Before Mike became a Christian he started hanging around a group of Christian college students who were involved in a Christian ministry. Those students regularly spent time studying the Bible and memorizing verses. Since Mike had not grown up in the church, he assumed all Christians did these things.

Soon after becoming a Christian, Mike entered the military and became involved with another Christian organization. They taught him to have a daily quiet time, memorize and meditate on Scripture day and night, and be ready to give an answer to anyone who asked a reason for his hope in Christ.

Mike learned not only to share his faith regularly with others, but also to help them grow in their walks with God. He learned that Christians should expect to take personal responsibility for their own spiritual growth. That included studying and memorizing the Scriptures, having daily devotions, applying what they learned, sharing their faith, praying to a real God, leading others to Christ, and teaching other Christians to do the same--being discipled and discipling others.

When Mike moved back into a college ministry after the military, he was excited about some freshmen in his Bible study who had grown up in the church. He was looking forward to the input and encouragement they would offer.

To Mike's surprise, their spiritual condition was shallow. It was apparent that they had a set of borrowed convictions and a borrowed relationship with the Lord. Instead of answering questions from the Bible, they relied on memorized responses. It was a challenge to guide them to look at the Scripture, discover its truths and understand its application to their lives.

These students had not learned to take responsibility for their spiritual growth and relationship with God. Consequently, their faith and spiritual strengths were inadequate to withstand the trials and temptations they confronted in college. Mike saw many of these students give in to the worldly ways around them.

One example of this was Mike's visit with two freshmen who wanted to be in the study. During the visit two other students came by. It was embarrassingly obvious that the four had made previous arrangements to go out drinking. God graciously gave these two freshmen an opportunity to make the right decision. Instead of going out drinking, they stuck with the study and gradually developed sustaining habits and convictions.

What will happen to your children? Is there anything you can do to prepare them for what they will face without you? The answer is absolutely yes. But it will not happen by accident.

Psalm 1 describes two ways of life. We all face the daily counsel of the ungodly. If we do not counteract these influences, we will eventually stand in the way of sinners and sit in the seat of scorners. Only a personal relationship with God, based on communing with Him and being in His Word daily, gives us a chance to recognize and overcome worldly influences, and stand in the assembly of the righteous.

Sadly, that personal relationship with God is lacking in the lives of many young people. Too often churches, Christian families, Sunday School teachers and curriculums have failed to establish the expectation of taking responsibility for and developing personal walks with God. Lip service given to these ideas has not done the job.

A lawn is a good illustration of the importance of instilling a strong biblical and godly foundation in the next generation. A lawn may start out well, but not be resistant to wear and adverse conditions. No amount of water or fertilizer can fix shallow roots. Old weak grass must be replaced by grass with roots designed to withstand adverse conditions.

When children are allowed to go the way they want, they will not depart from it later (Pr. 22:6). God can intervene, but it is an uphill struggle, as many saddened parents have learned (Jer. 17:9, Rm. 3:10-23).

Strong original roots are of vital importance for us and our children. It is not too late even if we do not currently have a strong root system; however, there is a lot of work to do. Many can verify the huge challenge of undoing shallow thinking and lazy "Christian" habits of relying on other's spiritual growth. (p. 21)

We must teach children how to habitually delight in the law of the Lord day and night with careful, consistent training of the heart with good habits. God gives us everything we need to train our children in the ways of the Lord (2 Pt. 1:3-11). Then they will be much better prepared to weather the storms in the future, when we are not with them.

Hebrews 5:11-14 tells us we should be skillful in the word of righteousness. We must use what we are learning to discern good and evil. Salvation is instantaneous, but sanctification takes time and effort. Lack of discernment is a symptom of a lack of skill in God's Word, which does not need to be a permanent condition.

It is appropriate for parents to feed a young child at first. But it is not appropriate for the child to expect to be fed twenty or thirty years later.

Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing. For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk and not strong meat.  For everyone that useth milk is unskillful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. But solid meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who be reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.  Hebrews 5:11-14

Many rely on a pastor or Sunday School teacher as the main source of nourishment. We must put the spoon in the child's hand at some point and teach him how to eat from God's Word himself. Otherwise self-sustaining growth and discernment do not take place. There will be mistakes along the way. But this is God's training program, the way God designed it.

A building may look good, but its foundation and structure will determine its strength in adversity. Buildings prepared with strong anchors are more likely to survive an earthquake. Fireproof materials will withstand fiery storms. God's Word provides the foundation of the believer's growth and walk (Ps. 119:105). Our children need to know the proper foundation and how to build on it when they are on their own.

Unknowingly, many depend on any number of faulty foundations such as heritage, knowledge, medicine and health, personal goodness, power, riches, rituals, science, psychology, etc. A foundation and structure based on God's Word will sustain your children for the future. Have you taught them to take responsibility for maintaining their own relationship with God and His Word, or do they have a borrowed spirituality?