Your eleven-year-old hears things. Your daughter sees the constant allure of commercials. She hears the taunts and the temptations of the schoolyard. She feels an inner dread growing out of her many fears. She knows the darkness personally from the fears and brokenness caused by her own sin. She also knows of the darkness from the ugliness of the world around her. Whatever the source, she has seen and experienced the attacks of the kingdom of darkness. She was born a slave to this darkness. The good news is that Jesus is able to rescue her from darkness. Your daughter needs the comfort of knowing the grace of the gospel matters for her! The world offers alternatives to the gospel. […]
Gospel
350 posts
Teaching your children that obedience is love will radically impact your parenting. Paul tells children to obey their parents. To rightly understand Paul’s admonition to children, we must remember how Paul previously described obedient living to the Ephesians. Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children 2and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. Ephesians 5:1-2 Walking in the way of love is the path of blessing. This truth of this verse must not be separated from what Paul writes in Ephesians 6:3. Otherwise, obedience becomes about performance and earning approval. Obedience is not about doing what I say or else. Obedience […]
There is evil in the world. This 14th anniversary of 9/11 is a testimony to this fact. Evil is the natural state of all humans. The streets of some major American cities appear no safer than the roads of Afghanistan. Evil, wicked actions are a part of life, whether we pass laws to the contrary or not. It is comforting to know that the control and power of God extends even to the actions of evil men. We know this from many places in Scripture, here are two verses that speak to this issue: As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as […]
Saying “I’m sorry” is something anyone can do. Sorry doesn’t require change, only an acknowledgement that you messed up. Sorry is a way out of a problem, not the beginning of a new path. Sorry doesn’t require the power of God. If you will forgive the pun, “I’m sorry” is a sorry pretender to the biblical response “I repent” when sin is committed. The Holy Spirit makes this sharp distinction between repentance and its worldly alternatives. It is the difference between life and death. Note well the wonderful promise of Paul’s words in 2 Corinthians 7:10: Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death. One reason that the presentation of the […]
The ancient city of Nineveh and Washington D.C. are not dissimilar. Nineveh was powerful, prestigious and evil. The same is true for Washington. Nineveh had no regard for the Living God of Scripture. The same is true for Washington. Nineveh was called to repentance by the Word of God. The same is true for Washington. You might be asking where is the modern day Jonah calling for the city to repent or face destruction. The answer is that there is a voice in Washington more potent than Jonah’s. There are thousands and thousands of Bibles throughout the city and millions more throughout the land. Every leader in the city has access to one. Many even went to Sunday School! God’s […]
Biblical discipline has to do with love and delight, not primarily accountability and control. Biblical discipline is not about fairness, it is about mercy. Biblical discipline is not about treating children as their sins deserve. Would you really ask God to treat you as your sins deserve? If you don’t want God to treat you with fairness, then don’t make fairness the standard of your parenting. How much of the wonder and mercy of biblical discipline do you communicate to your children? Stay with me here! I am not advocating laissez faire parenting or child centered discipline. The truth is you only have hope because God does not treat you as your sins deserve. This is the gospel message of […]
Even teens who appear to be mild and compliant to others can engage in hard-fought battles at home. At the root of many of these battles is a deep-seated perception that they, the teens, are being treated unfairly. When a teenager, or anyone else, focuses only on the injustice that has been done (either real or perceived), his ability to trust God is blocked. Struggling with unjust treatment leaves anyone weary and burdened. The weight of injustice is more than we can bear in our own strength. For example, Absalom bore this weight alone and it eventually destroyed him. Teenagers who bear this burden by themselves may appear intimidating, even menacing. Or, they may be sullen and withdrawn. Christ appeals […]
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 […]
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 […]
One afternoon, many years ago, I was traveling in Germany. Alongside the road, just into the woods, a simple, beautiful church spire rose above the trees. It was a beautiful scene of an old country church in the land of Martin Luther. I took a picture to record the moment. I was getting ready to take another photo when it hit me. I had just come from touring the Dachau death camp from World War II. This idyllic scene of the church spire was less than a mile from this camp. I realized this peaceful scene was also present when thousands were being exterminated just a short distance away. I put away my camera. I remember thinking how could people […]