PEACEFUL SLEEP

Psalm 4:8 In peace I will both lie down and sleep, for You alone, O Lord, make me to dwell in safety.

SECURE

Do you ever have trouble sleeping at night? I do. I have restless leg which keeps me from falling asleep, even though I take medication for it. It is really quite aggravating. I don’t sleep much anyway, so to lose an hour at the beginning of the night doesn’t help my rest time.

So, you can see why I picked this verse today. Our ultimate peace comes from the Father. He is the One who protects and defends us. That allows us to lie down and sleep in peace. Knowing that the Lord is watching over us should relieve us and allow us to get a restful night of sleep.

TEACHING MOMENT

When is the last time your little Gertrude called for you in the middle of the night because she had a bad dream? How about your little Johnny? Does he fight sleep because of the fear of a nightmare? Read them this verse. Reassure them that not only are you there, but the Lord is always guarding them.

Now, some kids might freak out knowing someone is watching them as they sleep. Reassure them that the Lord is not some kind of creeper. He is looking to and fro for the enemy. He is not as concerned about watching them sleep as He is watching out for any intruders. He will keep them safe.

Do you allow your “rest” to come over you? Do you wrestle with thoughts and worries that prevent you from peace? Lay it all down. Let the Lord “tuck you in” tonight. Let Him stand watch. Sleep, my child, sleep.

Father, I am thankful that You are watching over me as I sleep. Help me to rest in that. Today, I lay all my burdens before You.

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GOD’S ONE LIMITATION

Job 34:12 “‘Surely, God will not act wickedly, and the Almighty will not pervert justice.’”

INCAPABLE

In chapter 34 of Job, Elihu is still at it. He is seeking to school Job and his friends on what he knows about God. Although he is completely wrong about Job, he does spout off a few true things about God that are worthy of repeating. Today’s verse is one of them.

God only has one limitation. He is incapable of doing evil. It is a limitation He imposes upon Himself. He is pure and holy. He is righteous and good. There is nothing in Him that can be considered bad. Everything He does is for our good. He will remain just and right throughout eternity. Wouldn’t it be great if we followed Him in this attribute?

TEACHING MOMENT

Our children are born sinners. I know you don’t want to hear that. When I held my granddaughter for the first time and looked into her little face, I knew that was true. It was hard to imagine that she was a sinner by flesh. It doesn’t take long, however, for us to see the flesh come out. Sin is present in this world.

Our job as parents is to teach our children to draw near to God. We are to lay the foundation in their lives for them to be able to hear and respond to God’s calling. And with that calling, they are to choose to do what is right and holy, just like our Lord. Unlike God, they are very capable of evil. For them (and us) doing the right thing is a choice. But it is a choice we must make.

What are you choosing today? Have you chosen evil or good? I promise you today you will have that choice once again. Something or someone will cross your path to allow you to make that choice. Choose good! Choose to honor and please your Lord today.

Father, I am incapable of doing what is holy without You in my life. My flesh is strong. My will power is weak. But I can do all things through Christ Who strengthens me.

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BEST INTENTIONS

Job 33:31-33 “’31 Pay attention, O Job, listen to me; keep silent, and let me speak. 32 Then if you have anything to say, answer me; speak, for I desire to justify you. 33 If not, listen to me; keep silent, and I will teach you wisdom.’”

LISTEN

Elihu probably meant well. I don’t know. But sometimes you just need to keep silent and love on the person. He didn’t know what was really going on with Job. He supposed, like the other friends, that Job was being punished by God for sin. He could not have known that God was allowing this in Job’s life for a purpose.

Isn’t is funny how we always see the sin in others, but not in ourselves? We can easily see their faults and failures and walk right over our own. I have to imagine that Elihu was no perfect angel. I am sure he had his own sins which needed confessing.

TEACHING MOMENT

Learning to keep our mouth shut is not easy. As parents, we need to teach our children the skill of listening. I have counseled many people by just listening. I don’t say a lot. Our children need to learn to listen fully before commenting. When they have a friend who needs advice, listen first.

We should teach them to also pray for their friends. Job needed that. But his friends didn’t do that. Teach your children to pray right when someone asks them to. Don’t put it off. Pray while you are with them. That will bless them.

Who do you need to go to today to lend a listening ear? Don’t make it about you. Don’t go with an agenda to “help” them. Simply go as a friend who loves them and wants to be there for them. If you have to use words, use His.

O God, I am so guilty of judging others. Help me to see them through Your eyes. Forgive me of my judgmental attitude.

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COVENANT EYES

Job 31:1 “‘”I have made a covenant with my eyes; how then could I gaze at a virgin?’”

RESPECT

It is hard today to not see at least one commercial or advertisement that uses scantily clad men or women to sell a product. With the access to the internet, it is even more “in our face.” Even the most innocent searches on the web can open up portals to things your eyes shouldn’t see.

Job was a righteous man. He had made a covenant with his eyes to not look on another woman with lust. He knew that was sin and had chosen to guard his spirit. There is actually an internet filter called “Covenant Eyes” which you can purchase to block some of those images I mentioned earlier. I wonder if the name came from this verse.

TEACHING MOMENT

We begin teaching our children when they are young to respect other people. We teach them to say “Yes ma’am” and “No ma’am.” We even teach young men to open the doors for ladies. But do we teach them to respect another person’s image? Do we teach them to look at every person with respect and not as some object?

The next time you and your children have one of those images from a commercial or billboard flash before your eyes, take the time to talk about how it does not honor God. If we don’t explain what’s wrong with the images, they will accept it as okay. We certainly don’t want that. We want them to make a covenant with their eyes, like Job.

Parents, are you guilty of looking at things you shouldn’t? Are you filling your mind with images that betray your walk with Christ? If so, put it down. Pick up the Word. Make a covenant with your eyes.

Lord, forgive me for not seeing everyone as You see them. Help me teach others the importance of keeping their eyes focused on You. Help me protect innocent eyes.

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RETURNING THE FAVOR

Esther 8:2b “And Esther set Mordecai over the house of Haman.”

BLESSING THE PARENTS

Mordecai had certainly sacrificed to take Esther in his home after her parents died. He raised her as his own daughter. Now she is Queen Esther. Together, they had just foiled Haman’s plot to kill all the Jews. And Esther returns the favor to her adopted dad, Mordecai. After Haman was executed, she gave Mordecai his estate. I bet Mordecai never saw this coming.

It’s that way when our children bless us. Parents are supposed to do all the blessing, not the children. So, when our children bless us, especially if it sacrificially, it is overwhelming. To be blessed by the ones we are raising is truly humbling.

TEACHING MOMENT

How do children get to that point of being the “blesser”? They were taught it. As they watch their parents blessing them and others, they learn to bless. I am certain that Esther could recall numerous times when Mordecai had sacrificed for her. Remember, they were in exile. They were essentially forced refugees. I am sure life was hard. But Mordecai took care of her.

Teach your children through your own sacrifice. Let them observe you making tough choices for them. Now, don’t hold that over them or remind them of all you are doing. Just do it. Let them see your humble service to your Lord in caring for them. This will teach them, not your words.

Who do you need to bless today? Are your parents still alive? If so, bless them today. Pay it back. Shock them by doing something special for them today. When my dad was in his last couple of years I loved to cook him breakfast when I visited. He loved his breakfast. Simple blessings!

Father, thank You for my parents’ sacrifices for me. Thank You for allowing me to sacrifice for my children. I pray they will see how that serves You.

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WICKEDNESS REVEALED

Esther 7:6 “Esther said, ‘A foe and an enemy is this wicked Haman!’ Then Haman became terrified before the king and queen.”

EXPOSED

I love this part of the story. Haman thought he was “living high on the hog,” as the old saying goes. He was near the king in power. He had been feasting privately with the king and queen. He had arrived, so he thought. And then the tables were turned on him.

Haman was blindsided by Queen Esther. She revealed to the king that Haman planned to have even her killed in his revenge against Mordecai and the Jews. Haman’s best laid plans backfired in his face. That very day he lost his life.

TEACHING MOMENT

Children need to be taught that scheming against others will be exposed at some point. It may take time, but the truth will be revealed. Planning evil displeases the Lord. Planning to sin displeases the Lord. None of us are perfect. We will all sin, but we should NEVER plan to sin.

So, what do you do when you discover your child’s intention to harm? You deal with it immediately. You cannot let this kind of thing go. You don’t wait to let them carry out the act. You discipline accordingly and firmly. “Come on, Carl. They are just kids.” Exactly! It is our responsibility to train them. Discipline is part of that. It is not fun, but it is necessary.

Have you ever schemed against someone? Maybe as a child you planned how to get back at a sibling. Maybe as an adult you plotted your revenge against someone who had done you wrong. Confess that now, if you haven’t already. You must maintain your fellowship with the Father. Unconfessed sin breaks that.

Lord, forgive me for harboring resentment against another. Forgive me for trying to “get even” with others. Give me Your heart and Your passion to see them come to Christ.

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UNKNOWN POTENTIAL

Esther 2:7 “He was bringing up Hadassah, that is Esther, his uncle’s daughter, for she had no father or mother. Now the young lady was beautiful of form and face, and when her father and her mother died, Mordecai took her as his own daughter.”

FAMILY

Every time I look at a room of children, I wonder what will become of them. I wonder how many of them will become doctors or lawyers or preachers. How many will marry and have children? Will one of them grow up and find a cure for a horrible disease? You just never know the potential that lies in the room.

Mordecai adopted his first cousin, Hadassah (Esther), because her parents were dead. He had no idea when he did that she would eventually be chosen as the queen to Ahasuerus. He had no idea that a threat to kill all the Jews would be imposed. He had no idea Esther would be used by God to rescue His people. You see, you just never know.

TEACHING MOMENT

Your children have such hidden potential. I know sometimes you wonder if you are going to survive their child rearing. You will, and you will be amazed how they will turn out. But the secret to child raising has nothing to do with you. It’s all up to the Lord. You have to allow Him to have them. Turn them over to Him and allow Him to teach them.

Your little Johnny may grow up and be a great evangelist. Susie may be a missionary to an unreached tribal group. Whatever they turn out to be and however God chooses to use them, you need to prepare them for service. I am sure Mordecai raised Esther in such a way that she was worthy to be chosen as queen. Just do your part.

Did you know God wants to use you every day? He does. But He can’t unless you are willing to be used. God doesn’t force us. He desires us to surrender to His Will. Let Him use you today to shape the lives of your children and others toward service to Him.

Father God, I want to be used today. I want to see my children used by You. Show me how to prepare them for when You call them to active duty.

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RIGHTEOUS WEEPING

Nehemiah 8:9 “Then Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, ‘This day is holy to the LORD your God; do not mourn or weep.’ For all the people were weeping when they heard the words of the law.”

BROKEN HEARTS

Wow! Can you picture this scene? Ezra and Nehemiah are standing before the people reading the Word of God, which had long been forgotten. When the people heard the law, they wept, knowing they had been unfaithful. They were broken and contrite. They were weeping for their sin. They were crying over the way they had forsaken God and His Word.

When is the last time you saw people weeping over God’s Word? I bet it has been a while. People hear the Word and just yawn. They don’t see it for what it really is – God’s words spoken through the Holy Spirit to men who authored those 66 books. He loves us enough to send us a written message.

TEACHING MOMENT

Please take the time to teach your children to honor and love God’s Word. Teach them that it is not just some book we pick up and carry to church on Sundays. It is not just a cute story book with some inspiring stories. No! It is God speaking to us.

When your children grow up you will not be around to read the Word to them. They need to know how to read it for themselves. They need to know how to study it. They need to know how to share it. They need… You fill in the blank. The point is they need God’s Word in their life for their lifetime.

How about you? How much time are you spending each day in the Word? “Well Carl, I have so much to do every day. I don’t have time to study the Bible.” You don’t have time to not study it. Make 15-20 minutes available. Get up early or go to bed late. Just make the time. Maybe you will shed a tear as you read.

Word of Life, You are so faithful. You have given us Your very words to guide us. Help me make Your Word a priority in my daily schedule.

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LIKE FATHER-NOT LIKE SON

2 Kings 16:2 “Ahaz was twenty years old when he became king, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem; and he did not do what was right in the sight of the Lord his God, as his father David had done.”

WHERE DOES THE ACORN FALL?

You have probably heard both of those expressions sometime in your life. “Like Father-Like Son” means to imply the same thing as “The acorn doesn’t fall far from the tree.” But many times that is not true. Just like the example we have today in Ahaz, the son of Jotham. Jotham was a good king and had followed his father’s (Uzziah) legacy. Not Ahaz, he did not do that. He followed other gods and led the people astray.

Most Presidents or Heads of State in countries around the world want to leave a legacy. They want to be remembered for something. They want their years spent in their office to have some lasting results. But they have to choose if those legacies will honor God or themselves.

TEACHING MOMENT

Moms and Dads, you are instructed to train your children to follow in your footsteps spiritually. They need to be shown which steps to take and where. They need to be directed along the way. But you cannot MAKE them follow you. Once they are adults they will choose their own way.

Ask your children what they think is important to be taught by you. Hang on! They may just give you a challenge. But probably they will name some things that you just hadn’t thought about. The things I learned from my dad have been passed down to my son. Hopefully, he will keep passing them down.

How are you doing with this assignment? It is not too late to start leaving a legacy. Let others remember you as someone who followed the Lord. Leave an impact on the world.

Lord God, I only want others to see You in me. I want to leave the imprint of Your seal on my life. Help me show others the way.

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NOT ENOUGH

2 Kings 10:31 “But Jehu was not careful to walk in the law of the Lord, the God of Israel, with all his heart; he did not depart from the sins of Jeroboam, which he made Israel sin.”

YOU CAN’T STOP SHORT

Jehu was a bloody king. He slew the 70 sons of Ahab and 42 others who were going to visit them. He slew all the worshippers of Baal and their priests. But…. As you see from today’s verse, he “was not careful to walk in the law of the Lord, the God of Israel, with all his heart; he did not depart from the sins of Jeroboam, which he made Israel sin.” A little good is not good enough.

Now, hear me out. Too many of us think we can just go to church and throw a few dollars in the plate. We believe if we volunteer once a year for VBS or go on a mission trip, then all is well with the Lord. The Lord demands us to be sold out completely. He doesn’t want half-hearted followers. He requires us to surrender completely and abandon all other things in life that compete with Him.

TEACHING MOMENT

Teaching our children to “sell out” for Jesus isn’t hard. We have to show them. We have to sacrifice our wants and desires for His. Then He will allow them model our behavior. When our children see us “selling out” they will know what it looks like and what it costs.

How do children sell out? What do they have to give up? How about the kids they hang out with? How about the music they listen to or the video games they play? How about choosing a quiet time over phone time? No matter your age, there are things you can sacrifice.

Mom and Dad, are you doing some good for God or are you sold out? Some good isn’t enough. God wants you to set the example for your family and abandon all for Him. Will you?

O God of the ages, will you help me abandon myself to You? I want to lead the way in doing all I can for You and Your kingdom. I don’t want things of this world to bog me down.

	Heidi Ennis on CONTAGIONS
	gonelikeashadowateve… on WHAT ARE YOU WORSHIPPING?
	Scott on WHAT ARE YOU WORSHIPPING?
	Heidi Ennis on A LITTLE BREAK
	Heather Congrove on KEEP SHINING YOUR LIGHT

	Heidi Ennis on CONTAGIONS
	gonelikeashadowateve… on WHAT ARE YOU WORSHIPPING?
	Scott on WHAT ARE YOU WORSHIPPING?
	Heidi Ennis on A LITTLE BREAK
	Heather Congrove on KEEP SHINING YOUR LIGHT