GODLY FATHERS

GODLY FATHERS Raymond Elliott One of life’s greatest blessings and challenges for a man is fatherhood. This relationship involves the greatest joys and demands the best one has to give and often will include many sorrows. A godly father loves his wife and is loyal to his marital vows (Ephesians 5:25). He desires the best for his children. A father is industrious. He labors to provide for his family and the needs of others who lack the material things of life (I Timothy 5:8; Ephesians 4:28). The greatest contribution a father can make to his family is leadership in spiritual matters. In every age, the head of the family has been required of God to provide the proper direction regarding religious training. Modern fathers are most likely to leave this responsibility to the wife and mother. However, Paul exhorted: “And you fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but nurture them in the chastening and admonition of the Lord’ (Ephesians 6:4). It is a tremendous requirement to make sure one’s children are taught of God but the rewards are everlasting. A Christian father may not be able to give very much materially to his children but the legacy of having a father who loved his family and the Lord, surpasses everything else. The greatest inheritance a Christian father can leave is one that is rich in faith in God and the Lord Jesus Christ. We should never underestimate the love that a father possesses in his heart for his children. His emotions may not be as noticeable as the mother; yet, the feelings are just as deep. Most fathers would give their lives on behalf of their families. Their hearts are filled with deep gratitude when they witness their children succeeding in life. The Christian father rejoices greatly when his children obey the gospel of Jesus Christ. My father will be remembered for being a fine Christian gentleman. Also, the legacy of having a good name has meant more to me than all the riches of this world. It was the wise man of old who wrote: “A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, Loving favor rather than silver and gold” (Proverbs 22:1); and, “A good name is better than precious ointment…” (Ecclesiastes 7:1). Godly fathers are rare in this modern society. But, we should always be thankful for the ones who are. Truly, you are blessed indeed if you have/had a Christian father who placed Christ first in his life. His influence in your life and even in the lives of his grandchildren will be felt for many years to come. Say, have you hugged your father recently? Fathers Are Wonderful People By Helen Steiner Rice Fathers are wonderful people Too little understood, And we do not sing their praises As often as we should... For, somehow, Father seems to be The man who pays the bills, While Mother binds up little hurts And nurses all our ills...

"I WANT TO BE MORE LIKE JESUS"

In the hymn, “More Like Jesus", the first stanza lyrics are, “I want to be more like Jesus, And follow Him day by day; I want to be true and faithful, And every command obey.” Our beloved Savior is worthy of our imitation. After all, He is the perfect example. Peter wrote in 1 Peter 2:21, “For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps”. The apostle Paul encouraged the Christians in Corinth to “Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ” (1 Corinthians 11:1). Here are some of the characteristics of Jesus we should instill within our lives. 1. Jesus was submissive to the will of God His Father. Jesus stated in John 8:28, “I have not come of Myself, but He who sent Me is true…” The eternal Word was willing to leave heaven to be made lower than angels and to suffer on Calvary for our sins so we could be saved (Hebrews 2:7;Phillipians 2:5-8).And, near to the ending of His life on this earth, He prayed, “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will” (Matthew 26:36). So, from eternity to His death on the cross, Jesus was submissive to the will of His Father. 2. He came to this world to be a servant.. “Just as the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:28). Our Lord also said, “If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him” (John 12:26). Therefore, Christians should have a ‘servant heart’. The apostle Peter wrote, “As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace” (1 Peter 4:10). 3. Jesus came to seek and save the lost. “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost” (Luke 19:10). We know that God desires all men to be saved (2 Pet 3:9). It is the mission of the church to preach the gospel to all the world, beginning where we are (Matthew 28:19,10). The church of our Lord is the “pillar and ground of the truth (1 Timothy 3:15). We can teach the word publicly and from house to house as Paul did (Acts 20:20). We can support mission work in foreign lands; and preach and teach the gospel of Christ by every expedient method to reach the lost in every country. 4.Our Lord and Savior had compassion on people. “But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd” (Matthew 9:36). Jesus had compassion on the “four thousand men, beside women and children” who followed Him and fed them (Matthew 15:32,38);and, the “five thousand men besides the women and children” who had followed Him, and He also healed their sick (Matthew 14:13-21). The apostle Paul wrote in Colossians 3:12,13, that Christians should “ Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another….” True compassion is not just to ‘feel sorry’ for someone but to make an effort to help the person who is in need. 5. Jesus Christ was often in prayer to His Father in heaven. Here are a few times when Jesus prayed: “Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heavens were opened, and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form, like a dove; and a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son;c with you I am well pleased” (Luke 3:21).Jesus “often withdrew to lonely places and prayed” (Luke 5:16). Jesus prayed before choosing 12 of the disciples to be apostles: “In these days he went out to the mountain to pray, and all night he continued in prayer to God” (Luke 6:12). Of course, there is the prayer of Jesus when in the garden of Gethsemane as recorded in John 17. In Matthew 26:39, Jesus prayed, “saying, “O my Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.” And while Jesus was on the cross he prayed, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” And they cast lots to divide his garments” (luke 23:34). We are to “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God” (Philippians 4::6). Also we are to “pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17). We should “Continue earnestly in prayer..” (Colossian 4:2). 6. Jesus possessed a forgiving heart. Jesus was indeed merciful and forgiving. He told the paralytic, “Child, your sins are forgiven) (Mark 2:5); when a sinful woman bathed the feet of Jesus with her tears and wiped them with her hair. Jesus said, “Your sins are forgiven” (Luke 7:48). Even more compelling is the way that Jesus forgave those who sinned against him directly. For Jesus, forgiveness was not an automatic, it was intentional, a conscious choice. After the Roman soldiers had scourged and nailed him, Jesus prayed, “Father, forgive them” (Lk 23:34). Jesus taught His disciples to pray: “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. “But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses” (Matthew 6:14,15). As Christians, we are to be forgiving. “And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even asGod in Christ forgave you” (Ephesians 4:32). 7. Jesus loved us so much that He gave His life for us. We can never love as our Lord Jesus Christ loved while on this earth. It is expressly stated that Jesus loved Mary, Martha and Lazarus (John 11:3,5);the rich young ruler (Mark 10:21) and His disciples (John 13:1;15:9,12). Though not explicitly stated, it is believed to have been the apostle John whom the Lord Loved (John 13:23;19:26;20:2;21:7,20). But the greatest manifestation of the love of our Lord Jesus Christ was at Calvary when He shed His precious blood for the sins of the world. ”Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13). “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8).”But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone” (Hebrews 2:9) So, Our Lord shed His blood for all of mankind and His desire is that all would believe in Him and obey the gospel of Christ so the blood could wash away their sins, Therefore we should love God with all our heart, soul and mind and love our neighbors as ourselves (Matthew 22:37,38). We are to love our Savior who died for us: “If you don’t love Jesus, you won’t have Jesus. Paul says: He who does not love the Lord, let him be accursed.O Lord come!” (1 Corinthians 16:22). We are to love our brothers and sisters in Christ. Jesus said, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another" (John 13:34,35). And, “Let brotherly love continue” (Hebrews 13:1). Jesus taught that we should love our enemies and even those who would persecute us (Matthew 5:43,44). Though we cannot attain to the degree that Jesus loves; nevertheless, we should strive to be “More and more like Jesus, I would ever be, More and more like Jesus, My Savior