Posted by rfathers on December 12, 2009
Around 420 B.C. the Prophet Malachi warned in the last two verses of the Old Testament of a curse that would plaque the world should the heart of the fathers not turn to the children (Malachi 4:5-6).
Today we can see clear examples of what that curse could look like:
- Low standards of manhood, thus low standards for husbands and fathers
- Extreme father-absence
- High divorce rates
- Large percentage of children born outside of wedlock
- High rates of teen pregnancy
- High incidence of female headed households
- Ever increasing disrespect for elders and the rule of law
- Extreme sexual pervasiveness and promiscuity in society
- Weakening of the family and the authority of fathers in the family
These are just a few of the signs of such a curse – not only in the United States but also globally. One might argue which of these signs are effects of a curse and which are causes. The bottom line is that it is cyclical, that is, the more each problem persist – the more it helps to create and reinforce the other problems.
Nevertheless, Malachi’s warning (and the subsequent curse) shows the need for a new generation of fighting men equipped and prepared to face a different kind of enemy that impacts our manhood, our homes, our communities, our churches and more.
In the next post we will discuss the characteristics of the new generation of fighting men.
Posted by rfathers on December 8, 2009
God has impressed on me that He is calling for a new generation of fighting men to face the current challenges of the twentieth-first century.
This statement raises several obvious questions such as:
- What is a generation of fighting men?
- Why is God calling for a new generation of fighting men for today?
- What are the characteristics of this new generation of fighting men?
What is a generation of fighting men?
Fourteen months after Israel’s Exodus from the confines of slavery in Egypt, a census showed that there were 603,550 men who were 20 years old or more and could serve in Israel’s army (Number 1:44-46). Twelve of these men were chosen (one of the leading men from each of the 12 tribes) to explore the land of milk and honey that God had promised to Israel. Upon their return after 40 days of spying the land, 10 of the men gave an evil report that characterized the inhabitants as unconquerable giants. Although the land was plentiful and inviting, the 10 spies spread fear that caused most of Israel to long for a return to Egypt.
Only Joshua and Caleb believed in God’s power to deliver the land into Israel’s hands. The whole assembly of Israel wanted to stone Joshua and Caleb. God intervened and threatened to immediately destroy all of the men of Israel. This was the generation of fighting men that God said could not enter the Promised Land and had to die in the dessert (Number 14:29-30). It was not until the last of these men was gone that God told Moses to prepare the people to enter the land of milk and honey.
Thirty-eight years passed from the time we left Kadesh Barnea until we crossed the Zered Valley. By then, that entire generation of fighting men had perished from the camp, as the LORD had sworn to them. The LORD’s hand was against them until he had completely eliminated them from the camp.
Now when the last of these fighting men among the people had died, the LORD said to me, “Today you are to pass by the region of Moab at Ar.
Deuteronomy 2:14-18 NIV
In the next post we will discuss why God is calling for a new generation of fighting men for today.
Please comment on today’s post below. Do you agree with this call?
Posted by rfathers on November 30, 2009
Today Wedding Planning has become big business from flowers, wedding dresses, tuxedos, limos, DJs, bands, catering, wedding favors, venues, honeymoons, etc. etc. Almost everyone loves a good wedding. They are fun and exciting to attend. They make you cry and they make you laugh.
The sad part about weddings is not the event itself – but the aftermath. Aside from the thousands of dollars of debt that many couples accumulate for their special day, there are often pitfalls.
One of the biggest pitfalls is to spending too much time planning the wedding but very little time planning the marriage. Perhaps that is one of the reasons why half of first-time marriages end in divorce. That’s right marriages need more planning that weddings. The wedding is just one day, but the marriage is supposed to be a lifetime commitment.
Too often happy couples are not prepared for the challenges of marriage and when faced with the reality of a life-time commitment, they are un-prepared to go the distance.
If couples would take the time to plan their marriages then they would have a better opportunity to know the person they intend to marry. They would be forced to work out some issues about their like and dislikes, they goals and aspirations and their personal visions for career, children, economics and more. But more to the point, they would discuss with each other what they really want out of life and what they are willing to put into it.
When couples take the time to plan their marriages they have the opportunity to establish joint goals and work out operating principles for their marriage.
Even for couples that have been married for many years, if you do not already have a marriage plan, it is not too late to create one.
Here are some basic components of the Marriage Plan that my wife Daisy and I created before we got married. Did you have a Marriage Plan? Let us know what you think about our blueprint by commenting below.
BluePrint for a Marriage Plan and Family Mission Statement:
- Why are you getting married?
- What is your family motto?
- What is your relationship to God?
- How are you to be spiritually strengthened?
- Will you have family devotions, prayer, Bible Study? When and how often?
- What is your family plan?
- How many children do you plan to have?
- When do you plan to start and stop having children?
- What is is your financial plan?
- Are you going to tithe?
- What are each of your career goals?
- Who is going to work?
- How much income will it take to support your planned lifestyle?
- What is your education plan?
- What are each of your educational goals?
- What are the time frames?
- What is your housing plan?
- Where do you plan to live?
- What type of dwelling do you want to live in at various stages in your life?
- Do you plan to own? If yes, are you saving for a down payment?
- What is your family Ministry Plan?
- Will you work in your church?
- Will you serve the Lord in other forms?
- How will you divide the family and household responsibilities?
- Who is responsible for cleaning which rooms in the house, doing dishes, taking out the garbage etc.?
- When children come – who does what?
- Who cooks?
- What are some of your personal operating guidelines?
- How do you settle arguments?
- Do you let the sun go down on your anger?
- What do you do if you cannot agree?
- Do you know how to compromise?
- What does the Bible say about the relationship between the husband and the wife?
- How can the husband best love his wife?
- How can the wife best respect her husband?
- What questions have been left out that are important to each of you?
Please pint a copy of the guidelines for developing a Marriage Plan.
See our other post on How To Develop a Personal Purpose Statement
Posted by rfathers on January 31, 2009
Somehow this website appeared on my computer Joel and Kathy – GodSavedMyMarriage.com. No kidding, I walked away from doing some work on my computer to do the dishes.
After finishing the dishes and talking with my wife, I came back to my computer to find Joel and Kathy’s website on the screen (honestly). (It must have come up when i was rumbling around my desk looking for something. in any event, it was God’s doing.)
Anyway, I looked through their website to see what they are about and wow, what a discovery! A great looking family with a tremendous set of testimonies from readers of their books.
In their own words, this is what Joel and Kathy are about:
“If your marriage has been ravaged by adultery, porn, other marital problems, divorce, emotional abuse, mental abuse or verbal abuse, then allow Joel and Kathy Davisson to help you!
Joel was a Pastor in 1991 when he got into an affair. He then continued to abuse Kathy with spiritual abuse, mental abuse, verbal abuse and emotional abuse. Joel’s infidelity and continuing abuse almost caused a divorce.
In 1994, Joel and Kathy attended a week of training at Life Skills International with Dr. Paul Hegstrom. There they learned that Joel was an abusive husband. Their marriage restoration began immediately.
In 2004, after ten years of living an extraordinarily happy marriage, God led the Davisson’s to write The Man of Her Dreams/The Woman of His!
Now, through this marriage ministry, Joel and Kathy help couples with every type of marriage problems, such as: recovery from porn addiction, adultery, abuse and help for a myriad of other marital problems.
The Man of Her Dreams/The Woman of His Ministry includes marriage training opportunities?and?marriage support.
This marital support includes marriage seminars, their signature Weekend Marriage Intensive, phone marriage counseling and personal marriage mentoring. The Weekend Marriage Intensive is a combination of marriage retreat, divorce prevention and a Marriage Workshop.
The Weekend Marriage Intensive Marriage Retreats conducted by Joel and Kathy have brought about remarriage after divorce, rekindling of romantic love, adultery recovery and recovery from every other kind of unfaithfulness in marriage.
Marriage coaching and couples coaching is available for FREE on Joel and Kathy’s online marriage forum at www.joelandkathy.com/boards/
(Copied from their website: GodSaveMyMarriage.com)
Check out their website then come back and get their books here:
The Man of Her Dreams,
The Woman of His
Vol. #1
(Best-Selling Paperback) |
The Man of Her Dreams,
The Woman of His
Vol. #2
(Livin’ It & Lovin’ It!) |
|
|
|
Reconciled Fathers Network
Akili Kumasi, Founder
