John 17
A Father's Prayer
for His Children
John
17:21
That they all may be
one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee,
that they also may be one
in us:
that the world may believe
that thou hast sent me.
21a
That they all may be one;
as thou, Father,
art in me, and I in thee,
that they also may be one in us:
In
quick review, God's words should be our words as the father to our children.
We are preparing our children for the world that they will someday be 'in'
- but prayerfully not 'part of'. And this is all for 'their sakes',
not ours as parents. That doesn't mean the whole world revolves around
them, but it does mean that our efforts in all areas are for their sakes!
Otherwise, don't have any children - just live your life the way you want
to live your life - kids are not an intrusion, they are
an heritage of the Lord!
And
now, continuing to apply John 17 to us fathers, we see in verse
21 that we need to be concerned with our
FAMILY - that we are one. In order for God to 'bless' this
family, we need to keep it in 'order' - not just picked up and organized,
but 'in order' in regards to each others' roles within that entire 'unit'.
God
has an order and each part represents an authoritative position,
each
given a particular 'duty' within our family:
One
God; One Son; One Spirit; One Saviour; One Body of Christ; One Church;
One Book;
One
pastor; One Administrator; One Teacher; One Family; One Dad; One Mother
and
then there are the kids with their pets and pocket friends.
We
are one family!
I
Corinthians 12:13-27
13:
For by one Spirit are we all baptized into
one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles,
whether
we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. 14:
For the body is not one member, but many. 15:
If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body;
is it therefore not of the body? 16:
And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body;
is it therefore not of the body? 17:
If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were
hearing, where were the smelling? 18:
But now hath God set the members every
one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him. 19:
And if they were all one member, where were the body?
20: But now are they many members, yet
but one body. 21: And
the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the
head to the feet, I have no need of you. 22:
Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble,
are necessary: 23:
And those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon
these we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely parts have more
abundant comeliness. 24:
For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together,
having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked: 25:
That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should
have the same care one for another. 26:
And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member
be honoured, all the members rejoice with it. 27:
Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.
Ephesians
4:1-7
1:
I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord,
beseech you
that
ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called,
2:
With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering,
forbearing one another in love;
3:
Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit
in the bond of peace.
4:
There is one body, and one Spirit, even
as ye are called in one hope of your calling;
5:
One Lord, one faith, one baptism,
6:
One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you
all.
7:
But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the
gift of Christ.
Ephesians
5:21-33
21:
Submitting yourselves one to another in
the fear of God.
22:
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.
25:
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.
Ephesians
6:1-9
1:
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.
5:
Servants, be obedient to them that are
your masters according to the flesh,
with
fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ;
6:
Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers;
but
as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart;
7:
With good will doing service, as to the
Lord, and not to men:
8:
Knowing that whatsoever good thing any
man doeth,
the
same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free.
9:
And, ye masters, do the same things unto
them, forbearing threatening:
knowing
that your Master also is in heaven;
neither
is there respect of persons with him.
For
more and more on the family, see - the Great
House
21b
that the world may believe
that thou hast sent me.
The point being: Our neighbors
and friends will see our family and it will be a testimony to God.
Whether or not they 'like it' or 'believe what we 'believe', they will
see a family that is not like everyone else. Kids will behave properly
in public - everyone will dress modestly (even on a hot day, they are thinking
of God's words instead of their own comfort) - everyone will behave the
parents - the wives will be in submission (happily, of course) to her husband
and the husband will be treating his wife like Christ treats the church
- and everyone will be allowing their hearts to be established by grace,
not by meat (Heb 13:9).
If a family puts out that kind of
a Biblical witness, our familiars (Jer 20:10 who are always watching us
will know that something is different. If the Father maintains his
family in a Biblical manner, a biblical witness will be presented; whether
the people agree or not, they will know of the Biblical witness that you
presented to them! (Our relatives thought we were wrong, cultic,
etc. - but today, my kids still love the Bible, still read it [and can
read it], still want to follow it, want to marry 'right', want to live
a life for God, etc.! They didn't and still don't drink, smoke, do drugs,
cuss, etc. and David doesn't wear ear-rings and long hair - Beck looks,
dresses and acts like a Christian lady and loves her husband and children.)
Our relatives may not agree with
us, but they did see a good witness true to the Bible (not without our
problems, either, amen? [they missed the grace, imputation, eternal security,
fellowship doctrines, etc). When it came time for church, we went
- and our visitors could come with us if they wanted! But as the
Bible says, the natural man receiveth
not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him:
neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. I
Corinthians 2:14
They just didn't get it!
Dad, do you aim your family in
a direction to please God - or your relatives & friends?
Galatians 1:10 For
do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men?
for if I yet pleased men,
I should not be the servant of Christ.
Directed towards Ezekiel, Jesus
Christ, and us as a father
in regards to our children &
to the world around us!
Ezekiel 2:3-10
...Son of man, I send thee to
the children of Israel, to a rebellious nation that hath rebelled against
me: they and their fathers have transgressed against me, even unto this
very day.
4: For
they are impudent children and stiffhearted. I do send thee unto
them; and thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD.
5: And
they, whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear, (for they are
a rebellious house,) yet shall know that there hath been a prophet among
them.
6: And
thou, son of man, be not afraid of them, neither be afraid of their words,
though briers and thorns be with thee, and thou dost dwell among scorpions:
be not afraid of their words, nor be dismayed at their looks, though they
be a rebellious house.
7:
And thou shalt speak my words unto them, whether they will hear, or whether
they will forbear: for they are most rebellious.
8: But
thou, son of man, hear what I say unto thee; Be not thou rebellious like
that rebellious house: open thy mouth, and eat that I give thee.
9: And
when I looked, behold, an hand was sent unto me; and, lo, a roll of a book
was therein;
10: And
he spread it before me; and it was written within and without: and there
was written therein lamentations, and mourning, and woe.
Ezekiel 33:27-33
27: Say
thou thus unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; As I live, surely they that
are in the wastes shall fall by the sword, and him that is in the open
field will I give to the beasts to be devoured, and they that be in the
forts and in the caves shall die of the pestilence.
28: For
I will lay the land most desolate, and the pomp of her strength shall cease;
and the mountains of Israel shall be desolate, that none shall pass through.
29: Then
shall they know that I am the LORD, when I have laid the land most desolate
because of all their abominations which they have committed.
30: Also,
thou son of man, the children of thy people still are talking against thee
by the walls and in the doors of the houses, and speak one to another,
every one to his brother, saying, Come, I pray you, and hear what is the
word that cometh forth from the LORD.
31: And
they come unto thee as the people cometh, and they sit before thee as my
people, and they hear thy words, but they will not do them: for with their
mouth they shew much love, but their heart goeth after their covetousness.
32: And,
lo, thou art unto them as a very lovely song of one that hath a pleasant
voice, and can play well on an instrument: for they hear thy words, but
they do them not.
33: And
when this cometh to pass, (lo, it will come,) then shall they know that
a prophet hath been among them.
We talked about Dad being an example
last week, so now, dad - the bottom line here is this: What is your
testimony to your family and to others? Will the world believe that
you are of God - that your family is of God?
Let's go to I Timothy 3.
We heard last Sunday the 'qualifications' and 'standards' for the office
of a bishop - then we applied them to us men as pastors of the family.
First of all, do you even want to be a dad? If not,
better wait. According to verse 1,
he desireth a good work, if you want
to be a father. Note in verse 6,
a father ought to spend a little time with his wife to develop his family
foundation before he were to have children - being a novice in fathering
would lift the father up with pride and would
fall into the condemnation of the devil I
Timothy 3:6.
According to verse
7, we must have a good report of
them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the
devil - thus, your testimony would go down the drain!
That would please the devil, amen? Revelation
12:10 And I heard a loud voice saying
in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our
God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast
down, which accused them before our God day and night.
According to verse 4,5, how you take
care of God's House (YOU) is how you will take care of your house, your
family and visa versa: I Timothy 3:4,5
One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with
all gravity; (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall
he take care of the church of God?)
Do you read your Bible? If not, can you expect
your family to?
Do you pray regularly?
If not, can you expect your family to?
Do you study your Bible? If not, can you
expect your family to?
Do you respond to the reading, preaching & study?
If not, can you expect your family to?
Is your walk a clean and 'holy' walk?
If not, can you expect your family to have a clean walk?
Are you even interested in growing spiritually?
Do you 'do right' when you are alone?
Are your thoughts clean?
Are you even seeking God's words and direction in
your life?
Do you cross those Jordans when you come to them?
Do you conquer those new giants you meet?
How many of those qualifications
do you meet - or come close to - or reach?
Blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good
behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach; Not given to wine, no striker,
not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous; One
that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with
all gravity; Not a novice, Moreover he must have a good report of them
which are without; grave, not doubletongued, Holding the mystery of the
faith in a pure conscience.
Do you need
to follow the direction that God gave Jacob?
Genesis 35:1-5
1: And
God said unto Jacob, Arise, go up to Bethel, and dwell there: and make
there an altar unto God, that appeared unto thee when thou fleddest from
the face of Esau thy brother.
2: Then
Jacob said unto his household, and to all that were with him, Put away
the strange gods that are among you, and be clean, and change your garments:
3: And
let us arise, and go up to Bethel; and I will make there an altar unto
God, who answered me in the day of my distress, and was with me in the
way which I went.
4: And
they gave unto Jacob all the strange gods which were in their hand, and
all their earrings which were in their ears; and Jacob hid them under the
oak which was by Shechem.
5: And
they journeyed: and the terror of God was upon the cities that were round
about them, and they did not pursue after the sons of Jacob.
They saw the power of God in
that family - not the power of DAD!
Dad, you can purchase
to yourself a good degree, and a great boldness in the faith which is in
Christ Jesus. I Timothy 3:13.
You can be
strong and
do exploits because you do
know your God (Daniel
11:37).
II Timothy 2:3
Thou therefore endure hardness, as a
good soldier of Jesus Christ. - and
people will look at you knowing God is in your family - and it's all because
of you, Dad!
Matthew 25:23
His lord said unto him, Well
done, good and faithful servant;
thou hast been faithful over
a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things:
enter thou into the joy of
thy lord.
And that joy is to ...hear
that my children walk in truth.
III John 4
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