Ever heard the advice, "Begin with the why." That guides leader to not be distracted by the end product or activity but focus instead on the core of what is happening. The why motivated people. Jesus knew his why and calls us to have the same one and train the next generation in it.
Thursday, January 31, 2019
Wednesday, January 30, 2019
Have a Matthew Party!
God could have invented a world where eating was not necessary. But eating is a gift from God where we connect with others and open up lines of discipleship with mentees, children, and scholars from your classroom. Listen to hear about Jesus' discipleship dinner.
Tuesday, January 29, 2019
Follow Jesus Closely
Whom do you follow on Twitter? Would you want to be like them or are you just curious enough to keep your distance. Jesus' call to discipleship is no distant call but a tight jump of no return. We need to follow Jesus closely if we want our children to follow Jesus by following us.
Monday, January 28, 2019
The Root of All Evil
Matthew 5:21-26
"You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, 'Do not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.' But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to his brother, 'Raca,' is answerable to the Sanhedrin. But anyone who says, 'You fool!' will be in danger of the fire of hell.
"Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift.
"Settle matters quickly with your adversary who is taking you to court. Do it while you are still with him on the way, or he may hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison. I tell you the truth, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny."
In this section of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus makes it very clear that sin is a heart issue. The Law speaks to the outward manifestation of sin, but all sin begins in the heart. Actions merely follow thoughts. Anger makes us "subject to judgment" because it causes us to sin in so many other ways. The examples Jesus gives are: insulting and belittling our brother. This can lead to hatred which is murder (1 John 3:15).
Have you ever noticed how sin is the result of pride, arrogance, and selfishness? Think of any sin. At it's root, you will find one of these three culprits. Not coincidentally, all three of these attributes are closely related, though not quite the same. Eve certainly displayed all three in her interaction with Satan in the Garden of Eden. Ultimately, these three demons are the root of all sin because all sin is first and foremost a sin against God. All sin is a sin against the First Commandment. Anger and hatred are absolutely idolatry, because we have placed ourselves in the position of God. We have decided that we are qualified to judge our brother.
For example, we are most prone to anger when it comes to others' actions. Now, in most instances their actions aren't sinful. Many times their actions don't even affect us directly, but we arrogantly appoint ourselves as judge over them. Most of the time when we get angry at someone it is because their actions simply are not preferable to us. They don't do things the way we would do it. This leads to thinking, or saying, things like: "They are so stupid, why didn't they...?" or how about this one, "Every time they do ..., it makes me so angry! Why can't they just do it the way that makes sense?"
Do you see where this way of thinking about others is leading? Statements and feelings like this certainly don't help us love our brother more. How much does saying and thinking those things make us want to build our relationship with that person? Anger and a judgmental spirit destroy relationships. Often, judging can prevent us from even having a relationship with someone, because once we've judged we are no longer open to connecting with that person. How helpful is this attitude for living The Great Commission?
Now, before you begin to think that I am being self-righteous, I am speaking to myself first and foremost when I write this commentary. I am guilty of all three: Pride, Arrogance, and Selfishness. I have to battle them every single day, and because of them I have to constantly fight my judgmental nature. I am not naturally gifted at connecting with people and building relationships, and being judgmental only makes it that much tougher.
So what are we to do about all of this anger and hatred; all of this pride, arrogance, and selfishness?
We are to work constantly on having a spirit of reconciliation and love. When we find ourselves in the middle of a quarrel, especially with a Christian brother or sister, we need to lovingly seek to resolve the problem. We need to have the courage to sit down with the other person and address the problem; not to show them what they have been doing wrong, but to resolve the conflict and save the relationship.
Let's review Orrin Woodward's 5-step process for conflict resolution:
"Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift.
"Settle matters quickly with your adversary who is taking you to court. Do it while you are still with him on the way, or he may hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison. I tell you the truth, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny."
In this section of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus makes it very clear that sin is a heart issue. The Law speaks to the outward manifestation of sin, but all sin begins in the heart. Actions merely follow thoughts. Anger makes us "subject to judgment" because it causes us to sin in so many other ways. The examples Jesus gives are: insulting and belittling our brother. This can lead to hatred which is murder (1 John 3:15).
Have you ever noticed how sin is the result of pride, arrogance, and selfishness? Think of any sin. At it's root, you will find one of these three culprits. Not coincidentally, all three of these attributes are closely related, though not quite the same. Eve certainly displayed all three in her interaction with Satan in the Garden of Eden. Ultimately, these three demons are the root of all sin because all sin is first and foremost a sin against God. All sin is a sin against the First Commandment. Anger and hatred are absolutely idolatry, because we have placed ourselves in the position of God. We have decided that we are qualified to judge our brother.
For example, we are most prone to anger when it comes to others' actions. Now, in most instances their actions aren't sinful. Many times their actions don't even affect us directly, but we arrogantly appoint ourselves as judge over them. Most of the time when we get angry at someone it is because their actions simply are not preferable to us. They don't do things the way we would do it. This leads to thinking, or saying, things like: "They are so stupid, why didn't they...?" or how about this one, "Every time they do ..., it makes me so angry! Why can't they just do it the way that makes sense?"
Do you see where this way of thinking about others is leading? Statements and feelings like this certainly don't help us love our brother more. How much does saying and thinking those things make us want to build our relationship with that person? Anger and a judgmental spirit destroy relationships. Often, judging can prevent us from even having a relationship with someone, because once we've judged we are no longer open to connecting with that person. How helpful is this attitude for living The Great Commission?
Now, before you begin to think that I am being self-righteous, I am speaking to myself first and foremost when I write this commentary. I am guilty of all three: Pride, Arrogance, and Selfishness. I have to battle them every single day, and because of them I have to constantly fight my judgmental nature. I am not naturally gifted at connecting with people and building relationships, and being judgmental only makes it that much tougher.
1 John 4:19-21
We love because He first loved us. If anyone says, "I love God," yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. And He has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother.
So what are we to do about all of this anger and hatred; all of this pride, arrogance, and selfishness?
We are to work constantly on having a spirit of reconciliation and love. When we find ourselves in the middle of a quarrel, especially with a Christian brother or sister, we need to lovingly seek to resolve the problem. We need to have the courage to sit down with the other person and address the problem; not to show them what they have been doing wrong, but to resolve the conflict and save the relationship.
Let's review Orrin Woodward's 5-step process for conflict resolution:
- Affirm the relationship.
- Genuinely seek to understand the other person's position.
- Lovingly seek to be understood. State your side of the problem.
- Own responsibility, where possible, and sincerely apologize.
- Seek agreement.
This process can only work when you truly love and care about the other person and the relationship. Ultimately, love is the only way to defeat the three-headed monster: Pride, Arrogance, and Selfishness. That happens by loving others and focusing on serving them, instead of looking to serve ourselves. Read that passage from 1 John again (above).
We also defeat our sinful tendencies by embracing the attributes of love that Paul describes in 1 Corinthians 13:4-8
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
Love never fails.
Love is the way that we protect ourselves from sinning against our brother. If our hearts are full of love, there won't be room for anger or hatred or any other sinful, malicious thoughts and desires. If our hearts are full of love for the Lord, His love will pour out of us. As John wrote, "We love because He first loved us." The way we love everyone God has placed in our lives is by staying focused on Christ's love for us. It is only through the precious gift of the Holy Spirit that we are able to love anyone other than ourselves. To God be the glory!
May the Lord bless you and keep you.
Jason Fredrick
Discipleship Happens Where You Are
There are good programs and intentional ways to carry out God's work and train the next generation of disciples. But most discipleship and perhaps the best happens in normal everyday activities. Jesus disciples on the road and interacting at a toll booth. Listen to each weekday's podcast to apply it to your own discipleship.
Friday, January 25, 2019
Believe it -- Receive it!
Our children need to be assured that what God says is true and he will do it. God’s power and healing is real. Jesus teaches that as he heals the servant of the Centurion.
Thursday, January 24, 2019
Disciple Our Children to Look for Surprises in God's Kingdom
Ever talk to a young child and they amaze you with their answers? The Centurion amazed Jesus with his faith and surpassed all the children of Israel he had interacted with. We train our children not to stereotype people and assume that some will be more spiritual than others.
Wednesday, January 23, 2019
Teaching Children About Authority Points Them to God
What are your words worth? Does what you do follow from what you say? Jesus' words are true and powerful words that we can count on and our children can count on.
Tuesday, January 22, 2019
Your Children Do Not Deserve Jesus
Do your children ever say, "That's not fair!" or do they say that they have a right to something? It's easy to feel entitled but we are to train ourselves and our children not to feel entitled -- instead to be something better, loved and blessed. Jesus teaches us as he heals the centurion's son.
Monday, January 21, 2019
Train Our Children to Stand Up for the Hurting
Parents do need to protect their children and give them safety. But children also need to build real relationships with those who are suffering so they can have empathy and build lives that act to help others. On the day of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr remembrance, we can reflect with the next generation and look to Jesus to see what he would have us do for those who are suffering.
Friday, January 18, 2019
Teach Children to Pray for Daily Needs - Forgiveness and Food
Being forgiven and being forgiving go together. Jesus teaches us so we can teach our children we can be content with our relationship with God so we can keep our relationships with others. Grudges can be tough to get rid of and even tougher to live with.
Thursday, January 17, 2019
Teach Children to Pray for God
Usually when we train the next generation to pray, we help them pray for others' needs and not just our own. Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount goes surprisingly further and tells us not to pray first for anyone human - instead to pray for God. What is good for God is good for us.
Wednesday, January 16, 2019
Teach Children to Pray to Their Daddy
Many religions have prayer and encourage people to pray. They address God as a boss or judge or ruler or force or grandfather. But Jesus makes a bold encouragement to us that we can use the sweet term, "daddy" and talk to God as dearly loved children.
Tuesday, January 15, 2019
The Second Wrong Way For Children to Pray
Christian parents often teach their children to say memorized prayers at night or at mealtimes. Is this a good idea? A bad idea? Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount gives those discipling the next generations some guidelines to think about.
Monday, January 14, 2019
The Salt and Light
Matthew 5:13-16
"You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men.
"You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven."
First. let's look at being "the salt of the earth". Here Jesus is talking about salt in its uses with food. Salt is used to help bring out the flavor in food; and it was also used to preserve food, especially before the days of refrigeration.
As Christians, we are supposed to enhance the "flavor" of life. We are to make life better and more enjoyable for the people around us. Being salty in this sense means being swept up by the "Fruits of the Spirit" (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control), and we are to bring out these attributes in everyone that we come into contact with. When salt is used in cooking it affects the entire dish. When Christians are salty, they affect the entire world around them. Jesus wants us...He commands us to infuse the people around us with the Fruits of the Spirit. That is how we remain salty: by living a life that is loving, joyful, peaceful, patient, kind, good, faithful, gentle, and self-controlled.
If we should ever lose our saltiness, that Fruit of the Spirit, what will become of us? At that point we wouldn't be good for anything but to be thrown out and trampled on. We would be reduced to sidewalk salt or road salt. Road salt and sidewalk salt are corrosive and damage everything they come into contact with. Look at your car and your cement work after a winter of heavy salt use. It's the same for Christians when they lose their saltiness. They tend to become the most aggressive atheists and humanists you will ever meet. They have a terrible, corrosive effect on the world. So listen to Jesus and continue to be the salt of the earth.
What about being "the light of the world"? Have you ever thought about the power that light has over darkness? Did you ever think of light that way- as having power over darkness?
If you're not sure about that phrasing, think of this. How much light does it take to break total darkness? How much darkness does it take to snuff out a light?
This can be a difficult concept for us to grasp, because in our modern world we rarely(never) experience total darkness. Unless we tour a cave or shut ourselves in a closet, it is incredibly difficult to experience total darkness. There always seems to some light source somewhere. You can't even walk through your neighborhood at night in total darkness. With that being said, let's go back to the power of light over darkness.
How much does it take to lighten a room?
A match will make a difference.
A candle will help you avoid furniture.
A single light bulb will allow you to see everything in that room.
This is why Jesus calls every Christian to be the light of the world. You don't have to be the pastor of a megachurch, or a T.V. preacher to have an impact in this world for Jesus. All you have to do is share Jesus with whomever you come into contact with. We can all be a match.
All that is required to be a match is to live your life for Jesus: by living a life that is loving, joyful, peaceful, patient, kind, good, faithful, gentle, and self-controlled. Sound familiar? Well, living your life like that will get you noticed. It will give you opportunities to tell people about Jesus, and how you are able to live a life full of the Fruits of the Spirit. If you live like this in our dark, sin-cursed world, people will notice. It won't be everybody, but it will be some.
The next level of light is the candle. This is the person who actively evangelizes throughout their daily life. This is the person who is always looking for ways to talk about Jesus in any conversation. This person will even start conversations with strangers for the sole purpose of telling them about Jesus. This kind of light shining is certainly more natural to certain personality types, but it can be learned and developed by anyone. It only takes two things to become a candle, or to become an even brighter candle: Diligently study God's Word daily and Practice.
If you will discipline yourself to do those two things everyday you can fuel your fire to become any size candle that you want to be.
The third level of light is the light bulb. These are the people who train and teach others to shine brighter. This includes pastors, but it isn't limited to those who are blessed enough to be in full-time public ministry. This includes anyone who: leads a Bible study, coordinates a men's or women's study group, disciples their children, teaches Bible classes, trains people for evangelism, recruits others to participate in ministry, etc.
The most important thing to remember is that no matter what level of light you are, you will never realize how great your impact on this world is just by letting your light shine. You are impacting people everyday in ways that you don't even understand, because you don't notice them or talk to them. Whether they realize it or not, they are affected by your light. That's why God puts them in your path every day. I encourage you to slow down and notice a few of them once in a while.
What about being "the light of the world"? Have you ever thought about the power that light has over darkness? Did you ever think of light that way- as having power over darkness?
If you're not sure about that phrasing, think of this. How much light does it take to break total darkness? How much darkness does it take to snuff out a light?
This can be a difficult concept for us to grasp, because in our modern world we rarely(never) experience total darkness. Unless we tour a cave or shut ourselves in a closet, it is incredibly difficult to experience total darkness. There always seems to some light source somewhere. You can't even walk through your neighborhood at night in total darkness. With that being said, let's go back to the power of light over darkness.
How much does it take to lighten a room?
A match will make a difference.
A candle will help you avoid furniture.
A single light bulb will allow you to see everything in that room.
This is why Jesus calls every Christian to be the light of the world. You don't have to be the pastor of a megachurch, or a T.V. preacher to have an impact in this world for Jesus. All you have to do is share Jesus with whomever you come into contact with. We can all be a match.
All that is required to be a match is to live your life for Jesus: by living a life that is loving, joyful, peaceful, patient, kind, good, faithful, gentle, and self-controlled. Sound familiar? Well, living your life like that will get you noticed. It will give you opportunities to tell people about Jesus, and how you are able to live a life full of the Fruits of the Spirit. If you live like this in our dark, sin-cursed world, people will notice. It won't be everybody, but it will be some.
The next level of light is the candle. This is the person who actively evangelizes throughout their daily life. This is the person who is always looking for ways to talk about Jesus in any conversation. This person will even start conversations with strangers for the sole purpose of telling them about Jesus. This kind of light shining is certainly more natural to certain personality types, but it can be learned and developed by anyone. It only takes two things to become a candle, or to become an even brighter candle: Diligently study God's Word daily and Practice.
If you will discipline yourself to do those two things everyday you can fuel your fire to become any size candle that you want to be.
The third level of light is the light bulb. These are the people who train and teach others to shine brighter. This includes pastors, but it isn't limited to those who are blessed enough to be in full-time public ministry. This includes anyone who: leads a Bible study, coordinates a men's or women's study group, disciples their children, teaches Bible classes, trains people for evangelism, recruits others to participate in ministry, etc.
The most important thing to remember is that no matter what level of light you are, you will never realize how great your impact on this world is just by letting your light shine. You are impacting people everyday in ways that you don't even understand, because you don't notice them or talk to them. Whether they realize it or not, they are affected by your light. That's why God puts them in your path every day. I encourage you to slow down and notice a few of them once in a while.
1 Peter 2:9-12
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of the darkness into His wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul. Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day He visits us.
May the Lord bless you and keep you.
Jason Fredrick
The First Wrong Way For Children to Pray
Prayer is a simple and easy concept the youngest of children can be taught. But it is also easy to get wrong. Christian adults train and set an example for their children in prayer and need Jesus' words in the Sermon on the Mount to help them train well.
Friday, January 11, 2019
Get Your Children Ready for the Rain
The legacy believing parents most want to leave is for their children to withstand the attacks of Satan now and for the rest of their lives. Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount uses the analogy of a coming storm and helps us know how to teach our children to be ready for it.
Thursday, January 10, 2019
Do Your Children Only Look Like God's Children?
As followers of Jesus, we can be tempted to keep the outside of being a Christian but let the inside slowly slip away. Satan does not mind if we and our children look like followers of Jesus, as long as we do not follow him to heaven. Listen to Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount as he addresses this.
Wednesday, January 9, 2019
Watch Out For and With Your Children
Jesus directs us to focus on Him but in the Sermon on the Mount he also tells us to keep our eyes open for those misrepresenting him. We need to train the next generation to be able to tell the difference between a true and false prophet.
Tuesday, January 8, 2019
For One Thing, You and Your Children Are to Be Narrow Minded
Are the majority of people trying to train the next generation like you are? Probably not if you are training them in Jesus. In his Sermon on the Mount, Jesus lets his followers know that discipling the right way is unique and we expect to be different.
Monday, January 7, 2019
Enter Through the Narrow Gate
Listen to this Article
Matthew 7:13-14
"Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it."
This is one of the shortest sections of the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus gives the command, and then states the corollary between destruction and life. This comparison is so straight forward that it doesn't need any further teaching for an audience that is already trying to get to heaven by observing the Law. So what does this mean for us? Can we earn heaven by simply obeying all of God's commands?
To answer those questions, we first need to be clear on what each of those paths is.
The wide gate and broad road is our sinful nature, the world around us, and Satan's attacks on us which ultimately end in Hell.
The small gate and narrow road is the sanctified life- daily striving to live a Godly life that honors and glorifies Jesus which leads to Heaven.
Thankfully God did not leave either of these paths open to our own interpretation. He had the Apostle Paul clearly define each of them for us in his letter to the Galatians.
Galatians 5:19-21
The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions, and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you as I did before, those who live like this will not inherit the Kingdom of God.
This is the broad road that leads to destruction, just as Paul also warns. Look at how that list breaks down:
- Sexual sin
- Idolatry
- Sins against other people
- Public sins
This list of sins that the ancient people of Galatia were dealing with doesn't seem much different than what our culture/society is faced with today. Apparently Solomon knew what he was talking about when he wrote:
What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun. Is there anything of which one can say, "Look! This is something new"?
It was here already, long ago: it was here before our time. There is no remembrance of men of old, and even those who are yet to come will not be remembered by those who follow.
(Ecclesiastes 1:9-11).
Look at that list. Is there any one of those that you can say is not prevalent in our culture today?
The only one that I could see someone even attempting to make a case for is- idolatry and witchcraft. If you are inclined to argue for that you will find, very quickly, that your argument does not hold water.
Materialism and relativism permeate the American landscape. Here is a short list of American Idols: Buddha, Allah, Brahma, self, money, TV/entertainment, celebrities, government, stuff, career, the environment, academic credentials, "experts", and the list goes on and on.
Witchcraft, even though it isn't often called by that name, also has a very strong presence in our society, beginning with the increasing growth of false religions: Wicca, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, Environmentalism, Paganism. You may try to claim that none of these is "witchcraft".
Witchcraft is not what we have been taught to think it is. It is not a bunch of old hags stirring up a sinister brew in their black cauldron and mischievously casting spells on people.
Witchcraft is demon and Satan worship. We see its popularity in the presence of horoscopes, tarot readings, palm readings, Ouija boards (marketed as a game); and movies/TV shows like Harry Potter, Twilight, The Good Witch, Charmed, etc.
The American culture is immersed with idolatry and witchcraft. Ironic isn't it? That a culture that prides itself on being so "scientific" is so in love with the occult.
Notice where all of this leads: to destruction. Everything that I just went through in the last couple of paragraphs leads to Hell! You can argue for your sin all you want. It will only lead you through the wide gate, which is the gate of Hell.
Why do you think the gate is wide and the road is broad? It is because there are a lot of people traveling that road, and passing through that gate. Significantly more people than those who are traveling the narrow path, looking to enter through the small gate. This is the ultimate reason not to run with the herd. You don't want to get swept up by the stampede on the broad path and carried through the wide gate. Be very careful and intentional about your associations.
With that, let's leave the broad road behind. Let's take a look at the narrow road, as defined by Paul.
Galatians 5:22-25
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.
We all know in our head that this is how we are supposed to live. We all know that this is how we are supposed to treat other people. We know it because this is how we expect others to treat us. Not only do we expect it from everyone else, often we demand it. Do you see how narrow the road is?
As soon as we demand these things of others we have stumbled onto the broad path, acting out of our sinful nature, not "living by the Spirit". This is why we can never work our way into heaven. The narrow road is so narrow that we can not stay on it by ourselves.
As soon as we demand these things of others we have stumbled onto the broad path, acting out of our sinful nature, not "living by the Spirit". This is why we can never work our way into heaven. The narrow road is so narrow that we can not stay on it by ourselves.
Thankfully, we don't have to walk it by ourselves. The Holy Spirit has been assigned to help us. It is only through the power of the Holy Spirit living and working in us that we are able to walk the narrow path. That is why Paul calls these attributes the Fruit of the Spirit, because they are truly gifts from the Holy Spirit. Without the gift of the Holy Spirit living in us, and the gift of faith in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior that He works in us, we can never truly experience any of these things. Without the Holy Spirit we are left empty...hollow, attempting to accomplish all of these things on our own. Without faith in Jesus and the Holy Spirit living in us we would be stuck in the situation that Solomon opens Ecclesiastes with:
"Meaningless! Meaningless!" says the Teacher.
"Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless." (Ecclesiastes 1:2)
It is only with the help and guidance of the Holy Spirit that we can walk the narrow path, live a purposeful life, and ultimately walk through that small gate one day to enter Paradise. This is all by God's grace. By His grace alone. Yes, Jesus commands us to enter through the narrow gate, but He also knows that we can't do it by ourselves. Thankfully, our Heavenly Father has given us a Helper to empower us to live a sanctified life, the Holy Spirit.
God bless
Jason Fredrick
God's Better with Children Than You Are
How we treat children in our lives teaches them how God treats them. That's a difficult task but one that Jesus has instruction and power in the Sermon on the Mount.
Friday, January 4, 2019
Can You See Your Children's Flaws?
What weaknesses do you and your children have? How can we see them better? Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount has wisdom for parents and teacher about this.
Thursday, January 3, 2019
Are You or Your Children Worried about 2019?
Do you have a vision board for 2019? Have you plotted out what you want to do this year or the next 5 years? Do you feel good about it or are you worried? Jesus has a message for us the the children in our lives in the Sermon the Mount for us as we train the next generation.
Wednesday, January 2, 2019
Treasure Your Children
What has happened to all the presents you / your children received this Christmas? Have you forgotten them? Are they broken? Do you now want the next big thing? As we disciple our children we (especially Americans) need to watch out for materialism. Listen to Jesus' instruction from the Sermon on the Mount.
Tuesday, January 1, 2019
Train Our Children To Serve and Suffer Without Being Seen
Do people help others only when the cameras are on? Can someone help out others without posting it on Facebook? Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount calls and our children to make a difference for others without anyone noticing that we did it.
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