Who Will Teach Them?

Bible Reading: Deuteronomy 6:1-9

Focus Verses:  “Samuel continued as judge over Israel all the days of his life. From year to year he went on a circuit from Bethel to Gilgal to Mizpah, judging Israel in all those places” (1 Samuel 7:15–16). “But his sons did not walk in his ways. They turned aside after dishonest gain and accepted bribes and perverted justice” (1Samuel 8:3).

Samuel was a judge over Israel and kept busy traveling and working.  The work he did was good.  Although he served God, he neglected his sons.  When he appointed them to be judges too, they weren't ready to withstand the temptations.  In the end, they were a shame unto him and caused the people to reject God as King.

It will be especially easy for those in ministry to be obsessed with their work and even with what God is doing.  Please, when you are home, be a father or be a mother.  Invest in your kids' lives and minister to them.  They need to know you care about them.  They need to know that they can trust God.  They need to know why they should obey God.

Deut. 6:7 says, "You shall teach them (God's commands) diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up."

~Page Johnson
Interlocking Ministries

Teaching Children

Scripture Reading: Psalm 78

Focus verse:  Psalm 78:4 "We will not hide them from their children,
Telling to the generation to come the praises of the Lord,
And His strength and His wonderful works that He has done."

 We read in Psalm 78 the instruction for the adults to teach the children the works of the Lord.  They were to tell the children the stories of the faithful and obedient followers of the Lord.  This would give them an encouragement to soften their own hearts and follow God in the same way as the faithful.  Children love to mimic and follow others.  They will copy the behavior and words of those that they are around.  We should teach them the ways that they should go as they follow God.

Also included in Psalm 78 are stories of people who were stubborn and rebellious.  Some followed God for the most part, but then had some failure in faith.  These stories must also be taught to the children.  If you have a failure in your life, you will suffer the natural consequences of that failure.  He will  punish those who never repent, but God can be faithful to forgive those who return to Him in repentance. We will all fail at something, but we learn to return to God in obedience if we have a soft heart for Him.

Learn these stories of the Bible and teach them to your children and the children in the community.  We can all be encouraged by them.

~Page Johnson
Interlocking Ministries.