The rest of the story

After deciding a few years ago to raise our children in the instruction and admonition of our Lord, my wife and I were confronted with the question of "HOW?" How do we teach/guide these little ones into a loving relationship with Jesus? Our first instinct was to read them the Bible but for some reason that didn't seem enough (more on this later!). Surely there was a more effective way of teaching them God's truths, values, and morals. Hadn't entire ministries and aisles of books been developed and built to show us the way to powerful parenting/discipling techniques designed to bring our kids to Jesus? So off to the Christian book store we went. Shortly after, laden with devotional material for each of the ages and sexes of our children, we began to disciple our children.
The devotional booklets were good and full of strong Biblical truths. But something was nagging at me. Not sure that we were doing all that we could, my wife and I enrolled in a parenting class/conference. (I highly recommend it, by the way. It was a valuable tool in leading us to a more Biblical form of parenting: http://www.parentingministry.org/ ) Things were improving all the time and our children were responding but something was still missing. The children's ministries at our church were and are incredibly blessed by the Holy Spirit; our children loved their godly leaders...but something still lacked. As my wife and I started to dig deeper into God's Word we became fully convinced that the example we set and modeled was more important than everything we had done heretofore. Our relationship with and transformation in Jesus was what they could see every day. But there was still one more piece of the puzzle yet remaining (...and I'm sure there are more waiting to be found!)...but this little piece is one I must share with you.
One night, after our devotionals with the kids, one of the girls asked an incredibly pertinent question about one of the Bible characters (Joseph...Jacob's son) the devotional had briefly mentioned. I sat down on the bed with her and her sisters and easily launched into a half hour story about him, his family, his triumphs, his failures. My years of Bible reading, church attendance, and Bible studies came flooding back as I told them the stories of Abraham and Issac and Jacob and Esau...my wife had to cut me off!! But I left the story hanging...and told the girls I would continue it the next night. We never went back to the devotionals. Every day (sometimes at the dinner table, sometimes before bed, sometimes in the car) we would pick up where I had left off the last time and just talk about the Bible. For those first couple of weeks, I mainly just hit the highlights and we quickly found ourselves in Revelation. I told them what I knew and directly consulted the pages of the Word for specific details that eluded me. But for the most part, I imparted the Word to them in as faithful and relevant manner as I could. Then we just started over in Genesis. That following jaunt through the Scriptures took a little longer as I covered more of the stories and characters...sometimes studying a little in advance. This current and third run has been much more detailed and longer and full of Spirit-inspired applications for the children that no devotional ever could have compared to.
Our initial instinct of reading them the Bible had come to fruition! It really was all we needed. Every night the kids can't wait to hear the "rest of the story". They are remembering and identifying characters/stories/concepts from the Word. Even the little ones are absorbing truth. They have been taken through the Bible three times now. By the time they leave our clutches, I fully expect to have guided them through the Word 20-30 times. My oldest is already asking to tell the part of the stories he knows to the younger ones. At 7 he is beginning to teach the Bible!! Thank you Lord. His Word really is sufficient for all the answers to life and living. I pray that you and I, dear reader, may immerse ourselves in God's Word and then just let it flow into the lives of our children, our youth, our coworkers, our friends, our family, our neighbors. Because it doesn't stop with just the children.

Suffer the little children

Josh McDowell recently wrote a book entitled "The Last Christian Generation". To that I say AMEN! and AMEN!...bring us home Jesus! But Josh's motivation for the book is quite different. He contends that:

• today's youth have a distorted view of reality (especially spiritual reality)
• the church seems less and less able to reach today's youth (especially spiritually)
• the church ineffectively models true Christ-likeness
• something needs to be done...now!

I have children and I don't want them to grow up not knowing Jesus. Josh struck at my heart with a certain passage I feel moved to share here (...or better yet, go buy the book and read it on pgs 69-70...or contact me and you can borrow my copy):

--(paraphrased for time and space) "During World War II, men left their young families; sometimes for years. Many small children grew up not knowing their fathers. But their mothers diligently kept the reality of those absent fathers alive in the children's minds. They told those little children how Daddy provided money for their house, clothes, and food. They read and re-read his letters to them; especially the parts encouraging the children to remain brave and to help mommy. The mother would explain and describe what their father was like: his love, integrity, duty, honesty, courage, patriotism. She would let her children know how much she loved their father. And as the day of his return drew near, she guided them on how to respond to their loving father when he appeared.

Finally, that day came. And children everywhere were overjoyed to meet the men they had only heard of and seen in pictures. They rushed into each others arms.

The responsibility of the church and families is to do as those mothers did--reveal the true nature of God to our children and lead them to a proper response to Him. None of us naturally knows how to respond properly to God. We need instruction and training. We even need it with each other: marriage, parenting, teaching, leading. And becoming a committed follower of Christ is no different; we need to learn and go through a growing process. We must reveal the true nature of God to our children and young people and then instruct them through a process of how to respond and relate to Him."

The rest of the book then gently outlines how this is done. Great insights are included for what this generation of youth is feeling, what they face in the world, and what we can do to bring them Jesus.

If you don't have kids, read it anyway...you may have some one day. And if you don't, read it anyway. There are children out there growing up in a world ruled by the prince of this world who is intent on destroying them. "Let the little children come unto me and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven." (Matt 19:14) By not recognizing and identifying the issues plaguing the youth of this generation, I believe we are guilty of forbidding them from coming to Jesus. Despite being raised by a family who religiously attended church and stringently enforced foundational, Biblical values--despite that, I never ever developed any understanding of God's nature nor did I find myself in a personal, real relationship with Him. Yet, deep deep inside, that is exactly what I craved. I am so thankful to have finally begun to have one now. But I do not want my children to have to wait until adulthood like I did. Nor does God...He wants them now. And we are tasked to instruct, guide, and lead our children. His commands to do this are spread throughout His Word.

Josh McDowell's book is a great stepping stone in the right direction. He describes "the process of discipling our youth to be followers of Jesus as simple: Reintroduce God to this generation for who He really is (the God of redemption, relationships, and restoration) and then lead this generation to continually living a life of (1) faith (2) worship (3) prayer (4) loving others (5) making Godly choices (6) spiritual warfare (7) spiritual reproduction" He then describes that this is accomplished primarily through modeling (especially and vitally at the parent level), through certain ministry focus changes (from learning to living), and by becoming intimate with God.

This short little book put into words the failure I experienced though my church and family as a child. It is a failure I will not visit upon my children. I serve a God who loves me and knows me and desires to save me. Thank you Lord...please strengthen me and all those whom You have placed in the lives of Your little children. Help us to bring them to you. Draw us near Lord.

Loving Gomer

Someone I know (family member) and have loved for my whole life recently told me that they had become burned out on loving. They had reached the point where:

• their giving and loving so far outweighed what they received back
• their heart had been trodden on so many times
• their affections had been repeatedly spurned
• they had been used in so many ways (physical,emotional,financial)

They decided to only display their love/kindness/generosity/compassion/etc. on those around them and close to them whom they decided to bestow it on. This has left me and my family out in the cold darkness...it is not a fun place to be. (Jesus often refers to places of "outer darkness" [Matthew 8:12, 22:13, 25:30]...not the place you want to go.) They, of course, have much logic, heartache, and worldly wisdom to support their rationale. Nearly all of their points/complaints are true and seemingly valid. It is just as obvious to me, however, that they have completely rejected nearly everything that (1)Jesus taught us and (2)God has shown us.

My response to their declarations has run a wide course. I started out with cold indifference. I held this view solidly until I realized that I wasn't truly remaining indifferent...I still ruminated deep within. Arrogance then crept in as I haughtily made my own inner declaration: 'When we get to heaven and all is revealed...well, then you'll see!!' Sadness and even a touch of despair filtered through as well. I then turned to Jesus...which I should have done from the git-go! His words (primarily Matthew 5-7) helped me to realize that a certain amount of anger also simmered down below the surface. On the exterior, I was able to perform a fairly decent facade of gentle forgiveness but my Lord knew different.

Currently, my heart has been enduring transformation. I say "enduring" not because of God's inability but my resistance. His peace, though, is soooo much better than anything I came to on my own recognizance. And yet, I have gotten glimpses of how much farther I have to go. There is a difference between passive love and active love. There is a difference between accepting circumstances and seeking restoration. There is a difference in declaring forgiveness and living forgiveness. And as I open myself up to learn of love from God, I see how wrong my views of love have been. (For extra credit, read Hosea...how many of us could love in the manner that God prodded Hosea to love Gomer??)

"I..."

Psalm 39:1-2
"I said
'I will guard my ways That I may not sin with my tongue;
I will guard my mouth as with a muzzle while the wicked are in my presence.'
I was mute and silent, I refrained even from good, and my sorrow grew worse."

Like David, "I" often attempt to live life on "my" own terms and on "my" own efforts. And like David, sorrow awaits me! Lord, help me to see what David saw:

Psalm 39:7
"And now, Lord, for what do I wait? My hope is in You."

Nature of God

Exodus 33:13
"Now therefore, I (Moses) pray You (God, YHWH), if I have found favor in Your sight, let me know Your ways that I may know You."
Many have asked to know God, to know Who He is, to know His Name, to know what He looks like, to know about Him...to know His nature. Books have been written about that very subject. Our Book Club is reading one right now. So Who is God? What is He like?
John 8:19
"So they were saying to Him, 'Where is your Father?' Jesus answered, 'You know neither Me nor My Father; if you knew Me you would know My Father.'"
...hmmmm...so if I know Jesus then I know the Father.
So how do I get to know Jesus?
Colossians 1:15
"He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on the earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominion of rulers or authorities--all things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things and in Him all things hold together."
WOW! That is pretty powerful. Jesus created everything. Everything was created for Him. Jesus holds it all together. Nothing is greater or more important than Him...NOTHING! And so...it seems it would be very easy to get to know Him. And it is easy:
Romans 10:1,9,17
"Brethren, my heart's desire and my prayer to God for them is for their salvation...that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved;...So faith comes from hearing and hearing by the Word of Christ."
Jesus wants to save us; He came to save us. (John 3:16-17) That is a pretty good start to getting to know Jesus.
Can't wait to know more? Open your Bible and start reading...faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of Jesus. Listen to Him. Receive the gift He freely gives.

Blessed Days

There are days where I truly believe God gives us a taste of heaven...and it is awesome!

06:30--Meet and talk with men from church..."If we walk in the Light as He Himself is the Light, we have fellowship with one another and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin." I John 1:7
07:10--Inductive Bible Study in Matthew chapter 1..."All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, reproof, correction, training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work." 2 Timothy 3:16
08:50--Help in daughter's kindergarten class..."If you then being evil know how to good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him." Matthew 7:11
11:00--Give driving lesson..."Instruct them to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share." I Timothy 6:18
12:00--Lunch and siesta with family and friend..."Give thanks to the Lord for He is good, for His mercy endures forever...who gives food to all flesh, for His mercy endures forever." Psalm 136:1,25
18:00--Dinner with friends and playtime with all the children--"Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lord." Rev. 19:9
22:00--Think back on this wonderful day--"I will meditate on all your work and muse on Your deeds." Psalm 77:11

"O taste and see that the Lord is good; How blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him." Psalm 34:8