Daily Devotional #1,856

“It’s a Jungle Out There!” That was the tag line for the anthem to the humorous detective show “Monk”. And  in many ways…the song was right. There is a battle out there that is focused on one specific group of people. 
And those people are…your children. Any proponent of an ideology, current fad or world view will do its best  to get their ideas plugged in as a part of school curriculums, kids clubs, sports teams and in every media  platform possible. Because your kids are the prize, because most of them have no foundation for real belief.  They know that kids want to fit in with friends and please those who are in authority. I get that. But a parent’s  job, according to the Bible is to train their kids in the way to go about life. And part of that is being able to  honestly ask questions and to think critically. So, for us parents, we are called to first know what we believe.  The Bible has much to say about who God is, who we are as men and women and how God wants us to live.  Yeah, I know…not everybody believes that. But the Bible is clear, as to parents who are followers of Jesus,  what our responsibility is to raise our children and guide them and not default to others to shape their core  beliefs and values. But part of the issues may be us parents…and grandparents…what do we really believe?  And along with that, why do we believe it? As parents, we need to draw that line in the sand where we say that  this is where we will not back down, no matter how current culture demands that we do so. The Apostle Paul  wrote to the church in Rome nearly 2,000 years ago and he said that our task is to not copy the behavior and  customs of the world, but to let God transform you into a new person by the way you think. He said that if we  will do that, then the outcome of that will be to know God’s will for us, which is good and pleasing and perfect.  So, if you are a follower of this Jesus of the Bible, then stand tall for what you believe in and for your kids. And  for grandparents, you jump in there as well. There is a jungle war going on every day and the prize is the hearts  and minds of your kids. Know what you believe, know why you believe it and then live it and teach it. Here’s  our Bible verse for today…  
Romans 12:1-2 NLT 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. (2) Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into  a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good  and pleasing and perfect.  
Remember I’m praying for you!  
With love, PJ