The Battle for Their Hearts

Wow...it has been few weeks since I was here.  Not because I haven't had a lot to think about, or because I haven't had anything to say.  Certainly not because God hasn't been teaching me anything.  To the contrary, He has been teaching me great things...I just haven't had the time to sit down and  put any of it in words.

Recently, I read another book by Ken Ham and Britt Beemer.

 In their book, they detail their research findings as to why young adults are leaving the church after high school and college.  In a nutshell, they conclude that somewhere along the path from middle school to high school, kids begin to doubt the authority of Scripture.  These doubts are reinforced in many systems of education, and often churches and parents do nothing to counter this.  If children and teens are not taught to understand and defend Scripture as historical and spiritual truth, they are much more likely to leave their faith and their church.

At the same time I was reading this book, I began a study of Romans.  It seems that God came to the same conclusion a couple of thousand years ago (note: sarcasm intended).  I definitely recommend Already Gone, but the findings are not new at all.

The second half of the first chapter of Romans contains some of the saddest verses in the Bible. 

  For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools,  and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.

 Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves,  because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.   Romans 1:21-23

They knew God.  These people were "in church".  They had heard the Word.  They knew what it said. But their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened.  Why? Because they exchanged the truth of God for a lie!

Here is the pattern Paul outlines...the same pattern that exists today:

1. They knew God - they were "involved" in church to some extent.

2. They did not glorify Him or give thanks - there was no real life change, no relationship with Christ (church involvement was surface, probably social in nature)

3. Their thinking became futile - they began to focus on worldly philosophies and ideas

4. Their hearts became darkened - their affections turned from God to the world

5. They exchanged the truth of God for a lie... - They "bought into" the worldly philosophies...they believed the scientists, the philosophers, the media...

6. ...and served the created things rather than the Creator - They became enslaved to worldly things (enslaved to their houses, schools, clubs, neighbors, jobs...)

7. Therefore GOD GAVE THEM UP - God will not force us to stay where we do not want to be.  He will let us go.

The battle is won or lost between steps 1 and 2.  If our children do not move from knowing about God to knowing God they will follow steps 3-7.  Our job as parents (NOT the church's job) is to do everything we can to make sure our children understand what it means to move from step 1 to step 2.  We cannot make that move for them, but neither can we expect them to make it without any  help.  It is not the pastor's job.  It is not their small group leader's job.  It is not the children's minister or  youth minister's job.  It is OUR job.  And if our life doesn't reflect this, then our credibility is blown.  Many parents fail to help their children move from 1 to 2 because they themselves have never moved.  In the words of my pastor, we have to "examine our lives".  What kind of example are we setting?  Do we live lives that glorify God and give Him thanks?  What do our children see in us that would make them want to do the same?

Promises

I am reminded of seasons again today. The weather this week, following the visit of Tropical Storm Lee, has been absolutely beautiful. Despite my dislike for this time of year in many aspects, I do love fall. I love the cool weather and the colors and the beautiful blue sky and the way the sunlight looks through the trees. My issue isn't with the season, but with the reminders of the passage of time. This is a more recent development, as my girls have gotten older.

But today, I'm reminded of God's blessings in all our seasons. For every change, he gives a blessing. For every moment that passes, he gives something new. The beauty of this day reminds me of that...However much I may miss carefree, summer days (ok, so jam-packed busy traveling summer days is more like it, but you know what I mean) I love the gentle beauty of an early fall day. And I love the warmth and coziness of the Christmas season. For that matter, I love long, cold, winter days when I can hibernate with my family. On those days, the memory of last summer brings a smile and with it anticipation and the knowledge that summer will come again.

As a mom, I am thankful to know our seasons change in the same ways. Today, I am reminded that the memories of yesterdays will always bring a smile, but they also promise tomorrows. "Summer" will return. It will be different, filled with new memories, but they will also bring smiles. I can enjoy the beauty of today because in it God promises his constant presence in an inconstant world. His mercies are new every day.

More on Truth

I am obviously not paying attention to myself, because when I sat down to type this, my goal was to write a post on Truth. Turns out I did that the other day. Apparently, God is still teaching me on this subject, because Truth is still on my heart and mind. I have been thinking about the truth of who God is, the truth of what Jesus did, the truth of who I am in Christ. And I am wondering if I am doing an adequate job of passing along those Truths to my children.

I wrote last week that I often struggle with "worldly knowledge" as it pertains to educating my children. Yesterday, I was reading in Ephesians 6 about Armor of God.

"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm." Eph. 6:10-13.

One explanation I read on these "schemes of the devil" suggested that the "authorities" (or "powers", as some translations read) doesn't refer to spiritual beings, but to our own authority or power...in other words, it refers to the "rights" we have in ourselves to govern and control ourselves. That explanation really made sense to me. One of our greatest struggles is against our selves...against what we think is "right", what we want. In Christ, those things are counted as lost. As my pastor says, "Dead men (and women) don't have rights."

When I struggle with what the world says I should do in regard to teaching my children, much of that struggle is really against myself. Will I listen to the "experts" or will I listen to God? Do I know what is "right" for my children? No. If I am completely honest, and completely submitted to God, I do not. He knows what is best for them. I have to walk in that Truth every day.

I have to go back, every day, to what I KNOW He has called me to do. It's that same passage I keep going back to.

"Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates." Deuteronomy 6:4-9

That is what I am commanded to do first and foremost. Everything else falls within these parameters. I realize that many people will read this and think I am neglecting many things. But I say that all of those "things" will fit into these parameters if I keep his commands first. In other words, when I begin to worry, or struggle, or (wost of all) panic, I have to go back to this command. Do the best things first. Every time I do this, He points me back to what I need to do. His ways are mysterious. I don't think I can accurately explain all this means. But I can say with certainty that it has worked every time. And so I continue to do it.