A POIGNANT QUESTION 6-22-08am by Pastor Thomas
Text: I Pet 4:17, For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?"
Intro.: Poignant means: that which evokes a keen sense of sadness or regret. This has two applications.
I. THE FIRST PART OF THIS VERSE CAUTIONS CHRISTIANS ABOUT GOD’S JUDGMENTS UPON THEM.
Here Christians are called the house of God, meaning the individual members, of each local church. WE need to be engaged in self judgments in order to maintain church fellowship with each other and to please God so that He doesn’t need to send divine judgement upon us because of church errors or unfaithfulness to Him as the body of Christ on earth.
Paul told young Timothy, his son in the faith, how important Scriptural conduct was in church life, 1Ti 3:15 “But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.” Are we there yet?
As members of this church we are to judge ourselves and make corrections if they are needed, amend our ways so that we are well pleasing to God. Church members... straighten UP and fly right! If we don’t, He might just clip our wings somehow.
If we stray, we’ll wish we hadn’t. If we refuse to with in faith, he is able to abase us, (Dan 4:37). If we don’t, walk the line of truth and faith according to this Bible, there may be consequences to pay, 1Co 11:31 “For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. 32 But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.” The church at Corinth failed in this self judgment and as a result divine judgment took over to chasten them, 1Co 11:30 “For this cause many [are] weak and sickly among you, and many sleep.”
However, this verse was not given to ask or to answer the question about what is the end or consequences for believers with regards to their failure of self judgment. It only states that if judgment is meant to begin with us, and we are to judge our actions as Christians , then there is also a counterpart judgment applicable having to do with people who have not obeyed the gospel.
As Peter wrote his first epistle, foremost in his mind was a desire to encourage the believers to stand firm in the face of suffering and trial. On four occasions he used the term, "the end," focusing his reader's attention on the final resolution of all things.
This first use followed an explanation of the nature and benefits of the various trials in a believer's life. The result would be a pure, effective faith now, as well as "receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls" (1:9), which is the final ultimate deliverance of our whole person.
Meanwhile, "gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ" (1:13). Our minds should be completely ("to the end") ready for action, sober and expectant, focused on the ultimate resolution of all trials when we go to be with Jesus or when He comes in the rapture.
This ultimate resolution could come at any time: he tells us that, "the end of all things is at hand" (4:7). Our response should be to "be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer." To be sober is to be of sound judgment, making careful decisions based on the Bible, not based on our emotion; especially watchful as we pray, and each step we take should be with eternity in mind and how our decisions will be judged by Him who’s judgment is fair, all seeing and perfect.
“The end of all things is at hand.” But there have been 20 centuries which have passed but the end has not yet come. Explain that!
The context doesn’t tell us exactly what Peter meant by this expression. The phrase could refer to:
1. the end of their Jewish National State, which happened in 70 AD, or
2. The end of the world, (that hasn’t happened) or
3. the end of ones life and his affairs in this world. If it was believed that the end of the world was near, it must consequently be believed that the termination of the earthly life of each person also drew near to a close.
BUT, The end of all things most likely referred to the Jewish state and order, their city, their temple, and worship, was at hand. The immanent destruction of Jerusalem was very near; therefore, they were told “be ye sober” and temperate in all things; watch, that that day not overtake you unawares, and that you be not shocked or surprised by it when it comes.
Jesus forewarned the Jews about the coming destruction of their city and lands. Lu 21:20 “And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh. 21 Then let them which are in Judaea flee to the mountains; and let them which are in the midst of it depart out; and let not them that are in the countries enter thereinto. 22 For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled. 23 But woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck, in those days! for there shall be great distress in the land, and wrath upon this people. 24 And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.”
Peter is evidently hoping to support and encourage them in their trials, and to excite them to lead a holy life, by the assurance that the end of all trials and persecutions which they presently were enduring and suffering was drawing nigh. God was about to judge Israel for its rejection of her Messiah and for her many years of following the traditions of men. This judgment was prophesied by the O.T. prophets and Jesus during his earthly ministry.

II. THE SECOND PART IS A WARNING TO THE UNSAVED.
Those who have not accepted, meaning they haven’t obeyed, the gospel of Jesus Christ. They have not been born anew, no birth from above, no regeneration, no conversion, no salvation; therefore, they are said to be lost, unsaved, condemned headed for an eternal hell immediately upon their death. Example, Lu 16:23 And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments....”
Jesus asked this poignant question of the unbelieving scribes and Pharisees, Mt 23:33 “[Ye] serpents, [ye] generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?” The answer is plain, they could not escape it so long as they refused to believe in Him as their Savior and the only one who could be condemned in their stead, as their substitute so that they might receive His grace and come to faith and thereby escape the damnation of hell fire.
Oh, listen to Jesus dear precious lost soul, Mr 9:45 “And if thy foot offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter halt into life, than having two feet to be cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched:” Jesus is using a comparative example here, which is worse to lose a foot in this life, or to be cast into hell where the fire is unquenchable?
JESUS IS THE ONLY WAY of deliverance from the wrath to come. 1Th 1:10 “..... Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.” Ro 8:1 “[There is] therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus....”
But, what is the end of them that obey NOT the gospel? Compare it to the horrors of the Jews who awaited extermination in the German death camps of WWII. Millions were jammed into confinement camps to wait for room in the gas chambers to be made for them. They marched unto death with no hope of escape. 5 Million Jews died in the holocaust.
What is the end of them that obey not the gospel? Their end is utter hopelessness. Their doom is sealed. However, there is hope in this life that changes things.
Ro 10:12 “For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. 13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. 14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?
15 And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things! 16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report? 17 So then faith [cometh] by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. 18 But I say, Have they not heard? Yes verily, their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world. 19 But I say, Did not Israel know? First Moses saith, I will provoke you to jealousy by [them that are] no people, [and] by a foolish nation I will anger you. 20 But Esaias is very bold, and saith, I was found of them that sought me not; I was made manifest unto them that asked not after me. 21 But to Israel he saith, All day long I have stretched forth my hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying people.”
The most regrettable decision a person can make is to “obey not the gospel of God.” Presented with the opportunity to be told the gospel story and being invited to receive the gospel of Christ they answer, “I have no interest in salvation. I will not believe, I do not need a Savior because I am a good person, better than many Christians. I don’t believe in hell, I do not believe in life after death, I’ll take my chances alone.”
The statement of the text asks: What shall be the end of them? What is their future? What are the consequences of their neglect of the gospel? Such questions should strike the fear God in them for having denied the most urgent need every person has in this life and have failed to ask themselves this question: Where will I spend eternity? Some will claim they do not believe there is a hereafter. The bible says yes, there is!
Many people have answered this question of where they will spend eternity. Paul tells of them in, Ro 6:17 “But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. 18 Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.”
Paul writes to the church at Rome praising God that those Christians had obeyed the gospel preached unto them and that it freed them from the consequences of being a sinner which is eternal death and separation from God in hell, from dying with sins intact then to face the judgment of God due every lost soul, every soul that follows after sin, every soul still in the grips of a fallen depraved nature, who sought not after God, who served sin, who were blinded to their need of salvation by the devil. The people are victims, 2Co 4:4 “In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.”
These are those who loved this present world to the exclusion of what was best for their soul both in this present life and in the future existence to come.
Peter guided them and us in our thinking concerning earthly trials in 1 Pe 4:12 “Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:” Which I think the immediate application refers to the soon destruction of Jerusalem in 70AD. But it also has meaning for us too.
Then Peter asks another poignant question in 1 Pe 4:18, “And if the righteous scarcely (with difficulty thru trials) be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?” The idea is that if sufferings and judgments (chastenings) also come upon Christian people, most notably in the destruction of Jerusalem, then what hope is there for the wicked to survive it? None! How shall they hope to escape in safety from that dreadful judgment ready to come on the Jewish nation? There was no hope for the wicked, the unsaved!
The severity with which God disciplines his children, is a solemn warning to the wicked of the awful destruction which awaits them who know not God and who have NOT obeyed the gospel.
This passage serves as a warning to all generations to come of the certain judgments of God on a wicked society of sinners who run from God every day of their lives. They may run, but they cannot hide. Such who try to hide, will be exposed. When judgment day comes, they will call to, Re 6:16 “...the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb:”
The end of those who obey not the gospel is not a pretty picture. The warnings of this cannot be overemphasized. People tend to be numb in their hearts and brains so as to not take this seriously.
Every unconverted sinner NEEDS to KNOW THIS. Each one needs to wake up and ask themselves this question, “what if this is all true, and I refuse to obey the gospel?” Then what?
When you die, do you really want your soul to go into a place of everlasting punished called hell? Do you really want to deny yourself the forgiveness of all your sins and a place in God’s paradise of heaven? Is the love of sin, and the gratification of your fleshly lusts in this life better than the embrace of a loving compassionate Savior in the next world who has prepared for you an everlasting home in heaven? Would you rather burn in hell for eternity, or be blessed with the beauty of the Father’s house filled with many mansions?
Here is another warning to those who obey not the gospel. Heb 10:26 “For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, 27 But a CERTAIN fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.”
The time of final judgment upon sinners looms near. His judgment on those outside "the house of God" will be severe, with no opportunity for reconciliation. This warning should motivate the unsaved.
If you are not saved, HERE’S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:

1. You need to repent of your sins so that they may be forgiven. Lu 24:47 “And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.” Repentance is a change of our minds about sin. Instead of loving it, we now hate it and are sorry for our sins.
Remission of our sins happens upon our repentance. Jesus commanded this, Mr 1:15 “... repent ye, and believe the gospel.”

2. You need to believe and to obey the gospel which you do when you receive Christ as your Savior. The gospel is the good news that Jesus Christ died for our sins, was buried and rose again according to the scriptures. Ro 10:9 “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. 12 For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. 13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
These first two things are essential to your personal salvation. The third thing is not.

3. You need to be baptized and to join a good Baptist church like this one. This will not save you, but it will put you in place to shine as a light for Jesus and to be taught how to serve him.
Your baptism is your outward identification with Christ. It is the way to put on symbolically the uniform of a Christian soldier. It is a way to tell publicly that you have died to your old life of sin, and you now walk in the newness of life. It is a way of saying publically without the use of speech, “Here I stand, a born again, scripturally baptized believer in Jesus Christ who is not ashamed to tell the world that I am a Christian, a soldier of the cross for the rest of my earthly life. When I get to Heaven, I will be a retired earthly veteran of the cross, but still active serving my Commander-in-Chief for all eternity. This is my position received by grace through faith, herein I stand. I can do no other but bow in submission to Him whose name is above every name, and whose dominion is over all.
I will gladly be part of that heavenly company about whom it is written: “... [As] I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.” (Rom 14.11)
Php 2:9 “Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of [things] in heaven, and [things] in earth, and [things] under the earth; 11 And [that] every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ [is] Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
ARE WE THERE YET?
CONC.: The invitation time at church is our way of asking people to make up their minds about God’s will for them right now. People usually know what that is, but they need a nudge to do something about it. I’ve had my time to talk, now it is your time to consider God’s will for you and to respond to His call.

FATHER'S DAY - BECOMING A SUPER DAD 6-14-08AM By Pastor Thomas
Text: De 11:18 “Therefore shall ye lay up these my words in your heart and in your soul, and bind them for a sign upon your hand, that they may be as frontlets between your eyes. (Reminders) 19 And ye shall teach them your children, speaking of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. 20 And thou shalt write them upon the door posts of thine house, and upon thy gates: (more reminders) 21 That your days may be multiplied, and the days of your children, in the land which the LORD sware unto your fathers to give them, as the days of heaven upon the earth. (Things necessary to finding the good life) 22 For if ye shall diligently keep all these commandments which I command you, to do them, to love the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, and to cleave unto him;”
De 11:26 “Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse; 27 A blessing, if ye obey the commandments of the LORD your God, which I command you this day: 28 And a curse, if ye will not obey the commandments of the LORD your God, but turn aside out of the way which I command you this day, to go after other gods, which ye have not known.”

Intro: There isn’t a whole lot to be said about men in the general population deserving a special day which recognizes their fatherhood. It doesn’t take much of a man to procreate, but it take great personal character and integrity for a man to assume the responsibilities thrust upon him by the act of bringing a new life into this world and to show that he has done an admirable job to become a father deserving of special recognition.
Father’s day was begun in 1910, by a daughter who wanted to honor the sacrifices her father made when he was widowed and took over the raising of her and her siblings. (See bulletin).
The duties of being a GOOD father are extremely challenging in a day when many people assume that a MAN cannot do an acceptable job at raising children as might their mothers. However, in my opinion that is a misnomer. A man who is willing to take the challenge and determine that he will make the necessary personal sacrifices to be a good dad to his child/children, he can be a superior SUPER DAD, or as the new modern description calls him, a great MR. MOM.
To assume that a father cannot do the job is nothing more than sexual profiling based on the prevailing assumption that men CAN’T do the job. That opinion is based on the fact that men most usually will NOT take any responsibility for it if the mother doesn’t insist on it. That has come about because men have traditionally left the nurturing of children up to the wife because he was most preoccupied with hunting and gathering for the family; that is, being the only bread winner. And this works out well. However, in modern times with more women working, and more divorces, or the deaths of the wife in a home, men have had to take over this nurturing factor also.
It isn’t that a man CAN’T do it; but more than likely it is that HE doesn’t want to do it. This may be because he considers child care to be ONLY woman’s work or that it strips him of his masculinity. But for whatever reason, a man’s excuses for refusing his fatherhood duties are all bogus.
Some father’s have never shown love to their offspring because they think that would be unmanly. My dad wasn’t mean to me, but he never made it know to me that he loved me. Dad, tell your children how much they mean to you and that you love them unconditionally.
In the traditional American family of the past, women loved, men cussed! Women nurtured, men went fishing. Women sacrificed, men went to buy a new toy. Women tended to teach the children values, men tended to teach them the ways of the world. All such things have brought us to a new America today in which morals are bankrupt, people are more corrupt, and society doesn’t care much anymore. What is the traditional American home today? It’s whatever anyone says it is! For the majority of society, GONE is the traditional god fearing home of the past. Once our homes finally learned all the right values for the proper cohesion of its members, it all changed into a “do it your way” mentality.
When child rearing is forced upon a man because of circumstances, a MAN can rise to the challenge. It is not an unmanly thing for him to dote on his children, or to take pleasure in loving them, playing with them, or any of the other things we find it needful to do with children. It is not unmanly, it is the right thing to do. Gender has nothing to do with being an efficient parent who loves and cares for the children he has fathered into this world. Raising children is hard work. It is not like going hunting or fishing, or even going to a job for 8 or more hours each day. A mans job may seem like heaven to him when compared to the anxieties connected with child care.
I am not saying that role reversals are always good or bad. But that they are sometimes necessary. According to the Bible, there is still an order to the family hierarchy. God created the man first and is the head of the family, the strongest, and the main provider. Husbands, fathers, here is your mandate:
Col 3:19 “Husbands, love [your] wives, and be not bitter against them.” One of the hardest things for a husband to do is to love his wife as much as he loves himself, preferably more than!
The wife is second in command and is to be in subjection to her husband’s leadership, Gen 3:16, “He shall rule over thee.” She cares for the home and raising the children. Mothers here is your mandate: Tit 2:4 “That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children,” 1 Pe 3:1 “Likewise, ye wives, [be] in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives;” 1Pe 3:5 “For after this manner in the old time the holy women also, who trusted in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection unto their own husbands:” Perhaps THE most difficult thing a wife will ever do is to willingly be in subjection to her husband.
Their children are to be obedient to them both. Young person, your parents are required to correct you. Pr 29:17 “Correct thy son, and he shall give thee rest; yea, he shall give delight unto thy soul.” Here is you scriptural mandate: Col 3:20 “Children, obey [your] parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord.” Eph 6:1 “Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right.”
Children are born with a twisted depraved nature which is rebellious to the core. It will only be tamed by the corrective discipline of both parents and the grace of God in salvation. LISTEN TO ME CHILDREN: if you are now rebellious towards your parents, guardian, or whoever it is you live with, be it a grandparent, aunt, or neighbor, YOU ARE HEADED FOR DISASTER! 1Sa 15:23 “For rebellion [is as] the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness [is as] iniquity and idolatry.”
Back then witchcraft was punishable by death. What this is saying for you today is, that your rebellion to those who have authority over you is a very wicked behavior deserving of severe punishment.
Stubbornness, well, if you are a stubborn child, who refuses to obey, who refuses correction, who will not obey those who have the responsibility to care for you and to guide you in good behavior, be glad you didn’t live under the law of Moses. Deut. 21:18 “If a man have a stubborn and rebellious son, which will not obey the voice of his father, or the voice of his mother, and [that], when they have chastened him, will not hearken unto them: 19 Then shall his father and his mother lay hold on him, and bring him out unto the elders of his city, and unto the gate of his place; 20 And they shall say unto the elders of his city, This our son [is] stubborn and rebellious, he will not obey our voice; [he is] a glutton, and a drunkard. 21 And all the men of his city shall stone him with stones, that he die: so shalt thou put evil away from among you; and all Israel shall hear, and fear.”
A child should thank God for a parent who cares enough about them to correct their bad behavior. A parent who won’t try to correct a child is due for a shock down the road. Pr 29:15 “The rod and reproof give wisdom: but a child left [to himself] bringeth his mother to shame.”
God’s pattern for the family has gotten all jumbled up in today’s world. Many men are wimpish, some women are assertive, and kids rebellious. Many men have lost their pride of the work ethic, some women have assumed it away from them, and the kids sponge off the parents until they turn over in the bed one day and figure out that if they really want to have a satisfying life, it simply doesn’t work that way. To make them fly, the mama bird has to push her young out of the nest so they’ll search for their own food. Bye, bye, birdie!!
It is true, that the bodies of women are made by God to be more adaptable to child rearing than is a mans. Mama’s lap is more comfortable to a child than a dads. But, that is not saying a man is incapable of caring for a child as a woman does. And it is not saying that a man who does these thing is womanly, or that it is a man doing a thing that is only a woman’s job.
Men, shouldn’t be so macho that they won’t allow themselves to be involved in the child rearing job in their homes. Men are not to assume themselves to be such a macho guys that it is beneath their manly dignity to change a baby’s diaper, to bathe or feed them. Oh, most men would probably rather be out painting a barn, or cleaning their guns, or playing golf, etc. but a child needs to also feel the tender loving touch from dad. And that will make a man a SUPER DAD.
Today is FATHER’S DAY. SUPER DADS’S aren’t born; they are self made.... with God’s help! It is never too late to become a SUPER DAD. Even if some men have failed in their fatherhood duties, there is still time to change; time to start anew; time to put the shoulder to the task; time to prove his manhood. What are you today? A man? Or a Mouse? And don’t say, “please pass the cheese.” Each of us is better than that! God made us to stand tall, to be strong, to have good sense, to make good decisions, to be a good example, to live a decent respectable life before our wives, children, and friends.
A real father does not try to prove his manliness by picking fights, using profanity, being vulgar, clinging to bad habits, or acting foolishly. A real man knows how to love and to respect his wife and family; how to be both a friend and disciplinarian to his children; how to make an honest living in the world; how to KNOW GOD in a personal way through faith in Jesus Christ, and then how to LEAD his family in the same pursuit of faith and obedience to the Lord Jesus Christ. Now that’s a SUPER DAD and a SUPER MAN. ARE YOU, THERE YET?

NOURISHING OUR OTHER LIFE 6-8-08AM by Pastor Thomas
Mt 4:4 “But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” (Explain setting)
Intro: Let what Jesus said sink into your ears today. People live physically by bread, meaning nourishing food, but we do not live by only that. That is what all of us seek at least three times a day. That is why we stand in line at the buffet. It is why our pantries are stocked with cans and jars of food. We spend much money weekly to support this need for food which will supply our bodies with what it needs to convert into energy.
If Jesus tells us that our daily living is not because of the nourishment of bread alone, then what other thing do we need?
We have another life to feed. I will not be speaking about our physical life in this flesh. What then is our other life which we should be nourishing? It is our spiritual life which we satisfied when we were born again. It developed in the stage of infancy, but needs to grow up. They only way to do so, is to feed the spiritual life with the food which strengthens it. What is that? It is: “Every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.”
Every living person requires this food but the unsaved people deprive themselves of it. They see no need for it because they are totally satisfied with feeding the lusts of their flesh which in turn blinds them to their real need of feeding their other life which is spiritual, not physical.
People spend much time and money to be sure that their diet is giving them all the vitamins and minerals needed to support the physical life. They take supplements also to ensure that they receive proper amounts. They plan their meals, and get them regularly. And nothing stands in the way of a parent to insure their children get a right balance of nourishing foods.
They read books and magazines about this. They watch TV programs which deal with nutrition. Public schools objectives are to provide nourishing lunches. This whole subject is dealt with everywhere.
But do you know what? Not much is understood about the proper and regular feeding of our spiritual needs. Most people will not admit they even have a spiritual need. They are not told about it in public schools; nor by their doctors, nor by their general reading materials. Most will not begin to address this subject until they hear about it from a church, preacher, or religious materials. They are not aware of this great need until it is called to their attention. Once this is done they soon come to realize that this is the MISSING INGREDIENT in their messed up lives. This missing ingredient which supplies balance is why their lives are lopsided and topsy-turvy.
Jesus said that people can not live by bread alone. He didn’t mean that bread could not sustain the physical life. He meant that bread was not the sole ingredient to a proper and balanced life of the physical. It must be complimented with the spiritual. It is the spiritual supplement they are lacking which when supplied gives to life its fullest happiness.
I. WE NEED SPIRITUAL BREAD TO GROW BY. IT MUST BE SOUGHT AND CONSUMED. This is neglected by the multitudes. They won’t seek it, and if found they are not much willing to consume it. People learn about this at church but go away refusing to taste of the words of our Lord and they fail to find that it is good for food. God’s words received make us a better person and give us strength for our journey.
If spiritual food is to do anyone any good here’s what must happen: Lu 9:44 “Let these sayings sink down into your ears:....” Jesus spoke these words to his disciples, but do you recall what was next said in the context? Lu 9:45 “But they understood not this saying, and it was hid from them, that they perceived it not: and they feared to ask him of that saying.”
Self examination.
1. How often do we SEEK the spiritual food? Are we like Brill Cream Christians, their slogan was: “just a little dab will do ya.” Does a little S.S and church go a long way for you. Does once a month do you satisfactorily? Twice a year? How much feeding of spiritual food will it take to create a balanced life? If we need 3 square meals per day to stay healthy as we have been told all of our lives, then how many spiritual feasts do we need per day, per week in order to stay healthy? Is there such a thing as staying too long at a spiritual buffet line? Or such a thing as making a pig out of ourselves? Or being stuffed and therefore miserable? Can we over indulge in feeding the spiritual? Is it possible for us to get too much of a good thing? Is there a spiritual gluttony? Not really. I don’t think we need to worry about that happening, do you?
In 1956 one man who had never attended such an event, having gotten very tired sitting, commented after attending an all day preaching and dinner on the ground at my 2nd church in Stamping Ground, “Earl, I’ve heard enough preaching to last me a lifetime.”
2. How often do we CONSUME the spiritual bread of God that builds our souls? If we do not do this often enough, are we spiritually anemic? That is a person who doesn’t grow in grace, or who doesn’t understand the reasons why a regular church life is so important, or it is the persons who can miss church for many sessions and it doesn’t bother them or convict them of unfaithfulness, or one who never reads his bible at home or prays, or who has no burden for lost souls in the family to get saved?
Many people are spiritually anemic. I think there are more who are than who are not. And it is because they are denying themselves the source for growth, which is: “every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.”
There was a time in Israel that God sent a famine for hearing the words of God. In Am 8:11 “Behold, the days come, saith the Lord GOD, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD:” What we see today among Christians is a self imposed famine, the food is there, but they refuse to make the best use of it. They will not come and get it. In the old western movies out on the range when the chow was ready, the cook would ring the dinner bell then yell, “come and get it.”
And how well do we consume it and assimilate what we hear into everyday practice? Does this spiritual food change our lives for the better? Do we see growth? Are others aware of this spiritual growth? Do those at home see it? Does how we respond to church functions show spiritual growth/maturity?

II. JESUS GAVE US FOOD OUT OF THE MOUTH OF GOD.
First let me establish that Jesus is the BREAD GOD SENT FROM HEAVEN which having eaten by faith we have everlasting life. Joh 6:32 “Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven.” 6:33 “For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world.” Joh 6:34 “Then said they unto him, Lord, evermore give us this bread.” Joh 6:35 “And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.” Joh 6:41 “The Jews then murmured at him, because he said, I am the bread which came down from heaven.” Joh 6:48 “I am that bread of life.” Joh 6:51 “I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.” Joh 6:58 “This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever.”Joh 6:63 “It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, [they] are spirit, and [they] are life.”
Are the words of Jesus spoken in the New Testament the same as, or let me say equal to God’s words spoken and relayed by the prophets in all of the books of the Bible? Yes, and why? Jesus said so. And I believe him!
Joh 12:44 “Jesus cried and said, He that believeth on me, believeth not on me, but on him that sent me. 45 And he that seeth me seeth him that sent me. 46 I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness. 47 And if any man hear my words, and believe not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world. 48 He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day. 49 For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak. 50 And I know that his commandment is life everlasting: whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father said unto me, so I speak.”
The doctrine which Jesus gave us in the New Testament is God’s doctrine, don’t dismiss it as only something Jesus said about which you may or may not agree. Joh 7:16 “Jesus answered them, and said, My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me. 17 If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or [whether] I speak of myself. 18 He that speaketh of himself seeketh his own glory: but he that seeketh his glory that sent him, the same is true, and no unrighteousness is in him.”
And so we have just confirmed that whatever Jesus said, is what God the Father has determined should be declared. Jesus was God’s mouth piece on earth. He came to make it clear that He had all authority on heaven and earth and whatever He said was final and we would face it in the judgment. We had better heed what Jesus said if we know what is good for us.
If we have partaken of this living bread, we have a duty to continue partaking of his holy teachings. This means coming to church faithfully and then living up to the standards which the Bible sets forth for Christians and for the church of Jesus Christ.
It is not our prerogative to decide if we ought to attend church, or tithe, or become proficient in the Bible truth. It is required of us all to become the best we can be with God’s help. If any professed believer is UNWILLING to HEAR AND HEED the words which proceed out of the mouth of God, he must be forewarned that he stands on precarious grounds. Joh 8:47 “He that is of God heareth God's words: ye therefore hear [them] not, because ye are not of God.”
Where do each of us stand today? After our self examination am I SEEKING AND CONSUMING the EVERY word which proceed out of the mouth of God? If not, fix it!

IS THERE A GOD? 5-25-08AM  by Pastor Earl Thomas
Psa 14:1 “The fool hath said in his heart, [There is] no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, [there is] none that doeth good. 2 The LORD looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, [and] seek God. 3 They are all gone aside, they are [all] together become filthy: [there is] none that doeth good, no, not one. 4 Have all the workers of iniquity no knowledge? who eat up my people [as] they eat bread, and call not upon the LORD.”

Intro.: this question, Do you believe there is a God, is often asked of people. It is a question which causes many a heated arguments. Some call for us believers to prove that God exists and we call for them to prove that He doesn’t. There are many approaches to answering this question. Here are a few.

I. GOD IS PROVABLE BY OBSERVING NATURE.
The very commonness of natural things causes some people to regard them as things resulting from a course of chance, rather than things originating from God creating them. But in getting below a surface level of understanding, we begin to sense the mysteries of all natural things as well as the complexity of them which confirms to us that they are of more than mere chance of being.
Our mental consulting of and weighing of the facts of nature makes the existence of a supreme being so compelling that we cannot help but believe natural things to be the outflow and effect of some divine cause. To take the opposite opinion is to succumb to pressures of human logic and unbelief in which a person argues themself into a state of atheism. Even children are God conscious. They do not become atheists until educated into it by someone whose heart is darkened by skepticism and disbelief that there could be a person of greater superiority than themselves.
Our natural born instincts of God being a reality are stronger than human intellectualism of pretended higher logic. In the thinking of the “intellectuals” there is no need for a god because in their proud thinking everything can be explained by an organic progressive evolution.
Paul tells us where human refusal to accept the existence of a higher intelligence leads them:

ARE WE THERE YET? Message of 5-18-08am by Pastor Earl Thomas

Text: Gal. 5:22 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. 24 And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. 25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.”
   Intro: when we were kids traveling to a far away place, we would often ask this question, “are we there yet?” Our parents might have told us to shut up and be quiet, we’ll get there soon enough. Nevertheless, in our minds we kept wondering were we ever going to get there or, “if we were almost there yet?”
   Now, to the point. Have we gotten to the place that we recognize that we have demonstrated the crucifixion of our flesh with it passions and lusts? Can others see that we have crucified our passions and lusts? Are we there yet?
   If we are not there yet, how will we know it when we do get there? What difference does it make? Since most Christians remain in stunted spiritual growth, why should I be concerned if I am not there yet? How will it benefit me to demonstrate the crucifixion of my passions and lusts, what will I get out of being there? Getting there means being totally surrendered to the will of Jesus Christ. Is this even possible? Yes, but the surrender may have its weak points still. While in our flesh, we will find it impossible to always do the will of Christ perfectly. But we can be submissive to doing it wholly.

I. WHAT IS CRUCIFIXION OF THE PASSIONS AND FLESH?
Crucify: to put someone to death by nailing or binding them to a cross. Here we must talk of recognizing our own crucifixion which took place when Jesus saved our souls. We didn’t realize fully what took place when that happened. We learn all about it as we grow in grace and the knowledge of the truth. Here’s what we need to know.
II. OUR OLD MAN WAS CRUCIFIED WITH CHRIST.
Ro 6:6 “Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with [him], that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.”
What is that “old man?” Our sinful and corrupt human nature; the passions and evil propensities that exist before the heart is renewed. It refers to the love of sin, the indulgence of sinful propensities, in opposition to the new disposition which exists after the soul is converted, and which is called "the new man.
Eph 4:22 “That ye put off concerning the former conversation (ms. Conduct)of the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;” Col 3:9 “Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds;”
Why do we put the old man off? Because it is “dead.” Col 3:3 “For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.” We don’t want to drag around with us that old stinking dead corpse of the old life which was lived to the lustful satisfying of our selfish flesh. That corrupt, unsaved, sinful life is what we repented of when we got saved. Repentance means we must leave it behind. We now have a new life which is better. The old was corrupt; the new is glorious. The old filled with lusts; the new with joy in the Lord. Are we there yet?

III. WE HAVE BEEN CRUCIFIED UNTO THE WORLD.
Gal 6:14 “But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world. This means that we have died to its pull and plans for my life. We owe nothing to the world; we owe everything to Christ who gave his life to CHANGE us and make of us a “new creation.” This is the REAL CHANGE you can believe in. Amen? ? This is our position in Christ, it is where we are as Christians. This is where we stand right now, but have we realized yet that we are already there? We don’t have to wait to be new, we are already in the new life. The question is: are we Determined to show it? Developing it? Dedicated to it? Demonstrating it in the crucifixion of the desires of our flesh with its affections and lusts?
What does that mean? It means when we got saved it was a commitment to forsake all in order to follow Jesus. “Oh, says one, I just thought of it as a way to escape hell when I die.” No, it means so much more than that. It means He has first place in our lives. It means we deny our flesh and let the Holy Spirit lead us. It means we no longer can dictate the terms of how we shall live out the rest of our lives in this world. Again may I ask, are we there yet?

IV. WHEN CHRIST DIED FOR US, SOMEHOW WE DIED TOO.
Ga 2:20 “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
   We learn four things from these words.
1. Recognition that I have already been crucified in and with my substitute, Christ. I account that my death to my old life took place in my substitute. I died in him. I am dead.
2. Realization that I have been crucified unto the world and it unto me, “nevertheless I live”. I am a dead man, but here I am alive! here I am living, breathing, walking and talking. Resurrected to a new life in Christ. Dead unto sin, alive unto God. Paul is saying, I am not literally physically dead. I am truly still physically alive; and I live a better life than I did before. I died a death to my old life; my old self; my old plans, my old lusts and my old false religious beliefs. This is my NEW LIFE.
3. Revelation of this truth that “Christ liveth in me.” Wow, hello Jesus, think of that! We may not always act like it, we may not always look like it, but nevertheless, we are the embodiment of Christ. Christ lives in ME! That is what being a “Christian” means.
Col 1:27 “To whom God would make known what [is] the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:” and folks, he is our only hope of glory to come.
4. A Redeemed life now means that “I live by the faith of the Son of God.” By confidence in the Son of God, looking to him for strength, and trusting in his promises and in his grace. There is no higher sense of obligation than that which is felt towards the Saviour; and Paul felt himself bound, as we should, to live entirely to him who had redeemed him by his blood. Okay, are we there yet? Are you? If not, when are you going to get there? When you get old, when you retire? Why not now while you have the strength or vigor of youth or middle age?
Question: how much of this do we see in ourselves? Perhaps another question we need to determine is this, do we know “that we are Christ’s” and what does that really mean? Nothing else in this verse matters if we cannot first establish that we “are Christ’s!” Oh, to know that, 1 Co 3:23 “and ye are Christ's; and Christ is God's.”

Song lyrics: “I am His, and He is Mine.”
1. Loved with everlasting love, led by grace that love to know;
Gracious Spirit from above, Thou hast taught me it is so!
O this full and perfect peace! O this transport all divine!In a love which cannot cease, I am His, and He is mine. In a love which cannot cease, I am His, and He is mine.
2. Heav’n above is softer blue, Earth around is sweeter green!
Something lives in every hue Christless eyes have never seen;
Birds with gladder songs o’erflow, flowers with deeper beauties shine, Since I know, as now I know, I am His, and He is mine.
Since I know, as now I know, I am His, and He is mine.
3. Things that once were wild alarms cannot now disturb my rest;
Closed in everlasting arms, pillowed on the loving breast.
O to lie forever here, doubt and care and self resign,
While He whispers in my ear, I am His, and He is mine.
While He whispers in my ear, I am His, and He is mine.
4. His forever, only His; Who the Lord and me shall part?
Ah, with what a rest of bliss Christ can fill the loving heart!
Heav’n and earth may fade and flee, firstborn light in gloom decline; But while God and I shall be, I am His, and He is mine.
But while God and I shall be, I am His, and He is mine.

V. IT IS THE WILL OF CHRIST TO BE FORMED IN US.
Paul was concerned with agony of soul for these believers that the likenesses of Christ would be formed in them. He compared their spiritual condition to that of birth pains. Meaning that he would be in “labor” until he could see Christ formed in them. Gal 4:19 “My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you,”
It wasn’t that they had not been saved, but that they had NOT at this point grown up enough to evidence the traits of Christlikeness that he wished to see. This is where teaching is important in a church. This is where faithful attendance is important at church. People can’t be effectively taught if they are much absent from church.
Chronic absenteeism in the public schools would call for a conference with parents and pupil. It could result in detention and/or expulsion. Some kids might like the expulsion, but that would not be a wise choice to wish that for themselves. A good education is key to a better economic future which kids are often to naive to see.
   Church members may also be too naive to understand that faithfulness is for their best good if they are SERIOUS about letting Christ be formed in them, and proving indeed that they are Christ’s. Missing church a lot may not bother them, but it is not for their good to do so. Those professed believers may have thought themselves just fine, but Paul had doubts about them. Ga 4:20 “I desire to be present with you now, and to change my voice; for I stand in doubt of you.”
   Last Wednesday I was told of a church revival where 5 church members got saved. Are you saved? I don’t want to hear you say, “I think so or I hope so.” Are you sure of it? Upon what do you base your assurance? Think about it. Why?..... Ga 6:3 “For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself.”
Gal 6:4 “But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another..... 6 Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things.” I am your pastor/teacher. Have been for these many years. You pay me a salary so that I may study hard and present to you the “thus saith the Lord” of Scripture. This church, which is you members, pay me to keep you aware of your Christian Biblical responsibilities. Don’t get angry with me when I do my job, amen!
   You are paying me to rebuke you when necessary, to exhort you when needed and to urge you to obey this Book, and YOU ARE TOLD TO FOLLOW THIS ADVICE, Heb 13:17 “Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that [is] unprofitable for you.”
Paul somewhat ministered with grief to the Galatian Christians. He said, “I stand in doubt of you...” And “I travail in birth...” Such was Paul’s concern that he agonized about their lack of spirituality, their carnality and confusion about law keeping, and their general weakness in the truth.
   My hope is that all of us today will DISCOVER some things about ourselves that we may not have considered before. Have we acknowledged the crucifixion of our flesh, its affections, its lusts? Are we there yet? Almost? Or have we even started on that journey?
   I think Paul summarizes in Rom Ro 6 what it means to reach this destination of the crucifixion of our flesh.
A. OUR LIFE STYLE CHANGED FOREVER
1. “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? 2 God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?”
B. OUR BAPTISM PICTURED OUR DEATH TO SIN.
3 “Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? 4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also [in the likeness] of [his] resurrection::
C. OUR BAPTISM PICTURED OUR RESURRECTION TO LIVE A NEW LIFE. 6 “Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with [him], that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. 7 For he that is dead is freed from sin.”
D. OUR BAPTISM PICTURED OUR FUTURE WITH CHRIST. 8 “Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him: 9 Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. 10 For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God.”
E. BEING DEAD TO SIN CALLS FOR CHANGE WE CAN BELIEVE IN. 11 “Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. 12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. 13 Neither yield ye your members [as] instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members [as] instruments of righteousness unto God. 14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.”
F. LET NO ONE DECEIVE HIMSELF ABOUT PERSONAL SALVATION. 16 “Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? 17 But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. 18 Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.”
G. HERE’S HOW TO SUCCEED IN LIVING OUR NEW LIFE IN CHRIST. 19 “I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness. 20 For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness. 21 What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things [is] death. 22 But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.”
H. THE CONTRAST OF BEFORE AND AFTER IS CLEAR:
23 “For the wages of sin [is] death; but the gift of God [is] eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.?”
Conc.: Ga 5:24 “And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.?
Are we there yet?
   Perhaps some of us need to rededicate ourselves to putting ourselves on the fast tract to getting there, amen? Everyone benefits from getting there. Nothing important is ever lost in getting there, and much is to be gained. Mt 25:21 “His lord said unto him, Well done, [thou] 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.”
   There is a judgment day coming when Jesus our Master will call us up to account for what we have done with our Christian life on this earth and rewards will be based on the degree our crucifixion of our flesh, lusts and affections. Of how whether or not we PUT HIM FIRST IN OUR LIVES. Of whether or not we surrendered all to Him. Isn’t it true that church members expect their preachers to be surrendered to the Lord? Does this excuse the church members from being similarly required?
Here is what the Bible tells us all, Ro 12:1 “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, [which is] your reasonable service. 2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what [is] that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”
   Jesus did not call us to be splendiferous chandlers for people to glory in as if we were something grand. He called us to be a single light bulb in a dark room to keep people from breaking their necks... He calls us to throw light upon the pathway so people can find the way to Christ. He saved us to make a difference in the darkness of world, for in doing so He make us significant and gives us impact and meaning beyond our natural
ability.
   When we get there, we will know that we have arrived. Christ will be formed in us; we will have submitted to the crucifixion of our flesh effectively. We will live like it! We will not live for ourselfish flesh alone anymore, but for JESUS WHO LOVES US AND GAVE HIMSELF FOR US.

MOTHERHOOD     5-11-08AM  Sermon by Pastor Thomas
Text; Ge 3:20 “And Adam called his wife's name Eve; because she was the mother of all living.”

Intro: today is the day we honor our mother’s. We are here because of them. We didn’t ask to be born, but aren’t we glad we were? Think of all we would have missed had we been unwanted and then aborted? Think of all the pleasures of motherhood our mom’s would have missed and all the tender loves of a mother we would not have experienced, if we had not been born.

Author unknown: Before I was a Mom I made and ate hot meals. I had unstained clothing. I had quiet conversations on the phone.
Before I was a Mom I slept as late as I wanted And never worried about how late I got into bed. I brushed my hair and my teeth every single day.
Before I was a Mom I cleaned my house each day. I never tripped over toys or forgot words to lullabies. Before I was a Mom I had never been Puked on, Pooped on, Spit on, Chewed on, Peed on. Or pinched by tiny fingers.
Before I was a Mom I had complete control of: My thoughts, My body, My mind. And I slept all night.
Before I was a Mom I never looked into Teary eyes and cried. I never got gloriously happy over a simple grin. I never sat up late hours at night watching a baby sleep.
Before I was a Mom I never held a sleeping Baby just because I didn't want to put it down. I never felt my heart break into a million Pieces when I couldn't stop the hurt. I never knew that something so small Could affect my life so much. I never knew that I could love someone so much. I never knew I would love being a Mom.
Before I was a Mom I didn't know the feeling of having
my heart walk around outside my body. I didn't know how special it could feel to Feed a hungry baby.
Before I was a Mom I didn't know that bond between a Mother and her child. I didn't know that something so small Could make me feel so important.
Before I was a Mom I had never gotten up in the middle
Of the night every 10 minutes to make sure all was okay.
I had never known: The warmth, The joy, The love, The heartache, The wonderment, Or the satisfaction of being a Mom. I didn't know I was capable of feeling so much...
BEFORE I was a Mom.

I. RESPONSIBILITY. As with most things, parenthood comes with great responsibility. Some mothers are equal to the challenges, others selfishly are not. Just bearing a child does not automatically make a woman a good mother. BUT, A good mother will begat daughters who will also become good mothers. It is generally true that like begats like, amen? What we learn in our homes as children will mold what we become as adults. Of course there are other things that also influence what we become, i.e. our relatives, education or lack of it, pier pressures, our environment, economic situation, and the influence of the Christian faith starting in childhood. It is urged therefore to:
Pr 22:6 Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.”
Who is it that is most accountable for bringing up children properly? Is it the government? No, they do a lousy job in this area of teaching responsible citizenship. Why so, because they tell us we are not smart enough to manage ourselves and we need to let government do it for us. Congress is made up of lawyers whose job it is to support our constitution and pass laws upon the citizenry. The real reason that they won’t allow the Ten Commandments to be posted in a courthouse is this: You cannot post 'Thou Shalt Not Steal,' 'Thou Shalt Not Commit Adultery,' and 'Thou Shall Not Lie' in a building full of lawyers, judges and politicians... It creates a
hostile work environment!
Is it our school system that is appointed to take over parental responsibility in teaching our children? No, public education now days for the most part takes in the lions share of local tax money for education of our children, but have failing grades for doing an acceptable job. Many teachers care not if kids get educated, what concerns them is only the salaries they receive. It does not take more money to educate our children well, but it takes more motivation on the part of our teachers cause children to want to learn!

II. COMMITMENT. In committing to parents the training of their children, God has, in a very important sense, committed to them the formation of their future charact