Walk the Path

Matthew 3:16-17
After his baptism, as Jesus came up out of the water, the heavens were opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and settling on him. And a voice from heaven said, “This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy.”

 

Matthew 17:1-6
Six days later Jesus took Peter and the two brothers, James and John, and led them up a high mountain to be alone. As the men watched, Jesus’ appearance was transformed so that his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as light. Suddenly, Moses and Elijah appeared and began talking with Jesus. Peter exclaimed, “Lord, it’s wonderful for us to be here! If you want, I’ll make three shelters as memorials—one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” But even as he spoke, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy. Listen to him.” The disciples were terrified and fell face down on the ground.

 

I love you.
I delight in you.
I am proud of you.
You are good at this.
You are ready for that.

 

2 Peter 1:3-4
By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence. And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires.

 

2 Peter 1:12-13
Therefore, I will always remind you about these things—even though you already know them and are standing firm in the truth you have been taught. And it is only right that I should keep on reminding you as long as I live.

 

Malachi 2:10
Are we not all children of the same Father? Are we not all created by the same God? Then why do we betray each other, violating the covenant of our ancestors?

 

Malachi 2:11-12
Judah has been unfaithful, and a detestable thing has been done in Israel and in Jerusalem. The men of Judah have defiled the Lord’s beloved sanctuary by marrying women who worship idols. May the Lord cut off from the nation of Israel every last man who has done this and yet brings an offering to the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.

 

Malachi 2:13-14
Here is another thing you do. You cover the Lord’s altar with tears, weeping and groaning because he pays no attention to your offerings and doesn’t accept them with pleasure. You cry out, “Why doesn’t the Lord accept my worship?” I’ll tell you why! Because the Lord witnessed the vows you and your wife made when you were young. But you have been unfaithful to her, though she remained your faithful partner, the wife of your marriage vows.

 

Malachi 2:15
Didn’t the Lord make you one with your wife? In body and spirit you are his. And what does he want? Godly children from your union. So guard your heart; remain loyal to the wife of your youth.

 

Malachi 2:16
“For I hate divorce!” says the Lord, the God of Israel. “To divorce your wife is to overwhelm her with cruelty,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. “So guard your heart; do not be unfaithful to your wife.”

 

Malachi 4:5-6
“Look, I am sending you the prophet Elijah before the great and dreadful day of the Lord arrives. His preaching will turn the hearts of fathers to their children, and the hearts of children to their fathers. Otherwise I will come and strike the land with a curse.”

 

 

Ephesians 6:1-3
Children, obey your parents because you belong to the Lord, for this is the right thing to do. "Honor your father and mother." This is the first commandment with a promise: If you honor your father and mother, "things will go well for you, and you will have a long life on the earth." 

 

Ephesians 6:4
Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger by the way you treat them. Rather, bring them up with the discipline and instruction that comes from the Lord. 

 

Christ gets first place.

 

Colossians 1:18
Christ is also the head of the church, which is his body. He is the beginning, supreme over all who rise from the dead.  So he is first in everything.

 

God designed the family.

 

Be grateful.

 

Ephesians 5:3-4
Let there be no sexual immorality, impurity, or greed among you. Such sins have no place among God's people. Obscene stories, foolish talk, and coarse jokes--these are not for you. Instead, let there be thankfulness to God.”

 

Understand it.

 

Definition:  Adolescence is a transitional stage of physical and psychological development that occurs between the onset of puberty to adulthood. 

 

Celebrate it.

 

Encourage sexual purity.

 

Song of Songs 8:4
Promise me, O women of Jerusalem, not to awaken love until the time is right. 

 

Philippians 2:3-4
Don't be selfish; don't try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. 4 Don't look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.

 

1Corinthians 7:32
I want you to be free from the concerns of this life. An unmarried man can spend his time doing the Lord's work and thinking how to please him.

 

Average age for first time exposure to pornography. Girls 9.66 years old, Boys 9.95 years old.
A small percentage of kids were seeking out pornography. Girls 7%, Boys 10%
Only a small percentage of kids told their parents about the exposure on the same day.  Girls: 9%, Boys: 7% (31% never told anyone).
(Source: Utah Valley University Behavioral Science, 2015)

 

Extend grace.

 

 “We are not sinners because we sin, we sin because we are sinners.” – R.C. Spoul

 

Psalm 51:5
For I was born a sinner--yes, from the moment my mother conceived me.

 

Titus 2:11 ESV
For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation…

 

Titus 2:11 ESV
For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people,

 

Titus 2:12 ESV
training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age,

 

Titus 2:13 ESV
waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ,

 

Titus 2:14 ESV
who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to (wait for it) purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works

 

The beauty of the doctrine of salvation in Jesus Christ is not just that it secures us for "eternal life" but that it transforms us in the here and now.

 

Top 5 Influencers of Growth as a Disciple

5. Participate in Church Outreach/Missions 

4. Listen primarily to Christian Music

3. Serve in Church Activities/Ministry

2. Devote time to prayer regularly

1. Devote time to reading the Bible regularly

*Jana Magruder, “Nothing Less”

 

Reading the Bible gives God the first word. 

 

Genesis 3:8-11
When the cool evening breezes were blowing, the man and his wife heard the Lord God walking about in the garden. So they hid from the Lord God among the trees. Then the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?” He replied, “I heard you walking in the garden, so I hid. I was afraid because I was naked.” “Who told you that you were naked?” the Lord God asked. “Have you eaten from the tree whose fruit I commanded you not to eat?”

 

Matthew 6:1-4
Watch out! Don’t do your good deeds publicly, to be admired by others, for you will lose the reward from your Father in heaven. When you give to someone in need, don’t do as the hypocrites do—blowing trumpets in the synagogues and streets to call attention to their acts of charity! I tell you the truth, they have received all the reward they will ever get. But when you give to someone in need, don’t let your left hand know what your right hand is doing. Give your gifts in private, and your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.

 

Matthew 6:5-8
When you pray, don’t be like the hypocrites who love to pray publicly on street corners and in the synagogues where everyone can see them. I tell you the truth, that is all the reward they will ever get. But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you. When you pray, don’t babble on and on as the Gentiles do. They think their prayers are answered merely by repeating their words again and again. Don’t be like them, for your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask him! 

 

Matthew 6:9
Pray like this: Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy.

 

Make your name glorious among us

 

Matthew 6:10
May your Kingdom come soon. May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.

 

Make your plans for us our desire today and always.

 

Matthew 6:11
Give us today the food we need,

 

Make us content with your provision

 

Matthew 6:12
and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us.

 

Help us forgive because we are forgiven

 

Matthew 6:13
And don’t let us yield to temptation, but rescue us from the evil one.

 

Keep us from evil as we walk the path of faith

 

Genesis 4:26
When Seth grew up, he had a son and named him Enosh. At that time people first began to worship the Lord by name.

 

Worship is our response to the greatness of our God. It is the answer to Jesus’ prayer “May your name be kept holy.” This is not limited to the songs we sing in church. Worship is more than an act of praise, it is an attitude of heart given to God directly and sacrificially.

 

Hebrews 13:15-16
Therefore, let us offer through Jesus a continual sacrifice of praise to God, proclaiming our allegiance to his name. And don’t forget to do good and to share with those in need. These are the sacrifices that please God.

 

Romans 12:1
And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him.

  

Matthew 25:31-36
But when the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit upon his glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered in his presence, and he will separate the people as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will place the sheep at his right hand and the goats at his left. Then the King will say to those on his right, “Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world. For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.”

 

Matthew 25:37-40
Then these righteous ones will reply, “Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing? When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you?” And the King will say, “I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!”

 

Lead your children to worship, give and serve with what they have.

 

Matthew 25:21
The master was full of praise. “Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!”

 

 “God will give you enough to be a blessing.”

 

 

1 Peter 3:15b-16a
….you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your hope as a believer, always be ready to explain it. But do this in a gentle and respectful way.

 

Deuteronomy 6:20-21a
In the future your children will ask you, “What is the meaning of these laws, decrees, and regulations that the Lord our God has commanded us to obey?” Then you must tell them….

 

John 6:44
For no one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them to me, and at the last day I will raise them up.

 

Emphasize our need for a Savior

 

Isaiah 59:2
It’s your sins that have cut you off from God. Because of your sins, he has turned away and will not listen anymore.

 

1 Peter 3:18
Christ suffered for our sins once for all time. He never sinned, but he died for sinners to bring you safely home to God. He suffered physical death, but he was raised to life in the Spirit.

 

Romans 3:22-24
We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are. For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. Yet God, in his grace, freely makes us right in his sight. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins.

 

Emphasize His gift of Friendship

 

John 15:12-14
This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you. There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command.

 

Ephesians 2:8-9
God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.

 

Emphasize His right as Lord

 

Romans 6:23
For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.

 

1 Corinthians 6:19-20
Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body.

 

Romans 10:9-10
If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved.

 

 

Definition: What do we mean by “faith?”

Dedication: What does faith require of me?

Devotion:  How does faith purify my affections?

 

2 Corinthians 13:5a
Examine yourselves to see if your faith is genuine.

 

The conviction of the truth of anything, with the predominate idea of trust (or confidence) whether in God or in Christ, springing from faith in the same; belief. Actively, faith is dependence upon God.

 

Ephesians 2:1-3
Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins. You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil—the commander of the powers in the unseen world. He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God. All of us used to live that way, following the passionate desires and inclinations of our sinful nature. By our very nature we were subject to God’s anger, just like everyone else.

 

Ephesians 2:4-7
But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!) For he raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus. So God can point to us in all future ages as examples of the incredible wealth of his grace and kindness toward us, as shown in all he has done for us who are united with Christ Jesus.

 

Ephesians 2:8-9
God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.

 

Romans 1:17
This Good News tells us how God makes us right in his sight. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith. As the Scriptures say, “It is through faith that a righteous person has life.”

 

Galatians 3:11
So it is clear that no one can be made right with God by trying to keep the law. For the Scriptures say, “It is through faith that a righteous person has life.”

  

Luke 2:21-24
Eight days later, when the baby was circumcised, he was named Jesus, the name given him by the angel even before he was conceived. Then it was time for their purification offering, as required by the law of Moses after the birth of a child; so his parents took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord. The law of the Lord says, “If a woman’s first child is a boy, he must be dedicated to the Lord.” So they offered the sacrifice required in the law of the Lord.

 

A parent’s dedication is the first step since it is born from intention. Dedication expresses a commitment to the tasks of modeling and teaching the Christian faith within a family lifestyle. Your children are the primary recipients of that expression.

Affections are strong inclinations of the soul that are manifested in thinking, feeling, and acting.

 

Deuteronomy 6:4-7
“Listen, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord alone. And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength. And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today. Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up.”

 

Deuteronomy 6:20-21a
“In the future your children will ask you, ‘What is the meaning of these laws, decrees, and regulations that the Lord our God has commanded us to obey?’ “Then you must tell them….”

 

Genesis 48:8-10
Then Jacob looked over at the two boys. “Are these your sons?” he asked. “Yes,” Joseph told him, “these are the sons God has given me here in Egypt.” And Jacob said, “Bring them closer to me, so I can bless them. Jacob was half blind because of his age and could hardly see. So Joseph brought the boys close to him, and Jacob kissed and embraced them. Then Jacob said to Joseph, “I never thought I would see your face again, but now God has let me see your children, too!”

 

Genesis 48:15-16
“May the God before whom my grandfather Abraham and my father, Isaac, walked—the God who has been my shepherd all my life, to this very day, the Angel who has redeemed me from all harm—may he bless these boys. May they preserve my name and the names of Abraham and Isaac. And may their descendants multiply greatly throughout the earth.”