Category Archives: Seriously

“R” Your Kids Missing the Boat?

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Praise God, we still have the right to homeschool our children. I’ve met homeschooling parents who are very committed to having their children finish their schooling with mastery of the four R’s. In the current “feel good,” “learning must be fun,” “we don’t want anyone to feel bad” educational mentalities of today, solid preparation is sorely needed, and many homeschooling parents are rising to the call. Some, however, may have forgotten the value of the four R’s.

“Reading” —whatever happened to it? It seems like reading has been replaced with videos. Sit back, take it easy, and your children will be entertained and spoon-fed. Reading is the key that unlocks unlimited resources. Always be careful about what is being read. Lord have mercy on the children whose parents let them read all sorts of evil books.

“Riting” is a key medium of communication. More than just penmanship, emphasis on grammar and spelling is necessary. In addition to writing, learning to carry on an intelligent conversation is vital. Teri and I visited a woman on hospice and her daughter recently. They spoke so highly of the time Mary and Anna visited previously. They loved how the girls were such great conversationalists.

“Rithmetic” is thought of as less important these days with the availability of calculators. When is the last time you checked out somewhere and the cashier counted back your change to you? As long as we have money, we will need to know how to add and subtract.

Yes, I said four “R’s.” The fourth “R” is Responsibility. Often the most neglected “R,” responsibility is foundational for preparing a child for life. Every person needs to take responsibility for his choices. We as parents need to teach our children responsibility. Sadly, we are seeing the consequences of a society where irresponsibility reigns.

“Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.” (Galatians 6:7-8)

Steve

Two Reasons     

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“I’d really like to – but…” Sales books will tell you there are two reasons a person does not buy – the reason they tell you and the real reason in the back of their minds that they are not telling you. As believers we are bound to truth. Our Father is the Father of truth. Satan is the father of lies. We will identify with One or the other by the words that we speak. May we either gently speak the truth in love or hold our tongue. 

“He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he.” (Deuteronomy 32:4)

Or,

“Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.” (John 8:44)

Steve

Ever Make a One?

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When was the last time you made a bad decision? I mean one that was really dumb? I’ve made many, but the one that stands out in my mind was the time I decided to “help” the crockpot get a bit hotter because we needed it to cook the family’s favorite stew in a short period of time. I almost burned up our counter top in the process. Pretty dumb.

Some decisions, such as my crockpot fiasco, are correctable. Others have eternal consequences such as the “moms” who choose to get an abortion. Are you praying that this modern-day holocaust would stop? Every time you pray, would you pray that God would intervene in these “moms’” lives and convict them so they might not kill their babies?

“There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.” (Proverbs 14:12)

Steve

At Least Two

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There are at least two ways to feel good about yourself – an easy route and a hard route. The later will take commitment and discipline.

The easy way is to find someone who is taking the hard road and do all you can to tear him down. Tell yourself and others why he shouldn’t succeed and what you think he is doing wrong. (And while you’re at it, never look at yourself and direct your critical eye at your own life and how well it is working … deep down, honestly.) Then you don’t have to feel guilty when looking “up” to how he is using his life. By beating him down, you elevate yourself. Simple, but sad.

That is similar to driving off the end of a tall bridge that is missing a span. It is very exciting – exhilarating even – but only for a moment before reality comes crashing in.

“But when the Jews of Thessalonica had knowledge that the word of God was preached of Paul at Berea, they came thither also, and stirred up the people.” (Acts 17:13)

Steve

Christian Man-Card Applications

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The Lord is always accepting applications for being a man of God. Current card holders include Paul, John the Baptist, Stephen, Barnabas, and countless others throughout the ages.

No prior knowledge, no experience, and no diplomas are required to get a Christian-Man Card. The price for it is free but tremendously costly. The only requirements are a heart for God’s Word and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Mandatory mentorship via the Holy Spirit immediately follows acceptance. Apply now, but there is no fear of running out of available slots because, sadly, few apply.

“And there came thither certain Jews from Antioch and Iconium, who persuaded the people, and, having stoned Paul, drew him out of the city, supposing he had been dead. Howbeit, as the disciples stood round about him, he rose up, and came into the city….” (Acts 14:19-20)

After being stoned, Paul went back into the city where some of the people who stoned him lived. That was Holy Spirit boldness! Paul lived what he taught. He was no stranger to conflict or pain.

“Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.” (Acts 14:22)

Brothers, may we be strong and courageous!

Steve

Hath a Devil?

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A while back I was visiting with a pastor of a large church. He told me that if some people didn’t tell him that his message was offensive, he figured he wasn’t doing his job.

Another pastor recently surprised me by saying that when he was interviewing with churches as a possible pastoral candidate, many churches provided him with a list of subjects the pastor could not speak on. Undaunted, he refused to consider any church with such a list.

Don’t we all prefer to be liked? As parents we especially want our children to like us. George Barna in Revolutionary Parenting said that it is not our job to be our children’s friend but to be their best parent. Amen. In the process of being their best parent, there will be times when we tell our children the truth, and they react to us. We must be true to our calling. Our children’s future likely depends on it.

“And many of them said, He hath a devil, and is mad; why hear ye him?” (John 10:20)

Steve

Your Symptoms?

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A noted authority has shared lethal symptoms that you will want to examine yourself for. “Worldly-mindedness is as common and as fatal a symptom of hypocrisy as any other, for by no sin can Satan have a surer and faster hold of the soul, under the cloak of a visible and passable profession of religion, than by this…” (Matthew Henry).

So many just go through the motions of professing faith in Christ when it basically is little more than fire insurance – just something nice to have in case they need it. Their heart and love, however, are for the things of this world as opposed to the Risen Savior, who gave His life for us. What lights you up? Is it doing or watching the fun and exciting things of this world or “those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God” (Colossians 3:1)?

“Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.” (James 4:4)

Steve

Inward or Outward?

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Where is your focus? Our minds are amazing in that they are always busy thinking about something. The question is, what are you primarily focused on? Just like driving a car, you will steer toward what you focus on. Colossians 3 tells us to set our hearts and minds on things above. Obviously, every thought cannot be on things above, but what is the driving desire of your heart; money, pleasure, entertainment, a hobby, your job, your family’s growth in Christ?

Now what is scary is that the desire of our hearts will become the desire of our children’s hearts. Jesus said, “the lusts of your father you will do.” Even if we do not live out the desire of our hearts but have a degree of outward conformity to “religious stuff,” our children will embrace what goes on in our mind. Look around you; we see it all the time. Andrew Murray said it plainly, “Be what you want your children to be.” (What a guy!)

“And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.” (Ephesians 6:4)

Steve

Driven

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Does your wife “run” your home, or does your home run your wife? One results in peace and the other in stress. I had a hamster a long time ago, and he would run in his exercise wheel in his cage. His little legs were a blur – run, run, run, and yet he would go absolutely nowhere. We hear from many moms whose lives feel that way, busy but not productive.

We have all read the famous definition of insanity (often attributed to Einstein): doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. Is your wife doing the same thing, day in and day out, and hoping for better results? Note: The problem isn’t in doing the same things every day because much of life consists of that. The problem is expecting or hoping for different results when doing the same old things.  

If that describes your wife and home, I encourage you to come alongside her and seek solutions together. Maybe she needs some “tools,” or some fresh ideas, or simply some physical help. What about showing your gratitude? Remember Valentine’s Day is a week from Sunday (the 14th). It may even be possible that you are the problem through an undisciplined life. You are a team, so don’t let her down.

  “… I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” (John 10:10)

Husbands: Make sure your home is filled with abundant life.

Steve

Time or Timeless?

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For a time or timeless?

Day-timers
Agape love
Pagers
Faithfulness
Pay phones
Self-discipline,
Land lines
Purity
Sears catalog
Hard work
Holiness

“While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.” (2 Corinthians 4:18)

Steve