scrip·ture
1 Samuel 8:1-3 When Samuel became old, he made his sons judges over Israel. The name of his firstborn son was Joel, and the name of his second, Abijah; they were judges in Beersheba. Yet his sons did not walk in his ways but turned aside after gain. They took bribes and perverted justice.
1 Samuel 8:1-3 When Samuel became old, he made his sons judges over Israel. The name of his firstborn son was Joel, and the name of his second, Abijah; they were judges in Beersheba. Yet his sons did not walk in his ways but turned aside after gain. They took bribes and perverted justice.
de·vo·tion·al
As a parent, have you ever asked yourself, "Am I ruining my kids life?", "Am I raising my children in what God deems to be a Godly foundation?", "Am I developing angels or a-holes?"
As a parent, have you ever asked yourself, "Am I ruining my kids life?", "Am I raising my children in what God deems to be a Godly foundation?", "Am I developing angels or a-holes?"
Here is the deal, God has asked us to create a Godly environment where our children marinate in Godly choices and actions. We are asked to write the faith, hope, and love of God on their hearts. More importantly, we are to, as Titus 2:7-8 states,"SHOW yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your teaching show INTEGRITY, DIGNITY, and SOUND SPEECH that cannot be condemned..."[emphasis added by me], or as it states in Joshua 24:15, "...But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.”
In the end, no matter what Godly marinating you have provided to your children, they grow up and start exercising their God given character of free choice. They start choosing the other marinades that are available to them, both Godly and un-Godly. Look at the words in Joshua 24:15 said before he makes his proclamation, "And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the LORD, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell..." In the end, they were given the opportunity to make a choice.
All in all, it is not through awesome parenting that we secure a great and Godly Character for our children, our children grow up and either choose God and continue down a path of SHOWING the way God asked us to or they choose poorly, just like Walter Donovan did in Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade.
God creates the marinade, we soak ourselves and our children in that Godly marinade, and our children grow up. The choice is theirs on their OWN. In the end, it is our children as adults that make the choice on their personal journey on becoming angels or a-holes.
prayer
Dear LORD, my God and my Savior. I ask you LORD to continue to equip me with the truth and knowledge and strength to live a righteous life that reflects your character. Help me to create a Godly marinate that I can share with my children. Also LORD, lend my children your Spirit in the times where they have choices that are outside my influence, and that you find it in your steadfast mercy to keep them within your everlasting arms.
Dear LORD, my God and my Savior. I ask you LORD to continue to equip me with the truth and knowledge and strength to live a righteous life that reflects your character. Help me to create a Godly marinate that I can share with my children. Also LORD, lend my children your Spirit in the times where they have choices that are outside my influence, and that you find it in your steadfast mercy to keep them within your everlasting arms.
Amen
