CLEARING THE WAY(for Father’s Day)-I—Psalm 119:9-16
A Properly Maintained Path
A Father’s Way(for Father’s Day)
Daddy’s Way(for Father’s Day)
Attention:
Saleeby-Fisher YMCA, Rockwell, NC has a great outdoor walking trail thru ‘the woods.’ Clearly discernible carefully-maintained rock-bedded pathway. No obstacles. As I used to walk it, I would see a weed encroaching on the path & I would pluck it away, or a tree may be leaning or fallen & I would report it so others could remove or manage it. The stream may have become swollen with recent rain & washed away the gravel.
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*Roads thru 'Tate’s Hell State Forest', FL. In the rainy season, they regularly get rivulets running across them causing large ditches to form unpredictably. A car or truck can get stuck or washed away in such breaks in the roadway. Regular maintenance required.
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Our ‘kid-built’ trail thru the woods—ca. 1965
Jn. 13:3-17—“Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, & that He had come from God & was going to God, rose from supper & laid aside His garments, took a towel & girded Himself. After that, He poured water into a basin & began to wash the disciples’ feet, & to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded. Then He came to Simon Peter. And Peter said to Him, “Lord, are You washing my feet?” Jesus answered & said to him, “What I am doing you do not understand now, but you will know after this.” Peter said to Him, “You shall never wash my feet!” Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me.” Simon Peter said to Him, “Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands & my head!” Jesus said to him, “He who is bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean; & you are clean, but not all of you.” For He knew who would betray Him; therefore He said, “You are not all clean.” So when He had washed their feet, taken His garments, & sat down again, He said to them, “Do you know what I have done to you? You call me Teacher & Lord, & you say well, for so I am. If I then, your Lord & Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you. “Most assuredly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master; nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him. “If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.”
The psalmist described the means by which a young man was to cleanse his way or make his way straight in the world.
A young man entering adulthood &/or fatherhood can properly maintain his way in the world.
How can a man(person) entering adulthood maintain/make his(their) way in the world?
How can a Christian man maintain/make his way in the world?
12 Disciplines to maintaining/making your way in the world.
All these disciplines can either be limited to your little world or they can be brought into the realm of service to God.
1—Clearing the Way(for Father’s Day) demands...
A PURIFYING Heart(:9a)
Explanation:(:9a)
:9a—BETH. “How can a young man cleanse his way?...”
The writer poses(:9a) & answers(:9b) the question as to “how” it is possible for any “young man” to “cleanse” his chosen path.
The “young man’s” “way” is that path/direction which will be the determiner of every man’s income & influence.
Such a man’s “way” is unique because God has made each of us with a singular purpose in mind. We may share some commonalities & joining with others in the course of carrying out that unique/singular purpose, but everyone’s path is ultimately an expressly individual endeavor.
A “young man’s” “way” is also comprehensive in that it will include his career path, his business associate path, his spousal path, his familial path, his friendship path, his play &/or relaxation path, his relational path, his citizenry path, ad infinitum. Not temporary but a ‘life course.’
“Young men,” as soon as they graduate ‘“young man” status,’ will permanently enter, & be in the fray of, adulthood, manhood & probably fatherhood.
Thus in order for a “young man” to be a citizen among God’s kingdom & people, his “way” must be maintained(“cleanse”) specifically, particularly, definitely, within certain prescribed bounds.
His “way” is to be pure & transparent before God & others. His path is to be a path that is observable & readily distinguished—for himself & thus to others.
His is a constantly ‘pressure-filled’ role regarding responsibility for the proper(godly) maintenance of his path.
God has seen fit to give men the responsibilities of headship in the home & church.
“How”—hm mah—Interrogative Pronoun—1) What, how, of what kind. Indefinite Pronoun—2) Anything, aught, what may. Strong—a primitive particle; properly interrogative--What?(including how? why? when?); but also exclamation--What!(including how!), or indefinitely--What(including--Whatever, & even relatively--That which); often used with prefixes in various adverbial or conjunctive senses.
“Young man”—ren nah'-ar—1) A boy, lad, servant, youth, retainer. Strong—concretely--A boy(as active), from the age of infancy to adolescence; by implication--A servant; also(by interchange of sex)--A girl(of similar latitude in age).
“Cleanse/Pure”—hkz zaw-kaw’—Piel(intensive/intentional/repeated/extended) Imperfect—1) To be clean, be pure, be clear—1b) (Piel)—1b1) To make clean, make pure, keep clean, keep pure. Strong—a primitive root [compare Kkz zaw-kak’—To be transparent or clean (physically or morally)]; To be translucent; figuratively--To be innocent. Used 8X.
“Way”(See :15; :14—Krd)—xra o'-rakh—1) Way, path—1a) Path, road, 1b) The path, way, passing of life (fig.), 1c) Way of living (fig.), 1d) Traveller, wayfarer (meton). Strong—A well-trodden road(literally or figuratively); also--A caravan.
Argumentation:
**Mat. 5:8—[Jesus in the ‘Sermon on the Mount’]“Blessed are the pure in heart, For they shall see God.”
Mat. 6:22-23—“The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!”
2Sam. 22:26-34—“With the merciful You will show Yourself merciful; With a blameless man You will show Yourself blameless; With the pure You will show Yourself pure; And with the devious You will show Yourself shrewd. You will save the humble people; But Your eyes are on the haughty, that You may bring them down. For You are my lamp, O LORD; The LORD shall enlighten my darkness. For by You I can run against a troop; By my God I can leap over a wall. As for God, His way is perfect; The word of the LORD is proven; He is a shield to all who trust in Him. For who is God, except the LORD? And who is a rock, except our God? God is my strength & power, And He makes my way perfect. He makes my feet like the feet of deer, And sets me on my high places.”
**Titus 1:15-16—“To the pure all things are pure, but to those who are defiled & unbelieving nothing is pure; but even their mind & conscience are defiled. They profess to know God, but in works they deny Him, being abominable, disobedient, & disqualified for every good work.”
2Cor. 6:3-10—“We give no offense in anything, that our ministry may not be blamed. But in all things we commend ourselves as ministers of God: in much patience, in tribulations, in needs, in distresses, in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in sleeplessness, in fastings; by purity, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Spirit, by sincere love, by the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armor of righteousness on the right hand & on the left, by honor & dishonor, by evil report & good report; as deceivers, & yet true; as unknown, & yet well known; as dying, & behold we live; as chastened, & yet not killed; as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, & yet possessing all things.”
**2Cor. 6:16-7:1—“And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will dwell in them And walk among them. I will be their God, And they shall be My people.” Therefore “Come out from among them And be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, And I will receive you. I will be a Father to you, And you shall be My sons & daughters, Says the LORD Almighty.” “Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh & spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.”
**Php. 2:12-16—“Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear & trembling; for it is God who works in you both to will & to do for His good pleasure. Do all things without complaining & disputing, that you may become blameless & harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked & perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life, so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain.”
**Php. 4:6-10—“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer & supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; & the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts & minds through Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue & if there is anything praiseworthy--meditate on these things. The things which you learned & received & heard & saw in me, these do, & the God of peace will be with you. But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at last your care for me has flourished again; though you surely did care, but you lacked opportunity.”
**1Thess. 4:7-8—“For God did not call us to uncleanness, but in holiness. Therefore he who rejects this does not reject man, but God, who has also given us His Holy Spirit.”
1Tim. 3:9—[Deacon’s character is to be such that they are]“holding the mystery of the faith with a pure conscience.”
**1Tim. 4:12—“Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity.”
**1Tim. 5:22—“Do not lay hands on anyone hastily, nor share in other people’s sins; keep yourself pure.”
**2Tim. 2:19-22—“Nevertheless the solid foundation of God stands, having this seal: “The Lord knows those who are His,” &, “Let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity.” But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold & silver, but also of wood & clay, some for honor & some for dishonor. Therefore if anyone cleanses himself from the latter, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified & useful for the Master, prepared for every good work. Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.”
**1Cor. 7:12-14—“But to the rest I, not the Lord, say: If any brother has a wife who does not believe, & she is willing to live with him, let him not divorce her. And a woman who has a husband who does not believe, if he is willing to live with her, let her not divorce him. For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, & the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband; otherwise your children would be unclean, but now they are holy.”
Illustration:
My first job in at Food World(grocery store) in Salisbury, NC/Part of my job involved ‘rotating’ food to keep them in date/Pulling product to the front so customers would see it is in stock but also arranging them properly by date of expiration/Must sell the older first so the customer has a ‘fresh’ product/Such a worker must have A PURIFYING Heart
Weeding the garden or plantings/Responsibility requires a recognition of weeds vs. garden plants/Some do not care about gaining such an attentive eye, yet others do!/A PURIFYING Heart
Washing dishes
Application:
?You fulfilling God’s demand as a father in in providing A PURIFYING Heart? Your family needs it!
?You Clearing the Way for Father’s Day?
2—Clearing the Way(for Father’s Day) demands...
A KEEPER’s/GUARD’s/PROTECTOR’s Heart(:9b)
Explanation:(:9b)
:9b—“... By taking heed according to Your word.”
The foremost step/means toward a “cleansed” path for a “young man” is his focused attention upon his protection or keeping of that path thru God’s “word.”
Thus for every “young man” to have a clear path in life, he must commit himself to the absorption & ingestion of God’s written word as well as God’s presently discerned word thru the indwelling Spirit of God.
One cannot commit himself to such a path apart from a trusting, faithful relationship to God thru Christ Jesus.
Keeping one’s children on the right path, protecting them from a world steeped in evil. This is what God does in giving His word, His prophets, & teachers.
“Taking heed/Keeping/Living”—rmv shaw-mar’—Qal Infinitive—1) To keep, guard, observe, give heed. Strong—a primitive root; properly--To hedge about(as with thorns), i.e. Guard; generally--To protect, attend to, etc..
“Word”(See :11—hrma, 16)—rbd daw-baw'—1) Speech, word, speaking, thing—1a) Speech, 1b) Saying, utterance, 1c) Word, words, 1d) Business, occupation, acts, matter, case, something, manner (by extension). Strong—A word; by implication--A matter(as spoken of) or thing; adverbially--A cause.
Argumentation:
2Tim. 3:16-17—“All Scripture is inspired by God & profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.”
Josh. 1:5-7-“No man will be able to stand before you all the days of your life. Just as I have been with Moses, I will be with you; I will not fail you or forsake you. Be strong & courageous, for you shall give this people possession of the land which I swore to their fathers to give them. Only be strong & very courageous; be careful to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, so that you may have success wherever you go.”
Deut. 6:4-9—“Hear, O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD is one! And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart & with all your soul & with all your might. And these words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart; & you shall teach them diligently to your sons & shall talk of them when you sit in your house & when you walk by the way & when you lie down & when you rise up. And you shall bind them as a sign on your hand & they shall be as frontals on your forehead. And you shall write them on the doorposts of your house & on your gates.”
Titus 2:1-8—“But as for you, speak the things which are proper for sound doctrine: that the older men be sober, reverent, temperate, sound in faith, in love, in patience; the older women likewise, that they be reverent in behavior, not slanderers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things-- that they admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be blasphemed. Likewise exhort the young men to be sober-minded[swfronew], in all things showing yourself to be a pattern of good works; in doctrine showing integrity, reverence, incorruptibility, sound speech that cannot be condemned, that one who is an opponent may be ashamed, having nothing evil to say of you.”
Mat. 21:33-44—“Hear another parable: There was a certain landowner who planted a vineyard & set a hedge around it, dug a winepress in it & built a tower. And he leased it to vinedressers & went into a far country. Now when vintage-time drew near, he sent his servants to the vinedressers, that they might receive its fruit. And the vinedressers took his servants, beat one, killed one, & stoned another. Again he sent other servants, more than the first, & they did likewise to them. Then last of all he sent his son to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ “But when the vinedressers saw the son, they said among themselves, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him & seize his inheritance.’ “So they took him & cast him out of the vineyard & killed him. Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those vinedressers?” They said to Him, “He will destroy those wicked men miserably, & lease his vineyard to other vinedressers who will render to him the fruits in their seasons.” Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures: ‘The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone. This was the LORD’S doing, And it is marvelous in our eyes’? “Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken from you & given to a nation bearing the fruits of it. And whoever falls on this stone will be broken; but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder.”
God is the One who has planted the vineyard(His people)—He closely protects(“set a hedge around it” with His directives, prophets, & the faithful)—He provides joy(“dug a winepress”)—He distantly protects(“built a tower”).
Illustration:
When choosing a new home—We...Examine the available school system(noteworthy?)—Examine the integrity of the physical house—Examine the neighborhood-area(reputation + who lives beside you + how do the kids & parents present themselves?)—Distance to & from work(children need time with their parents!)/A KEEPER’s/GUARD’s/PROTECTOR’s Heart
We always try to mulch our planted plants/We put pine straw around each of them or if planted together, we mulch an entire area/Pine straw(mulch) serves at least four purposes—1)It looks appealing, 2)It keeps the soil from drying out as quickly, 3)It is a weed preventative, 4)As it breaks down over time it produces a richer soil/A KEEPER’s/GUARD’s/PROTECTOR’s Heart
Dads have the God-ordained directive to ‘hedge about’ their families—wife & children/One who sees to the spiritual well-being of his children/A KEEPER’s/GUARD’s/PROTECTOR’s Heart
Again...Weeding the garden/Special attention to its well-being that all the plants may bear fruit as intended/A KEEPER’s/GUARD’s/PROTECTOR’s Heart
Application:
?You fulfilling God’s demand as a father in providing a A KEEPER’s/GUARD’s/PROTECTOR’s Heart? Your family needs it!
?You Clearing the Way for Father’s Day?
CONCLUSION:
Visualization:
Dirt roads thru 'Tate’s Hell State Forest', FL— Regular maintenance required
Action:
Clearing the Way(for Father’s Day) demands sustained...
1. A PURIFYING Heart(:9a)
2. A KEEPER’s/GUARD’s/PROTECTOR’s Heart(:9b)
Pts. 1-2 Presented (Father’s Day)06/21/2015am to:
FBC C’belle
206 Storrs Ave SE(A Ave. SE)
Carrabelle, FL 32322
