The Birth of Israel Joseph Pyle

March 2011

Want your family to receive this each month by email? Subscribe here

Daily devotional quiet time sheets are available for free.

On March 14th Israel Joseph Pyle was born bringing great joy to Rebecca and Joseph and to the rest of our family. This is our first grandchild and Jeremy, Matthew & Isaac are now uncles, and Priscilla is an aunty.

At this time my mind asks the question: what will be the future for young Israel? The answer to this question is very simple. He will have a wonderful future as he develops a deep passion for the Lord Jesus Christ.

We live in very difficult times. It appears that such things as narcissism (the love of self) is taking over our world and is even affecting many Christians.

Over 35 years ago Colin's family had a Christian friend who told her many daughters not to have children because of the treacherous times such children would be facing. From memory I don't think the daughters took much notice of her advice.

It is now far more difficult than in previous times to bring children up to love the Lord with the advent of such things as computers and cell phones. There was a time when your children would go to school and be subjected to the influence of anti-God values from other peers and even their teachers. But when they came home from school, parents had their children to themselves without the influence of their peers.

All that has changed. Now when children are at home, their friends are txting them or they are on facebook for hours each day. In many families the parents have little or no input into their children's lives in regard to their beliefs and value systems.

And so how can Joseph and Rebecca steer young Israel through the treacherous times in which we live?

It is our firm belief that the very early years of a child's life are extremely important. We believe a person's world view is basically set by around seven years of age. If by this age they have a belief in a God who loves and cares for them they are likely to hold to this belief for the rest of their lives.

Matthew, Isaac and Priscilla take Bible in Schools for 30 minutes each week at the local state school. They have been surprised to hear the occasional 6 year old say "I don't believe in God." If such children don't change this belief they are likely to grow up developing a narcissistic lifestyle of being taken up with themselves.

If Joseph and Rebecca continue to spend time with God each day, developing a deep love for Him, Israel is likely to "catch" that love. I'm sure they will read Bible stories to him at an early age and pray with him, and as he grows, train him to put the Lord first, developing a close personal relationship with Him.

As Israel grows up Joseph and Rebecca need to constantly be filled with thankfulness to God. We all go through hard times. If they are thankful to God, despite any trials they may have, Israel will very likely "catch" such an attitude.

Our family lives not far from Joseph and Rebecca, so Kathy and I, his uncles and aunty, will do all we can to assist Joseph and Rebecca in bringing Israel up to love the Lord. Boys are greatly influenced by their close relatives and if we, especially his uncles, live a narcissistic lifestyle, we could cause him great harm.

Conversely, if we all have a deep passion for the Lord, we most certainly will be a great blessing to Israel and to Joseph and Rebecca.

Want to see some more photos of baby Israel and of the family?

Click the link below:

PHOTOS OF BABY AND FAMILY

Or read more newsletters