Listen to today's podcast to hear how some long-time prayers have come to fruition. (Notice "fruit" is the root of that word!) Praying that this gives you hope to continue to pray even when you don't see the answers right away.
Scriptures in this Podcast:
1 John 5:14 Hebrews 4:16 Ephesians 3:20 John 15:7 John 9:31 Matthew 6:8
The first thing Moses does when the Israelites survive the Red Sea crossing is to sing praises to God's strength. He immediately recognized that they had witnessed something that only God could do. That no matter how much they rallied their own strength and grit, they could never have literally parted a sea to save millions of people and conveniently swallowed up their enemy. Moses could be pretty smart sometimes. Throughout the bible, there are verses and lessons that give us wisdom regarding how weak we are but we have God to fill the gap. This applies to parenting too. We could read or even write all the parenting books in the world, but without going to the One who actually created us, we can't even fathom the power we could wield with him.
Scriptures in this Episode:
Exodus 15:2
Exodus 15:13
Psalm 121
Is your calendar full of the kids' activities? Do you have a to-do list a mile long? Me too. These are things that try to steal my attention and time away from God. But we need to put Him first. Anything that tries to get in the way of that has the potential to become an idol. Let's revamp our calendars and to-do lists so that the enemy does not have a foothold in our calendars. Let's put God in His rightful place: first.
Scriptures in this Episode:
2 Corinthians 10:3-5
John 4:23
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Daily diligent seeking of God is necessary to keep us built up in our faith. We need to seek His Word regularly to continually put on the armor of God. Some days we have more questions than answers, but some days we can just sit and be thankful. I stepped out my Bible study routine and decided to listen and praise Him before opening my study instead of after, and it became an even more personalized and intimate experience than I expected. God is so good. He loves us and wants us to just sit at His feet, rest, and be refreshed in His presence. Join me.
Scripture in this episode:
Colossians 2:6-7
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Put God at the top of your To-Do list today and every day. You'll be amazed at how He supernaturally maximizes your time when you choose to step out into obedience first. Honor Him and walk in the Spirit, not the flesh, today.
Scripture in this Episode:
Galatians 5:16-26
Do you ever wish you had a testimony to share with others? If you think you have no testimony, think again! God is your testimony. If you think you have nothing else, you have Him, and He is everything! Listen to today's podcast for more encouragement in this area.
Scripture in Today's Podcast:
1 John 5:11
Luke 8:39
Psalm 66:16
Mark 5:19
Psalm 107:1-2
Psalm 35:28
1 John 5:10
Matthew 6: 9-13 (The Lord's Prayer)
Psalm 71:15-18
When we have to watch our kids walk through the same sinful behavior repeatedly, it can be heartbreaking, frustrating, exhausting, etc . . .
Just when we want to give up or yell or more, we need to remember that no matter what choices our kids make, our own hope can still rest in Jesus. He doesn't change even when the circumstances do. He isn't moved by storms. He is steadfast in them. He is always available when we need Him and He is our sanctuary.
Hebrews 6:19-20 says "We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, where our forerunner, Jesus, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek."
Let Jesus be the anchor in the storm and the Captain of the seas. Though we steer our rudders, we take our directions from Him. When we do that, we will be safe, we will find rest, and we will keep our hope that is in Him alone. And our kids will see that and hopefully follow suit. Don't give up; give them up to Him.
Scriptures in this Episode:
Hebrews 6:19-10
Luke 8
James 3:4
I like to think of churches as outposts of faith. It is a place where Christians can gather, be equipped and encouraged, and then be sent out to share the Truth of God. We can experience worship and praise together, stir one another up to good works, and battle the enemy together. No country ever enters a war alone. They don't just send one guy to fight. They recruit and train an army. They arm them with weapons. They make a plan of attack and defense. They continuously train together and separate. We are in a spiritual battle every day. We are not meant to fight it alone. We gather together with other believers, we are armed with the Truth of God and imbued with the Holy Spirit, Who helps us plan our attacks and defenses. He is our ONE defense. His Word is a double-edged sword. But we need our army if we are going to win. Alone, the enemy has us cornered easily. But with the army of believers and the Holy Spirit, we already have victory because Christ already overcame sin and death with His blood and resurrection. Going to church regularly and building relationships with other believers is one of the best weapons against the enemy. Don't just make church a checklist item, make it a part of your life so that you can both receive and dole out encouragement and love. It is vital to your battle against the enemy and the hope that Jesus gave.
Scriptures in this episode:
John 14:26
2 Timothy 3:16
Hebrews 10:23-25
Book cited:
The Gospel Comes with a House Key by Rosaria Butterfield
copyright @ 2018, Crossway, Illinois
Before we can use the Scriptures for disciplining and raising our children, we must first know it ourselves. I made the mistake of trying to teach what I didn’t know, which did not go well, but I have since learned from that mistake. I hope this testimony encourages you to know God before you make Him known. We cannot instruct someone about something or someone we don’t know ourselves. Dive into the Scriptures and enjoy God’s goodness!
SCRIPTURES IN THIS EPISODE:
PROVERBS 22:6
2 TIMOTHY 3:16-17
JOHN 14:26
EPHESIANS 6:4
DEUTERONOMY 4:9
ROMANS 15:4
JOSHUA 22:5
DEUTERONOMY 4:40
Ah, teenagers. Independent, passionate, creative, hungry, loud, argumentative, and growing. They are on the cusp of becoming adults, but not quite there yet. The age of wanting to be older, but lacking the maturity. It is a fun and tough age to parent all in one. I love being a mother of two teens. I have one that is almost ready to launch into adulthood and one that is just trying to figure out why she is so emotional and hasn't quite learned self-control yet. They are like bookends. I also have the privilege of leading a teen core group at our local Community Bible Study group and have really fallen in love with this group each year. I love being able to have real discussions with them about God's Word and how it applies to their worlds. I say "their worlds" because though we all live in the same fallen world, they each have their own perspective and some still think they are the sun in their own universe, while others have figured out that God is the center. I love the mix and that's what brought me to today's topic: mandatory church attendance for teens. Should we or should we not?
There are so many factors to consider here: their age, the church, the reasons, their peers, our own priorities and rules, etc.
Join me today as I dive into some of these and hopefully encourage and equip you with some ideas to help you if/when you have to make that decision. It's good to know ahead of time and have the plan to address this question. If only we could be prepared for all things that parenthood throws at us! Bless you on this journey we call parenting!
My Top 5 Reasons Teens Should Attend Church:
Community: Attending church can provide teenagers with a sense of belonging and connection to a community. They can meet and socialize with other teenagers who share their values and beliefs, which can be particularly important during adolescence when social connections are critical.
Spiritual growth: Church can provide teenagers with opportunities to learn about their faith, engage in religious practices, and reflect on their personal beliefs and values. This can help them develop a sense of purpose and direction in life.
Positive values: Churches often promote positive values such as kindness, generosity, forgiveness, and respect for others. Teenagers can benefit from exposure to these values and learn how to apply them in their daily lives.
Mentorship: Churches often have adult mentors or role models who can provide guidance and support for teenagers. These mentors can offer advice, help teenagers navigate challenging situations, and serve as positive examples.
Service opportunities: Churches often provide opportunities for teenagers to engage in service projects and give back to their communities. This can help them develop a sense of empathy and compassion, as well as leadership and teamwork skills.
Overall, attending church can provide teenagers with a supportive community, opportunities for spiritual growth, exposure to positive values, mentorship, and service opportunities. However, whether or not to attend church is ultimately a personal decision that should be based on individual beliefs, values, and preferences.
Scriptures in this Episode:
Acts 2:42
Hebrews 10:24-25
Luke 8:14
Romans 12:2
If this episode was an encouragement to you, please be sure to leave a review and come back for more next week. Thanks for listening today!
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