Don't drop the ball

[Jullianna]

I was reading the books of Jonah and Nahum last night. Nineveh was spared during Jonah’s time. Not so in Nahum’s. What happened in the generations between Jonah’s time and Nahum’s time? Probably the same thing that happened to the Israelites and to many who are called “Christians” on an individual basis. Compromises are made. The slippery slope begins.

And then there’s the story about how unfair it is that someone living on a deserted island might not have heard about Jesus, so it’s unfair for them to not be saved. But…if I read my Bible correctly, after the flood every single living person had knowledge of God and the consequences of sin. Every.single.living.person. If every single living person now (who are ALL descendants of Noah’s) doesn’t have knowledge of God and the consequences of sin, wouldn’t it make sense that the reason for that is someone failed somewhere down the line to walk in that light and share it with them?

I have a lot of faith-based conversations with my son. We disagree on only one point (I don’t want to say what that point is because it is not the topic of this thread). Initially I asked myself, since it didn’t have any bearing upon salvation, did it really matter? Was I gagging at a gnat? But then I thought…when does the slippery slope begin? Does it really not have bearing upon salvation? How many so-called “minor disagreements” does it take regarding matters of faith for the Truth to become diluted?

I don’t want to drop the ball. I don’t want to be the one in my blood line (and it is so a blood line, isn’t it?) to fail to share the Truth…the whole Truth…..with my descendants. Do you?

I know these are OT scriptures, but I don’t believe for a moment that it is any less important to God that we share His Word with our children today and live it out before them.

PROVERBS 22:6 - Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.

DEUTERONOMY 4:9 - Only be careful, and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them slip from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and to their children after them.

Deuteronomy 11


1Love the Lord your God and keep his requirements, his decrees, his laws and his commands always. 2Remember today that your children were not the ones who saw and experienced the discipline of the Lord your God: his majesty, his mighty hand, his outstretched arm; 3the signs he performed and the things he did in the heart of Egypt, both to Pharaoh king of Egypt and to his whole country; 4what he did to the Egyptian army, to its horses and chariots, how he overwhelmed them with the waters of the Red Sea as they were pursuing you, and how the Lord brought lasting ruin on them. 5It was not your children who saw what he did for you in the desert until you arrived at this place, 6and what he did to Dathan and Abiram, sons of Eliab the Reubenite, when the earth opened its mouth right in the middle of all Israel and swallowed them up with their households, their tents and every living thing that belonged to them. 7But it was your own eyes that saw all these great things the Lord has done.
8Observe therefore all the commands I am giving you today, so that you may have the strength to go in and take over the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess, 9and so that you may live long in the land that the Lord swore to your forefathers to give to them and their descendants, a land flowing with milk and honey. 10The land you are entering to take over is not like the land of Egypt, from which you have come, where you planted your seed and irrigated it by foot as in a vegetable garden. 11But the land you are crossing the Jordan to take possession of is a land of mountains and valleys that drinks rain from heaven. 12It is a land the Lord your God cares for; the eyes of the Lord your God are continually on it from the beginning of the year to its end.
13So if you faithfully obey the commands I am giving you today—to love the Lord your God and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul— 14then I will send rain on your land in its season, both autumn and spring rains, so that you may gather in your grain, new wine and oil. 15I will provide grass in the fields for your cattle, and you will eat and be satisfied.
16Be careful, or you will be enticed to turn away and worship other gods and bow down to them. 17Then the Lord’s anger will burn against you, and he will shut the heavens so that it will not rain and the ground will yield no produce, and you will soon perish from the good land the Lord is giving you. 18Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. 19Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 20Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates, 21so that your days and the days of your children may be many in the land that the Lord swore to give your forefathers, as many as the days that the heavens are above the earth.
22If you carefully observe all these commands I am giving you to follow—to love the Lord your God, to walk in all his ways and to hold fast to him— 23then the Lord will drive out all these nations before you, and you will dispossess nations larger and stronger than you. 24Every place where you set your foot will be yours: Your territory will extend from the desert to Lebanon, and from the Euphrates River to the western sea. 25No man will be able to stand against you. The Lord your God, as he promised you, will put the terror and fear of you on the whole land, wherever you go.
26See, I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse— 27the blessing if you obey the commands of the Lord your God that I am giving you today; 28the curse if you disobey the commands of the Lord your God and turn from the way that I command you today by following other gods, which you have not known. 29When the Lord your God has brought you into the land you are entering to possess, you are to proclaim on Mount Gerizim the blessings, and on Mount Ebal the curses. 30As you know, these mountains are across the Jordan, west of the road,c toward the setting sun, near the great trees of Moreh, in the territory of those Canaanites living in the Arabah in the vicinity of Gilgal. 31You are about to cross the Jordan to enter and take possession of the land the Lord your God is giving you. When you have taken it over and are living there, 32be sure that you obey all the decrees and laws I am setting before you today.

 

[Stephen63]

*Wonders how many are dropping the ball at home, while fighting to be the spiritual "king of the hill" in the chat rooms & in the forums*

*Wonders how many failed miserably with their families & now are simply trying to"justify themselves in their own eyes" in the chat rooms & in the forums*

 

[BarlyGurl]

I am exceedingly GLAD to that recognizing ancient bloodline lineage is not a requirement for sharing the Gospel or receiving salvation... and even the most child-like mind can perceive the directive to SHARE the Good News.

 

[Tommy4Christ]

Quote:

I know these are OT scriptures, but I don’t believe for a moment that it is any less important to God that we share His Word with our children today and live it out before them.

very well put! Bring them up in the Lord, teach them what real repentance is, and living a godly life, separated from the world, I know it wont be easy, especially if they are in the apostate church, I don't mean to sound harsh, but you must understand the message being sold today in most churches is nothing compared to what was taught by Jesus and the early saints.

As you mentioned in your past, there are many warning from God throughout the old and new testament on how to live a godly life, and what it means to follow Jesus on the narrow path.

Kids today usually grow up loving the world and all it has, having no fear or respect for God! Plus the friends their parents allow them to hang out with can be a bad influence, so its of vital importance to bring your children up IN the Lord, so they can then be a strong light and witness to their lost friends and family. It works both ways here.

The solution is simple!


2Co 7:1 Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.​

The church today has transgressed form being a body of strong believers (obedient and faithful) who knew from the beginning they were responsible for their conduct and actions before an all Holy God! To a group of tolerant pseudo Christians who have a form of godliness but deny His power!
The church gathering wasn’t a time for fun and games, or seeing just how close they can get and be OF the world and still be called a Christian.
They took the word of God seriously, and knew all false doctrine, and love of the world needed to be put to death and removed from the body!
But not today, you tell the professing Christian world they must cleanse themselves, forsake all their vile sins and worldliness, and perfect holiness in the fear of God, they will scream legalism, works salvation, and call you a religious Pharisee!
It’s not uncommon for the professing Church to condone adultery, homosexuality, fornication among its members, and many more vile sins, they have bought into the lie that soothes their conscience while they wallow in sin and disobedience, think they are in the spirit, but have never cleansed themselves in repentance as God commands.
Yes, it’s simple, but so much forgotten, the word of God is a mere suggestions for most who profess Christ, where they would much rather talk about their favorite movie, video game, sports star, and their wonderful church that promotes the saved IN sin lie!
There is NO urgency to proclaim the truth, as it’s a strong offense to the worldly and lukewarm, they flock to their church every week, to hear a watered down message of the gospel, telling them Jesus cleansed them, it’s already done, and this perfecting Holiness in the fear of the Lord, was also a done deal on the cross!
They take a simple message from God that would solve all the problems the church is going through, and then make many excuses why they cannot obey from their hearts and repent on the scale of the city of Nineveh.
Their only fear is the loss of some rewards, since they were declared righteous the moment they confessed they were born a sinner incapable of repenting and stopping their sins.
Thus the fun and games continues while the multitudes die in their sins, as it’s not their job to judge and no one is perfect, which to them means the practicing homosexual, adulterer, drunkard, drug addict, immoral woman, thief, etc., are covered by the blood, since Jesus cleansed them, and became their righteousness, which then complicates the whole matter.
I urge anyone who has fallen into this lie, to wake up, cleanse yourself before God in repentance as He demands, seek His great mercy, stop taking Him for granted, and perfect holiness and heart purity in great fear and admiration for the Lord!
1Co 6:20 For you are bought with a price. Therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's.
Do you honestly believe, you can glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, when you are still defiled in your heart and sold under sin? God forbid!
Dan 12:10 Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried. But the wicked shall do wickedly. And none of the wicked shall understand, but the wise shall understand.
So it’s simple! Cleanse yourself as commanded, you shall be purified with a cleansed heart which comes from repentance, and made white. (Pure) Those who are wicked, and remain in bondage, or still in their carnal mind, shall not understand, as wisdom from God comes to the pure in heart!
Mat 5:8 Blessed are the pure in heart! For they shall see God.
Tommy

 

[Jullianna]

I sincerely hope and pray there aren't that many, Pastor Steve. How tragic...

Unfortunately, there are people in the world who do get the idea that they are christians just because mommy and daddy were without ever understanding how very personal a matter salvation is for all of us.

In order for our children to understand, accept and share the gospel, someone has to tell THEM first.

Romans 10:14 - How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?