Yesterday, June 21, was Father’s Day. It was a time of appreciation for Dads. But yesterday was also the summer solstice. While this date holds significance for various pagan and cultic groups, it is also an important date for Christians to remember. The beginning of each of the four seasons should be a reminder to you that God keeps his promises. With the beginning of each new season, God is keeping the promise he made to Noah for all mankind. After the destruction of the Flood, God made a promise that the seasons would continue as long as the earth endures. Even though man is evil, God promises he will never again destroy all living creatures. Here is the promise […]
Yearly Archives: 2009
157 posts
Fathers have authority. However, one is much more likely to hear how that authority has been abused rather than to hear how it has been used well. Frequently, fathers are not sure how to apply their authority in a way that is honoring to God. Then, the use of authority is uneven–sometimes too harsh and sometimes too weak. The result is frustration for all concerned. Let’s take a brief look at some biblical principles that will make the application of authority more productive.
Fathers are in the instruction business–the business of instructing their children to live obediently for the glory of God. Our culture has come to scoff at and even disdain this notion. Parents, and fathers in particular, are seen more as caregivers than as leaders charged with the responsibility of building lives. Words like leadership and accountability don’t sit well in today’s politically correct world. In this world everything must be done for the child in order to serve the child. According to this view, parents must provide care for their children while being careful not to contaminate their minds with stuff about authority and religion. The most important contaminant to be avoided is the idea that they are sinners deserving […]
Some of you may recall the post “Landing on the Hudson: Whose Miracle?” It was written after the emergency landing of US Air Flight 1549 in the Hudson River this past January. There was, amazingly, no loss of life due to the competency and skill of the pilot and the quick reactions of first responders getting to the downed plane. The abundant news reports that followed credited this to almost everyone except the one who really was in control–God. However, if we are going to acknowledge God’s power in preserving the lives aboard flight 1549, we must also acknowledge his power over flights that come to a less-than-desirable ending–in particular Air France Flight 447 that was lost off the coast […]
This is the final post in this series. We have been looking at the implications of Philippians 1:27-2:5 for family living. This is an important passage for establishing guidelines for relationships in the church. As we have seen, this passage also has much to say about your family. Paul begins this section with these words in verse 27: “Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ.” Then, in chapter 2:5, Paul, in effect, summarizes what he has just said a with this statement: “Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus….” Paul’s admonition is to conduct yourself in a manner worthy of the gospel by having your attitude be the same as […]
As you know from the last post I have developed a fond appreciation for Paul Tripp’s latest book – Broken-Down House. In this post I am going to include the most recent article I did for the Shepherd Press Newsletter. There is another application I want to especially emphasize for parents. The world is not a pleasant place. It is broken, and it is groaning for the day of consummation. It is a mistake to teach our children that the world is wonderful and not also tell them of ifs brokenness. I hope you enjoy the article.
Just a reminder that I will be talking about Paul Tripp’s new book, Broken-Down House today from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. EST. The program is the national call in talk show Calling for Truth, hosted by Paul Dean. If you would like to join the conversation you can call 1-888-660-9535. You can listen live at the station’s website. The link is here. We will return to the series on Philippians and your family in the next post.
All of us have this experience in varying degrees–your life feels like a broken-down house. Your life has not gone the way you planned. Your life has not gone the way you planned even in the last day. Your plans often lie in shattered, broken pieces around you. No matter what outward veneer we choose for others to see, internally, that sense of brokenness is never far away. There can be brokenness in relationships, in personal failure, in missed opportunities, in the ravages of sin in our life and the lives of those close to us. Evidence of brokenness is also in the world around us–the specter of terrorism is always with us. Our governments appear to be truly broken […]
We have been looking at Philippians 1:27-2:5 the last few posts. This passage is often used to encourage Christians toward godly relationships within the church community, and as we have seen, it is a wonderful principle for relationships in families. In this post, though, I want to look specifically at the admonition in verse 3 to avoid selfishness. In a relational conflict, the default mode is to blame the other person. This becomes more pointed when authority is involved–for example, parental authority. A parent gives a directive or command and a child does not follow this command or chooses to dispute it. Especially if the child is a teenager, this scenario raises the tension level. The parent is committed to […]
The book of Philippians teaches the church how to relate to one another. These same principles for godly relationships must also be applied to family life in general and to families with teenagers in particular. For example, just the first four verses of Philippians 2 offer powerful guidelines for relationships. Paul is counseling the church to be encouraged with one another by focusing on the love of Christ for them. Many relational problems between parents and teenagers exist because the life-changing message of the gospel has been submerged and lost in the turmoil of everyday life. Here is what Paul says to the Philippians in these four verses: If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any […]