Are Your Children Obedient and Happy? Part 3-Attitude of Mother

What Kind of Attitude In Obedience To God Do We Have?
Please see part 1- Introduction

In the last post on this series: "Are Your Children Obedient and Happy? Part 2-Divine Order)" I talked about Divine Order. God clearly shows us through His divine order how we should set our priorities.

As a godly women, wife and mother, our priorities in obedience are first to God, and then to our own husbands. I would like to talk more about attitude in obedience. This is something we will always need to examine in our hearts, and perhaps always struggle with, but with God's help we will improve as we learn to trust Him.

Our attitude in obedience to God is important. God resists the proud. If our attitude toward obedience to God is wrong, it is always, always, because of pride in our hearts. "But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." (James 4:6-7)


We might say, "I want to obey God in everything, I want to serve Him with all my heart." That is good, but when the test of this comes, do you truly follow and obey? Our God tells wives to submit to their own husbands, this is the divine order, How well are we obeying God in this?


What if your husband tells you not to buy processed sweets and candy? You love sweets and candy, and so do your children, what can you do?
I had this happen, it was difficult to say the least. I struggled when I was at the grocery store as we passed the candy counters. Before, I use to pick up a candy bar or some chocolate and eat what I wanted and shared it, but now if I did this I would be.... gulp... disobeying God! Yes, since we have a divine order, God says,"Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands." To buy that candy would mean disobeying my husband's wishes, and above that disobeying God!
If I said in my heart, "How ridiculous, he just wants to control me in everything, I don't have to listen to him in something so silly." What would I be doing? Would I be acting like a "daughter of Eve?" .... Genesis 3:6 And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes,....

Would it be pride? Yes! Why? Read the rest of the account in Genesis 6.... and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, ...

Eve wanted to be wise like God, she did what she felt like doing.
What about taking the candy off the the counter, buying it and eating it, despite my husbands wishes, how is this pride?
Doing so would be a direct disobedience to God, It is pride that makes me callous and non-thinking. I take the candy, I eat the candy.... I think I know better than God.
Maybe I'm not thinking in my heart, "I know better." but I have an attitude of willfulness, it is my attitude that spurs my rebellion. It is the attitude of the heart that our God is seeing.
This is rebellion, I am deceived... what is more frightening is that the next time I have an opportunity to obey, it will be harder to do so. The more we disobey God and ignore His promptings, the harder our hearts become and spiritually deaf we become.


Well, I am speaking out of experience here. Yes, after a struggle and a determination that I was going to obey my husband in this, I gave in and ate that candy. I was rebellious and my children knew it. Several things happened from a seemingly small thing; my children had less respect for authority, and I became very sick. I knew that the sickness was directly connected with my disobedience and it humbled me to a huge degree. The Lord taught me through that experience that obedience to Him in the seemingly smallest matters is very important to Him. I did confess my sin to God, to my husband and to my children. This experience caused me to feel sober about obeying my husband in the smallest matters. Undesirable consequences are the results of disobedience. My relationship with God depends on my obedience to Him... it is extremely important.

(And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.) (Hebrews 12:5-8)


(Those who are the true followers of God know that I am not talking about "Legalism" here. I am talking to those who are already saved through faith in Jesus Christ our God. Those who have been washed with His blood and believe in their hearts that God raised Him from the dead. Those who are saved from the wrath of God that was on them because of their sin. Those who know that Jesus took God's punishment and wrath on himself for their sin on the cross and shed his blood and died. Those who believe on Him in their hearts and have repented of their sins. Who have been saved and have become a new creature in Christ Jesus our Lord.
We are freed from the bondage of sin and given liberty not to sin! Praise God!!!)
Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. (Galatians 5:1)

We have lessons to learn! We have so MUCH to learn! Are we teachable?

Mothers, your attitude will rub off onto your children. If you are obeying your husband but resent him while you are doing it, your children will see through you and they will feel the same about authority.

There are times when we want to have a good attitude, but find that a wrong attitude suddenly appears when we are not expecting it. If this happens we need to stop and ask ourselves, "Why?"
Examine your heart before God. Ask God to reveal to you why you are irritable, or angry. Ask Him to reveal the pride of your heart, (Yes, pride is always, always, behind a bad attitude! ). Be teachable, if God will show you areas of wrong attitudes of your heart... repent of them and ask Him to help you have His perspective in your thinking. We need to ask Him for a humble and quiet spirit.:

"Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up." (James 4:8-10)

Dear Mothers, we have been given a very serious and eternal job in raising our children for God. This is not a time to play or be, "flippant". Oh take this task before you seriously, a responsibly before God, it is He to whom you will have to answer. Be serious about your own relationship with Jesus Christ. Seek Him with all your heart, and let Him mold and shape you for His glory.

To conclude my story about sweets and processed sugars.. I learned of other healthy alternatives for sugar... and it started our family onto much healthier eating! Praise God!

To be continued... in part 4

Are Your Children Learning About Purity Before Marriage?

http://www.tobeonevideo.com/

When we raise our children, teaching them to love the Lord Jesus Christ, and to serve Him. When we see the work of God in their lives to bring them to belief in Him, and repentance of sin... all with the heart. ( &10) When we see godliness and love for God in our children, wanting to be holy and separated from the lust and sin of the world. It is cause for us to rejoice greatly and praise God, lifting up hands of thanksgiving to Him for answering prayer and doing such a great work in hearts of the ones that are so very dear to us. When they have grown and they start wondering if God would have them marry, we long for God to guide in this step of life so vital for all eternity, and pray earnestly about it with fear and trembling.

Recently our family watched a video called "To Be One" . It is about three different couples who share their story of how God brought them together for marriage. The video is about keeping pure, accountable, and respectful of authority during courtship. These couples were brought to a place of great blessings and surprise as God worked to bring them to the place of marriage.

Our family was blessed by this video. We rarely watch videos this one is very special and helpful. I would recommend it to godly families that are looking to God for direction for their young people.

Watch the trailer for this video here:

"This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.":

Giving thanks always for all things unto God, even the Father, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God. Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the savior of the body. Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing. Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loves his wife loves himself. For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourishes and cherishes it, even as the Lord the church: For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church. Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she respect her husband.

(Ephesians 5:20-33)

The Influence On Childen From Parents Example.

"Instruction, and advice, and commands will profit little, unless they are backed up by the pattern of your own life. Your children will never believe you are earnest, and really wish them to obey you, as long as your own actions contradict your counsel. Archbishop Tillotson made a wise remark when he said, "To give children good instruction, and a bad example, is but beckoning to them with the head to show them the way to heaven, while we take them by the hand and lead them to hell."

We little know the force and power of example. No one of us can live to himself in this world; we are always influencing those around us, in one way or another, either for good or for evil, either for God or for sin.--- They see our ways, they mark our conduct, they observe our behavior, and what they see us practice, that they may fairly suppose we think right. And never, I believe, does example tell so powerfully as it does in the case of parents and children.

Fathers and mothers, do not forget that children learn more by the eye than they do by the ear. No school will make such deep marks on the character as home. The best of schoolmasters will not imprint on their minds as much as they will pick up at your fireside. Imitation is a far stronger principle with children than memory. What they see has a much stronger effect on their minds than what they are told.

Take care, then, what you do before a child. It is a true proverb, "Who sins before a child, sins double." (OR What parents allow in moderation, children will do in excess. (added from "preachers at home") ) Strive rather to be a living epistle of Christ, such as your families can read, and that plainly too. Be an example of reverence for the Word of God, reverence in prayer, reverence for means of grace, reverence for the Lord's day.----Be an example in words, in temper, in diligence, in temperance, in faith, in charity, in kindness, in humility. Think not your children will practice what they do not see you do. You are their model picture, and they will copy what you are. Your reasoning and your lecturing, your wise commands, and your good advice; all this they may not understand, but they can understand your life.

Children are very quick observers; very quick in seeing through some kinds of hypocrisy, very quick in finding out what you really think and feel, very quick in adopting all your ways and opinions. You will often find as the father, so is the son.

Remember the word that the conqueror Ceasar always used to his soldiers in a battle. He did not say "Go forward," but "Come." So it must be with you in training your children. They will seldom learn habits which they see you despise, or walk in paths in which you do not walk yourself. He that preaches to his children what he does not practice, is working a work that never goes forward. It is like the fabled web of Penelope of old, who wove all day, and unwove all night. Even so, the parent who tries to train without setting a good example is building with one hand, and pulling down with the other."

"The Duties Of Parents" by J.C. Ryle (XIV pages 31 and 32.)

Having Been Away For Awhile

Having been away for awhile due to illness I have missed posting here for a couple of months.
During my time of convalescence, the Lord spoke to me about weakness and faith in Him. His strength is made perfect in weakness: "And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me." (2 Corinthians 12:9) I have found in greater depth that God is so very faithful. Those who are His are kept by His power... we cannot keep ourselves, we are far too weak. We cannot make ourselves strong, but He will be our strength if we come to Him in faith and rely on Him. To resign ourselves to His perfect will, to submit ourselves in obedience to Him, to rest and lean on Him is a wonderful and peaceful place to be!
Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-7)

Dear Mothers, are you resting in Him? Do you know the peace that passes all understanding?

Our children need to see us falling on our knees in prayer, or just speaking out prayer, imploring our God for help and thanking Him for every trial. They need to see the peace of God in their mothers, assured by Him that He is in control. This will make a very worthy and wonderful impact on them. The life we live before them is an example to them... how should they act or live in times of trial? Go to man? Or Go to God?
Oh let us be true and holy women of God... no compromise, no pretending... just true children of the living God, obeying His Word, doing what He says, and let them know Jesus Christ is your strength. We are needy and helpless without Jesus Christ our Lord.

May our sweet Savior bless you today as you raise your children for Him.

I hope to post more soon... Let us keep praising God always!

Are Your Children Obedient and Happy? Part 2- Divine Order

Have you seen an Obedient, Happy Child?
See part 1-Introduction

This is part 2 of : "Are Your Children Obedient and Happy?"

Mother's, it is worth our while to take a good look into our own hearts to see if we have the right attitude about our obedience to God. God has made a "Divine order" for us to follow.

Really, it is very simply laid out for us, so that we are without excuse.

Here is the Divine order:

Fear, Love, Serve and Obey God First:

"And now, Israel, what does the LORD your God require of you, but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, To keep the commandments of the LORD, and his statutes, which I command you this day for your good?"(Deuteronomy 10:12-13)

And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might. And these words, which I command you this day, shall be in your heart:
(Deuteronomy 6:5-6)


Husbands Are The Head Of The Wife:

But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God. (1 Corinthians 11:3)

"For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the savior of the body. Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing. Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; " (Ephesians 5:23-25)

Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them.
(Colossians 3:19)


Wives Are To Submit Themselves To Their Own Husband:

But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God.
(1 Corinthians 11:3)

Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.
(Ephesians 5:22)

Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as it is fitting in the Lord.
(Colossians 3:18)

Likewise, you wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conduct of the wives;
(1 Peter 3:1)


Children Are To Obey Their Parents:

Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. Honor your father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise; That it may be well with you, and you may live long on the earth. (Ephesians 6:1-3)

Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord.
(Colossians 3:20)


God has given us a Divine Order to follow, Are we following?

Adam and Eve were given a divine order to follow:

Man Was Given Dominion Over The Earth:

So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moves upon the earth...(Genesis 1:27-30)

God Forbid Them To Eat Of The Tree Of The Knowledge Of Good And Evil:

And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, you shall not eat of it: for in the day that you eat thereof you shall surely die.
(Genesis 2:16-17)


Dear Mothers! Who first ate of this tree? Who gave the fruit to her husband? The wife, Eve!


Let me ask you this... was Eve willful? What does God's Word say? :

And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.
(Genesis 3:6)

Eve listened to the temptation of the serpent (satan). Here she followed her fleshly desires:

"The steps of the transgression, not steps upward, but downward towards the pit - steps that take hold on hell.":

Matthew Henry gives an excellent commentary of this passage:

1. "She saw. She should have turned away her eyes from beholding vanity; but she enters into temptation, by looking with pleasure on the forbidden fruit. ..... Let the fear of God be always to us for a covering of the eyes."

2. She took. It was her own act and deed. The devil did not take it, and put it into her mouth, whether she would or no; but she herself took it. Satan may tempt, but he cannot force; may persuade us to cast ourselves down, but he cannot cast us down, Mat_4:6. Eve's taking was stealing, like Achan's taking the accursed thing, taking that to which she had no right. Surely she took it with a trembling hand.

3. She did eat. Perhaps she did not intend, when she looked, to take, nor, when she took, to eat; but this was the result. Note, The way of sin is downhill; a man cannot stop himself when he will. The beginning o it is as the breaking forth of water, to which it is hard to say, “Hitherto thou shalt come and no further.” Therefore it is our wisdom to suppress the first emotions of sin, and to leave it off before it be meddled with.

4. She gave also to her husband with her. It is probable that he was not with her when she was tempted (surely, if he had, he would have interposed to prevent the sin), but came to her when she had eaten, and was prevailed upon by her to eat likewise; for it is easier to learn that which is bad than to teach that which is good. She gave it to him, persuading him with the same arguments that the serpent had used with her, adding this to all the rest, that she herself had eaten of it, and found it so far from being deadly that it was extremely pleasant and grateful. Stolen waters are sweet. She gave it to him, under colour of kindness - she would not eat these delicious morsels alone; but really it was the greatest unkindness she could do him. Or perhaps she gave it to him that, if it should prove hurtful, he might share with her in the misery, which indeed looks strangely unkind, and yet may, without difficulty, be supposed to enter into the heart of one that had eaten forbidden fruit. Note, Those that have themselves done ill are commonly willing to draw in others to do the same. As was the devil, so was Eve, no sooner a sinner than a tempter.

5. He did eat, overcome by his wife's importunity. It is needless to ask, “What would have been the consequence if Eve only had transgressed?” The wisdom of God, we are sure, would have decided the difficulty, according to equity; but, alas! the case was not so; Adam also did eat. “And what great harm if he did?” say the corrupt and carnal reasonings of a vain mind. What harm! Why, this act involved disbelief of God's word, together with confidence in the devil's, discontent with his present state, pride in his own merits, and ambition of the honour which comes not from God, envy at God's perfections, and indulgence of the appetites of the body. In neglecting the tree of life of which he was allowed to eat, and eating of the tree of knowledge which was forbidden, he plainly showed a contempt of the favours God had bestowed on him, and a preference given to those God did not see fit for him. He would be both his own carver and his own master, would have what he pleased and do what he pleased: his sin was, in one word, disobedience (Rom_5:19), disobedience to a plain, easy, and express command, which probably he knew to be a command of trial. He sinned against great knowledge, against many mercies, against light and love, the clearest light and the dearest love that ever sinner sinned against. He had no corrupt nature within him to betray him; but had a freedom of will, not enslaved, and was in his full strength, not weakened or impaired. He turned aside quickly. Some think he fell the very day on which he was made; but I see not how to reconcile this with God's pronouncing all very good in the close of the day. Others suppose he fell on the sabbath day: the better day the worse deed. However, it is certain that he kept his integrity but a very little while: being in honour, he continued not. But the greatest aggravation of his sin was that he involved all his posterity in sin and ruin by it. God having told him that his race should replenish the earth, surely he could not but know that he stood as a public person, and that his disobedience would be fatal to all his seed; and, if so, it was certainly both the greatest treachery and the greatest cruelty that ever was. The human nature being lodged entirely in our first parents, henceforward it could not but be transmitted from them under an attainder of guilt, a stain of dishonor, and an hereditary disease of sin and corruption. And can we say, then, that Adam's sin had but little harm in it?

Here we read from Matthew Henry's commentary how dreadful and wicked taking the fruit and disobeying God was!

But so often in life there may be sins that we do that we might turn our own eyes from or will not face. However, the consequences of those sins might be greater than we can imagine. How do those sins effect our children?

You may wonder what all this has to do with having an obedient and happy child:

Having a truly obedient and happy child must begin in the heart of the parents. I am an older women teaching younger women how to love their husbands and children... so I am addressing the mothers in my writings and encouraging them to examine their own hearts. Please do not point to your husband and say, "Well what about him?" Please point to yourself and say, "What about me?" For the Bible clearly states: "Every wise woman builds her house: but the foolish plucks it down with her hands." (Proverbs 14:1)
The enemy of our souls does not want us to realize how much our obedience to God, or disobedience to God will effect our children for their entire lives.

Mothers, please begin now and examine your own hearts to see if you are in the faith and know the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior. If you do, then now examine your own hearts and ask God to reveal any sin that you might not want to admit to, or that you are turning your eyes away from. Get your heart right with your Savior!


To be continued in part 3- Attitude of Mother

Are Your Children Obedient And Happy? Part 1- Introduction

A beautiful sight to behold is an obedient and happy child. Have you seen one?


Better still is to have your own child obedient and happy and let me say, they are a delight to be around!

Things that I would like to write on this subject are so vast that it will take several parts to cover. So.... this is Part One on: "Are Your Children Obedient and Happy?"


There is a reason the title of this post puts obedient before happy, for without obedience, there is no happiness.

Why is it very important that children obey their parents?


The most obvious answer to this question is that God commands it! Here are just a few verses to remind us of this fact:


"Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. Honour thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise;) That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth." (Ephesians 6:1-3)

Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord. (Colossians 3:20)


"Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse; A blessing, if ye obey the commandments of the LORD your God, which I command you this day: And a curse, if ye will not obey the commandments of the LORD your God, but turn aside out of the way which I command you this day, to go after other gods, which ye have not known." (Deuteronomy 11:26-28)

We as mothers aught to look very carefully at these Scriptures and consider that obedience to God is extremely important, there are consequences to both sides of obedience.

"But this thing commanded I them, saying, Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and ye shall be my people: and walk ye in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well unto you. "(Jeremiah 7:23)

"Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee." (Exodus 20:12)

God has commanded children to obey their parents. This is a COMMAND!


Oh godly mothers let us think about this very soberly!
We won't allow our children to do anything that is physically harmful to them, like put their fingers in a electrical plug, or run into the street, or play with a sharp object, get near the oven, etc.. Yet what if they delay to come when called, or talk back, scream for something they want, won't eat the food set before them, grumble and whine when they don't like something, etc...? How harmful is that for them? God warns the children to honor and obey their parents SO:

"That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth."

"A blessing, if ye obey the commandments of the LORD your God"

"Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and ye shall be my people."

His warning continues: "And a curse, if ye will not obey the commandments of the LORD your God".....

So, how harmful is it to our dear children if they are not taught to obey their parents? According to God's Word it is very, very bad and harmful for them. Do we believe what God says? If so, let us act like it!

God commands parents to teach their children to obey and gives warning to us!

from the Geneva Bible :
The rodde (rod) and correction giue wisdome (give wisdom): but a childe (child) set a libertie,(liberty) maketh his mother ashamed. (Proverbs 29:15)

King James Bible:
"The rod and reproof give wisdom: but a child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame." (Proverbs 29:15)

"Withhold not correction from the child: for if thou beatest him with the rod, he shall not die. Thou shalt beat him with the rod, and shalt deliver his soul from hell". (Proverbs 23:13-14)

"Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him".
(Proverbs 22:15)

"Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it."
(Proverbs 22:6)

Better is a poor and a wise child than an old and foolish king, who will no more be admonished.
(Ecclesiastes 4:13)

We must take the instruction from God in raising children very seriously! If we should go our own way, do our own thing in raising our children and ignore these warnings, there will be a life time of eternal consequences, not only for our children and grandchildren but also for us. We do reap what we sow and as a garden that is not "tended to" becomes dominated with weeds, so children not "tended to" becomes dominated with sin and evil. This mother knows the bitter anguish and sorrow that is hers as a consequence from this. "The rod and reproof give wisdom: but a child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame." (Proverbs 29:15) Though now I do praise Him for saving me and teaching me truth, I still have sorrow for the past sins I committed against my older children before I was saved. (Yet God is faithful and answering prayer for them. We are clay in the Potters hands)


I have heard many mothers complain that they love their child too much to spank them. They try their own methods of discipline which often leaves a child extremely frustrated and angry. God has given us clear instruction to use a rod... spank! A rod is a rod... not a club, but a thin piece of wood or something that will not cause physical injury. A spank with a rod should "smart" and sting. The child should know that he has been spanked by the aftermath stinging sensation on his bottom! But I plan to get more into this in one of the post on this series.



Mothers, getting back to the idea of loving your child too much to spank them, or correct them, I have a few things to say. Is that true love? I have heard mothers say, "I want my child to like me." So they coddle the child and try to reason with them as if they are adults, Is that true love? What kind of love do we love our children with? There are many types of love, how are we loving our children? A godly mother who wants to obey God and discipline her children according to His Word needs to ask God to give her Agape love for her children. Agape love is God's love. Agape love:

" entails the decision to proactively seek someone's well-being. Since it is not a knee jerk reaction nor just a responsive feeling to how I've been treated, agape is capable of acting in a hostile environment where there are no warm fuzzy feelings. For example, Jesus' teaching that we should agape our enemies is intended to show the boundless nature of the Christian commitment toward seeking another's well-being. Luke 6:35 The New Testament is full of examples and teachings illustrating the nature of agape as well as teaching designed to train the disciple's heart to be shaped by agape. A few examples illustrating the active nature of agape include: • Knowing that sinful man would kill His Son, but also knowing that without Jesus we were doomed, God loved (agape) us by sending his Son. John 3:16 • Those who love (agape) Jesus will do what Jesus taught. John 14:15,23 • If a person has material resources and the love (agape) of God within him, his heart will take care of his brother who is in need. 1 John 3:17 • Just as Christ through love (agape) acted on behalf of the church, so too the Christian husband is to be motivated by love (agape) to act on behalf of his wife. Ephesians 5:25-29"
taken from: http://www.sjchurchofchrist.org/agape.shtml

"A Short Handbook on Love"


I do not think we can comprehend the depths of God's love! The true people of God have the Spirit of God and He gives us the fruits of His Spirit which includes love, that is, His love. We must love our children with His love...and then we can discipline them with godly wisdom.

Facets of His love are deep and have no limit!

Take a look at this cut ruby, the depth and beauty is just amazing! Looking at this we have a visual of depth reflecting the underlying symmetry of the crystal structure. The deep symmetry of God's love is way beyond our understanding! We need to love our children with this perspective.. a deep and precious facet of God's love is discipline.

"And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons." (Hebrews 12:5-8)

To be continued... part 2 of: "Are Your Children Obedient and Happy?"

Mothers, Are We Preachers At Home?

Be A Preacher At Home Dear godly Mothers, Our Children Will Benefit Greatly!

Yesterday, June 30, 2009, I was with my 21 year old daughter, sitting in the parked car while we waited for my son to finish his piano lesson. We had decided to wait at the park and read the Bible out-loud to each other since we are learning the power of the spoken Word of God.
While sitting we observed 3 boys who had just arrived at the park, they must have been about 13, 12 and 11 years of age. It was a wet and soggy day so the park was empty, except for the boys. Leah was reading to me and I watched those boys as they balanced and ran on a large fountain rim, then pulled out some picnic tables and jumped on them. As I watched I heard a "still small voice" say, "go talk to them about me".. I mused.. "ummm what, ummm really?" "Go talk to them about me, it will effect them for their entire lives." I looked at Leah and told her that God the Lord just told me to go give those boys the gospel, "so let's pray"... I felt ashamed for being so slow to obey, and got out of the car, with Bible in hand walked over to them.

"Hi there! Hey have you got ten minutes to talk about something?" The oldest boy, who had pierced rings on either side of his lower lip asked,"What about?", (I answer)......."The Bible." He jerked back as if hit, "No! I don't believe in God."........ "Don't believe in God? How can this be? just look at the grass and trees, nature and all He has created, How can you not believe in Him?" The youngest boy wanting to please the older chimed in that he didn't believe either. Eric, who must be about 12 yrs. took the gospel tract that the others refused and stood still with interest in what I had to say, so I began to show him scriptures in the Bible. Genesis and John is where God lead me and explained about creation and how God made man from the dust of the earth, also about sin and what Jesus did for us on the cross. Eric admitted his sin and I asked him what he has done about that sin, since God cannot have sin in heaven nor can He look upon sin. I pointed him to Jesus on the cross and His sacrifice, taking our sin upon himself, becoming sin for us and about his need to believe in Jesus and repent of his sin. I told him that Jesus Christ is God and that He arose from the dead and is alive forever more. During the whole time I was talking to Eric the other two boys tried all they could to interrupt me. They kept pulling on Eric and trying to get him to leave saying, "Why listen to her, you have better things to do with your time." I asked them, "Why do you hate God? Why don't you want to listen to the Bible, are you afraid to hear God's Word?" They were both very nervous when I read the Bible to Eric, the youngest ran over to me, grabbed my Bible and tried to pull it out of my hands, but God had given me a good grip on it and he couldn't, I said, "Young sir, this is my Bible." I asked him what he would do with it? he answered, "I'd burn it." The older boy took the tract away from Eric and pretended to rip it apart. I gave Eric another tract and told him to put it in his pocket right away or they would take that too, and he listened to me. The two boys took up pine cones and threw them at me trying to stop me from talking. I encouraged him to read the tract and look up the scriptures from it in his Bible and pray for God to show him the truth. Eric thanked me for talking to him, and I left. (Please pray for this child and the other boys.)

Mothers! With great earnestness, teach your children the Word of God! Eric was different than the other two boys... why? I don't know the answer, but here is a clue, he told me he had a Bible at home and had heard something about God, he knew a little bit about what I told him. The other two boys made me think of two demons running around trying to keep Eric from learning about God, (Leah, who was watching, praying, and reading the Bible out-loud in the car) told me that they looked like two demons to her.

This whole affair sobers* me so much! We as mothers must be keepers at home and preachers at home... love Jesus Christ the Lord, learn about Him, draw close to Him, obey, reverence, fear and honor Him, He is God, Creator of heaven and earth! *As we draw near to Him, He will draw near to us. We will be more like Jesus, He will lead us in the way we should go! *Our children will benefit as we seek God, they will learn to do the same as we set the example in our words and living till our very lives are "preachers at home". Let us be sober! The lives of our children are at stake.. Who will they be like?

*Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world. But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you. (1 Peter 5:8-10)

*Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye doubleminded. (James 4:8)

*and thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thy house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thy hand, and they shall be for frontlets between thine eyes. And thou shalt write them upon the door-posts of thy house, and upon thy gates.
(Deuteronomy 6:7-9)