BIBLICAL FATHERHOOD--THE GREAT NEED OF THE WORLD 4. f) HE HAS A VISION FOR A GODLY DYNASTY THE BIBLICAL FATHER SEES HIS CHILDREN AS ARROWS

10c) HITTING THE MARK ARROWS continued again.

Despite all that has happened to us through our coldness of heart and indifference to God, we must repent and rise up to hit the mark.

Psalm 78:9 says, "The children of Ephraim, being armed, and carrying bows, turned back in the day of battle."

Psalm 78:57 says that they "turned back, and dealt unfaithfully like their fathers: they were turned aside like a deceitful bow."

Unfortunately, this pretty much describes the present state of most, if not all, of our Christianized western nations. The whole of Psalm 78 speaks of God's goodness and faithfulness towards His covenanted people and yet verses 10-11 tell us, "They kept not the covenant of God, and refused to walk in his law; and forgot his works, and his wonders that he had showed them."

The question we have to ask is, Will God who chastised them for such coldness of heart and ungratefulness of spirit refuse to chastise and discipline us? We must also remember that Israel only had the law, plus types and shadows represented in the Old Testament.

Hebrews 10:28-29 says, "He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses. Of how much sorer punishment suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden underfoot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?"

In spite of all that God has done for us in Christ Jesus, western Christianized nations have missed the mark. Our bow is deceitful (twisted, not accurate). The greatest need of this hour is for us to turn back to God and repent for the way we have been despiteful to His amazing grace.

Be encouraged. Colin Campbell