Monday 6/11/12 Fatherly Advice

God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number, fill the earth and subdue it.  Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground.”

Now the Lord God had planted a garden in the east, in Eden, and there He put the man he had formed.

Good Evening, my dear brothers and sisters.  It is Monday and the day we pray for our leaders and all who have authority over us.  Also the day we pray for veterans, military, police, firefighters, and all who work to keep us safe and healthy.  Please also pray today for prayer warrior Patsy Emig, who is in York Memorial Hospital.  Let’s get to the message.  Today we start a series on Fatherly, fatherly advice.

Fatherly Advice 6/11/12:  Genesis 1:28 – God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number, fill the earth and subdue it.  Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground.

Genesis 2:8 – Now the Lord God had planted a garden in the east, in Eden, and there He put the man he had formed. (NIV)

It started out when we were very young, just little ones, maybe just starting to walk a few steps, when we started to get advice from our parents, for this week I will call it fatherly advice.  We had to learn to use the potty, go to the toilet, I mean sometimes our parents, our dads, would set us on that potty chair and it seemed like we might have been on the throne longer than the Queen of England.  As we grew older, it was advice on how to brush our teeth and wash our hands and face.  Our fathers for the most part taught us how to ride a bike and throw a ball.  When I think about the Bible and how God created the Heavens and the Earth and then made man and woman, I see lots of Fatherly advice, coming right from our heavenly Father.  One of the things that God pointed out to me today was the scripture found in Genesis 1:28 – “Be fruitful and increase in number.”  I also read in Genesis how God made woman just for man, so he would have an earthly partner, one to go forth and increase in number with.  On this same day when God gives me this message, I see this on the front page of the Harrisburg Patriot News.  “Episcopal Church” “Diocese would offer same-sex blessings.”  The Right reverend Nathan D. Baxter, Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Central Pennsylvania confirmed this for the paper, that if the conference would vote on this, the Episcopal churches would honor this.  Today, I, Pastor Dan Lehman, would like to rename that minister.  Let me call him “The WRONG reverend Nathan D. Baxter, because what he is teaching is wrong “according to the Bible.”  While we are to love all people and hate their sins, and we all sin, I just cannot support the daily living in sin.

Brothers and sisters, sometimes the fatherly advice we get from our earthly fathers might be wrong, but the advice, the Fatherly advice that we receive from God The Father, and find it in His Words in the Bible, is never bad advice and is never wrong.  Remember, brothers and sisters, if you are a member of a church, and you put money into the offering plate of that church, you are indeed supporting what they are teaching.

My fatherly advice to those on the line today is don’t look for a church that confirms your sins as okay, but look for a church that works hard to get their flock into line with what Our Father wants for us.

Dear Father in Heaven, I confess that I am a sinner.  However, dear Lord, I want to do my best to live according to Your will for all of us.  Lord, help me with that.  Hear our prayers, dear Lord, and act on them according to Your will for us … In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Now go forth, following Jesus and the advice that He gives us, and please share those blessings that He has lent to You … Love ya, Pastor Dan.