Psalm 103 mercifully proclaims that God does not treat us as our sins deserve. It is this truth that sets Christianity apart from every other religion. All paths, except the one leading to Christ, lead to some form of self-justification. This truth has important implications for parenting. It is important that children not be treated as their sins deserve! At first glance, this seems obvious. But, we must ask, how do our children believe they are treated. Words like accountability, responsibility, and obedience can come to be equated with fair treatment. (These words are wonderful words in their proper place.) When children sin they should be held accountable. This sounds right, but is it? In Psalm 103, David is rejoicing […]
Monthly Archives: October 2012
20 posts
We don’t usually associate being lukewarm with aggression. However, as we read Christ’s indictment of the church at Laodicea, aggressive pride is equated with being lukewarm. Self-sufficient thought is lack of trust in God. Laodicea was a successful, well-educated city. They did not need the help of others. If there was a problem, they could take care of it with their own resources. The city embodied the “can do” spirit. This same self-sufficient spirit had infected the Laodicean church. Jesus’ critique is sharp. In Revelation 3:16 he states the nature of the infection: “So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth.” In verse 17 Jesus gives the specific symptom of this […]
God alone is our refuge, not the circumstances of life.
Christ’s response to being lukewarm in Revelation 3:16 is not pleasant one. The church at Laodicea was planted by an apostle, was financially secure, and successful by the standards of their community. There is every reason to think they thought they were doing well as a church. In reality the church was so repugnant to Christ that he told them he would spit them out of his mouth! This church was not salt and light. Using the world as a gauge of success, particularly in parenting, is taking a huge step towards being lukewarm. The Holy Spirit has provided important insight about how to be hot for God. One of the places he has done this in Psalm 103. The […]
Laodicea would have been classified as “red” city if it were around today. The city was a prosperous financial and trade center. It was known for its fine linens. It had a great medical school. It was a city of beauty, and the arts flourished there. In 60 A.D. an earthquake leveled the city. The citizens refused any assistance from the Roman government and rebuilt the city solely with their own funds. Laodicea would certainly make the top ten list of the most desirable places to live and raise a family. After all, a place like Laodicea provided all the opportunities for children to become involved in higher education, sports, the arts and community service. Laodicea also had a church. […]
In our first look at Psalm 78 I noted that it is essential to share the Psalmist’s passionate commitment to giving God’s truth and the wonder of his character to our children. As the Psalmist said, “We will not hide these truths from our children.” The impact upon children is to be so significant that their children will be impacted as well. If parents’ hearts are not consumed with attractively passing on God’s glory there is a greatly diminished likelihood that this same passion will grip their children. See verses 6&7 of the psalm: … so the next generation would know them, even the children yet to be born, and they in turn would tell their children. Then they would […]
Our God is truly an awesome God, abounding in mercy, unequaled in power, and relentless in showing his love and care.
Meekness is being willing to give up my rights in order to put others first. Meekness waits for God to bring about justice. Psalm 37:10-11 A little while, and the wicked will be no more; though you look for them, they will not be found. But the meek will inherit the land and enjoy great peace. From Get Wisdom
Psalm 78 provides instruction about raising teenagers with soft, passionate hearts towards God. The Psalmist begins with a challenge to remember the lessons of the past, the lessons of ancient and recent church history. He wants God’s people to vividly remember the great deeds of God in redemptive history. Then, the Psalmist makes a pledge that children will hear of the great actions of God: We will not hide these truths from our children; we will tell the next generation about the glorious deeds of the Lord, about his power and his mighty wonders. Note the emphatic language – “We will not hide these truths from our children.” The first step towards raising teenagers with Josiah’s soft heart […]
The story of Josiah comes as a surprise. But then, keeping us off balance is something the Bible does quite well. This is because we are reading the words of the Spirit of God. He doesn’t think like we do. He has a different perspective on life than we do. He is about holiness. We are about avoiding holiness. If your reading of the Bible has become predictable, if you are not surprised and frequently unsettled by what you read, you most likely are shielding yourself from the power of the text. The Bible is written to shake us internally. The Spirit’s words are alive and dynamic. His words are designed to take us apart, to cut deeply into the […]