1. What is the history of mankind's goodness and our attempts to be good?
Mankinds goodness didn't last long. As soon as Adam and Eve sinned they looked for a way to cover themselves....Cain killed his brother because he wanted to be as good as him. Our attempts at goodness fail every time.
2.How can we encourage our kids when they are obedient? Do our words really make a difference?
We can acknowledge when they obey by saying it reminds us of Christ's obedience and that it tells us that God is working in them.
Yes, our words help shape the way they see themselves and the way they see themselves before God....How HE sees them.
3. What should motivate our obedience and that of our children?
God's goodness. Grattitude for His goodness to us.
4. In what ways are human obedience and passive righteousness different? In what ways do we try to make them the same?
Righteousness is GIVEN to us by God in His grace and mercy toward us. We can't earn it. It is a gift given to us at salvation..."even though we continue to sin terribly". Human obedience can be accomplished by anyone, believer or non-believer alike. It's rule-keeping by self effort, relying on my abilities instead of Christ's righteousness. It's trying to accomplish righteousness on my own.
We SAY they are the same....not sure I'm clear on how I do this. Lord, please show me...
5. How does teaching our children about justification and Christ's righteousness help them?
It keeps them from feeling like they have to be good on their own. Keeps them from reaching for the impossilbe and being frustrated or turning into man-pleasers or slaves to the opinions of others. It points them to their need for Jesus and hopefully draw them to a real relationship with Him.
6.Where can parents and children find ultimate rest and hope in?
In what Christ did. In trusting in that.
7. Summarize what you have learned in this chapter in 3 or 4 sentences.
The number one thing I've been thinking about is how I speak to my kids. When I see them obey I must STILL point them to the work of Christ. That it is HIM at work in them....and in ME!
We need to stop and thank God when we obey.
People can be good without Christ, but they can't satisfy God's wrath with their own goodness. He is only satsified with the perfect life of Christ....and that is what He sees in us when we trust in Christ's righteousness instead of our own.
"Raising good kids is impossible unless they are drawn by the Holy Spirit to put their faith in the goodness of ANOTHER." This statement points me to Christ and MY desparate need for Him to draw my kids. I can't do it!
Saturday, September 17, 2011
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
My heavenly Father....You are good. You are peace. You are holy....like no other. You are in control. Even when life is confusing and scary...frustrating and it seems like things are unraveling. YOU are in control. Lord, I KNOW I have never really been "in charge" of anything that effects people's livlihood...I now if I had I would make mistakes and it wouldn't be pretty....so I understand that I must be gracious. But Lord, PLEASE!!!!!! Such foolish decisions and now people are in binds. How have Chris and I been so blessed? Lord, please help me to be gracious. Loving. understanding. I pray that I would be considerate. But Lord, this really isn't about me. ONLY YOU can make things right. ONLY YOU. Make us Your instraments. Make us completely in tune with how You want things to go. I thank You that goodness and mercy follow us. We need it so much.
Lord, I confess to You my wrong thoughts. My judgemental spirit. Turn it into a merciful one. But Lord, please keep me from venting to anyone but YOU. I pray that I would love YOU and others so much that my mouth would be guarded like a city with walls. Please let me be so careful with my words.
Thank You so much for all that You have blessed me with. Thank You for my husband. Thank You for my mom and dad. Thank You for my kids. Thank You for this town we live in. Thank You for all that You are doing in our lives. Thank You for never leaving us alone to figure things out for ourselves. Thank You for health. Thank You for WHO YOU ARE. Thank You for 3 years between kids. Thank You for a 9 year old and a soon to be 7 year old:) We are so blessed. I pray that I'll live like I know that I am!
Lord, all the needs....material, but mostly emotional, spiritual...Lord You know them. Please help me figure things out. Show me the way. Give Chris amazing wisdom. But Lord, even with all that ONLY You can work in hearts to change them. To open eyes to what needs to change. I pray You would take a stubborn heart that seems to be wrapped in cement and blast it off. Open blinded eyes. Lord, obliterate laziness with Your passion and zeal for us. Lord, please awaken him and never let him be the same.
I pray that my kids will love You with passion. I pray that we would have fun together today. I pray You would protect them. I pray that every word from my mouth would be motivated by love because I know how much I have needed a Savior...I have needed correction, I have needed instruction....So I must extend the grace You have given to me on my children. Lord, PLEASE do this in me!!!! It would be a miracle. I sumbit myself to YOU and to all that You want me to be. Your way is the best way!
Lord, I confess to You my wrong thoughts. My judgemental spirit. Turn it into a merciful one. But Lord, please keep me from venting to anyone but YOU. I pray that I would love YOU and others so much that my mouth would be guarded like a city with walls. Please let me be so careful with my words.
Thank You so much for all that You have blessed me with. Thank You for my husband. Thank You for my mom and dad. Thank You for my kids. Thank You for this town we live in. Thank You for all that You are doing in our lives. Thank You for never leaving us alone to figure things out for ourselves. Thank You for health. Thank You for WHO YOU ARE. Thank You for 3 years between kids. Thank You for a 9 year old and a soon to be 7 year old:) We are so blessed. I pray that I'll live like I know that I am!
Lord, all the needs....material, but mostly emotional, spiritual...Lord You know them. Please help me figure things out. Show me the way. Give Chris amazing wisdom. But Lord, even with all that ONLY You can work in hearts to change them. To open eyes to what needs to change. I pray You would take a stubborn heart that seems to be wrapped in cement and blast it off. Open blinded eyes. Lord, obliterate laziness with Your passion and zeal for us. Lord, please awaken him and never let him be the same.
I pray that my kids will love You with passion. I pray that we would have fun together today. I pray You would protect them. I pray that every word from my mouth would be motivated by love because I know how much I have needed a Savior...I have needed correction, I have needed instruction....So I must extend the grace You have given to me on my children. Lord, PLEASE do this in me!!!! It would be a miracle. I sumbit myself to YOU and to all that You want me to be. Your way is the best way!
Monday, September 5, 2011
Give Them Grace - Chapter One
1. In what ways do you use the Bible as a rule book instead of the "good news"?
It seems like I've been telling me kids that they can't be good on their own for a long time, but this first chapter has given me a fresh perspective. "We don't give our kids the law to make them good." We give it to them so they see their need for Jesus and go running into His arms. Sooo......I'm still a bit confused. I have always believed that the Bible is their to guide us and that it is filled with wisdom for how to live. Is this not true anymore? Of course it's true. But we are just moralists if all the Bible is to us is a rule book. We have to see our absolute inability to obey it and let Christ obey it through us before we can truly live by it.
I still haven't answered the question. I'm not good a this....Lord, please show me how I do this. I know I want them to be good and I'm disappointed when they aren't. So maybe I use the Bible to point them to how to be good instead of pointing them to the only one who can fulfill the law. AND HE DID FOR US!
2. Does your love of the gospel change the way you parent? If not, how could it?
It is CHANGING the way I parent. Recently the Lord has opened my eyes to how amazing His love for me is. I could never be good enough. I could never afford His robe of righteousness....but God put it on me because Jesus paid for it. Yet, I still get frustrated. It's almost like I'm the guy who was forgiven a huge mind-boggling debt and then I turn around and expect my kids to pay up!
I must remember that I was in great need of instruction and grace and God gave it to me...He continues to give it to me....and I must give it to them. Daily. Moment by frustrating moment.
I want to enjoy my kids! I want to be faithful to them. I want to instruct and correct them with the same grace that God has generously given to me.
3. What are the four catagories of obedience outlined in this chapter? Have you used these different catagories to make your kids think they can earn God's favor?
a. Initial obedience
b. Social obedience
c. Civic obedience
d. Religious obedience
I am sure I have...I'm sure I've said that it makes God happy when they obey. Doesn't it? But I know what you mean. We can obey in every way and still have a heart of rebellion towards God. We can't let outward conformity define a person's standing before God. Man looks at the outward appearance. God looks on the heart. Lord, help me to catch myself doing this. CHORES. They sure make me happy. I feel like I'm teaching my kids to be responsible. Oh, Lord, please don't let me teach them that this makes them spiritual...it just doesn't. IT DOESN'T. It's wise to live orderly. I believe that's what You desire. I know You want us to be polite instead of rude and disruptive. How can we be hospitable and loving and thoughtful if these these things aren't in place....but we can be rude and thoughtless in the effort to keep our world in place. Lord, show me how to balance and please don't let me attatch any of these things to having a right standing before You. BY GRACE ALONE THOUGH FAITH.
4. Why is it important for parents and children to learn the proper place of the law?
The law points us to Jesus and our need for Him.
Like when we have a torn ligament. When it's diagnosed it's good news and bad news. Bad news is that it hurts and we can't do anything about it. Good news? the Dr. can!
5. How does a full view of grace change the way we teach the law?
We are more like Christ. We are humble and patient because we recognize that our children are in the same boat we were before Christ saved us....and that we are still dependant on Him to obey. To live.
We aren't about the outside....what we can see. What others can see. We are more concerned with what's going on inside because we know that they can't obey.
6. Summarize what you have learned in this chapter in 3 or 4 sentences.
I've learned how important it is not to make outward obedience = being right with the Lord. I've learned that I should embrace my kids sinfulness. Only then can they see their need for a Savior. I don't want to ever pretend that things are good if they aren't. I don't want to settle for convenient outward conformity. Even though it makes me look good and feel good about myself....it is DANGEROUS. Lord, where there is false hope...SHATTER it and show us the real picture of Austin and Juleah's heart. Lord, save them. Give them hearts that are passionately in love with You. From an early age. But Lord, in my zealous desire for this don't let me be fooled.
It seems like I've been telling me kids that they can't be good on their own for a long time, but this first chapter has given me a fresh perspective. "We don't give our kids the law to make them good." We give it to them so they see their need for Jesus and go running into His arms. Sooo......I'm still a bit confused. I have always believed that the Bible is their to guide us and that it is filled with wisdom for how to live. Is this not true anymore? Of course it's true. But we are just moralists if all the Bible is to us is a rule book. We have to see our absolute inability to obey it and let Christ obey it through us before we can truly live by it.
I still haven't answered the question. I'm not good a this....Lord, please show me how I do this. I know I want them to be good and I'm disappointed when they aren't. So maybe I use the Bible to point them to how to be good instead of pointing them to the only one who can fulfill the law. AND HE DID FOR US!
2. Does your love of the gospel change the way you parent? If not, how could it?
It is CHANGING the way I parent. Recently the Lord has opened my eyes to how amazing His love for me is. I could never be good enough. I could never afford His robe of righteousness....but God put it on me because Jesus paid for it. Yet, I still get frustrated. It's almost like I'm the guy who was forgiven a huge mind-boggling debt and then I turn around and expect my kids to pay up!
I must remember that I was in great need of instruction and grace and God gave it to me...He continues to give it to me....and I must give it to them. Daily. Moment by frustrating moment.
I want to enjoy my kids! I want to be faithful to them. I want to instruct and correct them with the same grace that God has generously given to me.
3. What are the four catagories of obedience outlined in this chapter? Have you used these different catagories to make your kids think they can earn God's favor?
a. Initial obedience
b. Social obedience
c. Civic obedience
d. Religious obedience
I am sure I have...I'm sure I've said that it makes God happy when they obey. Doesn't it? But I know what you mean. We can obey in every way and still have a heart of rebellion towards God. We can't let outward conformity define a person's standing before God. Man looks at the outward appearance. God looks on the heart. Lord, help me to catch myself doing this. CHORES. They sure make me happy. I feel like I'm teaching my kids to be responsible. Oh, Lord, please don't let me teach them that this makes them spiritual...it just doesn't. IT DOESN'T. It's wise to live orderly. I believe that's what You desire. I know You want us to be polite instead of rude and disruptive. How can we be hospitable and loving and thoughtful if these these things aren't in place....but we can be rude and thoughtless in the effort to keep our world in place. Lord, show me how to balance and please don't let me attatch any of these things to having a right standing before You. BY GRACE ALONE THOUGH FAITH.
4. Why is it important for parents and children to learn the proper place of the law?
The law points us to Jesus and our need for Him.
Like when we have a torn ligament. When it's diagnosed it's good news and bad news. Bad news is that it hurts and we can't do anything about it. Good news? the Dr. can!
5. How does a full view of grace change the way we teach the law?
We are more like Christ. We are humble and patient because we recognize that our children are in the same boat we were before Christ saved us....and that we are still dependant on Him to obey. To live.
We aren't about the outside....what we can see. What others can see. We are more concerned with what's going on inside because we know that they can't obey.
6. Summarize what you have learned in this chapter in 3 or 4 sentences.
I've learned how important it is not to make outward obedience = being right with the Lord. I've learned that I should embrace my kids sinfulness. Only then can they see their need for a Savior. I don't want to ever pretend that things are good if they aren't. I don't want to settle for convenient outward conformity. Even though it makes me look good and feel good about myself....it is DANGEROUS. Lord, where there is false hope...SHATTER it and show us the real picture of Austin and Juleah's heart. Lord, save them. Give them hearts that are passionately in love with You. From an early age. But Lord, in my zealous desire for this don't let me be fooled.
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