SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR
2/23/2013 9:15 AM
My Worship Time Focus: Parents
& Children
Bible Reading & Meditation Reference: Proverbs
Message of the
verses: We will begin the next
section in our study on “Family, Friends, and Neighbors” in today’s SD.
In our society today we do not think of children in the
same way that the Jewish people did during the time when the Bible was
written. Jewish parents would no more
want to abort their unborn children than they would want to kill each
other. Their children were gifts from
the Lord: “Behold, children are a gift
of the LORD, The fruit of the womb is a reward (Ps. 127:3).” As the verse says children were a reward and
not a punishment or an opportunity or an obstacle. They are not burdens; they’re investments
that produce dividends.
Dr. Wiersbe writes “Along with the basic necessities of
physical life, what should the godly home provide for the children?”
Example: “The righteous man leads a blameless life;
blessed are his children after him (Pr. 20:7 NIV).” In our previous SD we looked at the example
of the godly mother when it came to caring for her children and being a
wonderful example for them. The very
first examples that children get are from their parents, and when one looks at
the way parents live in our society today it is no wonder that children turn
out the way that they do. Think about
our welfare system which encourages unmarried women and in some cases just
girls to have children so that they can receive more welfare. This is not good example for children, in
fact it is a terrible an ungodly example for our children to follow.
I have read a story about Jonathan Edwards,
the early American Pastor who is famous for his sermon “Sinners in the hands of
an Angry God.” The story tells of his
children and his children’s children and so on and what they turned out to
be. There were college professors and US
senators and preachers, all good people and it can be attributed to the good
example of godly parents. The story
compared another man who was evil and his children became bank robbers,
murderers and the like because they did not have a good example to follow. A good example for children is the first
step in a successful life, a life where they will walk with the Lord. “He who fears the LORD has a secure fortress,
and for his children it will be a refuge (Pr. 14:27 NIV).”
Instruction: “Hear, my son, your father’s instruction And
do not forsake your mother’s teaching.”
“My son, observe the commandment of your father And do not forsake the
teaching of your mother (Pr. 1:8 & 6:20).”
Solomon wrote the book of Proverbs primarily to give instructions to his
children, instructions that they were to listen to and to heed all of their
lives, “Stop listening to instruction, my son, and you will stray from the
words of knowledge (Pr. 19:27).” “My
son, keep my words And treasure my commandments within you (Pr. 7:1).”
We have learned in our studies of Proverbs that the man
who walked into the prostitute ignored what his parents had taught him, “12 And you say, "How I have hated
instruction! And my heart spurned reproof! 13
"I have not listened to the voice of my teachers, Nor inclined my
ear to my instructors! (Pr. 5:12-13).”
When children grow up they can look back and see how smart their parents
really are. Life comes in stages it
seems and when we are children that is the first stage, then we have children
and that is the next phase, and then we see our children with their own
children which is the next phase.
In the Jewish home the Bible was the main text book in
the teaching of their children. Their
children had to memorize the book of Leviticus when they were young, and by
doing this they would understand the holiness of God and who He is. Many people today have trouble just reading
through that wonderful book let alone trying to memorize it. I have on my computer in the Online Bible
program early McGuffey Readers which were taught to children a long time
ago. Many of the readings are based on
the Bible, something that is against the law to teach in today’s society.
Parents should teach their children what is in the Bible,
they should pray with them and take them to Sunday school and church. They should also try and send them to a
school that reinforces what they are being taught at home. Home schools are popular in the Christian
community in today’s society, for this is a good way to teach the children the
things of God by the parents.
We will pick up on this subject in our next SD by looking
at loving discipline.
Spiritual meaning
for my life today: Going over the
responsibilities of raising children is a good review course for helping out
with our grandchildren.
My Steps of Faith for Today: Trust the Lord with my visit to my nephew
today so that I can be a godly influence on his life.
Memory verses for the
week: Psalm 32:1-3
1 How blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven,
whose sin is covered! 2 How blessed is
the man to whom the LORD does not impute iniquity, and whose spirit is no
deceit! 3 When I kept silent about my
sin, my body wasted away through my groaning all day long.
Turning Points Wisdom for
Today: “Pray the largest prayers. You cannot think a prayer so large that God
in answering it will not wish you had made it larger. Pray not for crutches by wings.” (Phillips Brooks) “You will pray to Him and He will hear you,
and you will fulfill your vows. What you
decide on will be done, and light will shine on your ways.” (Job 22:27-28) 2/23/2013 10:19 AM
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