DO PARENTS NEED A PARADIGM SHIFT? LIFE STYLE CHANGE?
By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
HAVE WE EVER CONSIDERED THE TRASH CAN OF LIFE?
I HAD A DREAM, EVERYTHING WAS DARK. There was a darkness you could feel and not see. THE PRESENCE OF GOD WAS WITHDRAWN. THE DARKNESS WAS PURE TORMENT. I heard horrible screaming, weeping and gnashing of teeth. Gnashing of teeth means grinding together, to show anger, to be frustrated, to be upset. The smell was terrible … the burning flesh, burning of sulfur… (Ever try to drink sulfur water, the taste? The smell?) Weeping and gnashing of teeth is an expression of anger. Matthew speaks of weeping and gnashing of teeth as a SIGNAL OF JUDGMENT.
Matthew 8:12 But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Matthew 13:42 And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.
I realized what I call the BURNING THRILL. I saw people going to hell. I observed one friend going into hell. I said this is a terrible mistake they are a good Christian. The enemy turned and laughed at me and said their sin is bitterness, anger and unforgiveness. Then the enemy said many here grew up with a head knowledge of God but never accepted the personal grace that was available. They knew of being in the faith. They had no faith. They walked in their own pleasure seeking to be happy. They are mere outsiders to grace, they were good people they just refused to forgive and now they are wondering what on earth happened?
WHY ? WHYAM I HERE?
Their memory was very vivid? They remembered every sermon they ever heard? They remembered when the altar calls were given and how they were in a hurry to get out of church. They remembered they couldn’t afford to pay tithes.
THE PEOPLE ASKED GOD FOR A SECOND CHANCE? THEY ASKED LET ME GO BACK… I have five brothers --- I can preach to them and get them in church.
Luke 16:24 And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame. 25 But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. 26 And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence. 27 Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house: 28 For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment. 29 Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them. 30 And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent.
I HEARD SOMEONE SAY: LISTEN! LISTEN! I started listening and I could hear voices. I am thirsty. I am in torment. The flames burn and never consume. Everything was dark. You could not see. I heard voices I recognized. I heard a young voice screaming, DADDY IS THAT YOU? Where are you daddy? I am over here. I could hear the young voice trying to find his Daddy. After a long period of time I heard the son screaming at the Dad. You never taught me about Jesus. You never took me to church? We watched football on Sunday? Daddy I found your cigarettes and booze? Daddy I found your pornography and spent hours that ignited sin in my heart? Daddy you never mentioned Jesus to me? Daddy I hate you. It was your footsteps I followed. Now we are here in eternal torment.
THE GARBAGE CAN OF ETERNITY IS REAL… HELL WAS NOT CREATED FOR HUMANITY… HELL WAS CREATED FOR SATAN AND ALL THE EVIL, DEMONIC SPIRITS.
NOW THINK THE OPPOSITE: THERE IS ETERNAL JOY… JOY IN KNOWING JESUS IN A PERSONAL WAY…
IT WAS YOU THAT INVITED ME HERE… (UNKNOWN)
WHEN YOU ENTER THAT BEAUTIFUL CITY, FAR REMOVED FROM EARTH’S SORROW AND CARE,
I WANT TO HEAR SOMEONE SAYING: IT WAS YOU WHO INVITED ME HERE.
WHEN AT HOME IN THOSE MANSIONS IN HEAVEN, AND THE SAVED AROUND YOU APPEAR.
I WANT TO HEAR SOMEBODY SAY: IT WAS YOU WHO INVITED ME HERE.
TO OUR SAVIOR ALONE BE THE GLORY WHOSE SPIRIT THE WITNESS DID BEAR.
YET I MIGHT NOT HAVE HEARD THE GLAD TIDINGS
WELCOME HOME: HAD YOU NOT INVITED ME HERE.
WE DON’T KNOW WHAT TO DO? DO WE REALIZE WE HAVE BACKSLIDDEN AND EVERYTHING SEEMS HOPELESS.
WE KNOW WHAT TO DO--- GATHER THE FAMILY: HUSBANDS, WIVES AND CHILDREN AND HEAR WHAT THUS SAYS THE LORD!
2 Chronicles 20:12 O our God, wilt thou not judge them? for we have no might against this great company that cometh against us; neither know we what to do: but our eyes are upon thee. 13 And all Judah stood before the LORD, with their little ones, their wives, and their children.
FAMOUS FATHERS IN THE BIBLE…
ADAM --- failure and disobedience?
ABRAHAM TEACHES ISAAC A LESSON OF FAITH… OF STANDING ON THE PROMISES… THE TEST IS NEITHER GOOD NOR BAD… THE TEST WILL REVEAL YOUR FAITH OR YOUR LACK OF FAITH…
Genesis 22:3 And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and saddled his ass, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son, and clave the wood for the burnt offering, and rose up, and went unto the place of which God had told him. 4 Then on the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place afar off.
5 And Abraham said unto his young men, Abide ye here with the ass; and I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you. 6 And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering, and laid it upon Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife; and they went both of them together. 7 And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?
WHAT ARE THE DUTIES OF A GOOD FATHER? WHAT ARE THE LESSONS WE NEED TO PASS ON FROM GENERATION TO GENERATION?
1. LOVE : THE FAMILY IS THE FOUNDATION OF SOCIETY AND THE CHURCH… WE MUST TEACH THE LESSON OF LOVE WELL!
1 Corinthians 13:8 (A) Charity never faileth:
Love never fails. Real love never dies.
2. LEARN, ASK MOSES HOW IMPORTANT A FATHER AND A MOTHER ARE TO TEACHING THE LESSONS OF GOD. JOCHEBED AND AMRAM INSTILL THE LESSONS OF FAITH IN AARON, MIRIAM AND MOSES…
Deuteronomy 6:7 And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.
Proverbs 9:9 Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser: teach a just man, and he will increase in learning.
3. LEAN, SUPPORT, UNDERGIRD… WE NEED TO LEAN ON GOD AND ON EACH OTHER. OUR RELATIONSHIPS AT HOME ARE IMPORTANT. WE MUST LEAN AND RELY ON EACH OTHER. We need people we can trust and lean on…
4. PARENTS MUST NURTURE THE WHOLE FAMILY…
Ephesians 6:4 And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.
5. CORRECTION, DISCIPLINE--- TO CHANGE THE ERRORS, TO BRING TO A STANDARD OF TRUTH. THE PRACTICE OF TRAINING TO OBEY THE RULES. CODE OF BEHAVIOR.
Proverbs 13:24 He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes.
Proverbs 19:18 Chasten thy son while there is hope, and let not thy soul spare for his crying.
It is easier to spank a child in anger than to correct a child. One, Two, Three?
CONCLUSION: DAVID HAS A LIFESTYLE CHANGE, A PARADIGM SHIFT… WHAT KIND OF PARENT AM I?
2 Samuel 12:13 And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the LORD. And Nathan said unto David, The LORD also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die. 14 Howbeit, because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme, the child also that is born unto thee shall surely die.
15 And Nathan departed unto his house. And the LORD struck the child that Uriah's wife bare unto David, and it was very sick. 16 David therefore besought God for the child; and David fasted, and went in, and lay all night upon the earth. 17 And the elders of his house arose, and went to him, to raise him up from the earth: but he would not, neither did he eat bread with them. 18 And it came to pass on the seventh day, that the child died. And the servants of David feared to tell him that the child was dead: for they said, Behold, while the child was yet alive, we spake unto him, and he would not hearken unto our voice: how will he then vex himself, if we tell him that the child is dead? 19 But when David saw that his servants whispered, David perceived that the child was dead: therefore David said unto his servants, Is the child dead? And they said, He is dead. 20 Then David arose from the earth, and washed, and anointed himself, and changed his apparel, and came into the house of the LORD, and worshipped: then he came to his own house; and when he required, they set bread before him, and he did eat.
His servant, Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com (Catch us on YouTube?)
