Making God Real

As we all know, the United Church of God has just started a new approach for youth instruction based on instructions found in Deuteronomy 6. Parents, we find there, have a mandate to teach their children about God and biblical knowledge. We'll turn to those verses in a few minutes.

Now, the Church at the same time has a mandate to assist and support the parents in teaching their children in providing helpful topics of study, like study guides, as we are doing, having monthly review and discussion sessions, and possibly sermonettes and sermons on the topic of the month. Well, the theme this year that we are covering is making God real.

And isn't that a wonderful place, the right place to begin a new program of this type, making God real? Certainly nothing could be more basic and more exciting than God and His great purpose. The November topic that we have already covered or been studying back in the month of November is, does God exist and where is God? That is the topic that comes under the overall theme of making God real. Just a few things from the study guide that we studied, and I hope that parents have done this with their own children at home, and we've talked about it also in sermons to try to help us to be doing that, is showing that God does exist, giving proofs that God does exist, and that He has always existed. No beginning. God never had a beginning, and He will never have an end. Part of also our discussion very well could show that evolution is not the answer for creation and human existence. Evolution is impossible. Absolutely could not happen. How could something come out of nothing? The only logical explanation for creation is that there is a creator, and yet our parents need to be aware that their children are being exposed to the godless theory of evolution in school. And I'm sure it goes right into the elementary school system, study of science and things of that type, but certainly by the time they get to middle school and high school and college, our children are being taught that evolution is the answer.

Well, there are two possibilities as to how creation, how we as a part of the creation, came to be. And one of those is this theory of evolution that came about under Charles Darwin and others beginning in the 1800s. I don't think the theory of evolution is even yet 200 years old. And yet it is taken mankind by a storm because man wants somehow to eliminate God, and evolution makes it possible to, in their minds, to explain the creation apart from a creator god. There are only two possibilities then, and that would be evolution. And the other one would be that there is a creator god that we read about in the Bible. So you might say, and you read much of that about that creator creating the universe in Genesis chapter 1. So you might say that the two possibilities to explain the existence of the universe and creation and of ourselves would be evolution or Genesis 1. I hope that the parents have shown that evolution is just simply not possible. How can something come out of nothing? You know, that it just doesn't happen that way.

Of course, evolution usually begins with things, with matter and certain laws and forces already in existence. Maybe warm ocean slime and life beginning and then developing from there, coming up eventually on land and eventually leading to a human life. But that doesn't make any sense. It's not logical. It didn't happen. It is impossible. And of course, again, it begins with something already in existence. It doesn't begin with nothing. And yet, there was one very thoughtful scientist over in Britain, I believe it was many years ago, who did think about how the creation could come out of nothing. And here was his reasoning. He thought it is possible for there to at one time have been nothing, and then something came out of nothing. In his mind, he was satisfied with the explanation that he came up with. You know how that happened? That something, the creation, came out of nothing. I mean, at one time there was, in his mind, there was absolutely nothing as far as any creation. Of course, we know that that's true, too.

We know that God eventually brought it into being. But he said there was nothing, and the way it happened is that it needed to happen. That's how there came to be something. It needed to happen. And so in his mind, that satisfied his mind as to how evolution could be true and how something, the incredible creation that we observe, could actually come to be out of nothing. We know that, of course, that's a bunch of vain philosophy of this world. But we know that God is the one that brought the material universe into being. But the Scriptures do not say that it came out of nothing. Did you know that? That God did not just make it out of nothing. Let's turn to Hebrews 11 verse 3. And this verse helps us to understand that actually the material universe was made out of something that is not seen. And that is the vast spirit power of Almighty God. That God was able to speak the Word, and He was able then to bring it into being, as it says in the Psalms, Psalm 104 and verse 30. God spoke the Word, and through His Spirit power it came into being. That's basically what it says here in Hebrews 11. Well, verse 1 says, faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. By it, the elders obtained a good testimony. And verse 3 now, by faith, and this does take faith on our part, by faith we understand that the worlds, and that would be, of course, the material universe, the creation, was framed by the Word of God so that the things which are seen, well that would be the material or physical creation, the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible.

They were made out of the invisible power of God's Spirit. And I don't think we understand the chemistry and the physics on that, but something came out of that which is not visible, something that is invisible, the invisible Spirit power of Almighty God.

So I hope that the parents have had a good discussion this past month with your children about the Creator God, that He does exist, that He is the only logical explanation for creation, and that we do exist, and that He has a great purpose. At the same time that you've been able to, especially if your children are older, discuss with them that evolution is not the answer. Evolution or Genesis 1? Genesis 1 is the only true answer. So we're going to review the November topic that we went over today, and that is that God does exist. He is the explanation for creation, and we do read that truth of His being the Creator in Genesis chapter 1. Also, where is God? And also, the concept that God, through His Spirit power, is everywhere. We can't hide from God. His Spirit power just radiates out from Him and emanates through all of His creation. We can't get away from God. God is, in that sense, everywhere through the power of this Holy Spirit. Well, now we are into the December topic, and you can download and be working and teaching your children about this. And of course, we are drawing the whole church into this. And by the way, in our review sessions, like we're having today, any who would like to come are welcome to join with us. Please do come and be a part of it, because we encourage the congregation to be a part of our new youth instruction program. The December topic is Who and What is God? Certainly, after proving that God does exist, then the next thing that we need to understand is, what is God like? Who is God, anyway? And you'll find out, as you study verses and things, in this December Family Study Guide, that God is Spirit, and that God is love, and that God looks like man, because man was made in God's image, that God is omnipotent, all-powerful, supreme ruler, that God has personality, He leads a life full of joy, He's never unhappy. How about that? He laughs.

He has deep compassion. He gets angry. There are verses in the Bible that are given.

God can change His mind about things, and He has. God smiles. He has a sense of humor. Look at His creation. You know, quite a sense of humor. Look at monkeys playing around. Look at baboons picking on each other in the zoo. You know, it's interesting. Man enjoys going to the zoo to see some of God's humor manifested in the animals that He created. Certainly has a sense of humor. God is patient. God is a father. God is a provider, a friend. He's generous, a teacher, listens to us, a creator and planner. Many, many things then that are included in who and what is God. I'll tell you what, these are all things that are good for not only families with parents, but these are things which are good for all of us to understand more fully and more deeply about God. It's going to make God more real to us, and that's the whole theme of the lessons this year, making God real. What could be more important to you or me or any of us, and certainly including our children, than making God real, more real? I'll tell you, nothing is more important than that.

So there are other things, questions from the UCG fundamental beliefs. There's a section on that as well. Many, many things then in the study guide that's going to be very helpful to the parents and the congregation this month on who and what is God. So let's have a good month of December, and we'll be talking about it some here at services, and we certainly hope that, of course, the parents will be discussing this with their children and trying to help their children comprehend more about who and what God is.

Today, what I would like for us to do the remaining portion of the sermon is to bring out some ideas on teaching our children that will be helpful to the parents among us and also helpful to all of us in the congregation. So these are ideas, and again, some of them will be especially helpful to the parents, but I think, again, beneficial for all of us to be aware of. Number one, I'm going to give you seven ideas to consider, and I think these will be helpful to all of us.

Number one is that we are to remember that teaching is ongoing 24-7, and parents especially are to remember that they are teaching all the time. They have opportunities all through the day, from the time of getting up in the morning to going to bed at night, even if the children are away some at school or for other things, but there's a lot of time spent together between parents and their children every day, and there are moments of teaching them. There are occasions, there are situations that come up, so the teaching is to be consistent, it is to be constant, and it is good for parents to realize that.

Of course, it's good for us, the church, to realize that when the children are here, the church has an opportunity to help and to assist the parents, but certainly the teaching is going on constantly. Let's go to Deuteronomy 6 now, and we call it the Deuteronomy 6 program based upon these verses found here in Deuteronomy chapter 6. Let's even read beginning in verse 2 that the Israelites were going to cross over and possess the land. In verse 1, in verse 2, that you may fear the Lord your God to keep all his statutes and his commandments which I command you, you and your son and your grandson.

So you see there are three generations right there keeping God's commandments, you and your son and your grandson, all the days of your life and that your days may be prolonged. And so they were to be careful in verse 3. Verse 5, you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your might.

These words which I command you today shall be in your heart, and that is where these words have to be in our hearts. And we want them to be in the hearts of our children too. Doesn't every parent want that? Every loving parent does in God's church, does want God's words to be in the hearts of their children.

That's where the parents are so important then in ongoing teaching. In verse 7, you shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, and when you drive down the road, we might add in our time, when you lie down and when you rise up and bind them as a sign on your hand and as frontless between your eyes, and write them on the doorpost of your house and on your gates.

You know, I've seen places, visited places, where there are signs. People have put up three by five cards or little plaques with scriptures on them. I'm not saying that we have especially encouraged that, but I don't know that we would discourage it either. You might, in going through this program, consider possibly putting something up that would relate to the topic of the month that you think might be helpful to your children as we go through that topic, that particular month. Just an idea. It's not something we're necessarily pushing, but certainly if a parent wanted to, he could do that.

But the point is that the teaching is to be ongoing. It is to be consistent. Look for opportunities all the time to pass on knowledge about God and about the Bible to your children. Who can better do that? Who can teach the children? Who has the 99th, well, so much of the time. I don't know if we can put it that high quite because there's there is school after all, but the parents have their children so much of the time more than anyone else.

And of course we know that that is just natural that that responsibility of teaching the children about God and about the Bible and about God's purpose and plan should come from the parents who would want to talk with their children and do a better job than the parents.

Well, let's go to Deuteronomy chapter 11 verse 18.

Therefore you shall lay up these words of mine in your heart and in your soul, so God's ways are to sink deep down into our hearts and minds and bind them as a sign on your hand and is frontless between your eyes. You shall teach them to your children, speaking of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, when you rise up, and write them on the doorpost of your house and your gates.

And look at verse 21, the good results that your days and the days of your children may be multiplied in the land which the Lord swore to your fathers to give them. So certainly then let's remember that the teaching is ongoing and constant, and we call it teaching in the moment.

Looking for opportunities that you might be able to teach. That can come when you're watching a TV program even, or maybe news, and something comes on that you need to make a comment about.

Or maybe after the program is over, say, did you notice that? And then you can point out it can be a matter of teaching them what is right and what is wrong. And there are so many things that constantly that are happening that you can teach when you're planning a garden.

One parent in the review session in Roanoke, after the service today, brought up that they were out working in the garden, and there were weeds that had come up, and they were able to teach or make comments to the child. Well, you know, in the church there are weeds that can come up in our lives spiritually that can choke out the Word of God. So there was an opportunity just out working in the garden. When you're planting those seeds in the garden, you can say, you know, look at these seeds. Here's a pea. You think this pea is going to bring up a corn plant, son, daughter?

No, this pea is going to bring up a pea plant that's going to make more peas, and this corn seed is going to make a cornstalk, and it's going to make more corn seeds. So, you know, and then bring out that in Genesis chapter 1, that's the way God said it would be. Kind would reproduce after kind. So there are so many opportunities, aren't there, to teach in the moment about God.

Somebody also in the review session said, well, when they were talking about some of this topic for November, that a cat came scampering across, and they looked at the cat and said, look at that critter. Could that just have happened? Could any critter that you look at a cat, a dog, any animal of any part of God's creation, did that just happen? I mean, here's a pretty amazing thing, a cat, you know, very sharp, very keen. This cat is skillful at catching rats and other things.

So, and a dog, of course, they have their skills. And who made all of that? You can just look at any any part of God's creation and just think. Of course, we looked at the human body in the sermon a few weeks ago, and just the marvelous human body, even parts of the human body, like the eyes, two amazing spheroid cameras in our own bodies, and somehow able to receive light and impulses that come into the back of our eye and transmit it to our brain. And we're able to see. And you can turn over this way and see what's over here. Just instantly. The eyes are an amazing thing. Look over here, and you can see what's over here.

So you can just focus wherever you want to. You can focus way back there. You can focus right up here. Just instantly. The eyes are an amazing thing. Did that just happen? You know, again, we have so many opportunities to teach our children, then, that God not only exists, He's an amazing God. And talk about making God real, we can do that. But teaching is ongoing 24-7. That's number one idea. Strive to make it that way. Realize you as a parent have that opportunity to have ongoing, constant instruction and help making comments, helping your child, then, develop that relationship with God to make Him real. Number two is that ideally, the teaching is by both parents. Now, this may not always be possible. Sometimes there is only one parent, of course, in a family and a single parent. And then, of course, sometimes there's only one parent that is a member of the church or interested in teaching about God in the Bible.

But ideally, if both husband and wife, both father and mother, are in the church, then the teaching should be shared by both of them. Let's notice in Proverbs 1 and verse 8 that this is indicated. Proverbs chapter 1 and in verse 8, My son, hear the instruction of your father. So obviously, the first thing mentioned here is that the father is going to be involved in the teaching. He's going to be interested in instructing and teaching his son and his daughter. But it says in the last part of verse 8, And do not forsake the law of your mother. So this seems to be a father that is teaching his son. In this case, it could be a daughter just as easily. Hear the instruction of your father that I'm giving to you. It shows the father may be taking a leading role even in teaching his children.

He's not in the background. He's not in the negligent or absent father. He's involved, very much involved, in taking even maybe a lead role in the instruction. But then do not forsake the law of your mother. Many times mothers are with the children more hours at home. Maybe that used to be true more than now. But with the children more, do not forsake the law. Your mother has some rules of the house that she wants you to obey. So don't forsake the law, the rules that your mother makes that she wants you to abide by. So certainly it shows father and mother then working together with their children. Certainly, again, the fathers are very much involved, but so are the mothers. Fathers and mothers then ideally will share in the teaching of their children and work together. And I would think that under the ideal circumstances where father and mother are members of God's church that they would want to collaborate and they would want to discuss how their instruction to their children is coming along. And maybe ways they can improve it and do it better. Fathers and mothers would work together then and discuss it between themselves and how they can teach their children. Mothers certainly realize your very important role. Much is mentioned in the Bible about those who watch after their household and watch after the children. Titus chapter 2 mentions that. Proverbs 31, a prudent wife has her children to rise up and call her blessed. So to praise their mother and you know they wouldn't rise up and praise their mother unless mother had been very much a part of the training and the instruction and working with them as they grew up. So there's a lot of respect that is shown from the children as they come on into maturity looking back at all the instruction and the help they've received from their mother. A very good example of one that was taught spiritual things by his mother only is Timothy. Let's go to 2 Timothy chapter 3 and other scriptures. I don't have the scripture in my mind right now but Timothy had a Greek father and apparently a Jewish mother and the father was not a member of the church but the mother was. Notice something first of all in 2 Timothy chapter 3 and verse 15. Something showing that Timothy had been taught. There was a Deuteronomy 6 program in the home Timothy grew up in. 2 Timothy 3 and verse 15. That from childhood you have known the holy scriptures which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. You know when Timothy was a child there wasn't any New Testament so the only scriptures that Timothy would have known were the Old Testament scriptures. Interesting. The Old Testament scriptures were able to make you wise unto salvation as well as the additional New Testament scriptures that were added. But we notice here then that Timothy learned as a child. So yes there was a Deuteronomy 6 youth instruction program in the home Timothy grew up in. But guess who it came from? It didn't come from his Greek father. It came from his Jewish mother who was a member of the church. In 2 Timothy 1 and verse 5. 2 Timothy 1 and verse 5. When I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois.

So Timothy may have even been taught by his grandmother some but mainly no doubt and your mother Eunice. And I am persuaded in you also. So his mother Eunice was a member of the church and taught him the scriptures from childhood. He knew the holy scriptures able to make him wise unto salvation. So it certainly shows that a mother alone or it could be a father alone can do a lot in teaching a child when the other mate is not a member of the church.

So sometimes one parent must do the teaching but again if both parents are members of the church of course that is certainly ideal when it happens that way. Number three is do include some structured formal times for instruction and discussion.

Schedule sometimes some regular times. What about Friday night after you've had the evening meal and it's the Sabbath, the Sabbath has begun. And to have a Bible study with the children, well that's an ideal time, isn't it? And there might be an additional Bible study. What about even an additional one after breakfast the next morning in our case here where we meet in the afternoon? There's time to do it. And we don't recommend long two-hour Bible studies. I've heard of children that were turned off when the parents went too long and maybe even including some preaching at the kids which may not be the best approach to take a discussion, an open discussion back and forth. Letting the children participate and do some of the reading of scriptures is much better. Let them be a part of the Bible study then. Let them ask questions or maybe you can pose questions that make them think more deeply about these things. So maybe probably a 20 or 30 minute Bible study will be much more effective than one that is certainly too much longer.

So some structured instruction would be good. And I don't know if you want to try to do that every day. You'll have to look at your circumstances, but maybe several times a week, two or three or maybe three or four times a week would seem to be certainly very good.

Now again, asking questions, not letting them be necessarily too long, but asking questions would be good. The church has on its study guides program educational newsletters. Here's volume one.

How do I talk to my kids about God? It gives some very good points on how to go about talking with your children about God and keeping it simple, breaking it down into short segments instead of going too long. And even on page two of this first newsletter is asking the right questions gives you some ideas how to go about asking questions.

Good teachers realize that asking questions, questions that provoke thought and that provoke growth is one of the best teaching techniques that there is. Asking questions. So on page two, asking the right questions is addressed, and I think you can get some very good ideas from that page. So certainly then do schedule formal instruction sessions, short maybe, 20-30 minutes at the most, and do that several times a week. Number three. Number four. Number four is very important, and that is, and this is something we want to support the parents in the church here, and that is to teach in a way that counters the evils of this world. This world is coming at us all. It's coming at the children. It's coming at the adults as well, and we all need to fight against the world. We are to come out and to be separate from the world. We're to touch not the unclean thing, and it takes effort, and our children are around it. What are your children around if they're in elementary school? They begin to hear all kinds of foul language. As they get into middle school and high school, it maybe even gets worse. There's, by that time, often immorality, sexual immorality, and just a lot of filthy language. So we have to then be aware of what is coming at our children. In the classroom, as they sit there, many of the teachers believe in evolution, and so they're teaching that this is the explanation for creation evolution. It's in the book, and that's what the teachers teach. Now and then, maybe a teacher comes out and says, well, this is not what I believe. This is in the book. I believe that there is a creator that explains creation instead of evolution. There may be a few teachers that will come out and do that.

I'm not sure if they get away with it anymore or not, but certainly parents and the church helping, we need to counter all the evils that are coming at our children. On television, it's constantly there. It's hard to find a program that's just absolutely G-rated. That is, no filthy language, nothing that is wrong with it. It's difficult to find such a program. News and advertisements, things on advertisements that are disgusting that come on during prime hours, and children hear those advertisements if you're watching TV. Things in the news, things in this world that are going on. And it's good to discuss those things with our children. It fits into the church's program here of helping our children to be closer to God and further away from this evil world.

Of course, we know that there are holidays like Christmas coming at the children. One parent kept his child home. There was something that was just a day of Christmas related. So the parent just kept the child home here recently. Easter, Valentines, Halloween, those things also our children are exposed to. So teaching our children to come out of the world and to be different. But then think of this. How does the child come out of the world? Just what is the best way to go about doing that without, let's say, other children picking on him at school? How can your child be different in the best way, the wisest way possible? And parents have that responsibility of trying to help their children to do that. But it's not easy to come out and be different. And certainly encourage your children, though, to be willing to do that because it is the right thing to do. Number five is teaching our children to train the heart of the child.

We have a newsletter on that, Family Education Newsletter Number Two. There are two newsletters posted on the educational site where you find the study guides. You can get two newsletters. That's all that's been published so far. Number two is, How Do I Train My Child's Heart?

And it says, perhaps, one of the greatest challenges we face as parents, how can we teach our children in a way that will eventually lead to independently making right spiritual choices where your child makes the right choices because it's in his heart. It's not because he is compelled by you, the parent, but he chooses to do it himself because he sees that it's right.

Often, when we're teaching our children about God, we're focused on what they need to know about the Bible, but are we missing a key element to biblical instruction? When we instill why a scripture or a lesson is important, it helps us to place godly principles firmly in our children's hearts. So we not only have to teach what is right, but why it is the right thing to do.

And have our children to buy into it and say, well, that makes sense. That's the way I want to go.

Gary Ezzo, author of Growing Kids God's Way, provides us some insight on teaching the moral reason why. In his book, Let the Children Come Along the Adolescent Way, he states, A major reason children do not internalize values is because moral instruction too often lacks a moral reason. By that we mean mothers and fathers tell their children what to do, but don't tell them why they should do it. That distinction must be emphasized because knowing how to do right and knowing why to do right are two different things. It is not enough to teach your children how to act morally. You must also teach them how to think morally. To accomplish that goal, you need to think in accordance with biblical values. And so maybe an example of that would be teach your children that it's wrong to steal. And that's one of the commandments. It is wrong to steal. But then ask, why is it wrong to steal? And ask your child to answer that question.

Why is it wrong to steal? Of course, in the process, it can be brought out that, well, how do you feel when somebody steals something from you? That's enough right there to show that why, because it is wrong to take something that belongs to someone else. You are depriving them.

When we were living in Oregon many years ago, we had bicycles for our children. We bought each one of them a bicycle. Guess what? One of our bicycles went missing. Somebody had stolen it. And so, you know, how does that make you feel when somebody steals your property? So, you know, we teach not only what we should do, but also why we should do it. And again, you can ask questions or ask participation on why we should do something.

Okay. How do I train my child's heart? That is what this one that we're discussing right now is all about. Let's notice in Proverbs chapter 1 that there is an appeal here to the heart.

And that is the right approach then that parents will want to take.

And it's more than just what to do, but why it should be done. In Proverbs chapter 1, we read verse 8, but let's read that again. Proverbs 1 and verse 8, my son, here's an appeal, isn't it? My son. This is kind of an affectionate, tender appeal to the child to listen. My son, hear the instruction of your father and do not forsake the law of your mother. And why? Because they will be graceful ornaments to your head and chains about your neck.

And again, verse 10, my son, if sinners entice you, do not consent. It's pleading with the child not to be drawn into the way the crowd is going. Everybody else might be going that way, but or a lot of people that you're with at the moment, but don't get involved with them.

Notice in chapter 2 in verse 1, my son, if you receive my words and treasure, my commands. It goes on to say that there will be blessings, that things will work out. And in chapter 3, Proverbs 3 and verse 1, my son, do not forget my law and let your heart keep my commands.

And again, you notice the heart is an appeal for this to be instilled into the heart of the child.

In verse, well, in chapter 4, verse 1, hear my children, the instruction of a father, and give attention to no understanding. In chapter 5 and verse 1, my son, pay attention to my wisdom and lend your ear to my understanding. And I think it goes on in chapter 6 and 7 again. My son, my son, my son is an appeal to the heart of the child. So certainly, parents do want to make sure that they are getting to the heart of the matter, the heart of the child. After all, Malachi 4 mentions something about the turning of the hearts of the fathers to the children and the hearts of the children to the fathers. So if the hearts of the children are to be turned to the fathers, it begins with the hearts of the fathers, the parents being turned first to the children. So get to the heart of your child as much as you possibly can. Number six now, number six, these are ideas on, let's say, implementing the new youth instruction program and how parents and congregation can move forward, maybe even doing it better than ever. We've been, I'm sure, doing a lot of teaching, both the congregation and parents, but we can learn ways to do it even better. Number six is parents do not underestimate your ability to be your child's best teacher because there are, and we found this in other congregations, not just ours here, but there are those who feel like, I don't know that I can teach my children the way this new program is asking me to. Well, you can, and you're going to be the best teacher that your child could have because you're there with your child every day. You've known your child from birth. You know him. You understand him better than anyone else, and you can learn how to instruct your children. It may take some time. If you feel inadequate in teaching your children about God and making God real, and these two months of topics that we now have in November and December, it may take some time if you feel inadequate, but you can grow and you can improve, and you will be your child's best teacher. Nobody else can do it better than you. I can assure you, you will grow in your skills as a teacher as you do it.

And so, take it seriously and again, do not underestimate your ability as a parent to be your child's best teacher. You're the one. Number seven is we teach by example, don't we?

So, be a great example for your children in every way. Live the Scriptures.

Live the Bible. Be a good representative of the kingdom of God. Your children are going to remember your example. When girls grow up, guess how they are going to cook and keep things in the kitchen in the house like their mothers? Boys are going to learn things from their fathers that they will do it like their fathers did it. So, children do remember. Those moments of teaching in the moment where you say certain things stick in the child's mind. I remember as a child, my father saying some things about the Bible. He had begun to hear Mr. Armstrong on the radio and read the articles in the Plain Truth magazine. He began to talk about America and Britain being descended from ancient Israel. And he began to understand that. And about the end of the age coming, which we're much closer to now than we were then. And those things have stuck in my mind, just comments that he would sometimes discuss or mention to my mother when we were out working on the farm. So those comments that are made by parents, children do pick up on them. The comments and the example are very important. So parents, be a great example to your children. Walk with God yourself. Talk with God. Make God real. Make Him more real in your life.

Now, and then when you do see a cat comes camping across or a squirrel climbing corkscrewing up a tree, you've seen those, these acrobatic abilities. And how can they go leaping from one tree to another, just barely going from one small limb to another limb and never miss? So, you know, there's God's greatness. To make comments and make God real and let the children see it very important. Be a great example to your children. Well, I got to wind this up, but these seven ideas, I think, will be a good starting point for us if we will utilize them. And let me just very briefly review our seven ideas. Remember, number one, that teaching is ongoing, constantly ongoing and teaching in the moment. Number two, teaching by both parents if possible, but if not, one parent can do a lot of good, Timothy's mother did. Number three, include structured formal times for instruction and discussion. Not too long, maybe 20 or 30 minutes, two or three times a week at least. Teach to counter and to beat all the evils coming at children from the world in schools, in music, and television, and in society at large. Teach to counter and beat this evil world that is coming at your children. Number five, teach to train your child's heart, to reach his heart, to get him to see why it's right to do it God's way. Number six, do not underestimate your ability as a parent to be your child's best teacher.

And number seven, be a great example. Live the scriptures before your children.

I'd like to read a couple of verses in conclusion. They certainly underscore how important it is, what we're doing. Let's go to 1 Corinthians chapter 7. 1 Corinthians chapter 7 and verse 14.

Our children will benefit eternally from what we are doing. The instruction that we give to them and guiding them to have that relationship with God, making God real to them.

Well, they will benefit forever and ever because they will go on to be members of God's eternal family. Each child is a potential member of God's, a potential son of God.

Jesus loved the little children. He said, do not forbid them to come to me. He said. 1 Corinthians 7 and verse 14. For the unbelieving husband, that's a husband not in the church, is sanctified by the wife. That is the wife who is converted. And the unbelieving wife, likewise, is sanctified by the husband who might be a believing husband. But what about the children? Even where only one mate is a member of the church. Notice in the last part of verse 14. Otherwise, your children would be unclean, but now they are holy.

So children in a family where just one mate is a member of the church are holy, they're consecrated, a special category. Now, our children are not yet converted, but parents may teach them of God and about the Bible. And then their chances of being converted when sufficiently mature, reaching adulthood, are greatly multiplied. And parents who teach their children, you greatly multiply the chance of your children being converted. Certainly the church will assist and help. We want to find ways. That's part of our review session. How can the church help? How can the church improve? The church will assist and support. We have a role. The church has a role in youth instruction, and we're producing study guides and classes. And no doubt, mention will be made in sermonettes and sermons and Bible studies.

Still, the responsibility is that of the parents, 99 percent. For the final scripture, let's go to Psalm 78. God wants us to do what we're doing. He wants us to pass on the wonderful truths about God and His purpose to the next generation. That's what this is all about. Passing the truth of God to the next generation. Psalm 78 verses 1 to 7. Psalm 78 verse 1, Give ear, O my people, to my law. Incline your ears to the words of my mouth.

I will open my mouth in a parable. I will utter dark sayings of old, which we have heard and known.

And our fathers have told us. It's been passed on to us by our fathers.

We did not hide them from their children, telling to the generation to come the praises of the Lord and His strength and His wonderful works that He has done. Isn't that what we're doing? Telling the praises of God to the next generation. Verse 5, For He established a testimony in Jacob and appointed a law in Israel, which He commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children. We read that in Deuteronomy. They should make them known to their children, that the generation to come might know them, the children who would be born, that they may arise and declare them to their children. So it just keeps on going generation after generation. In verse 7, that they may set their hope in God and not forget the works of God and keep His commandments. Isn't that what this is all about? Helping our children to set their hope, the next generation to set their hope on God and not forget His works, His commandments, His plan, and His purpose. I would say then, parents and congregation, let's roll up our sleeves. Let's work together. Let's rise to the privilege of teaching our children the wonderful truths and praises of God.