Prayers for my Keiki
Here's a super cool tool you can use to pray for your child. It's a simple prayer card with a short prayer and scripture passage you can pray over your child.
There's a back side too.
We'll be passing these out at GBCK this Sunday for the conclusion of our parenting series.
Doing Bad Stuff
(The Goal of Parenting, part 3)
Julie is really good about doing a breakfast devotional with the boys. She reads from a daily devotional and then asks them questions and gets them to respond.
Today I did the devotional, and guess what it was about? Yep, sin.
So, how do you talk to kids about sin? (Go here to read about why we need to teach children about sin.)
If you ask my kids what sin is they will tell you it's "doing bad stuff." This is a typical response, not just for kids, but for adults too. But is sin really just about not doing bad stuff? If so, then we can deal with sin by changing our behavior. As the saying goes, "don't dance, don't drink, don't smoke, don't chew, and don't go out with girls who do."
However, the problem of sin goes beyond behavior modification; it's not about doing bad stuff. If we deal with sin by simply changing our behavior then who needs Jesus? All one needs is discipline, or inspiration, or a good therapist, or a strong mind, etc.
The problem of sin is that we cannot deal with sin. There is nothing we can do to save ourselves from sin. Even really good people who recycle, vote, use their blinkers on the freeway, and listen to Christian radio can't save themselves.
So when we teach our kids about sin, it's not only about doing bad stuff. Yes, let's correct bad behavior, but we must also teach them that we are lost in our sin and that no amount of good behavior can ever correct our sin.
At breakfast I recalled the story about Aaron nearly drowning at Ko'olina. That got their attention. I reminded them that no matter how hard Aaron tried he couldn't get his head above water. And just as mommy saved Aaron, so did Jesus save us.
I believe that when this really sinks in to our kids, when they really begin to understand in their hearts what Jesus did for us, it's the beginning of a lifelong journey of loving God.
And let me add, I know it sounds like Leave it to Beaver sitting at breakfast and talking about deep biblical truths, but it's not. In the middle of daddy's teaching are lots of burps, butt jokes, and general mayhem.
This is why we must teach them and keep on teaching them. Teach them diligently and pray!
Why do I need to go to church?
For part 3 of our FAQ series we will answer the question, "Why do I need to go to church?"
If you think you need to go to church to be a good person, become more spiritual, or reserve your spot in heaven, then you don't need to go to church. There are lots of good people who don't go to church. Many people are in touch with their spirutality outside of church. And going to church will guarantee you a place in heaven no more than sitting on an airplane will make you a pilot, or going to McDonald's will make you into a Big Mac.
So, why go to church?
From my early teens to my early 20's I was pretty disengaged from church. I attended church, but I wasn't there, if you know what I mean. I mostly went out of obligation and because I liked a girl (she's my wife now). It wasn't until I turned 22 that I discovered I needed to go to church. When I think back, the need to go to church stemmed from a simple yet life-altering decision: I decided to follow Jesus.
It was this decision that caused me to need to go to church. I admit, I haven't always been happy with church, or I haven't always felt like going to church. Yet my commitment to follow Christ goes deeper than man's faults or how I'm feeling. In short, if I'm committed to following Jesus I need to go to church.
This Sunday we explore how following Jesus and going to church cannot be exclusive to each other.
Let me also say that at GBCK we try hard to make church a comfortable and compelling place for people to meet Jesus. This includes those who are discovering, or re-discovering, a relationship with Jesus.
There are many reasons not to go to church. Yet the ONE reason to go is found in the decision to follow Jesus who "loves us as if there's only one of us." (Augustine)
Life’s measure
Every few months I measure the height of my three boys. I do it the old school way. No fancy tools or cartoon wall charts. I make them stand ramrod straight against the door jamb of my office with a book on their heads and note their height with a pencil. Then we stand back and ooooh and ahhhhh at how much they've grown. They are growing fast.
Have you ever thought about how much we humans measure things?
Proud
I am so proud of Grace Bible Kapolei! Today was our Compassion Sunday. That means that individuals and families rose to the occasion and sponsored a child through Compassion International. For about a dollar a day these children will be rescued from the vicious cycle of poverty. They will receive medical care, an education, and most of all, they will meet Jesus. We had 39 children available for sponsorship and 28 were sponsored! Oh, man! 28 kids now have a great shot at a hope and a future. I'm so proud of the church rising up and living open-handed lives, understanding that what they do matters, and that Jesus magnifies their faith to make a difference. Way to go, GBCK!
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Recent Posts
- Prayers for my Keiki
- Parenting Q&A with Dr. Hale Akamine
- Doing Bad Stuff
- The Goal of Parenting, part 2
- The Goal of Parenting