children – Page 3 – The Arrow Preacher

Pass On What You Have Learned

When we start in our faith we are but babies. As we grow in our faith we grow stronger in both our connection with God and our understanding of that faith, we mature in it. It is important that as we grow in our faith that we learn to pass on what we have learned. In order for us to live up to the commandment we have been given we must realize the importance of passing on the word of God to the next generation. Joel 1:3 “3 Tell ye your children of it, and let your children tell their children, and their children another generation.” This sentiment is shared again in Psalms 34:11 “Come, you children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the LORD.”

Although I’m not a father I can understand the opinion that a father wants his son to have a better life then his own. Proverbs 3:1 “My son, do not forget my teaching, But let your heart keep my commandments;” If we are to leave behind a legacy the most important legacy we can leave is the continued teachings of Christ. Proverbs 22:6 “Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.” Fathers must be roll models. We were made to lead the household. We were made to be strong and courageous. We may not always know the right path to take, and we may not always get it right everyday, but praying everyday to God for the strength, wisdom and courage to be the best dad you can be is so essential.

Today there are too many kids who don’t have a father. Today there are to many sperm donors that abandon their kids and walk away from their responsibilities. What is it that makes a boy lay with a woman and walk away when there is a child involved? So many males in our society today think of themselves as men, they have how many kids, with how many women, that doesn’t make you a man, it makes you a boy with no regard for morals or responsibilities. It truly makes me sick how many close friends I have who are single mothers, trying to play the roll of mother and father, work full time and still barely making ends meet. It isn’t fair or right for a family to live like that. Sadly it’s becoming just the way it is. More to it though, how many people live such a morally gray life? How many people who are raised Christian turn their backs on it, or how many live a life of hypocrisy? We are all hypocrites and we are all sinners, but to what extent? Do we hurt people on purpose? Do we lie to the ones we love to their face? Do we treat the people we love with distain and loathing? What is the driving force to have affairs, to cheat on the ones we claim to love? Why can we not be happy with what we have? Why can we not separate like adults, and why do we have to tear someone down to the very bottom before we are satisfied with leaving well enough alone? Where does our hatred, our rampant antipathy come from? We decide to destroy the very foundation a life was built upon for what cause? The simple answer is sin, and most often a form of unhappiness from within. We often push outward what we are feeling within and we don’t always know how to focus that energy so it usually comes out as anger, hatred, words and actions towards the person we are usually closest too. Sadly that’s part of why so many marriages, so many relationships end today. We just don’t know how to handle. It’s easier to quit and run away then it is to face yourself in the mirror. It’s easier to turn your loved one into the bad guy so you can look at yourself and feel okay with your decisions. The sad part is, while you are making yourself feel better, we don’t care about the pain we inflict on someone else. We don’t care about how much our anger and hatred is destroying their world. The old saying is true, “fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate, hate leads to the dark side.” (Yoda)

To love is hard; to love unconditionally is near impossible for so many. When you’re heart isn’t with the Lord, to love as Christ loves, to give as Christ gave, to sacrifice as Christ did, is beyond what most are comfortable doing, because that means putting your faith in something bigger then yourself. It means giving up that piece of yourself that must be in control, that must be held on to in order to protect yourself from harm. The truth is though if we are truly with someone, and trust them, and we give ourselves to someone to love them and want to make them happy with everything we are, if both people in a relationship would spend all their energy being their for the other person everyone’s needs would be met. This isn’t an easy thing to do, and it’s not without practice, but it can be done. How strong are you? How willing are you to merge to vials of sand together to become one inseparable bowl of sand? If nothing else is passed on in life, what does it mean to love, the greatest commission of all.

Love above all else, love your God, love your, neighbors, pass on Love.

Change of Plans

People keep asking me what my plans for the future are. Now that everything in my life has fallen to pieces, the time has come to come up with a new plan. What do we do though when life doesn’t go according to our own ideas? The case can be made that since we are just pieces on the board we cannot see the whole board. The day may come when the strength of this man may fail, but I will not allow failure for as long as I draw breath, or at least that’s my plan.

God however has a different perspective. Proverbs 16:9 “The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.” We take our life one step at a time, one small journey or adventure at a time. I often feel as if I am wondering in the woods alone and lost. As time ticks away I have to remind myself that I am not in control, and I must ask for guidance, ask for help, seek wise counsel. The fear that comes knowing we are not to be in command of our own destiny, but the Lord above has all the power.

Lately that worry and concern seems to have consumed my everyday waking thought. I have been left with the difficult task to force myself to trust in God. The constant undertaking to believe in the plan that I myself cannot see, is hard to say the least. The end may come, but we will never be alone. Lost we may feel, but truly we are not.

Someone asked me once how God could allow so much bad to happen in this world. Why children who’ve not yet grown should die early in life. The impact of one life can change the course of a life beyond our understanding, beyond our wildest dreams. One stone may not change the course of the river, but that same stone on a narrow wooded path can change ones footing, and that could change a great deal in that regard.

My goals in life where to get married and have kids to carry on my family name and blood, but as I am now older each major step in that direction has failed, I sadly question the why. I have lost two great loves in my life, and now as the change affects me more and more every day, I wonder what is the next step for me. As this blog has been a major outlet for me, and an outreach to others, I pray that I can continue to reach others in Christ’s name. We are but pieces on the board, but what piece are we? Look at some of the greatest most influential people in history, I am sure growing up they had no idea how important they would be in history.

We cannot judge our own importance because we ourselves are too close to fully understand our worth. The plans we have for ourselves are always going to change, they are always going to adapt, and sometimes we just need to let go of the reins and let God handle the details. The amount of faith it takes to uproot and move across the country, across the world, is great. Sometimes it’s necessary to do so without a plan, without a long-term objective, but that’s what faith is sometimes. A blind leap and pray that God will catch you before you hit the bottom. Proverbs 19:21 “Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand.” The final word I give to you is that of Philippians 4:6-7 “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”