Measuring Spiritual Growth as Parents.

As a father my favorite thing was to measure my kids physical growth on the wall near our kitchen. Every child would line up and we would pencil the growth chart on the wall. I would remind my kids not to compare their growth to one another on the wall but enjoy that they themselves are growing. As a dad, I knew the natural progress of mental growth was starting with being dependent, growing to independent and then growing to interdependent.

Spiritual growth is very natural, and we see Jesus as our example on earth. He was fully God and fully man. Jesus began dependent, as a baby, on Mary and Joseph (we have no scripture that He commanded angels to change His diaper). Dependence is the beginning of our spiritual journey relying on healthy discipleship and someone to feed us the Word of God. (See the disciple Peter in this stage early with Jesus.)

Then at 12 years old, Jesus was growing to be independent . A relationship with God the Father and the scripture was His highest priority and His parents were learning to steward this. Spiritual Independence is the healthy growth of feeding on Jesus and focusing on the relationship of how much they are loved. This is a beautiful spiritual growth stage and can never be skipped. (See the disciple John in this teen-like stage early with Jesus)

Then Jesus received the Holy Spirit like a dove from Heaven and began His ministry including others. Jesus grew in spiritual interdependence. Jesus started the funding of His ministry with the generosity of business women (unheard of in His day). He could of commanded the fish to open their mouths and finance His ministry, but He included women. He also included young men whom He empowered to do greater things than Him. Spiritual Interdependence doesn’t take the “Just me and Jesus” teenage approach to life but lays down their life to empower others to do greater things than them.

Trauma can cause some to pause or skip the healthy growth process. We can find Christians in their sixties and even eighties still spiritually dependent on others to disciple them. In the natural we see much of America dependent on the government the way Christians are dependent on the church. Many Christians stop at the “Independent” growth and never know the joy of interdependence where the kingdom of God is taking us. There is no skipping any of these stages of spiritual growth and spiritual fathers and mothers understand their role in this process. All stages of growth are beautiful and not to be compared to our siblings. The truth is we will always be dependent on Jesus and still the King gave us the earth to take dominion as kings.

In His Grace,

Brandon Pollard

http://www.graceforeternity.com

Trials Reveal Our Kids Beliefs!

Some remember corporately singing, “This is the air I breathe” or “I will sing of your love forever” and then for many the trials of 2020 came and the church was scattered. We truly don’t know what is a belief in our life until there is a trial that gives us the freedom to choose. As Christians it is not a matter of “if” trials come and reveal our beliefs but “when”. We only overcome trials by our belief in the love of Jesus for us, who overcame the world.

John 16:33 NKJ These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”

As parents, we look at our children’s free time to see if they are choosing to spend time renewing their mind in relationship with God. We then know their beliefs are not just their “parent’s faith” when they have freedom and a choice to receive the love of Jesus for themselves. When our children were young, they preferred entertainment when given the choice over reading their Bible or going to church (or doing school for that matter). Neither of these have anything to do with a Heaven or Hell destination but absolutely have training consequences to spiritual growth.

2 Peter 3:17-18 NKJ  You therefore, beloved, since you know this beforehand, beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked; ¹⁸ but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen.

We never gave our kids a choice when they were younger to brush their teeth. Brushing their teeth wasn’t about being a part of our family or getting traded to some one else’s family. Brushing their teeth was a value in our home that wasn’t negotiable because it was our belief in investing in good hygiene. Later in life, we knew it was their belief because of the freedom we entrusted them with and the opposition (trial) against it. Example: “Dad, I didn’t have a toothbrush at Johnny’s when I spent the night, so I asked them if they had an extra and they did.” As a parent, I wouldn’t have known if they didn’t want to brush their teeth at Johnny’s but then I found out it’s not only my belief to brush their teeth, it’s theirs. We had trained them to value their teeth and other people from smelling their bad breath.

Romans 12:2 NKJ  And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

Americans will spend the majority of a child’s week centering them on sports and entertainment in the home and very few weekly hours training them to value growth in the love of God. The world will smell the self-centeredness and not the fresh breath of Christ. The moment these children get to trials, college or freedom from parents, will they run to Jesus who protects and loves them or will they be searching for their identity in love from the world? Trials are the most revealing way to see if we or our children need healing and training in an area of belief in Jesus. Sure we can sing about our faith or love away from the home but what we build upon will be tested by storms and there will be deception that there are no consequences, but guess what there are. The good consequence is our children will choose to run to Jesus themselves and be more than conquerors during trials because they were trained to believe Jesus loves them.

Romans 8:37 NKJ Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.

In His Grace,

Brandon Pollard

http://www.graceforeternity.com

Your Voice Is Needed!

Recently, my family went two whole days without wifi. It actually went out in our entire neighborhood. It was like zombies coming out of their house and into the street. Neighbors and their kids were outside talking and doing chores, it was quite humorous. We really missed the wifi because even our phones weren’t working properly with low bars. At several points in the day we walked over to our google home to play music with voice command. Google simply said, “Im sorry I’m having trouble connecting”.

In Genesis, we find God using His voice to create and this is what the Kingdom of God is still doing today, voice commands. God said let us make man in our image, God breathed on the dust and Adam was created brand new. Jesus didn’t do anything that He didn’t see the Father doing and He breathed on the disciples and “voice commanded” them to receive the Holy Spirit. Just like Adam, the disciples became brand new and received the breath of God. The filling of the Holy Spirit was activated by voice command.

John 20:21-22  So Jesus said to them again, “Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.” 22 And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.

Under the Old Covenant the Holy Spirit would come and go depending on performance and obedience of men. Under the new covenant, the Holy Spirit is filled in every believer according to the obedience of Jesus. That means, you are the carrier of the Holy Spirit. There is no (wifi) disconnection with God. He promises to never leave you or forsake you. On your worst day you can say, “Hey Jesus!” and come confidently before the throne of grace. Your are the temple (router) of the Holy Spirit and there are no low bars or bad connection with God, that He can’t hear you. Your voice is what creates and grows the Kingdom of God just like Jesus and the Father. Your voice is needed!!!

In His Grace,

Brandon Pollard

http://www.graceforeternity.com