Category Archives: Child Rearing

Advice, Bible, Child Raising, Child Rearing, Commands, Confession, Direction, Disciplemaking, Encouragement, Holy Spirit, Inspirational, Mentoring, Modeling, Obedience, Parenting, Scripture, Service, Testimony, Understanding

IT’S ALL GOOD

2 TIMOTHY 3:16

“All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness;”

Have you ever heard that expression?  What does it mean?  Basically, it means every letter, word or marking of God’s Word.  This phrase comes from something Jesus said in Matthew 5:18 (Look it up).  So, when I hear people dismissing a part of Scripture because it is no longer culturally relevant, I cringe.  It’s all relevant to us today.  NO exceptions.

And look what it does for us.  It teaches, reproves, corrects and trains.  It covers all the bases.  So how do we use these verses in the lives of our kids?  How can we get across the truths of these verses in their lives?  Well, are you doing these four things?

APPLICATION

How are you teaching your children?  Better yet, what are you teaching?  The best textbook in the world is God’s Word.  Sure, you have to teach them math and stuff, but the best knowledge is contained in one book.  Are you reproving them?  That means to point out the errors of their ways, to convict.  That sounds bad, but if we don’t help our children see their mistakes, they will most certainly repeat them.

How about correcting?  That means to put them back on the right path.  Reproving without correcting is demeaning and hopeless.  They go together.  And finally, are you training them?  That word means to instruct until they reach full maturity.  That goes well beyond high school today.

I don’t know about you, but I have made a lot of mistakes in my child rearing days.  And just about every one of them was because I deviated or completely ignored the truth of these verses.  If we, as parents, will follow every jot and tittle of God’s Word, our children are much more likely to follow Him.

Father, I pray all parents will use Your Word as their textbook for their children. I pray they will find these timeless truths to be applicable every day as they raise their children to love You.

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Child Raising, Child Rearing, Completeness, Contentment, Disciplemaking, Encouragement, Following, Obedience, Parenting, Sanctification, Scripture, Wisdom

WISDOM

2 TIMOTHY 3:15

“and that from childhood you have known the sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.”

What makes you wise? Knowledge? Not necessarily! I know a lot of people of who are very smart but aren’t vey wise. They know a lot of stuff, but don’t know what to do with it. Wisdom is far more than knowing stuff. It’s knowing what to do with the knowledge you have obtained. That’s Paul’s point here to Timothy.

And what is that source of knowledge? God’s Word. Since he was a boy, Timothy had been taught God’s Word by his mother and grandmother (see 2 Timothy 1:5). That knowledge leads to true wisdom – salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. Because, come on, be honest. If you have all that knowledge and die without Christ, that’s pretty stupid.

APPLICATION

Wise children are obedient children. Wise children are respectful children. Wise children understand the importance of obeying parents, adults and most importantly, the Lord. And the only way to have wise children is through the instruction of God’s Word. They could have a 4.0 GPA and be dumb as rocks. It’s like I said earlier. Knowing what to do with knowledge makes you wise.

So, here’s the hard part. You have to let them apply their knowledge. You have to let them make choices that will affect their lives. They have to learn how God’s Word lives out in their lives through relationships and circumstances. If you continually rescue them from difficult situations where they have the chance to apply that knowledge, they will never gain the wisdom necessary to maneuver life’s challenges.

Where does your wisdom come from? Are you applying the knowledge of God’s Word you already have? If you have followed the Lord in salvation, you have already made the wisest decision of your life. Now, you simply need to continue in that pursuit of wisdom through salvation. You are in a process of salvation your entire Christian life, becoming more and more like Christ. What higher goal could you pursue for wisdom?

You are the all wise God who gives us exactly what we need when we need it. Help me pursue only the truth of Your Word to guide me in all wisdom.

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Child Raising, Child Rearing, Contentment, Encouragement, Faith, Holy Spirit, Mentoring, Modeling, Obedience, Parenting, Testimony, Trust

PERSUADED

2 TIMOTHY 3:14

“You, however, continue in the things you have learned and become convinced of, knowing from whom you have learned them,”

What does it take for someone or something to convince you? How much information, how many facts until you know that you know that you know? Paul is encouraging Timothy (and us) to continue or to remain persuaded of the things he has learned. Don’t let anyone change his mind or sway his thoughts. He knows the truth, so hold on to it.

The Greek word for “convinced” in this verse is only used right here and it has a spelling that carries a bigger meaning. The Greek word ends in “-oo” which points to the result of the action of the verb rather than just the action. Confused? Think about it. It’s one thing to be convinced, but what is the result of the convincing? You are sure! You are adamant. You are confident. That’s what the Lord wants us to be.

APPLICATION

Don’t you want confident children? Then teach them over and over the truths of God’s Word. Don’t let a day go by without sharing at least one verse with them. Tie every decision you make to His Word. Let them know you are convinced of its truth. There is no other source for truth that can be depended upon.

When they hear this and see this over and over, they will start to understand. Now, they still have to embrace it as their own. Simply reading it to them and telling them won’t make it theirs. They, too, must be persuaded. And that comes through the power of the Holy Spirit. Have you prayed that for them today? Have you prayed that the Holy Spirit would convince your child of the reality of the Word? Have you prayed the Holy Spirit would reveal Himself so powerfully in their lives that all of a sudden they are hit with majestic greatness of God?

Are you living persuaded? Are you walking your walk each day with full confidence in what you have learned? All the truths of Scripture are there for our benefit. Walk in them. Ask the Lord to show you ways to live out His Word each day. Ask Him to allow you to be a “persuader” to others. As you live convincingly, others are watching and being drawn to the Master.

I am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed against that day. I know in whom I have believed and rest in full confidence in Him.

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Advice, Bible, Child Raising, Child Rearing, Deception, Holy Spirit, Lies, Parenting, Truth

IMPOSTORS

2 TIMOTHY 3:13

“But evil men and impostors will proceed from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.”

We find another one-time used Greek word in today’s verse. The Greek word for “impostors” is only used right here. There’s a reason the Holy Spirit inspired Paul to use it. No word was written haphazardly. Paul is using a strong wrong to describe those who intentionally seek to mislead and confuse others.

What is an impostor? One definition is “this person uses their verbal spells and incantations to give the (false) impression they can do miracles.” They are faking it, but they are so good at words they convince people they are real. Only by knowing the truth of God’s Word can we guard ourselves against these types of people. If we are bathed in truth, lies just naturally reveal themselves.

APPLICATION

Your children are going to encounter impostors along the way. How do you prepare them to recognize and avoid their influence? There’s only one way – through the diligent teaching and nurturing in His Word. This may sound simplistic, but it’s true. Impostors will take a portion of the truth and make it something it’s not. They only want what is best for themselves, not others.

That’s probably the easiest way to detect those impostors. Everything they do is about them. It’s self, self, self. Train your child to recognize that. If someone is constantly seeking self, they are not someone you want your child around. Paul lumps them with evil men who are deceiving or being deceived. Not the best crowd.

Are you faking it right now? A lot of people in the church today are going through the motions. They pretend to be a Christian to gain access to something. They may think by “joining” the church they will get some kind of special favor. Don’t be an impostor. Be a real, self-less follower of Christ and watch what He does in and through you. To God be the glory.

I want to represent only You, dear Lord. I lay down my motives an agenda to live for only You. May I please You today as I go through my duties.

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Child Raising, Child Rearing, Comfort, Commands, Direction, Disciplemaking, Encouragement, Faithfulness, Following, Modeling, Obedience, Parenting, Peace, Persecution, Suffering

NOT VERY COMFORTING

2 TIMOTHY 3:12

“Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.”

Paul has just told Timothy to follow him in persecutions and sufferings in the previous verse. Now, he tells him why. Because all who desire to live for Christ will be persecuted. Doesn’t that just make you want to shout “Hallelujah!”?  lol. Not really, to be honest. Who wants to be persecuted? That doesn’t sound fun. And Paul knew what he was talking about. The religious leaders had hounded him and years, solely because of his allegiance to and teachings of Christ.

Is that the kind of life you desire? Do you inwardly desire so strongly to live for Christ that you are willing to endure whatever hardship or persecution that may come your way? At what point would you say, “That’s enough! I can’t go any further.” Think about it. There may be a day coming, like in many parts of our world, where if you are a faithful follower of Christ, it could cost you everything.

APPLICATION

I don’t know a better way to teach our children this than to share true stories of believers who are suffering right now in our world. Most of us cannot imagine being persecuted for our faith. So, find a story to share with your kids. Talk about how that person must feel. Talk about how their children must have felt. Then ask your children how they would feel if that had been your family. It’s okay to say it would be scary. Emotions and fears are real.

But don’t leave it there. Take them to the verse today. God promises to be with us. Ask your children what they believe the Lord teaches us through persecution. It is so important they get this. They need to understand that, if God allows it in your life, it is always to make us better, not bitter. Persecution builds faith and helps spread the Word. We are just a vessel.

Are you a willing vessel to be persecuted for the cause of Christ if needed? Or are you good with just doing your “Sunday” thing and going through the motions? May I encourage you today to go all in. He needs your total devotion, your total desires, in order to accomplish in you what He wants. Trust Him to be with you should persecution come.

Though the world slay me, I will serve You. I will not fear the reprisal of men for loving my heavenly Father and following my Lord.

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Child Raising, Child Rearing, Comfort, Contentment, Parenting, Rescue, Safety

THE LORD RESCUES

2 TIMOTHY 3:11

“persecutions, and sufferings, such as happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium and at Lystra; what persecutions I endured, and out of them all the Lord rescued me!”

Have you ever been rescued? We hear stories all the time of people being trapped in cars or on mountains who were rescued in just the nick of time. They are usually inspiring stories of survival and seemingly miraculous intervention by first responders or perhaps total strangers. Either way, rescues excite us.

Look at today’s verse as a supernatural rescue. Paul is reminding Timothy of all his narrow escapes. He knows it was the Lord who rescued him in all those situations. The Greek word for “rescue” goes beyond just snatching someone from danger. It means to snatch them away and INTO the arms of the rescuer. Now that is a beautiful picture. Paul knew he was safe, even now in this last imprisonment as he writes Timothy.

APPLICATION

Playing chase with our kids and grandkids can teach lessons, did you know that?  Our youngest granddaughter loves to play chase. She wants me or her Mimi to hold her while the other one pretends to chase and scare her. When they do, she just giggles and squeals and holds on tight to the one who is holding her. We are her safe spot.

As she gets older and this game wanes, it will be replaced, hopefully, with other ways she shows her safe feelings with us. We, as parents and grandparents, need to make sure our kids feel safe. But as safe as they are with us, that doesn’t do anything for them eternally. Our spiritual obligation is to ensure their safe with Jesus. When He snatches them to safety, they are secure forever. That’s a real rescue.

Are you rescued? Whom are you leading to rescue? All around you and me today people are dying without hope. They may not be stranded on a mountain side waiting for a helicopter nor in a raging river waiting for a lifeboat. They may be your neighbor quietly going through life unaware of their need for a Savior. But they need rescued. You can be the one who throws the life vest. Be watchful and pray.

Open my eyes, Lord, to those around me in need of rescue. Sometimes they are hard to spot, and I want to be ready to respond. Thank You for rescuing me.

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Advice, Child Raising, Child Rearing, Direction, Disciplemaking, Encouragement, Following, Grace, Inspirational, Mentoring, Modeling, Parenting, Perseverance, Testimony

FOLLOW THE RIGHT LEADER

2 TIMOTHY 3:10

“Now you followed my teaching, conduct, purpose, faith, patience, love, perseverance,”

That may sound simplistic. “Of course, Carl, I wouldn’t follow the wrong one.” Okay, okay. But sometimes we can be misled. Leaders say things to get people to follow. And if we are listening and watching carefully, we can begin to follow someone who does not match up to the principles God has for us in His Word.

Paul commended Timothy for following him back in his first letter to him (1 Timothy 4:6) and here he does it again. Timothy had thoroughly investigated Paul’s teachings and life. That’s what the Greek word for “followed” means. He was convinced of Paul’s mission and message and could follow it himself. Paul had proven to be someone worth emulating and following.

APPLICATION

Who will your children follow? What habits, quirks, and lifestyles do you want them imitating? We have the unique opportunities as parents to daily plant those messages in our children. As we live out a surrendered life to Christ, they see that in us. When they watch us respond in life’s crises, they learn to trust God. As they see us and hear us read His Word and pray, they see the value in growing their personal faith.

But we can’t be perfect in front of our children all the time, can we? We blow it. We blow it with them. We blow it with others. And they see that too. However, these can be the best teaching times. When they can see us repent and ask for forgiveness, it shows them our trust in a graceful and merciful Father. That’s a lesson they need to learn early and that will carry them through their life.

Are you a Paul worth following? Is there a Timothy out there who needs you? If you are a believer in Jesus, you have the responsibility to lead others to Him. Why wouldn’t you want to? Why hoard the most precious gift to yourself. Share the wisdom the Lord gives you. Share the love He pours out on you. Be a right leader. There are many who will follow.

I am humbled at the privilege to lead. Help me lead only towards You and may You get all the glory!

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Advice, Child Raising, Child Rearing, Disciplemaking, Encouragement, Foolishness, Inspirational, Mentoring, Modeling, Obedience, Parenting, Perseverance, Scripture, Testimony

FOOLISH THINKING

2 TIMOTHY 3:9

“But they will not make further progress; for their folly will be obvious to all, just as Jannes’s and Jambres’s folly was also.”

I find it rather curious how this Greek word for “folly” is used here. It is only used one other time in the New Testament and that is in Luke 6:11 when the religious leaders “lose their minds in rage” when Jesus heals the man with then withered hand on the Sabbath. Then we have the same word used here to describe Jannes and Jambres. They must have been quite a pair to observe in Pharaoh’s court.

The point is this – foolishness is not hard to spot. When someone gets so upset they can’t think straight, that is folly. Have you ever been that upset about something? Before reacting, stop, count to ten (or twenty or thirty), pray, then speak or do something. In this day of electronic communication, write the text, but then delete it.

APPLICATION

Wow! This is important to teach our children. Holding their tongues and keeping their heads is so important. Some kids are naturally wired that way and it takes a lot to get them to respond. Others, well, let’s just say they are ready for a fight if the shoe drops just right. Those are the ones we need to drill this into. Foolishness never accomplishes anything. Foolish words, foolish deeds, foolish thoughts – none of them.

And no one wants to be thought of as or called a fool. So, how do you prevent that? By being more like Christ. Christ is as anti-fool as it is possible to be. He never loses His mind. He never says words He wishes He could take back. He never did something that He shouldn’t. Teach your children to think and act like Jesus and they will never be foolish.

We all get tempted to “act the fool” sometimes. But I have found if I am bathing myself in prayer and in His Word, those moments are fewer and fewer. If I let myself just self-contemplate, I can get “foolish.” I let my rationale and wisdom get in the way. I have no wisdom outside of Christ. He is my fool guard. How about you?

Father of all wisdom, guard me from folly. Keep my eyes on your purpose and calling on my life. I praise You!

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Advice, Bible, Child Raising, Child Rearing, Lies, Obedience, Parenting, Scripture, Testimony, Truth

FAKERS

2 TIMOTHY 3:8

“Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these men also oppose the truth, men of depraved mind, rejected in regard to the faith.”

Just who are these two guys. They are mentioned nowhere else in the Bible. We are pretty sure these two men were the two lead magicians who opposed Moses in front of Pharaoh. There is a lot of Jewish literature that names them, and it would be normal for their names to have been preserved in ancient texts.

But why mention them here. Paul is saying that just as these two tried to fake the truth of Moses’ miracles to free the slaves, these people Paul is warning Timothy about were faking the truth of the gospel and pretending to have an equal claim to apostleship and power. There are still people around today who will do the same. Beware!

APPLICATION

Now, people won’t normally come up to you or your child and say, “I have the power of God. Listen to me.” That would be too obvious. We teach our children about stranger danger. If someone approaches them and claims mom or dad sent them to pick them up, what should they do? That’s right, run! The same holds true here.

If you find yourself in a situation where you are hearing “another” gospel that doesn’t quite match up to the truth of the gospel, run! Teach your kids that the moment the shift happens from all glory pointing to Jesus towards another person or object (church, event, etc.), run! Fakers fake because we fall for it. Fakers fake because we are not diligent to check them out.

Let me ask you a hard question. Are you a faker? Do you pretend to be walking in the truth but are actually living a lie? Stop right now and make that right. Set your feet on the firm foundation of God’s Word and never turn again. And be mindful of the other fakers around you trying to lure you into chasing things that are false and just don’t matter. Life is way too short to chase rabbits spiritually.

Give me Your eyes, Lord, so I can spot the fakers. You only stand for truth. That is all I desire.

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Advice, Bible, Child Raising, Child Rearing, Commands, Conceit, Contentment, Demons, Disciplemaking, Encouragement, Faith, God's Will, Mentoring, Obedience, Parenting, Sanctification, Satan, Scripture, Surrender, Truth

TOO SMART TO LEARN

2 TIMOTHY 3:7

“always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.”

There are two different Greek words for “learning” and “knowledge.” In English we commonly equate the two. But not in the Greek. The word “learning” refers to fact knowledge or book sense. “Knowledge” is an intensified word for experiential knowledge. In other words, these people have the knowledge to do what it is right but have chosen to do it their way, refusing the truth that stares them in the face.

I bet you have NEVER done that, lol. How many times have you done something you knew was wrong, thinking this time it won’t be so bad? You had the head knowledge, but you refused the truth of the situation and forged ahead, only to pay the price later. So, don’t be too quick to judge these people Paul is referring to here. I believe Paul knew these people he is referring to. We just don’t have their names. When you get out of line, don’t you want God to call your name?

APPLICATION

When I was little, my brother and I would save our money and buy model cars and ships. We spent hours gluing and painting, only in the end blowing them up with M80’s. What fun! But I hated the instructions. My brother, Tim, he followed them. For some reason, his models were always more stable and looked more like the box.

We teach our kids to follow the instructions (God’s Word) for a reason. We will have to apply them. When we do, God carries us through. But when we allow our children to make up their own rules and ignore truth, things get sloppy. They stop looking like the rest of the world and insist their normal is normal. A return to the pure instruction manual is the only remedy for our children and the children of the world.

Do you follow or make it up as you go along? Being in Children’s Ministry, I can’t “wing it.” Kids know it when you are winging it. They will bring down the house. Satan knows when you are winging it. He will bring all he can against you to try to make you miserable and unfit for ministry. Don’t let him. Cling to the truth. With it, you are able and to have the knowledge.

I only know what is useful to the kingdom or me because of You, Lord. I celebrate the freedom we have in Jesus to think, but also under constraint.

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