The Family Scout

Every successful organization has to have visionaries or scouts-point men-someone who knows where the organization is going, knows how to get there, and knows the dangers to be encountered. The same is true for the family. As I think of the parents' roles, I think of the invaluable scouts who accompanied the wagon trains headed west or the point men attached to a military squadron.

What did they do?

Scouts were extremely valuable to the success of the movement to settle the west. They rode ahead of the group in order to choose the best route. They were responsible for finding water and food supplies. They kept the wagon trains informed of dangers. Good scouts knew the best routes totravel and knew what lay at the end of the trail. The pioneers and settlers depended on them.

As leaders of our families, we are the visionaries, the scouts for the family wagon train. Your children are the pioneers in the wagon train. At the beginning of this year you embarked on another segment of a long, demanding, tiresome, and sometimes perilous journey, but also a very rewarding journey. As you enter the last month of 2004, you've almost come to the end of this segment of the journey. Hopefully, you are already thinking about next year and the direction you are going to lead your family.

In this and the following two Chariot articles I would like for us all to adjust our telescopes and get a good focus on three important aspects of being scouts to your family in this journey to glorify God. In this article, we'll look at The Vision - where we're leading the family wagon train. We'll get fixed in our minds the vision we can use to help keep the pioneers focused and encouraged until the completion of the journey.

The Course which will best get you and your family to the desired destination will be the subject of the next Chariot article. Then in February we'll discuss The Source of Supplies - how you and they will be supplied for the journey. I think you'll be encouraged and equipped for the tremendous task to which God has called you as your family's scout.

The Vision

What do you want your children to be when they reach adulthood? If you are a believer in Jesus Christ, I think you would agree with me on this vision: We want them to be men and women who are mighty in spirit, equipped to love and serve, and skilled for the glory of God. Proverbs 29:18 records a tremendous leadership principle. "Where there is no vision, the people are unrestrained. But happy is he who keeps the law." As you think about what occurred this past year, did you accomplish the vision God gave you? Did you have a vision? Do you have a vision for 2005?

As you think about starting a new year, the pioneers in your family wagon train will need to focus on the vision. Without a clearly articulated vision, they will bounce here and there. They'll be unrestrained and left to their own devices which will produce conflict and difficulties. Are they unhappy? Insecure? Frustrated? If you detect any of these characteristics, your family is in need of vision. We parents need a daily look at the vision, and so does each child.

What we don't want

Without realizing it, we can adopt similar visions to those who do not have an eternal or biblical perspective. I hope your vision for your children is not for them to be professional athletes. Having had that as a personal goal when I was in high school and college, I can attest to the fact that all that glitters isn't gold. I was an All-American defensive safety in college. Our college was preseason home to the Kansas City Chiefs football team, so I gained firsthand insight into professional sports life. By the time the invitation came for me to try out for the Dallas Cowboys, it was clear to me that walking in a manner worthy of the Lord and playing professional sports were not compatible lifestyles. I'm not saying a professional athlete can't be a Christian; however, I can assure you the trade offs one has to make are not trades you want your children to make. It is much worse today. Now, 30 years later, for a young man or woman to compete at the professional level, he or she has to begin making those trades for temporal values from the time they are in junior high. Their identity must be the sport instead of Jesus Christ in order to excel to the degree necessary to achieve at the professional level.

I am assuming also your vision isn't for your children to be happy and comfortable in this world's system and with the world's philosophy. A view of another country and kingdom should govern our vision for our families.

We certainly don't want our children to be ill-trained and unequipped to be husbands, wives, dads, and moms. Not everyone is going to get married and have children; however, the training to be godly spouses and parents will not ever be wasted.

What we do want

I think we would all agree we want our children to be mature men and women who are first mighty in spirit. What does it mean to be mighty in spirit? Isaiah 11:2-5 gives a good definition as it describes the Lord Jesus Christ.

And the Spirit of the Lord will rest on Him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and strength, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord. And He will delight in the fear of the Lord, and He will not judge by what His eyes see, nor make a decision by what His ears hear; but with righteousness He will judge the poor, and decide with fairness for the afflicted of the earth; and He will strike the earth with the rod of His mouth, and with the breath of His lips He will slay the wicked. Also righteousness will be the belt about His loins, and faithfulness the belt about His waist.

This passage is packed with qualities our children need to develop. How does this happen? We'll consider that question next month as we look at The Course; however, as you look at this description of someone who is mighty in spirit, don't you desire your children to be like that? When they leave our homes, we want them to be an influence of wisdom and understanding, counsel and strength, knowledge and the fear of the Lord. How important it is for them to learn not to judge things as they appear, but by their relationship with the Holy Spirit.

Not only should we have a spiritual vision for them, but we should also have a practical vision for training them. We should want them above all things to be equipped to love and serve. These are the two most important qualities necessary for marriage and parenting, and for success in a career. If they don't develop these qualities at home, they'll not have them when they leave.

Our vision also should include skill training. We want them skilled- educated and trained to provide for their families (males) or make their husbands successful (females). My observation is that many problems occur in our adult years because we were not trained to handle the responsibilities of life during our teen years. The testimony of many of my peers is that the teen years were spent playing sports, seeking recreational dating experiences with members of the opposite sex, entertainment, and some education on the side. Is our vision any different for our children? I hope so. Otherwise, the next generation is destined to have the same problems, only to a greater degree of destruction.

According to God's Word, the purpose behind this vision is the glory of God. The reason we have a vision for children to be mighty in spirit, equipped to love and serve, and skilled is for the glory of God. If we lead our families in that direction, we can be assured of divine assistance, a sense of satisfaction, and eternal reward.

Next month: The Course

In January's edition of The Chariot we'll look at how we raise our children to accomplish this vision. God's Word is full of direction and encouragement for parents who have a heart for their children and are seeking to glorify Him. As you go through this Christmas season, consider your vision for your children. What appetites are you encouraging? What ways are you teaching? What kind of adults are you grooming? What is your vision for this season of remembrance of Jesus' coming to earth?

As you think toward next year, why not spend some time with your wife gaining insight into the needs of your children, into her needs, so you can develop a vision for 2005? You'll be amazed at the blessing your wife and children will experience as you lead the way. Their respect for you will grow, and you will also find a greater peace and security in your home. Remember: without vision, your family will be unrestrained. Husbands, fathers, I encourage you to take the lead in your family. Be the family scout - a man of vision.

Also, we have a new resource available for parents and teens, Teenagers 101: Practical Help in Challenging Times. This is a series of 9 compact discs and is a compilation of messages that will challenge and encourage parents and teens in developing their relationship. We also have some other resources that would make great gifts this Christmas. For more information, visit our resources page on our website.

Impacting a Nation - The Spirit of Elijah in Mexico

On November 1st, I gave the message "Run to Win" to about 100 men at a regional church men's meeting in Nava, Mexico. We were able to give out a set of Equipando Hombres to each of the men at the meeting. There is a great need in Mexico for the men to be equipped to be better husbands and fathers. Pray for God to use Equipando Hombres to open men's hearts for His glory to impact the nation of Mexico for generations. If you would like to help support this, you can by sending a donation and just note Mexico. Our desire is to be able to continue to give these sets away in Mexico in the areas where we have contacts. Thank you!

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".

The article above is a part of the RISING TO THE CALL series. The series is available on both audio cassette, CD and DVD. If you have enjoyed the Equipping Men Series, you'll also enjoy this sequel of twelve practical life-changing messages. This and other resources, including all past issues of the Chariot, are available at http://www.spiritofelijah.com.