Best Verse: Psalm 54:4 “Behold, God is my helper; the Lord is the sustainer of my soul.”

ALWAYS

Have you ever had a big chore to do and just needed a little help?  Boy, I have. My wife and I moved a few years ago and did it ourselves.  Most of the stuff we could move ourselves, but there were a few items that we just could not handle.  One piece, in particular, had to go upstairs.  I enlisted my son and some of his buddies to help.  Thank the Lord for strong backs.

God knows we can’t do it alone. He never expected us to.  He is our helper.  And He is also our sustainer.  He not only helps, but He stays with us.  He keeps our soul safe.  He protects and guards us.  That’s what I call a trusted friend.

TEACHING MOMENT

Does your little Susie have a close friend, a BFF?  My daughter has about a dozen BFF’s.  A “Best Friend Forever” will stick with you.  I am sure your child has one or two of those.  If not, they will.  They are the kind of friend who will stick with them through thick and thin.  

But as good as that friend is, they can’t always be there.  That’s the lesson for today.  Teach your child that God will ALWAYS be there.  He is there to help them navigate those difficult times.  He is the One who strengthens them when they get weary. But, just like their BFF, they have to spend time with Him to get to know Him.  Show them how to do that through a consistent quiet time and prayer.

Are you doing that?  You can’t teach what you aren’t living.  You can fake it for a while, but your lack of quality time with your Lord will reveal itself in your daily walk.  Your children will see that.  Instead, come to the Helper.  Come to the Sustainer.  He is waiting.

Helper and Sustainer, I need You in my life.  I need to spend time with You, so I can know You better.  I thank You that You are always with me.

Best Verse: Psalm 52:8 “But as for me, I am like a green olive tree in the house of God; I trust in the lovingkindness of God forever and ever.”

NOT JUST GOOD ON SALADS

I’m a green olive lover.  I love them on pizza, in salads, in casseroles or just plain by themselves.  So, when I read this verse today it struck me.  Why would David use an olive tree as an example?

Well, when an olive tree is planted in the right soil and properly maintained, it will produce olives. Simple! He was not saying there were olive trees in the temple.  But when we are planted in the right place and nurtured, we too will flourish and produce fruit.  It all comes back to God’s lovingkindness, His kesed.  His mercy sustains us.

TEACHING MOMENT

Your little Susie or Elrod are like little olive trees.  You must plant them in the right soil.  You must give them the proper nutrients.  When you do that, you can expect them to grow.  Without providing a spiritually rich environment for them we can expect the opposite.  Spiritual growth requires spiritual food.

How do you feed a five-year-old spiritually?  By reading them God’s Word.  By praying with them.  By living out the Christ Life in front of them so they see what it looks like.  By teaching them to confess their sins and seek forgiveness.  These things nurture their little souls and leads them to their heavenly Father.

But how about your spiritual olive tree?  Are you flourishing?  Are you producing fruit?  Won’t you allow the Lord to tend to you?  Let Him trim and prune where necessary.  And then, when you produce that fruit, give it all to Him.  He is worthy!

Lord, there are times when my “branches” are withering due to lack of nourishment. But that is normally because I have chosen other things in my life.  Teach me to dwell in Your presence where I can receive growth.

Best Verses: Psalm 50:4-5 “4 He summons the heavens above, and the earth, to judge His people: 5 ‘Gather My godly ones to Me, those who have made a covenant with Me by sacrifice.’”

HEAVENS AND EARTH

I will have to admit that I do not remember these verses.  That happens a lot, though.  I have read through the Bible many times, but each year I find verses that I just don’t remember.  These two today are in that group.

God is directing the heavens and the earth to gather His people.  Look at how we are identified.  God calls us “godly ones.”  We are the ones “who have made a covenant” with Him.  We are protected by that covenant that was made through the blood of Jesus. I love that God has called us “godly ones.”

TEACHING MOMENT

I know your children are precious to you.  Whether they are three or thirty-three, our children are special.  But are they godly?  We know we are all born sinners. We are born in flesh.  Only God’s redeeming power can make us godly.  There is not one thing in us that can do that.

So, one of your jobs is to make your children godly.  “Right Carl! I can’t do that.”  That’s correct.  Your job is to direct them and lead them to the One who can.  You provide the environment where they can discover the truth.  You teach them God’s Word which will draw them to Him.  You pray for them and with them to show them how to talk to God.  He will do the rest.

Do you consider yourself to be a godly person?  God does, if you are one of His.  Start living like it, if you are not.  Remember who you are in covenant with.  Let His attributes be lived out in your life each day.

Righteous Judge, You may send the heavens and the earth to gather me one day.  I am excited about that.  I am ready to see You.  Help me share the good news with others while I am here.

Best Verse: Psalm 49:15 “But God will redeem my soul from the power of Sheol, for He will receive me. Selah.”

FREE

So, if we are free from the power of Sheol, what is it?  Sheol is a place of darkness where you are separated from God’s presence.  Can you imagine?  No contact with God?  No light. No joy.  No peace.  No security.

Praise be to God that He delivers us from that.  Through the power of the blood of Jesus, He has redeemed us, and He will receive us. Receive us where?  In heaven!  Our next place of dwelling, as a believer, is heaven.  There we will dwell in eternal life with joy, peace and security.

TEACHING MOMENT

Children want to be secure.  They may not even be aware of that, but they do. They want to know where you are. They want to know Mom and Dad are nearby.  They can do anything if they know you are close.  

Oh listen, that’s how it is with us and God.  We know God is near.  We know He is close by.  Teach your children that.  When you can’t be there, He is always there.  When they can’t see you, He sees them.  When we can’t hear them, God can.  That’s real security.  That’s real joy.

Are you in a “sheol” right now? I don’t mean a real sheol.  As a believer you can’t be there.  But you may be in a dark place and feel God is absent.  He’s not!  Talk to Him.  Let His light fill your situation and trust Him to see you through.

Father of light, I praise You for delivering me from Sheol.  I thank You that I can rest assured of Your presence in my life and for eternity.

Psalm 47: 1 “O clap your hands, all peoples; Shout to God with the voice of joy.”

I have the privilege to travel to Uganda and Kenya each year to teach at a Pastors’ Conference.  Oh, the joy!  Worship with my Ugandan and Kenyan brothers and sisters is filled with clapping and “shouting” for joy.  Needless to say, their worship is lively and invigorating.

Then I come home (insert sad face here).  Our worship isn’t nearly as exciting.  Let me explain quickly.  I don’t mean you have to clap and shout to have worship.  Please hear me.  But the Spirit in which my African brothers and sisters worship is in freedom.  Their culture does not look at someone strange if they sway, jump or dance to the songs. It’s not about what they do in worship. It’s about the Spirit in which they do it.

TEACHING MOMENT

Children don’t have to be encouraged to move to the music.  Sometimes they just have to move.  I believe, as long as they are not distracting others, we should allow our children to worship as the Spirit leads them.  You have to teach them what is appropriate for the setting.  But give them some freedom.

Why not have a worship time at home and tell them when you sing they are free to respond to the music however they want?  After you do that, ask them why they responded the way they did.  What a great teaching moment for them!  Individual worship, family worship and corporate worship all have different “expectations” of behavior.  Remember, it’s not about what they do.  It’s about the Spirit within them.

Are you free to worship?  You may choose to lift your hands and shout.  You may choose to sit quietly with your eyes closed.  You may clap and sway.  Just allow the Spirit of God which resides in You to express to God your adoration and praise.

Father of worship, I praise You for allowing freedom in worship. You have not dictated a stiff, formal manner that we have to follow.  Thank You for giving us room to express to You our love and devotion.

Psalm 45:6 “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; a scepter of uprightness is the scepter of Your kingdom.”

ETERNITY

Whenever I am teaching children and the word “forever” is in the verse I always ask them how long forever is. Of course, kids are blunt.  They just say, “Pastor Carl, that’s a silly question.  Forever is forever.”  That kind of sums it up.  Forever is forever.  It’s a long time.  In fact, it’s ALL time.

Think about that.  Forever incorporates all time.  Before time even existed, God was there.  He has ALWAYS been there.  There has never been a millisecond of existence without God. That is mind blowing.  I can’t comprehend it.  I don’t have to.  I just believe it.

TEACHING MOMENT

Ask your little Elrod or Gertrude how long forever is.  You will get some great answers.  Ask them how old they are.  Ask them how old you are.  Then ask them how old they think God is.  That should bring some VERY interesting answers.  But kids have a way of figuring this stuff out.

Children just believe.  If the Bible says it’s true, they just believe it. If God says it, that settles it. It’s us, the adults, who complicate the issue.  We want to figure out what the kids just accept.  Hmmmm, we might could learn something from them.

Do you believe in forever?  Do you trust the ageless, eternal God of the universe to guide you?  If He can create all that is in an eternal realm, I think He can handle leading you. Will you let Him do that today?

Eternal God, thank You for loving me so much.  Thank You for giving me forever.  I cannot wait to spend it with You.

Psalm 43:5 “Why are you in despair, O my soul? And why are you disturbed within me? Hope in God, for I shall again praise Him, the help of my countenance and my God.”

 DON’T DESPAIR

You are probably too young to remember that song, “Don’t Worry, Be Happy.” It has a kind of Jamaican tune to it and was popular quite a few years ago. I wonder if the Psalmist was playing that tune on his lyre.  Lol

But the question he asks is a good one. “Why are you in despair, O my soul?” He is chastising himself for not putting his trust in Jehovah God.  He knows the answer.  He knows his hope.  Do you?

TEACHING MOMENT

Children, just like the rest of us, can beat themselves up about stuff.  They can despair.  They can get depressed.  Use this Psalm during that time.  Show them the answer to their lowliness.  It does NOT rest in someone or something.  The answer is God.  The answer is their faith in Christ Jesus.

Now let me ask you a question, Mom and Dad.  Are you a depressing person?  Do you worry or despair a lot?  If you do, you WILL affect how your child reacts.  You will influence their hope.  They need to see you resting in Jesus.  Show them how to do that.

We all get down sometimes.  But we, as believers, can’t stay there.  The world is watching us.  This hope we preach must be lived out.  This hope we say we believe in must be evident in our lives to be believed by others.  Trust Him today.  He is the help of your countenance and your God.

Lifter of my head, I will praise You.  Even in the pit of despair I will look up to You.  Thank You for loving me and bringing me out.

Psalm 41:12 “As for me, You uphold me in my integrity, and You set me in Your presence forever.”

 HOLDING ME UP

 We have all heard that expression, right?  God Honest Truth!  What does that mean?  I mean, we can guess.  Of course, God is honest.  Of course, God is truth.  So, if we are showing true integrity we will always tell the God honest truth.

But look at the verse again.  I am upheld by God IN my integrity.  Only by being God Honest can He uphold me.  He will NOT uphold me in my lies.  He will support me in falsehoods.  An honest, truthful God demands honest, truthful children.

TEACHING MOMENT

What a perfect verse for child raising. Our children have got to be taught the value of telling the truth.  Only by telling the truth can we, as parents, defend them.  If you are defending your children’s lies, then you need to repent yourself.  Never do that.  Call your children on every lie, no matter how small it may seem.

Now, it is important that we reinforce this with why it is important.  God wants to defend them.  If they are His children through Christ, He will come to their aid whenever they call.  But He cannot and will not defend them in lies.  It is against His very nature.  So, if your children want God’s approval, they must live in the truth.

Are you God honest?  Are you known as a man or woman of integrity?  A blown reputation due to lies is hard to build back.  People do not tend to believe someone who is known as a liar.  Tell the truth.  Be honest. Show integrity. And watch our God come to your side.

Father, forgive me of those times when I am less than honest.  No, that’s not right.  When I lie, forgive me.  Convict me. Reprove me. Let my words be Your Words, which are always truthful.

Psalm 36:9b “In Your light we see light.”

NOW I CAN SEE

It’s hard to see in the dark without a good light.  We all know that.  That’s kind of common sense.  But this verse confused me.  How do you see light in the light?  That has to be a really bright light, right?

But if you look at the verse from a spiritual side, you can understand what David is saying.  If we stay in God’s light, we can see light.  God gives us the ability to see the light around us. He allows us to recognize the light in others.  He shines His light upon us so that we can see His light.

TEACHING MOMENT

Children love playing with flashlights in the dark.  Get a good one and play along with them.  Get in a really dark room and turn it on.  Talk about the shadows it casts upon the walls.  Talk about the things in the room you really can’t see too well unless you shine the light directly on them.

Now turn on the room light, hopefully an overhead light.  Now talk about how you can see everything more clearly.  You don’t need to shine your flashlight at stuff because you are in the light from the room.  It makes things more visible.  You can recognize all the things in the room easily. God will shine His light directly on us and, in so doing, He illuminates the world for us.  He exposes the hidden things.

You see, God doesn’t want us tripping. He doesn’t want us stumbling.  But if you are like me, sometimes I want to hide in the darkness.  I have to remember that the light of Jesus dwells within me through the power of the Holy Spirit. I must stay in the light and shine my light, not for me, but for others.  I need to point them to the Light.

Light of the world, You shine upon me.  You are the brightest light.  There is no other light that draws men like Yours.