Get Up And Walk

With Father's Day coming close, only a week away, I was having some thought's rattle around in my head.  These thoughts are just fighting to get out, so I'm thinking I better get them onto my blog. 

My mom and I are very close, and have been for most of my life.  We are very much alike.  She's my best friend!  However, growing up, my dad and I always "Butt Heads!"  It wasn't as bad as some father-daughter relationships I know, but it wasn't the best either.  However, the older we've both become, the closer we've gotten.  Now we are more like two peas in a cute little pod!  Even when we were at odds in the past though, I never once believed my dad would ever lie to me.  As a matter of fact, I know my parents never lied to me.  It wasn't in them.  That's not the case with many parents, and I'm sorry if your's was one of them.  If they ever told you you were worthless, or ugly, or they would be better off had you not been born, they lied to you.  You were and are part of a Master's Plan!

This blog entry has more to do though, with our Heavenly Daddy.

This evening at Youth Group, we talked mainly about Saul/Paul, but as with most youth groups, we wandered off topic a few times.  We, my partner leading the youth group (Brenda) and I tried to tie it all together no matter how far off track we were taken.

As we talked about Saul/Paul, School, Osama bin Laden, Liars, Cheaters, Dopers, Bullies, etc, one thing came through loud and clear.  Fruits of the Spirit.  Any of the above could have or can change, but we will only know that change by the Fruit that each person posseses.  The group I have didn't know (for the most part) what the Fruits of the Spirit where, so I read to them from Galatians 5:23-26 (NKJV)

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.  Against such there is no law.  And those who are Christ's have cruciied the flesh with its passions and desires.  If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.  Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another."

So, if our Daddy is Jesus, God, the Holy Spirit, then guess what?  The above "fruits" will be what we not only posess, but what we show to the world!  I made it clear to the kids that we are human and mess up sometimes.  When that happens, we need to ask for forgivness from our Daddy, and then just .....move on!  Get Up and Walk!

"But how do we know?  How do we know if a person is NOT really who they claim to be?" Meaning, if they say they are a Christian, but we continually do not see the Fruits from Galatians 5:23-26, then what?  Well, then Galatians 5:19-21 (NKJV)

"Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God!"

So, if your Daddy is Jesus, you will posses the Fruits of the Spirit, and if your fruits are of the flesh, then Who's Your Daddy?

In our discussion tonight, I claimed that because two people from quite a large family have proven themselves nothing but untruthful to me in the past, that I would have a hard time ever believing anyone from their family.  Keep in mind, I don't know one other person from this family.  All I know, is what I have been taught by the two individuals, and that is, that all they have ever done was lie.  They never had any reason to lie to me.  In fact, I constantly forgave, and then would tell them, "I love you, and want to help you succeed in this life, just Don't Lie To Me!"  They would say, "OK" then continue to lie.  Now, in order for me to trust any one of their siblings, (should I ever meet them) or these two individuals again, I  would need to see some "Fruits of the Spirit."

We may meet someone and right away, the Spirit bears witness, and we know that the person is a Child of the King!  We both have the Holy Spirit within, and therefore are able to identify with each other right away.  However, there are times when we are fooled, because someone comes to church, they say all the right things, do all the right things, and 'wear' all the right clothes!  We never really give the Spirit a chance to bear witness.  But then, slowly and surely, we start to recognize those fruits of the flesh.  We wonder, "How can this be?  This person is a Christian, right?"  In my book, Get Up and Walk, I give this analogy; 

'Entering the church doors numerous times a week, does not make you a Christian anymore than entering the grocery store several times a week turns you into food!  It's what you do while in those buildings, and what you take home from each of those places that will determine the nourishment that you recieve each week!'

When some fellow Jew's wanted to kill Jesus, He tried to explain to them that they were slaves to sin, (Fruits of the Flesh) and that their Heavenly Father wanted them to repent and become FREE! (receive the Fruits of the Spirit!)  After they argued with Him, not truly understanding Him, He said this in John 8:42-47 (the Message)

"If God were your father," said Jesus, "You would love me, for I came from God and arrived here.  I didn't come on my own.  He sent me.  Why can't you understand one word I say?  Here's why:  You can't handle it.  You're from your father, the Devil, and all you want to do is please him.  He was a killer from the very start.  He couldn't stand the truth because there wasn't a shred of truth in him.  When the Liar speaks, he makes it up out of his lying nature and fills the world with lies.  I arrive on the scene, tell you the plain truth, and you refuse to have a thing to do with me.  Can any one of you convict me of a single misleading word, a single sinful act?  But if I'm telling the truth, why don't you believe me?  Anyone on God's side listens to God's words.  This is why you're not listening - because you're not on God's side."

Other translations say in verse 44 that "Satan is a liar and the Father of lies."

Therefore, if your fruits are of the flesh............Who's Your Daddy?

I John 2:2-6 (The Message)

"Here's how we can be sure that we know God in the right way:  Keep his commandments'  If someone claims, "I know him well!" but doesn't keep his commandments, he's obviously a liar.  His life doesn't match his words.  But the one who keeps God's word is the person in whom we see God's mature love.  This is the only way to be sure we're in God.  Anyone who claims to be intimate with God ought to live the same kind of life Jesus lived."

Taking all of this in, I ask you tonight............Who is YOUR Daddy?