Faithful When Life Is Hard

                                                      FAITHFUL WHEN LIFE IS HARD

Revelation 2:8-11

            When things are going well, we can somehow hold on to our Christian faith, but what about when life is hard and we are persecuted for being Christians? We began our journey through the seven churches in ancient Asia Minor, learning principles that would help us on our journey of faith. We looked at the Ephesian Church, which once was on fire for the Lord but ultimately lost its first love for God and others. We saw how God called the Church to repent and return to its first love. Today we will learn about another church that remained faithful even when life was hard and what lessons we can draw from it. Revelation 2:8-11

I. Jesus is the First and The Last

Revelation 2:8 "To the angel of the Church in Smyrna write: These are the words of him who is the First and the Last, who died and came to life again. Here, Jesus is called the First and the Last, once dead but now alive. In Isaiah 44:6 and 48:12, God is portrayed as the beginning and the end, with no one equal to him. By saying, "I am the first and the last," Jesus asserted that He is God. He went further, saying, "I was once dead, and now I am alive."

John received a powerful revelation: Jesus is a living God, fully alive and actively involved in His followers' lives. The first recipients of those assuring words from Christ must have been comforted, knowing that Jesus was with them in their struggles. Are you facing hardship? Be assured that Jesus is with you. To better understand the power of God's presence with us, let us look at what is really going on in Smyrna and in the lives of Christians there.

II. What Do We Know About Smyrna?

Smyrna is the only city that has continued to the present day, now known as Izmir. Another harbor city with a thriving export trade, thirty-five miles north of Ephesus, it was renowned for its beauty and civic pride and called itself "the first in Asia."

It was the first city in Asia to erect a temple to the goddess Roma (195 B.C.). The famous temples of Zeus and Cybele were connected by a mall that the ancient world envied. A group of buildings called "the crown of Smyrna and a beautiful roadway called "the Street of Gold." It had a large Jewish population that vehemently opposed Christians.

The Church in Smyrna faced persecution during Domitian's reign. Rome had granted the Jews the right to practice their religion, and they did not want this precious privilege threatened. In the 80s, Judaism excommunicated the Christian "heretics" from their synagogues, and they wanted nothing to do with them. In A.D. 155, the famous bishop of Smyrna, Polycarp, was burned alive for refusing to call Caesar "Lord" during an extensive persecution instigated by the Jews. Christians in Smyrna wondered whether God knew what they were going through.

III. God Knows Our Struggles and Sufferings

The Church in Smyrna is experiencing both affliction (persecution) and poverty. Christ said, "I know your affliction and your poverty, yet you are rich." What has contributed to their poverty? Due to their uncompromising faith, they found it difficult to make a living in a pagan environment. The linking of persecution and poverty together suggests that poverty may be more than just a lack of employment; it is a lack of the basic needs that sustain life.

Many people around the world are facing this situation today. Even here in the USA, finding employment is difficult. I know a faithful Christian woman with a PhD who has been unemployed for nearly three years. We can only imagine the financial struggles many Christians face in countries like China, Cuba, and India, as well as in many other Muslim countries.

This is what the Church at Smyrna was experiencing: they were poor; however, God called them "Rich." When we were back in India, we had a fine Christian woman from a very poor background work for us at home. Despite her poverty, she maintained dignity and integrity.

She had a strong faith in Christ. She fasted every Friday, prayed often, and was, all in all, a radiant Christian. If Christ looked at her situation, He would say, "I know your affliction and poverty, yet you are rich." What would Jesus say about you? Returning to the believers in Smyrna, despite their poverty, they took comfort in knowing that Jesus noticed them.

Jesus commended them, saying they were truly rich. In the midst of their affliction, God has given them spiritual riches beyond their wildest dreams. The only reason we might not be experiencing these blessings is that, unlike the early Christians, we are distracted by many other attractions. The early Christians focused on what is unseen rather than their troubling circumstances; therefore, they were ready to pay the price and endure hardships. Let's talk about paying the price and how it will reward us in the end.

III. Faithful When Life Is Hard

When we are about to close a business deal or take a new job, we naturally ask, "What is in it for me?" In other words, how will it profit me? I am sure the believers in Smyrna asked themselves the same question; they may have known the price they had to pay, yet they decided to become Christians. How many of us are aware of the price of following Christ?

           When someone decides to follow Christ or join a church, I wonder what they are looking for. Are they only looking at the blessings of following Christ and not at the high price, and are they unwilling to suffer for Him? The truth is that following Christ brings great blessings, but God never promised total ease and comfort. Jesus said to his disciples, "They must deny themselves, take up their cross daily, and follow Him" (Luke 9:23).

Paul, writing to the young Timothy, echoes this in 2 Timothy 3:12: "In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted." The message couldn't be clearer. Ironically, many churches today have emphasized prosperity theology.

We give very little attention to a theology of suffering and hardship. Yet throughout Church history, Christians have suffered for their faith, and many have been killed. A whole book was written about them called the "Fox Book of Martyrs." The 2nd-century Church Father Tertullian wrote, "The blood of martyrs is the seed of the Church." It is estimated that 100,000 people are killed each year because of their Christian faith.

These numbers will only increase in the end times. So, dear friends, if we want to follow Christ, we must be willing to pay the price, even if it means losing our very lives. It is somewhat bearable and justifiable when opposition comes from pagans, but when it comes from the so-called people of God or our own Christian brothers and sisters, who can bear such opposition?

That is exactly what the Church in Smyrna endured. Christians were being accused by zealous Jews. Jewish opposition to Christianity was quite common in the NT. Several scriptures indicate that the Jews caused many problems for Christians. (Acts 13:45-52; 14:19; 17:6-9). With its large Jewish population, this opposition against Christians reached its height."

Vs 10, "Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life." As I read this letter to the Church in Smyrna, I cannot help but wonder: we American Christians, who always get what we want, who don't want anyone telling us what we should or shouldn't do. 

 

How will we be able to handle it when real persecution hits us? Jesus' exhortation to the believers then and now is the same: "To be faithful till the end." Whatever tough situation you are facing today, God knows it. We may be poor in the eyes of the world but are rich in the eyes of God. No matter what may come, when we remain faithful in hard times, God blesses us with eternal life. That is the greatest blessing that we could ever receive.

 

Beware of False Prophets (Matthew 7:15-20)

BEWARE OF FALSE PROPHETS

The Importance of Knowing Heresy

 

In The Story of Christian Theology, theologian Roger Olson writes:

A popular misconception—perhaps a Christian urban legend—is that the United States Secret Service never shows bank tellers counterfeit money when teaching them to identify it. According to the legend, the agents who conduct the training show bank tellers only genuine money so they recognize counterfeit bills by how they differ from the real thing. The story is meant to show that Christians ought to study Truth and never heresy.

The first time I heard the tale as a sermon illustration, I sensed it was false. When I checked with the Treasury Department's Minneapolis Secret Service agent, who trains bank tellers to identify counterfeit money, my suspicion was confirmed. He laughed at the story and wondered aloud who would start it and who would believe it. At my request, he sent me a letter confirming that the Secret Service shows bank tellers examples of counterfeit money.

I believe it is important and valuable for Christians to know not only theological correctness (orthodoxy) but also the ideas of those judged as heretics within the church's story. One reason is that it is almost impossible to appreciate orthodoxy without understanding the heresies that forced its development.[1]

 For followers of Christ, it is essential to know Christ's teachings and to recognize false prophets and their deceptive teachings. As Jesus continued His teaching on the Kingdom, He contrasted travelers on the Broad Road with those who enter through the narrow gate and continue on the narrow road. After warning people about the different ends of the broad and narrow gates, He went on to expose the subtle nature and deceptive teaching of false prophets. Jesus commanded them to Beware Of False Prophets (Matthew 7:15-20).

In his list of end-time signs, Jesus included false prophets to show us why it matters to learn about them. Matthew 24:11, 24 says, " Many false prophets will appear and deceive many people." Vs. 24: For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect."

I. The Sacred Calling Of A Prophet

            Before we explore false prophets and their attacks on God's people, we want to examine the Sacred Calling of a Prophet. In the OT, a prophet was someone God used to communicate His message to the world. They were also called "seers" because they could "see" spiritually, as God gave them insight. For example, Samuel was called the seer (I Samuel 9:9).

God often called a prophet or prophetess for a specific purpose and season, as with Moses, who was called to deliver people from the bondage of Egypt and lead them to the promised land. Jeremiah was called by God from the womb to be a prophet to the nations (Jer 1:5). The prophets came from a variety of backgrounds, both male and female. They addressed different audiences, employed distinct styles, and used varied methods. They may not have had an inspiring appearance but carried God's inspiring message, as Elisha did. II Kings 2:23

Yet they all shared one sacred mission: to remain humble and deliver God's unadulterated message accurately. During the age of kings, sixteen prophets in both the Northern and Southern Kingdoms played a major role in advising their kings by delivering God's messages. They also warned people of God's judgment and wrath for their disobedience. A king was blessed to have God's prophet on his side. The king of Israel called the prophet Elisha "my father." He warned him again and again about the plots of his enemy, the King of Aram. II Kings 6:8-12

Such a sacred calling and the mission of God's prophets are often hindered by false prophets. While God's prophets were carrying out God's message, the devil had his own prophets who worshipped false deities such as Baal and Asherah, the God and goddess of fertility. I Kings 15:13, 16:32. God's prophets and the devil's prophets confronted each other. For instance, the prophet Elijah confronted and killed 850 of them. I Kings 18:40. Jesus warned his disciples that many false prophets would appear during the end times and deceive many.

The apostle Peter attested to that sober reality in his letters to God's elect, scattered throughout the then-known world. II Pet 2:1-2: "But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves." As Christ's disciples, our task is to identify them so we can avoid their traps.

II. Beware Of The False Prophets

Matthew 7:15: "Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves." NASB. "Be wary of false preachers who smile a lot, dripping with practiced sincerity. Chances are they are out to rip you off in some way or another. (MSG) Jesus warns us to watch out for false prophets. But this makes them harder to recognize by their looks, since they don't carry a label that says, "I am a False Prophet." They don't look weird!

Some are dashingly handsome and charismatic. As Jesus warned us, they come looking and acting like sheep but are inwardly ravenous wolves. Modern-day false prophets know how to say the right thing. Through their charisma and persuasive speeches, they attract Christians and deceive them by making them believe a lie instead of the Truth. Those who follow them without questioning their theology end up losing their lives. Some examples of modern-day false prophets: Jim Jones, David Koresh, and Warren Jeffs; they were wolves in sheep's clothing.

III. How Can We Recognize False Prophets?

Matthew 7:16-17, "By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit…Thus by their fruit you will recognize them." As a young Christian, zealous to defend the gospel against heretics, I read several books on Christian cults. But I couldn't keep up as the Kingdom of Cults kept growing and will grow even more in the end times.

We can identify false teachers and prophets by observing what they do more than what they say. I want to share two common markers among many modern-day false teachers. First, their lifestyle doesn't match their preaching. They claim to know God, yet their lives do not reflect God's nature. For instance, God is love: Holy, Merciful, Kind, and Gracious.

False prophets engage in sexual immorality; they are authoritarian and manipulate and control others. They live lavishly rather than humbly, unlike Jesus, whom they proclaim. For instance, the famous TV evangelist Jim Bakker died at age 86. His life was marked by sexual affairs, abuse, and financial crimes. His lifestyle didn't match his preaching.

Second, they preach a different gospel than Jesus and Paul preached. Paul was keenly aware of false prophets when He warned the Galatian believers in his letter. Galatians 1:6-9,

“I am shocked that you are turning away so soon from God, who called you to himself through the loving mercy of Christ. You are following a different way that pretends to be the Good News 7 but is not the Good News at all. You are being fooled by those who deliberately twist the truth concerning Christ. 8 Let God’s curse fall on anyone, including us or even an angel from heaven, who preaches a different kind of Good News than the one we preached to you. 9 I say again what we have said before: If anyone preaches any other Good News than the one you welcomed, let that person be cursed.” This passage sums up all that we need to know about False Prophets.

 

Preaching the Christ-centered gospel is the key marker distinguishing God’s prophets from false prophets. Unfortunately, the message preached in some of the world's largest churches and many congregations has changed. They are teaching a new gospel. It goes by many names, such as the “name it and claim it” gospel, the “blab it and grab it” gospel, the “health and wealth” gospel, the “prosperity gospel,” and “positive confession theology.” [2]

Simply put, this “prosperity gospel” teaches that God wants believers to be physically healthy, materially wealthy, and personally happy. It misses the heart of Jesus and the message of salvation. Reading and understanding the Bible helps us recognize false prophets, avoid them, and reject their teachings. The believers in Berea Church examined the Scriptures daily to see whether what Paul said was true. Acts 17:10-12: How well do you know the Scriptures?

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[1] Roger Olson, The Story of Christian Theology (InterVarsity Press, 1999), pp. 20-21

[2] https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/5-errors-of-the-prosperity-gospel/

The Way To Heaven Runs Through the Narrow Gate

                                             The Way to Heaven Runs Through the Narrow Gate!

Matthew 7:12-14

 

"When we all get to Heaven, what a day of rejoicing that will be! When we all see Jesus,

We'll sing and shout the victory!" is a refrain from the hymn "Sing the wondrous love of Jesus, Sing His mercy and His grace" by E. E. Hewitt (1898).[1] It sounds wonderful to think that we will all go to Heaven, one day see our friends and loved ones, party, and live happily ever after.

But there is one problem with that: in reality, do all people get to go to Heaven? Do all Christians have the same view of Heaven and Hell? People differ about the afterlife. Shockingly, not all Christians share the same view on life after death, Heaven, and Hell.

 

According to Pew Research's 2014 Religious Landscape Study, 66 percent of American Christians say many religions can lead to eternal life. That sentiment is most popular among mainline Protestants (80 percent) and Catholics (79 percent).

Orthodox Christians (68 percent), black Protestants (57 percent), and evangelicals (52 percent) also agree.

Among non-Christian groups, Hindus (96 percent), Buddhists (83 percent), and Jews (79 percent) are most likely to agree that many religions can lead to eternal life.

A majority of Muslims (65 percent) agree, while fewer Mormons (40 percent) do.

The least likely religious group in America to believe there are many ways to eternal Life is Jehovah's Witnesses (8 percent).[2]

 

The following graph from Life Way Research explains American theological views on the afterlife (Slide). Among these conflicting views, both among Christians and non-Christians, how can we be certain of life after death, Heaven, and Hell? Who and what guarantees us Heaven, as we all wish for ourselves and our loved ones? Just wishful thinking won't get us there. Who can help us get there other than the one who came down from Heaven? We have been following Jesus' teachings on the Kingdom of God for several weeks. Today we will learn about: The Way To Heaven Runs Through The Narrow Gate: Matthew 7:12-14

 

I. The Golden Rule

Matthew 7:12, "So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets." This is commonly known as the Golden Rule. Many religions state it negatively. Don't do to others what you don't want done to you. Jesus stated this positively: Do to others what you would have them do to you. Refraining from harming others may not be hard, but intentionally doing so is much more difficult.

The Golden Rule, as Jesus stated, is the foundation for the Kingdom Citizens. That is the kind of love and goodness God showers on us daily. How would we want others to treat us? We want to be respected, treated with dignity, included, valued, and not rejected. We want help in our time of need, not harm. How about we take the first step and offer the same treatment to others? Think of a good and merciful action you can do for others today.

  

II. The Highway To Hell is Broad, and its gate is wide.

Matthew 7:13b, "The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way." (NLT). Imagine you are walking along the way and come to a fork in the road. Two ways lie before you. One way has a wide gate leading to a broad road, and many travel it with ease. The other way has a small gate leading to a narrow road, and only a few people travel it. Which road will you take for the rest of your life? Let's explore both the gates.

A Wide Gate with a Broad Road represents what the Devil offers people in the world. Remember one of the temptations that the Devil tempted Jesus with? "The Devil took him to the peak of a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. I will give it all to you, he said, if you will kneel down and worship me." Get out of here, Satan, Jesus told him, "For the Scriptures say, 'You must worship the LORD your God and serve only him." Matthew 3:8-10 NLT. The Devil offers us a world full of riches but a life without God.

It may be a life full of pleasures, relative ease, comfort, self-indulgence, and false security. In the end, as King Solomon regrettably admitted, it is meaningless. Ecclesiastes 2:22-23: "What do people get for all the toil and anxious striving, with which they labor under the sun? All their days their work is grief and pain; even at night their minds do not rest. This too is meaningless." Consider the worldly life of the people on the Broad Way.

For instance, the rich, the famous, the celebrities, and successful people seem to put on an appearance of happiness, as if everything is going great for them. But if you look a bit closer, how many of them are struggling to make sense, depressed, unhappy, and miserable, addicted to drugs, seeking the true meaning of life in illicit relationships, contemplating suicide, and some have even succumbed to suicide? As a popular proverb says, "All that glitters is not gold."

Jesus warns the travelers on the Broad Way: "What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?" Mark 8:36. Interestingly, in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus did not exhort people not to enter the broad way; he acknowledged that many enter it, then warned them about where that broad way leads. To Hell! The eternal destruction!

Who are those many travelers on the Broad Way? It is you and I and infact all the people by default of our sinful nature. We don't have to choose to be on the Broad Way, because all of us have sinned, began our life's journey on it, and continue on it. However, some people make a deliberate choice to sell their souls to Satan in worship of Him and doing his bidding.  

Many people in the world are sincere and strive to lead decent lives. Because of their sinful nature, if they continue on the broad way, they cannot escape God's coming wrath. Is there a better way? What are we to do to escape God's final judgment and His wrath? Because of His great love for all people, God sent His only Son, Jesus Christ. Whoever believes in Him will not perish but will have eternal life. That same Jesus offers us a way to escape God's wrath. 

 

III. The Way To Heaven Runs Through The Narrow Gate.

Matthew 7:13-14: "Enter through the narrow gate… But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it." Luke 13:24: "Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to." The essence of these two passages on the Narrow Gates is as follows:

The gate that leads to Heaven is narrow. It doesn't mean it is difficult to get to Heaven, but that there is only one way to Heaven, and it runs through the narrow gate. Because of the cost of letting go of old sinful habits and friends, being excommunicated, and even being killed, only a few decide to find it and walk through it. Which narrow gate is Jesus referring to here?

John 10:7-11, "Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep… I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep." In the Middle East, sheep were sheltered overnight in a narrow enclosure surrounded by a stone wall without a gate. The shepherd sits in the enclosure, checks the incoming sheep for parasites and wounds, and treats them. Once they are all in, he remains in the middle for the night. Metaphorically, Jesus, the good shepherd, became our narrow gate.

When the sheep go through the shepherd, they are kept safe and sheltered from all dangers; similarly, we must go through Jesus to live a peaceful, sheltered life in this world and, in the end, enter Heaven. Jesus made this profound proclamation, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." John 14:6. Believing in Jesus is not popular, but it is the only way to Heaven. There was a time when I was wondering, like a lost sheep; Jesus, the Good Shepherd, in His Mercy reached out to me and took me into His fold. He is the gate of my salvation; in Him I breathe and have my being. At the end of my journey, I am assured of a place in Heaven with Him forever. Which road are you traveling on today?

 

 

 

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[1] https://hymnary.org/text/sing_the_wondrous_love_of_jesus_sing_his

[2] https://research.lifeway.com/2018/04/25/when-we-all-get-to-heaven-americans-picture-inclusive-eternal-life/

A Healthy Home By God's Design

                                                    A HEALTHY HOME BY GOD'S DESIGN

A brief stroll through Amazon's list of parenting books reveals no shortage of experts telling us how to raise our children. The problem is, these experts often contradict one another. A book by Ann Hulbert and another by Steven Levitt and Stephen Dubner summarize some of the experts who offer conflicting approaches to raising children:

One expert emphasizes the importance of training a baby to sleep alone through the night. Otherwise, sleep deprivation might "negatively impact an infant's developing central nervous system" and lead to learning disabilities. However, advocates of co-sleeping warn that sleeping alone is harmful to a baby's psyche and that the baby should be brought into the family bed.

One so-called expert favored early stimulation through interaction. One hundred years earlier, however, another expert cautioned that a baby is not a plaything. There should be "no forcing, no pressure, no undue stimulation" during a child's first two years of life. This expert also believed that a crying baby should never be picked up unless it is in pain. A baby should be left to cry for fifteen to thirty minutes a day: "It is the baby's exercise."

Other advice proclaims that breastfeeding is the only way to guarantee a healthy, intellectually advanced child – unless bottle-feeding is the answer. One expert says a baby should always be put to sleep on its back – until it is decreed that it should only sleep on its stomach.[1]

You can't follow everyone's advice. You can only raise your kids one way. You have to choose which way that will be. Our Heavenly Father offers guidance in the Bible on how we should raise our children. Let's learn what constitutes a Healthy Home from the One who thought it up in the first place.  Ideally, a home starts with Marriage and a desire to build a family.

I. A Healthy Marriage Builds a Healthy Home

God instituted Marriage in the Garden of Eden when he said, "That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh." Genesis 2:24.

Later on, Jesus reaffirmed what God the Father did by saying, "that at the beginning the Creator made them male and female, and said, 'For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh." Matthew 19:4-5.

When two distinctly different individuals, a male and a female, come together in Marriage and become one flesh, this usually results in having children. In some cases, they may not be able to conceive children; that doesn't make them any less valuable than those who do. In a healthy marriage, there is forgiveness, communication, and cooperation. 

A healthy marriage doesn't mean there will never be any misunderstanding or conflict.  What matters is a language of forgiveness and apology; it can be as simple as, "Honey, I'm sorry for the way I responded; please forgive me." It is important that the one who asks forgiveness hears, "I forgive you."  We want to keep short accounts and not let tensions build up. 

 In a healthy marriage, communication flows easily.  I am so sad when I hear from couples where there is constant conflict in the home. There's an icy atmosphere. They don't seem to enjoy talking to each other, listen to each other, or make uninterrupted time for each other. There should be room to share each other's concerns and burdens, as well as joys and hopes.

My encouragement is: "Be each other's biggest cheerleader"; appreciate the small things your wife or husband faithfully does for you. Don't take each other for granted. In a healthy marriage, there is cooperation.  In former generations, the male and female roles were so much more clearly defined.  Men worked outside, and a woman's place was inside the home.

Nowadays, in most homes, the woman works outside as well; this has brought a tremendous shift in our society and, in my opinion, not always for the better.  It is important to be aware of some of the mental models from our families of origin that we carry. Maybe your Mom was a homemaker who cooked three fresh meals a day. If a husband in today's world expects that of a full-time working wife, you may have some tensions. What do you think?  It is really challenging today, isn't it, with the children's school, sports, and maybe other extracurricular activities. Have conversations about how to make things work. 

I have difficulty with men who think they are entitled, and all the household work has to be done by the wife.  Understand each other's stressors and support one another. In a healthy marriage, husband and wife honor their wedding vows and remain faithful and loyal to their spouse by maintaining sexual purity and not having affairs with other men or women. "Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral." Hebrews 13:4. How are you maintaining purity in your Marriage? If you violate your wedding vows, remember God will judge you.

II. Unconditional Love Keeps a Home Together

Psalm 127 reminds us that if God doesn't build a healthy home, everything we do to create one is in vain. God has blessed you with children, a heritage from the Lord. Psalm 127:3. We recognize that our children are a gift from God; they are not a commodity to use or abuse for our selfish agendas. We are to love them and train them responsibly with God's help.

First, we must recognize that our love for each other brought us together in Marriage, and God blessed our union by giving us children. Unfortunately, many couples don't show that love toward their children; they terminate them before they are even born or abuse them once they are born irresponsibly. But in a healthy home, Christian parents love their children unconditionally. Group discussion: What does it mean to love a child unconditionally? (Five minutes).

We are to love unconditionally because God loves us unconditionally. He showed it this way: Romans 5:8, But God demonstrated his own love for us this way: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." God's unconditional love for sinners doesn't mean He never judges them. He gives plenty of opportunities for sinners to repent and turn to God, but if they refuse to do so, in the end He will righteously judge them and send some to Heaven and others to Hell.

Similarly, loving children unconditionally doesn't mean endlessly giving them what they want and never setting boundaries or correcting them when they do wrong. Our love for our children should never be based on their performance. I have heard of parents who severely punish children for getting any grade below an A+. What does that communicate to a child?

Even when they get bad grades, we love them because God loves us when we perform poorly. Do we tell our children we love them?  They do need to hear that from us. When God wanted to tell the whole world that He loved Jesus, He said it so loudly at the time of His baptism, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased." Matthew 3:17

III. Training up Children responsibly makes a Healthy Home.

            Proverbs 22:6, "Train up a child in the way he should go, even when he grows older, he will not abandon it." Group Discussion: What does training a child in the home look like?

From the time our children are born, we only have a short window of time, at most ten years, to train them well. As Christian parents, when it comes to training our children, we often think of teaching them Bible verses to memorize, praying before meals, and taking them to Church on Sundays. Training them well at home constitutes all that and much more.

Jesus' earthly parents, Joseph & Mary, did a great job in training young Jesus in a home of at least six siblings (four brothers and two sisters). Mark 6:3: It was said that "Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man."

Their training may have included teaching the Hebrew Scriptures. Deut 6:6-7: "These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up." This Judaic way of training a child gives us a model to follow. It is not a classroom-type impartation, but it happens while you engage in mundane work and activities.

For example, while driving your child to a music lesson or soccer game, doing chores at home, or helping with homework, you have plenty of opportunities to model and teach godly ways. Train them while they are young!  Part of training is clarifying expectations and setting boundaries or limits.  That could mean that before going to the store, a party, or maybe church, you talk with the children about what you expect of them. 

Johnny, when we go to the store, don't ask me for chocolate or candy; we will have a snack when we get back home.  Before coming to church, during worship, I want you to sit with Mommy and Daddy; you are not going to play with other children until Sunday school time.  So we set certain boundaries, let them know our expectations, and stay consistent.  

This will only work if both parents are on the same page about expectations, training, discipline, and how it is implemented.  Otherwise, our children figure out our weakness and play them to their advantage. Let's say instead of doing homework, your 7-year-old comes to Dad and says, "I want to play so-and-so video game." Dad says no, and the child then goes to Mom, who says it's okay.  Then the tussle starts, and the child becomes a manipulator who sets the parents up against each other.  Watch for the child trap, and stay a strong, united team.

Sometimes, when your child is struggling behaviorally, it means their "emotional love tank" is empty. What do I mean by that? Children have a soul hunger for eye contact, affection, and affirmation from their parents; if they don't get it, they will often act out to get attention. One last thing! Be careful with excessive screen time. A recent study shows, "Kids who have their own smartphones at age 12 are more likely to develop eating disorder symptoms than their peers without the devices." Parents, establish no-cellphone times and engage with them constructively. God, by design, wants us to build a healthy Home. A healthy marriage, unconditional love, and responsible training of our children constitute a Healthy Home. Amen!

 

 

 

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[1] Ann Hulbert, “Raising America: Experts, Parents, and a Century of Advice About Children (Vintage, 2004), page 298; Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner, “Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything” (William Morrow, 2009), page 148

An Open Invitation To Prayer

                                                             AN OPEN INVITATION OF PRAYER

 

Desiring Less Than What God Can Give

In his book The Divine Commodity, Skye Jethani shares a story from a trip he took to India with his Father. While walking the streets of New Delhi, a little boy approached them. He was "skinny as a rail, and naked but for tattered blue shorts. His legs were stiff and contorted, like a wire hanger twisted upon itself." Because of his condition, the little boy could only waddle along on his calloused knees. He made his way toward Skye and his Father and cried out, "One rupee, please! One rupee!" Skye describes what happened when his Father eventually responded to the boy's persistent begging:

"What do you want?" [My Father asked]. "One rupee (one Quarter), sir," the boy said while motioning his hand to his mouth and bowing his head in deference. My Father laughed.

"How about I give you five rupees?" he said. The boy's submissive countenance suddenly became defiant. He retracted his hand and sneered at us. He thought my Father was joking and laughed at his expense. After all, no one would willingly give up five rupees. The boy started shuffling away, mumbling curses under his breath.

My Father reached into his pocket. Hearing the coins jingle, the boy stopped and looked back over his shoulder. My Father was holding out a five-rupee note (five-dollar bill). He approached the stunned boy and placed the coin into his hand. The boy didn't move or say a word. He just stared at the coin in his hand. We passed him and crossed the street.

A moment later, the shouting resumed, except this time the boy was yelling, "Thank you! Thank you, sir! Bless you!" He raced after us again—not for more money, but to touch my Father's feet.

This, I imagine, is how our God sees us—as miserable creatures in desperate need of his help. But instead of asking for what we truly need, instead of desiring what he is able and willing to give, we settle for lesser things.[1]

After addressing his disciples on how to relate rightly to our brothers and sisters in the family of God, as well as to all people, Jesus gave "An Open Invitation of Prayer." As Madame Guyon noted, "Everyone is capable of praying, but many have the mistaken idea that they are not called to Prayer. Just as we are called to salvation, we are called to Prayer."[2] We will look at the three aspects that make Prayer simple, accessible, and sustainable. Matthew 7:7-11

Though Prayer is a vital Kingdom Principle, most Christians don't pray. Only a few people attend our prayer meetings. One flimsy excuse we offer is that we are busy and don't have time. Yet many of us spend a lot of time scrolling through Reddit threads, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok, or getting into political arguments on Twitter. Why don't we Christians pray?

Taylor Staton points out some obstacles that hinder Christians from praying: 1. We don't pray for fear of being naïve. 2. We don't pray for fear of silence. 3. We don't pray for fear of selfish motives. 4. Of all these, most people struggle with this: we don't pray for fear of doing it wrong. He goes on to say, "The only way you get it wrong is by trying to get it right." In the wise words of Candler School of Theology professor emerita Roberta Bondi, "If you are praying, you are already doing it right."[3] Jesus used three verbs to explain how we should approach Prayer.

 

 

 Matthew 7:7: "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you." In a world full of uncertainty and chaos, Jesus' promise is the most assured thing we can rely on. This command carries a certainty that requires repeated, ongoing action from a believer to receive the blessings that accompany the promise.

Prayer is an open invitation from God for all people, even more so for God's children. Vs. 8: For everyone who asks receives, the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks the door will be opened. If you respond to this invitation, you will be blessed; if you ignore it, you do so only to your peril. Prayer in its simplest form is talking to God as we talk to our closest friend.

I. Ask, and it will be given to you.

Biblically, the word "ask" means to request, to beg for arms; it is seeking help from an inferior to a superior, etc. In its simplest form, Prayer is asking God for help in our helplessness. God invites us to ask or call in Him in Prayer, which fosters a dependence on Him, as it should.

Jeremiah 33:3: "Call to me, and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know." Psalm 86:6: "Hear my Prayer, LORD; listen to my cry for mercy. When I am in distress, I call to you, because you answer me." When you are struggling with what and how to pray, turn to the prayers of God's people like Abraham, Moses, Hannah, Hagar, and particularly the Psalms of David, as they give you inspiration and language of Prayer to God.

Asking God in Prayer doesn't always have to be in words; at times you can't find the words to pray because of pain and agony. All you can muster is to cry out loud in pain. Psalm 55:16-17: "As for me, I call to God, and the LORD saves me. Evening, morning, and noon I cry out in distress, and he hears my voice." Psalm 34:6, This poor (afflicted) man cried, and the LORD heard him and saved him out of all his troubles." NASB

The newborn babies, before they could articulate and learn to trust their parents they weep and cry to meet their needs for food and pain. Similarly, Prayer emerges spontaneously in the midst of pain and suffering. God, our heavenly Father, hears our cries and responds. Tyler Staton notes, "Prayer is a journey that starts with need and ends in relationship."[4]

Jesus highlighted the Father-child relationship in prayer in Matthew 7:9-11. Though our earthly fathers, being evil, give us good gifts, how much more will our heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him?  Let us ask our heavenly Father confidently what we need. I have seen God provide many times. Ex: Dental Needs. I also experienced unanswered prayers.

II. Seek, and you will find

Matthew 7:7b: "Seek and you will find. The one who seeks finds." This verb in Scripture often refers to God himself and His Kingdom. Jer 29:13: "You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart." When we earnestly seek Him, we will find him in the end.

In Ch 16:11, the Psalmist made seeking God his earnest pursuit. "You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek you; I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you, in a dry and parched land where there is no water." We come to God in asking; we grow in our relationship with our Father. When we seek God more than the gifts, we will receive the greatest gift, God Himself. "Prayer enlarges the heart until it is capable of containing God's gift of himself. Ask and seek, and your heart will grow big enough to receive him and keep him as your own." Writes Mother Teresa."[5]

God is more eager to reveal himself to us than we are eager to seek Him. He even reveals himself to those who do not seek Him. Isaiah 65:1: “I revealed myself to those who did not ask for me; I was found by those who did not seek me. Jesus is appearing to Muslims in dreams.

 

III. Knock, and the door will be opened. (Shameless Audacity)

Knock, the final verb in this teaching on prayer, signifies our desperation and persistent attitude in prayer. Jesus used an illustration to encourage persistence in prayer. Luke 11:5-8. A friend had a midnight visitor. This friend had nothing to feed him, which was shameful in those days. He went to another friend, knocked at the door, and repeatedly asked for bread.

Though he initially rejected his pleas, he eventually got up and gave him as much as he needed because of his shameless audacity. This illustrates that whatever our need may be, we come to God, knocking in prayer with shameless audacity until God answers. When he does, he gives us all that we need.  Yet sometimes, no matter how hard we knock, the door of provision may remain shut. What do we do then? Sometimes a closed door is as good as an open door.

God invites us all to pray to Him as we would talk with a close friend. Our asking, seeking, and knocking in prayer are not a one-time thing but should be continuous. When we linger in God’s presence through prayer, He gives Himself to us more than He gives gifts.

 

 

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[1] Skye Jethani, The Divine Commodity (Zondervan, 2009), pp. 113-114

[2] Madame Guyon, Experiencing God Through Prayer, Page 11

[3] Tyler Staton, “Praying Like Monks, Living Like Fools, Pages 13-22

[4] Tyler Staton, “Praying Like Monks, Living Like Fools, Page 170

[5] Tyler Staton, “Praying Like Monks, Living Like Fools, Page 172