Transcript

American Family Radio broadcasts the Hamilton Corner from Greenville, South Carolina

>> Abraham Hamilton III: Darkness is not an affirmative force. It simply reoccupies the space vacated by the light.

>> Abraham Hamilton III: This is the, Hamilton Corner on American Family Radio.

>> Abraham Hamilton III: It should be uncomfortable for a believer to live as a hypocrite, delivering people

>> Abraham Hamilton III: out of the bondage of mainstream media and the philosophies of this world.

>> Abraham Hamilton III: God has called you and me to be his ambassador even in this dark moment. Let's not miss our moment.

>> Abraham Hamilton III: And now, the, Hamilton Corner.

>> Abraham Hamilton III: Good evening everyone. Welcome to the Hamilton Corner. My name is Abraham Hamilton iii, broadcasting yet again from beautiful Greenville, South Carolina. my main man, Bobby Rosa is not here in South Carolina, my man, 100 grand, but producer extraordinaire, often imitated, never duplicated. The real J. Mac is here and we are ready to rock and roll with today's edition of the program ending our time here in South Carolina for this week at the BJU Press Homeschool Foundations Summit.

Christian parents need to take leadership in discipling their own children

It's a lot of words, but you get a lot of clarity when you're able to mount a mountain or traverse a mountain to its summit. You're able to get a lot of clarity as a result of doing so. And this has been an amazing time here these last few days, getting a bit more clarity really, for what's happening in our country and around the world. we'll probably talk more about that as we go forward in additional programs. But at this very moment, many of you, if not most of you, are making your transition from m, your part time jobs where you generate an income to your full time jobs where you cultivate an outcome. And as you do so, I want to remind you to do so with intentionality, understanding the primacy that God places on family. Guys, we will never, we will never outpace the deficiencies that abound in our homes. And when I'm talking about the deficiencies, I'm talking primarily about the refusal of Christian parents to take the leadership in discipling our own children. The deficiency of Christian grandparents taking the leadership to make disciples, starting first in our own homes. Great grandparents. We've got to get out of this mindset where we think a, ministry is confined to people who have positions, within the church. Every believer is called to ministry. Every single one of us is called to ministry. The Lord's will is for every member of his bride to seek him diligently and fervently as to how God would have us to engage in the execution of his commission. You know, I love hearing the stories of brothers and sisters who reach their, you know, retirement Years. And they, they take the time to, to go to the local malls to evangelize. You know, I've been saying often that we as Christians shouldn't have neighbors that we don't know. You know, if you're blessed with neighbors, let's go knock on their doors, man. Like the Mormons and the Jehovah's Witness don't have a corner of the market on knocking on people's doors. You know, that it actually is an indictment that usually that's who that is associated with.

Rosaria Butterfield will speak at Kingdom Come conference next month in Florida

You know, I mentioned. And, I guess I was gonna mention this later, right? I'll mention it now. Later next month, March 27th through the 29th, I'll, be ministering at the Kingdomnomics Come, Kingdomnomics Come conference at Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, which is a church that was founded by the late D. James Kennedy. And among the speakers there, I mentioned Os Guinness will be there. Eric Metaxas will be there. Bill Federer will be there. M. David Bonson will be there. But one of the other people who will be there is Rosaria Butterfield. You know, and I'm looking forward to hear her. I've heard portions of her testimony. Some of you are familiar with her testimony. but she was the poster child for regressivism as it applies to sexuality. She was that liberal lesbian intellectual, you know, in a committed lesbian relationship. And she was asked, well, how did the Lord break in upon you? And she said, several hundred meals with a Christian neighbor. That she had a neighbor who refused to let her die in her sin, in the gift of hospitality is what drew her. She said that her neighbor, a husband and wife more chronologically seasoned than herself and her lesbian so called partner at the time, and loved them. That she got to first witness what Christian love looked like in the husband's interactions with his wife. And then within the environment that had become comfortable for her, Rosaria Butterfield, that the husband led in preaching the gospel to her. So she got to see what the impact of the gospel is in their lifestyle, what the impact of the gospel was in their lifestyles first. And then she heard the gospel proclaimed. And God drew her ever so slowly through that hospitality, that neighborly hospitality. And now, you know, the rest of the story. Rosaria Butterfield is one of the foremost profound speakers who condemn all of the regressive, real, the regressive sexual identitarian offerings in our society. She argues passionately about the fact that there's no such thing really as a homosexual person. there's no such thing really as A transgender person, because every person is either male or female, you know, but that started for her, with her neighbor in welcoming, inviting her to her into their home, her neighbors inviting her into their home. Guys, the time is far spent, man. What are we really living for? What are we really living for? Ah, if we will welcome the Lord to capture us, to get a hold of us in our homes, there's no question as to what could happen in our societies. The Gospel will go forth in power and do in our day, in our time, what it has done throughout all of human history. God is still in the business of saving men and women. We must be about our Father's business. To the Word of God we go.

Isaac Newton: Luke chapter 6 says everyone will be like his teacher

Luke chapter six is where we begin this program. And I want to set this up. Luke chapter six. I'm just going to zoom in on verse 40 to get right to it. As we read this scripture, I want you to welcome the Lord to aid you in assessing within your own minds and hearts. If this is true, how should I respond to it? What I'm about to read? If this is true. Now I'll tell you it is true, because Dr. Luke is quoting Jesus. So this is Jesus saying these words. All right, if this is true, how should this impact me? How should I respond to. And this is what the lord says, and Dr. Luke recorded it for our benefit. A pupil. This is Luke chapter 6, verse 40. A pupil is not above his teacher, but everyone, but everyone, after he has been fully trained will be like his teacher. I'm going to read it again. A pupil is not above his teacher, but everyone, after he has been fully trained will be like his teacher. That's what Jesus said, guys. Now, if this is true, and I'll just tell you it is true, Jesus said it is true. This is the word of the incarnate Word. You understand what I'm saying? If this is true, how should this impact you and me? Let me give a couple of examples. If it's true that a pupil is not above his teacher, but everyone after he's been fully trained will be like his teacher, do you think it's important to understand the quality of the person who teaches you and me? If this is true, if every student in the scripture, Jesus said it, everyone, when they're the students of a teacher, when that student is fully trained, everyone will be like the teacher who trained them. Do you think it's important we attend to pay attention to who it is that teaches us? I, asked the next question. If this is true and it is true, do you think it is important to understand who it is to know intimately well who it is we allow to teach our children. Because a student, when fully trained, and not just some students, all students, when fully trained, will be like their teacher. Do you think it's important for us to know who's teaching our children? When you say teaching, what do you mean? I want to be clear about something, and I've said this before. When the Bible talks about false doctrine, don't allow your mind to immediately go to someone behind a lectern or, behind a pulpit. Our world is full of false offerings of doctrine. Disney offers false doctrine. PBS offers false doctrine. Peanut and June Bug offer false doctrine. Advertisers offers false doctrine. False teachers offer false doctrine. Politicians offer false doctrine. I'm not saying categorically, but I'm saying these are all sources of false doctrine. We have a duty, brothers and sisters, a biblical mandate to know it, to know who it is that is teaching us. We have a duty, brothers and sisters, to know who it is that's teaching our children. My heart breaks for the number of times I have heard Christian parents say things like this. I did not raise them like that. I don't know where they got that from. Have you all heard expressions like that? To which the very simple answer is they got that from whoever's been teaching them? The late Dr. Voddie Bauckham used to say all the time that we have for generations, sent our children to Caesar. I'll say it my way for discipleship. And then he says, and then we are surprised when they come home as Romans. Guys, that's a cognitive dissonance that should not be in the life of a believer who was indwelled by the spirit of God. But I'm gravely concerned that the reason why phenomenon like that transpires is because we've been sending people to teachers and we have not attended to the quality of teacher they were. Now, when I say quality of teacher, I'm not talking about whether or not they do a good job with the physical sciences. I am talking about what are the worldview notions and presumptions and assumptions that permeate the instruction, that permeate the offerings. What are the worldview presumptions and assumptions that cause the elimination of certain offerings? I've said, and I use this example because it's a popularly provocative example, but can you imagine how radically impactful it would be for every child who learns about Newton, Sir Isaac Newton's Laws of motion, to know that Sir Isaac Newton was a Theologian. Can you imagine how impactful that would be for Christian children to know that the Christ that we follow illuminates our hearts and minds? So much so that a man who's made such enduring contributions to our society, to the world, as Newton's laws of motion, that he did so because of his diligent study of God's word. Can you imagine how impactful that would be? I'm gravely concerned that we. That we're playing patty cake with serpents, but we're not identifying them as serpents. So we patty cake, patty cake. Because, man, oh, got your mom in the shoe, threw in a can. I don't know how those things go, but y' all know what I'm saying? And we playing games. And the enemy is capturing souls. We're playing games. It's kind of like, you know, when you have an, official that's been bought off, that's been bribed. A judge knows the verdict should be guilty, but the judge says, not guilty. Why? Because they've been bribed. I feel like in some ways, man, our society, we've accepted the material bribe of our society that has made us comfortable in outsourcing the hearts and minds of the generations of Americans to make us feel okay with not being aware of who is actually doing the instruction. And then when the full instruction is realized, we're surprised. I didn't raise them to be like that, but somebody else did. Where I came from, people would say things like this, you know, the streets raised me. Every student, when fully trained, will be like his teacher. I think it's important we know what kind, type, and quality of teacher we yield ourselves to and that we yield our children to. If God could get ahold, of us in our homes, man, there's no question as to what could happen in our society.

>>  : Heaven bound Ministries presents Alive 2026, March 9th through the 11th in Houston, Mississippi. Laugh with comedian JD Lawn. Enjoy great gospel singing with the Hoppers

>> Maria Hamilton: Gold and more.

>>  : Enrich your walk with God with speakers like Dr. Fred Luter and pastor Allen Simpson, to name a few. Two meals are included and lodging is available. Go to senioradultretreats.com for more information on Alive 2026.

>> Abraham Hamilton III: Shining Light into the darkness. This is the Hamilton corner on American Family Radio.

>> Abraham Hamilton III: Welcome back to the Hamilton corner, Abraham Hamilton III.

Maria Hamilton has been with me this whole week at the BJU Foundations Summit

Here I am joined by my lovely bride, Mrs. Maria Hamilton. She is. Has been with me this whole week at the BJU Press, Homeschool Foundations Summit. And I've been just reflecting on what a Summit is. And if you ever have the opportunity to traverse a mountaintop, when you get to a summit, you get a bit more clarity concerning perspective, a bit more range in terms of what you're able to view and to see. And so I wanted to have you on the show because you've been with me in the various sessions and seeing the really the tremendous production that they have here at bju, which I was unaware of, all the various details that are involved and the different branches of the ministry, the publishing house, the mechanism, it really is a top rate press operation that they have here. Over 2, 2 million people they serve worldwide. but I wanted to invite you to reflect on some of the things you've seen and you've witnessed and, and obviously you know, we've been on our own journey, but just learning from being here. What are some of the things that have stood out to you? philosophically, principally biblically, whatever you, however you want to take it as a result of being here this last few days.

>> Maria Hamilton: Yeah. So one of the things that's very exciting and I'm very, very appreciative of them for doing is that they are intentional about making sure that every subject, that of the materials that they produce, every subject is filtered through the lens of scripture. So it is not that they teach because some curriculum we, we need to admit, right, Teach science, history, grammar, reading, whatever, just kind of secularly really. And then they add a Bible course. but BJU is, is very intentional at making sure that the biblical worldview is foundationally and it foundational to the lessons, to the chapters and the books and the subjects. But it's, it's very it's very kid friendly and it is very engaging. And the purpose of it is to, is to be able to form that worldview in the child. So I think that's incredibly important when we're talking about curriculum. Right. Because we can do it many different ways and there are so many different curriculum out there, but the ones for believers, we should want those that are, that are filtered through the lens of scripture.

>> Abraham Hamilton III: Now I want to take you back a few steps because you'll remember, you'll remember a little while ago, about 15 years ago.

>> Abraham Hamilton III: when I broached the topic with you about homeschooling, I asked you babe, what do you think about homeschooling? And what was your response?

>> Maria Hamilton: I don't think about homeschooling. Yes.

>> Abraham Hamilton III: Did you think I was crazy or something?

>> Maria Hamilton: I do. You Know, because of course I, you know, I knew your experience with homeschooling, and I knew you had a, ah, minimal experience with homeschoolers. I had zero. I had never met a homeschooler in my entire life. I had barely heard about it. And when I heard about it, it was just weird. Like, who does that? You know? And so. And that you have to add to that my trajectory through public schools, private and public schools. I, was never an academic. I was never the. The student that had the straight A's, so I didn't think I could teach anybody anything, you know? And of course, I bought into the lie that the world says that you have to have an education degree to be able to teach. and so, no, I never thought about it. I didn't think you were crazy, but I was like, sir, that was not part of our contract when we signed it and when we got married. So, I don't know what you're thinking.

>> Abraham Hamilton III: You didn't read the fine print because the contract said that we were going to live for the glory of the king.

>> Maria Hamilton: Amen.

>> Abraham Hamilton III: So you didn't see the fine print as it applied to Trent.

>> Maria Hamilton: And then I did sign up for that.

>> Abraham Hamilton III: You did sign up for it. You know, and we had, by God's grace, the way the Lord let us. We had that conversation before we ever had children.

Some moms feel inadequate to the task of homeschooling their children

>> Maria Hamilton: Yeah.

>> Abraham Hamilton III: and I know you come across people, moms in particular, all over our country, who were really the way you were before. I mean, I think it would be fair to describe you as being completely unfamiliar, with the concept, interpreting the question through your own experiences. Right. And feeling inadequate to the task. what would you say to, a family who may be listening to us right now, watching us right now? Who would say, that's me. That's me. Like, I heard Abe say this stuff all the time, but, man, I can't do. There's no way I could do that. What would you say to.

>> Maria Hamilton: And we all have different reasons why we feel like at first we can't do it. But, ultimately, we are called to obey Christ in all things. Right? So when the Lord reveals anything to us, whether it's homeschooling or anything else, in our. In our walks with God, our duty is to submit to God who knows all things and who loves us perfectly. And so that's what I did, and that's what I encourage all moms to do, is to pray about it. If God is presenting this to you through whoever it is, and you feel Afraid, intimidated, you know, it's not for you. I can't do it. I don't even see how we could do it with the one income. All the reasons that we have, which are many and are legitimate because, you know, we're living this life. And so I understand we, have to pray and ask God, lord, is this what you're calling me to do? Are you telling me this is what I'm supposed to do? And, and biblically, we can support that. God calls us to disciple our children. the, the Lord is clear about that in his word. so that would be the main thing is, Lord, if you're calling me to equip me to do it. And we know that he will equip us when he calls us to something. So that's what we did. You know, I was like, lord, if you, if this is what you want us to do, show me how. Train me to do it. Like, lead me to the resources, the people, the wisdom, the insight, the intellect, the patience, everything I need so that I can disciple these children for your glory, so they can know you.

>> Abraham Hamilton III: You know, I, I often say in response to the question, the very question I posed to you, people would tell me, abra, there's no way I could do that. I often offer a little bit of pushback, because for someone to tell me that I can't do that, my initial pushback is simply, are you sure you can't have you examined whether or not you really can? And sometimes this is just the reality. When people have said, I can't do that, what they really mean is, I won't do that. Because this is our lifestyle. this is where we're comfortable. We need these. You know, if you have a dual, income family where you have a father and a mother and they have to have this type of money, and sometimes I'll drill down a little deeper and say, are you sure? You know, do you and your, do you have a budget? Have your family ever put together a budget? And sometimes, people haven't put together budget. Sometimes, you may have single parents, but, you know, and I know, we know single parents who are doing it. So when you, here the various iterations, and I don't want to diminish anybody because there are real circumstances where the circumstances are such that, that it's not possible. But I have found in my experience that that's a minority of the circumstances. Is that something you've experienced?

>> Maria Hamilton: Yeah. So one of the things that I always think of man, and I'm blessed To have you, in this journey in discipling our children. But there are moms who are single moms, you know.

>> Abraham Hamilton III: Sure.

>> Maria Hamilton: But I know single moms who are homeschooling. Yeah, I know single moms who are, have full time work providing for their home, sustaining their households and homeschooling their kids. So is it possible we ah, know it's possible.

Do we understand the magnitude of what education does to our children

I think, I think that the conversation though needs to be, do we understand the magnitude of what education is and does to our children? I say does to our children because when we think of academia. Yeah, when we think about academia or the, the process of learning, all the disciplines that we have access to learning these days, we have to come to the realization that that is a formation process. Like the knowledge that we receive academically impacts and forms the child. The experiences that they are placed under form the child. The authorities that they're placed under, they form the child. When I say form, I'm talking about the, the building the human from a child all the way to teenage years in adulthood. It is, it is a formation process. All of the stimuli that we surround ourselves in our formative years make who we become and, or contribute to who we become. And so when we, when we as parents, all parents, we all, most parents want the best for their children. Like no parent is out there. Very few parents are out there really doing evil. There exists. Yeah, well, it exists, but they're few. They're the minority majority of parents. Yeah, the majority of parents want what is best for their children.

>>  : Yes.

>> Maria Hamilton: So then the question then is if we all want what is best for our children, what is actually best for our children? Right. And, and as believers, we don't have to guess, we don't have to try to figure it out. We don't have to to go to the world to see what is best for our children. We have the manual for life, the word of God, the supernaturally written word of God right in front of us. And it's a guide for us. And I know we're going to go there later, but just to say it right now, briefly, it is the same manual that we need to be Christians.

>> Abraham Hamilton III: Amen.

>> Maria Hamilton: it's the same manual that our kids need to be believers. And then what is the chief end of mankind? Is it to be happy? Is it to have the money? Is it to have the luxury? The chief end of mankind is to know God and glorify him forever.

>> Abraham Hamilton III: Amen.

>> Maria Hamilton: And so it just goes down to, is that, do we agree with that? Do we believe it.

>> Abraham Hamilton III: Yeah.

>> Maria Hamilton: Do we want that?

Luke 6:40 says everyone will be like his teacher

>> Abraham Hamilton III: I started out the show today in Luke 6:40. And, this is a scripture that, that resonates in my heart repeatedly. I meditate on it, going to bed. When I awake in the morning, I think about the, the scores of people who invite me into their homes through this program. You know, and the text reads, a pupil is not above his teacher, but everyone, after he has been fully trained will be like his teacher. When you consider that text and reflect on it, what are some of the things that immediately resonate within you when you see and recognize this is what Jesus said? This is not some educator at, some international conference giving a speech. This is what Jesus said about the formation process you just described.

>> Maria Hamilton: Yeah. You know, when we have the proper perspective and the proper foundation, the original understanding has to be, who is God? So when we answer the question, who is God? Based on who he revealed Himself to be, then the next thought then has to be, since he carries all truth, since he is who he says that he is in his word, since everything that is true comfort comes from him, then therefore he by creation rights has the authority to determine who man is. Man is formed. Man grows from a baby into adulthood. And all the, like I said earlier, all the stimuli, all, everything, their environment, the authority figures, their learning process, everything is going to, to form the human right. Well, Jesus knowing that because he made humans, he says, hey, that student is going to become a great student. After the authority figure, after the master, after the teacher, after that child is learned. The child is capable of learning well because he is made in the image and likeness of God. So he's able to learn. Well, what is he going to learn? Well, what the teacher is pouring into that child. So then who is going, like you said earlier in the first segment, but who is going to teach our children? But here's the thing that, that we also need to, to think about. There are situations where the parents really feel like there are better teachers, because if they want.

>> Abraham Hamilton III: Better than whom?

>> Maria Hamilton: Than themselves. Thank you for the clarity. Than themselves.

>> Abraham Hamilton III: So.

>> Maria Hamilton: And I remember that feeling, feeling like if I want. Let me, let me use this example. I remember when I met you, and I always make fun of you for this, but when I met you, I

>> Abraham Hamilton III: was like, she always makes fun of me for this.

>> Maria Hamilton: Always. Always. Sometimes like my son's laughs. Always. Sometimes. Yeah, Jeff's going to like this one. Listen. So this man was a walking Bible, like super holy, right? Like floating on clouds, knowing all scriptures backwards and forwards and all that And I was like, sir, sir, I'm just now starting to read the Bible for myself. Like, I love Jesus, but I don't know the word like you do. And I remember when you talked about homeschooling or when you said, man, I want a wife that can run hard after me in the things of God.

>> Abraham Hamilton III: I was like, run after me?

>> Maria Hamilton: I run off. No, run with me. So. Excuse me, sorry. Thank you. See, you're so good. To clarify, run with me after the things of God. I was like, oh, intimidation, intimidation. Because I'm like, I'm. I'm like, brand new to this. I had the hunger, but I didn't have the knowledge of the wisdom yet. Anyway, so long story short, that feeling of inadequacy, or feeling like there may be if I want my child to know, let's just say that there's a family out there that wants their children to know Christ. They really do. Their believers are in church and they really feel like they don't have what it takes, to impart into their child a biblical worldview. They don't have the ability to rightly divide the word of truth. Right. That is scripture. And so they feel like, man, maybe if I put them in a Christian school, that'd be better. I understand that. And I understand that God is so good and so sovereign that if you get on your knees as a parent, I'm speaking to parents now. And you pray and you ask the Lord to show you which way to go. And if he reveals to you to homeschool, he will make m you a theologian. Because he did it with me. And I'm not talking about, I'm not saying that I'm a theologian. I'm just saying that I can rightly divide the word of truth because the Holy Spirit is alive. And he teaches us when we read His Word and He trains us and he transforms us. And we have to embrace the reality that God wants us to be like Him.

The primary job of the parent is to pour into their children through scripture

>> Maria Hamilton: So if we are being formed as disciples and we are growing, becoming disciples, then we can make disciples of our children. We can. We have the ability to do that because we have the Holy Spirit in us. And so to the parent that is concerned, that is feels inadequate. I understand that. And I understand that you feel like, man, somebody else can do it better than me. And that can be true to an extent, in the sense that there can be other people that are able to, like, teach them the Word. Right. Like, we all come together to pour into children. And I understand that. But do not remove yourself from the game. Because what you're doing is you are saying that God is not able to give you the anointing that he put in you because he birthed these children through you. And so you are, in other words, saying, God, you gave me these children, but. But I'm not good enough for them. And so then you make a mistake because. Because you made a mistake because others are better to pour into them than me. That's a lie from the devil.

>> Abraham Hamilton III: You made a mistake by putting them in my care and making me responsible for them primarily.

>> Maria Hamilton: Right? And so what is the primary job of the parent? And it's all through scriptures, guys. The Lord says, remember me. Tell the next generation who I am. Tell them about me. So what we are responsible for doing is to dig into this word, become disciples of Christ, and then pour everything we're learning into our children. And if we're learning it alongside them, and glory to God, run. Run hard after things of God, and you can pour into them. So I understand the hesitation, but there is a God who is more powerful than our insecurities and more powerful than what we don't know about the Word of God.

One of my fears was, what if my kids ask me questions about Bible

I am telling you one of my fears. I'm sorry, I'm talking too long, but real quick. One of my fears was, Lord, what if my kids ask me questions about the Bible that I can't answer? And you know what I started doing? I started asking the questions that I thought maybe they would ask. I started asking the questions that I had about the word of God. Lord, what about suffering? You know, there's so much suffering in the world. Where are you? Why is this continuing? You died on the cross. You said, it's over, it's finished. But why is it still happening? Lord, what about the dinosaurs? Did they really fit in the ark? Are they real? What do you mean? How does this work with Genesis 1? All these questions that I had, I started answering, got answered.

>> Abraham Hamilton III: Yeah. Oh, man, the music is disrespectful.

Every one of us are supposed to be theologians, Hamilton says

But I want to pick up right there because the word theologian is a big word, and it can be intimidating to some people. But God calls every believer to be. To be theologians. Every one of us are supposed to be theologians. Every believer is supposed to be able to rightly divide the word of truth. It's a big word, but you break it down. It's a compound word. Theo means God. Login is from the word logic. We have to. We. Every believer is called to have logic about God, knowledge about God. We all should be able to read the Bible as theologians and one of the things that thinks. One of the things you pointed out is that feeling the pressure of being responsible for the children aided you in becoming a disciplined learner of the Lord's way in His Word.

>>  : Okay, this is crazy, and I can't believe it even has to be said, but only U.S. citizens should vote in U.S. elections. It's common sense. But Republican Sen. John Thune and some of his fellow senators aren't sure if they want to vote to pass HR22, also known as the SAVE Act. It requires proof of U.S. citizenship and a valid voter ID to register and vote in federal elections. Join us in calling on our senators to support and pass the SAVE Act. Visit afa.net today.

>> Abraham Hamilton III: the Hamilton Quarter podcast and one minute commentaries are [email protected] back to the Hamilton Corner on American Family Radio.

Abraham Hamilton: Being a husband and a father catapults men into manhood

>> Abraham Hamilton III: Welcome back to the Hamilton Corner, Abraham Hamilton iii, here with my wife Maria Hamilton. And we are reflecting on the BJU Press Homeschool Summit that we've been attending this week here in Greenville, South Carolina. And man, Greenville is a beautiful, beautiful city. having the privilege to be downtown these last few days has been a pretty, pretty enjoyable as we're being challenged and learning different things. before we went to the break, you were saying something, babe, and it was just so profound. I often have talked about on the show about the reality that God has internal mechanisms to grow us as he desires us to grow. One of the things that happens, I don't know, you experienced this from the mother standpoint. I remember, when we had our first child and we've been married, he was born. We'd been married about two years. But you entered this mode of cleaning at the time we were living in our small apartment in Houston and it was a mode that you hadn't been in before. And it was one of the ways I knew I said, the m. Baby's coming soon. It was like just something that just happened one day. You just started being super detailed every. You're just cleaning everything. And sure enough, Christian was born soon after that. And from the father's standpoint, I've explained that becoming a husband and a father is one of the things that God has designed to catapult males into manhood to where that catapultion forces us who desire to be godly, to be responsible husbands and fathers, that we become primarily selfless.

>> Maria Hamilton: Yeah.

>> Abraham Hamilton III: To where the first thought in any circumstance is, how does this affect my wife? How does this affect my child? How does this affect m? My wife, how did this affect my child? How will this impact my family? It's one of the, and it's very similar to how the kind of we know now it would be the nesting phenomenon in moms that are pregnant and preparing for their babies to be born. That it is a, it is a propulsion, it's like jet fuel for us men to become selfless. That prior to, you know, we're not married, we're just really thinking about ourselves. But when we take upon the responsibility of being husbands and fathers, and especially in endeavoring to do so in a God honoring manner, that it catapults us into this quality of manhood that I believe is a part of that. When I was a child, I thought I was a child, but now I'm a man. I put childish ways behind me that as men we don't have the authority to be self absorbed and self, I mean, without authority we don't have the luxury to be self absorbed and self centered if we're going to be godly men. And it's a similar phenomenon and what you just just described. I believe there's a similar thing that God does when we as Christian parents take on the responsibility of discipling our children where we recognize we are accountable to God for what we do with these image bearers and we also want to do it well. Yeah, like we don't, we don't, we don't want to fall down on the job, so to speak. So in the example that you share from our lives and your own experience that stepping up to the plate, if you were to say, you know what, God has entrusted me to them, I need to be a more diligent student of His Word so that I can be a more effective and diligent conveyor of the truth of His Word to my children. Do you see? It's kind of a leading question, but I'm asking anyway. Do you see the refusal of parents sometimes to take that responsibility to be a contributing factor to a delayed or diminished sanctification journey on the part of the parents?

>> Maria Hamilton: Yeah, so.

One of the things that I think of is deepening our love for Christ

So one of the things that I think of is that reality that if Christ is not our, treasure, like, if Christ is not the lover of our souls and we have not like truly falling in love with him, for lack of a better word. I hate using that term because it's so worldly. But, but where he. We love him, well, it's just falling in love, it seems it communicates this like, I don't know, you know, romantic comedy deepening in our Resolve, like deepening our love for him is what I really want to convey. Right. And so, if we haven't done that yet, like, if our walk with the Lord, because it's a journey and everybody's on a journey, I. I understand that. I remember once upon a time, I knew about God and then I loved Him. You know what I mean? Like, I understand the process that God brought me through. So I understand we're all on our jo. but if we're not there yet, then we can think little of our responsibility to our children and think little of their salvation. Right? Because when I realized. And again, I understand that this is my walk, but I realized that the Lord entrusted those children to me, that I have to respond to him or answer to him, for them, but also the reality that I want, above all things, for them to love him and to glorify him and to know him deeply and intimately and to believe what the Bible says, because I know it's true, and, and he has revealed himself to humanity. I want them to know him and love him, glorify him forever. That's what I want most. I'm not saying that because I'm super holy. I'm saying that because God has shown me that, that he is the greatest treasure, and he has transformed my heart and my life. So I understand we're on a different journey. Not a different journey, the same journey, but at different points of the journey. So if we analyze ourselves truthfully and honestly, and we prefer for our children to have a good academic journey, to arrive at a good career so they can have a good financial, stable life, and that is our chief end. I understand that. But if we are Christians, there should be something that supersedes that, and that is that we want our, children to love Christ, to have Jesus on the throne of their hearts, to passionately pursue him and desire to obey him. And if we are able, if we have that within ourselves, and then we're able to convey that to our children, and we're able to disciple them by the Spirit of God, because none of this is in our own strength by the Spirit of God, then they will be able to succeed in what God has called them to. And they will be warriors for the kingdom of God, impacting, the darkness and advancing the kingdom. That's what I want most. That's what you want most. I know, but I understand people are in a different journey in the different portions of the journey. Here's the bottom line. The second component that I think of is that we as believers must always want to be purified. We want to be transformed. We want to be more like Christ. So the more that we are aware that we lack patience, the more we should desire to be patient. The more that we are aware that we desire that we, lack self control, the more that we should want to grow in self control. The Spirit, we should want to submit the Spirit of God. Our children and raising them daily is going to show those areas where we are lacking.

>> Maria Hamilton: And so that, that exercise, that anointing that God gives you, because I will say this, and please listen carefully, the Lord has given us as parents an anointing over our own children that a stranger does not have. They have knowledge, they may even have wisdom, and they may have a relationship with the Lord, but they don't have an anointing supernaturally from God for your children. And so we. Do you have that for your children? We have that for our children. And with that comes a sharpening, a refinement, a growing. Not only do they grow in Christ likeness, but we grow in Christ likeness. And so, and I know you've talked about this in other shows, so, so at the end of the day, bottom line is that when we refuse to follow God, if the Lord is calling in this way, we are leaving on the table those aspects of, of refinement

>> Abraham Hamilton III: what you just described. It's the parental equivalent to what we've discussed about the covenantal context of the biblical mandate of headship within. In a family and submission. The scripture says that wives are to submit themselves to their own husbands. It's not a generalized call to obeisance to maleness.

>> Maria Hamilton: Uh-huh.

>> Abraham Hamilton III: It is a covenantal context that God is called to very similarly, that God provides a particular grace and anointing to parents for our own children. I would add into that a particular discernment quality.

>> Maria Hamilton: Yes.

>> Abraham Hamilton III: That those who are not the, parents of the children do not have. And I asked the question that I asked you earlier simply because I know it's true. We've been talking about it. You know, I don't even like to say homeschooling because really it's discipleship, cultivating of the cultivation of the mind and the development of academic matriculation and academic discipline is just a portion of our investment in discipling our children in this context, because it's like you said, forming a, ah, whole person for the glory of God. but when you consider taking the responsibility to lead and discipling our own children. Sorry, when we take the lead in discipling our own children. It is not. And I want to say this as loudly as I can from the rooftops. It is not something that is exclusively beneficial for our children.

>> Maria Hamilton: Right.

>> Abraham Hamilton III: It's something that is beneficial to us that within the confines. And it's not identical because there's no relationship, familial relationship, like the marital relationship, husband and wife. But the second closest relationship is the parent, child relationship. Just as. And many of you listening and watching, you understand that marriage is a mirror. That within the intimate confines of that husband and wife relationship, God reveals areas of our walk that require ironing, reveals wrinkles that require ironing. Guess what? The same thing happens in our relationship with our own children when we take the leadership in discipling them, that God uses that relationship to reveal ours. How many times have we, in our own lives, we're experiencing an area, we call it a discipleship issue with our children, and we retreat to the inner sanctuaries of our bedroom and say, babe, God just showed me myself. Yes, through that. This issue that we're dealing with, that requires discipline, requires correction. Man, I almost laughed because as I'm listening to this child, God is showing me that's you. When you see your son do A, B, C and D, your son is reflecting to you what you have reflected to me. This is what God shows us.

>> Maria Hamilton: And that's God ordained. That's God ordained because God has made our children to learn how to imitate and how to live in accordance with what they see. And so if we are keeping our children home from a traditional school and we are discipling them from our home, they are going to see and learn and be formed by us. Good, bad and ugly. Good, bad and ugly. So I remember one time I was venting to one of my friends, and I was like. And she, my daughter, she does this. And she. And I don't know how to get through to her. And my friend very gently, very lovingly said, oh, that sounds like you, though. And I was like, oh, thank you for loving me, my friend. And she was right. And she was right. And what was frustrating for me was that when I admitted, that I had it within me and I knew that only the Holy Spirit could purify me, remove that filth from me. I didn't know how to get out of my child. And I was like, how do I get that out of her? But it's the power of the Lord. But I'm saying that, that it refines us because we have to look at ourselves in the mirror and say, Man, I don't want to pass this down to m. My child. So.

God has ordained the family as the primary vehicle for intergenerational discipleship

So any areas that I have that are not yet Christ, like, Lord, help me, you know, and so those moments are critical for our own walk.

>> Abraham Hamilton III: They're pivotal. Yeah, they're pivotal. And God knows, man. God knows there are certain things that we would never see within ourselves unless he shows them to us in the ways that he shows them to us. And I am saying that God has ordained the family as the primary vehicle for intergenerational discipleship. And one of the major reasons why. Reasons, or should I say one of the major mechanisms for him doing so is that the intimate relational connecticity causes that dross to come to the surface.

>> Maria Hamilton: Yes.

>> Abraham Hamilton III: In a more precise, more poignant, and sometimes more potent manner. Like, it's undeniable that when we're having these moments with our own children and you see something that they model from what they've seen. Even sometimes some things that, you know, they're similar because we have the same DNA, you know? Yes. that God shows these things to us, and it aids us in being better followers of Christ as we. Like an instance you just shared. Oh, I see. Me and my child. So now I'm not only seeking how to help my child. I'm asking God, change me. God, change me. Shape me. Mold me. And we engage in our surrendering ourselves to the Lord. Then through that, the Lord gives us more wisdom and insight as to how to minister to our children appropriately, as those issues come to the fore.

>> Maria Hamilton: Yeah, it's incredibly important. And so the more that we submit to the Lord in our walk with God and we grow and mature and he becomes more and more our treasure. The more we realize that the same hunger that we have and the same desire to follow him and to do his will is the same that we would should want for our children. So our children are going to grow up and our children are going to be formed, and they're gonna. They're gonna become the people that they're going to become based on the Lord's sovereignty. Well, let's not, ignore that, because you and I were not discipled in the home. And the Lord by His sovereign grace, formed us and had to undo a lot. And we came with a lot of baggage and a lot of scars, and we still have them. But the Lord has healed us and made us. So it's not like a, It's not like it is. The story is done. But if we are. If we have them little in the home, why. Why Would we not submit to the Lord, be transformed, pour into them, disciple them, so that they can have, because we are human, less scars. And the Holy Spirit can come in and capture their hearts. And you always say it, we want to be a Runway for them. We don't want to be obstacles in their way to come to Christ. We want to be a Runway.

>> Abraham Hamilton III: Amen. Oh, man. In this time in our nation's history, man, I think more than ever before, the necessity of giving ourselves wholeheartedly to obey the Lord's call to execute his commission and make disciples is job numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10.

>> Maria Hamilton: Yes.

>> Abraham Hamilton III: And if we would respond to the Lord with humility and obedience, with firm reliance upon him, trusting him to remedy any perception of deficiency that we have, and say, lord, is by your grace. Only by your grace, that I will be able to follow you. And we would do that starting in our own homes, man. There's no question that we will literally see a revolutionized society for the glory of the King.

>> Maria Hamilton: That's right. The views and opinions expressed in this broadcast may not necessarily reflect those of the American Family association or American Family Radio.