Teen Tip June 24, 2009

I want to open a new category for teens and their parents. The idea is still THINKING THRU THE BIBLE from a Reformed perspective. And, of course, it is about women of all ages embracing faith in Jesus as their Savior.

Today I heard and watched a guy on a jet ski racing around the river. He was using the jet ski to pull another boy on a board. What made me notice them was the rage and anger directed by the driver toward the other person who fell off the board. He was SO…OOO mad at him for falling!

It reminded me of how telling an incident like that can be. It is like a WARNING sign. If you were out with a guy (with a group or alone) who acted in such an outburst of anger, remember this:

“An angry man stirs up strife,
And a furious man abounds in transgression.” (Proverbs 29:22)

“A fool vents all his feelings,
But a wise man holds them back. (29:11)

Beware of getting into a serious relationship with someone like that. Don’t date them! It could mean trouble down the road!

TEACHING TIP #1 June 23, 2009

We all have increased opportunities for influencing children during these summer months. Make sure you connect with them by using words as they do. This is particularly important for grandmothers, like me, who might be a “little” out of touch.

Here is an example of a failure to connect:
Sunday I was telling the story of Jacob and Esau to ages pre-K through 3rd grade. My application was that telling a lie and deceiving our parents destroyed families and relationships. But, when we do lie, we need to remember that Jesus is our Savior, tell the truth, ask His forgiveness, and trust in His righteousness in place of our sin. So in explaining this, I said, “If you ever lie like Jacob did, then flee to Jesus.”

“Flea?” responded a smart bilingual boy. “Flea?”

In the midst of other questions more focused on Esau’s reaction to Jacob’s lie, I’m not sure I made clear my point of running to Jesus in repentance and faith!

ALWAYS USE THEIR LANGUAGE AS THEY USE IT

SUMMER “SCHOOL” June 16, 2009

I’m a great believer in summers off –for kids especially.  Changing the rhythm, laying back, talking, swimming, playing, imagining….  I used to love climbing a tree and then sitting in the top with a good book.  If I were parenting now, I’d try to limit the technology in order to change that life rhythm to make room for these other things.

What does this have to do with thinking thru the Bible or embracing faith?

Time to “chew” on a biblical theme or to read a good biography of someone like John Wesley or John Newton or Suzanne Spurgeon helps make biblical themes real to us.  My family used to “Drop Everything And Read” for 20-30 minutes every day.  Everyone, including me, would read alone anything they liked.  We varied the time of day.  I would ring a little hand bell while I was in the middle of something and I’d make a show of dropping it to do what was important—-read!  Try www.cvbvs.com for biographies. Reading a Christian’s life story can broaden one’s own experience and hold up character traits to model.

An example of mediating on a biblical theme is to think about the meaning of such things as creation, election, Jesus’ resurrection, hope of eternal life, God’s love, God’s plan of salvation etc. Try to get your middle school age children to practice this. Of course, they ultimately control what they are thinking, but you can suggest it and do it yourself. You might compile a list of verses on one subject for them to read and think about. Mediating like this requires a quieter lifestyle than we “run” the rest of the year. It gives time for the Holy Spirit to convict, comfort, strengthen, renew.

Verses to Think Upon
“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” Genesis 1:1

“Let the earth bring forth grass,…whose seed is in itself, on the earth; and it was so.” Genesis 1: 11

“Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field… So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes…she also gave to her husband with her , and he ate.” Genesis 3:1,6

“He (Jesus) was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.” John 1:2-3

“For by Him (Jesus) all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible…” Colossians 1:16

“Behold, I (Jesus) am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End…who is and who was and who is to come, the ALMIGHTY.” Revelation 1:8