Christian Home And Family | Radical Faith For Generations - Biblical Truth For Faithful Families

I CAN'T DO THIS ANYMORE - TRUE OR FALSE? In this episode of the podcast we'll be considering a very common statement I hear from people who have lived for many years in a painful or hurtful circumstance. "I can't do this anymore." I know how you feel, but is it true? Well, yes and no. I can't count the number of times I've either heard someone say, or have said myself, "I can't do this anymore." We say it after a prolonged time of endurance, when the difficulty, frustration, we've been hoping will go away, hasn't. In that moment, when the same old, wearisome thing is happening for the thousandth time, it's natural to give in to the frustration and hurt and say, "I can't do this anymore." But as a believer in Christ, is that a true statement? Yes, and no. On the one hand, it is true. You are not God, which means you have limits to your capacity for pain and your ability to endure hardship. You have emotional limits, places where you simply can't endure another hurtful word or neglectful act. You get to the end

Life gets crazy. Work demands, soccer games, home repairs, shopping trips, relationships to maintain, and important, ongoing conversations to have. It's enough to make you the most inflexible person alive!   On top of all that is the heart-cry we all have to discover and do what God is calling us to. I don't know about you, but I'm in THAT place almost all the time... wondering what the LORD wants me to do when I grow up.   My family is in that place right now, prayerfully trying to determine what the LORD is leading us to and how we are to get there. It's a confusing, unclear time... but one where we're learning some very valuable lessons.   Most of all, we're learning the family life requires a great deal of flexibility, because we are not God. We get our plans in place, work toward them, but many times find that our plans were not God's plans. Sound familiar to anyone?   This episode covers a very helpful truth I've discovered that's helping to take the pressure off by increasing my faith. Family life has

OK parents, it's time to get real. Life is too short for us to spend it in the aimless pursuit of status, stuff, or personal satisfaction. There's too much at stake.   God has given us one of the most wonderful AND most daunting responsibilities we could ever have and it's one that is intended to change the course of history. We're not just living, we're not just raising kids, we're building a foundation of radical Christian faith that can last for generations.You and I are responsible before almighty God for the eternal destiny, not only of ourselves and our immediate families, but also for the generations to come. Just like your grandkids and great grandkids will be able to trace their blood ancestry through you, they will be able to trace their spiritual heritage through you as well. Your children's children, and their children, and their children, though unborn, are depending on YOU to build the spiritual foundations that will enable them to know Christ personally, to live their lives by the power of His

USING SCRIPTURE IN FAMILY DEVOTIONS HOW DO YOU ACTUALLY DO A FAMILY DEVOTIONAL TIME? For my family it consists of three parts: Song, Scripture, Prayer We covered the song part last week  - www.ChristianHomeandFamily.com/82 This week we'll talk about how to include scripture in your family devotional time. Here's an example of how I'd go about it… let's use this passage...   Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name! Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's. - Psalm 103:1-5   TAKE IT SLOW Make sure words like "bless", "soul", "benefits", and "iniquity" are understood... remember podcast 81? Explore the meanings through discussion (you don't have to give all the answers). There's going to be no meaning and no impact if the passage is not unders

USING MUSIC IN FAMILY DEVOTIONS Including music for the sake of worship is not an easy task for most people If you're not musically inclined, what do you do? Before we get into the "how" part of including music in your family worship, there's one other step we need to take first... Talk with your family about the "WHY" behind singing… Why do we sing to God in the first place? It's not only that it's fun (though it is), it's one way that we worship God. And remember, younger children may need an explanation of worship. See podcast 81 for details on how to go about that. In singing we are speaking truths about God and to God When we sing ABOUT God, it's for our sake - to increase our faith and remind us of the truths we believe. When we sing TO God, it's in worship, for all that He is and does, to show our love and appreciation. Come, let us sing for joy to the LORD; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song. (Ps. 95:1-2)  The e

FAMILY DEVOTIONS WITH YOUNG KIDS IN THE MIX Before we begin to talk about the "how to" portion of family devotions with younger kids involved, let's remind ourselves of the purpose of family devotions... PURPOSE OF FAMILY DEVOTIONS: Facilitate heart-level connection between your family members and the God of the universe. That kind of connection IS possible in the hearts and minds of younger kids. Don't underestimate their capacity to make very real connections with the living God. The challenges with YOUNGER CHILDREN: Attention span Understanding Mixture of ages (How can you engage the younger children without losing the older ones - or vice versa?) SUGGESTIONS FOR DEVOTIONS WITH YOUNGER KIDS 1. Think like a child… Don't assume too much God, Jesus, sin, cross - all of these are words they may not understand. 2. Take it slow… Ask questions to gauge comprehension Don't move ahead if they don't get it Make deeper topics a project, over time 3. Keep it simple… One simple point is enough. No need for a 3

How to begin your own family devotions UNDERSTAND YOUR PURPOSE Family devotions are intended to facilitate heart-level spiritual growth. They are not just about getting more knowledge into your head (or the heads of your kids). So your goal in devotions should never be to teach your kids to be perfect little theologians, having all the answers to every questoion, or applying religious formulas for a happy day/life. Family devotions are about relationship - between each member of your family and God. Your family devotionals are for the purpose of pointing every one of you, every day, toward God and His purpose for your lives. That can be done at breakfast, before bed, after dinner - or all of the above. You pick and be consistent. SOME FOUNDATIONAL PRINCIPLES FOR PARENTS 1. Be real From your real-life experience (no fakers allowed). You need to demonstrate what an authentic relationship with God looks like, warts, mistakes, and all. Be who you are. Don't get over enthused about family devotions just becau

This episode is brought to you by... DRAGON SLAYER: BEGINNINGS - Book 1 in my Christian fantasy series. The reviews I'm receiving on this book are both encouraging and incredible. Believe it or not, lives are being changed by this work of fiction. You can get your copy at htttp://www.DragonSlayerBook.com Now, on with the podcast... OK, I agree, the title of this episode is a bit weird. I mean, who really WANTS to destroy the people they love? But the sad fact is that all of us do thing, say things, and neglect things that wind up being hurtful to the people we love the most - our families. And the way that I see people destroy their loved ones more than anything else is not what you might expect. It's not through physical violence. It's not by neglect. It's not by harmful teaching or education. It's with words.  When I was a kid there was a taunt we said to each other in an attempt to console ourselves when harsh words came our way. It was, "Sticks and stones can break my bones, but names can never hurt me.

This episode is brought to you by... DRAGON SLAYER: BEGINNINGS - Book 1 in my Christian fantasy series. The reviews I'm receiving on this book are both encouraging and incredible. Believe it or not, lives are being changed by this work of fiction. You can get your copy at htttp://www.DragonSlayerBook.com Now, on with the podcast...   The more days of life I log on this planet, the more I come to realize that the way we humans perceive ourselves is foggy at best. There are all kinds of ways it happens, from over-confidence, to lack of confidence, and everything in between. Another example is that we tend toward being unable to see our sin and the consequences of it with any sort of clarity. We excuse things we shouldn't and condemn things in ourselves that God put there for His divine purposes. Living in a fog is no fun. And here's the sobering thing: Our kids live in the same fog of self-perception. Just like us, they don't see themselves rightly. They struggle with doubt, condemnation, pride, and a host of o

This episode is brought to you by... DRAGON SLAYER: BEGINNINGS - Book 1 in my Christian fantasy series. The reviews I'm receiving on this book are both encouraging and incredible. Believe it or not, lives are being changed by this work of fiction. You can get your copy at htttp://www.DragonSlayerBook.com Now, on with the podcast... [gn_divider] When I was a kid, I had a terrible habit. I bit my fingernails. It doesn't sound like such a bad habit, but it wasn't just the nails themselves, I bit the skin surrounding my finger nails. I even nibbled the skin on the tips of my fingers. My fingers looked like trees after a beaver had gotten a hold of them, little tooth marks everywhere. I remember trying to break that habit. It was extremely hard. Why? Because it was long-standing. I had begun my finger nibbling, probably around the time I was six years old, but I didn't try to break it until I was in my mid to late teen years. I was fighting ten years of physical repitition, psychological conditioning, absent-minde

This episode is brought to you by my men's event... The Understanding Way Weekend for Christan Husbands. You can find out more at www.ChristianHomeandFamily.com/uww   There is a lot of joking that happens surrounding the differences between men and women, mainly because the differences are very real. We men see things differently, experience things differently, and think about things differently than our wives do - and as a result, all kinds of things can happen. Confusion. Conflicts. Disagreements. Even divorce. But guys, I'm here to tell you that those don't have to be the outcome for your marriage. There is a whole lot you can do to make a tremendous difference in your marriage. Do you remember the "damsel in distress" kind of stories? The ones where the princess is in mortal danger and the knight in shining armor rides in to save the day? Those types of stories resonate with people for a reason: They demonstrate how God has wired us as men and women. Every woman I've ever met, regardless of her background

Parents of adolescents, older teens, and adult children can often view the trajectory of their child's life with great concern because they can see the disaster that bad choices are bringing. Is there anything a parent can do to divert their child from a life of terrible consequences? In this episode of the podcast, I'm going to give every parent two things they can do that will help them move into their child's life in a positive way, to help gently steer them into healthier directions. There is no guarantee, but with God's help, you can move toward your child with positive, loving concern that can have a positive impact on their future.

God is faithful to do His work in our children, as we are faithful to teach them how to seek Him through quiet time practices... This podcast is part 2 of a conversation I had with my children 2 years ago about how the LORD has faithfully led them to seek Him through the habit of personal quiet time. As you'll hear, none of them are perfect at it, and none of them feels they have a walk with the LORD totally wired. But each of them has their own genuine relationship with Christ and loves that they do. My prayer (and theirs) is that you'll be blessed and better equipped to help your children grow into a genuine, vibrant relationship with Jesus that will fuel their lives for the equipping of the next generation. Your kids can learn to have their own quiet time with God... and you can help them get there!  

Every Christian parent I know wants their children to learn how to walk closely with the LORD. We know how important it is to maintain a vibrant relationship with God as an adult, and want it for our kids too. In this episode of the Christian Home and Family podcast, which is quite a bit longer than my normal episodes... I'm going to be having a conversation with three great young folks - my three oldest kids, Aaron, Melinda, and Madeline. This conversation was recorded almost two years ago, and is a "repeat performance" of the Christian Home and Family podcast (originally aired as episode 4). The reason I'm doing a repeat episode is because this is one of the most downloaded and listened to episodes in the history of the podcast, and I have many new listeners since the time it originally aired. I want everyone to benefit from the great work God has done in these three kids... and I pray it will be a great blessing to you! Hear the story of three great teens about how they developed the habit of personal time

For years we've been told that our children have a fragile, but incredibly valuable sense of self-esteem, and that if we aren't careful, we could damage it beyond repair. As a result many attempts have been made in educational theories, parenting philosophies, and other areas, to bolster and build up a child's sense of self worth. Some of the tactics that have been tried in this social experiment are… 1 Contests and sports where "everybody is a winner." Everyone gets a trophy, even if they never won a game, scored a goal, or even played in a game. In my thinking, the only thing that approach accomplishes is to convince our kids that they don't have to work hard to accomplish anything, it will all be handed to them just for participating. 2 Teachers are afraid to fail kids who are not achieving the level of academic proficiency needed in order to advance to the next subject. So amazingly, children are getting into high school without even being able to read and comprehend what they read. What's that accomplish

We've seen bad parenting before... It was in a restaurant, at a ball game, or in the store. A parent was being held hostage by a 3 year old, or a ten year old, or a seventeen year old. The tantrums, moody attitudes, screams when the parent tries to do something for the child's good, and overall disrespectful attitudes showed to everyone who was unfortunate enough to have to witness the event, that the child AND the parent were out of control. We were the one unfortunate enough to be witnessing a scenario just like that once, long ago, when my oldest son was just 3 years old. It was at Chili's and a few tables away, a 5 year old boy was dominating his parents something terrible. The fits, food throwing, and disrespect was so thick you could feel it. My son sat in his high chair, saliva dripping out of his open mouth, right onto his chicken nuggets. He was only 3, but even he knew something wasn't right. With eyes wide he turned to us and said, "That boy need a panking." So, what are we to think of this case st

Most kids who go off the deep end, into a season or rebellion, do so for one reason. They see the rules and restrictions that authorities place on them as personal attacks rather than loving means of protection… and THAT is the problem of the authorities in their lives, not the kids. Another way I often say it is this: Rules without relationship, creates rebellion. Rules are not a bad thing. Because human beings are fallen creatures, we need rules to show us right and wrong, and to govern and guide the direction of our countries and organizations. I strongly advocate that families develop their own set of household rules, the non-negotiable expectations that everyone in the family is expected to buy into, for the sake of representing Jesus well. But when it comes to household rules that a family has, there's a key component that makes them much more effective and helpful to everyone in the home. What is that key component? Relationship. In Proverbs 23:26, we find this intriguing phrase, "My son, give me your

Let me be clear. I LOVE the Bible. I believe it to be God's word, divinely inspired, and profitable for our instruction, edification, and teaching. I can't tell you how much I have grown because of the truths the scriptures contain. I read it every single day of my life. BUT, I also know, from personal experience, that a head full of Bible verses can be a very damaging thing. You can know what the scriptures say, and have it do absolutely no good in your life. Memorizing scripture, by itself, is not enough. The same is true of your children. You can enroll them in AWANAs or Pioneer Club, or Child Evangelism Fellowship, (all very wonderful organizations, by the way), and you could encourage your kids to memorize all the Bible verses in the world, but if you don't do one, vital thing, it won't help them one tiny, little bit. What is it you've got to do? You've got to help them UNDERSTAND what all those Bible verses mean. Picture a bible verse or a passage of scripture like a suitcase. You want to open up that v

If you've been in Christian circles for any length of time, you've heard a sermon or talk about the fruit of the Spirit. You've seen it on plaques in people's homes, you've heard children's songs about this list of virtues. Our human tendency is to take list of character qualities like that and make them into a checklist that we have to strive toward. We feel good if we accomplish some of them in a given day, and bad and guilty if we don 't. Is that what the Apostle Paul had in mind when he made the list in the first place? In this episode of the podcast I"m going to show you, what I believe to be Paul's intention when he created this list of character qualities, and give you some ideas about how you can approach this list with your family (children) to help them understand the true source of those kinds of amazing character traits. The Christian Home and Family ministry is aimed at helping you build a legacy of faith in your family that lasts for generations. I'd love to help you head in that direction in an

One of the most difficult parts of the Christian life is continuing to trust God when hard things are coming into our lives. God, what are You doing? Why is this happening to me? I thought I was Your child and that You were my Protector? These and a thousand more questions echo through our souls as we struggle to understand the hardship we're enduring. In this episode of the podcast Carey is going to give you a way to look at the hardships that helps you endure what is going on, and to give God the glory for it. These are powerful and necessary lessons for every Christian to learn... and for you to know how to teach your children. Carey is available to speak on this and other topics - http://www.ChrsitianHomeandFamily.com/speaking Music used by permission of Adam Rey - http://www.HeyReyGuitar.com Leave a rating and review on iTunes - http://www.ChristianHomeandFamily.com/itunes Connect with Carey at http://www.ChristianHomeandFamily.com/contact Find products from Christian Home and Family at http://www.Chri