THE WHOLE FAMILY
Ephesians 3:8 Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ; 9 And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ: 10 To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God, 11 According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord: 12 In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him. 13 Wherefore I desire that ye faint not at my tribulations for you, which is your glory.
Ephesians 3:14 ¶ For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, 16 That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; 17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; 19 And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.
The manner in which one comes to be a member of God’s family is the same as becoming a member of one’s earthly family – you are born into it! How did the invisible, eternal God come to be seen among mankind? He was born into humanity! Luke 1:30 And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. 31 And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. 35 And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.
And how does one come to be enabled to rightly call God, “Our Father?” He is born again by the Holy Spirit. John 3:3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. 4 Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born? 5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. 8 The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.
Child birth is the marvelous event by which the Lord God has ordained to bring men to a consciousness of Himself. This is such a strong revelation of God, that all men, whether ever having seen a Bible, or heard a gospel message can justly be condemned for not believing God! Romans 1:20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
Human birth is such a powerful revelation of God that Eve Proclaimed, “I have gotten a man from the LORD.” She did not say, “Look Adam, We have made a baby!” She looked not to Adam as the source of her offspring, but to God! That is the reason which the Apostle Paul states that the woman shall be saved in childbearing! 1 Timothy 2:14 And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression. 15 Notwithstanding she shall be saved in childbearing, if they continue in faith and charity and holiness with sobriety.
We can see this, not only in Isaiah 7:14, but also in Isaiah 9:6. Isaiah 7:14 Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.
Isaiah 9:6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
For although the former reveals the amazing occurrence of the Humanity of God being formed in the womb of a virgin, the latter clearly states, looking from the human side, “a child was born.” But, more importantly it also reveals to us that the birth of this child was but the Son of God, who always existed, who was “a son given!”
Those of you who are more serious students of the Scriptures can take the time and effort to consider the following passages, wherein some of God’s earliest revelations were given through birth’s and through their names which were assigned by God.
Genesis 16:11 And the angel of the LORD said unto her, Behold, thou art with child, and shalt bear a son, and shalt call his name Ishmael; because the LORD hath heard thy affliction. {Ishmael mens, “God shall hear.”}
Genesis 17:19 And God said, Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed; and thou shalt call his name Isaac: and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him. {Isaac means “laughter.”}
Isaiah. 8:1 ¶ Moreover the LORD said unto me, Take thee a great roll, and write in it with a man’s pen concerning Mahershalalhashbaz. {This name means, “Making speed to the spoil.” See verse four.} 2 And I took unto me faithful witnesses to record, Uriah the priest, and Zechariah the son of Jeberechiah. 3 And I went unto the prophetess; and she conceived, and bare a son. Then said the LORD to me, Call his name Mahershalalhashbaz. 4 For before the child shall have knowledge to cry, My father, and my mother, the riches of Damascus and the spoil of Samaria shall be taken away before the king of Assyria.
And if you take the time and effort to Read Hosea 1:1-10, you will find that this giving of names to the newborn was a very serious matter in the revelation of God to His people.
And the name which is above every name was also given by God. Matthew 1:21 And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins. Philippians 2:9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: {Jesus means “Jehovah-saved.”}
This revelation of Almighty God is so very special that Father God gives warnings concerning ignoring it less we become only familiar with our earthly families. Matthew 23:9 And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven. And remember how the Lord Jesus taught us to pray. “Our Father WHICH ART IN HEAVEN.”
And then he gave specific warnings concerning only having earthly ties to family. Matthew 10:34 Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. 35 For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. 36 And a man’s foes shall be they of his own household. 37 He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 38 And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me. 39 He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.
And when that sword falls into the earthly family, separating those relationships, it can be a blessed thing for the eternal soul. For it forces one out of a dangerous comfort zone, fueled only by the flesh’s inordinate affections and into a more precious, spiritual and eternal relationship with the Lord! Psalm 27:10 When my father and my mother forsake me, then the LORD will take me up.
By far the majority of professing believers have not a clue as just how powerful the Lord God is in the jealously of his people! Consider but a few of the earliest passages wherein He warns us of taking his love lightly. It is a serious thing to trifle with our Holy Father’s love! Exodus 20:5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;
Exodus 34:14 For thou shalt worship no other god: for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God:
Deuteronomy 4:24 For the LORD thy God is a consuming fire, even a jealous God. 6:15 (For the LORD thy God is a jealous God among you) lest the anger of the LORD thy God be kindled against thee, and destroy thee from off the face of the earth.
Joshua 24:19 And Joshua said unto the people, Ye cannot serve the LORD: for he is an holy God; he is a jealous God; he will not forgive your transgressions nor your sins.
We would not allow ourselves to be treated in such a light-hearted manner by those in whom we give our love and devotion. Yet we do not seem to realize that Almighty God is a real person who can be ignored, taken advantage of, and slighted by some sham, or false response in our religious devotion. The Harlot church has falsely assured masses of souls on the broad way that just performing religious traditions is enough to make sure we don’t suffer eternal damnation. But listen to how the Lord God views this: Matthew 15:8 This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. 9 But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.
It has been found that those with strong family ties have been greatly hindered in any beneficial affect of the gospel in their hearts. Just attend a modern day funeral service and listen carefully to how the deceased is exalted equally to, if not more than, the Lord Jesus. For most ‘ministers’ of funeral services are but eulogizers and not God called preachers of the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. This very situation shall provide a great deal of the deception that causes unsuspecting religionists to shockingly hear the words, “I never knew you. Depart from me the workers of iniquity!”
We really don’t know that many true Christians! We mistakenly assume that church members are actual believers. May God have mercy on those whose inordinate affections tie them more to “daddy” than to “Our Father which art in heaven.”
Our nation sets aside a day for the recognition of “Fathers!” And we at least make some effort to show honor to our earthly parent. But in the day of national recognition of the Lord, we keep him as a baby in a cow stall, celebrating more of the musical programs than the actual Christ Child. And we give great attention to the ‘sales’ of the merchants to obtain good bargains for presents of our earthly families. And on another day of national religious recognition we set forth bunny rabbits and chocolates, more than any true worship of His amazing conquering of such a horrible death, arising from the grave.
Have we truly looked upon Him whom our sins have so shamefully treated? Have we personally owned that we did this to him? Have we ever wept as we confessed our repentance to Him? Isaiah 52:14 As many were astonied at thee; his visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men: 53:2 For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. 3 He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. 4 ¶ Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.
Be careful, dear Reader that you do not eternally wrong your religious soul by not seeking his forgiveness before it is too late! Psalm 2:12 Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him.
May God have mercy on this generation of deceived church members!
Pastor Gene Breed
July 5, 2023
