Kenny reading to Sarah
All six
We have been going through Romans these past few weeks. It contains so many riches for us to take hold of. One of the points we have been revisiting is our own individual walk with the Lord and the individual faith we all need to have. We can’t ride our parent’s faith and have the peace and relationship with God that we need. I think the boys understand. The time we share reading and talking is so precious and I know the Spirit is touching their hearts because there is so much power in God’s words. I can see it on their faces. What a battle each of us has. Last night I was reading some articles from nogreaterjoy.org and came across the title ..God Doesn’t Have any Grandchildren.. Pearl wrote about the homeschool movement and what it has produced. They were some of the veterans of the movement. Now their five children are married preparing to homeschool their grandchildren. The point of this article was to open our eyes to the tragic results of families living in a state of “kick-back, take it easy, the battle is over” lethargic attitude. Sometimes we parents think that because we are saved and raising our children in a protected Christian environment that the battle is won and our kids are safe.
Quote “ But are they safe? Only if evil is external, environmental, bad influences, or stupidity. But please believe me Christian parent: sin is closer than that. Like an undetected and undiagnosed disease, every child is infected with a killer within, just waiting for the right passion to multiply itself and metastasize into a lethal plague that swells the flesh to grotesque proportions and eats the spirit until it shrivels in fear and guilt. Every new generation is lost and undone as Adam was the day after he sinned. Every child is born with a propensity to indulge the flesh, and soon develops a mind to promote self before virtue. Training and environment will certainly enable the child to grow up with the ability to regulate passion, to act in a cultured and disciplined manner, but no amount of external training or influence is going to change the soul of Adam’s race. THAT TAKES NEW BIRTH, WHICH IS SOMETHING ENTIRELY DIFFERENT FROM RELIGION, AND HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH APPLYING CHRISTIAN PRINCIPLES……….Good kids, well- trained kids must be born again, otherwise their righteousness will be just like that of the Scribes and Pharisees, outwardly beautiful, but inwardly full of dead man’s bones (Matthew 23: 27-28)….. I am writing this article out of my concern for the next generation. I see an increasing trend toward pleasure-centered lives, unconcern for the Spirit’s leading, and doctrinal indifference.
……Christian parents and homeschool parents are more relaxed now, put-of-guard by the success of their lifestyles. ….but depravity cannot be long contained by social customs and good manners.
He goes on to say that historically , third generation Christians are generally religious, but lost.
(of course there are exceptions)
Then he says---
“I’ve likely alarmed you, and you are now asking, “What can I do to guarantee that my children (or my grandchildren) become real, born-again Christians?” Go back and walk in the old paths with them.”Thus saith the LORD, stand ye in the ways, and see , and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls” Jeremiah 6:16. First and foremost, you must become a Spirit-filled believer, daily rejoicing in the blessings of God, giving praise and honor to him in the presence of your children. You must manifest the fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5: 22-23). Your children must see your compassion and justice. They must see your abhorrence for sin. ….Don’t raise your children to live in a make-believe world…. Teach them the TRUTH. Instill a Biblical reality. You cannot expect one or two hours at church each week to feed their spirits any more than you would trust two meals per week to feed their bodies…..Give them one hour of TV per day followed by one hour of Bible teaching or vice versa then expect the TV worldview to win, It is a better communicator than you are. Recount the truths of God in your conversation all day long. Deliberately cause them to know the Bible from beginning to end. This is not indoctrination. This is acquaintance with the greatest source of philosophical and moral truth the world has ever seen. “And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works” (2 Timothy 3:15, 16)
Sometimes I read articles like this out loud to my boys and I can tell they appreciate me “getting real”. I think they long for real answers to life. Stories of people’s lives being rescued from the pit and my own stories of how God has brought me out of my pits helps them to know He is there for them. Even if some of us have never been in the clutches of drugs, alcohol, sexual sin, or the other more noticeable outward sins, we have all struggled, and the sins of the religious Pharisees were seemingly more rebuked by Christ than any others and without His grace we would be and are in the pit. Anyway God forbid that we forget HE is the great physician who came for the sick. God help us to not to raise prideful, self-righteous kids but kids who know that they need a healer and savior like all of us.
When I was first married to my husband I was a first generation home schooler but had newly come to the Lord in my teens and My mother in-law had a story to tell that I never forgot. She said as she was praying for her kids, she cried, “Lord, keep the world from my kids” The Lord reminded her saying (not directly quoting her) “They are born with the world in them and I have to take it out of them” That was a reminder to her that each child was to have their own battle. All 8 of them are believers. What was the biggest impression my husband has that has stuck with him growing up??......Reading of the Scriptures in his home.
I have been encouraged again to not hurrry through our time together in the morning. The kids never seem to be anxious about finishing this time so I have relaxed and realized that it is the most important part of their training. As Joshua plays his guitar and we sing together I am thankful we can worship together in this way but we talked today about when it comes to really worshiping in"spirit and truth" like Jesus mentioned to that Samaritan woman then we give our lives as that living sacrifice of worship. That's where true joy is. I have heard over and over that
"more is caught than taught" and we parents need to call upon him and live in true joy.
Sarah
John swinging his sword
Joshua in front of the fall
The first sight
The water logged brown bat
