"Teach [these things] diligently to your sons. "
Deuteronomy 6:7
EVERYWHERE, IN EVERY WAY
Read It: Deuteronomy 6:4-9; Matthew 22:34-37 Deuteronomy 6:4
Maybe the single most important statement of truth in the entire Old Testament. It's the declaration of the utter uniqueness ness of Israel's God, and it's at the heart of all our theology. Verse 5 is absolutely indispensable too, according to Jesus. But notice the very next thing God said: "Now, fathers, go home and train your children in My truth. I want you to train them when they wake up. I want you to train them when they lie down. I want you to train them in between their waking up and lying down. I want you to train them formally. mally. I want you to train them informally. I want the words wrapped around their foreheads. I want them to bump into My truth when they come into the house and when they leave the house." Why? Because God wanted Israel to be different from all the other nations. He wanted Israel to be a people built on truth and righteousness, love and respect, worshiping God as opposed to the world around them. That's not what we have today. We have Christian kids acting like all the other kids in the neighborhood and parents saying, "I love Johnnie, so I don't spank him." Excuse me, but you hate him then. Do you know what the Bible says about God? "Whom the Lord loveth, He skins alive." That's a pretty good rendering of Hebrews 12:6. My father would tell me, "I want you home at 10:00 PM. That's not 10:01. You be in here at 10:00, or it's fire!" I would be upset and say, "Why do I have to be in here at 10:00? My friends are making fun of me.
They can stay out until 2:00 and 3:00 in the morning." And Dad would say, "Well, maybe their parents don't care. But I care. Be in here at 10:00." Now when I go back to Baltimore, guess where those guys are? Still hanging out on the corner until 2:00 and 3:00 in the morning. I can trace where I am today back to a father and mother who had a hold on me, who disciplined me, who would not let me have my way all the time. I'm in love with Jesus Christ today because of it! Think About It Too many parents today are worried about upsetting their kids when they should be worried about upsetting God.
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