Good morning to all the faithful that read these each week. It is thanks to you that I am of some use to God, while I sit in this house at this computer and in front of the TV all day everyday. I pray that God speaks to you in a mighty way and that you receive His message though these each week. Please feel free to comment anytime.
Today I want to discuss the topic of the “Dropped Ball”. You have heard someone at some point say, “I dropped the ball”, “I took my hand off the wheel”, “my head wasn’t in the game” and so on. Well today I want you to think of these phrases in terms of our children, families and responsibilities to God. Would you say that “you are 100% in line” with what God expects of you as a father, mother, husband, wife or servant? Let’s look at a few scriptures.
Deuteronomy 11:18-20 says, “18 “Therefore you shall lay up these words of mine in your heart and in your soul, and bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. 19 You shall teach them to your children, speaking of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. 20 And you shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates,” Ephesians 6:4 says, “ And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord.” Ephesians 5:33 says, “ Nevertheless let each one of you in particular so love his own wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.” 1 Timothy 5:8 says, “But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.” Ephesians 2:19 says, Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God,“ Galatians 6:9-10 says, “9 And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. 10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.” Matthew 7:16-21 says, “16 You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? 17 Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Therefore by their fruits you will know them. 21 "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.”
WOW. I know it is a lot of scripture, but you would rather know what God’s word says, than man’s. God’s word is telling us that we are to be Godly fathers, with integrity, standing up for right, even if we have to stand alone. Even if we risk ridicule. We are to be fathers, leaders legacy leavers and if we can be that and friends to them, so be it, but friends should come last.
God has charged us with a responsibility that must come first.
We must be loyal and faithful husbands. God says we are to love our wives, as we love ourselves. Most men don’t go around beating on themselves and cussing themselves out. Why do we do that to the gift God has given us in a wife? If you are at a loss on how to love your wife in a Godly way, I challenge you to check out the “Love Dare” at Lifeway Christian Bookstore. It will help you take your marriage to levels you have never known.
Finally, God made us to have fellowship with Him and to serve Him. If we are not doing that, there is no profit in us living from God’s perspective. You may say, “that sounds cold”. The truth sometimes is cold and sobering. The fact is God created each of us for a purpose and if we choose to not do God’s will and just live to please self, then what good are we to God? The Bible tells us that we are to bear fruit, good fruit, and if we don’t we will be “cut down”. This is not talking about children and is the night and day of reality
Life is and can be great, if you are living for and striving to serve God each and every moment of the day. If you do this, then you will learn to be better at all the above task as well as every other area of your life.
Remember: A “Dropped Ball” has no direction, but a controlled ball, always lands safely.
Until next time, please pray for each other, and me, as I continue to pray for each of you. Love in CHRIST,
Brian Hanvey
Associate Pastor
Bethel Baptist Church
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