Attack on Family and Faith

This decision by the “European Human Rights” court to uphold a law created by Nazi Germany combined with the anti-family trend in international courts may eventually end up being used by liberal judges in the U.S. against American families who want to home-school. Studies show that over 90% of home educated children of Christian parents retain their faith compared to less than half of public educated children of Christian parents. The powers of darkness can be depended on to work to destroy faith. They are attacking and will continue to attack our current right to home school. Let’s pray, vote and act such that our children, grandchildren and other Christian parents will continue to have the option to home school their children even if many of them choose other alternatives. “Raising children is a prerogative of their fathers and mothers and not of the state.”

As one European official, Belgian Member of Parliament -- and a home-schooling mother -- Alexandra Colen, observed last year in an article on the case in Germany, the parents involved in the matter are Christians who claim the right of mothers and fathers to educate their own children. The MP remarked on the fact that these conscientious Christian parents are not only opposed by their government but also lack the support of the official, state-funded churches in their country.

"Six decades after Hitler," Colen noted, "German politicians and official church leaders still do not seem to understand what true freedom implies: that raising children is a prerogative of their fathers and mothers and not of the state, which is never a benevolent parent and often an enemy."

Public Education Against America

	New Book Exposes Startling Truths About America's Public School System - See the Review Public Education Against America by Marlin Maddoux, Late Founder of USA Radio Network Book Review by James L. Lambert October 13, 2006

Federalization of Education = Wrong Answer

"In this era of globalization, the education debate has taken on new urgency. How are we going to compete globally if our public schools continue to produce poor quality students?" - Michael Smith

Most everyone recognizes that, in general, the public school system is doing a poor job of education and preparation for life. There are currently two major directions of change being advocated: open competition or federally-controlled monopoly. To read more click here.

Powerful Springs

Surely every man walks about as a phantom;
surely they make an uproar for nothing;
he amasses riches and does not know who will gather them. (Ps 39:6)

As I went through college, graduated and started working, I developed bad habits of skipping Bible reading, Sunday school and church services. My level of faith began sinking, the power of temptation seemed to grow, and I began to make wrong decisions. My spirit, thinking and goals became diseased with wrong values and unbelief. When God eventually stirred up new life in my inner being, one of the first changes he brought in my life was a new habit.

Most of us know, from personal experience, how easy it is to fall into bad habits and out of good habits. A bad habit is as easy as laying in your bed, but a good habit requires energy and effort to overcome the natural tendency toward the path of ease. So, in one direction we have short term ease and comfort while in the other direction there is the continuing demand for effort and energy. But, in the long term, a good habit can bring knowledge, advancement, faith and health. Compare this with the potential long term results of a bad habit: ignorance, spoiled character, unbelief and disease. Notice that last word, “dis-ease”? Bad habits based on ease in the short term can lead to disease in the long run.

The foundation of life for anyone is their faith. All the great heroes that we read about in the Bible are called “heroes of faith”. Hebrews 11 gives many examples of such heroes who are known to us only because of how their lives were shaped by their faith. Hebrews 11 also proclaims this truth, “And without faith it is impossible to please God, …”

Without faith it is absolutely impossible to please God. But, what good habits do we have in place to build up our faith? Do we daily seek to know Christ through God’s Word? Do you go to Bible Class or Sunday School? Church leaders have intended and designed these classes to build relationships, knowledge and faith. If they do not do that for you then you should let your church leaders know that you need something different. Sermons and worship services are supposed to encourage right thinking and build faith. There are retreats, small groups, service projects and conferences that are designed to build faith.

Faith building opportunities are all around us but we may have developed bad habits of ease that turn us away from growth in spirit. If our faith shrinks and becomes weak, we will forget that life is a phantom and waste our time making an uproar over nothing. We desperately need habits that build faith. How many faith building habits do you already have? What new habits are you feeling called to develop? Once good activities are habits, they become a tremendous, almost automatic, positive force in our lives. By God’s grace, good habits can be developed that become powerful springs of healing, wisdom and faith.

Projects:

• Consider what habits you feel God is calling you to develop
• Pray for His blessing as you begin to exert yourself to develop a new, good habit
• What faith building habit do you feel you should develop? Choose a new one.

Examples

• Daily prayer
• Daily Bible reading
• Daily Scripture memorization and meditation
• Fasting
• Giving
• Serving
• Bible class participation
• Evangelism
• Join or Lead a small group

Colleges courting home-schoolers

Some colleges are starting to recognize that many homeschooled students may have qualities that go beyond a high school transcript and diploma. See article here.

Whose will rules?

I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.(John 5:30)

This verse is amazing. Here we have Jesus, the Son of God, saying that He can do nothing from Himself. His whole goal is to seek and do the will of the Father. He fulfills completely the principle of honoring and obeying his father. But, even more, He reveals that even He can do nothing if His will takes priority of the will of the Father. This priority is shown in the way Jesus rose early or stayed up all night in order to be in harmony with His Father.

In contrast, my business and activities are often so pressing and “important” that I don’t have time to seek God’s will and direction in my own life. In other words, we can demonstrate by our actions (our life language) that we believe our will and judgment to be more important and productive than God’s will and judgment. Then we wonder why our lives get in a twist. We may even end up shaking our fist at God.

It’s easy to give lip service to the idea that we want God’s will as first priority. If children say they want to do God’s will and then disobey their mother, does that mean that their Mom is serving Satan? Or, are the children just doing their own will? If I ignore the priorities of my boss at work, am I actually seeking God’s will? I Peter 2:18 indicates that it’s God’s will for us to be subject to and obey some men.

But, even more, am I daily trying to get God’s perspective on my life and decisions by meditating on Him and His Word? Talk is cheap. The true test comes in whether we will genuinely seek to daily know and follow priorities, judgments and goals other than our own. If not, we will eventually look back and see wasted time, investments and life. In contrast, anything we do in the will of the Father has eternal purpose and everlasting value. Whose will rules in your life?

Project:

• Let's repent of "doing our own thing".
  
• Consider how to seek God’s will more diligently
• Begin a new habit of seeking

I am able to do nothing from Myself [independently, of My own accord--but only as I am taught by God and as I get His orders]. Even as I hear, I judge [I decide as I am bidden to decide. As the voice comes to Me, so I give a decision], and My judgment is right (just, righteous), because I do not seek or consult My own will [I have no desire to do what is pleasing to Myself, My own aim, My own purpose] but only the will and pleasure of the Father Who sent Me. (John 5:30) (Amplified Version)

College Seniors Know LESS Than Freshman??

What a waste of time and money! See article here.

Organic Foods Are Best for Young Children

This news article indicates a clear increase (5X) of pesticides in the bodies of children who eat conventional foods compared to when the same children ate organic foods. There are an increasing number of major health issues hitting young children - seizures, cancer, liver problems, autism and so on. Could they, at least partly, be due to some children reacting more strongly to the pesticides, mercury and other such toxins in their food, vaccines and environment? See article here and full report from the research study here.

Wolves in Sheep's Clothing

This study shows that children's programming not only steals the child's time and creativity but feeds him a diet dangerously high in violence and sexual innuendo. Anyone using TV as a babysitter ought to checkout the character of the babysitter. See report here.

School strip searches mandated by U.S. House

Even with student molestations skyrocketing, U.S. lawmakers demand strip searches in fight against drugs. See article here.