{"id":2743,"date":"2018-08-23T17:33:11","date_gmt":"2018-08-23T22:33:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/gso\/?p=2743"},"modified":"2018-09-18T13:13:50","modified_gmt":"2018-09-18T18:13:50","slug":"passing-the-flame","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/gso\/2018\/08\/23\/passing-the-flame\/","title":{"rendered":"Passing the Flame"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Linda Morris Thomas<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI will open my mouth with a parable; I will utter hidden things, things from of old \u2026 things we have heard and known, things our ancestors have told us. We will not hide them from their descendants; we will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord, his power, and the wonders he has done. He decreed statutes for Jacob and established the law in Israel, which he commanded our ancestors to teach their children, so the next generation would know them, even the children yet to be born, and they in turn would tell their children. Then they would put their trust in God and would not forget his deeds but would keep his commands.\u201d —\u00a0Psalm 78:2b-7<\/em><\/p>\n

I have always been interested in my heritage and have done enough research to make me want to know more. I know that on my father\u2019s mother\u2019s side there is Native American blood. I know my mother\u2019s paternal grandmother came from Ireland. However, I know very little about my mother\u2019s maternal grandparents other than the fact that the Tripp\u2019s have a history of long lives. My grandmother lived 99 years and spent much time with me in both my childhood and after I was married. Since she passed, I have regretted that I didn\u2019t ask her more questions about her family history.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>There is value in knowing what is passed from earlier generations. We now know that many medical conditions stem from family genes. Many strongholds are generational. Family trades are often passed down. Habits and lifestyles result from youthful family experiences.<\/p>\n

As for me, I was born the daughter of a farmer and wife who worked alongside him. I was the third child of what eventually grew to be six children. From the time of my earliest remembrances, I was taught the scripture and prayer and taken to church every time the doors were opened. My mother was my spiritual rock, but there were other ladies in the church who taught me, prayed for me, and mentored me.<\/p>\n

One of those ladies was my Sunday school teacher for many years of my childhood. She challenged her students to memorize Bible verses and rewarded us with special prizes. She did \u201cSword Drills\u201d with us to familiarize us with how to use our Bibles. She prayed for us and with us\u2026teaching us the value of communing with God.<\/p>\n

She was the church pianist and music director. She led the PHYS (Pentecostal Holiness Youth Society) and directed Christmas plays. She directed VBS and built tables and chairs for the Sunday school classroom. She also helped with cleaning the church and with keeping the grounds neat. No job was too hard for her to tackle. I admired her and saw her as someone I wanted to imitate. Fortunately, she took great interest in me and became a mentor to me.<\/p>\n

When I learned to play the piano, she willingly turned the pianist position over to me.\u00a0\u00a0Later, I was the one directing Christmas programs and Vacation Bible School.\u00a0\u00a0At a young age, I began teaching young people in Sunday school and have been teaching ever since.\u00a0I found myself, a little later, as the youth director\u2026a role in which I served for 50 years.\u00a0\u00a0Let me explain\u2026I directed but did not do all the work.\u00a0\u00a0I enlisted younger people to take on the various leadership roles in the youth department and then facilitated them in their jobs by providing necessary materials and overall management.\u00a0\u00a0Through this method, we developed many capable leaders who have or are now serving in leadership\/teaching roles.<\/p>\n

Because of the influence that teacher had on me, I have always had a passion for young people–working with them in church, in clubs, in scouts, and in the schools–is my calling. It is important for our youth to have role models who encourage them emotionally and train them spiritually.<\/p>\n

In my first years of working with youth, most of them came from churched homes; and I felt my role was to reinforce their spiritual training.\u00a0In more recent years, the trend has changed.\u00a0Many who attend Sunday school and Girls\u2019 Ministries classes are almost biblically illiterate.\u00a0I feel compelled to teach them the Word of God and to challenge them to spend time with God in prayer and meditation.<\/p>\n

I have learned that the more I know about my forefathers, the more interesting my past becomes to me. I so much enjoy family reunions and reminiscing about special memories of family members of generations before who are now gone. I talk about my heritage with our children and grandchildren.\u00a0I have picture albums, notes, and memories of past family members that I will pass down to them to assure they do not forget their heritage.<\/p>\n

In the same way, it is important to me that the Word of God be a priority for my grandchildren and the other children and youth in my circle of influence. I enjoy the exuberance of young people and love to play their games, enjoy trips and adventures with them, and spend times of entertainment with them.\u00a0\u00a0I love eating pizza and ice cream with them.\u00a0Fellowship is important in building that relationship of trust.\u00a0\u00a0However, we must never allow fun experiences to replace the biblical mandate that we teach the scriptures.\u00a0\u00a0The more they know about their spiritual heritage, the more likely they are to give their hearts to Jesus and live from a biblical worldview.<\/p>\n

Today, Christianity is threatened as never before.\u00a0It is more necessary now than ever to teach the scripture so that future generations can defend their faith and live out their Christian heritage.<\/p>\n

It is up to us to \u201cPass the Flame.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cNow also when I am old and gray-headed, O God, forsake me not, until I have shown thy strength <\/em>unto this generation and thy power to everyone that is to come.\u201d —\u00a0Psalm 71:18<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"excerpt","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":2747,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","episode_type":"","audio_file":"","cover_image":"","cover_image_id":"","duration":"","filesize":"","date_recorded":"","explicit":"","block":"","filesize_raw":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[520,1],"tags":[510,521,6],"class_list":{"0":"post-2743","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-allgenerations","8":"category-general","9":"tag-510","10":"tag-all-generations","11":"tag-august","12":"entry"},"title_es":"Gilgal - Una memoria del patrimonio","content_es":"Por Melanie Atkinson Wayne<\/strong> Uno de mis mensajes favoritos que alguna vez escuch\u00e9 que mi pap\u00e1, el pastor Tony Atkinson, me transmiti\u00f3 fue un mensaje sobre Gilgal, el lugar donde los israelitas construyeron monumentos conmemorativos. Yo era joven, de secundaria, pero recuerdo que fue ayer. Arrastr\u00f3 grandes rocas al frente del santuario y construy\u00f3 un monumento a "Gilgal" mientras contaba la historia de Josu\u00e9 4. Mientras el Se\u00f1or instru\u00eda a los hijos de Israel a contar la historia una y otra vez de c\u00f3mo los libr\u00f3 de la esclavitud de Egipto. Su poderosa mano, mi pap\u00e1 le cont\u00f3 esas mismas historias a nuestra iglesia. Luego desafi\u00f3 a la familia de la iglesia: "Construye tus lugares de Gilgal a medida que avanzas en el camino de la vida. Recuerda las cosas de Dios que te han tra\u00eddo hoy a este lugar. Haga un punto para contar esas historias a sus hijos, sus nietos y sus bisnietos ". Al pensar en eso, me doy cuenta de que su mensaje (y las inversiones diarias diligentes de mis incre\u00edbles padres) me infundieron un agradecimiento y recuerdo para aquellos en mi familia que han servido al Se\u00f1or con gran dedicaci\u00f3n. Por ellos, tengo una rica herencia en el Se\u00f1or. Al reflexionar sobre las generaciones de mis abuelos y sus padres, me doy cuenta de que mi herencia incluye dos pastores, un granjero trabajador, propietario de un negocio, militares, obrero de una f\u00e1brica, profesores, educadores y amas de casa y padres incre\u00edbles. Todos y cada uno de ellos fueron y siguen siendo administradores diligentes de la vida que les dio su Creador. Han vivido y viven vidas que honran a Dios en todo. \u00bfGente perfecta? Ninguno de nosotros lo es. \u00bfMayordomos diligentes apuntando a la gran convocatoria? \u00a1S\u00ed! \u00a1Estoy muy agradecido! Ven a visitar una de mis paradas de Gilgal conmigo. Este es uno que el Se\u00f1or me trajo hace unos a\u00f1os en una calurosa tarde de julio en Piedmont, Virginia, sentado bajo el tabern\u00e1culo abierto en la reuni\u00f3n del campamento de Piedmont, escuchando el mensaje y el r\u00edo balbuceando a nuestro lado, viendo jugar a los ni\u00f1os tranquilamente al lado de padres, abuelos y bisabuelos. Todas estas generaciones, y muchas m\u00e1s representadas, bajo un solo tabern\u00e1culo, escuchando juntos la Palabra. Fue en ese momento que una renovada gratitud comenz\u00f3 a brotar en mi coraz\u00f3n. Me qued\u00e9 all\u00ed sentado escuchando el mensaje, esperando y rezando para que mi hijo de 7 a\u00f1os no perdiera el control sobre la rana beb\u00e9 que trajo a la iglesia, cuando la belleza de la herencia me golpe\u00f3. Sentado varias filas frente a m\u00ed, vi a mi t\u00edo abuelo y mi t\u00eda, Ed y Lois Henson. Inmediatamente, pens\u00e9 en el impacto que la decisi\u00f3n del t\u00edo Ed de asistir, y eventualmente ser empleado, tuvo Emmanuel College en la historia de mi vida. \u00a1De esa decisi\u00f3n, un incre\u00edble camino de vida comenzaba a cortarse! All\u00ed conoci\u00f3 a su esposa, Lois (Atkinson) Henson. Su hija, Kathy, se hizo muy amiga de mi madre, Sharon (Hartsfield) Atkinson. En una visita a Virginia con Kathy, conoci\u00f3 a mi padre, Tony Atkinson, y el resto es historia. \u00a1Todo desde UNA decisi\u00f3n! \u00bfUna decisi\u00f3n dirigida por el Esp\u00edritu? Ciertamente. Pero, una decisi\u00f3n, no obstante. Hoy, estoy agradecido de que el t\u00edo Ed fuera un hombre temeroso de Dios que ha buscado al Se\u00f1or por estas e incontables decisiones. Las elecciones que hacemos no solo nos afectan, nuestra historia personal y la de nuestros hijos. \u00a1Solo piense cu\u00e1nto una decisi\u00f3n afecta a las generaciones venideras, como la de mi t\u00edo Ed! Muchas puertas se abrir\u00e1n a nosotros a lo largo de nuestras vidas. \u00bfC\u00f3mo decidiremos? \u00bfTomaremos decisiones basadas en deseos ego\u00edstas o buscaremos la direcci\u00f3n del Se\u00f1or, no solo para nosotros, sino tambi\u00e9n para quienes nos siguen? \u00bfA d\u00f3nde nos llevar\u00e1n estas decisiones y nuestras familias? \u00a1Qu\u00e9 gran responsabilidad tenemos! Esa responsabilidad puede ser un gran peso y puede abrumarnos si no tenemos cuidado de prestar atenci\u00f3n a su Palabra. Pero, aqu\u00ed est\u00e1 la paz y la confianza que encuentro en Su Palabra: "L\u00e1mpara es a mis pies tu palabra, y lumbrera a mi camino" (Salmo 119: 105 NVI). "Porque el Se\u00f1or es bueno; su amor constante perdura para siempre, y su fidelidad para todas las generaciones "(Sal 100: 5 ESV). "El Se\u00f1or te guiar\u00e1 continuamente, te dar\u00e1 agua cuando est\u00e9s seco y restaurar\u00e1 tu fortaleza. Ser\u00e1s como un jard\u00edn bien regado, como un manantial en continuo flujo "(Is. 58:11 NTV). Diligencia, integridad, compasi\u00f3n, agradecimiento y dedicaci\u00f3n al Se\u00f1or, a la familia y al cuerpo de Cristo: todos estos son rasgos inestimables que provienen de una herencia fuerte y piadosa. Deben continuar siendo vividos y transmitidos a la pr\u00f3xima generaci\u00f3n. "Para ti, oh Dios, has escuchado mis votos; me has dado la herencia de los que temen tu nombre "(Sal. 61: 5 ESV). "Una generaci\u00f3n encomendar\u00e1 tus obras a los dem\u00e1s, y declarar\u00e1 tus grandes hechos" (Salmo 145: 4). Con estas grandes verdades en mente, esta es mi mayor realizaci\u00f3n: \u00a1Mi historia no es para nada mi historia! Si fuimos creados para darle gloria a \u00c9l, entonces nuestra historia es parte de SU gran historia ... todo escrito para darle gloria. Para las generaciones que nos preceden, las generaciones de hoy y las generaciones por venir, todo es parte de la gran historia que Dios est\u00e1 escribiendo para traer toda la gloria y la fama a S\u00ed mismo. Todos tenemos lugares en Gilgal. Al visitar estos lugares, recordamos que algunas rocas representan estaciones de gran dolor, error, tristeza o dolor. Otras rocas representar\u00e1n estaciones alegres y victoriosas. Y a\u00fan as\u00ed, otros representar\u00e1n el caminar lento y constante de fiel dedicaci\u00f3n al Se\u00f1or. No importa lo que representen esas rocas, grandes o peque\u00f1as a nuestros ojos, finalmente representan un lugar en nuestra historia: nuestra historia de Dios. Es mi oraci\u00f3n que estas palabras despierten un deseo en su coraz\u00f3n de hacer una pausa y visitar sus lugares "Gilgal" con un coraz\u00f3n de acci\u00f3n de gracias y alabanza al Se\u00f1or por su fidelidad a todas las generaciones. "Y estas palabras que te ordeno hoy estar\u00e1n en tu coraz\u00f3n. Les ense\u00f1ar\u00e1s diligentemente a tus hijos, y hablar\u00e1s de ellos cuando te sientes en tu casa, y cuando andes por el camino, y cuando te acuestes, y cuando te levantes "(Deuteronomio 6: 6-7 ESV) .","author_name":"","jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/gso\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2018\/08\/Family-Picture-1-e1535122167285.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pb62Bx-If","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/gso\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2743","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/gso\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/gso\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/gso\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/gso\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2743"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/gso\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2743\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/gso\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2747"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/gso\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2743"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/gso\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2743"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/gso\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2743"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}