weekly sermon

             8-24-08

Back To The Basics

With all the troubled times we are currently experiencing, we should turn our faces away from the world and reflect back on our roots. I am not talking about the roots of how you may have been raised, but the true roots that were given to us by God through His word.

Today I want to share a complete chapter of scripture that should show us how we are to live and get back to our basics. If we would all study this chapter and live our lives as such, we would see an incredible difference in our small part of this world and eventually spreading to the world around us.

First let us get into the scripture and then we will discuss many facets of this scripture as to how we should really live our lives. I am going to be using a chapter in Ephesians and a couple of verses from Proverbs. I am aware that this message will be a little lengthy but I truly believe that if we could emulate just a small part of this we would be able to turn our own personal worlds around, and possibly the rest of our country.

Turn with me to Ephesians 5:1-33, "Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; (2)And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour. (3)But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints; (4)Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks. (5)For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. (6)Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. (7)Be not ye therefore partakers with them. (8)For ye were sometimes darkness, but now [are ye] light in the Lord: walk as children of light: (9)(For the fruit of the Spirit [is] in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) (10)Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. (11)And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove [them]. (12)For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret. (13)But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light. (14)Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. (15)See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, (16)Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. (17)Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord [is]. (18)And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; (19)Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; (20)Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; (21)Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God. (22)Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. (23)For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. (24)Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so [let] the wives [be] to their own husbands in every thing. (25)Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; (26)That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, (27)That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. (28)So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. (29)For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church: (30)For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. (31)For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. (32)This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church. (33)Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife [see] that she reverence [her] husband.

Also turn with me to Proverbs 22:15, "Foolishness [is] bound in the heart of a child; [but] the rod of correction shall drive it far from him." Proverbs 23:13-14, "Withhold not correction from the child: for [if] thou beatest him with the rod, he shall not die. (14)Thou shalt beat him with the rod, and shalt deliver his soul from hell."

This great country of ours has started listening to a few folks that have beliefs that do not represent most of our beliefs. Many are called "tree huggers", "radicals", or "conservatives". Yes I know that this is a wide spread of folks. How could you be conservative and radical? This is just to show how far to each extreme some of these folks are getting.

The first part of Ephesians tells us how we are to walk in the light and how we are to live for our Saviour. You notice that the first thing it instructs us to do is be followers of God, as dear children. Why as children? Children are fresh simple minded. The mind of a child has not yet been destroyed by the ways of the world. Keep your mind as pure as a child's mind for God. Christ gave Himself for us, as a sacrifice. Would you do the same for Him? Would you do the same for mankind? Is there someone you have had contact with that you would not die for? What I mean, is look back on your life, and look for that person that has upset you so bad that you haven't spoken to them for years. Would you also die for them? Remember that when Christ sacrificed His body to save mankind, He did not pick which mankind. Christ died for ALL. We should love all mankind the same way Christ loved all mankind. It states that if we are unclean, foolish talking (gossiping), committing the sins of the flesh, then we will have no inheritance in the kingdom of God.

Now keep what I have said in mind, going into this next part. We have seen that, first, we should be followers of God, as children, we have seen that there is no room in Heaven for sinful folks, but how is this going to change the world around us? This next part is important because it reflects our immediate family and those lives directly linked to us.

Some of the things I am going to discuss now will upset a few liberals, fascists, and feminists, but that does not bother me. It is the full word of God, given by God to Paul, and penned to man so that mankind would have a guide to live by.

First let us upset some feminists. Wives submit yourselves to your husbands, for the husband is the head of the house, just as Christ is the head of the church. Women, this means the husband is the boss of your family. We have to look at our family lives as a business. We signed a contract of marriage going into business together to make this business work. As in any business, there MUST be a boss, and that is where the husband comes in, for he is the boss. I know some women hate to hear this, but it is the way a true family should be structured. I am NOT saying the woman is supposed to be a slave by any means, but I am saying that there must be a head, and the husband, according to God, is that head.

Next let us upset a few fascists. Husbands love your wives. I am not talking, here, about just saying the words 'I love you' to your wives, but I am talking about a total commitment to your wives. Christ loved the church in such a manner that He gave His life for it. Do you love your wife this unconditionally? Christ would never abuse His authority over the church, and the husband should never abuse his power over his wife. No where does it ever say, husband should demean, reprimand, or belittle his wife. As a matter of fact, it states that the husband should put his wife on such a pedestal that she is without blemish, spot, or wrinkle. The husband should love his wife as he loves his own body. No husband has ever hated his own body and kept nourishing it, so he should love his wife so unconditionally that he loves it as much as he does his own flesh and even more.

Now, just as in every business, we are to have a product. The product of our family business is our children. We go into this business to create a family. The wife has submitted totally to her husband, the husband has exalted his wife to such an esteem that she is without blemish, spot, or wrinkle, and she is something that he is proud to present with him. Now it is time for us to bring the product to our business. Our children are born, and we now want to raise them to walk in the same light of God that we are now walking. Proverbs states that foolishness is born into a child, and the rod (or spanking) will bring the foolishness out of the child. It states that if we spank our children, we will in all reality be saving the child's soul from hell. How many of us would really like our child to have to die and burn in a lake of fire? I would dare say that there is not one parent that would want this for their child. Why is it that the world today thinks that we are not supposed to spank our children. I am definitely not talking about abuse here. I, in no way, encourage child abuse, but a child must be reared up to learn the respect and will of God, just as we have.

We could wind this up by saying, if we would start in our own homes by, walking in the light of God, as children, submitting ourselves to our husbands completely, loving our wives unconditionally, and raising our children by spanking them for doing wrong, and loving them for doing right, then our own homes would amazingly turn to the exact family that God wants us to be. If we take it a step further and display ourselves to others in this same manner, then it could possibly change the world of those around us. If we keep it spreading, then we could take back our country that was based on the Christian principles that we speak of.

I think during the next generation, we need to take back what belongs to us, our families, and our country. The only way to do this is, stop all this political correctness mess, and start living the word of God again, no matter who it upsets. It stated in verse 16 that the days are evil, because these are now evil times with all the politically correct folks trying to save feelings instead of souls. Then in verse 20 that we are to give thanks for all things, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. If we would worry as much about the souls of man as we do the feelings of man, then our country would have a revelation like has never been. Let us give thanks in His name.

Do you live the word of God? Do you know the word of God? Have you been saved through the word of God? If not, I want to give you this opportunity to find your salvation in the word of God just as it states in John 3:16, "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." All you would need to do is say a simple prayer to find this everlasting salvation.

Say this simple prayer with me, Dear Lord, I want you to be the Lord over my life, forgive me of my sins, and give me the gift of everlasting life. Amen.

If you have said this simple prayer, then we believe that you have received salvation. We would love to rejoice with you, so please drop us a note, in our link, to let us know and confess Jesus before man, so that we may send you a few things that we hope will help you in your new Christian walk.
 

With Love in Christ,

Pastor Stone