How do you know if you have a good relationship with your kids? When it’s tested. The importance of open, trusting relationships with our children, grown or not cannot be overstated. Putting principles from God’s relationship with us is a useful guide - even down to the detail. And if you’re relationship with your children isn’t stellar, we have some ideas for you as well. Are you a grown child or teenager? Fear not! This episode has something in it for you too. Uncle Philmore makes sure of that.
Responsibility. If we’re going to do right by our children, we need to train them to be responsible. Easier said than done! What are some pitfalls we find ourselves falling into as parents, what are some principles to help avoid them? A little bit-o-been-there-done-that and a lot of looking at how Christ does it with us… His disciples. Mark 25:14 | Mark 9:28-29
Disclaimer: We’re not experts. However, when did that stop us from tackling a subject? When it comes to growing as Christians, the family is often the incubator for that growth. As far as raising respectful children are concerned, there are some principles that parents need to respect as well. If you don’t have kids, this is for you as well as we attempt to break down the topic in a way that has application for everyone. And Uncle Philmore makes an appearance too.
The Family. If there is an ideal incubator for learning valuable lessons and gaining many of the character traits necessary for productive Christianity, it might well be our families. In this series we tackle various character traits that mark Christians, in relation to how those might be best imparted to our kids. Also, we get a little vulnerable in these episodes, revealing shortcomings and lessons learned along the way, even as we are still learning. If you have kids, you just might benefit from the open, frank discussion. If you don’t, the principles still apply, as we aim to make this worth your time as a growing Christian too. After all, we ARE family in Christ.
Perhaps the biggest hurdle unbelievers must overcome is the impotence of their so-called Christian friends. It’s easy to fall prey to silence or adopt the trappings of faith, without actually having it. Do we believe what we say we believe? Let’s prove it. 2 Corinthians 4:13, Romans 10:17.
Why do some claim there are “rules” on what a person must do to be saved, anyway? Aren’t they just little technicalities that people use as control over others to convince them they’re going to hell? And why did Jesus say the path to salvation is narrow? Lastly - how narrow is TOO narrow? Hint: The problem isn’t the number of ‘rules’, the problem really is that when we object to clear Bible teaching regarding salvation, we’re objecting to the idea that God has ANY rules at all.
So now that we’ve discovered there is a moral basis for Hell, the next logical question is, “Why does God make it so hard to go to heaven, especially since you claim He loves us so much?” Put another way, “Why is the path so narrow?” In this episode we ask the question, “Is it?” and then dive into whether or not God has a moral justification for making requirements of people for eternal life. And what about people who have never had the chance to hear the gospel, anyway? A person in the remotest parts of the earth? How can God be justified in condemning them to Hell? This is the first in a two part series that gets to the heart of the issue: Is God really love and are we really in need of a Savior.
Challenge Day 30: Admitting we’re wrong. When in Christ and we do something we shouldn’t - it’s often a matter of where we’re focusing our attention. The difference isn’t positive mental attitude. The difference is focusing on Christ and His character. If we do that, we don’t have to worry about reputation. Christ has our back. Matt 21:28-31, 2 Cor 3:18.
Day 29 - Our relationship with Christ is for the long haul. It’s no wonder it’s compared to marriage. Speaking of which, aren’t most of those challenges (in either relationship) a bit petty when viewed through a larger lens?. Mark 10:8-9
The 30 Day “Don’t Be a Loser” Challenge embodies the true spirit of Inner Man Radio: Tongue in cheek humor helping us step back for a moment and purposely think about our actions and attitudes.
Day 28 - Giving thanks for all things. It is a spiritual exercise that turns our minds from the negative of the situation at hand, to one that is prepared to take the next step with the right attitude and glorify God in the process. 1 Thess 5:18
The 30 Day “Don’t Be a Loser” Challenge embodies the true spirit of Inner Man Radio: Tongue in cheek humor helping us step back for a moment and purposely think about our actions and
