DIRECTION, DESIRE, AND DISCIPLINE: Children and Conversion

Read Mark 10:13-16.

Can children come to Christ?  I believe that they not only can, but they should. Spurgeon said, “I have sometimes met with a deeper spiritual experience in children of ten and twelve—than I have in certain people of fifty and sixty! ... Capacity for believing lies more in the child—than in the man. We grow less rather capable of faith—than more capable of faith. Each year brings the unregenerate farther away from God...” (https://gracegems.org/B/Spurgeon_children.htm).  Every parent and church leader should read what Spurgeon says there.

Children should be directed to Jesus.  In our text, we see “they brought little children to Him, that He might touch them.”  The stodgy old theologians (the disciples) thought it a waste of time, but Jesus “was greatly displeased,” at them and rebuked them.

In directing them to Jesus, we help grow a desire for Jesus. These children were not compelled by force but came freely, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them...” and thus we see in their tender hearts a passion that went beyond parental direction to the youth’s drawing to Christ.  We must show, as adults, the wondrous glory of Jesus—His supreme worth and beauty. Show Jesus as He is to them and they will likely seek Him eagerly!

Of course, they will need discipline in developing their faith. The connection between the world discipline and discipleship should be evident. We must all—irrespective of age—have a childlike faith in coming to Christ. You cannot be saved without such simple trust for Jesus said, “whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it.”  That, however, is the starting point and not the ending point. Such genuine faith will become a growing faith.  We disciple them in the principles of “the kingdom of God.”

DIRECTION, DESIRE, AND DISCIPLINE: Will the Circle Be Unbroken?

“For I have known him, in order that he may command his children and his household after him, that they keep the way of the LORD, to do righteousness and justice, that the LORD may bring to Abraham what He has spoken to him.” (Genesis‬ ‭18:19‬)

An old Gospel song poses the question, “Will the circle be unbroken?”  It calls us to reflect on a family circled around a room at some joyous celebration, but also to lament the gathering of a family for a funeral as a loved one has been separated from the living by death.  Ultimately, one hopes for the entire family to be together again in the sweet by and by.

Christian parents who bring children into the world want to see those children with them in the next world. Although we cannot assume responsibility for any individual soul—each person must make their own decision—we can accept accountability for directing them, helping fuel a desire in them, and discipline them toward a relationship with Christ.

We see this in what God says about Abraham.  God knew this man and his heart of faith—that he would point his children heavenward.  Because that love for God would be evident in him, he would stir by example and teaching a desire in his offspring for God. Abraham would discipline his descendants in righteousness and justice so as to minimize the effects of a pagan culture and maximize the opportunity of obedience to God’s will and ways.

Will the circle be unbroken?  Let us seek that for our family with all that is in us!

HUMAN CLAY: Generation to Generation

Read 2 Timothy 1:3-5.

Paul was Timothy’s spiritual “father,” in that he took the young man under his wing, and helped shaped him into the pastor he would become. Yet, that was only possible because the lad had been won to faith through the influence of his mother and grandmother. Paul speaks of, “the genuine faith that is in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice” (v.5).

In this case, we see the powerful work of the Gospel from generation to generation as it is transmitted down. There was certainly a role played by the preacher in Timothy’s godly service, but the role of a parent in Timothy’s genuine salvation is the matter celebrated here. The truth is, that what happens in the home sets the stage for what happens in the church, and how the message in the church building is reinforced by what is taught in the house is crucial if it is to have enduring impact. It is unlikely that the few hours our ministry has the children under roof at the church house will be sufficient for a child’s spiritual development.  In the best case scenario, there is a partnership between pastors and parents as the church encourages and equips parents in discipling their children.

Even in a single parent home, God can work. The challenges are even greater in that scenario, than when both father and mother are active and engaged.  Some families have both parents present, yet one—often the father—is disengaged from spiritual influence, and may not even be a Christian. Apparently, Timothy was in a single parent home, as the father is not mentioned. There is hope to be found for children in that environment as we note here.

We should also see that a grandparent has a role. Once your children are raised, your work is not done. Likely your children, will have children, and you can continue to reinforce and resource your extended family.

Every Christian—married or not, parent or childless—is to help transmit the Gospel from generation to generation. It is time to embrace our responsibility!

HUMAN CLAY: Nurture and Admonition

Read Ephesians 6:1-4.

Every child is born with self-centeredness and rebellion in their heart. There has only been one virgin to conceive and bear a sinless Child, and thus, we have a job on our hands as parents, grandparents, and mature Christians to help shape that little lump of human clay.

We train children in obedience. “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.” (v.1‬). Some have a personality that makes them more readily compliant, yet all to some degree or another manifest disobedience.  It is woven into the fabric of our being.

The training must go beyond actions to attitudes. “Honor your father and mother,” which is the first commandment with promise:” (v.2‬). If adults are to be honored, they must demonstrate they are honorable. Kids can sniff out a phony a mile away.

We must show them not only what to do, but why. “‘that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth.’” (v.3‬). If all children hear is, “No!” without being taught the positive benefits and protection from evil consequences of obedience to God, it will be counterproductive.

The direction of children toward God and salvation in Christ by discipleship requires both negatives to avoid and positives to apply. “And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord.” (v.4‬). Two extremes must be avoided: being loose where we set few boundaries and fail to enforce those we set, or being legalistic and demand our preferences rather than God’s principles. Both are frustrating to a child and end in anger and bitterness. Positive training and corrective confrontation in the Word to lead them to the Lord must be our persistent effort.  We reward good actions and attitudes while disciplining bad ones to open the child’s heart to God.

HUMAN CLAY: Dedication, Direction, and Discipline

Read Proverbs 22:6.

When I worked with clay on the potter’s wheel, there were basic skills used to shape each vessel.  Yet, the clay was not totally identical, and the results likewise differed somewhat. The vessels were not mass-produced as on an assembly line, but were unique creations. Sometimes, the clay contained grit that caused the potential to be marred, and it had to be broken down and begun again.

Similarly, Proverbs 22:6 speaks to the dedication, direction, and discipline required in molding the human clay of our children.

There is dedication.  When Solomon says to “Train up,” the word means to dedicate. This is why we practice a ceremony in our church life called “baby dedication.”  It is a public act of dedicating parents to the task of training their children in God’s ways, and committing those children into God’s hands.

There is direction. It is “a child,” that we are directing. We are pointing them in God’s way and pouring into them God’s truth, if we are helping shape them for His purposes. As pottery clay is best shaped before long exposure to the atmosphere begins to render it rigid, so the word “a child,” points to the strategic time before puberty, when a youngster is most pliable. There is a window of time—all too brief and adults must seize the day!

There is discipline. This requires persistence “in the way he should go.”  Unlike actual clay, human clay is more resistant. It can bow up in our hands and even get up off the potter’s wheel!  Yet, we must discipline ourselves in persistence and discipline the child to overcome resistance. The right amount of pressure is needed to make a useful vessel. Too much or too little and the clay is misshapen.  Part of this discipline is understanding, “the way he should go,” as the Hebrew means, “in his own way,” that each child is a unique creation and requires nuances of difference in training.  A cookie cutter approach won’t work.  We had five kids and I assure you that each was different and responded uniquely to our efforts to train them.

So, the general principle is, “when he is old he will not depart from it.”  I wish this was a promise, but it is a proverb—a wisdom principle. Generally speaking, the child so trained will never get away from what we have poured into them.  Even if there is a period of time when a child wanders, what we have put in them remains in them. The prodigal son left his father’s direction, but his father’s direction never left him. He knew the way back.

This is our duty.  Carpe diem—Latin for “seize the day!”

HUMAN CLAY: Parental Power

Read 1 Kings 22:51-53.

1 Kings ends with several verses that summarize the course of the kingdom of Israel. Did you realize that from its inception when the northern kingdom split from the southern kingdom of Judah, that spiritual decline was the constant course until its demise? The reign of each king was an unbroken chain of wickedness, until God judged them.  The southern kingdom of Judah was much the same, except that occasionally a king would break the pattern and a spiritual awakening would return the people briefly back to God.  Yet, final decline would follow and Judah would fall as well.

It is an illustration of parental power. Can you imagine having the notorious Ahab and Jezebel as your father and mother?  That was the home prince Ahaziah was raised in. No wonder he became a wicked king after Ahab and Jezebel’s deaths. “He did evil in the sight of the LORD, and walked in the way of his father and in the way of his mother and in the way of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who had made Israel sin; for he served Baal and worshiped him, and provoked the LORD God of Israel to anger, according to all that his father had done.” (v.52-53‬).

The reality is that each of those wicked kings had occasion to repent.  They chose to rebel against God. Parental power is not a guarantor the children will become as their parents, yet it is such a strong influence. Physically, you can often see someone who walks like their dad—and I have observed this spiritually, as well. We dare not minimize the impact of what parents say to their children in their messages. Yet, we must maximize the influence from what parents show to their children in their model. They will often become what we are more than what we say.

We will not be perfect parents. Only God the Father is. Yet, His grace is available to empower us. His Word is accessible to equip us. Pray and seek to practice what you preach—including repentance when you fail. Our walk with God is the most important thing about our life this side of eternity, and it will be the greatest influence on our children and generations to come.

HUMAN CLAY: Shaping Children

Read Numbers 14:18.

When I studied art, I was given a lump of clay. It was placed on the potter’s wheel, water was used to moisten it, and then the proper pressure from my hands molded it, as the wheel turned. The beauty and usefulness of the vessel depended on my shaping of it.

In a sense, our children are human clay. Parents have a tremendous power to shape young lives while they are still pliable. Wait too long and the clay hardens and is resistant. Of course, the analogy breaks down, if pressed too far. Unlike a lump of clay on the wheel, our children have a mind of their own, and the sin within them can make them resist our influence. Still, that doesn’t alter that adults have great power in shaping young lives.

In the text, we see this declared. On the one hand, here are those generations that find forgiveness and God’s blessing which in large measure is because parents, grandparents, and other mature Christians have influenced them through their example and teaching to seek after God. On the other hand, there is the dire warning of one generation after another experiencing the judgment of God because they are rebels against His principles. If we fail in molding the next generation for good, then the cycle of failure is passed on.

It is a sobering responsibility. We need to fall on our faces before God, and ask Him for mercy and forgiveness for our own failings and plead for grace to enable us to shape the next generation for Christ.

FIGHTING FAMILIES: The Weapons of our Warfare

Read 2 Corinthians 10:3-6.

What Paul says of Christian warfare in general can be applied to the battle for our family in particular. That Satan and his forces are arrayed against Christian homes and especially preventing the transmission of truth to the next generation is indisputable. Yet, it is a conflict that we can and must win. God has given us weapons and the Apostle describes them here.

These are spiritual weapons. We often think of media, atheists, abortionists, homosexual activists, and so forth as being the enemy, when they are actually those enslaved by the enemy. It is the dark, demonic forces at work behind the material world that we war against.

Our weapons are superior weapons. Satan is stronger than we are, yet he is no match for God!  Not even close!

These weapons can pull down strongholds. Just like the walls around the stronghold of Jericho fell—not by military strategy, but God’s power—so God can free our children’s minds and hearts from satanic strongholds that the world erects.

Our weapons can cast down arguments. Truth is mightier than error.  The lies told to our children can be overcome.

Our weapons can bring down the arrogant deceptions that rail against God, deny His existence, and seek to undermine our children’s faith.  The smug secularist is not as smart as the simple saint who knows the Word of God.

Ultimately, we can capture the thoughts of our children, and lead them into obedience to Christ.  Call it, “brainwashing,” if you will—the reality is that one side or the other is going to win the battle for young minds.

Not only positive instruction, but corrective discipline is needed. Young people must be taught the benefits of obedience to God, but also the pain of disobedience. How we direct them and discipline them is of critical importance.

Take up those weapons.  This is war!  It is winnable. The souls of the next generation are at stake.

FIGHTING FAMILIES: The Field of Battle

Read Ephesians 6:10-18.

The war we are in for the souls of our children is real. Just because we do not use bullets and bombs, but Bibles, makes it no less deadly.  In fact, more than physical peril, their eternal destination is at stake.

Do we feel overwhelmed by this assignment?  Good, because we are overmatched. That is why Paul tells us we must stand in God’s power, for ours is insufficient. Yet, with God all things are possible. If Noah could get all his family on the ark in an age worse than ours, then we can get our children to heaven.

Each day we must put our armor on. The Apostle describes that armor. Fathers and mothers, grandparents, and church members must prepare for battle. This is not a game.

The weapon for offense is the sword of the Spirit—the Word of God. We must turn to Scripture, devote ourselves to its study, and instruct our children. Keep the sword sharp!

The field of battle, once we are dressed, is in the place of prayer. That is where the real conflict occurs. This is, after all, a spiritual war. Bible teacher, A.W. Pink said, “[The] most important duty, respecting both the temporal and spiritual good of your children, is fervent supplication to God for them. Without this all the rest will be ineffectual. Means are unavailing unless the Lord blesses them. The Throne of Grace is to be earnestly implored that your efforts to bring up your children for God may be crowned with success.”

Now, get on your knees and fight!

FIGHTING FAMILIES: The Company We Keep

Read Proverbs 13:20. 

“A man is known by the company he keeps,” is the old saying. Another form of that is, “Birds of a feather flock together.”  The fact is that our close companions are so influential—and that is true to Scripture. 

Sadly, Solomon did not practice what he preached.  He told his son to surround himself with the wise and shun association with the foolish, but instead brought many heathen women into his home that turned his heart from God. His son, Rehoboam, therefore, did not heed this warning. When wise counselors sought to guide him, he chose to listen to his friends in their folly. The results were not only personal failure, but destructive to the nation he ruled. 

We are influenced by our environment for good or bad. While only heaven will bring absolute freedom from evil, we still need to minimize those influences which lead to wickedness and maximize the ones that lead to holiness. As parents, we need to model this and instruct our children accordingly.

What children take into their hearts and minds will make a big difference. Music, movies, media, books, magazines, websites, and their relationships with friends and those they date will be uplifting or destructive. Their “companions” need to be  godly influences.

These are discussions we must have. We cannot be with our children at all times, so we must guide them into discernment—helping them to identify and choose that which edifies rather than harms. Eventually, they will have more and more freedom, and young people must be taught who they should spend time with and those they must avoid. Giving them too much liberty, too soon, without direction is deadly. Sheltering them too long, and suddenly sending them into a hostile world without gradual freedom to choose can be harmful, as well.

As parents, grandparents, teachers, and other adults, left us recognize this powerful principle, making sure we choose proper influences and then help children and teens choose likewise. God, give us wisdom and perseverance in this evil age!

FIGHTING FAMILIES: Spiritual Casualties

Read 1 Kings 11:1-12:20.

What one generation permits in moderation, the next generation excuses in excess. Wars are not usually lost in a single battle, but in a series of setbacks. The story of David’s family is an illustration of this sad reality.  It is a story of spiritual casualties on the battlefield of life.

David was able to bring down a giant with a slingshot, but did not conquer lust that rose in his heart. He was a man after God’s own heart—a true champion—yet, as he aged he let his guard down, and his moral failure would have the gravest impact on his children.  One son, Amnon, would rape his sister, Tamar. Then, another son, Absalom, would kill Amnon. Absalom would eventually lead a rebellion against his father, which would end in the young man’s death in battle.

David’s son, Solomon would ascend to the throne. In many ways, Solomon’s reign was marked by success.  Yet, as his father, in the latter stages of his rule, he did not rule over his passions, married many pagan women, who influenced him to turn to idols (1 Kings 11:1-43).

David’s grandson, Rehoboam would be the next king. From the outset, he will demonstrate his folly (1 Kings 12:1-20). Rather than listen to the godly counsel of his elders, he heeds the foolishness of his peers. The result is that the kingdom is divided—civil war ensues—and the reign of Rehoboam brings further spiritual decline to the nation.

“Now Judah did evil in the sight of the LORD, and they provoked Him to jealousy with their sins which they committed, more than all that their fathers had done. For they also built for themselves high places, sacred pillars, and wooden images on every high hill and under every green tree. And there were also perverted persons in the land. They did according to all the abominations of the nations which the LORD had cast out before the children of Israel.” (1 Kings‬ ‭14:22-24‬).

The outcome of a battle can turn on seemingly small decisions. In the fight for our family, we cannot let our guard down for a moment. Our children and grandchildren will be the spiritual casualties.

FIGHTING FAMILIES: The Battle for the Next Generation

Read Judges 2:7-12.

You need to be a fighting family. I’m not advocating that we fight with each other, but fight for one another. If we do not face the fact that we live in a world that is hostile to faith, then we will lose the war for our children’s souls. This is the battle for the next generation.

It is one that Israel lost. In our text today, we note how Joshua led the people of his day to live for God. “So the people served the LORD all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders who outlived Joshua, who had seen all the great works of the LORD which He had done for Israel.” (v.7‬). They not only knew about God, but they had experienced Him.  Yet, they failed to lead the next generation into that same reality. “When all that generation had been gathered to their fathers, another generation arose after them who did not know the LORD nor the work which He had done for Israel.” (v.10‬)

Joshua’s generation had been fighters—they had warred against the pagan culture. The next generation practiced compromise and surrendered to the heathen environment. “Then the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD, and served the Baals; and they forsook the LORD God of their fathers, who had brought them out of the land of Egypt; and they followed other gods from among the gods of the people who were all around them, and they bowed down to them; and they provoked the LORD to anger.” (v.11-12‬).

This is the great challenge of our day. Make a commitment to be a fighting family. The eternal destiny of your children is at stake!

A FRESH START: Turning the Hearts of Children to Jesus

Read John 1:19-34

John the Baptist bridged the gap between the close of the Old Covenant and the coming of the New Covenant—the last of the Old Testament prophets and the herald of a new day in Christ. In how he dressed, and the message he shared—some thought he was Elijah returned to earth. He denied it (John 1:21). Literally, he was not. Yet, figuratively, he was (Matt.11:7-15; John 1:23). The end of the Old Testament prophesies of John’s coming, “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet Before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD. And he will turn The hearts of the fathers to the children, And the hearts of the children to their fathers, Lest I come and strike the earth with a curse.” (Malachi‬ ‭4:5-6‬)

Note, especially the promise of how God would work through John to bring revival to the home. The survival of the nation is dependent on the revival of the church, and the revival of the church is dependent on the revival of the family. It is in the home where the greatest work of God needs to be done and can be done—foundational to the church and state.

John the Baptist provides two essentials for how parents can lead their children to God.

A visual—his life was different.  The people of his day had never seen anyone quite like John—a life that demanded an explanation (John 1:19-23).  We show our kids what the Christian life is like. If we are to turn the hearts of the children toward God, then we must display a heart for God ourselves.

A voice—his testimony was direct. Jesus was John’s magnificent obsession (John 1:24-34). We share with our kids who Christ is.  Parents are not charged to merely make little moral creatures who are well-behaved, but to point them to the need of a Savior because of their sinfulness and create in them a desire for Him in how we describe His glory and majesty. We give them a heart for Jesus as we share the Gospel.

Parents, grandparents, children’s workers—all of us—let us do likewise. We have been losing our children to the world; may God help us lead them to the Lord!  It’s time for a fresh start. John the Baptist shows us how.

A FRESH START: The Prodigal and the Prideful

Read Luke 15:11-32.

Here is a story of a bad son turned good and a good son who was truly bad. The former is more familiar, but the latter is also vital. It is a study in contrasts—the prodigal whose sin was overt and the prideful whose sin was covert.

This week we have discussed how important it is in bringing up children that we aim beyond the surface conduct to the sinful core—that the heart of the problem is the problem of the heart. This story illustrates that reality.

If I asked you, “Which of these sons were wicked,” you might respond, “the younger son,” because his sinful actions are clearly seen. Yet, the elder brother was just as wicked—he merely masked it with self-righteousness.  That is not to say that conduct is not important. It is just to remind us that if the heart is reached then the conduct will follow. External compliance alone may not lead to the pigpen, but it will lead to hell.

The father in the story was not a “helicopter parent.”  You know the type—always hovering over the kids to rescue them from difficulty. There are lessons learned from mistakes that cannot be learned otherwise. It was the pain that turned the prodigal into the penitent. He was the son who experienced new life. Sadly, the other son did not want to come into the father’s house and missed out.

The father in the story represents God, of course. Despite being the only perfect Parent, his sons were rebels—though of a different sort. The reality is that no matter how we lovingly lead, there comes a time when children choose. Yet, a faithful parent never stops praying, hoping, and watching for that prodigal to come home. They also have an open invitation for the prideful to enter in as well!

A FRESH START: Life Lessons

Read Proverbs 4:10-27.

The home is the classroom of life and parents have been designated by God as the instructors. Grandparents are to reinforce those truths and the church is to offer encouragement, enablement of parents through equipping and resourcing, then, supplement the discipleship process. Solomon shows three targets of this instruction.

Show the PATH TO TAKE.  “Hear, my son, and receive my sayings, And the years of your life will be many. I have taught you in the way of wisdom; I have led you in right paths. ... Do not enter the path of the wicked, And do not walk in the way of evil.” (v.10-11, 14‬). Our children must be steered in the right direction. We must show them the way of wisdom in the pattern we show and the principles we share. It is vital that we do more than tell them what to do, but explain why they ought, so when they must make decisions later, they will know the path to take.

Explain the PEOPLE TO AVOID.  “Do not enter the path of the wicked, And do not walk in the way of evil.” (v.14‬). The children’s peers will have a tremendous influence on them.  We must help them identify the characteristics of people who will bring destructive influences into their lives. Our more developed spiritual radar needs to help us keep them safe from such.  There is to be careful guidance to help them care for sinners in loving them without conforming to sin by joining them.

Reinforce the PURPOSE TO EMBRACE. “Keep your heart with all diligence, For out of it spring the issues of life.” (v.23‬). More than the conduct of a child, their heart is what we are to aim for. If we help them embrace God’s purposes in their heart, then they will choose God’s path for their feet. Failing to win their heart means we will lead them to be: moral hypocrites, who outwardly are religious, yet inwardly are self-righteous or eventual rebels, that as soon as they escape parental supervision run in the direction of their sinful heart.

“Ponder the path of your feet, And let all your ways be established. Do not turn to the right or the left; Remove your foot from evil.” (v.26-27‬). Are we hitting the target?

A FRESH START: A Blessing for Your Family

Read 1 Kings 8:54-61.

The prayer of Solomon for blessing at the time of the dedication of the house of God, offers a model for blessing we can speak over our household.  Don’t forget the significance of prayer. The task of raising children for God in this perverse culture is too large for us. But, it is not too hard for God. So, let us call upon Him (v.54–56). What should we pray?

Seek God personally. “May the LORD our God be with us, as He was with our fathers. May He not leave us nor forsake us,” (v.57‬). We want the presence of God to be manifest in our home. It is not just a set of theoretical facts about God that we want for our children, but a personal faith in God.

Seek God passionately. “that He may incline our hearts to Himself, to walk in all His ways, and to keep His commandments and His statutes and His judgments, which He commanded our fathers.” (v.58‬). Behind doctrine in our children’s heads (which is indispensable), we pray for devotion in their hearts. More than an outward performance of rules, we seek an inward passion for righteousness (which will set the direction of our steps).

Seek God persistently.  “And may these words of mine, with which I have made supplication before the LORD, be near the LORD our God day and night, that He may maintain the cause of His servant and the cause of His people Israel, as each day may require,” (v.59‬). We do not want our children to follow God for a time, but for a lifetime. We need His blessing on them today, and everyday. Each sunrise brings new challenges, and our kids need God’s presence and protection.

Seek God pointedly.  “that all the peoples of the earth may know that the LORD is God; there is no other. Let your heart therefore be loyal to the LORD our God, to walk in His statutes and keep His commandments, as at this day.” (v.60-61‬). We seek for our children to glorify God and to testify of God as they are sent as emissaries of God into the world. Again, we are reminded that it is the heart of loyalty to God that will direct our feet in obedience to God.  Pray for their heart!

A FRESH START: The Goal of Family Discipleship

Read Deuteronomy 6:4-9

If you aim at nothing, you will hit it every time!  What should be our goal in teaching children in the home and at the church house?  As parents and teachers, we are to shepherd a child’s heart.  The Jews were taught this in the Shema—this core text in Hebrew life—from Deuteronomy 6:4-9.

We disciple children by doing three things.

First, we are to speak A CONVINCING WORD ABOUT GOD. “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one! You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.” (v.4-5‬). Our instruction is to lead children to know about God and based on what they know—to love Him.  Our aim is not just nice behavior (which is merely external), but genuine belief (which is internal). Rules alone will bring conformity that can quickly be discarded in adulthood, but teaching children to know and love God results in transformation that is abiding.  The bullseye of our target in teaching is not just conduct, but conversion.

Second, we are to show A CONSECRATED WALK WITH GOD.  “And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart.” (v.6‬). As vital as the doctrine we speak is, it is only believable in the devotion we show. “Do what I say and not what I do,” is a formula for parental disaster. Our children should see a life committed to the study of God in His Word and a life consecrated to the love of God in our walk. Adults are meant to shine the light of God’s truth on children and be the salt that makes them thirsty for a personal love relationship with Him.

Third, we are to seek A CONSISTENT WITNESS FOR GOD. “You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.” (v.7-9‬). Children need more doctrine and devotion than a couple of hours on a Sunday morning at the church house. They need a consistent witness throughout the day, every day. From the moment they rise in the morning until they are tucked in at night, their heart needs to be shepherded. Obviously, the pastor cannot be around to do that.  It is the task of parents.

Are we trying to raise nice boys and girls for our family reputation or believing disciples for God’s glory?

A FRESH START: The Heart of the Matter

Read Genesis 8.

The flood waters had receded. The judgment of a wicked world was completed, and the earth had been washed clean of its wickedness by the flood. Or had it?

When Noah came from the ark with his family, there was still an issue. Noah had “found grace in the eyes of the Lord,” (Gen.6:8). That grace was extended to his family (and the representative animals) as he responded in faith. “By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith,” (Heb.11:7).  In other words, Noah was saved the only way anyone is ever saved—faith in Christ that responds to God’s grace communicated through the Word of God. The only difference is that Noah’s faith looked forward to a Savior to come while ours looks back on One who has come.

Since man first rebelled against God, the same problem has infected the entire race. The heart of the human problem is the problem of the human heart.  That was unchanged by the flood.  It was why Noah built an altar and offered some of those rare animals as a sacrifice (Gen.8:20). Doubtless, it was an act of worship—gratitude for what God had done in providing salvation in the ark, but more—it was an expression of grace for what God would need to do in providing ultimate salvation in our Ark of Refuge, Jesus Christ.

Sin was still the issue. God said, “the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth” (Gen.8:21). As sure as the seasons change (Gen.8:22), so long as earth endures, there will be the problem of sin, God’s solution in Christ, and our need to respond in faith.  If you doubt that read Genesis 9.

This has tremendous implications for what parents must do in raising children.  If our children are grown, or we don’t have any, there are still essential lessons for how our church needs to reach the younger generation. That is what we will explore this week.

THE END: The Eternal State

Read Revelation 22.

I love the old hymn, “The Unclouded Day.”

1 O they tell me of a home far beyond the skies,
O they tell me of a home far away;
O they tell me of a home where no storm clouds rise;
O they tell me of an uncloudy day.
Refrain:
O the land of cloudless day,
O the land of an uncloudy day.
O they tell me of a home where no storm-clouds rise,
O they tell me of an uncloudy day.
2 O they tell me of a home where my friends have gone,
O they tell me of that land far away,
Where the tree of life in eternal bloom
Sheds its fragrance through the uncloudy day. [Refrain]
3 O they tell me of a King in His beauty there,
And they tell me that mine eyes shall behold
Where He sits on the throne that is whiter than snow,
In the city that is made of gold. [Refrain]
4 O they tell me that He smiles on His children there,
And His smile drives their sorrows all away;
And they tell me that no tears ever come again,
In that lovely land of uncloudyday. [Refrain]

These songs grip my heart because there is that tug heavenward. For the child of God, that pull becomes irresistible, whether in death or the rapture, we will he heaven-bound.

Imagine a place where a clean, clear river of crystal water flows from the throne of God. Picture the tree of life, growing on that riverbank with its twelve different kinds of fruit. Visualize a place where ever vestige of the curse is removed. There is a rose garden—and the petals never fade and fall, and there are no thorns on the stem. The bees that buzz in and out can be taken in the hand and they won’t sting you.

There is Jesus in all His glory. We will worship Him, learn of Him and from Him.  “Then, He’ll take me by the hand, and lead me through the Promised Land. What a day, glorious day that will be!”

Where we spend eternity depends on what we do on earth. “God has given man a short time here upon earth, and yet upon this time eternity depends.” (Jeremy Taylor)  Jesus is coming soon. Be ready to meet Him!

THE END: The New Jerusalem

Read Revelation 21:9-27.

The Heavenly City is a place of breathtaking beauty. It is a place prepared for the people of God by the Great Carpenter—our eternal dwelling. Our restless souls will finally be at perfect peace—home, at last!

It is a place of love. It is referred to as “the bride, the Lamb’s wife” (v.9). What makes heaven to be heaven is that Jesus will be there. We will be with the Lover of our souls, the One who paid the price to bring us to Himself. We will be with our forever family, loving each other without an ounce of self-centeredness—fully fellowshipping in boundless joy.

It is a place of light. The glory of God shines in brilliance and the gems and gold sparkle and shine as they reflect and refract that Light radiating with glory.  “The city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it. The Lamb is its light. And the nations of those who are saved shall walk in its light, and the kings of the earth bring their glory and honor into it.(v.23-24‬).

It is a place of life. Those who dwell there are “only those who are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life” (v.27). The walls and the gates secure the righteous within, and shut the wicked out.  The city is a cosmic cube that is immense—over two million square miles. There is plenty of room for any who will come to Christ. Imagine that city of gold, teeming with life—the redeemed rejoicing in the Risen Lord!

Is your name on that city’s register?  Will you be invited in or locked out?

THE END: The New Heaven and New Earth

Read Revelation 21:1-8.

What awaits the people of God in eternity?  More than we can imagine!  But, we do have a glimpse at that glory in a number of places in Scripture. Arguably, none is more revealing than Revelation 21:1-8.

In eternity, God makes all creation new (v.1a, 5). Paradise was lost because of man’s sin, yet paradise will be renewed because of the Last Adam, Jesus Christ’s, obedience. Every square inch of His universe will be reclaimed, refined by fire, and regenerated. The pristine conditions of paradise will be restored, but without the Serpent to be found!

In eternity, God ends our separation from Himself and from our loved ones, as John saw, “And there was no more sea” (v.1b). For John, imprisoned and isolated on the rocky prison island of Patmos, the storm-tossed sea represented separation from those he loved. That’s coming to an end!

In eternity, the love relationship with God will be consummated with our Bridegroom, the Lord Jesus, bringing us into our new home, the New Jerusalem (v.2). It comes down from heaven to earth, that we may enjoy the blessing of our dwelling and the exploring of our estate.

In eternity, we will abide with God, basking in the joy of His glory—perfect satisfaction in His presence (v.3). The supreme wonder of eternity is to be in the presence of the King!

In eternity, all of the consequences of sin are removed because sin as a condition is no more—the curse being cured (v.4). No more tears to fall, no more funerals to attend, no more pain to endure, no more sobs and sighing to express—all sorrow and sickness banished for there is no more sin!

In eternity, we will be satisfied by drinking from a fountain of life that never runs dry and we will be safe by the exclusion of all who would harm us (v.6-8).  This is the attaining of fulness and the absence of fearfulness.

They have a zoning ordinance in the new heaven and new earth. You cannot build a hospital or funeral home. No tombstones will be allowed to be erected on those green hills!  None will be needed!

THE END: The Regeneration of Creation

Read 2 Peter 3:10-13.

The day of the Lord is the great prophetic period of the end times. It is not a 24 hour day, but encompasses the era from the rapture of the church to the end of the current creation.  As we use the word, “day,” in the sense of, “The Civil War took place in Lincoln’s day,” meaning a wider period of time—that is the usage here. It is a day of judgment, seven years of tribulation—the fearful judgments described in Revelation 6-19, and the establishment of the kingdom of God on earth by force with Christ’s return and the battle of Armageddon, His reign and the gathering and blessing of Israel, a final rebellion ending with the Great White Throne Judgment, and the dissolution of creation.

This all begins “as a thief in the night,” with Christ taking the church into heaven—suddenly, unexpectedly. The world will not be looking for the judgments to come.  The saints, however, will not be taken unaware. We will be noting the signs of the times, (see 1 Thess.4:13-5:11), preparing for the rapture. The wicked will be unprepared for the doom that will descend.

How does it all end?  That is what Peter turns to next. After the Millennium and the Great White Throne Judgment, he speaks of the regeneration of creation. In ancient mythology, there was a bird called the Phoenix, that at the end of its life would consume itself in fire and then rise from the ashes reborn. Similarly, this old creation will come unglued at the command of God who holds it together. The fission of the atoms will unleash incredible heat—imagine nuclear explosions of an incalculable number. God will purge all the sin from the old creation and then regenerate new heavens and a new earth.

How should we live in light of that?  Don’t give yourself to the stuff around you—it won’t last. It’s going up in smoke. Give yourself to the eternal. Store up treasure in heaven where it endures forever!

THE END: The Great White Throne Judgment

Read Revelation 20:11-15.

All who are summoned to the Great White Throne Judgment are lost. There is no hope. No other court of appeal.  The only One who could have pled for us—Jesus Christ—has been rejected by these sinful souls.

Every wicked person who has died will be raised in an indestructible form and brought before Holy God. Their new body is designed for their eternal abode. As the righteous are fitted for heaven, they will be designed for hell. They did not want Jesus on earth, and they will not have Him for eternity. Salvation was rejected and now the consequences of that choice will be felt.

You see, a person who dies in sin now, does not go to the final hell—the lake of fire. They descend to Hades, and the realm of suffering, to await the final judgment when Hades will be emptied.

Why?  Because when we die we do not die—our influence lives on. Hitler is suffering in Hades, and yet his final punishment has not come. That’s because many still follow his hateful ways, and so judgment is accumulating for which he will ultimately suffer. God is just in all his ways.

Books will be opened and the crimes of every sinner will be read as the indictment of them. Every wicked thought, vile passion, filthy word, evil deed will be recounted. Then the Book of Life will be opened and their name will not be found.

“Guilty!” That is the verdict pronounced.

Here is the choice: you can have your name written in the Book of Life and the record of your sins expunged by faith in Christ or you can have your name blotted out of the Book and your sins declared because you reject Christ. There is no other option.