Speaker of the fourth day of the Summer Fast was pastor of the church “New Time” (Kiev) Andriy Kuksenko, who preached on the topic “Whom Father loves, those He corrects”
According to the pastor’s speech, the response of most people to this scripture was triggered by the word “corrects” But pastor encouraged the audience to shift their attention from the word “corrects” to “love.”
“For whom the Lord loveth He correcteth even as a Father the son in whom he delighteth” (Prov. 3:12). The key phrase Pastor Andrey highlighted at this point was “Father the son” (His son). This word completely changes the mode of the statement. Punishment here points to the fact that you are in your home, you are loved.
“Children and Fathers” – is a fundamental principle of Christianity. If there was no relationship between Jesus and the Father, there would not have been the saving grace. Jesus trusted the Father completely, even on the cross. Father entrusted to the Son, so the Son would take what Father had for Him.
“The theme of fatherhood – said pastor – reveals the essence of Christianity. Salvation of people. The church “Embassy of God”, an Apostolic Church, carries a message and a mission, but it is impossible to fulfill the mission without strong relations and agreements with the father. The development of relations with the father is not just a single fast with a prayer, but this should be the foundation and platform of our whole life.”
The Son voluntarily creates a lifestyle platform for the glory of his Father. Everyone has the right to choose to accept or ignore the relationship with the father.
Next the pastor proposed to analyze how the image of the father is transferred to the son:
1. Through the example of his Father, Jesus did not do anything unless He had seen His Father do it.
2. Through father’s training and nurturing of the son. –the father will always teach his son.
3. Through the father’s trust to in son. – Pastor prophetically declared: “After this fast many people will stop relying on themselves and will start to trust theirfather.”
4. Through father’s correction of the actions of His sons. The son can make mistakes and that’s fine. He has a father who will correct him.
5. Through the blessing released from the father to the son. – The desire of the father is to raise His son up to his level.
6. The son returns the glory and fruit from his own labour to the father.
The pastor explained that the depth of relationship with the father plays a key role in the life of every true Christian. If such relations are missed the father cannot correct and improve his son.
The father shares his success, mistakes and knowledge through teaching and punishment. The father treats His children in many different ways. Those who listen to Him are taught by the Father, while those who keep their ears close, He corrects and punishes them.
Further, the pastor opened the three main facets of correction and punishment.
1. A real son always finds an explanation and confirmation to support the actions of his Father. Children do not always understand the depth of the words of their father, but a true son provides explanation for his father’s action.
2. A son in all circumstances and in any mood, through understanding and appreciation, accepts the correction and punishment of his Father. He does not look at the emotions, but seeks depth, sense and meaning. Without suffering there is no obedience. (Hebrew 5: 8)
3. The Son goes to sufferings, rebukes of the crowd consciously in the name of His Father.
The pastor also spoke about respect and honor, shared his testimony and the idea not to give tithe to God only, but to also give tithe from one’s income to parents. You can bless parents once a month, or you can also bless them each day. “And the most interesting thing I noticed in doing so” – the pastor said – “that I started to think about my parents more often!”.
Finishing his teaching Pastor Andrey Kuksenko said these words: “Without these principles, children will never become close sons. God Himself has put a blessing into correction and penalty in order for his children to be successful. To be successful, you take the punishment immediately, and then one day you will hear the phrase, “How lucky you are to have such a father!”.
Pastor Sunday Adelaja commented on the teaching of Pastor Andrey Kuksenko:
– If you want to be a son, do not look for a trick, or excuses, but look for justification for the actions of the father. The son may think that his father is strict and cruel, but later you realize that this is for your own benefit.
– If you understood and knew everything that your father understood and knew, then he would not be your father, you are of the same age. The first thing that should arise in a father – son relationship is for the son to have the awareness that “He knows something I do not know.” This will give grace to be humble. Where there is obedience, there is a blessing;
– Whom the father loveth, those he corrects. Punishment and corrections from a father give life to those who accept the punishment;
– A father loves everyone equally, but treats everyone individually. His attitude towards us depends on how much we are open to Him;
– A son is ready to sacrifice and suffer harm if necessary. Jesus went to the cross, He became a slave on Earth. Why, in the name of whom? He wanted to be obedient to his Heavenly Father. A true son protects the honor of his father.
The evening service of the 4th day of the Summer Fast began with prayer and miraculous worship. The whole room was filled with joy and happy people who gleefully praised our Lord, praising Him for the new building for the church and for these great times. An incredible atmosphere of God’s presence reigned in the venue.
Pastor Ulan from Bishkek (Kirgizstan) shared his testimony and addressed all the men, inviting them to attend the upcoming retreat with our spiritual father – Pastor Sunday: “The lack of true men and true fathers in the community is now a very wide spread problem. Therefore, all men must go through the men’s retreat of the 1st and 2nd level with Pastor Sunday. If a man considers himself the son of this house, and a son honors his father, he will go to the retreat.”
Then a few people came on stage to testify about the teaching at the Summer Fast. They thanked Pastor Sunday for the disclosure of such deep problems of father-son relations in society and the church. Many people acknowledged that there were many problems due to the absence of respect for their physical and spiritual parents.
“My life has powerfully changed after this fast, because I became a different personality, and this word has become part of me. For 10 years, i regularly attend summer fasts, but this one is a great blessing for me. I want to take all the teachings at the end of the event and give them to my entire family in order to change their attitudes for the better “- shared a sister from Kiev.
People repented for not having honored their pastors as fathers, and not treating them with respect and reverence.
Despite the fact that the format of the fast is different from anointing service, new people came to the church and decided to repent before God and confess Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.
The evening part of the fast was continued by the Senior Pastor of “Embassy of God” Pastor Sunday Adelaja. On this day, he taught on the topic: “Who should be honored?”.
Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden:But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat. (Genesis 3:1-6)
Based on that scripture, pastor said that we honor and respect every man, to whom we give our time, or to whom we give a priority, or to whom we give our attention.
We are formed by those we honor, to whom we pay most of our attention, to whom we are committed and to whom we sacrifice our time. If we do not spend your time with someone, but watching TV, so we honor the TV.
What does it mean “to honor”?
1. To honor means spending time with someone.
2. Time wise, whoever I honor, to them I am giving my priority. If I choose between the family and the Internet, and I spend my time on the internet, I do not honor my family.
3. If you honor a man, you pay attention to him, care about him, have concern for and think about him. Every man’s attention is attracted by a man of authority.
“If you honor your father, why you don’t do what he says? You are not a man of honor, if you do not do what your father says, “- said Pastor Sunday.
4. Whom you honor indicates your future
5. Who you listen to you honor.
Pastor said that we should be sons, not judges. It is not our business to ponder about whether our father is right or not. We have no rights to judge him.
Pastor Sunday explained in detail the concept of “vertical power”. God works with us through the vertical structure of power. It is a way of conveying information. Even if the leader is not up to your level and not better than you, you still have to obey the leader, even if it does not seem to be right. If a person does not follow this principle, then he begins to experience some blows in life. No blessing comes into a person’s life without the principle of the vertical power It comes only through mentors and leaders, whom God has put over a person.
“We have no right to judge anyone. When did you become a perfect man, so that you could condemn God’s servant? “- The pastor posed this rhetorical question to the audience.
But Amnon had a friend, whose name was Jonadab, the son of Shimeah David’s brother: and Jonadab was a very subtle man. And he said unto him, Why art thou, being the king’s son, lean from day to day? wilt thou not tell me? And Amnon said unto him, I love Tamar, my brother Absalom’s sister. And Jonadab said unto him, Lay thee down on thy bed, and make thyself sick: and when thy father cometh to see thee, say unto him, I pray thee, let my sister Tamar come, and give me meat, and dress the meat in my sight, that I may see it, and eat it at her hand .So Amnon lay down, and made himself sick: and when the king was come to see him, Amnon said unto the king, I pray thee, let Tamar my sister come, and make me a couple of cakes in my sight, that I may eat at her hand. (2nd Samuel 13: 3-6)
The biggest problem Amnon had is that he gave his attention, his friendship, to Jonadab. He listened to Jonadab’s advice and committed a sin. Friendship is a great honor, so when it comes to choosing friends choose those whom you honor.
But he forsook the counsel of the old men, which they had given him, and consulted with the young men that were grown up with him, and which stood before him: And he said unto them, What counsel give ye that we may answer this people, who have spoken to me, saying, Make the yoke which thy father did put upon us lighter? And the young men that were grown up with him spake unto him, saying, Thus shalt thou speak unto this people that spake unto thee, saying, Thy father made our yoke heavy, but make thou it lighter unto us; thus shalt thou say unto them, My little finger shall be thicker than my father’s loins.And now whereas my father did lade you with a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke: my father hath chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions. (3 Kings 12:8-11)
“To whom you give your attention those people you really honor. Whom you honor shows who you are and this will indicate your future! “
Pastor Sunday then listed the people who are worthy of the highest respect and honor:
1. Thanks to certain people through whom you became somebody (mom, dad, teacher, coach, etc.).
2. Those who gave you part of your life: who taught you, shared things with you.
3. Those who brought you up: who brought you up at school, who is leading you in life.
4. Those who saved you by different means: by good advice, by guidance, by warnings, who cared about you by those who saved you from troubles.
5. Those to whom you went with a need, who helped you in hard times.
6. Those who helped you to go to college, who helped you to obtain a grade or specialty, get higher education, who gave you extra lessons, offered help, money etc. so you could obtain education. We must not forget the doers of good and benefactors.
7. Those who fought in prayer for your entrance into the Kingdom of God.
8. Those who preached to you, by whom as a result you reconciled with God.
9. Those who gave you a start in life through their words of advice, through giving you some clues to life.
10. Those who remember you when no one else remembers, and who wish you a happy birthday. Those who are looking for you when you are out, and who take care of you when no one sees you.
11. Who gave you the foods, who work so you were not hungry.
12. Those who called you, when there was no one to talk to? Those to whom you go, when there is no one to go to.
This advice made people think and even repent,
Dear brothers and sisters, let us be sons of our Father, let’s learn to honor!
God bless you!
With the Summer fast Embassy of God
August 2, 2012, Kiev
Press center of the church “Embassy of God”
Translated by Kuznetsov Rodion
Edited by Kizito Leacock
