Question 1:  Is it helpful -physically, spiritually, mentally and relationally?

1 Corinthians 6:12  ”Everything is permissible for me’–but not everything is beneficial”

Question 2:  Does it bring me under its power?

1 Corinthians 6:12  ”Everything is permissible for me’–but I will not be mastered by anything”

Question 3:  Does it hurt others?

1 Corinthians 8:13  ”Therefore, if what I eat causes my brother to fall into sin, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause him to fall”

Question 4:  Does it glorify God?

1 Corinthians 10:31  ”So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God”

Normal isn’t for me.  Normal isn’t for you.

We started a new sermon series this week where we will be examining some of the essential or foundational beliefs that we hold as Christians.  We started this week with God.  Here are some key things we covered:

What we believe matters- our beliefs are what determine our actions

Where we start matters-if we don’t get our foundation right, everything will be wrong

Genesis 1:1
In the beginning God. . .

Deuteronomy 6:4-5
Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. 5 Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.

Westminster Shorter Catechism
What is the chief end of man? To glorify God and enjoy Him forever

Colossians 1:16
For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him.

Romans 11
33 Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God!
How unsearchable his judgments,
and his paths beyond tracing out!
34 “Who has known the mind of the Lord?
Or who has been his counselor?”
35 “Who has ever given to God,
that God should repay them?”
36 For from him and through him and for him are all things.
To him be the glory forever! Amen.

It’s not about me, It’s about God

We homeschool our children.  In this post I want to try and explain why we have chosen this route.  I know that this can be a controversial subject for some people.

There are all kinds of stereotypes that get thrown around on both sides of the conversation.  If we were honest, none of these can be accurate or fair to an entire group of people.

This is not a post to try and convince you that you should homeschool your children.

This is just me trying to explain why we’ve made this decision for our kids.

We homeschool because. . .

1.  We are responsible for training our children

We believe that God has commanded us to train our children.  The best way for that to happen is for us to spend significant amounts of time with them.  Homeschooling allows us to do that.

2.  We believe that character training is the most important training they can get

We believe that training our children in godly character is more important than anything else.  Homeschooling allows us to make this our primary focus.

3.  We want them to grow up with a Christian worldview

We want our children to see this God-drenched world for what it is, God-drenched.  Homeschooling allows us to help them develop a worldview that sees God at the center of the past, present and future.

4.  We want them to be best friends with their siblings

Homeschooling brings our family together rather than separating us.

5.  We want them to love learning

Homeschooling gives us the freedom to pursue our children’s natural curiosity.  We can tailor the learning to their unique personalities.

6.  We want to place them in an environment that will lead them down the narrow road

We are responsible for discipling our children.  A part of that discipleship is placing them in an environment that helps to move them closer to God rather than in one that pulls them away.

I will probably do a series of follow-up posts discussing some of the most common objections that people bring up to us.

So what potential issues do you see with homeschooling?

I recent’y blew it again as a father.  This time it was a careless word spoken while with my sons at our fantasy football draft party.  For those of you that might be hoping for some major foul language, I’m sorry to disappoint.  The word that I carelessly spoke was “idiot.”  Now there may be some of you that would scoff and think that I’m being overly dramatic.  But that isn’t a word that we want to be a part of our vocabulary and we certainly don’t want to teach our kids to use it.

Ephesians 4:29  ”Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.”

The issue really isn’t even about the word as much as it is the fact that I modeled something that I did not want my boys to emulate.

I once again had to apologize and ask for my 2 oldest sons to forgive me.  And once again they were quick to forgive.  My prayer is that God makes up for my many shortfalls as a father so that my children can be all that He intends them to be.

Have you ever had to apologize?

King’s Cross by Timothy Keller

Communicating For A Change  by Andy Stanley (re-read)

Read This Before Our Next Meeting by Al Pittampalli

Weird by Craig Groeschel

Who Is My Neighbor by Steve Moore

A Praying Life by Paul Miller

Coffee Shop Conversations by Dale Fincher and Jonalyn Fincher

Do The Work by Steven Pressfield

Love Wins by Rob Bell

How To Be Creative by Hugh MacLeod  (PDF)

Poke The Box by Seth Godin

The Rest of God by Mark Buchanan

Sun Stand Still by Steven Furtick

The 1-2-3 Money Plan by Gregory Karp

Marketing In The Moment by Michael Tasner

The New How To Study Your Bible by Kay Arthur, David Arthur and Pete De Lacy

So what have you been reading?

God is good even when you have a bad day.

God is good even when people disappoint you.

God is good even when you lose your job.

God is good even when cancer strikes.

God is good even when people hurt you.

God is good even when your world seems to be crashing down around you.

God is good even when tragedy comes upon you.

God is good even when all of your hopes are dashed.

God is good even when your baby dies.

God is good.

God’s goodness has absolutely nothing to do with my circumstances and everything to do with His Character.  He is good even when it doesn’t seem like it.

God is good.