Building Faith Families with Steve Demme

“But if any provides not for his own, and specially his own household, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an unbeliever”. 1 Timothy 5:8 (ASV)This passage is speaking directly to caring for widows, but it also sums up what is obvious and should not have to

“Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God” (Exodus 20:9-10)Work is good. God called man to be a steward and tend the garden which He created. Tending a garden is work. It is the task of a steward. And since this command to work in the garden was given before the fall, we can assume man was created to labor, and this labor was good.

“So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.” (Galatians 6:10)Whether you are a supportee or a supporter, endeavor to support those who are serving in the church and in other ministries as you would want to be supported if you were in their position.

When you are living for Jesus, all that you do is for God’s glory. It doesn’t matter what you are doing, as long as you are doing it unto the Lord. In the divine economy, work was created by God and is therefore good. Even before the fall of Adam, he was still given the task of tending the garden. Yes, “sweat” and “toil” are added to work as a result of the curse, but work is good (more on this in another lesson). May God set us free from the lie that some jobs are secular and others are sacred.

Thanksgiving is a special holiday set apart to give thanks. Like Mother’s Day and Father’s Day which are one day events, we are subsequently reminded to honor our parents throughout the year. Similarly, Thanksgiving is a gentle reminder to be thankful every day.

“Honor the LORD with your wealth and with the first fruits of all your produce; then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will be bursting with wine.” (Proverbs 3:9-10)

Part two of a joint podcast with Heidi St. John. I have had the privilege of spending time with Jay and Heidi St. John at conferences over the years. She is a true kindred spirit and advocate for the Christian family.

Part one of a two part podcast I did with Heidi St John. Heidi is a popular speaker at conferences and has been a friend for may years. During this broadcast she interviews me as we discuss the good news of God’s liking us.

There is unmistakable teaching in scripture that God sometimes blesses his people with material things. For those that do have wealth and have been blessed with material possessions, it is wise to remember Deuteronomy 8:18, “You shall remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you power to get wealth.”But never mistake a lack of material “blessings” as some kind of indication that God is not blessing you or doesn’t care for you. That is clearly not taught in scripture.

The word heart, as used in scripture, does not represent the organ responsible for distributing blood throughout the body. Neither is it to be interpreted as a passion or emotion. Rather, it is the very essence of who we are. It is the inner man.“For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” (Luke 12:34)

I believe the best defense is a good offense and if we focus on the positives we can ward off the negatives. Instead of examining ourselves regularly to see if we are coveting, I suggest we take the opposite tack and pray to be content. The character trait of a Christian who is free from coveting, is contentment.“Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.’” (Hebrews 13:5)

Notice, money is not evil, the love of money is. So why is the love of money such a stumbling block? As Christians, our primary calling is to love God with everything in us. Anything which takes away or diminishes our devotion to Christ has to be examined. Jesus is our wonderful Lord and compassionate master. We cannot love or serve two masters, nor do we want to.

God is King over all the earth. He appoints His children to be faithful stewards of all that rightfully belongs to Him. We are not owners but careful managers of His possessions. “Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found faithful.” (1 Corinthians 4:2)

This weekend I had the privilege to speak at the state homeschool convention in Portland, Oregon. On Friday I had a few men’s workshops and offered The Christian Home and Family Worship for free to those who would commit to reading it within thirty days of the the conference.Saturday morning one of the dads informed me he had read the entire book on Friday evening. And before he left for the second day of the convention he spent some time with his eight year old daughter. He asked her if there was anything she would like to share with him so he could pray for her.

In The Lord of the Rings Trilogy by J.R.R. Tolkien there are seeing stones or palantiri. These stones could not show false images, but they could select which images were seen to create a misleading illusion of the state of the world. Our own media chooses what we see and without being aware, we become discouraged and lose hope. But this incomplete picture is not accurate because it leaves out the main player, our Great God.His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom which is irresistibly growing for “the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD as the waters cover the sea” (Habakkuk 2:14). If we only watch what the world and the devil want us to see we will have our minds poisoned unto despair as did Denethor, the Steward of Gondor. But if we, like Aragorn and Gandalf, see the whole picture, we will continue to press on, with a hope that is secure and cannot be shaken.

This week I spoke to a gathering of leaders of successful family businesses. Although I had attended meetings of this nature in the past four years, this was the first time I had spoken to such a group.I was a little stressed as I was not going to share a success story of the best way to pass on your business to the next generation, for I felt I had made most of the mistakes a founder can make. In fact my text was “For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.” (1 Corinthians 1:25)

We're celebrating our one hundredth episode with a look back over the past two years.

After death comes life. Resurrection follows crucifixion. God rebuilds us and this process, this journey, continues as we grow in our understanding of grace and the good news. As we appreciate afresh the goodness of the gospel, we also understand more about the nature and character of God Himself. The good news is good, because God is good.

“God offers life, but not an improved old life. The life He offers is life out of death. It stands always on the far side of the cross.” The title of this broadcast and the first quote, originate in a pamphlet written by A. W. Tozer.

How do we abide in the love of God? How do we find joy in the chaos we live in today? Jesus gives us the answer.

In the past few weeks I have been asked a question. “What advice would I give for a man who wants to be a godly husband and faithful father?” I believe the first and best thing I can do is follow the example of Jesus, and be a beloved son to my heavenly Father.

God created men to lead their families. He also created and called them to lay their lives down for their wives and children. In losing our life, we find our life. In dying we bear fruit. Join us for this sober, yet hopeful, call to be crucified with Christ.

We are affected by the direction of our country and the people who are leading it. We sigh and groan over the destruction of babies in their mother’s womb. We mourn and we are poor in spirit, but, we do not lose hope. For our hope is not in man or what we see, our hope is in God, who never changes.

If I could get in a time machine, or travel though the Imagination Station at Whit’s End, I would like be with Cleopas and his friend on the road to Emmaus when Jesus pointed out all the places where His coming and crucifixion were foreshadowed.“Beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.” (Luke 24:27) With this passage in mind, I often ask the Spirit to reveal Jesus to me, as I read through the Old Testament.“You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me,” (John 5:39)

“This is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him.” (1 John 5:14-15)This principle of praying according to the will of God is beautifully applied in the life of Daniel. He had been studying the writings of Jeremiah the prophet and discerned the time of the Captivity was coming to an end. He then prayed that what God had professed would indeed come to pass. As you read through these inspired passages, notice how Daniel discerned the will of God and then prayed until it became a reality.

Steve invited a guest, Lisa Mays, who is a participant in the inaugural Trek to Jerusalem which encourages personal bible reading. As part of the team, Lisa had posted a question about what to do when confronted with puzzling passages in Isaiah. Scripture says that every joint or part of the body, contributes to the whole body. Join Steve, Lisa, and Scott as they share insights and mine the wealth of Isaiah.

Steve invited a guest, Lisa Mays, who is a participant in the inaugural Trek to Jerusalem which encourages personal bible reading. As part of the team, Lisa had posted a question about what to do when confronted with puzzling passages in Isaiah. Scripture says that every joint or part of the body, contributes to the whole body. Join Steve, Lisa, and Scott as they share insights and mine the wealth of Isaiah.

I would love to see churches that recognize that parents are called of God to disciple their children. I dream of the day when the church supports parents without supplanting them. This culture begins in the way mom and dad honor each other. In this episode we will be considering ways that we can have a spirit of honoring an esteeming one another highly in the bosom of our family and then see this attitude seep into the church.

There are many specific ways to love our children as we have each been loved, as children of God. I have addressed them in previous chapters. With the help of God, we seek to be meek, gentle, approachable, and encouraging. We want to possess the heart of a foot-washing servant and look to build up our kids, by teaching them, praying for them, and modeling the word of God. Another way that God has ordained for us to bless our children is not a strategy or a specific practice, but an invisible attitude.In the ten commandments, there is one that Paul says is the first commandment to be accompanied by a promise. It is the fifth command, directed to children, about their attitude towards their parents. “Honor your father and your mother, as the LORD your God commanded you, that your days may be long, and that it may go well with you in the land that the LORD your God is giving you.” Deuteronomy 5:16.The concept of honoring another frail human is not natural. In our carnal natures, we are not inclined to honor others. We want to be honored and recognized, instead of giving honor to another. One of the best examples of someone giving honor to another is the young shepherd David honoring the first king of Israel, Saul.

I have been busy writing books this winter. I listened to a broadcast by Elisabeth Elliot recently where she told the audience they would probably only remember one or two things she said, but her books were on the back table.The books I am writing are to provide follow through to talks I have given at conferences. Each book may be used for personal follow through, as a resource for a small group, or study material with you and your spouse.I could use some help. The books have been edited and I need a couple more sets of eyes. If you would like to read a manuscript and provide me some feedback I will make it worth your time by gifting you a complimentary copy of each book when they are released later this spring. Email me if you are interested [email protected].

I had the privilege to attend a three day event for Men’s Ministry leaders. In this episode I will be sharing the overflow of the encouragement we all received. I learned how Bobby richardson, second baseman for the Yankees led Mickey Mantel to Christ. I met Guy Penrod of the Gaither band who has 8 children. Stephen Kendrick and Dennis Rainey also were present. I hope you will be as blessed as I was listening to what God is doing.

“For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect, (in all points, faced all of the same testings) has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.”Have you ever felt alone, rejected, abandoned, misunderstood? So did Jesus. Are you single, unattractive, still living at home? Jesus understands. And He is our High Priest.

The saying “my yoke is easy and my burden is light” is part of a larger passage (Matthew 11:28–30), in which Jesus tells all who are weary and burdened to come to Him for rest. He isn’t speaking here of physical burdens. Rather, it was the heavy burden of the system of works that the Pharisees laid on the backs of the people that Jesus was offering to relieve.

Thought about being an entrepreneur and having a family business? Listen in as Steve is interviewed about how he began his business and the transition to a family owned business.

As I have sought to know the love of God, the incredible fringe benefit is I have gotten to know God Himself. This wonderful journey that began with me asking God to help me love Him and fulfill the first and great commandment continues. The more I am aware of His love for me, the more I love Him back. As my love increases, so too does my understanding of the triune God.The thought came to me a few weeks ago, what if sin were not in the picture and I did not need God? Would I choose to love Him? If there were no dependence issues, and I could judge the merits of all the gods would I choose the Father, the Son, and the Spirit? Absolutely. He is wonderful inside and out.

When I watched the movie ‘Frozen’ I couldn’t tell you what was the central message, but I liked the song. I find myself singing it frequently, to myself day to day events. Instead of commenting on the actions of others, I am learning to “Let it go, let it go”(you supply the tune!)According to Proverbs 17:9 “Whoever covers an offense seeks love,” and in 1 Corinthians 13, we learn that love “keeps no record of being wronged.” God help us, in the spirit of love, to learn when to simply “Let it go”.

This episode was not released as it should have been following Podcast 74 on Personalities. I apologize for the snafu and hope the topics we discuss here will help in understanding more about the importance of understanding the way we are wired and how birth order can be another resources to building each other up in the Lord.

One of the most important and least discussed attributes, is the attitude of honor that emanates from the heart. We are to honor the Lord, our parents, widows, the elderly, pastors, and the emperor, but how do we do it? What is honor, how do we embody it. How do we pass this attitude on to our children? What does it look like? Join us as we explore more about this important set of heart and mind.

On September 20, 1976 I began reading the scripture every day with the goal of reading through the bible in a calendar year. This has been the best investment of my time and the most productive discipline I have engaged in as a Christian. In this episode I discuss the benefits of reading “every word that comes form the mouth of God” and doing so “daily”.

One of the reasons I first began talking about understanding each other came from the information we learned about personalities. I had the opportunity to learn about how we are wired and it was a wonderful resource for understanding my wife and children. We all took the tests and studied the strengths and weaknesses of our particular bent. This knowledge helped us understand each other.In recent years I have been learning about the difference between introverts and extroverts. This new information has been wonderfully enlightening. But anything we learn that helps us understand each other is a plus. For while we are all created in the image of God, we are all unique.

When I consider speech that does not crush the spirit of the listener, I think of Jesus who is described in Matthew 12:20, “A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not quench.” One of the main ways to build each other up is to create a safe place where each party is able to speak and be heard without fear of being crushed or quenched.In this episode we are discussing godly communication as an essential part of understanding each other and building each other up.

In Matthew 11:28 Jesus says, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me,”In this episode we will seek to learn from Jesus. How was Jesus loved by God? How was He helped to deny Himself and die? What examples has did He give us while He ministered to His disciples? How was He helped to use His authority for serving and building up the brethren?

The heart is the real man. It is the essence of a person. Although we often hide our inward man, when all is stripped away, it is who we are. “Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.” Proverbs 4:23Life changes occur when our heart is turned to God and to our families. “He will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers.” Malachi 4:6When is this critical mass achieved? When does permanent life-altering change begin to occur in the heart of a father? When do Dads stop wishing they were different and begin wanting to have their hearts turned to God and then to their family?

In this episode, Steve and Scott discuss the dynamics of being at a convention, from the talks that are given to the interaction with the kindred spirits who attend.