16 Dec The View (Because What Gets Your Attention Gets You) Part 7
Approximately 22 years ago I could barely walk or talk. I had become emaciated and lost much of my muscle tone. I had to fight constant heart palpitations, heart irregularities, angina and shortness of breath. When I taught the Word of God, it was barely above a whisper and I couldn’t walk more than about 100 yards before pain and difficulty breathing would permeate my heart region.
My precious wife, Anne, had to do most of the household chores. As you can imagine, this was a very precarious and difficult time in our lives and ministry! However, I was determined to live and not die and declare the works of the Lord (Ps. 118:17). So my wife and I set out on my healing journey. We made what we called “Word wallpaper” and hung it all over our apartment…in every room! We had scriptures in our car…scriptures almost everywhere! We primarily focused on the Word in the realms of healing, faith, peace and anti-fear!
We literally immersed ourselves in the Word of God for hours a day and for months. For six months I did not grow better but I rather grew worse. Then suddenly my body began to turn and slowly but surely, I began to get better and stronger without the aid of medicine or surgery (I would’ve taken both if necessary).
During my recovery, my wife would regularly give me massages to help my blood circulation. I was actually healed for about six months before I told her just to keep the massages going! (That is a joke!) All told, my entire recovery took about 18 months and now at 53 (approximately 22 years later), I jog 45 minutes a day, 3 days a week. I lift weights four days a week. I do between 1000-2000 sit-ups seven days a week and I can do more pull-ups and push-ups than I could when I was in my 20’s! God is a good God! (I am sorry but I jus go excited recollecting where I was and where I am now!)
During the height of my recovery, people took pictures of me but I would never let them show the picture to me. I still don’t have any now. I would only allow pictures of me healthy and happy to go before my eyes. As a matter of fact, I put one such picture in front of my alarm clock so that it would be the first thing I viewed every morning when I got up! Because what gets your attention…gets you!
Over the last number of months we have discussed the following: “6 Very Vivacious Viewpoints Verifying the View”:
1. What I continually see…affects me (Matt. 12:33-35).
2. What I continually see…affects my priority (Matt. 6:22-24).
3. What I continually see…affect my destiny (Prov. 29:15)
4. What I continually see…affects my body (Prov. 4:20-23).
This week let’s continue…
5. What I continually see…affects my family (Deut. 6:4-9).
“Hear, O Israel: The Lord our god, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.”
Here the Word of God clearly teaches us that “life” becomes a teachable moment. Our job as parents is to teach the Word of God when we experience life with them. A child’s “camcorder” is always on. Part of teaching this as we walk through life is keeping scripture as something prominent before their eyes. Something they see and we live!
As parents, our job is to initially protect our children from the world to eventually point our children to this world. Meaning this, when they are young we don’t prematurely expose them to sin in order to teach them about sin. But there are times when “life” happens and we must teach them through it. Joy Church has a 24-foot mobile kitchen and we take this kitchen to primarily impoverished places to feed and evangelize the people. If I am in town, I always take Johnathan (my son) to these events. It is a good way to expose him to “the world” in a controlled and parentally governed way.
A few summers ago my 9-year-old (at that time, he’s 12 now) led seven children to Jesus Christ! You have never seen such a proud dad! Well it was there where he heard his first cuss word (other than the ones his mom uses at home…that is also a joke!). Well, I simply “taught him through” that situation. I didn’t panic or scream, “John, cover your virgin ears!” I simply turned the situation into a biblical lesson taken from Ephesians 4:28! If you think I would trade my son leading those seven children to Jesus for one lousy cuss word…you are sadly mistaken! It was well worth it! Now, if I had taken him to a movie I know would be laced with cuss words…then I would be sadly mistaken! Such is life…stuff happens and we must teach our kids through such situations.
I watch Christians get into one of these two ditches:
1) They allow their kids to be immersed and taught by the culture
2) They overly shield their children to the point that they are almost communal. They grow up and have no impact on the society and end up simply cursing the darkness instead of lighting a candle.
Again, strike the balance of initially protecting your child from the world so you can eventually point your child at the world. That way he will eventually be a culture-changer instead of conforming to the culture!
The Bible tells us, “My son, preserve sound judgment and discernment, do not let them out of your sight; they will be life for you, an ornament to grace your neck. Then you will go on your way in safety, and your foot will not stumble; when you lie down, you will not be afraid; when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet” (Prov. 3:21-24).
- Wisdom
- Life
- Discretion
- Safety
- No fear
- Sweet sleep
Let’s keep the Word of God before our eyes and our children’s eyes because what you continually see affects the family!