Dynamite The Mountain

08/25/201708/21/2017Leave a comment

“Then Jesus said to the disciples, ‘Have faith in God. I tell you the truth, you can say to this mountain, ‘May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and it will happen. But you must really believe it will happen and have no doubt in your heart.’” — Mark 11:22-23 (NLT)

When the first transcontinental railroad was being constructed through the Sierra Nevadas, railroad crews had to find their own way through the mountains when going over or going around them was impossible. So, with that, The Central Pacific Railroad was challenged with the digging of what is called “The Summit Tunnel” which runs through the top of Donner Pass. Workers did what they could with picks and shovels and with a little smarts vertical shafts were drilled so that debris could be removed as the digging went on BUT then came good-ole’-fashion technology.

Nitroglycerin arrived on the scene and KA-BOOM!!! Rock and earth moved away real fast. Unfortunately many died because this stuff was unstable. The builders of the Central Pacific Line stopped using it for the remainder of construction. Granted, a problem may have been solved but it came with a huge sacrifice. That’s how it goes when men come face to face with mountains being in their way. Good thing Jesus does things differently.

If you’re familiar with the Gospel of Mark you know it’s a right-to-the-point Gospel. In the 11^th chapter Jesus arrives in Jerusalem, the people are astatic, a fig tree gets cursed and when He shows up at The Temple, He sees what is going on and man is He upset. “The Scriptures declare, ‘My Temple will be called a house of prayer for all nations,’ but you have turned it into a den of thieves’” (Mark 11:17). Tables get turned over…night falls…morning rises…enter the fig tree. And Peter says, “Look, Rabbi! The fig tree you cursed has withered and died” (Mark 11:21).

By criticizing the worship in The Temple, Jesus denounces Israel’s worship of YHVH and with His cursing of the fig tree He is denouncing them as a nation. The Pharisees did a mighty fine job of negotiating with Rome in order to keep their place as religious leaders in The Temple, but they effectively became the very thing that separated YHVH’s people from YHVH. Hmm…so it’s back to the action, after all this is Marks Gospel account. Then Jesus turns to the Twelve and says, “Have faith in God.” Now maybe they didn’t get this right away but here is a tasty nugget for ya.

“I tell you the truth, you can say to this mountain, ‘May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and it will happen.” We can think that because Israel has its mountains we are getting a lesson in the amount of faith we need to have in God and that isn’t off the mark but that isn’t all of it. Ya see, mountains happen in our life and they can separate us from God (like a bunch of Pharisees). They are those circumstances that overwhelm us and just stand right in our way of spiritual progress. (Just as a side note here, I’ve had those times in my life when I moved those spiritual mountains with metaphorical dynamite and relationships just went KA-BOOM!!! Be warned.)

Anyway…We know Jesus made a triumphantal entry into our lives and we celebrated His arrival, but when it got hard this mountain showed up and made it hard to see if Jesus was even still around to help us. Jesus encourages His disciples to keep their faith in God because that will be the key to drive us to prayer. God wants us to name the mountain, ask for it to be moved, then stand back and watch what He does, “But you must really believe it will happen and have no doubt in your heart.”

There is a risk in handling the way we tunnel through life’s mountains if we chose to handle it ourselves. Secularland has proven that metaphorical explosives do more damage than good, but God doesn’t do things our way and we gotta put our faith in that more and more each day. We do so much nonsense outta fear of the outcome that we prove ourselves pretty wreck less but we gotta be like The Central Pacific Railroad and eventually give up the way we are handling the tunneling.

The instruction is simple, “you can pray for anything, and if you believe that you’ve received it, it will be yours. But when you are praying, first forgive anyone you are holding a grudge against, so that your Father in heaven will forgive your sins, too” (Mark 11:24b-25). So many say “Jesus take the wheel” but so few will let “Jesus handle the fuse.” Amen?

Written by Chris Hughes: Chris, a graduate of The Colony of Mercy (11-2003) is married (Kathy) with two adult children (Kevin and Karen) and has been a Freedom Fighter contributor since 2008.

The Daily Bible Reading: Daniel 7-12| You can download our 2017 Daily Bible Reading Plan by clicking here

Daily Quote: “How are we going to escape fear, when there are legitimate dangers that lie all around us? Well, here’s what the man of God says: “Don’t be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God and the peace of God which passeth all understanding shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” — Aiden Wilson Tozer

This Week’s Verse to Memorize:

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” – Philippians 4:6-7

Adversity

08/24/201708/21/2017Leave a comment

“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, Which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” — Ecclesiastes 7:14

A wise man once told me “it’s a lonely man that demands his circumstances be changed to his liking, but true character is built when we face adversity.” It seems that people are choosing to protest all the wrong doings that they see to be unfair. It reminds me of that kid in the neighborhood who would take his ball and go home because he felt he was being treated wrong. I would often wonder why it seemed better to him to sit home all alone while we would just find something else to do and have fun.

The world is unfair, either rise to the challenge or wallow in your pity. I have come to realize that adversity is a hindrance that God can use as a building block or stepping stone to make us into the men He has called us to be. Think of all the verses that encourage us to face trials, “count it ALL for joy, knowing that ALL things work together for good.”

Picture with me if you will, two groups of people, both ordered oranges but because there were no oranges they were given lemons instead. One group demanded a protest until they got what they wanted while the other group made lemonade. This is not to diminish the fact that there are things that are unfair and I would be ignorant to say that there isn’t a problem with racism. I just don’t understand some peoples answer to the problem. I have personally been falsely judged by others and although there are things I would have done differently the best advice I received was “Prove them wrong.”

I’ve wasted too much time trying to vindicate myself, after spinning my wheels in protest I found comfort in the fact that we have a God who vindicates us, Psalm 35:1, 24 Contend, O LORD, with those who contend with me, fight against those who fight against me! Vindicate me, O LORD, my God, according to your righteousness, and let them not rejoice over me!

So if you’re facing adversity today, know that God wants to use it for good, walk in it with the confidence that He has your back. Amen!

Written by Rob Russomano: Rob Russomano is married to Terri, he is a graduate of the Colony of Mercy and a full time staff member. He is also available as a speaker of the grace of God with a message of Hope for church events. You can contact him at rrussomano@americaskeswick.org.

The Daily Bible Reading: Proverbs 17-18| You can download our 2017 Daily Bible Reading Plan by clicking here

Daily Quote: “Conflict is inevitable, but combat is optional.” – Max Lucado

This Week’s Verse to Memorize:

Love and Forgiveness

08/23/201708/06/2017Leave a comment

“Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.” (Colossians 3:13)

One of the perks of raising children later in life is that you get to observe closely the difference in the era of which another generation is being raised up. In my hay day, everyone in the community knew each other and looked out for each other’s children. Your parents could give you a list to take to the local grocery store and the clerk, which would likely be the owner, gave you what you needed and didn’t ask for any money; they knew who you were. We could count on one another when we needed each other the most. We worked through conflict and let each other off the hook. My neighbors could correct me when I was out of line. Most of all, we respected God and the church, even the families like mine, who didn’t believe.

“Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.” (Ephesians 4:2-3)

As we grow in our walk, our action ought to reflect the very nature of Jesus. As believers, forgiveness and love is the central focus of our belief and should be implemented readily. Christ Jesus is in us and with us to strive towards these realities. The hymn says they will know we are Christians by how we walk with each other, work with each other, and love each other. I would like to add by the way we forgive each other as well. God Bless.

Written by Juan Mendez: Juan is a graduate of the Colony of Mercy and full-time staff member at America’s Keswick.

The Daily Bible Reading: Psalm 96-98| You can download our 2017 Daily Bible Reading Plan by clicking here

Daily Quote: “Forgiveness is the economy of the heart. Forgiveness saves the expense of anger, the cost of hatred, the waste of spirits.” – Hannah More

This Week’s Verse to Memorize:

He Fights for you…

08/22/201708/02/2017Leave a comment

‘I will never leave you or forsake you’

God is at work at all times, in all places, and in every circumstance. But the key to benefiting from His work is to ‘wait on Him.’ This involves trust in whom He is, faith in what He is able to do, and patience in that He knows the perfect time. Isaiah tells us that, “For since the world began, no ear has heard and no eye has seen a God like you, who works for those who wait for him” (64:4) and “…those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint” (Isaiah 40:31). For these reasons, we who place our faith in the redeeming work of God through Jesus Christ and His Spirit, can ‘come to Him when we are weary and burdened, and He will give us rest for our souls’ (Matt 11:28-30), and you can ‘cast all our anxiety on Him, because He cares for you’ (1Peter 5:6-8). If we ‘who wait on the Lord’ stumble, we can be assured that we will not fall, ‘for the Lord upholds us by His Hand’ (Ps 37:24; 145:14), and that no matter the ‘crucible’, ‘we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us’ (Phil 4:13), ‘… knowing that in all things God works for the good of (And here is the Key again) those who love him, who (this is those who have entered into His salvation by faith) have been called according to his purpose’ (Romans 8:28).

God is at work… infinitely! You can profit from His work, bound up within an extraordinary relationship, if you would just ‘cast all your cares on Him’ (1 Peter 5:8) and put off your own wants and desires’ (Gal 2:20), and “Take His yoke upon you. Letting Jesus teach you, because He is humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For His yoke (which is to glorify the Name of God) is easy to bear, and the burden He gives you is light” (Matt 11:29-30). Hope is within reach… you just have to grasp hold of His Hand which is stretched out to you. He loves you with all His heart… that heart which was wounded on the cross for you. Reach out today and find rest in His grasp…

Choose wisely…

Praying 4 U

Written by David Brown: David Brown is a husband, father, and grandfather with a Masters of Religious Studies and a Professor of Philosophy and Comparative Religions. Dave is a member of Pemberton’s First Baptist Church.

The Daily Bible Reading: 1 Chronicles 10-14| You can download our 2017 Daily Bible Reading Plan by clicking here

Daily Quote: “Are you weak? Weary? Confused? Troubled? Pressured? How is your relationship with God? Is it held in its place of priority? I believe the greater the pressure, the greater your need for time alone with Him.” – Kay Arthur

This Week’s Verse to Memorize:

10 Signs You’re Raising a Kid with a Bad Attitude – Part 2

08/21/201708/02/2017Leave a comment

Last week, I shared the first installment of a great article published on Crosswalk.com by author/speaker, Donna Jones.

If you missed it, go back and check it out. Here are the next several signs:

Your child speaks or acts disrespectfully to authority figures.

Bad attitudes often show up in unhealthy behaviors toward those in authority (think parents, teachers, and coaches). It can present aggressively, through verbal confrontations or ongoing conflict. More subtly, it can show up passively: A child ignores instructions or uses a disrespectful tone of voice.

If you notice any of these behaviors, it’s important to correct your child’s perception of authority—beginning with how he or she relates to you. Parents do their kids no favors when they criticize authority figures (like the other parent), give instructions they allow their kids to ignore, or permit their child to speak disrespectfully.

When our kids were tweens, they would sometimes speak in a tone my southern grandmother called “sassy.” It’s tempting to punish this type of behavior, (and sometimes, it’s needed) but often, a more effective approach is the “do-over.” Do-overs allow parents to teach a child right behavior rather than merely disciplining wrong behavior. When my kids gave me the “sassy tone,” I calmly told them to speak to me again, with a respectful tone of voice (Full disclosure: some days they had to repeat themselves a dozen times). Did it drive them crazy? Yep. What parental correction doesn’t drive a 13-year-old crazy? But it also developed a respectful attitude toward authority.

Your child gives up in the face of adversity.

Let’s be honest: It’s just plain hard to be the one who doesn’t get invited, doesn’t make the team, or can’t succeed no matter how hard she tries. Miserable events produce messy emotions. Count on it, and show grace in the midst of it. But if your child can’t bounce back after grieving the loss, you may have an attitude issue on your hands.

When our youngest didn’t make the soccer team, she was stunned—the disappointment stung deep. I wanted desperately to make the pain go away. The sounds of her sobs behind her bedroom door nearly broke my heart. After a day or two moping around the house, she surprised us with an announcement that she was turning her attention to cheerleading instead of soccer. Her sadness over the closed chapter morphed into anticipation of a new one. Resilience was born.

If your child hasn’t yet developed the ability to bounce back, you can help. Here’s how: Allow a period of grief. Help your child ask, “What’s next?” Show them that a new chapter doesn’t begin unless an old chapter ends. If necessary, get your child the help she needs to do better the next time around. Attitudes shift when we teach our child to get up rather than give up.

Guys, I want you to know that even after you’ve finished raising your kids, and if you have grandkids, you are not off the hook. I have 11 grandkids, so this article is very helpful. Have a great week.

Rejoice! Pray! Give thanks!

Bill Welte D.D.
President/CEO of America’s Keswick

Written by Dr. Bill Welte, President/CEO of America’s Keswick: Bill has been married to his child sweetheart for 40+ years, and has three married kids, one that is engaged, and 11 amazing grand kids. He loves music and is an avid reader.

The Daily Bible Reading: Numbers 5-8 | You can download our 2017 Daily Bible Reading Plan by clicking here

Think About This: “Worry is watered down fear.” – Pastor Chris Thompson

This Week’s Verse to Memorize:

Trust Me

08/18/201708/14/2017Leave a comment

“For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.” – Romans 8:18

One of the biggest obstacles to living a victorious life with Jesus is the aspect of trusting. I hear it all the time, “I don’t trust anyone.” Our inability to put ourselves out there and be vulnerable is detrimental to our walk. When I filter the call of God through my inability to trust, I become an ineffective part of the body of Christ. I’m not saying we should be a doormat for others to trample over, but we should not allow past disappointments to affect the way we are willing to trust others. If I build a wall towards someone based on past performances of others, I may have limited what God wants to do for someone else and myself.

When I’m wrestling with the idea of putting myself out there for possible disappointment, I must first be willing to expect the worst. The good news is if my true faith and trust is in Jesus, and when I am walking in His truths, what Paul says in Romans 8:18 applies, “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.” Disappointment is so far down on a scale of blessings I receive from God that a withdrawal of a poor choice by someone else is easily covered.

I have been on the receiving end of that “second chance.” Someone was willing to put themselves out there for me and am grateful for the opportunity. We don’t want to extend ourselves in a foolish way by running up debt or taking out a loan that would be against God’s precepts. I’m talking more about an emotional expenditure, one that may cause heartache or grief. Maybe the offense caused to you will be used by God and His conviction on their life will cause them to repent, especially when we simply turn the “other cheek”.

“But I say to you who hear: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you. To him who strikes you on the one cheek, offer the other also. And from him who takes away your cloak, do not withhold your tunic either. Give to everyone who asks of you. And from him who takes away your goods do not ask them back. And just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise” Luke 6:27-31.

If we find ourselves having a hard time trusting others, then maybe the real problem is we don’t trust God, maybe our issue is with the Father. If this is the case, then a real truth has been exposed and with the help of the Holy Spirit that wound could be healed. There is plenty of evidence and scripture to remind us of how much God loves us. Find someone who can work with you and uncover those trust issues, when we do we enter into ministry that will be a huge blessing to us and others, don’t miss out. Amen!

The Daily Bible Reading: Daniel 1-6| You can download our 2017 Daily Bible Reading Plan by clicking here

Daily Quote: “When a man becomes a Christian, he becomes industrious, trustworthy and prosperous. Now, if that man when he gets all he can and saves all he can does not give all he can, I have more hope for Judas Iscariot than for that man!” – John Wesley

This Week’s Verse to Memorize:

“Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.” – Romans 8:26

Screaming For Vengeance

08/17/201708/14/2017Leave a comment

“If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.” – Romans 12:18 (ESV)

Secularland says “Don’t get mad, get even.”

Jesus says, “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you.”

But I say, “Sometimes ya just gotta give folks a good swift kick in the pants.”

So, who is right? Well If you say I am, then thank you, but I may be a bit off the mark (maybe). If you say Secularland, please repent and join a monastery (quickly). But if you said Jesus…well let’s just see why that’s a better answer than a good swift kick, shall we?

There are some wrongs done to people that are traumatic and take time to overcome. We hear stories of emotional, physical, psychological and sexual abuse. Murders and other violent crimes are constantly on the news. Our country’s military and police force has seen their share of wrongs as they protect and serve. Betrayal committed by family and friends can leave us just as devastated as those things that I’ve listed, and yet in it all, Jesus would rather have us show His love (which should be within us) to them who have committed these wrongs than to enact vengeance on them or worse, to actually take revenge on them. It’s kinda vexing to think that somethings seem to go unpunished but, from a worldview point, it happens.

In 1 Thessalonians Paul says, “See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone.” Groovy, right? But what’s in it for us? Well let’s see what Peter would say to that, “Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing” (1 Peter 3:9). Now these are ‘Jesus things’ to say, but what are we talking about with repaying evil for evil?

Well, John Calvin once pointed out that returning evil for evil may not be as severe as seeking revenge but it is still forbidden. Trading barbs with someone just to gain the upper hand, even done in fun, can be seen as returning evil with evil. Maybe your spouse has popped off on you and you respond by being cold and you stop speaking to them. You may not be plotting revenge, you may not be returning evil for evil, but you ain’t exactly blessing them either. So, what is it that makes these things turn around?

Check this out… “Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all” (Romans 12:17). Hmmm?? Do what is honorable in the sight of all? This is where the worldview of honorable and the Christian view differ. Secularland would wonder why the Christian wouldn’t be screaming these verses out in vengeance, “But if there is harm, then you shall pay life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, stripe for stripe” Exodus 21:23-25 (ESV). After all, isn’t that the proper thing to do if you say you believe in God? But that is where the rug lies… if we say we believe in God and yet do not do what the Son came and taught us to do, then we are playing God and that makes us worse than the one who does harm. Get it? Secularland rejects the teaching of The Son because He brought to us grace and mercy (in my view) always belonged to The Father.

Simply put… “For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through Him” (John 3:17). If God the Father was willing to do what was necessary to have peace with His creation, who are we to usurp that? So where is the honor in evil? It’s just not there. Only those who CHOOSE to dishonor what is true, just, pure, excellent and commendable scream for vengeance and twist truth for the sake of justifying evening the score.

A very ugly event took place this past week that has brought the whole of American society on edge. It is the kind of thing that would justify all kinds of acts of vengeance and revenge. But Christian, if you go there then you have chosen unwisely and more importantly…ungodly. What needs to be done is to “Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand” (Ephesians 6:13). Because once you gained your footing where you stand then you are more useful to “Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone” (Mark 16:15).

Brothers (and sisters), do not lose sight of your Kingdom purpose. Let us all press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Then let us hold true to what we have attained. The adversary roams around seeking whom he can destroy…let it not be ANY one person in The Most High God’s creation!! Amen?

Written by Chris Hughes: Chris, a graduate of The Colony of Mercy (11-2003) is married (Kathy) with two adult children (Kevin and Karen) and has been a Freedom Fighter contributor since 2008.

The Daily Bible Reading: Proverbs 16| You can download our 2017 Daily Bible Reading Plan by clicking here

Daily Quote: “An eye for an eye will only make the whole world blind.” — Mahatma Gandhi

This Week’s Verse to Memorize:

Team No Sleep

08/16/201708/06/20171 Comment

“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28)

If you are parent, grandparent, or deal with children often, you understand the concept of ‘no sleep.’ With a four year old and a newborn at home, sleep is a precious commodity. With that, in one of those sleepless nights trying to comfort the little one – rocking, patting the back, singing and the like… In addition to knowing and thinking about work in few hours, a gentle voice proclaimed, ‘I am your rest.’

In that very moment, I realized true rest is in the person of Christ – not in a place, nor in how much sleep I get, nor was it about me at all. Furthermore, He reminded me, not only is my rest impinged on him, that perfect peace, all my abilities, all my capabilities, my family, as a matter of fact my whole existence is in reliance on him.

“For I satisfy the weary ones and refresh everyone who languishes.” (Jeremiah 31:25)

Have you been operating by your own strength or are weary from life trails? Jesus is calling; Jesus is willing with open arms to usher you into a new rest. He is the only one that can provide this level of rest.

Written by Juan Mendez: Juan is a graduate of the Colony of Mercy and full-time staff member at America’s Keswick.

The Daily Bible Reading: Psalm 93-95| You can download our 2017 Daily Bible Reading Plan by clicking here

Daily Quote: “God, you have made us for yourself, and our hearts are restless till they find their rest in you.” – Augustine

This Week’s Verse to Memorize:

What would it take for you to Acknowledge God exists?

08/15/201708/06/2017Leave a comment

“In the beginning God” is how the story God tells begins. It is a statement of His existence. But what do we know about it? Well, to start, we know that we are here in want is called existence; and we know other stuff exists that we are not the origin of; and we know that us and the other stuff are dependent on things like an extremely specific oxygen level and the Sun and it being at an exact distance from us. And we know that human beings have an extraordinary capacity to reason that separates us from all else that exist. So, if all that is known to exist is this complex, and the possibility of the design of the very proteins that are the building blocks for the formulation of the human genome, that make possible DNA, is 1 in 10 to the 400th power… basically saying existence itself is extraordinary and intricately designed… the question is who designed us? And it has to be a ‘who’, because ‘creating’ is a choice, and since mankind has an extraordinary capacity to reason, who created mankind and the existence he resides in, must be of greater capacities… for a lesser thing cannot produce a greater being.

At this point we have established the basis for two separate and distinctive categories… the Creator (God) and the created (what exists separate from God).

What do we know from this? From Einstein’s theory of ‘General Relativity’ we know that space, matter, and time came into existence at one singular point. Therefore what ’caused’ (Creator) the existence of space, matter, and time (created) must be ‘spaceless’ (without form or limitation), ‘matterless’ (or spirit), and ‘timeless’ (or eternal). Therefore, God exists.

Is that enough? Maybe not, but it is a powerful and irrefutable start.

Choose wisely…

“For us there is but one God, the Father, who is the source of all things, and we exist for Him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, by whom are all things [that have been created], and we [believers exist and have life and have been redeemed] through Him…

Worthy are You, our Lord and God, to receive the glory and the honor and the power; for You created all things, and because of Your will they exist, and were created and brought into being.”

(1 CORINTHIANS 8:6; REVELATION 4:11)

Praying 4 U

The Daily Bible Reading: Psalm 93-95| You can download our 2017 Daily Bible Reading Plan by clicking here

Daily Quote: “God writes the gospel not in the Bible alone, but on trees and flowers and clouds and stars.” – Martin Luther

This Week’s Verse to Memorize:

10 Signs You’re Raising a Kid with a Bad Attitude

08/14/201708/02/2017Leave a comment

The other day when I was walking by our company copier, I saw this article laying there. I picked it up and it was one of those “too good not to share” articles.

Our Barbara’s Place Director, Dr. Lynne Jahns had printed it for a seminar she is doing this summer. It is written by speaker/author, Donna Jones, and published on Crosswalk.com. Here is the first installment.

Let’s face it: No parent wants to raise a child with a bad attitude, but somewhere between the ages of zero and 18 every child has one, which means every parent must deal with it. Ephesians 4:23 tells us “Be made new in the attitude of your mind.” Clearly, God cares about our attitudes. But does having a bad attitude constitute being a child with a bad attitude? What’s the difference? And how do I know if I’m raising a kid with attitude issues?

Not every child who has a bad attitude is a child with a bad attitude. For instance, a child having a bad day differs from a kid with a bad attitude. One is temporary, the other ongoing. One is situational: Change the circumstance and you’ll change the attitude. The other is systemic:

Change the circumstance and the attitude stays negative.

Still, having a bad attitude can result in being a person with a bad attitude, if not dealt with properly. How do you know if your child is sliding into the murky waters of major attitude issues?

Here are 10 signs you are raising a child with a bad attitude:

Negativity is the norm.

All kids are negative sometimes. After all, what kid delights in cleaning his room or eating his vegetables? But if your child’s attitude is consistently negative, you must examine the root. This means asking some hard questions: Is your home filled more with criticism or with praise? How often do you complain? Can your family members move from seeing the worst in a situation to finding the best? Does your family regularly express gratitude? How often do you laugh… or even smile?

To be sure, some people’s temperaments are more prone to see the glass half-empty. Tweens can be moody. Preschoolers will pout. But attitudes are more caught than taught. It’s difficult to raise a positive kid in a negative home. Make it your goal to cultivate an environment of positivity and you’ll likely see attitudes improve.

Your child complains, whines, or pouts. All. The. Time.

Like a constant “drip, drip, drip” these habits wear on our last nerve. But here’s the important part: Not only do these habits drive us crazy, they are meant to. Complaining, whining, and pouting push our buttons, often driving us to give in to our children’s wishes, wants or whims, even when we know it’s in their best interest to say “no.” When these attitudes and behaviors show up in your child (and they will!) you must resist the temptation to cave.

When our kids hit the tween and teenage years, we could count on hearing at least one child complain over what we called “family fun days.” Years earlier, these weekend excursions were met with delight, but when time with friends trumped time with family, getting everyone in the car with a positive attitude was about as easy as climbing Mount Kilimanjaro. What my husband and I planned as family fun felt more like family feud. But we didn’t cave. “Trust us. You’ll have a great day” became our go-to line. It wasn’t easy, but the dividends paid off. Our kids did have a great day (most of the time), our family bonded in ways that only happens by spending time together, and our kids learned bad attitudes don’t get positive results.

I trust this first installment was helpful. I will share the rest in the next several weeks with you. Parenting and grand-parenting is an awesome responsibility, isn’t it?

Rejoice! Pray! Give thanks!

Bill Welte, D.D.
President/CEO of America’s Keswick

The Daily Bible Reading: Numbers 1-4| You can download our 2017 Daily Bible Reading Plan by clicking here

Think About This: Of all the things in the world that stink in the nostrils of men, hypocrisy is the worst. —C.H. Spurgeon

This Week’s Verse to Memorize:

Freedom Fighters

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Category: Uncategorized

Dynamite The Mountain

Adversity

Love and Forgiveness

He Fights for you…

10 Signs You’re Raising a Kid with a Bad Attitude – Part 2

Trust Me

Screaming For Vengeance

Team No Sleep

What would it take for you to Acknowledge God exists?

10 Signs You’re Raising a Kid with a Bad Attitude