APRIL 29, 2011. TODAYS WORD FOR FRIDAY APRIL 29, 2011
OBEDIENCE
DEFINITION:
Being submissive to authority and willing to obey; compliance to orders or instructions.
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 verse from Proverbs (above) gives parents no option but to train their children in being obedient. It clearly states in this verse that we as parents must train our children in the ways of the Lord so that they will not depart from what they learned in this training when they get older.
Someone might challenge us when we say that parents have no option. Realistically a parent does have an option but if they want their child to live a God honoring and God fearing life, they have no option.
We can assure you from our experience that training our children in the way of the Lord does work. But as we have stated before, children learn obedience and so many other traits in life not just by the teaching they receive but also by what their teachers (parents) do and say. In other words we need to walk and talk as honoring to God or the teaching can become meaningless.
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.”
Jesus was an example to us concerning obedience. In the verse from Philippians (above), we read how Jesus was obedient to God even to His dying on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins.
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?”
In order for Abraham to be obedient to God’s will he had to be willing to give up what was dear to him. He had to walk away from his home and his friends. He had to step out of his comfort zone to receive greater blessings from God. Being obedient to God’s will may require that you have to make difficult changes in your life. 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 whatever 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 it is the responsibility of parents to set them and 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 Hebrews 13:8.
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
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 those in authority. Give me the strength to serve You today in all that I do.
May 1, 2011
Confidence: April 28, 2011
APRIL 28, 2011. TODAYS WORD FOR THURSDAY APRIL 28, 2011
CONFIDENCE
DEFINITION:
Sure of oneself and one’s abilities, correctness or likelihood of success; being sure of something without doubt, belief in the trustworthiness or reliability of someone or something.
SCRIPTURE:
“For the Lord will be your confidence and will keep your foot from being snared.” Proverbs 4:26
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
In today’s society it is very difficult for a person to be confident about anything or even anyone. One of the reasons for this is that in today’s society situations can change daily. For example a job that seemed secure two years ago can be lost overnight today. Homes are going into foreclosure at a very fast rate.
But even more important we are seeing families falling apart. That is why we said above that one cannot even be confident today about any one person.
The only way that a person can feel securely confident today is to have their confidence in the Lord and not in people and things. The verse from Proverbs (above) assures us that when we have confidence in the Lord, He will guide every step we take in life.
Today we continue to look at the Children of Israel as an example of our word, “confidence.”
God had enabled Israel to easily overcome the city of Jericho so Joshua set about to conquer the city of Ai. Ai was strategically located to provide a foothold in the central highlands for Israel and was the logical next step for Joshua to proceed to conquer the land that God had promised for them.
Joshua sent spies to Ai to check out the military strength of the city. The spies returned confident that the city of Ai could easily be taken by Israel. They advised Joshua that it would be so easy that they would not need their whole army. They said to Joshua, “Send two or three thousand men to take it and do not weary all the people, for only a few men are there.”
Joshua took their advice and sent three thousand men against Ai. To their surprise they were driven out by the men of Ai and thirty six of their men were killed.
Joshua and the elders of Israel had become too self-confident. How quickly they had forgotten that it was God who had given them the victory over Jericho. That was their first mistake. Secondly, they did not consult God about taking the city of Ai. They rushed head long into battle relying on their own strength. The third mistake was that they did not prepare themselves spiritually. They had already forgotten that before they undertook the battle of Jericho, God had required that they prepare themselves spiritually.
Joshua and the elders could not understand why they were so easily brought down by the men at Ai. They were so grieved over the loss that they tore their clothes in mourning and fell down on their faces and cried out to God asking what went wrong.
Most of us try to go about our daily routines confident in our own abilities to accomplish whatever we have to do. But for the most part it just does not work. We seldom seek God’s help. We turn to God only when, like Israel, we have been defeated and our problems are overwhelming. There is a better way and that is for us to begin every day by getting ourselves prepared spiritually for that day. Remember when you read the Bible; this is the way God speaks to you. When you pray; this is the way you speak to God. God wants us to put our confidence in Him and consult Him in all that we do, not only in our down and out times, but in our good times. Consulting God when everything is running along smoothly will keep us from bringing on problems for ourselves.
When was the last time you consulted God on anything? Now might be a good time to start. A little time spent consulting God can save us from mistakes that will be very costly to us.
There was a three year difference in age between two of our sons. Whatever the oldest did the youngest was confident he could do as well. The older one had been driving for a while. It looked easy enough so the younger son decided he wanted to try to drive a car. Unfortunately, he made the mistake of hitting the gas pedal when he wanted the brake. He sideswiped a tree putting a dent in the side of the car. It not only made an impression on the car but a deep impression on him. He was not as confident in his abilities and learned that preparation was important in gaining confidence in all that he did. In life we all learn by mistakes because we are over confident in ourselves.
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in Hebrews 13:8.
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
PRAYER:
Lord help me put my confidence in You and learn to consult You for the direction and guidance I need in my life in both the good times and the bad times. Forgive me for my mistakes and help me to learn from them. Help my children to see by the way I live my life that they should not rely on themselves but seek God’s help in all that they do.
CONFIDENCE
DEFINITION:
Sure of oneself and one’s abilities, correctness or likelihood of success; being sure of something without doubt, belief in the trustworthiness or reliability of someone or something.
SCRIPTURE:
“For the Lord will be your confidence and will keep your foot from being snared.” Proverbs 4:26
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
In today’s society it is very difficult for a person to be confident about anything or even anyone. One of the reasons for this is that in today’s society situations can change daily. For example a job that seemed secure two years ago can be lost overnight today. Homes are going into foreclosure at a very fast rate.
But even more important we are seeing families falling apart. That is why we said above that one cannot even be confident today about any one person.
The only way that a person can feel securely confident today is to have their confidence in the Lord and not in people and things. The verse from Proverbs (above) assures us that when we have confidence in the Lord, He will guide every step we take in life.
Today we continue to look at the Children of Israel as an example of our word, “confidence.”
God had enabled Israel to easily overcome the city of Jericho so Joshua set about to conquer the city of Ai. Ai was strategically located to provide a foothold in the central highlands for Israel and was the logical next step for Joshua to proceed to conquer the land that God had promised for them.
Joshua sent spies to Ai to check out the military strength of the city. The spies returned confident that the city of Ai could easily be taken by Israel. They advised Joshua that it would be so easy that they would not need their whole army. They said to Joshua, “Send two or three thousand men to take it and do not weary all the people, for only a few men are there.”
Joshua took their advice and sent three thousand men against Ai. To their surprise they were driven out by the men of Ai and thirty six of their men were killed.
Joshua and the elders of Israel had become too self-confident. How quickly they had forgotten that it was God who had given them the victory over Jericho. That was their first mistake. Secondly, they did not consult God about taking the city of Ai. They rushed head long into battle relying on their own strength. The third mistake was that they did not prepare themselves spiritually. They had already forgotten that before they undertook the battle of Jericho, God had required that they prepare themselves spiritually.
Joshua and the elders could not understand why they were so easily brought down by the men at Ai. They were so grieved over the loss that they tore their clothes in mourning and fell down on their faces and cried out to God asking what went wrong.
Most of us try to go about our daily routines confident in our own abilities to accomplish whatever we have to do. But for the most part it just does not work. We seldom seek God’s help. We turn to God only when, like Israel, we have been defeated and our problems are overwhelming. There is a better way and that is for us to begin every day by getting ourselves prepared spiritually for that day. Remember when you read the Bible; this is the way God speaks to you. When you pray; this is the way you speak to God. God wants us to put our confidence in Him and consult Him in all that we do, not only in our down and out times, but in our good times. Consulting God when everything is running along smoothly will keep us from bringing on problems for ourselves.
When was the last time you consulted God on anything? Now might be a good time to start. A little time spent consulting God can save us from mistakes that will be very costly to us.
There was a three year difference in age between two of our sons. Whatever the oldest did the youngest was confident he could do as well. The older one had been driving for a while. It looked easy enough so the younger son decided he wanted to try to drive a car. Unfortunately, he made the mistake of hitting the gas pedal when he wanted the brake. He sideswiped a tree putting a dent in the side of the car. It not only made an impression on the car but a deep impression on him. He was not as confident in his abilities and learned that preparation was important in gaining confidence in all that he did. In life we all learn by mistakes because we are over confident in ourselves.
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in Hebrews 13:8.
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
PRAYER:
Lord help me put my confidence in You and learn to consult You for the direction and guidance I need in my life in both the good times and the bad times. Forgive me for my mistakes and help me to learn from them. Help my children to see by the way I live my life that they should not rely on themselves but seek God’s help in all that they do.
Comply: April 27, 2111
APRIL 27, 2011. TODAYS WORD FOR WEDNESDAY APRIL 27, 2011
COMPLY
DEFINITION:
To act or be in accordance with requests, demands, requirements or conditions.
SCRIPTURE:
“The seventh time around, when the priests sounded the trumpet blast, Joshua commanded the people to ‘SHOUT’ for the Lord has given you the city.” Joshua 6:16.
“… when the people gave a loud shout, the wall collapsed; so every man charged straight in, and they took the city.” Joshua 6:20.
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
Again today we look at an example that God has given us in the scripture as to how He wants us to comply to His will. This example is again from the adventures of the Children of Israel. They are now in the Promised Land.
Israel had set up camp at Gilgal which was about two miles to the north of the city of Jericho. Jericho was so well fortified that the Canaanites were sure that their city was invincible. It was situated on a hill and surrounded by a double ring of walls. The outer wall was six feet thick and the inner wall was twelve feet thick. Nevertheless God had determined that Jericho would fall.
God sent a messenger to Joshua to tell him that God would deliver Jericho completely into Joshua’s hands. God gave very specific instructions that Joshua must order the Israelites to comply with if they were to have the victory. Joshua and his army were to march once around the city for six straight days. They were to be led by seven priests blowing trumpets made of ram’s horns who were then followed by the Ark of the Covenant. On the seventh day, they were to march around the city seven times and when Joshua gave the command all the people were to shout.
Joshua did everything just as God had instructed him and when all the people complied with the command to shout, the walls of the city collapsed and the Israelites were able to charge right into the city and take it.
The instructions given by God to Joshua were very unusual for a military conquest. When God directed that the Ark of the Covenant lead the soldiers, He wanted the Israelites to understand that He was in command and the outcome of the battle was dependent upon Him and not upon their military strength. By complying with God’s instruction the Israelites demonstrated their faith and trust in the Lord and their willingness to obey Him. In response to their faith and obedience God gave them the victory.
Obedience to God and compliance to His laws always bring blessings. In Deuteronomy 28:2 it reads: “All these blessings will come upon you and accompany you if you obey the Lord your God.” May we remind you that when you spend time reading the Bible and praying daily, God will make it clear to you His direction. You will probably not hear His voice but the still small voice within you will direct you.
All of our children were given assigned household chores which were to be completed before the end of the week. One of our children loved to put his chores off until the deadline was very close. Therefore he often had a hard time complying with the rules and meeting the deadline. One weekend he was invited to a friend’s house for dinner. Even though we had reminded him of his chores several times and that they were to be completed before he left, he took off without doing them.
Both of us were somewhat aggravated and we really had “had it” so to speak. We called the house where he was going and asked them to have him call us when he arrived. In no uncertain terms he was told to come home immediately to finish his chores. We told him on the telephone that once they were done he could return to his friend’s house. The embarrassment of having to return home accomplished what constant reminders had not. From that day on, he decided it was best for him to do the work early in the week and comply with the rules.
In life today we need to, as individuals and as parents with our families, learn to set rules and boundaries for ourselves daily based on the scriptures and then to force ourselves to comply with them. This will lead to a happy and united family.
One of the things we learned raising our children was the importance of setting rules and boundaries clearly and accurately before an issue could arise on that particular subject. We learned that when we set the rule up front, it was much easier for our child to understand the discipline that followed the breaking of the rule. We also learned the importance of reviewing the boundaries we had set from time to time mainly so our children would not maybe think we had forgotten them. When you set the boundaries up early in the lives of children they will normally learn much quicker the difference between right and wrong and will always know what it means to comply.
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in Hebrews 13:8.
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
PRAYER:
Help me to read Your Word daily so I can know Your commandments. Help me to obey and comply with Your laws so that You can bless me. Give me wisdom and direction in leading my children to want to trust You and obey You.
COMPLY
DEFINITION:
To act or be in accordance with requests, demands, requirements or conditions.
SCRIPTURE:
“The seventh time around, when the priests sounded the trumpet blast, Joshua commanded the people to ‘SHOUT’ for the Lord has given you the city.” Joshua 6:16.
“… when the people gave a loud shout, the wall collapsed; so every man charged straight in, and they took the city.” Joshua 6:20.
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
Again today we look at an example that God has given us in the scripture as to how He wants us to comply to His will. This example is again from the adventures of the Children of Israel. They are now in the Promised Land.
Israel had set up camp at Gilgal which was about two miles to the north of the city of Jericho. Jericho was so well fortified that the Canaanites were sure that their city was invincible. It was situated on a hill and surrounded by a double ring of walls. The outer wall was six feet thick and the inner wall was twelve feet thick. Nevertheless God had determined that Jericho would fall.
God sent a messenger to Joshua to tell him that God would deliver Jericho completely into Joshua’s hands. God gave very specific instructions that Joshua must order the Israelites to comply with if they were to have the victory. Joshua and his army were to march once around the city for six straight days. They were to be led by seven priests blowing trumpets made of ram’s horns who were then followed by the Ark of the Covenant. On the seventh day, they were to march around the city seven times and when Joshua gave the command all the people were to shout.
Joshua did everything just as God had instructed him and when all the people complied with the command to shout, the walls of the city collapsed and the Israelites were able to charge right into the city and take it.
The instructions given by God to Joshua were very unusual for a military conquest. When God directed that the Ark of the Covenant lead the soldiers, He wanted the Israelites to understand that He was in command and the outcome of the battle was dependent upon Him and not upon their military strength. By complying with God’s instruction the Israelites demonstrated their faith and trust in the Lord and their willingness to obey Him. In response to their faith and obedience God gave them the victory.
Obedience to God and compliance to His laws always bring blessings. In Deuteronomy 28:2 it reads: “All these blessings will come upon you and accompany you if you obey the Lord your God.” May we remind you that when you spend time reading the Bible and praying daily, God will make it clear to you His direction. You will probably not hear His voice but the still small voice within you will direct you.
All of our children were given assigned household chores which were to be completed before the end of the week. One of our children loved to put his chores off until the deadline was very close. Therefore he often had a hard time complying with the rules and meeting the deadline. One weekend he was invited to a friend’s house for dinner. Even though we had reminded him of his chores several times and that they were to be completed before he left, he took off without doing them.
Both of us were somewhat aggravated and we really had “had it” so to speak. We called the house where he was going and asked them to have him call us when he arrived. In no uncertain terms he was told to come home immediately to finish his chores. We told him on the telephone that once they were done he could return to his friend’s house. The embarrassment of having to return home accomplished what constant reminders had not. From that day on, he decided it was best for him to do the work early in the week and comply with the rules.
In life today we need to, as individuals and as parents with our families, learn to set rules and boundaries for ourselves daily based on the scriptures and then to force ourselves to comply with them. This will lead to a happy and united family.
One of the things we learned raising our children was the importance of setting rules and boundaries clearly and accurately before an issue could arise on that particular subject. We learned that when we set the rule up front, it was much easier for our child to understand the discipline that followed the breaking of the rule. We also learned the importance of reviewing the boundaries we had set from time to time mainly so our children would not maybe think we had forgotten them. When you set the boundaries up early in the lives of children they will normally learn much quicker the difference between right and wrong and will always know what it means to comply.
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in Hebrews 13:8.
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
PRAYER:
Help me to read Your Word daily so I can know Your commandments. Help me to obey and comply with Your laws so that You can bless me. Give me wisdom and direction in leading my children to want to trust You and obey You.
Prepare: April 26, 2011
APRIL 26, 2011. TODAYS WORD FOR TUESDAY APRIL 26, 2011
PREPARE
DEFINITION:
To put in proper condition or readiness
SCRIPTURE:
“Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed.” II Timothy 2:15
“He will be an instrument for noble purposes, made holy useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work.” I Timothy 2:21
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
We were proud of our children because it seemed to us that each child picked up and learned the trait of being prepared in most areas of their lives. They saw the importance of being prepared every day with their homework that they brought home from school. They always were prepared for their sporting events. Their competitive natures seemed to drive them to be prepared in most areas of their lives.
We also noticed that every week they would memorize our family scripture verse. They knew that at the end of the week we would have each one recite the verse and they all were prepared and recited it well.
The scriptures give us many examples of the preparation that God required of His children. We will discuss one of these examples today.
After God had miraculously parted the Jordan River so the Children of Israel could enter Canaan, the Israelites were anxious to conquer the surrounding nations so that they could occupy the land God had promised them. God however said “Time out --- not so fast!” God did not want them to rush into Canaan without being prepared.
The first thing God had them do in preparation was to set up the memorial of twelve stones. God had them do this to remind them that it was God who was leading them and they were serving a God of might and power.
The second thing that God asked the Israelites to do was to circumcise every male. When God made His covenant (promise) with Abraham that He would make him the father of a great nation, God established that circumcision would be a symbol of cutting off the old life and beginning a new life with God. This was a sign of belonging to God.
The third thing that God required them to do was to celebrate the Passover which was a celebration of the night in Egypt that the angel of death passed over the Israelites homes sparing the lives of their first born. God wanted them to remember the mighty miracles of God that He had done in bringing them out of Egypt to the Promised Land.
There was special significance to these three steps of preparation that God asked the Children of Israel to do. He wanted to establish the importance of worshipping Him. They were to trust God and in Him alone!
They were to serve God and no other gods because they were His chosen people. They were set apart from the rest of the world and belonged to God.
They were to recognize that God is faithful and fulfills His promises thus He is the one that should receive the glory.
Just as God wanted the Israelites to take time out and prepare for the challenges that were before them, God wants us to take time out to prepare each day for the challenges we will face in life. Taking time for God each day is just as important today as it was in the days of Joshua.
We coached the soccer and baseball teams that several of our children were playing on. In order to be adept in the game we required the team to practice on a regular basis each week so that they as a team would be prepared for the game on Saturday. Our teams always did well and that was because they came to each game ready and prepared. Each one knew their role and the importance of team work. They knew what to do and how to do it before the start of the game.
Take a moment right now and make sure you have taken time with God today to be prepared for what you will face this day. When you do, God will be with you through every moment of your day.
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in Hebrews 13:8.
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
PRAYER:
Lord keep me faithful each day so that I take “time out” to spend time reading Your Word and in prayer. Encourage me so that I will know that this will prepare me for the challenges I will face each day. Guide me as I teach and prepare my children so that they may stand strong in these times of great temptation. Help me to get them ready for the “game of life” so that they may be victorious.
PREPARE
DEFINITION:
To put in proper condition or readiness
SCRIPTURE:
“Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed.” II Timothy 2:15
“He will be an instrument for noble purposes, made holy useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work.” I Timothy 2:21
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
We were proud of our children because it seemed to us that each child picked up and learned the trait of being prepared in most areas of their lives. They saw the importance of being prepared every day with their homework that they brought home from school. They always were prepared for their sporting events. Their competitive natures seemed to drive them to be prepared in most areas of their lives.
We also noticed that every week they would memorize our family scripture verse. They knew that at the end of the week we would have each one recite the verse and they all were prepared and recited it well.
The scriptures give us many examples of the preparation that God required of His children. We will discuss one of these examples today.
After God had miraculously parted the Jordan River so the Children of Israel could enter Canaan, the Israelites were anxious to conquer the surrounding nations so that they could occupy the land God had promised them. God however said “Time out --- not so fast!” God did not want them to rush into Canaan without being prepared.
The first thing God had them do in preparation was to set up the memorial of twelve stones. God had them do this to remind them that it was God who was leading them and they were serving a God of might and power.
The second thing that God asked the Israelites to do was to circumcise every male. When God made His covenant (promise) with Abraham that He would make him the father of a great nation, God established that circumcision would be a symbol of cutting off the old life and beginning a new life with God. This was a sign of belonging to God.
The third thing that God required them to do was to celebrate the Passover which was a celebration of the night in Egypt that the angel of death passed over the Israelites homes sparing the lives of their first born. God wanted them to remember the mighty miracles of God that He had done in bringing them out of Egypt to the Promised Land.
There was special significance to these three steps of preparation that God asked the Children of Israel to do. He wanted to establish the importance of worshipping Him. They were to trust God and in Him alone!
They were to serve God and no other gods because they were His chosen people. They were set apart from the rest of the world and belonged to God.
They were to recognize that God is faithful and fulfills His promises thus He is the one that should receive the glory.
Just as God wanted the Israelites to take time out and prepare for the challenges that were before them, God wants us to take time out to prepare each day for the challenges we will face in life. Taking time for God each day is just as important today as it was in the days of Joshua.
We coached the soccer and baseball teams that several of our children were playing on. In order to be adept in the game we required the team to practice on a regular basis each week so that they as a team would be prepared for the game on Saturday. Our teams always did well and that was because they came to each game ready and prepared. Each one knew their role and the importance of team work. They knew what to do and how to do it before the start of the game.
Take a moment right now and make sure you have taken time with God today to be prepared for what you will face this day. When you do, God will be with you through every moment of your day.
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in Hebrews 13:8.
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
PRAYER:
Lord keep me faithful each day so that I take “time out” to spend time reading Your Word and in prayer. Encourage me so that I will know that this will prepare me for the challenges I will face each day. Guide me as I teach and prepare my children so that they may stand strong in these times of great temptation. Help me to get them ready for the “game of life” so that they may be victorious.
Influence: April 25, 2011
APRIL 25, 2011. TODAYS WORD FOR MONDAY APRIL 25, 2011
INFLUENCE
DEFINITION:
The capacity or power of persons or things to produce effects on others by intangible or indirect means.
SCRIPTURE:
“Do all things without complaining and disputing, that you may become blameless and pure children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world.” Philippians 2:14-15.
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
We began training our children when they were very young concerning both good and bad influences that they would run into in life. We often discussed the influence that peers would have on their lives. We encouraged our children when they ran into negative influences to reverse the trait and offer a positive substitute so that they would be a positive influence on their peers.
As they grew older we often discussed the influences that so called “role models” have on lives including theirs. We set up general boundaries for our children when they were young and we could see as they got older how these boundaries helped govern our children’s decision making.
It was very important to us to always let our children make choices. We would compliment them on good choices and caution them when we were concerned about a choice.
As the scripture says, we are living in a crooked and perverse generation. This is why our Christ-like influence on people is more vital than ever. In the verse above, Paul is telling the church at Philippi that they must shine as lights in the world. This is what we need to communicate to our children today. The stronger they are spiritually, the brighter their light will shine.
As parents we must train our children daily in the ways of the Lord. We need to start training them at an early age telling and showing them that as Christians they will stand alone many times in life because of their faith. The training they receive when they are young will go a long way in helping them to stay true to their faith in later years.
Children and adults have many influences on their lives today. Some of these are good and some bad. For just one example, it is hard to overestimate the ungodly influence questionable literature has upon an individual. Several murderers have said in prison that reading just one vicious romance book led them into crime.
England’s John Angeli, (some have referred to him as being one of England’s most honest men) said when he was getting quite old, that he never got over the evil effects of having to read in school a bad book for just fifteen minutes.
Today it is the media that has the greatest impact upon our society. Think about how the myriad of electronic devises available today has brought all sorts of evil influence right into the home. With the use of earphones it is very difficult for parents to really know what their children are listening to.
Hour after hour and day after day we are bombarded with objectionable material in the press, on television and radio and on the internet that can scarcely even be described. This kind of influence on our children and their parents undermines their moral values and sense of what is right and what is wrong. Because of this bombardment of negative, satanic influences, it is no wonder we live in an “anything goes society.” Is it any wonder that our families are dysfunctional and our world is wracked by insoluble problems?
What kind of evil influences are impacting your family each day? Have you evaluated what both you and your children watch, hear, and see on the television, the radio, computers, I-pods, internet, conversations and even the actions and deeds around your home or from your neighbors? As parents are you setting boundaries for your children and yourself?
What kind of influences is your family facing at school, at the work place or with friends? Are you aware of whom your children spend time with each day and what kind of activities they are involved in? Again we ask, “Are boundaries being set?” You need to eliminate the evil influences in your life and seek out positive influences. By doing this you will set a standard and example for your family. To begin on a positive note, read the Bible daily alone and with the family. Also then pray daily alone and with the family. Turn off the television if you have any concerns on the content. Watch carefully what your children are doing on the computer and their cell phones and IPods.
The apostle Paul advises us that we should quit arguing and complaining. Arguing and complaining among family members causes dissention and destroys the unity of the family. If your family is serving the Lord, He will be a unifying influence and enable you to live peaceably and in harmony.
Remember --- a family that eats dinner together, talks and listens together and reads the Bible and prays together will be putting positive values in their lives that will enable them to overcome the evil influences that they face. As you train your family to live lives that honor God, each of you will shine as bright lights in this dark and corrupt world.
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in Hebrews 13:8.
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
PRAYER:
Help me and my family to look to You for strength daily so we can turn away from evil influences in our lives. Give us the strength to cling to You and Your Word. Help us to live our lives honoring You so that we are a positive influence on those around us.
INFLUENCE
DEFINITION:
The capacity or power of persons or things to produce effects on others by intangible or indirect means.
SCRIPTURE:
“Do all things without complaining and disputing, that you may become blameless and pure children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world.” Philippians 2:14-15.
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
We began training our children when they were very young concerning both good and bad influences that they would run into in life. We often discussed the influence that peers would have on their lives. We encouraged our children when they ran into negative influences to reverse the trait and offer a positive substitute so that they would be a positive influence on their peers.
As they grew older we often discussed the influences that so called “role models” have on lives including theirs. We set up general boundaries for our children when they were young and we could see as they got older how these boundaries helped govern our children’s decision making.
It was very important to us to always let our children make choices. We would compliment them on good choices and caution them when we were concerned about a choice.
As the scripture says, we are living in a crooked and perverse generation. This is why our Christ-like influence on people is more vital than ever. In the verse above, Paul is telling the church at Philippi that they must shine as lights in the world. This is what we need to communicate to our children today. The stronger they are spiritually, the brighter their light will shine.
As parents we must train our children daily in the ways of the Lord. We need to start training them at an early age telling and showing them that as Christians they will stand alone many times in life because of their faith. The training they receive when they are young will go a long way in helping them to stay true to their faith in later years.
Children and adults have many influences on their lives today. Some of these are good and some bad. For just one example, it is hard to overestimate the ungodly influence questionable literature has upon an individual. Several murderers have said in prison that reading just one vicious romance book led them into crime.
England’s John Angeli, (some have referred to him as being one of England’s most honest men) said when he was getting quite old, that he never got over the evil effects of having to read in school a bad book for just fifteen minutes.
Today it is the media that has the greatest impact upon our society. Think about how the myriad of electronic devises available today has brought all sorts of evil influence right into the home. With the use of earphones it is very difficult for parents to really know what their children are listening to.
Hour after hour and day after day we are bombarded with objectionable material in the press, on television and radio and on the internet that can scarcely even be described. This kind of influence on our children and their parents undermines their moral values and sense of what is right and what is wrong. Because of this bombardment of negative, satanic influences, it is no wonder we live in an “anything goes society.” Is it any wonder that our families are dysfunctional and our world is wracked by insoluble problems?
What kind of evil influences are impacting your family each day? Have you evaluated what both you and your children watch, hear, and see on the television, the radio, computers, I-pods, internet, conversations and even the actions and deeds around your home or from your neighbors? As parents are you setting boundaries for your children and yourself?
What kind of influences is your family facing at school, at the work place or with friends? Are you aware of whom your children spend time with each day and what kind of activities they are involved in? Again we ask, “Are boundaries being set?” You need to eliminate the evil influences in your life and seek out positive influences. By doing this you will set a standard and example for your family. To begin on a positive note, read the Bible daily alone and with the family. Also then pray daily alone and with the family. Turn off the television if you have any concerns on the content. Watch carefully what your children are doing on the computer and their cell phones and IPods.
The apostle Paul advises us that we should quit arguing and complaining. Arguing and complaining among family members causes dissention and destroys the unity of the family. If your family is serving the Lord, He will be a unifying influence and enable you to live peaceably and in harmony.
Remember --- a family that eats dinner together, talks and listens together and reads the Bible and prays together will be putting positive values in their lives that will enable them to overcome the evil influences that they face. As you train your family to live lives that honor God, each of you will shine as bright lights in this dark and corrupt world.
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in Hebrews 13:8.
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
PRAYER:
Help me and my family to look to You for strength daily so we can turn away from evil influences in our lives. Give us the strength to cling to You and Your Word. Help us to live our lives honoring You so that we are a positive influence on those around us.
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