Arrows in the hands of a mighty man....

Ok so he's not quite mighty, and he's just a man in training right now, but this is a picture of my oldest son, Gage. I see so much good in this boy, so much hope. He is my strong brave child, he's always in thought, serious, and full of joy. Obviously I didn't view my own childhood with the eyes I have now, but looking back I don't remember any of the things I see in him in my life as a boy. I give God all the praise for that. Jamie and I are first generation Christians, for the most part, and if you spent a day with us you would know that easy. We've made a lot of mistakes and a lot of them may hinder us the rest of our lives. A man that has never tasted alcohol will not have the same temptations as a former drunk, a man who has remained pure from his youth, saving himself for his wife, will not have the same scars as an impure man. We have set in our hearts to raise up a generation that loves the LORD. Pro 22:6 Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it. We are claiming that promise for our kids, we may make mistakes along the way but vision is there. I read Gods word and see all of his promises for my children and I want them all, then I look at my life and my experience and wonder how. With man it's impossible, but with God... Psa 127:1 "Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain." I can't do anything to deserve GOD's favour on my children, I can't twist his arm and say there LORD, I trained my children out of your word, now they better not wonder... No, if the LORD is not in it then it's my strength trying to do GOD's work. Here's a picture for you, my father in-law works for the railroad. He's works with those iron rails and those great big wooden railroad ties, he does real heavy labour. His strength has been built by the work he does, if I were to try and use my strength to do that I would fail.. and have. Have you ever lifted one of those railroad ties. They are heavy. I had a couple here in my yard, I had to cut one in half with a chainsaw just to move it, my father in law carries them on his shoulder...
Psa 127:2 "It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows: for so he giveth his beloved sleep." It is vain for me to worry and struggle to try and get GOD's work done, if I am faithful and ask he will give. Boy that's a tough one for me though, I like to get things done, and I don't like the thought of not knowing what the out come will be.
Psa 127:3 "Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward."
But my children are an inheritance from GOD, something that he has left for me. That means that they are precious to him and worthy to given. GOD wouldn't pass on no cheap dollar store nic nac for an inheritance to his children, no, children are priceless to GOD. Remember what Christ said about offending them, Mar 9:42 And whosoever shall offend one of these little ones that believe in me, it is better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he were cast into the sea. I'm not sure what the offence would be but if he's talking about just letting them come sit around him in this passage as the offence.... how worse are we. That's a pretty heavy punishment for offending a little one. They are indeed precious to GOD and he has intrusted them to us, he will show himself strong through our weakness.
Psa 127:4 "As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth." Gage, and all my children will be able to go farther than I ever will, they will have a headstart on there mom and dad, by 20 odd years. Like an arrow shot from a bow, it travel beyound the archer. My children will be able to go beyound my reach and accomplish what I couldn't, and what I didn't even dream of.
Psa 127:5 "Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate." Even in the few short years we've been living for the LORD, we've seen his mighty hand at work in our lives and in our childrens lives. I don't take that lightly. When my oldest son will go up to a young boy and boldly ask "do you know JESUS?" and my daughter ask her grandpa, "are you saved?" When they hear people speak lies or misunderstandings about what they know to be true of GOD and his word, and come to me and say "daddy, that's wicked", sure they're young yet and may not know all the right ways and words, but they have a heart for truth. 3Jo 1:4 "I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth." I believe with all my heart that when the day comes, and the LORD puts a HOLY SPIRIT conviction on my children, that it will be so simple for them. The desire for truth is already there, and no truth is greater that Jesus' love for them.

The bigger they are the harder they fall...

Elijah at Mount Carmel

One of the biggest dangers for a new Christian, or a Christian who is weak in the truth, is falling. Not tripping over something but falling into sin, and not so much falling as jumping but without forethought. A good friend of mine and my former pastor told me once that to be on guard all the time, and pray for a hedge of protection everyday, but especially after a spiritual victory. It's after a great victory, or even a not so great victory, that we are tempted or tried the hardest. We get proud or we maybe think that it was in our strength, or sometimes the victories God performs through us so scare the powers of darkness that they scramble to get us discouraged. I have experienced these sudden intense temptations and sometimes trials sent by God to show me that it was not in my strength that some great victory came to pass. I've had times when I felt so close to my LORD, serving him with love, delighting in his word and his presence in prayer, and then temptation comes and I forfeit it all for carnality's sake. At first I felt as though I was unique in this, but then I read a passage of scripture..... The Old Testament. And then there was Peter. Praise God he knows my soul in adversity. Ours is not a spirit of fear.
2Ti 1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
Our natural response to sin after being saved is to first hide our failures, cover them with works. When sin goes unconfessed it breeds guilt, and guilt brings shame, and the end result is spiritual death. I don't mean a loss of salvation, I mean self made coffin we put ourselves in that keeps us from claiming the promises of God. We bury ourselves in self pity and regret and never think to simply CRY OUT.
Heb 4:15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
Heb 4:16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
Mercy.... That sounds about like what I long for, what I desire, when I do something that I know my Father would not be pleased with, when I fail to do something that I know he wanted me to do. Mercy. We are not like the heathen who are without hope in this world, we are sons of adoption with access to the throne of GOD, and more than that we are his beloved children. I struggle with guilt and regret and up until recently I would go through weeks or months of ACTS of penance to try to restore my relationship with my Father, when all I needed to do was confess repent and move on. The trappings of religiousness, not so much religion, tell us that we must do, in order to receive. We receive mercy and grace because of who we are. Remember as a child of GOD you are holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight. AMEN! Elijah Under the Juniper Tree, after running from Jezebel.