Chariot March 2006 - Norm Wakefield

Sowing and Reaping.

     We express our tremendous gratitude for those of you who sow into the Spirit of Elijah Ministries, International as an expression of your love and encouragement to us. Our objective is the building up of the local church by strengthening the families. Many of you have given financially, served on the prayer team, and helped us at various conferences through the years. Thank you from the bottom and top of our hearts!

     If God has touched your lives in a significant way through Elijah Ministries, you are invited to join us in this ministry. Would you consider either a one-time gift or making Elijah Ministries a part of your missions giving? If you would like to see God continue to work through us to touch others, we invite you to sow with us and look forward to a wonderful harvest when we rejoice over the changed lives God has wrought through our united efforts in His name. Although we are in need of building our base of regular supporters, we specifically are asking for support for an April trip to South Korea ($1400) to work with homeschooling fathers who are implementing the new men's discipleship series, Walking Worthy as Sons of God. If you'd like, you may contribute online at www.spiritofelijah.com.

     You may also sow into this ministry by joining the Elijah Ministries email prayer team. Every time I speak, I invite the prayer team to enter into the labor of love with me. Then afterwards, I give a report of what God has done. The testimonies are encouraging as we pray and watch God work. As much as we could not continue without financial support, we cannot reap the harvest without prayer support. You can join the prayer team on our website as well.

     Thank you for praying about sowing what God has given to you into the Spirit of Elijah Ministries, International. May God bear fruit through us all for the glory of His name.

The Calling Out of Sons – Part 4

     The last three months we discovered that there are serious consequences when fathers fail to call out their sons into manhood. Many of the problems facing our families, churches, and nation are related in some way to this failure. It hasn't happened on a large scale for generations. Having discussed the problems, let's now consider a solution. Is there hope for us, for our sons, for our daughters, for the church? Is there hope for our nation? If your sons are already grown up, maybe you're wondering if it is too late for a father to do anything?

     God's promise to turn the hearts of fathers toward the children and the hearts of children to their fathers provides hope. Apparently, there is no age limit. If a 60-year-old father's heart turns to a son who's 30, God can turn the heart of that 30-year-old son to the father; and He can lift the curse. There can be an avoidance of God's judgment. That is what we are told in Malachi 4:5-6, and that is our hope.

     Behold, I am going to send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and terrible day of the LORD. He will restore the hearts of the fathers to their children and the hearts of the children to their fathers, so that I will not come and smite the land with a curse.

     Although these verses have a specific historical setting, the heart of God, which has not changed, is revealed. He's a father, and father/son relationships are foundational to His blessing or cursing. If there is a hope for the church and the nation, it is God turning the hearts of fathers. The relationship of the Heavenly Father and His Son provide insights into the calling out of sons.

Insight Number One: By the age of twelve a son needs to be involved with his dad.

    And his parents used to go to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover. And when He became twelve, they went up there according to the custom of the Feast; and as they were returning, after spending the full number of days, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. And His parents were unaware of it, but supposed Him to be in the caravan, and went a day's journey, and they began looking for Him among their relatives and acquaintances. And when they did not find Him, they returned to Jerusalem, looking for Him. And it came about that after three days they found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them and asking them questions. And all who heard Him were amazed at His understanding and His answers. And when they saw Him, they were astonished; and His mother said to Him, "Son, why have you treated us this way? Behold, Your father and I have been anxiously looking for You." And He said to them, "Why is it that you were looking for Me? Did you not know that I had to be in my Father's house?" (Luke 2: 41-49)

     The footnote of the NASB for the last sentence reads, "Did you not know that I had to be about My Father's affairs?" The first insight from this particular passage of scripture is that it was common knowledge that at the age of twelve, a son was to be with his father. I am not saying this is a law, however the example of it in the life of Jesus is significant. I noticed my son (and other sons), around the age of twelve, wanted to be with dad. He wanted to do what dad did. More than that, I notice that some sons almost get rebellious at that age toward their moms. It's as if there's a little voice inside saying, "Ain't no woman gonna tell me what to do anymore. I'm going to be a man. And if I'm going to be a man, I'm going to have to learn how to be a man with Dad. Mom can't do this with me." I'm not excusing disobedience, but this sentiment may be misunderstood. Parents may consider the problem to be rooted in rebellion, when perhaps it is not rebellion. Instead the son may be crying out, "Dad, I need you!" If Jesus Christ understood at twelve, "It is time for Me to be about My Father's affairs", then we ought to take notice. There comes a point in a son's life when there is an inner knowing that his relationship with dad is of paramount importance.

Calling out your son is a process.

     On my son Micah's twelfth birthday I started the process. I want to stress that it is a process that occurs every day, all the time, because it doesn't end until you die. The dynamics obviously change as they grow, age, and leave home. However, even then, God is still calling your son out to Himself if your son is a believer. Until then, fathers are intermediate agents. We are His ambassadors to our sons. God works in and through us, calling our sons to Himself, thus preparing the way for the Lord in the heart of the sons.

     Perhaps my own story with my son may be helpful to you. I caution you to not think of our story as a formula or the way to call out a son. It's the way God led me at that point in time. You can find our story at http://www.spiritofelijah.com/chariot/ and click on Chariot 2004, 07. The experience we had together in the park in Huntington Beach, CA, began a long process. When we moved to Alabama, Micah and I, with help from many friends, changed a barn into a house. We had to do things neither one of us knew how to do at first. We knew little about how to do wiring, plumbing, hanging drywall, air conditioning and heating, and the finish work. We learned God is with us all the time, and that the Spirit of the Son is one that cries out "Father, help!" How will the sons ever learn the spirit of "Father, help!" if we don't ask them to do things they can't do? They've got to learn to have an attitude that looks to God and trusts in His presence. That's why sons need to be with their fathers.

Your son needs to be with you.

     I would like to suggest the first thing in the calling out of sons is being with your son, calling him to do difficult things. Dads, we need to be the direction-givers. I found it was helpful for my wife–we home-schooled–if I gave instructions to Micah, and then said, "Mom is going to do these things today with you." He knew his Mom was helping me, and his response to her was his response to me. We discovered directions were better received because it was time for them to originate from Dad.

     It's possible that many today may not understand the importance of the relationship between a boy and his father. Apparently Mary and Joseph didn't understand what Jesus was saying.

    And they did not understand the statement which He had made to them. And He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and He continued in subjection to them; and His mother treasured all these things in her heart. And Jesus kept increasing in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men (Luke 2: 50-52).

What do I do?

     How old is your son? If he's under the age of 12, then I encourage you to do all you can to turn your heart toward him and convince him that your relationship is one of the most important relationships in his and your lives. Let him know that as he grows older, the relationship will grow more special and become more significant. Fill his heart with hope of future blessings and joys to be experienced together.

     If your son is between the ages of 12 and 14, and you haven't officially begun the process, now's the time to initiate calling him out. Don't be afraid to tell him you don't know exactly what is going to occur, but instill in him a confidence in God's leading and provision through you for him. Make it a special time. Do something memorable.

     If your son is over 15 and perhaps even out of the house, then it's still not too late to begin the process. You will probably have to eat some humble pie, but it's worth it. It is not to your shame if you haven't known about the calling out of sons. It's time to share with your son about your relationship with your father (or lack thereof) and how it has affected your fathering.

     I recommend you ask his forgiveness for not being there for him in the earlier transition from boyhood to manhood. Then let him know you believe God is a redeemer and restorer. Express your desire to walk with him into manhood and help him become a man prepared for life, who will be a blessing to his family, church, and community, and nation. Pray for God to heal the hurts of neglect and the hurts from his mother, who was trying faithfully to do what he should have been doing. You may need to explain to him why he has reacted to her attempts to call him into manhood and your failure to lead in the process. You might let him know you are being called out into manhood through this experience by your Heavenly Father. You are sons together being called out by fathers! As you learn from the Heavenly Father, you'll share with him what you learn about manhood and life. As we continue to read in Luke 2-4, we gain more insights in the calling out process.

Insight Number Two: A father needs to establish his son's identity with himself in his father's house.

     The world's philosophy is that a son must find his identity apart from his father. But we'll notice here in the baptism of Jesus Christ a different message.

    Now it came about when all the people were baptized, that Jesus also was baptized, and while He was praying, heaven was opened, and the Holy Spirit descended upon Him in bodily form like a dove, and a voice came out of heaven, "Thou art My beloved Son, in Thee I am well-pleased." And when He began His ministry, Jesus Himself was about thirty years of age, being supposedly the son of Joseph, the son of Eli... (Luke 3:21-23).

The son of...the son of...the son of… down to verse 38, "the son on Enosh, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God." What Luke was doing here was showing us that when God said to Jesus Christ, "Thou art My beloved Son," He was establishing His identity. What He was giving His son was actually an anchor for the storms of life. It was saying, "I am separating you from everybody else in the world. I am sanctifying you. You are not anybody else's son; you belong to Me. And as My son, you will gain your identity from Me. I will be your power source. I will be your source of life. You will get everything that you have from Me. I am your source of inheritance. I am your source of strength. I am everything to you, and you are everything to Me."

     There's something official about this encounter between the Father and the Son. Jesus referred to this as the time when "the Father, God, has set His seal [on Him]" (John 6:27). It was the time in Jesus' life when the Father affirmed His relationship to His Son in an official, public way. Additionally, the Spirit of God revealed the "house" from which He came.

     Was this necessary for Jesus? Didn't He already know who He was? I think the answer is a resounding, "Yes, He knew who He was." Then why is this recorded? I think it is for us fathers. It gives us insight into what our sons need: an official statement of belonging and identity. In a sense, it seals the son's identity. This is necessary because Satan's points of attack will be centered around Jesus' identity. The same will be true of your children.

Connect him with a heritage.

     I heard of one father who traced his ancestors all the way back to the first one to come to America. And in doing so, he was giving an identity to his son. He was saying to his son, "Son, this is who we are. This is our heritage. This is where we came from." Apparently this is important. We need to do that with our sons. We might say it this way: "You are my son. You are not somebody else's son. Nobody will have responsibility for you like I do. You will look to no one else like you'll look to me. I'm the one God supplied for you as your father. Listen to me. I am well pleased with you. I am so glad you are my son. And you're going to be different than any other sons, as far as I'm concerned, because there's no other man, no other son in the world, that I have a responsibility and a love for like you. You're my son!"

     Like the Heavenly Father did with His Son, we officially identify our son with us. Those who know God as their Father, know the importance of this experience. Can anyone hear anything greater than this from God? "You are my beloved son in whom I am well-pleased." This fills the son with the Spirit of the Father, the Holy Spirit! A similar filling takes place when a father establishes his son's identity with him and with the men who have gone before him. Your son is not a drifter, but a man among men. What were these men like? What did they believe? What has God done in their lives? As you tell those stories, you are giving your son an anchor in the storms and testing of life.

     Next month, we'll examine more insights in how to call out sons from Luke 4:1-14. In the meantime, may God fill you with a desire to be with your Heavenly Father and a gratitude for His expressing His love and fatherhood. Also, consider reading Luke 4:1-4 to discover more insights.

Would you like to be on the Elijah Ministries Prayer Team?

    The backbone of Elijah Ministries is the prayer team who pray diligently for God to turn the hearts of men to Himself, their wives, and their children. Before I leave to speak, I send out a prayer team invitation to those who will intercede for God to work for His glory in us as a team for the Kingdom. Not only is it a blessing to those whom I speak and myself; but it is also a reminder to the team about the direction of their own hearts. If you would like to enter into the labor together with me, you may go to my website and click on "Prayer Team".

    If you haven't visited our website, www.spiritofelijah.com, please stop by sometime. You'll find:

*   Resources to equip you and your family

*   Previous Chariot articles

*   Norm's speaking schedule

*   Free MP3 downloads  

*   Various pages translated and available in Spanish  

*   An online store to purchase resources and make tax-free contributions by credit card