Living Faith From Generation to Generation to Generation

Jenny Rose stopped strumming his guitar and stepped forward to the microphone where she read a Scripture passage and gave a short word of encouragement. 

"Some of us have had a rough week, we have been battered by  the enemy, tossed around by his lies..." She ended by sharing her own personal experience of how Jesus had encouraged her. She started a worship song and everyone sang along. 

I felt tears fill my eyes. My dream as I rocked and nursed my five babies was that they would each grow up to love Jesus and serve Him with a glad heart. Here was my Rosie, loving  Jesus. 

It is God's grace and mercy alone that all five of my adult children love Jesus. I'm so grateful, especially because I am a flawed Mommy. I wish I was perfect, but alas, no. I do love the Lord and have a living faith inside my heart that has grown stronger and stronger over the years.

It is not an example of perfection I have imparted to my children, it is a living faith in a jar of clay.

Can you relate? Do you love Jesus, but feel that you are so far from being a perfect example of what a "good" Christian should look like?

---

Now, don't get me wrong. I think that our children will follow our example more than our words. More is caught than taught. But, no matter how hard we try, there will only be one perfect example: Jesus! Are we trusting in Him, standing firm in His righteousness, and letting Jesus live through us. See Galatians 2:20. 

What will even affect our children more than our example is to see a living faith where we continue to grow up in our salvation. This gives glory to the Lord because as we continue to work out our salvation with fear and trembling, Jesus is working in us to will and to act according to His good purpose (Philippians 2:20). 

Apostle John writes to a dear daughter in the faith, saying that it brings him great joy to hear that she is walking in truth. He longs for her to prosper and enjoy good health, just as she grows in the Lord.

​"Beloved, I pray that in all respects you may prosper and be in good health, just as your soul prospers. For I was very glad when brethren came and testified to your truth, that is, how you are walking in truth. I have no greater joy than this, to hear of my children walking in the truth" (3 John 1:2-4 NASB). 

We all want our children to enjoy financial stability and good health, but the highest blessing is to see our children walk closely with Jesus. 

---

Here are some things my husband and I did to help our children grow in the Lord from an early age. 

• We talked about the Lord and what He was showing us in our personal Quiet Times
• We started our little ones having their own personal Quiet Times when they were toddlers with a picture Bible and encouraged personal daily devotion times for the rest of their childhood and teenage years
• We prayed often. If we lost something, if we passed a car accident, if we received a prayer request, or if we were grumpy, we prayed
• We stayed plugged into our local church
• We served in our local church, ministering to people in practical ways
• We explained why we did what we did when we were obeying the Bible. Our children knew we lived under God's Authority
• We shared lessons the Lord taught us, including when He disciplined us
• When we faced financial and health trials, we gathered in the family room and prayed together for a miracle. We saw God come through again and again! 
• We enjoyed worship together as a family and our children served with me in sound and on the worship team
• We answered all their questions, doubts, and confusion
• We let them talk to us about their tempations, struggles, and falls
• We over and over told them that Jesus loved them and had a purpose and calling for their lives
• We explained why we required the things we required of them
• We homeschooled using curriculum from a Christian worldview
• We taught them to defend the faith
• We created courses for our teens to prepare them to honor the Lord in their future marriages, homes, careers, and ministries 
• We used holidays to teach spiritual truths and celebrate with abandon
• We built friendships and enjoyed life together
• We included Jesus in every part of our lives

​

There is no magic formula for passing faith on to the next generation. However, you must start with a living faith. If you want to pass on a living faith, ask the Lord to fill your heart with a blazing faith that grows and grows. 

As you grow closer and closer to Jesus, your faith will spill over to others, including your children. 

Realize though that even after they reach the age of 18, your children need you to be there as a friend and mentor, helping them to navigate through spiritual rough patches and pointing them to Jesus. Remember they don't need preaching; they need real love and friendship. 

Don't give up! No matter where your children are at. God is on your side and it is His will that all of you love and serve Him with all of your hearts. He wants to change your world. 

"For I am mindful of the sincere faith within you, which first dwelt in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am sure that it is in you as well" (II Timothy 1:5 NASB).

One day your sons and daughters will pass on a living faith to the next generation. And the faith, like Lois to Eunice to Timothy will go on and on. 

God bless you as you love Jesus and serve Him with all your hearts and pass the baton of faith. 

God bless you and fill you to overflowing!

In Christ, 
​Meredith Curtis 

---