Building Faith Families With Steve Demme

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 othe

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 spdemme@gmail.com.

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.