Showing posts with label children. Show all posts
Showing posts with label children. Show all posts
Monday, June 2, 2014
Sunday, May 26, 2013
Raising Your Children in the Faith.
We live in an age where there are no absolutes. Truth can be whatever you want it to be. Cults abound, preying on young naive individuals seeking acceptance by someone. God has been largely replaced by humanism. The Christian faith is seen as restrictive, and even mean spirited, and our kids are being taught to reject it.
It is of the utmost importance that we diligently seek to raise our children in the fear and admonition of the Lord. If we don't do it who will? I see so many kids who have grown up in christian homes rebel as teens, and walk away from the faith.
Moses commanded the nation of Israel to love God with all their heart, soul, mind and strength (Deut 6:4,5). In the verses following he emphasizes the importance of teaching our children (Deut 6:7-9). We are to talk about God and His ways at all times. We need to explain His laws, what they are, what they mean, and how to fulfill them. We as Christians need to see that they are firmly grounded in the faith. We must see that they understand the basic doctrines of the faith. We must teach them about sin and its consequences, about Christ and His death and resurrection. They need to understand that God has absolute standards. He hates sin, and has made a way to overcome it. They need to see that discipleship is costly, but also rewarding. They need to become praying individuals with unshakeable trust in Christ to meet every need. They need to learn of the Holy Spirit and the power He brings into their lives. the list goes on as it takes a lifetime of growing in the grace of God.
The world will throw everything it has to offer in the path of our children. We cannot afford to lose them.
It is of the utmost importance that we diligently seek to raise our children in the fear and admonition of the Lord. If we don't do it who will? I see so many kids who have grown up in christian homes rebel as teens, and walk away from the faith.
Moses commanded the nation of Israel to love God with all their heart, soul, mind and strength (Deut 6:4,5). In the verses following he emphasizes the importance of teaching our children (Deut 6:7-9). We are to talk about God and His ways at all times. We need to explain His laws, what they are, what they mean, and how to fulfill them. We as Christians need to see that they are firmly grounded in the faith. We must see that they understand the basic doctrines of the faith. We must teach them about sin and its consequences, about Christ and His death and resurrection. They need to understand that God has absolute standards. He hates sin, and has made a way to overcome it. They need to see that discipleship is costly, but also rewarding. They need to become praying individuals with unshakeable trust in Christ to meet every need. They need to learn of the Holy Spirit and the power He brings into their lives. the list goes on as it takes a lifetime of growing in the grace of God.
The world will throw everything it has to offer in the path of our children. We cannot afford to lose them.
Friday, October 7, 2011
Be true to your convictions.
The example of Daniel, and his three Hebrew companions, put many to shame in this age when having firm convictions does not seem to matter very much.
They were deported from Jerusalem and taken to Babylon, to be servants in the king's palace. They were immersed in the culture and religion of Babylon. Their names were changed in an attempt to wipe out any remnant of their godly heritage, the names given them were in honor of the gods of Babylon. They were chosen to be wise men, enchanters, and trained accordingly in occult practices.
One would think that they would soon forget their God, and be conformed to the religious practices of everyone else around them. Instead they stood firm, refusing to eat food in violation of the Hebrew law, refusing to bow to Nebuchadnezzar's statue, choosing to be thrown into the fiery furnace instead. what is so amazing about this is the fact that they were still young boys! They were around twelve to fifteen or so, when they were taken captive.
Sadly many adults in the church today have no solid convictions, or fail to hold to the ones they do. We see our youth go the way of the world instead of the way of the cross, and wonder why. Television, movies, entertainment, the choice of friends etc. are all geared up to drag them into the world. In the small town that I live in, I see so many kids from Christian homes fall prey to drugs, alcohol, sex, and the occult. To be sure, many parents have done their best to raise them in a godly home, but I also see many that "waffle" raising up their children. They seem to just let them go without any discipline, let them run with whomever, whenever, and all of a sudden they wonder what went wrong.
It is vital that we as parents do our very best to raise the children that God has given us. We have a grave responsibility to see that they grow up to serve our Lord. We need to have our walk with God right if we expect them to walk with Him as well.
The great men of faith in the bible stood firm in their convictions, and their God stood by them. Let as do so as well!
They were deported from Jerusalem and taken to Babylon, to be servants in the king's palace. They were immersed in the culture and religion of Babylon. Their names were changed in an attempt to wipe out any remnant of their godly heritage, the names given them were in honor of the gods of Babylon. They were chosen to be wise men, enchanters, and trained accordingly in occult practices.
One would think that they would soon forget their God, and be conformed to the religious practices of everyone else around them. Instead they stood firm, refusing to eat food in violation of the Hebrew law, refusing to bow to Nebuchadnezzar's statue, choosing to be thrown into the fiery furnace instead. what is so amazing about this is the fact that they were still young boys! They were around twelve to fifteen or so, when they were taken captive.
Sadly many adults in the church today have no solid convictions, or fail to hold to the ones they do. We see our youth go the way of the world instead of the way of the cross, and wonder why. Television, movies, entertainment, the choice of friends etc. are all geared up to drag them into the world. In the small town that I live in, I see so many kids from Christian homes fall prey to drugs, alcohol, sex, and the occult. To be sure, many parents have done their best to raise them in a godly home, but I also see many that "waffle" raising up their children. They seem to just let them go without any discipline, let them run with whomever, whenever, and all of a sudden they wonder what went wrong.
It is vital that we as parents do our very best to raise the children that God has given us. We have a grave responsibility to see that they grow up to serve our Lord. We need to have our walk with God right if we expect them to walk with Him as well.
The great men of faith in the bible stood firm in their convictions, and their God stood by them. Let as do so as well!
Sunday, September 4, 2011
The faith of a child
And they were bringing children to Him, so that He might touch them; but the disciples rebuked them. But when Jesus saw this, He was indignant and said to them, "Permit the children to come to me; do not hinder them; for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it at all."
-Mark 10:13-15 NASB
" Whoever then humbles himself as this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven."
-Matthew 18:4 NASB
Monday, February 28, 2011
Be transformed!
David made a commitment to set no worthless thing before his eyes (Psalm 101:3). There is very little value in what we have as entertainment in our world today, yet people mindlessly sit and watch the tv for hours at a time. We too often let our kids sit and watch kids programs without rerally looking to see what it is they are watching.
Much of what passes for wholesome childrens shows is full of new age, sorcery, magic, violence, and way too much drama. Even sexual themes are often brought in to what we think are safe shows for children.
Sadly many in the church do not take a stand in the home when it comes to what we watch, or what we let our kids watch. We go with the flow, just like the world around us. We have been conformed to the world around us! What we need to do is be transformed. Our mindsets need to be changed. We need to immerse ourselves in the word of God. If we go to His word with a desire to know the truth, with a desire to apply what we hear, God will show us how to live! What we see in the scriptures will go against many of the things that we do. It will go against much of what we believe is ok, but as Christians we must stand out and be different from the world around us. We are God's chosen people, set apart for Him. We are a city set on a hill. Instead of letting the world impact us, let's impact the world for Christ!
Much of what passes for wholesome childrens shows is full of new age, sorcery, magic, violence, and way too much drama. Even sexual themes are often brought in to what we think are safe shows for children.
Sadly many in the church do not take a stand in the home when it comes to what we watch, or what we let our kids watch. We go with the flow, just like the world around us. We have been conformed to the world around us! What we need to do is be transformed. Our mindsets need to be changed. We need to immerse ourselves in the word of God. If we go to His word with a desire to know the truth, with a desire to apply what we hear, God will show us how to live! What we see in the scriptures will go against many of the things that we do. It will go against much of what we believe is ok, but as Christians we must stand out and be different from the world around us. We are God's chosen people, set apart for Him. We are a city set on a hill. Instead of letting the world impact us, let's impact the world for Christ!
Friday, January 28, 2011
Children, a reward from the Lord.
See that you do not despise one of these little ones; for I tell you that in heaven their angels always behold the face of my Father who is in heaven.
Matthew 18:10,11 (RSV)
In the biblical sense, to despise someone, is to regard them as insignificant, not very important. It does not necessarily mean outright hatred or anger, often erupting in violence, but just to consider someone as insignificant means we despise that person in our hearts! Take Esau for example. He stood to inherit a blessing as the eldest son. It was his birthright, but in a moment of hunger he sold that right to his brother for a bowl of stew. We are told that he despised his birthright (Gen 25:34), it did not mean anything to him. A single meal was more important to him! This was immoral in the eyes of God (Heb 12:16).
We see children despised in many evil ways, such as abortion, child abuse, slavery, and in many other like ways. However our children can become victims of a more subtle form of neglect if we are not careful!
The gospels record an instance when children were being brought to Jesus to be blessed by Him (Matt 19:13-15, Mark 10:13-16, Luke 18:15-17). The disciples of Jesus were indignant, and rebuked those bringing them. Perhaps they thought Jesus was too busy. They might have thought what they were doing was much more important. What shone through however was the fact that these children were insignificant in their eyes. Unlike these disciples, Jesus took the time to receive these children, and in fact stated that anyone who would enter the kingdom of God must receive it like a child.
I think we, like the disciples can become too busy, the things we do can become too important, and our children get left out. While it is true that one needs to work to support his family, often a career can consume time that could be better spent with family. I understand that sometimes both parents need to work to make ends meet, but I do believe that God never intended to have both parents out of the home, and the kids in daycare. Many might not agree with this, but I believe that it is biblical to have a stay at home mom! Too many people have too work to pay down debt, pay for a vacation home, new vehicles, boats, and many other nice but unnecessary things. We have become very material minded at a great price. I once worked with a lady who held three jobs so she could pay off her vehicle, motorcycle, and insurance. Her husband worked as well. They went for days without seeing very much of each other, and their marriage failed. A high price to pay for things that are not needed.
Simplicity is one of the blessings of the gospel! We are to be content. Our happiness is to be found in Christ. God has blessed us with families that need us! Children need quality time with their parents. I think that it is important that we take whatever steps necesary to ensure that they receive the love and care that they deserve. If that means living with a few less "things" to free up time from a job, then do it! What is more important? We are to train up our children to love and serve God. We are to raise them in an environment where they know they are loved. The home is important in the eyes of God. The world is busy chasing careers and material things. We have better things to live for!
Matthew 18:10,11 (RSV)
In the biblical sense, to despise someone, is to regard them as insignificant, not very important. It does not necessarily mean outright hatred or anger, often erupting in violence, but just to consider someone as insignificant means we despise that person in our hearts! Take Esau for example. He stood to inherit a blessing as the eldest son. It was his birthright, but in a moment of hunger he sold that right to his brother for a bowl of stew. We are told that he despised his birthright (Gen 25:34), it did not mean anything to him. A single meal was more important to him! This was immoral in the eyes of God (Heb 12:16).
We see children despised in many evil ways, such as abortion, child abuse, slavery, and in many other like ways. However our children can become victims of a more subtle form of neglect if we are not careful!
The gospels record an instance when children were being brought to Jesus to be blessed by Him (Matt 19:13-15, Mark 10:13-16, Luke 18:15-17). The disciples of Jesus were indignant, and rebuked those bringing them. Perhaps they thought Jesus was too busy. They might have thought what they were doing was much more important. What shone through however was the fact that these children were insignificant in their eyes. Unlike these disciples, Jesus took the time to receive these children, and in fact stated that anyone who would enter the kingdom of God must receive it like a child.
I think we, like the disciples can become too busy, the things we do can become too important, and our children get left out. While it is true that one needs to work to support his family, often a career can consume time that could be better spent with family. I understand that sometimes both parents need to work to make ends meet, but I do believe that God never intended to have both parents out of the home, and the kids in daycare. Many might not agree with this, but I believe that it is biblical to have a stay at home mom! Too many people have too work to pay down debt, pay for a vacation home, new vehicles, boats, and many other nice but unnecessary things. We have become very material minded at a great price. I once worked with a lady who held three jobs so she could pay off her vehicle, motorcycle, and insurance. Her husband worked as well. They went for days without seeing very much of each other, and their marriage failed. A high price to pay for things that are not needed.
Simplicity is one of the blessings of the gospel! We are to be content. Our happiness is to be found in Christ. God has blessed us with families that need us! Children need quality time with their parents. I think that it is important that we take whatever steps necesary to ensure that they receive the love and care that they deserve. If that means living with a few less "things" to free up time from a job, then do it! What is more important? We are to train up our children to love and serve God. We are to raise them in an environment where they know they are loved. The home is important in the eyes of God. The world is busy chasing careers and material things. We have better things to live for!
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
What will our Children believe?
I have two young daughters, one is four years old, the other is three. As they get older, they start to wonder about what we do at church, who Jesus is, why did He die, and other things like that. About two months ago we were talking about God, and I told them that Jesus is God. My three year old's eyes got huge as she repeated "Jesus is God?" over and over. We would be in a store, and out of nowhere she would loudly announce that Jesus is God.
Last week, we held a thanksgiving meal in church, for the public. A single mother came in with several children who played with our girls for a while. During the course of their play one of the kids told our girls that Jesus is not God, God made Him. We did not hear this until our three year old announced it in a store!
I quickly told her that Jesus is God, and the other little girl was wrong. I told her I knew because I read it in the Bible. Now my kids don't believe me! They are both set on believing one of their own peers.
I realize that my girls are very young, and do not fully comprehend spiritual things yet, but this has made me think about what happens to our kids. Too many times we "let them go", we send them off to school where they hear everything but biblical truth, we send them off to play with other kids who fill their minds full of junk, sadly even many church youth groups are there to entertain more than build spiritual young people.
We are told in the Word of God to teach our Children about God, about what He has done in the past, about what He continues to do, about His commands, about pleasing Him, and when the time comes, about His grace and mercy and the need to follow Him (Deut. 6:6-9).
We can not depend on sunday school teachers, and youth pastors to watch over our kids. It is not their job! I thank God for every faithful Christian worker, and appreciate the hard work they do as they work with our kids, but in the end the battle is won or lost in the home! Parents, it is our job to teach our kids! It is our job to train them up. It is our job to watch over them, and protect them from outside influence! Even "kids" movies are full of new age concepts, magic, witchcraft, sensuality etc. If we want to see our children grow up and serve Christ, we must begin now to immerse them in the Word of God! We cannot afford not to!
Last week, we held a thanksgiving meal in church, for the public. A single mother came in with several children who played with our girls for a while. During the course of their play one of the kids told our girls that Jesus is not God, God made Him. We did not hear this until our three year old announced it in a store!
I quickly told her that Jesus is God, and the other little girl was wrong. I told her I knew because I read it in the Bible. Now my kids don't believe me! They are both set on believing one of their own peers.
I realize that my girls are very young, and do not fully comprehend spiritual things yet, but this has made me think about what happens to our kids. Too many times we "let them go", we send them off to school where they hear everything but biblical truth, we send them off to play with other kids who fill their minds full of junk, sadly even many church youth groups are there to entertain more than build spiritual young people.
We are told in the Word of God to teach our Children about God, about what He has done in the past, about what He continues to do, about His commands, about pleasing Him, and when the time comes, about His grace and mercy and the need to follow Him (Deut. 6:6-9).
We can not depend on sunday school teachers, and youth pastors to watch over our kids. It is not their job! I thank God for every faithful Christian worker, and appreciate the hard work they do as they work with our kids, but in the end the battle is won or lost in the home! Parents, it is our job to teach our kids! It is our job to train them up. It is our job to watch over them, and protect them from outside influence! Even "kids" movies are full of new age concepts, magic, witchcraft, sensuality etc. If we want to see our children grow up and serve Christ, we must begin now to immerse them in the Word of God! We cannot afford not to!
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