Hang in There

"Because lawlessness is increased, most people's love will grow cold. 
But the one who endures to the end, he will be saved.
...Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away."
 Matthew 24:12-13, 35

Life stinks!!!  Look around you and you will see lawlessness of all sorts.  And the bad people seem to reap rewards in money, in prestige, in popularity, etc...  Then you see the good people struggling for money to support their families.  In other countries Christians are losing their lives for their faith.  Here in America, Christians are ostrasized for living a moral life.  I have five boys ages 18 - 25.  These are tough years.  Peer pressure, media pressure, work pressure are intense.  Pray for our young people.  I speak at conferences all over America and our young people are struggling to make the right choices and stick to them.  Yes, even those who were raised in the church, those who were homeschooled, and those who were in private schools. 

I think part of our problem as Christians is that we teach our kids that if they follow God's word, their life will be easier.  But that is just not true!  Deuteronomy lays down the blessings and curses for the Israelites according to their deeds.  But this is Old Covenant.  We are under the New Covenant.  Our rewards are not here on earth.  We are promised troubles and tribulation.  Jesus says that He will be with us through them, but does not promise that we will not have to face them. 

Do you ask, "Why?" when hard times come?  The answer to that why? is that we live in Satan's realm.  He is the prince of the power of the air.  God gave him authority over the earth when Adam and Eve sinned.  That is life.  As Christians, we should ask, "Why?" when good things happen to us.  "Why me, Lord?  Why did I recieve this blessing?  Why did You allow this great thing to happen to me?"  That is the proper perspective to our troubles.  God reached down into our hopelessness and sent His Son so that we have a way out of our world of lawlessness and sin.  But until the day of Christ's return or our death, we will live in a world torn apart by sin.

We have got to teach our kids that they must endure until the end.  They must cling to God's Word and believe it and live it even when circumstances don't make sense, even when we don't feel that God's Word is right.  We must hang on to truth no matter what.  It is our rock.  It is our anchor.  It is the way to peace and joy and happiness.  This world will pass away.  Everything that you cling to will be gone except God's Word.  Learn it, know it, believe it, cling to it, trust God, and HANG ON!

Hint of the Day:  When your kids, teenagers, or adult children are facing the consequences of their sin or of another's sin, remind them that this world is about lawlessness.  Don't allow them to grow up thinking that there is no evil here.  Point out evil that they may become discerning.  Teach them that the answer is still Jesus.  Help them to look beyond the immediate to the eternal. Teach the word when they are sitting and standing, and going on their way.  Teach them to take it with them everywhere they go.  Then PRAY!  Satan is real, alive, and active.  Encourage one another to hang on, to endure, to persevere, to look to eternity.