People Before Politics

If you have ever spent much time with elementary school children you know that it is quite probable you will discover where their parents stand on the people, in or running for, a particular political office.  They speak with great candor and confidence as the bash or support this powerful icon. I have yet to meet a 3^rd grader who understands foreign affairs, global warming, or military strategies, yet they seem to know, unquestionably, what the person in office is doing wrong in these areas on a given day.  Why? Because they hear the conversations of the grown-ups and take it as the gospel truth and are more than willing to share it.

Conversely, it is almost as simple to guess the party of a high school student’s parents by listening to them talk… because they will often take the opposing party of their parents!  It’s natural for them to question. It’s normal for them to challenge. It means they are learning to think on their own and draw conclusions based on steering away from the status quo to find something that might work just a little bit better than the “rut” into which adults struggle to see their way out of.

I just wonder what would we hear on the playground from our politically savvy kids if, rather than bashing the people in our government, we were to take time every day to say a positive word about them and PRAY FOR THEM. What if we were to stop and think before we talk, realizing that we have not walked in the shoes of our leaders and don’t ever have all the details causing them to make the decisions they make?  What if our hearts were attuned to God’s and we saw these candidates and public officials as God’s children, who he loves? How would that change who our kids grow up to be? After all, is it really so important to embrace a political agenda in light of the significance of supporting the Great Commandment to love God and the second greatest command, according to Jesus…. to love our neighbor as ourselves?

It’s primary election day in Indiana. I am going to the polls to vote my conscience. Someone there will cancel out my vote. It is the way of democracy. But, I vow to pray for the one who loses and the one who wins and for all the little children who are listening to us. I will pray that  our country can change for the better because we are teaching our children to pray for, rather than criticize our leaders. It actually takes less energy and leaves you a lot less agitated.

“Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and always to be gentle toward everyone. At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of   passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another.  But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit,  whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.  This is a trustworthy saying. And I want you to stress these things, so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good. These things are excellent and profitable for everyone.  But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and arguments and quarrels about the law, because these are unprofitable and useless.”                                                                             Titus 3:1-9 NIV

Why Must They Suffer?

If you have been a parent very long, you know what it’s like to see your child suffer. It is one of the most difficult parts of parenting. You may have longed to take the pain yourself , if only it could relieve their pain. You may have felt bitter about the fact that an innocent child must suffer. The fact is, we don’t like hardship, especially when it is inflicted on a child.

Why do kids have to suffer? My first reaction to that is that the world they live in is broken. God created us to live in a perfect setting, of His design, but sin has changed that perfect world and it is broken. That broken condition created sickness and wickedness and pain. And it will remain so until we reach our heavenly home.

My second reaction is that kids have to suffer for the same reason adults have to suffer.

It grows them.  A baby who is held constantly never learns to self sooth. They learn to become more dependent and needy which creates more crying. Of course wisdom must be used to determine how long we should allow them to cry before we provided the comfort they legitimately need. But allowing them to discover that their anxiety is correctable even if they are not immediately rescued  helps them to grow to be problem solvers.

It teaches them. As your child grows, the pain they experience is often a result of their choices. When we rescue our kids from the consequences of their choices, we stunt their growth and they learn much more slowly. Allowing them to pay the price for their behavior is a great teaching tool. You can express to them how sad you are that they didn’t get to go to the birthday party, but that was their choice when they decided to disobey …again.

It molds them.  When they have truly felt the anguish of loss or disappointment or sickness, you have the opportunity to share with them that other people have the same pain and we can make their pain less if we walk alongside of them and show them compassion and concern.

It directs them. When their little hearts are breaking because they have been treated unfairly, this is the perfect setting for you to tell them about the God of justice and how He sees our suffering and longs to bring us comfort. Make sure that they know that Jesus is sad when we are sad. When they are struggling, let them know that they are not alone. God is waiting to help them through the mountains and the valleys of life. Even when they are all grown up.

You see, pain isn’t such a horrible thing when we realize that it is a tool God can use to shape us into the person who He created us to become. And all the pain in this life just makes the next life shine even brighter!

Your Starring Role

I have a cross-stitched sampler on my wall that states,   

“You can’t lead your children if you don’t know where you’re going.”

It makes me stop and think about my direction… my intentionality… the path that I have chosen. Life can get so full and busy that it is easy to forget there is a final destination we must strive for. Some would say that is heaven, but I prefer to consider my desired destination as fulfilling God’s plan for my life… then heaven is just the icing on the cake.

The question is, how do we manage a family and all that comes with it and still get the message across to our children that God has a plan for our lives and that we have an amazing hope for eternity because of a loving God and a risen Savior? Having the right words to say to them is important, but words are just words. You could tell them daily that the grass is purple and they would eventually remember those words. They may grow to believe that green is purple or they may just decide you don’t know what you are talking about.

The point is, as followers of Jesus we have a glorious hope for an eternity that will dissolve every concern and care that we have experienced here, in a moment. But does that hope translate to our kids? I’m afraid that what our kids see is our rushing about, our impatient responses, our worries about finances, our struggling relationships. They see one thing… our stress, yet we are telling them we believe that Jesus died for our sins and rose again and is preparing a place in heaven for us. Big deal!  They won’t want any part of that if it appears to be so miserable!

Are we so overwhelmed and consumed with this life that we seldom think of the life designed for us by a Sovereign God that will lead to an eternity with Him in paradise? We may as well be telling them that the grass is purple!  They are going to decide we haven’t a clue what we are saying or they will learn to believe that placing our hope in Jesus means nothing more that being busy and stressed out!

I would like to challenge you to allow the Holy Spirit to so engulf you, that even in the midst of the busyness, your children will be able to know that you are on a journey toward fulfilling a Divine plan in which you have a starring role. Let them know that God created you for a special purpose, to fulfill a plan that He made long ago… even before He made you.  Let them know that you are taking time in the Word so that you can know God better as you read His story. Let them know that you need some time for quiet so that God can speak to your heart and you can listen as He directs you toward your part in His plan.  Be in awe of the fact that the God who created the entire universe wants to have a forever relationship with YOU and let that seep into your life so that it can be seen in your smile and your eyes and your attitude.

Don’t worry so much about the words you say to them. Just make your actions and attitude reflect the amazing journey to fulfilling God’s divine plan for your life. I cannot imagine anything better than knowing that my kids are excited about finding where they fit in God’s plan. And knowing that they “caught” that from my enthusiastic pursuit… priceless!

Fresh Beginnings

Spring is a beautiful time of year when we see things that have been dead begin to show signs of life. The grass is green. The daffodils are beginning to bloom. The robins have returned and the children are playing outside, even though the temperatures are still a bit chilly. Spring cleaning has begun everywhere, inside and outside.

What does spring look like at your house? Are there things that need new life breathed into them? I have tackled a pile of clothes that needed to be mended. Dana is working on building in the new (1982ish) oven that is replacing the old one that finally died (1944ish). The craft corner has turned into a pile of rubble that prevents any creativity from taking place, so it is next on the radar.

New beginnings are a beautiful thing. In many areas of our lives we need to get rid of the things that are not providing value, not inspiring growth, not serving the purpose for you that they could for someone else. Likewise there are things we cling to that have lost value because they are not working as they were intended to work. Hanging on to things “just because” leads to the kind of clutter that keeps us from having the things that we truly need.

This is not just true of material things, but it also happens in our hearts.  Our relationships often suffer because we hold on to the old when we need to get rid of it. Old grievances; old memories of being hurt; old failures we still cling to.  As long as we harbor these things, we will not make room for the beautiful new life that God desires to bring into our homes.  Maybe it's time for a new beginning in your heart that will bring hope of a brighter future.

I would encourage you to take a good look in two areas of your world to do some housekeeping. One, your time... how is it being spent? I recently heard a young mother say that she was fasting from social media and when she would normally have picked up her phone to see what's happening in the lives of her friends, instead she would pick up her Bible or read a devotional. In the course of a week she was amazed at how much she had time to read and how much better and closer to God she felt. Take a look at what you can eliminate in order to find the time to know God better.

Two, your thoughts. The things we think... that we dwell on... often begin to create the feelings that drag us down and eventually end up as actions. When we are hurt, we tend to wallow around in self-pity. When we are offended, we put up walls. When we are falsely accused we harbor hatred. When we are envious, we sulk and stew. When we are confronted, we strike back.  When we think we are right, we stop listening to other ideas.

What if we would let go of the things that have been said about us or against us? What if we stopped thinking as the world thinks and instead allowed God to transform us by changing the way we think? What if we let things roll off our back and maybe even chuckle about the silliness of what would have angered us, back in the day? What if we just "let it go?"

My parents just celebrated their 63^rd wedding anniversary. If you ask my dad the secret to a long marriage, he will tell you, “You have to have a good forgetter. If something is said to you or about you that is negative, forget it! You are not really that bad.  If someone flatters you, forget that too, because you aren’t really that good. Just forget the things that pump you up or tear you down and be content to be the best person you can be today and a little bit better tomorrow.”

I would say that is pretty good advice for making a fresh new life this spring. Have your “forgetter” overhauled so that you can focus on being the new creation God wants you to be. Give your schedule a fresh coat of paint and push aside whatever is distracting you from growing closer to God and watch your family benefit from the change in you!

Happy April!  Even if it is snowing... 

The Greatest Love

As one who has been ministering to children for a number of years I have grown accustom to breaking down scripture into nuggets of truth that a child can grasp and then find ways to apply those truths to their lives. When it comes to the story of Easter, I struggle to even grasp it myself. I have heard the story all my life. I know about the Passover and the palm branches. I know about Judas and Gethsemane. I know about Pilate and Herod. I know about the beatings and the betrayals. I can explain what a child needs to know about these things so they understand, in their own childish way.

Here is where I struggle. The entire basis of the Christian faith is the Cross. The sacrifice of God incarnate (God in flesh) is our saving grace. I can tell about it just like the Bible records it. I can even sound a bit pastoral. The problem is, I don’t understand it. I cannot comprehend a love so great that such a sacrifice would be made. It’s not that I don’t understand sacrifice. I know giving up the carpet you need so that your kid can have braces or giving up a good job to be a stay at home mom. I can relate to sacrificing a nice car so that you can find your way out of debt. I know the sacrifice of giving up your vacation to help those in need. All of that makes sense to me. What I don’t get is that the God of the universe…. the One who holds the power to create and destroy all things… willingly allowing mere humans to disregard and disrespect His deity to the point of perpetrating His excruciating and demoralizing murder. He allowed Himself to be the victim after He willingly left heaven to take on flesh so He could reconcile God and humanity…. I just can’t wrap my mind around that.

Would we not break off a relationship with those who do so much less against us? Wouldn’t we walk away and think well of ourselves for not allowing someone to walk all over us? Here is our Creator and our Redeemer, who had the power to change the whole plan of salvation, yet he stayed the course and brought about the plan that was always in place to purchase our pardon. Why? Well, the only reason anyone would submit themselves to such cruelty for the sake of all is LOVE… but not just a love that we feel for our kids or our sweetheart… a love that we cannot begin to grasp.

Why would He do that for me? Why not just change it up a bit, sprinkle everyone with forgiveness dust and call it square? Because of LOVE. Love was never intended to take the easy way out. LOVE requires a sacrifice. In your marriage, if you truly love… you make sacrifices for your spouse. As a parent, your love causes you to make sacrifices for your children. As our parents age, we make sacrifices for them.

This Easter, take a good look at the Story of God’s inexplicable love for you. Draw closer to the One who didn’t have to give anything, but chose to give everything. Let that unfathomable love overtake you. Allow it to seep in to your mind and spirit and accept what is impossible to understand in your finite mind. Grab hold of the love that reconciles you to your Savior and commit to walking in His love until He takes you home.

Compelled to Obey

Have you ever been frustrated by the energy you spend trying to direct the behavior of your children? At different ages there are different  issues, but we never stop giving direction and it seems they never stop challenging us. If only our children could measure the love we have for them and see how boundless it is, they would surely begin to grasp that all of our instructions are for their good.  It is our life’s work to mold and shape them and make them new.

In order to be a success as a parent we have to get our kids to leave their childish ways behind and realize that being a productive adult involves walking away from the ego-centric life of their infancy. That behavior has to be left behind forever.

Next we must help them to see that first-time obedience is imperative.  Often they will take the time to ponder the outcome and weigh the consequences before they decide to respond positively to our directives. If we are to help them grasp the critical nature of immediate obedience to our instructions, we have to be consistent with our discipline. Failure on our part to follow through teaches them that our words are not trustworthy.

After we have laid out the path away from their inbred self-centeredness and taught them to obey consistently, their actions and attitudes begin to reflect the goodness that God intends for all of us. They will begin to notice the needs of others and become a good citizen, contributing positive thoughts and actions to those around them.

Interestingly, these are the very steps Paul shares with the new followers in 2 Corinthians 5.

Vs. 14  tells us that it is Christ’s love that compels us to follow Him. We realize that His death shows us His boundless love and His resurrection shows us His power to transform us.  Our love must also be transformative in the lives of our children. Our love gives them the desire to follow. Rules without love and grace will push them away. Love them enough to change their focus and show them the right attitudes and behaviors. You are their #1 teacher in life.

Vs. 15 teaches us that we must walk away from our own selfish desires and allow him to guide our way… our thoughts… our attitudes… our actions. The same thing we are working on with our children, God is working on in His children.

Vs. 17 explains that being IN CHRIST causes us to be made new. We are no longer obedient to the desires that trip us up, but belonging to Jesus, we obey Him without question.

Vs. 20 describes us as Christ’s ambassadors, making the appeal to the world to follow the God who made them, loves them and designed a plan for their lives. The world will see God in us and follow because He is love, mercy and grace.  Isn’t that what you want your kids to see?

I challenge you today to let God transform you so that you can become His ambassador to your children. Grow with them. Learn and teach. Accept love and give love. You will not do anything more important… EVER!

The Standard

As parents, we all want the best for our kids. Nothing at all wrong with that. But, think for a moment about who has set the bar for what is “the best” in your home. There are only 2 sources for setting that standard. The WORLD or The WORD.  Often the two are at odds with each other.

Last week we had the pleasure of spending a day with an Amish family I had come to know on one of Dana’s hospital stays. There is something about their lifestyle that has always intrigued me and I wasn’t afraid to ask a lot of questions and began to learn how their standard for family life differed from ours, such as…

Several of the teen children were absent because they were at a volleyball tournament. I had shared with them that our grandson had recently competed at the state level in swimming and we had gone to watch him. They shared with me that, for them, sports are important for the children as a source of exercise and recreation, but the parents are never involved in that. Drivers are hired and parents tend to their daily responsibilities so there isn’t the strain on the home. Then when the children grow up they have adult responsibilities and the sports are all left behind.  

At mealtime they all sat around the table (not the television) – there were 3 generations present- and they silently bowed and asked God’s blessing on the food at the direction of the patriarch of the family, who ended the time of prayer with an “amen.” During the meal, there was laughter and conversation and a great deal of joy (and delicious food, of course). There were 17 of us around their ample table from age 3 to 73 and all remained seated until the grandfather said, “Let’s thank God for what we have eaten.”  And all bowed and silently thanked God and quietly left the table as they finished.

For entertainment, of course there was no TV or video games, but we listened to the children sing and do their rhythmic hand clap routines, while the older boys went out to shoot baskets. The sound of their harmony, at age 11, gave me goosebumps. It was beautiful. They showed us their home, which other than the gas lights, was more modern and lovely than our home, by far! They spoke of the children and their church families and how they take care of one another. When we told them how our church had gathered and prepared the food and roofed our home last fall, they were amazed. They didn’t know that the English  did things like that. We were thrilled to tell them about the great people of Mill Creek Church.

There was some discussion about the upcoming presidential election. A great deal of concern was expressed because of what they had read about the front-runners in the paper, but that concern was punctuated with the comment, “God is our president and we answer to Him.” 

We English may look upon the Amish as backward and stubborn, refusing to accept “progress.”  However, I quickly learned they have progressed when I noted the indoor plumbing and hot water and all the furnishings and pictures on the walls of their warm and comfortable home, heated with hot water under their ceramic tiled floors. The difference is that the church leaders are the ones to guide them in that progress… not society.  They determine what will be best for the families they serve based on their interpretation of Scripture and time spent in prayer.

I just keep thinking about that. At what point do we take a stand, as they have, and say we will not conform to society, but will look to God’s Word for the direction we will take with our children in our homes?

I hope I never have to make all the clothing for my family members or live through a summer with gas lights and no central air, but I am ready to take good look at ways in which I have conformed to the standards of a very sick society and get back to placing my hope and faith in the Lord and the Truth I find in His Word.

Until That Day, You Are Their Light

“I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father,

may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation

so that you may know him better.

Ephesians 1:17

Do you want to know God better? Ask for wisdom and revelation. That’s how Paul prayed for the new converts in Ephesus. Paul was one of the most learned men in the Jewish community. He knew the laws of God inside and out…but until Jesus revealed himself to Paul, he was actually going the wrong way, believing the wrong things, listening to the wrong voice and getting everything completely wrong in the obedience department. In fact, Paul was doing the direct opposite of what God wanted him to do. Rather than building up the Church, by telling the story of God’s Son and his death and resurrection in order to be the atoning sacrifice for all our sin, he worked tirelessly to destroy the Church and everyone that believed that Jesus was the Son of God.

For Paul it took a Light so bright that he was blinded for 3 days. I think of this experience as God taking away our own vision… our own agenda… our own mission… our preconceived notions… our thoughts that we cling to that are way off base. Sometimes we need to be reprogramed in order to have space to store the real truth. For some of us, it may take a whole lot more than 3 days for that to happen.

As parents, we are often the ones to provide the wisdom and revelation of the reality of Christ to our children. They come to us with a weak ability to comprehend… anything. They know hunger and discomfort and self-centeredness. Their only concern is their own well-being. If that were not the case, they may not survive. We know to feed them and change them and comfort them because they let us know something needs to happen. Loudly.

As they grow, we must take very seriously the responsibility to help them know their most critical need…Jesus. I believe that He will reveal Himself to them. We can’t force them to see Him, but we can describe Him and know Him better and better ourselves. Our parental responsibility is to share our knowledge and insight with them so that when He reveals Himself to them, they will recognize Him. They will know that He longs to be their Master, to give them wisdom and guidance for the rest of their life. Perhaps, if they have been exposed to His light through you, He won’t have quite as much reprogramming to do.

Until God reveals Himself more fully to your children, YOU be that LIGHT. You be the one to expose the self-centeredness and teach them to see others and their needs. You be the light that exposes their sinful behaviors. You be the light that shows them the way to go. You be the light that helps them see that we all need a Savior. You be that voice that directs them on the right path. You be that voice that corrects them when they do not behave well. You be that authority that helps them learn the joy of obedience. You be the grace that provides love in all situations.

Take some time to think about what your children are hearing and seeing. What they are being exposed to on a regular basis. Listen to the lyrics of the songs on the radio. Take a look at the themes of their favorite programs. Open the eyes of your heart to see what sin may have found a resting place in your life that they are seeing as a normal and acceptable way to live. Prepare them for an encounter with Jesus Christ that will change their eternity in a miraculous way.

What Do You Think?

Parents, what does it take to get you to change your mind? Begging? Public tantrums? Tears? What turns your “NO!” to an “Okay, just stop making a scene!” We have all seen and heard these outbursts that get a child what they want because parents are trying to alter an undesired behavior.  It seems to me that this is completely upside down. It is our responsibility as parents to be working to bring about change in the behavior of our children. When it is the children who weaken our resolve, it is a lose/lose proposition. Kids get to raise themselves by calling the shots, shaping their own values, and making decisions based on desire rather than wisdom.

We all know where this type of leadership is taking the home and it is frightening, at best. What I would invite you to see is a similar tragedy and it is happening to adults who call themselves children of God. We have a Heavenly Father, directing us to the plan that He crafted long before he allowed our birth to take place (Ephesians 2:10). He has given us direct orders, but often we have our own agenda and we beg, defy, turn our heads, rationalize and slam the door in His face so that we can get things to go our way. Not seeing it? Let me give you a few examples…

God says… Honor one another above yourselves. We fight to be right even if it brings pain to those we have promised to love for a lifetime. The divorce rate is as high among Christians as it is in those who don’t profess to follow Christ.

God says… Put NOTHING before me. We have career goals and friends and social media all of which take more of our thoughts, time and energy than we devote to knowing and following God. Do God followers look any different than those who follow their own ambitions?

God says… Teach your children all that I have done so they will follow me. Many hours each week are devoted to the athletic or academic development of our children. Do followers of Jesus look the same as those who don’t know Him when it comes to these priorities or are they placing a higher priority of time invested in teaching their kids from God’s Word? Are they even reading it themselves?

If we are going to be Ambassadors for Christ and turn a dying world to Him, it is time to stop our defiant behavior, turning from His will, and start truly being obedient followers. The Apostle Paul tells us in Romans 12 that we, as dedicated followers of Christ need to stop behaving as the world behaves. We need to change our minds and stop trying to change His mind, like a stubborn and defiant child.

Paul goes on to say that He will transform us so that we don’t make the same decisions and mistakes that the world makes. He will make us different from the world. How? He will change the way we think. When we undergo a change in our thinking, allowing His sculpting of our thoughts, we will begin to see a marked change in our actions. We will no longer look like the world, but will begin to love more deeply, follow more closely and lead more wisely.

What does it take for you to change your mind? A realization that the Father knows best; that He has a plan for your life; that wearing the disguise of the lost will lead you to the path of destruction; that His laws are based in love. Let God transform you by changing the way you think. Aligning your thoughts with Divine thoughts will make you the parent your children need. Defying the God who made you and loves you never ends well. Take off the disguise of the world and let the world know that you are making a change in the way your family lives. You have chosen to find your way by following the One, not the world.

And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God

 because of all he has done for you.

Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable.

This is truly the way to worship him.

 ² Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world,

but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think.

 Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.

Romans 12:1-2

Praying On His Armor

When my kids were young I developed the practice of praying on the armor of God as I drove them to school. I made sure that they were dressed appropriately before we went out the door. Long sleeves in cool weather. Short sleeves in warm weather. Boots in snow. Shoes that didn’t make their toes curl. You know. I covered the basics for their body to be dressed appropriately, so why not their soul?

It was a good practice not only for them but for me. It made me think about what it meant to be strong in the mighty power of the Lord and put on the armor of Christ as described in Ephesians 6…

¹⁰ Finally, let the Lord make you strong. Depend on his mighty power.¹¹ Put on all of God’s armor. Then you can remain strong against the devil’s evil plans. ¹² Our fight is not against human beings. It is against the rulers, the authorities and the powers of this dark world. It is against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly world. 

We are not raising our kids in easy times. I am fairly certain that all generations would say the same. The devil truly does have evil plans for our kids and when we back down, we make his job easy. I was not willing to hand the souls of my kids over to the enemy, so I did what the next verses describe…

¹³ So put on all of God’s armor. Evil days will come. But you will be able to stand up to anything. And after you have done everything you can, you will still be standing.¹⁴ So remain strong in the faith.

That’s what I wanted for my kids… but how?

Put the belt of truth around your waist.  

I prayed… Lord, wrap your truth around my kids so that all the lies they hear about who you are, who they are, what it right and what is wrong will not sway them because they are surrounded in YOUR TRUTH. And help me, Lord, to stay true to what I profess and live honestly and consistently before them.

Put the armor of godliness on your chest

I prayed… Lord, as a breastplate guards the heart, may their hearts be protected because they are reflecting Your goodness. Place godly people along their path today, to show them the right steps and help me to be one of those people.

 ¹⁵ Wear on your feet what will prepare you to tell the good news of peace.

I prayed… Lord, it is so much a part of our nature to rush to spread gossip or complaints or negative thoughts. Open their little eyes to the tragedy those words bring and give them words of comfort and affirmation to share with those who need to experience Your peace.

 ¹⁶ Also, pick up the shield of faith. With it you can put out all the flaming arrows of the evil one.

I prayed…Father, the world is full of challenges to our faith. Surround my children with armor bearers who will help them hold up the shield that will protect them from the attack of Satan that could cause them to take their eyes off of You and the plan you have laid out for them.

 ¹⁷ Put on the helmet of salvation.

I prayed… Father, we cannot be who You made us to be if we forget who You are and the gift of salvation You provide. Keep their thoughts according to your will and remind them constantly of your goodness and grace.

And take the sword of the Holy Spirit. The sword is God’s word.

I prayed… God, help me be faithful to the reading of Your Word so that I can know You better. You have provided a testimony to who you are in your Word. Help me to know you better so that I can be a better reflection of you for the sake of my children.

¹⁸ At all times, pray by the power of the Spirit. Pray all kinds of prayers. Be watchful, so that you can pray. Always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.

And this was my practice almost daily for the years I drove them to school. I wanted them to know that I had prayed the armor of God on them and that there was nothing they could not do with that armor on.

Prayer is essential to godly parenting. Listen to Michelle's story about why she decided to bathe her children in  prayer:

http://momsinprayer.org/prayerforchildren?gclid=Cj0KEQiArou2BRDcoN_c6NDI3oMBEiQANeix5gg6TQ8P70EOzN2iRuUd2gKwapGffTQxvRYEXb2KRDAaAhnE8P8HAQ

Roots

 This is a Strangler Fig tree in the Rain Forest of eastern Australia. Beneath the root network you see a host tree that will die because the roots of the Fig will eventually "strangle" it. The fig seeds are actually deposited in the canopy of the rain forest by birds. They could never grow if planted in the soil because they would receive no sunlight there. As the sun shines on them, they reach heavenward and begin to send their roots over a hundred feet down to the forest floor, drawing nutrients from their host as they travel, so their roots can become strong and healthy. This is a process that takes hundreds of years, but happens only because nature places within that fig seed an unquenchable desire to grow and survive. It instinctively knows that, without roots, it will perish. Here is the message God gave to the Prophet Jeremiah in Jeremiah 17, regarding our roots...

“But I will bless anyone who trusts in me.

    I will do good things for the person who depends on me.

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They will be like a tree planted near water.

    It sends out its roots beside a stream.

It is not afraid when heat comes.

    Its leaves are always green.

It does not worry when there is no rain.

    It always bears fruit.”

Think about the roots of your children. Without spiritual roots their journey will not end with an eternal reward. Sometimes they grow, in spite of our failure to help them find roots and, like the Strangler Fig, they will find their way to the soil that will nourish them, providing a way for them to grow in their faith even if they are not planted by the Water of which Jeremiah speaks. But, as parents, the spiritual well-being of our children is our responsibility. Leaving that to chance, we are doing no better than planting bird excrement at the top of a rain forest and hoping for the best.

True concern for the spiritual well-being of our children means we are constantly cultivating the soil around them to help their roots grow. Planting them by the Water means we are essentially giving them constant access to the Source of goodness and godliness. We are instructing them, reading to them, growing in faith ourselves so that we are naturally seeing all the teachable moments that occur daily. We are being an example to them as we walk with Jesus in our daily life.

My prayer is that you are tending the soil of your child's soul, exposing them constantly to the Son; drenching them in the Spirit of God living in you; pruning them so that they will grow and bear fruit in their lives.

Remember the Sabbath???

The wisest man that ever lived warns us not to lean on what seems right to us but to look to the only One who truly knows the way we should go (Proverbs 3:5-7).  Solomon learned the hard way that doing what seems perfectly logical in our human way of thinking can be devastating. His home and kingdom were in a state of ruin because he made decisions based on what was wise, according to his culture. In hindsight, he begs those who will listen to find God’s path.

In children’s church this past week we talked about how Saul, persecutor of Christians, thought what he was doing was something God wanted him to do. He used the information he had and the wisdom he had gained studying under the best teachers of his time. The only thing that stopped him was to be blinded by the Truth. In essence, Saul had to have his way of thinking erased and his focus changed in order to find the real reason God put him on this earth.

That is the same kind of transformation that we need to take our focus from what the world  dictates to what God requires. If we would allow God to wipe our hard-drive clean and reprogram our thoughts, we could find the reason we are here and stop wasting so much time doing the things that seem wise to us. As I talked about how easy it is to get wrapped up in what the world says is right a 3^rd grade boy raised his hand and said, “It’s like last summer when we were in church learning about God and all those kids were outside playing baseball. They think that is what is important, but then they never get to know what we learn here and don’t get to worship God and stuff.”

Out of the mouths of babes!  We don’t have to look very far to see areas where we have chosen the wisdom of the world over the wisdom of the Word. If you truly believe it is important for your kids to find God and follow him, what are you doing about it?  You can and should be teaching them the truth of scripture at home and living your own life accordingly, but that isn’t all the Bible says about following God. Hebrews 10:25 teaches us that we are not to neglect our time of worship together. Throughout the New Testament we learn that we are to meet together to sing praise, to pray, to share and to learn together. Is that the priority in your home?

I understand that, in our society, we are compelled to have our kids in sports and in our society, Sunday is no longer a day of worship. The wisdom of the world says that sport is where we learn good habits, self-discipline, motivation and a healthy life-style. Furthermore, if we don’t enroll them at a very young age, they will not be competitive enough to play in high school. If they don’t play in high school they will not be able to get that scholarship that will cut down on college debt. That is just good stewardship, right? And besides, if God gave our kid talent in a particular sport, we have to give them every opportunity to develop it… and of course, give Him all the glory.

This makes perfect sense in our culture. But when our children are raising our grandchildren and they have no use for the church or what it represents, perhaps then we will see the dangerous, pseudo wisdom that has taken our focus off of God. It’s not too late to take a stand for what is wise according to scripture. Let God blind you to the wrong path and open your eyes to wisdom and truth according to His Word. Take a lesson from the Apostle Paul… and Cade… and realize, before it’s too late, that your kids need to “worship God and stuff.”