Word Wednesday:Honesty

2 Corinthians 8:21Providing for honest things, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men.

Honest:

1 a : free from fraud or deception : legitimate, truthful <an honest plea> b : genuine, real  c : humble, plain <good honest food>
2 a : reputable, respectable <honest decent people> b chiefly British : good, worthy
3  creditable, praiseworthy

" You PROMISE? " are two words I often hear from three young and impressionable little men.  Can I be taken at my word?  Is what I say good enough?  As a Christian and a Father my word had better be good enough.  What we say matters and the impression our words leave on those within our family and without can last a lifetime.

Do we deceive others  and ourselves with our hypocrisy?  Integrity, honor, honesty, and character are all facets of who and what we are as Christians. 

1. Are we honest with our spouse?
2. Are we honest with our children?
3. Are we honest in business?
4. Are we honest with ourselves?

These are some questions that we must ask ourselves as we travel this road of life.  My boys know that if Daddy promises something it is all but assured.  We are not perfect and circumstances do change, but do others say of us, " He is as good as his word?  " When those outside the family of God see us they should ( if they are honest ) be able to give a good report of our lives.  God hates lying tongues and those who practice such will have their part in the Lake of Fire so I believe honesty is an imperative in our lives.

As I write this I am convicted and broken before the Lord.  I have not always been honest in all my dealings and often I have " went along to get along. "  We are required to be honest with both the Lord and with men and that includes ourselves and our families.  We are to dwell on things that are honest and pure and by doing so we are fulfilling the will of God.

Philippians 4:8Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

Father, I thank you that you are True and Faithful.  Forgive me not always being honest, genuine, and reputable.  Lord, when others look upon me I desire that they see you living through me and I pray that my life will be honoring to you.  Amen

Word Wednesday: Accessibility

Hebrews 4:15-16

¹⁵ For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tested in every way as we are, yet without sin. ¹⁶ Therefore let us approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us at the proper time. 

After working in ninety five degree heat all day with a heat index nearing one hundred the last thing this body wanted to do is be accessible.  It wants to take a break, grab some ice tea, plop in the chair, and soak up some AC for a couple hours before bedtime.  That is not what happens though in the Stapleton Household.

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Reflections of Father's Day



Ephesians 6

 ¹Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right.

 ²Honour thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise;

 ³That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth.

This past Sunday we celebrated Father's Day here in the States which is an annual celebration honoring Fatherhood.  We had a good day in the Stapleton household as we corporately worshipped the Lord at our local Church and later in the day we had time to spend with friends eating and laughing.  I got to speak with my own Dad and wished him a happy Father's day as well. 

Once upon a time that would never have happened as we were both unrepentant sinners and I felt that he was not deserving of much honor.  He was in no way evil ( by earthly standards ) but he did not measure up to what I thought a father should be.  We have both came to know the Lord and I now have moved past any hard feelings and sinful attitudes I had. 

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Word Wednesday:Disappointment

Luke 24:13

And, behold, two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem about threescore furlongs

I wanted a bow and arrow for Christmas and my little heart was set on it as I was nearing the age of ten.  To watch my Grandpa and Dad practice out back was to inspire awe and wonder in the mind of this boy.  To be like them and cast arrows at indescribable speeds at a far away targets was my goal for this year and to do this I needed my own archery equipment.

Now my mind was much bigger than any budget my parents could work with so on Christmas, awakening with anticipation, my hopes were crushed when I found what I considered a rinky-dink bow and arrow under the tree.  It was not at all like Dad's or Grandpa's and my childlike aspirations were crushed.

Looking back I now know that what I wanted was not what was necessarily best for me and here is why:

1. I was physically unable to use a bow of the same size and capabilities of the adults.  I could neither hold it upright nor draw it back.  What I wanted would have been useless to me.
2. I need to learn and grow in increments.  We learn to walk by rolling, crawling, and falling.  No one learns Calculus without first learning 1+1=2.
3. There are limits on what others can provide for us.  People will let us down when we do not fully understand their situation also.  This does not excuse any wrongdoing on either ours or their part, but there very well may be good and valid reasons as to what has occurred.

Many if not all the disciples who had been following Jesus were disappointed at how His ministry apparently ended.  The Messiah of Israel was not supposed to die a gruesome death at the hands of the Gentiles and Jewish leaders.  Most of them were looking for an earthly Kingdom to be restored to Israel without having truly understood the plan and purpose of God ( it is hard to blame them on many parts ).  God was going to do a new thing in that the substitutionary death of Jesus had opened the way for both Jew and Gentile to be partakers of the family of God.  His plans were much larger and grander than what they had wanted.

Parents, children, and all others we will both disappoint and be disappointed in this life.  We will most certainly fail others but we can be assured that God will never fail us as He rules and reigns and will be faithful until the end.

²⁵Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken:
 ²⁶Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory?
 ²⁷And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.  ³⁰And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them.
 ³¹And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight.

There is always more to the Story when we are dining with the Master.

Father, I pray that you will help us to deal with life's disappointments in a Godly and edifying manner.  That our lives will be marked by a faithfulness in You that transcends our circumstances and will be a testimony to others of your Faithfulness.  Amen

Word Wednesday:We Are Not Perfect

2 Samuel 14:24
And the king said, Let him turn to his own house, and let him not see my face. So Absalom returned to his own house, and saw not the king's face.

As I have read that story in the past I often focused on the drama, violence, and betrayal playing out in the King's household like a bad B-movie.  I mean there was intrigue, deceit, and murder among the King's sons with enough adventure to keep an adrenaline junkie hooked.  

I am now older and as a father with three young boys I see the story from a vastly different perspective.  All the same elements are still there but now other things have drawn my attention as the Lord reveals new aspects of the Scripture to me.  

Dads, we are not perfect and we never will be this side of Eternity but I honestly wonder how David, a man after God's own heart, could let such things happen in his house.  The rape of his daughter, the lack of justice to the rapist, the murder of the perpetrator ( his son ), the rebellion and deception of Absalom, and finally the death of Absalom.  It really is almost to much to comprehend.  

How could a father become so disconnected from his family that would allow that to happen?  How could Absalom return to Jerusalem and David not see him for years?  How could a son become so resentful and rebellious that he would want to murder his dad and steal his kingdom?

I want my relationship with my kids to be so involved and God-centered that things like that will not happen in my family.  That my sons will grow up respecting me and their mother, that a love of God will be instilled in them that will last a lifetime, and that they will love and protect each other.  I pray that the time we spend together will nurture and grow them into young men full of integrity, honor, and that God will save them unto Himself.  

One thing Dads that I want to reiterate; we are not perfect.  We will mess up, we will drive our kids crazy, and they will think that we are insane, but we must never lose the ability to say, " I am sorry " and " I was wrong."  We must acknowledge our failings and be real before our kids, our wives, and our God. 

Lord, help me today to be honest with my family.  Help me to be a man of integrity and allow my children to follow me even as I follow you. Amen

 

Word Wednesday: Fathers and Priests

1 Peter 2:9
But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye  should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light

As believers we are all called to be priests and show forth the praises of the one who has saved us but I want to speak specifically to Fathers today and the awesome responsibility we have in the home.  The Old Testament priests were the mediators between God and man and as such they were responsible for revealing God to the people and interceding on behalf of the people to God.  As Christian Fathers we are to take on the same responsibilities in the home

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Word Wednesday:Loving Your Wife

Ephesians 5:25  Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her

That is a strong statement coming down to us today from the Holy Spirit through the Apostle Paul and it is just as timely today as it was then.  What manner of love is this and from where does it come?  What does it look like and how should we as Christians express this love on a day to day basis?
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Scrubbing the Surface

As I was pondering the mysteries of life this week ( not!! ) I felt it would be prudent to interrupt my regularly scheduled post for something that has been weighing on me.  It really is a simple matter but with consequences for everyone involved.  I do not know how I have lived this long without dealing with this issue more thoroughly.  How clean is my house?  I mean really.  When was the last time the furniture was moved, the baseboards scrubbed, the ceiling fan spotless ( don't ask ), and all the beds made?

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