WHAT IS A FATHER?

This is old but good as written by Paul Harvey.  Enjoy…”What is a Father?”

“A father is a thing that is forced to endure childbirth without an anesthetic.

A father never feels worthy of the worship in a child’s eyes.  He’s never quite the hero his daughter thinks,
never quite the man his son believes him to be, and this worries him, sometimes.
So he works too hard to try and smooth the rough places in the road for those of his own who will follow him.

Fathers are what give daughters away to other men who aren’t nearly good enough so they can have
grandchildren who are smarter than anybody’s.

Fathers make bets with insurance about who’ll live the longest.  One day they lose and the bet’s paid off
to the part of them they leave behind.

I don’t know where father goes when he dies.  But, I’ve a good idea that after a good rest,
wherever it is, he won’t just sit on a cloud and wait for the girl he’s loved and the children she bore.
He’ll be busy there, too, repairing the stairs, oiling the gate, improving the streets, smoothing the way.”

Quote:
“A good father, finding his son on the wrong track, will provide switching facilities.”

“Let every father remember that one day his children will follow his example instead of his advice.”

“A father can lift his family no higher than his own faith.”

We pray for all Christian dads.  Those men who are busy about the work of the Lord, seeking to set a Christ-like example.

May we not only praise our earthly fathers but may we also give praise and thanks for our heavenly Father.   We know Him through
Jesus for Jesus said, “When you have seen Me, you have seen the Father for the Father and I are one.”   Our Father God loves us and has
shown us that love through giving His Son.  May we respond with our love to Him who loved us so.

THE FLAG

“I was born on June 14th, 1777.  I am more than just cloth shaped into a design.
I am the refuge of the World’s oppressed people.
I am the silent sentinel of Freedom.
I am the emblem of the greatest sovereign nation on the earth.
I am the inspiration for which American Patriots gave their lives and fortunes.
I have led your sons into battle from Valley Forge to the ridges of Viet Nam.
I walk in silence with each of your Honored Dead, to their final resting place beneath the silent White Crosses, row upon row.
I have flown through Peace and War, Strife and Prosperity, and midst it all I have been respected.
My Red Stripes…symbolize the blood spilled in defense of this glorious nation.
My White Stripes…signify the burning tears shed by Americans who lost their sons.
My Blue Field…is indicative of God’s heaven under which I fly.
My Stars…clustered together, unify 50 States as one, for God and Country…
“Old Glory” is my nickname, and proudly I wave on high.
Honor me, respect me, defend me with your lives and your fortunes.
Never let my enemies tear me down from my lofty position, lest I never return.
Worship Eternal God and keep His commandments and I shall remain the bulwark of peace and freedom for all mankind…
I AM YOUR FLAG.”

Pray for America and the whole world of people.  God wants His children to be peacemakers wherever they are.
We need to hear God as He speaks through the Apostle Peter in Acts 10:34-35 “Then Peter began to speak: I now realize
how true it is that God does not show favoritism, but accepts men from every nation who fear Him and do what is right.”  

CHRISTIAN ARMOR

There is a war going on and Christians are involved.  The Apostle Paul writes about it in the sixth chapter of the book of Ephesians.  Read versus 10 through 22.  The author, Paul, has spent two years under house arrest in Rome.  He takes this time to write letters to the churches that he has started, one of which is the congregation at Ephesus.

Don’t fight the wrong enemy.  It is a war of ideas, a war of Masters, a war of minds and hearts, a war of false thoughts and attitudes.   The battle is not against people, but against the devil.  The devil is the enemy.  He is real, he is strong, clever, cunning, deceitful.  The devil uses people as they let him.

We Christians need all the help we can get to stand against the evil one.  So God, through Paul, urges us to PUT ON GOD’S ARMOR.  We must be ready to stand against every challenge,  against the “day of evil” – temptation that would wear us down and destroy us.  Be fully clothed with this defensive armor:  belt of truth, breastplate of righteousness, feet of peace, shield of faith, and helmet of salvation.  The only armor that we have to attack the devil is the “sword of the Spirit.”  We fight with the Word of God.  We preach, teach, live the Word.

There is no armor for the back so there can be no retreat, no cowards, no turning back and if we do, we are not fit for the Kingdom of God.

Over all this there is prayer support.  Jesus told His disciples to “watch and pray.”  We must keep the communication line open with the Commander and Chief.  Allow God’s Spirit through the Word to lead in your prayer life.  Pray for all Christians.  Pray for one another.

Paul needed prayer for himself. He does not ask for freedom from jail but courage, faithfulness to boldly preach the “mystery of the Gospel.”   What is that “mystery?”   The secret is out.  Jesus has come to make all mankind ONE.  No longer is there division between Jew and Gentile but in Christ, there is Unity.  Paul is an ambassador, a representative of the One who sent him.

We are in a battle for our souls, our life, we must be ready.  PUT ON THE FULL ARMOR OF GOD.
Benjamin Franklin said, “BY FAILING TO PREPARE, YOU ARE PREPARING TO FAIL.”

SERVING OTHERS – SERVING CHRIST

Pastor Jeremiah Steepek transformed himself into a homeless person and went to the 10,000 member church where he was to be introduced as the head pastor at that morning service.
He walked around his soon to be church for 30 minutes while it was filling with people for worship, only 3 people out of the 7-10,000 people said ‘hello’ to him.
He asked people for change to buy food – no one in the church gave him change.
He went into the sanctuary to sit down in the front of the church and was asked by the ushers if he would please sit in the back.
He greeted people to be greeted back with stares and dirty looks, with people looking down on him and judging him.
As he sat in the back of the church, he listened to the announcements and such.

When all of that was done, the elders went up and were excited to introduce the new pastor of the church to the congregation.
“We would like to introduce to you Pastor Jeremiah Steepek.”   The congregation looked around clapping with joy and anticipation
The homeless man sitting in the back stood up and started walking down the aisle.  The clapping stopped with all eyes on him.
He walked up to the altar and took the microphone from the elders (who were in on this) and paused for a moment then he recited the scripture from Matthew chapter 25 verses 34 – 40:
“Then the King will say to those on his right, Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.  For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.  Then the righteous will answer him, Lord when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink?  When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?  The King will reply, I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, YOU DID FOR ME”

If that does not fire you up to serve others in Jesus’ name, your wood is wet.