Life Outside the Window

And the Lord said, “Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom his master will set over his household, to give them their portion of food at the proper time?”

– Luke 12:42 (ESV)

One of the many blessings that we have as homeschoolers is that we are privileged to be God’s stewards over the souls of our children, exposing them to both the truths of the scriptures as well as the realities of the culture, each at the proper time. Unfortunately, each child is different. Some are ready for certain knowledge early while others need additional time to mature. This is why we parents need godly discernment.

We must remember that the goal of homeschooling is not to isolate our children but rather to insulate them from the world so that their appetites will be godly. Before they can be salt and light to those bound in the kingdom of darkness, they must first be filled with salt themselves (Mark 9:50). Once their hearts are set on heaven, we are then to release them into the world so that they can take the message of the gospel of Jesus Christ to the masses. We ought to be more confident of God’s ability to keep them than the devil’s ability to deceive them.

The world needs Jesus Christ now more than ever. The uncertainty and, dare I say, the terror that some in the world are experiencing presently through the Coronavirus stir is an opportune time for us to speak into the culture with the hope of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Without a doubt, there will be yet more occasions as we continue our march toward the end of time. If we are concerned only about isolating our children, we could miss unique moments like these in man’s history because we failed to look out the window of our homeschooling households.

It is imperative that we teach our children how to be in the world but not of it. We have the message of the good news and we need to take it through each open door God presents. The question is, “How do we do it so that our children are the influence and not the influenced?”

On a practical level, we need to:

1. Teach them the Word as the only source of Truth.
2. Teach them that there is no sacred/secular split. God rules over all.
3. Help them develop a biblical worldview through curricula, conferences, videos, etc.
4. Teach them that God has set jurisdictions that are both distinctly separate yet with limited overlap and teach them how to navigate through these God-ordained areas which include Government, Economics, Church, Family, and Marriage.
5. Teach them to interpret cultural events — including entertainment — through the biblical lens that we continue to teach throughout their time with us.
6. Teach them not to fear the world, knowing greater is He that is within us than he that is in the world.
7. Above all, pray for the grace of God to give our children both the desire to make a difference for God’s glory and the necessary discernment and discretion to engage the world’s systems.

It is in regard to the last point that our prayer and fasting is aimed this month. We are asking for God’s grace to empower our children to be separate from this world but still glorify God in it. Please join us in a day of prayer and fasting for the homeschool community and our world as a whole on the second Tuesday in April. These requests are:

1. Pray that our children will see the shallowness of worldly thinking and will understand at a young age that the things of the world will never satisfy, thus reducing their temptations.
   • So I hated life, because what is done under the sun was grievous to me, for all is vanity and a striving after wind. – Ecclesiastes 2:17
   • Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? – Romans 6:16
     
2. Pray that God will supernaturally grace our children to be in the world but not of the world.
   • I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. – John 17:15
   • Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world — the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life — is not from the Father but is from the world. – 1 John 2:15,16
     
3. Pray that our children will be sensitive to the importance of civil authorities, manifested by praying for our leaders in the various levels of government and being a part of the political process.
   • First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. – 1 Timothy 2:1,2
     
4. Pray that our children will be given a heart to grieve for the sins of our nation and not treat it lightly or indifferently as many of their peers do.
   • My joy is gone; grief is upon me; my heart is sick within me. – Jeremiah 8:18
   • O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing! – Luke 13:34
     
5. Pray that our children will carry themselves in such a way that the world will know they have been anointed by God.
   • Then he said to Zebah and Zalmunna, “Where are the men whom you killed at Tabor?” They answered, “As you are, so were they. Every one of them resembled the son of a king.” – Judges 8:18
   • Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity. – 1 Timothy 4:12
     
6. Pray that God will grace our children with great wisdom to speak into our culture.
   • But they could not withstand the wisdom and the Spirit with which he was speaking. – Acts 6:10
   • The Lord God has given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him who is weary. – Isaiah 50:4
     
7. Pray that our children will be humble but fearless as they interact with others.
   • Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” – 1 Peter 5:5
   • And the Lord, He is the One who goes before you. He will be with you, He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed. – Deuteronomy 31:8
   • No weapon formed against you shall prosper, and every tongue which rises against you in judgment You shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is from Me,” says the Lord. – Isaiah 54:17
     
8. Pray that our children will have a heart and mind for learning in order to prepare for their future role in God’s kingdom.
   • When wisdom enters your heart, and knowledge is pleasant to your soul, discretion will preserve you; understanding will keep you. – Proverbs 2:10,11
   • Wise people store up knowledge, but the mouth of the foolish is near destruction. – Proverbs 10:14
     
9. Pray that our children will be gracious in their speech.
   • Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one. – Colossians 4:6
   • But, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head – Christ. – Ephesians 4:15
     
10. Pray that there may be a revival and reformation in their days.
    • Will You not revive us again, that Your people may rejoice in You? – Psalms 85:6
    • O Lord, I have heard Your speech and was afraid; O Lord, revive Your work in the midst of the years! In the midst of the years make it known; in wrath remember mercy. – Habakkuk 3:2

Do we have a vision of greatness for our children? I am not referring to greatness in a financial sense but in being God’s man and God’s woman during these uncertain times.

During this time, please also pray for ICHE as we are crying out for direction for our Annual Family Conference in light of the present Coronavirus situation.

Please pray for all parents who are now homeschooling. We ask God for grace for those who desire to homeschool but feel overwhelmed.