One day during Bible study I was reading in 1 Chronicles. As I was in my routine reading, a sentence jumped out from the page, “I WILL THEREFORE MAKE PREPARATIONS FOR IT.” In context to what was being said here, David was saying that he would make the preparations needed to provide what his son, Solomon, needed to build the temple of God. 

Now David said, “Solomon my son is young and inexperienced, and the house to be built for the Lord must be exceedingly magnificent, famous and glorious throughout all countries. I will now make preparation for it.” So David made abundant preparations before his death. -1 Chronicles 22:5

 

After reading this the question stirred in me, “Am I preparing the Way for my children? That they have preparations needed to building their temples for the Lord’s presence to come into?” 

1 Cor 6:19-20 Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you (also in 1 Cor 3:16), whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.

2 Cor 6:16 What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; as God said, (Jeremiah and Ezekiel) “I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people…”

Eph 2:22 In Him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.

1 Pet 2:5 …you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ,

So what materials are needed for this preparing (make ready for use) of the next generation? Here is an acronym to help us to understand how to furnish (equip) our children:

Christ must indwell you (John 3:5-6; Titus 3:4-7; Eph 1:13-14; Rm 8:9)

Titus 3:4-7 But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to His own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by His grace we might become heirs according to the hop of eternal life.

John 3:5-6 Jesus answered, “Truly, truly I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit…

Roman 8:9 You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to Him.

Understand (interpret, comprehend and grasp the meaning) the Word (John 16:13; 2 Tim 3:16-17; John 14:26; 1 Cor 2:10-16; 2 Tim 2:15; Ps 119:105, 130; John 17:17; John 1:1; Eph 1:17-18; Ps 19:7-9; 1 Thess. 2:13; Heb 4:12)

John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

1 Th 2:13 And we also thank God constantly for this, that when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God, which is at work in you believers.

2 Timothy 3:16-17 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

John 14:26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirt, whom the Father will send in my name, He will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.

2 Timothy 2:15 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.

John 17:17 Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.

Heb 4:12 For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints, and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

Live it out and with others (Apply the truth in your daily lives, not because you have to but because you get to and want to….” Do you love me?”) “Mutual honesty, openness, and sharing of needs will enable believers to uphold one another in the spiritual struggle.” Wiersbe (1 John 2:3-6; John 13:15; Col 2:6-8; Eph 2:4-10; Php 2:12-13; Heb 10:24-25; Gal 6:1-10; Rm 15:1-7; Ecc 4:9-12)

1 John 2:3-6 And by this we know (assurance of salvation) that we have come to know Him (recognize who He is), if we keep His commandments (obedience). Whoever says “I know Him” but does not keep His commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in Him, but whoever keeps His word, in Him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in Him: whoever says he abides in Him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked (figuratively, to live). -Discuss aboriginal walkabout

Heb 10:24-25 And let us consider how to stir up (stimulating or inciting someone to do something) one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging (exhorting meaning to comfort, warn, and strengthen) one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.  

Talk to God (pray; communion/fellowship) (1 Chr 16:11 (Ps 105:4); Eph 6:18-20; Matt 26:41; Luke 18:1 (persistent widow); Col 4:2; Php 4:6; 1 Thess 5:17)

1 Chr 16:11 Seek the Lord and His strength; seek His presence continually!

Eph 6:18 …praying at all times (focuses on frequency) in the Spirit (focuses on submission, as one lines up with the will of God), with all prayer and supplication (focuses on the variety). To that end, keep alert (focuses on the manner- Matt 26:41 Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak) with all perseverance (focuses on the persistence- Luke 18:1 and he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart), making supplication for all the saints (focuses on the objects)..

Illuminate any hinderances and rebuke them (shed light on the darkness) “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that….” Martin Luther King Jr. (Micah 7:8; Ps 18:28; John 8:12; Matt 5:16; John 1:5; 1 John 1:5-9; Ps 27:1)

Micah 7:8 Rejoice not over me, O my enemy; when I fall, I shall rise; when I sit in darkness, the Lord will be a light to me.

Ps 18:28 For it is you who light my lamp; the Lord my God lightens my darkness.

John 8:12 Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

John 1:5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

1 John 1:5-9 This is the message we have heard from Him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all. If we say we have fellowship with Him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His son cleanses us from all sin. If we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (John 13 washing of feet)

Victory is His, therefore accessible to us “God’s people do not fight for victory but from victory.” Warren Wiersbe (Deut 20:4; John 16:33; Col 2:14-15; 1 Cor 15:57; Rm 8:31-39; John 8:32; 1 John 4:1-6; 1 John 5:4-5)

Deut 20:4 …for the Lord your God is He who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies, to give you the victory.

Col 2:14-15 …by canceling the record of debt (died for the sins of the world) that stood against us with its legal demands (the moral law that we cannot obey fully within ourselves). This He set aside, nailing it to the cross. He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in Him.

1 John 5:4-5 For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world- our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

1 Cor 15:57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Abide (remain and continue) in Him (John 15:1-17; 1 John 2:24-28; 1 John 4:13; Rm 8:3-6; Isa 26:3)

John 15:5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.

1 John 2:24-28 Let what you heard from the beginning abide in you. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, then you too will abide in the Son and in the Father. And this is the promise that He made to us – eternal life. I write these things to you about those who are trying to deceive you. But the anointing that you received from Him abides in you, and you have no need to anyone should teach you. But as His anointing (Holy Spirit) teaches you about everything, and is true, and is no lie- just as it has taught you, abide in Him (persevere in faithfulness and sound doctrine). And now, little children, abide in Him, so that when He appears we may have confidence and not shrink from Him in shame at His coming (the hope of Christ’s return has a sanctifying effect on our moral behavior, a walk that pursues holiness).

Teachable moments, train them up (disciple) (Deut 6:6-7; Ps 78:1-8; Pro 6:20-22, 22:6; 2 Tim 3:15; Eph 6:1-4; Matt 28:18-20)

Ps 78:1-8 Give ear, O my people, to my teaching; incline your ears to the words of my mouth! I will open my mouth in a parable; I will utter dark sayings from of old, things that we have heard and known, that our fathers have told us. We will not hide them form their children, but tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the Lord, and His might, and the wonders that He has done. He established a testimony in Jacob and appointed a law in Israel, which He commanded our fathers to teach to their children (Deut 6:6-7), that the next generation might know them, the children yet unborn, and arise and tell them to their children, so that they should set their hope in God and not forget the works of God, but keep His commandments; and that they should not be like their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation whose heart was not steadfast, whose spirit was not faithful to God.

2 Timothy 3:14-15 (Paul’s appeal to Timothy) But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood (1 Tim 1:5 from his mother and grandmother) you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.

Endure suffering (the difference between suffering and enduring suffering, is that suffering is a state of being in pain or distress, while to endure the suffering is to continue or carry on through the pain or distress) (Php 1:29; 2 Cor 4:7-18; Heb 10:36-39; Php 3:7-9; 1 Pet 4:14-16; 1 Pet 5:10-11; Rm 5:3-11)

1 Peter 4:14-16 If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. But let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler. Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name.

Heb 10:36-39 For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised. For, “Yet a little while, and the coming one will come and will not delay; but my righteous one shall live by faith, and if he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him.” But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and persevere their souls.

This all is a process, a continual process. It takes tending to throughout our lives and our children’s. Cultivate is another word for preparing.  If you want to produce good and multiple fruit, you must pay attention carefully to what is being planted and it must be labored skillfully. Whatever is planted must be protected and encouraged to grow. But remember none of this can be done unless the seed (the Word of God) is rooted in good soil (a prepared heart) that is planted by the Sower Jesus Christ, through the Holy Spirit. (Mark 4:3-9)