Iron Men, Too!

Iron Men, Too (Father’s Day 2010)

13 Another thing you do: You flood the LORD's altar with tears. You weep and wail because he no longer pays attention to your offerings or accepts them with pleasure from your hands. 14 You ask, "Why?" It is because the LORD is acting as the witness between you and the wife of your youth, because you have broken faith with her, though she is your partner, the wife of your marriage covenant. 15 Has not the LORD made them one? In flesh and spirit they are his. And why one? Because he was seeking godly offspring. ^[a^] So guard yourself in your spirit, and do not break faith with the wife of your youth. 16 "I hate divorce," says the LORD God of Israel, "and I hate a man's covering himself ^[b^] with violence as well as with his garment," says the LORD Almighty. So guard yourself in your spirit, and do not break faith. (Mal 2:13-16)

5 "See, I will send you the prophet Elijah before that great and dreadful day of the LORD comes. 6 He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers; or else I will come and strike the land with a curse." (Mal 4:5-6)

Insights: Relationships would be the cornerstone of the new Kingdom initiative.

• Malachi speaks of at least 4 failures (All of which disrespect Father God)
• failure of the impatient people to bring good gifts to God (Mal 1:6-14)
• failure of the priests to exercise & excellence in offering these lazy, maimed gifts to God. (Mal 2:1-9
• failure of home covenants (Mal 2:10-14) (Divorce & remarriage to foreigners/God wants Godly children)
• failure of tithes & supporting God’s spirtual and national work (Mal 3)
• God would restore all of this by restoring relationships (Mal 4)
• Relationships with each other would be reflect our relationship with God.
• God’s wants kid who’ll change the world and kids who are wounded because the father’s won’t get it together.
• God means that thing!
• Men play a key role in God’s new Kingdom order

Challenge: We’re called to save society. We reverse what Onan did & father children who aren’t our own.

• Men need a challenge. Father’s are men.
• Church needs to be a place were men/father’s are equipped to serve
• Society will change when men are secure. The Church should specialize in pointing men to God for security
• Relax: Secure men do not abuse power nor do they hold it over the heads of strong women!
• We must restore God’s dignity in the Church and in society!!