I am continuing to study and meditate on brokenness. I am currently reading a book written by, Nancy Leigh Demoss, called "Brokenness." The fourth chapter has really been amazing to me to say the least. I want to share with you an excerpt from this chapter because it has really caused me to meditate on whether I am a proud person or a broken one.
"Years ago a missionary served in a region in Africa that had known true seasons of revival. He reported that whenever he would mention the name of any Christian, the national believers would ask him, "Is he a committed Christian?" or "Is he a hardworking Christian?" They wanted to know, "Is he a broken Christian?"
Are you a broken Christian? Am I? How can we know?
Over the years I have asked the Lord to show me some of the characterisics of a broken person, and how they compare with a person with a proud spirit. In the form of a "proud versus broken" comparison, I have listed some of the things that have come to my attention as I have allowed the Lord to search my own heart. This is by no means an exhaustive list; the Lord will undoubtedly show you other charateristics as you open your heart to Him.
Let me encourage you to avoid the temptation to skim through this list. Instead, take time to read it prayerfully and ask God to show you, "Am I a proud or a broken person?"
There are 35 questions that she gives to help us to evaluate our hearts. I am only going to list the first five of them.
"Attitudes Towards Others"
1. Proud people focus on the failures of others and can readily point out those faults.
Broken people are more conscious of their own spiritual need than of anyone else's
2. Proud people have a critical, fault finding spirit. They look at everyone else's faults with a microscope but view their own with a telescope.
Broken people are compassionate --they have the kind of love that overlooks a multitude of sins; they can forgive much because they know how much they have been forgiven.
3. Proud people are especially prone to criticize those in authority--their pastor, their boss, their husband, their parents,--and they talk to others about the faults they see.
Broken people reverence, encourage, and lift up those that God has placed in authority, and talk to God in intercession, rather than gossiping about the faults they see in others.
4. Proud people are self-righteous; they think highly of themselves and look down on others.
Broken people think the best of others; they esteem others better than themselves.
5. Proud people have an independent, self-sufficient spirit.
Broken people have a dependent spirit; they recognize their need for God and for others."
My thoughts: Our only hope is in the sovereign grace of God. God's grace is sufficient. It's only because of God's grace that we even come to brokenness because He is the only one that can free us from lusting after evil things. Only the humble can obtain the grace of God because God resists the proud. God commands us to be humble and not proud.
"Humble"--means "to make oneself low." If we are consciously living in the presence of God we will live a life of humility. The weaker we are the more God's grace is able to shine through in our lives.
James 4:10--"Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up."
James 4:6--" But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: “ God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.”
Humility is a virtue. Humility is not considered a virture in our society today. People in our society today think they are too good to serve and that is why they have trouble submitting to those in authority in their lives. They would rather be served than serve themselves. They want people to revolve around them and their needs. They seek to control people and are prone to manipulate rather than be controlled. When we do not submit and humble ourselves before God then it is a sign that we are dissatisfied with Him. "God is the most glorified in us when we are the most satisfied in Him"--John Piper.
We are commanded in scripture to submit to those in authority over us and clothe ourselves with humility.
1 Peter 5:[5-6]--"Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for “God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.” Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time,"
2 Corinthians 12:9--"And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me."
We must rejoice in our weaknesses because Christ is revealed through them. God will use us in the lives of others if we allow Him to work through our weaknessess. We need to confess our weaknesses to God and own up to our imperfections insteading of being self-confident. We need to be constantly seeing ourselves as trophies of God's grace rather than victims of our circumstances.
Are you a broken Christian? How would you answer this question? If those around you were asked if you were a broken person what would be their response? Based on the condition of your heart, would God say you are a broken person or a proud one?
Serving Our Lord Together,
Michelle Harrison
Saturday, December 10, 2005
Tuesday, December 06, 2005
God Uses The Broken
I am continuing to study brokenness. I am so excited about the things God is revealing to me about true brokeness. I have learned that God uses people and things that have been broken. There is story after story where God has brought His people to brokenness. It recurres again and again throughout all the scripture. There is so much that I doubt I will ever be able to learn all there is to know about it in my lifetime. However, I am seeking to learn whatever the Lord would have me to learn in this season of my life.
A few examples of people that have been brought to brokenness are:
1. God used brokenness in the life of Jacob. Jacob got into a wrestling match with God in Genesis 32. The pride that was in His heart caused him to pretend he was somebody he wasn't but God brought him to brokenness at the river Jabbok.
2. God used brokenness in the life of Moses. He grew up in a palace. Then after fourty years he left to lead the Israelites out of Egypt and then woundered in the desert for another fourty years. Then at the burning bush God brought Moses to brokenness.
3. God also used brokenness in the life of Mary Magdalene the prostitute in Luke 7:[37-39]. Mary was so broken over her sin that she wanted to give all she had to Christ. All she had was a broken and contrite heart and an alabaster box of ointment that was worth a years wage. She did not care what the cost was or what she had to sacrifice for Christ because she knew He gave her a gift that she cold never repay. The gift of Forgiveness. She was so broken over her sin that she anointed his feet and washed them with her tears.
All these people have the same thing in common. They were all sinners saved by God's grace. Their pride had to be replaced with humility. Only when they had been broken could they be used of God. Their brokeness brought blessedness. Only through brokenness could they recieve the blessings God had for lives.
4. Bread had to be broken to be used of God. An example of bread that had to be broken to be used of God is found in the miracle Jesus performed when He feed the five-thousand people. This is the only miracle Jesus performed that is record in--Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John--all four of the gospels. I am going to use the account of feeding the five thousand that is recorded in the book of John for this journal.
John 6:[1-14]--"After these things Jesus went over the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberias. Then a great multitude followed Him, because they saw His signs which He performed on those who were diseased. And Jesus went up on the mountain, and there He sat with His disciples. Now the Passover, a feast of the Jews, was near. Then Jesus lifted up His eyes, and seeing a great multitude coming toward Him, He said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread, that these may eat?” But this He said to test him, for He Himself knew what He would do. Philip answered Him, “Two hundred denarii worth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may have a little.” One of His disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to Him, “There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two small fish, but what are they among so many?” Then Jesus said, “Make the people sit down.” Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand. And Jesus took the loaves, and when He had given thanks He distributed them to the disciples, and the disciples to those sitting down; and likewise of the fish, as much as they wanted. So when they were filled, He said to His disciples, “Gather up the fragments that remain, so that nothing is lost.” Therefore they gathered them up, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves which were left over by those who had eaten. Then those men, when they had seen the sign that Jesus did, said, “This is truly the Prophet who is to come into the world.”
There is so much to see and digest in this passage of scripture. One of the first things that caught my attention as I was reading this story is what Jesus said to Philip. Jesus said,“Where shall we buy bread, that these may eat?” then, I like what is recorded next in this verse, "But this He said to test him, for He Himself knew what He would do." Christ did not ask Him this because he did not know Himself. He asked Him this to test him. What a test!!! Then Philip answers with this statement, “Two hundred denarii worth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may have a little.” It is interesting to me what a denarii is worth. A denarius is worth a days wage. Since a denarius is worth 1 days wage then two hundred denarii is worth approximately 8 months' wages. This seemed impossible to the disciples. They did not have enough food or money to feed all these people because the number of men were 5,000, this does not include the women and children, which could have been as many as 20,000 people in all. All they had was 5 loaves of bread and two fishes. The multitude was so large that this amount was not adequate enough to feed them all. I'm sure in their minds it would take more than a grocery store to feed all these people. What seemed impossible to the disciples was possible through Christ. They did not have to understand they just needed to believe. I am sure they were thinking how can this lunch that will feed a boy be enough to feed a multitude.
The lunch had to be brought to Christ first only then could it be broken into pieces to feed the multitude. If it had not of been broken first it would not of been able to feed all the people. The bread had to be broken to be useful. The people were filled and satisfied physically but were blinded to their spiritual need for Christ. They failed to understand that It wasn't the physical bread that could satisfy them, it was Christ. They missed the significance that Jesus Christ is the bread of life and only through Him could they truely be made whole and satisfied.
It is awesome what Christ did with this pitiful lunch and what was left after everyone was filled. There were twelve baskets left over after feeding this multitude. What a miracle!!!! It's amazing to me that the disciples were able to be recipients of this blessing because they were obedient to what Christ told them to do. Even though it did not make sense to them they were still obedient. Their own understanding was not dependent on their obedience. This applys to our lives as well. Are we willing to sacrifice as this boy did even when we don't know how God will use what we give Him. We cannot be used or help others until we have been broken ourselves.
Psalm 34:18--"The Lord is near to the brokenhearted, And saves those who are crushed in spirit." We have to humble ourselves before God and come to Christ. The Lord will save you if you humbly confess your sins and accept Him as Lord of your life. If our lives are broken when given to Jesus, God can use our pieces to feed a multitude when only a loaf could satisfy only a little boy.
"It is amazing what God can do with a broken heart, if he gets all the pieces."--Samuel Chadwick
5. The greatest example of brokenness is Christ Himself, when His body was broken on Calvary. Calvary is where Jesus’ love was broken and spilled out in obedience to His Father. Jesus’ body was broken for us because we are unbroken. God used His broken body to pay the penalty for our sins. Hebrews 9:26--"He then would have had to suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now, once at the end of the ages, He has appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself." 1 Corithians 11:24--"and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, "Take eat; this is my body which is broken for you; do this in rememberance of Me." Jesus was willing to be crushed and even die so that through His death we could recieve eternal life. Through His death we now can live.
Brokenness overwhelms me when I think of the sacrifice that God has made for us by sending His only son to die in our place. Just think of the sacrifice Christ made when he endured the sufferings of the cross. He was broken and spilled out for us. Our lives must be broken so that Christs' Body can be revealed through us that we may reach others with the gospel. Our brokennes may be the very thing that God uses to bring brokenness to those around us. The only way for us to gain life is to give it up. We must choose the pathway of brokenness. Only through brokenness and humility can we recieve new life. When we choose brokenness we are allowing Christs' abundant life to flow in and through us. Please do not wait for God to break you, choose to be broken.
"Being broken is both god's work and ours. He brings His pressure to bear; but we have to make the choice.....all day long the choice will be before us in a thousand ways."--Roy Hesson
John 6:[35-40]--"And Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst. But I said to you that you have seen Me and yet do not believe. All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out. For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day. And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day.”
Have you truely been broken before God? Are you walking in a lifestyle of brokenness? What's the conditon of your heart? Do you have a proud heart or a broken heart? Seek God and ask him to reveal to you what is in your heart.
Serving Our Lord Together,
Michelle Harrison
A few examples of people that have been brought to brokenness are:
1. God used brokenness in the life of Jacob. Jacob got into a wrestling match with God in Genesis 32. The pride that was in His heart caused him to pretend he was somebody he wasn't but God brought him to brokenness at the river Jabbok.
2. God used brokenness in the life of Moses. He grew up in a palace. Then after fourty years he left to lead the Israelites out of Egypt and then woundered in the desert for another fourty years. Then at the burning bush God brought Moses to brokenness.
3. God also used brokenness in the life of Mary Magdalene the prostitute in Luke 7:[37-39]. Mary was so broken over her sin that she wanted to give all she had to Christ. All she had was a broken and contrite heart and an alabaster box of ointment that was worth a years wage. She did not care what the cost was or what she had to sacrifice for Christ because she knew He gave her a gift that she cold never repay. The gift of Forgiveness. She was so broken over her sin that she anointed his feet and washed them with her tears.
All these people have the same thing in common. They were all sinners saved by God's grace. Their pride had to be replaced with humility. Only when they had been broken could they be used of God. Their brokeness brought blessedness. Only through brokenness could they recieve the blessings God had for lives.
4. Bread had to be broken to be used of God. An example of bread that had to be broken to be used of God is found in the miracle Jesus performed when He feed the five-thousand people. This is the only miracle Jesus performed that is record in--Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John--all four of the gospels. I am going to use the account of feeding the five thousand that is recorded in the book of John for this journal.
John 6:[1-14]--"After these things Jesus went over the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberias. Then a great multitude followed Him, because they saw His signs which He performed on those who were diseased. And Jesus went up on the mountain, and there He sat with His disciples. Now the Passover, a feast of the Jews, was near. Then Jesus lifted up His eyes, and seeing a great multitude coming toward Him, He said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread, that these may eat?” But this He said to test him, for He Himself knew what He would do. Philip answered Him, “Two hundred denarii worth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may have a little.” One of His disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to Him, “There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two small fish, but what are they among so many?” Then Jesus said, “Make the people sit down.” Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand. And Jesus took the loaves, and when He had given thanks He distributed them to the disciples, and the disciples to those sitting down; and likewise of the fish, as much as they wanted. So when they were filled, He said to His disciples, “Gather up the fragments that remain, so that nothing is lost.” Therefore they gathered them up, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves which were left over by those who had eaten. Then those men, when they had seen the sign that Jesus did, said, “This is truly the Prophet who is to come into the world.”
There is so much to see and digest in this passage of scripture. One of the first things that caught my attention as I was reading this story is what Jesus said to Philip. Jesus said,“Where shall we buy bread, that these may eat?” then, I like what is recorded next in this verse, "But this He said to test him, for He Himself knew what He would do." Christ did not ask Him this because he did not know Himself. He asked Him this to test him. What a test!!! Then Philip answers with this statement, “Two hundred denarii worth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may have a little.” It is interesting to me what a denarii is worth. A denarius is worth a days wage. Since a denarius is worth 1 days wage then two hundred denarii is worth approximately 8 months' wages. This seemed impossible to the disciples. They did not have enough food or money to feed all these people because the number of men were 5,000, this does not include the women and children, which could have been as many as 20,000 people in all. All they had was 5 loaves of bread and two fishes. The multitude was so large that this amount was not adequate enough to feed them all. I'm sure in their minds it would take more than a grocery store to feed all these people. What seemed impossible to the disciples was possible through Christ. They did not have to understand they just needed to believe. I am sure they were thinking how can this lunch that will feed a boy be enough to feed a multitude.
The lunch had to be brought to Christ first only then could it be broken into pieces to feed the multitude. If it had not of been broken first it would not of been able to feed all the people. The bread had to be broken to be useful. The people were filled and satisfied physically but were blinded to their spiritual need for Christ. They failed to understand that It wasn't the physical bread that could satisfy them, it was Christ. They missed the significance that Jesus Christ is the bread of life and only through Him could they truely be made whole and satisfied.
It is awesome what Christ did with this pitiful lunch and what was left after everyone was filled. There were twelve baskets left over after feeding this multitude. What a miracle!!!! It's amazing to me that the disciples were able to be recipients of this blessing because they were obedient to what Christ told them to do. Even though it did not make sense to them they were still obedient. Their own understanding was not dependent on their obedience. This applys to our lives as well. Are we willing to sacrifice as this boy did even when we don't know how God will use what we give Him. We cannot be used or help others until we have been broken ourselves.
Psalm 34:18--"The Lord is near to the brokenhearted, And saves those who are crushed in spirit." We have to humble ourselves before God and come to Christ. The Lord will save you if you humbly confess your sins and accept Him as Lord of your life. If our lives are broken when given to Jesus, God can use our pieces to feed a multitude when only a loaf could satisfy only a little boy.
"It is amazing what God can do with a broken heart, if he gets all the pieces."--Samuel Chadwick
5. The greatest example of brokenness is Christ Himself, when His body was broken on Calvary. Calvary is where Jesus’ love was broken and spilled out in obedience to His Father. Jesus’ body was broken for us because we are unbroken. God used His broken body to pay the penalty for our sins. Hebrews 9:26--"He then would have had to suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now, once at the end of the ages, He has appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself." 1 Corithians 11:24--"and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, "Take eat; this is my body which is broken for you; do this in rememberance of Me." Jesus was willing to be crushed and even die so that through His death we could recieve eternal life. Through His death we now can live.
Brokenness overwhelms me when I think of the sacrifice that God has made for us by sending His only son to die in our place. Just think of the sacrifice Christ made when he endured the sufferings of the cross. He was broken and spilled out for us. Our lives must be broken so that Christs' Body can be revealed through us that we may reach others with the gospel. Our brokennes may be the very thing that God uses to bring brokenness to those around us. The only way for us to gain life is to give it up. We must choose the pathway of brokenness. Only through brokenness and humility can we recieve new life. When we choose brokenness we are allowing Christs' abundant life to flow in and through us. Please do not wait for God to break you, choose to be broken.
"Being broken is both god's work and ours. He brings His pressure to bear; but we have to make the choice.....all day long the choice will be before us in a thousand ways."--Roy Hesson
John 6:[35-40]--"And Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst. But I said to you that you have seen Me and yet do not believe. All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out. For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day. And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day.”
Have you truely been broken before God? Are you walking in a lifestyle of brokenness? What's the conditon of your heart? Do you have a proud heart or a broken heart? Seek God and ask him to reveal to you what is in your heart.
Serving Our Lord Together,
Michelle Harrison
Friday, December 02, 2005
Training up Our Children
In Ephesians 6:4 we are commanded to bring our children up in the nurture and admonition of the Father. Eph. 6:4 says--"and ye fathers provoke not your children to wrath but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord." We sometimes as parents do not take this commandment as serious as we should. I believe this verse is saying we are to teach our children to know God and His ways. We should be teaching them to fear and obey God. They will not fear and obey God until they know who He is. Children need to be taught to obey their parents. If our children are not taught to obey us how will they ever obey the Lord? The answer is they won't. Obedience has to be taught to our children. When our children are not obedient they need to be disciplined. If we love our children we will discipline them.
Proverbs 13:24--"He who spares his rod hates his son, But he who loves him disciplines him promptly."
This verse has spoken to my heart about my own children. As a mother of 5 children this verse is very convicting to me. I believe what God is saying in this verse is that if I do not discipline my children then I am not showing love to them, rather hatred. I am to discipline my children because I love them. That goes against our culture. Our culture looks down on parents who discipline their children. In fact most people say, "I love my children to much to spank them." This kind of statement goes totally against God's written word. If we are not disciplining our children then we are in direct disobedience to what God has called us to do as parents. We have to choose every minute of every day to be promptly obedient to God. I like the word "promptly" in this verse. It means with little or no delay. We are to immediately stop whatever we are doing and discipline our Children. Yes this means work! This means we have to get out of our comfort zone. Many of us do not want to discipline our children because it is hard work and we don't want to be bothered. We want to have children but want to raise them according to what is convenient for us instead of what is right.
My pastor, Aaron Turner, says, "Love is finding our joy in the joy of others." Are we truly showing our children that we love them by being too consumed with our own comfort and joy to discipline them? When we are consumed with what makes us happy at their expense, we are being self-centered and selfish. Are we receiving joy at the expense of their joy? If so, then it is not love.
I believe we are to shepherd our children's hearts. Their behavior is not the root of the problem, it is merely a result of the problem. We need to get to the heart of the behavior. The issue is the heart. The condition of their heart determines their behavior, therefore their behavior is an expression of what is in their heart. I think to many times our focus is on changing our children's behavior, rather than being concerned with the attitude of their heart. What our Children say and do is a reflection of what is in their little hearts.
Luke 6:45--"A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks."
We as Christians need to be embracing the biblical methods God has lined out for us in scripture. This means we need to be saturating ourselves in the scripture and in prayer. We need to be communicating with our children in order to teach them. We communicate with our children by encouraging, correcting, instructing, and warning them. I know a lot of families that only come together for dinner and that is the only communication that they have. I believe God has given us two methods for raising our children: communication and the rod.
We are to use scripture to show our children what is in their heart and what God says about their sin. We need to be teaching the Bible to our children. Teaching the Bible to our children is not an option it is a requirement. The Bible is to be our main resource for raising our children , but I also want to recommend two other books that have helped my husband and I with raising our own children. These are books that have greatly helped us and that we will continue to use in rearing our children. Shepherding a Child's Heart -- written by Tedd Tripp, and Teach Them Diligently -- written by Lou Priolo (this book teaches you how to use the scripture in child training). The Bible in my opinion contains all that you will ever need to know about raising children that glorify God.
Proverbs 22:6--"Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it."
This verse gives us hope because if we are obedient to God in raising our children, then we are promised they will never depart from it. The chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever, with this in mind, we must set the example before our children and obey God ourselves. God has made us His agents to act on His behalf in teaching our children. Are we taking care of and teaching His children what they need to know so that they will bring glory to Him with their lives?
The Home
"Society's unit - the home our foundation
Is in dire condition in this last generation.
Family altar has almost disappeared,
This is how all past saints were reared.
No time in most homes for love and affection,
Or parental training to give direction.
Discipline hardly ever is given
Try any means to get children to heaven.
To beat rebellion out with the rod
Won't kill the child, but lead him to God.
Yes train them up in the way they should go
And the way won't depart from them, you know.
Correction drives away foolishness
(Not Benjamin Spock's "permissiveness")
Teach and practice the Golden Rule.
Regularly take them to Sunday School.
Let perfect love rule the home's atmosphere
It shall come to remembrance many a year
In the future to their son or daughter
Let's pray faithfully as we ought to.
The mothers, are to be teachers at home,
(Not worldly babysitters who let their hearts roam.)
Children look up to their parent the way
We look up to God, and at all times may.
It be known who are their associates
And where they are - they appreciate
And respect your chastening and concern.
Everyone needs God's truth to learn.
Provoke not ever a child to wrath.
But set an example down God's path
To heaven by obeying His Word.
An unbroken circle shall be your reward."
From Poems of Praise and Admonition
Written by Joseph E. Grosso
Serving Our Lord Together,
Michelle Harrison
Proverbs 13:24--"He who spares his rod hates his son, But he who loves him disciplines him promptly."
This verse has spoken to my heart about my own children. As a mother of 5 children this verse is very convicting to me. I believe what God is saying in this verse is that if I do not discipline my children then I am not showing love to them, rather hatred. I am to discipline my children because I love them. That goes against our culture. Our culture looks down on parents who discipline their children. In fact most people say, "I love my children to much to spank them." This kind of statement goes totally against God's written word. If we are not disciplining our children then we are in direct disobedience to what God has called us to do as parents. We have to choose every minute of every day to be promptly obedient to God. I like the word "promptly" in this verse. It means with little or no delay. We are to immediately stop whatever we are doing and discipline our Children. Yes this means work! This means we have to get out of our comfort zone. Many of us do not want to discipline our children because it is hard work and we don't want to be bothered. We want to have children but want to raise them according to what is convenient for us instead of what is right.
My pastor, Aaron Turner, says, "Love is finding our joy in the joy of others." Are we truly showing our children that we love them by being too consumed with our own comfort and joy to discipline them? When we are consumed with what makes us happy at their expense, we are being self-centered and selfish. Are we receiving joy at the expense of their joy? If so, then it is not love.
I believe we are to shepherd our children's hearts. Their behavior is not the root of the problem, it is merely a result of the problem. We need to get to the heart of the behavior. The issue is the heart. The condition of their heart determines their behavior, therefore their behavior is an expression of what is in their heart. I think to many times our focus is on changing our children's behavior, rather than being concerned with the attitude of their heart. What our Children say and do is a reflection of what is in their little hearts.
Luke 6:45--"A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks."
We as Christians need to be embracing the biblical methods God has lined out for us in scripture. This means we need to be saturating ourselves in the scripture and in prayer. We need to be communicating with our children in order to teach them. We communicate with our children by encouraging, correcting, instructing, and warning them. I know a lot of families that only come together for dinner and that is the only communication that they have. I believe God has given us two methods for raising our children: communication and the rod.
We are to use scripture to show our children what is in their heart and what God says about their sin. We need to be teaching the Bible to our children. Teaching the Bible to our children is not an option it is a requirement. The Bible is to be our main resource for raising our children , but I also want to recommend two other books that have helped my husband and I with raising our own children. These are books that have greatly helped us and that we will continue to use in rearing our children. Shepherding a Child's Heart -- written by Tedd Tripp, and Teach Them Diligently -- written by Lou Priolo (this book teaches you how to use the scripture in child training). The Bible in my opinion contains all that you will ever need to know about raising children that glorify God.
Proverbs 22:6--"Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it."
This verse gives us hope because if we are obedient to God in raising our children, then we are promised they will never depart from it. The chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever, with this in mind, we must set the example before our children and obey God ourselves. God has made us His agents to act on His behalf in teaching our children. Are we taking care of and teaching His children what they need to know so that they will bring glory to Him with their lives?
The Home
"Society's unit - the home our foundation
Is in dire condition in this last generation.
Family altar has almost disappeared,
This is how all past saints were reared.
No time in most homes for love and affection,
Or parental training to give direction.
Discipline hardly ever is given
Try any means to get children to heaven.
To beat rebellion out with the rod
Won't kill the child, but lead him to God.
Yes train them up in the way they should go
And the way won't depart from them, you know.
Correction drives away foolishness
(Not Benjamin Spock's "permissiveness")
Teach and practice the Golden Rule.
Regularly take them to Sunday School.
Let perfect love rule the home's atmosphere
It shall come to remembrance many a year
In the future to their son or daughter
Let's pray faithfully as we ought to.
The mothers, are to be teachers at home,
(Not worldly babysitters who let their hearts roam.)
Children look up to their parent the way
We look up to God, and at all times may.
It be known who are their associates
And where they are - they appreciate
And respect your chastening and concern.
Everyone needs God's truth to learn.
Provoke not ever a child to wrath.
But set an example down God's path
To heaven by obeying His Word.
An unbroken circle shall be your reward."
From Poems of Praise and Admonition
Written by Joseph E. Grosso
Serving Our Lord Together,
Michelle Harrison
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