Gratitude is being thankful to God and to others for the good things I have been given. Prayer for gratitude: O Lord, I ask that you would give me a grateful heart. Too often i accept your blessings as if I deserve them, and complain about what I don’t have. You have given the greatest gift of all – Jesus Christ. Please help me to be truly grateful. In Jesus name, Amen. Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. I Thessalonians 5:18 From Get Wisdom! by Ruth Younts. Before teaching these things to your children it would be good to consider if you can pray the prayer above with a sincere heart. […]
Parenting
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The Bible says love does not keep a record of wrongs. Yet, a parent cannot deny the reality that her child failed to come when called 6 times in an afternoon. Does this mean the mother was wrong to keep count? Yes and no. Yes, if all she does is repeat to her daughter the number of times she disobeyed. No, if she realizes that the significance of repeated sins is that her child should be repeatedly confronted with her need of the gospel. When sin happens, the commendation of the gospel is always appropriate. The gospel is not so much the repetition of the four spiritual laws, as it is the constant reminder that Jesus Christ died […]
Some 3,600 years ago, Moses delivered his final thoughts to the people of Israel. Among them were these words: “This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the Lord is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.” Each day you have a choice, you can follow the path of death or follow the path of life. Sound dramatic? […]
There are times when our children’s sin really catches us by surprise. In our shock we ask how could he to do that; where did that come from? The hard truth is that your child began life as an enemy of God. He (or she) was an unregenerate, sinful, rebellious enemy of God. Do you believe this? If you do, you can have great hope and peace about your child and his relationship to God. If you don’t believe this, then you will have no reason to tell your child what he needs to know to become God’s friend. Paul teaches in Romans that all have sinned and come short of God’s glory (Romans 3:23) and that there […]
By Tedd & Margy Tripp Because the problem of sin is deeper than the wrong things we do and say, sin problems can only be solved by grace. Since our problem is internal, sin cannot be remedied by “getting one’s act together.” Only grace can bring radical heart transformation. When the heart receives appropriate attention, children will not be able to escape how profoundly they need grace. If they see that their problem is bigger than behavior, they are delivered from superficial views of the Christian life. Our children’s needs are the same as our needs. We need the heart transplant surgery that is promised in the grace of the new covenant, “I will sprinkle clean water on you, […]
Giving to honor God is not necessarily the same as giving to make your child happy. In fact, the two goals may be in opposition to each other! The ultimate example of giving to glorify God is Jesus Christ. Christ’s gift was selfless, pure and holy. Let’s take a look at each of these three qualities. While we can never match these qualities in our own gift giving, nonetheless, they are the standard. Selfless From a human perspective there was nothing in what Christ did that was a benefit to him. His joy was in doing what the Father wanted. He did not give selfishly, to get something back. One trap in gift giving is the expectation of appreciation. You […]
The holiday season presents a challenge for parents. As the message that man needs a savior fades, the bustle of the season increases. Even when the holidays are kept in a biblical perspective, they can take a toll on families. One of the first casualties of the season is time. One event blurs into another. Shopping becomes an ordeal. The ones who are affected the most by this hectic schedule are the very ones the season is supposedly all about – the children. When things are busy, the questions and concerns of children often lose importance. They are admonished to be patient and quiet because there is a lot to do. So their questions blend into the background noise of […]
The middle years of 5 to 12 are years of transition. One aspect of this transition is preparing for war. Parent, you are the active combatant as you protect your 5 year old. But when he turns 12 he must be ready to fight spiritual battles without always having your oversight. We are often shocked at seeing young children carrying weapons and being in the middle of gun battles in other parts of the world. But this uncomfortable picture is much more fitting for our children than we care to admit. Developing character in your children is preparing them for a war that is real and even more deadly than the ones we cringe at seeing on the nightly news. […]
Parents often ask how can they make God real to their toddlers. Living Deuteronomy 6:5-7 is a start. This passage provides a mandate to talk to all of your children about God all the time. The common emphasis given to this passage focuses on the beginning of verse seven: “Impress them on your children.” or “teach them diligently.” But verse seven is the outcome of the directions from verses five and six. These words urge that God is to be loved so passionately that his commands will be on the hearts of his people. Once this heart infusion of the love of God takes place the result will be that the love for God’s commands will overflow from the mouth […]
One of our readers asked the following question: “Any thoughts on what a mother can do when the son is trapped in porn and the father is reacting the exact same way as your “what not to do” example? I know my son needs a man to shepherd him through this, and I want so badly for his father to be that man. But my husband refuses to “see” the need to shepherd his son in this way, and I’m feeling helpless between trying to be respectful/honoring of my husband but proactive in helping my son.” Here is the excerpt from the post that the mom is referencing: “You just confirmed that your fifteen-year-old son, Justin, has […]