The Three Generation Principle
3 generation principle
It begins in Genesis 19-35 with the story of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. There you find the story of Abraham’s conversion, Isaac’s blessings as a result of being raised in the home of Abraham, and Jacob’s deception of Isaac and his subsequent conversion at Bethel.
The next time you find the principle of The Three Generations is in Judges 2:7-10.
There was a generation (1st Generation) that saw and experienced the move of God.
Then there was a generation (2nd Generation) that saw the move of God but never experienced the move of God.
Then there was a generation (3rd Generation) that neither saw nor experienced the move of God.
- The first generation knew the Lord of the work.
- The second generation knew the work of the Lord.
- The third generation knew neither the Lord of the work or the work of the Lord.
- The first generation were strong believers.
- The second generation were weak believers.
- The third generation are unbelievers.
Be sure you pass down your faith. Every generation needs to experience God for themselves.
"These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up (Deuteronomy 6:6-7, NIV). ... "[T]hat 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 (Psalms 78:6-8, ESV).
We’ve Propped Open the Door for Evil to Enter Their Hearts
In the wake of the mass shooting at the Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, TX, where 19 children and 2 teachers lost their lives, authorities still struggle to come to grips with what went wrong. Among the many questions, including those about issues with the police’ delayed response, is the question of how the gunman gained such easy access to the school in the first place.
Details are slowly emerging. According to the Insider:
Security footage from Robb Elementary School in Texas shows that a back door was propped open by a teacher before Tuesday's deadly mass shooting, Texas law enforcement officials said.
At 11:27 a.m. on Tuesday morning, the door that police believe was used by the 18-year-old gunman to enter the school was propped open by a teacher, Director of Texas Department of Public Safety Steven McCraw said at a Friday press conference.
McCraw said the detail was confirmed through "video evidence."
According to reports, the teacher had left her cell phone in her car, and ran to get it, leaving the door propped open so that it wouldn't close behind her. No malicious intent. No purposeful wrong action. Just a simple lapse in judgment and vigilance.
Michelle Davidson, the interim Minister to Children and Families at Shiloh Terrace Baptist Church, TX, looked beyond the open door at the school building to the deeper, spiritual implications of the threats facing our children today. She shared her thoughts in a public Facebook post which has since garnered more than 50K shares and reactions. She observes:
The door where the shooter entered the school was propped open (not knowing what was about to happen). The shooter was given access to the kids and adults on that campus. The policemen were there but were waiting to go in.
As I have pondered and talked with God over these things the last few days, I felt so overwhelming in my spirit, “this is a physical picture of what is happening in the spiritual.”
Today, we have left doors propped open by which the enemy has gained access to our children. Access to fill their minds with anxiety, fear, lies, hate, lust, pornography and pride. I think in some cases, we have even given him a key to come and go as he wishes. When we are not present and intentional in parenting, the enemy is more than happy to fill in the gaps through social media, screens, porn, drugs, evil, insecurity, depression and anxiety. Parenting is not for the lazy or faint of heart these days - it’s difficult in different ways but ways that I believe come with a much greater cost.
We (I’m including me as well) have sat back and prayed asking God, when will things change? We have waited for more reinforcements (for someone else to help our kids), or thinking it’s a phase, it will pass, meanwhile, the enemy is taking out our children one by one.
Satan has come to kill, steal and destroy. Period.
He is killing their God-given identity! He is stealing their beauty and purpose! He is destroying their childhood and joy! He is stealing their confidence and peace!
She continues:
We just can't sit idly by any longer. We have to rise up and stand for and with our kids. We have to put our own devices down and play with our kids. We need to look into their eyes and speak truth into their hearts. We need to shut and lock the freakin’ doors where the enemy has gained access.
It’s a spiritual battle folks! It’s time we take back some ground that the enemy has stolen and that’s only gonna happen when we, as adults, be adults for the kids in our lives.
“Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it” (Proverbs 22:6, ESV).
“Only take care, and keep your soul diligently, lest you forget the things that your eyes have seen, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life. Make them known to your children and your children's children …. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates” (Deuteronomy 4:9, 6:6-9, ESV).
Ten Commandments for Tots
In teaching the kids the ten commandments I looked for an easy way for them to be memorized. When it came to the 5th commandment, "Honor your father and your mother, as the Lord your God has commanded you, that your days may be prolonged ...." We taught it, "Love Mom and Dad, and you'll live longer!" Alana, about 5 years old, recently learned her 5th commandment and while out with Mom saw a 2-4 year old girl in the store throw a temper tantrum. Alana tugs on her mom's sleeve, pointing out the little girl and says, "She isn't going to live very long!"
Find a creative way to teach God's commandments to your children and they will take them everywhere they go.
"Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it" (Proverbs 22:6).