From generation to generation

Rules were made to be broken, or were they?

We grow up with this saying thinking that rules are bad, guidelines are restrictive, and by following something like God, we are freaks who are weak.  God's disciplines are for our benefit and are meant to enrich our faith and grow as believers in our families and the church community.  

There are times we want to give our kids the best of everything and we forget that sometimes the best advice is to give them room to grow in their faith as children of God.  We give them kudos they don't deserve, we shower them with the top of the line technology they didn't earn, and we are way too lenient with rewards when they aren't ready to handle the responsibility.

With our good intentions, we teach them the lazy, convenient and comfortable ways of faith without teaching them to seek God first in everything, surrender to Him with all parts of our hearts, and don't hold the standard of purity high.  We should be teaching them to have a fear and respect of a Holy God, our Creator and that the blessings of life can come in storms of adversity.  To praise God for all opportunities that come to grow our faith and experience His power.  

Let's not forget our life of faith is all about God.

We need to teach them to run to God first for everything instead of the Internet.  That God is more than the "Big Guy" that we call on when we need a miracle.  This isn't about how to make our children strong and independent.  This is about freedom that comes from knowing the truth about God and living within right disciplines as disciples.   

An outlandish faith will outlast this world filled with sin.  This kind of faith will build a strong community of believers by experiencing God in our daily lives.

God's word reminds us that in His sovereignty, God gives us freedoms and disciplines out of His love for us, for our safety and for our protection against the world and the sins that so entangle our hearts.   These disciplines are established for our good, not from His anger or restrictive ways.

Our calling as God's sons and daughters is to point the way to Jesus, the Way, the Truth, the Life.  We are not to be do-gooders with our plastic-lives-of Christianity but to be the light of God's truth.  We are to share love to everyone around us.  True love comes from the Father through Jesus by faith. 

John 15:9 says, "As the Father has loved me, so have I love you.  Now remain in my love.  If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love.  I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.  My command is this:  Love each other as I have loved you."

To really love our family in the ways of faith, we live a kingdom-minded life complete with a fresh hunger and thirst, seeking after God with an intense pursuit and passion. 

We seek God first, in every way, every day, in all areas of life.
We treasure God's holy standards of purity.    
We love the Lord our God with all our heart, end of story, no idols allowed.  

We mentor our community by living out our faith.  

We need to cooperate with God by obeying Him.  

Faith is the very fabric of our lives in every way, every day.  We live the life of holiness, a life set-apart for God when we let Him work in and through our lives to change the world around us.  Living this legacy will last, and it will overflow to others.  

When God has total rule in our life, His rules won't be broken.

What’s God calling you to purposely give to the next generation?