Honoring Fatherhood

“Honor your father and your mother, as the LORD your God has commanded you, that your days may be prolonged and that it may go well with you on the land which the LORD your God gives you.” Deuteronomy 5:16

This is the only commandment that carries with it a promise. There is a blessing attached to honoring your parents. God is our heavenly father - our eternal parent. Honoring God with the tithe is to honor our heavenly father, which would seem to be a natural extension of the original commandment. In the following quotes from the book of the prophet Malachi, God says it plainly.

“Will a man rob God? Yet you are robbing Me! But you say, ‘How have we robbed You?’ In tithes and offerings. You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing Me, the whole nation of you! Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in My house, and test Me now in this,” says the LORD of hosts, “if I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you a blessing until it overflows. Then I will rebuke the devourer for you, so that it will not destroy the fruits of the ground; nor will your vine in the field cast its grapes,” says the LORD of hosts. “All the nations will call you blessed, for you shall be a delightful land,” says the LORD of hosts. “Your words have been arrogant against Me,” says the LORD. “Yet you say, ‘What have we spoken against You?’ You have said, ‘It is vain to serve God; and what profit is it that we have kept His charge, and that we have walked in mourning before the LORD of hosts! So now we call the arrogant blessed; not only are the doers of wickedness built up but they also test God and escape.’ Malachi 3: 8-15

“For behold, the day is coming, burning like a furnace; and all the arrogant and every evildoer will be chaff; and the day that is coming will set them ablaze,” says the LORD of hosts, “so that it will leave them neither root nor branch. But for you who fear My name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings; and you will go forth and skip about like calves from the stall. You will tread down the wicked, for they will be ashes under the soles of your feet on the day which I am preparing,” says the LORD of hosts. “Remember the law of Moses My servant, even the statutes and ordinances which I commanded him in Horeb for all Israel. Behold, I am going to send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and terrible day of the LORD. He will restore the hearts of the fathers to their children and the hearts of the children to their fathers, so that I will not come and smite the land with a curse.” Malachi 4

Most of us would have to agree that our country – and our world – is not prospering right now. In fact, the opposite would seem true as people continue to lose their jobs or their businesses or their homes or their children. We would seem to be under a curse, and the Bible makes it plain why a land is cursed – dishonoring parenthood. Mocking God. Mocking fatherhood. Punishing those who tithe.

Galatians 6:7 further clarifies, “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.”

We, the people, and, therefore, our government have been sowing some bad seeds. This is obvious from the harvest. If the people of this country do not repent and turn from their current path, we won’t be destroyed by foreign terrorists, but will be destroyed from within as families cease to exist. When both parents can no longer teach them biblical principles and lovingly discipline their own children, then the United States of America, one nation under God, no longer lives. Children are a heritage from the Lord, and when that heritage is taken away, there is no future.

Matters of Conscience

“In matters of conscience, the law of the majority has no place.” –Gandhi

The other day, I saw a bulletin board in my nephew’s school. It outlined the principles that the school stands behind and teaches. One of those principles resonated with me because I haven’t thought about it in a long time. I read:

“’Conscience Is the Most Sacred of All Property’ (James Madison): ‘God requires faithful stewardship of all His gifts, especially the internal property of conscience. This is a tool for self-government as each child learns the revelation of consent. Each individual governs his life through the voluntary consent to do right or wrong.’”

I realized that there is a great deal going on in this country that is hurting my conscience. We must object to unjust and ungodly rulings and laws made by our government. Our consciences will not permit us to do otherwise. To live with a seared conscience is far worse than to suffer imprisonment or hardship.

For example, when a judge can dictate “that 100% of all monies earned on work release be applied toward child support and credited toward the purge amount,” then something in this country has gone very wrong. Did we not abolish slavery in 1862? Are we not required to pay income tax on money earned? Are we forbidden to support our church and to practice our religion, which teaches tithing?

"One great lesson arose from all the beatings, tortures, and butchery of the Communists: that the spirit is master of the body. We felt the torture, but it often seemed as something distant and far removed from the spirit which was lost in the glory of Christ and His presence with us. When we were given one slice of bread a week and dirty soup every day, we decided we would faithfully “tithe” even then. Every tenth week we took the slice of bread and gave it to weaker brethren as our “tithe” to the Master." (from Tortured For Christ by Richard Wurmbrand)

This American judge’s ruling is especially egregious when the “child support” is 1) based on false information and a judge refuses to accept or consider exonerating evidence; 2) unequally determined and administered throughout the state and the nation; 3) demanded for healthy adult “children”; 4) becomes “college support” and is demanded and paid for children of the wealthy only. And, what is shocking about this judge is that he has been appointed to a federal organization to teach judges across the country his collection techniques.

As I see it, to pay what the court demands in this case would be to violate conscience. The demand by this judge amounts to a violation of civil liberties guaranteed by the Constitution and challenges the very concept of "equal protection under the law."

I would strongly urge the citizens of this country to wake up their consciences. The erosion of civil liberties ultimately results in the inability to worship and serve God as He directs us to. The reason God told Moses to lead the children of Israel out of Egypt was so that they could worship Him as He directed them to. Their deliverance from slavery and provision of the promised land were the outcomes of their obedience. A numbed conscience can’t hear clearly from God.

The Finish Line

I posted this on The Last Draft blog, but I am so excited I had to post it here as well.

I just finished writing a novel in 30 days - and I had a one week break where I didn't write at all. Talk about a marathon! The bulk of the novel was written in the last 5 days! And, last night when I went to bed, my creative energy felt bone dry. But, I prayed for an infilling. I prayed that my brain would be like the jars that the woman rounded up for the oil that Elijah miraculously multiplied for her. I prayed and this morning, I felt like the story was writing itself!

I know the whole thing will now need some major editing. There are quite a few loose threads hanging, but overall, I'm pleased! The Dad Wars is a complete work.

Thank you, Beth and Christine!!!! And, NANOWRIMO, someday, I want to give you buckets of money!!!!!

Happy Thanksgiving

I hope everyone in this country sits down to count their blessings today. We have so much to be thankful for!

"Then on that day David first entrusted to Asaph and his brethren the singing of thanks to the Lord [as their chief task]:

O give thanks to the Lord, call on His name; make known His doings among the peoples! Sing to Him, sing praises to Him; meditate on and talk of all His wondrous works and devoutly praise them! Glory in His holy name; let the hearts of those rejoice who seek the Lord! Seek the Lord and His strength; yearn for and seek His face and to be in His presence continually![Earnestly] remember the marvelous deeds which He has done, His miracles, and the judgments He uttered [as in Egypt], O you offspring of [Abraham and] of Israel His servants, you children of Jacob, His chosen ones! He is the Lord our God; His judgments are in all the earth.



Be mindful of His covenant forever, the promise which He commanded and established to a thousand generations, The covenant which He made with Abraham, and His sworn promise to Isaac He confirmed it as a statute to Jacob, and to Israel for an everlasting covenant, Saying, To you I will give the land of Canaan, the measured portion of your possession and inheritance. When they were but few, even a very few, and only temporary residents and strangers in it, When they went from nation to nation, and from one kingdom to another people, He allowed no man to do them wrong; yes, He reproved kings for their sakes, Saying, Touch not My anointed, and do My prophets no harm. Sing to the Lord, all the earth; show forth from day to day His salvation. Declare His glory among the nations, His marvelous works among all peoples. For great is the Lord and greatly to be praised; He also is to be [reverently] feared above all so-called gods. For all the gods of the people are [lifeless] idols, but the Lord made the heavens. Honor and majesty are [found] in His presence; strength and joy are [found] in His sanctuary.




Ascribe to the Lord, you families of the peoples, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength, Ascribe to the Lord the glory due His name. Bring an offering and come before Him; worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness and in holy array. Tremble and reverently fear before Him, all the earth's peoples; the world also shall be established, so it cannot be moved. Let the heavens be glad and let the earth rejoice; and let men say among the nations, The Lord reigns! Let the sea roar, and all the things that fill it; let the fields rejoice, and all that is in them. Then shall the trees of the wood sing out for joy before the Lord, for He comes to judge and govern the earth.

O give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; for His mercy and loving-kindness endure forever! And say, Save us, O God of our salvation; gather us together and deliver us from the nations, that we may give thanks to Your holy name and glory in Your praise. Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, forever and ever! And all the people said Amen! and praised the Lord....

Then all the people departed, each man to his house, and David returned home to bless his household." 1 Chronicles 16:7-36, 43

The Dad Wars

Working on a novel for NANOWRIMO inspired by both the attacks against fatherhood in our society and my husband's battles, but also a modern re-telling of the King David and Absalom story.

It will definitely not be a work for the faint of heart.

Water and Weddings

The ocean humbles me. It’s relentless power, unending waves, massive size, and strange beauty captivate me. I love it’s sound and the spray of the waves. A morning sunrise over the ocean shows me God’s endless supply of newness and his methodical ways. Our God is the God of order as well as the God of the universe and the God of Angel Armies.

My husband once physically experienced waves of God’s love as tangible as the waves of the sea. He said it was so overwhelming and amazing that he could only endure it physically for a short time.

I envy my husband that powerful experience, but I have experienced God’s love in other tangible ways – the peaceful love that filled my heart when sitting on the sand surveying the pounding surf, the peaceful love that calmed my mind when a baby slept all afternoon in my arms, and the peaceful love inspired by watching two passionate lovers exchange wedding vows.

How is it that God knows exactly what you need at every moment? The God who created and sustains the oceans and the universe, cares for me, personally. Why? I still can’t fathom that one. But, He does care for me and provides for my every need. His Word is sufficient, but He also speaks to me in the still small voice and through his creation – so that I can’t possibly miss his messages.

Jesus, the bridegroom, is coming soon for his bride, the church, and our father in heaven is preparing each one of us for the day. He has already paid the dowry. He will never leave us or forsake us, but with patience, groom us for himself and that great marriage feast day.

Isaiah 54:1 (Message) For your Maker is your bridegroom, his name, God-of-the-Angel-Armies! Your Redeemer is The Holy of Israel, known as God of the whole earth. You were like an abandoned wife, devastated with grief, and God welcomed you back, Like a woman married young and then left," says your God.

Matt. 25:6 (New American Standard Bible) "But at midnight there was a shout, 'Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.'

Review of the audio drama: The Screwtape Letters

Fascinating listening, the audio drama, The Screwtape Letters, gives an amazing and insightful voice to those nagging thoughts and destructive emotions that plague all of us. Particularly appropriate as a radio-type drama, The Screwtape Letters was written by C.S. Lewis in England at the beginning of World War II. And, the measure of good literature, as editor David Brawn said, is that “it works as well today as it did 50-60 years ago.” Fortunately for all of us, The Screwtape Letters is enjoying a resurgence in popularity.

This Tyndale House/Focus on Family production is excellent: the actors portraying the various characters are wonderfully appropriate and dynamic; the music and sound effects fresh and skillful. Andy Serkis as Screwtape is the epitome of malevolence and seduction, and Bertie Carvel as Wormwood brings slimy and whiny to new heights. I enjoyed every moment of it – including the DVD commentaries.

C.S. Lewis’ teaching itself is compelling storytelling and reinforces the Apostle Paul in 2 Corinthians 10:5 (NASB): “We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ,” and in Ephesians 6:12 (KJV) “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”

To be taught from the opposite viewpoint, challenged my thinking and exposed the enemy more clearly. I felt surprised, again, to discover how subtly the enemy works in our thought lives – in situations both mundane and dramatic – and that is where the believer’s battle is truly fought. I feel like I'm fighting trench warfare in my own life, and night-time is the worst for those demonic thoughts. Thank God, I'm learning to recognize them more quickly, and fight them with the word of God.

It was a brave thing that C.S. Lewis did, giving voice to those principalities and rulers of darkness. According to the notes provided in the production, he had to put himself in a dark place mentally to write The Screwtape Letters, which was perhaps inspired by a Danish book, Letters from Hell. In doing so, C.S. Lewis has helped so many to learn to distinguish those wicked voices from the voice the Good Shepherd.

I highly recommend this radio drama, especially in this era of MP3 player and iPod listeners. I hope that many listeners – young and old – will be blessed and will grow in their understanding as a result. And, the production is entertaining enough to listen to again and again.

Produced in partnership between Tyndale House and Focus on the Family, The Screwtape Letters audio drama will be available for purchase beginning on October 15 - just in time to understand what Halloween is truly about.