I Corinthians 8:13 “Therefore, if food causes my brother to stumble, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause my brother to stumble.”

ME! ME! ME!

People today tend to look out for themselves. That is even true in the church. We are free in Christ, that is true. But shouldn’t we be concerned with our weaker brothers and sisters in Christ? Shouldn’t we be careful to not do anything that would cause them to stumble?

Paul is telling the Corinthians here in this chapter that very thing. Since he did not believe any other gods existed, he knew any meat sacrificed to them was okay to eat. You see they would sell that meat in the marketplace after a pagan priest had offered it to that false god. There were those in the early church who came out of those false religions, and they still struggled with the belief of those false gods. They had not grown in their faith to the point that they understood those gods were false. So, when they saw believers buying that meat and eating it, they were confused. Paul tells them to avoid such meat if it meant hurting the faith of another.

TEACHING MOMENT

What do you feel “free” to do in Christ that your child may not understand? Are there things you do that could confuse a weaker brother or sister in Christ? While it may be okay for you to do it, it is NOT okay to lead someone down the wrong path in their own walk with Christ.

How do we teach our children this truth? We live above reproach. We make sure that every decision we make will not influence them to lose faith or be confused about what they believe. As parents we have to be constantly pointing our children to Christ. Every word and deed needs to help them build their faith and trust Him. Don’t straddle the fence! Make sure your children know exactly why you believe what you believe.

Psalms 23 “1 The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters. 3 He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake. 4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You have anointed my head with oil; My cup overflows. 6 Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life, And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”

TRUST THE SHEPHERD

Did you ever memorize this Psalm? Most of us learned this in Sunday School. It is probably, next to the 100^th Psalm, the most quoted one in the Book of Psalms. But have you ever stopped to really understand what the Psalmist is saying here?

He is trusting completely in the guiding hand of the Shepherd. He is allowing the Lord to guard him, guide him and graze him. The Lord is providing protection, plans and provisions. Are you allowing the Lord to do that in your life?

TEACHING MOMENT

As we raise our children we are doing the same. We are protecting them from any harm we can. We want to keep them safe whenever possible. We are making plans for them as we teach them to obey us and God. We want their life to be according to God’s Will. We are also feeding and clothing them with what they need.

As you do this “shepherding” of your little flock, won’t you reflect on this Psalm? Read this to them today. Show them how, just as you do these things for them, the Lord also wants to do the same for them spiritually. As we teach them God’s Word, they can see Him working in their lives.

I Corinthians 6:19 “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own?”

STRUCTURALLY SOUND

When I read this verse and look in the mirror I laugh. My body? A temple? Maybe one that looks like Buddha! Lol. Seriously, I do know what Paul is saying here, and it is not the actual shape he is referring to. Aren’t you glad?

This is probably the one thing most Christians seem to ignore. We do things to our body that do not honor God. We do many things that dishonor and destroy our bodies. I don’t have to name them because you know what they are.

TEACHING MOMENT

So, teaching our children to honor their bodies is crucial for a healthy Christ life. When we are bandaging Sallie Jane’s knee we can take the time to explain to her how her body is God’s. Tell her that every believer is indwelt with the Holy Spirit, and we need to make sure His home is clean and well cared for.

Perhaps the next time your children are brushing their teeth (which may seem like an impossible task) use that opportunity to talk about this verse. There are so many things we can do to teach this principle to our kids. But like most of the lessons we teach, we need to live it ourselves first. Children learn best by watching someone model this behavior first.

What are you doing to keep your body holy? Are you overeating? Are you using some kind of substance to hurt your body? Are you getting regular checkups? Our bodies are naturally decaying because of the Fall, but we still need to take care of the one God gave us. Holy Temple? Yep! Anywhere God dwells is holy. So you are His temple here on earth. Live like it.

Psalms 18:2 “The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, My God, my rock, in whom I take refuge; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.”

SAFETY FIRST

Don’t you love the feeling that you are protected? Knowing that someone is watching out for you can give you such freedom. Flying today can be such a scary thing with all the terrorism that exists. While we complain about the long security lines at the airport, aren’t you glad that someone is watching out for you? Those people who search the luggage and watch the X-ray machines are protecting you from someone who may want to harm you.

In the same way, but in a more powerful way, the Lord is your rock, fortress, deliverer, shield, horn of salvation and stronghold. That should just about cover it, you think? He is going to protect His children. He will only allow what He wants to touch your life. You can trust Him to be on duty 24 hours a day and 365 days a year.

TEACHING MOMENT

How do you protect your children? Do you lock your doors at night? Do you turn on the security system when you go to sleep at night? Do you put your child in a booster seat or make them wear their seat belt in the car? Do you hold their hand when they cross the street? We want to protect our children from any harm. But try as we may, they are going to get hurt sometimes. We can’t “hover” over them 24 hours a day, although I’ve seen some parents try.

The hardest thing about being a parent is trusting Him with the children He has given us. We HAVE to trust Him. He also wants what is best for our children. That is why it is so important to for us to introduce them to Christ at an early age so they can be under the protection of their Heavenly Father. Until they are His children He is limited in His ability to guard them fully. I don’t mean God is limited in His power. I mean He can only guide those who follow.

Won’t you surrender your child to Him today? The sooner they are His, the sooner He can be their rock too.

I Corinthians 4:14 “I do not write these things to shame you, but to admonish you as my beloved children.”

CORRECTION

Why do we think being disciplined or admonished is a bad thing? Look at the verse for today. Paul is really coming down hard on the Corinthians. There were a lot of problems in that church, and he was not pleased with their behavior. He could have just let them be to work out the issues, but he loved them too much to do that.

He said “admonish you as my beloved children.” Do you get that? He chastised them BECAUSE he loved them. I truly feel we have failed in our churches today in this area. We do not hold people accountable for their actions. Admonishment is not a bad thing. It is a godly thing when done to correct a believer and warn them of their straying.

TEACHING MOMENT

How do you think your children will turn out if you never discipline them? Do you think they will be good parents? Remember we are not raising children – we are raising child raisers. We have to teach them the importance of good and evil, right and wrong, belief and unbelief, obedience and disobedience.

I NEVER enjoyed disciplining any child, whether they were my own two or someone else’s child. I don’t enjoy seeing tears or hearing them cry. But I had rather see and hear that than see them making horrible decisions because I failed to teach them the principles mentioned above.

The next time you have to discipline Gertrude or Felix take a moment to teach them why. They need to understand why they are being corrected. It’s not “just because.” It’s because there is a cause – His cause. He loves us so much and wants us to follow Him. We cannot do that unless we are willing to submit to His chastisement when necessary. Be a good student and a better teacher!

Psalms 15:1-2 “1 O Lord, who may abide in Your tent? Who may dwell on Your holy hill? 2 He who walks with integrity, and works righteousness, And speaks truth in his heart.”

THE GOOD OUTDOORS

This may sound like a silly title, but that is the first thing that popped in my head (and that can be dangerous, lol). The words “tent” and “hill” led my mind to being outdoors and enjoying the woods and nature.

Of course, that is not what the Psalmist is talking about here. They were used to people dwelling in tents. They would move from location to location depending on the season of the year and the availability of grass and water for their flocks. The Psalmist wants to only go where the Lord is, where the Lord’s provisions are.

Integrity, righteousness and truth are the three camping items he mentions. So, let me ask you a question. Is your camping gear packed with these three? Are you walking with integrity, working righteousness and speaking truth? Little ones are watching!

TEACHING MOMENT

Our children learn best by doing. It’s a proven fact. Telling them something is only retained a little. Watching someone do something gets a little better retention rate. But doing something really helps nail down the skill. Can you help them walk with integrity? Can you help them work righteousness? Can you help them speak truth? Yes, you can, but you have to be willing to do it yourself.

Have you ever heard a parent say, “Do as I say, not as I do”? This is NOT how we teach our children to camp with Jesus. We have to go camping with them. We have to pitch our tent where He dwells. In fact, we have to move right in the tent with Him.

Tell, show and do! That is the key to successful training of our children. They are watching and learning, whether we teach good skills or bad.

I Corinthians 3:10 “According to the grace of God which was given to me, like a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and another is building on it. But each man must be careful how he builds on it.”

CARPENTRY SKILLS

My dad was a great carpenter. He could build just about anything. In fact, once he looked at a picture of a piece of furniture and then built it, without using one nail. He used wooden pegs, which he made, to put it all together. Amazing! I am doing good to drive a nail straight!

But my dad didn’t lay his firm foundation until late in life when he gave his heart and soul to Jesus. That was something he couldn’t build. Jesus had already laid the foundation stone. My dad realized he needed Jesus to be secure for his eternal home. He’s enjoying that now.

TEACHING MOMENT

How do we teach our children to be a wise master builder? We have to give them the tools they need. They need to know the Word. They need to have godly mentors in their life to guide them. They need opportunities to sharpen their building skills. They need to see the “building” going up.

Have you given them any opportunities to build? Have you allowed them to “drive the nails” in their faith. Don’t let your faith be their faith. They need their own faith, which they get from our Father directly. Our job is to give them the tools, to do some spadework in preparing the ground. But they must build their own faith.

At our Children’s Camp recently several adults leaders had the opportunity to help some children build on their faith. But as much “construction” was done, the parents have to be the ones to really help the children build. It’s not easy work. Construction requires some sweat. You can even bloody a thumb. But we build, as the verse says, to allow others to build on it. Is your foundation prepared and ready for building?

Psalms 8:1 “O Lord, our Lord, How majestic is Your name in all the earth, Who have displayed Your splendor above the heavens!”

THE SPLENDOR OF THE KING

As I write this thought today I am sitting at a table in the dining hall at a church kids camp. It’s quiet right now since all the kids are still sleeping. (Do you know how nice that is? Lol). But all around me are hills, trees, and birds starting to sing. There’s a mist rising from the valleys. All I can think of is how majestic this world is in its beauty. God did real good!

But as majestic as the scene is, it pales in comparison to the majesty of our God. We cannot even begin to describe it. No man has ever observed His true majesty. We can only conjecture at how it must look. Aren’t you excited to be able to do that one day?

TEACHING MOMENT

Our children are often overwhelmed at new sights and sounds. Here at camp many of the children are experiencing camp for the first time. Watching them transform from nervous, shaky campers on the first day to carefree, totally involved campers by the end of the week is awesome. They can learn so much so quick.

Teaching our children about the majesty of God is best done by pointing out all those things around us that our Father has made. The complexities of nature and our bodies are great ways to talk about His majesty and His greatness. Only a majestic God and a great God could have made all we see.

Our children need to know that a majestic God is also magnificent, full of splendor, dignified, illustrious, and full of grandeur.   Those are just a few of the words to describe Him. Why not take the time to explain each of those words and how they relate to our Heavenly Father. There is no way to fully explain Him, but it’s a start. As the song says, “Majesty, Worship His majesty.”

I Corinthians 1:18 “For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.”

WHY DO WE DO THOSE THINGS?

I have been accused of doing some foolish things in my life. And to be honest, I have done most of them. Some of them might have even been considered just plain stupid. Isn’t it amazing the things we can get talked into?

But the wisest decision I ever made is one the world considers to be foolish. I remember when I came to Christ at 16 years of age. It was July 31, 1977, the summer before my senior year of high school. A lot of my friends thought my changes in behavior (which I won’t go into) were foolish. Why would I stop doing all that “fun stuff” I had been doing the past several years?

TEACHING MOMENT

Do you want to be known as a wise parent? Then teaching your kids “the word of the cross” is the wisest thing you can do. Raising them according to God’s principles may be considered foolish by some of your friends. So the question begs to be answered. What is this “word of the cross”?

It is simply Christ crucified for the sins of the world. What! That’s it! Yep! To the world that wants to make it difficult, that is just too foolish. How can one man die for all? Because He wasn’t just one man. He was the God-Man. Our faith teaches us that our God died for us. That just doesn’t make sense to a “wise” world. But to us who have believed it is the “power of God.”

Take time every day to point your kids to the cross, first for salvation and secondly for surrender. Every day! 7 days a week, 52 weeks a year, for as long as you have them. That may seem foolish to the world, but not to God. After all, that is all the really matters.

Psalms 1:1 “How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, Nor stand in the path of sinners, Nor sit in the seat of scoffers!”

DARK PATHS

We have all heard the warning “Watch where you step!” That is so true. I love to deer hunt. Many times when I am walking into the woods early in the morning or coming out at the end of the day, it is very dark. Even with a good flashlight I have to be extra careful where I step. Logs, vines and holes are just waiting to trip me up.

The Psalmist not only warns us where we walk, but he also warns us where we stand and sit. The wicked, sinners and the scoffers are waiting to trip us up. They want to see us fall flat on our face. They can even set traps for us if we aren’t careful. But we have the biggest Light, His light. It can reveal any hidden traps set by them.

TEACHING MOMENT

Teaching our children to avoid traps sounds easy, but it is not. The devil is so good at disguising them. The only sure way they can detect them is by being grounded in God’s Word. It will teach the safe path. It will teach them how to recognize the lures of the world that will get them off the safe path. God’s Word is reliable and will always point the way home.

When our children are young we are in control of the friends they walk, stand or sit with. But as they get older they may have friends they don’t tell you about – until it is too late. Stay involved in the friend choosing. Keep directing them to the Word. Make sure you know their walking, standing and sitting places.

I am so glad I keep a good flashlight handy as I hunt in the woods. There is nothing worse than getting in the woods and losing the light. It can be scary and dangerous. Make sure your kids are equipped with the Light of Lights that can outshine any darkness.