Psalm 40:1-2 “1I waited patiently for the Lord; and He inclined to me and heard my cry. 2 He brought me up out of the pit of destruction, out of the miry clay, and He set my feet upon a rock making my footsteps firm.”

I CAN’T MOVE

A few years ago I was hunting in a swampy area which required me to walk through several inches of water to get to my tree stand.  I had really intended to get some new hunting boots, but just had not gotten around to it.  The boots I was wearing were kind of water proof, but not completely.  I managed to get to my stand with damp but not horribly wet feet.  Thankfully, it wasn’t a cold day.

The problem came as I started to exit the woods at dark.  I had not realized when I walked in (in the light) that there were several muddy areas along my path.  As I walked out I accidentally got off the path and into one of those areas of mud.  Not only did I get my feet very wet, but I was trudging along in several inches of thick, clingy mud.  I was so thankful to finally reach solid ground, thoroughly exhausted.

TEACHING MOMENT

What a fun verse to share with your kids the next time you get to play in the mud outside.  Most kids love mud.  Take a walk with them through it.  Compare how different your walking is in the mud and on grass.  Let them feel the tug and pull of the mud on their feet.

Now you can tell them how sin does the same thing to our spirits.  It pulls us down.  It bogs us down.  It makes walking with Christ so hard.  But Jesus is our Firm Foundation upon which we can walk confidently.  As we keep our feet on the solid ground we can navigate the paths He has set before us.  We must allow Him to show us the safest path to follow through the swamps of life.

How about you today?  Are you tired of pulling your feet out of the mud?  Are you tired of walking through the mud of life?  Are you tired of cleaning all that mud off your shoes?  Then walk with Jesus.  Even if He leads you into a swamp, He is there to pull you through!

Leviticus 3:2a “He shall lay his hand on the head of his offering and slay it at the doorway of the tent of meeting,”

No, I am not thinking about one of those footlong sandwiches.  Lol.  I am referring to the substitute for our sin.  We see in these first three chapters of Leviticus the process which was required for the people to offer their sacrifices.  They were to lay their hands on the head of the animal before it was slain, thus “transferring” their guilt on the animal.

Jesus came and took our place as the final sacrifice for sin.  He was in heaven observing with His Father the hopelessness of man.  I can imagine He said, “Put me in Coach.  I can take care of this.”  I am not trying to be sacrilegious when I say that.  Christ was our substitute for our sins.  The difference in His death and the death of the millions of animals that were sacrificed is His death was the fulfillment of the Law.  He was ONE AND DONE!

TEACHING MOMENT

The next time your child complains about not being able to do something use this thought to explain how they also cannot do enough to gain their salvation.  They are helpless to appease a Holy God.  But Jesus took their place and perfectly fulfilled all God required.

When is the last time your child volunteered to do an unpleasant task for someone?  You can use this truth then too.  Jesus came of His own will to take on a task that He did not deserve.  He willingly laid down His life for the sins He never committed.  In fact, the Word says He BECAME sin for us.

Hallelujah, what a Savior!  He was the best sub ever.  Have you thanked Him today for “jumping in” for you?  Have you given Him the glory He deserves for taking upon Himself the sins you have and will commit?  Have you even acknowledged that?  If not, then stop right now and give Him praise!

Best Verse:  Psalm 119:11 “Your word I have treasured in my heart, that I may not sin against You.”

VALUABLE

When you think of treasure you naturally think of gold, silver, precious gems and the like.  One of my children’s favorite movies was “Goonies.”  These kids are looking for the lost treasure of a pirate that supposedly is hidden near their town.  The whole movie they struggle through dangerous situations to get to the treasure.  And when they finally get there and find it, they realize other things are more valuable. (I won’t spoil it for you if you haven’t seen it.)

As believers, our most precious treasure is the Word of God.  It is worth so much more than any amount of gold or silver.  If I was offered all the gold in the world if I gave up any access to God’s Word, I would have to turn it down.  It is just too valuable to me and my walk with Christ.

TEACHING MOMENT

How do we teach our children to value God’s Word?  Well, that comes very early.  We have to read it to them.  We have to use it as our instruction manual.  We have to show them we live by it.  We will teach them to value what we value.

Memorizing scripture is so important.  I know many children struggle memorizing it, but I bet they can memorize the words to a song.  So, put the Word to music.  Make it fun to memorize.  Go over those verses time and time again.  Let them store it in their hearts.  It is their real treasure.

So, Mom and Dad, how are you doing with storing the Word of God in your heart today?  Have you taken the time to memorize a verse this week?  Just one verse a week will allow you to memorize 52 verses this year.  Do it with your kids.  Challenge them with a reward at the end.  Prove to them that you have treasured God’s Word in your heart.

Exodus 37:7-9 “7 He made two cherubim of gold; he made them of hammered work at the two ends of the mercy seat; 8 one cherub at the one end and one cherub at the other end; he made the cherubim of one piece with the mercy seat at the two ends. 9 The cherubim had their wings spread upward, covering the mercy seat with their wings, with their faces toward each other; the faces of the cherubim were toward the mercy seat.”

WHY CHERUBIM?

Have you ever wondered why the Lord told Moses to make the ark the way He did?  Maybe it’s just me, but I have always wondered about the cherubim.  Why were they placed on the lid?  Why are they facing each other?  I found one explanation that I think you will like.  “Because the Lord’s presence was in the space above the Ark (Lev. 16:2; Psalm 80:1), and Moses spoke to God there (Number 7:89), it was sometimes said that God was enthroned between the cherubim (1 Samuel 4:4; 2 Samuel 6:2).”  – from gotquestions.com

So the cherubim are bowing before the enthroned God on the mercy seat.  That led me to ask the question, “Who do I have on my throne?”  Do I bow before a Holy God each and every day?  Or do I put myself or someone else on that throne?

TEACHING MOMENT

It is our responsibility as parents to teach our children who to put on their throne.  We should be constantly pointing them to Jesus.  When they begin to elevate some celebrity or sports figure, point out that they are just flesh and blood and subject to failures.  When they think their whole world revolves around that boyfriend or girlfriend, remind them that Jesus is the King whom will never desert them.

Our children naturally are drawn to people of power.  But it is so dangerous to allow them to do that without knowing the reality of everyone’s frailty in this world.  Even parents can let children down, right?

So who do you have on your throne today?  Are you taking the position of the cherubim and bowing before Him today?  Are you in a perpetual bow before Him, just as those two cherubim are?  We should be for only He deserves our worship and praise!

Galatians 6:7 “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap.”

PLANTING THE RIGHT STUFF

Years ago I had a garden.  In fact, for several years I kept a garden.  It was my therapy. I loved raised bed gardening.  I would plant green beans, tomatoes, corn, peppers, lettuce and a few other vegetables.  But there is one simple truth to gardening.  You will only get what you want if you plant the right seed or plants.  You can’t plant bean seed and expect to get corn.

A couple of times I planted what I thought were bush beans but accidently planted pole beans which need a trellis to climb to produce well.  That can be frustrating, to say the least.

TEACHING MOMENT

Teaching our kids to plant the right stuff in their lives is crucial for a successful spiritual harvest later.  They can’t fill their lives with video games and the wrong information and expect to live holy, God-fearing lives.  We have to till the soil of their heart while they are young and plant the Word of God firmly in their tiny spirits.  As they continue to grow we water and care for their spirit with extra fertilizer from God’s Word.

Do some children have crop failures?  Sure.  But usually that is due to insufficient attention to the crop as it grows.  We, as parents, can only tend their garden so long.  They eventually have to take care of it themselves.  We should still send some extra water and nourishment, but they have to be willing to apply it.  Left unattended any garden will cease to produce.

How about your spiritual garden?  Are you planting one thing and expecting another?  Have you planted and forgotten about it?  Are you too busy with other things to tend it?  Stop whatever you are doing today and get out that hoe and weed your garden. Lay down some new mulch and fertilizer from the Word of God.  Apply a generous amount of the Living Water to your spirit today.

Happy Harvesting!

Exodus 33:11b “When Moses returned to the camp, his servant Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, would not depart from the tent.”

TRUSTWORTHY

Moses had established the tent of meeting outside the camp.  That is where he went to meet with the Lord.  This was before the actual Tabernacle.  It was a special place, a place that should be protected as holy.  So, who went with Moses there?  None other than Joshua, son of Nun.

But he didn’t just go with Moses and stand guard while he was in the tent talking to the Lord.  When Moses would return to the camp, with his face shining from being in the presence of the Lord, Joshua would remain behind, standing guard at the tent of meeting.  We see no indication that he grumbled or complained.  He was loyal and dedicated.  He was willing to serve, even if it meant guarding a tent.  This was the same Joshua who had led the army in their first battle.  He was a warrior, but here he was just standing there.

TEACHING MOMENT

Do your children ever complain of the small chores they have to do?  Who likes doing those things?  I used to have to go around the house and empty all the trash cans and then take the trash out.  That may have seen like a small chore, but just imagine what would happen if no one did that.  Your children need to see that there are no small chores, just seemingly small ones.

We need to teach them that everything we do as part of the family is important.  Everything we do as part of the family of God is also important.  Picking up trash in the pews after a service may seem a little thing, but it has to be done.  Being loyal to the small tasks prepares us for the larger tasks to come.

What “small” task are you complaining about today?  Do you feel undervalued?  How do you think Joshua felt just standing next to the tent?  But he knew he was doing something important.  He was protecting the people from trying to “sneak a peek” at God.

Whatever you do today, do it with excellence.  You serve a Master who demands loyalty and loves unconditionally.

Exodus 29:46 “They shall know that I am the Lord their God who brought them out of the land of Egypt, that I might dwell among them; I am the Lord their God.”

DETAILS

When is the last time you read Exodus?  When you get into the chapters with the descriptions about the tabernacle and the clothing, your eyes start to glaze over, right?  You start thinking, “Okay God, do I really need to know that Aaron and his sons had to wear certain undergarments?  Really?”

This verse today struck me though.  The Lord gives the reason for all the detail with these words.  He wanted to make sure they knew He was God and He dwelt among them.  Wow!  Now tell me, who doesn’t want to be reminded of that?

TEACHING MOMENT

So, the challenge is how can we use this verse with our kids.  Easy!  Take a look around you.  Challenge your kids to find things in nature or in your home that reminds them of the Lord.  Since God is everywhere and everything exists because of Him, that should be fun.  Make a list of everything that they name.  It doesn’t matter how silly it may sound.  God reveals Himself to people in different ways.

Maybe little Elrod sees God in that toad he has been playing with.  Perhaps Susie sees Him in the flower she picked just for you.  Explore with your children why and how they see God in the items they named.  Later on, when they feel God is not around, remind them of the list.  Show them how close He really is.

May I challenge you today to take a fresh look around yourself.  Discover God in your everyday surroundings.  Let His image burn into your mind in the things that you have overlooked lately.  He wants to be near you.  Let Him!

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!