Out of Babylon

I have a confession. I spent a good part of last month, and the month before, watching an old TV show. I had never heard of it when it was actually on TV, but the basic plot of the show was interesting, and so I started watching the episodes on the internet (you can watch almost any show on the internet). There came a point where I kept watching just so that I could find out how the show ended. And then it was over.


Well, after wasting all that time and mind space, I have been doing some contemplating. Yes, the basic plot of the show was good, but there were many things in that show that were not good. I'll name some of them: premarital sex, homosexuality, abortion, atheism, hedonism, pantheism, and so much more. There was a concerted effort in this show to blur the lines between right and wrong. There was a concerted effort made in the show to proclaim that there is not one way that is right. Everyone can be right at the same time. I'm okay, you're okay. Anything goes.


As I was contemplating, I kept thinking about the verse in the Bible that says, "And I heard another voice from heaven saying, “Come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues." (Revelation 18:4)


I know there are many things in my life that need reevaluating. I don't need to fill my mind with raunchy jokes, extramarital affairs, homosexuality, murder, torture, kidnappings, spiritualism, pantheism, occultism, and all the confusion that is Babylon. God is calling me to come out of Babylon. I think I am ready. 


What about you?

Miracles

In the beginning, God made our world out of something formless and empty. 

God spoke and there was light, air, earth, sun, moon, stars, trees, plants, fish, birds and animals.

God breathed into man and he became a living person.

I consider these all pretty miraculous. Who else could do any of this?

God sent a flood, that opened the fountains of the deep and poured water from the sky as had never happened before, to cleanse the earth of man's wickedness.

God gave an old couple a child of promise. He parted the Red Sea, parted the Jordan River, and caused the walls of Jericho to tumble. God sweetened the bitter waters, many times in fact. Water gushed from the rock at God's command. Manna came from heaven. God routed armies, told the sun to stand still, and even turned back time. God can work miracles for His people!

God sent oil and flour without fail, with water in the well. He brought a boy back to life. He carried his prophet away in a whirlwind with chariots of fire. This is only scratching the surface. There's lots more!!!

When Jesus came:

A virgin conceived and bore a son. An old, barren woman also conceived and bore a son.

Water became wine. Paralytics walked, the dumb spoke, the blind saw, the demoniacs were freed. The dead rose to life again. Jesus is able to do the miraculous. He can still do these things!

Five thousand were fed with five loaves and two fish. Water walking was not out of the question. The wind and waves obeyed His command. A woman's faith and the touch of His garment brought healing. A little girl woke up. Lazarus came out of the tomb. The widow's son was returned to her alive. I could go on and on and on... Even the Bible says that there was so much more that Jesus did than what they were able to record.

Miracles. God performs them for His people. Jesus says, "Whatever you ask in my name, that will I do. If you ask anything in my name, I will do it. If you abide in me and my words abide in you, you will ask what you desire and it shall be done for you."

Oh me of little faith! Lord, I believe. Please help my unbelief!

Tragedy

Please excuse me for writing about something other than my children. This is really on my heart tonight...

I wonder what the average age of a person is when they experience their first completely devastating loss. In my life, I have experienced a lot of loss. I don't know what the most devastating one was. I do remember the most recent one, and that was an episodic event in my life. I was 26 years old. Other losses, that are older and have had more time to heal don't seem so terrible as the most recent one, but they were devastating at the time that they happened.

Just recently, there has been much tragedy. In the news, in the lives of my friends, everywhere around us there is immense suffering as people suffer loss of loved ones, livelihood, homes, pets, and security. It is appalling to witness.

What do we do when we are faced with tragedy? Of course, there are the five stages of grief: Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression, and Acceptance. How do we get through these stages though? I guess that depends on if we were prepared or not...

What do I mean? How do we prepare for the tragedies that come upon us unexpectedly and suddenly? Let me just say that when I suffered my latest loss, I wasn't ready for it. But I was able to trust in the love of Jesus. In my time of deepest sorrow and suffering, I knew that He was right beside me weeping. He held me in his arms. He knew EXACTLY what I was going through. My relationship with Jesus prepared me to face the tragedy that came into my life. I knew that He had been beside me up until then, and that He would be with me through it.

I pray for all that are suffering loss now: The many people who have been affected by tornadoes, floods and other natural disasters. My friends who just lost their 18 month old daughter suddenly. Another friend who was diagnosed with throat cancer at the beginning of this year. Friends whose sister-in-law has just been diagnosed with a brain tumor. So much loss. So much suffering. So much tragedy.

I pray that all those who mourn would be comforted by Jesus. "Weeping may last for a night, but joy comes in the morning." Psalm 30:5

Child Training

Recently I've been reading a book called Raising Kids Who Hunger For God. Also, I am part of a group of moms on Facebook that I asked a question of recently. I asked, "Who believes in using the "rod of correction?" The answers I received from the other mothers in this group made me think about how we look at child training these days.

First of all, I am a Christian Seventh-Day Adventist. I believe in following the Bible in all areas of life. I believe it when the Bible says, "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness." 2 Timothy 3:16 Teaching, rebuking, correcting and training sounds like child-rearing to me. Isn't that what we do with our little ones every day?

What else does the Bible have to say? Let's take a little look...

"He who spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is careful to discipline him." Proverbs 13:24

"Folly is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of discipline will drive it far from him." Proverbs 22:15

"The rod of correction imparts wisdom, but a child left to itself disgraces his mother." Proverbs 29:15

"Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons. Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it." Hebrews 12:7-9

"No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it." Hebrews 12:11

The question that I have is why do Bible following people seek the world's input on how to train their children. When I asked that question about the "rod of correction" on the mother's group page on Facebook, the number one recommended source of child-training guidance was The Supernanny. Nobody believes in the "rod of correction." One source on the Internet said that Jewish and Christian scholars are trying to "explain away" the mention of the "rod of correction" in the book of Proverbs. Some just throw it out entirely. Our culture has watered down godly parenting, and even Bible following parents have fallen for it.

Who has more children, God or Supernanny? Who has been around longer? Who is wiser and more loving? Who can see the bigger picture? Who should I trust my children to?

 Is there a biblical way to discipline our children? Yes, there is! The God of the Bible does not change. He is the same now as He was in the New Testament and He was the same in the New Testament as He was in the Old Testament. He never changes. His ways of disciplining, therefore, do not change either. In His Word, he has shown us ways to train our children. If we would see our children trained in righteousness, we must follow the Word of God.

Our commitment to the Bible and the Bible only should encompass all of our lives, including how we raise our children. The book that I mentioned at the very beginning, Raising Kids Who Hunger For God, is an amazing, Bible-based book that I have really been blessed by reading. I would recommend it to anyone who is seeking to follow God's method of child training and discipling.

May God bless us all, and our children, as we seek the best way to raise them to be workers for Him. May we see them give their hearts and lives to Him.