Vol. 37, No. 6 HAPPY FATHER’S DAY!
June, 2013
HAPPY FATHER’S DAY!
By Pastor George Mills
We wish God’s richest blessings upon every Dad! Especially the Fathers who try to go the extra mile(s) to see that their family is well cared for. I love to see men who love and care for their family. I admire the Father who prays with his family, who attends a Bible believing Church with his family, and sees to the Spiritual needs of his family. Some Dads have to work extra jobs in order to provide a Christian education for his children. I praise God for every sacrifice some Fathers make for their family. I believe the American family is taxed unfairly by the government. This causes many Moms to have to leave the home, get a job, and help support, not the family, but this huge tax bill. This has cost America it’s greatest resource; THE HOME AND FAMILY. Maybe we should stop trying to police the world and start trying to take care of things at home! The heavy tax burden should be lifted from the American home. In the years ahead the federal government will receive trillions of dollars in tax money. Wise spending by congress could ease this burden from the American family. Many of the problems in our society today can be traced to the times when Mom had to get a job to help support the family.. Children are left in the care of others. Without the proper training and example from both parents children suffer. Many of the ills of society, juvenile delinquency, rebellion in the classroom, drugs, crime, and an endless list can all be traced to the breakdown of the home. I do not have space in this small publication to list all these things, but I believe we can see what has happened to our great nation. So, what can we do? We observed Mother’s Day just a few days ago. What a job each Mother has to do! What a high calling it is to be a Mother! Any healthy female can give birth, but that does not make her a Mother. It takes someone real special to be a Mother. We honor all Mothers who give their best to their family. God Bless you!
“WHAT WOULD JESUS DO?” (WWJD) is the motto, or slogan chosen by many today. Let me suggest another slogan;WWMD, (WHAT WOULD MAMA DO?) Yes, all of their lives, children will think about Mother, and what she might do in any situation. But to be a real Father…what a tremendous weight and responsibility. Today, let us take a journey through the Scriptures to see God’s definition of a real Dad…
1. EVERY DAD SHOULD BE A CHRISTIAN!
Every man should have that time in his life where he knows that he has trusted the Lord Jesus to be his personal Saviour. I trust this is true in the life of every reader. Know that you have believed in the finished work of redemption by the Sacrificial death and resurrection of Jesus
Christ. “But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even
to them that believe on His Name.” (Jn. 1:12). Know that you have done that! Quite frequently I see a bumper sticker that says, “REAL MEN LOVE JESUS.” I like that. To face life without Christ is hopeless. Dad, know that you have been saved from the PENALTY and POWER, and ultimately from the PRESENCE of sin. Get alone with God. Tell Him that you receive His Son into your heart. The best gift that you can give your family is to give them a real CHRISTIAN DAD!
2. EVERY DAD SHOULD BE CHURCHED!
Mom has many responsibilities in the home, but God looks to the Father to be the Spiritual head of the family. It is Dad who should lead the family in prayer and devotions. It is Dad who should take the responsibility of having his family in a Bible believing Church! Too often it is the Mom who has to take on this role because Dad will not assume this responsibility. Dad, lead your family, guard your family. Take your family to a Bible believing Church. I always smile with admiration when I see an entire family going into the Church for worship.
3. EVERY DAD SHOULD BE COMMITTED!
God said of Abraham; “For I know him, and that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord, to do justice and judgment, that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which He hath spoken of him.” (Gen. 18:19). God looks to Mom for many things concerning the home and family, but God looks to the Dad to shepherd the family. I am fully aware that what I say is not “politically correct.” but it is BIBLICALLY CORRECT, and that’s what really matters. Every home MUST have a leader, and that leader is to be Dad! “Wives, be in subjection to your own husbands.” “Children, obey your parents.” “But I would have you to know that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is the man, and the head of Christ is God.” Anything that works properly has to be organized. The one thing basic to society is the family unit as organized by God. I can hear the comments; “But my wife will not do this, or that, etc.” She will, if you, as a husband will lead in tenderness and in love. Some Dads are committed to their job, or to a hobby, or to fishing, or to golf, or to a career. Dad, spend your life being committed to your family, and committed to God!
4. EVERY FATHER SHOULD BE COMPASSIONATE!
“And ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath, but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.” (Eph 6:3).Child abuse, child neglect, child abandonment, child sexual abuse, missing children, missing adults. Dead-beat Dads fill the headlines of today’s news. THIS SHOULD NOT BE! This speaks volumes about the needs of our society today. Where is the compassion, concern, and love for our kids today? Children today face pressures unknown to us in the yesteryears. Every Dad must deal with his children in compassion. As I look back over the years I see the many mistakes I made as a Dad. I am sorry for each failure. Our children should take high priority in our lives. They were not born knowing things, they have to be taught! We should listen to them, talk with them, pray with them, fellowship with them, play with them, take them with us wherever we go, let them know that they are loved, and that they are the best kids in the world. We should correct them when they are wrong, reward them when they are right. We should teach them that they can accomplish anything they set their minds to do. Above all things, teach them by example. As we do things, we are implanting things in their lives that will be with them all life long. “Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it.”(Pr. 22:6).
5. EVERY DAD MUST BE CONSTRAINED.
I know that there are dozens of words I could have used for this point, but I Like this word; “CONSTRAINED.” In order for these things to work in our families, there MUST be a higher, or greater motivator. Paul used the word CONSTRAINED when he spoke of Christ’s Love. “For the Love of Christ CONSTRAINETH us.” (2Cor. 5:14). The motivator in Paul’s life was the Love of Christ. Paul could not get over the fact that Christ loved him so much. “He loved me, and gave Himself for me.” The word “constrained” means, it forces, it binds, it obligates, it means to be held tightly. The love for family should constrain, should bind every Dad to that family. There are some things that should never be mentioned or discussed in the family. Things like the word; “divorce.” What a trail of tears and heartaches that one word has caused. I believe that we are married “Until death do us part.” or is it, “until death us do part?” Either way, it means “a long time.”
“HUSBANDS, LOVE YOUR WIVES” How much? “Even as Christ loved the church.” How much did He love the Church” The answer; “And gave Himself for it.” That’s how much. “Likewise ye husbands dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife as the weaker vessel, as being heirs together of the grace of life that your prayers be not hindered.” (1Pet. 3:7) Honor the wife as the weaker vessel. She is the helpmeet that God knew you would need, and he gave her to you. She has many strengths that you do not have. She has that “woman’s intuition” God placed in her, and we had better learn to listen to that. How many times have we failed by not listening to her wisdom. But concerning the “weaker vessel.” She has feelings and emotions that are tender and fragile. She sees things so differently so many times. We must learn her nature and bind her nature with our own nature that two become one. Constrained, “bound together in love, for life.” Oh, there is so much more to be said about the family. What a tremendous role Dad has in the function of the family. God bless every Dad…especially the Dad who is Christian, Churched, Committed, Compassionate, and Constrained. May every Dad today make that public, parental commitment of Joshua; “But as for me, and my house, we will serve the Lord.” (Jos. 24:15)
HAPPY FATHER’S DAY, DAD!
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THINK ABOUT IT…In the beginning, Satan’s attack was against the home. In these latter days, Satan’s attack is still against the home. Let each of us withstand his attack against our home by being loyal and trustful to the Word of God! (KJB, that is).
I was separated from my Father at age three, never to see him again in this life. I never saw a picture of him until I was about age 25 or 26.
This poem I wrote I like to think would have been our relationship. I claim that anyway…
DAD
By Pastor George Mills
“Honor thy Father AND thy Mother that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.” (Ex. 20:12).
Of all the friends I ever knew,
Not one in denim clad,
No earthly friend I’ve found so true,
As the one that I call DAD.
No President, or Statesman grand,
Nor a soldier. I might add,
No not one in all the land,
Is like the one that I call DAD.
No one on earth, not one of them,
No friend I ever had,
Could ever take the place of him,
This one that I call DAD.
He does not sit upon a throne,
To judge the good and bad,
I have a throne for him alone,
In my heart, this one that I call DAD.
HAPPY FATHER’S DAY!
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I have a photograph of my Dad on my office wall. This was given to me by his sister when I met her for the first time. It is a photograph of my Dad in his World War 1 Army uniform taken in 1918. I was also given a photograph of my Dad in the waters of Baptism in a lake in DeLand, Florida taken in 1929.These two photographs speak volumes. Although I missed being with him down here, my Dad in the waters of Baptism gives me hope that his faith was in Christ Jesus and that one day in God’s time we will meet again never to be apart.
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GOD’S GREAT SUPPER
“Then He said unto him, a certain man made a great supper and bade many. And sent His servant at suppertime to say to them that were bidden, come for all things are now ready. And they all with one consent began to make excuse. The first said unto Him, I have bought a piece of ground and I must needs go and see it. I pray thee, have me excused. And another said I have bought five yoke of oxen and I go to prove them, I pray thee have me excused. And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come. So that servant came and showed his Lord these things. Then the master of the house being angry said to His servant, go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind. And the servant said, Lord it is done as thou hast commanded, and yet there is room. And the Lord said unto His servant, go out into the highways and hedges and compel them to come in that My house may be filled. For I say unto you that none of those men which were bidden shall taste of my supper.” (Lk. 14:16-24).
Of course I cannot add a thing to the scores of great messages preached from this text down through the years. Let us be reminded of the greatness of this invitation and the implications to those who refuse to heed the great call of God. Three men in this text made excuse as to why they could not come to the Great Supper. The same excuses are still being offered today;
PROPERTY, BUSINESS, or FAMILY.
The first said, “I have bought some land, now I must go see it.” Of course, no one would buy some land without first checking out that land. If he did such a thing, he has already bought the land. The land will be there tomorrow, so he really has no excuse not to go the the Great Supper. The second man said, “I have bought some oxen and I go to prove them.” Like the first man, he has already bought the oxen and tomorrow morning would be and ideal time to prove them. Would he be so foolish as to buy the oxen without first proving them? He too has no excuse. The third man said, “I have married a wife and cannot come.” I wonder how things will be in that family if this man allows his wife to make the decisions for him. He should take the leadership NOW and tell his new bride, “Honey, get dressed we are going to a banquet.”. Excuses, excuses, excuses. Men have many excuses as to why they cannot respond to God’s invitation. And if man runs out of excuses, the devil will write some more and pass them along to him. Things have not changed through the centuries. This invitation has been going out for about two thousand years and men still offer these same excuses. This is GOD’S GREAT SUPPER OF SALVATION. The invitation is extended to YOU today. Let’s see the Greatness of this Salvation. Why is this called A GREAT SUPPER?
1. BECAUSE WE ARE GREAT SINNERS.
Think about that. GREAT SINNERS invited to God’s Supper. The Bible (KJB) in no uncertain terms declares that ALL MEN are sinners. If you read Romans 3:10-20 you will find some 14 indictments against the human race. The text declares that everything about man; his WORDS, his WALK, and his WAYS are sinful and in need of redemption. “All we like sheep have gone astray…” (Isa. 53:6). There is none that doeth good, no not one.”
Why is it called a GREAT SUPPER?
2. BECAUSE OF A GREAT SAVIOUR.
It is difficult to know where to start when we want to speak about the GREATNESS of our SAVIOUR. “For ye know the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that ye, through His poverty might be rich.” (2Cor 8:9). The Bible goes on to tell us in Philippians 2:5-11 that Christ did not cling to His position in Heaven, that He left that High place to become a man, to become a servant, to become a criminal, to die on a Roman cross to pay the price of sin for lost mankind. What a GREAT SAVIOUR!
Why is it called A GREAT SUPER?
3. BECAUSE OF A GREAT SACRIFICE.
He gave Himself. “But this man, after He had offered ONE sacrifice for sins forever sat down on the right hand of God.”(Heb. 9:12). “…When He had by Himself purged our sins.”(Heb 1:3).
“…but now ONCE in the end of the world hath He appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself.” (Heb. 9:26) “Who His own self bare our sins in His own body, on the tree, that we, being dead to sin should live unto righteousness, by whose stripes ye were healed.” (1Pet. 2:24)
On and on the Bible tells us about the GREAT SACRIFICE of Jesus Christ. Why is it called a GREAT SUPPER?
4. BECAUSE OF THE GREAT SCOPE.
The invitation was extended to the lame, the poor, the halt, the blind. The servants were commanded to go into the streets and lanes of the city, to the highways and hedges and COMPEL them to come in. Everybody is invited to GOD’S GREAT SUPPER! Again the invitation is extended to “Whosoever will, let him come.” There is always a feast at God’s table. I love the old fashioned “Homecoming Day” services at the Church. Great planning goes into that great day. The day is scheduled. Ladies of the Church begin to plan to bring their favorite dish. On the scheduled date, food of various kinds is spread on tables. Most of the older Churches have a special place just for Homecoming Day. Some of the ladies begin to leave the services a little early and begin to prepare the tables. My, My, what a spread! They have different kinds of vegetables, peas, beans, butter beans, turnips, collards, corn. Then, there are the meats. Several kinds of meat Loaf, roast Beef, Pork Chops, Sausage, and several different kinds of fried chicken, several casseroles. And then the deserts. Pies. Cakes. More pies, more cakes, and puddings. My, what a feast!What a Supper!. Everyone fills their plates and return for seconds, and still there is food left. My, what a meal! And right there, in the middle of the table someone has placed a great big bowl of banana pudding. You just hope that you have enough room left for a large helping of that banana pudding.. No one goes away hungry.
You know, GOD’S GREAT SUPPER is like that. Just take a look at the table God has spread for us. On His table there is; forgiveness of sin, restoration, peace, joy, love, eternal life, assurance and so much, much more, and right there in the middle of the table is a great big bowl of GRACE! Saving GRACE, Satisfying GRACE, Serving GRACE, Sanctifying GRACE! My, what a feast at God’s table! And you’re invited. And you have no excuse not to attend. No, Not Real estate, business, or family, or career. I want you to carefully note that the invitation, though it was extended, without warning, there came a time when it was too late. Unannounced, the invitation for some had ended.
And the invitation is being sent out today. God’s servants are busy sending out the Gospel invitation. Some are responding; “Keep my place saved, I will be there.” Some are offering silly excuses. One day, some day. any day, the invitation for you may come to an end. Unannounced! “Today, if you will hear His voice,” open your heart to receive Christ. Do that TODAY! Then your place at GOD’S GREAT SUPPER will be reserved. MY, WHAT A FEAST! I HOPE TO MEET YOU THERE!
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WANDERING THROUGH THE WILDERNESS..
From time to time we do take time to answer some of the questions that come in…
Question… “Can a man truly be saved if he believes he can lose his Salvation, or that he must maintain good works in order to keep his Salvation??”
Answer…A man is saved when he sees himself as lost and needing a Saviour. When he has received Christ, by faith alone. I believe the Bible clearly teaches that he is eternally saved. When I was first saved, over 50 years ago, I believed many things that I do not believe now because I was taught those things. But as I studied my Bible, (KJB), as I listened to sound preaching, I dropped those old ideas along the way. Now, during the time I held to those old teachings I was raised with, I was still saved. I had to grow in Grace and knowledge. I did not do one thing to deserve salvation in the first place, and I haven’t lived a single day good enough to keep my salvation since I have been saved. Thank God HE keeps those whom HE saves.(John 3:16, John 10:27-30).
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Question… “Some people speak in tongues, or unknown tongues. Is this real, or is this a deceiving spirit?”
Answer… “Tongues” in the Bible mean “Languages.” Unknown tongue means, a language that I am not familiar with. If someone speaks to me in Spanish, that would be an unknown tongue to me because I do not know Spanish. In the Book of Acts, ch. 2, every word spoken on the day of Pentecost was understood by all. “Every man heard them speak in his own language.” (Acts 2:6). “How hear we every man in his own language?”(2:8). The miracle was in the HEARING. “Gibberish utterances” are totally unscriptural and serve no purpose. Every word spoken in the Church should be understood by everyone. God has no problem with the English language.
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Question… “Did the King James translators deliberately introduce errors as easily seen from reading Strong’s Concordance”
Answer… “The King James translators were honest, intelligent men who worked seven years to give to the world the King James Bible. As I said, they were honest. When they saw that a translated verse made no sense and needed a helping word from one language to another, they placed a word there in italics so the reader would know that a helping word(s) was used. Unfortunately in the new “versions” translators did not do that. These modern versions are not honest translations. Now, I do not know what you mean when you say “errors are easily seen in reading Strong’s Concordance.” Frankly, I feel like the man who said, “Since I have been reading my Bible I can understand them commentaries better.”. The King James Bible is the best the world has ever known. The Bible was here a long time before the commentaries, and dictionaries got here. Don’t look for errors, but rejoice in the Truth, the Inspired, preserved Word of God. (Psa. 12:6-7).
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Question… “Should I try to get a commitment every time I witness to someone about Christ or, Should I wait until later?
Answer…Of course. Let us always be mindful to try to get a response from the one we witness to.
After we show them from the Word of God that,
All are sinners, (Ro 3:23) the reason why all are sinners,(Ro. 5:12), that there is a price to pay for sin, (Ro.6:23), that Jesus paid the price for our sin, (Ro. 5:6-8) and that “Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”(Ro. 10:13). When you have carefully done that you should ask, “Why not, right now ask Jesus Christ to come into your heart? He will forgive your sin and make you His child.” Some will argue that we must wait and give the Holy Spirit time for conviction. May I say that the Holy Spirit got there before you arrived. While you are presenting the Gospel, the Holy Spirit is working in the heart of the one you are witnessing to. We do not have to wait on Him. Don’t worry about the Holy Spirit, He’s on the job. “Now is the accepted time.” To wait is to give the Devil a chance to steal away that which was planted (Mt. 13:19) The invitation that is offered today may not be offered tomorrow. Presentation of the Gospel is not complete unless there is an invitation to receive Christ today, NOW!
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Question… “Who are we? What “camp” are we with?”
Answer… Some time ago I received a call from somewhere in the Carolinas. The caller had read a copy of the WILDERNESS. “Who are we? What camp?” My answer; “NOBODY’S CAMP.”
We are as we have always been since the first edition back in 1976. We are Fundamental, Independent Baptist. We are not ‘Evangelical’ we are Fundamental. (a vast difference), We are not Southern Baptist, Northern Baptist, Eastern Baptist, or Western Baptist. We are not World Baptist, General Baptist, or Regular Baptist. We are where we have always been; INDEPENDENT BAPTIST. We hold to the historic Baptist position on the Bible, (KJB) as the Inspired, Infallible, Inerrant Word of God. Most of the above groups (not all) have long since departed from that position. We are the voice of one crying in the WILDERNESS.
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TEEN TALKS THAT MATTER
By Ashley Stevens
COME AWAY WITH ME
Each and every one of us have the constant demands that the world gives us. There are jobs, family, and financial demands that occupy the vast majority of our time. We tend to focus on the tasks that we have to finish that day instead of focusing on Jesus. Those demands that we have cannot always be placed on hold, but they must be put in proper place. When life gets hectic, people tend to put Jesus on hold, and focus on the tasks that they have. In the back of our minds we are rationalizing that someday, and at some point in time we will take time and focus on God. However this usually isn’t the case. In these times we tend to push God into the backgrounds of our life instead of placing a priority on our relationship with our Heavenly Father. The easiest thing to do is to start our day off seeking Him in our Bible study and prayer time. You would be amazed at the difference it would make getting up just 10-15 minutes earlier than normal. Losing a little sleep will not make that big of a difference, but this brief time spent with Christ will make all the difference in your day. Jesus called us to be disciples and follow Him. We MUST take time to be alone with God and make Him our HIGHEST priority. Time with God is often the first thing we give up when life gets hectic, and that should really be reversed. We, as Christians, need to set out on a daily path with God. As we walk with God, through prayer, devotions, etc…God will be able to bless others through you.
May God bless your life each and every day.
Until next time, Ashley Stevens
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AND THE WORLD IS A WILDERNESS…It is no friend to the Christian. And while the world is no friend, let us be a friend to those who point our friends to the Friend who says, “Ye are my friends” (John 15:14).
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FROM MY HEART
By Mildred Mills
HE KEEPS HIS PROMISES
Jesus never fails to keep His promises and His promises are new every morning! “His compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is Thy faithfulness.” (Lam. 3:22-23) “For He is faithful that promised.”(Heb. 10:23)..
God’s Promises from A-Z
Although things are not perfect,
Because of trial or pain,
Continue in thanksgiving,
Do not begin to blame.
Even when the times are hard,
Fierce winds are bound to blow,
God is forever able,
Hold on to what you know.
Imagine life without His Love,
Joy would cease to be,
Keep thanking Him for all the things,
Love imparts to thee.
Move out of “Camp Complaining,”
No weapon that is known,
On earth can yield the power,
Praise can do alone.
Quit looking at the future,
Redeem the time at hand,
Start every day with worship,
To “thank” is a command.
Until we see Him coming,
Victorious in the sky,
We’ll run the race with gratitude,
Xalting God most high.
Yes there will be good times and
yes, some will be bad,
Zion waits in glory,
where none are ever sad… (copied)
Remember, every promise in the Book is mine—and yours! Trust Him today!
THINK ABOUT IT…According to 1John 2:15-16, there are three avenues of temptation…
The lust of the flesh,and
The lust of the eye,and
The pride of life.
All temptation is along these three avenues.
There are also three refuges in temptation;
.The Power of the indwelling Holy Spirit; “Greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world.” (1Jn. 4:4)
The Power of Prayer; “Let us come boldly unto the throne of Grace that we may obtain mercy, and find Grace to help in time of need.” (Heb. 4:16).
The Power of the Word of God. “And take the helmet of Salvation and the Sword of the Spirit which is the Word Of God.” (Eph. 6:17).
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AND THINK ABOUT THIS…This Ministry is a Work of Faith, and a Labor of Love..
FAITH in Christ as The One who died for our sin and that He arose from the dead.
FAITH in His infallible Word. I continue to be amazed at the attacks on the Word of God, especially by those who profess to believe it.
LOVE for Christ because He first loved us.
LOVE because His Love is shed abroad in our hearts.
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