Join Lori as she shares the importance of teaching your children to have an eternal perspective.
Well hey folks, it’s Lori Joiner, Your discipleship coach. I am so thrilled you have tuned in for episode 7 for Your Discipleship Coach Kids Edition.
I have had so much fun making these and thank you for your kind comments.
One mom texted me and said, “LORI!!! I just listened to your podcast, the most recent one about praying with your kids. It was so good!!!! I used to always pray with my big boys when they were little when I was putting them in bed. I still do that with my little one, but I’ve gotten out of the habit with my big ones. I’m starting again today!! And I’m going to share your podcast with my friends. Thank you for your kind and gracious, godly, heart."
Another mom contacted me and said, "Good morning Lori, I love your podcast! You are such a blessing to me. Such great advice especially on discipling our kids. I started praying for my daughter before she leaves for high school in the morning, and I keep thinking “why wasn’t I doing this?” We get so busy that it’s easy to get distracted.”
Please let me know if you would like me to cover a certain topic by going to my website, Lorijoinerministries.org, clicking on the “contact Lori” tab, and just sending me a message there.
Today we are going to jump right in and unpack a very important kids edition tip-and that is…to clearly teach our kids to have an eternal perspective.
One of the biblical teachings that has helped me personally in life is understanding what a limited time on earth I really have. I am not trying to be dramatic here. It is really how I view life.
James 4:14 Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.
Psalm 144:4 Man is like the breath; His days are like a passing shadow.
1 Corinthians 3:10-15 10 By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should build with care. 11 For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, 13 their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work. 14 If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward. 15 If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved—even though only as one escaping through the flames.
Let’s break that down a bit…I shared a few thoughts on the podcast I did not write in here…
So when I put all this together, the Bible is teaching that we only have a short time to make sure we are not the one describes as escaping through flames with nothing to show for his life on earth. Nothing to praise God with.
As parents-this has got to be one of the things we are teaching our kids about and warning them of. Don’t just teach them to read, to add, to subtract. Don’t just teach them the bible and go to church. Teach them a PERSPECTIVE. A godly, biblically sound perspective. That we are not here long, but what we do hear matters in eternity.
I teach my boys to have this eternal perspective in multiple ways.
1. I read to them these verses. Perhaps at breakfast or lunch I may say-“Boys did you know that the Bible says that our life is like a mist that appears for a while then vanishes? What do you think that means? Depending on the age level of your kids you will get varying answers. But the point is you need to at least read the verse to them.
2. Or driving down the road, I will snap my fingers and say boys-this is all we got. When you think about our 100 years on earth in comparison to eternity-its like a snap! It may feel long now, but we will look back on this time from eternity and thing-wow that went by fast.
3. Or I will teach it through prayer. As I pray for them in the mornings or at night I may say, Oh Lord, thank you that Josh is awake for another day on earth. Another day to serve you. Another day to lay up treasure in heaven and to please you. Thank you Lord that earth is not his final destination, he is here to learn and grow and develop as the man you desire him to be but ultimately he has a place in heaven already. A heavenly citizenship. He is just passing through.
4. I may say, "Boys, no one knows how many days are in their bank account." I turned 50 this past week and told them I am thankful for each day I have had and however many more the Lord will give me. And that however many days he does give me I will continue to dedicate to raising up them to be godly leaders for their generation, to share the love of God and salvation in Christ, and lay up treasure in heaven.
5. I will tell them, "boys we have one shot!" One-shot to live life and then to stand before God and give an account of our life. And God wants to say “Well done they good and faithful servant.” He wants to say this. Why else would he have given us to very many verses and teaching on this subject all through scripture? He was getting us ready and prepared-if we will head his instructions. Jesus told his disciples and others listening to his teaching in Mathew 6:19-20 not to lay up treasure on earth where moth and rust destroy and thieves break in and steal, but to lay up treasure in heaven where moth and rust do not destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal.
We really have a brief time to lay up treasure in heaven, to persevere through trials, to get trained up to share our faith, disciple others, to invite people to church.
We only get one shot.
One shot to help fulfill the great commission.
Mom and Dad-we only get one shot.
· One shot to raise up the next godly generation.
· One shot to further the great commission in our lifetime
· We have to remind ourselves and teach our children to use this life for God.
· To use this one life to kick the ball down the Great commission field
· This one life to shine the light of Christ here on earth.
This breath, this life, this vapor can be squandered away on selfish living, temporal mindset, small petty issues, or can be used to bring glory to God, to add to His eternal kingdom.
We need to be saying, as parents that life as a gift. Your children should not see life as a chore to get through. Please do not let that be your mantra about life. Be thankful.
Let them hear you pray-“Thank you Lord we have another day with you! Another day to learn about you, grow in our love for you, be used by you to help others. Another day to lay up treasure in heaven.”
So be intentional. Teach an eternal perspective to your children all through their ages and stages. Always pointing to life as a gift from God, that our citizenship is actually in heaven, and that we have one shot to make this life count for Him.
Let’s Pray!