Father's Day 2021*

Today is Father's Day. Scripture has much to say about the important role of both natural fathers, and spiritual fathers: "Honour thy father and thy mother, as the LORD thy God hath commanded thee; that thy days maay be prolonged, and that it may go well with thee, in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee." (Deut. 5:16). We recognize this as one of the Ten Commandments, and it is the first commandment with a promise and a blessing connected to it. The word "honour" is used here in the treatment of parents. The Hebrew word translated as "Honour", kabad, means the glory associated with God, Himself. We see in our own country very little honoring of parents anymore. We are losing the specific promise and blessing associated with obedience to this commandment. Jesus challenged the religious leadership of His time, the scribes and Pharisees, who conveniently relied upon religious tradition, rather than the this commandment of God in regard to the treatment of their parents. They withheld financial help to their parents with the excuse that the money was set aside to give to God instead. Jesus called them hypocrites for this self-serving faithlessness to the Word of God: "Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you saying, This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the ommandments of men." (See Mt. 15:1-9). Traditions cannot replace the Word of Truth. The Apostle Paul also wrote about the importance of this commandment: "Children, obey (give ear under, to hear, learn, understand) your parents in the LORD: for this is right (righteous, observing divine laws). Honour thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise;) That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth." (Eph. 6:1-3). Paul also included the promise of a long life as being associated with this commandment. Then Paul wrote about the responsibility of fatherhood: "And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture (instruction, chastening, discipline) and admonition (mild rebuke, calling attention to) of the Lord." (v. 4). Fathers have a role in training their children in Godly principles, not in a manner that causes children to become angry and rebellious, but in a manner of teaching and correction that brings forth the fruits of righteousness in the child, and willing obedience. Both fathers and children have a purpose - to obey the Word of God. Paul also wrote regarding both the Church's and the world's disregarding of the fatherly role of an apostle. He wrote of the sacrifice of honor that is found in the calling of the apostle: "For I think that God hath set forth us the apostles last, as it were appointed to death: for we are made a spectacle unto the world, and to angels, and to men. We are fools for Christ's sake, but ye are wise in Christ; we are weak, but ye are strong; ye are honourable, but we are despised...being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it: Being defamed, we intreat: we are made as the filth of the world, and are the offscouring of all things unto this day." (1 Cor. 4:9-13). In saying these things, Paul said, he is warning the Church, as beloved sons, about this prevailng attitude of disregard towards apostles, and adds: "For though you have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel. Wherefore I beseech you, be ye followers of me." (v. 14-16). It is the heart of a father, that sacrifices all, even his own reputation, for his children in Christ. There are many teachers, but they are not called to sacrifice in the same way. Even today, the Church fails to recognize apostles and prophets. If they DO recognize them, they fail to honour their position as fathers in the Gospel who have sacrificed all so that their "children" may spiritually prosper and excel. Even though not all are called to apostleship, Paul begged the saints to "follow" him, to follow him as a father who sacrifices all so that they can benefit in Christ. As the LORD said to the priests of Israel through His prophet Malachi: "A son honoureth his father, and a servant his master: if then I be a father, where is mine honour? and if I be a master, where is my fear? saith the LORD of hosts unto you, O priests, that despise my name..." (Mal. 1:6). The priests wondered at how they had dishonored God. Their dishonor of the Father was found in their insincere, inferior, and less than honorable offerings, where, as Jesus told the religious leaders above, the true honor, or lack of it, towards a father/Father is revealed. Many over the years have been birthed in the Gospel as "sons" through this apostolic ministry. You have not many fathers, but there is a spiritual father here. If you have been blessed and fed by this ministry, let your offerings to God reflect this, and help us to carry the Gospel to others. There is a great need for the Gospel of Christ, but how can we go unless we are sent? *Based upon Dr. Kenneth E. Stevenson's 6/20/21 message to the Church. To contact, or to purchase Dr. Stevenson's new book, "NAZAH: White Linen and the Blood of Sprinkling": P.O. Box 154221, Waco, TX 76705 OR Everlastingcovenant@ymail.com You can also find us on Facebook, Twitter, and endtimeschool.com

Color HIM Father*

 

The title of this Father's Day message was taken from a song by The Winstons. In it they sing about a wonderful father, saying, "Color him father, color him love".

How many of us can remember ourselves as toddlers trying to walk around in our father's adult shoes? We are also encouraged to walk in our heavenly Father's shoes!

Jesus continually taught of God as His Father, and as our Father. Speaking about the titles of honor used towards and among the religious elite, Jesus said that we should call no man our father in the earth, but only one is our Father: the One in heaven (Mt. 23:9).

In teaching His disciples how to pray, Jesus taught that our prayers begin and hinge upon our understanding of, and relationship with, God as our Father:

"After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed (holy) be thy name..."   Mt. 6:9

However, the powerful truth of God as our Father is not limited to the New Testament, but is very much part of our Jewish faith, which we have been discussing these past weeks. The prophet Isaiah wrote in prayer:

"Look down from heaven, and behold the habitation of thy holiness and of thy glory: where is thy zeal and thy strength, the sounding of thy bowels and of thy mercies towards me? are they restrained? Doubtless thou art our father, though Abraham be ignorant of us, and Israel acknowledge us not: thou, O LORD, art our father, our redeemer; thy name is from everlasting....But now, O LORD, thou art our father;  we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we are the work of thine hand."   Isa. 63:15-16, 64:8

Although Israel took knowledge of their forefathers, Abraham and Israel (Jacob), Isaiah wrote in prayer that the greater Father was God, Himself. This acknowledgment of the Fatherhood of God, puts us into His hands in the same manner as common clay, that when taken into the hands of the gifted potter, then becomes a vessel of value and purpose.

David wrote of his understanding of God as his Father, which he declared before all of the congregation:

"...Blessed be thou, LORD God of Israel our father, for ever and ever. Thine O LORD is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O LORD, and thou art exalted as head above all."   1 Chron. 29:10-11

We can see that in several ways above, what we know from Jesus' teaching as "The Lord's Prayer", was revealed also to David, beginning with the understanding of God as Father.

The prophet Malachi brought the Word of the LORD in correction to the priesthood that ministered in injustice and partiality:

"Have we not all one father? hath not one God created us? why do we deal treacherously every man against his brother, by profaning the covenant of our fathers?"  Mal. 2:10

The truth of God as our Father should unite all men with one another. Are we walking in this truth today? Or are we more divided than ever? In all these things, we can say, "color Him Father", as our theme song exhorts. The Winstons also say of the father in the song, "...color him love", because of all the good things that the father did for his child. We can say this even more so about our heavenly Father.

One of our most familiar scriptures tells us that God as a Father, gave His only begotten Son because He loved the world. He so loved the world (Jn. 3:16-18). The gift of His Son to us in love also brought us the gift from the Father of everlasting life for those who would receive His precious Son. Though the world deserved condemnation for their unbelief, the Father made it clear that He was giving a gift of saving love instead. Can there be a greater gift than everlasting life that delivers us from the darkness of death forever? This gift doesn't flow from a religious deity, but it flows from a Father Who loves. In the same manner, the Church is not to condemn, but to point others to our Father Who loves, to show this truth like the vessel molded by the Potter becomes the work of the Potter's hand.

Jesus said the works that He did were done in His Father's name. His miraculous works could not be separated from His Father, who sent Him. Jesus also described those who received Him as sheep who hear their Shepherd's voice and follow Him (see video here). He revealed that the One who put those sheep into His hand was His Father:

"...neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my father's hand. I and my father are one."  Jn. 10:24-30

The religious people who challenged Jesus to reveal Himself as Messiah sought to stone Him, accusing Him of blasphemy. They claimed that Jesus made Himself to be God by His statement above. Jesus brought them to the scripture that proclaimed "ye are gods" (Ps. 82:6). Those scriptures proclaimed that we are all children of the Most High only as we "walk in His great shoes", according to His word, in His likeness, in the stature of His Son. We only accomplish this as we walk one with Him as our Father, as Jesus walked. This oneness with Himself and our Father was also the prayer of Jesus for His disciples (Jn. 17:20-23). It is also the witness to the world of our Father's love for us (v. 23).

Not accepting the gift of love from our heavenly Father of His only begotten Son, not believing the name and the works of the Son, also means rejecting the Father Who sent Him (Jn. 8:31-47). He sent His son to set us free indeed from the slavery of sin, and the penalty of death that accompanies it.

We often see today, as in Jesus' time, that many prefer to bless what God has cursed: sin and death, and curse what He has blessed: everlasting life found in the name of His Son.

This Father's Day, if you will hear His voice, then "color Him Father, color Him love".

 

*The above is based upon the 6/16/19 message to the Church from Dr. Kenneth Stevenson.

 

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Prayer of Salvation for all who desire to receive Jesus as their Savior: Lord Jesus, I desire to know You, and to know Your salvation. I believe that You died for me, and that You were resurrected for me. Forgive me of my sins. Come into my heart, change me, fill me with Your righteousness. Inscribe my name in the Lamb's book of life. Baptize me in Your Holy Spirit, so that I can learn the truth of Your Word and ways, and be strengthened in my walk all the days of my life. You are the hope of my life, and You are my eternal life. I place my trust in You, Lord, for myself, and my whole household. Use me to do the will of the heavenly Father, Who sent You, in Whose name You came. In Your name, and in thanks and praise I pray, Amen.

 

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Father's Day 2018

 

This message is for fathers on this Father's Day, but also to all professing believers. All must prayerfully consider today's message. There is a song by Jeoff Benward, "A Man of God", that expresses the hope that when others, his children included, remember his life, they will remember him as a man of God. This should be the desire of us all, and to achieve that goal, we each need to know and be obedient, to what God is calling us to do. This is especially crucial in these last days before the return of Christ. To learn more about this, please read or listen to the message from last week, "Are You Preparing?".

The LORD warned through His prophet Hosea, "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge, because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, and thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children. As they were increased, so they sinned against me: therefore will I change their glory into shame...."  Hos. 4:6-7

With these verses, God was rejecting the priesthood who was appointed to serve Him, because they rejected His Word, which is the knowledge of Him. We also have been called to be a kingdom of priests to God, reconciling man and God with His truth. Are we also rejecting the knowledge of Him, and despising our priesthood, as we turn away more and more from His truth?

Today in our nation, we are re-writing history, and using the Word of God inaccurately and out of context, in order to justify ourselves, and our sins. This has been done throughout our history as a nation, whether we were trying to justify our policy of the destruction of the Native Americans in the land, or trying to find the justification of slavery using the scriptures, and many more issues shameful to this country. All of these attempts at twisting away from the truth comes from the same root: a heart of sin.

This is certainly not isolated to the history of America, but exists throughout the scriptures. Jesus made it clear that He would never compromise on bringing the truth, and taught candidly about the consequences of walking in that calling:

"I am come to send fire on the earth; and what will I if it be already kindled? But I have a baptism to be baptized with; and how I am straightened till it be accomplished! Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell you, Nay; but rather division: from henceforth there shall be five in one house divided, three against two and two against three..." 

                                                                                                              Lk. 12:49-52

The words and works that Jesus would bring would cause divisions, even dividing households, between those who received the truth, and those who did not. He called the religious groups of the time "hypocrites" and "vipers" as they taught error, while holding on to their sins. Although they could understand the implications of natural signs, they purposefully refused to discern "this time", the time when their Savior from sin was in their midst. They could not even judge of themselves what was right. (v. 54-57). These also are the conditions of our generation.

Even now our nation is divided, both believers and non-believers, over issues and personalities, with both sides of the aisles of government missing the whole point: It's about the signs of the times! Jesus is coming back! Yet we refuse to discern "this time".

Teaching in a synagogue, Jesus was challenged by the religious leaders about whether it was lawful to heal on the Sabbath. Jesus was about to heal a man with a withered hand. Jesus told them that they would rescue one of their animals on the Sabbath. Isn't a man even more valuable? Wherefore, it is lawful to do well on the sabbath days." After Jesus healed the man's hand, the religious plotted how they might destroy Him (Mt. 12:9-14). Jesus consequently warned that a kingdom, city or house divided against itself shall not stand (v. 25). And we are indeed a nation divided by the Word of truth: for and against. Where is the Church? There are souls to be rescued.

We rely instead on political leaders to reflect ourselves, and our opinions, as we claim to stand on truth, but in reality we are turning away from truth. In scripture, the people of God also preferred a man to govern them as a king, as the nations of the world had, rejecting the governance of God's chosen judge and prophet, Samuel. They justified this rejection of God with reasonings and excuses, but God knew what was in their hearts: "...they have rejected me (God), that I should not reign over them."   1 Sam. 8:1-8

The sinful hearts of men made the same choice again when Pilate offered Jesus' release. They chose Barabbas instead, even insisting that they had no king but Caesar (Jn. 19:15). We in America have also rejected God's reign, upon which we were founded, and we have chosen Caesar over Christ.

Jesus taught that to stand for the truth of God's Word, to stand for Jesus, would bring persecution and hatred from the world:

"If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you...But all these things will they do unto you for my name's sake, because they know not him that sent me...If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloak for their sin...but now have they both seen and hated both me and my Father. But this cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated me without a cause." 

                                                                                          Jn. 15:18-25 (Psalm 35:19)

We have seen how individuals, businesses, and organizations have been socially, legally and economically persecuted because they stood for what they knew to be righteousness. America worships many false gods and idols, as evidenced by what we now espouse and practice. While America demands tolerance of these idols, no tolerance is shown towards those who offend these false gods by speaking the truth of God's Word. The Church does not want to be persecuted, so they have compromised the truth of the Word of God in order to be loved and accepted. However, by so doing, they sever their identity with Christ, the uncompromising truth bringer, and additionally, the Church then conceals the remedy for sin from those who are perishing in it. Scripture says that those who deny their sin walk in darkness, and "do not the truth". The truth is not in them. If, on the other hand, we walk in the light of truth, if we walk with Christ as He is in the light, and the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from all sin. "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (1 Jn. 1). "If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land." 
                                                                                                      2 Chron. 7:14

The Church does no one a favor by hiding the truth about sin, and consequently denying the opportunity for any who desire to be cleansed and delivered from its deathly power.

During the Feast of Atonement, the Book of Jonah is read in the synagogues. Jonah, the prophet who ran from his calling to deliver God's prophetic word to Nineveh, died in the belly of a great fish, descended into Hell for three days and nights, and cried out to God for his rescue. God delivered him from Hell, and resurrected him from the dead - made death spit him out!. This is the same sign, the sign of Jonah, that Jesus promised to fulfill to a wicked and adulterous generation (Mt. 12:38-40), which describes our generation also. Jesus is the one who was dead, and is alive for ever more.
The physical evidence of Christ's great victory over sin and death, which supports every word of the scriptural account, is found on the fibers of the linen cloth used to enfold His body as He was entombed. We have the Word of God for the truth and solid foundation of our faith, and the image of the risen Christ on the Shroud of Turin for a gracious confirming sign.
Fathers and all believers, it is time to return to the truth. It is time to walk in the truth. It is time to speak the truth in love (Eph. 4:15).

 

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Prayer of Salvation for all who desire to receive Jesus as their Savior:
Lord Jesus, open the eyes of my heart. I want to know You as my Lord, and as my Savior, who covers my sins, and cleanses my heart. Come into my heart, forgive me, and fill me with the Holy Spirit, who will lead me into all truth, and will teach me how to follow You. I believe that You are the Son of God, the Messiah, that You were crucified for me, and rose from the dead to give me everlasting life. I believe that You are coming again. Lord Jesus, in Your name I believe, pray, and receive all of these things. Amen.

 



A Special Father's Day Is Coming

 

"Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to Him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and His wife hath made herself ready."  Rev. 19:7
Very special events are waiting on the prophetic calendar. They are events that are connected to the fall Feasts of the LORD. There are specific days and hours in which these prophetic events will be fulfilled, and only the Father in heaven knows and determines them. These great events, including the marriage supper of the Lamb, are governed from the realm of the Father, only. No man will have the rulership or authority over these events. Because the exact timing of them is unknown to us, we must always be prepared and "ready" for the fulfillment at any moment. These events will be very special "Father's Days" for the earth.

Regarding the great day of the return of Lord, the Messiah, Jesus said:

"But of that day and hour, knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but My Father only. But as the days of Noe (Noah) were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be." 

                                                                                                               Mt. 24:36-39

Before the moment of the flood, life went on as normal, and men failed to repent, because  even though they had the witness of Noah for an extended period of time, they were unbelieving that the moment of destruction was about to come upon them. So it will be again at the moment of the return of Christ. As in Noah's day, the men of today do not have a heart of repentance, and they do not believe that the moment will come upon them suddenly. As men mocked Noah, so men of today also mock the warning witness that the moment will come at any time, according to the determination of the Father. Neither men's plans nor their desires will determine that day or hour, but the Father only.

Jesus warned even believers, "Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is."     Mk. 13:33

 

After His resurrection, when Jesus appeared to the disciples during the forty days before His ascension, He discussed with them the things pertaining to the kingdom of God (Acts 1:3). His disciples asked if He would restore the kingdom to Israel at this time. He answered:

"It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in His own power."  Acts 1:7

Again the Savior tells them that this is something over which only the Father has control. The Father has put this timing into His own power. It is completely out of the power of men. However, Jesus goes on to describe what has been given to men regarding this:

"But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto Me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth."  Acts 1:8

Though men will not know the day nor the hour, which is in the Father's hands only, the Father has not left men without a warning witness in the earth. As men watched Noah build the ark day by day, and plank by plank, we have been empowered by the Holy Ghost for the purpose of being Noahs to our generation. We are to bear witness day by day, Word by Word, step by step, person by person, and prayer by prayer, that the day and the hour that the Father has determined can come upon man at any moment.

There is a special Father's Day coming.

 

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