Family Fun

Proverbs 22:6 (ESV)

Train up a child in the way he should go;

    even when he is old he will not depart from it.

Our daily lives are full of distractions and pressures: paying bills, running errands, driving the kids to practice. The enemy would love nothing more than for us to go into survival mode and live in a constant state of frantic busyness. When you only focus on the earthly concerns, stress inevitably creeps in, and stress can cause conflict. So how do we stop letting today’s worries steal tomorrow’s joy and begin to see God’s plan for our lives?

Listening.

Allow God to reveal answers to you. When God speaks to you, it’s up to you to listen and obey His Word. Financial worries, work issues, and overly busy schedules will add pressure to your family, creating cracks in your foundation. When this happens, we get off the path God wants us to follow. You can change your course by making God and family your top priorities!

Switch from surviving to thriving.

At least once a week, put everything else aside and focus on your family. Go for a walk together. Pop some popcorn and watch a movie. Play a board game, even if your kids complain that it’s not as fun as their smartphones! Just as Jesus was the Good Shepherd for us, so too we must do our part to shepherd our children and be an example of love to them.

Dear Lord, we thank You for our family. We pray that we would take the time to focus on them and spend time with them. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

Hosanna youth choir

Matthew 21:15-16 (ESV)

15 But when the chief priests and the scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying out in the temple, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” they were indignant, 16 and they said to him, “Do you hear what these are saying?” And Jesus said to them, “Yes; have you never read,

“‘Out of the mouth of infants and nursing babies

    you have prepared praise’?”

Jesus’ disciples had a problem with Jesus’ child followers, and ironically so did his enemies. The crowds of people who welcomed King Jesus to Jerusalem, his royal capital, on Palm Sunday with their palms and psalms had set up a rhythmic Hebrew chant: ba-RUCH ha-BA’ b’SHEM adoNAI. “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna to the Son of David!” (Psalm 118:25,26). Hosanna means “Save us now!” The kids loved it. All the rest of that day and into Monday they played with the leftover palms and kept the “Hosanna” chant going.

Jesus’ enemies hated it: “When the chief priests and the teachers of the law saw the wonderful things he did and the children shouting in the temple courts, ‘Hosanna to the Son of David,’ they were indignant. ‘Do you hear what these children are saying?’ they asked him. ‘Yes,’ replied Jesus, ‘have you never read, “From the lips of children and infants you, Lord, have called forth your praise”?’” (Matthew 21:15,16).

Isn’t it ironic that these kids figured out deep spiritual truths that the religious professionals could not see? They were applying Psalm 118’s messianic prophecy to the humble man riding on his little donkey and giving him worship and praise that belonged only to Israel’s king. This Hosanna choir, these child champions, were giving the Lord the praise, he deserved.

Dear Lord, help us to hear children’s voices praying and singing in our church. Help us to take the time to listen and encourage. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

Jesus’ little friend

Matthew 18:2-4  (ESV)

2 And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them 3 and said, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

Jesus’ disciples on occasion were a little too full of themselves. Jesus was a child magnet—they loved his tone and presence—but the disciples viewed the children as a nuisance and tried to shoo them away. They thought that discussing the faith was grown-up business.

Jesus saw children as his champions: “He called a little child to him, and placed the child among them. And he said: ‘Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven’” (Mathew 18:2-4).

Jesus praised child-faith for two powerful reasons: 1) its simplicity. Children haven’t yet learned all the scientific reasons why the Christian faith is unbelievable. They don’t stall and argue. They just accept it. 2) its humility. Children are used to being marginalized and ignored by adults, and so they don’t think too highly of themselves. Jesus’ tone was sharp with his disciples. Not only could children have saving faith, but their faith was to be a model for adults. In fact—outrageous concept—without childlike faith it is impossible to enter the kingdom! Not only do children bring value to God through their service; their humble posture is to be a model for big people.

Does Jesus have any child champions in your life who can inspire and guide your mind-set?

Dear Lord, thank You for those little champions that You have placed in our life. Help us to take the time to nurture them and help mold them into the Young men or women You have planned for them. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

Josiah, the boy king

2 Chronicles 34:1 (ESV)

Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned thirty-one years in Jerusalem.

Was there ever a child champion like Josiah, who became king of Judah as a second grader? His father, an evil man, was assassinated after a short two-year reign, and suddenly Josiah’s little head had to bear the weight of a big crown: “Josiah was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem thirty-one years” (2 Chronicles 34:1).

This little guy had no normal childhood. He had to grow up terribly fast. And though he obviously had advisors and personal tutors, his youth did not hold him back from a reign of enormous and positive impact on God’s people. At the age of high school sophomores, he began a serious quest to learn about the God of Israel. At an age when American college students are drinking a lot of beer, Josiah led a huge spiritual reformation in the country, tearing down the shrines and altars of Baal and Asherah that had been corrupting the Israelites for centuries. And at age 26 he led a capital campaign to rebuild the temple of the Lord, which had fallen into sad disrepair.

King Josiah’s personal leadership, authority, and example brought about spiritual renewal throughout Israel, brought God’s protection and blessings, and undoubtedly extended the time of Israel’s independence. He was the last good king; the evil of his four short-lived successors brought about Israel’s collapse.

Keep your eyes peeled for the talent that God has loaded into his child champions in your world.

Dear Lord, we thank You for the children in our life. Help us to remember to lift them up in our prayers so that they may become the people You would have for them to be. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

Little Samuel

1 Samuel 1:21-22 (ESV)

21 The man Elkanah and all his house went up to offer to the Lord the yearly sacrifice and to pay his vow. 22 But Hannah did not go up, for she said to her husband, “As soon as the child is weaned, I will bring him, so that he may appear in the presence of the Lord and dwell there forever.”

A woman named Hannah, living in the tribal territory of Ephraim in the 11th century b.c., had a tough life. Not only was she unable to have a child; she was part of a polygamous marriage, and her rival wife had many sons and daughters and taunted poor Hannah cruelly because of it. Hannah prayed repeatedly for a child and nothing happened.

But then—her miracle. She bore a son, a gift from God, and she named him “Sh’mu-El,” Samuel, which means “heard by God.” Whereupon she decided to do the most amazing thing, so great was her overwhelming gratitude to God: “When her husband Elkanah went up with all his family to offer the annual sacrifice to the Lord and to fulfill his vow, Hannah did not go. She said to her husband, ‘After the boy is weaned, I will take him and present him before the Lord, and he will live there always’”.

Astonishing! She took her little miracle boy to the town of Shiloh, current location of the ark of the covenant and altar of sacrifice to the Lord, and placed him into the care of Eli, the high priest. What a sacrifice! Even more amazing is the child champion who made the best of his new home. What a brave little man! Do you suppose he ever cried, “I want my mom!”?

Samuel grew up to be one of the greatest prophets in Israel’s history.

Dear Lord, help us to be like Hannah and see our children as gifts from You. Help us to teach them to love and serve You. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

Naaman’s servant girl

2 Kings 5:2-3 (ESV)

2 Now the Syrians on one of their raids had carried off a little girl from the land of Israel, and she worked in the service of Naaman's wife. 3 She said to her mistress, “Would that my lord were with the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy.”

The Bible’s main characters are almost all adults. Almost. But there are some amazing children in the narrative of God’s plan of salvation. One of them is a little Israelite girl (name, alas, unknown) who had been taken captive by raiders from Aram (Syria). What of her parents? Were they killed? captives also? safe back home grieving over their lost daughter? We are not told.

What kind of mind-set would you expect the girl to have? Brooding over the injustice of her forced servitude? Seeking to sabotage operations in a military household? Crafting plans for an escape as soon as the opportunity presented itself? Plotting to assassinate the Syrian general as an act of patriotism? None of the above. Hearing that her master was plagued with leprosy, she offered information to help him: “Now bands of raiders from Aram had gone out and had taken captive a young girl from Israel, and she served Naaman’s wife. She said to her mistress, ‘If only my master would see the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy’” (2 Kings 5:2,3).

It could not have gone better for General Naaman the Leper. He met the great Israelite prophet Elisha, who put him in touch with Israel’s God. He was healed completely, and in gratitude he exclaimed, “Now I know that there is no God in all the world except in Israel” (verse 15).

Amazing! Never say, “Only a child.”

Dear Lord, we thank You for the children. Help us to look at the children around us with Your eyes. Help us to take the time to nurture them and bring their potential out. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

A legacy of character and faith

Joshua 4:21-22 (ESV)

21 And he said to the people of Israel, “When your children ask their fathers in times to come, ‘What do these stones mean?’ 22 then you shall let your children know, ‘Israel passed over this Jordan on dry ground.’

Ruth Bell Graham was raised in China where her parents were medical missionaries. During this time, the Chinese people resented all foreigners, calling them “foreign devils.” It was common for Ruth to hear of Chinese Christians and missionaries laying their lives down as martyrs for their faith.

In spite of the chaos around them, singing and laughter was often heard coming out of the Bell home. Ruth learned from her parents’ example of prayer and Bible study. Ruth’s parents had the priority to heal souls and bodies of the Chinese, but little did they know, they were helping shape a little girl to become a great woman of God. Their faithful service to their Savior was impacting their daughter. They were leaving a legacy.

In 1937, shortly after Shanghai fell to the Japanese, Ruth said goodbye to her family and left China for Wheaton College. A few months later, she accepted a date with a young man named Billy. After that first date she prayed, “Lord, if You’d let me serve You with that man, I’d consider it the greatest privilege of my life.” The Grahams went on to have perhaps the most well-known evangelistic ministry—Billy to the masses and Ruth to the individual. Their deepest core desire was for people to come to know Christ in a personal way.

The couple had five children. Billy was often traveling for months at a time, so Ruth put her heart into raising their children. Her children watched their father reach the masses and their mother love people—one by one—into God’s family.

Billy summed up her passion well:

"The greatest legacy one can pass on to one's children and grandchildren is not money or other material things accumulated in one's life, but rather a legacy of character and faith.”

We see the Israelites crossing the Jordan after 40 years in the wilderness. God rolled back the water and they walked across. What a poignant moment! The barren wilderness behind them and a new chapter before them. God gave specific instructions to bring 12 stones from the middle of the Jordan. Following God’s instructions, they piled them as a sign, a monument, of the miracle God had done. In the future, when the children asked, “What do these stones mean?” they could share the legacy.

What legacy are you leaving your children? How will your children remember you? Will it be a legacy of character and faith—a legacy that shares of God’s goodness?

Dear Lord, we pray that we would leave a legacy for our children. Help us to do the things that would bring honor to You. In the Name of Jesus, Amen. 

Mr. Rogers’ Hero

1 John 3:11 (ESV)

For this is the message that you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.

Most of us remember that kind-hearted, gentle, soft-spoken man who invited us into his neighborhood each day. Suddenly, we weren’t sitting in our living room watching TV. We were transported to his world where we were surrounded by puppets, trains and kindness. We learned that kids matter and are worthy of love and acceptance. We learned about anger, trust, courage and sadness. Rogers, an ordained minister, used media to teach kids about morals.

Motivated by the way television addressed children, Mr. Rogers set out to change how people viewed children. Over 3 decades, he became an icon to some and a friend to millions.

Behind the cardigan was a message that is encapsulated with this quote by Fred Rogers,

“Anyone who does anything to help a child is a hero to me."

We learn the importance of love in our families and relationships. The early church was a great example of this sacrificial love. They met together and immediately started meeting needs. They even sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need (Acts 2:44-45). It was an example of love in action.

When we show loyal love and kindness to our kids, they notice. We are teaching them how to be kind to others. Proverbs 3:3 says, “Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart.”

Our children are watching and they notice whether we love others—in words and actions! Jesus is the prime example of this kindness. In love, He laid down His life for us. While we were sinners and completely undeserving of mercy, Jesus died for us. As our passage today points out, He calls us to be sacrificial toward our brothers and sisters in need. That is how God’s love is shown to others—in actions and truth!

Dear Lord, help us to love the children. Help us to find ways that we can love them and show them Your love. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

Reflections of Dwight L. Moody

Deuteronomy 11:19 (ESV)

You shall teach them to your children, talking of them when you are sitting in your house, and when you are walking by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.

As a graduate of Moody Bible Institute I always love reading stories of Dwight L. Moody who was one of the great evangelists of the nineteenth century. His father died when Dwight was only 4 years old, leaving his mother to raise 9 children who were under the age of 13. With only a fifth-grade education, Moody moved to Boston at the age of 17 with the goal of making a lot of money. Shortly after his move, he found faith in Jesus Christ and came to the realization that his goal of making money may not be honoring to God. He spent the rest of his life in various evangelistic and discipleship causes, becoming one of the more effective evangelists of all time. It is thought that he presented the gospel to over 100 million people.

Moody surprised many be saying:

"If I could relive my life, I would devote my entire ministry to reaching children for God!"

Even after all his countless accomplishments, how can the evangelist have said that he would throw all that away to devote it to reaching children for God. In fact, many have reported that Moody came back from a revival and reported that 2 ½ people were saved. His listener responded, “You mean two adults and one child?” Moody responded, “No, two children and one adult. When you save a child, you save a life—a whole life.”

Perhaps Moody knew that people are most open to the gospel when they are children. They absorb biblical information easily and they are moldable. They are formulating their perceptions of God, the world, and people. In general, they have longer to live and impact others for Christ.

God’s instructions to the Jewish people were clear. He wanted them to teach His commands to their children and reiterate those teachings often—when they sat at home, when they walked along the road, when they lay down, and then they got up. Each event of the day could be used to teach God’s principles to a child.

The children in your sphere of influence will only be children for a short time. Will God use you to change the spiritual course of their lives?

Dear Lord, we pray for wisdom today so that we may know how to reach the children. Give us the words that will touch their life for You. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

Let’s build strong children.

Proverbs 22:6  (ESV)

Train up a child in the way he should go;

    even when he is old he will not depart from it.

At 13-years of age, slave Frederick Douglass longed for someone to confide in; he longed for a father and protector. A pastor encouraged him to cry out to God because He would always be such a friend. The pastor explained about sin and repentance and how to be reconciled to God. As a result, Frederick cast all his cares on God and accepted God’s gift of salvation. He suddenly saw his world in a new light. He began to love all men, including slaveholders, though he abhorred slavery more than ever. His desire to learn increased, especially when it came to the Bible.

He began to teach himself how to read and write and he passed his knowledge on to other slaves by teaching them how to read the New Testament. More than 40 slaves would attend his weekly instruction. Eventually, the study was discovered by the slaveowners, who violently forced the slaves to stop.

This abolitionist and statesman is considered by many to be the most influential African American of the nineteenth century. Douglass is quoted as saying,

"It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men."

Solomon shares the importance of giving children a strong foundation in the faith while they are young. Training up children in “the way they should go” means directing them toward the Savior and teaching them the ways of God. Even at a young age, children can comprehend their need for a Savior and accept His gift of salvation.

Discipline is also an integral part of raising godly children. Godly discipline is rooted in love and the Bible says it produces a harvest of righteousness for those who have been trained by it (Hebrews 12:11).

As Douglass said, it is easier to be diligent in raising strong children than to repair broken adults. How are you training your children up in the ways of the Lord? Are you giving them a strong foundation in the ways of God? Consistently share your faith with your children and encourage them to make it their own in a personal and intimate way. 

Dear Lord, thank You for the children that are in our life. Help us to train them in a way that You would have us to. Give us the strength to mold them into fine young men and women. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

Prayers of children

1 John 5:14 (ESV)

And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us.

I want to thank everyone for your prayers as I prepare for surgery in the morning. We know the power of prayer and that where two or more are gathered He is there with them. For some pre surgery fun I wanted to share some fun prayers made by children.

Dear God, Did you mean for the giraffe too look like that or was it an accident? - Norma

Dear God, Instead of letting people die and having to make new ones, why don¹t you just keep the ones you have now? - Jane

Dear God, Who draws the lines around the countries? - Nan

Dear God, I went to a wedding and they kissed right in church. Is that okay? - Neil

Dear God, Thank you for my baby brother, but what I prayed for was a puppy. - Joyce

Dear God, Please send me a pony. I never asked for anything before. You can look it up. -Bruce

Dear God, I want to be just like my dad when I get big, but just not with so much hair all over. -Sam

Dear God, I bet it is very hard for You to love all the people in the world. There are only four people in my family and I can never do it. - Nan

Dear God, Of all the people who worked for you, I like Noah and David the best. -Rob

Dear God, If You watch me in church Sunday, I'll show you my new shoes. - Mickey

Dear God, We read that Thomas Edison made light. But in Sunday School, we learned that You did it. So I bet he stole Your idea. - Donna

Dear God, I didn't think orange went with purple until I saw that sunset you made on Tuesday. That was cool! - Eugene

Dear God, Maybe Cain and Abel wouldn't have killed each other if they had their own rooms. It works with my brother and me. – Larry

Dear Lord, we thank You for hearing our prayers. Help us to be faithful in talking to You. In the Name of Jesus, Amen. 

The extra-terrestrial bug

Mark 10:14-15 (NIV)

14 When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. 15 Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.”

It has been a month since my surgery and I have had lots of time to sit with my leg up. I have spent some of my time looking through pictures on my computer. They are filled with pictures of my children when they were young. I saw the shining faces of both of my sons as interacted with their mom , genuinely happy to be with her. What I wouldn't do to travel back in time!

Amazing the things that happen when we treat our children in a loving manner. When young, they tend to look at us parents as their superheroes. They admire what we do and often show spontaneous signs of affection, like hugging us, snuggling against us while reading a book, giving what they see as tender tokens of appreciation with an excited: "Take it, it's yours!"

Young children have a passion for making us smile, and they would do anything to help us out.

Their love is shown by how much they trust us. Even when they didn't know how to swim, when coaxed into the water, they didn't hesitate to jump right into our arms.

Something strange happens, however, when they become teenagers. A virus from outer-space seemed to afflict them, changing their perception. Suddenly, we aren't looking that cool to them any longer. We become strangers to them. Now they know better than we do. In fact most of the time they are certain they know it all and we know nothing. Little by little, they become more and more estranged. No more hugs, especially not in front of their friends!

We, as adults, often act like overeager teenagers towards our Heavenly Father. I guess, we too, have been affected by that extra-terrestrial bug. We, too, think we know better. The more we persist, the more frustrated we become. Soon we find ourselves in unshakable addictions and/or nightmarish scenarios, and we blame God for what we are going through. Our trust is geared towards ourselves. After all, who else has our best interest at heart? Love becomes an unknown, and this shows in our marital relationship. Many become estranged from their spouses, always blaming the other for the problems they are undergoing.

What's worse is that when pride settles in, it is quite impossible to come near to our Heavenly Father, for we know what is best and we see Him as a tyrant, One who always seems to be going against "our" will. Who does He think He is?

He is our Father, the One who created us. He never rejected us; it was the other way around, we rejected Him and wandered away from Him to follow our own hearts. Still our Father pursued us. He didn't want us to be lost for eternity. Ultimately, Jesus, His Son, came to live with us to show us the way back home. He willingly paid the cost of our redemption by dying on a cross, and our debt was fully paid by His grace. He is not only our Father, He is also our Savior. He loves us unconditionally.

The problem is that we are so stuck in our views that we have become completely blind. We see God as our enemy, and we blame all of our evil actions to Him, concluding that He doesn't care. Is willingly dying on a cross to save us proof that He doesn't care? Would we do such a thing for our worst enemy? Let's be frank here: Who is it who doesn't care? God? Or ourselves?

The truth is that our pride has blinded us. The "I" has become our God. "I" know "I" am right. "I" know what "I" am doing. It's "my" life after all! In other words: "I" am in total control of "my" life.

May we turn back to the fascination we used to have and see our Father for whom He truly is: My Dad is my Hero! He loves me to bits and I sure love Him too!

Dear Lord, thank you for being so patient with us. Forgive us for being overactive teenagers at heart. Help us to realize who You truly are. In Jesus’ Name, Amen. 

The power of a praying mom

2 Thessalonians 3:3 (NIV)

But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one.

Reba Robinson lay awake night after night, tense and tired in her little room in Starkville, Mississippi.' Her imagination raced out of control as her fingers clung to an old T-shirt that had once belonged to her son and still carried the scent of his cologne. He was confronting death in some exotic locale though she didn't know where, what for, or for how long.

Dillon was a marine assigned to a covert commando unit. His assignments were so secretive that even his mother not be told the time or location of his missions.

But her mother's instincts told her when he was in harm's way, and during those times she fervently prayed for Dillon day and night. She was undoubtedly praying the night he swam ten miles from a submarine to the forbidden coast of a hostile country. She was praying the night he parachuted behind enemy lines from a high-flying aircraft. She was praying the day he jumped from a chopper through a hail of bullets, his eyes blinded with tears, to retrieve the body of his fallen compatriot. She was praying the night a terrorist stuck a gun in his face and pulled the trigger; and perhaps it was her prayers that caused the gun to jam, giving Dillon the split second he needed to "resolve the problem" and escape.

She prayed through nocturnal tears and terrors and torments.

When Dillon finally returned home, he was a hero whose bravery could never be explained, declassified, or honored. He couldn't discuss his exploits or seek help in processing his traumas. He tried making the transition from action hero to typical guy, but life slowed to a snail's pace in his little hometown. He began frequenting the local bars, trying not to remember what he couldn't forget.

Reba prayed on.

At a critical juncture in Dillon's life, a friend invited him to a revival meeting in a nearby church. He went grudgingly, intending to bolt as soon as the service was over. But the message struck home that night, and when the altar call was given, Dillon gripped the back of the pew as if trying to choke it. No terrorist had ever pursued him like the Hound of heaven. He later admitted, "I had faced death without shaking, but that night I was trembling like a leaf."

He staggered to the altar in tears, and that night a muscular, unsung hero fell to his knees and received Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.

Praise God for those who pray without ceasing.

Dear Lord, we thank You for our moms, dads, uncles, aunts, grandparents and others that take the time to pray for us faithfully. Help us be a constant prayer warrior also. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

Raising Royalty

Matthew 25:21 (NIV)

“His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’

Suppose that tomorrow morning your phone rings and the operator informs you that you have a call from Buckingham Palace, London, England. The person in England comes on the line, identifies himself as an administrator in charge of the education of the children of the king of England. He proceeds to tell you that he has had observers around the United States looking for the perfect tutor for the king's children. After many months of evaluation, he has determined that you are the one best qualified to tutor the royal offspring. Would you please fly to England at your earliest convenience to discuss assuming these responsibilities?

Now, as a matter of fact, you just happen to have some ideas about raising children and you are excited and eager to take the job. You fly to England and sign a contract. But before you begin your job, the administrator says you are going to have to take two weeks of intensive study to learn the finer points of raising the king's children.

During this time, you learn that children of royalty adhere to a different curriculum than most other children. They must not only learn to read and write, gain maturity and be proficient in many fields of academic endeavor. They must also be familiar with the history of their country and of western civilization. They must learn how to function in the royal court. They must know how to treat their subjects with consideration and tact. They must learn to relate to the heads-of-state of other countries.

They must learn about political amenities and that their time is not always their own. They may not get to play in the street with other children. They will not be exposed to crudity or vulgarity. They will learn to be moral, true, honest, gracious, kind, gentle, and yet strong in their convictions.

When the two weeks are completed, you begin a successful career of raising the children of the king. In later years, you are honored for having attained your goals. The king commends you and his children commend you for your devotion and hard work.

A fanciful story you may say. But let me suggest this: if you have children in your home, you have already received a call to raise royal offspring. The call did not come from Buckingham Palace; it has come from the throne of Almighty God!

You do not have to go to London to do your tutoring; you can do it in your own home with the children God gave you to raise. Your children may not serve in English courts, but they have the potential to serve in the kingdom of God as sons and daughters of God. When your children accept Jesus Christ as Savior, they become members of the Kingdom of God. There is no higher ranking in the entire world.

You may not live in a palace on earth, but your children can live in palaces in heaven if you do your job right. Give your children the very special training God's children ought to have. Teach them to obey, to be gentle and kind, but powerful for righteousness and morality. Teach them the Bible, teach them how to pray, teach them to put others before themselves as Jesus did. Teach them to obey God's commands and to have a perfect heart before God. Keep them away from worldly influences; train them to be men and women of spiritual power in God's kingdom. Most importantly, teach them how to become Christians, and how to share the Gospel with others!

Make it your goal to have your Master someday say to you, "Well done, good and faithful servant, you have raised my children properly".

Dear Lord, thanks for the gift of children that You have given to us. We pray for wisdom as we strive to raise them in a manner that is pleasing to You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Love at Home

1 Corinthians 13:13 (NIV)

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

If we live in a house of spotless beauty with everything painted and in its place, but have not love, we are a housekeeper-not a homemaker.

If we have time for mowing the yard, washing the car, and painting, but have not love, our children learn cleanliness-not godliness.

Love leaves the dirt on the car in search of a child's laugh. Love smiles at the tiny fingerprints on a newly cleaned window.

Love wipes away the tears before it wipes up the spilled milk.

Love picks up the child before it picks up the toys. Love is there through the trials.

Love reprimands, reproves, and is responsive. Love crawls with the baby, walks with the toddler, runs with the child, and then stands aside to let the youth walk into adulthood.

Love is the key that opens salvation's message to a child's heart.

Before I became a father I took glory in the fact that the house was in prefect condition.

Now I glory in God's perfection of my child. As a father, there is much I must teach my child, but the greatest of all is love.

Dear Lord, help us have our priorities right as we raise the children that You have given to us. Help our lives be filled with love as we teach and train our children. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Are You Helping Your Children to Know the Lord?

Proverbs 22:6  (NIV)

Start children off on the way they should go,

    and even when they are old they will not turn from it.

In the late 1880's, Benjamin B. Warfield, a professor at Princeton University, traced the known descendants of Jonathan Edwards. Edwards was the first president of Princeton and one of the key preachers in religious revival known as the "Great Awakening" during the eighteenth century. Warfield charted the 1,394 known descendants of Edwards. Of his known descendants there were 13 college presidents, 65 college professors, 30 judges, 100 lawyers, 60 physicians, 75 army and navy officers, 100 pastors, 60 authors of prominence, 3 United States senators, 80 public servants in other capacities including governors and ministers to foreign countries, and one vice-president of the United States.

Richard Dugdale, a sociologist and a contemporary of Warfield's, traced the known descendants of Max Jukes. Jukes was a Dutch immigrant that arrived in New York in the early 1700's. An alcoholic who couldn't hold a job, of the 903 descendants of Jukes, 300 were delinquents, 145 confirmed drunkards, 90 were prostitutes, and over 100 spent an average of 13 years in prison including seven were convicted for murder. The Jukes' family cost the taxpayers of New York over 1.2 million dollars. The descendants of Edwards never cost the government a single penny, instead making contributions of incalculable worth.

The best ministry parents can have is to train their children to know Jesus Christ. Are you helping your child to know the Lord?

Dear Lord, today we pray for our children. Help us to take the time to teach them to know You better. Help us prepare them with a good foundation so that they will become the person You want them to be. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Does Your Time Have to be Bought?

Deuteronomy 11:19 (NIV)

Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.

As I laid in bed last night not being able to sleep I was reading some articles on parenting. I came across this story and wanted to share it.

With a timid voice and idolizing eyes, the little boy greeted his father as he returned from work, "Daddy, how much do you make an hour?"

Greatly surprised, but giving his boy a glaring look, the father said: "Look, son, not even your mother knows that". "Don't bother me now, I'm tired."

"But Daddy, just tell me please! How much do you make an hour, the boy insisted.

The father, finally giving up, replied: "Twenty dollars per hour."

Okay, Daddy? Could you loan me ten dollars?" The boy asked. Showing his restlessness and positively disturbed, the father yelled: "So that was the reason you asked how much I earn, right? Go to sleep and don't bother me anymore!"

It was already dark and the father was meditating on what he said and Was feeling guilty? Maybe he thought, his son wanted to buy something. Finally, trying to ease his mind, the father went to his son's room.

"Are you asleep, son?" Asked the father.

"No, Daddy. Why?" Replied the boy, partially asleep.

"Here's the money you asked for earlier, " the father said.

"Thanks, Daddy!" Rejoiced the son, while putting his hand under his pillow and removing some money. "Now I have enough!! Now I have twenty dollars!" The boy said to his father, who was gazing at his son, confused at what his son had just said. "Daddy, could you sell me one hour of your time?"

Whether you are a dad, mom, grandpa, grandma, brother or sister are you spending your time wisely with those you love?

Dear Lord, help us open our eyes today and see how we can spend our time wisely. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Are You Devoted to Your Children?

Deuteronomy 11:19 (NIV)

Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.

I read a story that was told during a business training seminar. To illustrate motivation, the trainer asked one of the business executives in the audience to come forward.

The trainer said, "I want you to imagine that I have placed a wooden beam across the floor here and I would like for you to walk from one end of the beam to the other end. Would you do that for $20?"

The man said that he would.

Then leader continued, "Now, I want you to imagine that I take that same beam and raise it up to the top of a forty-story building and run it across the street to another tall building. Would you still walk across the beam for $20?"

This time the man answered that he would not.

"How about for a $100?"

"No!" The man emphasized.

The trainer forged ahead. "You have a child, right?"

"Yes."

"This time, what if I were to hold your child over the edge of the building and tell you that if you do not walk across the beam I will drop your child. Would you walk across?"

Surprisingly, the father hesitated for a beat, then smiled and asked, "Which child do you have?"

The trainer, of course, was right in assuming that a parent's devotion to a child is usually greater than almost any amount of fear associated with saving that child. Most parents love their children fiercely and would do anything possible to help them.

An eastern newspaper reported that a train in Bangladesh accidentally struck a calf elephant. The mother elephant apparently became upset over the incident, for a little while later another train came along and spotted the female standing in the middle of the track. Though the engineer blasted his horn, she would not budge. When the train came to a halt, she began butting it with her head! For fifteen minutes she hammered the engine, rendering it inoperable. Once satisfied, she walked off into the jungle, stranding two hundred passengers for five hours while they waited for a replacement engine! Someone should hang a sign around her neck that reads: DON'T MESS WITH MY KID!

Such a devotion to family is only natural in humans. And though many of us may never be in a position to actually have to save a child's physical life, we can channel our devotion into other, equally productive, areas.

1. Devote LOTS of time to your child. Quality time means nothing if it rarely occurs. Spend time reading, laughing, playing, exploring, learning, talking, and just sitting quietly together.

2. Devote LOTS of positive attention to your child. Let her know she is important by the way you speak and listen to her.

3. Devote LOTS of love to your child. He is one of the most important people you'll ever have the privilege of knowing.

4. Devote LOTS of energy to learning how to be the best parent possible. All of our children are different and require different skills from us.

5. Devote LOTS of yourself, and you'll never regret the valuable investment.

Dear Lord, thanks for the children You have given to us. We pray that no matter their age that we will be devoted to them. Help us to continue to be the guidance You want us to be for them. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Just 5 More Minutes

Proverbs 17:6 (NIV)

Children’s children are a crown to the aged,

    and parents are the pride of their children.

While at the park one day, a woman sat down next to a man on a bench near a playground. "That's my son over there," she said, pointing to a little boy in a red sweater who was gliding down the slide.

"He's a fine looking boy," the man said. "That's my son on the swing in the blue sweater." Then, looking at his watch, he called to his son. "What do you say we go, Todd?"

Todd pleaded, "Just five more minutes, Dad. Please? Just five more minutes."

The man nodded and Todd continued to swing to his heart's content. Minutes passed and the father stood and called again to his son. "Time to go now?" Again Todd pleaded, "Five more minutes, Dad. Just five more minutes." The man smiled and said, "O.K."

"My, you certainly are a patient father," the woman responded. The man smiled and then said, "My older son Tommy was killed by a drunk driver last year while he was riding his bike near here. I never spent much time with Tommy and now I'd give anything for just five more minutes with him. I've vowed not to make the same mistake with Todd. He thinks he has five more minutes to swing. The truth is, I get Five more minutes to watch him play."

Life is all about making priorities, what are your priorities?

Dear Lord, thank You for those who You have put into our life. Help us take advantage of the time we have with them. Help us each value the time we have. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Children God's Gift

Proverbs 13:24 (NIV)

Whoever spares the rod hates their children,

    but the one who loves their children is careful to discipline them.

As we read stories in the news we can see the real need for discipline. In our day and age, discipline in families is on the decline. Instead of parents being the "big boss", more and more children rule their homes. This impacts all areas of their lives, from the classroom, to their social interactions, to their developing habits, to their decision making, and to their future lives.

Discipline is vitally important for the following reasons:

1. It teaches children the concept of right and wrong. If they are never disciplined, kids will never learn when their behavior is unacceptable. They will never learn the difference between right and wrong.

2. It teaches boundaries. Children who are not disciplined will never learn there are boundaries that must not be crossed. And if they never learn the concept of boundaries, they will never learn to set boundaries in their own lives!

3. It teaches a respect for authority. If your kids always get their way with you, they will learn that they are the "big boss", that they are the ones in control. It will become very difficult for them to accept other authority figures, such as teachers, pastors, even authorities of the law.

4. It teaches them to accept God's discipline. And God does discipline us! We are told to welcome God's discipline, but we will never be able to do so if we have never learned the concept of discipline!

5. It allows for discipline in schools. Without the concept of discipline being established at home, it is very difficult to have a disciplined classroom, which is a prerequisite for learning.

6. It teaches them good social skills. No one likes to be with someone who always insists on their own way.

7. It helps them to develop good habits. No concept of discipline makes temperance an impossible thing to learn. It leads to children who have no boundaries, children who easily fall into the traps of poor eating habits, poor personal hygiene, and the more deadly traps of drugs, alcohol and sex.

8. It helps them learn good decision making skills. You can't guide those kids into good decision making if what they say is the law, if they have no respect for your authority.

9. It sets the ground work for a mature, Godly adult. Remember, an undisciplined child grows up to be an undisciplined adult!

Remember our kids are a gift from God.  He puts them in our charge to lead and guide them to become the children of God that will bring honor to Him.

Dear Lord, we thank You for the children that You have given to us. Help us discipline them in love so that they will become the people You would have them to be. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.