Introduction

• I Peter 2:6

Get them in the Word

• Romans 10:17 – Faith comes from hearing the Word.
• Psalms 102:25-27
• Proverbs 1:7 – We must always be learning!
• James 4:4 – There is a conflict between God and the world.
• These things come from the Bible, and it is our job to pass it on!
• Things you can do:
  • Bring children to worship.
  • Read the Bible to them. Help them read themselves.

Keep God front and center.

• Mark 4:18-19 – Parents have to make God the priority.
• II Timothy 4:9-10 – We don’t want our children to desert God like Demas deserted Paul.
• Great youth groups don’t necessarily create faith.
• II Timothy 3:10-11 – It was good for Timothy to spend time with Paul, a veteran in God’s work.
• Psalms 95:1-3 – Values are communicated through joy. What are we joyful about?

Demonstrate genuine faith.

• I Corinthians 4:14-17 – Be an example of faith!
• Confess your sins – James 5:16
• Enforce rules – Ephesians 6:1-3; Mark 10:21-22; Proverbs 3:12
  • Making someone upset doesn’t mean you don’t love them.
  • Who will teach our kids right from wrong, if not us?
• Be thankful – Colossians 3:15-16

Conclusion

• Kids must develop their own faith. We can help them.

Ask for advice and follow it

• Proverbs 1:7, 20-27; 15:5, 32
• “I am always ready to learn, although I do not always like being taught.” – Winston Churchill
• We have to be willing to listen to others.
• “It’s what you learn after you know it all that counts.” – Harry Truman
• “I never learned from a man who agreed with me.” – Robert Heinlein
• “A man who asks is a fool for 5 minutes. A man who never asks, is a fool for a lifetime.” – Chinese proverb

Serve someone

• Mark 10:43-45 – Jesus came to serve!
• Philippians 2:3-4
• I Corinthians 9:19-22
• Philippians 2:5-8
• “Regard one another as more important than yourselves.”

Give a soft answer

• Proverbs 15:1; 25:15
• Romans 12:17-18
• Romans 12:10

Two deals

• $100,000 for your car right now.
• $1,000,000 for your car, but you don’t get the money until you return in seven days and you lose access to the car immediately.

Satan offers us a similar deal

• Hebrews 11:25
• Satan requires no self-discipline

God offers an eternity of bliss, but requires sacrifice, faithful service, and enduring persecution

• Romans 6:23
• I Timothy 4:8
• Mark 10:28-30
• Many people literally sell their souls.
• Hebrews 11:24-26
• Many are not willing to make the effort to serve God.
• Some fall short after deciding to service God.
• Ephesians 5:3-5

Have you accepted Satan’s offer in your life?

• It’s not too late to change!
• John 14:6

Continuous improvement

• God’s salvation is such that being a Christian is not an exercise in being perfect; rather it is an exercise in continuous improvement.
  • Saved by grace through faith
    • Ephesians 1:3-7; 2:1-10
  • What is faith?
    • Hebrews 11; James 2
      • Complete trust and reliance on God.
  • Walking in the light
    • I John 1:5-2:2

Specks and logs

• Luke 6:41-42; Galatians 6:1-5
  • Focus first and primarily on identifying and correcting my faults.
  • Then help others overcome their faults.
• Identifying and correction certain faults in myself, makes me uniquely qualified to help others who have the same, or a similar fault.

Confession

• James 5:13-16
• Confessing sins to other people brings powerful healing.
  • Exposes the problem
  • Allows others to help