Stand for the Next Generation
“They sacrificed their sons and their daughters to false gods. They shed innocent blood, the blood of their sons and daughters, whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan, and the land was desecrated by their blood.”
Psalm 106:37-38 (NIV)
Whether it’s a church, a business, a family, or a nation, we are all just one generation away from extinction. This is why it is so imperative to protect and train up our sons and daughters. In Ephesians 6:4 (NLT), the Bible says, “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.” The generation of Israelites that entered the land of Canaan failed in this regard. Although they served the Lord throughout the lifetime of Joshua and the leaders who had seen all the great things the Lord had done for them, Judges 2:10 (NLT) tells us, “After that generation died, another generation grew up who did not acknowledge the LORD or remember the mighty things He had done for Israel.”
The consequences of failing to teach the next generation subjected them to the culture around them. They engaged their children, the next generation, to an evil culture beyond their ability to resist without God, and verse 11-14 records the tragic outcome, “The Israelites did evil in the LORD’s sight and served the images of Baal. They abandoned the LORD, the God of their ancestors, who had brought them out of Egypt. They went after other gods, worshiping the gods of the people around them. And they angered the LORD. They abandoned the LORD to serve Baal and the images of Ashtoreth. This made the LORD burn with anger against Israel, so He handed them over to raiders who stole their possessions. He turned them over to their enemies all around, and they were no longer able to resist them.”
Is this not the plight of what we are witnessing in our own nation when we engage our children to a culture without God. The challenge of the church, the mandate of every Christian family, is to disciple the next generation so that they will be mighty in spirit and know how to stand alone against evil. When Moses was leading Israel through the wilderness to the land of promise, God told him to tell the people, “When the LORD your God brings you into the land He swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, to give you—a land with large, flourishing cities you did not build, houses filled with all kinds of good things you did not provide, wells you did not dig, and vineyards and olive groves you did not plant—then when you eat and are satisfied, be careful that you do not forget the LORD, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.” Deuteronomy 6:10-12 (NIV)
The preceding verses tell us how they could prevent themselves from forgetting the Lord. Verses 6-9 say, “These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.”
Recognizing the painful consequences of Israel’s failure to do this in that generation that entered Canaan, the Psalmist later writes in Psalm 78:5-8 (NLT) that “(God) gave His instructions to Israel. He commanded our ancestors to teach them to their children, so the next generation might know them— even the children not yet born— and they in turn will teach their own children. So each generation should set its hope anew on God, not forgetting His glorious miracles and obeying His commands. Then they will not be like their ancestors— stubborn, rebellious, and unfaithful, refusing to give their hearts to God.”
The good news is that a generational curse can be broken through the power of the cross. We can choose today to protect our sons and daughters by training them in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. The Message paraphrases that passage in Ephesians 6:4 by saying, “Take them by the hand and lead them in the way of the Master.”Israel teaches us that if we are one generation away from extinction, then we can be just one generation away from revival! For that to happen, we must repent now of engaging our children to this culture and commit to leading them in the way of our Master, Jesus Christ. Set the example by bringing them to church, engaging them with other Christ followers, and connecting with a LIFE group yourself. Find out how at our LIFE CLASS this Sunday on all our campuses following the last morning service. The class and the lunch are free for those who attend in person. You can register now.
Another important part of your daily devotional is spending time with God in prayer. The Woodlands Church Prayer Board lists prayer requests submitted by our members and provides a way to send them some encouragement by using a button on the page to let them know that you prayed for them. Whether you use the Prayer Board, or pray from your heart, the goal is to build the habit of incorporating prayer into your quiet time.
Need prayer yourself? Let us know by submitting a prayer request on the Woodlands Church Prayer Board.