 your children and he's working to bring about his purposes in your life and in your kids lives. Welcome to Hope Today. I'm Anna and I'm here with Tom and Amy and Amy we've got a great topic today. We do. Are you concerned about the culture and your children and your children being raised up in this culture? Well our guest today Daniel Darling has written a book called The Biggest Best Light. It is a children's book that is addressing cultural issues that we're dealing with right now. I believe today just like a child if we'll come with faith like a child we can all learn and grow through some really tough things that are happening. You know one of my favorite things to do when the kids were growing up was to read them books that you get out of the library but when there's a you know sometimes there's something behind them that isn't exactly godly but with what Daniel's doing I mean to bring out the the truths of of what you know what's going on in the world and the truths of the scriptures through kids books. Fantastic. Yeah absolutely I mean this book is talking about the lights right. Jesus is the light. God is the light and we see darkness getting darker in our world and yet the light will get lighter and brighter as we let God shine through us and through our children and just what a wonderful privilege opportunity that we have as parents as grandparents to teach our kids about the truths of God the light of scripture so that when they hit that dark time or when there's confusing things being told to them that they will know what the truth is and walk in that freedom in that fullness of all that God has for them. So we were talking a little bit before the show about the Asbury revival and the things that are happening. What does it look like to you if the parents get revived how does that affect the kids probably depends on whether they're teenagers or not but I know I when my daughter when she was 12 years old she joined a group that went out and they had a young people's group that went out and was sharing the gospel I was it was like the greatest thing ever but what do you think Amy? I was just studying about children and parenting because I'm teaching a leadership group and one of the things that teachers will say that people will say let me talk to the kids watch the kids and I'll tell you exactly what's happening with the parents and in their home and it's like oh my gosh I mean there's a there's a real weightiness and responsibility that these are not just our children they're God's children God has a purpose and a plan for them and we have a responsibility to model you know a follower of Christ to model a person that's on fire for God there's a great scripture I can't remember where it's from but it says as the mother goes so goes the daughter so the mom is fired up for the Lord so the daughter gets fired up for the Lord too so I mean there's a move of God happening with the young people right now and I could not be more thrilled and I'm believing that my generation too jumps in the revival and that all generations are locking arm in arm together seeing heaven on earth right yeah I mean the word says that in the last day is God will pour his spirit out on our sons and daughters and aren't we seeing that happen right now and sometimes in the church we can get we we're like cynical or we're discouraged and we feel like where is God where is this revival and yet we're seeing it happen in our sons and daughters I've been seeing it in my own children I've been seeing it in my friends children I've been seeing it at my church where they have a revival night and they try to they try to end it like I'm say around 11 o'clock well this one that just happened went till 3 30 in the morning because the young people just kept going they're so hungry for the Lord so hungry for the truth and mom and dad grandma and grandpa this our time to step up and be the leaders be the examples of Christ I love it too and I love that when all the generations are seeking the Lord and strongly seeking after him and in that vein I want to mention again this is the beginning of Lent I don't know if your church celebrates that I grew up in a church that didn't really celebrate Lent but I know a lot of our Catholic friends do and let's see Catholics Methodists Lutherans maybe President I'm not sure who all but I know that it is a it is a time to seek God is a time for those things to get to draw close to God it's not just about giving up something it's about drawing close to God and an important thing for us all to remember and to do right now we're gonna do something a little bit fun we haven't done one for about a week now we're gonna do stump the host all right here we go questions that we have not seen so play along with us and this first one's gonna throw me here how many judges were there wow yeah more like in the whole Bible in the book of judges I guess in the book of judge specifically I'm tempted to say nine no I know how many judges no there was oh my gosh this I do not know I do not know this number you got it you're getting us here oh seems like a lot there were a lot of judges I'm in limitations right now I am grueling through limitations and I'm just like oh my gosh there were a lot of judges I think that's too high I was thinking 40 maybe I'm going with 40 I don't know anything we need clarity on that question I said 10 I was the closest we didn't say it was just in the book of judges hopefully I can forgive okay how many stone jars of water did Jesus turn into wine oh my gosh the accounting numbers are not I was not good at math I don't have allergic to math I'm gonna say 12 I think it was 12 I think it was 12 is that too many we're like seven is like a holy number all right here's the last question come on we got to get one right here what were the last words of Jesus on the cross according to the Gospel of John it is finished Ted Alastai or today you'll be with me in eternity it depends on what was in John that's that's the that's the issue here but I think we can't go wrong with it is finished you want to go with that yeah it is finished oh we saved it we saved it people aren't changing the channel over there so thank you time to get back into culture in today's culture our children are constantly being bombarded with all types of messages from the classroom to television we may not always be able to control what they hear but we can do our part to teach them about how much Jesus loves them pastor and author Daniel Darling is our next guest and in his new children's book the biggest best light he encourages parents to initiate meaningful conversations with their children about sin the sanctity of life equality and our purpose as God's lightbearers I love that Daniel welcome to hope today well thank you for having me I'm so glad to be here and glad to talk about the gospel and about children and and what it means to be made the image of God I love some of these cultural issues that you're addressing for children but the title of this book the biggest best light it's like good better best where did that come from where did this message and heart for this book come from well you know I me and my co-author Brianna Stensard we've been speaking and talking about sanctity of human life issues for a long time and I wrote a book for adults on human dignity what what does it mean to be made in the image of God and what does that mean for the way that we think about ourselves and think about our neighbors and that we wanted a way for for parents to be able to talk about this very important issue with their children you know we we believe Christianity has such a rich vision of what it means to be human that we are made in the image of God that humans are God's special creation and that that means that every human being has dignity and worth so that has a lot of implications for the way that we think about ourselves but also way the way we think about our neighbors and and so this really walks children through what it what does that mean how does that mean for the way that we see people around us why do people treat mistreat each other and we talk about the entrance of sin into the world and we talk about the fact that Jesus has redeemed us from that and can restore us to to being the light bears that he called us to be you know I believe that even as adults we can learn a lot if we would just come and have the faith like a child can you break down just a little bit the message of just equality and what did you say human dignity in this book as you turn the pages in this book there are all kinds of cultures ethnic backgrounds people styles different can you break down the heart behind this message yeah I mean you know the Bible has a really you know I think a unique perspective on you know what it means to be human I think a lot of people are asking that question today with with so many different things in the culture that are demanding that we we think through that whether it's things like abortion or things like you know what does it mean to be male and female what how do we think about immigration and immigrants and people of other cultures the Bible says that every human being has equality before God that every human being is made in the image of God it's crafted by God from the dust of the ground it says in in Genesis in Psalm 139 King David says that I was knit together in my mother's room there's such care and deliberation the Bible talks about in the creation of human beings that there's no disposable people there's no random people that everyone is made in God's image that means that the way that I think about myself is that I'm not just here you know there's no there's no child that is just kind of randomly here but that God has a purpose and a plan for every every human being and it also means that the way I see my neighbors that that people around me whether it's kids at school or kids in neighborhood people that might look differently than me they also were made in the image of God and so it's two things it's it's if God if I'm an image bearer of God that means I have a responsibility to obey God and to live as according to the way that he he has has created for us to live but it also means that I need to look out for my neighbors Daniel a lot of people when they hear the word theology you know they want to run in the other direction or doctrine a lot of people don't feel qualified how does this you know what you're sharing with us and how do what you share in the book how does that help parents with that that thorny kind of difficult problem of theology well you know theology is a big fancy word and I teach at a seminary we love we love theology but really we shouldn't be scared of it it's really just thoughts of what we think about God and everybody in many ways everybody has a theology everybody has thoughts about God and if to love God means to really try to know more about him it's about a relationship with him you know I'm I've married for 20 years you know if I said well I love my wife but I don't really want to know anything about her you would really question whether I loved her right and so I think it's the way that way about God and I think this this idea of human dignity is important because it really impacts the way we live and kids today are bombarded with a lot of messages about the world about themselves and for parents to be able to say not only do you have dignity and worth because of the way that God made because you're made in the image of God and it doesn't matter how much you know you offer the world or whether you're gifted or you're not gifted you're taller you're skinny whatever you have dignity before God you have worth and it also helps parents to tell their kids you know those those kids in your school and in your neighborhood that are different than you maybe even people you don't get along with very well how should you treat them how should you look at them do you look at them as as people that that sort of need to be avoided do you look at them as people that need to be you know do you not see them in their full humanity and I think it's also important for for parents to let their kids know why people are tempted to hurt mistreat people why is there war why is there sickness why is there disease in the world why are things messed up I think everyone recognizes that we all see the news coming across our screens and everything and the Bible says that's because sin came into the world and humans rejected God but because of Jesus so this is why in the book we talk about the dark parts of this world why do those exist well it's because of sin but Jesus came as the light he's the light of the world and he's reversed the curse and he can rescue us from sin and darkness so I think these are really important lessons to teach our kids early on so that when they go out into the world when they go to school in their neighborhood they kind of know how to think and how to react so Daniel I agree with you like when children are young there's such sponges and that's when they can best receive this information and parents have so much influence especially at that young age in your experience of sharing this message across the age groups how are you seeing teenagers receive this message even adults like are you seeing that parents and grandparents are really grasping hold of this message to share I really think they are I think parents and especially Christian parents but even parents that are not believers are recognizing that our kids are going to be formed and shaped and discipled whether we want them to or not the question is who is going to be shaping them and who's going to be forming them who's going to be discipling them and I think a lot of parents are saying we have to be proactive we can't just assume that our values and what we believe will just pass down by us most is to our kids they're being bombarded on all sides with messaging whether they're on online on social media whether they're even if you go to the store you you participate you watch any kind of entertainment or whatever you're being hit with a lot of different cultural messages and many of them are not healthy and they're not what Christians believe and so parents have to be proactive with be intentional with we have to train our kids you know this is all through the scripture right that that God is told you know told the people of Israel to pass this down from generation to generation the story of God's faithfulness I think of Timothy in the New Testament Paul said that you learn the scriptures from your grandmother and your mother and so this is this is a job of parents that we we have the privilege and the duty to to really teach our kids and be intentional about this and not just assume they'll they'll pick it up other ways I love the idea that you want to teach these children that you're a lightbearer I sat on the panel last night at a youth group and one of the questions is what do we do with our friends that are not saved or our friends that are you know gay or our friends that are transgender and they're dealing with this in middle school and junior high and high school but that idea of that Jesus is the light of the world and he lives in you and no matter who you're with you're the lightbearer so how do you really impart that message into kids where they don't have to fear darkness they don't have to run from darkness but they actually carry the light to go into the darkness that's such a great point I mean the Bible says that the light is coming to the world and the darkness has not overcome it and you know we believe that Jesus is a light of the world we look around and see just a really messed up world we see so many things that distress us and we should lament that we should be sad about that but we also have hope that that God has come in Jesus he's visited us he's redeemed us from sin and death in the grave he's reversed the curse and he is renewing and restoring the world easy come back one day to finish that and and our kids we need to give them that hope and and not only that but that we are we are the messengers of the light we're bears of the light and even our kids at a young age can go into these places like school and the neighborhoods and family and be be a witness to the light of the world a lot of times people you think about this asbury revival what's so inspiring about it is it's it's young kids that are really fired up about the Lord that that love Jesus and love the gospel and that can have a catalytic effect on the rest of the community when kids really grasp this and when they really care about these things and and and when they show the difference between light and darkness in their own lives I think it has a really impact on their on their communities Daniel is this the time for us to be afraid of our kids and social media to be afraid of our kids and you know Google and be afraid of is this the time to be afraid or is this the time to be confident that light overpowers darkness and this might be our kids finest hour I think you're right I think it is our finest hour look the culture is really bad in many ways there's a lot of things that should make us nervous we shouldn't be naive about that but we are the people who we know the end of the story we we know that Christ is victorious overall things that Christ is king overall and we know that God is working today that Jesus saves today and what I like to tell Christians is that we're made for this moment and God has not made a mistake putting us in 2023 he's not up in heaven saying man I should have put him in 1950 or 2050 or whatever this is the time in the moment God has called us to and I think we have to seize that moment live it out live faithfully and teach our kids that that God is it's an accident that he's he's put you and have you be born into this this time in space and so giving our kids the confidence that God is going to go with them and and before them Daniel can take just a minute and can you pray for all of the parents that are watching right now I mean maybe some of them are almost paralyzed by fear we hear so much in the news there's so much happening around the world can you just pray for them that today their faith will be encouraged that they'll just have a jolt of strength and honestly courage to teach this to their children and their children's children absolutely dear Lord we just thank you and praise you first of all for the gift of parenting and we thank you for that you have entrusted these children to our care Lord I want to pray a special prayer for all the parents out there who are watching moms and dads that are working hard to raise their children to put food on the table to take them to school to teach them the Bible to take them to church every week Lord that you would give them a sense of hope and confidence even the midst of sometimes really dark days and scary moments Lord I pray for this next generation that you would raise up this next generation of children to really be a light in the world that we would see this revival spread around our country and around the world that that there will be people today that we will see in the in heaven who will be there because one of our children took the time to share the good news of the gospel with them to show by their lives what it means to be a Christian and Lord we know that you'll build the church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it and we have confidence in that so I pray especially for parents that you equip them and go with them in this important task in your name you pray amen amen thank you so much Daniel for this incredible book the biggest best light we are not afraid we have courage and this is our finest hour we'll be right back for a time of ministry after this break Tom what you doing oh I can't find anything good on YouTube to watch the commentaries the blogs the tier videos the gaming videos it's all boring oh have you thought about subscribing to cornerstone's YouTube channel cornerstone has a YouTube channel of course it does hold on taking a pause to remind you to subscribe to our channel hit that like button and ring that bell for notifications now back to the video I'll show you how to subscribe just search for cornerstone television network and hit the subscribe button so you can stay up to date getting filled with the Holy Spirit with consistent uploads every day keep up with your favorite moments and never miss a beat will you help us as we race to 100,000 subscribers we can't do it without your help the content is never ending with countless hours of entertainment so subscribe to the cornerstone YouTube channel today hope happens here what a great discussion we just had with Daniel darling about our children about just learning what it's like and how we can best share the the truths of the gospel the truths of the scriptures and of God with our children and here's a great truth right from the very beginning it's from Psalm 139 13 and it says this for you created my inmost being you knit me together in my mother's womb and I love that in fact I want to share the very next verse it says I will give thanks to thee for I am fearfully and wonderfully made wonderful are thy works and my soul knows it very well so you know we can be confident that God has from our very the very earliest moment been involved in our lives you know and and guys I think it's important for us to remember Anna that that we God's involved all the time he was involved right at the beginning he's still involved even when sometimes we feel like he isn't yeah absolutely I I love how the word says that before he formed you in your mother's womb he knew you and he set you apart for a grand purpose that was established for you before the beginning of time so do you realize that all the gifts and talents that are in your children that they were placed there by the Lord to be his lightbearer in this world the Lord's been just bringing this truth of the word that life and death are in the power of the tongue like our words create life or they create death and what a responsibility and privilege that we have as parents to be able to speak life into our kids to tell them who they are to tell them the truth to be able to pull out all that God has put in them Amy it is such an awesome thing to be a parent the whole world would change if kids knew how much Jesus loved them they knew who they were in Christ but what if parents what if the adults knew you know what I'm fearfully and wonderfully made it's gonna be hard to give what you don't have it's gonna be hard to teach love if you don't know your love yourself so I would just say take time if you feel like you don't like yourself you don't know how much Jesus loves you you're questioning everything you don't feel value you don't feel worth now's your time to stop make the change because nothing could be further from the truth I mean just read Psalm 139 every day and you will see who you are who God's called you to be who you were created to be and all the sudden you'll realize I am beloved of God and I am Anna gonna be loved by him and I'm gonna share that love with others yeah I mean God's will for you is to have you walk in the freedom and fullness of who he is and so if there's any kind of like unforgiveness or bitterness or guilt or shame that the enemy is trying to keep you in bondage today is your day to get free so that you can freely lead your children and all that they were created to be remember that they were born for such a time as this and we do not need to be afraid for them we need to know that God has put them here for this time to be powerful and strong and bring about his purposes in this earth so we're so glad that you're with us today on hope today enjoy your day