Noah's Ark: Rated PG

How did we settle on Noah's Ark as a children's story? 

Probably because it has animals, and golly, all kids like animals. 

(That's because their childhood wasn't spent cleaning up after them #farmlife)

Or maybe because it's got pretty rainbows in it.

But I suppose it's because we keep showing pictures like this:

I'm guessing this wouldn't look familiar to Noah at all. We've made it all about the animals. I'd imagine Noah remembers it like this:

Recently an atheist asked me about all the people who drowned as a result of Noah's flood. It truly bothered him that I could worship such a God. 

So for the next few weeks, we'll take on some of the less G-rated questions regarding Noah's Ark.

1. Why did God kill children in the flood? 

Apart from Noah and his family, everyone died in the flood, including children. We see other painful instances where children were killed in the Old Testament. But do you realize that for the majority of them, this may have been their only access to Heaven?

I firmly believe that we are saved by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone (Ephesians 2:8). At the same time, I believe scripture teaches that God's grace is extended to those who are not fully capable of making this decision. 

Wayne Grudem writes on this idea in his Systematic Theology:

"We must...affirm very clearly that this is not the usual way for God to save people."

Here are two major areas of scriptural support for the idea of God's saving grace towards children:

• 2 Samuel 12:22-23  David ceased grieving for his dead, infant son, having confidence that he would see the child again one day in Heaven.
• Numbers 14:28-31  Israel wandered in the desert for 40 years, and when they arrive back to the Promised Land, only those who were 19 and younger (and the Levites) have survived in the desert to enter. So God showed grace to the younger generation. 

So I'm not saying children go to Heaven because they're innocent (Psalm 51:5 affirms they are not), or that we should not share the gospel with children. 

For the children of Noah's day, this was an amazingly gracious act of God to bring these children to Himself for eternity. It was likely their only chance. 

There are some smart folks who wouldn't agree with my take. Again, this is a personal, biblical conviction from my own study of God's Word. I'd love to hear your comments!

Say No to God

"Sin will take you farther than you want to go,
Keep you longer than you want to stay
And cost you more than you want to pay."
-Adrian Rogers

My first cell phone cost $1100.

It was 1998 and other people were getting phones, and I really wanted one bad! Ultimately, it took up an entire pants pocket and cost me $60 a month for 200 minutes.

While today, cell phones are nearly a necessity, I can say that my first phone wasn't worth what it cost me.

And the same can be said for sin. We need to view sin by what we lose, not what we gain.

"For sin shall no longer be your master..." Romans 6:14

When you said "yes" to Jesus, you said "no" to sin. So it stands to reason that EVERY TIME you and I choose sin, we are simply saying no to God. We know the choice He wants us to make, but we ignore His command by our rashness, ignorance, or even our blatant defiance.

I liken it to driving on the interstate. It's a smooth, fast way to get to a bigger destination. But imagine you took off ramps every hour. You could eventually get to your destination, but not without wasting a lot of time and effort.

Whatever sin offers you, obedience offers you more! Next time you find the bait of temptation before you, remember that whatever is offered is a lie (John 8:44). Ask yourself, "Do I want to say no to sin or no to God?"

Stop Having a Quiet Time!

I've been teaching it wrong. 

For years I've challenged people to have a quiet time. This isn't a moment to grab a carpet square and your favorite Berenstain Bears book. It's a regular time you spend connecting with God.

So why have I been calling it a quiet time?

The intent was that we would "quiet" our minds to read scripture and pray. But have you ever found your mind doesn't quiet down so well?

What if instead we emphasized a connection time? Certainly there is a place for quiet, but let's not allow our preconceived notions to prevent us from a meaningful, daily time with God.

Here are some suggestions to move from quiet to connection.

• Prayerwalk: One of my personal favs. Walk through your neighborhood and take time to pray for the families, businesses, and schools that are around you. But be sure to pray with your eyes open...
  
• Try a Reading Plan: Instead of just reading straight through a book, try reading scriptures on a particular subject or attribute of God. Youversion has some great options for this. 

• Add Music: Pray as you listen to music and allow the lyrics to become your prayers. Praise God for His "Amazing Love" or for reminders that you are "no longer a slave to fear."

• New Bible: Try a different Bible translation. I've made the switch over the years from NIV, NKJV, NASB, and now the ESV. A slight change of phrase leads me to take a fresh look at familiar passages. 

• Involve others: Contact those you pray for. Text with friends or family and commit to share lessons God is teaching you. Find ways to expand your world beyond you. 

"God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in Spirit and truth." John 4:24

Just as you work to keep your personal relationships fresh through conversation and experience, I challenge you to do the same with God. Allow the truth of Scripture to remain a key part of your connection to God, but allow room for the Holy Spirit to lead you in new ways of connecting with an infinite God.

Have you got other ideas? I'd love to hear them in the comments below. 

Narrow Minded Parenting

I don't change my own oil.

I understand how to, and I've even done it before, but I hate all the time and effort it takes. So I look for coupons, and take my car to the professionals.

And that's how too many parents think of the church.

"Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it." Proverbs 22:6

Literally the word "train" means "to narrow". We need to teach our children to avoid the broad, easy, and comfortable path of the world, and to stick to the narrow, challenging, and faith-building path of the gospel. 

How do we narrow our kids?

1. Live the example. 

Why do so many teens who regularly attended church, fall away from the faith after high school? Because they thought God only lived on Sundays. On Sundays, their parents emphasized God, the gospel, and even discipleship, but too often they failed to allow their home to be an extension of the church.

Are your kids seeing Jesus in your marriage, your words, and your actions?

2. Emphasize truth.

We live in a culture where everything is relative. This is the nature of the broad path where truth for one person doesn't have to be truth for another.

It's an undeniable fact that 1+1=2. (Yes, I did that without a calculator)
Another undeniable fact is our sin nature. To teach our children the gospel is to teach them truth. Don't ever apologize for raising your children in a Christian home, and shunning false religion and false gods.

3. Narrow their world.

Dr. Danny Akin says that if a child is in disobedience, you have to shrink their world. Parents have often complained to me about the places their kids were hanging out in a car paid for by their parents. Take away the car! Take away the cell phone! Suspend them from their activities! Shrink their world down to their bedroom if you must, but you must parent when your child is in disobedience.

It's not fun, but discipline is an important aspect of making your child the adult you dream for them to be. 

If you're a parent, you're a professional because no one knows your kid better than you. Like changing your own oil, it's going to take time and effort...but it's totally worth it.

So don't simply talk to your child about God. Train them up by displaying that Jesus doesn't just live at church, but He lives in us!