Looking for His glorious appearing! Titus 2:13

Spanking Children
Mar 28th, 2010
Weekly CommentaryArt Sadlier
Categories: Commentary;Topical Study;Contemporary Issues

There are 24 countries that have banned spanking, man in his own wisdom thinks he knows better than God.  As a result spanking children has fallen out of favour with many parents. The following news article has some interesting information.

GRAND RAPIDS -- While timeouts and other disciplinary methods work for some parents and is encouraged by some child psychologists, a Calvin College psychology professor says her research shows corporal punishment forms more well-adjusted people later in life.

Marjorie Gunnoe says the study finds children who remember being spanked on the backside with an open hand do better in school, perform more volunteer work and are more optimistic than others who were not physically disciplined.

The research, now attracting international attention, shows the punishment is most effective on children between the ages of 2 and 6, Gunnoe found. The study did not consider the frequency or severity of the discipline.(unquote)

The Word of God has much to say about raising children. God’s Word tells us to spank our children, and it gives instruction as to how and when it is to be done. When we fail to weigh all that scripture says we have a distorted understanding of God’s instruction and purpose. In our interpretation of scripture we need to compare scripture with scripture, rather than giving scripture our own interpretation.  The Bible is its’ own interpreter, we would save ourselves much grief if we observed this rule. (see 2 Peter 1:20)

Scripture says, “He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes (promptly).”  Proverbs 13:24.  I want you to see eight things God’s Word teaches about spanking your children.

First – God’s Word tells us, we are to spank our children.

Second – We are to spank our children with love in our hearts for them. The old saying is true for those who spank according to God’s instruction. “This is going to hurt me more than you.”  Your kids will know whether that is true of you or not, they can feel it, and you won’t fool them . Dad, if your kids really know that you love them, they will die for you!  "Bring them up in the nuture and admonishion of the Lord."

Third – Don’t spank them in anger, it will make them rebellious. This has been the experience of many, many fathers, and they wonder why God’s Word wasn’t effective in their experience, when their children rebel against them.  Ephesians 6:4 says, “...Fathers provoke not your children to wrath.”  If you are angry with your children, especially when you spank them, it will make them angry and rebellious, they will hate you and all you stand for and the God you  love. Your anger conveys to them that you hate them, they will feel you are punishing them, not for what they have done, but because you hate them. The result will be disasterous!

Fourth – Spank them in fairness, you had better learn to be fair with your kids! Wait until your anger is gone, don’t even speak to them until your anger is gone. The scripture teaches that anger makes a man foolish. You will never make fair decisions when you are angry! Your fairness will draw their hearts toward you, and they will understand the reason for the spanking and benefit from it. Your fairness conveys your love for them, and enables them to rest in that love. "Provoke not" (with unfairness)

Fithth – Discipline needs to be carried out without delay, with the one exception, that you allow your anger to be brought under control. If you discipline at the time of the disobedience, when they have a sense of guilt, the punishment will be related to the offense, not to you. The spanking will be a benefit to the child.  "Spare not."

Sixth – Don’t wink at the offence, winking at the offence will cause the child to feel that you are unfair the next time he offends and is disciplined. Consistency is the essence of fairness. Scripture says, "Provoke not."

Seventh – Don’t let him manipulate you! That will also breed the feeling of unfairness the next time around. This is vital, failure in this area creates confusion and leads to a deep sense of unfairness.  Proverbs 19:18 says, “Chasten thy son while there is hope, and let not thy soul spare for his crying.”

Eight - Start spanking at an early age, mould the child when he or she is young and plyable and you will spare him spanking when he begins to grow older. If you wait untill he or she is a teenager, it will be too late! Once a tree grows it cannot be reshaped. The scriptures say, "Train up a child."

When to Spank - Not all wrong behavior requires spanking. Many times it is an opportunity to train the child, to teach him what right behavior is. There are many ways to do this apart from spanking, it unfair to spank a child for something he or she does not understand, "Train up a child." The time to spank is when the child is defiant or deliberately disobedient.

When a father violates these Biblical principles the problem is compounded with further spanking, the rebellion grows and instead of the spanking having it's God intended benefit, it becomes a curse. Instead the hearts of the father and child coming together, they are more deeply estranged. Dad, understand, the issue is not that you love your kids, the issue is do your kids know it by your attitudes and actions, they are not mind readers. Love not properly conveyed is perhaps not love at all. Your child's greatest need is to know that you love him or her and to be able to rest in your love. In this context spanking will become God's instrument of blessing in your home.

Dad, God has a program to enable you to raise your children for His glory, for their benefit and your blessing. If you just say, I am the boss around here and my kids are going to do what I say or i’ll whale the daylights out of them. You are violating the teaching of scriptures, and you will bring grief to yourself and your kids and also dishonour the Lord. Your children actually belong to the Lord and He has just loaned them to you to raise them for Him. Dad, get it right!  There is no second chance at parenting!

Revelation 16:8-11
Mar 28th, 2010
Exploring RevelationArt Sadlier
Categories: Prophecy;Warning

"And the fourth angel poured his vial upon the sun; and power was given unto him to scorch men with fire.  And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, which had power over these plagues: and they repented not to give him glory." verses 8-9.

The catastrophe of the sun

We now come to the fourth bowl judgment. The fourth angel comes forward and pours his vial or bowl  upon the sun. This is a very brief statement with no explanation. Our Lord is entitled to make statements without an explanation, we are to concentrate on what our Lord says and not on what He does not say. The result is great heat wave such as the world has never seen. The sun is like a fire on the earth, scorching and burning with unbelieveable heat which doubtless leaves no water to drink. The earth becomes an oven,  "And men were scorched with great heat."  Notice the response of men, "And blasphemed the name of God," just like Pharaoh of old, they hardened their hearts. Repentance or hardened hearts, that is man's only two choices. "And blasphemed the name of God," there attitude did not change, "And they repented not to give him glory," there was no thought of repentance, they were beyond repentance. Mercy would do them no good. They had crossed the line! It was forever too late!

There is a line that is drawn by rejected our Lord, Where the call of His Spirit is lost, And you hurry along with a pleasure mad throng, Have you counted, have you counted the cost?

The Fifth Bowl Judgment

"And the fifth angel poured his vial upon the seat of the beast; and his kingdom was full of darkness; and they gnawed their tongues for pain,  And blasphemed the God of heaven beause of their pains and their sores, and repented not of their deeds" verses 10-11.

The bowl is poured out upon the kingdom of Antichrist, their is a striking similarity to the darkness here and the darkness poured out on the kingdom of Pharoah in Egypt. There is darkness, pain and blasphemy, but there is no repentance.

It is a taste of Jude 13, "Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is reserved  the blackness of darkness for ever."

Joel 2: 1-2 describes the scene, "Blow the trumpet in zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain: let all the inhabitants of the land tremble: for the day of the Lord cometh, for it is nigh at hand; A day of darkness, and of gloominess, a day of clouds and of thick darkness, as the morning spread upon the mountains:....."

The hardness of man's heart is the reason that hell is forever. These during the tribulation period commit the unpardonable sin. The sin of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, which can only be committed by those who are unsaved. These people  have had a special revelation of God through the plagues He has sent upon them. These same people blampheme God and receive the mark of the beast and worship his image. They have no desire to repent and return to God. They have knowingly made their choice and they go on blaspheming God. They are the authors of their own doom.

Satan's rebellion against God, results in the destruction of Satan's kingdom of this world. The earth Satan bragged he could govern in God's place, has been reduced to ashes.

Matthew 1: Pt. 8 Mt. 1:18-25
Mar 28th, 2010
Weekly Bible StudyArt Sadlier
Categories: Inspirational;Exhortation;Book Study

The Virgin Birth

There are five distinct elements in this text

The Virgin Birth

1- Conceived    2- Confronted    3 - Clarified   4 - Connected    5 - Consumated

Last week we considered the Virgin birth Conceived, today we will consider

2 - The Virgin Birth Confronted

Joseph had discovered that Mary was pregnant and he had to confront the situation. His world had caved in, he did not know the true situation.

A - Joseph  Righteous Character - "Then Joseph her husband, being a just man," verse 19a. Joseph was so concerned about keeping God's laws he was willing to divorce Mary rather than allow God's standards to be violated!

B - Joseph's Concern - "And not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privately". Joseph would honor God in this situation and he would also do the best thing left open to him for Mary.

3 - The Virgin Birth Clarified - Verse 20b, "But while he thought on these things."  Joseph was faced with a difficult problem. He meditated on it. While he was doing that he fell asleep, it is possible that he wept himself to sleep.

Notice the method of divine communication, verse 20b, "...Behold an angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream." This was not an ordinary dream, this was God communicating to him.

Notice the message, "Joseph thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary, thy wife; for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit." Verse 20c. All of this reinforces that Joseph knew he was not the father of Jesus. The Lord communicated with His servant Joseph and comforted his heart with the truth. Our God loves to communicate with His children. Have you been conscious of God speaking to you this week?

The Purpose of Messiah's Birth - "And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus, for he shall save his people from their sins." That raises the question, are you saved? That's why He came! He came to save you!

"He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him."

Neither is there salvation in any other. For there is no other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." Acts 4:12

Because He was a man, He could take our sins. Because He was infinite God, He could make an infinite sacrifice for an infinite number of sins.

4 - The Virgin Birth Consumated -

A - A wonderful parent - "Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife;" verse 24. there it is again, the same obedience to God that Mary had demonstrated. If you have that one characteristic, God will bless you abundantly! God will be pleased with your life! If you haven't got it you haven't got anything that matters!

B - A waiting period - "And Joseph knew her not till she had brought forth her first born son: and he called his name JESUS" verse 25. In order to fulfil the will of God the couple had to expose themselves to the discipline of waiting. Somehow all down through the ages, doing the will of God has involved waiting. Waiting on God's time. Waiting on God's place. Waiting on God's provision. It's a vital part of our christian experience. The world , the flesh and the devil say now!!. The Word of God says, "Wait on the Lord" This is a vital part of God's program for sexual relationship!

 God took these two ordinary people and used the same basic principles in their lives that He wants to use in your life and mine. How do you measure up? Are you aware of His working in your life in this way?

What an act of obedience and faith! They didn't realize all that was involved! They didn't realize all that was to come! But Jesus called them, and they responded in obedience and and faith! If you want to spell out the secret of a victorious life, you can spell it in two words, Obedience and Faith.