Father's Day After

Request for Urgent Prayer: Many of you know and love Pastor Bill Raws, the grandson of the founder of America's KESWICK. Pastor Bill was taken to the hospital on Friday and is now in ICU. We have started a blog so that people can get regular updates and also leave him notes of encouragement. You can visit his blog at www.americaskeswick.org

Heavenly Father's Day After

"Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. "Honor your father and mother" (this is the first commandment with a promise), that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land. Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord." Ephesians 6: 1-4 (ESV)

I began my Father's day on Saturday with a visit to my earthly father. My dad is in the early stages of Alzheimer's, so some visits go smooth and others break my heart. This visit dad was running on all cylinders so it went smooth. It has been tough watching the strongest guy I ever knew become fragile. He does not know Jesus and never wanted to. End of that story. I still Praise God.
On Father's Day morning my wife baked some cinnamon rolls and my kids gave me and a handmade picture frame and a new wallet. I really needed the wallet and I was hungry...so far so good. Off to church where I serve behind the sound board. There will be a presentation before service from the children and my daughter will be in it. My son has become too cool for this kind of stuff so he'll be behind the board with me (he gave me the picture frame, nice job by the way).
My little girl's Sunday school teacher has told me I will be mighty impressed with her poem and it should be published. So because my daughter has begun to sort of follow my writing footsteps I would like to share with you all what she wrote.

FATHERS
Strong or weak
Sportsmanship or compete
Fathers are always there.
Big or small, short or tall
Fathers are always there.
When you're lost or afraid
When you're sad or uncontained
They've been here from the start.
In need, they help
You hurt, they yelp
Comforting and loving
Giving and helping
Fathers are always there.
They ask in return for a
Happy Father's Day!!

My wife and I make sure our children understand who is behind what is provided. It is He who we thank every day. It's funny how the world has given us Dads one special day. I wonder how often we celebrate Heavenly Fathers Day. Wouldn't you agree it should be every day?

My daughter has begun to learn the piano. She is blessed with ability. It will be my duty to make sure she understands the discipline behind it. To end my Father's Day she played "Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing". It is my favorite hymn to sing and I'll end with the third verse.

"O to grace how great a debtor, daily I'm constrained to be!
Let Thy goodness, like a fetter, bind my wandering heart to Thee:
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it, prone to leave the God I love; Here's my heart, O take and seal it; seal it for Thy courts above." Amen! -- Chris Hughes is a graduate of the Colony of Mercy and a frequent contributor to Freedom Fighters.

God's WORD for YOU: Nehemiah 7-9; Acts 3

Think about this: For a work to be considered good it must not only conform outwardly to the law of God, but it must be motivated inwardly by a sincere love for God. R. C. Sproul

Special note: this weekend is our June Couples Conference with Steve and Annie Chapman. We have a limited number of rooms left, so please consider coming to this powerful event. Call today for information: 732-350-1187.