Monthly Archives: September 2008

10 posts

The Bail Out and the Blazing Furnace

…if you are ready to fall down and worship the image I made, very good. But if you do not worship it, you will be thrown immediately into a blazing furnace. Then what god will be able to rescue you from my hand?" Daniel 3:15b If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king.  But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up." Daniel 3:17&18 How has the crisis in the financial markets affected your mood? This current situation […]

Silence & Youthful Lusts

Now flee from youthful lusts and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart. II Timothy 2:22 In addition to the points raised in recent posts, there may be another reason why teenagers suddenly become silent and distant. As has been observed by most of the known world, the teenage years are a time of change. One change is the emergence of youthful lusts that Paul warns about in 2 Timothy. The word for lust used in the passage above is also translated as “passions or desires.” With the onset of puberty a new physical dimension is added to the already potent mixture of selfishness and desire for immediate gratification. A […]

From Monologues to Questions

In the future, when your son asks you, "What is the meaning of the stipulations, decrees and laws the LORD our God has commanded you?" tell him: "We were slaves of Pharaoh in Egypt, but the LORD brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand. Deuteronomy 6:20-21 A fool finds no pleasure in understanding     but delights in airing his own opinions. Proverbs 18:2 How do you measure your effectiveness at listening to your children? Besides the self-conscious concern to implement Proverbs 18:15, there is one tangible way to confirm that you are on the right track. You can gauge the effectiveness of your listening by the questions your children ask you. That’s right—good listening on your part will […]

Monologues and Teenagers – Part 2

In this series of posts we are looking at the communication breakdowns that often occur between parents and teenagers. What once appeared to be a good relationship with lots of interaction can deteriorate to silent, disinterested teens enduring parental monologues. After such an encounter, more than one parent has turned away, asking with an aching heart, why is this happening? In the last post we looked at the command in Proverbs 18:15 to be aggressive listeners. This listening is not just for current exchanges, but includes remembering the conversations of the past. When did the conversations start to drift towards the monologues that typify current communication with your teenagers? Try to remember events from your child’s perspective. It is important […]

Mini Post: Angry Ike

For I am the LORD your God,     Who churns up the sea so that its waves roar—    the LORD Almighty is his name. Isaiah 51:15    The men were amazed and asked, "What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!" Matthew 8:27 I heard a famous TV reporter this morning, standing by the sea wall in Galveston Bay, describe the scene of Hurricane Ike's approach. As he was pelted by the water crashing over the sea wall, he described the waters of the Gulf of Mexico as angry waters. He then said the waves were wicked waves. It is telling that weather systems are described with language that indicates purpose and intent, as if […]

Monologues and Teenagers

The heart of the discerning acquires knowledge;      the ears of the wise seek it out. Proverbs 18:15 One of our readers left the following as part of a comment to the post, How Sin Works – Application to Teenagers:“It is hard to dialogue and not monologue with a 13 year old who doesn’t respond. Any suggestion?” This mom is not alone. Parents are frustrated by contrasts. Contrasts, such as when you observe your teenager talking a mile-a-minute with friends and yet, when you talk with him, his exuberance collapses into strained monosyllables.     Did you have a good day? Sort of.    How was your test? Okay.    Do you have homework? Maybe.    Do you have plans this weekend? Not sure.    […]

The Race is On!

The political conventions are finished. Now begins the 60 day sprint towards election day. These next few weeks will have a significant impact on your family. Your ability to trust in God will be on display before your children and others who are close to you. I will have several posts on this topic. To get things started here is a previous post on this topic. Take some time to consider the legacy you leave to your children. 2008 is a leap year. The Summer Olympic Games will be held. Who knows what memorable events from 2008 will go down in history? In America  there will be a presidential election.  That election also marks the end of a president’s term […]

How Sin Works – Application to Teenagers

So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart. 2 Timothy 2:22 Sin’s deceitfulness targets teenagers particularly. As Timothy warns, youthful passions must be avoided and righteousness pursued with great energy. We have already addressed the youthful scheming of Jonadab and Amnon. Amnon’s desires made him an easy target. He craved his sister, Tamar, and was willing to take whatever shortcuts and schemes seemed viable in order to satisfy his sensual passions. His headlong pursuit of immediate gratification had a fatal outcome. That is where living for the moment can lead. In the 21st century, the entertainment media and advertising industry have assumed the role of […]

Gustav, Hanna, Ike and more

The LORD does whatever pleases him,     in the heavens and on the earth,     in the seas and all their depths. Psalm 135:6 An AP headline today read "Gustave Spares Worst for New Orleans." This headline credits the thing created with the actions of the Creator. It may seem a small thing. It is not. God and God alone is the one who determined the path of Gustav. It appears from the forecasters that the eastern U.S. will be in for a round of hurricanes this next week. Don't miss this opportunity to point your children to the one whom the wind and waves obey. This week could bring a series of near-misses or it could bring […]