What Some Blessed Parents, Children and Youth Workers Are Hearing This Weekend
Saturday, December 29th, 2007As a Christian mother with varied experience in rearing children of widely varying ages, I can attest to the fact, and most earnestly do, that what children need is too often not what we give them. How do we know what their true needs are, as opposed to their wants or what we want for them? The answers are only to be found in God’s word. As humans, we parents are easily distracted and we easily forget what God considers of first importance. That’s why we continually have to return to His word to be reminded and to renew our commitment to bring up our children as God has instructed us to, in the fear of the Lord who entrusted them to us.
Rearing our children as the Bible commands often goes against cultural and our own fleshly norms, and this very weekend, a great demonstration of that is taking place in Chattanooga. Paul Washer is telling parents, young people and youth leaders the truth, and it can be a jolting thing to hear. Here are some quotes provided by Tim Challies:
“Young person, you have so limited your usefulness to God because you don’t listen to anybody and particularly because you don’t listen to God. Most of what you know has been put into your life by people who are as young and dumb as you are. So much of your life as a believer will be ruined because you will be independent of spirit. Second, dependence upon prayer and communion with Christ. Third, (and this is possibly your greatest offense against God) God has given you authorities in your life to protect you. He has given government, parents, etc, and so many young people reject and belittle this authority. Fourth, by separation from sin. Your problem is that you are not afraid of yourself and of your sin; but you ought to be.”
There is no reason children can’t be taught by their believing parents to separate themselves from sin and from the foolishness of youth, and positively, to embrace the teachings of the Scripture and to make Christ their greatest treasure. Voddie Baucham has a book entitled “Family Driven Faith” and I love its subtitle: “Doing what it takes to raise sons and daughters who walk with God.” Doing what it takes!! Isn’t that the thing?
The prescription for “doing what it takes” is in the Bible…in Psalm 78:1-8, in Deuteronomy 6:1-9, and in Ephesians 6:4. Taking God’s word seriously requires a counter-cultural, radical shift in our thinking; we need to be jolted by God’s Spirit from our slumber, for a whole generation of young people is at stake. And that word “jolted” brings me back to what Paul Washer is saying this weekend in Chattanooga, and our need to take careful heed. I very much needed to hear this message right now, because I am distracted and forgetful. Read the summaries of the messages here, or watch it live streamed here, and look for audio to be available after the conference.
