Posts Tagged ‘respect’
A LIFE WELL LIVED (Parts 1 & 2)
Wednesday, July 17th, 2013PART 1 – HONOR
Living well….and finishing well, is the main goal of every level-headed person I know. Several of my friends have bucket lists and are fortunate enough to have the means to accomplish the items on that list, one by one. Given the brevity of life, we are more than encouraged to get the most out of life and there is nothing wrong or ungodly about giving it your best.
This is what short series is about – A Life Well Lived. The first sign that God wants for us to “Live long and Prosper” can be found in the first commandment with a promise – The Fifth Commandment. God said “honor your father and mother that your days may be long, which the Lord your God has given you” (Exodus 20:12). This is a horizontal or relational statute because it pertains to us on a human level. But because it comes from a Divine Source, it carries all the weight in the world.
This is the start of a life well lived – kabad in the original Hebrew – meaning glorify and treasure with respect your parents, because if you do – you will honor, revere, adore, glorify, magnify and lift up the Holy Name of God, from Whom all blessings flow! He has promised, if you do that, He will give you a long and fruitful life!
Are you living that today?
PART 2 – PERCEPTION
The woman said to Him, “Sir, I perceive that You are a prophet…John 4:19
Perception is the way we look at things, nay, at Life! Perception is everything because the way we look at life pulls in EVERYTHING we ever thought, believed and experienced. All of this influences our thinking and our actions. All of this influences our entire outlook. We then become creatures of our environment, allowing that plus our experiences to determine how we react.
Perception is significant to living well. This is why a person’s worldview is so critical to his/her personal, emotional and spiritual well-being. Your worldview could be worldly – like most people in this country, and you can be just as deluded as they are about their eternal future. OR, you can choose to be informed and seek true wisdom, which comes from God (James 1:5).
FATHER’S DAY FOCUS – PART 2
Saturday, June 16th, 2012HOW NOT TO BE A FATHER
TODAY- KINGS DAVID and SOLOMON
SUNDAY- HOW TO BE A GODLY FATHER
King Henry IV, having seized the throne of England, from the equally pathetic Richard II and had him murdered, was having trouble sleeping and wondered, according to William Shakespeare, why other men (who had done worse!!!) could sleep while he – Henry IV- could not. Shakespeare then quoted this famous line “Deny it to a king? Then happy low, lie down! Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown (Henry IV, 1597).The offspring of Royalty are usually a bunch of spoiled brats, whose fathers were too busy being “King” and denying themselves nothing – whether it is the beautiful women of other men; gold and jewelry or lands and tribes to conquer. We don’t have to look to Bible history for an example – look at Prince Charles of England. Not happy with Diana as his wife, he had to go after Camilla Parker Bowles – then married to another man….all in plain view of his sons and the world.
Romans 15:4 NLT tells us “Such things were written in the Scriptures long ago to teach us. And the Scriptures give us hope and encouragement as we wait patiently for God’s promises to be fulfilled”. This is why we look to the examples which the Lord provided for us, as to how we should or should NOT live! Hence the reason we look at these two great kings of Israel. What these men did, as fathers, have affected the Middle East and history for 3000 years now. Kings David and his son (by Uriah the Hittite’s wife, Bathsheba), Solomon, are exhibits A and B of fathers whom God will never want us to be like! If you wish to learn to be a true worshiper and live in repentance, then David is your man! For Proverbs to live by, Solomon is your man. For advice on Fatherhood, run the other way from these men!
KING DAVID:
Here are some of the sons of David:
1 These are the sons of David who were born in Hebron: The oldest was Amnon, whose mother was Ahinoam from Jezreel. The second was Daniel, whose mother was Abigail from Carmel.
2 The third was Absalom, whose mother was Maacah, the daughter of Talmai, king of Geshur. The fourth was Adonijah, whose mother was Haggith.
2 The third was Absalom, whose mother was Maacah, the daughter of Talmai, king of Geshur. The fourth was Adonijah, whose mother was Haggith.