The 7P Husband

Here are the seven points of application from the sermons of 28 June, based on Ephesians 5:25-30, "Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, 26 so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, 27 that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless. 28 So husbands ought also to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself; 29 for no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ also does the church, 30 because we are members of His body."

The 7P Husband loves his wife as Christ loved the church by being for her a

1. Prophet – goes before God with a listening ear to discern His will, wisdom, and guidance

2. Priest – goes before God to present praise & petition, to make confession, and to seek forgiveness and reconciliation

3. Protector – protects and guards his wife from physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual harm

4. Provider - provides for the physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual needs of his wife and seeks to place what is needed in each of these areas “on the table” from the resources of the Lord.

5. Partner – acts as one of a pair or a team to take up and share all of life with his wife and lighten her “load”

6. Pal – lives as his wife’s best friend, seeking the fullest joy and happiness in life for her individually and for them together

7. Professor - teaches her and trains her in the practical skills of life and godliness

Husbands, this is one order you can follow, one for each day Sunday through Saturday, to help you think about and pray about how to live Jesus’ example before your wife. Rearrange them to suit your preference and schedule, and your wife’s needs.

And don’t forget: one of the smartest things you can do is consistently open the car door for your sweetheart! Keep at it till it becomes habit. Encourage her to wait until you can walk around the car to let her enter or exit. It will show just how special she is and will be a consistent reminder to you about being a 7P Husband. May the Lord richly bless you as you seek to follow the Lord and bless your “bride” in His name.

Note: As mentioned in the sermon, the seven titles came from Jack Taylor during a lunch time message at a couple’s retreat weekend at Park Avenue Baptist Church, Titusville, Florida in October 1977. The explanation of each comes after thirty two years of remembering, forgetting, and adjusting what he said. I’m sure he would agree: “To God be the glory!”

John

Prospering in the Lord

I pray that as you read this, you are well and prospering in the Lord. In last night's sermon, based on Mark 4 and the parable of the soils/Sower, I spoke about being "fruitful". That is what I mean when I pray that you are "prospering in the Lord"; that God's word/truth/wisdom is so landing on fertile ground in your heart that it is taking root and growing a crop of blessing - one that extends beyond the boundary of your needs to the shores of the needs of others (family, friends, neighbors, acquaintances - even enemies).

This parable, also found in Matt 13 and Luke 8, pictures three types of hearts found in the lost (beside the road, rocky soil, choked with thorns) and the heart of a Christian (good soil). I know it is not beneficial to make a parable teach something other than what is intended, but I also know that Christians readily identify with feeling hard hearted at times, with the word seemingly taking shallow roots and then appearing to vanish, and with feeling choked to death by wordly desires which compete with godly desires.

Isn't it comforting to know that even when we, as Christians, feel such emotions, God still describes our hearts as "good soil"? 1 Cor 3:9 says, "We are God's workmen, God's field, God's building." Sometimes we forget that God is the operational force at work for good in our lives; it is He who makes things happen. And He works with us now, the way He did when He saved us, and ushered us forth to grow for him: through His truth, His mighty word. He uses His word to nourish us, spur us on to action, to chastise us and point us in the right direction, and to encourage us while the fruits of obedience are "breaking through the ground". Listen to a few "farming verses":

Isaiah 44:3 says, "I will pour water on him that is thirsty and floods upon the dry ground."

Hosea 10:12 Sow with a view to righteousness, Reap in accordance with kindness ; Break up your fallow ground, For it is time to seek the LORD Until He comes to rain righteousness on you.

Isaiah 55:10-11 "For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, And do not return there without watering the earth And making it bear and sprout, And furnishing seed to the sower and bread to the eater; 11 So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth; It will not return to Me empty, Without accomplishing what I desire, And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it.

So, let you an I not be like the multitude that heard the Lord with their ears but didn't listen with their heart. Let you and I be doers of the word and not hearers only, and in due season we will "prosper" in the Lord.

God bless you,

John

Reading Psalms and Provers - A Wonderful Blessing

A PLAN FOR READING PSALMS AND PROVERBS MONTHLY

A number of years ago I received the book Words of Wisdom from Living Psalms and Proverbs (1967, Tyndale House) in the mail from Billy Graham. I have followed the reading plan that he proposed in that book, off and on, for over twenty-five years. At least once a year, often more, I have followed the plan throughout a particular month. On many days, when I am pausing to read God's word for a moment, I will use the reading plan for that given day. Practically every Bible I personally use is marked with this plan. I quote Billy Graham's foreword as a way of explaining it:

"The late Senator Everett Dirksen of Illinois once told me that one could not help but draw great inspiration from the reading of the Psalms and the Proverbs. For many years I have made it a practice to read five Psalms and a chapter of the book of Proverbs each day, aside from my other Bible reading and study, and it has been a great blessing to me.

By reading five Psalms and one chapter of Proverbs daily, you will be able to read them through each month. The Psalms will tell you how to get along with God, and the Proverbs will tell you how to get along with your fellowman. In Deuteronomy 6:5 we read, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might." In Leviticus 19:18 we read, "Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself: I am the Lord." Both of these great affirmations are underlined in the Psalms and Proverbs."

The Reading Plan
Psalms - The following are the first Psalm or each day's reading:
1 Psalm 1
2 Psalm 6
3 Psalm 11
4 Psalm 16
5 Psalm 21
6 Psalm 26
7 Psalm 31
8 Psalm 36
9 Psalm 41
10 Psalm 46
11 Psalm 51
12 Psalm 56
13 Psalm 61
14 Psalm 66
15 Psalm 71
16 Psalm 76
17 Psalm 80
18 Psalm 86
19 Psalm 91
20 Psalm 96
21 Psalm 101
22 Psalm 104
23 Psalm 106
24 Psalm 108
25 Psalm 112
26 Psalm 119
27 Psalm 120
28 Psalm 130
29 Psalm 135
30 Psalm 140
31 Psalm 145

I suggest you write and circle the number of the day next to first Psalm you would read for each of the 31 days. This way you will readily see where each day’s reading begins. For example, by Psalm 1 write a circled #1, by Psalm 6 a circled #2 , by Psalm 11 a circled #3, and so forth. Usually you will read five Psalms but not always because of some longer chapters; Psalm 119 (176 verses) for example..

Proverbs: Simply read the chapter whose number corresponds with the day's date.

May the Lord richly bless you as you read God's marvelous word and especially as you feast on Psalms and Proverbs. I pray this blesses you as richly as it does me.

P.S. February is a challenge; I am using this plan now. I will either complete 4 days of reading on the 28th or simply start over on March 1st. Ask be about it in March and I'll tell you which I did. If you would like a printed copy of this to put in your Bible, just see me at church.

Sunday School

Two more questions: What is Sunday School, & Isn’t it only for children?

Sunday School is the intentional, systematic study of the Bible in a small group setting. The study of the Bible may be verse-by-verse or section-by-section, or by topic or principle.

If, as an adult or teenager, you are not in a Sunday School class at SNMBC, I want to give you something to think about. The Bible is God’s “love letter” to His children, and it is marvelously beneficial for every one of us. God uses the Bible to tell us about Himself and His ways, and about us and our ways. God uses it to tell us when we are wrong, how to get going in the right direction, and what God-blessed, abundant living truly is. That is what 2 Timothy 3:16-17 declares: “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.” That sounds like something that would be good for any one of us, regardless of age.

I invite you to join in a Sunday School class this week. We start a new series of classes this very Sunday, March 1st. “Now” is always the best time to grow in love and knowledge of our Lord, Jesus. I will be leading one of the adult classes, and if you are past high school age, I would love for you to take part. We will be studying the book of Romans in the gym.

I’ll close with these words: “Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so. Little ones to Him belong, they are weak but He is strong.” Did you know that song was written before the Civil War by two sisters who taught Sunday School to the cadets at West Point, young men preparing to fight and possibly die to defend America? Sunday School truly is for all ages.

Initial Questions

You are probably reading this out of sheer curiosity. Perhaps you want to know “Who is Pastor Barbee?” or “What is a Pastor of Visitation?” Let me try giving a short answer to both questions. I am a man, born in the south, whom God called to serve Him as a pastor, greatly blessed throughout life, and led to live in Northeast Pennsylvania. Like many others, Julie and I have found a church home in South New Milford Baptist Church (SNMBC) and want to honor, and glorify the Lord Jesus in our lives and our service there. I made an offer to our Pastor, Larry Thomas, to assist him and serve our church in a volunteer capacity, under his leadership, and as he thinks best.

A Pastor of Visitation is part of Pastor Thomas’s leadership team to augment his pastoral visitation capabilities. To augment means “to make something already developed or well under way, greater, as in size, extent, or quantity”. That is my primary focus, and doesn’t it sound like a wonderful job? I get to simply visit and get to know people and to talk about the wonderful truths of the Bible and the abundant blessings of the Lord Jesus in the lives of His children. Over time I will also assist Pastor Thomas in developing the outreach ministry of SNMBC. I will also preach and teach and assist in other capacities as Pastor Thomas chooses.
If you choose to read this “blog” in the future, I commit to keeping it brief and worth your time. Truly God is good – all the time!