Tag Archive | Family

A Family Needs a Firm Foundation

Question: In these challenging social times, how do I help my children be strong Christians?

Answer: It’s true that traditional Christian values are being challenged from every direction. If your son or daughter attends public schools or universities, they are most likely being taught to believe ideas and ways that are contrary to God’s biblical teachings…in addition to the regular reading, writing, and math. Most parents are not aware of this. That’s why parents need to be very active in keeping up with what’s going on in their child’s school. However, the bottom line is that parents cannot be with their child every minute. Therefore, it becomes even more important that parents are teaching their children from a very early age what exactly their family believes. Proverbs 22:6 tells us to train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old, he will not depart from it. This training will be their firm foundation.

Also, know that having that firm foundation starts with you and your children understanding that we are all sinners in need of a Savior. Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, is that Savior. Jesus died on the cross to take the punishment we deserved for our sins. He rose to life again on the third day and now lives at the right hand of our Father God in Heaven.

Once we ask Jesus to forgive us our sins, repent, and accept Him as our Lord and Savior, we can go on to grow in our faith! Know that we cannot strive in this world by our own strength. God gives us His Holy Spirit to guide and comfort us through this life…until we die from this world, and move on to eternal life in Heaven!

So remember to pray for the Lord to strengthen your family in their faith and help them live their lives to please Him! Pray for them to keep God as their firm foundation!

(Reposted and updated from my March 22, 2012 Blog Post)

Don’t have a Jesus-free Christmas!

Dec3

Question: In the hustle and bustle of the season, how can I make sure I’m keeping Christ in Christmas?

Answer: Even dedicated Christians can sometimes find themselves consumed with every tradition of the holiday season except what’s most important. They can forget that Jesus really is the reason for the season! Christians know that this is the time of the year we choose to celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Therefore, we should make the time and make the effort to keep Christ in our Christmas! But, if we know this, then why don’t we do it?

Unfortunately, some Christians can get as consumed with creating the picture-perfect Christmas experience as the world does. They fill themselves with anxiety trying to get the best super sales on the most popular gifts. Adults get worked up over seeing their peers gifting themselves with the latest “must-have” gadgets and new technology. They wear themselves out trying to keep up with the trends of the crowd. They forget to pause, reflect, and be thankful for the greatest gift – Jesus Christ.

Likewise, many Christian families find themselves in turmoil during this season. Married couples fight over which in-laws they are going to spend Christmas Day with. Parents argue over how much money they are going to spend to make sure their children have this year’s hottest toys. They fill the family calendar with so many seasonal activities that they find themselves exhausted. Yet, they fail to make time for the most important things – reading, meditating on, and discussing God’s Word.

Most importantly, during this season of spending extra time with family and friends, too many Christians fail to include in their discussions talk of their walk with the Lord. They tend not to share with their family and friends how God has brought them faithfully through this year. They are willing to talk about everything else but Jesus. It doesn’t have to be this way.

Don’t have a Jesus-free Christmas! See that you and your family are keeping Christ in Christmas. There are many ways you can do this. For example, plan to take your family to a church Christmas program that tells the story of Christ’s birth. While decorating the tree, play or sing Christmas hymns that give praise to our Lord. Make sure to share with your family and friends how God has blessed you this year. And, always make sure your family knows the story of the birth of our Savior. Luke 2: 1-20 spells out in detail how Jesus was born in Bethlehem. This Bible passage may be one you’d even want to read aloud together. Listen to a reading of this account by clicking here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QCKpwaRxIww&feature=youtube_gdata.

And, have a very Merry CHRISTmas!

(Re-posted from my December 2014 Blog)

Helpful Links:

Focus on the Family www.focusonthefamily.com

Crown Financial Ministries http://www.crown.org

The Christian Broadcasting Network www.cbn.com

World Magazine http://www.worldmag.com

A Family Needs a Firm Foundation

Jun12

Question: In these challenging social times, how do I help my children be strong Christians?

Sadly, too many Christians today don’t even know themselves what God teaches us in His Word-The Holy Bible. As Christians, we need to read and study the Bible for ourselves. Plus, it is extremely important to attend a true Bible believing, Bible teaching church. Be aware that many places call themselves a church, but they don’t even teach that the Bible is true. If you are in a church like this, you and your family need to leave NOW! Learn God’s Word! Being strong in the Lord starts with you and your children understanding that we are all sinners in need of a Savior. Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, is that Savior. Once we ask Jesus to forgive us our sins, repent, and accept Him as our Savior, we can go on to grow in our faith in the Lord! Know that we cannot strive in this world by our own strength. God gives us His Holy Spirit to guide and comfort us through this life…until we die from this world, and move on to eternal life in Heaven!

(Re-posted from March 2012)

Helpful Links:

Focus on the Family www.focusonthefamily.com

Crown Financial Ministries www.crown.org

The Christian Broadcasting Network www.cbn.com

World Magazine www.worldmag.com

Why aren’t you talking about it?

Mar12

Question: My adult children no longer want me to talk to them about God. Should I stop bringing up the subject?

Answer: No. If you are still talking to them about any other subject, you should still be talking to them about the subject that is the most important of all! Just think how easy you give them advice you’ve learned over the years about handling money. Or, you still remind them to eat healthy and get enough rest. Isn’t their eternal salvation and living their lives to please the Lord far more important than anything else?

The final message Jesus left with His disciples was to “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I (Jesus) have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:19-20 NKJV)

If we are to be taking the message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ to every nation around the world, shouldn’t our sharing include – even begin with – the ones we know and love?Just as easy as we talk to them about the latest topics in the news, we must share with them about the greatest news of all!

Understandably, when you try to speak to them about the Lord, they may try to push back against what you say. They may try to make you feel like you are old-fashioned, out-of-touch with the more “inclusive” times, or just plain hateful! Or, they might make you try to defend hypocrites or others who have sinned while serving in the church. Don’t fall into their trap! Explain the Gospel to them so that they understand that we are all sinners who need a Savior. Let them know that God’s word tells us that our one and only Savior is His Son, Jesus Christ!

Another thing they may use against you is your own sinful past. They may try to make you feel unworthy to call them out about their sinful behavior. They may even quote scripture to you. For example, they may say, “Judge not, that you may not be judged.” (Matthew 7:1) But they will not acknowledge the rest of that passage that says, “First remove the plank from your own eye (that is, ask Jesus to forgive your sins and repent of your own sins) and then you will see clearly to remove the plank out of your brother’s eye.” (Matthew 7:5) In other words, while we are not to be hypocrites, we are to call out sin as sin!

Most importantly, we must always share the Gospel in ways that reflect the love of Christ in us! We must start this early by lovingly teaching our children about God. God’s word tells us to “Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.” (Proverbs 22:6)

And when they are adults, continue to encourage them to read the Bible for themselves so that they will grow in the understanding of God’s word. Also, encourage them to join a good Bible believing, Bible teaching church. This will allow them to grow with a community of fellow Believers.

And when opportunities come for you to share the Gospel with your adult children, don’t worry about their rejection or what you should say. Simply pray for God’s Holy Spirit to give you the right words to say. Don’t speak to them in anger or try to force your beliefs on them. Pray that God will open their hearts so that they will freely choose to accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior!

Also, pray that they will understand that choosing a life of unrepentant sin will only lead to death – eternal damnation separated from God in Heaven! And, pray they’ll see that Jesus Christ is our Savior because He died on the cross to take the punishment we deserve for our sins. He loved us that much! (John 3:16)

So go ahead. Don’t be afraid. Be bold for Jesus and start talking!

Are you ready to stand?

Jan12

Question: How do I avoid being dragged into political arguments at work?

Answer: You can always try changing the subject to a more neutral topic. Of course, conversations during work time should be kept to business related topics anyway. But when some people with strong opinions want to get you on their side of a political issue, they won’t be stopped easily. It’s best to go ahead and prepare yourself for how you will respond when challenged.

But you should never let anyone bully you or intimidate you into agreeing with their positions if those positions are opposite to your own. Be aware that some of these people already know you take biblically-based positions on the issues. And they just won’t tolerate you having different beliefs. You can try reporting them to your HR department if they continue to bully you. This may put a stop to their behavior, or it may not. Try anyway since no one should be bullied in the workplace or anywhere else.

Still, times will come when Believers will be confronted about their beliefs. They’ll be accused of being haters of others and lacking intelligence. When this happens, they will do well to remember 1 Peter 3:15-16. “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that it in you, with meekness and fear; having a good conscience, that when they defame you as evildoers, those who revile your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed.” (NKJV)

And face it. These conversations won’t just be taking place at work. Believers will have similar talks with family and friends who may not agree with our positions. Regardless of who we speak with we must stand strong for the beliefs God’s Word says are true. Therefore, we must regularly study the Bible and pray for God’s Holy Spirit to give us the words to say when we are witnessing about these issues to others.

By doing these things, you’ll be prepared to stand!

It’s About Time!

Feb8

Question: I want to spend more quality time with my family and reading the Bible daily, but my day seems to go by so fast. Should I feel guilty?

Answer: Often, people complain about not having enough time in a day to do all the things they want to do. For many people, they really don’t have a lot of extra time if they work full-time jobs and sometimes additional part-time jobs. Or, some people spend their day busy as stay-at-home moms or as full-time caretakers for adults in their homes. Again, these people may find having spare time in their day a challenge.

However, for many people – even people with busy schedules – finding at least some extra time in their day might be as simple as paying more attention to what they are actually spending their time doing. For example, if you normally get up at 6:00am, you could get up at 5:30am instead. That extra 30 minutes could be used for Bible reading.

If you take time after work to stop by a store or run errands, you might be able to spend only one day during the week and part of the weekend doing those chores. Or, cook multiple meals on the weekend, so you can just heat them up quickly during the week. Use this extra time to spend with your family and for Bible reading.

But, if we really want to be honest, we feel guilty because we know that we do have extra time in our day. It’s just that we choose to spend that extra time on other things. We spend that time on things like socializing after work with friends, watching sports, checking out social media, or on other activities. While these things are not necessarily bad, they may be taking a lot more of your time than you realize. Start taking note of how much time you are spending on these extra activities and decide if some of this time would be better spent with your family.

If you really think about it, we usually find time to do the things we really care about – things like favorite hobbies. We must realize that the things we spend our extra time on tend to reflect the value in which we hold these things. And, as Jesus says in Matthew 6:21, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (NKJV)

Therefore, stop feeling guilty, and start making time for the things your heart should truly treasure like God and family! Start today because it really is about time!

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