Looking Unto Jesus
By Becky Wyand
1. Looking Unto Jesus
Hebrews 12 can serve as one of those “ever seeking” chapters. It starts with “Wherefore seeking we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us. 2. Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross…”
Consider especially for older children,
a) Who are these witnesses?
b) What is our family’s weight? Our personal weight?
c) What is MY besetting sin?
d) What does “finisher of our faith” mean?
e) How could joy be associated with enduring the cross?
Reading on through the chapter we have many valuable points of discussion teaching the chapter ends with,
28 “Therefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear:
29 or our god is a consuming fire.”
Consider:
a) Defining “godly fear.”
b) What “God is a consuming fire” means.
(Helps: Ex.24:17, Deut. 4:24, Ps. 50:3, Is.66:15)
If our focus is on getting to know God so that we might walk in His ways thereby bringing glory to Him, then we will want to evaluate our schedule, attitude, methods and materials against “looking unto Jesus.”
2. Circumstances
I’ve been reading Endurance: Shackleton’s Incredible Voyage. As I’ve been reading it I’ve come to realize that God has given us strength and grace for our very particular circumstance. We may look at other people and think that they have it easier than we. Their children receive instruction with gladness, yours receive it with struggle. While you’re observing this realize that the grace that is there for you is plentiful for the struggle.
And, as in Shackleton’s case, if you are ever caught in an ice flow with no food or water and no way to send a distress signal, His grace will be sufficient.
3. Dictation
Dictation is a valuable teaching method for language. Let me give you a few suggestions: (Please don’t try to use all of them.”)
1) when calling a spelling list of 3-10 words, choose one word (after writing the list). Ask your child to give you an oral sentence slowly for that word. You repeat the sentence slowly for his to write. Check immediately.
2) After a lecture preparing for a field trip, choose 3-5 facts to be remembered. You put each fact into a manageable sentence and call one per day. Child writes. You check. This technique could be used for any unit of study. Sentences may be put onto 3x5 cards for easy review.
3) In your language study you may be learning about punctuation at the beginning of a sentence or any punctuation rule. Call your sentence for dictation, reinforcing that punctuation rule. Always make dictaion short and check at once.
4) You may be studying about adverbs. Call a sentence with an adverb or 2.
5) Choose 3 very tricky spelling problems and repeat sentences using those words.
4. For His Pleasure
Please allow me to give you a warning about drawing your children to give God pleasure. Consider this illustration:
1) Your child wants to read a certain book. You don’t have time to read it but you feel too many wrong ideas are presented. You may develop a reading wheel so that the child knows what kinds of books are expected to be read but DO NOT use that opportunity to shout, “NOW DOES THAT GIVE GOD PLEASURE?”
2) Your child has a bad attitude about a project, chore, or assignment. Do work on that attitude. We’ve given many suggestions on that but DO NOT use this as an opportunity to belittle the child before God.
3) Your child has saved some money and is shopping. He chooses something foolish. You will not want to ask him if he had thought of God’s pleasure. Rather use it as an opportunity to show him wise spending.
What we do to train our children to think of god and His pleasure?
1) As you read the Word together see what God says, how man responded and what the consequence was. Discuss whether God “enjoyed” giving the consequence and how His love required it of Him.
2) Read Psalms and make a list of what you see God enjoying.
3) Discuss family and individual issues at a point of no conflict.
5. How to Simplify Record Keeping
1) Jot things on your calendar for quick reference at grade time.
2) Keep a folder of each major subject. Place papers in the folder periodically. Grade at grade time if you do not have test grades to go by.
3) Evaluate activities as you go. Keep in a notebook for easy reference.
4) Use a diary approach on your computer.
5) For very young children (4th grade and down) submit subjective grading in their work folders periodically). How do you think your child in doing, compared to your goals.
6. Success Warnings
We all want our children to be successful. Consider:
1) Listening to how you talk to yourself. Correct faulty self-talk by repeating Scripture. Example: Faulty Self-Talk, “I’ll never get all of this done. I don’t feel very well. He’s never going to get these facts. I probably should have some professional evaluation done. My husband doesn’t help out very much. I’m exhausted.” When these thoughts bombard you – and they will – begin refusing to entertain them, even if they are true.
Begin thinking helping scripture as:
“Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus.” Phil. 2:5
“And the peace of God, which passes all understanding shall keep your hearts and minds though Christ Jesus.” Phil. 4:7
“For God hath not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” 11Tim. 1:7