We NEED God’s Word.
The whole commandment that I command you today you shall be careful to do, that you may live and multiply, and go in and possess the land that the Lord swore to give to your fathers. And you shall remember the whole way that the Lord your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, that he might humble you, testing you to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep his commandments or not. And he humbled you and let you hunger and fed you with manna, which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that he might make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord. (Deuteronomy 8:1-3)
God’s Word is powerful in our lives. God intended it to be so. It’s designed to get stuff done. It’s a very active thing! Spiritual growth will not happen without this book. Therefore, we need to make sure we are approaching it rightly. Our responsibility is to create opportunities for the Word to get done what it wants it to get done.
-Theology and Practice of the Spiritual Life, Mike Bullmore
We made it! Thirty-one Days in the Parenting Handbook. Thank you for joining me this month as we have taken some of our hardest parenting moments to the Lord as if to ask, "What do I do with this?"
As always, He answered.
Today I want to leave you with a few thoughts.
We are all on very different journeys and places in our walks with the Lord. Some of us have began a shuffle. Some have began a dance. While some of us are eating the dust of those sprinting by full force. Let me assure you...wherever you are on your path is exactly where you are suppose to be. Don't try to cram your life (or your parenting) into someone else's box. It is quite uncomfortable there.
Growth takes time.
What if you are the mom or dad who doesn't know much Scripture but really wants to teach your children from the Bible? Great! Start small. Maybe introduce one verse. Tell your kids about God. It doesn't matter if they are two or twelve....today is the day. Don't tarry. It is the most valuable gift you will ever give.
If you are the mom or dad who sang Shout to the Lord in the delivery room then never allow God's Word to become common to your children. Brent always says that "discipleship is caught not taught." Let them see Jesus alive in us. They will hunger for Him more and more as they watch Him manifest on our lives fresh everyday. Jesus is contagious. His Love is addictive. Let's share the love.
Today is the day to train your children in God's Word. Today is the day to lavish them with grace. Today is the day to point them to the only Hope that can save them.
God is INCREDIBLE.
All Scripture is breathed out by God and is profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction and for training in righteousness that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work. 1 Timothy 3:16,17
God's Word sets out to accomplish a purpose. It is alive. I can't stress that enough. Living. Active. Sharp. It exposes the heart. It is God's very breath. His very heart. Imagine how it can change the lives of our children. Imagine.
And thank you for walking this month out with me. I would love love love your feedback as this is one topic that is most dear to my heart. I want to grow and write more in this area. Leave a comment with your stories and/or your thoughts.
Lord, thank you for this month. Thank you for all of those who have read along with a hunger to train their children in righteousness. Help us Lord to point our children to you. They are not ours anyway. Thank you for entrusting them to us for this blink-of-an-eye season. Let us embrace and never take for granted a single moment. We love you, Jesus. Amen.
To read "31 Days in the Parenting Handbook" from the beginning click here.
Becky, I came across your blog via Missy Fuller (we were great friends in high school) and have to tell you that I've been incredibly blessed by this series. My husband and I don't plan on having children for a few more years but you can be sure that I'm bookmarking this 31 days as a reminder and challenge for me in years to come.
ReplyDeleteThank you for using the gifts that God has so clearly blessed you with.
Katie
www.dearmushka.blogspot.com
I think you did an awesome job! I love the quote about the Bible!
ReplyDeleteblessed..blessed...blessed... this conclusion to the series was so signifigant to me.... thank you for the reminder of parenting from where we are in our walk/shuffle/dance... love that description.
ReplyDeleteSally
What is fasinating to me as a believer, is that we as mother's will run to everything but the Word when trying to raise our children. What I mean by that is, we run to Christian book store, we pull out a book on child rearing by an author that is highly reguarded or who is sound in doctrine, and we try their methods...BUT God says to seek HIM!! Not books about Him, but HIM!! Romans 1:16 says that Paul was not ashamed of the Gospel, why? Because in the Gospel there is POWER to salvation!! Let us not forget that when we need wisdom to raise our children run to HIM and HIS WORD, when we want salvation for our children, run to HIM and HIS WORD!! It is powerful, it is alive!! It is the only way to be saved and sanctified!!
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