CATCHING Zs (Article) by Abidan Shah, PhD (Published in the newspaper Daily Dispatch, Henderson on March 24, 2023) No, I’m not referring to taking a nap. I’m referring to understanding and reaching the generation born between 2000-2015, otherwise known as Z. They are often mislabeled, misunderstood, and mocked. Parents want to know how to motivate... Continue Reading →
This weekend, we will be focusing on the childhood years. Throughout Scripture, the importance of teaching and training children is emphasized. How we lead the children in our lives can help set them up for success and protect them from the influence of the world. This weekend’s message is titled “PARENTING IQ: INFLUENTIAL.”
Repeatedly, the Bible commands us to treat children with the utmost respect and care. This requires that we understand that what they truly deserve and desire from us is right training. Proverbs 22:6 lays out the 4 non-negotiables in this process.
This weekend’s message is a continuation of “TRAINING” from last weekend. We are continuing to look at God’s design for raising children. This week, we will be looking at Psalm 50. God is commanding believers to not assume they can speak for Him or understand His nature. He is God and their assumptions of His character are insulting and sinful.
The final message is titled “BAD START, GOOD FINISH.” It will remind us that even though there were many bad starts in Abraham and Sarah’s family, they all finished well. In other words, you don’t have to start well in order to finish well. There is hope for everyone who is willing to let Christ take over.
Unfortunately, we live in a time where it's not just the children who do the unthinkable, but also some parents. They make choices and live in such a way that embarrasses the children.
This weekend’s message is titled, “TOO OLD FOR TIME OUT.” When kids are young, it’s so much easier to manage them and guide them. But, when they are older, it is so much harder to do that. They have a mind of their own and many times they do things that are contrary to our will. How should we handle that? This is a very important message for all parents, whether your kids are older or on their way.
We will be focusing on the characters of Esau and Jacob. They were both born in the same home but with different bents. Why does that happen? Why is it that kids growing up in the same home turn out so different? This message will help us deal with this question. It will also teach us seek God’s grace in parenting. We desperately need it!
The first message is titled “Becoming a Chain Breaker”. We will learn how someone has to be the first one to break the chain of sin and blindness. It is tough, but worth it.
In this weekend’s message titled “Children That Bring Delight,” we will see what the Trinity has to say about being children who honor their parents.
Luke 2:51-52 tells us, “Then He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was subject to them, but His mother kept all these things in her heart. And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.” Here lies the secret to what makes a successful child– “favor with God and men.”
In Luke 2 Jesus remained at the temple instead of going home with his parents. This caused quite a commotion and distress for them. In the end they found Him discussing with leaders and elders at the temple. This account has some powerful implications for our children as well as our lives.
It’s is important to remember that even though Jesus was never disobedient, as a full human being, He learned obedience (Hebrews 5:8).This is very hard for us to understand. Jesus was always fully God but He chose to restrict Himself and be like us. He chose to grow up as a normal human child.
Ever wonder what it was like for Joseph and Mary to raise Jesus! They knew that He was the Son of God but at the same time He was fully human. Of course, we immediately think of Him as the perfect child since He was sinless. Who wouldn’t want a child like that! But let’s not forget that Jesus chose to restrict Himself and “learn obedience” (Hebrews 5:8).
As parents, there are some very valuable truths that we can learn about the development of children from the childhood years of Jesus. This series will also teach our children some very important lessons on what it means to be a young boy or girl who pleases God.