Monthly Archives: January 2016

21 posts

Can Your Teenager Trust the Bible?

Here is what the Bible teaches about how it was written: God gave man his words through the direction, inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Man then expressed these words accurately, in his own voice, under the supervision of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit oversaw the collection of these inspired writings so that they became the Bible we have now. This, in short form, is what the Bible teaches about how it was inspired, written, and complied. However, this makes no sense if your teenager doesn’t believe the Bible is true and is the word of God. Faith is essential to be able to trust what the Bible says about life, reality, and the way it was written. So, your […]

Love Your Middle Schooler: Become an Epic Listener!

It is important not to miss the struggles your middle schooler faces each day. She is beginning to function without immediate and constant parental supervision. New and sometimes dangerous influences enter his life. This is the scary part for parents. It is no secret that sex, drugs, pornography, bullying and even gambling have made inroads into middle schools. So what can you do to shepherd your middle school children without giving them a lie detector test each afternoon and attaching a body cam and GPS to them? Here is one answer: Become an epic listener! Here are some practical ways to become an epic listener: Fall in love with Proverbs 18:13,15 Listen for what is not said, in addition to […]

The Debate Insanity

The political debates pretend to talk about important things. Yet they ignore the one issue that supersedes all others. The debaters, the commentators, the analysts all ignore that God actively rules the world and the universe! Don’t misunderstand; God is not a politician. He is not limited by the feeble thinking of men. He is not for a particular political party. He is “for” his own honor and glory. He is accountable to no one, especially not to public opinion and votes. This is what the debates don’t get. As Paul told the thinkers in Athens, minds among the most formidable in the world, we all live, move and exist because of God. Yet the debaters and moderators ignore this […]

S.N.A.P.

Regardless of your method of schooling your children will have schoolwork to do at home. How you interact with your children while they are doing schoolwork has a huge impact on your relationship with them. Here are some positive ways you can interact with your kids and their schoolwork. Schoolwork issues generally fall into one or more of these three categories:  speed, neatness, and accuracy. Undergirding these three categories is the truth that all things must be done to the praise and glory of God. Here is an acronym you can use to help guide your children in doing their schoolwork: Schoolwork is a S.N.A.P. Speed means that work must be attacked diligently and consistently without interruptions. Neatness is a […]

Mercy: the opposite of fairness

We desire God’s mercy while we expect, and even demand, to be treated with fairness. Desiring fairness is a black hole that leads to anger, frustration, disappointment, and struggles in relationships. Where would you and I be if God treated us fairly? In pride, I want to say I don’t deserve unfair treatment. But such thinking is not sound. To demand fairness is to live without the fear of God. To demand fairness is to live like a fool, to live as if there were no God. Yes, we must treat others with fairness but it is not something that we should demand for ourselves. Rather we must trust God to be our advocate. If we obey God’s commands and […]

God’s Message In the Snow For Washington, D.C.

For years the government leaders in Washington, D.C. have passed laws, written executive orders and made legal judgments without regard to God and his laws. These leaders have gone so far as to say it is illegal and unconstitutional to obey God in many areas of life. Because these same leaders have chosen to ignore the teaching of Scripture they fail to heed God’s direct word to them. For example, tonight a massive snow storm has totally shut down the nation’s capitol. This is seen as an inconvenience and will bring calls for more efficient warnings and snow removal. But the most important message, God’s message, will be dismissed by politicians and the media. The Holy Spirit in the book […]

Choose Love – part 3

Here is the third and last post about choosing to love your children biblically from I Corinthians 13: Love does not delight in evil, but rejoices in truth… Faithful instruction and correction can easily be misunderstood. This is particularly the case when parental authority is being exercised. When correcting your children you can give them the impression that you are delighting in their failure. Since disciplined training in righteousness must be thorough and ongoing, a child may think that the only purpose a parent has is to delight in telling them how wrong he is. This is where you have to look at your child’s world through his eyes. It is huge that in the process of correction, your words […]

Choose Love – part 2

As we learned from the previous post, choosing love is much more than a warm feeling. Paul continues to show what it looks like to really love your children in I Corinthians 13: Love is not self-seeking Love is about not putting yourself first. It is vital that your children see that you are living a life of sacrifice to God, just as you are asking them to do. The goals you set for your home must first and foremost reflect God’s direction in his Word. This cannot be done by indulging your own preferences. Sports, music, academic excellence, a quiet home life, and neatness, etc. are all examples of worthwhile activities. But there is no commandment that says your […]

Choose Love

God is specific about how he wants you to love your children. I Corinthians 13 offers practical help: Love is patient Patience is the fruit of the Spirit. This means that love is not a knee-jerk reaction when things don’t go well. Loving your children means understanding and anticipating that obedience to biblical direction will be a challenge. Being patient means that you are sensitive to reality of spiritual warfare. Don’t be frustrated with their struggles – think carefully, and remember that love is patient. You are in the process of calling them from death to life. Love is kind If parents’ lives are to be dominated by love for their children, then it follows that kindness must also be […]

When Your Child Says No

It seems like such a simple thing. You ask your child to do something and in response, either by word or deed, she says no. If the day is laid back and the request seems inconsequential, the negative response might even be ignored. But, you decide to press on, so you ask again, this time a little more firmly. Your four-year-old grudgingly, slowly does as she was told. You breathe a sigh of relief, no harm done. But actually this little girl has taken a step down the road to self-hatred. Solomon warns that those who disregard discipline despise themselves. What appears to be just a small bump in the road is deceptive as to the damage that is being […]