Parents: HOW TO KEEP THE LITTLE TIKE FROM BECOMING A CRIMINAL

All parents have felt the heart truly ache, AND THEIR BLOOD PRESSURE RISE over their child's behavior.
When a child is born, great hope is also born to the parent. Mom and Dad dream dreams for their little bundle of joy. Before he is three however, some parents are already fearing that jail is in the future for their difficult toddler, and they may not be far off in their assertion. Disobedience, sneakiness, and outright defiance of authority has already taken the stage.
"No," "Mine," and the famous bloody scream express the child's discontent with not being in charge of his life. The good parent better not lose heart over these toddler crimes,but enforce the law. And make no mistake, they are crimes, which, left unchecked, will certainly mature into misdemeanors and felonies.

A number of years ago The Minneapolis Crime Commission, after doing research on prison inmates and their families, made the assertion that every child, if left to himself would end up a criminal and his address would be on in prison.
Pick a day, any day, and walk through Targets or Kohl's, and you will see the miniature criminals in training for their careers as they kick and punch, scream and shout, break loose, and run from those in charge. They do not say "Give me all your money, or your dead," but rather "Get me what I want or I'll torment you, and drive you crazy." Unfortunately, we've all heard children say to their parents "I hate you," but not all parents respond the same. Believe it or not, some buy the criminal a toy as they fear the little monster's threats. Thankfully, some uphold the law, and teach that 30lb troublemaker that crime doesn't pay.
Once the child has learned to obey the law, which is for his good, then peace happiness, and contentment are present for both the parent and the child.
The bible states "Because the sentence against an evil deed is not quickly carried out, the heart of the child of man is fully set and filled with schemes to do evil."(Ecclesiastes)

These are just some thoughts that parents would do well to consider...and even then, there are no promises, but the odds are far better.
One final thought you as a parent ought to consider. In Proverbs 13:24 God, in love for us and our children said "He that spares the rod hates his son,". Consider that if you do "spare the rod", then later on the law and court, fellow prisoners, and finally the Judge of all the earth, will not spare it.

Your greatest preparation is to teach your child that "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline."(Proverbs 1:7)
PARENTS, LOVE YOUR CHILDREN WITH LOVE THAT CARES ENOUGH TO SAVE THEM FROM DESTRUCTION.

The Brevity of Life...

"When I grow up, I'm going to school like my big brother," said the little guy as he was trying to figure out how to the zipper worked on his big boy jacket.

"When I graduate high school, I'm going to attend college and get a degree," said the high school senior.

"when I graduate college, then I'm going to start a new career, and make lots of money," said the college student.

"When I make enough money, when I have a house, and money in the bank, I'm going to start a family," said the young entry level businessman.

"When my kids are grown, I'm taking nice vacations with my wife, and I'm going to see the world," said the successful businessman.

"When I retire, I'm going to take it easy, relax, and not worry about anything. I paid my dues," said the soon to retire employee.

"Well, now that I'm retired, when I can I'm gonna...".

What, what are you going to do next? What's next?

Do we really want to put off what matters most in our lives?
Life goes by so quickly. On our deathbed degrees won't make a difference, success in the marketplace won't matter, nice vacations will be forgotten, a restful retirement will mean absolutely nothing at all.

Right now is the time to be asking yourself this question: WHY WAS I CREATED IN THE FIRST PLACE? WHAT AM I HERE FOR ANYWAY? WHY DO I EXIST?

There is only one answer to this question that is correct. You see, the One who creates, it is He alone who determines the original intent and purpose of His design. It is to our Creator that we must and will answer the question
WHAT HAVE YOU DONE WITH THE GIFT OF LIFE THAT I HAVE GIVEN YOU?

We were created to glorify God, and enjoy Him forever.
Any created thing that defames the name of it's Creator will be deemed worthless in the end.
But that created thing, creature, that honors the name, magnifies the name, glorifies the name of his Creator, showing forth by his life that his Creator is indeed good, loving, kind, just, holy, righteous, merciful, and the true definition of everything good that can be called good, this creature shall indeed be richly blessed with the full knowledge and presence of their Creator Himself.

As human beings, we alone were created in the image and likeness of God, and therefore have the highest privilege and responsibility, and the unique ability as reasoning beings, and affectionate beings, to show forth the grace, truth, and love of our marvelous God and Savior.

So then, what is the chief endeavor of our life to be? To know God!
And the Scripture tells us that Jesus Christ is the "full radiance of God's glory, and the exact representation of His Being".

Therefore, today is the first day of the rest of your life, and you can stop wasting it, for a life lived without God,a knowledge of God, and a love for God is indeed a wasted life. A purposeful life is achieved by learning about God, and honoring Him whom we learn about. Most specifically, we learn about God by studying and seeking Jesus Christ, the exact representation of God and the full radiance of His glory. Let's begin, shall we? You will not be disappointed.

Why men have no room for the existence of God...(random...miscellanies)

Let's start our thinking process with these words from John Piper, for these words charge that man is the cause of his own disbelief.
"If our disapproval of God's existence is strong enough, then our sensory faculties and our rational faculties will not be able to infer that He is there."
(John Piper "Think")"

Is this true? Does our disapproval of God's existence blind us from the very reality of His existence? In other words, does our prejudice against our having to submit to God, like Him or not, kick into gear a "refusal to believe" that TRUTH which we do not want to face? Human beings respond to God much like a child who covers his eyes when he sees something scary. "I'll cover my eyes, and then I do not have to accept that reality. Now IT is not there anymore." Of course, the child can cover his eyes all he wants, the scary picture, or dog, or dinosaur IS STILL THERE!

If GOD IS, then ALL MEN must answer to Him. This means that one should acknowledge, should seek the truth, no matter what the cost, for if GOD IS, then surely GOD IS TRUTH.

Now here is the dilemma. WWhat if the individual does not like the TRUTH? What if what he or she learns as truth conflicts with one's own ideas, or one's own way of thinking about life and how it should be lived? John Piper writes "We love man centered error more than Christ exalting truth, and our rational powers are taken captive to serve this adulterous love."


This is the dilemma of all mankind. God is. God created all things. God created man. Man must answer to his Creator. Man does not like His Creator AS HE IS.

What can man do in such a predicament? Well, he either twists truth, creates his own false view of God, and embraces a lie, claims ignorance(though ignorance is not bliss), or he embraces the TRUTH, the very reason for which man was made.

Man loves truth when he feels that it benefits his situation. "Justice!" he cries.
Man hates truth when he feels that it hurts his situation. "What about everybody else?" He cries. "Give me a break!" He pleads.

The Bible says that "men suppress the truth of God for a lie,... and worship and serve created things rather than their Creator..."(Romans 1:18)
What is the "created thing that they worship? Their own lies. Rather than say they disapprove of God, they imagine God to be who He is not. They refuse to accept and embrace Who He(GOD) is. The Man's rational faculties are then no longer capable of inferring, receiving, or embracing the TRUTH. The world, and the Bible call this "depraved".

Are you one who desires truth, even if it means that your whole world will be shaken?
You see, God, Who is Truth, interferes with our corrupt view of life. Our opinions must bend the knee to GOD, WHO IS TRUTH.
Marriage, money, work, sex, relationships, all must be in accord with God, Who is Truth.
Are you one who covers your eyes TO THE TRUTH, as that child sitting on the rug in his living room, covers his eyes from what confronts him?
Only the Truth shall set you free. Jesus said "I AM THE TRUTH". Seek Him...

Remember to K.I.S.S. when sharing the gospel!

I remember hearing this acronym in school as we were preparing to deliver our first sermons. Over and over the professor would repeat himself to us "Keep it simple stupid." Well, the last "S" for "stupid" I didn't need to hear. But the main point of the professor was that when we are preparing and preaching our sermons, we say it so that even the children could understand, or the uneducated. If the children get it, the others will too.
Dr. Martyn Lloyd Jones quotes Martin Luther as saying "When I preach I regard not the doctors or magistrates..., no, I have all my eyes on the servant maids and the children. And if the learned men are not pleased with what they hear, well, the door is open." Dr. Martyn Lloyd Jones then adds that if the learned man feels that he is not getting anything out of it, it is because he is not spiritually minded. He is not able to receive spiritual truth because he is puffed up. The same must be true when sharing the gospel. K.I.S.S. "Keep it simple, son."
What are you wanting to share with a person when you share the gospel? It is good news! God is passionate about saving sinful man. He even came to earth to take care of it Himself!
Always keep in mind that a child must understand what you are saying. This takes work. I have a much easier time explaining "justification" and "sanctification" to adults than children. But it must be broken down to it's most basic sense, so that even the uneducated can receive it. If the gospel, and all of God's truth can not be broken down for the average man, then it is an elitist message, one for only the learned, and if that is true, then it is a message that is arrogant, and to be despised.
What is the most important need to understand God's truth? Men, and children must have the accompaniment of the Holy Spirit. One may not be able to read, or write, but if he has heard the truth of the gospel, and has truly been born again by the glorious message of the gospel of God's grace, then indeed he or she has been equipped to understand things that the wise and learned cannot.
Yes, remember the acronym K.I.S.S. or even K.I.S.S.D. "Keep it simple son, daughter". BUT MAKE SURE THAT YOU ARE TELLING THE TRUTH! THE TRUE GOSPEL!
"How beautiful are the feet of him who brings...", not complex arguments for the learned and highly educated, but "who brings good news".

Death, Where is Your Sting?

Well, I'm fifty years old, and soon I will be fifty-one. Some of you who read this may be sixty, seventy, eighty years old, or maybe only thirteen, fourteen, or fifteen years old. Regardless, we only live for a very short time on this earth, don't we?
Grade school for eight years, high school for four, college for four, career for 30-35, and then what? We retire, struggle with an aging and failing body,enjoy our grandchildren, maybe even great grandchildren for a time, and then?
Then we leave this earth behind, we leave our loved ones behind, and all that was precious to us. We leave them, and they grieve for a time over our loss.
That's reality folks. That is what every single human being faces.
I thought about this twenty-four plus years ago, and no matter what I did, this thought did not leave me. More questions arose.
What does it all mean anyway? Does love matter if it ends? Who cares whether a life was lived decent or indecent, if indeed it all ends anyway? How could I, or anyone else live life in peace and happiness, if all we have left is death, and departing from those whom we love, and that which we love? Meaningless, meaningless, all seemed and felt meaningless. Who could give me answers? Forget about counselors, social workers, and psychologists. This is one problem they cannot help fix. They die too, and they have no answer for us because they do not believe that there is an answer. "That's just life" doesn't cut it. "It's the same for everyone" doesn't help. I needed a better answer. Death just didn't fit well with what life was all about. Investing into our relationships would be a waste if in the end death ruled.
If death were just a natural part of life, if death were as much a part of our original nature as breathing is, then we would never question it. We would never fear it, nor have any distaste for it. But all men consider death. Some run from it, drink it away, avoid funerals and memorials because it reminds them of their own mortality. But death follows them all of their lives.
Who could give me answers?

Then I met Jesus Christ! Not religions, but Jesus Christ!
Yes! God came to earth in the person of Jesus Christ,and lived here, on this earth among men. He performed miracles! He loved, He lived, and He faced death, like us. He died as all men do. But it did not end there. Jesus Christ is not on the cross anymore!
The apostle Paul wrote concerning Jesus death "If Christ has not been raised, then our faith is in vain". Then he wrote "but Christ has indeed been raised from the dead." The writer of Hebrews likewise speaks of Jesus Christ who came to conquer death so that "he might free all those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death(Hebrews 2:15).
Oh, how rich the Scriptures are. How precious are the treasures of divine truth that all men must hear and treasure for themselves. If I wrote a thousand pages today of how God has blessed me through knowing Christ, it would hardly even be a beginning.
But know this, that Christ came to die for sinful man, to rise from the dead and offer hope FOR ALL THOSE WHO TRUST IN HIM. Look to Jesus this year. Learn about Him, study Him, cry out to Him. He is truly your only hope. Why? Because He lives! He lives! Christ Jesus lives today!
"Death, where is your sting? O grave, where is your victory?"
"Those who look to Him will never be put to shame." "Unless a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God". Have you been born again? Jesus said that, not me.

Do you know Jesus Christ? I didn't ask if you know about Him, but do you know Him?

What does Jesus have in mind when He says "Follow Me"?

A brief thought for today:

In Luke 9:59 Jesus commands an individual to follow Him. After the man's excuses, Jesus rephrases His command to follow Him with "but, as for you, you go and proclaim the kingdom of God." Jesus gave the man two commands to "Follow Me" and "proclaim the kingdom of God". Which is it, Jesus? When Jesus speaks of following Him, He is calling proclaimers. Not professionals, but proclaimers who have met and tasted the Good News, namely Jesus. He is the Good News, the Amazing News! Hey,let's make Him our DAILY NEWS.
Jesus said in Luke 10:16 to those he sent to proclaim the kingdom "The one who hears you hears Me, and the one who rejects you rejects me, and the one who rejects me rejects Him who sent Me". We have work to do.

Will You Be Interrupted?

Peter was fishing. "Follow Me" Jesus said. James and John were fishing. "Follow Me."
Jesus found Phillip. "Follow Me." He saw Levi at the tax collector's booth. "Follow Me." Each left what they were doing, and followed Jesus.
Their daily business was interrupted. What were the responses of these men? "They left their nets and followed Him." Others "left their father in the boat with the hired servants and rose and followed Him." Jesus called the tax collector, and "leaving everything(his tax booth), he rose and followed Him." All of their lives interrupted, they followed Jesus.
However, this was not the case for everyone. In Luke 9:57 one individual voluntarily said to Jesus "I will follow you wherever you go". Jesus made clear to the man that it would be a life of sacrifice and challenges to follow Him. "Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head." Jesus wasn't hinting for a place to crash, but was telling this man that following Him would mean interruption of ease and comfort. Jesus called another man to Himself, "Follow Me", and the man realized that this would interrupt his plans. "Lord, first let me bury my father". Jesus knew that this man was not ready to follow, making excuses. Another cried out "I will follow you, BUT...let me say farewell to those at my home.". Jesus let these men know that following Him meant interruption, cost, and commitment. Some were joyfully interrupted, others would not have it.
Are you willing to be interrupted, to have your life as it is now,interrupted? When Jesus calls you to follow Him, things change, lives are interrupted, and there is cost. But Christ does not call us to follow Him in misery!
He is the great Savior and friend of man. He alone is the path of true joy and peace.
So then, are you ready to be interrupted in 2011? Things will change. You will change. First step of following Him? Read His life story, the gospel of John. Now that's a great New Year challenge.
Happy New Year!

One Way To Fish...TELL WHAT JESUS HAS DONE FOR YOU

There are many ways to go fishing for men. The following is one way that Jesus commanded. "Return to your home, and declare how much the Lord has done for you."
(Luke 8:39-40) "And he went away, proclaiming how much JESUS had done for him."

What has the Lord done for you? More specifically, what has Jesus done for you?
Are you as amazed as the Samaritan woman was in John 4, or this poor man who was demonized, who was then restored into his right mind?
This is the case with every true believer in Christ. Brought back to sanity from a hopeless state without God. Are you amazed at what Jesus has done for you?
Go and tell, go and tell! Today, go and tell, with those who have heard and those who have not heard. Encourage the believer, astonish the unbeliever with the story of God's grace in Christ, and how He changed and is still changing your life.