Psalm 145:4
“One generation shall praise thy works to another, and shall declare thy mighty acts.”
We often wonder why the next generation does not want to serve God. The statistics of the next generation carrying on what their parents do is saddening. You would think that children who have good parents would want to carry on what their parents did in their lifetime, but many times this is not the case.
As is always the case, the Scriptures give us insight into this problem. The verse above is more than a statement; it is a command when it says, “One generation shall praise thy works to another…” Each generation has a responsibility to pass on to the next generation what was given to them. Let me show you how to pass on to the next generation.
First, be positive with what you say about God. Verses 1-2 say, “…I will bless thy name for ever and ever. Every day will I bless thee; and I will praise thy name for ever and ever.” The words “bless” means to make happy. In other words, if you are going to pass on what you do to the next generation and expect them to carry on what you have done, then you must talk positively about the name of God to your children.
It is easy for Christians to question God in a negative manner when they are going through hard times. If you’re not careful, you will poison your children’s thinking about God. You can get so wrapped up in the battle for truth that all your children hear is about the battles instead of the goodness of God. You must purposely, on a daily basis, talk about God’s goodness to your children. They need to hear how good God is. Whet their appetite for God by talking about His goodness.
Second, speak regularly of the great works of God. It is important that your children hear about what God is doing in your life and what He has done in the past. The verse above says, “One generation shall praise thy works to another, and shall declare thy mighty acts.” If you talk more about the world than you do God, then you will talk your children into living in the world. When you talk more about the benefits of money than you do serving God, then you will direct your children into living for money.
Every time you see God do something, you would be wise to tell your children that God did it. When God supplies your needs, talk big about it to your children. When God does something great in the church, talk big about it. When God comes down in a service, then talk about how great it was for God’s presence to be there. The praises for God’s works in your life should constantly be coming from your lips.
The key to passing on to the next generation is guarding the words you say. Be cognizant of what you say. Let me ask you, do you get more excited about the things of the world than God and His works? Do television shows excite you more than what God has done in a special meeting? Are you more motivated to watch your favorite television show than you are to talk about the works of God?
Friend, the words you say and the emphasis of how you say them are more important than you realize. Your children are listening, and they will follow what you make to sound big and powerful. Let everything you say be positive and big when it comes to the works and name of God, and you will find you will have less of a struggle getting your children to want to serve the LORD.