We so often feel the pressure that our lives “must be filled with work” and if not, we can’t have all the “stuff” we think we need. I do believe in hard work but not at the sacrifice of enjoying our lives. It says in the Word, “The thief comes to kill, steal and destroy, but I have come to bring life, and life more abundantly.” As we go through the short thing we call life, let us enjoy it as God has intended it to be. Let us take time and rest. Even if it means we can’t have everything. The truth of the matter is, when we stop and focus on Him, we gain everything.

Fathers, like it or not, we have been designated by God as the head of our households. Because of this, we have a great responsibility to lead our families in the right direction. Because of the influence that we have, we can either lead our family to a closer relationship with God, or we can lead our families straight to HELL.

THIS IS THE CHOICE WE HAVE TO MAKE!

If we would just look at Joshua 24:14-16, we can see what God is trying to tell the American family.

The first thing is – the Father leads in worship. It is a blessing when the entire family worships together. This shows the children something:

(1) That worship is IMPORTANT. Hebrew 10:25; And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near. Worship is important to encourage one another, to strengthen one another in the Lord, to provoke one another to live lives pleasing to God. When we do this and our children are a part of it, this will go a long way in helping them make some of the choices they will be forced to make.

Listen, Dads, it is not something that would be good to do, or something that we ought to do; it is something that we are commanded to do. In Ephesians 6:4; Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger by the way you treat them. Rather, bring them up with the discipline and instruction that comes from the Lord. What happens when you do this? Glad you ask! They learn how to face tough decisions; and when they come face to face with a hard choice, they will remember their training and instruction from God’s Word. This is where “what would Jesus do?” comes in handy.

The second one is – obeying God is important! Joshua 24:15; But if you refuse to serve the LORD, then choose today whom you will serve. Would you prefer the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates? Or will it be the gods of the Amorites in whose land you now live? But as for me and my family, we will serve the LORD.” When a father will take the time to lead his family in worship, not only is he showing that worship is important, but also that being obedient to God is important. Obedience is not an option! God’s Word is a love letter sent to us to give us instruction from a Divine instructor, Himself. It teaches us how to live a healthy life, both spiritually, and also physically. The key to all of this is OBEDIENCE! When fathers and mothers show that they will be obedient to God, then it can catch on in the rest of the family. Children mimic their parents. When the father of the house fulfills his responsibility, then the rest of the family will normally follow.

Another big factor is that fathers should lead in service. A bigger blessing than having a family that worships together is having one that serves the Lord together. Joshua was talking about it in verse 15. When a father can lead his family to worship, this is great. But when a father can lead his family to serve the Lord, this is even better. God expects all of His children to worship and praise Him, but this is not the end of it. He also expects us to serve Him. Worship should lead into servanthood. The more you get to know God, and the closer you get to Him, the more you should want to serve Him. Have you ever had that boss that helped you do something, and you would do anything that he or she asked you to do? Just think what God has done for you. Look in Joshua 24:16-18; the people replied, “We would never abandon the LORD and serve other gods. 17 For the LORD our God is the one who rescued us and our ancestors from slavery in the land of Egypt. He performed mighty miracles before our very eyes. As we traveled through the wilderness among our enemies, he preserved us. 18 It was the LORD who drove out the Amorites and the other nations living here in the land. So we, too, will serve the LORD, for he alone is our God.” He is PROTECTOR, PRODUCER, PROVIDER, and THAT IS JESUS CHRIST. DO YOU WANT TO SERVE HIM?

WHETHER YOU KNOW IT OR NOT YOU ARE A SERVANT NOW!

You are either a servant to sin or you are servant of righteousness. In the book of Romans 6:17-18; Thank God! Once you were slaves of sin, but now you wholeheartedly obey this teaching we have given you. Now you are free from your slavery to sin, and you have become slaves to righteous living. Do you see that? Sin does not have to make us slaves. Jesus Christ has given us our freedom. But here’s were we are: MAN WILL SERVE SOMETHING OR SOMEONE! Joshua took a stand as the leader of Israel. Fathers must take a stand as the leaders of their household. “AS FOR ME AND MY HOUSE WE WILL SERVE THE LORD.”

The last thing is this – the father should lead in LOVE! We are living in a time when the men of this country are macho, and some of the women are, too. There are children growing up in homes where they don’t know how it feels to be embraced by their father or mother. Children are reaching out to grasp onto anyone or anything that will make them feel secure and loved. It is up to the fathers to lead their children to the greatest love of all that is found in Christ Jesus. God’s Word teaches us where the greatest love can be found: John 15:13; “There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” It is a father’s responsibility to love his children with a father’s love. But an even greater responsibility is to lead them to the one whose love is even GREATER. That, of course, is Jesus Christ!

I read about William McKinley who was a lawyer, congressman, Governor of Ohio, and President of the United States. He kept in touch with his mother every day. When he didn’t see her, he wrote or telegraphed. In mid-October of 1897, he quietly left the White House and took a train to Canton just so he could walk to church with her again. When she became ill, he arranged to have a special train standing by at full steam, ready to take him to her bedside. Then one night, she did call for him. Immediately he wired, “Tell Mother I’ll be there.” Mrs. McKinley died December 12, 1897, in the arms of her 54-year-old son. Her gentle, Christian virtues helped mold the President’s character; for when he was gunned down in Buffalo, New York, about four years later, he showed no bitterness toward his assassin. With Christian courage he said, “God’s will be done.” Before he died, he asked to hear once again the hymn, “Nearer, My God, To Thee,” which his mother had taught him.

Fathers, teach the love of Christ to your children; and if need be, show them how to live it out in their lives!

Thankfully, Christianity is not as dull and dead as a religion. It’s a RELATIONSHIP, a reunion with a Father from whom we were separated at birth. True Christianity is taking up our cross to follow Christ, but Jesus also said “My yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

Psalm 84 is called the “The Psalm of the Sanctuary.” Another good title for it could be “The Joy of Dwelling with God.” The Psalm was written for the “sons of Korah.” They were Levites who were responsible for the services in the Tabernacle and later the Temple. Apparently they had been separated from the Temple for an extended period. For some reason they were not able to attend Temple services. This is a song that describes their longing to meet in God’s house again.

MAN!! WHAT A CONTRADICTION TO WHAT WE HAVE TODAY.

Many of God’s own people today look for any excuse not to come into His house. To some it’s a task, a chore, and many end up coming more out of obligation to the church than adoration of our Lord.

The Truth is if you are truly saved, you are going to love the place where God’s people meet. This Psalm is a song of praise and thanksgiving to God for blessing us with a place to worship Him.

Psalm 84:2, “I long, yes, I faint with longing to enter the courts of the LORD. With my whole being, body and soul, I will shout joyfully to the living God.” This psalm divides itself into 3 distinct parts. Praise to God, Provision of God, Our Position in God.

PRAISE TO GOD

Most believe that this was a psalm that was being sung by the sons of Korah on their pilgrimage en route to the Temple. When you look at the first four verses of this psalm, the writer is praising God for His house of worship and for His presence. There are two central elements in the first two verses. The first one is his love for the sanctuary and the other is his longing for the sanctuary. The psalmist was not merely loving the stones and building materials. He was aware that the building was only a means to an end. He would go to the temple so that he could more purely, more earnestly, more specifically praise and worship the living God.

We live in the time of the complacent church. A place of worship on every corner. If one does not satisfy, maybe the next one will. People go into God’s house for worship with a “Bless Me If You Can” attitude. It ought not to be so. We should enter God’s house with the attitude “Nothing Is Going To Keep Me From Praising God Today.” Too many people today are looking for excuses not to enter the sanctuary. The people who criticize the organized church most are those never go. But if we ever lose the freedom to attend or be forced to stay away from God’s house then you can be assured, Your Heart Will Long For The Fellowship Of God’s People And For The Sanctuary.

The desires and longing of the psalmist were centered in the presence and praise of the living God. Now while the first part centers around the praise of God, the 2nd centers around the:

Provision Of God

Psalm 84:5-7, “What joy for those whose strength comes from the LORD, who have set their minds on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. When they walk through the Valley of Weeping, 
it will become a place of refreshing springs. The autumn rains will clothe it with blessings. They will continue to grow stronger, and each of them will appear before God in Jerusalem.” For those who love the Lord and desire His presence, and rejoice in the opportunity to dwell and worship in His sanctuary, there are distinct benefits and blessings. When the Lord Himself is your priority, blessing will flow. In verse 6 we see, “When they walk through the Valley of Weeping, it will become a place of refreshing springs. The autumn rains will clothe it with blessings.” The psalmist is describing a group of happy pilgrims passing through a parched dessert. A place of tears and hardship. But because of their love for God and His sanctuary He provides them with blessing and rain. In other words, because of their love for God instead of tears in the valley of weeping there is JOY.
At one time or another all of us will pass through the valley of weeping. You may be in it now!! The question is what will it be for YOU? Will it be a valley of tears and hardship, or will it be a pilgrimage of Joy as you trust God for His provision. Paul Bunyan spent many years in the valley of weeping. He did not waste away in the valley of tears, but he brought out of it Joy in the writing of “Pilgrims Progress.” Robert Browning wrote a poem about a girl named Pippa. She worked in a sweatshop and lived in a terrible ghetto, but everyday on her way to work as she passed through the streets of this place of doom and despair she would sing. As she sang from her heart the shutters in the houses begin to open, and for a single moment this valley of tears became a place of JOY. If you love the Lord there will be provision for you when you enter into the valley of weeping.

The last thing that I see in the writings of the psalmist is:

Position In God

Verse 10 says, “A single day in your courts is better than a thousand anywhere else! I would rather be a gatekeeper in the house of my God than live the good life in the homes of the wicked.” The psalmist is saying, “What a Joy it is to be in Your presence; what a Joy it is to be a part of Your family, to walk in Your will and to live according to Your Word. The word “better” in this text means: It Don’t Get No Better Than This. Contrary to what the commercial said, having God in you and you in God is even better than drinking Budweiser and eating crawfish. Billy Joel in his 1978 hit “Only The Good Die Young” said, “I’d rather laugh with the sinner than cry with the saints; the sinners have much more fun.” But Billy Joel did not know my Jesus and the Joy of His salvation. The world is deceived into believing that the sanctuary is a place of bondage, a place of burden. When in reality it is a place of Joy and a place of blessing. The psalmist was full of Joy even in his valley of tears. The reasons why are evident Here.

BECAUSE OF HIS PRAISE OF GOD (HE LONGED FOR HIS PRESENCE)

BECAUSE OF THE PROVISION OF GOD (HE TURNED TEARS INTO TRIUMPH)

BECAUSE OF HIS POSITION IN GOD (HE EXPERIENCE IN FULL THE JOY OF HIS SALVATION

For those of you whom did not know or have the privilege to meet Bro. Ted, I am deeply sorry. Ted was what is missing in the Christian movement in the United State today. Ted was a man who heard God calling him to walk a path that no one ever walked before or even thought about walking. He was a trailblazer, even while others stood on the sideline telling him that those called cowboys and cowgirls would never be the type to come to Jesus.

Ted was a man who had the fire of John the Baptist and was as hard-headed as the Apostle Paul. After stepping down from pastoring a church, he took off on the road to bring the salvation message to the western heritage people. With the fire of evangelism in his bones, he pushed through the small minds of so-called religious people and stood on the Word of God, knowing that all can be saved if they will just call on the name of Jesus.

For more than forty years Ted never stopped traveling the world with the message of the cross. Ted was always ready at any time to preach and call the lost home to the Lord. With newspaper articles and TV shows, Ted broke new ground in the cowboy world.

I will never forget when God called me to Fort Worth. The first person to give this young preacher a chance to preach was Ted. From the moment I arrived in North Texas Ted was there to help along the way and show me what it was to be a trailblazer. I will miss him, but I know the ones that will come behind him will be blessed by the trails that were opened because of Ted’s obedience to the calling that God had on him.

As for me, thanks Ted for being there when it seemed that no one else understood what was going on. Thanks for showing me what it meant to stand up for the vision that God has given me to lead people to know Jesus. Thanks also for teaching me that you have to laugh when you work for the Lord. I’m thinking that when Ted walked into Heaven, he was met by a great crowd of people that wanted to thank him for telling them about Jesus. Then, I know he heard the words from the Lord that he has waited a life time to hear, “Well done Ted. Come in and sit for a while. You’ve done a good job. Thanks Ted!”

When I was trying to decide which seminary to attend my mentor, Ted Pressley, told me that I needed to go wherever the Holy Spirit led me. Then, I was to remember that no matter where I went, I was always to measure everything they said and taught against the Word of God because it is the only Truth without any error.

If you have been to many of our services at The Way you have probably heard Pastor Dan say that if he or anyone else ever says anything that does not line up with the Word of God, then it is a LIE!!!

So, as we start off this year, we must keep in mind that the Bible is the only book without error – Measure everything against it because it is the only true standard. Don’t just believe something because a respected Christian leader said it, and don’t sing every song you hear on Christian radio just because it’s a Christian radio station. Think about what the books or the songs are teaching. In this new season we want the Truth and only the Truth, not what man portrays as being the truth.

LIE back and relax just a little more this new year. Let a little more life happen to you without so much worry.

CHEAT failure. Don’t be afraid to try something new because you think you may fail. It is through failure that we learn the most valuable lessons.

DRINK from the fountain of knowledge. Many people around you have already been down roads you are about to travel. Learn from mistakes they have made. Take what they have learned and use it.

SWEAR to do your best all the time and in every situation. That is all anybody will ever ask.

STEAL a little time for God. Everyday take a little more time to develop your relationship with God.

Jeremiah 29:11 states, “For I know the plans I have for you,” says the LORD. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.”

I encourage you to keep this resolution and allow God to show you the many blessings He has for you.

Until next time.

I guess at one time or another we all feel like this pilot did. And it is amazing how time really does change things.
Take Christmas, for example. This is the time that we all get together to celebrate all the wonder and glory of the season. Everywhere you look there are Christmas plays with kids who put towels on their heads to make them look more like the shepherds in the Christmas story. Church choirs work hard so that they can sing about the wonderful news of the coming of the King. If you think about it, this is the one time of year the whole world just seems to stop everything and think about the reality of God.

We have it so much more easier for us than it must have been for Mary and Joseph. As I sit and think about what it must have been like back then, and how the two young people experienced the very first Christmas, it must have been the trip of a life time.

I want to start with Mary. Here was a beautiful young woman. She was a woman of flawless character and good reputation. I bet the people of her hometown, when they saw her going to draw water from the well, would say “Ah! That Mary-she’s a good one; you could not find a better young lady in all the land. Joseph better thank his lucky stars that he found this one. He is a very lucky man. I hope that our son can find someone like Mary.” The hope of any parent is that their child will grow up, marry someone who will be good to them, take care of them and live a happy life together.

Well, that was Mary. She had just gotten engaged to Joseph. She was looking forward to spending her life with this man and raising a family and growing old together. Then one day something dramatic happened; something she never expected and no one had ever experienced. Now here’s the wild part, the angel, Gabriel, came to her and told her that she was going to become the mother of God’s Son. Hello! She probably just stood in awe. Can you imagine what was going through her mind! I mean, this had to just blow her mind to think about this wonderful news; but how was this going to happen?

As the days went by, she must have had other concerns. She probably was thinking, “What will the neighbors think? What will the family say? What in the world is Joseph going to do when he finds out?” How was she going to explain this to him, and would he believe her?

Then came the day when Joseph did find out. Now, no one really knows for sure how he found out, but he did. Mary may have told him; and if she did, he did not believe her. Before you throw the first stone, you need to put yourself into Joseph’s shoes. Try to imagine the hurt and pain he must have felt. The woman he was in love with had just told him that she was going to have a baby, and he was not the daddy.

Also, think what Mary was going through; the anxiety she must have felt, and the hurt she must have experienced as she heard Joseph say, “THE WEDDING IS OFF”. What in the world was she going to do? What would happen to her? Now we have the luxury of having the Bible to tell us that the angel was going to appear to Joseph and tell him the truth about what had happened to Mary. Yeah, we know, but Mary didn’t. We don’t know how long all this went on; it could have been weeks living in fear and uncertainty, no doubt crying over the loss of the man she was so in love with.

Then as always, God stepped into the picture, and the engagement was back on. But you and I know how word gets out. Some things you just can’t keep a secret. Mary was living in a society where being pregnant before marriage was strictly forbidden. And who in their right mind would believe Mary’s story if Joseph had not? Can you just see the neighborhood women all gather up and pointing and whispering: “Did you hear about Mary? They say the baby is not Joseph’s. What a shame!” Poor Mary must have had to live with the daily dose of gossip and ridicule. But, praise God, we know the outcome of the story. We can look at these things from a distance, but Mary had to live them up close.

Here’s what I have learned about celebrating Christmas from Mary’s and Joseph’s experiences.

SERVING GOD IS NOT ALWAYS EASY:

I hear preachers on the radio and TV today tell people that it is easy to serve God. “If you just give your heart to Jesus, all will go well for you. If you serve the Lord, you will have no more trouble.” That is a load of horse manure! Where did the gospel of prosperity come from? It did not come out of the scriptures. It did not come from Jesus, for He said in John 16:33 – “I have told you all this so that you may have peace in Me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” And you will not find it in the Christmas story. Mary and Joseph have their share of heartaches.

Nowhere in the scriptures will you find that serving God is supposed to be easy. Look at the lives of many of the greatest servants in the Bible and in our world today, Abraham, David, the prophets, etc. Here’s one example for you to look at, David Branerd: He was a missionary to the American Indians. He died of pneumonia at the age of 29. He said “I cared not where I lived or what hardships I went through, so that I could gain souls for Christ.” Man, what a powerful word!

Folks, if you’re still reading this blog, you need to know that God does not promise that serving Him will be easy! But He does promise that He will be with us. Look back at John 16:33 – “I have told you all this so that you may have peace in Me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” Look at the last part of this verse: “But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” That tells us that greater is He that is in you than He that is in the world. In other words, the devil has no power where the Lord Jesus Christ resides!

FAITHFULNESS AND OBEDIENCE PAY SPIRITUAL DIVIDENDS:

Have you ever heard the saying, “Payday some day”? Well, here it is another way; payday may not come today, next week, or next year; but obeying God pays rich spiritual dividends.

Mary and Joseph stand as a testimony to this truth! God gave them a unique place in human history. He gave them the privilege of rearing HIS SON in their home. Man, that’s a call if there ever has been one!

If we could look through the window into Heaven and see this couple, I wonder what they would say to us today. I believe they would say, “It was all worth it! The struggles, the difficulties, the pain; it was all worth it.” They would tell us that they would do it all over again, a thousand times over if need be.

Let me ask you right now – what are your circumstances; what problems are you dealing with at this moment? Has the devil been standing behind you and whispering into your ear, “Is this Christian life worth going through all of this?” You can tell him that this is not the life that you are looking forward to; the one you’re waiting on is the one that you have with Jesus in Heaven. What a day that will be!!

IT’S MORE IMPORTANT TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT GOD THINKS THAN WHAT PEOPLE THINK!

This old world will put pressure on us. It will try to conform us to its standards. Mary and Joseph could have very easily have said: “I’m not going to do this. I’m not going to endure the pressure. What others think about me is more important than what God thinks.” BUT THEY DIDN’T! They willingly surrendered to God’s will for their lives. They listened to what God had to say instead of what other people might have said.

So, I have a question for ya. How many of you are afraid to serve God because of what family, friends, or co-workers might say? WHO IS GOING TO CALL THE SHOTS IN YOUR LIFE?
When God calls you to act, are you going to do it or will you make some excuse? Whose agenda are you going to follow – God’s or yours?

Mary and Joseph followed God’s; and although they experienced struggle and heartache, we can all celebrate the result today. Their lives stand as a monument to the fact that a life lived for God is exceedingly worth living!