Solomon and the internet I realize that Solomon did not have a web page. He didn’t have a blog. He didn’t tweet. But he can still help you navigate the seas of social media. Parents, here are the three most important things to teach your children about using the internet: Verify, Verify, Verify! In the world of social media, little is as it seems. You and your children must verify that what you read and see is not just a half-truth or a flat-out deception. For example, Proverbs 18:17 says: The first to present his case in a dispute seems right, until his opponent comes and cross examines him. It is too easy to accept texts, tweets, posts, emails, etc., […]
Monthly Archives: August 2015
25 posts
The process of instruction is complete when the truth that is learned begins to protect those who hear it. Proverbs 6:22 defines the goal of biblical parental instruction. When you walk, they will guide you; when you sleep, they will watch over you; when you awake, they will speak to you. This passage in Proverbs is the goal of what is commanded in Deuteronomy 6:4-7. Truth is to be passed on from one heart to another heart. The goal of biblical instruction is to have your children own the truth of Scripture for themselves when you are not there to watch over them. Solomon says this truth will adorn those who hear it and live it. The end goal occurs […]
Even though summer has another month on the calendar, it has functionally ended. School has started. Much of school and its related activities is about performance. Report cards are the measure of success. But ultimately, evaluating performance is not the true measure of a child’s worth. No child can bear the weight of thinking he has to measure up to a standard in order to be appreciated. Academic struggles are not a measure of worth. Neither is academic excellence. Do your children know this? It is one thing to say that your children are a blessing to you and that you delight in them. It is another for them to actually believe this. Don’t misunderstand, failing to discipline and teach […]
Hebrews 4:12 describes the Bible as being living and active. Is this merely a fact to you? Or does this phrase in Hebrews speak about you? Do you read the Bible simply to increase your knowledge—or to be spiritually fed and enlivened as you read? We know that our children must trust the Bible and live it. But do our children see that these words of God are living and working in us? Do our children know that the Bible defines who we are and how we live? The prophet Isaiah warned against following words learned by rote: And their worship of me is nothing but man-made rules learned by rote. Isaiah 29:13 Surely, you want more than rote knowledge […]
Authority is a gift of God to his people and especially to families. Authority is often abused on the one hand and grossly neglected on the other. However, it is important not to frame one’s view of biblical authority based on the abuses of others. Viewing authority as gift requires something of an attitude adjustment for many. The world, under the direction of Satan (Ephesians 2:1-3) wants authority to be viewed as arbitrary, uncaring, stifling, and cruel. Authority is said to curtail imagination, stunt creativity, restrict freedom, and diminish individual worth. These misconceptions have filtered down to families. In contrast let’s see how the Bible speaks about authority. The first thing to remember about Biblical human authority is that it […]
If obedience does not produce acceptance, then why bother to obey or attempt to excel? Why bother to obey if a child cannot earn your favor, or God’s favor? True obedience is a response to being shown love and mercy. I obey because I want to see my Savior’s reputation enhanced on earth. I obey because it means participating in the only thing that truly matters, living for the glory of God. Some might say, “Well that is fine for me, but what about my children who have not yet professed faith? Why should they obey?” The answer is the same, because obedience that flows from a response to the mercy of God is the only form of obedience that […]
When someone attacks you, particularly someone close to you, your first response is likely self-protection. If it is, things will go from bad to worse. For example, your 14 year-old says: “All you care about is your stupid rules! You care about your rules more than you do about me! Thanks, a lot for not caring.” You feel hurt, disrespected and defensive. Your child is unable to appreciate the good you are trying to do. The defensive, natural response is to tell your teenager how wrong they are. Your teenager responds by thinking you just proved her point. Things quickly go downhill from here! Nothing less than wisdom from above can address this breakdown. The Holy Spirit describes wisdom from […]
A Christian must not live as though time is all that matters. As the hymn says, the sands of time are numbered. They are contained in an hourglass crafted by God for his glory. One day the last grain of sand will sink to the bottom of the glass. When this happens God will not turn the hourglass over. When the last grain falls, life on earth will also fall. Don’t live your life for sinking grains of sand. Live it for the glory of the King. The Sands of Time are Sinking The sands of time are sinking, the dawn of Heaven breaks; The summer morn I’ve sighed for—the fair, sweet morn awakes: Dark, dark hath been the midnight, […]
It is easy to pray for good things. We want our loved ones to be healthy and safe. We desire for our country to turn to God in repentance. It is good to pray that our children will come to know and love Christ more deeply. These are good things. But do we have the courage to pray for something more? We sell God short in our prayers when we only ask for things that seem to good to us. In the prayer of our Lord, Christ gives us something better to ask for: he asks that God’s kingdom will come and that his will be done. Wow! This request requires trust in God. This is a request for God […]
School is starting. This means the daily chase is on, again. Recognize all that happens in your travels are superintended by the hand of God. Each traffic light that works, each car that passes by, each person you meet on your journey is part of the decreed will of God for your life. Mobility has become a routine part of life. School schedules, soccer practice, music lessons, field trips, vacations, and a myriad of other events require mobility. Today this mobility has become routine. This is huge. Occasionally, you will hear someone ask for God’s protection for travel for a really long trip. But when was the last time that you heard a prayer request for travel to and from […]