It Came Upon The Midnight Clear

Posted on Dec 9, 2014 in Uncategorized | Tags: advent, bible, child, children, christian, church, Devotion, family, hymn, it came upon a midnight clear, jesus, kid, kids, lansing, lutheran, mi, michigan, parent, shepherd, shepherd of the hills, word of god

Posted on Jul 31, 2014 in Parenting Article | Tags: child, church, college, dynamite, home, kid, lansing, listen, lutheran, mi, michigan, moses, parent, power, shepherd of the hills, teach, today, tomorrow, trust, word, word of god

Their Tomorrow Depends On Your Words Today

According to a study conducted by the Tomas Rivera Policy Institute, Hispanics who have gone to college rank their parents as being most influential in their decision to continue their schooling. So an ad campaign by The Hispanic Scholarship Fund and The Ad Council challenges Hispanic parents to talk to their children about college and encourage them to pursue higher education. The ads close with the reminder, “Their tomorrow depends on your words today.”

There are two things that strike me about that closing slogan. The first is that your words as a parent have tremendous power to influence your children. That is especially true when your words communicate God’s Word. Scripture compares God’s Word to a hammer, a sword, seed that grows, light that illuminates, and a raging fire. Paul calls the gospel the power of God for the salvation of all who believe. The Greek word for “power” is the word from which we get our English word “dynamite.”

Ezra Preaches

Posted on Jun 26, 2014 in Uncategorized | Tags: church, Ezra, god, good news, hearts, lansing, lives, lutheran, mi, michigan, motivation, nehemiah, preach, salvation, shepherd of the hills, word of god

THE HIGH STAKES OF PARENTING

Posted on Jun 4, 2014 in Parenting Article | Tags: adjusted, children, church, david, erosion, exercise, faith, hell, judah, lansing, law, lord, lutheran, mi, michigan, parenting, pray, prepare, self-absorbed, shepherd of the hills, sin, stakes, word of god

THE HIGH STAKES OF PARENTING

“We’re sending scores of well-educated, well-dressed, well-adjusted, well-connected children to hell.” I can’t remember where I read that (it was probably 25 years ago or more), but it has stuck with me. What is at stake in raising our children is more than giving them the best life we can give them on earth. What is at stake is where they (and ultimately their children and all who come after them) will spend eternity.