A Father's Name

Remember, men:

• When sorely tried, stand still on the promises of God when everything else but God is saying, “Move.” Do not jump ship and wreck your family. Do not forsake in the dark what God has given you in the light. One of your greatest fears should be getting out of the will of God, and thereby losing the influence and opportunity He has given you.

• You will always leave God with more than you return to Him with. If you make it back to God, your family may not (II Chronicles 33:12, 23; Job 9:4; John 21:3).

• According to Isaiah 50:11, the greatest spiritual darkness is the light kindled by the fire of your own understanding, which shines on the path that leads you away from God (Proverbs 3:5-6, 4:19; Matthew 6:22-23; I Peter 2:8; I John 2:10-11).

• Like David, you make yourself more susceptible to temptation even when you disobey God’s Word in just one area (II Samuel 11:1).

• Like Samson, you cannot lay aside your consecrated service to God and “be like any other man” (Judges 16:17; II Chronicles 33:9; Luke 12:48).

• You will not die doing right, though it may seem so at times (Genesis 25:32). That which seems to be killing you is in reality keeping you alive by forcing you to deal with sin or seek God (Joshua 7:11; Psalm 119:67, 71, 75, 92, 143).

• Faith is looking unto Jesus and living without scheming. God can visit that famishing home or church of yours again (Jeremiah 33:12 - “Again in this place”).

• Your love for your children is measured by your love for your wife. Your love for your wife is measured by your love for Christ (Matthew 22:37; Ephesians 5:25, Malachi 4:6).

–Tim Cruse

The Nathan Principle

“...and Zabud the son of Nathan was the principle officer, and the king’s friend”

- I Kings 4:5

Why was Zabud so honored by King Solomon? Why was he such a close friend to the wisest man who ever lived?

Trace it back in God’s Word and you will find that his father Nathan was a true friend to Solomon’s father David. By honoring God, Nathan always came down on the side of right and of that which God ordained, whether it was popular or not. Zabud was the friend of God’s anointed for Israel because his father was the friend of God’s anointed.

In his early days, King Solomon rallied men and honored loyalty. Those who followed Adonijah, the one not ordained by God, were scattered and so were their children. Many a man has lost his children for Christ’s sake because he dishonored the servant of the Lord.

The Nathan principle is thus - "Always on the side of right". May we recognize what is right before God and come down on the side of right in whatever issue we are grappling with at present. Our children will be glad we did.

“Those that be planted in the house of the LORD shall flourish in the courts of our God.”

- Psalm 92:12,13

– Tim Cruse