Children’s lies are a harsh reminder of the nature of sin. To fully appreciate the immense power and value of the cross in our lives, we must have a profound sense of the ugliness of sin. This awareness must extend to your children as well. My children and your children come into this world as natural enemies of God. Telling the truth and avoiding deceit is not natural for them. They seek first and foremost to gratify their own passions and desires, even if it means that others will be harmed. They are by nature children of wrath.
Gospel
350 posts
Paul encourages children to obey their parents so that it will go well with them and that they will live a long life on the earth. Paul is quoting from the fifth commandment, found in Deuteronomy 5:16. We know that the gospel is all about grace and receiving things we do not deserve. Yet in Ephesians 6:3, Paul appears to add a caveat to grace—if children obey their parents, they will enjoy a long and favorable life on earth. Is this a formula for works being woven into the gospel???
Power struggles are a common theme among parents of teenagers. 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. We see this dynamic in the life of Absalom. It is abundantly clear from his narrative that Absalom did not seek God in his distress and troubles. He took matters into his own hands. His outrage over Tamar turned into vengeance towards Amnon. His bitterness at his father’s failure to deal with Amnon’s sin yielded a life devoted to the overthrow of David’s kingship. We see Absalom’s anger, his planning, his obsession […]
For those of you not able to attend the Shepherd Press Authors’ Conference the complete conference is now available for audio download. The conference featured Tedd Tripp and Dave Harvey as keynote speakers. Ed Welch, Tedd Tripp, Margy Tripp, John Crotts, Rick Horn, and Jay Younts had individual breakout sessions. This conference was very well received. You can purchase the downloads here. Topics ranged from issues regarding ADHD to struggles with teenagers to renewing your marriage with the power of the gospel. You can buy individual sessions or purchase the entire conference. This material will strengthen your family’s walk with Christ.
To a Christian committed to Scripture, the title of this post may seem to be a foolish question. Of course the Fall is relevant! My pastor said so in our adult Sunday School class! This hypothetical response may be stretching things a bit, but the Fall has become a forgotten doctrine in many circles. Our culture believes it is nothing more than a myth. What better example of this reality is there than the mass murder in Tucson this past weekend? Note the press coverage of the event. Everything from mental illness to a dysfunctional family to radio talk-show hosts is being blamed for these tragic shootings. Such responses provide a lesson that is crucial for your children to grasp: […]
Today is the third day of 2011, a new year. But what is new about this year, other than new calendars? Some are relieved that their tax rates will not go up. In many states new laws are taking effect. There is a newly elected congress in Washington. There will be a new Super Bowl champion. But these things are not really new. They are repeats of recurring events and traditions.
Justin Taylor has posted a link with a beautiful rendition of the Wexford Carol. This carol dates from the 12th Century. Justin continues to provide a wonderful service to the Christian community through his blog. Here is the link. Thanks for being a part of the blog and the Shepherd Press community.
Your children know everything about you. They see when you are sleeping, they know when you have been good or bad, they know when you pout and when you shout. Your kids know all of this without your ever having to say a word. When you stumble and ask God for help — they learn. When you stumble and snap or make excuses — they learn from that, too. If you value your relationship with God above all else, your children will know that as well. What does this have to do with being Santa’s helper? Just this: in Psalm 72:18 we read that “God alone does marvelous things.” However, at Christmas time, for little children someone else is portrayed […]
In the previous post we talked about a gospel-based approach to correcting sin in your children. This approach focused on removing anger from your style of discipline. Now we come to the point raised earlier by our reader—why would a child think that a parent would be angry with him for childish behavior, such as falling in the mud.
In the last post we considered a scenario posed by one of our readers. The point of consideration was this: why would a child perceive his parent’s concern over falling in the mud as anger? Let’s start with the child’s perspective. Falling in the mud can be unsettling. The child might be concerned about dirty clothes or an interruption in play time. While there are some children who will delight in such a “catastrophe,” most will not be pleased to be covered in mud. Furthermore, the child might equate falling in the mud with the unpleasant consequence of being disciplined for sinful behavior. The child’s reasoning might run something like this: “Mommy is unhappy with me when I do bad […]