19 June 2011 - ENCS

Pastor Larry started a new series
It was entitled “Endangered Species”
Appropriately on this third Sunday in June
He spoke about fathers until it was noon
Pastor referred to Malachi 4 verses five and six
Onto children, the hearts of fathers must affix
And then in 1 Corinthians 4:15-16, from the apostle Paul
“In Christ…I became your father in the gospel” was his call
Pastor used D-A-D to show where intervention was needed
So that fathers’ love and role are not reduced or impeded

To “Demonstrate honour” was the first point of three
Honour and long life are linked, from Japan we can see
To honour one’s parents is a commandment with a promise
Leading to a long life that is fulfilling and far from godless
This comes from Deuteronomy 4:16 and Ephesians 6:3
On a related point, Mark 6:4 Pastor asked us to see
If we do not honour our parents, we will regret
For God’s full blessings we will not get

The second of his points was to “Always forgive”
Unlocking bitterness allows us to really live
Per John the Baptist in Luke 1 verse seventeen
To turn the hearts of fathers, he was keen
We then heard a testimony from Pastor Mark
With his father, ten years passed with not a remark
When he went through the forgiveness process
An email arrived, asking to meet him no less
He said that forgiveness opened a window for him
Allowing reconciliation from a relationship that was dim
Pastor Larry said that if we don’t forgive we cannot be healed
For the promise of generational curses will then be sealed
But if we obey God, our sins we will not be judged
This is a view from which Pastor cannot be budged
Psalm 68 : 5 says God is father to the fatherless
So about earthly concerns we should not stress

Pastor’s third point was that we must “Declare love”
In order to likewise receive love from God above
He read 1 Corinthians 13: 1 and 1 John 4: 7-8
Even John the son of Zebedee was set straight
And then reading from 1 John chapter three verse one
The love God lavishes on His children is never done

In conclusion, about the prodigal son Pastor Larry spoke
Our Father welcomes us back with open arms and a cloak
As fathers here on earth we should likewise do
We have a very important role to pursue