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Chariot January 2005 - Norm Wakefield

The Family Scout - Part 3

    As scouts in the family wagon train, it is important to know where the "watering holes" are on the journey of life. You can imagine how essential it was for the wagon trains headed west that the scouts know places to restore supplies of food and water. In the last two Chariots I suggested that scouts needed vision: for children to become men and women who are mighty in spirit, equipped to love and serve, and skilled for the glory of God. Then, I outlined a course to take you and your family to that desired destination: stay on the path of God's Word, value family relationships, and be disciplined in the basics while developing their natural abilities.

    In this last article on this topic, I want to point you to the source of supply for achieving the vision. Your children are in need of spiritual strength and refreshment just as you are in need. They will come to you spiritually dry, thirsty, and starving for power to cope or perform up to God's standard, but most of all - to their own expectations.

The Dry Creek Bed - The Flesh

    Some of your pioneers will look to the flesh for power to perform and succeed. One's own strength is the weakest of power sources and results in emptiness and frustration. Visualize a drained and super-thirsty band of weary travelers. Off in the distance, they see the snaking line of a creek bed. Dreaming of a cool drink of water, they bring their horses to a gallop aiming for the creek. Now, imagine their disappointment when they reach the crest of the creek bed and peer into a dry gulch. That's what it's like when we lead our children toward the destination of godliness on the course we've discussed in the power of the flesh – their own natural power. It's a hopeless endeavor.

    I encourage you to be alert to children who are attempting to perform in the power of the flesh. All will naturally do so, but they'll become frustrated and disheartened quickly. They may even blame you for setting the standard too high.

The Polluted Pond - Things in the World

    Many of your children may look to something or someone in the world as a source of power to help them cope, perform and succeed. Seeking comfort and strength from entertainment, activities, and worldly fare is a stronger and more effective power source than the flesh. It works for a while, but destructive appetites are established which can lead to lifelong enslavement.

    Often children are drawn and encouraged by parents to sports, video entertainment, recreational activities, or to computer games – as if these things can solve their problems. Even we may not realize we are looking to homeschooling or our children's behavior or attitudes as our source of parental significance.

    These sources of supply are like the poisoned water hole. Let's go back to the wagon train now moving away from the dry creek bed in greater desperation to find water. After a few miles, the scout cries out, "Water hole ahead!" Again, the pace quickens. They circle the wagons around the water hole, run down to its edge and plunge their faces in, lapping up the cool water. Then someone notices the sign with skull and cross-bones on the ground. The water is polluted!

    You can guess the concern of the scout and travelers. Have they in haste and carelessness brought about their own demise? Yes, they found water. It satisfied their immediate thirstiness; but in the end, it could result in destruction! Be alert to the appetites you are establishing and encouraging in your children. I also caution you in looking to your child's performance, behavior, or homeschooling to make you significant or happy.

A Clear Spring - Jesus Christ Alone

    Only one source will supply the needs on a daily basis for us in our trek toward godliness. Jesus Christ is a source as abundant and vast as the ocean. He is the clear spring providing everything we need to restore our souls and strengthen us for the journey of life.

    You family scouts must lead others to look to Jesus alone as a source of power for the journey. Just as Jesus looked only to His Father, so we look only to Jesus for strength, wisdom, and comfort each day. The apostle Paul wrote to the Galatians, "I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me" (2:20).

    The wonderful thing about Jesus is that He's always near. We can take a drink at anytime, in anyplace. When my children were in need of peace and strength, I found when I led them to look to Jesus; they found what they needed. Sometimes I would have them look into my eyes as I prayed for them and sought to communicate His presence with them. I also used those opportunities to teach them by example how to go to Jesus when there are no answers and we are spiritually dry and tired.

    All of our children were born again in their teens. During those years when they were striving in the flesh to do what was right, to believe, and to perform, we continually encouraged them to trust in the Lord to give them life. We didn't expect them to love God's Word, to pray, and to enjoy fellowship with God's people as if they were born again. However, we did teach them it was their responsibility to practice those things, looking to God to make them life through Christ in His time. As they practiced looking to Him, their hope and faith were built as they received the grace to obey and submit to God and to us. They experienced His mercies even before their spiritual new birth. They needed to know God was their power source and was with them before He became their internal power source.

    Only as one lives out of the fullness of the riches of a relationship with Jesus Christ can one become mighty in Spirit, love and serve, and be skilled to the glory of God. Through the Spirit of Christ we stay on the path of God's Word, value family relationships, and become disciplined in the basics.

    We're to lead our children to look to Jesus Christ alone for what is required for life. Love for God's Word, faith, obedience, self-control, wisdom, love, creativity, ability to serve unselfishly, and strength to endure can only come through Jesus living His life in us or in our children.

Have the Vision? On Course? Is Jesus Your Supply?

    I hope these articles challenging you to be an effective spiritual scout to your family have been encouraging and hopeful. If they have been, please forward this article on to your friends and family members. May God turn our hearts to Him and to our children with the purpose of preparing the next generation to know and love Jesus Christ.

New Resources for Your Family

    This month we have a special for those interested in the Equipping Men and Unshakable Faith video series. 23 total videos for only $75! Savings of $65! For those of you with the Equipping Men or Rising to the Call series, we now have a study guide available on our website to go along with each series, one for group leaders and one for group members. Also, there is a new CD series for parents and teens, Teenagers 101, with a study guide available as well. All the messages in this series are available individually on CD and include:

*   Run to Win

*   Rethink the Way You Live

*   Preparing Your Teens for Life

*   I'm Old Enough to Make My Own Decisions, Part 1 and 2  

*   Preparing for Christ-Centered Relationships  

*   What About College?  

*   What's a Mom to Do With Teenage Sons?  

*   Passing on the Blessings  

Would you like to be on the Elijah Ministries Prayer Team?

    The backbone of Elijah Ministries is the prayer team who pray diligently for God to turn the hearts of men to Himself, their wives, and their children. Before I leave to speak, I send out a prayer team invitation to those who will intercede for God to work for His glory in us as a team for the Kingdom. Not only is it a blessing to those whom I speak and myself; but it is also a reminder to the team about the direction of their own hearts. If you would like to enter into the labor together with me, you may go to my website and click on "Prayer Team".

    If you haven't visited our website, www.spiritofelijah.com, please stop by sometime. You'll find:

*   Resources to equip you and your family

*   Previous Chariot articles

*   My speaking schedule

*   Free MP3 downloads  

*   Various pages translated and available in Spanish  

*   An online store to purchase resources and make tax-free contributions by credit card