They are not just idle words for you—they are your life. By them you will live long in the land you are crossing the Jordan to possess.— Deuteronomy 32:47 How can you make the Bible real to your children? This is a question many Christian parents ponder. But there is another question that is more important – How do you make the Bible real to yourself?
Godward Orientation
188 posts
How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your word. I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands. I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you. Psalm 119:9-11 Our children need to be protected by God’s word when they sleep. We know this, at least in part, because Scripture promises it will offer protection while one is sleeping. By implication, those who do not seek the protection the Scriptures offer are vulnerable to spiritual attack during sleep. The question at the end of the last post was How do children acquire this protection? The verses above, from Psalm […]
I lie down and sleep; I wake again, because the LORD sustains me. Psalm 3:5 O Lord God, who has given man the night for rest, as you have created a day in which he may employ himself in labor, grant, I pray, that my body may so rest during this night that my mind cease not to be awake to you, nor my heart faint or be overcome with apathy, preventing it from adhering steadfastly to the love of you. While laying aside my cares to relax and relieve my mind, may I not, in the meanwhile, forget you, nor may the remembrance of your goodness and grace, which ought always to be deeply engraved on […]
…just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many. Matthew 20:28 Fairness is an unchallenged Goliath in the army of humanism. The modern days soldiers of humanism see the “fair” treatment of humans as an inalienable right of individuals, to the exclusion of the old notion that there is a God to whom man is accountable. The Humanist Manifesto mockingly scorns such notions. (See the Humanist Manifesto.) John Dewey and other important educational thinkers and psychologists had no use for the idea of obedience to a God who is no longer needed by an enlightened culture. These humanist thinkers have dominated educational philosophy for […]
So the last will be first, and the first will be last. Matthew 20:16 The modern concept of fairness is rooted in achieving justice. Biblically, however, both fairness and justice must be defined as doing things God’s way. From a Christian perspective, the only way to be fair is to apply God’s word accurately to a given situation. Is this the same thing as making sure each child gets the same number of minutes to play with a toy, or making sure that each child has the same number of toys to play with? Not really. In the last post we looked at the parable of the workers in the vineyard to gain a biblical perspective on the concept of […]
So the last will be first, and the first will be last. Matthew 20:16 In a recent post I identified fairness as a Goliath of humanism. The Goliath metaphor represents an idea or a practice so culturally accepted that it becomes a champion of conventional wisdom, even while standing in opposition to the truth of Scripture. So this metaphor represents concepts that are seemingly unchallengeable. There are several such modern day champions which challenge biblical truth. Humanism is the modern source of these champions, though the issues they represent are as old as sin. In the days ahead we will look at several of these humanist champions, these modern-day Goliaths. Let’s begin with fairness.
Memorial Day calls Americans to take time to consider the sacrifice that so many have made to allow this country to be free. As the white markers at Arlington National Cemetery vividly depict, this sacrifice often involves the loss of life. It is no small thing to give one’s life that others may benefit. Certainly, those in the military should be appreciated for their willingness to make this sacrifice. This holiday is a reminder that there is more to life than living. God calls his people to consider him first in this life. This means putting aside your own desires and embracing God’s ways. In one sense this is also a sacrifice, as Jesus says in Matthew 16. Raising children […]
Whether you watch the Super Bowl or not the game is important to you as a Christian parent. This annual spectacle tells you a great deal about the world your children inhabit. Proverbs 7 shows a parent looking out his window at the world around him. This father used the view from his window to instruct his son about the dangers of life. The window of your television affords you the same opportunity and obligation. In addition to the game you can learn much about the world around you from the commercials. These commercials cost approximately 3 million dollars for a 30 second spot, and that does not include the production costs. The companies who sponsor these commercials believe that […]