BEING & RAISING "CHILDREN OF ISSACHAR"

I wrestled in prayer for years, trying to become like an ancient "son of Issachar." They "understood the times and knew what Israel should do" (1 Chr 12:32 NET), so they wisely supported King David. Today's "sons of Issachar" understand AD 2024 and know what the church and Christian families should do.

The church is "spiritual Israel," continuing the storyline and covenants we read about in the Old Testament. Fulfilled in Christ, they now find expression through the New Covenant in His blood. Israel's mission was to bring Christ into the world. Ours is to bring Him back (2 Pet 3:11–12). This is fundamental. Jesus is King and the loyalty of the world, church, family, marriage, and individual is due Him. Humanity's duty at all these levels is to serve Him faithfully and loyally. Only when individuals are faithful will marriages and families be. The church cannot be unified and focused on the mission if the member families are broken. And the world will never bow down in service to Christ until the church wholeheartedly does. Being able to recite what the mission of the kingdom is isn't the same thing as really understanding it. 

By God's grace, I eventually learned that you can't understand the times until you know your mission. You've got to have a reference point if you're going to analyze and understand something. You can compare and contrast by measuring something against your reference point (like a control group in a clinical trial) and come to a place of understanding. So, if we hope to be like those men of the tribe of Issachar, understanding our times and what we should do, we must use the mission of the kingdom of God as our reference point and measure the times against it. Our mission, of course, is the Great Commission (Matt 28:18–20).

When our mission concept is clear, everything in our lives and the world that supports and furthers the mission becomes increasingly apparent. Likewise, all that hinders it becomes clear as well. I hope you're catching on to what I'm trying to say. I think this is why Jesus said the stinging words of Luke 16:8: "People that do not obey God think carefully. They know how to do well with people who are like themselves. But people who live in God's light often think less carefully" (EEB). Ouch! It hurts to hear that, but it's generally true, and that's why Jesus has told us so. It's not so we keep on being oblivious. It's to provoke us to indignation about it so that we seek God's help to do better! Worldly people are rarely compromised and confused about their mission in life! To quote Cheap Trick, they "know what they want" and "know how to get it." If you're conflicted and compromised, you're confused. 

James says,

You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. Or do you suppose it is to no purpose that the Scripture says, “He yearns jealously over the spirit that he has made to dwell in us”? But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. (Jas 4:4–8 ESV).

I hope the point is clear. If you're not like the sons of Issachar, it's highly likely because you're not exclusively focused on your mission from the King! You're "double-minded" or compromised with the rebellious world on some level. This makes sense why among the first commands Jesus gave those who were coming to Him for salvation are, "Repent!" and "Deny yourself!" (Matt 4:17; Mark 8:34). It's why the Hebrews writer says, "We must be like people who run in a race. We must throw away everything that stops us from running well" (12:1b EEB). This is why Jesus says, "No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money” (Luke 16:13 ESV). He's not saying He won't allow it; He's saying it can't be done. 

Why did I struggle for years to understand these times and what I, my family, and the church should do? Because I was conflicted, trying to pursue selfish, worldly aims AND the aims of the kingdom. It can't be done! It blinds you. You must renounce it all and serve Jesus exclusively (Luke 14:33). I've dedicated myself to that and continue to pray for the Spirit's help to be single-minded about the mission. Now, wholly focused on the mission, I believe I understand the times and am confident about what my family, the church, and I should be doing. 

So, I beg you, Christian brothers and sisters, cleanse yourself from worldly entanglements. The "sons of Issachar" were single-minded and pure in heart. They were about one thing: the kingdom of God. That singleness of focus and exclusive dedication to the mission opened their eyes to see and understand what served and hindered it, so they were empowered to act decisively. They won the battle of their times in the spiritual war that still rages on toward its ultimate end, and the stakes couldn't possibly be higher! This matters!

I'm praying for Christians everywhere, especially Christian parents raising our most precious prospects for conversion: our children. Be single-minded! Unless Christ is your all, you will not see clearly, understand the times, and know what to do—not fully, not decisively. And the times call for decisive action. There's much to do and many opportunities, but there are many adversaries (1 Cor 16:9). Remember, it will be difficult for your children to do better than you’re willing to. If you love and serve Christ with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength, your children might grow up and do even better, but if your service to the Lord is divided, they’re highly likely to grow up and do worse. Years of observation beginning in my youth have confirmed this. 

So, what about our times and what we ought to do? I'll share more in a few days, Lord willing, but for now, remember a few brief points: 

• Before you can be a son or daughter of Issachar who understands the times and what God's people should be doing, you must get your reference point in place. Your mission is the Great Commission. If you're not wholly and holistically dedicated to the mission, you're not a child of Issachar, don't understand the times, and don't know what you should be doing.
• The cool thing here is that if you are single-mindedly focused on the kingdom of heaven, you'll be doing what ought to be done even if you don't think you understand the times and couldn't articulate what should be done if asked. 
• While there are no times for the oppression, abuse, or neglect of girls and women, these are times in which a particular focus on restoring godly masculinity is vital to our success in these embattled times. Men are our protectors, defenders, and our primary front-line warriors for advancing against the enemy. This is why Satan, through worldly influences, has spent a generation denigrating and discouraging men. We do not accomplish this restoration by neglecting our girls, but by carefully training our boys to become men and our girls to become women and being unwilling to blur the distinctions of the sex roles. 
• Parents and grandparents, start reading Bible stories to your kids from the start of their lives. It doesn't matter if they can't understand them. The aim is to immerse them into the biblical worldview so they never experience a time when they do not know the Lord and His teachings. My sons had memorized some of our Bible stories before they could read and could "read" them to us by memory, page by page, as toddlers. Sing hymns to your kids when they're babies and then with them as they grow. They'll never be too embarrassed to worship or disconnected from the concept to be trained to worship intentionally, even from a young age. There's nothing inherently wrong with "Children's Church," but we don't need it to train up our children in the way they should go. In some ways, we’re better without it. Pray with your kids on your knees from the start. They'll become people of prayer too. 

Exclusive and total devotion to Christ is the path to wisdom, knowledge, and decisive action relevant to the times. It’s also the only path to peace, happiness, and eliminating stress, worry, and anxiety. There can be no peace in a divided heart! Whatever you must give up, give away, sell, renounce, sacrifice, or lose to follow Jesus only, that's how to understand the times and know what should be done in your life, your family, and the church.

---JLP