Anthony Wade Ministries

By Anthony N. Wade

Exodus 20:12 (KJV)
Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.

Ephesians 6:2 (KJV)
Honour thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise;

There is a lot to be said about the two texts that I have chosen for this article. The Bible is loaded with scriptures that speak toward the honoring of our parents. I like these two verses because they point us to a promise, a reward. I can’t think of any one who doesn’t like a reward. The question that must be asked is have we met the conditions that would bring forth the reward – the promise.

I will be the first to admit to you that I have thought about these two verses often – numerous times – more times than I can count. First of all we must be cognizant of the fact that our text in Exodus is a part of “The Ten Commandments.” The commandments are a foundation for us to build upon.

Honoring our parent’s point to a few questions I personally want to ask you – I, or anyone else who may read this piece. We must ask ourselves. Are our days long on the Earth? Is it going well with us? If you will read Ephesians six in context—the other verses around it you will understand why I ask such a pointed question. Each time I hear of some one that has died a premature death or something of that nature, I wonder if they honored their parents. First of all are they believers’? Then have they ascribed to the scriptures that promise long life?

Now, I understand that the rain falls on the just and the unjust Matthew 5:44-46, but I am thinking of God’s Covenant people. As believer’ we have a Covenant with the Creator. It is up to us to live our responsibilities of the contract. There is not a thing that can stop our Covenant from coming to pass, IF we would do our part (James 1:22). -Peace

Matthew 16:19 (The Amplified Bible)

19 I will give you the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven; and whatever you bind (declare to be improper and unlawful) on earth must be what is already bound in heaven; and whatever you loose (declare lawful) on earth must be what is already loosed in Heaven.

In this passage The Lord Jesus Christ is talking He is transferring the authority that we have in the Earth realm. Actually our authority is in three worlds, Heaven, Earth, and Hell. Many times we think we are dealing with flesh and blood. But our battle reaches beyond what we see with our natural eyes.

In Ephesians 6, The Apostle Paul really brings this to light.

10 A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. 11 Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. 12 For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.

13 Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. 14 Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness.

The preceding passage is taken from The New Living Translation.
There really isn’t more to say. The Bible speaks more than any words I can write. – Peace

The word prudence is a word that we don’t hear much about anymore and yet the scriptures are full of the importance of embracing this word and making it a vital part of our character. It’s not popular to be prudent, but God speaks contrary to what is popular.

Proverbs 14:8-9 (KJV)

8 The wisdom of the prudent is to understand His way: but the folly of fools is deceit

9 Fools make a mock at sin: but among the righteous there is favor.

Proverbs 16:21 (KJV)

21 The wise in heart shall be called prudent: and the sweetness of the lips increaseth learning.

The sexual revolution, has seduced all of us in ways that we may not care to admit; but it has happened. TV, The Internet, Magazines, and Billboards. It even comes to church. Very little is modest– is prudent anymore. Tight jeans, bulging biceps, plunging necklines that would embarrass a sailor, and visible panty lines just to name a few, have a voice. That voice has endeavored to drown out, and grieved the Voice of Holy Spirit (Ephesians 4:30).

The failure we see in ourselves, and perhaps in other people, is simply a lack of being sensitive to Holy Spirit. Holy Spirit is a Gentleman. He speaks to us in a Still Small Voice (I Kings 19:12; John 16:13). That Still Small Voice, is all the Intimacy we need to fulfill our lives, Spirit, Soul, and Body.

But a counterfeit has come along telling us that what Holy Spirit has to offer is not sufficient; not as exciting, not as much fun. That is a lie, and deception that takes us back to The Garden (Genesis 3:1-24). Holy Spirit will not force Himself on us. He will not rape us to have Intimacy with us. He will wait until we have had our fill with all the other things that don’t and won’t satisfy. He will patiently wait on us knowing that He has the ultimate experience and satisfaction for us all.

Holy Spirit will wait, until we want to be with Him as much as He wants to be with us. He knows, He is the Utmost in everything we need, and could ever want. He will wait, until we are ready. Ready, to receive all He has for us (2 Corinthians 13:14). Then, He will exceed our expectations (Ephesians 3:20).

During the days before I became a Christian I used to frequent a place where numerous personalities would gather together. There was one person who would make a joke about being at harmony with a number of people. If something surfaced that was a potential problem with someone he would many times make this statement “I’m not mad at ya!.” In his way of disarming an individual he would make a joke out of it. That was his way of calming any potential problem that was brewing. It worked.

As believers’ we need to develop the same attitude,the attitude that “God’s not mad at us!” If we would look very closely at the scriptures –In the New Testament, we would find that our Creator is not infuriated with us. All too often we have had the frame of mind that God was angry, and portrayed it to people who are possible candidates for the “New Birth.” What we need to say to those candidates is that God is not holding anything against them. Isn’t it amazing the gospel means good news and all too often our method is bad?

ON HIS WAY TO HELL!
I remember a time when I approached a friend of mine in a negative manner. I told him he was going to Hell. His angry reply was “I guess I will go to Hell.” My approach was all wrong and I turned him off. He wanted nothing to do with me and my God. At the time I couldn’t understand why he didn’t want anything to do with the God that I served. I know he didn’t want to go to Hell, yet I knew that is where he was headed. My approach was wrong, and at the time – I didn’t know it.

When I stop and think about it that is not the way I was approached, yet somehow I developed the way of thinking that, that is how you come within reach of people, I am going to put two passages of scripture in this article that says it all. Now, take off your rose colored glasses. Really look at these and get the meat in them.

2 Corinthians 5:17-19 (The Amplified Bible)

{17} Therefore if any person is [ingrafted] in Christ (the Messiah) he is a new creation (a new creature altogether); the old [previous moral and spiritual condition] has passed away. Behold, the fresh and new has come! {18}But all things are from God, Who through Jesus Christ reconciled us to Himself [received us into favor, brought us into harmony with Himself] and gave to us the ministry of reconciliation [that by word and deed we might aim to bring others into harmony with Him].

{19 It was God [personally present] in Christ, reconciling and restoring the world to favor with Himself, not counting up and holding against [men] their trespasses [but cancelling them], and committing to us the message of reconciliation (of the restoration to favor).

Luke 2:14 (KJV)

{14} Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

Need I say more? -Peace

One of the things I had learned in my ministerial training was to have people follow along with me in their Bible. It has been a staple with me for years that the congregation knew where the information I was sharing with them came from. Many times I have them follow along with me, and sometimes read it out load. The Bible is my foundation for life. I do my best to follow,and do what it says (James 1:22).

A number of years ago I noticed a man sitting in one of my services without a Bible. So, I endeavored to encourage him by asking, “Where’s Your Bible?” The man retorted, “it’s on the inside of me.” My first response was that he needed to follow along with me. I decided to have someone in the congregation share their Bible with this man. A number of members in the congregation let me know that he couldn’t follow along. “Why, I asked.” They said he was blind. I was so embarrassed, and immediately apologized to the man. You talk about egg on my face!

At that moment I realized that this man did have the Word of God on the inside of him. At a glance there was no way of knowing that the man was blind. The moral of the story is to never judge a book by it’s cover, let alone people. -AWM