For He established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which He commanded our fathers, that they should teach them to their children, that the generation to come might know, even the children yet to be born, that they may arise and tell them to their children, that they should put their confidence in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep His commandments, and not be like their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation that did not prepare its heart, and whose spirit was not faithful to God.
Scripture is bluntly honest and straightforward. The word of God is not some sick platitude given to make us feel better. It is an open book of the awful mess man makes as they go their own way, and the insistent call of God to sanity. In some ways, Scripture would even make Hollywood blush; the difference being that Hollywood (the culture of our day) glorifies sin while Scripture exposes its true nature. Hollywood attempts to make sin look stylish and sheik while Scripture uncovers its senselessness and stupidity. Hollywood tries to make sin look beautiful and strong. Scripture hangs sin out for what it is: ugly and weak. Hollywood is desperately trying to make sin normal and acceptable. Scripture continues to reveal its absurd abnormality, shame and harm. This is what we must boldly declare, especially to our children. How dare they lie their way into the hearts of these, our most precious possession. We need to rise up with a vengeance and determination that we won't let them get away with it. I had a godly professor in graduate school who told his students, "I aim to bias you!" There should be in us an unbending and unending determination to bias our children. My younger brother teasingly accused me, saying, "Your children are going to heaven whether they like it or not". He saw in me a stubborn refusal to let the world win the hearts of my three precious daughters. Though they have their own free will, and knowing Satan's ways, I will fight for their souls with everything I have, with God's help. But it takes more than our own fierce determination. Along with much prayer, there must be in us an unquestianable demonstration, a clear testimony on our part, of the transforming and evident grace of God in our lives. The travesty of our day is that we are more like Hollywood than we are like Scripture. We, like the "fathers" of Israel, have shown ourselves to be "a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation that did not prepare its heart, and whose spirit was not faithful to God." Until this changes, Hollywood has an open door into our homes. God help us! Yes! God help us!
Scripture is bluntly honest and straightforward. The word of God is not some sick platitude given to make us feel better. It is an open book of the awful mess man makes as they go their own way, and the insistent call of God to sanity. In some ways, Scripture would even make Hollywood blush; the difference being that Hollywood (the culture of our day) glorifies sin while Scripture exposes its true nature. Hollywood attempts to make sin look stylish and sheik while Scripture uncovers its senselessness and stupidity. Hollywood tries to make sin look beautiful and strong. Scripture hangs sin out for what it is: ugly and weak. Hollywood is desperately trying to make sin normal and acceptable. Scripture continues to reveal its absurd abnormality, shame and harm. This is what we must boldly declare, especially to our children. How dare they lie their way into the hearts of these, our most precious possession. We need to rise up with a vengeance and determination that we won't let them get away with it. I had a godly professor in graduate school who told his students, "I aim to bias you!" There should be in us an unbending and unending determination to bias our children. My younger brother teasingly accused me, saying, "Your children are going to heaven whether they like it or not". He saw in me a stubborn refusal to let the world win the hearts of my three precious daughters. Though they have their own free will, and knowing Satan's ways, I will fight for their souls with everything I have, with God's help. But it takes more than our own fierce determination. Along with much prayer, there must be in us an unquestianable demonstration, a clear testimony on our part, of the transforming and evident grace of God in our lives. The travesty of our day is that we are more like Hollywood than we are like Scripture. We, like the "fathers" of Israel, have shown ourselves to be "a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation that did not prepare its heart, and whose spirit was not faithful to God." Until this changes, Hollywood has an open door into our homes. God help us! Yes! God help us!
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