Will the Next Generation Follow God?

   
     Each generation is known by certain designations today.  There are the Baby "Boomers"....those born after World War II from 1946 to 1964.  Then there are the Gen X'ers born between 1965 and 1980, and they are followed by the Millennials or Gen Y born between 1981 and 1996.  While each generation is known for certain characteristics, one question remains.  Will the next generation rising up know the Lord?  Looking to the Bible reveals some good lessons for us.
     Following the great victories, miracles and conquests which God provided for the Israelites, Joshua, the son of Nun, died.  All the tribes had their apportioned land that God had given in promise to them.  While the Lord was faithful in His covenant, the children of Israel were not.  We read this sad commentary in Judges 2:10-12:  "After that whole generation had been gathered to their fathers, another generation grew up, who knew neither the LORD nor what He had done for Israel.  Then the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the LORD and served the Baals.  They forsook the LORD, the God of their fathers, who had brought them out of Egypt.  They followed and worshiped various gods of the peoples around them."  What happened to this generation?

Our son Aaron with his firstborn son Aiden

     One of the things we can learn from this passage is that the generation which followed Joshua had not been taught by their fathers about the works of the Lord.  This made them easy prey for the surrounding culture with its foreign gods.  They were seduced because they lacked the knowledge of God and His laws.  This was in violation of what the Lord had specifically told the Children of Israel to do as recorded in Deuteronomy 11:19 concerning the Law:  "Teach 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."  Each generation was called upon to make certain their children knew about the LORD, His commands and precepts.  Yet over and over again in Israel's history, we see evidence of neglect in this area.  The result was a generation that did not know the Lord.
      What we see happening today in our culture is not unlike this picture painted for us in Scripture.
God intends for His people to be salt and light in this world to transform the culture but it seems that the culture is doing more to transform the church.  In some denominations, there is little distinction between their governing bodies actions and the culture around them.  When this happens, Jesus tells us the result in His Sermon on the Mount:  "You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot" (Matthew 5:13).
     When we consider what happened in the Old Testament, it was not merely the allure of the pagan nations around them that turned them from the Lord.  Rather, it happened because the believers no longer knew the Lord, His character, and His Laws.  We are seeing much the same today with the rise of abortion, euthanasia, and sexual immorality of all sorts.  There are fewer church members today who have sufficient understanding of the doctrines of the faith taken from Scripture.  As a result, they do not know the Lord and all He has done for them through Christ.  So how do we begin to combat this?
     Our first order of business is to make certain that we teach our children and grandchildren the truth of God's Word.  Read the Bible to them.  My grandfather did this with me.  No storybooks for me.  He read me the Bible.  I did not understand all of it, but I knew it was important to him and I never forgot that.  Then, we must take our children to church...not drop them off but attend with them.  We must pray with them and for them and model our faith before them.  More behavior is caught than taught.  If they see us living for Christ, it sets an example for them.
     Recently, one of our grandsons was having a tough time starting his day.  I could tell he was upset so I asked him if he wanted to pray about it.  He agreed and led in prayer.  I finished it off all while we were traveling together in a car (he is five years old).  His parents are teaching him to turn to God, and I wanted to reinforce that in his life.  God has the answers for us in little and big problems and this is what we want our children and grandchildren to know.
     Within the church itself, we need to be prayer warriors.  Pray for the leadership, the pastors, and for God's Word to penetrate the darkness of the human heart.  If we want to see our churches stand

Our daughter Jordan on the day of Rilyn's baptism with Gavin

for truth despite the assaults of culture that would make it look like the world, then we also need to be willing to roll up our shirt sleeves and be involved.  For example, we can offer a Sunday School Class or Bible study on basic Christian beliefs.  Currently in our church, the pastors and elders are teaching a solid course going over the doctrines of the faith.  It has been a rich blessing to attend this.  As believers we can never get enough of God's Word and truth into our minds.  This is the only way we can stand when the enemy attacks us.
     God has called us to be His ambassadors in this world.  We are called to glorify God, and we do this best when we prepare the next generation to know Him, love Him and serve Him.  However, they will never know Christ if we do not tell them, train them and help them to grow.  We must not fail in our mission to evangelize at home first and then to our neighbors and beyond.  The Lord has called us to be doers of the Word and not hearers only.  Therefore, let us consider how we can begin to teach, train and prepare the next generation that they might know the Lord and live for Him.  Selah!

Swimming Against the Current

      Recently, we had a great visit with our son Aaron, daughter in law Bonnie and their two beautiful children Aiden and Bennett.  We spent the sunny afternoon going to a water park with them and enjoying the refreshing pools.  There were many to choose from with the intention of providing lots of different water experiences.  My favorite was the "Lazy River".
     We hopped on our inner tubes and floated along with the current.  It was cool, relaxing and fun just drifting along.  As we got to a certain point, my daughter in law told me that a short distance up ahead were the waterfalls.  While we could possibly navigate through the center space between the water streams without getting totally soaked, it would be better to take the tube back to the drop off point unless I wanted to be completely soaked.  So, I decided I would take the cut off and return the tube to the starting point.  What I didn't realize is that I would have to go against the current in order to get out of the main stream heading for the water falls.  It was hard work paddling with my hands

Salmon swimming upstream

and attempting to steer my way back.  By the time I reached the small lagoon area where I could hop off, I was happy to catch my breath.  I couldn't help but think how much harder it would be if I was in a strong current like a rip current often present in the ocean.  Swimming against a current is hard work and requires a lot of effort.  The same is true in the Christian life.
     Those of us who have been Christians for any length of time know what this feeling is like.  We are going against the current of this world in its rebellion toward God.  There are pressures on us to compromise in order to keep peace or to give in to some temptation of the flesh.  However, we know the importance of continuing to swim against the flow.
      In I John 2:15-17, we learn:  "Do not love the world or the things in the world.  If anyone loves the word the love of the Father is not in him.  For all that is in the world - the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of possessions - is not from the Father but is from the world.  And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever."  The Apostle John here clearly delineates the difference in how the world thinks and how a Christian views things.  The world system wants gratification now.  The cry, "We are entitled to this" is rampant in society.  By contrast, the Christian has a long term perspective and awaits the coming of the Lord's Kingdom.  We are swimming against the current.
     Jesus used a perfect example of going against the current in "The Sermon on the Mount."  Matthew 7:13-14 reads:  ""Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. 14"For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it."  Picture this in your mind.  There are many people headed for that wide gate just going with the flow.  Then, there is a small group trying to get through this crowd into the narrow gate.  They are going against the current, the popular, the acceptable, the politically correct in order to follow the Lord.  It is hard John tells us.  However, believers are called to be salt and light, and as we swim against the current, there will be others called by God who will turn around and join us in our walk on the narrow way.
     Every day, we face new challenges to our faith.  However, we have God's Word to guide us, prayer to aid us in our walk and fellowship with other believers to keep us accountable.  Through these elements of God's grace, we will find the strength to overcome the swirling tide of world views that try to overtake us.  In fact the Apostle John confirms our strength in I John 4:4:  "Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for He who is in you is greater than He who is in the world."
We have overcome through Christ's death and resurrection and have His Spirit who helps us in our weakness.  Let us be encouraged as we go against the currents of this world for God has called us out of darkness into His marvelous light to bring glory to His name.  Selah!

Picture courtesy of Wiki Commons done by Robert Hines of the Fish and Wildlife Agency
   

Caring for God's Creation

     From the beginning of creation, God assigned to man the task of caring for His creation.  He was to work the ground and have dominion over every living creature.  Genesis 1:26-28 tells us:  "Then God said, 'Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.  And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.'  So God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.  And God blessed them.  And God said to them, 'Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.'"
     What a great responsibility and privilege was given to man and woman.  They were created to bear the image of God and to tend all the good things He had created.  However, we know from the story told in Genesis 3 that Adam and Eve sinned against and broke fellowship with Him.  The harmony which the Lord had created was now broken.  No longer would man be able to easily work the ground, and even the relationship to all creation was disrupted including the care for and treatment of animals.  To see how the perfect creation which God has made has fallen into disrepair since the Fall of Man, we have only to look at the news.  Disappearing species of animals, pollution,
and disease has taken its toll on both creatures and man alike.  Paul wrote these words in Romans 8:21-22: "21that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. 22For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now."  With the fall, we have all seen the corruption of sin and its effects upon this world.  Recently, some terrible examples have been prominent in the headlines.
     A man in Arcadia, FL poured gasoline over his dog and set him on fire.  The animal was not killed but suffered serious burns.  He was rescued and underwent weeks of intensive treatment to save his life and his vision.  A team of veterinarians in the Tampa Bay area worked very hard to save his life.  Seeing recent pictures of this dog demonstrates his return to health.  We can only shake our head in wonder as to how someone could do such a thing.
     In another case, as yet unresolved, the police found a dog drowned with a cinder block tied to it.  No one knows who did this deed but again, why would someone want to harm an innocent animal?  There are rescue shelters, ads that can be placed in the newspaper, and even neighbors who might want this dog.  However, it all goes back to the heart of the problem.  Man is fallen.  His heart is darkened by sin and he only thinks of himself.  This spreads to every relationship and to the treatment of animals.

When God regenerates a heart and man turns from his sin to Christ, we see a different picture.  No longer is man cruel to his neighbor or to the beasts which God has given to his care.
     Proverbs 12:10 reads:  "Whoever is righteous has regard for the life of his beast, but the mercy of the wicked is cruel."  The footnote in my Reformation Study Bible says:  "God takes account of our treatment of animals.  This is consistent with concern for the right order of things in the world.  The wicked person is incapable of kindness even towards his livestock."  There is the difference between those who have a new heart from God through Christ and those who do not.
     A friend of mine told me that we can tell a lot about a man's character by how he treats his animals, and I have to agree.  Cruelty to animals, disregard for God's creation, and animosity towards others all point to a fallen nature.  As my husband would say, "It all goes back to the Garden."
     Through Christ, we have the privilege of having our sins forgiven through His sacrifice on the cross.  We receive a new heart and see all that God has created through His eyes.  With that new outlook,  we are meant to love one another and fulfill the mandate which God gave to man from the beginning.  Having dominion over this earth and creation means we are to take care of it for the glory of God.  As believers, let us look with new wonder at all that God has made.  Then, may we be found faithful to care for God's creation as He has called us to do.  Selah!