The Biggest Struggle No One EVER Talks About--But Should

Parents, it is normal for us to have hesitancies about talking to our children about certain topics--particularly about sexual issues...That said, can I encourage you to speak with your middle and high school aged children about masturbation? (There I said it, the word no one dares to speak.)

This is an enormous struggle that millions of Christians silently struggle with, and that struggle typically begins early in adolescence. If your child is "normal," and especially if they are a male, a war is being waged daily in their minds. And without the challenge and support of godly parents, it is a war that they are probably going to lose.

Out of love and concern for your child, would you please read this short article?

http://www.ccef.org/its-all-about-me-problem-masturbation

It clearly outlines what the root problems are that lead to masturbation, gives hope through the gospel that victory can be won, and offers practical advice about how to deal with temptations.

Your son or daughter might hate--or loathe--the idea of you speaking with them about such a "private" matter...But if we remain silent about it as parents, we are not doing our part to raise them "in the discipline and instruction of the Lord" (Eph. 6). And we must remember that no sin is so "private" as to fall outside the authority of a parent to speak truth into their child's life.

Of course, this could take some easing in to. If you've never once even talked about lust with your child, it's going to be difficult to launch into this type of even more personal conversation. But start by voicing your own previous struggles with lust, by praying together for them, etc. And slowly work your way up to it.

Our President Said...

"My expectation is that when you look back on these years, you will see a time in which we put a stop to discrimination against gays and lesbians -- whether in the office or on the battlefield. You will see a time in which we as a nation finally recognize relationships between two men or two women as just as real and admirable as relationships between a man and a woman."

This was said in a speech last week by President Obama. Parents, I think it is important that as your children start to get older, you speak to them about matters like homosexuality and the importance of marriage. If you do not, I promise you that they will be far more likely to absorb our culture--and our President--'s view than the biblical view.

Don't assume that your children hold the same beliefs as you about issues. Ultimately, they might choose to disagree with you and diverge from your stance. But, your responsibility is to raise up men and women who are turning to God's Word for answers and not just absorbing culture's cues.

Using President Obama's speech, which you can read at the White House Press's site, you have a great opportunity to have a conversation with your older children about marriage and the importance of following God's design...Help them see that though a gay couple might love each other just as much as a married couple and their commitment might be very "real" (to use the President's term), in the end their relationship is not one that is "admirable." And our lack of admiration is rooted not just in our own political opinions, but in the fact that they are flying in the face of God's clear design and commands.

BUT (and this is important too) be sure to squash any sort of superiority or arrogance in your children that can come from such discussions...Heterosexuals are no less in need of God's grace and forgiveness for their sin than homosexuals. All people need God's mercy--received only through faith in Christ, the One who suffered as a substitute for us. Being "straight" and submitting to God's design/commands is not a box to be checked off in a quest for heaven. Rather, it should be a fruit of our faith in Jesus and our willingness to submit to Him.

Two Good Quotes

Found these recently and wanted to share them.

The first is from a song in the Baptist Hymnal.

"O Lord, may church and home combine
To teach Thy perfect way,
With gentleness and love like Thine,
That none shall ever stray."

And the second is apparently an old saying I've never heard:

"As a twig is bent, so goes the tree."

Let's make sure we are "bending" our children the right way even from a young age, so that they grow in the right direction.

Our Love for God is a Fruit, not a Root

I once knew a good woman who was the subject of many doubts, and when I got to the bottom of her doubt, it was this: she knew she loved Christ, but she was afraid he did not love her. “Oh!” I said, “that is a doubt that will never trouble me; never, by any possibility, because I am sure of this, that the heart is so corrupt, naturally, that love to God never did get there without God’s putting it there.” You may rest quite certain, that if you love God, it is a fruit, and not a root. It is the fruit of God’s love to you, and did not get there by the force of any goodness in you. You may conclude, with absolute certainty, that God loves you if you love God.

Quoted from Charles Spurgeon