What's Your Theme for 2021

 Do you make New Year's resolutions?  If you do, what are yours for 2021?  Are they similar to your 2020 resolutions?

I have stopped making New Year's resolutions.  A better approach is to set your goals for the new year and then develop a game plan for each goal and focus that way.  But I haven't done that this year either.  Instead I have come up with a theme for myself for 2021:

Deny Yourself

If anyone wants to come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow me.

-Luke 9:23

To make the changes I need to make this year, all my choices are going to be run up against this theme.  This is how I will make better choices for my health and fitness.  This is how I will make better choices in my relationships, especially in my marriage.  This is how I will make better choices in my education and personal growth.  This theme is going to be my guide to making better choices in 2021.

So what's your theme for 2021?  Really think about this.  Don't make it some cliché catch-phrase.  Really think about it, and come up with a theme that will guide your choices and actions this year to get you where you want to be.  Still set goals for 2021, but come up with your theme first.  Then set goals that are in line with what you ultimately want this year to look like.  Throughout the year your goals may change a little, but your theme should not.  Once you choose a theme stick with it all year.

If you're not sure what your theme for the year should be, start reading your Bible.  When you find a verse or a passage that really resonates with you meditate on it for a few days.  Let God's Word guide you for the entire year.

Your words are a lamp for my feet and a light for my path. -Psalm 119:105

God bless

Jason Fredrick

Sibling Rivalry

Genesis 4:2b-5

Now Abel kept flocks, and Cain worked the soil.  In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the LORD.  But Abel brought fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock.  The LORD looked with favor on Abel and his offering, but on Cain and his offering He did not look with favor.  So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast.

We all know how this story ends:  Cain kills his brother out of jealousy and envy.  Sadly, this attitude is not foreign to us today.  Whether it's in our actual family or in our church family, sibling rivalries are real.  In the family, siblings are constantly competing for mom and dad's attention and favor.  In the church, brothers and sisters compete for honor and recognition.  

In the family, mom and dad need to recognize when this is going on and address it so that it doesn't get out of control.  Unfortunately, in some families, parents actually feed this destructive attitude, playing siblings against each other.  Sometimes, even playing their children against their spouse.

The same is true in the church.  The pastor and elders need to recognize when this is happening and address it.  Unfortunately, sometimes in the church the one jealously competing for recognition is the pastor.  This is just as destructive in the church as it is in the family.

The reason Cain's offering was not acceptable to God had nothing to do with his brother.  It had everything to do with his own heart.  Instead of hearing God's rebuke and repenting, Cain decided it would be easier to get rid of his brother who was making him look bad.  Cain's bad response only made things worse.  Cain's bad response seems to have established his family's legacy:

Lamech [Cain's great-great-great grandson] said to his wives,

"Adah and Zillah, listen to me; 

wives of Lamech, hear my words.

I have killed a man for wounding me,

a young man for injuring me.

If Cain is avenged seven times, 

then Lamech seventy-seven times."

-Genesis 4:23

It is amazing how sins of fathers get passed along from generation to generation.  We aren't told much about Cain's family history, but it seems like his rejecting God was a curse on his family for generations...possibly forever.  Certainly we see that Cain's grandchildren had their selfish attitudes reinforced.  They were willing to resort to violence and murder when their own egos were bruised.  Much like Cain, Lamech does not repent for committing murder, but instead he tries to justify himself.  This is the generational legacy that rebellion against God establishes.  This is why God later says to Moses that He will punish the children to the third and fourth generation of those who hate Him.  

If you are caught in a sibling rivalry anywhere in your life, today is the day to humble yourself and start working to resolve it.  Turn to the Lord.  Repent for your selfish contributions.  Apologize to all you have hurt.  Ask God to give you a humble and loving heart.  He loves you.  He sent His Son to die for you!  You don't have to compete with anyone for His attention.  He is able to pay attention to each and every one of us.  After all, His attention and approval is the only one that matters.

God bless

Jason Fredrick

Resurrection Sunday

If you don't know what the big deal is about Easter, or about Jesus, watch this short movie.

He is Risen!  He is Risen indeed! Alleluia!

God bless

Jason Fredrick

Quote of the Week: Leadership Education- The Phases of Learning

For most educators, the hardest part of getting off the conveyor belt is getting their own Leadership Education.  The second hardest thing is backing off from a "require, require, require" view of education when children are young.  If you do these things well, your fourteen-year-olds will beg for a Leadership Education like Thomas Jefferson got and you will be ready to help them attain it.  They will get a superb Leadership Education, and the future of the world will be changed--one home and one classroom at a time.
(Oliver DeMille, Leadership Education: The Phases of Learning, p.30)

Audio of the Week:

Moses' Teachable Moment

Don't Forget the Life Skills

Schools are closed.  Businesses are closed.  Some will be closed temporarily.  Some will never open again.  This is the reality that we are all faced with as we deal with the Covid-19 quarantine, and a meltdown of the world financial system.  Change is the reality of our time.   It may seem like it, but this is not the time to panic.  This is the time to count your blessings (even if you have lost your job).

I'm not going to go into all of the complexity of the imploding financial markets, you can get that information at other places:  Goldsilver.com and Wealthion, to name two.  What I am going to go into in this article is school closings.  This might be the greatest opportunity that you and your family receive out of this whole thing.  Now is the time to investigate your different options.  Education doesn't have to be institutionalized.  In fact, the best education isn't, and never has been.  As parents, it is your responsibility to provide the best educational opportunities for your children.  Maybe that's at school, maybe it isn't.  Now is a great time to figure that out.  First I will give a list of resources to help you figure this out.  Then I will give you some ideas on how to take advantage of this blessing that your family has just been given.

Resources

1.  Homeschool Helps from this website.
2. Leadership 3000 "Education" articles
3. Christ for Disciplers podcast
4. A Thomas Jefferson Education  by Oliver DeMille.
5. tjed.org
6. Paradigm Shift by LIFE Leadership
7. Rascal Radio from LIFE Leadership

How do you take advantage of this opportunity now, today?  Good question.  If you have received homework packets for your children from their school, give those packets 2-3 hours per day.  One hour in the morning and one hour in the afternoon for children up to 10 years old.  For children 11 and older, work on those packets two hours in the morning and 2 hours in the afternoon.  

While they are committed to their academics, don't forget about the opportunities to teach life skills at this time.  If you are all home together as a family right now, don't miss this.  This is the perfect time to start developing new habits, productive habits- for yourself and them.  Here are some ideas:

• Go to bed at a decent time every night.
• 11:00pm for adults
• 8:30 for children younger than 12
• Use your best judgment, they are your children.
• Get out of bed every morning by 8:00am, at the latest.
• Read the Bible.
• Schedule time in the morning and afternoon for academics.
• Start an exercise program- You and them.
• Divide up the chores around the house and let each child be responsible for that chore.
• Family Projects
• Learn First-Aid
• Repair/Maintenance projects around the house.  Teach them how to take care of their living space.
• Yard clean up.
• Clean the cars.
• Wash the car.
• Vacuum and clean the inside.
• Clean the garage.
• Don't just rearrange and organize the space.
• Pull everything out and CLEAN the garage.
• Family Book Club

During this time when everything is closed, don't just focus on your children's academics/education.  Now is a great time for you to go to work on your own education.  If you are not a life-long learner, you are going to have a difficult time inspiring your children to invest in their education.  Now is the time to develop the habits of READ-LISTEN-ASSOCIATE.  If you aren't sure how to get started on this path for yourself you're in the right place.  

On this website there are several tools to help you do exactly that.

• Let's Read Together
• Audio Library
• Podcast links
• Leadership Challenge Group
• Top 50 Book list
• Articles posted here weekly (subscribe to get notified when they post)

The best way to create this habit/lifestyle is to start reading 30 minutes every day.  Also, listen to three audios everyday.  This isn't difficult.  Don't be overwhelmed by it.  Just start doing it.  You will see the benefits before all of this blows over.  It is also the best thing you can do to prepare yourself for the world that we are going to face when the dust settles from all of this.  The world that you have known your whole life is gone, it's not coming back.  This is how you prepare yourself to lead out in whatever comes next.  Developing your leadership skills is how you take advantage of this blessing we have all been given.  You can do this.  Start today.  Always remember:  God has this under control.  None of this has surprised Him.  He knew it was coming and is "working it all out for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose."

God bless

Jason Fredrick

The Baptism of Jesus

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Luke 3:21-22

When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too.  And as he was praying, heaven was opened and the Holy Spirit descended on Him in bodily form like a dove.  And a voice came from heaven:  "You are My Son, whom I love, with you I am well pleased."

Why did Jesus need to be baptized?  He is the Son of God.  He is God.  It doesn't make sense that He would need to be baptized.

That's exactly what John the Baptist thought.  In Matthew's account of this event John's response was, "I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?"

Thankfully, Matthew also records Jesus' response, "Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness."

Clearly, as true man, Jesus needed to be baptized to receive the Holy Spirit.  This doesn't make any sense to my human brain because Jesus was, and is, true God; but by doing this He demonstrated that everyone needs to be baptized.  He showed us how important Baptism is.  Jesus came to fulfill the Law.  There was no Law that He ignored or disobeyed.  In Galatians 4 Paul tells us that He was
"born under the Law to redeem those under the Law."  

Sadly, there are some Christians who don't value Baptism as much as Jesus.  They don't believe it saves.  They believe that it's merely an outward proclamation to commit their life to Christ.

Here's what God's Word tells us we receive from Baptism:

1.  Baptism gives us forgiveness of sins.*

Acts 2:38- Repent and be baptized, every one of you , in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins.

Acts 22:16- Be baptized and wash your sins away.

2.  Baptism gives us deliverance from the power of death and the devil.*

Romans 6:3- Don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death?

Hebrews 2:14-15- He too shared in their humanity so that by His death He might destroy him who holds the power of death--that is, the devil--and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.

3.  Baptism gives us eternal salvation.*

Mark 16:16-- Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved.

1 Peter 3:20-21-- In it [Noah's ark] only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water, and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also.

*Taken from Kuske's Catechism (Northwestern Publishing House; 1982, 1989, 1998)

Jesus received everything He needed at His baptism.  The Holy Spirit descended upon Him in the form of a dove, and God the Father publicly proclaimed His love for Jesus and affirmed Him.  Can you imagine hearing those words from our Heavenly Father:  You are My Son whom I love.  With You I am well pleased.

Not only did God let everyone present know that Jesus is the Son of God, but He also told Jesus how much He loved Him and how pleased He was with Him.  I don't think that it's a coincidence that this all happened immediately before Jesus was led out to the wilderness to be tempted.  As true man He needed the Holy Spirit and the encouragement from His Father.

This is also why we need baptism.  We need to be armed with the Holy Spirit because we cannot stand up to satan on our own.  Without the help of the Holy Spirit and the faith He gives us, we don't even desire to stand against satan and his temptations.  It is our faith that motivates us to want to live according to God's commands.  It is only by faith that we desire to please our Heavenly Father.

Thankfully, God has given us this gift of baptism so that by it, we can all be adopted into His family as His children; and God's guarantee is that baptism works every time.  Everyone who is baptized receives the Holy Spirit and faith.

Galatians 3:26-27

You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.

God bless

Jason Fredrick

Quote of the Week: Speed of Trust

Trust is a function of both character and competence.
(Speed of Trust, p. 25, Covey)

Watch Your Mouth

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Proverbs 15:4

The soothing tongue is a tree of life, but a perverse tongue crushes the spirit.

What does it mean to have a perversion in our tongues?  The dictionary defines perversion this way:  The alteration of something from its original course, meaning, or state to a distortion or corruption of what was first intended.  The original perversion took place in the Garden of Eden when Adam and Eve's sin perverted their relationship with God.  In regards to speech, God lays out His definition of undistorted speech in Philippians 4:8.  Does your speech match God's definition, or does it pervert and distort what God calls good? (Character Matters, p. 10, Dr. Steve and Megan Scheibner)

There a a number of ways that a "soothing tongue" can be a tree of life.  There is encouragement, compliments, edification, words of comfort, words of love, a soft and loving tone, forgiveness, understanding, etc.  

There are just as many ways that a "perverse tongue can crush the spirit":  Lying, cursing, vulgarity, course joking, gossip/slander, verbal abuse, yelling, belittling, betraying a confidence, etc.

I like how the Scheibner's go all the way back to the Garden of Eden to begin the conversation of perverse speech.  Think about it.  Satan's first attack was a verbal assault on God's Word, "Did God really say?"

Then Eve indulged him by exaggerating what God had actually said.  The conversation spiraled downward from there.

The same is true for us.  You probably have people in your life whom you are more prone to perverse speech when you are around.  This is one of the reasons why we have to watch our associations closely.  It is an easy trap to fall into.  We automatically talk like the people we are around.

Words are amazingly powerful.  Unfortunately, most people don't wield that power with much responsibility.  That's why we need to.  Shower words on people with your soothing tongue.  Be intentional about your words being a "tree of life".  You have to do this in conjunction with eliminating the habit of using your words to crush spirits.  This isn't either/or.  It takes both.  Increase your soothing words with everyone, while also eliminating the perverse words that crush the spirit.

Let's finish with two passages of Scripture.  One tells us how God wants us to speak.  The other is a warning against what perverse speech looks (sounds) like.

Ephesians 5:4-5

Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or course joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving.  For of this you can be sure:  No immoral, impure or greedy person--such a person is an idolater--has any inheritance in the Kingdom of Christ and of God.

Philippians 4:8

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things.

God bless

Jason Fredrick

Hold On to Your Faith

1 Timothy 1:18-19

I am entrusting this instruction to you, Timothy, my child, according to the prophecies about you, which were made earlier, so that by them you may fight the good fight, 19 with faith and a good conscience. By rejecting these, some people have suffered shipwreck with regard to their faith...

There is a false Bible teaching that goes something like this: "Once saved, Always saved."  If that little saying were true, then why would Paul encourage Timothy to continue to "fight the good fight"?  If that saying were true, then once Timothy was baptized he should be good for the rest of his life.  He would be free to live however he wanted, and do whatever he wanted.  It wouldn't matter because "once he was saved, he would always be saved", no matter what.

That is why this, and all, false teaching is so dangerous.  False teachings destroy faith, and our reliance on Jesus.  Paul warns that to refuse to fight the good fight is to "shipwreck our faith".  I don't know about you, but that doesn't sound like a reassurance that "Once saved, Always saved".  It sounds like a warning to be diligent, because we can lose our faith.  Satan is constantly trying to lead us astray and kill our faith.

I encourage you to be like the Bereans (Acts 17:10-15) and search Scripture every day.  When you hear these quaint little catch-phrases, check them against what Scripture says.  Fight the good fight, be diligent about studying and knowing God's Word so that you can protect your faith and not allow it to be shipwrecked.

God bless
Jason Fredrick

Quote of the Day- Paradigm Shift

Practicing means experimenting, learning how to treat patients by observing what works and what doesn't, trying to apply the best procedures, treatments, and techniques based on the experience of other doctors as well, and going with the averages-and then repeating the whole experiment when new information comes along.  The medical profession has never denied this approach.  To the contrary, it has been very open about it.
(Paradigm Shift: Paradigm 6 Wellness Is the New Health Care)

Quote of the Day: Paradigm Shift

The postwar [World War II] model of paid work is an anomaly in world history.  Before 1945, few people prepared for their chosen careers in a college setting and then spent their entire adult lives working for the same company.  This model is purely a 1945-2005 phenomenon, not a norm of history.  It's not a tradition, not a general pattern, and certainly not an entitlement.

The small business sector generally relies less on traditional college training than big business and the corporations and more on the competitive values of initiative, innovation, ingenuity, tenacity, hard work, hungry stick-to-itiveness, and gutsy salesmanship.
(Paradigm Shift: Paradigm 4 Building a Business Is the New Career)

Quote of the Day- Paradigm Shift

Colleges and universities, along with their potential students, are facing a growing value gap--where the price of college is going up while the value of a degree is going down for many students in the real-world market.

...some of the most important skills necessary to success in the current economy have nothing to do with schooling!  In fact, in many cases, schooling is reducing rather than increasing these skills (such as innovation, initiative, self-directed leadership, agility under pressure, and creativity).  [Emphasis added]
(Paradigm Shift:  Paradigm 3 Mentors are the New College)

Enter Through the Narrow Gate

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Matthew 7:13-14

"Enter through the narrow gate.  For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it.  But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it."

This is one of the shortest sections of the Sermon on the Mount.  Jesus gives the command, and then states the corollary between destruction and life.  This comparison is so straight forward that it doesn't need any further teaching for an audience that is already trying to get to heaven by observing the Law.  So what does this mean for us?  Can we earn heaven by simply obeying all of God's commands?

To answer those questions, we first need to be clear on what each of those paths is.  

The wide gate and broad road is our sinful nature, the world around us, and Satan's attacks on us which ultimately end in Hell.  

The small gate and narrow road is the sanctified life- daily striving to live a Godly life that honors and glorifies Jesus which leads to Heaven.

Thankfully God did not leave either of these paths open to our own interpretation.  He had the Apostle Paul clearly define each of them for us in his letter to the Galatians.

Galatians 5:19-21

The acts of the sinful nature are obvious:  sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions, and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like.  I warn you as I did before, those who live like this will not inherit the Kingdom of God.

This is the broad road that leads to destruction, just as Paul also warns.  Look at how that list breaks down:

1. Sexual sin
2. Idolatry
3. Sins against other people
4. Public sins

This list of sins that the ancient people of Galatia were dealing with doesn't seem much different than what our culture/society is faced with today.  Apparently Solomon knew what he was talking about when he wrote:

What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun.  Is there anything of which one can say, "Look!  This is something new"?

It was here already, long ago: it was here before our time.  There is no remembrance of men of old, and even those who are yet to come will not be remembered by those who follow.

(Ecclesiastes 1:9-11).

Look at that list.  Is there any one of those that you can say is not prevalent in our culture today?

The only one that I could see someone even attempting to make a case for is- idolatry and witchcraft.  If you are inclined to argue for that you will find, very quickly, that your argument does not hold water.

Materialism and relativism permeate the American landscape.  Here is a short list of American Idols:  Buddha, Allah, Brahma, self, money, TV/entertainment, celebrities, government, stuff, career, the environment, academic credentials, "experts", and the list goes on and on.

Witchcraft, even though it isn't often called by that name, also has a very strong presence in our society, beginning with the increasing growth of false religions:  Wicca, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, Environmentalism, Paganism.  You may try to claim that none of these is "witchcraft".

Witchcraft is not what we have been taught to think it is.  It is not a bunch of old hags stirring up a sinister brew in their black cauldron and mischievously casting spells on people. 

Witchcraft is demon and Satan worship.  We see its popularity in the presence of horoscopes, tarot readings, palm readings, Ouija boards (marketed as a game); and movies/TV shows like Harry Potter, Twilight, The Good Witch, Charmed, etc.   

The American culture is immersed with idolatry and witchcraft.  Ironic isn't it?  That a culture that prides itself on being so "scientific" is so in love with the occult. 

Notice where all of this leads: to destruction.  Everything that I just went through in the last couple of paragraphs leads to Hell!  You can argue for your sin all you want.  It will only lead you through the wide gate, which is the gate of Hell.

Why do you think the gate is wide and the road is broad?  It is because there are a lot of people traveling that road, and passing through that gate.  Significantly more people than those who are traveling the narrow path, looking to enter through the small gate.  This is the ultimate reason not to run with the herd.  You don't want to get swept up by the stampede on the broad path and carried through the wide gate.  Be very careful and intentional about your associations.

With that, let's leave the broad road behind.  Let's take a look at the narrow road, as defined by Paul.

Galatians 5:22-25

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.  Against such things there is no law.  Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires.  Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.  Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.

We all know in our head that this is how we are supposed to live.  We all know that this is how we are supposed to treat other people.  We know it because this is how we expect others to treat us.  Not only do we expect it from everyone else, often we demand it.  Do you see how narrow the road is?

As soon as we demand these things of others we have stumbled onto the broad path, acting out of our sinful nature, not "living by the Spirit".  This is why we can never work our way into heaven.  The narrow road is so narrow that we can not stay on it by ourselves.

Thankfully, we don't have to walk it by ourselves.  The Holy Spirit has been assigned to help us.  It is only through the power of the Holy Spirit living and working in us that we are able to walk the narrow path.  That is why Paul calls these attributes the Fruit of the Spirit, because they are truly gifts from the Holy Spirit.  Without the gift of the Holy Spirit living in us, and the gift of faith in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior that He works in us, we can never truly experience any of these things.  Without the Holy Spirit we are left empty...hollow, attempting to accomplish all of these things on our own.  Without faith in Jesus and the Holy Spirit living in us we would be stuck in the situation that Solomon opens Ecclesiastes with:

"Meaningless!  Meaningless!"  says the Teacher.  

"Utterly meaningless!  Everything is meaningless." (Ecclesiastes 1:2)

It is only with the help and guidance of the Holy Spirit that we can walk the narrow path, live a purposeful life, and ultimately walk through that small gate one day to enter Paradise. This is all by God's grace.  By His grace alone.  Yes, Jesus commands us to enter through the narrow gate, but He also knows that we can't do it by ourselves.  Thankfully, our Heavenly Father has given us a Helper to empower us to live a sanctified life, the Holy Spirit.

God bless

Jason Fredrick

The Stupidity of Sinful Habits

Proverbs 26:11

As a dog returns to its vomit, so a fool repeats his folly.

This bit of wisdom really paints a picture, doesn't it?

Every time you return to your addictive, sinful habit, you are the dog.

Have you ever seen a dog puke a pile, and then come back a few minutes later and lick it up?  This is what you and I look like to God every time we return to pornography, or cigarettes, or cocaine, or gambling, or shopping, or junk food, or...you name it.  You know what yours is.  

I will share one of mine with you.  Pornography.  Pornography is a temptation I have to battle almost every day.  The challenges with pornography are that it's so easy to access in our internet age and also that it is so prevalent in our culture today.  "Sex sells".  Maybe it is so prevalent because it is so easy to get.

For me, the challenge is very difficult because of how young I was when I was first exposed to pornography.  I was somewhere between 10 and 12 years old.  There is never a good time for someone to be exposed to the depravity of pornography, but 12 years old is way too young.  I was way too immature, spiritually and emotionally.  One exposure was all it took for me.  It grabbed ahold of me and dominated my life for the next 20 years!  Being so immature, I didn't even begin to battle it until I was introduced to Leadership Development at age 32.  Before then I lived my life entirely for myself.  The entire decade of my twenties was marred by sex addiction.  It was the primary motivator for most of my daily choices.  I would go almost anywhere, anytime to indulge.    

The problem with any addiction or compulsive behavior is the damage it leaves in its wake.  I hurt a lot of people in those 20 years, caring about nobody but myself.  The number of damaged and destroyed relationships from that time is almost uncountable; none of us can ever really know the exponential damage of the ripple effect.  I do know that I hurt my family daily in those years.  The shame and guilt of my "secret sin" robbed me of my self-confidence and self-esteem.  I hated myself, and everybody around me paid the price.  I was argumentative.  I swore constantly.  I would say mean and hurtful words to anybody at anytime.  

Like I said before, at age 32 God threw me a lifeline.  He brought Leadership Development into my life.  That turned out to be the tool He used to bring me out of all of that.  Today, 10 years after starting my Leadership journey, I am married; I have an incredible son; and all of my relationships are better and stronger than at any time in my life.

In my teens and twenties God let me go my own way- daily returning to my folly.

In my thirties and forties He has brought me back to the path that I was supposed to be the whole time.  My life has literally been that of "The Lost Son" (Luke 15:11-31).  

The Takeaways

The first takeaway from my story is: God is Faithful.  He was always with me, always watching over me.  It is only by His grace that I am not demon-possessed or suffering eternal judgment in hell.  It is only by His grace that I was able to leave behind that life of selfishness and depravity.

Secondly, persistent sin destroys.  Because of my willful, sinful, selfish lifestyle I faced several years of demonic attack.  Also, I think I have made it clear that I hurt countless people and destroyed relationships.  The same is true for you.  Your "secret sin" that you think that no one knows about is ravaging the people who love you most.  Whether either of you realizes it or not, it is.  By you daily returning to your folly you are playing with fire.  The people who will be burned the worst are the people you claim to love the most.

Finally, you can put your folly behind you.  God loves all of His children, including you.  In fact, He loves you so much that He sent His son, Jesus, to pay the price for ALL of your sins.  He is powerful enough to pull you out of the pit you have fallen into.  He wants to help you, stop resisting Him!  You will never be totally free of the temptations, Satan knows our weaknesses; but God is powerful enough to help us resist Satan's  lies and temptations.

I still battle temptations to look at pornography, almost everyday, but now, I battle them instead of indulging in them.  God is powerful and God is love and can help you leave your folly behind.  Through the power of the Holy Spirit you can finally stop being the dog.

God bless

Jason Fredrick

Happy Father's Day

Proverbs 17:6

Children's children are a crown to the aged, and parents are the pride of their children.

What an appropriate verse for Father's Day.  This really fits well with the "Generational Parenting" theme that I have touched on in earlier articles. Here Solomon is making a strong statement to what a tremendous blessing family is:  parents, grandparents, children, and grandchildren.  

Solomon speaks here to the blessing of grandchildren.  I don't have any grandchildren yet, my son is only 6, but I do get to see what a blessing my son and his cousins are to their grandparents.  Grand-parenting is much different than parenting.  Grandparents don't have to be the rule setters and disciplinarians.  They mostly get to just enjoy the blessing and joy of loving their grandchildren.  If you ever talk to Godly grandparents about their grandchildren the sparkle in their eyes will tell you all you need to know about the difference between parenting and grand-parenting.
After God and my wife, I love my son more than anyone or anything; but the way I love my son is different than the way my parents love him.  Now granted, I am blessed to have phenomenal parents, but it is my experience that they are typical of all grandparents who understand what Solomon is saying in this Proverb.  Andrew is a crown to my parents, but they also love him more than he can understand.  That is the mark of awesome, Godly grandparents!

(I was going to expound further, but I think this really covers all of what Solomon is saying in both parts of that one sentence above.)

I hope you had a blessed and joyous Father's Day today!

God bless

Jason Fredrick

Generational Fatherhood

Proverbs 4:3-4

When I was a boy in my father's house, still tender, and an only child of my mother, he taught me and said, "Lay hold of my words with all your heart; keep my commands and you will live."

This proverb was most likely written by King Solomon.  So who is the father that he is speaking about here?  King David.  Now, most of our fathers are/were not King David, but we can take some parenting lessons from both David and Solomon that are laid out for us here to bless our sons, as well as our fathers.

First, let's look at the generational inference here.  Proverbs 4 specifically, is King Solomon teaching his son the wisdom that he learned from his father.  How many of us can say that this is how we have gained any of the wisdom that we have?  I don't say this to be harsh.  The point is that this is an aspect of the ancient cultures that we are badly missing in America.  Americans do not think generationally.  How can we?  We are trained to think short-term, instant gratification.  That's not to say that we all haven't learned something from our fathers.  I am confident that most fathers try to pass on the life lessons that they have learned to their children, especially their sons.  The point is that King David was the king of the most powerful nation in the world in his day and he took the time to personally teach his son.  Then Solomon followed that example:  as the king of the most powerful nation in the world he took the time to teach his son the wisdom that was passed down to him from his father.  Author Olive Demille asks the question this way, "When is the last time you did something hard for the sake of your grandchildren, or great-grandchildren?"

As Christians, we need to model David and Solomon on this and start thinking generationally.  As fathers, we need to be passing on the wisdom of God's Word to our sons- even to our young sons.

Secondly, David and Solomon both passed on this wisdom to their sons personally.  They didn't rely on schools to take care of their fatherly duty.  This is another aspect of the rebellious American culture that turns my stomach.  We have been so dumbed down by conveyor-belt schooling that fathers don't even feel qualified to do this anymore.  And that's understandable:  they don't read, they're addicted to entertainment, and they haven't opened their Bible since their confirmation.  Why would they feel qualified to fulfill this duty of fatherhood?  I would contend that most Christian fathers don't even understand that they are supposed to be doing this.  Nobody has taught them what it means to be a Christian man, forget about what it means to be a Christian husband or father.  So where is the church in all of this?  Isn't this the main job of pastor teachers:  to teach Christians how to live as Christians?  Why is the church not falling all over itself to teach Christian men what it means to be a Christian man?  Why is the church not equipping Christian men with the skills to be men, husbands and fathers?  What are our pastors so busy with that is so much more important than this?  If the church would focus on this one thing much of the other business of the church would be taken care of.  Maybe the problem of learning this lesson from men like David and Solomon is that those men totally lacked the academic credentials to be taken seriously.  What could men who lack a bachelor's degree or a master's degree possibly have to teach us? Losers.

Can you even imagine what the church would look like if fathers actually took full responsibility for the education of their children?  That dream is one that gets my heart pumping!

I will finish with a story from today:

Driving home from church today my son and I somehow got on the subject of him getting married.  He's only 6.  I made the point that he would probably get married much younger than Heidi and I were when we married (we were in our mid-30's).  He didn't understand why that would be.  So I explained to him how he is going to be better equipped than I was at a young age to be married.

I explained to him how he won't have to worry about finding a pretty wife, his wife will be beautiful- just like my wife.  We talked about how when the time comes we will identify what characteristics he will need to look for in a wife.

His response, "A believer."

Men:  You cannot wait until your sons are 18 to start having these conversations!  How can your sons "lay hold of your words with all their heart" if you aren't giving them anything to lay hold of?  It is time to reestablish Biblical manhood in our churches, and then the culture.

God bless

Jason Fredrick

The Wisdom of Fathers

Proverbs 4:2

I (a father, see v.1) give you sound learning, so do not forsake my teaching.

As a father, I can relate to this advice.  This is the advice I give to my own son.  The problem is that this advice is exactly what I arrogantly rejected for much of my youth.  I insisted on making every mistake myself.  It is only as I have matured, finally...more or less, that I appreciate the wisdom of this Proverb.

My father tried to share the wisdom he had learned through his own mistakes and doing dumb stuff.  Unfortunately, I was way too smart to listen to any of that, I knew I was way smarter than that.  So I went off and made the same mistakes and did the same dumb stuff.  My dumb stuff didn't look exactly the same, it rarely does; but it could have been avoided had I been humble enough to learn from someone who was born thirty years before I was, and who loved me and wanted to see me succeed in life.

This is an interesting analogy to how we all act towards our Heavenly Father.  

He has given all of us sound learning in His Word, the Bible.  He has even commanded us not to forsake His teaching.  But what do we do?

We, at times, totally disregard His sound learning.  Instead we do our own thing.  After all we're smart enough.  We got this.  Don't you know who I am?   This is too often the arrogant, sinful attitude that we repay our loving Father with.  We foolishly underestimate Satan's power of deception:

Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the LORD God had made.  He said to the woman, "Did God really say...?"  (Genesis 3:1)

As Christians, this is the choice we are faced with every day:  obey God or listen to Satan.

(This is only true for Christians.  Non-Christians do not have this choice.  They cannot obey God.  Every inclination of their thoughts is only evil all the time. [Genesis 6:5]  and  

...everything that does not come from faith is sin. [Romans 14:23]   Anyone who does not believe in Jesus Christ as the risen Lord and Savior, is a child of Satan.  They are spiritually dead and cannot choose to do anything that pleases God.

...the sinful mind is hostile towards God.  It does not submit to God's law, nor can it do so.  Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God. [Romans 8:7-8]

If this little sidebar describes you, don't worry.  There is hope.  Let me finish my thought for the Christians and then we'll talk about the hope that there is to lead you out of the darkness and into the light.)

Like Eve, if we choose to please ourselves or chase after our own selfish desires, we have chosen to listen to Satan.  We have doubted God's love and faithfulness.  

How can we know if we are listening to God, or to Satan?

Easy.  Read, study and immerse yourself in God's Word.  It is in the Bible where our Heavenly Father gives us His sound learning.  If what we want to do goes against what Scripture teaches, then we have our answer.  The answer is always in God's Word.  Whether we want to hear His answer or not, it's always there.  We have to submit ourselves to the Lord and His Word by reading it and listening to it.  Reading the Bible has little value if you're not going to do what God says.  

Don't worry unbelievers, I didn't forget about you.  Here's the hope (it's the same as that of believers):

"For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.  For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him. (John 3:16-17)

Yes, we all do dumb stuff.  Yes, we all rebel and sin against God.  But through the blood of Jesus we are forgiven.  Jesus Christ paid the price, in full, for all of the sins of all people.  For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith... (Ephesians 2:8)  

God bless

Jason Fredrick

Be a Fanatical Spiritual (Christian) Athlete

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize?  Run in such a way as to get the prize.  Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training.  They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.- 1 Corinthians 9:24-25

It's interesting that this same principle is still at play in our world today.  It's okay to be fanatical if it is for the sake of sports.  If our children participate in sports we expect them to push themselves to the limit; mentally, physically, and emotionally.  We expect them to train like crazy every day.  We expect them to discipline themselves in their diet, sleep schedule, entertainment consumption, etc.  It goes without saying that they cannot become successful athletes by spending hours a day in front of the t.v., playing video games, and staying up to date on Facebook.  So why do we think that we, or our children, can be high level Christian "athletes" by indulging those lazy habits and ignoring fanatical discipline?

In the text above, Paul compares the Christian life to running a race.  Who in their right mind would sign up to run in a race without diligently training every day?  Guess what,  life is a race.  We didn't sign up for it, we were elected to it by the Lord God almighty, Creator of the universe.  That makes it even more imperative to run this race to our absolute best ability.  God has elected us to run our race for His glory!  If that's the case, don't you think we should be training and disciplining ourselves daily so that we can run our best race possible?  After all, we only get one shot at this race.  There is no re-match.  There is no do-over.  There is no tomorrow.  Judgment Day will be upon us in the blink of an eye.

How do we run our race "so as to get a crown that will last forever"?

1. Strict Training
1. Read from God's Word every day.
2. Attend a Bible study at least once/week.
3. Seek out Bible classes that go deeper into the truths of Scripture.
4. Enroll in the Congregational Assistant Program from Martin Luther College.
5. Find a spiritual mentor.
6. Read from Luther's Small Catechism every day.
7. Intentionally develop your leadership skills every day.
2. Running the Race
1. Share the saving truth of God's Word at every opportunity- with friends, family, co-workers,etc.
2. Become an active participant in the ministry of God's Word.
1. Get active in your church.
2. Volunteer with a ministry that is in fellowship with your church body.
3. Start a Bible study in your home (when your mentor agrees that you are ready).
3. Look for ways to use your talents and abilities in service to others, for God's glory.
4. Be the salt and the light in this world.  Strive to live a Godly life every day.
1. Love the Lord you God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.
2. Love you neighbor as yourself.  

Treat your life like an athletic competition.  Be as fanatical about building yourself spiritually as a professional athlete is about building himself physically.

God bless and Merry Christmas
Jason Fredrick

10 Books EVERYONE Needs To Read By Age 16

1. Luther's Catechism- Martin Luther
2. The Narrow Lutheran Middle:  Following the Scriptural Road- Deutschlander
3. Bible: God's Inspired, Inerrant Word- Keller
4. Personality Plus- Littauer
5. The Theology of the Cross:  Reflections on His Cross and Ours- Deutschlander
6. Creation:  God Made All Things- Weigand
7. A Thomas Jefferson Education- DeMille
8. Gospel Motivation:  More than "Jesus Died for My Sins"- Koester
9. Christ:  He Is My Lord- Kuschel
10. Financial Fitness:  The Offense, The Defense, and the Playing Field of Personal Finance- Woodward/Brady

Conveyor Belt Glaze

A while ago, I had the privilege to hear Oliver DeMille give a talk at a LIFE Leadership Conference in which he discussed the amount of glaze that people develop over the course of their lives.  I knew this was real, I see it every day in adults.  I see it often in interactions with teenagers.  I haven't really noticed it with children until this year.  I am in my second year of teaching Sunday School at my church. This year I am teaching 3rd and 4th graders.  I have a mix of kids that go to public school, as well as kids that attend our church's parochial school.

I am astounded every week at how unprepared these 9 and 10-year olds are to have a discussion about God's Word, with one or two exceptions.  I try to use a leadership style with my students- reading through the text and asking questions.  I try to avoid lecturing at all.  These kids get lectured at every day they're in school.  More lecturing from an "expert" is not what they need.  They need someone to challenge them and make them think.  I am actually surprised how difficult it is to use leadership education, asking questions and trying to go deeper, with kids who have only known the conveyor belt.  Even as young as my students are, their glaze is already massive, and growing.

I have two students who won't participate at all.  There are one or two that will really think and go deeper into topics.  The rest of the students will answer a question with "the right" answer.  Very few of my students can even communicate what they think something means, or could mean.  At this young age they have already been programmed to fear being wrong and that there is only one right answer.

My time with these kids is very limited, 45 minutes a week.  I pray that I am having an impact in their life, on their thinking, but I just don't get enough time with them.  They are getting pounded 7 or 8 hours-a-day, 5 days-a-week, with conveyor belt training.  How can I compete with that?

My point with all of this is this:
   You are reading this.  I could just as likely be talking about your child.  What are you doing to give your son or daughter a leadership education?  You are responsible for the amount of glaze your child has already.  When will you get the courage to get your child off the conveyor belt?  It's not too late, but one day soon it will be.  You are responsible for preparing your children for adulthood.  How prepared are they?

God bless

Jason Fredrick