Category Archives: Child Rearing

Affection, Child Raising, Child Rearing, Encouragement, Family, Following, Love, Ministry, Obedience, Parenting

FAMILY MAN

Matthew 8:14

“When Jesus came into Peter’s home, He saw his mother-in-law lying sick in bed with a fever.”

Mark 1:29

“And immediately after they came out of the synagogue, they came into the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John.”

We often don’t think of Peter as a family man. But from these references about Peter from Matthew and Mark, we see a few things. First, in Matthew, we see he was a homeowner, and secondly, he was married. His mother-in-law was in his home. Either she lived there or because she was sick, they had taken her in. Whatever the reason, Peter was providing a home for his family.

In Mark, we read “the house of Simon and Andrew.” This home may have been a larger home with multiple families (Peter’s and Andrew’s) or Peter also provided a place for his brother to live. We do not read anywhere that Andrew was married. Perhaps Peter was the big brother, so Andrew lived there with Peter’s family. Peter was a family man.

APPLICATION

“Big deal, Carl. How does this inspire me?” Well, think about it. Peter had all this – a fishing business, a home, a family – and left it all to follow Jesus. What are you willing to lay aside to follow Him? Ask your children if they could leave everything behind to follow.

I will never forget during one of our ministry moves our son was unusually upset. It was the first move that he was conscious of the packing and preparing for the move. When his mom asked why he was so upset he told her he didn’t want to leave his toys. Once she explained they were all going with us, he was fine. His stuff meant something to him.

Could you leave it all behind? Is there some possession or person that could hold you back? Peter laid it all aside to follow the Master. He asks us today to do the same. Now, He may not do that, but if He did… We don’t know what happened to Peter’s family during those three years he followed Jesus. I am sure he continued to provide for them. Jesus would not have allowed his family to suffer for Peter’s obedience. That’s not how Jesus works.

Thank You, Lord, for not only caring for me, but also for my family. I trust You to provide for them as I seek to follow You. Let them see You as their true source.

Standard
Bible, Blameless, Child Raising, Child Rearing, Disciplemaking, Encouragement, Grace, Holy Spirit, Mentoring, Modeling, Obedience, Parenting, Redemption, Salvation, Sanctification, Surrender

GOD KNOWS AND DOES

I PETER 1:2

“according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, by the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with His blood: May grace and peace be yours in the fullest measure.”

We are chosen! God desires that all men be saved and knows who will and who won’t respond to His call. When He calls, and we respond, we are made holy by the “work of the Spirit.” That “sanctifying” work means to make us holy. We don’t make ourselves holy. There is nothing in us or that we can do to do that. That’s God’s job through the Spirit. And when that happens, we are chosen.

I love that Peter adds “May grace and peace be yours in the fullest measure.” In the Greek “May…be…in the fullest measure” could be translated “may be multiplied.” I actually like that better. In other words, to maximum capacity. Now, tell me, who doesn’t want that as a chosen child of God?

APPLICATION

It’s a given that children always want more of a good thing. Think of something they really like. It could be their favorite snack or candy. It could be the amount of time they get to watch tv or play video games. But kids can get too much of a good thing, can’t they? Too much ice cream can make them sick. Too much tv can dull their brains, lol.

But can you get too much grace and peace? I don’t think so. How can you teach your kids this? By teaching them to live holy lives surrendered to Christ. Only through obedient living will the Lord multiply that in us. He wants to extend grace and peace, but our actions limit it. And the best way for our children to see that is how we live our lives. They will observe (and it’s important we point it out) when God’s grace and peace are working in us. Those are moments that will stick with them.

Do you want that in your life? Do you want God to multiply His grace and peace? I sure do. I need it every day, whether it’s a good or bad day. Do you know why? Because when it is multiplied in me, I can give it to others. I, probably just like you, run across people every day who need grace and peace in their lives. When I have been increased in that area through my obedience, it naturally pours out on them. We are agents of His grace and peace.

Father, I thank You for Your grace and peace. I praise You for choosing me as I responded to the drawing of Your Spirit Who made me holy. I am Yours to use.

Standard
Bible, Child Raising, Child Rearing, Direction, Disciplemaking, Evangelism, Faith, Following, Inspirational, Obedience, Parenting, Salvation, Surrender, Witnessing

WILL YOU FOLLOW?

MATTHEW 4:18-20 (MARK 1:16-18)

“18 Now as Jesus was walking by the Sea of Galilee, He saw two brothers, Simon who was called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. 19 And He said to them, ‘Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.’ 20 Immediately they left their nets and followed Him.” 

I want to intersperse this study of 1-2 Peter with the life of Peter (Simon) from the New Testament. What better place to begin than at his calling by Jesus in Matthew (also found in Mark). Look at the simplicity. Jesus is walking by the water and saw Simon and Andrew. What drew Him to them? He picked them out of probably lots of fishermen.

Don’t forget He was God. He knew they would respond to His calling, but He still asked. He still called them. He didn’t expect them to just drop what they were doing and fall in behind Him without first speaking to them. He spoke to them, just like He does us. He still speaks!

APPLICATION

Do you children come to you if you don’t call them? Try it! Sit in your Lazyboy and wait for them to just come to you. Of course, they won’t come. You have to call them by name. Now call them. And when they come, ask them why they came. “Because you called me Daddy!”

Bring them close and tell them the story here in Matthew when Jesus called Peter to be His disciple. Tell them Jesus calls them the same way. He calls them by name. Perhaps your child has already heard that call and responded. Celebrate that with them and talk about it. If they haven’t, tell them He’s calling. They have to listen closely. He doesn’t mince words. He wants them to follow.

Do you hear His voice today? You see, Jesus doesn’t just call you once and stop talking. Oh no! He is constantly calling us to follow. He wants us close. He wants us to walk with Him and listen to His words. He desires to be with us, and He knows if He doesn’t keeping calling, our flesh will slip back in. Are you listening?

I hear Your voice, O Lord. Tell me what You would have me do. I am willing to follow.

Standard
Bible, Child Raising, Child Rearing, Contentment, Encouragement, Faithfulness, Following, Inspirational, Parenting, Scripture, Service

ARE YOU HIS?

1 Peter 1:1

“Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who reside as aliens, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, who are chosen”

Peter begins this letter by identifying himself. He was an apostle! Now, he’s not bragging. He may have done that at an earlier time in his life, but not now. He was merely letting the recipients of this letter know he was writing with authority, authority that only came from Christ. These would not be his words. They were Christ’s.

He is writing to believers who were “aliens” in these provinces of Asia. This wasn’t their home. They didn’t belong there. How they got there isn’t the issue. They were there now, but the Lord had not forgotten them. They were in His family no matter where they dwelled. We can take a lesson from that, can’t we?

APPLICATION

This may seem a strange verse to try to make an application for our lives. But I believe every word of Scripture has that capability. First, we must be careful to ensure the words that come from us are words the Lord Himself would use. We dare not speak for God when He hasn’t spoken to us. We have the advantage of having the Old and New Testament to draw from. We can trust it.

Secondly, our home is wherever God places us. Some people resist allowing God to move them for fear of losing “their home.” We are secure in Christ wherever we are. Some places are more comfortable than other, for sure. But God doesn’t call us to comfort. He calls us to service. He may even drive us to places through persecution in order to spread His word. Are you willing to go?

These are lessons worth teaching our children. Speak only God’s truth. Speak only words that are pleasing to Him. Let no untrue word proceed from your mouth, little one. And wherever God leads you, follow. Trust Him to make your home where He wants it. He will never take you anywhere that He will not be there. We are in His family, so home is wherever He is.

Father, thank You for this reminder that I am Your messenger and that You are my home. I forget that sometimes. Forgive me.

Standard
Busyness, Child Raising, Child Rearing, Encouragement, Faith, Friends, Inspirational, Kindness, Mentoring, Parenting, Testimony

GREETINGS

TITUS 3:15

“All who are with me greet you. Greet those who love us in the faith. Grace be with you all.”

When you greet someone, what are you really doing? The Greek word here means “I greet, salute, pay my respects to, welcome.” Is that true for everyone you greet? Think about it. We truly should be welcoming because we represent Jesus. We really should be respectful because He would be.

Greetings today are usually rushed. We are all in such a hurry. Paul was purposeful in his greetings. He passed on the greetings from those who were with him and asked Titus to give his greetings to those who were with him in the faith. He didn’t just say, “Bye.” It was thoughtful. It was meaningful.

APPLICATION

We teach our children to say thank you, your welcome and all the other proper words, don’t we? How about greetings? Giving a proper greeting is respectful. Refusing to acknowledge someone is just plain rude. So, we teach our children to say hello or good-bye as appropriate.

But it isn’t just about manners. As I said earlier, we represent someone bigger than us as believers. If your child is a believer, remind them of that. As they meet people, they may be the only “Jesus” that person meets today. They need to greet them in the name and spirit of Jesus. Just a simple “Hello, how are you today?” can mean a lot.

This is a strange way to end Titus, but it’s how Paul ended the letter. If he ended it this way, it must have been important. So, from me to you, greetings from all those who are with me. Greet all those who are with you in the faith. May God’s grace be upon you until we meet one day here or in heaven.

Help me greet those around me today with the love of the Lord. May they Him and not me. May my greeting be full of Jesus.

Standard
Advice, Bible, Busyness, Child Raising, Child Rearing, Commands, Direction, Disciplemaking, Encouragement, Evangelism, Faith, God's Will, Inspirational, Modeling, Obedience, Parenting, Scripture, Service, Witnessing

DO THE RIGHT DEEDS

TITUS 3:14

“Our people must also learn to engage in good deeds to meet pressing needs, so that they will not be unfruitful.”

There are some qualifying words in this verse. If you read and stopped at “good deeds,” you might be led to believe that any good deed goes. But Paul goes on to say, “to meet pressing needs.” In other words, necessary needs, needs that are indispensable. Otherwise, you can busy yourself with deeds that really serve no purpose.

And then Paul finishes the verse with “so that they will not be unfruitful.” Romans 14:23 tells us all that all decisions not born of faith are sin. So, it is important that we make sure that all good deeds, no matter how good they may seem, are truly born of faith. Doing good deeds just because they are good doesn’t make them right in God’s eyes.

APPLICATION

Ask your children to make a list of good deeds. Tell them they can write down anything. After they are done, have them try to tell you how God’s Word backs up that good deed. Give them some time to think about that. Then take the list and see if you can help them. You will probably have some that just don’t match up to Scripture.

Now you can explain to them how this verse applies to their list. Some things that appear good are not given or implied in Scripture. We, as believers, need to focus our good deeds on things that draw people to Christ and share the Gospel. There are a lot of good intentioned people out there who have their own causes. They appear good, but are they fruitful?

What causes do you support? Are you sure your money and time are going to God’s good deeds? Let me encourage you this year to examine where you spend your energy. You want the good deeds you do to reflect on Jesus and not you. You want others to know that the only reason you are doing this is to share His love for them.

Father, help me focus all my good deeds on bringing glory to You. I desire to see others drawn to Your goodness, not mine. Point me to those opportunities daily.

Standard
Affection, Bible, Child Raising, Child Rearing, Faith, Family, Friends, Inspirational, Love, Parenting, Passion, Scripture

FAREWELL PARTIES

TITUS 3:13

“Diligently help Zenas the lawyer and Apollos on their way so that nothing is lacking for them.”

Paul is urging Titus to make sure Zenas (who is only mentioned here in the New Testament) and Apollos are sent on to Nicopolis from Crete well supplied for the journey. Here is a link to show you the distance they would have had to travel from Crete to arrive in Nicopolis https://www.biblestudy.org/maps/apostle-paul-fifth-missionary-journey-large-map.html.

Paul needed Zenas and Apollos there to help teach the Word to the believers. So, he wanted a send off that was worthy of their calling. The word “diligently” means eagerly, with passion. Whenever I leave my brothers and sisters in Uganda or Kenya to come home, they give me this kind of send-off. I am usually given a gift and tons and tons of hugs. Their love for me is without a doubt.

APPLICATION

I’ve got a fun way to say good-bye at your next family gathering. It’s called the jelly roll hug. As each person or family group leaves have them make a line and hold hands. Then everyone else grabs one end of that line as they make one long line. When everyone has linked hands, the person on the end of the line opposite the person or family leaving starts to make a big circle around them. The person of family leaving stands still as everyone starts circling them over and over again. With each pass the circle gets tighter and tighter until the end of the line has been reached. Then, on 3, everyone squeezes those in the center.

It’s a fun way to say good-bye and something your kids won’t forget. Send offs can be sad, so anyway we can make them more enjoyable is much appreciated. Whether you are the person leaving or the person doing the sending, emotions can be raw. Make it a joyful experience. And don’t forget to pray for whomever is leaving, asking God’s protection and blessing on their journey.

When is the last time you have gone on a journey and had a great send off? When is the last time you have sent someone off? Remember Paul’s words and do it diligently.

I am grateful for friends and family who send me off with love and compassion. I know when that happens I am bathed in prayer. I know I am in Your hands.

Standard
Child Raising, Child Rearing, Disciplemaking, Encouragement, Family, Following, Heaven, Inspirational, Mentoring, Ministry, Opponents, Parenting, Testimony

MAKING PLANS

TITUS 3:12

“When I send Artemas or Tychicus to you, make every effort to come to me at Nicopolis, for I have decided to spend the winter there.”

I don’t know about you, but I like to plan things out. I don’t like loose ends. It also hard for me to plan to travel without making sure everything is covered at home. Paul, undoubtedly, had a similar concern. We see in today’s verse that he wanted Titus to come visit him at Nicopolis where he planned to spend the winter. But he didn’t want to leave the church there in Crete without a strong leader. So, he planned to send Artemas and Tychicus to there first.

We know nothing of Artemas except he must have been a trusted companion of Paul. Otherwise, he would not have given him such an assignment. One day, when I get to heaven, I look forward to meeting all these people who are just mentioned once in Scripture. I want to ask them about their relationship with Jesus and Paul. I am curious how they felt being named in Scripture. That’s not important, but I want to know.

APPLICATION

Let’s talk about that a second. We never know how our reputation is going to be remembered. Artemas had no idea Paul’s letter to Titus would become part of the New Testament. I am sure he also had not idea his name would be recorded in it. If he had known, do you think he would have acted differently? You see, we never know who is looking at us. His friendship with Paul and his obvious trustworthiness made him a perfect choice to help guide the Cretans in Titus’ absence.

What do you think the Lord is preparing your children to do? Do you realize that He chose you to be the mom or dad to help prepare them? They weren’t given to you out of chance. No! They are yours for a purpose. You have been given a great responsibility to help develop them into the man or woman God wants to use to further His kingdom. What an opportunity we have!

Are you squandering this opportunity? Are you taking advantage of the years you have? Don’t waste these moments. You will reap a reward for your selfless service. You will be blessed by your kids as they grow into God-fearing, selfless servants of Jesus. Remember, you are not raising children. You are raising child raisers. So, you are impacting generations to come. Let God use you today to prepare your child to be ready to be used by God, like Artemas was.

Oh Lord, I want to be used. Having my name known is not important, but I do want the generations to come to know that I was devoted to You. Help me point them towards You so they too can be used to further Your kingdom.

Standard
Advice, Bible, Child Raising, Child Rearing, Deception, Disciplemaking, Encouragement, Foolishness, Mentoring, Modeling, Obedience, Parenting, Redemption, Testimony

MESSED UP

TITUS 3:11

“knowing that such a man is perverted and is sinning, being self-condemned.”

We have two Greek words in this verse that are only used here. First, we have “perverted.” Now, this word isn’t what you think. We all have our image of a pervert. No, this word is more like corrupt, to be turned inside out. They are just doing things all wrong. The other word used once is “self-condemned.” And it means just that. By his own actions he condemns himself. He knows what he’s doing is wrong and still does it. This is that factious man mentioned in verse 10.

Do you know someone like that? We are to pray for them, but we are not to hang out with them. You may have heard the expression, “If you lie with dogs, you’re going to get fleas.” Well, Paul is warning us here that these people have no intention to live right. Therefore, we have to keep a safe distance. We still pray for them and love them. But we just can’t be associated with them until they repent.

APPLICATIONS

I pray your children never become that kind of person. How do you prevent that? Your part is setting the environment for God to draw them. Prayer time is key. We teach our kids to pray and explain to them why we pray. We let them in on our prayers, especially when we see God answer them.

We teach them God’s Word and let it permeate their minds. We make sure they see the importance of the Word in our own lives. We make our decisions as a family based on God’s Word. Then when they respond to the Lord, we disciple them and help them grow. That will go a long way towards protecting them.

I also pray that you aren’t living a life that is self-condemning. Are you? Are you doing things you know aren’t pleasing the Father? Stop! Repent. Come back to Him. We can justify just about anything. We will even find Scriptures to justify our positions. Do not be “perverted” or “self-condemned.” Come to Jesus.

I thank You for rescuing me from myself. I am dangerous left to my own desires. But You have put a new heart within me, and it beats for You.

Standard
Advice, Bible, Child Raising, Child Rearing, Commands, Direction, Disciplemaking, Encouragement, Inspirational, Mentoring, Modeling, Obedience, Parenting, Testimony

TALK TO THE HAND

TITUS 3:10

“Reject a factious man after a first and second warning,”

What is a factious man? Well, it’s someone who loves to divide and cause schisms. They love to stir up stuff. So, Paul says to give them a couple of warnings. Then if they don’t stop, withdraw from them, reject them, shun them. God is not about chaos, therefore, neither should we be.

Unfortunately, many of us are so insistent on seeing our agenda carried out that we will, as my dad used to say, argue with a fence post. I’ve seen this happen between close friends. I’ve seen it happen among church staff. I’ve seen it happen when both sides have good ideas or motives. But it is important to remember we are to preserve the unity.

APPLICATION

Okay, mom and dad, let me ask you a question. Are you a factious? Do you demand your rights to the point that you cause division? Your kids are watching. Why do we think we can act one way and expect our kids to act another? We can’t! We can’t preach one thing and live another. Our children learn far more from our actions than our words.

Is it easy to “be the wrong one” for the sake of peace? Nope! I hate it. But for the sake of unity, we are asked sometimes by the Lord to let it go. It is far more important to teach our children how to work with others than to demand their rights. Now, there are times when we must stand our ground. But most of our disagreements could be settled with some compromise.

Will you pause before reacting next time? Stop and ask yourself if this is worth the division it will cause if you push your side. I bet you will find it’s not. Believe me, this is one area I have to look at internally myself. I can be hard-headed and demanding. I know I’m right and will bow up to prove it. Join me in some self-examination.

Help me, Lord, to pause and reflect before reacting. Help me see the big picture and the need for peace. I praise You for the strength to do this.

Standard