This world we live in is very busy, chaotic, and quite confusing at times. It often looks like the exact opposite of what we teach our children from the Bible. Finding balance is extremely important. We can’t keep our children in a bubble, but we must try to teach them how to be in the world but not of it. We have to let them see the circumstances and teach them how it contradicts what we believe. We have to be brutally honest without watering down the truth. We have to teach them how to love with compassion and pray for those that are lost. We can’t be afraid for them to be exposed to the world or they will never be able to shine for Jesus.
Matthew 5:13-14
Believers Are Salt and Light
13 “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.14 “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.
The Word of God becomes normal in their life when we live the Word before them. We have to be a light that exposes evil and magnifies God’s glory. We have to be salt that keeps its flavor and seasons those around us.
Romans 12:2
2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
When their minds are renewed, they won’t conform. Even when they drift, conviction will bring them back into alignment. If we want them to be transformed, we must be transparent and use real life to bring them to God’s Word. My children always understand better, when I can relate the situation to what the Bible says. This gives them understanding instead of just memorization.
As they get older, they are subject to their own decisions. We cannot control what they do and we can’t be accountable for their choices. We train them and let them go. The rest is between them and God. All we can do is to continue to pray.
Proverbs 22:6
6 Train up a child in the way he should go,
And when he is old he will not depart from it.
We have to trust God’s Word. The truth promises that if we train them according to God’s purpose than they won’t depart from it.
In the meantime, we must pray continually about all things. God promises His peace to guard our hearts and mind when we are thankful and come to Him with our desires. We must do this with our children and let them experience peace even when they are surrounded by the chaos of the world. We have to be the calm in the storm when no one else knows what to do. It is beyond man’s intellect and will draw people towards our God.
Philippians 4:6-7
6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
The devil would love to come steal this peace by tormenting us in our minds. He will have us worrying instead of praying. He will have us looking at the circumstances instead of what God has promised. He will come to attack our faith and displace our hope. With children, he will often come in their sleep with nightmares. They have had busy days seeing all that goes on around them. We can guard their peace at night with prayer, scriptures, worship, etc. We don’t want them to end their day with whatever they saw on the news or at school. We should practice this as well.
Philippians 4:8-9
Meditate on These Things
8 Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. 9 The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.
God promises to keep our peace if we think about these things: truth, justice, loveliness, good reports, virtue, and anything praiseworthy. He goes onto say do them also. The more we fill our thoughts with these things, the more we will be likely to do them also. We should bless our children and affirm them of who God says that they are. Encourage them to think about these things and pray about them too.
God wants us all to experience His peace. This world will fade away, but God’s Kingdom is everlasting and it lives within us. As everything seems terrible around us, let us be the solution instead of antagonizing the problem. We are world shakers and atmosphere shifters. Let’s keep our peace and destroy the work of chaos by the enemy!
Father, we thank You that You are a God of peace. Forgive us for conforming to chaos instead of coming first to You in prayer. Help us keep peace by meditating on Your Word and all that it promises. Show us how to train our children and help them to be in the world but not of it. Keep our minds renewed. We want to be transformed. Give us strategy to be salt and light wherever we go. We want to be a living example of Your Word on this earth. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen!
Matthew 5:13-14
Believers Are Salt and Light
13 “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.14 “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.
The Word of God becomes normal in their life when we live the Word before them. We have to be a light that exposes evil and magnifies God’s glory. We have to be salt that keeps its flavor and seasons those around us.
Romans 12:2
2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
When their minds are renewed, they won’t conform. Even when they drift, conviction will bring them back into alignment. If we want them to be transformed, we must be transparent and use real life to bring them to God’s Word. My children always understand better, when I can relate the situation to what the Bible says. This gives them understanding instead of just memorization.
As they get older, they are subject to their own decisions. We cannot control what they do and we can’t be accountable for their choices. We train them and let them go. The rest is between them and God. All we can do is to continue to pray.
Proverbs 22:6
6 Train up a child in the way he should go,
And when he is old he will not depart from it.
We have to trust God’s Word. The truth promises that if we train them according to God’s purpose than they won’t depart from it.
In the meantime, we must pray continually about all things. God promises His peace to guard our hearts and mind when we are thankful and come to Him with our desires. We must do this with our children and let them experience peace even when they are surrounded by the chaos of the world. We have to be the calm in the storm when no one else knows what to do. It is beyond man’s intellect and will draw people towards our God.
Philippians 4:6-7
6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
The devil would love to come steal this peace by tormenting us in our minds. He will have us worrying instead of praying. He will have us looking at the circumstances instead of what God has promised. He will come to attack our faith and displace our hope. With children, he will often come in their sleep with nightmares. They have had busy days seeing all that goes on around them. We can guard their peace at night with prayer, scriptures, worship, etc. We don’t want them to end their day with whatever they saw on the news or at school. We should practice this as well.
Philippians 4:8-9
Meditate on These Things
8 Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. 9 The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.
God promises to keep our peace if we think about these things: truth, justice, loveliness, good reports, virtue, and anything praiseworthy. He goes onto say do them also. The more we fill our thoughts with these things, the more we will be likely to do them also. We should bless our children and affirm them of who God says that they are. Encourage them to think about these things and pray about them too.
God wants us all to experience His peace. This world will fade away, but God’s Kingdom is everlasting and it lives within us. As everything seems terrible around us, let us be the solution instead of antagonizing the problem. We are world shakers and atmosphere shifters. Let’s keep our peace and destroy the work of chaos by the enemy!
Father, we thank You that You are a God of peace. Forgive us for conforming to chaos instead of coming first to You in prayer. Help us keep peace by meditating on Your Word and all that it promises. Show us how to train our children and help them to be in the world but not of it. Keep our minds renewed. We want to be transformed. Give us strategy to be salt and light wherever we go. We want to be a living example of Your Word on this earth. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen!
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