Rock Solid Families
The Bible-Where Do You Start as a Family? How to teach the Bible to your kids. Ep - 281
Have you ever felt overwhelmed by the thought of incorporating the Bible into your family's daily life? Fear not! Our latest conversation provides a relatable and supportive guide to navigating scripture and its enduring teachings. Merrill and Linda are transparent about their ignorant beginnings in their faith and how they felt overwhelmed by all they didn't know. However, it was from a thirst for understanding and incredibly loving people that surrounded them that they began to experience the revelation of God's Word.
Asking what seemed like silly questions or not even knowing where to look in the book that we were supposed to be using as our guide for life, left us feeling stupid. No parent wants to feel stupid in front of their own kids. But, this is the start of learning humility and a coachable heart.
Taking on the responsibility to bringing up our kids in the Word is no small task. Especially in today's world of self-indulgences and contradictory authorities. Where do we begin?
In this show Linda and Merrill help to lay out a pathway to help today's parents incorporate the Bible and its teachings into a daily lifestyle. These are things that do not have to be overwhelming and can help your kids understand where the values of your family come from. The old phrase, 'because I said so', takes on an entirely different magnitude when it is founded on the principles of the Word.
The teaching and learning of the Bible is a life long journey. Give yourself some grace and swallow your pride as you assume the role of Primary Teacher, for educating your kids on God's Word.
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#Rocksolidfamilies, #familytherapy, #marriagecounseling, #parenting, #faithbasedcounseling, #counseling, #Strongdads, #coaching, #lifecoach, #lifecoaching, #marriagecoaching, #marriageandfamily, #control, #security, #respect, #affection, #love, #purpose, #faith, #affairs, #infidelity
Have you ever felt overwhelmed by the thought of incorporating the Bible into your family's daily life? Fear not! Our latest conversation provides a relatable and supportive guide to navigating scripture and its enduring teachings. Merrill and Linda are transparent about their ignorant beginnings in their faith and how they felt overwhelmed by all they didn't know. However, it was from a thirst for understanding and incredibly loving people that surrounded them that they began to experience the revelation of God's Word.
Asking what seemed like silly questions or not even knowing where to look in the book that we were supposed to be using as our guide for life, left us feeling stupid. No parent wants to feel stupid in front of their own kids. But, this is the start of learning humility and a coachable heart.
Taking on the responsibility to bringing up our kids in the Word is no small task. Especially in today's world of self-indulgences and contradictory authorities. Where do we begin?
In this show Linda and Merrill help to lay out a pathway to help today's parents incorporate the Bible and its teachings into a daily lifestyle. These are things that do not have to be overwhelming and can help your kids understand where the values of your family come from. The old phrase, 'because I said so', takes on an entirely different magnitude when it is founded on the principles of the Word.
The teaching and learning of the Bible is a life long journey. Give yourself some grace and swallow your pride as you assume the role of Primary Teacher, for educating your kids on God's Word.
http://rocksolidfamilies.org
#Rocksolidfamilies, #familytherapy, #marriagecounseling, #parenting, #faithbasedcounseling, #counseling, #Strongdads, #coaching, #lifecoach, #lifecoaching, #marriagecoaching, #marriageandfamily, #control, #security, #respect, #affection, #love, #purpose, #faith, #affairs, #infidelity
rock solid families would like to thank hoosier ice house for being a proud sponsor of the rock solid families podcast. In the heart of historic lawrenceburg, indiana, the ice house is at the corner of vine and high streets. The historic building evokes a feeling of comfort, with spacious indoor and outdoor dining, a large, large bar and comfortable dining areas. Large enough to host parties, yet intimate enough to feel like your favorite neighborhood restaurant. So thank you again for the Hoosier Ice House for sponsoring the Rock Salad Families Podcast.
Speaker 2:Welcome to the Rock solid families podcast. I am linda hutchinson here with my. What are you doing? We have to get back to the ophthalmologist, oh my gosh linda, these glasses that you got me are ridiculous I can't see a thing.
Speaker 1:so we're really dating our show because that's why I'm doing it.
Speaker 2:Something very special is going to happen. Ah, today, as we are recording, this show right, you know what these are.
Speaker 1:Paper.
Speaker 2:These are our solar shades.
Speaker 1:Oh solar shades Our solar shades they call.
Speaker 2:Call these.
Speaker 1:We are going to experience the solar eclipse exactly, yeah, yeah exciting times here, so I just found out, after I spent 14 on our glasses, that I could have gone to the library and got them free oh, they were free some people have were giving them away so of course I bought mine. I didn't want to be like out, you know, you know out of the loop.
Speaker 2:So so, anyway, we are dating this show, because this will be the only way I ever remember that I actually experienced an eclipse. All right, enough of that, what are we doing anyway?
Speaker 1:Well, we're talking about something that I think is really important for families, and that is the Bible. And where do you even start? Because, remember us, 30 years ago, we had a Bible that was in a box, somewhere, that we never, really ever, used.
Speaker 2:Did we even have one in a box?
Speaker 1:Well, I found one that it was a green hardback one that I had gotten on my first communion.
Speaker 2:Oh my gosh.
Speaker 1:That I never. I just carried it from house to house with me when I got married and stuff. But I never really Was it English. It was English.
Speaker 2:I just carried it from house to house, you know, with me when I got married and stuff, but I never really Was it English. It was English, I just never really used it.
Speaker 1:So yeah, but we're. This show a few disclaimers here is not for the theologians that already know the Bible and feel comfortable reading it. We're not going to focus on exegesis or apologetics, which, when I was in Bible college, didn't even know what those words meant. So we're not going to talk about defending the Bible or interpreting the Bible specifically, but we're talking more like this is more like the Bible for idiots, or what is that For dummies? For dummies, the Bible for dummies.
Speaker 2:Well, I mean, let's clarify a little bit too, because we think there's a great need to continue to grow and to learn in the Bible.
Speaker 2:But to be really super honest with you guys and the work that Linda and I get to do as marriage and family coaches and being faith-based, a high, high percentage of people that walk in our office and I would say 70, 80% of the people might say that they are from some faith background but are essentially they're Bible illiterate, which again, we're not. That's not a slammer or anything, that's just the state of affairs that we're in. And so when Linda and I start working with people and couples and that and we make references to the foundation of God's word being what we're going to operate off of, you know, sometimes it takes people back a little bit like oh, I didn't know, and there's a reason why we use God's word as a foundation. And so, like you said, I mean this is not for the theologians, but this is for most people that are going to be out there Absolutely Like where do you even start? How do I make sense of this?
Speaker 1:Bible thing Right, and people who call themselves Christians or wanna be Christians. I'll never forget when we were new believers and we were just starting our faith journey together as a couple I was 30, you were 32, and we were teachers by trade. So they quickly got our number and they wanted us to teach Sunday school. And I'll never forget I was teaching first grade Sunday school and there were two twin girls they're super special to me, jenna and Jesse, and they knew more than their teacher did.
Speaker 1:And I was just reading ahead, enough to get ahead of this class. But, what I didn't know was there was a whole backstory and there was a story of Paul, who used to be called Saul, and I honestly had no idea who that was. And the girls were telling me the story and I was so embarrassed that I had no idea what they were talking about. Yeah, you had the title teacher after your name.
Speaker 2:And again, I mean, we've all been to different places, right, and you all have to start learning somewhere and at some point in time, and so I think one of the things that we want to do here is nobody should be beat down and embarrassed by that.
Speaker 2:Instead, start to just embrace the challenge of okay, so I think there is something valuable here in this word when do I begin? And so we wanted to help you guys tackle that and to also just remind you it's a process, and Linda and I are still way in the process, right, and it's never going to go away, because, as we talk about, the Bible is a living document and that just simply means that it makes sense at different levels and in different times, based off of what your need is. You read something one day and you're like I'm reading Numbers right now oh my gosh. So, but you know there's other things that you read and you go oh my gosh, I've read that 20 times and I don't think I ever understood that. So it's alive and it kind of breathes life in you as you see it and need it.
Speaker 1:I'm in judges and I'm feeling very judged. Man no, actually I'm in judges and I'm feeling like, wow, this could be 2024. Like, this is the world we're living in today, we're like very slow to learn and change Right. So, but before we get into that more, we want to thank our sponsors.
Speaker 2:Yeah, let's thank Maxwell Construction, casey's Outdoor Solutions and Hoosier Ice House for being sponsors of the Rock Solid Families podcast, and so we also want to just thank all of our sponsors and donors that support the entire ministry of Rock Solid Families, because without you, we don't get to do the work that we do and the people that we serve don't get served at the level that they're currently getting served.
Speaker 1:We also want to make a mention of our monthly Families Rock parenting class that we do at the last Saturday of every month, so the next one coming up is April 27th. It is at the Lawrenceburg Firehouse on Tate Street, lawrenceburg, indiana, and it is from 8.30 to noon, and it is for any adult, any parent, grandparent maybe you're co-parenting in a divorce situation, or maybe you and your spouse are not on the same page when it comes to how do we parent this teenager or this toddler, and so it's a standalone class and we would love for you to join us. And it's $75 for three hours, so that's really like three coaching hours for the price of one. So we would love for you to join us on April 27th.
Speaker 2:We don't guarantee this, but what we will say is that typically the numbers are small enough that you feel like you can actually ask your questions, but yet there's enough people there that you don't feel like you have to be the spotlight of the class.
Speaker 1:Yeah, get some personal attention.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so sometimes I've actually felt like man. Like you said, they're almost getting a, we're almost having a counseling session here, so that's good.
Speaker 1:We also have a women's retreat coming up that I'm speaking at on April 26th and 7th at Bright Christian Church in Lawrenceburg, Indiana, and we'd love for you to join us. The deadline is actually April 12th. So, ladies, if you're listening and you haven't signed up yet, we'd love for you to join us. You don't have to go to the church. If you live in the greater Cincinnati Ohio tri-state area, join us.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so is there a place? Go to Bright Christian Church. Brightccorg is how you, okay, and they can sign up there, or, yes, under events, yeah, all right. So as we talk about it, let's get into the, the background of why this topic. Okay, and um, I think the idea here is, um, our job is to, as coaches, is to not have you stuck to us so that you always have to call merle or linda or read a book or figure out, like, what to do instead. Instead, it's to equip.
Speaker 2:It is to equip, and we don't make any apologies for the idea that our main piece of equipment, our main weapon that we use, okay, our foundation source is God's word, and so you know, you and I, hon, we've both been trained as counselors and all of those techniques and tools are really helpful. We use those all the time, but at the end of the day, they have to be pinned to something. And sometimes, when we talk to families, we say, well, the very first thing you have to do in parenting is you have to establish the family values. And so we say you know, before you do anything, before you start any discipline and all that, you better know what the value system is that you're going to hold is the bar to do this. Well, this is where the Bible comes in, because it is the thing that gives us the value system that we work from.
Speaker 1:Yeah. And John 10, 10 reminds us who our real enemy is. The enemy comes to steal, kill and destroy. But I have come, jesus says, so that you may have life, and life to the fullest. And so you know, mom and dad, we've got to help you prepare for battle. And the battle and the struggle is not against each other or, you know, the neighbor or your friend, your kid's friends. It is not against the school or the government. It is against Satan. And he is coming after our families because he knows it's the fabric of our society and our churches and our nation. And so he's coming with a vengeance, huh.
Speaker 1:So we have got to armor up, mom and dad. We have got to armor up, and Ephesians 6 tells us, starting in verse 10, it says Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes, for our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, the authorities, the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of the evil. Therefore, put on the full armor of God so that, when the day of evil comes, you can stand your ground and, after you've done everything else to stand.
Speaker 2:Hon, the interesting thing about that is standing up to the devil's schemes, and I think sometimes that's what we just don't recognize, and part of being in battle is to try to outwit the enemy right. And so if you don't know God's word, then sometimes things just seem to be you know the devil masquerades right as an angel of light.
Speaker 2:Right, and sometimes you seem to be in something that on surface looks very good, or even fun or healthy, only to come to find out that it was something that actually tore your family or you apart. The whole party life can be that way, right. Pornography can be that way. Sex can be that way. Drugs can be that way. In the moment, they can masquerade as we are having fun, we are partying, and then all of a sudden you find the darkness on the backside and it doesn't even have to be drugs or alcohol.
Speaker 1:It could be like a promotion at work that takes you away from your family more. Or you know kids getting chosen to be on a select team but that takes you away from the dinner table together all week long. They can look really good and sweet looking, but if they're dividing and destroying and distracting our families, let me go on and read hon about the different pieces of the armor We've been teaching. We teach this a lot to our kids and families, but stand firm with the belt of truth that's buckled around your waist, the breastplate of righteousness that protects your heart, and the feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition, take out the shield of faith, which extinguishes the flaming arrows, take the helmet of salvation, which protects your mind, but then here is your only offensive weapon. Everything else that I just mentioned was defense almost like a.
Speaker 1:What do you call those Armormen? Oh gosh, A knight.
Speaker 2:A knight, thank you.
Speaker 1:That protects his body, but the weapon he has is the sword of the spirit, and the Bible tells us that our sword is the word of God.
Speaker 2:I'm reminded of the movie the Knight's Tale. Oh my gosh, hello, it's alliance, it's alliance.
Speaker 1:That's a different story, but we're going to focus on the offensive piece, the Bible, and so you know. But, like we said, what do you do when you have no idea where to begin? And that's what we're going to talk about.
Speaker 2:All right. So, as we begin, we're talking about, first and foremost, hopefully, equipping mom and dad here. Okay, on occasion and you saw this when you had preschool on occasion we have kids that are going into preschool or going into Sunday school and the parents aren't doing anything or attending and the kids are coming home and talking about all of this, the weaponry, the sword and stuff, and so. But we really, you know, as parents, we are to be the leaders in our home of our kids' spiritual wellness and growth, and so that's where we start.
Speaker 1:But, honey, think about this, though we actually that's how we started. You know, our son was in a Christian preschool. He was four. And all of a sudden we're realizing man, we don't know squat and we don't even know how to use God's word. And so we felt convicted because he was coming home with some questions. He was an overachiever who wanted to know and understand, and we didn't have answers, and so that actually hooked us to start searching for ourselves.
Speaker 2:Well, I think up until that time and I think this is just the case we were very, I'll just say, even though we went to church every Sunday, we lived a very secular life and the whole church knowledge thing was well, they'll just teach our kids that at Sunday school, and we relinquished the duty, the responsibility, to somebody who we thought was smarter than us about it, because we just were oblivious.
Speaker 1:Yeah, hebrews 4.12 says the word of God is alive and active, as you mentioned before, sharper than a double edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joint and marrow. It judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. So you want to navigate this dark world, you better armor up and get your sword out.
Speaker 2:And the idea, hun, that it judges the thoughts and the attitudes of the heart. And so you know, I think of things like my conscious being convicted, even a feeling of guilt, which we've talked about. That's more of Satan, but the idea that when we start to learn God's word, how we will start to decipher code of Satan better and go ooh I see that because I know his word.
Speaker 2:that particular thing is not good, even though it seems to be the hot thing in society right now, and so it is because of his word that I'm able to see it. Otherwise, my heart was just dead to even look at it.
Speaker 1:And we have topic after topic that we could do on that subject Exactly Well, you know, and I think about do on that subject Exactly Well, you know and I think about. We had several weeks ago our new admin marketing hire, Jenna, who you know. She got pulled into that corporate world and she kind of got sucked into that good money and a lot of responsibilities, but it was going to pull her internationally to travel and to go away from her husband and her son and she really said, you know, I don't think it's worth it. And so that's where, like you said, the pull you start to see like man. Is that really what I want for my?
Speaker 1:life and my family and you start to discern things differently.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, because all your friends and even your common sense might have said why would you not do? This but then God's word starts to convict your heart in a different way.
Speaker 1:But then God's word starts to convict your heart in a different way. Speaking of God's word, hon, I think we need to first ask our parents to find an easy and readable translation. There's an old saying that says the best Bible translation is one that you'll read, and so not many of us understand the Greek and the Hebrew and the Aramaic, which was our original language of the Bible, so everything we're reading is a translation.
Speaker 2:Right, right, yeah, and I think certain people in certain groups, even churches, get locked in on a certain one, and they'll even have a like.
Speaker 1:This is the best or whatever, or the only sacred. Yeah, and you're right hon.
Speaker 2:I mean like when I first. I mean, I think one of the things that always kept me hands length apart is that I remember the King James and I also remember that I read at a sixth grade level.
Speaker 1:And the King James is like 11th or 12th grade level.
Speaker 2:Well, it's just old English, and so it always was very hard and I'd get all stuck on the labor of the read versus the learning of the read. So I think it's important, like you said, hon, like I like the NIV, I like the NLT, the ESV. I think, so these are ones that are just more common in the standard English. It doesn't make them better or worse it makes them readable.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and so again, you can actually research the reading level of every translation. But you know, the NLT is like a fifth or sixth grade level.
Speaker 2:I really like that. It stands for New.
Speaker 1:Living Translation. The NIV stands for New International Version, and there's actually an updated version of that. The ESV is the English Standard Version. There's actually an updated version of that. The ESV is the English Standard Version. Again, you know, my point is is that don't get so hung up, okay.
Speaker 1:We actually the King James, the original King James was actually the most inaccurate version, because it was written before the Dead Sea Scrolls, which was how they translated the language back then. So again, it really has evolved. But there is so many good translations and I love almost reading and comparing them. So, definitely get yourself an easy readable translation.
Speaker 2:And so then, where do you start? Okay, so there are 66 books in the Bible, and so we would recommend do not start with the Old Testament Now. You could, but after you get through some of the stories that might be familiar in Genesis, like the creation story and stuff like that, pretty soon you're going to run into these other books, the Numbers and. Deuteronomy and stuff and you're going to be going oh wow.
Speaker 2:And so just to make it relevant with the church that you're going to be attending or where your kids are going to be hearing things it church that you're going to be attending or where your kids are going to be hearing things it is important probably for you to start in the New Testament. Now I remember someone told me when we first came in they said I said, well, where do I start? Even in the New Testament, where do I start? And not that they were right or wrong. But they said, well, start in Acts, because that's the building of the church. And not that they were right or wrong. But they said, well, start in Acts, because that's the building of the church.
Speaker 2:And that wasn't quite right because I hadn't quite bought into the whole Jesus thing. Yeah, you need the life of Christ. Yeah, and so the Bible is all about Christ. Even the Old Testament and New Testament it's all about Christ. And so first, just humbling yourself to reading one of the Gospels, okay, and they all have a slightly different spin on them. I think a lot of people prefer John, the start, to John. It's a good start, but the idea there is read the life of Jesus and just soak in the character of Jesus Just soak in how he is so different than the human nature that we see today. But when you see his nature, how much it just is right, it is very righteous. And when you see how he handles people and how he tells us to handle people and our bodies and all these, things.
Speaker 2:So I would just recommend just soak in the life of Christ first, before you get all bogged down by all of the other things.
Speaker 1:I know you like your red letter Bible where the life, the words of Christ first before you get all bogged down by all of the other things.
Speaker 1:I know you like your red letter Bible where the words of Christ are in red. So the Gospels are the life of Christ and there's four of them Matthew, mark, luke and John, and they're at the beginning of the New Testament, and so I had a Bible college professor that used to remind me that the Old Testament is the New Testament. Concealed, like Christ is in there, but he's like he's kind of in code, you know, prophecy basically Right, he said prophecy 300 prophecies that Jesus fulfilled, okay, when he lived and died and rose again.
Speaker 1:So the Old Testament is the New Testament concealed and the New Testament is the Old Testament revealed.
Speaker 1:And so it's almost like the fulfillment of the old and so, yes, both of them are super important. But if you're, from the start, need something easy, go to a gospel Matthew, mark, luke and John and then you know. Then we encourage you to get a Bible app. Okay, download a Bible app. We use the YouVersion Bible app. It's free and it's just a great, great tool, and I'm a poor reader and so I get distracted easily, so it actually has a couple different voices that read to you so you can have it read to you while you're driving or sleeping or walking or whatever, and so it's really helpful.
Speaker 2:I actually use the reading part a lot, especially when I'm in this Old Testament numbers part right, and so it just helps you to get through that. Yeah, but hon, there's all kinds of other apps. Some are free, some are not, but man, once you get into it, like Logos and Ascension the.
Speaker 1:Catholic Church is really heavy on that Blue Letter Bible Blue.
Speaker 2:Letter Bible. So there's all kinds, but the YouVersion is just it's quick, it's easy, you load it up on your phone and it's user-friendly enough that you don't get all bogged down in what you're looking for.
Speaker 1:And then we encourage you to find a friend, find a small group, find a mentor who will walk alongside you in this journey, and I remember the Christian women that come alongside me. I was in Betty Plunkett's Bible study and her husband was one of our elders and she was just a sweet old lady, she was probably about 4'8".
Speaker 2:Played the piano Played the piano.
Speaker 1:She was just the sweetest thing and I just remember sitting at her feet and learning, but she was always pointing me back to God's Word, always putting me back to God's Word. So find a friend or a mentor or group, and you can do that at a local church, and if you don't have a local church, get connected to one, because, man, it's hard to walk through this and try to learn and grow and study alone.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I would say, hun, that for me it was my first Bible study and you have to remember, at the age of 32, I never, in fact I would probably have pushed hard against attending a Bible study and I was invited to one. They knew I was very much a rookie and they kind of embraced like no question was a dumb question. And I remember now some of the questions I asked.
Speaker 2:I think, oh my gosh, but they took every one of those in and then let me argue with them and bicker with them, and wrestle with them, right, because the idea there was. It wasn't like I was a little kid and was just going to say yes, yes, yes, just because you say so. I had enough life experience in me that my secular thinking and my own past allowed me to argue some of it, and they were able to, just they were able to bring me along and then let me discover on my own and so a study group is really, really important.
Speaker 1:And also invest in a study Bible. I'll never forget the first gift I bought you when we were renewing our faith was a life application. Bible and I still have it, and it was an NIV. You don't have that one do you?
Speaker 2:Yes, I do.
Speaker 1:It's upstairs in the bonus room it fell apart, so we had to buy another one and another one and another one.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I still have it.
Speaker 1:Then we need a large print, but that we're fighting over that Bible so much because it's almost like it's got cliff notes in it.
Speaker 2:All the commentary. Commentary.
Speaker 1:And it's got biography so you can learn about Saul being turned to Paul the super apostle and all of these things. That helped me kind of put two and two together so I didn't have to ask all those questions. So invest in a life application Bible or a study Bible and again NIV translation, nlt translation ESV. Those are just three really easy, readable translations.
Speaker 2:Yeah, you can get a devotional book right to help prompt you. But I'll caution on the devotional because I think sometimes people will use those as a replacement for the Bible. And devotion can mean anything. Right Like you can get somebody who actually explains a whole lot, or they can just give a thought of the day.
Speaker 1:And so be careful.
Speaker 2:It can be something that just keeps your brain thinking about your walk, but the devotional is not meant to replace the day, and so be careful. It can be something that just keeps your brain thinking about your walk, but the devotional is not meant to replace the Bible.
Speaker 1:It's kind of like an appetizer. You don't want to keep feeding off of those. It's a good little start and it sometimes is a little guide, but keep learning and growing. Okay, don't stop there. These are just aids we're talking about, and so Hebrews 5 actually warns us that we can't just keep eating appetizers. We can't just read someone else's commentary or listen to a preacher what he says or a devotion. In a Bible app it says Hebrews 5, verse 11,. It says we have much to say about this, but it's hard to make it clear to you because you no longer try to understand. In fact, by this time you ought to be teachers. You need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God's word all over again. You need milk still, not solid food, and anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature who, by constant use, have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.
Speaker 2:It's kind of warning us If?
Speaker 1:you just keep feeding on the appetizers or someone else's commentary, you're never going to get to solid food. You're never going to be strong and steady and healthy enough to distinguish that good from bad.
Speaker 2:Sometimes too, hon. I think of the milk as just being what mommy and daddy say.
Speaker 1:That's right or wrong that's right babies.
Speaker 2:Well, just do this, because I said so. And we are called to go in and into when we have doubt, to go in and work through your doubt. It's not the Bible that we doubt, it's our own self. We had church and I was thinking I don't ever doubt the Bible, but I certainly doubt my understanding of the Bible and so that becomes my job to go okay, I know the Bible, it's true and it's consistent, but I don't always understand it, and so that means I have to go clear and work through my doubt.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and that's what makes us different at Rock Solid Families. We don't do licensed therapy where you, like you said, we pull out all of these psychological tools and things. We use some tools, but when we come to them we say, hey, let's go to God's word together and see what God's word says, because I don't want you to do it because Linda says so or Merle says so. We want you to do it because that's what God's word wants for you as a couple or as a parent or as a family, and so, yeah, and I think that will help you kind of build that rock solid foundation to help your children learn and grow.
Speaker 2:Just to be honest, we find that if we have a person or a couple who is not familiar with the word and is not investing in the word once, we kind of exhaust all the techniques, out there and they're just trying to do techniques. Well, we're talking better, well, we're doing this better, but they still haven't rooted themselves in behaving more like Christ and following the way of Christ.
Speaker 2:Then they get frustrated and we get frustrated because they get to these plateaus and it stops and actually they usually then tend to drift back down. And those are some hard conversations where you say at some point in time, guys, you need Jesus and you're going to have to figure that out Because we've taught you all of the stuff, the techniques, but they mean nothing if you're not going to root this in God's word yeah, it's either your way or his way, and your way isn't working so good, you know, and is one of your favorite lines.
Speaker 1:What's your favorite verse?
Speaker 2:Oh, john, 14, 6.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:I'm the way, the truth and the life. Nobody gets to the Father except through me.
Speaker 1:And I meaning you, merle, that life. Nobody gets to the Father except through me, and I meaning you, merle, that's Jesus talking.
Speaker 2:That's the red letter. That's the red letter. And that may not sound like a very interesting verse or one that will inspire you through the day, but it absolutely has gripped me because up until that point, I would take on any smart person who talked to go that sounds interesting, I'll buy that, I'll buy that, I'll buy that. And so you get so deluded by all of the other philosophies and smart people out there that you I. Finally, when I just read that, I went enough already, there's only one source and it's time for me to put my pride aside and really own that part.
Speaker 1:You know, as you're talking about that, I'm thinking of us watching like 2020 or 60 minutes or something, and not 60 minutes so much, but like Dateline, where they would try to make you think that that person is it. And then they've really just kind of just thrown.
Speaker 2:Yeah, you were buying it. I'm buying it. Hook line and sinker.
Speaker 1:And then it's, the twist comes to the very end, and they're like comes to the very end and they're like nope, and it wasn't them, and so, oh, I hate that. Well, yeah, and so the world does that through its message.
Speaker 2:You are gullible, I am all right so, um, you know, one of the things that's really cool is, once you start to get these eureka moments, these aha moments and like john 14, 6 was that for me it was like a wow, now I'm locked in, you'll get those and your kids will get those it starts to create an excitement and sometimes you know, like I'm in Bible study and stuff and I have right now a guy who's relatively new in his faith and he is so on fire that sometimes we're like dude calm down, calm down, but he's like it's starting to make sense.
Speaker 2:It's starting to make sense and he's so excited that it's all coming together. And don't be surprised, when that starts to happen, that you'll have these question marks cleared up for you, so find an age-appropriate Bible for your kids too.
Speaker 1:Our first Bible, honestly, that we started to read was the Beginner Bible. It was a picture Bible for our four-year-old, and we would read a story every night and that's how we were learning. And so you know, read along with your five-year-old or your two-year-old, make it fun, make it interactive, encourage discussion, ask them questions, invite them to allow them to ask questions.
Speaker 2:You know you can use Bible coloring books or puzzles or cartoons. Remember VeggieTales, hon VeggieTales was actually huge for us because we were new and it was a big part of our summer VBS. Yes, and the kids loved all the songs.
Speaker 1:They were goofy, as can be Rack, Shack and Benny, is how I learned about Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego.
Speaker 2:Right, but our kids would bring that stuff home and sing all that, so it was good stuff. Yeah, and sing all that, so it was good stuff.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and so you know, seek out some resources. You know, when we were raising our two oldest, there wasn't all these digital resources there are now, but focus on the family and family life. Just Google, you know, bible resources for families. It's all over. It's almost like an overload, honestly. But don't overcomplicate it. Please. Make it positive, make it enjoyable. Expose the kids to the word. Bring them to church, please. Please do not lay in bed or on the couch and have them be dropped off to church.
Speaker 1:Man. That is not going to help them see the importance or the value in it. Go with them, learn with them, read with them. You can admit like hey, we're learning, this is new to us. That's hey, we're learning, this is new to us. That's okay. They actually appreciate that. It kind of makes you feel like they can-.
Speaker 2:You're all in class together, exactly.
Speaker 1:Exactly.
Speaker 2:Hon, let's wrap things up with Deuteronomy 6.
Speaker 2:Deuteronomy is an Old Testament book and it speaks to the parenting process, of this whole education thing, and it's part of why we see the problems that we see today, that we see such a destruction in the family, and it comes from the idea of not doing what this show has been about today. So in Deuteronomy 6, it says these are the commands, decrees and laws the Lord, your God, directed me to teach you to observe in the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess, so that you, your children, their children and after them may fear the Lord, your God, as long as you live, by keeping all his decrees and commands that I give you, and so that you may enjoy long life creeds and commands that I give you and so that you may enjoy long life.
Speaker 2:love the Lord, your God, with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts and press 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.
Speaker 1:And when you drive in a car. And when you drive in a car, oh, it's not in there, sorry, Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads.
Speaker 2:Write them on the doorframes of your house and on your gates.
Speaker 1:So you know, and why do we do that? And I think, hon, why bother with God's word, why make it important in your home and your family? Well, I think verse 10 tells us why. Because it says 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 flowing with flourishing cities you did not build and houses filled with all kinds of good things you did not provide. Wells you didn't dig, and vineyards you didn't grow and plant. And then, when you eat and are satisfied, be careful that you don't forget that the Lord brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery, and so slavery our kids need to know and be constantly reminded.
Speaker 1:Where does those blessings come from?
Speaker 2:Where does?
Speaker 1:truth come from right.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and who carried the word through all these years? And that's the people before you, like when you come into this city, where the city was built before you got there, and so it's the people that came before us, it's our parents and our grandparents and thankfully, you know, we were brought into an understanding of God.
Speaker 2:Maybe a level of ignorance on our part, but it was there and so now we have to continue it. And so you know back earlier when I was talking about when you're walking along the road, write them on your doorframes and on your gates. Essentially, what it's saying is make this part of your lifestyle. Make talking about Christ, make your faith witness just part of the lifestyle. Make talking about Christ, make your faith witness just part of the lifestyle. It doesn't mean you're walking around holy and perfect and wonderful without error. What it means is your kids shouldn't know, it shouldn't be a mystery that in your house you guys value the words of Christ and you follow his way because you just talk about it a lot.
Speaker 1:So this really is scary to me. We are one generation away from Christianity being extinct, one generation away and we're already the minority.
Speaker 2:We are swimming upstream.
Speaker 1:And so if we, as parents, don't impress these absolute truths in God's word on our children and create this hunger for God and his word, what's going to be our future? It's scary.
Speaker 2:Well, here's what our future will be.
Speaker 1:In.
Speaker 2:Ephesians 4, 14, here's what happens. Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people and their deceitful schemes. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is Christ. And so if you take off that last verse, you will just be bobbing around with the waves blowing around with the wind.
Speaker 2:And we just see that right, whatever the latest thing is, and so we have to be more steadfast in saying it doesn't matter what the trend is or the fashion is when it contradicts God's word. That's a place where I have to stand on the principle of Christ.
Speaker 1:So, mom and dad, we need you, we need you, your kids need you, they need you to step up and get started, and it's never too late. I was 30 and you were 32, but it's time to armor up. It's time to armor up and there's a battle going on, like we said, for your hearts, your family, your marriage and your minds. And so how long are you going to leave it unprotected and unprepared for the battle? Because it's out there, the darkness is there. I'm not sure if you noticed, but we are fighting an enemy that is too great to do alone. We have got to armor up with the armor of God and carry our sword, which is the word of God.
Speaker 2:Hey guys, if you thought man Merle and I are getting preachy today, I'm sorry. I'm just fired up. Here's actually how. I won't speak specifically for you, hon. This is how I came to some awareness of this.
Speaker 2:It was working in the schools at the elementary level and seeing people living, myself included, lifestyles that were contrary to God's word, but then watching how they were playing out divorced parents and people having affairs and people letting their job be a priority over their family and just watch it play out. And so part of this, guys, is the experiment has already played out. I mean I really don't need any more research. The research is screaming at us about fatherhood, about collected families, all these different things, and you know you can go back and you can try to find and do it your way again, but the research is already. Somebody's already done it. And you know we tell our kids well, you know if you want to make that choice, go ahead. But we kind of. We already know how that projects out, and so just see what you're doing and if your pride keeps you doing that, just watch other people and see how it played out.
Speaker 1:And again, if you don't know where to start, give us a call. We would love to walk alongside you. You can reach out to us at rocksolidfamiliesorg Again, there is no dumb question or you can call us at our office at 812-576-ROCK that's 812-576-7625. And again, find a local church, find a local pastor. Be honest, tell them like I don't know where to start and I'm a newbie and man as a believer. That's what we want to do is walk alongside you and love on you and help you point you to God's word for the answers.
Speaker 2:One last thought that I have. So I think some of you might. If you're, depending on where you are in your walk, you may have had experience with people in the church world as being very Pharisee-like, okay, and so that means you know that's somebody who knows all the word, and they look down on everybody like, oh, you don't do it like you're supposed to do it. And you know we want to tell you like that is not what the word is all about.
Speaker 2:Jesus spoke down to that. He said don't be that way. Those are those hypocrites, those are those judgmental. Take people where they are and just lead them to a better way of life. And so it's not about whether you look a certain way and you're walking around perfect, and your little family looks cute and good and all of that. It's just not what it's about. What it's about is life is going to get you dirty. How are you going to get yourself cleaned up?
Speaker 1:And I'm so thankful that there were people like that in our lives that just accepted us. I mean, we were teachers by trade and here we were going. I have no idea where to start.
Speaker 2:It was very humbling, but it also is where God met me and started to grow me and guide me All right. So we want to close out. We want to thank Maxwell Construction, casey's Outdoor Solutions and the Hoosier Ice House for sponsoring today's show. I think that's all we got, hun.
Speaker 1:Close us out. Yeah, so thank you so much for listening to the Rock Solid Families podcast. Building a stronger community, one family at a time.
Speaker 2:Make it a great day. Can I put my glasses back on yet? Rock solid families wants to thank maxwell construction for sponsoring the rock solid families podcast. For over 30 years, maxwell construction has been a leader in turning dreams into realities, building schools, banks and many other commercial and public facilities. Maxwell Construction has made it their priority to not just build buildings but to build into their community, so if you have any construction needs, call them at 812-537-2200. Rock Solid Families wants to thank Casey's Outdoor Solutions for sponsoring the Rock Solid Families podcast. Casey's has grown to be one of the largest and most unique garden centers and gift shops in the Cincinnati tri-state area. Whether you are looking to take on that next landscape project or simply add a little home decor to your house, casey's has you covered. Located at 21481 State Line Road, lawrenceburg, indiana, call them today at 812-537-3800. Let Casey's help you add beauty to your home.