Galatians 3:3 “Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?”

DON’T TRY THIS YOURSELF

Why would Paul call the Galatians “fools”?  Why would he insult them that way?  That wasn’t very nice, was it?  My mamma would have skinned me if she heard me calling someone a fool.  But here we have Paul, the missionary to the Gentiles, calling the Galatians “fools.”  Why?

Because Paul knew better than just about anyone the futility of the flesh.  He knew it was impossible to please God on your own. He knew it was hopeless to try to keep the Law.  He knew the Spirit was the key to living a life that honored Christ.  That is the message he had preached and continued to teach to all who would listen.

TEACHING MOMENT

Do your children struggle to obey you sometimes?  You know they love you and want to please you, but they just can’t help themselves sometimes.  What a perfect verse to share with them.  Explain to them that all their efforts to please you are worthless until they yield first to the Spirit of Christ Who can give them the ability to please God and you.

They need to know as early as possible that pleasing you is secondary to pleasing God.  As a parent, we should be honored that our children want to please the Father.  If our children are pleasing Him there should be nothing that displeases us.  And the best way our children can learn to please Him is by learning from us.

So, are you pleasing the Father by living in the Spirit?  Or are you trying to achieve holiness through your flesh?  If you are, then may I call you foolish?  You are a FOOL!  Won’t you instead become a fool for Jesus?  Let Him give you the power to do all through Him.

Let His Holy Spirit guide you and direct you in every word and deed.  The world may see you as a fool, but the Father will be well pleased.

Exodus 24:9-10 “9 Then Moses went up with Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel, 10 and they saw the God of Israel; and under His feet there appeared to be a pavement of sapphire, as clear as the sky itself.”

QUITE A VISION

Can you imagine for a second what went through the minds of these men as they gazed upon God?  I am not surprised that Moses and Aaron were allowed to see Him, but the rest?  They must have been scared to death.  They were probably fearful they would be struck down by just looking.  But they weren’t.

Who were these seventy elders?  Were these the men Moses had chosen to help judge the people?  Were these trusted men who had proven themselves?  They aren’t named, but it doesn’t matter.  They obviously were trusted by God for He to reveal Himself to them.  They were counted worthy to be in the very presence of the God of Israel.

TEACHING MOMENT

Have you ever been somewhere with your children and observed a truly amazing sight?  Perhaps it was an incredible sunset or sunrise.  Maybe it was the view from the top of a mountain.  Maybe it was something else in nature they took your breath away.  That would be a great time to share this verse and explain how these men must have felt.

Seeing an incredible sight here on earth today can’t compare with seeing God.  But your children need to know that they can enter the very presence of God every day as they pray.  He is listening and invites them to come to Him.  There is no fear.  There is no trepidation.  We come because we know He loves us and wants to be with us.

Have you visited God today?  Have you looked upon His presence?  Are you longing to see His face as you lift your voice in prayer?  He says, “Come.”

Galatians 1:24 “And they were glorifying God because of me.”

REPUTATION

What a change in attitude!  What a change in direction!  What a change – period!  Paul had been a persecutor of the church, dragging people to jail and even agreeing with killing the believers in Christ. Now he is a proclaimer of the Gospel.  This was nothing short of a miracle.  You can see why “they were glorifying God because of” Paul.

Paul’s transformation was the talk of the region.  And those early believers gave glory where glory was due – to God.  They didn’t glorify Ananias who was the one God sent to Paul.  They didn’t glorify the men who escorted the blind Paul to Damascus.  They didn’t glorify Paul.  They glorified God.  But now Paul had a reputation to uphold – God’s.

TEACHING MOMENT

Our children need to understand that when they become a believer they represent a holy God.  It’s not just about them anymore.  When they make their faith public through profession of faith and baptism, they are taking a stand for Christ.  People will see them differently.  Hopefully, they too will glorify God because of them.

So, when they do something or say something that could bring shame on their Lord, they need to make it right – quickly.  They need to make it right with the Lord first and then with anyone else they may have offended.  Children need to learn at an early age that confession is a good thing.  They need to know that being held accountable for their actions is a good thing.

How about you?  Are you bringing praise to your Lord by the words you speak and the things you do?  Are you protecting God’s reputation in your life?  Do others look at your life and glorify God because of you?  That should be our aim – to point others to Him.  Then perhaps we too can glorify God because of what He does in THEIR LIVES!

Exodus 16:15 “When the sons of Israel saw it, they said to one another, ‘What is it?’ For they did not know what it was. And Moses said to them, ‘It is the bread which the Lord has given you to eat.’”

EAT THAT?

In my travels I have been offered some strange things to eat.  I almost always partake of it, even if I don’t really want it.  I don’t want to be rude to my host.  But here are the Hebrew people in the wilderness faced with a new food source they had never seen.  They had been grumbling and complaining since they left Egypt about not enough to eat or drink.  So God gives them “what is it,” manna.

The word literally means “whatness” or “what is it.”  We would call that mystery meat when I was in college going through the cafeteria line, lol.  Not only did God provide them their “daily bread,” but He also told them when to gather it and how much to gather. He told them how to prepare it and store it for the Sabbath.  If that’s not attention to detail, I don’t know what it is.

TEACHING MOMENT

Are your children picky eaters?  Many kids are.  I truly believe too many parents give in to their child’s desires rather than concentrating on providing for their needs.  How many of your kids would have eaten manna which they had gathered off the ground each morning?  How many of your children would have said, “Mom, I am tired of this manna stuff.  That’s all we ever have to eat.”?

The next time your little Elrod or Gertrude complain about the food on the table, pull out this story.  Remind them it is NOT about what’s on the table.  It’s all about how the Lord provides for us daily.  Turning up their nose to prepared food is thumbing that same nose at God.  It’s as if they are saying, “God, you don’t know what I need.”

But how about you, Mom and Dad?  Are you doing the same?  Do you question God’s provision in your life?  Are you grumbling about where He is leading you (it may be the Promised Land) as if you have a better plan?

Let Him lead.  Let Him provide.  He ALWAYS knows what we need when we need it.

Exodus 13:17 “Now when Pharaoh had let the people go, God did not lead them by the way of the land of the Philistines, even though it was near; for God said, ‘The people might change their minds when they see war, and return to Egypt.’”

NOT READY YET

God decided to protect the people leaving Egypt by sparing them from having to fight and battle as they left their bondage.  He knew they would have plenty of fighting ahead.  So, He decided to give them a reprieve from war.

Interestingly enough, the first battle they faced was at the Red Sea when the Egyptian army was upon them.  They feared for their lives.  But they didn’t have to lift one finger.  God destroyed the advancing army in the waters of the sea.  Not one Jewish soul was lost, not one sheep or cow, nothing!

TEACHING MOMENT

When our children are younger we fight their battles for them.  We defend them.  We protect them.  But as they grow older, they have to learn to fight for themselves.  They have to learn to rely on the strength of the Lord, rather than the wrath of mom or dad.  Why?

If we do not prepare our children to fight their battles, with the Lord, they will never achieve the purposes God has for their lives.  Hard times build faith.  Battles help us learn wisdom.  We have the responsibility to teach them how to stand up for truth and righteousness.  Otherwise, they will be led astray by that friend or professor who seeks to lure them away from the Lord.

How are you doing in your battles?  Are you relying on someone else besides the Lord?  Are you trying to do it in your own strength?  Let the Lord be your pillar of fire by night and pillar of clouds by day.  He stands ready to defend you, but He will ask you to be a part of the fight.  Put on your armor today and report for duty, soldier of the Cross!

Exodus 12:40-41 “40 Now the time that the sons of Israel lived in Egypt was four hundred and thirty years. 41 And at the end of four hundred and thirty years, to the very day, all the hosts of the Lord went out from the land of Egypt.”

EXACTLY

God doesn’t guess!  He knows exactly what He is doing every second.  These verses struck me that way today.  They stayed in Egypt 430 years “to the very day.”  It wasn’t 430 years and one day or one week or one month.  It was 430 years exactly.

All of God’s word is exact.  Everything He does in our lives is exact.  He has every hair of our heads counted exactly.  He knows exactly the moment a sparrow falls to the ground.  Do you get the picture?  There is no “supposing” with God.

TEACHING MOMENT

The next time you are on a road trip with little Elrod or Gertrude and they ask for the fiftieth time, “Are we there yet?”, use this verse.  Tell them, “No, but God knows exactly when we will arrive.”  You can springboard into telling them God knows exactly what is going to happen in their lives.  He knows who and when they will marry.  He knows the names of their children and whether they will have boys, girls or both.  He knows when they will go to live with Him in heaven, if they are a believer.

Children desire security.  What more secure place can they be than under the watchful eye of God.  He is always watching and protecting.  He offers them EXACTLY what they need EXACTLY when they need it.  They just have to trust Him and let Him have His perfect Will done in their lives.

Let me ask you a question.  Are you trusting the exacting God today?  Do you let Him have His way?  Do you really believe He knows exactly what you need today?  Let Him show you that He is EXACT in all His ways.

Exodus 7:7 “And Moses was fourscore years old, and Aaron fourscore and three years old, when they spake unto Pharaoh.”

AGE IS JUST A NUMBER

Aren’t you amazed that Moses and Aaron were both in their 80’s when they started this journey to lead the Hebrew children out of Egypt?  I know what you are thinking.  “Yeah, but they lived so much longer back then.”  True, but 80 is 80, my friend.  Who starts a new venture at 80 or 83?  No one.

But God had given them a new task which only they could do.  God needed them to be the men He would use to confront Pharaoh and lead the people to the Promised Land.  He chooses certain people whom He has gifted in certain ways for certain tasks at certain times.

TEACHING MOMENT

Our children need to know that God has a purpose for them in this life.  They may discover that at an early age.  It may not be revealed to them until they are older.  But we can be certain that, if we are surrendered to Him, He has a purpose for our life here on earth.

Our jobs, as parents, is to provide the environment and the encouragement for our children to fulfill God’s purpose in their lives.  Are you able to see God’s giftedness in your child?  What strengths has He given them?  What special talents do they have?  God can use all of those.  But what He really needs is a surrendered heart, one that is willing to follow even if they don’t know where He is leading.

Are you modeling that for your child?  Are you willing to drop your shepherd’s staff and begin a new journey?  Are you willing to confront those things in your life that hold you in bondage?  Are you willing to lead others to the Promised Land?

God has a purpose for you, too.  Watch for the burning bush!  He wants to speak to you.

Exodus 6:30 “But Moses said before the Lord, ‘Behold, I am unskilled in speech; how then will Pharaoh listen to me?’”

NO EXCUSE

God wasn’t taking “no” for an answer.  Moses kept saying he couldn’t talk good enough.  He kept making excuses why he shouldn’t be the one to go to Pharaoh.  He just didn’t want the job.

God turned his staff into a serpent, his hand leprous and back whole again, but Moses still said, “Not me, God.”  So God gave him Aaron to speak for him.  God was determined to get Moses to the point where he could lead His people.

TEACHING MOMENT

The next time your child gives you an excuse why they can’t do something, pull this verse out and share it with them.  They need to know they can do anything God has called them to do whether they think they can or not.  God has the ability to empower them to do great things in His name.

So many children suffer from the belief they can’t do what they desire.  They believe it is out of the reach.  Now please here me.  This is not a “name it and claim it” devotional.  I don’t believe that.  But I do believe if God has called your child to do something for Him then He will give them the ability to do it – with excellence.

What has God called you to do that you have refused to do?  What are your excuses?  Not enough time?  Not enough energy?  Not enough training?  Not enough money?  Trust Him to give you just what you need when you need it to accomplish His calling on your life.

Psalm 42:1 “As the deer pants for the water brooks, so my soul pants for You, O God.”

JUST A SIP

I recently began working out again in the gym after a month and a half break due to neck and back injuries from a car wreck.  At my age, that’s like starting all over again.  One thing I noticed (besides the sore muscles) is the need to drink water during my workouts.  My panting and, yes, groaning make me very thirsty.  I just need a small sip of water to quench my thirst for that moment.

We should have the same desire for that soul quenching water from the Lord.  As we go through our daily walk with Him, He is always ready to give us exactly what we need to continue the journey.  We must have our soul’s thirst quenched to keep moving in the direction He is pointing us to.

TEACHING MOMENT

How do we get our children to have that same thirst for God?  How do we instill in them the knowledge that He is always there when they are feeling faint and in need of a drink from the Spirit?  Well, this is something we can’t teach.  We can’t teach them to get thirsty.  We can teach them to recognize the thirst, but they have to be willing to ask for what they need from the Savior.

Our job is to point them towards Jesus.  Our job is to show them to come to Him for comfort and relief in those times when everything seems to be falling apart.  When they don’t have the answer, we point them to Jesus.  We can give them advice, but we should always use God’s wisdom from His Word, not our own wisdom.

The next time your child runs in the house after playing outside and asks for something to drink, use this verse.  Explain how just as their physical body craves liquid to satisfy its thirst, their soul cries out for the quenching water of the Lord.

Are you thirsty today?  Is your soul parched for that precious liquid from God?  Drink deeply and often.  His well never runs dry.

Best Verse:  Genesis 48:19 “But his father refused and said, ‘I know, my son, I know; he also will become a people and he also will be great. However, his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his descendants shall become a multitude of nations.’”

 A REPEAT?

What was Israel (Jacob) thinking?  Didn’t he realize Manasseh deserved the blessing before Ephraim?  Joseph tried to switch his father’s hands, but Israel stopped hm.  Why?  Do you remember Israel’s story?  He had tricked his brother Esau into giving him his birthright and then he and his mother Rachel had tricked his father into getting Esau’s blessing.

But I don’t think Israel did this as a repeat of his own deceitfulness.  I believe he truly knew Ephraim would be greater than Manasseh.  I am not sure why, but he knew.  After his explanation, Joseph allowed his father to continue.  To the best of our knowledge neither Ephraim or Manasseh ever complained about it either.

TEACHING MOMENT

If you have more than one child, do you treat one differently than the other.  Now, before you say “no” stop and think about it.  It is natural to do so.  They are different people who respond to you differently.  It is easy to do that.  Treating them differently is NOT the same as showing favoritism to one over the other.

Your children need to know that they are just as important as the other.  Children get their self image from what they believe their parents think about them.  Did you know that?  Although you may relate better to one over the other, they don’t need to see that.  Love them differently but love the same.  Get it?

The Lord loves all believers the same – unconditionally.  He does, however, love us differently according to how we respond to His guidance and direction.  He is able to bless those who obey.  So, how are you doing today in comparison with your fellow children of God?

Remember, we all will receive the blessing!