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Words for Parents!

Oct7

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   There are some youngsters near and dear to me that have recently embarked upon that vulnerable journey in life referred to as adolescents. And I am being reminded of the pitfalls that await our children during this section of their life’s journey as I learn of the struggles my loved ones are facing.

   Therefore, I pass along the following in the hopes that if you or your adolescent is having a difficult time maneuvering through the challenges of this time, you may find these ‘words’ to be the lifesaver for you that they were for me. 

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   As my children came along, I knew, from my own experience, that I had to find a way to protect them from the damage negative words could inflict, especially negative teasing. Thus I believe God prompted me to establish a rule in our household of “no negative teasing”. 

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   Negative teasing at some level inflicts pain. Sure on the surface we may be laughing but down deep we aren’t! It certainly doesn’t build up someone to teasingly call them ‘stupid’ now does it?

   But the most revealing and powerful force to defeat the negative thinking that years of hurtful words had produced in my own life, regretfully didn’t come to me until I was in my 50’s. Fiery Darts: Satan’s Weapon of Choice is the compilation of lessons given to me in how to overcome and/or heal from the damage caused by hurtful words.

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   It is from this perspective of healing that I offer these words to parents, for we must pass on to our adolescents an awareness of the Truth thought found in Ephesians 4:29 (opening photo)! We should model the Truth of this verse in the words our children hear coming from our mouths before we try to impress upon them how to filter their words through this Truth.

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   We need to teach our children how to handle the hurtful words (whether teasing or otherwise) that is inflicted upon them. For without this guidance our children will be tempted to believe things about themselves that are nothing but lies.

   We must teach our children that God’s Word is the most powerful of all weapons to destroy the enemy’s fiery dart attacks. However, we must first learn how to use that weapon for ourselves then we will be equipped to pass along successfully what we have learned to our children.

   Within the Bible are counter attacks for every fiery dart Satan throws at us and our children. Therefore, it is imperative that we teach our children (after first learning for ourselves)  how to recognize Satan’s fiery darts, then how to call upon God’s Word to defend themselves. (Ephesians 6:16)

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A FINAL WORD

   Please remember that the flesh is weak. If we do not arm ourselves with the Sword of Truth, our flesh will not be able to resist the temptations that will arise from the fiery dart attacks. But by wielding the Sword of Truth against every hurtful word, the tempter’s plans to weaken us will be demolished. (2 Corinthians 10:4-5)

 

Parent’s Alert: Fiery Darts of “The Stirring”

Dec15

 

  When our children begin to experience this stirring, if we parents haven’t availed ourselves to the connection between it and God, then we become prime targets for Satan’s fiery darts. Therefore, for lack of knowledge, we will usher our children along a path that we never would have desired. We will  assume, right along with society, that our children are reaching the ‘dating age’ (and alarmingly, in our culture this happens earlier and earlier) when the search for ‘true love’ naturally begins.

Just what Satan has planned!

But wait, here’s what he is attempting to keep us (especially Christian parents) from realizing:

The Stirring – According to God

Remember in Part One, I said that Satan has a plan for our lives and that is to kill, steal, and destroy whatever it is that God has planned for us. Let’s go back to that “stirring” I mentioned earlier. Could it be that the stirring in our heart that initiates a search for true love is the Holy Spirit calling us to a love relationship with our Creator? I think so! Why else would Satan enforce a plan to do everything he could to make sure that we misunderstand what this stirring encompasses? FD, p. 54-55

   As parents, if we buy into this misconception of ‘the stirring’ then our focus regarding our children and dating will be completely out of balance. We will think how else are they going to find that one that God wants for them. For in the process, they will grow in their understanding of love and how to recognize the real thing, right?

Sounds logical, doesn’t it!

   Indeed, we do need to help our children learn how to recognize genuine love. But the place to start is in committing their lives to God then sitting at Jesus’s feet as He teaches them about the love He displayed for them. They then go from there putting into practice what they have learned from Jesus about genuine love, but first within the context of their own families; romantic love following much later.

If in those early years we set our focus on cooperating with God as He teaches us the true meaning of love, then our future attitudes and actions will reflect an appropriate definition of love because our textbook was God’s Word; in particular, verses like 1 Corinthians 13:1-7. . . We could do nothing better to prepare us to live life and love others, especially a future spouse successfully, by studying and applying the truths about love from the Book written by the Author of love!  FD, p. 55

   There’s much more on this subject in my book. If you are interested then check out the sidebar about how to order, Fiery Darts: Satan’s Weapon of Choice. (By the way, it would make a great Christmas gift!)

Parent’s Alert: Defining Happiness

Dec1

Question–What do parents want most for their children?

Answer–HAPPINESS!

Most parents greatest desire for their children is that they be happy, and I agree with this for the most part. However, as parents (especially Christian parents) it is imperative that we have a firm understanding of how to define happiness. Why? Because if we don’t have this understanding then we will easily be sidetracked by fiery darts as to how this happiness should be achieved and what sources would provide it.
In Chapter Five of my book, Fiery Darts: Satan’s Weapon of Choice, I examine Matthew 4:1-4, concerning Christ’s temptations. You see, after Jesus had been baptized by John, He entered into the desert and fasted for 40 days.  So you KNOW he was plenty hungry! Think about it, if you had just fasted for 40 days what would be the most important thing to you?
When Satan tempted Jesus to turn the stones into bread, I bet he thought he had Him. Knowing how hungry Jesus must have been, Satan might have been pretty confident that the most important thing to Jesus at that moment would be to eat.

Yet, here is how Jesus responded:

‘It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’” (KJV) p. 35 FD

In the following from my book, I explain the significance of examining fiery darts in the light of God’s Word:

Getting bread is not the most important thing in life! Obedience to every word of God is! Since Jesus had received no instructions from the Father to turn stones into bread, He would not act on His own and thus obey Satan, no matter how intense His hunger. FD, p. 36
You see, Satan would attempt to confuse us as to what we need in order to live. In examining this fiery dart perhaps we should ask ourselves the question, “How do we define living?” Just staying alive is not necessarily living! Jesus knew that to really live, is to be obedient to every word from God…FD p. 36

How does the above apply to our desire as parents to help our children achieve a happy life?

Christ defined living as being obedient to every word from God. Christ’ response was based on His familiarity with God and His Word. Therefore, one of the ways we can become savvy to the execution of Satan’s plan of attack in using fiery darts as we parent is to be able to clearly define happiness. As parents we must depend on God’s Word to define for us what happiness truly is. And we must understand that having a relationship with Christ and being obedient to God’s Word is the KEY TO such HAPPINESS.