09/15/2023 – Teach the Children when You Walk by the Way
Deuteronomy 6: 6 And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: 7 And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sit in thine house, and when thou walk by the way, and when thou lie down, and when thou rise up. 8 And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes. 9 And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates.
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The Lord Jesus not only revealed that He is the only way, He described that the way to salvation is not easy. It is a narrow and difficult road. The way to perdition is easy- anyone can travel it. It is enjoyable and pleasurable most of the time. But the way of truth, the way of holiness, it is a very difficult way. It demands discipline, sacrifice. It requires that we overcome many obstacles and face up to ferocious enemies.
Good training leads to perseverance. You must teach your children to persevere. No one can achieve anything of value until they learn to persevere. They must learn that life is not a bed of roses. Often it is a valley of tears and even of death. They must learn to face rejection, and to keep going. They must learn to handle disappointment and frustration, even failure, and not throw it all away.
We must learn to mature. We must be transformed as we go. We are supposed to get old walking this way. Some of us are getting there. Remember when we started? Not knowing what to expect…with so many dreams and false expectations. It is easier in a way to move forward when you are young. But after you have been hurt, and you discover that there is a thorn near every rose, and sacrifice is required, and tears accompany planting the seed… and you decide to continue and to love anyway- that when you know you have been transformed by Christ!