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The EliYah Message:
Fathers, Turn Your Hearts! --
Part 1
(courtesy of www.eliyah.com, reprinted with
permission)
"And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of EliYah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for Yahweh." Luke 1:17 Introduction The following is a study on the role of Fathers in the home. For those of you who are not married, this study can still be beneficial for you if you ever plan on getting married. If your children are raised, there is a great need in the body for those who are willing to teach these things to the younger men and women. In my search and desire to raise my own family in the way Yahweh desires, I encountered others who have written similar studies on the home. They have greatly influenced some of the points made in this study. I should also mention that I do not count myself to have already attained, but I desire to press on and take hold of the standard to which we are called (Phil 3:12).
An Opportunity Imagine for a moment that Yahweh came to you in a vision and pointed out a particular man in your community to whom He was going to give permanent amnesia. All his past memories were to be permanently erased. In this vision, you were commissioned to care for this man and to teach him all he needs to know about the ways of Yahweh. You would be entrusted with this man's salvation, with how he views the world and how he views Yahweh. How seriously would you take this responsibility? Would you ignore it and find other things to do or would your pour your heart and soul into this effort? Assuredly I say to you, that if you are a Father you have been entrusted with this responsibility. But this isn't a man from the community that you are being entrusted with, it is your own dear child. It is upon the men that Yahweh has laid the responsibility of leadership, guidance and direction. Yahweh will hold the men accountable for the outcome of the family
How Important it really is For most people, family is the very core of existence. It is the testing ground. It is the place where we can become a hypocrite, or a light to all nations. Do you want to know the true character of a man and his wife? Observe their children and you will usually know. Children often mimic what they see going on at home. Many can appear righteous unto men, but who can still be found righteous in their home, behind closed doors? How important is our family life to Yahweh? How important is it that we teach our children the ways of Yahweh? How important is it that we each fulfill the roles that Yahweh has given? Let's consider. Although the modern arrangement or division of the Scriptures may not be inspired, it is certainly interesting that the very last word in the last "Old Testament" prophetic book is none other than "Curse". This chapter is a prophecy for the end times. Let us see what the source of this curse may be:
Notice that we must fear Yahweh's name to inherit this promise.
But what defines who is wicked and who is not? Let's keep reading:
Remember the law of Moses? Yes, remember the law of Moses with all the statutes and judgments; even in the latter days. I tend to think that this is part of the EliYah message, to remember the law of Moses.
EliYah the prophet was the one who said:
So we must also call upon the name of Yahweh. In fact, the name "EliYah" means "Yahweh is my Mighty One". I tend to think that this is another part of the EliYah message. But there is a third and much more clearly defined part of the EliYah message that we should pay very close attention to:
According to this scripture, a curse will fall upon the earth when it has fathers whose hearts are not turned to their children and children whose hearts are not turned to their fathers. So, although at least part the the EliYah message is "My Mighty One is Yahweh" and to remember the law of Moshe, the great duty of the EliYah message is turning the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers! I believe that this message is greatly lacking today. According to statistics, in the United States of America, at least 4 out of 10 children will go to bed tonight without their father in the home. In most homes where the father is there, children are abandoned spiritually and emotionally. Children are a status symbol or a nuisance rather than a blessing. Children are something to be ignored rather than human beings who desperately need to be shown and taught the ways of eternal life. O Fathers, where are you??? They are probably at work, with friends, playing with their toys or on the golf course. But what is Yahweh's expectation for Fathers? How important is the role of fathers in their children's life? What does Yahweh say?
The Role of Fathers Yahweh's plan is for us to communicate
His mighty works to our children. For this to be done, a Father must have his
heart turned to his children. If it is, this will build a kingdom. The Father
has the authority in the home because the Father has the
responsibility As we read earlier, we should "Remember the law of Moshe". It should be evident to any student of the Torah (Law) that Yahweh demands Fathers to teach His ways to their children. In the Torah (law) of Yahweh, there is one thing that is commanded several times over. That is the command to teach our children the word of Yahweh:
In the famous "Sh'ma" passage, we see Yahweh's desire for us to teach His commandments diligently to our children and to "talk of them when we sit in our house, when we walk by the way, when we lie down and when we rise up". We are not only commanded by Yahweh to teach them to our children, but to teach them diligently to our children. We are not only to teach them, we are to talk of them all the day long. They are to be in in our hearts and in the hearts of our children. Not only is Yahweh "Echad" (ONE), He wants our families to be "Echad" with one another and with Him. It is written again:
Again, we are to talk of them all the day long. But today, the question must be asked, "How can we talk of them to our children when sit in our house, when we walk by the way, when we lie down and when we rise up if we rarely even talk to them at all? How can we talk of them to our children when sit in our house, when we walk by the way, when we lie down and when we rise up if we are rarely ever home and we send them away to the government schools every day? How many Fathers are truly fulfilling this commandment? Too often, the adults at various assemblies and meetings engage in high level conversations with one another about the scriptures while the children just sit there bored, squirming in their seats and getting into trouble because they have no clue what is going on or what anyone is even talking about. While some conversations may be above the capabilities of a child, too often it is because they don't know the scriptures. By the time they reach teen-age years, it is often too late because the prime age of influence and impressionability is long gone. At various gatherings, the teens should be with the adults. If they are taught properly, they will be learning and listening because they have a true interest in Yahweh's word just as the adults do. But too often, teens are out playing and learning the ways of other teens rather than learning the ways of Yahweh. Fathers need to wake up!
Notice that Yahweh wants us to teach them to our children and He also wants them to be taught to our grandchildren! Also notice in verse 10 that one of the intentions Yahweh had when giving His commandments in Horeb was that Israel teach them to their children.
So Yahweh's expectation is that our children are diligently taught His ways. Consider also one of the purposes of the observances He commands:
Can we see again the expectation of Yahweh here? One of the reasons Yahweh has these feasts is so that our children will know and remember His law and His mighty works. Teaching children should therefore be a major focus of any feast we have. The children should not be ignored and sent off to play during the feasts. Nor should the parents expect others to do their job of teaching their children during the feasts while they find other things to do. While the world is successful in keeping their children tied to pagan holidays by appealing to their carnality via gifts & candies, we ought to find ways to tie the strings of our children's hearts to Yahweh by truly fulfilling their spiritual needs when we observe the true holy-days of Yahweh. Of Abraham it was said:
We can also be known by Yahweh as that kind of a father! Within the Torah alone, there were at least 11 times where Yahweh gave a command, admonition or spoke about the need to teach our children His ways. This concept is repeated in the book of Psalms:
It is clearly Yahweh's expectation that we teach His ways to the next generation. Yahweh wants a righteous generation to be brought forth from our homes. Indeed, He has indicated that this is one of the purposes for marriage:
So are we going to raise up a seed of Elohim or children of the devil? Will our children's works advance the kingdom of the devil or the kingdom of Yahweh? Indeed, Yahweh has placed a large part of this responsibility into the hands of the fathers. We have the greatest influence as to the outcome. We can be a stumbling block or a stepping stone to the paths of righteousness. If we are a stepping stone, great is our reward:
If we are a stumbling block, woe to us:
The Proverb indeed says:
Contrary to popular opinion, this
scripture does not say, "Train up a
child in the way he should go: and when he is grown up, he will abandon Yahweh
and sow his wild oats, then come back to Yahweh and not depart" yet this
is what many would have us believe!
We see the strong desire in this father that his son would not be ensnared with wine and women. This father was committed to the idea that his child would not depart! It is high time we raise up a righteous generation that fears Yahweh and keeps His commandments. It is high time that fathers forsake their toys and pursuits of worldly gain and instead focus on raising a righteous generation that will magnify the name of Yahweh! It is high time that Fathers have a vision of what it really means to be a man of Yahweh. How important is it that our homes are in order and our children are taught Yahweh's ways? Unless one's home is right, they cannot be an effective leader:
We have to be true believers at home, not just when others are watching. The requirements of a spiritual leader is that they have a righteous family with righteous children. Our family is the expression of ourselves and our life. If a man of Yahweh leads a family in righteousness, you can know you have one who is in righteous in his private life. See, our family gives us away. We cannot hide ourselves and what we are like. If Father or Mother are foolish or rebellious, then except by the grace of Yahweh so shall the children be. Abraham and Eli were leaders. As we read earlier, Abraham had his house right:
Eli the priest did not:
Eli apparently made the foolish decision to let his sons be corrupt:
Consider the differing end result of Abraham and Eli! Abraham and his descendants were exalted and blessed beyond measure, but Eli had his generations cut off and destroyed (1Sam 4:16). So let's ponder the question today, are we an Abraham or are we an Eli? Can we begin to see how important it really is? You see, Yahweh would never have been the "Elohim of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob" if Abraham hadn't done his job! Will it be said of us that Yahweh is the Elohim of our children and grandchildren? Yahweh is seeking righteous offspring; a Seed of Elohim to walk in His ways. Yahweh desires that His people produce children of righteousness, children of Yahweh. Let's consider the scriptures which show the results of families who did not pass the truth of Yahweh onto the next generation:
There were at least 7 times in approximately 335 years where the book of Judges records one generation that would serve Yahweh, and the next generation forsaking Him. Imagine for a moment the great blessings that might have been realized had only the first generation taught their children to "Know Yahweh"!
As a result of their failure, these rebellious children served false deities. Similar flip-flops are found in the books of First and Second Kings/Chronicles. There would be a generation that would finally repent and serve Yahweh, only to see the succeeding generation be exceedingly wicked. Is there a way to stop this destructive cycle? What about our children’s generation? What about in the nations that we live in? In recent history there has been a spiraling increase in wickedness. Consider some of the statistics one can find about conditions in the United States:
What has gone wrong? The bottom line is that the principles given in scripture for the roles of husbands, fathers, mothers and wives are not appreciated, nor are they followed. Instead, many have chosen to follow their own principles, the principles in psychology & self-help books, and principles given in self appointed marriage experts. Meanwhile, people are suffering along with their little children. If only people would respect and appreciate the roles given to them by Yahweh! Yahweh, who created us from dust, surely knows the RIGHT way. But who will heed it? The people of this world have little or no vision or burning desire for righteousness within themselves, let alone for the next generation. But it need not be so for us. We need not be conformed to this world:
We see the sad state of affairs in this world. Many of us were raised in this age of rebelliousness, so what can we do? A most difficult sin to overcome is one that you cannot see. But I believe the word of Yahweh will make it very plain that few men in this age truly know what Yahweh desires our homes to be like. |