9.b. “You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them”

Joel 1:2   Hear this, you elders; give ear, all inhabitants of the land! Has such a thing happened in your days, or in the days of your fathers? Tell your children of it, and let your children tell their children, and their children to another generation.

Exodus 10:1-2   Then the LORD said to Moses, “Go in to Pharaoh, for I have hardened his heart and the heart of his servants, that I may show these signs of mine among them,  and that you may tell in the hearing of your son and of your grandson how I have dealt harshly with the Egyptians and what signs I have done among them, that you may know that I am the LORD.”

Deuteronomy 6:7     You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.

Psalms 44:1   O God, we have heard with our ears, our fathers have told us, what deeds you performed in their days, in the days of old:

Psalms 78:3-8    things that we have heard and known, that our fathers have told us.  We will not hide them from their children, but tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the LORD, and his might, and the wonders that he has done.

Psalms 145:4    One generation shall commend your works to another, and shall declare your mighty acts.

Isaiah 38:19   The living, the living, he thanks you, as I do this day; the father makes known to the children your faithfulness.

We are instructed to speak of God to our families about His faithfulness and what He has done in our lives.  There are moments in our lives where God has shut the mouths of lions, split the Red Sea, healed, and most importantly softened our heart so that our ear might hear and our mind understand His holiness, our sinfulness, and redemption and salvation through Jesus Christ.  Our salvation and other grace and mercy acts of God should ever be told in those God moments with our children and their children.  God’s acts of grace, mercy, love, power, and might do happen in the lives of those who continue to grow in their faith. If you are in a dry spell is it because of your lack of faith?  Or is it a time of testing to grow your faith?  Or is it a time of trials to draw you back to faith in Jesus Christ and the power and might in the palm of His hands?  We know from Scripture that “faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.” We also know Scripture says “What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him?”

How are we to have faith stories about how Jesus Christ delivered, moved, encouraged, and gave refuge and power in our lives if we are neglectful and complacent in time in God’s Word?  The truth is we will not.  Our days will run on and on being the same day after day in our self-reliant and self-centered ways.  No stories of how Jesus Christ worked in our life.  No acts of power.  No acts of wonder.  No acts of ……  We will see the hand of Jesus Christ in our lives and be able to tell wonderful and glorious stories of His acts of grace, mercy, wonder, and love when we desire and seek to be in His Word and then intentionally choose to humbly serve, honor, glorify, follow, trust, and obey.  Start your journey with Christ anew.  Spend time in His word, grow in faith, and watch, see, and proclaim the great acts of His power in your life.

Establish the work of our hands

“so that all the peoples of the earth may know that the hand of the LORD is mighty, that you may fear the LORD your God forever.”

Psalms 102:28  The children of your servants shall dwell secure; their offspring shall be established before you.

Psalms 22:30-31     Posterity shall serve him; it shall be told of the Lord to the coming generation;  they shall come and proclaim his righteousness to a people yet unborn, that he has done it.

Psalms 45:16-17     In place of your fathers shall be your sons; you will make them princes in all the earth.  I will cause your name to be remembered in all generations; therefore nations will praise you forever and ever.

Psalms 69:35-36      For God will save Zion and build up the cities of Judah, and people shall dwell there and possess it; the offspring of his servants shall inherit it, and those who love his name shall dwell in it.

Isaiah 53:10    Yet it was the will of the LORD to crush him; he has put him to grief; when his soul makes an offering for guilt, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; the will of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.

Isaiah 59:20-21     “And a Redeemer will come to Zion, to those in Jacob who turn from transgression,” declares the LORD  “And as for me, this is my covenant with them,” says the LORD: “My Spirit that is upon you, and my words that I have put in your mouth, shall not depart out of your mouth, or out of the mouth of your offspring, or out of the mouth of your children’s offspring,” says the LORD, “from this time forth and forevermore.”

Isaiah 65:22     They shall not build and another inhabit; they shall not plant and another eat; for like the days of a tree shall the days of my people be, and my chosen shall long enjoy the work of their hands.

Psalms 90:16-17     Let your work be shown to your servants, and your glorious power to their children. Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us, and establish the work of our hands upon us; yes, establish the work of our hands!

“Establish the work of our hands” I think much of the time we think about this and only apply it to our jobs.  We ask God to bless us in what we do.  We try to find meaning and purpose in what we do.  There will be no blessing from God if we are pursing our own path in life.  We should not take a job anywhere if we are not confident this is where God wants us.  We will find no purpose in life if we go our own way, seeking what ever it is to please us.  Purpose in life and blessings in life come from being in God’s will and seeking to honor and glorify Him.  Seeking to hear His quiet small voice leading you in family and work will light your path and allow you to see blessing and give you purpose.  How can we expect to give our offspring and generations to come anything to hang on to if we are not clinging to, relying on, and trusting in, and proclaiming the mighty glorious power, love, grace,  and mercy of God.  We don’t have to look very deep into our society / culture to see that our lack of commitment and complacency toward humbly serving, honoring, following and obeying God has terrible results upon our children and the next generation.  Our life can be one filled with purpose and blessing if we would seek Him alone with our heart, mind and soul.

People yet to be created

Psa 102:18  Let this be recorded for a generation to come, so that a people yet to be created may praise the LORD:  that he looked down from his holy height; from heaven the LORD looked at the earth,  to hear the groans of the prisoners, to set free those who were doomed to die,  that they may declare in Zion the name of the LORD, and in Jerusalem his praise,  when peoples gather together, and kingdoms, to worship the LORD.

Psalms 71:18    So even to old age and gray hairs, O God, do not forsake me, until I proclaim your might to another generation, your power to all those to come.

Psalms 78:4-6    We will not hide them from their children, but tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the LORD, and his might, and the wonders that he has done.

John 20:31     but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

Romans 15:4     For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.

1 Corinthians 10:11     Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction

2 Timothy 3:16-17     All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,  that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

Write it down so that there is a record for future generations.  These generations then can be told and read of the Awesome Power, Love, Promises, Might, Saving Grace, Mercy and Holiness of God.  This scripture is not something from the mind and thought of mankind, but from God,  and speaks of that which brings purpose and direction to our lives this side of eternity.  It shines light into the darkness of lost hearts and souls.  It brings hope to the lost.  It brings the good news of salvation.  It brings praise, joy, and humbleness to those who choose to serve, honor, follow and obey the Creator and Author of all there is and will be.  Scripture has been given to us so that we can grow in our knowledge and understanding of the one and only true God.  It has also be given so that we are able to share it with others.  Blessed are the feet of those who bring good news.