Parenting is such a tough enterprise. One of the most difficult things to do is to learn to bring your children up spiritually. One of the things that make it difficult is the temptation to outsource your children’s spiritual growth to the “experts,” the church. God’s intention is that you as a parent would be the primary role model for spirituality. In this message, Kent talks about what it takes to get white hot in your faith for Jesus. How parents need to completely give themselves over to a relationship with Christ and make God their priority. Unfortunately, due to technical difficulties, the message was cut short, so we are including the written portion of the message in these notes.
KENT’S PREACHING NOTES:
Let me ask you a question…
What is the priority of your life right now?
-Is it getting that next new thing?
-Is it just getting through the days to the weekend?
-Is it figuring out this mess at work?
-Is it a relationship?
What percentage of your life is consumed by God?
-Don’t you know, He is not calling you to a mild discipleship – but to one that is red how – He will burn up everything that is not of His Kingdom
Hebrews 12:25-2925
See to it that you do not refuse him who speaks. If they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, how much less will we, if we turn away from him who warns us from heaven? 26 At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, “Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.” 27 The words “once more” indicate the removing of what can be shaken—that is, created things—so that what cannot be shaken may remain.28 Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, 29 for our “God is a consuming fire.
As followers of Jesus you have been translated from the kingdom of this world to the Kingdom of God
-He is your God
God expects an intimate relationship with you, is that what you are giving Him?
Without the foundation of the first part of this vs. the second part is impossible…
6 These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. 7 Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 8 Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads.
See, the reason you can’t outsource spirituality is because…
Faith is something that is caught not taught
Moses is telling us the formula for imparting our faith to our children
-it’s not by falling prey to the outsourcing trap
The formula is for us to take every teachable moment and use it for the Kingdom of God.
-this is what you have been called to – remember, everything else is passing
This means, when you are walking – you look for ways to talk about God
-when you are sleeping, you look for ways to talk about God
-when you get up, when you eat, every moment of every day
is a teachable moment.
CLOSING ILLUSTRATION:
I wasn’t raised like this. When I was growing up I remember thinking it was weird when my dad did bring up God because he hardly ever talked about him or lived for him in his day to day life. I have had to learn to be the kind of parent who takes advantage of every moment for the Kingdom. Parents, could I just ask you to really consider what kind of impact are you making on your children. What is the most important thing you want to pass on to them?
Is it that love for fishing, sports, your love for a good time, your love of chewing, of pornography, of gossiping? or do you want to pass on your absolute, unending love for God?
They are watching? What are you going to do to get red hot about your relationship with God?