful servant."

Living for God and serving the Lord takes all the COURAGE, CHARACTER, VISION, WISDOM and HEART that a man has. I wonder, which would you have your children remember – your bowling scores, your financial portfolio or your life and service for Jesus Christ?

FOURTH: We must be men whose PRIORITIES ARE SPIRITUAL AND WHOSE VALUES ARE ETERNAL. Notice this in the last part of verse 5, "…he will guide his affairs with discretion."

These are men who don't leave spiritual matters to their wives, or make excuses about being "too busy," but prove the priority of their heart by taking whatever time is necessary to meet the spiritual needs of their wife and children.

These men don't just expect their children to somehow turn out right, and then stand in amazement when they don't. They take personal responsibility for the spiritual condition of their home, and are always looking for more effective ways to DISCIPLE their children to develop spiritual maturity.

This spiritual responsibility belongs to men, not to the Sunday school teachers or to the children and youth workers.

I thank God for a father who was always busy. He was busy accomplishing spiritual priorities to provide for my family the opportunity to come to the house of God and participate in Christian activities.

Every Sunday morning and evening, as well as every Wednesday evening, every father made in the image of God ought to come into church standing tall like Joshua of old and say, "As for me and my house (family) we will serve the Lord." Maybe even encourage your family by saying, “Honey get ready, and children get ready, because it's time for church.” I know there will come a time when a child will say to you, "But daddy, my favorite program is on TV." When that happens, I trust you will have the courage to proclaim, "Yes, but my favorite program is at the church house, and your old dad is going and so are you!"

You might be asking, “Pastor, if we drag the children off to church like that, when they get older, won’t they rebel and turn from God? I will answer by saying, “They will rebel only if they see a FATHER whose life and testimony is HYPOCRITICAL and INCONSISTENT. If we men are inconsistent in our priorities, especially with church attendance, we are giving our children a WEAKENED form of New Testament Christianity, which in three generations will more than likely result in their children forsaking the House of God. Verse 5 says, a good man "will guide his affairs with discretion."

FIFTH: We must be men of CONVICTION. Please notice:

Verse 6 "He shall not be moved."

Verse 7 "His heart is fixed."

Verse 8 "His heart is established."

These verses tell me this is a man of CONVICTION. Every belief you have, your way of life, and your faith is either a preference or a conviction.

A PREFERENCE is a choice or belief you hold on to very, very strongly. But it is a belief you could change, you just prefer it. If you might change your belief from day to day, what value is it?

A CONVICTION, on the other hand, is a belief you hold with such intensity in the fabric of your soul that you will not change, no matter what the cost. It's a realization of truth that is there, because God demands it of you.

Convictions give us purpose in life. I know for whom I am living. I have a purpose. That purpose is to give glory to God.

Convictions give us direction for making decisions. Every decision you make will be guided by your truth, your convictions, your purpose.

Convictions give us protection from sin. You will not have to question whether something is right or wrong, moral or immoral. Your conscience is sensitive and able to distinguish between right and wrong. You "abhor that which is evil, and cleave to that which is good."

God is looking for men of principle, whose lives are governed, not by PREFERENCE, but by CONVICTION.

Men of conviction have minds that are disciplined, focused, sensitive, and energized by the Word of God.

Men of conviction are more concerned about building God's reputation than their own. They are willing to risk their reputation, and what others may think of them, in order to take a stand for that which is right.

Men of conviction are more concerned about building God's kingdom than their own financial empire. Their focus is on one day hearing the Master say to them, "Well done, thou good and faithful servant."

Men of conviction are committed to building their homes on a Godly foundation, and take responsibility for maintaining a climate of holiness in their homes.

Men of conviction know the meaning of a permanent, life-time commitment to God and to their wife. They meant it when they said, "for better or worse …till death do us part."

Men whose lives are not characterized by a foundation of Biblical convictions are feeding their children a weakened form of Christianity and thereby setting the stage for rejection of Christianity itself.

Do you know what young people want to see more than anything? It is men with convictions:

Men who know what they believe, and

Men who know why they believe what they believe, and

Men who live by what they believe.

For a moment, let me take you back to the ancient Coliseum in Rome. Early Christians died there for a faith the world now takes for granted. FLAVIAN AMPHITHEATER was and still is a show place in Rome. Two-thousand years ago, gladiators and wild beasts fought there for public entertainment.

If we had sat in those grandstands amidst the grandeur that was Rome, we might have been deceived. The howling mob in the coliseum DID NOT DETERMINE the course of history. Rather, underground in the catacombs, another force was working. A little handful of men and women who worshipped another King called Jesus, CHANGED THE COURSE OF HISTORY. You might have said of these HUNTED, PERSECUTED men and who some considered the SCUM of the earth, "they haven't a chance." But the underground Christians eventually upset the Caesar’s above ground. The work in the catacombs over-came the destruction in the Coliseum, and finally the amphitheater was closed.

These saints had something we so desperately need today: a passion and conviction of the soul. A conviction which swords could not kill or water down, nor fire destroy. Today, we have plenty of money, houses, cars, liberties and everything that we call the American way of life, but we know nothing of the spirit that motivated the saints of the catacombs.

Yes, we are a comfortable crowd of Christians. We seem to forget that the gospel is not just a message to hear in a church building. The gospel is a message to take out of the church to tell others. Too often today, it appears that we have moved from the catacombs and re-opened the Coliseum. We seem to be more interested in entertaining and being acknowledged than we are in winning men to Christ.

God is looking for men as He sought in Ezekiel's day who; "should make up the hedge and stand in the gap before Me…"

God is looking for men who according to Proverbs 22:28 will “Remove not the ancient landmarks which thy fathers have set.”

God is looking for men who will stand with the courage of their convictions.

God is looking for men who are not concerned about what the world thinks, but who are interested in pleasing the Lord.

As I bring this message to a close, let me give a word of caution to you ladies. You may face the temptation to use this message to further discourage men who are attempting to develop the godly principles just stated. Please remember that us men, in spite of our many rough edges, desperately need the prayers, encouragement, love and sweet spirit of their wives. Your influence in our lives is incalculable, "for better or for worse!"

At times, the responsibility that is ours as men seems overwhelming. But God's word is clear as we notice again Psalms 112:1-2, “Praise ye the LORD. Blessed is the man that feareth the LORD, that delighteth greatly in his commandments. (2) His seed shall be mighty upon earth: the generation of the upright shall be blessed.” I want to be such a man. How about you? Let us join hands today, believing that God will raise up a generation of HOLY, HUMBLE, PERFECT-HEARTED MEN who will rebuild the foundations of righteousness in our Church.

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If God has spoken to your heart, after reading the sermon “A Father's Godly Influence” why not right now talk to God about what He has spoken to you.

Acts 16:31, “…Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved…”

Romans 10:13, “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

If you made the decision to accept Jesus Christ as your personal Savior let me know? Please send an e-mail to, pdmikBBM@aol.com and I will send you some literature that will help you in your Christian life.

Copy write permission: Because the “Weekly SERMONS” will be reproduced into other formats, PLEASE TAKE NOTE OF THE FOLLOWING: The “Weekly SERMON” in its original form, without any changes, may be copied and re-transmitted by electronic mail, and copies may be printed for individual or ministry purposes, provided that such copying, re-transmission, printing, or other use is not for profit or other commercial purpose. Any copying, re-transmission, distribution, printing, or other use of the “Weekly SERMON” must set forth in full the heading that is given before each “Weekly SERMON.” Any other request for use, please contact Bible Baptist Ministries at pdmikBBM@aol.com or by phone at 570.829.5216.

In His Amazing Grace,

David Miklas" src="http://theweeklysermon.com/images/Pastor_David_Miklas.gif" />
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A Godly Mother

Pastor David Miklas — Wed, 05 May 2010 07:50:39 +0000

Volume No. 2010 Issue No. 15 Date: May 2, 2010

Publication of the BIBLE BAPTIST MINISTRY, 48 Alexie Rd, Hanover Township, PA 18706

Phone: 570.829.5216 pdmikBBM@aol.com pastormiklas@aol.com

In Titus 2:3-5 we read, “The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things; (4) That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, (5) To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.” A mother who honors God will be a good mother. This is true because her desire is to be the kind of parent He wants her to be. Instead of bringing up children just to fulfill her own needs, she wants to raise them for the glory of God. The Book of Proverbs, in a positive way has much to say about wives and mothers. For example:

“My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother:” 1:8

“A gracious woman retaineth honour…” 11:16

“A virtuous woman is a crown to her husband…” 12:4

“Every wise woman buildeth her house…” 14:1

“Who can find a virtuous woman, for her price is far above rubies” 31:1

"A woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised." 31:30

When we were growing up, everything seemed all right in our home because her majesty MAMA was on the throne.

At meal time she was a CHEF. When we came in hurt she was a NURSE.

She was a SURGEON when we got a splinter. She was a FARMER out in the garden.

A DOCTOR when we were very sick. SEAMSTRESS when we tore our clothes.

A DENTIST for our loose tooth. A PSYCHOLOGIST when we had a problem.

She was a JUDGE between us. A THEOLOGIAN when she taught the Bible.

EXECUTIONER after a squabble. An EVANGELIST when she led us to Christ.

Many godly men of the past have been richly blessed by what they learned from their mothers. Consider the biblical characters Moses, Samuel, and Timothy. The maternal influence experienced by these spiritual leaders bore rich fruit in their lives. Think also of men whose names probably would never have lighted the pages of history if it hadn't been for the godly women who raised them in homes where the law of love and a Christian witness were their daily guide and inspiration.

Susannah Wesley, for example, spent one hour each day praying for her 17 children. In addition, she took each child aside for a full hour every week to discuss spiritual matters. No wonder two of her sons, Charles and John, were used of God to bring blessing to all of England and much of America. Here are a few rules she followed in training her children:

(1) Subdue self-will in a child and thus work together with God to save his soul.

(2) Teach him to pray as soon as he can speak.

(3) Give him nothing he cries for and only what is good for him if he asks for it politely.

(4) To prevent lying, punish no fault which is freely confessed, but never allow a rebellious, sinful act to go unnoticed.

(5) Commend and reward good behavior.

(6) Strictly observe all promises you have made to your child.

How thankful we should be for Christian mothers who fear the Lord and find their ultimate fulfillment in Him. True, they’re not perfect, but they are very special people, for they love God and want their children to love Him. I know what that means, because I am privileged to have had a mother who trained me for His sake. Let us honor our godly mothers today, not only with words of praise, but with lives that reflect the impact of their holy influence!

May I say to the MOTHERS, GRANDMOTHERS, MOTHERS-IN-LAW, and WIVES who are reading this message,God bless you, as I wish you a HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY on Sunday May 9^th. I trust the Weekly SERMON “Honor Thy Mother” will be a blessing to you.

In His Amazing Grace,

http://BibleBaptistMinistry.org/../MMX18/

Honor . . . Thy Mother

Pastor David Miklas — Sun, 02 May 2010 16:59:05 +0000

Sunday May 2, 2010	Phone: 570.829.5216
Pastor David Miklas	e-mail pdmikBBM@aol.com
Message: Mother's Day 2010	Text: Exodus 20:12

"Honor …Thy Mother"

Introduction: MOTHER'S DAY is the one day of the year to which most ladies look forward, a day of cards, a day of flowers, a day of gifts, and a day to relax and take it easy. Oh, I know some of you ladies are saying, “Hold it preacher, you wouldn't say that if you knew all I had to do this morning. Why I had to:

Get up, cook the breakfast, wash the dishes, clean the house, get the children ready, and even find my husband’s socks and shoes. Really, what’s relaxing about that? Then I came to Sunday School, and now to church, and I will listen to you preach for 38 minutes with fear and trembling of what you will say to us on MOTHER'S DAY.

After that, I will rush out of the service, fix the Sunday dinner, clean up afterwards and even cater to everyone’s needs. And you say this is MOTHER’S DAY?”

Ladies, please relax! This is MOTHER'S DAY, and by the grace of God I am going to lay before you a sermon where the preaching, teaching, and counseling starts and stops, I'll let that be up to you.

In Exodus chapter 20 God is giving to Moses the moral law, the Ten Commandments. In the fifth commandment found in verse 12 we read, "Honor thy father and thy mother, that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee." I want to call your attention to the words, "Honor…thy Mother."

In Proverbs 31:10-31 we have the portrait of the virtuous woman where we read,

“Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies. (11.) The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil. (12.) She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life. (13.) She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands. (14.) She is like the merchants' ships; she bringeth her food from afar. (15.) She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household, and a portion to her maidens. (16.) She considereth a field, and buyeth it: with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard. (17.) She girdeth her loins with strength, and strengtheneth her arms. (18.) She perceiveth that her merchandise is good: her candle goeth not out by night. (19.) She layeth her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff. (20.) She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy. (21.) She is not afraid of the snow for her household: for all her household are clothed with scarlet. (22.) She maketh herself coverings of tapestry; her clothing is silk and purple. (23.) Her husband is known in the gates, when he sitteth among the elders of the land. (24.) She maketh fine linen, and selleth it; and delivereth girdles unto the merchant. (25.) Strength and honour are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come. (26.) She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness.

Notice how the chapter endsbeginning in verse 27 with these words,

“She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness. (28) Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her. (29.) Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all. (30.) Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised. (31.) Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates.”

Dotted throughout the New Testament are little statements about the mother of Jesus, most of which are parenthetical. Most of them have nothing to do with the main body of the story, but certainly with a purpose our Lord puts in little statements such as: "And the mother of Jesus was there", or "the mother of Jesus stood without." Our Lord wanted us to know that His mother was around. On center stage in the Bible is Jesus, the spotlight is focused on Him, but standing in the shadows is His mother. No matter what our Lord was doing, His mother seems to have been there.

In Luke 2, we find Jesus at the age of 12 in the temple answering profound questions of the teachers. In walks His mother and asked in verse 48, “…Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us, behold thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing.” Jesus answered her in verse 49, “…how is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father’s business?” Now in verse 51 we have recorded for us this precious truth, "But His mother kept all these things in her heart."

In Matthew 12, our Lord has cast out a demon, preached on the unpardonable sin and scolded the Pharisees and in verse 46 we read, “While he (Jesus) talked to the people, behold his mother and his brethren stood without, desiring to speak to him.” Notice would you “his mother stood without.”

In John 2, Jesus is at a wedding in Canaan of Galilee turning the water into grape juice and again in Jn 2:1 we read, "And the mother of Jesus was there." Again she is standing in the background watching as Jesus performs a miracle.

In John 19, we come to the day of all days, Jesus is nailed to the cross and with Him were nailed our sins. Now with angels looking on and God the Father about to turn His back on His own Son because He will not look on sin, HEAVEN HUSHES as they listen to His words. Our Lord stops in the middle of his agony on the cross, looking down through the crowd, He spots His mother along with John, "the disciple whom he loved." And in verses 26-27 Jesus speaks for the 3^rd time from the cross, “When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son! Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home.” On His dying day, our Lord looks down from the cross and "HONORS HIS MOTHER."

Isn't that something for the Son of God to say at the biggest hour of eternity, when all theological truths come from one great source into one great stream, for the Son of God, dying on the cross to open His mouth and say, "John, take care of Mother" Isn't that precious?

Mary stayed in the shadows, when the wise men came and brought Jesus gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.

Mary stayed in the shadows, when Simeon picked up baby Jesus’ little body and blessed the Lord.

Mary stayed in the shadows, when the prophetess Anna also saw Him in the temple, and praised and worshipped Jesus.

Mary stayed in the shadows, when Jesus was questioning the teachers in the temple, with the light shining on Him.

Mary stayed in the shadows when Jesus was on the cross. But all of a sudden our Lord turns the spotlight from Himself and places it upon His mother.

In Acts 1 Jesus has gone back to Heaven and is now seated on the right hand of God the Father. However on earth, in the Upper Room just before the great day of Pentecost, where the power of God would fall and 3000 souls would be saved, in Acts 1:14 we read, "These all continued with one accord in prayer … with the women, AND MARY THE MOTHER OF JESUS, and with His brethren."

What an honor given to this little unseen soldier about whom not much is said in the Bible. She gets more praise than she ought to by one of the leading churches, who has tried to deify her and make her the mother of God. Here she is found so faithful by our Lord. She stands in the shadows and the Bible again tells us, in Luke 2:51, "Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart." She never said much, just pondered them in her heart.

You know, the thing that makes a godly woman happy is when she proudly watches maybe a SON, maybe a DAUGHTER, maybe a HUSBAND stand in the limelight, while she watches in the shadows and ponders "All these things in her heart."

I believe I have experienced the truth of this as an example of Mary who stood in the shadows. I personally saw this in my mother. In a very real sense I have stood in the limelight while my mother stood in the shadows.

She stood in the shadows every morning reading her Bible and praying as we went off to school.

She stood in the shadows when we accepted Christ as Savior, for it was her who led my sister and me to Christ.

She stood in the shadows at our Baptism and graduations.

She stood in the shadows over the years often un-noticed in the congregation as I have preached.

She stood in the shadows for 64 years fulfilling her primary purpose as a HELPMATE to her husband.

She stood in the shadows fulfilling her purpose by building her home and rearing her childrenso "That the word of God be not blasphemed."

She stood in the shadows supporting her pastors, doing the work of the Lord by teaching and preparing the next generation, whether in Sunday school, in a girls ministry, or during summer camp.

Ladies, let me impress this thought upon you in this message. The thing that makes a godly woman happy is when she proudly watches another stand in the limelight, while she watches in the shadows and "ponders all these things in her heart."

Would you please take serious note of this statement “NO ONE IS EVER HAPPY UNTIL THEY FULFILL THE PURPOSE FOR THEIR EXISTENCE.” God has made everything including you and me on purpose. There are no accidents in God's creation, and no one is ever really happy until he or she finds the purpose for their existence and fulfills it.

Ladies, your primary purpose in life is to be a HELPMATE to your husband. God made woman for man. In Genesis 2:18 we read, "And the Lord God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a help-meet for him." Now the word “help-meet” means a COMPLETOR. God made woman not to compete with a man, but to be a completer of a man. That means your primary purpose is to fulfill your husband,

to lift him up and to cheer him on, to come beside him and say, "I love you, you are my man, we are in this together, I am here for you.

Your primary purpose in life is not your job, your ministry, nor your children. It is to be a completer to your husband.

Ladies, your second purpose in life is to care for your home and children. In Titus 2:4-5 we read, “That they (that is the aged women) may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children. To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.” You will notice in these verses three things about a woman who is a wife and mother.

FIRST: The wife’s role to her husband is to love him and to obey him.

SECOND: The mother's role to her children is to love them.

THIRD: The housewife’s role to her family is to be a keeper at home (a homemaker).

Why is this so? Notice again verse 5, "That the word of God be not blasphemed." Someone said, "If we are ever to beat the devil, we must beat him with the cradle." How true! And since the hand that rocks the cradle is the hand of motherhood, therefore mothers hold in their hands the supreme opportunity of moving the world for God.

Remember ladies, your offspring take on something of your likeness. Your children will be alot like you. Sobering thought isn't it? In Ezekiel 16:44 we read, "As is the mother so is the daughter."

Remember, “You do not beget what you want, you beget what you are.”

Remember Proverbs 14:1, "Every wise woman buildeth her house…"

RememberProverbs 31:28 "Her children arise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her.

Now, how does a son or a daughter rise up and call such a mother blessed? How do we praise such a woman? How can we "HONOR our MOTHER?

Do we send her cards? I believe she would appreciate that thought.

Do we send her a gift? I believe she would enjoy whatever we purchased for her.

Do we send her flowers with a note of kindness? I believe she would really like that.

No doubt all these things would be appreciated and remembered. But may I suggest two other ways we can HONOR OUR MOTHERS. Just as MARY set the example of always being there in the background, so Jesus set the exempt of honoring her.

First: Jesus HONORED HIS MOTHER by doing the WILL OF GOD. Jesus said

In Matthew 12:50, "For whosoever shall do the will of my Father."

In Luke 22:42, Jesus prayed, "Not my will but Thy will be done."

Jesus’ desire was to fulfill the will of God. In this world the best way I could HONOR MY MOTHER is to fulfill God's purpose for my life.

Every person hearing this message needs to understand God has put you here for a purpose. What is this purpose, that you might fulfill the will of God for your life?

The best way I can HONOR MY MOTHER this day, and the best way you can HONOR YOUR MOTHER this day is to be doing the will of God. Remember this:

Only to be what He wants me to be,

Every moment of every day;

Yielded completely to Jesus alone,

Every step of this pilgrim way.

Just to be clay in the Potter's hands,

Ready to do what His word commands;

Only to be what He wants me to be,

Every moment of every day.

Second: Jesus HONORED HIS MOTHER by doing the WORK OF GOD. Not only did Jesus Honor His mother by doing the WILL of God, but he also honored her by doing the WORK of God.

In the Gospel of John chapter 17, Jesus is in the Garden of Gethsemane praying just before He began His journey to the cross. In verse 4 Jesus said, "I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do." And what was that work Jesus completed? It is found in Luke 19:10 where we read, "For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost." That is how Jesus honored His mother; He did the WORK of God.

In messages of days past while my children were still at home and under my preaching, I said “there will come a day when their mother’s work for them will be accomplished, but she will still be thinking about them and praying for them.” On Mother’s Day – cards and phone calls will be nice and flowers or gifts sweet but the greatest thing you can do for your mom is to let her hear that you are doing the WORK of God. She wants to hear:

Your faith is getting stronger as you stand without compromise for the blessed Book, the Word of God.

Her sons are living examples of men of God loving their wives.

Her daughters are gracious ladies submitting to their husbands.

You walk with integrity, honesty, character and decency.,

Her sons and daughters are doing the WILL and WORK of God.

Your children her grandchildren, are being led to Jesus Christ and are growing in the Lord as they hear the WORD of God taught from your knees as you were from your mother’s.

Oh, there is one thing we can all do, we can honor our Mothers.

How, by fulfilling the WILL of God?

How, by doing the WORK of God?

How, by fulfilling the purpose of your existence?

Herein you will rise up and call her blessed. Oh, how about it ladies? This is your day, we HONOR you.

You who wash the dishes and who cook the meals;

You who scrub the floors and who wipe our tears away;

You who wrap us up in your arms and say to us, ‘I love you.’

Let me ask you, are you a "Woman that feareth the Lord?" May I challenge you ladies to get back to the old-fashioned power and privilege of womanhood, that only comes through surrender to God's will. Oh, for godly women whose lives are a daily testimony to the Grace and Power of God. America needs some old-fashioned mothers:

Whose Bible is worn by use in reading and studying it.

Whose knees are calloused because of kneeling in prayer.

Who preach not from a pulpit in church but from one in the home declaring “Sin is Sin,” who take a stand for the sake of righteousness, and holiness.

Who stand beside their husbands, completing him as you love, honor and obey him.

We men pray that God would give us a woman to stand behind the scene with TRUTH, and with RIGHTEOUSNESS, putting away selfishness, sin, and gossip, and allow the precious Saviour to shine through. Remember again Proverbs 31: 28, 30 "Her children arise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her. Favor is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who feareth the Lord, she shall be praised."

Listen to this poem entitled "God's Old- Fashioned Mother."

The old-fashioned mother was patterned by God

She was fashioned by standards above;

She found all the freedom her soul could attain

By yielding her will to God's Love.

She didn't complain that her life was a drudge;

Liberation was not her heart's plea!

But humble, submissive, obedient,

She knew that her soul was set free.

Her wisdom she found, came only from God.

He directed her path day by day.

Her knowledge and deep understanding came

As she trustingly followed His way.

Be ye keepers at home to the young, He hath said,

Teach your children the precepts I've given;

Love your husbands and see that you reverence them, too!

Then your home will be so much like heaven.

She was just an old-fashioned mother.

She did not pretend to be "smart."

To care for her home and her dear ones,

Was the wish that was first in her heart.

We were raised by the old-fashioned methods.

So sparsely employed today,

And when we so richly deserved it

We were "spanked" in the old fashioned way.

She taught us the old-fashioned virtue,

"A good name is far better," she’d say,

Than all of the wealth of the nation

And truth is the best any day.

She believed in the old-fashion Bible

She trusted in old-fashioned prayers

She told us that Jesus would hear us,

If we'd speak any time anywhere.

Thank God for an old-fashioned mother

For the Bible and old-fashioned prayer.

For the old-fashioned faith that is looking

For our Lord to appear in the air.

This morning I wish to take the floodlight off myself and focus it on you, dear mothers. I would like to do what Jesus did on the cross, shine light on our dear mothers and say three words to every mother in this room: “HAPPY MOTHER DAY!”

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If God has spoken to your heart after reading the sermon “Honor Thy Mother” then right now talk to God about what He has spoken to you.

Acts 16:31, “…Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved…”

Romans 10:13, “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

In His Amazing Grace,

http://BibleBaptistMinistry.org/…/MMX18/

The Second Generation Fallout

Pastor David Miklas — Sun, 17 Jan 2010 22:35:22 +0000

Sunday January 17, 2010	Phone: 570.829.5216
Pastor David Miklas	e-mail pdmikBBM@aol.com
Message Children	Text:Psalm 78:1-11

“THE SECOND-GENERATION FALLOUT”

Introduction: A curious phenomenon has plagued families for as long as there have been families. It's that age-old problem of second-generation fallout that breaks the hearts of godly moms and dads. The scenario goes something like this:

A man and woman fall in love and get married.

They love Christ and desire to serve Him with all their hearts.

Their faith is tempered in the furnace of AFFLICTION and hammered out on the anvil of HARDSHIP.

They press on in their spiritual growth by becoming involved in a local church, giving generously and consistently, and serving in various capacities.

As their children come along, they TEACH and TRAIN and PRAY that God will get hold of their little lives and use them for His glory.

Childhood runs its course, leading to the teen years with all the inevitable adjustments and struggles.

The family gets busier than ever, walking gingerly through the minefield of FINANCIAL PRESSURES, SCHOOL ACTIVITIES, and RELATIONAL skirmishes.

Nothing blows apart, thank goodness.., and before they know it, the kids are out of high school and on to college, vocations, the military, marriage and whatever.

Mom and dad breathe big sighs of relief ("We made it!"), still stable and strong in their Christian walk.

But now we ask what about the now-grown kids? Ah, there's the rub. Somewhere along the way God got pushed way down on their list of priorities. Disciplines like prayer, church attendance, tithing, serving, and serious Bible study got lost in the shuffle.

Is this some kind of twenty-first century malady?

Has some giant spiritual eraser somehow wiped out recent generations, leaving us to accept reality and pick up the pieces?

You know better, even a cursory reading of the Scriptures reveals that generational fallout has always been with us. More parents' hearts have been broken than we could number.

ADAM and EVE surely wept over Cain's murderous act.

NOAH was grieved because of Ham's shamelessness.

ISAAC and REBEKAH must have spent countless sleepless nights worrying about their twin boys Jacob and Esau.

ELI, the priest, was embarrassed more than once because of his two immoral sons. I Samuel 2:7 tells us, "…the sons of Eli were sons of Belial; they knew not the Lord."

DAVID, a man the Bible says "after God's own heart", found himself at a loss to understand Absalom. Upon Absalom’s death David cried, "O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! Would God I had died for thee, O Absalom, my son, my son."

The list continues even to this present day, and some of you could add your own name to it. The dilemma is not new. Please turn with me and follow as I read Psalm 78:1-11.

“Give ear, O my people, to my law: incline your ears to the words of my mouth. (2) I will open my mouth in a parable: I will utter dark sayings of old: (3) Which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us. (4) We will not hide them from their children, shewing to the generation to come the praises of the LORD, and his strength, and his wonderful works that he hath done. (5) For he established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children: (6) That the generation to come might know them, even the children which should be born; who should arise and declare them to their children: (7) That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments: (8) And might not be as their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation; a generation that set not their heart aright, and whose spirit was not stedfast with God. (9) The children of Ephraim, being armed, and carrying bows, turned back in the day of battle. (10) They kept not the covenant of God, and refused to walk in his law; (11) And forgat his works, and his wonders that he had shewed them.”

Would you again notice in verse 7 the purpose of passing down the testimony from one generation to the next, “That they might set their hope in God, and not FORGET the works of God, but KEEP His commandments.” Questions:

How does a great nation, a growing ministry, move so quickly from the ideal to ruin?

How does a person depart from spiritual heights to experiencing less than God's best?

How does a successful family that appears to be spiritual on the outside somehow in the next generation have spiritual fallout.

Many assume that a Godly beginning or a great spiritual heritage ensures continual blessing. We live in an age that is saying, "since things are going well, everything must be okay." This mentality is threatening our local churches and even our fundamental churches, Christian schools and families. In Psalm 78:9 notice, "The children of Ephraim, being armed, and carrying bows, turned back in the day of battle." The Ephraimites turned back in the day of battle. They turned from faithful commitment to God's cause to weak conviction.

It is disheartening to see ministries that were once strong become weak in their convictions.

It is disheartening to see men who once stood firm for the whole counsel of God, who once earnestly contended for the faith, now taking the easy way out and surrendering convictions for the sake of convenience.

It is disheartening to see spiritually strong families disintegrate into carnality in a matter of a few years.

Now to understand the Ephraimites attitude and actions in Psalm 78, we need to go back to the closing chapters of Genesis. In those closing chapters, we have the story of Joseph who endured through great difficulty. Joseph withstood the harsh experiences of being sold into slavery by his brothers and then being imprisoned for no wrong on his part. But through it all, he did not turn against God. In the process, God gave Joseph two sons:

The first child was named Manasseh, which means "Forgetting."

The second child was named Ephraim, meaning "Fruitful."

These two sons became heads of two of the twelve tribes of Israel. Now while Joseph had been chosen of God to endure hardships and to go before his family and the nation to preserve them there in Egypt, Ephraim was apparently protected from adversity.

While Joseph as a father and leader kept his eyes firmly fixed upon God and was totally dependent upon God, it appears that Ephraim was totally dependent upon what he could accomplish. Reading other parts of scripture, it appears that Ephraim grew up in a COMFORT ZONE with a background of ease. Hence the Ephraimites were characterized by a COMFORT MENTALLY.

Perhaps our present generation, like the Ephraimites, has been given too many things, too many toys. We have become content with COMFORT, and COMFORT is a dangerous position if not handled properly. So, looking back at Psalm 78, what caused the Ephraimites to turn in the time of battle?

First: They had a WEAK HEART. The first weakness is found in verse 8, "The Ephraimites were a stubborn and rebellious generation; a generation that set not their heart aright." Here we discover the Ephraimites had a weak heart. In Proverbs 4:23 we read, "Keep thy HEART with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life." When our heart turns from God, every part of our life is harmed.

Neglecting God's Word is the first step to becoming spiritually weak, because we cannot maintain strength for warfare through the arm of our flesh. Remember God’s word has the power.

Neglecting prayer is another step to becoming spiritually weak, because we cannot maintain contact with our Heavenly Father unless we “pray without ceasing.” Neglecting personal daily prayer, family prayer time and even neglecting prayer in God’s house will make one spiritually weak.

Neglecting the “House of God” and its services is still another step to becoming weak. I want you to follow a progression here that I have seen over and over again during my 43 years of ministry.

The first generation of believers in a family is FAITHFUL to the LOCAL CHURCH. They are there every time the church doors open. Nothing will keep them away from the “House of God.”

The next generation doesn't think it is important to go to church all the time. They do God a favor when they show up once a week. This generation believes in being in the house of God, except:

when they have company from out of town, or

when they can get some overtime, or

when they find other activities more appealing.

They believe that a person ought to be in church, but they are inconsistent about attendance.

The third generation doesn't go to church, but once in a great while. They don't seem to need church. Even Sunday School is not on their list to attend.

Second: They had a WEAK SPIRIT. Notice again in Psalm 78:8 their "spirit was not steadfast with God." When my spirit is weak, I have no desire to march onward for the faith. But when my heart is strong, no matter what circumstances I face, my spirit can remain strong. Remember the Apostle Paul’s words in I Corinthians 15:58, "Be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord."

Third: They had a WEAK WILL. In Psalm 78:10 we read that the Ephraimites ''kept not the covenant of God." It's easy to make a commitment to God while sitting under the preaching of God's Word and during an invitation. But how long will we keep that commitment unto God once we leave the sanctuary? Listen, as harsh as this sounds:

When we choose to neglect the Word of God,

When we choose to surrender to our human flesh and as a result have weak wills, and

When we choose to neglect the teaching of God’s word in our homes and living as an example before our families,

We are contributing to the spiritual delinquency and destruction of the next generation!

Fourth: They had WEAK FEET: Again in Psalm 78:10 we read, “They kept not the covenant of God, and refused to walk in his law." Week feet are the logical result of a weak heart, weak spirit and weak will. In Psalm 119:105 we read, "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path." By choosing disobedience and comfort or the easy way, the Ephraimites ended up refusing to walk in God's way. Again in Psalm 37:23 we read, "The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord; and he delighteth in his way."

Fifth: They had a WEAK MIND. In Verse 11 the Ephraimites "forgot His (God's) works." When we forget the works of God, God's Word becomes academic and no longer changes our lives. The second generation syndrome reminds us why the Ephraimites drifted from God. They forgot His works.

By observing the Ephraimites, we ought to learn that a "GOOD HERITAGE DOES NOT NECESSARILY GUARANTEE A GOOD LEGACY.”

The Ephraimites turned from God in WAR,

The Ephraimites turned from God in their WALK, and

The Ephraimites turned from God in their WORSHIP.

Some had better wake up and get a hold of what is being said. We must be consistent. If we are not careful, no matter how good we are, or how strong our convictions are; when we become lax and inconsistent, we are going to reap heartbreak in the lives of our children. Here is another progression to ponder:

In whatever we are inconsistent, our children will be tolerant of.

Of whatever our children are tolerant, their children will embrace and endorse, and

In whatever their children endorse, the very next generation will literally propagate and promote in society.

This means in just four short generations, there can be a complete turnaround in one family because of the INCONSISTENCY of a godly person in the first generation. I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU, BUT THAT SCARES ME!

The FIRST generation has CONVICTION.

The SECOND generation will COMPROMISE.

The THIRD generation operates in CARNALITY.

The FIRST generation is interested in PEOPLE.

The SECOND generation is interested in THINGS.

The THIRD generation is interested in SELF.

Perhaps you are asking, “What should we do?” Our youth are certainly looking for the real thing. They are looking to see if our faith is for real. Please allow me to be painfully honest with you as I offer three basic suggestions for preventing this tragedy:

First: In your life, there must be exposure to the REALITY of Christ. If Christ is not real to you, a teenager will see right on through you. You talk with teenagers long enough and you will hear them say:

"Christ is not real in my father's life. He is not real in my mother's life. It’s all talk, all Sunday show. Christ is not real in their lives, so why should I practice their Christianity? Christ isn't real to them through the week, so why should He be real to me?"

Apparently, our teenagers are being taught that all this theological talk during church services is just talk! But if you are going to have your child SET THEIR HOPE IN GOD, YOUR FAITH MUST BE REAL – SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.

Second: In your life, there must be exposure to the REALITIES of this world. There are more, but here are SEVEN things that will show your children how to conduct their lives:

1. You must show the exceeding sinfulness of sin. We live in a sinful world. Evil is getting increasingly worse and more cleverly disguised. You better commit yourself to making sin exceedingly sinful for everyone in your home, or else the very sin you harbor will overcome your children. SIN DAMAGES, SIN DESTROYS, SIN DAMNS! If it is sinful for your child to watch that TV program or that DVD, then it is also sinful for you.

2. Expose your children to Godly heroes, Godly music, and Godly books.

3. DO NOT, I repeat, DO NOT allow your children to spend a lot of time under the leadership of the unregenerate in sports, or other activities.

4. Together in prayer, face crises in life, so they know on whom you depend for guidance.

5. Interpret life’s daily events in light of the Word of God, so they can recognize the truth.

6. Teach them through restraint. You must set the standard of discipline and be consistent with it. Place restraints around them. I may trust my children, BUT I DON'T TRUST THE OLD SIN NATURE IN THEM. Check out their activities and friends. Remember, "Evil companions will corrupt good morals."

7. Overcome EVIL WITH GOOD. Everything removed from your child as an evil or wrong influence must be replaced with something better. That means you must research church and community activities to discover positive influences and take advantage of them.

Third: In your life, there must be exposure to the REALITY of Spiritual truths. Again there are more, but here are SEVEN essential truths to teach the next generation:

1. They need to be saved by Grace through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

2. They are God's children, but you, as their parent, are raising them for Him. As long as they are in your care, they MUST OBEY and HONOR you, because you stand in God's place. One day you must give an account to God for them.

3. They must learn the Fear of the Lord.

4. Every Christian has two natures. One nature allows them to honor Satan, and with the other nature they can honor the Lord.

5. This world is a temporary training ground, a place of preparation for eternity.

6. This world is ruled by Satan, who hates God.

7. One day they will stand before the Judgment seat of Christ where the saved will give an account of their life before God.

Parents and Grandparents, will you join hands with me for the sake of your children and grand children. Years ago I had a dream for my children that they would be totally committed to the Lord. Oh, there are some areas of reality that are only beliefs in their lives even though they were strong convictions in mine. But together my wife and I worked hard on them, and now we are training them from afar, through prayer and counsel.

However, for your children I too have a dream. Over the years, I have seen both outcomes – those who have turned towards the Lord and those who have become like the third generation and have drifted away. Each is ultimately responsible for making an individual commitment to the cause of Jesus Christ.

Consider the REALITY of this life. I am for you. I am your pastor. You are my people. I am not against you. I am begging you to join with me and allow me to do all I can to help you. In God's dear name, let's work together to develop the children who stood tonight and others who are a part of this ministry. Let’s help them to become all they ought to be for the Glory of God – That they too might set their hope in God.

***********************************************

If God has spoken to your heart after reading the sermon “The Second-Generation Fallout” then right now talk to God about what He has spoken to you.

Acts 16:31, “…Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved…”

Romans 10:13, “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

In His Amazing Grace,

http://BibleBaptistMinistry.org/…/MMX03/

The Spirit Controlled Family

Pastor David Miklas — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 17:38:26 +0000

Sunday November 29, 2009	Phone: 570.829.5216
Pastor David Miklas	e-mail: pdmikBBM@aol.com
Message: Marriage	Text: Ephesians 5:18-33

The Spirit Controlled Family

I don't know about you, but I'm really concerned about the state of today's marriages. Each year several million hopeful couples pledge themselves in holy wedlock, vowing to love each other for better or worse, but about half of them end up in divorce! Today, even the marriages that do hang together are not characterized by the fictitious refrain, "And they lived happily ever after."

The KEY to a successful marriage, and

The KEY to a successful Christian home, and

The KEY to a fulfilled Christian life is in an area that is BASIC, PROFOUND, AND SIMPLE.

However, we not only misunderstand the key, but our neglect of it has rendered much of our spiritual lives and ministries and even Christian marriages and families POWERLESS. This basic truth is in Ephesians 5:18 where we read, “And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;” Now the word filled here means to be controlled.

The comparison here is that of a drunken man being controlled by wine to a man being controlled by the Holy Spirit. Just as a man will yield to wine that will control him, so the believer as he yields to the Holy Spirit, that 3rd person of the triune God, will likewise be controlled by Him.

The words, "be filled," here indicate a continuous action verb, which means "being filled repeatedly" or "be filled and be filled and be filled." The filling or the control of the Holy Spirit is a continuous action upon our yielding day by day and moment by moment to the Holy Ghost that lives inside every one who has accepted Jesus as Savior.

Now the passage before us in Ephesians 5:19-6:4, is geared to family living. The KEY to family living is rooted in the "Spirit Controlled Family." The passage shows us the results of an individual or family that is controlled by the Holy Spirit of God in us.

A Spirit controlled PERSON will be singing, singing Christian songs, singing praises unto our God. Verse 19, “Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;”

A Spirit controlled PERSON will be a thankful person, rejoicing in all things working together for the Glory of God. Verse 20, “Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;”

A Spirit controlled PERSON will submit to those over him. Verse 2, “Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.

A Spirit controlled WIFE will willingly come under the protection and provision of the husband. Verses 22-24, “Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. (23) For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. (24) Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.”

A Spirit controlled HUSBAND will Love his wife as Christ loved the church Verse 25-33, “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; (26) That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, (27) That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. (28) So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. (29) For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church: (30) For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. (31) For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. (32) This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church. (33) Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.”

A Spirit controlled CHILD will obey and honor their parents, Verse 6:1-3, “Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. (2) Honour thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise;) (3) That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth.”

A Spirit controlled FATHER will train up his children and discipline them in the Lord. Verse 6:4, “And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.”

When a "Christian Family" is controlled by the Holy Spirit of God:

It will be easy for a wife to SUBMIT to her husband.

It will be easy for a husband to LOVE his wife.

It will be easy for CHILDREN to OBEY their parents.

Can you imagine a family that lives like that being miserable? IMPOSSIBLE!! That's why I say, this is the KEY to a successful marriage and Christian Family.

Now let me pause here and teach you a very basic truth from the Old Testament to show where all this begins. The truth I am speaking of is the "Anointing of the Holy Spirit." Then I will show you how these two truths of anointing and controlling come together.

We have a tendency in our day to either embrace the Holy Spirit or reject the Holy Spirit. Yet this same Holy Spirit lives within each and every one of us who has put our faith and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ. He is there as our Divine teacher, as our comforter, as our guide, and as our prayer partner. The Holy Spirit is our “Divine Holy Guest living in us.”

In the Old Testament the anointing of a person was for the purpose of empowering and equipping them for a Holy Task.

First: There was the anointing of a PRIEST: In Leviticus 8:10-12 we read, “And Moses took the anointing oil, and anointed the tabernacle and all that was therein, and sanctified them. (11) And he sprinkled thereof upon the altar seven times, and anointed the altar and all his vessels, both the laver and his foot, to sanctify them. (12) And he poured of the anointing oil upon Aaron's head, and anointed him, to sanctify him.” Notice the words ANOINTED and SANCTIFIED are used together. The word “sanctify” means "to set apart." Sanctification does not impart sinless perfection, it means to be set apart for a purpose. For example:

This pulpit is sanctified. It has been set apart for the specific purpose of preaching and teaching the word of God. It is not a perfect pulpit, but none the less, it is a sanctified pulpit.

Now, let’s go back to scripture. Who was sanctified? AARON. Who was Aaron? He was the HIGH PRIEST. The High Priest was anointed that he might be sanctified which means to be set apart. How many times was AARON anointed? ONE TIME.

Second: There was the anointing of a KING: In I Samuel 16:13 we read, “Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of the LORD came upon David from that day forward…” Here is the anointing for the purpose of…what? Sanctification, and sanctification is for the purpose of someone or something being set apart for a special purpose. David was anointed to become A KING. How many times was David anointed? Well, he was anointed THREE times, but each time for a different purpose, or as he assumed a new task.

First: in I Samuel 16:13 God sets David apart to become King.

Second: in II Samuel 2:4 he became king over part of Judah.

Third: in II Samuel 5:3 he became king over all of Israel.

David was anointed THREE times, but only one time for each task.

Third: There was the anointing of a PROPHET: In I Kings 19:16 we read, “And Jehu the son of Nimshi shalt thou anoint to be king over Israel: and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abelmeholah shalt thou anoint to be prophet in thy room.” Again notice Elisha was anointed one time for the purpose of being set apart to be a prophet. How many times was Elisha anointed? ONE TIME!

Now after studying each of these verses, there are three observations I would like to bring to your attention:

First: Each anointing was done upon accepting a new responsibility.

When Aaron was anointed in Lev. 8:12 as High Priest, he was accepting a new responsibility When David was first anointed in I Samuel 16:13 as King, he was accepting a new responsibility.

When Elisha was anointed in I Kings 19:16 as Prophet, he was accepting a new responsibility.

Any new task or responsibility for which you, as a child of God, are chosen, or for which you accept, is so important that the Holy Spirit should anoint you. We read in I John 2:27 "But the anointing which you received of him abideth in you…" Of whom was John speaking? He was speaking of the Holy Spirit.

Second: Each anointing was done to equip for a new task. In each case, Aaron the High Priest, Elisha the Prophet and David the King, the anointing was done to equip each of them for a new task. Remember this, “When God calls, He qualifies, He equips and He prepares.”

When a Christian is called to a new responsibility that person needs to be equipped. Hence, he needs to be anointed by the Holy Spirit as God imparts to him what is needed to fulfill his calling and equips him for that calling.

Third: Each anointing was God giving His mind to the individual for fulfilling that new task. What was meant by this anointing?

When God chooses human flesh for a task, God anoints that human flesh by equipping that human flesh with a spiritual mind so he can understand and comprehend his responsibility from a spiritual standpoint, rather than from a secular or human point of view.

Remember the Bible tells us seven times in Revelation 2-3, "He that hath eyes to see, he that hath ears to hear, let him hear what the Spirit says.” In other words, a Christian needs to see and do things through the eyes, mind, and actions of God rather than through his human eyes.

Now let's review what has been said thus far:

There was an anointing for Aaron THE PRIEST.

There was an anointing for David THE KING.

There was an anointing for Elisha THE PROPHET.

Anointing was done upon accepting a new TASK.

Anointing was done to equip for a new TASK.

Anointing was God giving His mind to them for the new TASK.

You have been patiently listening to this message, and perhaps you are saying, “Pastor,

What has this to do with me in the 21^st century with all my needs and problems and pressure?

What has this do with my marriage and with my family?

What has this to do with the ministry of this church and my involvement in it?”

WHY IS THIS SO IMPORTANT? Because I believe that many of God's dear people who are serving the Lord in the areas of the church teaching ministry, the children’s and youth ministry, the music ministry, working on some committee, Deacons, and Trustees, have never been anointed for the job, task or responsibility they are doing. Many have never submitted themselves for God to open their spiritual perception of how to carry out the ministry or deal with the spiritual nature of the work of God.

Often God's people FAIL or do GOOD things, but do those GOOD THINGS in the energy of the HUMAN FLESH, and wonder why there are no results.

Often our church programs and meetings go on without the presence of the Holy Spirit, and yet we go right on working without being conscious of His absence, and we wonder why there are no results.

Often as believers we live frustrated lives and wonder why there is no joy in worshiping and in doing service for the Lord.

WHY IS THIS SO IMPORTANT? Because many a wife and many a husband and many a parent and many a grandparent is trying in the energy of human flesh to be something they cannot be because they have taken on the task, job, or responsibility in the family, but don't have God’s mind, wisdom, or discernment for that task.

Now if all this is Bible truth, and it is, then this means:

As God blesses your home with EACH new baby, you as parents ought to have a private anointing service as you accept this unique task. To me, five of the most amazing life experiences was the arrival of our five children.

Jonathan, our preacher son was first. We loved him exclusively for a year and a half.

Then came Grace. Something happened when Grace came. I said, “Lord, how can I love her as I do Jonathan?”

Then came Joel, and I asked the Lord the same question.

Then came Ruth and I wondered the same thing.

Finally, Rebecca arrived, and again I asked the Lord to equip me to uniquely love her as well.

Each new birth required an anointing service.

As EACH new grandchild comes into your family, making you a grandparent, you need this anointing. I have done this with:

Alicia Dena, and Zachary Daniel, with Matthew Joel, Autumn Rose, and Luke David, with Angela Grace, Emily Grace, Jennifer Grace, Kimberly Grace, Billy, Deborah Grace, and Jimmy, with Nathaniel Raymond David, Bethany Mary Ruth, Andrew Timothy Lee, Isaac Joel, and Chloe Grace, and finally with Michael David, Stephen David, and Joshua David.

Each time I asked the Holy Spirit of God to anoint me for the task of being a grandparent to them.

EVERY time you accept a new position at work, even though it may be a secular job, you ought to have the anointing of God during which you say "Oh, Spirit of the living God, I need you to anoint me for this task, I yield this mind, body and soul to you. I need your wisdom, I need your mind, and I need your understanding to carry out this responsibility so as to bring GLORY UNTO YOU."

Anointing is a time of being set apart, it is a private ordination for each and every new task, job, or responsibility you are given. Remember:

The anointing is for the new task.

The filling comes while you work at the task.

The filling is the mighty power of God’s Holy Spirit that controls you when you yield to him begging for power.

EVERY time you volunteer to work on a team or to work in a ministry you need to get alone and have an anointing service. During this private ordination service, you should ask God to equip you, to open your eyes and mind to understand things from the spiritual point of view. Can you imagine what would happen in our church ministries if;

We had anointed folks in our church music.

We had anointed Deacons and Trustees.

We had anointed Sunday school teachers, youth workers, and children’s ministry workers.

We had anointed Nursery workers, ushers, and all others who serve in any ministry.

“No program, no Sunday school, no official board, no pulpit, no ministry is really any good unless it is empowered by the Holy Spirit. All our activities are nothing but sounding brass and tinkling symbols unless they have the Holy breath of God’s Spirit upon them!"

I have brought with me a special GLASS. This glass was given to me some 20 years ago. I had the privilege of leading to the Lord the man who gave me this glass. He bought the glass and had PASTOR DAVE inscribed on it. This glass for many years remained in my pulpit.

Here is the lesson. This glass was sanctified. It was set apart for a special purpose to hold my drinking water at the pulpit. But even though this glass was sanctified, it had to be filled all the time in order to be useful. That is just like you and me.

In Ephesians 5:18 the filling or control by the Holy Spirit is a continuous action upon our yielding, whereas the doctrine of anointing is a one time action for each job or responsibility.

As your pastor, I am concerned about you getting into the Bible and understanding its truths, but more than that, I am concerned about your life being changed by the indwelling Holy Spirit. I am more concerned about changed lives than you just occupying a pew on Sunday.

When you take on a new task, a new responsibility, you need to have an anointing from the Lord. Then every time you serve in that task day after day or week after week, you need to say, "God, I need to be Spirit filled, and Spirit controlled."

For those of you who serve the Lord with your labor and hold positions within the Church, I challenge you to get alone for a private ordination service with the Lord. Ask God to set you apart and to give you a spiritual mind as you serve Him for His glory.

Carrying on God's work is not like carrying on business in the secular world. There is something HOLY and SACRED and HIGHER that requires the anointing of God and the constant power of God to do.

Never get to the place where you think you have arrived in the Christian life. If you do, that is the day you begin to backslide. O' yes, you need the anointing of the Holy Spirit on each and every new task, but day after day you also need to be yielded to constant control by the Holy Spirit.

Have you a new responsibility? Begin this responsibility by finding a quiet place and having a little private ordination service between you and God. Ask God to lay His hands upon you and to anoint you for the task ahead.

Tell Him that the task is bigger than you, and the responsibility is too great for the flesh.

Ask Him to anoint you, to sanctify you, to equip you, to inaugurate you for the job ahead.

Ask Him for His mind as you serve.

Ask Him to appropriate to you what you need.

Then day after day beg for His power, plead for His fullness and walk in His Holy Spirit.

Perhaps no human hands will place olive oil on your brow. But at such a time of surrender, the hand of God could use His Holy Spirit to equip you for a task for which by nature you are not equipped.

Perhaps today I am talking with FRUSTRATED WIVES, who since your marriage have never asked God to anoint you for the task. Nor have you asked the blessed Holy Spirit of God to control you as a wife.

Perhaps today I am also talking with EXASPERATED HUSBANDS, who since your marriage, have never asked God to anoint you for the task. Nor have you asked the blessed Holy Spirit of God to control you as a husband.

Perhaps I am talking with PARENTS who are at their WITS END with their children. You have tried everything except asking God to anoint you for the task. Nor have you submitted to the control of the Holy Spirit to demonstrate the fruits of the Spirit before your children.

Perhaps I am talking with grandparents who need to ask God for an anointing on each and every grandchild.

Perhaps I am talking with people who take part in the music ministry or are Sunday school teachers, youth workers, nursery and children workers, members of other ministries here or even Deacons who need to go before God as David put it in Psalm 92:10 "…I shall be anointed with fresh oil."

Listen,

All the counseling in the world,

All the books on the KEYS to successful marriage and family,

All the seminars and messages on the KEYS to living a fruitful, blessed, Christian life and service for Jesus can't do what this simple yet profound truth will do if you will apply it to your life.

It all begins with an anointing of the Holy Spirit and daily continues with control by the Holy Spirit. Today get on your face before God and say,

"God I am not asking for all that I can have in the future at one time, but I am asking that you anoint me for the task of ________________. I need your eyes, your mind, your will and your purpose to be done in my life at this task. I pray you will anoint me and set me apart for it in Jesus’ name."

O’ may you say as David said in Psalm 92:10 "…I shall be anointed with fresh oil."

***********************************************

If God has spoken to your heart after reading the sermon “The Spirit Controlled Family” then right now talk to God about what He has spoken to you.

Acts 16:31, “…Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved…”

Romans 10:13, “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

Copy write permission: Because the “Weekly SERMONS” will be reproduced into other formats, PLEASE TAKE NOTE OF THE FOLLOWING: The “Weekly SERMON” in it’s original form, without any changes, may be copied and re-transmitted by electronic mail, and copies may be printed for individual or ministry purposes, provided that such copying, re-transmission, printing, or other use is not for profit or other commercial purpose. Any copying, re-transmission, distribution, printing, or other use of the “Weekly SERMON” must set forth in full the heading that is given before each “Weekly SERMON.” Any other request for use, please contact Bible Baptist Ministries at pdmikBBM@aol.com or by phone at 570.829.5216.

http://TheWeeklySermon.com/2009/48/

And Ye Fathers

Pastor David Miklas — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 17:27:27 +0000

Sunday June 14, 2009	Phone: 570.829.5216
Pastor David Miklas	e-mail pdmikBBM@aol.com
Message # Giving – Tithes & Offerings	Text: Ephesians 6:1-4; Colossians 3:21

"And Ye Fathers"

Introduction: Because FATHERS DAY is approaching, I welcome the opportunity to speak to the men of our church. Please follow me as I read Ephesians 6:1-4,“Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. (2) Honour thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise) (3) That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth. (4) And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.”

Before we begin, let me voice a word of caution to the women who are present. Please, don’t use this message as a whip over the men in your lives. As men, we desperately need yours PRAYERS, your ENCOURAGEMENT and your SUPPORT. Your influence in our lives is incalculable, for better or for worse! Even though we must take full responsibility for our lives, there is so much you can do to help. Ladies, please pray for your father, husband, and sons. Love them and turn them over to God. Allow God to place convictions and principles in their lives to become the men for whom God is seeking.

Please notice again Ephesians 6:4, and the phrase "And Ye fathers" In a similar passage in Colossians 3:21 we read, "Fathers provoke not your children to wrath." Here are questions for fathers to ponder:

Dad, what will your family say about you after you have departed this world?

Dad what will your children remember the most about you, after you pass on?

One day as a father and son were walking together, the boy lagging a little behind the father suddenly let out a shout, "Daddy, I’m walking in your footsteps." What a statement! Children do COPY their fathers. They learn much from their mothers. But in the early years, they very much want to be like their dad.

Dad, children may not inherit your TALENTS, but they will absorb your VALUES and EMOTIONS.

Dad, children will follow your EXAMPLE before they will follow your INSTRUCTION.

Dad, you’re not impressing your family with what you do for a living as much as WHAT YOU ARE and WHO YOU ARE. Let me repeat that statement. "You are not impressing your family with what you do for a living as much as WHAT YOU ARE and WHO YOU ARE.

Today, why is it that we have so many angry, bitter, resentful children? I sincerely believe it is because fathers are provoking them. Let me give you 10 actions that are separating fathers from their children:

1. The absentee fathers who are always at work or at play with little time to spare for the child.

2. Fathers who set rules without principles or explanation.

3. Fathers who set a double standard.

You wail the day-lights out of a child because they have thrown a temper tantrum, then you throw one in front of your wife. That’s a double standard.

You tell your child that certain TV programs are wrong and then you sit down and watch them. That’s a double standard.

You yell at the child to clean up their room when your room looks like a hurricane has gone through it. That is a double standard.

4. Fathers who are unwilling to disciple their child. Let me say that an undisciplined child is an unloved child.

5. Fathers who are unwilling to listen to their child, especially their every-day conversations.

6. Fathers who display constant anger, who use words of disapproval and discouragement instead of approval and encouragement.

7. Fathers who are unpredictable. The child does not know what your response will be from day to day. You say one thing today, another thing tomorrow, and so on.

8. Fathers who pressure their child to succeed, or get all A’s and B’s. May I remind you that often success comes out of failure!

9. Fathers who have a lack of interest in the activities of their child.

10. Fathers who relinquish their responsibilities to the mother, the school and the church. All these certainly have a place in the child’s life, but the father’s responsibility can not be replaced by them.

Now returning to Ephesians 6:4 we read the word "FATHER." What does the word mean? What does the word imply?

Perhaps we could look at the word’s meaning and implications from this standpoint. God planned for "FATHERS" to be everything to their families WHAT HE, OUR HEAVENLY FATHER is to each of us. To understand this relationship, let’s look at our heavenly Father’s relationship to us. Then we can compare it to the relationship we have as fathers to our family. We find an example of this in the Lord’s model prayer, found in Matthew 6:9-13, “After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. (10) Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. (11) Give us this day our daily bread. (12) And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. (13) And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.”

Now let me break this down for you:

"Our Father which art IN heaven" Since God the Father is over everything, so too, earthly fathers are to be the heads of their families.

"Hallowed be thy name." Since God the Father is to be respected, so too, our earthly fathers are to be reverenced by their wives and children.

"Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven." Since God the Father is to rule His kingdom for His purposes, He is to be obeyed. So too, earthly fathers are to be obeyed as they make decisions in the best interests of those in their home.

"Give us this day our daily bread." Since Our Heavenly Father is our provider, so too, the earthly father is to be the primary provider for his wife and children.

"Forgive our debts as we forgive our debtors." We are instructed to ask that Our Heavenly Father oversee and enforce right relationships between us and others. So too, an earthly father is responsible for developing and enforcing harmonious and spiritual relationships between members of his family.

"Lead us not into temptation." Since Our Heavenly Father leads and guides us morally, so too, an earthly father is to give his family leadership and protection as he teaches them the right way to go.

"Deliver us from evil." Since Our Heavenly Father protects and safeguards us from evil, so too, earthly fathers must safeguard their families from false religious doctrine, materialism, humanism, worldliness and ungodly amusements.

You know, being a father is awesome! Men are to be as responsible for their family in all of these areas mentioned as the HEAVENLY FATHER is to us. Do you understand?

Children get their earliest and most important ideas about God from their earthly fathers. When fathers do a POOR JOB, their children may grow up thinking God has the same qualities as their earthly fathers:

Impatient, Self-centered, Ill-tempered,

Unavailable, Unloving, Unfaithful to promises

The concept is really very simple. Listen to this statement: "The child’s view of God comes from what he sees in his earthly father."

A child says "My dad does not love me, so how could I believe that God loves me?"

A child says "My dad is not personally interested in me, so why should I believe that there is a God who is personally interested in me?"

A child says "My dad says he loves me, but never corrects me. God might be a God of love, but He will let me get by with my sin. What good is that?"

A child says "My dad is always angry; I guess God is always angry too."

What an awesome responsibility it is to be a FATHER. In many respects men have become endangered species who face numerous temptations. Let me get you thinking about the top SIX temptations that fathers face:

First: The temptation to give things instead of giving yourselves including your presence and your personal involvement. Don’t misunderstand, providing for one’s family is biblical. I Timothy 5:8 calls the man who fails to provide for his family’s needs "worse than an infidel or an unbeliever." But the temptation I am referring to goes far beyond the basic level of need.

It’s the toy vs. time battle. It’s a dad’s desire to make up for his long hours of absence by unloading material stuff on his family rather than being there when he is needed:

Like being in the bleachers during ball games, or being in the audience during a band concert;

Like being by your child’s side, when the homework calls for a father’s encouragement; or

Like being in the car to give instructions, when your child is learning to drive.

Nothing takes the place of a father who gets involved, N-O-T-H-I-N-G! Would you notice in Ephesians 6:4 the word "admonition?" The word means "A verbal instruction." One of the key areas found in the book of Proverbs is that of a father counseling with this son. For example in Proverbs 1:8, 10, 15, 2:1, 3:1, 10, 4;1, 5:1, and there are many others, we read the phrase “My Son”. Check out these passages in Proverbs, and then outline from them the instructions you need to give your children.

There are many areas in life wherein you could counsel and teach your children. Many a Dad could teach his children in the

Area of academia,

Some in the arts, like music,

Still others in some trade, or yet

Still others in the realm of sports, and definitely

In the very important area of spiritual truths.

But I believe the most important area we so often neglect is the area we call CHARACTER. In our society, we have placed more emphasis on TALENT building than on CHARACTER building. No wonder we are in trouble. I have more respect for the child who obeys his parents and lives by their rules than for a talented sports-playing child who does not obey authority nor live by the rules. The one might have talent, but the other has character, and character will always outlive talent.

A good definition of CHARACTER is found in Proverbs 11:3, "The integrity of the upright shall guide them." Character is:

Doing the right thing, in the right way, at the right time, with the right attitude, EVEN WHEN WE DON’T FEEL LIKE IT, OR EVEN WHEN NO ONE IS WATCHING. Good character is doing the right thing automatically as if by reflex.

Do you remember Dick Vermile? He was the coach of the Superbowl Champion Philadelphia Eagles football team. He said, "Talent and ability mean little without the character to use it right…the person with character STAYS WITH THE JOB, FINISHES THE TASK, DOES IT RIGHT, AND GIVES HIS BEST ALL THE TIME…that is on and off the field."

Second: The temptation to save your best for the workplace. "Nobody has an endless supply of energy, creativity, enthusiasm, ideas, humor, leadership drive, or zest for life." It is easy for dads to use up all those qualities at work, leaving virtually nothing for the end of the day. As a result, the wife and kids get only what is leftover.

Dads, your families deserve better! By failing to pace yourselves, by not deliberately saving some of your creative energy for home, you tend to be listless, negative, boring, and predictable around the house. Those unselfish men who think ahead, maintain right priorities, and keep their families surprised by a joyful demeanor are rare!

Third: The temptation to deliver lectures rather than earning respect by listening and learning. James 1:19 is worth noting here, where we read, "…let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath," When things get out of hand at home, it’s a natural tendency to reverse the order James suggests.

First, get mad.

Then, shout. (Lecture No. 38… or is it No. 39?)

Last, listen.

When that happens, you get tuned out (I’ve learned that the hard way).

Family members may stop what they are doing.

They may look at you, but they aren’t listening.

Then they begin a slow, silent burn.

It’s a sobering realization, dads, but your home is not an extension of the office, and your wife and children are not employees. Maybe you get respect automatically where you work; but at home you must earn it the old-fashioned way. You must work for it.

Fourth: The temptation to find intimate fulfillment outside the bonds of your marriage. Thanks to your ability to rationalize, men can talk themselves into the most ridiculous predicaments. I’ve heard most of them, such as:

You need your time and space, can’t be tied down with a job, a wife and kids who need this or that. So, you do things on your own. However, after awhile you come to your senses and wonder what happened to your family. OR

You know you need to have some fun in this life, to have new experiences. So you let your eyes drift away from your wife and fantasize about another woman, and how great it would be, that nobody will know, and nobody will get hurt.

How stupid you are! God knows instantly, and before long the whole world will know, and the hurt will be beyond imagination. I’ve listened to the children of adulterers after the fact. They never understand, they hurt beyond description, and they carry scars indefinitely. The charm of seductive passion is incredibly strong, and able to blind even the godly. In fact, the enticement can be powerful enough to make a man momentarily forget his family, as well as ignore the crippling consequences of his sin.

Someone said, “Marriage is not so much finding the right person, as it is being the right person.”As a divine standard there are two attitudes required to make a good marriage:

First: A woman characterized by SUBMISSION, where the WIFE comes to terms with her role and declares, “I love my husband enough to LIVE for him!”

Second: A man characterized by SACRIFICAL LOVE, where the HUSBAND comes to terms with his role and declares, “I love my wife enough to DIE for her!”

In Ephesians 5 we read:

Verse 25, "Husbands love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave Himself for it,"

Verse 28, "So ought husbands to love their wives as their own bodies…"

Verse 33, "Nevertheless, let every one of you (speaking of the husband) in particular so love his wife even as himself…"

Fifth: The temptation to demand perfection instead of giving DISCIPLINE in love. We fathers can be pretty demanding, and sometimes extremely unrealistic, can’t we? Then at the same time we forget to discipline with love. Here are two truths to let sink into your mind:

Children thrive best in an atmosphere of genuine love, undergirded by reasonable, consistent discipline.

A child that is loved is a disciplined child, and a correctly disciplined child is a secure child.

Going back to the text in Ephesians 6:4, notice the word "Nurture." The word means to discipline. We are instructed in Proverbs 23:13, "Withhold not correction from the child."

The nature of a child demands correction. Proverbs 22:15 reads, "Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child, but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him."

Love demands that we discipline our children, for in Proverbs 13:24 we are told, "He that spareth his rod hateth his son; but he that loveth him chasteneth him early."

DISCIPLINE IS NOT HATE! DISCIPLINE IS LOVE IN ACTION!

Sixth: The temptation to underestimate the importance of cultivating your family’s spiritual appetite. According to the Word of God, fathers are to be the HIGH PRIEST in the home. I need you to leave this passage in Ephesians and turn with me to Deuteronomy 6:4-9 where we read, “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD: (5) And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. (6) And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: (7) And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. (8) And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes. (9) And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates.”

Fathers, as spiritual leaders in your home, THREE things are needed from you:

First: Lead your family in Family Worship. Develop and maintain a family alter tailored to the age of the children. Read the Word of God, pray and sing simple songs.

Second: Lead your family in Public Worship. Attend all the church services with your family. Lead your children to realize that Public Worship comes first. Picnics, sports, and all other activities must come second. You teach faithfulness by being faithful yourself.

Third: Lead your family to Salvation, See that each is saved, baptized, and growing in the Lord.

Dad’s listen up! Your wife and children long for you to be their pacesetter. Children love knowing that their dad:

Loves God with his whole heart, soul, and mind;

Walks consistently with God, and

Talks regularly with God.

Never underestimate your role as the spiritual head of your family. Remember that you are either leading towards God or away from Him. Being in a neutral position is impossible! Are you ready for a challenge? Begin to spend time with God, become a man of prayer. Become a man of the Word of God. Let your family know how deeply you love Christ and desire to honor him.

What will your children most clearly remember about you after you are gone? I believe the greatest gifts a father can give his children are:

One: The testimony of your own salvation, and then the knowledge that everyone in the family personally knows Jesus as their Saviour.

Two: Tangible knowledge that you are walking with the Lord, in the Word of God, in prayer and through your actions.

Three: As a father being in love with the mother of your children. Knowledge that you are staying together for a lifetime.

"And Ye Fathers" have you been drawn into the temptations listed? How do you measure up? As a father perhaps it is time to face the music, and then begin to change the tune for the sake of your children.

***********************************************

If God has spoken to your heart after reading the sermon "And Ye Fathers" then right now talk to God about what He has spoken to you.

Acts 16:31, “…Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved…”

Romans 10:13, “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

http://TheWeeklySermon.com/2009/24/

Simple Gifts

Pastor David Miklas — Sun, 31 May 2009 23:58:41 +0000

Volume No. 2009 Issue No. 18 Date: May 31, 2009

Publication of the BIBLE BAPTIST MINISTRY, 48 Alexie Rd, Hanover Township, PA 18706

Phone: 570.829.5216 pdmikBBM@aol.com pastormiklas@aol.com

In Colossians 3:21 we read, “Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged.” At every turn, "society" loudly proclaims that your child needs some product or service. Not only that, the subtle and often not so subtle message is: good parents buy the latest _____________ for their children. Parents who don’t, well, they just aren’t offering their children the best. But what do our kids really need? What our children really need are simple gifts. Unfortunately, the word "simple" is deceiving, for "simple" gifts are not always easy to give, and often come only with focused consideration. Take the time to review a few of these simple gifts. How many of us have given them to our children?

LIMITLESS LOVE: The gift of limitless love can only be given according to the model Jesus provided. Loving our kids should never be about trying to ensure their love for us. It shouldn’t be tied to their behavior. It should be about generously offered affection. It should say "No" when necessary. It should forgive seventy times seven.

DAILY DISCIPLINE: In Ephesians 6:4 we read, “And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.” The gift of discipline is two-fold. The first part requires providing consistent boundaries that have immediate consequences when crossed. The earlier boundaries are set, and the more consistently the consequences are carried out, will determine the lasting value of this gift. The second part of the gift of discipline is about instilling self-discipline within your children. Teach them to finish what they start. Teach them that work comes before play. Teach them to discipline both their mind and body.

EVERYDAY ENCOURAGEMENT: Midst the flurry of daily activity, it is common to look back and not see one moment with our kids that included encouragement. Sure, we threatened them to finish their homework. We ordered them to clean their rooms. But encouragement sustains. It edifies. Remember to offer encouragement separately from instruction. Here are a few examples to prime the pump:

"You are great with numbers. I know you can figure out those math problems."

"Wow! You brushed your hair all by yourself. You did a great job!"

"I noticed you sharing with your brother. Way to go!"

“I saw you reading your Bible this morning in devotions, great to see that.”

APPROPRIATE ATTENTION: Some parents unintentionally ignore their children, but attention is a gift they crave. Try these pointers:

Stop working when your child wants your attention.

Make eye contact as you converse and listen to what they are saying.

Reduce attention distractions (TV, cell phones, iPods, laptops, blackberries, etc.).

MODEL FOR MARRIAGE: One of the most important simple gifts you can give is a godly model for marriage. Sure, you can preach with words. You can show evidence in Scripture. But it is your relationship with your spouse that will provide a pattern your sons and daughters will likely follow as adults. Here are three biblical concepts to convey with your actions.

Dad is the spiritual head of the house.

Mom is priceless and deserves respect and tender consideration.

Mom and Dad are a team. That means your children shouldn’t be able to play you against one another.

The next time you feel pressured to spend elaborately on your child, remember the simple gifts. There are so many to choose from, and these gifts will never be used up, discarded, or returned.

In His Amazing Grace,

http://TheWeeklySermon.com/2009/22/

What Makes a Family Strong?

Pastor David Miklas — Sun, 31 May 2009 16:49:57 +0000

Sunday May 31, 2009	Phone: 570.829.5216
Pastor David Miklas	e-mail: pdmikBBM@aol.com
Message: Patriotic	Text: Deuteronomy 6:1-13

"What Makes a Family Strong?"

Introduction: In a few weeks we will celebrate the 233^rd year of our nation’s birth. I believe the facts bear it out that America is great because God made her great. The Bible says, "That RIGHTEOUSNESS exalts a nation, and that the nation whose God is the Lord is a blessed nation."

God honored America because America honored Him and upheld His STANDARD OF RIGHTEOUSNESS. America has a heritage that cries, "We cannot go without God."

Psalm 33:11-12 "The counsel of the LORD standeth forever, the thoughts of His heart to all generations. Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD…"

Proverbs 14:34, "RIGHTEOUSNESS exalteth a nation but sin is a reproach to any people."

Proverbs 29:2, "When the RIGHTEOUS are in authority, the people rejoice; but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn."

Follow me as I expand for you Proverbs 29:2, "When those who endeavor to RIGHT what is morally wrong and endeavor to do it publicly, when they increase in number, people rejoice…"

We have come to a time in our nation in which we must do something about this verse. Today in America we are faced with tremendous moral, spiritual and family issues.

We are facing in all levels of government a political crisis of integrity and leadership.

We are facing a moral crisis in this nation as immorality is running like a river of booze, adultery, abortion, pornography, and filth.

We are facing a family crisis in America that is destroying the very foundation of our nation as well as our churches.

Should we be surprised? No! God predicted this would happen in II Timothy 3:1-5 where I read, “This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. (2) For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, (3) Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, (4) Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; (5) Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.”

In Proverbs 14:34 we read, "Righteousness exalts a nation…." Our nation was steeped in RIGHTEOUSNESS and as a result enjoyed freedom. But we as Christians must maintain that freedom by continually being the moral conscience of America. Listen, "One may acquire freedom, but it will never be recovered if it is ever lost."

When we lose our freedoms we lose the platformfor the preaching of the Word of God and the development and the expansion of the church.

When we lose our freedoms we lose the potentialto train and develop our Children who will become the most powerful influence on earth for God and His glory.

Now the strength of any nation lies not in its government, but rather in the foundation of its families that provide the strength for the church, which in turn provides the strength for the nation.

Many years ago, I preached a message entitled, "Who Cares for the Children?" In that message I said:

"Over the years I have watched with great delight children who turned out right as they went on living for the Lord. But I have also watched with a broken heart other children who left the things of God and chose worldliness and sin away from the things of Christ. To whom shall credit be given for those who did turn out right?

Let’s thank God for caring, consistent, godly parents who acted the same behind the scenes as they did before the public.

Let’s thank God for church members that cared for them and maybe a Sunday school teacher or youth leader or a pastor who loved them and prayed for them out of a sincere heart.

Let’s thank God for churches that set a consistent standard with conviction, and lived by the rules they set.

We need to give God all the Glory for helping us to do what we ought to do and for preserving the little ones as they grew in the things of Jesus Christ.”

On the other hand, where shall the blame lie for those who did not turn out right?

In the FIRST place, as Pastor, I take the blame for some. I wish more could have been done to reach them and keep them for the things of God.

Maybe I should have loved them more.

Maybe I should have prayed more for them.

Maybe I should have preached harder to them with greater passion and greater fervency.

Maybe I should have given them more of my personal attention.

Maybe I should have provided more for their spiritual and physical outlet that they so crave.

In the SECOND place I blame the ministry for those who left the things of God and wandered out into the world. Because of that, I have watched God’s people fuss at one another and complain and bicker over some of the most stupid and inconsequential things. And then, not over doctrine and not over sin but simply out of PRIDE and SELFISHNESS, get mad at the preacher or get mad at the ministry and stomp out of the church leaving the little ones and the teenagers wondering what happened.

Over the years I have watched this happen time and time again. Parents, as well as so-called leaders, leave the church thinking they have gotten the upper hand on the Pastor and the ministry. But what they don’t realize is the tragedy left in the hearts of the children and teenagers of the church.

An even greater tragedy is what will happen, and believe me it will happen, it will happen, it will happen, in the lives of their own children and even in the lives of their own grandchildren. They will leave the things of God, and go out into the world; marry the unsaved, and eventually look at Christianity as something just to take or to leave.

In the THIRD place, I blame the parents whose inconsistent life-style within the home has forced the children to make a decision as to what road to take. Should they live for Christ or should they live for the ways of the world? My friend, very rarely have I seen them choose to go the way of righteousness.

In a recent interview with some run-away youth, the question was asked, "Why did you leave your home?" and the answer was without exception "we had all the material things that life could offer, but we were not wanted. There was no love there. There was no feeling of being wanted there. Our parents were telling us to live one way, all the while they were living another way."

The question from the students of Junior High Schools through the High Schools on to the college campuses is who will love us, who will care for us? Youth of today are searching for the answers to life:

Where did we come from?

Why are we here?

What is the purpose of life?

Where are we headed and how do we get there?

They have the questions, but who is giving them the answers? One young lady, from a Christian home, echoed the feeling of so many when she said, "I wonder if the Christian life is just a passing dream, where one day I will awake and find it will all be gone." She was voicing what the world has been saying. "Christianity is just a harmless fad, don’t take it too seriously." Again I ask you this morning, "Who cares for the children?" With a heavy, broken heart I sincerely believe the answer to this current crisis is not found in our government or in our schools or even in our churches, but rather in our families. The question then becomes, "What makes a strong family?" From earliest time,

God cared so much about the family He provided the foundational guidelines that would make it solid and keep it strong. God set everything in motion in order for us to sustain domestic strength.

He did so through Moses as he reminded the people of Israel of the importance of maintaining strong families as they were about to invade Canaan to take up residence in the Promise Land.

The events recorded for us in Deuteronomy 6, were really a family scene. Hundreds of thousands of husbands, wives, and children were gathered on the edge of enemy territory. Before these families could occupy Canaan, they must invade and conquer. Once that was accomplished, they could settle down and begin living normal lives. It was that fact which most concerned the Lord. Once they "settled in," if they were not careful, they would become indifferent and just like those around them.

In Deuteronomy 6:1-3 Moses spells out the foundation, “Now these are the commandments, the statutes, and the judgments, which the LORD your God commanded to teach you, that ye might do them in the land whither ye go to possess it: (2) That thou mightest fear the LORD thy God, to keep all his statutes and his commandments, which I command thee, thou, and thy son, and thy son’s son, all the days of thy life; and that thy days may be prolonged. (3) Hear therefore, O Israel, and observe to do it; that it may be well with thee, and that ye may increase mightily, as the LORD God of thy fathers hath promised thee, in the land that floweth with milk and honey. Now in verses 4-15 God gives us four guiding principles that would enable these families to survive. These four guiding principles form the basis of the four principles which keep a family strong. Verse 4 – HEAR, Verse 5 – LOVE, Verse 7 – TEACH, and verse 13 – FEAR.

First: Hear the Truth Continually, verse 4, “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD:” If you are Jewish, those words have a familiar ring to them. Two primary tenents are spelled out here.

Number 1: Jehovah "The Lord" is unique, unlike any other deities. He alone is God.

Number 2: Jehovah "One Lord" is one in essence, one in harmony.

The ancient Israelite’s were commanded to hear this truth over and over again. It was the foundational statement of their faith. Strong families lean hard on certain unshakable facts, and this is a major one.

Teach your children “We believe in God. He is ELOHIM, the God who created everything, the most High God, the eternal one; He sees what’s going on. Maybe you can’t, but He can. He is EL-SHADDAI; He is able to meet our every need. He is JEHOVAH, Yahweh, the I AM, in the present tense, right now, all that we need today. He is for us. He is ADONAI, the ruler, the master of our lives.”

Teach your children “We believe in God the Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, Who is perfect deity and perfect humanity without sin. He is our redeemer crucified, buried, risen, assented, intercessor, coming King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

Teach your children “We believe in God the Holy Spirit, our eternal security for our redemption. He empowers us as our guide and teacher.

Strong families amplify this creed: "The Lord is our God. We acknowledge His presence, His uniqueness, His place, His right to rule over us. We seek His will, we endeavor to walk in His way." When times are good or when times are hard and even when the future is uncertain, you would do well to repeat words like these to affirm confidence in our God and determination to trust Him.

Second: Love the Lord Fervently, verses 5-6, “And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. (6) And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart:” Now as we read again verse 5, notice the repeated word "ALL." “And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with ALL thine heart, and with ALL thy soul, and with ALL thy might. As parents and grandparents our love for God should not be partial, casual or questionable. There ought to be fervency and confidence. Our love for God must be complete.

It is impossible for me to transfer to my children a principle I do not personally embrace which is a love for God that permeates all my heart.

It is impossible for me to convince my children of the value of honesty, if I am dishonest.

It is impossible for me to transfer my love for the Lord, if I don’t read His Word.

It is impossible for me to transfer my love for God, if I only come to the house of God when the spirit moves me or when it is convenient.

It is impossible for our children to grasp the importance of care and compassion forothers, if we as parents run roughshod over others.

Our love for God must be an all-encompassing love, a deep-down dedication. Notice verse 6 where it says that love "shall be in thine heart." This is not simply a nice-sounding religious idea washing around in your mind. "Truth is more permanently transferred from a parent’s life than from his lips. Modeling the truth far exceeds preaching to the young." But our next point does give place to actual teaching.

Third: Teach the Young Diligently, verses 7-9, “And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. (8) And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes. (9) And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates.” The task of indoctrinating children was a responsibility of the home, not the church, school or other institution or the combined efforts of a group of government professionals. The word teach here suggests "repeating it over and over again."

Let me pause and say something about how we look at teaching Christianity. You and I are seeing many Christians who were taught an enormous number of biblical facts, but somehow they lacked authenticity and example. Perhaps the thing that was omitted was the diligence…verse 7, "You shall teach them diligently unto thy children…"

The word "diligently" in the Hebrew means "to sharpen." So if read literally, the statement would be "… and you shall sharpen your children." Additionally there is in the Hebrew an intensity creating a strong command, "… you shall intensely sharpen your children…"

God’s desire is for a conscious, consistent, transfer of His truth from the older to the younger in the family. If there is an unconscious mistake Christian parents make it is thinking our children automatically capture our zeal for Christ. Quite to the contrary, the only thing automatic is that our children automatically get turned off to spiritual things. Never forget, we are living in spiritually hostile territory and there must be authentic visible training sessions.

Notice in verse 7, we are to "TALK of them" We are to talk of spiritual things just as we would talk about anything else in our home. That is what will make your Christianity authentic. It isn’t a Sunday lifestyle! It is a Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and on and on and on in the cycle of living. Talking of spiritual things ought to be a natural occurrence. It ought to fit into everything we do, whether we are eating, playing, working or resting.

I’m certainly not the first to point out that the teaching is to permeate every sphere of life. Note again verse 7 and see the word "when" repeatedly used. “And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them WHEN thou sittest in thine house, and WHEN thou walkest by the way, and WHEN thou liest down, and WHEN thou risest up. Whatever we are doing, wherever we are going, truth is to be deposited into the lives of our young.

Fourth: Fear the Lord Greatly, verses 10-15, “And it shall be, when the LORD thy God shall have brought thee into the land which he sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give thee great and goodly cities, which thou buildedst not, (11) And houses full of all good things, which thou filledst not, and wells digged, which thou diggedst not, vineyards and olive trees, which thou plantedst not; when thou shalt have eaten and be full; (12) Then beware lest thou forget the LORD, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage. (13) Thou shalt fear the LORD thy God, and serve him, and shalt swear by his name. (14) Ye shall not go after other gods, of the gods of the people which are round about you; (15) (For the LORD thy God is a jealous God among you) lest the anger of the LORD thy God be kindled against thee, and destroy thee from off the face of the earth.” Here is the problem. After giving so many things, God warns us about forgetting Him. When blessed, it is so easy to adopt a presumptuous, arrogant spirit.

Remember this, "Indulgence leads to indifference, which results in independence that finally says, "Who needs God any longer?"

So what’s the secret of keeping that from happening? Notice again verse 13, “Thou shalt fear the LORD thy God, and serve him, and shalt swear by his name.” By "’fear of God" we mean:

a reverence for His holy name, a wholesome respect for His sovereign will which is the ever present realization that God is the Almighty, Holy God.

What calm assurance and confidence this gives a family! The longer this attitude persists, the more the Lord honors it by lengthening the shadows of stability. It is as if He wraps an invisible shield of protection around your family. Perhaps that is what is meant by verse 14, “Ye shall not go after other gods, of the gods of the people which are round about you;” In a very real sense we, too, are surrounded by gods. The gods our families face today are:

the gods of materialism and money;

the gods of sensuality, immorality, and hedonism;

the gods of fame, popularity and power;

the gods of drugs and alcohol;

the gods of humanism, and man-made religions.

But strong families remain strong because they are always aware that from Proverbs 18:10 we read, "The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous runneth into it, and are safe."

The only hope of providing a strong family foundation for our children is found here in Deuteronomy 6:

to HEAR the truth continually, "the Lord is our Lord;"

to LOVE the Lord fervently;

to TEACH the young diligently. and

to FEAR the Lord greatly.

The only hope of turning this nation back to God is for those of us who name the name of God to turn back to Him and become, once again, the moral conscience of this nation. In II Chronicles we read, "If my people, which are called by my name shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land." There is nothing wrong with America that you couldn’t cure. As noted from II Chronicles 7:14,

Nations do not repent, individuals repent.

Nations do not turn from sins, individuals turn from their sins.

Nations do not get right with God, individuals get right with God.

Remember Psalm 9:17 says, "The wicked shall be turned into hell and all the nations that forget God. In Psalm 11:3 we read, "If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?" America is but a reflection of our heart and lives. May we do all we can to stand for RIGHTEOUSNESS, so that the next generation can still have "One nation under God."

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If God has spoken to your heart after reading the sermon, ""What Makes a Family Strong?"then right now talk to God about what He has spoken to you.

Acts 16:31, “…Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved…”

Romans 10:13, “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”