Teach Your Children

Proverbs 22:6 Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.

At our church here in Anaheim, California, we’ve been presenting a mid-week summer evening class from the “That The World May Know” video series by Ray Vader Laan on the Exodus story of the Israelites from Egypt to Mt. Sinai and it’s meaning & application to us today. One of the primary messages of this outstanding presentation is that parents, Grandparents and great-grandparents need to teach our children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren the Bible; that they may “hear God’s words, so that they may learn to fear the Lord (meaning: out of pure reverence, not ever want to let God down) all the days that they live on the earth, and that they may teach their children and their children's children.” Does American Christian families … do the Christians in the world teach their Children diligently or do we let the spiritually-blind pagan secular humanistic world teach us and our kids its self-centered message of hedonism and materialism that destroys the soul with sin and leaves them in the dark pursuit of happiness apart from God? What do you see is the virtues & vises result today?

Deuteronomy 4:9-10 "Only take care, and keep your soul diligently, lest you forget the things that your eyes have seen, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life. Make them known to your children and your children’s children— how on the day that you stood before the LORD your God at Horeb, the LORD said to me, 'Gather the people to me, that I may let them hear my words, so that they may learn to fear me all the days that they live on the earth, and that they may teach their children so.' Deuteronomy 6:6-8 repents God’s message here.

This was well-known in this country’s beginnings, as evidenced by the first school textbook printed in the United States, “The New England Primer” in 1690 and used to teach children to read until 1900 A.D., which taught our nation’s children using nothing but biblical references. There is also evidence that biblical morality was taught to all American children in public school by the 1890 textbook on Ethics, with its emphasis on character traits such as honesty, gratitude, and responsibility. This text calls attention to the critical importance of character development and the role of a well-formed conscience in making morally sound decisions,; also full of biblical references. Check it out for yourself. Reprint copies for home-schooling or your own reference are available @ http://shop.wallbuilders.com/store/books.html. The Northwest Ordinance of 1787, Article 3 states: "Religion, morality, and knowledge being necessary to good government and the happiness of mankind, schools and the means of education shall be forever encouraged." Why? Because biblical knowledge leads to obedience from the heart to the Maker of Heaven & Earth, that produces order, peace, happiness and joy in life; nowhere else.

Deuteronomy 11:18-20 "You shall therefore lay up these words of mine in your heart and in your soul, and you shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall teach them to your children, talking of them when you are sitting in your house, and when you are walking by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates."

The God-rejecting & Christ-rejecting world seeks joy, apart from a just and righteous God’s holy Word, Will and Way, in sinful distractions, while making every effort to suppress and eliminate the thought and even mention of the one true sovereign Lord of all, which we are accountable, based upon His commands and standards, which we fail. Talking to my Pastor this week, we discussed how it is not just knowing and legalistically obeying, outwardly, the Word of God, but having God’s words written upon our hearts, inwardly. When it is the desire of our heart to live a life that is pleasing in the eyes of the Lord, we naturally study the Bible to learn, mature and grow, meditating on the holy Scriptures day & night that they will not depart from our lips (Joshua 1:8 & Psalm 1:2). Not that we say and live by the Ten Commandments only because God says to, but to have the purposes of God in our heart that we do not break them and sin against God and our fellow man, because it is wrong and we do not want to. It changes our prospective from “I shall not lie, steal, covet, kill, have other gods” to the heart that says “Why would I lie? Why would I steal? Why would I covet? Why would I Kill? Why would I have other gods? I have no desire to. Like Joseph says in Genesis 39:9 “How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?” Our hearts are changed; transformed by the Lord. Isn’t this where we want ourselves to be mentally, emotionally and spiritually? Isn’t this what our children need to know to become healthy, balanced & stable adults in this generation? Doesn’t it say in Romans 10:17 that faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. Who will teach them? It’s our job. Let’s do it!

Romans 2:28-29 For no one is a Jew (or Christian) who is merely one outwardly, nor is circumcision outward and physical. But a Jew (and Christian) is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter. His praise is not from man but from God.

In Christ,
Brian

Letter to Pastor Tracy

Pastor Tracy,
With what is going on today in America, morally & spiritually, it's not hard to see that people are looking for definition for living. The clear boundaries of God through His Holy Word and Spirit have become foggy & gray as the lack of knowledge of the Bible & Jesus have opened the door to progressive change from godliness led by and walking in the Spirit, to the desires of the sinful nature and the unbridled works of the flesh described in Galatians 5. So many for my Christian brothers and sisters in ministry see it, and more & more of my secular friends & family see the social chaos caused by its affect also. This lack of biblical knowledge seems to have lead to a world of the “blind leading the blind into the pit”, described in Matthew 15:14, because that which the Lord says is sin (meaning, of the Christ-rejecting world, the flesh’s natural desires & knowingly or unknowingly following Satan and is contrary to God’s word, will and way, Jesus teachings, examples & commandments, and the Holy Spirit leading) are not defined, so people are redefining their life based upon, not only what they think is "right" in their own eyes (as mentioned in Joshua 21:25), but what secular humanism propagandizes as "right", based on pagan hedonism. The lines of loving and safe boundaries for our lives, found in God's commands, statures, decrees, teachings, laws, et cetera found in His holy Word, are not only neglected & therefore not being seen clearly, but being omitted & erased from our culture. Tolerance of sin moved public opinion of Jesus from Lord and Savior to just Savior, then to a “good” person (humanizing Christ). Tolerance of sin and intolerance towards Jesus is attempting now to remove the Redeemer sent by God as Savior, in public opinion and life. Where Jesus has commissioned His followers (the born again Believer, the Children of God and citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven) to "go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you" in Matthew 28:18-20, it is found that the secular society is the one aggressively evangelizing the world (both us and our children) to forsake God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit. Even some, so called, Christian denominations are saying that the Bible is NOT the defining authority on human behavior, and giving into secular beliefs over the defining Word of God. Lives are being redefined along with, and aligned with sin, and the consequences are the rejection and dismissal of God as their Creator Lord, and the Bible (their Maker's perfect will and word) no longer matters & lost souls continue to look for meaning for life and the definition of love, joy, peace, and happiness that they disparately need and desire in the “wrong places”, here on Earth, in people, places, pleasures, possessions, popularity, power, privilege and pomp. We know that God is in total control all the time, and in the end He wins, but our society is going in the “wrong” direction and needs godly guidance and guides. What are His children to be doing to make an influence on this culture today for Christ's sake on this generation? Shouldn't each and every one of us be telling everyone within our sphere of influence, and to the best of our God-given ability, about the gospel of Jesus Christ - the great Hope of mankind lost and dying in sin? This is the true place of Love, joy, peace & happiness.

Today, my goddaughter and niece are being tempted by godless people in college, to abandon what they call the "fairytale of a God" and turn her back on a faith in something that non-believer’s of God believe does not exist, including rejecting & leaving behind the people-of-faith in their life, to give themself over to the sinful nature completely. The reality of secular humanism is not something that I can ignore. To eat, drink and be merry for tomorrow you die (from Luke 12;19) is the theme of the day, today, in the darkness of secular America, and they what to rid this land of the Light of Christ. I believe that every professing Christian needs to stand up, as Jesus said, and join in this “spiritual war”, in America and the entire world, for the hearts, minds and souls of those that need to find the foot of the Cross, where they will not only find their loving Lord and Savior, but the true definition of their life in Jesus Christ.

Please tell me your thoughts and opinion. I appreciate all that you do for Christ, the church and the community.
Blessings to you.
Brian

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Brian,
Ever since Adam and Eve fell in the Garden of Eden, when we all inherited the sin nature, it has been the way that you have described. The only answer is the last Adam, Jesus; that He has redeemed us by His blood. He is the only answer and we must preach the Word, be the salt, and fight the good fight of faith. Having done all, then stand and keep on standing. Anything changing in society as a whole, or in one individual, will be the result of the Holy Spirit working through our faithfulness to be a "John The Baptist" as we speak the truth in love. When I think of these things, I think of you. So, be faithful to the call to be “salt and light” and then trust the Lord with Him changing things. We have to "enter into His rest". Just think, the Father and Son are looking down right now at their entire creation and the state of that creation and they are still "sitting on the throne." They know the end from the beginning and they are in perfect rest; they are bringing all things into perfect completion. Some things will continue to be evil and that is why there is a coming judgment. It will come, so we must continue to lead as many people as we can to the Lord.

I feel led to direct you to John 16:1-33. It will bless you with understand of the state of things, what is coming, and how we can even right now in the midst of things, "be of good cheer" (vs.33).

Bless you,
Pastor Tracy Hearnsberger
Little Church in the Pines
Bass Lake, California

All Have Sinned & All Need “The Savior”

Romans 3:21-25a But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it—the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation (as an acceptable payment in full) by his blood, to be received by faith.

I heard a great Bible Study this week that I’d like to share the notes that I wrote down. I pray that they bring as much light of truth and is as great a blessing to you as it was for me.
We are not sinners because we sin. We sin because we are sinners. We are “lost” because we are sinners. Laws are for order and peace. God demands and God provides because we can not. We have nothing to offer, but our great need. We are completely lost outside of Christ. There is no such thing as middle ground. There is no such thing as trying to come some other way. Religion can not save you, but Christ can save you. Jesus is the Savior of the world. It’s not trust or hope or faith that saves us (though faith is the instrument). It is the object of faith that is the important thing. It’s Christ! By Jesus’ atoning blood and merit that we are saved. Come to Jesus and receive deliverance. The love of God is revealed in Jesus Christ. God offer is universal to who-so-ever in scope, but limited to those who believe by faith. The sinner must have either the righteousness or the wrath of God, and both of them are revealed from heaven. The guilty hope for one of four circumstances: (1) to not let their crime be discovered, or (2) to get beyond jurisdiction and the long arm of the law, or (3) if caught, to get off on a technicality, or (4) if convicted, to escape from Prison. But these hopes are useless in the economy of the omnipotent Maker of the Universe and all that lives & breathes. The goodness and blessings of God should lead you and I to Him and to repentance. Do you have a Savior or don’t you? Got Jesus?
2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.

Romans 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.

God is merciful and just. The gospel has not changed God’s attitude towards sin. We do not get by with sin; it will be judged. The gospel has made it possible to accept the sinner by Jesus paying our penalty and is the “way unto salvation”. You either have Christ or you don’t. This may be dogmatic, but this is the truth. Either you are in Christ, which is what it means to be “saved”, or you are completely lost. We are absolutely saved in Christ and this is the gift of God; not earned, deserved or paid for by us. The process is (1) admission, (2) remission, & (3) submission. (1) Admit that we have sinned against a just & holy God and are a sinner that can not save ourselves. (2) Accept God offer of salvation through, His Son, Jesus Christ’s atoning death on the Cross that remits of sins by imputing them upon the Savior, while the Redeemer’s sin-free life is imputed to the Believer. (3) Regeneration of the spirit and indwelling of the Holy Spirit, submitting our life to Jesus as Lord, in trust and obedience, in His perfect Word, Will, and Way. We are complete in Christ. Christians are no longer in debt to sin in this lost and dying world. Praise be to God and our Lord & Savior Jesus Christ!

Romans 1:4-6 He was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord, through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations, including you who are called to belong to Jesus Christ.

In Christ, Brian

Say a Prayer for Nicole

1 Peter 3:11-12 He must seek peace and pursue it. For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer .

Yesterday, I received a shocking call from my niece Natalie, that her sister Nicole had been involved in a serious accident. Just the day before, she had moved some of her furniture and belongings from Kingman, Arizona 150 miles to Flagstaff, Arizona to begin to upcoming semester at Northern Arizona University in pursuit of becoming a Veterinarian. Her boyfriend was driving her in the 100 plus degree desert heat to take the last final things for her new apartment when the accident occurred. The details are not complete to me as yet, but just outside Kingman, the vehicle experienced a blown-out rear tire and the driver lost control on the highway. The car flipped and rounded, ejecting Nicole from the vehicle and she had to be Medi-Vac airlifted from the scene to a hospital in Flagstaff. I received a report from my brother, as they were en route to Flagstaff that she was in emergency surgery for a broken pelvis, broken collar bone, ruptured spleen and bleeding on the brain. As you can imagine, Nicole and the whole family is in need of your prayers. You prayers are appreciated and cherished. We know that she is in the hands of the "Great physician" now, and ask that the Lord guide the hands and decisions of the doctors and nurses in Nicole's care.

Thank you for your intercessory prayers.

In Christ, Brian

Family

Genesis 2:24 That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh.

As I'm on a whirl-wind tour of the mid-West visiting family, it comes to mind that "blood is thicker than water". Family ties are the idea and creation of God Almighty for the stability of mankind in this cycle-of-life that He has placed us in this time and place in history, called our walk & watch. Some would argue that "it takes a village", but I think that the Maker was right when Genesis 1:31 said: "God saw all that he had made, and it was very good." The love of your child, your parents, your grand-parents, Uncles, Aunts and cousins is powerful to the mind, body and soul because it is natural bonds, and marriage (when by God's design) makes two into one in heart to create this godly family process.

It is sad when we realize that we are losing our older generation, and truly need to cherish and honor our parents and grand-parents (great & great great, if we are lucky) with the time that we have left with them on earth. The Ten Commandments include "Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you." But all the commandments, if written upon our hearts, are natural thoughts and actions of a godly life. Why wouldn't I honor my father and my mother? Just as, "Why would I murder, lie, steal, cheat, covet, et cetera. We, far too often, take for granted our family, and put others, other things and self in front of the relationships that matter in a healthy, satisfying, and fruitful life.

Friends are nice, a great part of life, but they are not a substitute for family. There aredifferent personalities involved and "black sheep", but I believe that God made this combination within the family to teach us to deal with it (by His standards), so we could not hide in the comfortible confides of "like-mindedness", but grow and mature as children of God in the diversity and confrontations of family; the critical part of the "Great Commision - Matthew 28:18-20 "Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

There is an old saying that goes: "You can pick your friends, and you can pick your neighbors, and you can pick your nose, but you can not pick your family. So take some time and enjoy them. Touch them with the love of Christ. Speak the truth in love to them, even if they don't want to hear it because of darkness rejecting light. Throw a flare in their live out of love and care. But don't let the time go, because we will only have missed opportunities when either they or you are gone. God made family, so rejoice in it.

In Christ, Brian