Fathering: Testing and Warning

Seven Principles of Fathering Today’s Focus: Fathering: Testing and Warning Scripture: Deuteronomy 8; Acts 14:22; Hebrews 5:8; 1 Peter 4:12,13 Greetings Kingdom Citizens In the process of maturing the Lord will test us and please understand that this maturing is not an instant process. God is not in a hurry. The Lord kept Israel in the wilderness for 40 years. The wilderness journey should have only taken them 11 days but because of their ways and disobedience, an 11 day journey took them 40 years. Now when the Lord tests you the first thing that is built into you is humility. Deuteronomy 8:2: And thou shalt remember all the way which the Lord thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, TO HUMBLE THEE AND PROVE (TEST) THEE, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments or no. The testing or proving of yourself is to build character, faithfulness, love and mercy. When trials come and pressure is applied your character is the first thing that comes out. It is a revelation of the heart of the individual. God will continue to apply pressure to build the character of the sons. Let me show you this scripture: 1 Peter 4:12,13: Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. As you can see we are partakers of Christ’s sufferings and hence we will be glorified with Him. Now why are we partakers of His sufferings? What is the purpose? Hebrews 5:8: Though He were a Son, yet learned He obedience by the things He suffered; So we learn obedience by the things we suffer and why do we want to learn obedience? What is the benefit? Acts 14:22: Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation ENTER INTO THE KINGDOM OF GOD. So in order for us to enter into the Kingdom of God you must suffer and the reason God makes you suffer because you must transfer your reliance from self through your soul to full reliance on the Father through the Spirit. Now the warning and I urge everyone to read this entire scripture because this pertains to us now! In Deuteronomy 8:19 the Lord warns Israel not to forget the Lord and walk after other gods and serve them and worship them. Because if you do, God has promised that you shall surely perish. Just like the nations before them that were destroyed because you do not yield and obey the voice of the Lord your God you will die. I am sure none of us desires this but let’s be about the Father’s business and obey His voice and His commandments and statutes. These are the principals and concepts of fathering that reflect the character of the Father. If we would abide by His principals and do it His way then we will see the glory of God like never before. Peace, Love and Grace from the Father, Calvin Calhoun, Jr.

Fathering: Your Latter Will Be Greater

Seven Principles of Fathering Today’s Focus: Fathering: Your Latter Will Be Greater Scripture: Deuteronomy 8:16; Jeremiah 29:11; 1 Corinthians 15:28 Greetings Kingdom Citizens Deuteronomy 8:16: Who fed thee in the wilderness with manna, which thy fathers knew not, that he might humble thee, and that he might prove thee, to do thee good at thy latter end; When we examine fathering and especially spiritual fathering one of the beautiful aspects is always seeing the bigger picture and understanding the end. When God started with Genesis 1:1, He already knew how we would end at Revelation 22:21. Now God knows the end before the beginning. We actually know what the end is. We may not know what it will exactly look like but the scriptures tell us what the end is: 1 Corinthians 15:28: And when all things shall be subdued unto Him (Christ Jesus), then shall the Son also Himself be subject unto Him (Father) that put all things under Him (Christ Jesus), that God may be all in all. This is the end, God be all in all. He will be all of who He is in all of the sons. There will be nothing within the sons restricting God from being all of who He is within them. So with God it is all about the finish line and how we finish. In this mentality there has to be a focus on maturity. Let me show you this scripture that everyone probably knows: Jeremiah 29:11: For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, TO GIVE YOU AN EXPECTATED END. So God is concerned about our end but the key is getting started for many of us. So let’s lay out some things about God that you may or may not know and we touched on some of these in the previous messages. First, God is not a spoiling God. God will not spoil us and give us what we cannot handle. Spoiling children is always about the here and now and the problem that arises later is a lack of attitude towards responsibility and work ethic that is required. Since God loves us he will make it a little difficult now for the greater end. Look at your life now. If you are a mature son who is a spiritual father you will definitely relate to this. Before the Lord would put sons under your household you had to go through a wilderness experience where there was pain, tears, trials and tribulations but all of it was to make you to be the mature son you are today so that you are able to do the Will of the Father in maturing the sons. Please understand there will be times where you will have to discipline the children and sons of the household and bring correction to correct improper behavior. Real children love discipline and boundaries because it keeps them in favor with their parents and God. If there were no boundaries you would not know how to be in favor with your parents or God. You would actually find yourself more out of favor than in it. But we as spiritual fathers and natural fathers should always want our children to have a better end than beginning and in order for that to be there is a process of maturity that must happen and correction that will be given in order to keep the son or child on the right path to the Father’s expected end. Peace, Love and Grace from the Father, Calvin Calhoun, Jr.

Incorrect Priorities (Beware of Idolatry)

Seven Principles of Fathering
Today’s Focus: Principle #7 – Incorrect Priorities (Beware of Idolatry)
Scripture: Deuteronomy 7:25-26; Luke 16:13

Greetings Kingdom Citizens
Deuteronomy 7:25-26: The graven image of their gods shall ye burn with fire: thou shalt not desire the silver or gold that is on them, nor take it unto thee, lest thou be snared therein: for it is an abomination to the Lord thy God. Neither shalt thou bring an abomination into thine house, lest thou be a cursed thing like it; but thou shalt utterly detest it , and thou shalt utterly abhor it; for it is a cursed thing.

In this final principle we see the Father exhorting Israel to beware of idolatry and the impact of incorrect priorities it causes. In the scripture above, the Lord tells Israel to burn and destroy all of the graven images. Do not covet them nor bring them into your household. Now the reason why is the big issue: He tells them not to bring them into the house because you will be a cursed thing like it. Do you see that! All of the mysticism, secret societies, fraternities, sororities and other organizations, man-worship, anti-christ music and entertainment, things of other religions, etc are not to be brought within your household because like the thing you will become cursed. Another reason we should beware of idolatry is it forces us to choose whom we will serve.

Luke 16:13: No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

Idolatry produces another master for people. If we claim to be sons of God then we covet nothing but our covenant that we have made with the Father. Hence we have given our entire life over to Him and serve Him to do His Will all the days of our lives. Spiritual orphans are drawn to the altar of idolatry because they covet things around them because of their constant search for provision and protection to make their life comfortable. On the other hand, the sons of God have an identity and understand that they rely solely on the Father to meet their every need. God challenges us on this and in challenging us He makes our lives uncomfortable. It is the process to transfer reliance on self to meet provisions through the soul to relying on the Father to meet every need and desire.

This is why in the temptations of Jesus in Matthew 4 the very first thing the devil challenged Jesus on was His identity and then he challenged Him to trust in Himself to meet the current need for food because he knew He was hungry? So the devil challenges the sons of God in their identity first then in their soul. We must be watchful and examine the things within our household, even people. Beware of idolatry and destroy it if it rears its head within your household.

Peace, Love and Grace from the Father,
Calvin Calhoun, Jr.

God Will Not Give You, What You Cannot Handle

Seven Principles of Fathering
Today’s Focus: Principle #6 – God Will Not Give You, What You Cannot Handle
Scripture: Deuteronomy 7:22-24

Greetings Kingdom Citizens
Deuteronomy 7:22-24: And the Lord thy God will put out those nations before thee by little and little: THOU MAYEST NOT CONSUME THEM AT ONCE, lest the beasts of the field increase upon thee. But the Lord thy God shall deliver them unto thee, and shall destroy them with a mighty destruction until they be destroyed. And he shall deliver their kings into thine hand, and thou shalt destroy their name from under heaven: there shall no man be able to stand before thee until thou have destroyed them

This principle is very real and for many natural parents this one is the hard one. Too many times we get caught up in the things of this world and we give our children more than what they can handle. In many instances they become spoiled and rotten and have no sense of responsibility, appreciation and work ethic. The reason the Father does not give us more than what we can handle is because He is protecting us from greed, selfishness, pride and self-ambition. Do you now understand why you have not hit the Lotto or Powerball. I am still learning in ministry that it is a process. Growing up in Christ takes time and it will not happen all at once. There are things the Lord will bring in and there are things the Lord will take out but everything will be in a controlled atmosphere and the Father dictates what you receive and how much based upon His Will. What we must learn is God’s Will instead of trying to manipulate Him through rituals. Let me explain:

You have not fellowshipped with the saints in over a year and you only show up to fellowship on holidays and first Sundays or Saturdays. Now you want a new car so you think if you go to church consistently for a couple of months, God will bless you with a new car. God does not operate like that and we must get out of that childish behavior of trying to manipulate situations with God to get what you want. Do you not think that God sees through this? He is God! For some odd reason many pastors want the biggest congregation and the biggest church in the city but at what expense. The Lord lets you possess many things within your sphere that you can handle in a responsible way. Think about this? Adam and Eve had it all. They fellowshipped with God, the entire Earth was for them to manage and everything was laid out for them to enjoy and rule. But when the serpent came along and tricked Eve, he presented her with something she thought she did not have and the devil was able to creep greed, pride, self-ambition and selfishness in there and because they shifted mindsets to an independent mindset, they lost fellowship with the Father. Hence they lost everything. God had given them everything that they could handle and yet still they wanted more!

1 Timothy 6:6-8: But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment LET US BE THEREWITH CONTENT.

Paul is exhorting Timothy to be content with what the Lord has already given you and continue to live holy. I am reminded by the Spirit of Matthew 6:32 where the Scripture says that the Father knows that we have need of all these things. So the Father knows what you need and He even knows your desires but like the best Father He is, He will not give you EVERY desire of your heart because He knows that in the day He gives it to you, your heart will turn from Him to the things and you will covet the thing and it will become a god or idol unto you. And that brings us to our next principle for our next message: Beware of Idolatry.

Peace, Love and Grace from the Father,
Calvin Calhoun, Jr.

Kingdom Message: Think Like A Man??

Miracle Village Series: Repentance from Dead Works

Conditional Multiplication and Fruitfulness

Seven Principles of Fathering
Today’s Focus: Principle #5 – Conditional Multiplication and Fruitfulness
Scripture: Deuteronomy 7:12-15

Greetings Kingdom Citizens
Deuteronomy 7:12-15: Wherefore it shall come to pass, if ye hearken to these judgments, and keep, and do them, that the Lord thy God shall keep unto thee the covenant and the mercy which he sware unto thy fathers: And he will love thee, and bless thee, and multiply thee: he will also bless the fruit of thy womb, and the fruit of thy land, thy corn, and thy wine, and thine oil, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep, in the land which he sware unto thy fathers ti give thee. Thou shalt be blessed above all people: there shall not be male or female barren among you, or among your cattle. And the Lord will take away all sickness, and will put none of the evil diseases of Egypt, which thou knowest, upon thee; but will lay them upon all them that hate me.

The prosperity gospel preachers love to take a portion of this and preach on it but what I want to show you is God puts conditions on His blessings. There is a difference between love and blessings and lets deal with that now. The love of God is unconditional. God does not put a condition on His love for you, no matter how dirty and wrong you have been. The greatest show of His unconditional love was when He gave all He had which was His Son, Jesus Christ to take the punishment of sin and death for us that we might be resurrected in the newness of life and be able to have fellowship with the Father once again. So the love of God is unconditional but His blessings are conditional. Blessings is God’s reward to you for your obedience. In other words it is like God saying “Son you are able to handle this, here it is”. Now with that cleared up look back at the scripture and I pray all the prosperity gospel preachers that may read this get a clear understanding of how blessings are obtained.

In the beginning of that passage, the Lord starts by stating that IF YOU HEARKEN TO HIS JUDGEMENTS AND KEEP AND DO THEM. That is conditional right off the top. In order to receive the blessings of multiplication and fruitfulness you must be obedient to the voice of God. Throughout the book of Deuteronomy and especially Exodus we see the phrase “If you obey my voice or If you obey my commandments” The word “if” is all throughout the scripture denoting a condition upon receiving all these blessings. Yes, we want to receive all that the Lord stated in Deuteronomy 7:12-15 but it starts with obedience. A good father will not reward a rebellious son with blessings that he knows he cannot handle and will mishandle due to his immaturity and attitude.

In the next message we will look at the sixth principle in which God will not give you what you cannot handle.

Peace, Love and Grace from the Father,
Calvin Calhoun, Jr.

Discipline

Seven Principles of Fathering
Today’s Focus: Principle #4 - Discipline
Scripture: Deuteronomy 7:9-11; Hebrews 12:6-12

Greetings Kingdom Citizens
Deuteronomy 7:9-11: Know therefore that the Lord thy God, He is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love Him and keep His commandments to a thousand generations; And repayeth them that hate him to their face, to destroy them: he will not be slack to him that hateth Him, he will repay him to his face. Thou shalt therefore keep the commandments and the statutes and the judgments, which I command thee this day, to do them.

In a world where we have two distinct cultures living in it, the culture of the orphan and the culture of the son, the view to discipline can be viewed in two different ways. Orphans or fatherless individuals view discipline as abuse because they have not known the love of a father and that with the love of a father comes chastisement. However the son views discipline as love. Though it is painful he or she knows that they are being disciplined in order to correct behavior and be a better person or son in Christ. Let me show this in scripture:

Proverbs 13:24: He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes.

Proverbs 23:13,14: Withhold not correction from the child: for if thou beatest him with the rod, he shall not die. Thou shalt beat him with the rod, and shalt deliver his soul from hell.

So here in the Proverbs we see the Lord exhorting the need for discipline and stating that those who do not discipline their children hateth their son because the chastisement delivers their soul from hell because it puts them back on the right track. Now Hebrews 12:5-11 speaks about the chastisement of God and I stress that you read the entire passage but for the sake of time and space let me give you this portion of the scripture to drive the importance of discipline home.

Hebrews 12:6-8: For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. If ye endure chastening God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye BASTARDS, AND NOT SONS.

Do you see this? If you do not accept chastisement then you are bastards, fatherless children, orphans and not sons. Sons accept correction but though it be painful and hard at first, afterward it will yield peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who accept it (Hebrews 12:11).

Now let me say for the record there is a difference between abuse and discipline. Nowhere and no way am I advocating abuse but I am advocating discipline of a child and if done properly it will yield righteous fruit within a child in its due season. In the next message we will examine the conditional concept of multiplication and fruitfulness.

Peace, Love and Grace from the Father,
Calvin Calhoun, Jr.

Judge of Your Sphere

Seven Principles of Fathering
Today’s Focus: Principle #3 – Judge of Your Sphere
Scripture: Deuteronomy 7:5

Greetings Kingdom Citizens
Deuteronomy 7:5: “But thus shall ye deal with them; ye shall destroy their altars, and break down their images, and cut down their groves, and burn their graven images with fire. For thou are a holy people unto the Lord thy God: the Lord thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto Himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth.”

What does it mean to be a judge of your sphere? It means to control and judge the area around you that God has given you oversight (pastor) of. Fathers have been given grace to oversee their homes. Spiritual fathers has been given oversight over a household of sons. Now notice in the scripture it still points to the fact that we must break down these images and altars and all these things that go against God. As the father of your home, it is your responsibility to be a judge of that sphere and if anything comes within that sphere that is not of God you are to control it, destroy it, smash it or even burn it with fire. Some of the things that we must watch for within our own houses are the entertainment centers such as television, radio/ipod or computers. Watch out for the literature that your children read in magazines and even what they are teaching in the school system. You as the head of the household are to smite these images and destroy them because they will cause your child to turn from the Lord that you serve.

I will never forget the second time I met my wife before we got married and she had grown in the spirit and discernment. She came over to my house and was looking around strange at things that were on the walls. I had these tribal masks on my wall for decoration in particular. She asked me about them as to why do I have them, and I answered and said just for decoration. She then asked well do know where they came from and what they mean? I said no and I wondered “what is the big deal” and she began to explain to me that when these masks are made, spirits can be prayed into them and they are graven images to the gods that these people serve. I took all the masks down after doing my own research and burned them. Another situation was when I was a teenager around 13 and we went to a garage sale in the neighborhood. It was the first time but none the less we saw this game and I asked can we buy it. I believe it was about 5 dollars and it was called a Ouija Board. Now my parents at the time did not understand or know what it was about because it looked like a game. I read the instructions and tried it out by myself and nothing happened. Then I took it to school and when I got with another person and “meditated” over the question we would ask the Ouija Board, the piece on the board would spell out the answer. I wanted to know the name of God and it spelled out Jehovah so here I am having all this fun with this board until one day, my uncle came over and I brought the board to him asking him to play it with us and when He saw it, he immediately called my parents downstairs where we were at and told them the meaning or the Ouija board and what it symbolized and immediately they burned the board and the piece that came with it. I did not understand that as a child I was literally playing with demons and spirits that were not of God. They would give me the answer I was looking for just to keep me interested. Praise the Lord for sending my uncle to stop that madness and my parents began to understand the power of the spiritual and how they can try to come in and snatch your children.

As fathers we are to watch over and be the judge in our sphere and destroy any image or altar that tries to rise itself against God. In the next message we will look at discipline.

Peace, Love and Grace from the Father,
Calvin Calhoun, Jr.

Make No Covenants

Seven Principles of Fathering
Today’s Focus: Principle #2 – Make No Covenants
Scripture: Deuteronomy 7:1-4

Greetings Kingdom Citizens
Deuteronomy 7:1-4: When the Lord thy God shall bring thee into the land whither thou goest to possess it, and hath cast out many nations before thee, the Hittites, and the Girgashites and the Amorites, and the Canaanites and the Perizzites and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, seven nations greater and mightier than thou; And when the Lord thy God shall deliver them before thee; thou shalt smite them and utterly destroy them; thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor shew mercy unto them. Neither shalt thou make marriages with them; thy daughter thou shalt not give unto his son, nor his daughter shalt thou take unto thy son. For they will turn away thy son from following me, that they may serve other gods: so will the anger of the Lord be kindled against you, and destroy thee suddenly.

The next principle is found here in the scripture above and it is that we should make no covenants with the things that God delivers to us. Now this one is a doozy! There is one covenant that is important it is the covenant of sonship that makes you a son and God your Father. Now God will deliver these things before you but you are to smite and destroy these spirits or things. The problem we have, is when God delivers these things to us we make a covenant with them or covet them and they become idols or gods in our lives. Now there is a reason God told you to smite them and not make any covenant and it is found in verse 4 of Deuteronomy 7 where it says it will cause thy son to turn from following God.

Now as I was reading this passage the Lord revealed to me that the son did not covet these things but the parents did and for the sins of the parents the children suffer. We should never neglect God for the thing that God has given you because the children will suffer. One of the wonderful things the Lord showed me as being a father is that children listen with their eyes. Meaning that they are more attentive to the things you do more than what you say initially. As they grow they should see both what you say and do line up with each other. Hence if you covet the car, the job, organizations, cell phone..etc then they begin to covet those things. When they covet those things they do not covet the things of God, hence our children are lead to idolatry and I want you to see how God feels about this:

If the children are turned away from the Lord their God by their parents coveting things it says in Deuteronomy 7:4 that the anger of the Lord be kindled against you (parents) and destroy thee suddenly. Let this be a warning to all parents, spiritual fathers and pastors. If you lead the children astray the Lord will be punished.

In the next message we will look at the third principle of being a judge in your sphere.

Peace, Love and Grace from the Father,
Calvin Calhoun, Jr.

Principle #1 - God Deliver We Smite

Seven Principles of Fathering
Today’s Focus: Principle #1 – God Deliver We Smite
Scripture: Deuteronomy 7:1,2

Greetings Kingdom Citizens
Deuteronomy 7:1,2: When the Lord thy God shall bring thee into the land whither thou goest to possess it, and hath cast out many nations before thee, the Hittites, and the Girgashites and the Amorites, and the Canaanites and the Perizzites and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, seven nations greater and mightier than thou; And when the Lord thy God shall deliver them before thee; thou shalt smite them and utterly destroy them; thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor shew mercy unto them.

When we discuss the principles of father we are really discussing the Character of God because He is our Father. So in this series we will examine the character of God and how He fathers us to bring us to maturity.

The first principle God shows us is the principle that He will deliver but we must smite. So many people want God to do absolutely everything and a good father would not do that to their child because it spoils them and does not teach them responsibility. If we as sons of God have been called to steward over the earth then that requires us to be responsible. Now notice in the above scripture the Lord will bring the children of Israel to these seven nations and notice that the Lord tells them that these nations are mightier than them. Now you may wonder why would God do this, bring His children to people stronger than them? If the Lord is going to deliver them to these nations, God would not suffer them to be destroyed but THROUGH HIM, they will be victorious. Now these seven nations carry seven metaphoric designations that we as the Body of Christ must overcome to inherit the Promised Land. Let me show you:
Hittites – Spirit of Terror
Girgashites – Spirit of Earthliness (Void of Faith)
Amorites – Spirit of Self-exaltation
Canaanites – Spirit of Addictions and Perversions
Perizzites – Spirit of Limited Vision
Hivites – Spirit of Pride on Earthly Abundance
Jebusites – Spirit of Legalism

In as much as physical Israel must smite these nations, we must smite these spirits if we desire to possess the Promised Land. Now notice God will deliver but we smite. That means God will deliver these things before us and we are to smite them and utterly destroy them. Fathers as the Father show you these various spirits and things within your household, you are the leader are called to destroy these things. God opens doors for us but we must walk through. Another great example is Jericho. God set the children of Israel up to conquer Jericho but they still had to fight. In many of our very lives, the Lord confronts us with situations that we must face and go through them (overcome). Whether it be an addiction where when you are confronted you are to just say no, you still have to fight, whether it be in just word or word and action. A good father never sets their children up and then come in and bales them out. This does not teach responsibility.

So we see the first principle is for God to deliver and for you to smite. In the next message we will look at the second principle of making no covenants.

Peace, Love and Grace,
Calvin Calhoun, Jr.

New Teaching Series: Seven Principals of Fathering

Correct Priorities

Spiritual Concept of Fathers Teaching Children
Today’s Focus: Process of Fathering Part 7: Correct Priorities
Scripture: Deuteronomy 6:13-15; Proverbs 1:7

Greetings Kingdom Citizens
Deuteronomy 6:13-15: Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God, and serve Him, and shalt swear by His name. Ye shall not go after other gods of the people which are round about you; (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.

One of the great tragedies in life is to see people with misplaced priorities. For many of us of the household of faith we were once people who put the things of the earth before God Himself and now after coming into a relationship with Christ we have corrected those priorities and placed Christ first and the things of the earth second.

Proverbs 1:7: The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; but fools despise wisdom and instruction

Do we see this? In Deuteronomy 6:13 it begins with we should fear the Lord and here in Proverbs 1:7 it says the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge. Now the fear of the Lord is the respect and reverence for God and the fear of His wrath towards disobedience.

Now in order to obtain this knowledge one must serve the Lord. Serving the Lord means giving all of yourself to Him. You cannot be in covenant with no other person, organization or thing because you belong to the Lord 100%. The very word lord means owner. We must as fathers show our children how we have respect and reverence for God through our lifestyle and our speech. We must teach them that we are not to play with God and tempt Him but love Him and serve Him with all our heart. We put the soul salvation of our children ahead of their physical needs.

Now the Lord warns us that we should not go after other gods and the gods of the people around us. These gods are not just spirit beings but also material things of the earth. When the Lord brings us into the Promised Land we should not covet the things in the land or the things of the Earth but we are called to manage what the Lord gives us and be good stewards of it. We must teach our children the importance of not treasuring physical and material things and show them how the Lord shows and teaches us the importance of giving. At a moments notice the Lord may require that we give up something and as His children we should give it because it never really to begin with belonged to us because the earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof so all of it really is His and He has given it to us to steward over it. This requires us to understand the importance of priorities and teaching our children those priorities. God must be first in all we do and say and when we put His Kingdom or His rulership in our lives first and seek His righteousness (obedience) then the Scriptures promised us that all these things will be added to us (Matthew 6:31). This is no way a prosperity message but a message of putting Christ and His Kingdom first and allowing the King to serve His brothers and mediate the inheritance of the sons in the earth on behalf of the Father.

In our next teaching series we will examine the Seven Principles of Fathering which really point to the character of God.

Peace, Love and Grace from the Father,
Calvin Calhoun, Jr.

Inheritance

Spiritual Concept of Fathers Teaching Children
Today’s Focus: Process of Fathering Part 6: Inheritance
Scripture: Deuteronomy 6:10-12

Greetings Kingdom Citizens
In today’s message we will examine the concept of the inheritance.

Deuteronomy 6:10-12: And it shall be, when the Lord thy God shall have brought thee into the land which he sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, to Jacob, to give thee great and goodly cities, which thou buildest not, and houses full of all good things, which thou filledst not, and wells digged, which thou diggedst not, vineyards and olive trees, which thou plantedst not; when thou shalt have eatenand be full; Then beware lest thou forget the Lord, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage.

When we examine what an inheritance is, we can look naturally and get the concept to help us understand the eternal. For one we know an inheritance is something left behind or given to someone else in their name. In most cases when a parent or relative passes away they typically leave an inheritance. Now in most if not all cases there is a mediator of that inheritance and that mediator is responsible for distributing the inheritance to the inheritors. Please follow me. The one receiving the inheritance did not work for it, but in most cases had to satisfy some type of criteria to receive the inheritance. In some cases the inheritance was not given until the person reached a certain age. In some cases it involved people having to come together and 100% agree to follow the rules laid out by the person leaving the inheritance to obtain the inheritance. But the biggest and most important concept that I want to show you is that the inheritor did not work for the inheritance.

When we read Deuteronomy 6:10-12 we see the Lord say that he will bring the children of Israel into a land with goodly cities which they did not build and a land flowing with wonderful things that they did not plant, dig or fill. Now these things were told to their father, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and they did not live to see that day but their children who are the inheritors became beneficiaries of that promise. Everything the children inherited was given to them provided that they kept one thing in mind, that they were to remember the Lord, love the Lord with all their heart, soul and might and keep His commandments and statutes. One of the things that tend to happen in then natural is when children become beneficiaries of inheritances, they tend to waste it on riotous living such as the prodigal son in Luke 15 and they never come to appreciate what it took to obtain the wealth. Now you may ask what does that have to do with fathering?

It has everything to do with fathering because you are to teach and train the children in the principals that brought the wealth. What are the principals that brought the wealth for the children of Israel? Submission, humility and obedience to the voice of God and His commandments and statues. That is what we are to teach our children and by our children seeing us being blessed by God and understanding that the blessings they are receiving that they did not work for are only obtained through submission and obedience to God.

Now the Lord leaves us with this final warning to why we teach the children the principals of how the wealth is obtained: When they obtain the wealth they should beware NOT TO FORGET THE LORD, who brought them out of the house of bondage. Do not allow the things of the earth to cause you to forget about the Creator and the One who supplies you with the wealth because in as much it can be given, it can be taken away and destroyed.

In the next message we will look at the final process of adopting correct priorities.

Peace, Love and Grace from the Father,
Calvin Calhoun, Jr.

Process of Fathering Part 5

Spiritual Concept of Fathers Teaching Children
Today’s Focus: Process of Fathering Part 5
Scripture: Deuteronomy 6:9

Greetings Kingdom Citizens
Deuteronomy 6:9: And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates.

Here we have two roles that the commandments and statutes play in the role of fathering. We know that the posts of the house represents the support structure and the gates represent the entrance or doorway to the house.

The laws, commandments and statues of the Lord are the support structure for the House of God. It is the thing that keeps the house or family in order. Without proper structure then there is chaos and destruction.

Next the commandments and statues are to be put on the gates of the house. The commandments and statues of the Lord should serve as a watchman or guard to protect the house from being robbed and invaded. Let me explain. If we were to live by the commandments and statutes of the Lord then every demonic force and enemy of God cannot find their way into the family. If the watchman of the House is spiritually discerning then when the enemy tries to come, because He knows the commandments and statues of God, God can show him the deception before it even makes the attempt to enter the house.

Fathers have been given the responsibility to control what comes into their house. As a father you should watch because the enemy wants to destroy and corrupt the children because if he can get the children then he has the rest of the lineage and generations to come. Beware of entertainment, music, magazines, friends and television. You need to be watching at all times. The enemy is looking for the crack so he can slither into the home and corrupt the children.

It is imperative that we make the commandments and statutes of the Lord the support and guard of our households.

In the next message we will look at obtaining the inheritance.

Peace, Love and Grace from the Father,
Calvin Calhoun, Jr.

Process of Fathering Part 4

Spiritual Concept of Fathers Teaching Children
Today’s Focus: Process of Fathering Part 4
Scripture: Deuteronomy 6:8; Psalm 1:2; Jeremiah 31:33; Romans 7:25

Greetings Kingdom Citizens
Let us continue our study of the concepts that the lord lays out in scripture as it pertains to fathering.

Frontlets Between the Eyes

When the scripture speaks of them being frontlets it is talking about the way we think. In other words the commandments and statutes of the Lord should ever be in our mind.

Jeremiah 31:33: But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God and they shall be my people.

Romans 7:25: I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord, So then with my mind I myself will serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.

Psalm 1:2: But his delight is in the law of the Lord and in his law doth he meditate day and night.

By fathers setting the examples in the house and households of faith, they teach the children and sons of God the laws of the Father. Through their lives they teach the children how to live by the law of God. Now I am not talking about living by the Law of Moses because if we are of the House of God we are guided by grace. The Word of God is full of grace and truth and in the Word of God, Christ speaks the laws and commandments to us that we may represent the Father and bring His culture to the earth. But it requires fathers teaching their children and the House of God being built trans-generationally. Now if we are to teach the children and sons of God the laws of the Father, this requires everyone to be on one accord in one major aspect and that is mindset.

Philippians 2:5: Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.

Now the mind of Christ is the one mindset that all of the sons of God should have in common. It is the mindset that unifies the Body of Christ and maintains order. This is why because when we started this journey in Christ we were still double minded in the sense of the influence of the soul was still very strong and we had to sacrifice our soul and it’s thoughts and will for the revelation and Will of God from the Spirit to our spirit. This is why Romans 12:1,2 expresses that our minds be renewed and transformed daily so that we may have fellowship with Christ and learn of His laws and commandments so that we may teach our children and sons to develop that same mindset.

In the next message we will examine the importance of governmental control within the House of God.

Peace, Love and Grace from the Father,
Calvin Calhoun, Jr.

Process of Fathering Part 3: Binding in the Hand

Spiritual Concept of Fathers Teaching Children
Today’s Focus: Process of Fathering Part 3
Scripture: Deuteronomy 6:7-14

Greetings Kingdom Citizens
Let us continue looking at the three ways the Father teaches children. We discussed in the previous message that the Lord commands fathers to talk to the children. Let us continue:

Deuteronomy 6:7,8: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way and when thy liest down and thou risest up. And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes.

2. Bind in Thine Hand
In Deuteronomy 6:8 the Lord says we should bind them (commandments and statutes) for a sign upon thine hand. What does that mean? Binding in the hand is signifying that we should do what the Lord commands us to do. Let’s look at this scripture:

James 1:22-25: But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.

So we must not just be just a hearer of the word but we must execute the commands of the Lord. This requires the fathers to hear the voice of the Lord and in hearing the voice of the Lord they are obedient and do as the Father says. In doing what the Father says, the thing that they do is blessed. Children are looking for fathers to show the character and ways of the Father because then it gives them someone to emulate. A son does more imitating than listening at first. Listening is a concept that they develop over time. At the early ages in life our children imitate us more than listen because they are learning the language and as they learn the language they then can get understanding on what you are asking them to do. This is why when teaching children early, you must show them and then allow the word that you speak associate itself with the thing you do. So as fathers we should show our children how to obey the commands and statutes of the Lord. In all the things we do, if we do what the Lord says, our work is blessed.

In the next message we will look at the third concept which is for the commandments and statutes become frontlets between the eyes.

Peace, Love and Grace from the Father,
Calvin Calhoun, Jr.

Process of Fathering Part 2 - Talking

Spiritual Concept of Fathers Teaching Children
Today’s Focus: The Process of Fathering Part 2
Scripture: Deuteronomy 6:7-14

Greetings Kingdom Citizens
Let us continue our study of the process of fathering and here is our scripture from the previous message:

Deuteronomy 6:7,8: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way and when thy liest down and thou risest up. And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes.

Now in the previous message we discussed how teaching involves a little pain and pressure and this is how the Father matures us. Even in our natural and spiritual households this concept is used to mature the children. Now let’s examine the three ways the Father tells us to accomplish this.

1. Talk
In Deuteronomy 6:7 the Lord tells the fathers to talk of the commandments, statutes and ways of the Father. The word talk in the Hebrew is “dabar” and this means to speak, declare, command and warn. We are to do all these things in talking to our children about the Father. Spiritual fathers are commanded to do the exact same thing with the sons of faith. We should look for every opportunity to teach about the Father. The Lord also says the fathers should teach when they are sitting in the home. How many of us when sitting around in the home speak and teach about the Lord to our natural children as well as the sons of faith that are a part of the spiritual household? The Lord commands the fathers to teach while sitting in the home. He then exhorts the fathers to teach when you are walking by the way. How many of us talk about the Father as we are simply walking throughout the day, taking every opportunity to teach our children about the Father and even the creation? Fathers are called to teach while walking along. Finally, the Lord commands fathers to teach when you rise up in the morning and when you lay down at night. Fathers should teach in the morning, in the noon day and even before bed. One of the critical concepts that we as fathers can teach our children is prayer during these times. We can teach the power of communication with the Father and how prayer works. But this requires the fathers to be diligent in their walk with Christ and understand their role the Father has given them to raise righteous children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.

I did not get off the first one because there was so much vital information, we will continue this discuss of the three ways the Father teaches the children. Today we discuss that they should talk with the children throughout the day.

Peace, Love and Grace from the Father,
Calvin Calhoun, Jr.

Process of Fathering Part 1

Spiritual Concept of Fathers Teaching Children
Today’s Focus: Process of Fathering Part 1
Scripture: Deuteronomy 6:5-14

Greetings Kingdom Citizens
Let’s get right into it and explain the process of fathering as laid out in the Scriptures.

Deuteronomy 6:5: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart and with all your soul and with all your might.
The first concept in fathering is that the fathers must love the Lord their God with all their heart and soul and might. Love is an action word. Jesus said in John 14:15: “If ye love me, keep my commandments”. Hence obedience to the voice of God is the highest form and way you show that you love God. Hence, love is not about what you say, but what you do. Fathers must demonstrate this love, which is the first love. In the fathers loving God, they impart the same love to their children or sons in the faith.

Deuteronomy 6:7,8: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way and when thy liest down and thou risest up. And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes.

Now this scripture alone is filled with eternal truths and concepts so we may not finish this in this message.

The word teach in Hebrew is the word “shanan”. It means to pierce or sharpen. Now this is unique in the sense that one of the five-fold ministries of the Word of God is that it pierces.

Hebrews 4:12: For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, PEIRCING even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

Now to pierce or to sharpen something means to apply pressure to the thing to form it into the desired shape. This is where teaching happens. Teaching happens under pressure. The Father uses suffering, trials and tribulations to teach us and mature us. We learn obedience through the suffering. Our children learn obedience through the things they suffer. In addition piercing involves a little pain. I remember going through the baptism of fire and the pain I went through watching the Father deplete our natural resources all in order to teach us that He is our Source and we are to trust completely in Him not just as Source but most of all as Father. For the sake of time and information we will continue this in the next message at Deuteronomy 6:7.

Peace, Love and Grace from the Father,
Calvin Calhoun, Jr.

Culture of the Father

Spiritual Concept of Fathers Teaching Children
Today’s Focus: Culture of the Father
Scripture: Deuteronomy 6:1,2

Greetings Kingdom Citizens
When we talk about the culture of the Father we can find two distinct mindsets currently playing out in the age of man. There are those who who grew up in the church, attending Sunday school and modeled the culture of God. However they left the teaching up to the Sunday school, government and public school system. Then there are those whose fathers take an active role in their lives and teach their children about God the Father and model His ways and character so that the children can see God in their parents. In Scripture, God delegated the father the responsibility to teach the children. Because he is head of household, he is ultimately responsible. Does that mean that mother has no responsibility to teach? Of course not, but the ultimate responsibility falls on the father. Children do not look at our rituals that we do for God, they are looking for evidence of God in you. Hence everything you do and say are a witness of God living through you. Now let’s start examining the culture of the father.

Deuteronomy 6:1,2: Now these are the commandments, the statutes and the judgments, which the Lord your God commanded to teach you, that ye might do them in the land whither ye go and posses it: That thou mightiest fear the Lord thy God, to keep all His statutes and commandments, which I command THEE, THOU , AND THY SON, AND THY SON’S SON, ALL THE DAYS OF THY LIFE; AND THAT THY DAYS MAY BE PROLONGED.

The first thing I want to point out here is the fact that God always includes the children. In our current society there is a mindset that the children must find their own way. That is not of God and a doctrine of devils. If this was the case then there is no need for Malachi 4:5,6. The hearts of the sons being turned to the fathers and the heart of the fathers being turned to the sons. Hence there is a order that the Father wants to keep in the earth and that is fathers discipling sons. Now the test of a father is actually seen in the grandchildren or the 3rd generation. Let me explain. The grandfather has no control over the rearing of their grandchildren in the proper sense and context. The only way a grandfather can get to the grandchildren is through His son and or daughter. What does this say. Based upon how you reared the son, the grandchildren will manifest that result. As fathers we are to impart who we are to our children. Hence this is why it is vital for parents to be in the Word and model the culture of the Father within the home and household. If you are not in the Word, how can you impart the Word to your children.

Finally, fathering is not some job that you can retire from when you are ready. Deuteronomy 6:2 says we should teach the commandments and statutes of the Lord to our sons all the days of our lives. Meaning there is no retirement in the House of God. Now are we to bring our children to maturity and then allow the Lord to commission them and send them out? Yes! Does that stop you from being the natural or spiritual father? No!

So when we examine the culture of the Father we see it is parents or spiritual parents modeling the ways and character of the Father and teaching their children about the Father, his commandments and statutes. God has set the fathers over households of faith to bring the children of God to maturity. Let me say this here for the entire series. In as much as these commandments and principals go for the natural family, it is applicable in the spiritual Israel and Household of Faith headed by spiritual fathers.

In the next message we will examine some of the concepts laid out in Scripture of how fathers are to teach the sons.

Peace, Love and Grace from the Father,
Calvin Calhoun, Jr.

New Teaching Series: Spiritual Concept of Fathers Teaching Children

Spiritual Concept of Fathers Teaching Children
Today’s Focus: Introduction
Scripture: Deuteronomy 5:29-33

Greetings Kingdom Citizens
One of the most fundamental concepts placed in the Earth by the Father when He extended His family from Heaven to Earth by placing His sons in the Earth is the concept of fathering. The very first concept of fathering we know in scripture is the Father fathering Adam and teaching Him about the earth and its secrets. In fathering Adam, He was maturing him so that He can teach His children about the Father, His ways and character, the secrets of the Earth and maintain the culture of Heaven in the Earth. Now of course this was achieved only through Adam’s obedience because we know His disobedience ushered in another culture in the earth called the culture of the Orphan (fatherlessness). Now the concept of fathering did not stop because of the disobedience of Adam. This natural built-in concept would continue through the complete age of man. Now as we look at our society in 2012 we see how the family structure is being completely eroded by fatherless households. The enemy is trying to destroy the natural representation of what the heavenly culture of family is based. If no one ever had a father to father them, then it becomes extremely hard to view God as your Father and understand how He fathers you to maturity through spiritual fathers.

In this series we want to examine how fathers are to father the children in their households but not just in the natural but most of all in the spirit. We know that the House of God is arranged in a Patriarchal order under the concept of father and sons. The church which is the House of God should be arranged in the exact same order. The physical nation of Israel is our type and shadow and their structure is based in a family model with households headed by fathers. Let’s look at this set of scripture and in the next message we will start getting into the meat of this series.

Deuteronomy 5:29-33: O that there were such an heart in them that they would fear me and keep all my commandments always, that it might be well with them, and with their children for ever! Go say to them, Get you into your tents again. But as for thee, stand thou here by me, and I will speak unto thee ALL THE COMMANDMENTS, AND THE STATUTES, AND THE JUDGEMENTS WHICH THOU SHALT TEACH THEM, THAT THEY MAY DO THEM in the land which I give them to posses it. Ye shall observe to do therefore as the Lord your God hath commanded you: ye shall not turn aside to the right hand or to the left. YE SHALL WALK IN ALL THE WAYS OF THE LORD YOUR GOD HATH COMMANDED YOU, THAT YE MAY LIVE AND THAT IT MAY BE WELL WITH YOU, AND THAT YE MAY PROLONG YOUR DAYS IN THE LAND WHICH YE SHALL POSSESS.

As you read that scripture we see the Lord putting a premium on instruction and notice that the Lord says it is in our best interest to be obedient, not His. When we are obedient it will be well for us and may prolong our life in the earth. In the next message we will look at the culture of a father and their roles toward the children.

Peace, Love and Grace from the Father,
Calvin Calhoun, Jr.