You old men are a different breed. I can’t even think the way you think. You smell danger five minutes before it happens. You make a lifetime of decisions in a split second of terror that would freeze most men. Then you put it all behind you with a joke. You go on back to living as if you haven’t just teetered on the brink of eternity.”
–Stephen Bly (Shadow of Legends)
“Because My people have forgotten Me, they have burned incense to worthless idols. And they have caused themselves to stumble in their ways, from the ancient paths, to walk in pathways and not on a highway.”
“Because My people have forgotten Me, they have burned incense to worthless idols. And they have caused themselves to stumble in their ways, from the ancient paths, to walk in pathways and not on a highway.”
–Jeremiah 18:15(NKJV)
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“Everyone who experiences God’s grace has an obligation to pass on what he knows.”
–Eugene Peterson
I have been to many funerals–called celebrations today–and one of the major topics of discussion are the things that are remembered not only about the person, but about each other’s life. Remember when so and so did this? Remember that time when we… The same is true at birthday parties, weddings, and anniversaries. It is not only a time of gaiety, but also one of remembering past times. Have you ever been to a reunion? What is the purpose? To see how you’re doing now, of course, but mainly to remember the days of yore. The time before the wrinkles and the aches and pains that life has brought. Today, we look at the first part of Psalm 78, Asaph wants to teach a lesson from the past.
1 — Give ear, O my people, to my law; incline your ears to the words of my mouth.
2 — I will open my mouth in a parable; I will utter dark sayings of old,
3 — Which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us.
4 — We will not hide them from their children, telling to the generation to come the praises of the LORD, and His strength and His wonderful works that He has done.
5 — For He established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which He commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children;
6 — That the generation to come might know them, the children who would be born, that they may arise and declare them to their children.
7 — That they may set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep His commandments;
8 — And may not be like their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation that did not set its heart aright, and whose spirit was not faithful to God. (NKJV)
Why is our country bent on destruction, on doing evil? What has happened? There are many reasons that we could point to, but I will mention a couple. The pulpit quit preaching the entire Word of God focusing on pet verses, verses that tickled the ear of the listener. Second, the home fell apart. Divorce, dead-beat dads, no father in the home, and included in that is militant feminism–the role of the man, the father, being ridiculed and usurped.
In my years of education, by looking at the child I could usually tell what the home was like. Not always, for there are exceptions, but for the most part. An unruly child usually meant there was trouble of some sort in the home. Father image? Ha, runaway dads, and sometimes even when they are home, they are not there. Generations of children being raised without the proper role model of the father in the home. They will get it from somewhere–mother, neighbor, entertainers, gang leaders, etc.
The primary purpose of the family unit was to perpetuate the family and the goodness of God. You are to trust God should have been taught in every household, but especially in those of believers. Sadly to say, many of them went the way of the world. Compromise, fun times, not times of instruction and discipline. Anger instead of discipline. Oh, and it is so easy to be complacent rather than fight the fight of faith to instill in the children the morals taught by God’s Word. Add to that manners, courteousness, and honor.
Study what happens to Israel following the reign of Solomon. For the most part it is a disaster. The nation torn in two, families neglected and torn in two. The Word neglected when it was supposed to be paramount. Now look at the United States. Founded upon biblical principles, the Word taught in schools, yet now there is a mood of revisionism in the schools. Do away with the Word of God, get rid of prayer–and look at what has happened and what is happening.
The purpose of reunions, of reminiscing is not only to remember, but to pass on the knowledge of the Lord. Trusting in Him is learned in the home. Lack of hope looms in our society–look at verse 7, look at the charge, the challenge: “That they [the next generation] may set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep His commandments.”
“Come, and let us sweetly join, Christ to praise in hymns divine;
Give we all, with one accord, glory to our common Lord:
Hands, and hearts, and voices raise; sing as in the ancient days;
Antedate the joys above, celebrate the feast of love.”
–Charles Wesley
——————————-
“Everyone who experiences God’s grace has an obligation to pass on what he knows.”
–Eugene Peterson
I have been to many funerals–called celebrations today–and one of the major topics of discussion are the things that are remembered not only about the person, but about each other’s life. Remember when so and so did this? Remember that time when we… The same is true at birthday parties, weddings, and anniversaries. It is not only a time of gaiety, but also one of remembering past times. Have you ever been to a reunion? What is the purpose? To see how you’re doing now, of course, but mainly to remember the days of yore. The time before the wrinkles and the aches and pains that life has brought. Today, we look at the first part of Psalm 78, Asaph wants to teach a lesson from the past.
1 — Give ear, O my people, to my law; incline your ears to the words of my mouth.
2 — I will open my mouth in a parable; I will utter dark sayings of old,
3 — Which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us.
4 — We will not hide them from their children, telling to the generation to come the praises of the LORD, and His strength and His wonderful works that He has done.
5 — For He established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which He commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children;
6 — That the generation to come might know them, the children who would be born, that they may arise and declare them to their children.
7 — That they may set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep His commandments;
8 — And may not be like their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation that did not set its heart aright, and whose spirit was not faithful to God. (NKJV)
Why is our country bent on destruction, on doing evil? What has happened? There are many reasons that we could point to, but I will mention a couple. The pulpit quit preaching the entire Word of God focusing on pet verses, verses that tickled the ear of the listener. Second, the home fell apart. Divorce, dead-beat dads, no father in the home, and included in that is militant feminism–the role of the man, the father, being ridiculed and usurped.
In my years of education, by looking at the child I could usually tell what the home was like. Not always, for there are exceptions, but for the most part. An unruly child usually meant there was trouble of some sort in the home. Father image? Ha, runaway dads, and sometimes even when they are home, they are not there. Generations of children being raised without the proper role model of the father in the home. They will get it from somewhere–mother, neighbor, entertainers, gang leaders, etc.
The primary purpose of the family unit was to perpetuate the family and the goodness of God. You are to trust God should have been taught in every household, but especially in those of believers. Sadly to say, many of them went the way of the world. Compromise, fun times, not times of instruction and discipline. Anger instead of discipline. Oh, and it is so easy to be complacent rather than fight the fight of faith to instill in the children the morals taught by God’s Word. Add to that manners, courteousness, and honor.
Study what happens to Israel following the reign of Solomon. For the most part it is a disaster. The nation torn in two, families neglected and torn in two. The Word neglected when it was supposed to be paramount. Now look at the United States. Founded upon biblical principles, the Word taught in schools, yet now there is a mood of revisionism in the schools. Do away with the Word of God, get rid of prayer–and look at what has happened and what is happening.
The purpose of reunions, of reminiscing is not only to remember, but to pass on the knowledge of the Lord. Trusting in Him is learned in the home. Lack of hope looms in our society–look at verse 7, look at the charge, the challenge: “That they [the next generation] may set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep His commandments.”
“Come, and let us sweetly join, Christ to praise in hymns divine;
Give we all, with one accord, glory to our common Lord:
Hands, and hearts, and voices raise; sing as in the ancient days;
Antedate the joys above, celebrate the feast of love.”
–Charles Wesley