I have had the privilege of speaking with parents here in the U.K. about teenagers the last several days. Despite the different geographic and cultural settings the main issues are the same – how do parents effectively reach the heart of their teenagers? The matters are of the heart are indeed universal. I have been talking about the role of influence in the lives of teenagers. Ultimately, your influence as a parent is the most important tool at your disposal as you help your teenagers to honor God.
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There is a certain joy in obedience. This joy does not flow from obedience that seeks to earn acceptance, favor or status. Such “obedience” is self-serving and will not result in true joy. Neither can this joy flow from obedience that seeks to appease. Appeasement is always an elusive goal and can never bring satisfaction. One will always wonder if one has done enough to make things right.
Facebook & Friends A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity. Proverbs 17:17 Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses. Proverbs 27:6 Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. John 15:13-14 Joe added you as a friend on Facebook. We need to confirm that you know Joe in order for you to be friends on Facebook. This is the message one receives when someone requests to be added as a friend on Facebook. As I mentioned earlier, the average Facebook account about has 100 friends. Many have much higher friend […]
"What do you think? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first and said, 'Son, go and work today in the vineyard.' " 'I will not,' he answered, but later he changed his mind and went. "Then the father went to the other son and said the same thing. He answered, 'I will, sir,' but he did not go. "Which of the two did what his father wanted?" "The first," they answered. Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you. For John came to you to show you the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but […]
Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. Ephesians 4:29 ESV Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. Ephesians 4:29 NIV A dialog is a conversation. Your goal for communication with your teenagers is to see grace-giving dialogs become a normal part of life. In this series we have looked at some of the hindrances that produce monologs. Typically a silent, withdrawn teenager is not in a good situation. Let’s look carefully at […]
I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. Romans 12:1-2 Modern culture has developed a curious practice for giving appreciation to others. It is a mixture of style and substance, with the emphasis on style. This practice is called Day. Day is an extremely flexible and adaptable concept. While Day has no particular religious significance, it is nonetheless observed with ritual and sacrifice. […]
This blog is about you, your children, and God. Far too little is written about your children from a biblical perspective. There is much written from man’s perspective. There are anecdotes and hand-me-down intuitions too numerous to count. In 1995, Shepherding a Child’s Heart entered the discussion about raising children. What distinguished this book from others at that time is that it presented a comprehensive view of raising children from a biblical viewpoint. The truths presented in Shepherding frame the discussions about rearing children in a biblical light. This biblical light focused upon recognizing the importance of the heart. Behavior can be manipulated, contrived and deceptive. Underneath behavior lies the heart. When the heart is addressed, the frustration of dealing […]