Parenting, Proverbs and the Gospel I’m not sure, is an increasingly popular response among a teenager and young adults when they have a decision to make. For example: Will you be home for dinner tonight? Where would you like to go to college? What kind of friends do you want to have? My folks are out of town; would you like to spend the weekend with me? What do you want to do after college? What did you think of the pastor’s sermon last Sunday? Do you want to party after the game? Would you like to go to a Bible study? Are you ready for marriage?
Yearly Archives: 2011
83 posts
Flowers and gifts on Mother’s Day are very good. But God has called us to honor our mothers and wives in greater ways as well. The gospel changes everything about life. The gospel does not draw its power from human performance, but rather, human efforts draw their power from the Holy Spirit. His power is not limited by human weaknesses. So when we read the exhortation of Proverbs 31:31 to honor mothers and wives for all that they have done, we are not rating their performance, but instead, we are honor them with gratitude simply for who they are. Motherhood is part of the plan of God to bring glory to himself. For Christians, we have the additional blessing of […]
The book of Proverbs has more to say about the practical side of parenting than any other book of Scripture. This makes the study and mastery of Proverbs a must for parents. All of Scripture was written ultimately by the Holy Spirit, who both anticipated the coming of Christ and built upon his advent with every word he breathed out for our good. Proverbs is no exception. If you want to teach your children the true meaning of Proverbs, you must do so through the lens of the gospel. Understanding the cultural and linguistic issues is vital, but no more so than understanding that the Holy Spirit anticipated that coming of Christ and his teaching in Proverbs. The following series […]
Red Like Blood is a book about the raw power of grace that changes lives in ways beyond what we have come to expect. Red Like Blood is a testimony to the power of God’s grace. This grace radically changed Joe Coffey and Bob Bevington, the authors of Red Like Blood. This is a book for those who may have come to think there is no way God would have anything to do with them. Maybe you know someone like this – a son, a daughter, a parent. The great news is that grace is for them. Bob Bevington has graciously consented to answer a few questions about the book. I thought these would be interesting to you. This is […]
No child is born wise. Wisdom is a skill that must be acquired. If you are waiting for your child to grow up and begin to make wise choices, you will be waiting a long time. Ruth Younts says that Christian “wisdom is knowing and understanding the truth, obeying the truth, and making wise decisions based on the truth.” This is why Proverbs is adamant that we must get wisdom. Imparting God’s wisdom is far more than information transfer. Providing God’s wisdom to your children begins with the gospel. Apart from embracing the gospel, no one will even desire to be biblically wise. Wisdom is living a life that is oriented toward God, toward honoring God in each decision that […]
This is perhaps the most important question you will ever be asked about your children. This is Easter weekend, when we remember the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. We remember it because it actually happened. The crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ are not symbols, but reality. What Jesus did almost 2,000 years ago was the most courageous, loving and violent action ever taken by man. It was courageous because Jesus willingly took the wrath of God upon himself to pay for the ugliness and wickedness of sin. He knew full well what would happen to him; he knew the pain he would endure. Yet he took this punishment willingly, courageously. His action was loving because he truly put others before […]
I recently asked Bob Bevington, co-author of Red Like Blood, the question posed by the title of this post. Bob’s answer is insightful and helpful. Sometimes people, including our children, speak to us in terms that are raw and edgy. If we are compassionate, biblical listeners, it may be that truth can be found even among the edgy things of life. Here is how Bob answered my question: JY: Red Like Blood has been described as raw and edgy. Please help our readers understand that raw and edgy in this context can be used to spread the glory of God. BB: The Bible is raw and edgy in places. Have you read Ezekiel 16 lately? Why does the Bible go […]
Shepherd Press has just released its newest title, Red Like Blood. Red Like Blood is a book about the raw power of grace that changes lives in ways beyond what we have come to expect. This kind of grace, in some ways, is uncomfortable, because it will not let us escape the truth that God changes whom he wishes. The Apostle Paul was an unlikely and uncomfortable target for this kind of grace. So were Joe Coffey and Bob Bevington, the authors of Red Like Blood. Bob Bevington has graciously consented to answer a few questions about the book. I thought these would be interesting to you. I’ll post a question or two each day for the next few days. […]
Are fear and forgiveness opposing concepts? Forgiveness includes acceptance, freedom, love, and understanding. These things have little to do with fear. Fear involves dread, terror, and rejection; so how can fear and forgiveness be connected? There is another meaning associated with fear that is important to remember. The American Heritage Dictionary’s third listing for fear is this: “Extreme reverence or awe, as toward a supreme power.”
”My oldest child is 4 years old and I’ve noticed that he really struggles when trying something new that challenges him. I see it as a ‘fear of failure,’ which I’m shocked that he’s dealing with at such a young age. Is this a form of pride at its core?” Rachel asks an important and insightful question. Pride is a challenging and subtle topic to address in our children and in ourselves. On the one hand, some forms of pride are easy to spot. When someone stands up, beats his chest and screams “I am the greatest,” pride is easy to identify. However, fear is also a form of pride, albeit a subtle one. At its root, pride believes—whether in […]