Proverbs 16 has important direction for anyone in authority, especially parents. These insights help to establish authority and strengthen your parental authority. Here are some selected Proverbs from this chapter: Commit to the LORD whatever you do and your plans will succeed. (Verse 3) This is the starting point. The commitment indicated here is totally to the Lord Lord because of your love for him is the focus of life. This is not so much about achieving a single objective as it is about committing all of your life to honor God. In parenting, this means a commitment to use God’s methods to accomplish God’s purpose. Authority without this commitment to God is destructive! Honest scales and balances are from […]
Authority
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Independence is a myth. Dependence is a trap. Can both of these statements be true? Not only are they both true, but failing to acknowledge these truths will result in struggles throughout life. Let’s see why. Independence is a myth. From the beginning people were created to be in a dependent relationship with God. This is part of the DNA of the soul of every human. Adam and Eve were dependent upon God to sustain life. God planted the garden for them. God placed the garden near rivers to allow for rich, fertile soil. God commanded Adam to guard and protect this precious garden. And then, finally, God provided a wife for Adam and gave directions about how families were […]
It seems like such a simple thing. You ask your child to do something and in response, he quietly keeps playing with his toy. You decide to press on, so you ask again, this time a little more firmly, and then one more time. Your four-year-old grudgingly, slowly does as he was told. You breathe a sigh of relief, no harm done, at least he obeyed. But actually this little boy has taken a step down the road to self-hatred. Solomon warns that those who disregard discipline despise themselves. What appears to be an inconsequential delay is actually a step towards self-hatred. The Holy Spirit provides a wake-up call in Proverbs 15:31-32: Whoever heeds life-giving correction will be at home […]
Parental authority has fallen on hard times! Authority is seen as something to question, not respect. Unlike our culture, however, the Bible makes a big deal about obeying parents. The Holy Spirit does this from two different perspectives. One is blessing. If children obey their parents as Ephesians instructs they will be blessed and do well in life on the earth. In contrast in Romans, being disobedient to parents is included on a list of sins that indicates intense hatred of God. This list includes sexual perversions, inventors of evil, and murders! Indifference to your authority is indifference to God. Your child’s well being is directly connected to his obedience to you! This may seem a bit unfair, since your […]
The character of God, the wonder of God, the holiness of God is not dependent upon the recognition of man. Just because people may dismiss the Person of God and the truth of Scripture does not in any way the detract from the greatness of both! Joshua Bell, world class violinist, played for 43 minutes at the Washington DC subway. During that time over 1,000 people passed by where he was playing. 7 people paused to listen, 7! Does this mean that Bell is not a great violinist? The fact that people do not acknowledge God’s greatness or the Bible’s veracity does not change reality. Don’t trust the opinion of people who dismiss God. It is a fatal error. Don’t […]
Law and delight — these are two words seldom seen as companions. You can have the law or you can have fun. Young people excited about God’s laws is not exactly the first thought that comes to mind. Instruction over iPads? I don’t think so. These comments are both comical and sad. Why? Because they both ring true. We don’t typically expect our young people to be excited about obeying God. And you can agree there is sadness connected to this fact. So how do we address this? Allow me to suggest one way. You can’t expect your children to delight in God’s direction for life if you it is not something that you also delight in. Jesus says the […]
Manipulation is a subtle trap that will lead you and your children away from the grace of God and the gospel. Jesus delivers a subtle warning in the Sermon on the Mount about the danger of manipulation. Look at Luke 6:32-33: “If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that…” Manipulation is doing good to get something good. If your parental discipline is primarily designed to make things at home go more smoothly, you are doing good to get good. The rich young man in Matthew 19 […]
Things were falling apart in Israel. The worship of God had been exchanged for the worship of convenience. The truth of God was exchanged for the lies of the pleasures of the flesh. The prophets of the Lord were exchanged for the prophets of Baal. The practice of purity was exchanged for debauchery and lewdness. The word of God was exchanged for human desires. Sound familiar? God’s message to Israel 2,800 years ago is the same for you today. As Psalm 2 says, The Lord laughs at those who think they are in control. The corrupt rule of man is preferred to honoring the Prince of Peace. In a world that appears to be falling apart, Christ is on the […]
Did I keep my heart pure for nothing? Or asked another way, if I do stay pure, where is the fun in that? These questions are daggers pointed at the hearts of your kids. It is foolish to ignore them. It is equally foolish to answer these questions by simply enforcing rules and being angry at wrong behavior. Let me explain. Following God by living a life of purity is a path that marks teenagers as social misfits in our culture. As a parent, you have to get this! Psalm 73 unveils the emotional battle your kids face with clarity. The boundaries of purity contrasted with a culture that mocks purity can lead to a response of bitterness in your […]
We humans tend to be quick with our reactions. If we approve of something we are quick to say so. If we don’t – well, we find ways to make that obvious as well. There are exceptions of course, but usually approval or disapproval is immediately apparent. Sadly, we may think that God also is quick to show approval and disapproval. But such thoughts will lead you to misunderstand the character of God and how he responds to your sins and the sins of others. Psalm 103 has some helpful guidelines regarding God’s response to sin. Look at verses 8-10: The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love. He will not always accuse, nor will he […]