Category Archives: Prayer

Bible, Blasphemy, Child Raising, Child Rearing, Christianity, Commands, Direction, Disciplemaking, Encouragement, Eternity, Evil, Family, God's Will, Grace, Heaven, Mentoring, Modeling, Obedience, Parenting, Prayer, Satan, Scripture, Service

INTO SATAN’S HANDS

1 TIMOTHY 1:20

“Among these are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan, so that they will be taught not to blaspheme.”

How awful! How terrible! Handed over to Satan! What a way to have your name remembered! Hymenaeus was teaching false doctrine according to 2 Timothy 2:17-18. And Alexander may have been the same Alexander who was called the coppersmith who did great harm to the apostles and may have believed in the same false doctrines as Hymenaeus. 

Irregardless of their exact beliefs, they undoubtedly had blasphemed against our holy God. This was something which Paul could not tolerate. So, he had obviously withdrawn fellowship from them and was praying God to allow Satan to discipline. But even in this action, Satan is given an exact task which he couldn’t supersede.

APPLICATION

Children have to learn that choices have consequences. They may not experience the consequence immediately, but it will come. That is a truth you must teach your children. Some consequences are hard, like the one mentioned in today’s verse. Some may not seem so harsh. The bottom line is there will be consequences.

Direct disobedience can bring the harshest of consequences from God. Now, I am not telling you to teach your kids to watch out for God’s zaps from heaven. No, teach them to obey because they love the Lord, not because they fear His wrath. But obey they must.

Are you a Hymenaeus or Alexander? Are you thumbing your nose at God, not believing He is aware of your actions? Beware! He is. He knows all and sees all. He will hold you accountable. He has to because He is holy and just. Why not obey Him in all things? By doing that, you are pleasing the One who loves you dearly and longs to see you in His service.

Father, forgive me of failing You. I want to obey You willingly and joyfully. Thank You for holding me accountable.

Standard
Advice, Affection, Bible, Child Raising, Child Rearing, Christianity, Comfort, Disciplemaking, Encouragement, Friends, God's Will, Inspirational, Love, Mentoring, Ministry, Modeling, Parenting, Prayer, Scripture

DEAR CHILD

1 TIMOTHY 1:2

“To Timothy, my true child in the faith: Grace, mercy andpeace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.”

When I hear that expression, “Dear Child,” I can’t help but think of how we use that in the South. One may say it and shake their head, as if to say, “I just don’t know about that child.” Or it could be used as you hold a child affectionately in your arms and whisper, “Dear Child.”  I prefer the latter, and that is exactly the intent of Paul here when he uses the word “true.”

He is the only writer in the New Testament to use this Greek word and only four times. Twice he uses it to refer to groups of people (Corinthians and Philippians). The other two times it is calling a person true. We see it here as he addresses Timothy, and then we see it again in Titus 1:4 as he calls Titus the same thing. It was a special, affectionate relationship.

APPLICATION

I am sure I don’t have to guess how you feel about your children. You would call them dear, for sure. But Paul wasn’t talking to his natural children. He was talking to others he had invested in. He, through their time together, considered them true children or true friends.  Your children are going to need some true friends as they navigate this life.

How do you make true friends? By being one yourself. There are a few people in my life right now whom I would call true friends. I could honestly look at them and say, “Dear child.” I have poured into them. I have invested in them, and they in me. Model that for your children. Show them what it looks like to have true friends. Show them by your behavior what it means to BE a true friend.

Dear child of God, do you hear this message today. God has made you His child when you surrender to His Son. Now, He wants you to share that with someone else. Ask Him who He wants you to invest in. He will show you exactly who that is. Why? Because as you invest in others, you are growing and becoming more like His Son, Jesus.

I want to show others the intimacy they can have in Christ. Help me to invest the time and energy necessary to make others “true children.” 

Standard
Affection, Bible, Child Raising, Child Rearing, Christianity, Comfort, Encouragement, Evil, Family, Fatherhood, God's Will, Love, Motherhood, Parenting, Passion, Prayer, Scripture, Thanksgiving

BUT DELIVER US FROM EVIL


2 THESSALONIANS 3:2

“and that we will be rescued from perverse and evil men; for not all have faith.” 

Most of us with any familiarity with the Bible will recognize the phrase I used today for the title of this blog. Where is that from? That’s right, from the Lord’s Prayer. It’s from verse 13 of Matthew 6 which reads, “‘And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.’”

Have you ever thought about what that means? This word “rescued” means to draw to oneself for safety. So, it means the Lord will not just make us safe. It means He will draw us into His arms for safety. Where had you rather be – in a safe place or safe in the arms of Jesus? I know where I want to be.

APPLICATION

Think of it this way. If your child was in danger, where would you want them to be? I would want my children in my arms so I could protect them. What would you do to protect your children? I would do anything to keep them safe from danger, especially evil danger. 

Ask your children if they feel safe in your arms. Unless you have just had to discipline them for something, they will most certainly say they do. Ask them why. They may say because they know you love them or that you are big and strong and able to protect them. Tell them that as safe as they feel in your arms, you are no comparison to the safe, loving arms of Jesus. He will ALWAYS be there, even when they don’t think He is.

Do you believe that? “I don’t know, Carl. Why do bad things happen to us then?” Because God is allowing them. And if He is allowing them, He will use them to make us more like Him. He will NEVER allow anything to touch us that won’t make us better. That’s a promise you can take to the bank. He will “deliver us from evil.”

I am truly grateful, Lord, that evil cannot touch me unless it touches You first. I am safe in Your arms in which You rescue me. I fear no one because You are my Deliverer.

Standard
Advice, Bible, Busyness, Child Raising, Child Rearing, Christ's Return, Christianity, Commands, Disciplemaking, Encouragement, Eternity, Evangelism, Family, Fatherhood, Forgiveness, God's Will, Inspirational, Mentoring, Modeling, Motherhood, Obedience, Parenting, Prayer, Scripture, Thessalonians, Witnessing

QUICKLY NOW


2 THESSALONIANS 3:1

“Finally, brethren, pray for us that the word of the Lord will spread rapidly and be glorified, just as it did also with you;” 

Have you ever been told to “hurry up”?  I have been a few times. I remember in one of my first jobs in my hometown of Pelham, GA I had a boss who did not like you to “dawdle about.” He insisted that you stay busy and do the job quickly and efficiently.  He didn’t want us wasting time.

I thought of that when I read this verse because the phrase “spread rapidly” comes from a word that means to run with speed. It was used to describe runners in a race. Paul is asking the Thessalonians to pray that the Gospel would spread that quickly, that it would win the race, that it would reach its end result without delay.

APPLICATION

I bet you have never had to tell your children to hurry up, have you? Only about a million times, right? Be careful hurrying your children too much. Let them be kids. Let them enjoy their childhood. But when it comes to the things of the Lord, don’t let them “dawdle”, as my boss used to say. The things of the Lord need to be taken seriously. Time is hastening. The Lord is going to return. We need to be ready and make sure our children are also.

What does that mean? I am not talking about being in an apocalyptic mood all the time. But I am saying that we should not waste time on things that are simply temporal and of this world. We need to teach our children that every day is important to the Lord. Every day gives us a new opportunity to share the Gospel with someone. Run the race.

Are you too busy chasing the wrong things that you forget to run the important race? You should stop right now, wherever you are, and evaluate your race. Are you running to win or just finish? God wants us to run well, not just run. He wants us to be quick about it. Don’t sit around waiting for someone else to spread the Gospel. Get out there. Run quickly.

Father, forgive me for being seemingly unconcerned about the shortness of the time. Help me redeem each minute and count it worthy of service to You. I will commit to being more bold today in sharing the good news of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Standard
Advice, Bible, Child Raising, Child Rearing, Christianity, Commands, Disciplemaking, Encouragement, Eternity, Evangelism, Family, Fatherhood, Forgiveness, God's Will, Heaven, Holy Spirit, Inspirational, Love, Ministry, Modeling, Motherhood, Parenting, Prayer, Surrender, Thessalonians, Truth, Witnessing

I PICK YOU


2 THESSALONIANS 2:13

“But we should always give thanks to God for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth.” 

Those are God’s words to us – “I chose you.” Now, I am not going to get in a discussion about predestination. I am just looking at this verse.  God chose you from the beginning for salvation. Don’t you love being picked by someone. I used to love being picked for a team. No one wants to be left out. The good news is (drumroll please) God chooses EVERYONE! His will is that all men be saved.

“Okay then, Carl, why do some people die and spend eternity in hell?” Because they chose THAT. That’s right! Even though God has chosen them for salvation, they turned their back on Him and decided to go their own way. This choice sealed their fate. It wasn’t God who sent them to hell. Nope! He has chosen them for salvation, which they rejected.

APPLICATION

Do you give your kids choices? I hope you do. They need to learn early how to make choices. Nothing is worse than to see an adult who can make a decision. Agreed? So, let your children make choices. But here is the hard part. You need to let them also accept the consequences. Every choice has a consequence. Some are good, and some are bad.

If you rescue your children from every consequence, they will never learn the power of choice. And you must teach them that. Remember that you are preparing them for eternity. While most of their choices aren’t eternal ones, they are learning from each one they make. They will never make a more important one than accepting God’s free gift of salvation.

I pray you know Him personally. I pray you have accepted His choice of you. If you haven’t, do that today. Don’t make the other choice of not accepting His choice of you. He wants you to come to Him. He wants you to spread this news to everyone you know. Do that today.

I accept Your choice of me, Lord. I want to be Yours. I am thankful You chose me from the beginning.

Standard
Bible, Child Raising, Child Rearing, Christianity, Completeness, Encouragement, Evangelism, God's Will, Inspirational, Love, Mentoring, Ministry, Modeling, Motherhood, Obedience, Parenting, Praise, Prayer, Scripture, Surrender, Thessalonians, Truth

IT MAY FEEL GOOD, BUT…


2 THESSALONIANS 2:12

“in order that they all may be judged who did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness.”

We all like pleasure. For some it’s a day at the beach. For others it is a long run (no, that’s not me). But others take their pleasure in wickedness. I know it may be hard to believe, but there are really people out there who do. I don’t know any personally, but they are all around us.

Sadly, we think they are getting away with their pleasure seeking. We see them hurt others and thrive on it. Today’s verse, however, assures us that one day, they will be judged for these evil motives. They will receive exactly what they deserve for ignoring the truth and going their own way.

APPLICATION

This is exactly why we parents spend so much time teaching our children to choose the truth. We do not want them to go down that road of wickedness. Now, I am not against pleasure. Pleasure is not a bad thing. I take pleasure in serving others. I get pleasure is seeing God’s principles followed by a husband and a father.

Truth is the key. Teach our children to follow the truth of the Gospel. They have to understand that there is no other truth. Any other “truth” is really deceit which will lead them further away from the real truth. Confused yet? I hope not. Take the Word of God each day and share it with your children, always referring to it as the truth. 

Let me ask you a question. What are you pursuing today? Truth or wickedness? If you are pursuing anything other than truth, you will never experience true pleasure. It is only available in its purest form through the truth of God’s Word.  Let it make your life pleasurable as only the Lord can do.

Lord, I want to walk in truth so I can experience pleasure. The pleasure I desire is to please You, not myself. That’s my goal today.

Standard
Child Raising, Child Rearing, Christ's Return, Comfort, Commands, Completeness, Disciplemaking, Encouragement, Eternity, Family, Fatherhood, Glory, Heaven, Holy Spirit, Inspirational, Love, Mentoring, Ministry, Modeling, Motherhood, Obedience, Prayer, Resurrection, Sanctification, Suffering, Surrender

BAD BREATH

2 THESSALONIANS 2:8

“Then that lawless one will be revealed whom the Lord will slay with the breath of His mouth and bring to an end by the appearance of His coming;” 

Excuse my thought process, lol. But I just could not resist when I read this verse. I am NOT insinuating that the Lord will have bad breath. But, unlike His first appearance on earth, He will be one “bad” dude when He returns. He won’t come as baby. He will come as Ruler and Judge. And this lawless one will pay the price simply by the breath of His mouth.

Now, that word “breath” is the Greek word pneuma, which can also be translated as spirit. In fact, it is the same word used in the title of “Holy Spirit.” I don’t think that is a coincidence, do you? The very breath of God, the very Spirit of God will slay the lawless one. No weapon is needed.

APPLICATION

Here is the great part of that verse. That same “breath” of the Lord is living in us as believers. We have that power coursing through us every day, if we just tap into it. Now, we aren’t going to slay someone with our breath (unless we have been eating a lot of garlic). But the Lord stands ready to defeat any enemy we face. All we have to do is mention His name, and the enemy flees.

We need to teach our children the importance on relying on the Lord to fight their battles. Surrender to Him first, allow Him to work in their lives, and He will stand ready to defend us. He will protect His children, just you do all you can to protect them as their earthly parent. The difference is you can’t be with them all the time. He can and will.

Are you in need of the “breath” of God today? Are you facing unknown forces that are trying to tear you down and destroy you? Allow Him to reign in and through you. Then step back and watch Him work. He is ready. Are you?

Your breath is sweet to me but harsh to the unbeliever. Help me share your breath with others. I want them to also experience its sweetness. 

Standard
Child Raising, Child Rearing, Christianity, Commands, Completeness, Disciplemaking, Encouragement, Family, Fatherhood, Glory, God's Will, Holy Spirit, Inspirational, Mentoring, Ministry, Modeling, Motherhood, Obedience, Parenting, Prayer, Sanctification, Surrender

HIS GLORY

2 THESSALONIANS 1:12

“so that the name of our Lord Jesus will be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and theLord Jesus Christ.”

Some people just glow for Jesus. You can tell they are believers the moment you meet them. Their smile, their countenance and their demeanor all exemplify Him. He is being glorified through them. I love watching for that in people I meet for the first time. I like to look for an opening in the conversation to ask about their personal relationship with our Lord.

Paul’s prayer, which he began in verse 11, continues here. This is the reason why he prayed for those things. His sole purpose for praying for the Thessalonians is so the Lord would be glorified in and through them. Shouldn’t that be our desire for ourselves and others? Shouldn’t we want others to see Jesus in us?

APPLICATION

Little Gertrude and Elrod will watch how you respond to people. I guarantee you that. When you respond like Jesus, they take note of that. When you talk like Jesus, they listen. When you reach out to someone like Jesus, they will file away that moment. We are the ones who must exemplify Jesus to point our children to Him. 

So, ask yourself, “As a parent, am I glorifying Jesus in my everyday life?” If you aren’t, you need to start, for your children. When our children hear us talk about Jesus but never see us live for Him, they get a very confusing message. That confusion can lead to rebellion and on to denial. Be the vessel of glory He wants to use.

But being used as a vessel of glory means we may have to let some stuff go. We can’t very well be glorifying Him and participating in behaviors which Jesus would NEVER do. I don’t have to name these. You know them. Let go of those habits or activities that cannot be attributed to Him. He will show you what and how to live to give Him glory. Just be willing to be used. He will do the rest.

Here I am, Lord. Take me and use me however You desire. I want others to see You in me.

Standard
Affection, Child Raising, Child Rearing, Christianity, Comfort, Commands, Disciplemaking, Encouragement, Family, Fatherhood, God's Will, Holy Spirit, Inspirational, Love, Modeling, Motherhood, Obedience, Passion, Prayer, Sanctification

A GREAT PRAYER

2 THESSALONIANS 1:11

“To this end also we pray for you always, that our God will count you worthy of your calling, and fulfill every desire for goodness and the work of faith with power,” 

Do you ever tell people you are going to pray for them? Come on, do you? I am sure you do. But do you actually remember to do it? I started a practice years ago that when someone asks me to pray for them, if at all possible, I do it right then. I tend to forget things, and I don’t want to forget to pray for someone who has asked me to pray for them.

Paul was always praying for others. Look through his letters and you will find time and time again when he tells the recipients of the letters that he is praying for them. Today’s verse is one of those times. And it is a good one. He is praying 1) that God would count them worthy of their calling, 2) that God would fulfill every desire for goodness and 3) that God would also fulfill every desire for the work of faith with power. Wow! That’s a great prayer!

APPLICATION

We need to teach our children to pray. But don’t waste time with trivial prayers. Now, hear me out. I don’t mean prayers are trivial, but if you are going to teach them to pray, make sure they understand that they can pray with power, believing God hears and will answer. Pray with purpose. Pray with passion. Pray with broken hearts for a lost world.

Do you get my meaning? Our prayers should be meaningful, not just going through the motions to check off a box at the end of the day. Paul prayed with purpose for his spiritual children. We should do the same. And as we teach our children this privilege, they will in turn teach their children to pray this way. Now that’s a legacy to leave. Amen?

Are you praying with purpose for others? Are you claiming victories in prayer? Are you teaching others that prayer is powerful and meaningful? Do that today. Practice that today. Live it today.

God, I know You are listening each time I open my mouth to talk to You. Teach me to be bold in my prayers. Teach me to ask for exactly what I want from You according to Your will.

Standard
Advice, Child Raising, Child Rearing, Christianity, Comfort, Completeness, Disciplemaking, Encouragement, Evangelism, Family, Fatherhood, Forgiveness, God's Will, Holy Spirit, Inspirational, Love, Mentoring, Ministry, Modeling, Motherhood, Obedience, Parenting, Praise, Prayer, Sanctification, Suffering, Surrender, Thanksgiving

WORTHY TO SUFFER

2 THESSALONIANS 1:5

“This is a plain indication of God’s righteous judgment so that you will be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which indeed you are suffering.” 

Did you catch that? Because they were suffering, they were worthy of the kingdom. Now, wait just a minute Paul. That’s not what I expected when I got into this Jesus stuff. I thought He would just forgive me of my sins, and I would go on living a perfect life. That’s the problem most of us have. We want to live for Jesus until it requires suffering or persecution. Then it’s too hard.

The phrase “considered worthy” is only used three times in the New Testament. In all three times, it refers to suffering or death. It means to be weighed accurately. In other words, God has you on a scale and finds that you measure up to this. He won’t put more on the other side of the scale than you can handle. He knows your limits, so just trust Him.

APPLICATION

Children don’t know their limits of suffering yet. They have to experience pain and suffering before they know how much they can take. I remember when I was in high school, I broke my ankle at football camp. I walked on that ankle for a week and half before I knew it was broken. I just dealt with the pain. I discovered then that I have a pretty high pain tolerance. 

But physical pain is a lot different than emotional or mental pain. There are all kinds of suffering. Your children will face a multitude of opportunities to “suffer” for Jesus. If you will teach them to trust Him, they will be able to endure the sufferings that come their way. As they watch you endure, they will learn.

Are you going through a time of suffering right now? Thank the Lord for the opportunity to trust Him. Let Him know right now that you are His to mold and make into whatever He chooses. I promise if you trust Him, you will come out the other side of this suffering a more useable vessel. He always perfects. He never condemns.

Knowing You are in control of my every suffering gives me peace. I trust You, Lord, to teach me through my sufferings. I count it a privilege to considered worthy of suffering for You.

Standard