Mission 2013 # 9. Generational Blessings

Want to learn how to have a functional family for generations? We can see from the Bible and common sense that the ways we act now has a pretty good chance of impacting the future. In fact, God said that it was best if the Hebrew children followed His laws and commandments. It was better because Go loved the people and wanted the very best for them.

Coming from a farming background and community I learned very early that the quality of the seeds we planted made a big difference in what kinds of crops we got later. Weak sees meant bad crops. But it was not all the seeds. The kind and quality of weeding, watering and fertilizing also made a difference as did the original quality of the soil.

This is exactly what God told the people He brought out of Egypt with a mighty hand. "Look you guys," He said, "you have lived among the pagans for over 400 years so your approach to medicine is all messed up. You handle sickness and communicable diseases badly and you catch terrible diseases from them. You do not follow my laws and you get sick, live poorly and then treat your problems wrongly with bad medicines that actually kill you. Some of the foods you eat are contaminated and have little bugs in them so stop that.

Don't lust after things that are not yours or have sex with members of the same gender. Honor your parents and treat them right and your families will live long and prosper.Do not kill or harm each other r steal the neighbors stuff. I am setting up rules for handling private property. If you worked for it and own it then it belongs to you. Lying, cheating and bitterness will destroy you so avoid them at all costs. By the way, honor, respect and obey me and my name and do not start worshiping rocks, trees and stars. That will bring disaster to your kids and grand kids because they will not know all these great things about healthy, functional lives."

Come up to Southbrook Christian Church this Saturday night and Sunday morning to hear Charlie McMahan and me discuss, dialogue and doodle around on this topic. Last week Charlie preached all by himself without me as a prop and did a terrific job. My wife said it was the best sermon she had heard in ages and she had heard me several times. I had to admit he was great. One of the best I ever heard.