SPIRITUAL FATHERS

As a family here in Florida, the adults are going through an intense leadership discipleship. It is a pretty deep look into our own hearts and the call God put upon our life. Where it came from, where it is going and how we can realize the full depth of the gifts God has deposited in each of us.

This week in "The Heart Qualifications of Leadership" chapter there is a section on "The Leader and the Heart of a Father". This was a very telling study for me. It was a hard week, emotional, challenging and revealing. i grew up Roman Catholic which i could write a whole blog on some other time. We followed the rituals of the Church and when i was 9 or 10 we no longer went to church. Catholicism did nothing for our family to lead us to repentance, holiness and righteousness. Why do i think that is? Well, i believe that we had no spiritual fathers to nurture, teach, support, encourage, train, discipline and correct in the Word of God, in his precepts and commands. No men with their hearts set first on God and his will for their lives and those in their care.

My dad is 76, an Atheist with notions of some grand adventure when he dies. Please pray for his salvation. He is the earthly father i was born to. Not much spiritual fathering there, actually, there was none. i love my father and it breaks my heart that he will not even give Jesus a chance in his life. i cry out to God for him now because when the Day of the Lord arrives i will be giving God all the glory, whatever choice my dad makes.

My family life was one steeped in alcoholic excess, sexual immorality, impure hearts. My Nonni was the praying grandma. The one with the Godly wisdom. My Mom who is 72 is now being discipled in God's word and doing great. My Sister and Nephew are reading God's word each morning. The rest of my family is lost. My Brother, his live-in married lover, my brothers son and daughter, and his daughters kids....generations. i cry out to God for the lost in all our families.

But, our God is faithful and that is the intent of this blog. The road to Him was long for me, and God used it to burn off the impurities in me and he still is. He is pouring into my heart and molding me daily. i am now in a family of believers where i am learning what God's love really is. i am learning how to be God's loving daughter, Jesus loving wife, a loving sister to my family in the body. Praise God. And for the first time in my life i have a true spiritual father to nurture, promote my development, teach, support, encourage, train, discipline and correct me. For the first time in my life i am learning what God's love really is without the sick perverted skewed filter i grew up with. God in all his perfect wisdom and timing has provided for me a true family of God to grow in Him. One where we are all looking to eternity with God and know how fleeting this life is. One where God is first in our lives, where we cover each other with our love.

The book of Proverbs was written on the concept of the heart of the father-son relationship. Just as relevant for men and women today as when it was written. The Church today is full of orators, educators and instructors who forever rob her of the spiritual blessings only spiritual fathers can bring(1 Corinthians 4:15). More men need to step up and take seriously their role of spiritual father in the body of Christ. Learn what compassion(Matthew 9:35-36), concern(Matthew 9:11-13), willingness(Matthew 8:1-3), humility(Matthew 18:3), warmth(John 12:1-8), forgiveness(John 8:11), brokenness(John 11:33-36), self-sacrifice(John 10:15), and service(John 13:14) look like and check their own heart condition against them.

God's plan is perfect with one head and many members. The Godhead, three in one is perfect. The model he gives us of the man as the head of the spiritual body is perfect. When a man is walking in Christ, he is walking in the fulfillment of Gods plan for us here on earth. We all can serve in many capacities of Gods gifts and callings in our lives, but it does not work right unless you have the spiritual father, the head, to lead and guide. This is why i believe there is only a remnant going to be saved, because the world has skewed it all up, and darkened it almost beyond recognition. The beauty of it is lost in the darkness of the world. It saddens me so much.

Spiritual life can only be learned in a close relationship with God, God's people, and the spiritual example of true fathers in the faith. God requires love and gentleness(James 3:17) of all those who are going to take responsibility in the house of the Lord. The house of the Lord is both here and in eternity.

People need to come to Jesus, we need to read, study and search His word daily, pray daily, drop dead, on our knees, without ceasing praying daily, and we need to do what the word says in love. No compromise or distorting it for any reason. God is perfect and his word is perfect and his plan is perfect, don't mess with it, just do it.