Trained for Tomorrow

Good afternoon, everyone. It's good to have you all here with us. I'd like to welcome all of you to services this afternoon, as well as those watching on the web. And because of our special Sabbath today, we have all the tables set up already for our grill out, which also forces quite a few into the overflow room. So greetings to all of you in our overflow areas as well. So we are a little bit challenged for space today, but it brings everybody together. It's kind of fun, especially when you get an opportunity to see all the kids come up. And it's such a wonderful reminder that we are a family. We're a family of little kids, as well as moms and dads, grandmas and grandpas, and we are God's family as well. One of the things I was thinking about today is some of the challenges that we are faced as families today. If you look around this world that we live in, recently they had the Boston bombings. It seems like terrorism is in the news around the world these days. One of the big subjects they're talking about is drones and Afghanistan and Iraq and all the problems that are going on over there as well. But I believe there's a more important battle that's taking place. And it's a war that's being fought in the lives of each and every one of us as family members. It's not something that's only trying to destroy our nation, but I think it's causing us to lose our way as a society, as a people. And of course, this war seems to be raging within our country, within our cities, as we are having such a difficult time even defining what a family is in our world today. And so much heartache and difficulties are brought out because I think there is a war that's being waged on our children. We see these beautiful children here today, and yet you know there is a challenge that they face every day in their lives. And as families, this war isn't a war with bombs and drones and machine guns, but this is a war against morality. It's a war against ethics. It's a war against principles within the very families that we live in. And there are casualties. There are casualties to this war. This casualty that we often face is a casualty in integrity, often casualties in honesty. And that kind of casualty can also challenge our very relationship with God. And we know it's not a physical battle that we fight. It is a spiritual battle.

In fact, Isaiah gave an interesting description of the type of battle we are in. Over in Isaiah chapter 59, if you'll turn there with me, Isaiah described the challenges that are going on all around us. And perhaps this is an apt description of what our world is like right now, this very day. Let's notice it. Isaiah chapter 59. Not only did Isaiah prophesy anciently to God's people, but I think it's also a prophecy about what's happening today in our world. Isaiah 59, right at the very beginning, it says, surely the arm of the Lord is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear. So Isaiah starts with hope. But then he paints the picture of the kind of world that we live in. Verse 2, he says, your iniquities have separated you from your God. Your sins have hidden his face from you so that he will not hear.

Does that describe the society we live in today? Do they even look to God? Can he hear because of the sin that they so willingly live in, participate in? Verse 3, he describes that. He says, your hands are stained with blood, your fingers with guilt. Your lips have spoken lies, your tongue mutters wicked things. No one calls for justice. No one pleads his case with integrity. They rely on empty arguments and speak lies. They conceive trouble and give birth to evil. And so I think we probably all agree that is a pretty good description of the kind of society we live in. And here in America, we claim that we've got it pretty good. So what is it like in other areas of the world, even more difficult situations than what Isaiah is describing here? And yet, this is the world that God has called us out of. We are to come out of this world. And in a way, the Sabbath is one of those opportunities that were called out, were brought together to honor God, to worship Him, to praise Him, and in a way to stand for truth, to stand for morality, to stand for justice and integrity. And so we do that as God's family, in a way to show it doesn't have to be this way.

And yet, day after day, what are our kids bombarded with? What kind of world do they face when they're blindsided with ideas that reflect Isaiah 59? They're hit with thoughts and images, drugs, porn, terrible things that little children have to face. I was reading a study just the other day that the average age where kids are exposed to porn, eight years old. And that's average. That's average. So that means many, much younger than eight years old. And so our children are faced with challenges and obstacles and difficulties that we as parents, we didn't have to deal with those types of things. We never dreamed of those types of difficulties. And yet, God tells us, we better do something about it. As His people, we can't allow those types of influences in our families. And as parents, we have to stop the assault that's being waged on our kids, on our grandkids. In a way, God tells us, we have to take our children back. We can't allow them to be faced with these types of things. Because the world today, they're telling them, well, you know, it's really not that clear. You know, there aren't any moral absolutes. Everything's more or less a shade of gray. What works for you may not work for me. And we need to be tolerant of all kinds of different ideas. We must be tolerant of every kind of lifestyle, every sort of philosophy, something that we should tolerate. So you think our kids need some direction?

You think they need some guidance? Well, we don't want them getting that kind of guidance, do we? We don't want that kind of direction. Schools today, they teach these things that they call wonderful humanistic philosophies, that all are equal, always, all ideas, all concepts.

And of course, what does that do with the concept of God? I see most of those concepts, those humanistic ideas, they put God on a shelf and deny God. And that would be the one thing that doesn't fit within our society. If you think of God or His way, His laws, you're going to be the odd man out. And so this world that we live in, they much rather look to personal choice over personal responsibility. They regard pride of personality and popularity over reliability. And of course, we pride freedom to choose over the obligation to live as we should. That's the kind of world that we live in. And so the society that we have to survive in teaches our kids alternate lifestyles that these things are no big deal. Adultery? Well, what's the problem with that? As long as you're not hurting anybody else, that's your choice. I mean, you can lie as long as you've got a good reason to do it. And yet if we allow our kids to be taught these things, are we really doing what's godly? Or are we allowing these influences into our family and contributing to the downfall of not only our own family, but the church? Are we denying the responsibilities that God's given us?

I think God's called us to reverse this trend. I think He's given us responsibilities that we have to stand strong for His way. So can we fight the system? Can we do that? Can we really take back our kids? Can we give them direction? Or even for our kids today?

Is there any hope at all? Can we, as children, can we as teenagers and young adults, choose to live God's way with all of these evil influences pounding around us? God says we can. God says, yes, you can live my way. And so are we willing to choose to live that way? Are we willing to let God and His Word train us so that we can have families that are strong for God's way? So that we can have a church that is being trained today to continue to serve God into tomorrow? God wants us, and He says, yes, we can. So how do we do that? How do we take back our kids?

How do we stand strong for God? I think, first and foremost, we've got to have first things first. We've got to put God first. And that sounds so easy. It sounds so simplistic. And yet, if we're going to stand strong for God's way, we've got to have priority one in place.

God's got to be first in our families. He's got to be first in our lives. Because if you begin to think about it, how did we learn anything when we were growing up, as moms and dads, grandmas and grandpas?

How did we learn things? Did we learn it by instinct? Did we just come to this understanding, wisdom, knowledge, just by knowing it? No, we didn't. Did it come only by reading or studying? Well, certainly that helps. But God points to something a little bit different.

Back in Deuteronomy 6, verse 4, God gives us some guidance on how to learn wisdom and as moms and dads and grandmas and grandpas, how we can teach our children and take them back from the society that we're living in. Deuteronomy 6, verse 4, points to something a little bit different than just instinct or just gaining guidance on our own. Experience is not the best teacher, God says here in Deuteronomy. Notice what it says.

Deuteronomy 6, verse 4, it says, "...hear O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one." Priority number one, put God first. Five is the verse. "...You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, with all your strength." Put God first. We do that, verse 6, these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. So when we put God first, we have an opportunity to use that understanding within our families as a glue that can bind us together.

Notice what he says here. He says, I command these things to you today. They shall be in your heart. 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, when you lie down, when you rise up. You see, God gives us the guidance. When we put him first, and he becomes first not only in our lives as a mom or a dad, but within our complete family, he says we model right behavior.

We live God's way. And by hearing the word of God, over and over again, when kids see God's way lived every day in their life, over and over and over again, by that word of God being shown in their daily life, when people live God's way, especially people that we look up to, and they show evidence of that way of life, does that teach us anything?

God says here, it definitely teaches our children. And he says as parents, we have a responsibility. He says to teach them diligently. And that word has a connection to a Hebrew word that means to pierce. That doesn't mean we pierce our kids, but it means we pierce their heart, that we make a heart connection with them, that we draw them to God's way because we're showing in our lives as parents and grandparents that God's way really works. It works when we're walking in daily life.

It works when we're resting. It works when we're playing. It works whatever we're doing as a family, when we model that and we live it and we talk about it over and over and over again. We are impressing on our children that God is first in our life and that God's way absolutely works because we've shown it, we've lived it over and over and over again.

And so he tells us here in Deuteronomy, talk about it. Whatever we're doing, rehearse it. Take opportunities to teach and to listen. Verse 8 says, bind them as a sign on your hand and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. So what we see in life, our perspective is what we're getting at. He's telling us our perspective in life has to be a godly perspective. That whatever it is we're doing, whether we're at King's Island or whether we're sitting at dinner or whether we're working in the yard, we're doing things from a godly perspective and we see that godly perspective and we model that godly perspective.

And that godly perspective then is in our hands when we're working, when we're playing, when we're doing with our families. We're instilling God's way over and over and over again. And he gives that impression that it is bound to us and it's bound so tightly we can't help but live this way.

And so he says it frames our very dwellings that we live in. Is that what he says here in verse 9? Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates. And we know the spiritual application means it's bound up in our hearts and in our minds. And so we see very clearly does loving God happen naturally, automatically? We can't assume that our kids are just going to get it because we come to church once a week.

Not at all. It says loving God, obedience, doesn't come naturally. It's something that has to be modeled and taught. And parents, we have that responsibility. God says the family is the ideal place to teach love, to teach care, to teach concern, to teach obedience, to teach the love of God. And so as parents, we have a responsibility to diligently pierce our kids' hearts and minds with the love of God. And of course, kids, you have a responsibility too. Do you see what the kids' responsibilities are here in Deuteronomy 6?

It says, kids, we're supposed to learn! We're supposed to watch Mom and Dad and understand from their example as they live a godly example in front of us. That's how we want to be. We want to grow up and love God and honor God right now in a way that Mom and Dad are doing that. And so we want to listen to them. In fact, some have said that kids come into this world like a blank flash drive, I suppose you could say. We used to say like a blank cassette, but now we had to update that. Can't say VCRs, can't even say CDs or DVDs anymore. I guess they're just like a blank drive. They're ready for input. And so as parents, what is it that's going to be put into our children?

You've probably heard that old saying. Some have said, you give me a kid until he's seven years old, and after that, anybody can have him for life. Because they've already been impressed with what's right and what's wrong and what's good and what's not and what's acceptable. And that old proverb, it says, as the twig is bent, so grows the tree.

And so how important is it for our kids? I mean, aren't you just amazed at what these little ones pick up? It's always amazing what they learn.

And parents, you know, sometimes they pick up the things that we'd rather not have them pick up.

Sometimes the kids can embarrass mom and dad because they have been watching. They have been noticing those things. And it seems like sometimes those are the most challenging things. You know, maybe you've heard that story about the little boy who had been paying attention to mom and dad. He went up to the minister after church services, and he told that minister, you know, when I grow up, I'm going to give you some money.

The minister was just kind of surprised by that. He said, you know, why do you want to grow up and give me money? The little boy just looked up at the minister and said, because your dad, or my dad, he said that you're the poorest preacher we've ever had. They repeat what they see. They repeat what they hear, don't they? You've heard the one about the little boy. His mom was preparing for a big dinner. She invited a bunch of people over, and they all sat down for dinner, and she called on the little boy to ask a blessing on the meal. And he said, oh, no, there's too many people. I don't want to. I don't know what to say. And the mom said, well, just say, you know, the things that I've said. And so they bowed their head. That little boy said, dear Lord, why on earth did I invite all these people over? They listen, don't they? And parents, we often teach when we don't even realize it. We teach at home. We teach in traffic. We teach in line at the grocery store.

Those off-handed comments or conversations or one side of the phone call, those disagreements at the stoplight. We had a situation in our family one time. One of our kids said a very choice word. It was like, what was that? He can't be talking like that. And their response was, well, Marty says it. It's like, I don't care what, what do you mean Marty says it? I don't know any Marty. Who are you talking about? Well, Marty on Back to the Future says it.

And they picked it up off of a movie, which I thought was a pretty benign movie overall. But boy, that choice word came right up out of the show. And so those kinds of times, our kids are paying attention, which is all the time, isn't it? All the time, kids are paying attention. And so are they noticing in our lives as parents and grandparents that God does come first? That His way is like Deuteronomy 6. It is on our minds. It's always on our minds. It's always in our conscience. It is there no matter what we're doing, because we know that's what's most important. I mean, just think about it. We concentrate on the Sabbath. We concentrate on those thoughts and those ideas and those religious things. We bring God into the picture on the Sabbath. We do our best to do it. But this is something that has to happen all the time. I mean, think about down the line. Imagine in the kingdom of God, will there be a time when God and His way isn't a priority? Well, we know the Sabbath is supposed to represent the kingdom of God now. Our families are supposed to represent living God's way right now. And so if we don't put first things first, our kids are going to pick up on that. We will have a difficult struggle winning our kids to God's way, showing them that God's way works if we don't model that in our very own families. It's like a situation I heard about in a baseball game. It was the big season finale, the big playoffs. Bottom of the ninth, score was tied 5-5. First man up, flies out. So it's one out, bottom of the ninth, tie game. Second batter, strikes out. Now we're down to the last batter, bottom of the ninth, two outs, ends up with a full count. Here comes the pitch, and he just blasts that ball. And it's heading out to center field. Just didn't quite clear the fence. As he's coming to second base, that ball hits the fence. Center fielder backs up to try to catch it on the bounce. Runner advances. He turns to throw that ball from center field. He knows he can't throw it home, so he's got to send it to the short stop. Throws it to the short stop as that runner is rounding 30. Heads for home plate. Short stop grabs the ball, turns to make that throw to home. Hits the catcher right on the mitt. The catcher drops his hand to tag that runner as he slides to home plate. Everyone in the whole stadium knows he is safe. He beat the throw! But the umpire calls him out.

Crowd goes crazy in the stands. Just absolutely nothing. What are you talking about? He was safe!

They look down to the first base ump, and he's pointing at the bag. He ends up that the runner missed first base.

In the excitement to get around the bases, he didn't tag first. But even though he tagged second and third and even beat the throw to home, he was still out. He was still out. And that story is always such a reminder to me. You've got to put first things first.

If you don't get the first things right, it really doesn't matter. It really doesn't matter what comes later. So if we don't put God first, can we do things in life? Yeah, you can do a lot of things. You can do a lot of things. You can go to school. You can get a degree. You can be successful in this world. But is that going to get you where you need to be? Are you going to be able to complete the jobs that God's given us to do? I mean, you can run all over the place in this life. You can even do some pretty nice things. You can be cool. You can fit in. But unless you touch first base, unless you put God first in your life, it's not going to matter too much. It's not going to matter too much. And so God says, don't miss first. The way that you're going to score when you get home is making sure you start out right. And as parents, we've got to make sure that we've touched first base. We've got to make sure we've put number one, first priority, by modeling God's way for our kids, by living that way and showing that is what we're all about. Proverbs 22 is probably a famous passage that may come to mind when it comes to doing just that. Proverbs 22.6, a short little verse, but boy does it pack a punch. Proverbs 22.6. Not sure they had baseball in mind when they wrote this, but it does make that same point. Proverbs 22.6, it says, train up a child in the way he should go. Remember, as that twig is bent, then it goes on, and when he is old, he will not depart from it. Sounds like Deuteronomy 6. Train up a child in God's way. Train him. Just don't let life happen. Just don't assume that they're going to get what they need at school. Don't just assume they're going to get what they need, even in Sabbath lessons. We heard Mr. McLean just say 12 hours. It's really about all they had.

So, as parents and grandparents, that training has to take place within our families. In fact, just a chapter back here in chapter 21, it says it just a little bit differently. Proverbs 21, look at verse 20. Verse 20 puts it in the context of a treasure. It says, There is a desirable treasure and oil in the dwelling of the wise. So, in our homes, as godly people, as godly parents and grandparents, we have been given a wonderful treasure. We have been given children and grandchildren. What a treasure that is. We've been given oil, the oil of God's Spirit. And so, we have a wonderful opportunity with our children. And what are we going to do with them in our dwelling, within our homes? What are we going to do with that wonderful treasure that God's given us? Well, if we're going to watch over it, and we're going to take care of that because it is such a valuable thing, God says there's wonderful blessings for doing that as wise people.

But then, as Proverbs often does, gives us the flip side of the coin. The end of that verse in verse 20, it says, An imprudent person will destroy it all.

You see, if we don't fulfill our God-given responsibilities, we're going to waste that beautiful treasure that God's given us. And I don't know that he's talking about money here. I think he's talking about the family within our dwelling places. And so, we've got to utilize God's Spirit in order to help us to raise our kids the way that God wants us to do it.

The Wycliffe version says this in verse 20, Desirable treasure and oil will be in the dwelling place of the wise, but a foolish man squanders it. So, God doesn't want us to be foolish. We need to be accomplishing this within our families right now. And parents, that's our responsibility. And kids, that is your parents' responsibility to teach you, to guide you, to help you, and your responsibility to learn, to learn, and to listen, and to be like mom and dad when it comes to doing those right kinds of things. In fact, back in the book of Isaiah, Isaiah 30 we have a passage that we often think of at the Feast of Tabernacles. Oftentimes, we'll associate this with God's kingdom when Christ establishes His kingdom on earth, and we'll have the opportunity to be kings and priests and teachers within that kingdom. Let's notice this passage and see how it might apply even today. Isaiah 30, and in verse 19, it says, the people shall dwell in Zion at Jerusalem. So we see that forward-looking vision. It says, you shall weep no more. He will be very gracious to you at the sound of your cry when he hears it. He will answer you. And of course, we know that there are connections between Zion and Jerusalem and God's church.

We as God's people, do we have a responsibility to each other? Well, I think we do. Verse 20, he says, and though the Lord gives you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, yet your teachers will not be moved into a corner anymore, but your eyes shall see your teachers. And of course, applying that to our families today, within the family, we have moms and dads who are to be those instructors. They're to be the professors. They're to be those teachers within our families. And our kids are watching us. They're seeing us. They're noticing our examples. We're not moved into a corner within our families. They know us. They see us. So what's the example that we're setting for them? Verse 21, your ears shall hear a word behind you saying, this is the way. Walk in it. So as teenagers, as kids, when our parents today tell us, this is the way. This is what works. This is the way that God expects us to behave.

As kids, are we ready to listen? Are we ready to hear what mom and dad say? Do we believe when mom says, this is the right way? Do we want to obey her? Do we want to follow their example? That's what God says is going to happen in the future. And yet we know this should be happening in our families right now. This should be happening today. It says, here's the way. Whenever you walk to the right, you turn to the right, you turn to the left, you get a little bit off. Mom and dad there to help get you right back, to have you walk in the right way. That's what their job is.

And then it's a challenge for us then. It's a challenge for us as young people, because not everybody follows God's way. And you know, you're not with mom and dad all the time.

We're not always with our teachers. So what do we do when others aren't doing the right things? When we're in the group, can we be the one that stands up for God's way?

Maybe we could ask ourselves, when we're with a group of kids, with a group of teens, yeah, it even works with young adults. It works with adults, too.

Do we make the group more godly or not? Do we just fit in with everybody else? You see, I believe God's called us to stand strong for His way wherever we are. If we're going to fight the system, if we're going to win against the ways of this world, we have to live this way every day of our life, in all of our relationships. Because our relationship with God is going to have an impact with everything else that we do, every perspective, every relationship. And if we put Him first, we put Him in the most important position, we're going to be able to do those right things. We're going to be able to fight society and Satan and fight ourselves that much better as well. So I think as parents, as moms and dads, as a church, we have to ask ourselves, what place have we given God in our lives? You see, is it first place, or is it just a place? And that's the struggle that I think we all have at times. We have God in our life, but is He first? Is He foremost? And God says He has to be first. Matthew 6, 33 says, seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, His way. He has to be first. So He deserves the most important position in all of our lives, in every part of our life. And that is the challenge. God does not just want to sabbath thing with us. He wants an everyday kind of thing. He wants to be top priority in our life. So do we stand strong for God's way in every aspect? I think there's another way that we can fight this world, how we can take back our children, and how as children we can stand for God's way.

And it goes back to what we read there in Deuteronomy. In Deuteronomy 6, God emphasized, first, our relationship with Him. Then He emphasized the family. If we're going to take our kids back, we have to have strong families that are knit together. He says in Deuteronomy, we've got to spend a lot of time with each other. The family is so important. And of course, what is God doing? What is God's overall purpose? Well, He's building a family. He's creating a large spiritual family. And we have to realize those spiritual values are taught at home.

In order to teach those spiritual values, that means we've got to spend time together. I was reminded of this a while back. Any of you go bowling? How many of you are fans of bowling? Oh, we're bowling fans. Yeah, I see a hand or two. I kind of hate bowling, actually.

I don't do it enough. Maybe you're like me. Maybe once a year you go bowling. Somebody gets a crazy idea and thinks that that's a good idea. And so you go get that monstrous 16-pound ball that you hardly lift with one hand. And I'm usually embarrassed. I'll go to throw that thing. It ends up back there instead of down the lane. It's always a struggle. It's always a challenge. Because I don't do it all the time, so I'm generally bad at it.

But I went bowling this one time. This guy said, I guarantee you I can get a perfect game every time. I can score 300 every single time.

Well, we were at this kind of junky lanes that kind of smelled bad and weren't very many people there. He said, okay, let me show you. I said, there's no way you can get a perfect game every single time. He said, yep, I can. So you know what he did? He took that ball and he walked all the way down to about a foot before the pins and went, wham! And they all went, straight over.

It's like, come on, you're cheating! What are you doing? Well, then the owner started yelling at them, and okay, get back out of there. But it was an interesting point that he made after he got kicked out of the lanes. But I realized, you know what it is? For me, the farther away the worse I was. It was like gutter ball all the time. But if you're right on top of those pins, it's easy to get them down. Error increases with distance.

That was the thing I got out of it. Error increases with distance. And not only true in my kind of bowling, but I think it's more true in families, isn't it? If our families are all the way down at the other end of the alley, how are we ever going to have the right score? How are we going to knock those pins down in the way they're supposed to be if we're not together? If our families are apart?

And you know, that's one of the struggles I think we face in society today. This world wants to pull our families apart. It wants to separate us and have parents going this way and moms going that way and the kids going over here and everybody's doing everything all apart from each other. And we don't have family time. And if we're going to teach spiritual values within our families, our families have to have time together. We have to have time together. And so, I think Satan knows this so very well that if he can distance our families, if he can put space between us, then he knows it's going to be very difficult to teach our kids God's way. And of course, it's easy to get sidetracked. It's easy even as parents to say, you know, I'd rather hang out with the guys or teens. I'd rather be with my friends. And those are struggles that we all face. But I think those are the kinds of times we have to say, well, am I closer to God when I'm with my friends or when I'm with my family? Am I setting a better example when I'm apart or when we're with the family? See, do we set a better example here on the Sabbath?

Well, hopefully we don't have much of a problem with that. But that's something we've got to carry with us all the time. And these are difficult things. These are hard things because our families normally are separated. I mean, we have jobs. We have moms and dads both with jobs just to try to make it in the kind of economic world that we live in. And it is a struggle. It is a struggle. And so oftentimes I know I would often think, well, it's hard to spend time together, but when I do, it'll be quality time. You ever said that?

I used it all the time. I might not spend a lot of time, but it's quality time. But, you know, that's really a fallacy when you think about it. It goes against, I think, what God's teaching us. In fact, if you want to flip back to Deuteronomy 6, certainly I'd been guilty of saying I spend quality, maybe it's not a quantity of time.

It's not as much time as I'd like. In fact, I can't spend a quantity of time. Have you ever thought that? One of the challenges that this life brings is to spend that quantity of time. Look at verse 17 in Deuteronomy 6. Here it says, you shall diligently keep the commandments of the Lord your God. His statute says He's commanded you. So here's a second time He says that same thing. Now it's you and I diligently piercing ourselves with the Word of God, keeping His commandments. Verse 18, you shall do what's right and good in the sight of the Lord, that it may be well with you, and that you may go in and possess the good land which the Lord swore to your fathers. And of course, to us, that's not a physical promised land. That's the kingdom of God. And what were they supposed to do? Verse 19, they were to cast out all the enemies. They were to cast out the Canaanites and the Hittites and all the otherites that were there. But see, to you and I, if we're living the Word of God, it is within us. We can cast off the sin that Hebrews talks about so easily and snares us. We can cast off that enemy. And then by being close, verse 20, it says, when your son asks you in the time to come, what's the meaning of the testimonies, the statutes, the judgments, which the Lord our God has commanded you? You see, when we are together, when we are a family, when we have that quantity of time, when the question comes up, where are we going to be? We'll be there. We'll be there. We won't be somewhere else. And I think what God's inspiring here is the fact that when can you predict that moment that's a teachable moment, that moment that suddenly our kids come up with that question?

Boy, it comes out of nowhere sometimes. You would have never suspected that was going to be the time. But if we're not there, how can we implement the training that God wants us to?

I think that's the challenge for us. How can we spend more time with our family? How can we do that? Is that something that we should set as a goal within our families? To strive not to just put it off and say, well, it's a quality of time. No, it should be a quantity of quality time.

A quantity of quality time. Spend that time together so that we are there when those questions come up. And kids, it says you're supposed to ask questions sometimes.

That we should ask those questions as children. That we want to know, what does this mean? What are we doing this for? Why do we do the things that we do? And of course, it is interesting, a couple of verses down there. If you look down to verse 24, he says, God commanded us to observe all these things, to fear the Lord our God, for our good always, that He might preserve us a lot. These things are for our good. So oftentimes, I think what this means is that though we've got to kind of adjust our lives when we think of what a spiritual home is like. What is a godly home really like? And I think oftentimes, well, it comes to my mind, well, we've got the television off. We're gathered maybe around the dining room table. We've all got our Bibles open and, you know, we're studying the Word of God. And maybe that image comes to mind. Now, that would be great. That would be wonderful. If we could just take, just imagine, just taking an extra 30 minutes every day to be involved in an activity like that, that'd be wonderful. That would be wonderful.

But sometimes not possible. Realistically, boy, we should definitely strive to do that.

But I think Deuteronomy is telling us we can't just limit it to that. We can't just limit it to that. In other words, we can't just divide this special time. Maybe Friday night we sit down, we can do that. And we should strive to do that. But sometimes what that causes us to do is say, this is our Sabbath life, and this is our weekly life over here. We've kind of got this secular thing going on throughout the week, but the Sabbath, boy, we're going to put the brakes on, we're going to get together, we're going to do these things, which we should. But it sets up this division in our life that we've got this godly side of things, and then we've got our weekly, everyday kind of thing going on. A sacred thing, a secular thing. But I think Deuteronomy says we can't think like that. We can't set ourselves up into certain behaviors on this day and different behaviors. We've always got to be in the frame of mind to be living God's way, to be teaching God's way, to be talking about God's way, to be modeling God's way. That's what Deuteronomy 6 is telling us over and over again, that we've got to be teaching those values of God's way all throughout the week. So it's got to be our weekly behavior as well as our Sabbath behavior. So imagine what our lives would be like if we were able to do that continually. I think that's what God's stressing here, that there's a way that our lives are synchronized, because our kids are going to see that. Kids are going to see if we're different on a Monday as opposed to a Saturday afternoon when we're heading to church. They're going to know that. Will they be learning spiritual things throughout the week? Or is that reserved only to somehow miraculously happen only on the Sabbath?

You see, I think that's the challenge. That's the challenge, that we have to go against the ways of this world and strive to have a godly home always throughout the week, continue to teach our kids.

And really what that comes down to, it's Deuteronomy says we're really showing love to our children when we model this kind of behavior. And so that's the challenge that we have to do that, to do that very thing, to fight against what society has to offer and live differently within our families. And of course, that stresses God's family as well. As the church, we do have a responsibility in each other's families that we, as a collective body, as the body of Christ, we too have to live that way all the time. You ever been surprised to see somebody in the grocery store?

Sometimes it's kind of like that policeman that turns his lights on behind you, and suddenly you get really startled. Ever happened to you? Lights come on, and you get nervous, and then he passes you, and you go, oh great.

You see, I think we're always living God's way so that we're not startled no matter what the scenario is, no matter who we run into at the grocery store, no matter if somebody walked in at any time. We're going to be living God's way no matter what, and that means going against whatever the world has to offer in so many different ways. I was reminded of this the other day. I heard a story about a teenager who had one of the most important days of his life, and teens, you all know what is the most important day of your life. I heard it. When they got their license, they can drive without mom and dad in the car. That's monumental! Monumental. So I heard the story about a young man who got his license later that week. Mom and dad were heading out for the night, and he begged them, can I use the car? I just got to go over to my buddy's house so he can help me with my homework. They said, forget it. No way you're not going. They weren't too dumb. They knew he just got his license. He said, no, you got to stay home. Don't go anywhere. So mom and dad leave, and guess what happens? The other car is still there in the driveway. Well, this young man thought, I'll just be going for a little while. I'll just head over to my buddy's house. They're all hanging out. Just go there. I'll get back before 10 30. Mom and dad are supposed to be home. I'll get back. Won't be a problem. Won't be a problem. So he takes off. Figured he'd cover all the bases, right? So he takes off. He gets a little ways down the road, and sure enough, you know what happens?

Runs over something that was on the road, gets a flat tire. Oh, no. So he had never changed a flat before. Goes back to the trunk, opens it up, looks in there. Nothing. No spare. Oh, great! So he figured, I can still get this thing off. I'll get it off, and I'll get down to the gas station before they close. So he gets out the jack. He's trying to figure out, has to get out the manual to try to figure out how the jack works. So it was one of these foreign cars. So he's working on this thing. He gets it jacked up, and he gets out one of these big wrenches, and he starts cranking on those lug nuts. And they will not budge. They will not move. So he's just struggling and struggling, trying to get these things off. And he cannot get that off. And I say, wait a second, I know. I know Dad taught me. Let's see. It's righty-tighty, lefty-loosey, right? So he's struggling with that thing. Oh, good. It just will not come off of there for anything. So he just gets so frustrated. He finally says, all right, I'm in trouble. I can't do it. I just can't do it. So he noticed that there was a AAA card in the glove compartment. So he says, well, I'm dead anyway. I might as well just call him and get the help that I need. So he calls AAA. They come over, and the guy walks right up to the car, twists that lug nut, comes right off, and the kid goes, what? I can't believe... how did you get that loose? He said, I struggle and struggle and struggle with that, and I could not get it loose. And the mechanic just kind of looked at it. He said, well, which way were you turning it? He said, well, righty-tighty, lefty-loosey, right?

The guy said, no, not in this case, because on this side of the car, they have reverse threads. So that they won't loosen up. And so they reversed the lug nuts on this side of the car. And he goes, oh no! So he got home and was quarantined for life. Now, the interesting part that I thought of that story was this whole concept of reverse thread. I probably wouldn't have thought of that either. Well, maybe I would have. I don't know. I hope I might have. But the interesting thing is, isn't that the way that we're to be in this world? You know, we're to be reverse of which the ways of this world that we've got to go opposite. You see, most people in the world today, their focus is trying to find happiness. They're trying to find fulfillment, and they're trying to go about it in all the wrong ways. They're turning that wrench the wrong direction, and all it's doing is getting tighter and more stressful and more difficult. You try to turn the ways of this world, and that's the kind of life you're going to have. Eventually, it will come back on you. You're not going to be able to do what you need to do. You're going to be able to live God's way when we're struggling to turn that nut the wrong way. It's only going to make life more difficult, more stressful, a lot harder, and make life that much more difficult. And so I think God's called us to a kind of a reverse thread, hasn't He?

It's kind of a different way, just the opposite, it seems, oftentimes, of what most people think. I mean, the world says, get all you can get. That doesn't matter. It's your life. Do what you want.

Your friends may say, you know, drink what you want. Take what you want. What's the big deal?

But God says the opposite. Instead of getting for yourselves, He says, give, give, and it shall be given unto you. You know, this world is about survival of the fittest.

Who can survive the powerful and the strong? And yet, reverse that thread, and God says the meek are the ones that are going to inherit the kingdom, aren't they? The meek, the reverse thread. The world says, get even. If somebody hurts you, you take things in your own hands, get even with them. Yet Christ said, reverse that.

Turn the other cheek.

So we could ask ourselves, which way are we turning the wrench? Which way are we turning the wrench in our life? God's way, so oftentimes, is just reverse of what this world has to offer.

Paul wrote about that in Hebrews 12.

Said it a little bit differently than trying to change a tire.

But he gives us direction for we as parents and those striving to live a godly life and have godly families. And as kids, he gives us instruction as well. Hebrews 12 and verse 5.

Notice what the apostle Paul writes to us as kids. I guess we can all kind of fit into this category here in the way that Paul wrote this. In fact, I'm going to read this version from the message translation. Hebrews 12.5. It says, Have you forgotten how good parents treat children and that God regards you as children? Verse 6, My dear child, don't shrug off God's discipline, but don't be crushed by it either. It's the child he loves that he disciplines, the child he embraces and he also corrects. Verse 7, God is educating you. That's why you must never drop out. Don't be a school dropout. He's educating us. He's treating you as dear children. The trouble you're in isn't punishment. It's training. The normal experience of children.

Only irresponsible parents leave children to fend for themselves. Would you prefer God be an irresponsible God?

Verse 8, We respect our own parents for training and not spoiling us. So why not embrace God's training so we can truly live? While we were children, our parents did what seemed best to them. Verse 10, But God is doing what's best for us, training us to live God's holy best. At the time discipline isn't much fun. It always feels like it's going against the grain. Later, of course, it pays off handsomely. It's for the well-trained who find themselves mature in their relationship with God. And so in a way, Paul is telling us here, we can reverse the thread of this world. And as kids, we can do that by listening, watching, and understanding our parents. They're there for our good. And as parents, when God guides us, when God directs us, we can take His direction and take it as training that we're growing and we're maturing. We're becoming more Christ-like. And he says, family is a vital means of accomplishing this. In God's spiritual family, as God's spiritual sons and daughters, He's reversing in us the thread of this world. And we can overcome. And we can set the proper example. We can have a spiritual godly family by striving to listen to God's direction, and to His guidance, and to the way that He would direct us. And so He says, it's possible. We can do these things. Of course, in Ecclesiastes, we have an interesting model for our camps this season. You don't need to turn there. You're familiar with it. Ecclesiastes 12, right at the very beginning. It says, remember your Creator in the days of your youth. Now is the time to remember God. In fact, He draws us all into that thought when He says, before the difficult days come, before the trying times come, when we say we'll have no pleasure in them. And so He reminds us, now is the time to choose God's way. Now is the time to live. We don't want to wait to be in God's training program. We don't want to wait to be in His educational system. Like Paul said, don't be a dropout for God's way. Put that way into practice. If we learn today, if we're taught today, if we discipline ourselves right now, when the difficult times come, when the challenges come, whether it's challenges from outside, whether it's challenges with our health, whether it's challenges within our families, we'll be able to look to God's direction. We'll be able to put those things into practice in our life so that we can truly overcome and be pleasing to God, because He's called us to a pretty amazing adventure, hasn't He? An amazing life, an amazing opportunity to be a part of His family now. In fact, I was reminded of the story of Christopher Columbus the other day. Before Christopher Columbus was born, they had a motto in Spain. Of course, they were known for their explorers and all the exploits that they had there. And for hundreds of years before Columbus, Spain's motto was ne plus ultra, which meant no more beyond. It was Latin. Basically, they'd done it all. They'd experienced it all. They'd discovered about everything that was worth discovering. And yet, Columbus came along and realized that they hadn't discovered everything. They hadn't discovered everything. In fact, today there's an interesting monument to Columbus in Spain. It's a monument. It's got this huge lion on this monument. And on it are the words in Latin, ne plus ultra, no more beyond.

But you know what this lion is doing? This lion is eating the word ne, ne, eating the no part. So instead of saying no more beyond, it says more beyond.

And I love that change in perspective, because if there's something that God has in mind for us as His family, within our own families, is there more beyond? There's so much more beyond this world. There's so much more beyond its ways and its values and its way of thinking. There's more beyond what God has in mind. There's more beyond the success in this world. There's more beyond the challenges that come from this world. There's more beyond the temptations that this world brings to our doorstep. There's more beyond the ways and the sins that allure us from this world. So much more beyond that. And we can all say with confidence that God's promise says there is pluus ultra. There is more beyond what this world has to offer. And now's the time to be like those lions on those monuments. To eat up the temptation, get rid of that out of our lives, and make God's way first in our lives. To live beyond the challenges of this life, to put God first no matter what. And as we do that, we can take this tremendous responsibility and put it to practice within our families so that we can even learn more effectively to honor God and overcome the ways of this world. So let's take those ways. Let's instill God's principles into our lives and more effectively live His way. And if we do those things, we will be trained.

And we'll be trained for more than what this world has to offer. We'll be trained for tomorrow.