Chronicle of Mt. Juliet
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Pass down your faith to the next generation




James

James

Several years ago, I saw a Volkswagen commercial that made me laugh.

A son awkwardly throws a baseball to his father, who returns the ball just as awkwardly. While the dad throws the ball, the narrator says, “Pass down something he will be grateful for,” and the camera pans to a new Volkswagen sitting in the driveway.

As a father, that statement stirred a deep conviction to help parents pass down something their children will be grateful for, not a new car, but a life of faith and surrender to the Lord.

Throughout Scripture, God reveals his desire for one generation’s faith to pass down to the next generation. If God thinks generationally, shouldn’t we as well? Scripture asserts that our faith affects children yet unborn (Psalm 78:6).

Further, the Psalmist declares that “one generation shall commend your works to another, and shall declare your mighty acts” (Psalm 145:4 ESV).

Perhaps you have children or even grandchildren. What do you want to pass down to them? Let me offer you three concepts for which your children or grandchildren will be grateful.

First, pass down a desire for godly wisdom. (Proverbs 4:5). We live in an information age full of competing ideas that can create confusion. God-given wisdom allows us to see through the clutter to what is true and right.

Second, pass down a desire for God’s Word. (Psalm 119:97) The Bible is not a book full of outdated information. Instead, it is living and powerful, leading and guiding us to personally know God, our Creator.

Third, pass down a desire for Jesus Christ. (1 John 5:11-12) Jesus gave his life so that we might have life. The Bible is clear, those who have Jesus as their Lord and Savior have life, and those who don’t, are missing out.

What are you passing down to your children and grandchildren? At the end of it all, when Jesus returns, will they have the only thing that matters, eternal life?

Dr. Brandon James is the Lead Pastor at Green Hill Church in Mt Juliet. (greenhillchurch.com).

 

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