What are the Characteristics of This New Generation of Fighting Men?

Posted by rfathers on December 15, 2009

Today’s new generation of fighting men will distinguish itself by its devotion and commitment to Our Lord Jesus Christ. In this, they will be unlike the old generation of fighting men who suffered from a slave mentality when they were in the desert with Moses.

Let us clearly define the old generation of fighting men that God would not let go into the Promised Land before we discuss the new generation of fighting men that we need today.

That old generation of fighting men had its origin in the post-Joseph era in Egypt when Pharaoh sought to enslave the Israelites (Exodus 2:6-22). The Bible does not record any specific activities of the men or any organized resistance to Egypt’s enslavement effort. It is significant that the resistance of the Israelite women (midwives who feared God) is well-documented as they refused the command of Pharaoh to kill all newborn baby boys (v. 15-22). Were the men as steadfast as the women?

Perhaps they had become complacent during the privileged and protected years under Joseph and afterwards. That complacency gave way to bitterness (Exodus 2: 14) which continued up into Israel’s time in the desert possibly leading to their own destruction (Number 1439 NIV).

Nonetheless, in the post-Joseph era the old generation of fighting men does not appear to have been doing much fighting – or at least not victoriously. By the time that Moses was prepared to lead them to take the Promised Land they had clearly lost the will to fight in spite of assurances that God would deliver the land into their hands. Instead, they wanted to return to Egypt where they had been slaves (Numbers 14:1-4).

This is why God did not let them go into the Promised Land. God said they had to die in the desert and that their children would take their place in the Promised Land (Numbers 14:29-32).

Today a new generation of fighting men is needed to address the current challenges that our families and nations face. Today men need to change – not be eliminated. This is a transformational process. Every man needs to eliminate from within himself any lingering characteristic or attributes that doomed the old generation of fighting men that was lost in the desert.

To this end we have constructed seven points that describes the characteristics of a new generation of fighting men to help ourselves prepare for the challenges at hand.

In the next post we will discuss the first of those seven points, the things we want to leave behind as explained by Moses in Deuteronomy 1:26-46.

Why is God Calling for a New Generation of Fighting Men for today?

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.

God’s Call for a 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:

1. What is a generation of fighting men?
2. Why is God calling for a new generation of fighting men for today?
3. 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?

Do You Have A Marriage Plan?

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:

1. Why are you getting married?
2. What is your family motto?
3. What is your relationship to God?
   1. How are you to be spiritually strengthened?
   2. Will you have family devotions, prayer, Bible Study? When and how often?
4. What is your family plan?
   1. How many children do you plan to have?
   2. When do you plan to start and stop having children?
5. What is is your financial plan?
   1. Are you going to tithe?
   2. What are each of your career goals?
   3. Who is going to work?
   4. How much income will it take to support your planned lifestyle?
6. What is your education plan?
   1. What are each of your educational goals?
   2. What are the time frames?
7. What is your housing plan?
   1. Where do you plan to live?
   2. What type of dwelling do you want to live in at various stages in your life?
   3. Do you plan to own? If yes, are you saving for a down payment?
8. What is your family Ministry Plan?
   1. Will you work in your church?
   2. Will you serve the Lord in other forms?
9. How will you divide the family and household responsibilities?
   1. Who is responsible for cleaning which rooms in the house, doing dishes, taking out the garbage etc.?
   2. When children come – who does what?
   3. Who cooks?
10. What are some of your personal operating guidelines?
    1. How do you settle arguments?
    2. Do you let the sun go down on your anger?
    3. What do you do if you cannot agree?
    4. Do you know how to compromise?
11. What does the Bible say about the relationship between the husband and the wife?
    1. How can the husband best love his wife?
    2. How can the wife best respect her husband?
12. 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

7 Ways Excessive Debt Can Cripple Your Family Life

Posted by rfathers on November 23, 2009

In both the Old and New Testaments the Word of God makes it clear that a Godly man pays his debts. Thus, debt is a tool that can be used to help finance purchases or investments that one cannot afford out of his own cash reserves. However, as a tool or vehicle, debt should not be abused. Thus, God’s Word also makes it clear that we should not have excessive debt.

You have excessive debt when: (a) your debt is above and beyond your ability to pay it back in a timely and/or agreed upon fashion, or (b) payments take up too large of a percentage of your income which impairs your ability to pay for essentials.

In recent years when the housing market was booming many people financed homes that they could not afford. Thus, homes were lost and credit ratings were ruined when the bubble burst. Un-wise consumers do the same with buying cars, and running up credit cards bills and in maintaining lifestyles beyond their income levels.
God’s Word tells us:

Keep out of debt and owe no man anything, except to love one another … - Romans 13:8 AMP

How Excessive Debt Can Cripple Your Family Life

1. Excessive Debt can rob you of your joy. Not being able to pay your bills can be stressful when trying to make ends meet. The stress robs you of your joy when you cannot handle your payments. When you lose your joy, you play with your children less and you are less patient with your wife. Excessive debt can also hamper your ability to do fun things. Recreation is an important part of life and if you do not have “extra” money, you cannot afford to do those fun things you once took for granted. Going out for dinner or a movie can become a thing of the past. It is no fun watching others enjoy themselves when you are not able to enjoy yourself because of your poor financial judgment.
2. Excessive Debt can limit your ability to provide for the essentials. Struggling for money to buy groceries and other household necessities (or even having to make choices between what you need and what you can afford) can result from not having enough money to live off of and service your debt payments. This means everyone has to do with less because of being saddle with excessive debt.
3. Excessive Debt can eliminate the possibility of owning or maintaining a house. As mentioned earlier, many people in the U.S. lost their homes because of un-wise buying decisions and their inability to maintain an excessive mortgage payment. Others have not been able to ever buy a home because of poor financial management, poor credit rating, and excessive debt burdens. It is so much better to be able to play with your children in the “play room” or backyard than it is to not have either.
4. Excessive Debt can make it impossible to have new clothes and toys. Too often people have used credit to finance their wardrobe and thus have excessive credit card balances and can only pay the minimum payments. When they max-out or lose those cards then their ability to purchase new clothes for themselves and their children – and toys, piano and dance lessons, etc. – is seriously impaired. Shopping for “things” can become an addiction – be careful, or you too could be trapped into this buying with credit obsession.
5. Excessive Debt means lost opportunities. When you owe too much money, you will often have to pass on an attractive opportunity for an investment or purchase when it comes along. That means you cannot buy into a business or purchase a home or car at the right price because too much of your money is going toward servicing debt rather than building up saving and equity. Thus, you are not prepared when opportunity knocks. Additionally, with excessive debt also comes the necessity to work extra hours or an extra job to help pay the bills – which means less time for your family.
6. Excessive Debt can hostage your future. Debt accumulates interest faster and at deeper rates than most investments and savings. Nonetheless, it is more fun to watch your assets grow than to watch your debt burden grow. Your future is at risk if you practice poor financial principles or are in poor financial health. You will spend too heavy a percentage of your future income on debt payments and accumulated interest. Thus, you will be able to spend less on your children’s future (including college, weddings, birthday gifts, etc.) because you have to pay for your past.
7. Excessive Debt can prevent you from serving God. Instead of being free to serve God and give or yourself, you might have to spend too much time chasing money to pay your bills. We should see excessive debt as a tool of the enemy. The devil wants us in debt so we will be crippled in our families and in our ministries. Don’t fall prey to the schemes of the devil, practice sound and Godly financial principles.

This short entry on crippling excessive debt is by no means a complete analysis on the subject. However, it is meant to give some food for thought.

We will write more on this subject in the future.

Print a copy of this article: Excessive Debt

What are some other ways the Excessive Debt can potentially cripple family life? Tells us by commenting on this post.

Have questions or disagree – if you do – let us know by commenting on this post.

Too Sexy For Church

Posted by rfathers on August 31, 2009

Yesterday, Sunday, I had an occasion to think about what is to sexy for church. Today, Monday, I ran across a women’s blog that was discussing that same subject. Christianity Today’s Kyria.com.

In the blog they were discussing how women should dress in church and some of the personal experiences of the writers in their attempt to dress appropriately.  Here’s the comment I made on that blog:

I would like to offer a man’s perspective on your second question, “In what ways does clothing distract you from focusing on God?”  I am sure my point of view is not the only male perspective, but nonetheless here it is.  Since I got saved about 15 years ago, I have sought to sit as close to the front of the church as possible to help me to focus on God and to not get distracted by women in the church.  It is not that I attend church where women are scantily dressed.  It is quite the contrary.  Most women dress conservatively.  However, no manner of dress can stop a man’s mind from wandering (See Stephen Arterburn’s book, Every Man’s Battle).  Only the man’s focus on God can do that.  My conclusion is this: because of the presentation of women’s bodies in the “world” especially in the media and advertising, men have to really stay focused on God (and their purpose in life) to avoid temptation.  Sometimes it is not easy to stay focused on God when a half-naked woman appears in front of you in living color.  I’ll tell you that it is enough to face that battle outside of church.  I don’t want to face that battle inside of church.  So therefore, my suggestion to women (from a man who wants to stay focused on God) is to use the Apostle’s Paul encouragement to “… to adorn themselves with proper clothing, modestly and discreetly…” (1 Timothy 2:8-10, NASB)

What do you think on this issue? Can you be distracted from your focus on God in church? Please leave your comment below.

By the way, Christianity Today has a free newsletter and a host of articles in their Marriage Partnership website. Check it out. They have a lot of valuable resources.

For men who need help staying on the straight and narrow path of focusing on God and not be distracted by the presentation of “worldly women” here are a few other resources. I have found the Every Man’s Battle book series to be very helpful and informative. Every Christian man should arm himself with a least one of these weapons.

Get a FREE Copy of “Fun Meals for Fathers and Sons”

Posted by rfathers on August 28, 2009

Help yourself to a free copy of the book that my two sons and I wrote some years ago, Fun Meals for Fathers and Sons: Recipes and Activities for Bonding and Mentoring. 

You will enjoy the two sections of the book: recipes and activities.  Everything is centered around a meal and creates the opportunity for fathers to bond with and to mentor their children.

To get a free copy of this e-book just sign-up right here:

Introduction

Article: The Importance of Bonding and Mentoring

Cooking and Eating Utensils

Fun Meals Recipes

Breakfast Recipes
RailRoad Eggs
Eggs and Cheese on Toast
Grilled Cornbread Muffins and Syrup
Waffles and Bacon Sandwich
Chicken and Waffles
Bacon, Tator Tots and Ketchup
French Toast

Lunch Recipes
Daddy Dogs
Chili Cheese Dogs
Egg Salad and Cheez-Its
Tuna and Crackers
Hot Dogs, Crackers and Cheese
Leftover Turkey and Crackers
Netfa?s Platter
Pretzels and Soup
The Hero
Turkey, Lettuce, Cheese and Potato Chip Sandwich
The Twists

Dinner Recipes
Mess ?em Up Jax
Fried Chicken Sandwich
Asiedu?s Finger Foods
Buffalo Wings
Lumpy Burgers
Chicken Wings
Uncle Siasa?s Grilled Chicken Sandwich – with Pickles
Mexican Tacos
HomeMake Pizza
Pizza Dogs

Outdoor Dishes
Grilled Hamburgers
Yellow Chicken
Roasted Marshmallows
Hanger HotDogs

Drinks
AGC Fizz
OJ and 7-Up
HomeMade Lemonade
Fruit Punch and Lemonade
Grape Juice and Orange Juice
Chocolate Explosion

Bread and Potatoes
Garlic and Cheese Bread
Cheese Toast
Bacon and Cheese Bread
Tator Tots
Silver Dollar French Fries
Boiled Potatoes Creations

Salads
Fruit Salad
Busy Salad

Desserts and Snacks
Kid Pops
Popcorn and Orange Juice
Cookies and Ice Cream
RootBeer Float
Strawberry ShortCake
Brownies and Whipped Cream

Fun Meals Activities
Row, Row, Row Your Boat
Picnic at Work
Deck Sandwich
Back Yard Dinner
Midnight Snack
Rubber Target
Fast Food
Slow Food
PanCakes
I Scream, You Scream
Pizza, Pizza
Bike Ride
Tour Boat Lunch
Have Lunch, Will Travel
Park It Here
Mountain High
Take a Hike
Tent City
Fish Sandwich
At the Mall
No Talking in the Library
Sky King
Live Chicken Dinner
Breakfast at the Beach
Let?s Go to the Movie

To get a free copy of this e-book just sign-up right here:

Get a copy of the paperback version of
Fun Meals for Fathers and Sons for only $2.95. 

Flywheel – Great Movie

Posted by rfathers on July 13, 2009

Right before Father’s Day this year I attended a special men’s meeting at my church where the movie FLYWHEEL was shown.  I was awe struck by this penetrating story of God working in the life of the main character, Jay Austin.  I immediately brought copies of the movie to show to our Joseph the Carpenter Focus Group and to give as gifts.

FLYWHEEL is a great movie and I highly recommend it for everyone.  It’s a man’s movie – but it is also a family movie – and it is a woman’s movie.  It has comedy, romance, drama, suspense, cars, and much more for the whole family.  It is a clean movie, one that adults AND children can watch.

Since my wife and I don’t generally go to the movie theatre – we rent movies and watch them in the comfort of our home on our own TV – with our own popcorn, bathroom and remote control – this movie is great for our family entertainment.

See the trailer for this movie below.

I absolutely guarantee that you will be grateful to the movie makers for having made this movie.  If you have not seen it – go get a copy now!

FLYWHEEL is the first movie produced by Sherwood Pictures, the movie-making ministry of a Georgia church. FLYWHEEL was written by the Kendrick brothers, Stephen and Alex.  “We decided as a church to step out on faith and produce a full-length feature film,” says Alex Kendrick, who also portrays the main character in the movie.

The Director’s Cut also has added bonus features including an eight-part Bible study…all on just one disc!  This was the first of their three movies by Sherwood Pictures: Flywheel, Facing the Giants and Fireproof.

Flywheel – Movie Trailer

Seeking Psychiatric Help for Children

Posted by rfathers on June 30, 2009

Today I had the occasion to look for help for a friend who had a question about his son’s behavior.  I was again lead to a website that has a wealth of information for parents who are looking for answers.  That website is the American Academy of Child Adolescent Psychiatry, www.aacap.org.

The American Academy of Child Adolescent Psychiatry website has a convenient list of almost 100 questionable behaviors and issues of concern in their Fact for Families section.  They feature explanations about signs to look for, details about normal behavior, suggestions for further reading, some videos, recommended steps to take, and other helpful information for inquiring parents.

I recommend using this resources to help you answer questions about your children and about where and how to find help when the questions arise Facts for Families – Alphabetical Listing.  The website also features a host of other resources, links, papers, books and referrals that are helpful for families and professionals.

President Obama’s Father’s Day Message

Posted by rfathers on June 19, 2009

President Barrack Obama posted a Father’s Day Message on the U.S. Govenment’s National Responsible Fatherhood Clearinghouse (NRFC) website (Fatherhood.gov).  Here is that message as borrowed from Youtube.com.