January 22: TODAYS WORD FOR FRIDAY JANUARY 22, 2010
PEACE
DEFINITION:
Freedom from war or civil disorder; Harmony in human relations, tranquility, quietness and not quarrelling; freedom from anxiety, annoyance or other mental disturbance.
SCRIPTURE:
“Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” John 14:27.
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
Have you thought as to how much peace the world has experienced throughout recorded history? The group called CHRISTIAN VICTORY has calculated that since the creation, the world has been entirely at peace for only eight percent of the time. In over 3,100 recorded years of history only 286 years have been without war.
The man that created the Atomic bomb that was used in 1945 was asked if there was any defense against this weapon. He responded quickly by saying only two words: CERTAINLY --- PEACE.
The scripture tells us that there will always be wars and rumors of war this side of our spending eternity with our Lord and Savior. Complete peace will only occur, according to the scriptures, on this earth during the thousand year reign of Christ after the rapture of the church and the seven year tribulation.
Let us share some thoughts that come to our minds about peace after we have read what Mark records as to the words of Jesus in his book chapter 13 verses 6-13. Jesus has told us why there is no peace in our world. He says that there will be many deceivers that will come in His name. He says there will be wars and rumors of war, earthquakes, famines and troubles.
And for us as believers He says for us to watch out because we will be delivered to councils, beaten, brought to rulers for a testimony to them about our faith in God. And then Jesus says that the gospel must first be preached to all nations. He then tells us that all these things must occur before He comes to this earth as the Prince of Peace.
As we talk to people each day the only reference to peace we hear is that of a hope for world peace in the future. But very few that say they hope this will happen really believe it will happen.
In the verse that we have shared with you above, Jesus makes it clear that He offers us as believer’s peace but not as the world thinks of peace. The peace that Jesus talks about is the peace that comes to one’s heart when that one accepts Jesus into his or her heart. The word PEACE summarizes God’s message of salvation to us. We read this in Acts 10:36, the message God sent to all people telling the good news of peace through Jesus Christ who is the Lord of all.
Both of us wake up every morning with an inward peace in our hearts. We know that because of our faith that Jesus is with us and will lead us and protect us through every activity of the day.
We wonder how those who do not know Jesus as their Savior can have any peace in their heart. They hear the news every day of wars, murders, corruption, kidnapping, terrorism and the list goes on and on. Then they face the personal concerns of job security, spousal problems, and children running wild and economic turmoil. They face all of this with no one that they can rely on throughout the day. Is it any wonder people are stressed?
Contrast today the life that one lives without Jesus and the life one lives with Jesus and the peace that he gives all believers.
LEARNING:
Our memory verse this week is found in Proverbs 22:6.
“Train ups a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.”
PRAYER:
Teach me to pray, not only for my own needs and others, but for peace. Help me to follow Your words by encouraging me to not only pray for peace in our world but for the peace of Jerusalem. Give me a new peace in my heart that comes from You, a peace that passes all understanding.
January 24, 2010
Conquerors: January 21, 2010
January 21: TODAYS WORD FOR THURSDAY JANUARY 21, 2010
CONQUERORS
DEFINITION:
One who subdues by force, overcomes or gains victory or wins.
SCRIPTURE:
Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. Romans 8:36
KNOWLEDGE AND LEARNING:
The story of David and Goliath was one of the favorite Bible stories that our children loved to hear read to them. David loved God and trusted Him to be his shield and defender. When David went out to face the Philistine giant, he went out as a conqueror because he knew the battle was the Lord’s and the Lord would deliver him. When Goliath taunted David because his only weapon was a slingshot, David’s response was, “You come against me with a sword and spear and javelin, but I come in the name of the Lord Almighty.” Not only did David not have a sword or a spear, he had no shield. I Samuel 17:50 tells us, “So David triumphed (conquered) over the Philistine with a sling and a stone, without a sword in his hand he struck down the Philistine and killed him.”
David fought many battles and understood that God was the one that enabled him to be a conqueror. He gave God the credit and in his Psalm he praised God for being his “shield and defender.” He knew that God had been with him. This is the key that God has given us so that we can be conquerors in all situations in our lives. We must recognize that “the battle is the Lord’s” and in Him we can have the victory.
One of the world’s most unusual landmarks is a single granite plaque on a pole on the western boundary of Russia near the city of Wilna. There are two inscriptions on this plaque. The western side reads: Napoleon Bonaparte passed this location in 1812 with 410,000 men on his way to conquer Russia. On the eastern side it reads: Napoleon Bonaparte passed this location in 1812 with 9,000 men as he returned home. Napoleon, who had the goal of conquering the world, had met his match in this Russian campaign.
The scripture tells us that Satan will meet his match when confronted with the judgment of God but he will have no survivors. Our God will be the ultimate conqueror of evil.
No matter what the circumstances of life may be to you, if you believe in Jesus than you are more than a conqueror. The scriptures tell us that no matter the circumstances or their severity, Christ will carry us through each situation giving us strength and encouragement. We cannot lose when we let the battle be the Lord’s. Christ loves us and wants us to be conquerors through Him. Look what the scriptures say that Christ can do for you:
• He will meet all your material necessities of life. (Matthew 11:28)
•
• He will give you rest.(Matthew 11:28)
•
• He will give you peace. (John 14:27)
•
• He provides for you an escape from temptation. (I Corinthians 10:13)
•
• He will comfort you through all trials that you may face.
•
(II Corinthians 1:3-4)
• He will supply all your needs. (Philippians 4:13)
•
• He will deliver you through all persecution.(Hebrews 12:3)
•
• He will enable you to overcome the world. (I John 5:4)
•
• He will deliver you from fear. (Isaiah 41:10)
•
• He will give you eternal life. (John 10:28-29)
•
• He will keep you from evil. (II Thessalonians 3:3)
•
In everyday life are you a conqueror? Do you as a believer, let Satan and the world take away your Christian birthright? Realize anew today that you are a child of the King --- the ultimate conqueror. Go out and act like it today in all that you do and say.
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in Proverbs 22:6.
“Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.”
PRAYER:
I thank You Lord that believers are the ultimate winners in the great spiritual battle that I fight day in and day out. Thank You that it is because of Your power and the marvelous gift that You gave in providing Your Son to pay the penalty of death for my sins.
CONQUERORS
DEFINITION:
One who subdues by force, overcomes or gains victory or wins.
SCRIPTURE:
Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. Romans 8:36
KNOWLEDGE AND LEARNING:
The story of David and Goliath was one of the favorite Bible stories that our children loved to hear read to them. David loved God and trusted Him to be his shield and defender. When David went out to face the Philistine giant, he went out as a conqueror because he knew the battle was the Lord’s and the Lord would deliver him. When Goliath taunted David because his only weapon was a slingshot, David’s response was, “You come against me with a sword and spear and javelin, but I come in the name of the Lord Almighty.” Not only did David not have a sword or a spear, he had no shield. I Samuel 17:50 tells us, “So David triumphed (conquered) over the Philistine with a sling and a stone, without a sword in his hand he struck down the Philistine and killed him.”
David fought many battles and understood that God was the one that enabled him to be a conqueror. He gave God the credit and in his Psalm he praised God for being his “shield and defender.” He knew that God had been with him. This is the key that God has given us so that we can be conquerors in all situations in our lives. We must recognize that “the battle is the Lord’s” and in Him we can have the victory.
One of the world’s most unusual landmarks is a single granite plaque on a pole on the western boundary of Russia near the city of Wilna. There are two inscriptions on this plaque. The western side reads: Napoleon Bonaparte passed this location in 1812 with 410,000 men on his way to conquer Russia. On the eastern side it reads: Napoleon Bonaparte passed this location in 1812 with 9,000 men as he returned home. Napoleon, who had the goal of conquering the world, had met his match in this Russian campaign.
The scripture tells us that Satan will meet his match when confronted with the judgment of God but he will have no survivors. Our God will be the ultimate conqueror of evil.
No matter what the circumstances of life may be to you, if you believe in Jesus than you are more than a conqueror. The scriptures tell us that no matter the circumstances or their severity, Christ will carry us through each situation giving us strength and encouragement. We cannot lose when we let the battle be the Lord’s. Christ loves us and wants us to be conquerors through Him. Look what the scriptures say that Christ can do for you:
• He will meet all your material necessities of life. (Matthew 11:28)
•
• He will give you rest.(Matthew 11:28)
•
• He will give you peace. (John 14:27)
•
• He provides for you an escape from temptation. (I Corinthians 10:13)
•
• He will comfort you through all trials that you may face.
•
(II Corinthians 1:3-4)
• He will supply all your needs. (Philippians 4:13)
•
• He will deliver you through all persecution.(Hebrews 12:3)
•
• He will enable you to overcome the world. (I John 5:4)
•
• He will deliver you from fear. (Isaiah 41:10)
•
• He will give you eternal life. (John 10:28-29)
•
• He will keep you from evil. (II Thessalonians 3:3)
•
In everyday life are you a conqueror? Do you as a believer, let Satan and the world take away your Christian birthright? Realize anew today that you are a child of the King --- the ultimate conqueror. Go out and act like it today in all that you do and say.
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in Proverbs 22:6.
“Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.”
PRAYER:
I thank You Lord that believers are the ultimate winners in the great spiritual battle that I fight day in and day out. Thank You that it is because of Your power and the marvelous gift that You gave in providing Your Son to pay the penalty of death for my sins.
Regret: January 20, 2010
January 20: TODAYS WORD FOR WEDNESDAY JANUARY 20, 2010
REGRET
Definition:
To feel sorrow or remorse for an act, fault or failure.
SCRIPTURE:
When Judas, who had betrayed Jesus, saw that He was condemned, he was seized with remorse and regret and returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders. “I have sinned,” he said, “for I have betrayed ‘innocent blood.’” Matthew 27:3
KNOWLEDGE AND LEARNING:
Judas was seized with remorse. By this time the chief priests and the elders had made their decision to put Jesus to death. When Judas realized that Jesus was going to be killed he regretted so deeply what he had done, that he went to the chief priests and returned the money he had received to betray Jesus. He wanted to undo what he had done so he confessed to the chief priests and elders saying, “I have sinned for I have betrayed innocent blood.”
He hoped his confession and his profession that Jesus was innocent would change the minds of the chief priests and the elders. It was too late. His thoughtless act of betrayal had already set in motion the consequences of what he had done.
Who we are and what we are develops out of the decisions we make in life. Every day we make choices. We choose what we do, where we go, who we talk to, what we read and what we watch. All of our choices have consequences. Our choices will either have a positive effect on our life or a negative one. And something we do not often consider is that our choices affect others.
On every decision we make we should think before we act. It is our nature to want immediate gratification. When that is our motive we will make bad decisions that we will regret later and most of the time too late to make right.
Any decision that we make that is in disobedience to God’s laws will bring consequences that will cause us to regret what we have done. We need to consider each day if our decisions are made in accordance to what God wants us to do.
Sunday schools of recent date used the phrase “What would Jesus do?” in teaching children how to make the right decisions. WWJD became the acronym for that phrase. Some of our grandchildren had bracelets that they made with WWJD on them. It was a reminder to them to stop and consider what would Jesus do in the same situation that they were in. That is exactly the question we should ask ourselves before we make a decision. If we did this we would have fewer regrets.
God never makes us do anything but He is always there waiting for us to ask for His guidance and help to make the right decisions.
Judas regretted his decision to betray Jesus. Regret is never enough. He went to the wrong people to set things right. Judas confessed to the high priests that he had sinned and betrayed an innocent man. Judas should have repented and sought forgiveness from Jesus. If there are things you have done or are doing that you regret, now is the time to repent and ask God’s forgiveness.
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is Proverbs 22:6.
“Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.”
PRAYER:
Lord, I come to You, asking You to lead me and guide me in every decision I need to make today. Help me to evaluate all the consequences of my decisions. Give me wisdom so that I can see what Jesus would want me to do. I regret and confess my sins of disobedience to You and ask for Your forgiveness.
REGRET
Definition:
To feel sorrow or remorse for an act, fault or failure.
SCRIPTURE:
When Judas, who had betrayed Jesus, saw that He was condemned, he was seized with remorse and regret and returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders. “I have sinned,” he said, “for I have betrayed ‘innocent blood.’” Matthew 27:3
KNOWLEDGE AND LEARNING:
Judas was seized with remorse. By this time the chief priests and the elders had made their decision to put Jesus to death. When Judas realized that Jesus was going to be killed he regretted so deeply what he had done, that he went to the chief priests and returned the money he had received to betray Jesus. He wanted to undo what he had done so he confessed to the chief priests and elders saying, “I have sinned for I have betrayed innocent blood.”
He hoped his confession and his profession that Jesus was innocent would change the minds of the chief priests and the elders. It was too late. His thoughtless act of betrayal had already set in motion the consequences of what he had done.
Who we are and what we are develops out of the decisions we make in life. Every day we make choices. We choose what we do, where we go, who we talk to, what we read and what we watch. All of our choices have consequences. Our choices will either have a positive effect on our life or a negative one. And something we do not often consider is that our choices affect others.
On every decision we make we should think before we act. It is our nature to want immediate gratification. When that is our motive we will make bad decisions that we will regret later and most of the time too late to make right.
Any decision that we make that is in disobedience to God’s laws will bring consequences that will cause us to regret what we have done. We need to consider each day if our decisions are made in accordance to what God wants us to do.
Sunday schools of recent date used the phrase “What would Jesus do?” in teaching children how to make the right decisions. WWJD became the acronym for that phrase. Some of our grandchildren had bracelets that they made with WWJD on them. It was a reminder to them to stop and consider what would Jesus do in the same situation that they were in. That is exactly the question we should ask ourselves before we make a decision. If we did this we would have fewer regrets.
God never makes us do anything but He is always there waiting for us to ask for His guidance and help to make the right decisions.
Judas regretted his decision to betray Jesus. Regret is never enough. He went to the wrong people to set things right. Judas confessed to the high priests that he had sinned and betrayed an innocent man. Judas should have repented and sought forgiveness from Jesus. If there are things you have done or are doing that you regret, now is the time to repent and ask God’s forgiveness.
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is Proverbs 22:6.
“Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.”
PRAYER:
Lord, I come to You, asking You to lead me and guide me in every decision I need to make today. Help me to evaluate all the consequences of my decisions. Give me wisdom so that I can see what Jesus would want me to do. I regret and confess my sins of disobedience to You and ask for Your forgiveness.
Trust: January 19, 2010
January 19: TODAYS WORD FOR TUESDAY JANUARY 19, 2010
TRUST
DEFINITION:
The reliance on the integrity of a person, having a confident expectation.
SCRIPTURE:
“Trust in the Lord and do good.” Psalm 37:3
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths.” Proverbs 3:5-6
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
As you know the children of Israel wandered around the desert for forty years. Much of this long trek was because they often forgot to put their trust in God. In Exodus 16:2-3 we read of one of those times that the children of Israel lost their confidence in Moses and thus in God and it reads that the whole congregation --- all of the children of Israel --- complained to Moses in the wilderness. They said, “Oh, that we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the pots of meat and when we ate bread to the full.” They went on to complain by saying that, “you (Moses) have brought us into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.”
The scripture then goes on to tell us that God said to Moses that He would rain down bread from heaven and they should pick the food daily and on the sixth day He would provide double what they picked on the other days. And God said He would do this to test them to see if they would walk in God’s law or not. What a wonderful example for us to read about so we can learn that God wants us to trust Him and if we walk in His law, He will provide for us all that we need.
Have you ever noticed the nearly complete trust of young children? When our children were young we took home movies of the children taking their first steps. When we watched those movies several years later we saw how hesitant they were to take that first step. They did not trust that next step that they needed to take. They were not sure if they would fall or keep standing. They would take a step or two, hesitate and then sit down. But they never quit, they would get right up and try again.
In the process of learning to walk our children would eagerly grasp our outstretched hand trusting that we would support them and keep them safe from falling. As they became confident enough to walk without falling, they outgrew their need to hold our hand.
This reminds us that God is holding out His hand to help us take every step. But the difference is that we will never outgrow our need to trust God and ask Him to stand nearby and hold our hand through the turbulences of life.
One of our great examples of trust comes from the Old Testament. Abraham’s name meant “Father of Nations,” yet he and his wife Sarah were still childless in their nineties. Yet Abraham still trusted God to honor His promise of an heir and God in His perfect timing honored His promise to Abraham. In Genesis 18:14 Abraham said, “Is anything too hard for God?” As God stood by Abraham and rewarded his trust, so will God reward us if we put our full trust in Him.
We must learn as families to trust God daily and not to rely on self. This is a difficult concept to teach our children especially as they get older because they want to do everything their own way. Children, youth and adults receive continual peer pressure to just do what you want to do not taking into consideration whether it is right or wrong. We are sure you have heard people say, “If it feels good just do it.” Unfortunately doing something because “we feel like it’” comes without much of a thought process. We see evidence of this over and over again in the world we live in today and the resulting disasters that come from these actions. God allows us to go ahead and do whatever we” feel like” and then because of His great love for us He is always available holding out His hand saying “Trust Me, let me help you and guide you.”
Have you really given any thought as to what or who you have your trust in today? Proverbs 3:5-6 tells us who we should trust in --- the Lord, and how we should trust --- with all your heart, and who we should not trust --- lean not on your own understanding, and then the result is – He will direct your paths.
We taught our children to trust the Lord daily and to do it will all their hearts and mind. We can trust God because He is trustworthy. It is a thrill for us today to watch our children teach their children – our grandchildren the same. Along with trusting God, parents must be trustworthy in all that they do. Parents must prove themselves trustworthy to their children and then teach their children to be trustworthy. Mutual trustworthiness is a key to a strong family
LEARNING:
Our memory verse today is found in Proverbs 22:6.
“Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.”
PRAYER:
Help me as an individual put my complete trust in God. Help me to learn not to run ahead or lag behind doing what God wants from me. Allow me to lead my family by my actions and words and to put their trust completely in the hands of our Lord.
TRUST
DEFINITION:
The reliance on the integrity of a person, having a confident expectation.
SCRIPTURE:
“Trust in the Lord and do good.” Psalm 37:3
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths.” Proverbs 3:5-6
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
As you know the children of Israel wandered around the desert for forty years. Much of this long trek was because they often forgot to put their trust in God. In Exodus 16:2-3 we read of one of those times that the children of Israel lost their confidence in Moses and thus in God and it reads that the whole congregation --- all of the children of Israel --- complained to Moses in the wilderness. They said, “Oh, that we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the pots of meat and when we ate bread to the full.” They went on to complain by saying that, “you (Moses) have brought us into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.”
The scripture then goes on to tell us that God said to Moses that He would rain down bread from heaven and they should pick the food daily and on the sixth day He would provide double what they picked on the other days. And God said He would do this to test them to see if they would walk in God’s law or not. What a wonderful example for us to read about so we can learn that God wants us to trust Him and if we walk in His law, He will provide for us all that we need.
Have you ever noticed the nearly complete trust of young children? When our children were young we took home movies of the children taking their first steps. When we watched those movies several years later we saw how hesitant they were to take that first step. They did not trust that next step that they needed to take. They were not sure if they would fall or keep standing. They would take a step or two, hesitate and then sit down. But they never quit, they would get right up and try again.
In the process of learning to walk our children would eagerly grasp our outstretched hand trusting that we would support them and keep them safe from falling. As they became confident enough to walk without falling, they outgrew their need to hold our hand.
This reminds us that God is holding out His hand to help us take every step. But the difference is that we will never outgrow our need to trust God and ask Him to stand nearby and hold our hand through the turbulences of life.
One of our great examples of trust comes from the Old Testament. Abraham’s name meant “Father of Nations,” yet he and his wife Sarah were still childless in their nineties. Yet Abraham still trusted God to honor His promise of an heir and God in His perfect timing honored His promise to Abraham. In Genesis 18:14 Abraham said, “Is anything too hard for God?” As God stood by Abraham and rewarded his trust, so will God reward us if we put our full trust in Him.
We must learn as families to trust God daily and not to rely on self. This is a difficult concept to teach our children especially as they get older because they want to do everything their own way. Children, youth and adults receive continual peer pressure to just do what you want to do not taking into consideration whether it is right or wrong. We are sure you have heard people say, “If it feels good just do it.” Unfortunately doing something because “we feel like it’” comes without much of a thought process. We see evidence of this over and over again in the world we live in today and the resulting disasters that come from these actions. God allows us to go ahead and do whatever we” feel like” and then because of His great love for us He is always available holding out His hand saying “Trust Me, let me help you and guide you.”
Have you really given any thought as to what or who you have your trust in today? Proverbs 3:5-6 tells us who we should trust in --- the Lord, and how we should trust --- with all your heart, and who we should not trust --- lean not on your own understanding, and then the result is – He will direct your paths.
We taught our children to trust the Lord daily and to do it will all their hearts and mind. We can trust God because He is trustworthy. It is a thrill for us today to watch our children teach their children – our grandchildren the same. Along with trusting God, parents must be trustworthy in all that they do. Parents must prove themselves trustworthy to their children and then teach their children to be trustworthy. Mutual trustworthiness is a key to a strong family
LEARNING:
Our memory verse today is found in Proverbs 22:6.
“Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.”
PRAYER:
Help me as an individual put my complete trust in God. Help me to learn not to run ahead or lag behind doing what God wants from me. Allow me to lead my family by my actions and words and to put their trust completely in the hands of our Lord.
Obedience: January 18, 2010
JANUARY 18: TODAYS WORD FOR MONDAY JANUARY 18, 2010
OBEDIENCE
DEFINITION:
Being submissive to authority and willing to obey.
SCRIPTURE:
“He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.” Philippians 2:8
“Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.” Proverbs 22:6.
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
The first reference to obedience that we find in the Bible is the lack of obedience by Adam and Eve. They were told not to eat of “the tree of the knowledge of good and evil --- for in the day that you eat of it you surely shall die.” Satan, in the form of the serpent, tempted Adam and Eve and they gave in to the temptation and were not obedient.
Then in Geneses 12:1-4, we are told of the obedience of Abraham. The Lord said to Abraham to get out of his country and from his father’s house and family. God told him that if he obeyed He would make him a great nation and would bless him and make his name great and that all peoples on earth would be blessed through him. God also promised Abraham if he left his country that He would bless those that blessed him and curse them that cursed him. Abraham’s response was immediate and total obedience without compromise to the call of God.
Here are two examples for us to learn from today. Because Adam and Eve disobeyed God we are all sinners and must pay the penalty for our sins. Because Abraham obeyed God he was blessed with not only a son in his old age but a great nation --- Israel.
It was to the nation of Israel that God chose to send His Son, Jesus Christ. Jesus was sent into the world to pay the penalty for all the sins of everyone in the world fulfilling God’s promise that all peoples on earth would be blessed through Abraham.
What a contrast! The disobedience of Adam and Eve brought condemnation to all. The obedience of Abraham brought salvation to all. Disobedience brings consequences and obedience brings blessings and both disobedience and obedience affects others. Have you ever thought about how you act and what you do affects others?
Studies now show us that obedience is healthful. A famed children’s specialist was quoted as saying, “When it comes to a serious illness, the child who has been taught to obey stands four times the chance of recovery then the spoiled and undisciplined child does.”
When we obey God’s Word, we find that life is so much richer in ways we may not have expected. But most important is our response to the question: “Are we obedient to the will of our Heavenly Father?” Some day we will give an accounting of all we have done. What will your report be?
Teaching obedience to our children is difficult to say the least. We must always remember that we are born with a sinful nature into a sinful world because of the disobedience of Adam and Eve. When a parent says “NO” many things happen in the mind of a child. The child may be testing the parent to see if you will go further. What a child is doing is seeing really where his or her boundaries are and how far they may be stretched. A child also is watching for consistency and wants to know if the “No” is really a “No” or whether the parent will weaken and change his or her mind.
Parents also have a lot to learn about obedience in their own lives. Are you consistent with what you are doing in front of your children, spouse and family? When an adult talks about obedience through words or actions, everyone is watching for honesty, consistency and seriousness.
Disobedience is evident everywhere in our world today. Think about how often you see the traffic laws disobeyed. Lawmakers and government officials cheat on paying their taxes. People just try to get away with what-ever they can. Disobedience is evident in the work place. People cheat on their jobs by doing as little as possible. Standards of obedience are established at home and many parents do not enforce them.
Children will not learn obedience in school or from their peers. Most often what they will learn from their peers will be disobedience. It takes a strong backbone for a child to withstand peer pressure in today’s world. The backbone we are talking about comes from a solid foundation of family values taught at home based on the Ten Commandments and the Bible.
Obedience needs to be an important standard in our lives and one we evaluate daily.
LEARNING:
Our memory verse this week is found in Proverbs 22:6.
“Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.”
PRAYER:
Thank You dear Lord that You were obedient to Your Father and came to the cross to pay the penalty for my sins. Help me to be obedient to You this day in all of my words and deeds. Help me to teach obedience to my children. May they learn first to be obedient to You and then to their family and friends. Give me the strength to serve You today in all that I do
OBEDIENCE
DEFINITION:
Being submissive to authority and willing to obey.
SCRIPTURE:
“He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.” Philippians 2:8
“Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.” Proverbs 22:6.
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
The first reference to obedience that we find in the Bible is the lack of obedience by Adam and Eve. They were told not to eat of “the tree of the knowledge of good and evil --- for in the day that you eat of it you surely shall die.” Satan, in the form of the serpent, tempted Adam and Eve and they gave in to the temptation and were not obedient.
Then in Geneses 12:1-4, we are told of the obedience of Abraham. The Lord said to Abraham to get out of his country and from his father’s house and family. God told him that if he obeyed He would make him a great nation and would bless him and make his name great and that all peoples on earth would be blessed through him. God also promised Abraham if he left his country that He would bless those that blessed him and curse them that cursed him. Abraham’s response was immediate and total obedience without compromise to the call of God.
Here are two examples for us to learn from today. Because Adam and Eve disobeyed God we are all sinners and must pay the penalty for our sins. Because Abraham obeyed God he was blessed with not only a son in his old age but a great nation --- Israel.
It was to the nation of Israel that God chose to send His Son, Jesus Christ. Jesus was sent into the world to pay the penalty for all the sins of everyone in the world fulfilling God’s promise that all peoples on earth would be blessed through Abraham.
What a contrast! The disobedience of Adam and Eve brought condemnation to all. The obedience of Abraham brought salvation to all. Disobedience brings consequences and obedience brings blessings and both disobedience and obedience affects others. Have you ever thought about how you act and what you do affects others?
Studies now show us that obedience is healthful. A famed children’s specialist was quoted as saying, “When it comes to a serious illness, the child who has been taught to obey stands four times the chance of recovery then the spoiled and undisciplined child does.”
When we obey God’s Word, we find that life is so much richer in ways we may not have expected. But most important is our response to the question: “Are we obedient to the will of our Heavenly Father?” Some day we will give an accounting of all we have done. What will your report be?
Teaching obedience to our children is difficult to say the least. We must always remember that we are born with a sinful nature into a sinful world because of the disobedience of Adam and Eve. When a parent says “NO” many things happen in the mind of a child. The child may be testing the parent to see if you will go further. What a child is doing is seeing really where his or her boundaries are and how far they may be stretched. A child also is watching for consistency and wants to know if the “No” is really a “No” or whether the parent will weaken and change his or her mind.
Parents also have a lot to learn about obedience in their own lives. Are you consistent with what you are doing in front of your children, spouse and family? When an adult talks about obedience through words or actions, everyone is watching for honesty, consistency and seriousness.
Disobedience is evident everywhere in our world today. Think about how often you see the traffic laws disobeyed. Lawmakers and government officials cheat on paying their taxes. People just try to get away with what-ever they can. Disobedience is evident in the work place. People cheat on their jobs by doing as little as possible. Standards of obedience are established at home and many parents do not enforce them.
Children will not learn obedience in school or from their peers. Most often what they will learn from their peers will be disobedience. It takes a strong backbone for a child to withstand peer pressure in today’s world. The backbone we are talking about comes from a solid foundation of family values taught at home based on the Ten Commandments and the Bible.
Obedience needs to be an important standard in our lives and one we evaluate daily.
LEARNING:
Our memory verse this week is found in Proverbs 22:6.
“Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.”
PRAYER:
Thank You dear Lord that You were obedient to Your Father and came to the cross to pay the penalty for my sins. Help me to be obedient to You this day in all of my words and deeds. Help me to teach obedience to my children. May they learn first to be obedient to You and then to their family and friends. Give me the strength to serve You today in all that I do
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