As you can see from my bio, that I am a dad of three boys. Ben is the oldest, he is almost 6, then Josh who is 3, and then comes Isaiah who is 18mo. All three are at very different stages developementally and physically. Ben just finished Kindergarden, Josh has just entered into potty training, and Isaiah: everything so is cool and new to him. My point is that even though all three are at different ages and stages, they are oh so impressionable.
My Pastor Sunday, preached on parenting. One of the key points in his message was Deut. 5: , "Love the Lord your God with all of your heart, soul, and strength..." It is one of the most, if not the most important job or task of a parent to instill this into your children.
What is very disturbing about today's culture is the amount of filth that we allow through the ear gates and eye gates of our children. Case in point, we were recently out with some family, and the boys were watching TV. A certain citcom was on involving two boys who were strictly told not to go see a specific movie. The show depicts one boy saying to his brother that "mom said not to go see this movie" The response of the other boy was "well mom is not here." (DANGER #1). He cooerses the other boy into giving in (DANGER #2). When confronted by their mother later, they did what everyone does once they sin, lie to cover (DANGER #3). You may say that well it's ok, they got caught in the end and learned a lesson. True but not before teaching their young audience (our children) a lesson first. Kids see this a fun and exciting, as entertainment. The sad thing is some adults do too.
How can we take on the charge of Deut 5 if we are not going to be our childrens gatekeeper? Satan comes to steel, kill, and destroy; and we are letting him, by letting him in to our homes though TV, music, books, the freinds that our children associate with. He has all sorts of methods of attack. Am I suggesting we lock our kids away to keep them safe? Certainly not, but we need lock away the vices that creep in "unsuspectedly" into our homes. We need to stop being our childrens "freind who won't dicipline them," and be a parent. Am I my childerns friend? You bet, you ask my two oldest boys who their buddy is, and they will tell you. Why? Because I love them, and even though I may not let them do what they want when they want and they get diciplined from time to time, I am not an oger.
Do I have all the answers, am I the best parent? Absolutly not! I have a been doing this for 5 years and 11 months and 1 week. Friend, I have made many mistakes. But what I do know is that if we as Christians sit idle and do nothing, Satan will rip the hearts and minds of our dear loved ones right out of our hands. This leaving us wondering what happened to our little Jonnies, and our little Suzzies.
My Dad, who passed away exactly 3 years ago in May, had a philosphy that now I finally understand: "I would rather you hate me now and love me later, than love me now and hate me later." My dad was my best freind, and when he went to be with our Lord, it was very hard. I loved him all of my life, but he diciplined me when I needed it, encouraged me when I needed it, and loved me all the time.
Friends understand this, we live in a post modern culture. The pop culture is what is fuling the fire that is consuming our youn people. We can put the fire out before it is too late!
My Pastor Sunday, preached on parenting. One of the key points in his message was Deut. 5: , "Love the Lord your God with all of your heart, soul, and strength..." It is one of the most, if not the most important job or task of a parent to instill this into your children.
What is very disturbing about today's culture is the amount of filth that we allow through the ear gates and eye gates of our children. Case in point, we were recently out with some family, and the boys were watching TV. A certain citcom was on involving two boys who were strictly told not to go see a specific movie. The show depicts one boy saying to his brother that "mom said not to go see this movie" The response of the other boy was "well mom is not here." (DANGER #1). He cooerses the other boy into giving in (DANGER #2). When confronted by their mother later, they did what everyone does once they sin, lie to cover (DANGER #3). You may say that well it's ok, they got caught in the end and learned a lesson. True but not before teaching their young audience (our children) a lesson first. Kids see this a fun and exciting, as entertainment. The sad thing is some adults do too.
How can we take on the charge of Deut 5 if we are not going to be our childrens gatekeeper? Satan comes to steel, kill, and destroy; and we are letting him, by letting him in to our homes though TV, music, books, the freinds that our children associate with. He has all sorts of methods of attack. Am I suggesting we lock our kids away to keep them safe? Certainly not, but we need lock away the vices that creep in "unsuspectedly" into our homes. We need to stop being our childrens "freind who won't dicipline them," and be a parent. Am I my childerns friend? You bet, you ask my two oldest boys who their buddy is, and they will tell you. Why? Because I love them, and even though I may not let them do what they want when they want and they get diciplined from time to time, I am not an oger.
Do I have all the answers, am I the best parent? Absolutly not! I have a been doing this for 5 years and 11 months and 1 week. Friend, I have made many mistakes. But what I do know is that if we as Christians sit idle and do nothing, Satan will rip the hearts and minds of our dear loved ones right out of our hands. This leaving us wondering what happened to our little Jonnies, and our little Suzzies.
My Dad, who passed away exactly 3 years ago in May, had a philosphy that now I finally understand: "I would rather you hate me now and love me later, than love me now and hate me later." My dad was my best freind, and when he went to be with our Lord, it was very hard. I loved him all of my life, but he diciplined me when I needed it, encouraged me when I needed it, and loved me all the time.
Friends understand this, we live in a post modern culture. The pop culture is what is fuling the fire that is consuming our youn people. We can put the fire out before it is too late!
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