A LIFE OF SELF
JUNE 1
Bible Reading: Genesis 3:1-6 Key Verse: Genesis 3:1 – Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?
Key Word: Ye
In our Scripture reading for today, we find thirteen personal pronouns. No doubt Satan’s plan was to get Adam and Eve to focus on themselves; and in doing so, they would be rendered ineffective in doing the will of God. Well, Satan’s plan never changed. We see this throughout the Word of God. This is the primary reason that we face the challenges and difficulties we face today in our families – because we fall for Satan’s plan, and we focus on us and on our family rather than on God and God’s will. As you study the Word of God, The self-centered life you will find that the world and the flesh pull us toward a life of selfishness while God will always come directs us toward a life of selflessness. We back to haunt you. read in Matthew 16:24-25, Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. But let me caution you that the self-centered life will always come back to haunt you. All you have to do is look at the result of focusing on self in the lives of Adam and Eve, Achan, David, Uzziah, and others to see that, while Spend your life in God’s Satan paints a beautiful picture of a life service, focusing on of selfishness, it always ends in Jesus and others, and tragedy. you will then have the The first time I visited the sweet smell of selflessness. Great Salt Lake, I was sorely disappointed. It was dirty, had a foul
odor, and was lifeless. The pastor I was with informed me that the reason the lake was in such a putrid plight was that it had inlets but no outlets. So it is in our lives and the lives of our families if all we do is focus on self. We, as well, will end up dirty, full of worldly odor, and lifeless in God’s service. Let me encourage you to spend your life in God’s service, focusing on Jesus and others; then you will then have the sweet smell of selflessness.
What to do: Start focusing on others by... ✞ Witnessing daily, ✞ Helping a church member in need (mow a lawn or rake leaves for a senior saint), ✞ Bake cookies for a shut-in, ✞ Visit Children’s Hospital, and ✞ Pray for others. …but take the focus off you and your family!
PURITY IN MARRIAGE JUNE 2 Bible Reading: Ephesians 5:1-6 Key Verse: Ephesians 5:3 – But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints;
Key Words: for a sweet-smelling savor
Purity is a sweet-smelling savor.
The word purity literally means “kept
clean, unspotted, and undefiled.” The Word of God tells us in Ephesians 5:3, But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints. Why does the Bible say so pointedly, Let it not once be named among you? Well, one reason is that no marriage can stand against the forces of sexual immorality. If immorality is injected into a believer’s marriage and not dealt with, it is doubtful that the marriage can last.
We live in a society that is bent on dragging Christian marriages into the gutter. Have you ever noticed the theme of most movies? Have you ever looked at the target of tabloids, soap operas, and magazines? Why, they all emphasize adultery and fornication (they call them affairs). They include homosexuality and other perverse sexual sins. The world attempts to make it all right to be unfaithful; but Hebrews 13:4 is still in the Bible, “Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.” Proverbs deals with a godly woman – a wife – a mate, “Who can find a virtuous woman? For her price is far above rubies... Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her.” (Proverbs 31:10, 28). Men, let me remind you, if you have a wife who is pure and loves you, if you have a faithful wife, you have a precious jewel of valuable price. Likewise, dear lady, if your husband is honorable and true to you, you have a tremendous treasure. Sinclair Lewis, a pastor from years gone by, once received a letter from a very young and beautiful woman who wished to become his secretary. She said she could type, file, and anything else. She concluded, “…when I say anything, I mean anything!” Lewis turned the letter over to his wife who wrote to the young woman saying, “Mr. Lewis already has an excellent secretary who can type and file and do everything else, when I say everything, I do mean everything!” Stay faithful to each other, and teach faithfulness to your children.
What to do: ✞ The key to being faithful to your mate begins by being faithful to God. ✞ Let your mate know everyday that you love him or her and have eyes only for him or her. ✞ Pray daily for your mate. ✞ Date your mate regularly. ✞ Attend church together every time the doors are open.
A HAPPY HOME~
JUNE 3
Bible Reading: Deuteronomy 6:1-15 Key Verse: Deuteronomy 6:6-7 – And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.
Key Words: thou shalt teach them
When Moses was teaching the children of Israel the fundamentals of a happy home (Deuteronomy 6:6-7), he emphasized, And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and If we fail to teach our when thou walkest by the way, and when children God’s Word, thou liest down, and when thou risest up. we are failing to teach Moses’ message was to make the teaching them how to live. of God’s principles a normal practice within the home. Moses laid out for us some unfailing, unchanging precepts that are just as valid today as they were in 1440 B.C. After you have hidden God’s Word in your heart, teach it to your children. Their teaching should not merely be what they would learn in Sunday School, or Vacation Bible School, but you should daily teach them God’s Word. We must understand that the Bible is the book of life; and if we fail to learn it and teach it to our children, we are After you have robbing them of God’s answers on life. We may teach our children many hidden God’s Word subjects such as English, math, or science. in your heart, teach Mothers, you may teach your girls to sew and it to your children cook. Dads, you can teach your sons to hunt, fish, throw, and catch. But in all our teaching, if we fail to teach our children God’s Word, we are failing to teach them how to live.
.
All of us, including
our children, need a creed to live by, a set of guiding principles. We all need to know what we believe and why we believe it. Our children - indeed, all of us - need a cause to live for; and that cause is Jesus Christ. A pastor asked a group of primary boys in Sunday School, “Why do you love God?” The pastor received a variety of answers; but the answer that stood out above all the others was from a boy who said, “I guess it just runs in the family.” Does God’s love run in your family?
What to do: ✞ Have a family altar. (You may want to use this devotional book as your guide.) ✞ Give your family at least one reason you love God everyday. ✞ Have your family tell of others in whom they saw God’s love.
DISCIPLINE IN LOVE
JUNE 4
Bible Reading: Hebrews 12:6-11 Key Verse: Hebrews 12:6 – For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.
Key Words: that we might be partakers of his holiness.
The
Word of God presents considerable truth about discipline. Proverbs 13:24 says, He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes.” Proverbs 22:15 says, “Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him. Proverbs 23:13-14 says, 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. Now, you may be thinking, “Good grief, Pastor, are you advocating child abuse?” No, that is not what the Word of God teaches; but it does
emphasize that you must discipline in love. Are you aware that children literally cry out for discipline? Kids often push down shelves, kick our cars, and do other mischievous acts; and in doing so, they are saying, “Give me the discipline I need.” Of course, most children would not agree with this; but I believe it is exactly what they want, and the Bible says that it is exactly what they need. I have heard parents boast that they would never discipline their children physically. My question is, why not? The reason most parents refuse to discipline is not because they love their child that much, but because they love themselves too much. What causes a parent to fail to discipline? It is the fear that the child will not love them; but in reality, just the opposite is true. When parents discipline their The Word of God children, they are saying, “I love you, and I want emphasizes you to do right” (Hebrews 12:11). You are discipline in love. saying through discipline, “I care more about you than I care about myself. I am willing to have you criticize me, be mad at me, and even talk about me behind my back. I am willing to be unpopular with you and your friends for a while, that I might teach you to do right for a lifetime.” Parents, children need two pats on the back: one high enough to encourage them when they do right, and one low enough to discourage them when they do wrong. Effective discipline requires knowing which end of the child to pat.
What to do: ✞ Be consistent with both your discipline and your praise. ✞ Never use your bare hand to discipline. Always use a switch or belt. The hand is for loving. ✞ Always pray with your child before and after the discipline. ✞ Never discipline out of frustration but out of love. ✞ Discipline is tough love, but it is still love.
THE PURPOSE OF THE HOME
JUNE 5
Bible Reading: Ephesians 6:1-4, 10-18 Key Verse: Ephesians 6:1 - Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. Key Word: obey
The purpose of the Christian home is not just to get by or to make another dollar or even to have a good time. The purpose of the home is to glorify God and to teach our children to follow God. Now, children do not just follow God by Our children, like accident. Following God is a result of gardens, will not children obeying Godly parents. automatically flourish. This is not easy to do in our day. They need daily care In his book, Lord, Send Revival, Richard Lee and direction. says that, by the time the average child is eighteen, he has listened to 20,000 hours of radio, watched 18,000 hours of television, and been to school 11,000 hours. The same statistics revealed that a child who is brought up in the church has received about 1,000 hours of spiritual training... and we wonder why we are having problems with our teenagers today! It is because the average parents are not committed to Godly purposes in their children’s lives. Parents, do you pray for your children that God will help you to raise them in the nurture and admonition of the Lord (Ephesians 6:4)? Do you pray that God will convict you when you fail to do so? Children, do you thank God for your Godly parents who teach you and train you in the way you should go? Do you obey them and live by the Godly principles they have established for your spiritual well-being? The poet Coleridge was visited by a man who had a theory about raising children. He stated, “I believe children should be given a free rein to think Following God is a and act and thus learn at an early age to result of children make their own decisions. This is the only obeying Godly parents. way they can grow into their full potential.”
Coleridge made no comment but simply led the man to his garden that was filled with nothing but weeds. The wise poet declared, “My garden used to be filled with roses and flowers and beautiful plants, but this year I thought I’d let the garden grow as it willed without tending to it, and this is the result.” Need I remind you that our children, like gardens, will not automatically flourish. They need daily care and direction.
What to do: ✞ Give Godly instruction. ✞ Raise your children in the house of God. ✞ Correct them when they are wrong. Praise them when they do right. ✞ Pray for them daily.
LEADERSHIP THAT LEADS
JUNE 6
Bible Reading: Nehemiah 1:1-6, 2:11-18 Key Verse: Nehemiah 2:13 – And I went out by night by the gate of the valley, even before the dragon well, and to the dung port, and viewed the walls of Jerusalem, which were broken down, and the gates thereof were consumed with fire.
Key Words: viewed the walls of Jerusalem.
The
Chicago Tribune reported a rash of gang-related slayings in a large inner-city housing project. Law enforcement agencies seemed unable to bring an end to the violence that permeated the project. The mayor of Chicago at the time was Jane Byrne. To everyone’s amazement, she It may be that our children announced that she and her husband who doubt what we say were moving into the apartment may change their minds complex. Immediately she gained when they see what we do. widespread support for her action. Why, even the critics admitted that her
rpose of the Home~
bold leadership and example had made a significant difference. Crime was reduced, and new hope came to the community. Her action reminds me of one of my Bible heroes, Nehemiah. This man of God was instrumental in rebuilding and restoring the walls of Jerusalem. As a Jewish exile serving in a high-ranking position under the king of Persia, he received word that the remnant of his people in Jerusalem was under great stress. He also learned that their safety had been threatened. The walls of the city were broken down and the gates burned. This broke Nehemiah’s heart. He wept, fasted, and prayed for several days. Then, as the Lord directed him, he left the security of his position and moved into the violence-wracked city. He stayed there until the walls were rebuilt and order was restored. Now, parents, the moral of the story is this: If order is to be restored to our homes, our churches, and our nation, we are going to have to be leaders that lead our families into righteousness. It may be that our children who doubt what we say may change their minds when they see what we do.
What to do: ✞ Do not be afraid to lead. Put Bible principles before people. ✞ Lead your family in Bible study and prayer. ✞ Lead your family in witnessing. ✞ Lead your family to the house of God.
THE CHURCH AND THE FAMILY
JUNE 7
Bible Reading: II Chronicles 26:16-21; 27:1-2; 28:1, 24 Key Verse: II Chronicles 28:1 – Ahaz was twenty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem: but he did not that which was right in the sight of the LORD, like David his father:
Key Words: he did not that which was right in the sight of the Lord.
Did you notice the spiritual decline in the family as you read the text? First of all, dad argued with the “pastor” in “church.” Secondly, the son did not go to “church.” Thirdly, the grandson destroyed the “church.” Are you aware that three out of every five (60%) of all teenagers will drop out of church when they reach adulthood and are allowed to make their own decisions? Do your part to light Do you know why? It is because parents fail to up your church! instill a love for Christ in them and to teach them the importance of the church. Often when parents come to church and hear the gospel message preached, they go out grumbling and murmuring about the church and the pastor. The children sit in the back seat of the car and hear it. They hear the complaining at Sunday lunch where the church, the pastor, and/or staff members are the “main course” of the meal. The children do not understand why Mom and Dad go to such a horrible place every Sunday. As the years pass and the time comes when the children are accountable for their own actions, they decide to stay away from that horrible place called church. Then Mom and Dad get all concerned and call and inquire as to why their children are not in church. Parents, our children need a home where they are taught to love God, the church, the pastor, and the church leaders? Do you not agree!? I read an interesting story about a 60% of all teenagers village in southern Europe that boasted of a will drop out of church called “The House of Many Lamps.” church when they When the church was built in the sixteenth reach adulthood. century, the architect provided for no light
except for a receptacle at every seat. Every Sunday night as the people gathered, each would bring his own lantern and slip it into the bracket at his seat. When someone stayed away, his place would be dark; and if many stayed away, darkness prevailed. It was the faithful attendance of each person that lit up the church. Now, do you do your part to light up your church? You should, and you should teach your children to do the same.
What to do: ✞ Be faithful every time the church doors are open, and teach your children to love God, the pastor, and the church leaders by your words and actions.
GUARD YOUR PURITY
JUNE 8
Bible Reading: I Timothy 8:17-25 Key Verse: I Timothy 5:22 – Lay hands suddenly on no man, neither be partaker of other men’s sins: keep thyself pure.
Key Words: keep thyself pure
I read recently about two students who were walking along a street in the White Chapel district of London, a section where both old and new clothes were sold. One suddenly said to the other, “What a fitting illustration all of this makes!” as he pointed to a suit of clothes hanging on a rack by a window. A sign read “Slightly Soiled – Greatly Reduced in Price.” “That’s it!” he continued. “We get soiled by gazing at vulgar pictures, reading a coarse book, or even indulging in dishonest Begin living for practices and lustful thoughts; and so, when it God today! comes time for our character to be evaluated, we are greatly reduced in price.” Slight deviations from the path of righteousness greatly reduce our value to God and our fellow man. In fact, these secret sins can weaken our
character so that when we face a moral crisis, we cannot stand the test and thus face spiritual defeat. After a violent storm, a large tree, which over the years had become a stately giant, was found lying across the pathway in a park. Nothing but a splintered stump was left. Close examination showed that it was rotten at the core because thousands of insects had eaten away at its heart. The weakness of that tree was not brought on by the storm; the storm simply revealed the weakness that already existed deep within the heart of the tree. So it is in our lives - storms and trials do not make us weak, they simply reveal the weakness that is already there because of sin. I trust today that you are living a pure and clean life before God. If not, confess your sin (I John 1:9) and begin living for God today.
What to do: ✞ Stay away from compromising situations. ✞ Decide to live pure, and dedicate yourself everyday to purity. ✞ Do not befriend impure people. ✞ Pray for purity daily; pray for purity for your family.
PERSONAL DECENCY
JUNE 9
Bible Reading: Philippians 4:1-8 Key Verse: Philippians 4:8 – Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
Key Words: whatsoever things are pure.
The importance of personal decency is at great risk today.
We are told in Leviticus 20:7a, Sanctify yourself therefore, and be ye holy. Sadly, the standards of the world have been taken as the standards for the children of God.
A
local paper reported the events of a pop rock group that came to town. The entire article was about one of the performers in the group. The young man had not even reached his eighteenth birthday. Now, I won’t – no, I can’t – even use the same terms that were Make wise decisions as in the article, but the caption by his picture a young person, or your flatly stated that he would not stop “pulling days will be filled with his pants down.” no pleasure in the end. The article went on to describe the concert that was attended, for the most part, by preteens. Children ages nine through twelve made up most of the audience. These groups that appeal to the preteen-aged children are at best ungodly and at worst infidels. They say, “Their aim is to introduce young people to a sexual experience” (James Dobson). God’s Word to, Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them (Ecclesiastes 12:1). May I explain? Make wise decisions as a young person, or your days will be filled with no pleasure in the end. The newspaper article went on to say that during the concert little nine-, ten-, eleven-, and twelve-year-old girls took off their clothes and threw them on stage. Whatever happened to personal decency? What has happened to the moral character of our parents? Lord, help us to stand for righteousness.
What to do: ✞ Outline some Godly standards for your family and live by them. (You may want to seek some help from the pastor or staff.) ✞ Guard whom your children run with and what music they listen to. ✞ Pray daily with and for your children. ✞ Have personal Bible studies on moral purity. ✞ Faithfulness to every service will greatly help and give you much material for use in your home.
WATCH YOUR LANGUAGE
JUNE 10
Bible Reading: Philippians 2:1-10 Key Verse: Philippians 2:10 – That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth
Key Word: Jesus
A pastor I know tells the following story.
“One morning years ago, I
took a walking tour of Albany, New York. I stopped for lunch at a park. As I ate my sandwich, I felt Children in someone staring at me. Turning around, I saw a many homes little fellow watching me with intense interest. He never hear a appeared to be at most around twelve or so. He devotion from crinkled with curiosity. God’s Word… “‘What’s your name?’ he finally asked. Then he asked, ‘What are you eatin’? Where are you from?’ “‘Tennessee,’ I said. “‘What are you doin’ here?’ “I told him I was preaching at a church in his city. “‘What does it mean to preach?’ he asked. “With a smile I told him that it meant to tell others about Jesus. “When I said the name Jesus, his eyes widened, and he cupped his hands over his mouth. ‘Jesus,’ he whispered. ‘Mister, don’t you know?’ “‘Know what?’ I asked. “‘That’s a cuss word.’ “It dawned on me that the only time this little fellow had ever heard the name of and they never hear Jesus was in slang and profanity. What a a parent pray. shame!” I am convinced that children in many homes never hear a devotion from God’s Word, and they never hear a parent pray.
Why, if the truth were known, some of your children seldom see you open your Bible, and many of your children have never heard Daddy pray. I trust this is not true in your case; but if so, why not change that beginning today?
What to do: ✞ Everyday have each family member tell one thing that Jesus has done for him or her. ✞ Let your children hear you pray for them, your pastor, the church staff, etc. ✞ Have daily devotions together as a family.
THE CAUSES OF CHILDREN’S MISBEHAVIOR
JUNE 11
Bible Reading: I Samuel 2:11-17, 22-26 Key Verse: I Samuel 2:24 – Nay, my sons; for it is no good report that I hear: ye make the LORD’S people to transgress.
Key Words: Nay, my son
To say the least, Eli’s sons’ behavior was inappropriate.
But why? Well, we know they were not saved (verse 12). But even unsaved kids with a proper authority over them behave, so why do children misbehave? All misbehavior has a cause! There is always a reason or reasons why our children misbehave. Understanding and removing the cause of the problem will certainly help to eliminate your child’s misbehavior. All misbehavior Inappropriate punishment for misbehavior has a cause! does not solve the problem, but rather tends to aggravate it. So, let us look at some causes of misbehavior and see whether or not we can be of any help to you. First of all, misbehavior could be due to a physical problem. We had a child in our school ministry who was, to say the least, a “holy terror.” We suggested that the parents get a complete physical examination and have the
child’s hearing and eyes checked. They found that the child could not see. He was “half-blind.” Glasses corrected not only his vision but his conduct as well. Secondly, misbehavior could be caused by an inability to keep up academically. When a child is not able to stay with his peers academically, he tends to become frustrated; and misbehavior is the end result. One common side effect of this misbehavior is that the child tends to blame others in the class or the teacher for his problems. Statements such as “The person sitting by me won’t Understanding and leave me alone” or “The teacher removing the cause of embarrasses me” are used as excuses for the problem will his poor grades and misbehavior. certainly help to Thirdly, misbehavior may be eliminate your child’s caused by conviction of sin or spiritual misbehavior. battles. For example, one of our daughters was not “behaving herself,” which was unusual for her, so we sat down and talked with her. She was battling with surrendering to God’s call upon her life, which resulted in her poor attitude and disobedience. Fourthly, misbehavior may be a sign of some emotional problem – fear of failure, peers, jealousy of other students, etc. As parents, it is important that you understand that there is always a reason for misbehavior; and rather than becoming angry with your child or someone else, begin to look for the reasons for this misbehavior.
What to do: ✞ Pray for wisdom. ✞ Be consistent with your discipline. ✞ Remember that the parent that spares the rod spoils the child.
THE PATH OF TEMPTATION
JUNE 12
Bible Reading: James 1:1-16 Key Verses: James 1:14-15 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.
Key Words: But every man is tempted…
People do not live moral lives one day and immoral lives the next.
It may appear to be that way, but let me assure you that this is not the case. Sin is a process; and if we as parents would learn to identify the process, we could be more productive in the training of our children. The process of sin is often overlooked because some stages of sin are not Talk with your as obvious as others. That is the reason our children about what children appear to go from good to bad so entices them. rapidly. Let me add here that the routine of sin never changes. It has been the same ever since the Garden of Eden. So here it is… Stage One: Enticement (James 1:14) As a small boy growing up in South Alabama, we would set bird traps and use some good ol’ southern biscuits to entice a bird into the trap. There were days that a bird would come and just look; but finally, after coming several days and looking, the desire for Mom’s biscuits would win out. He was enticed to partake. That is what Satan does – he entices. What desires do your children have? Listen to them talk. Talk with them about what entices them. Stage Two: Entrapment (James 1:15a) Eventually, unless our children have their sinful desires redirected, their desires become cravings, which lead to entrapment in sin – entrapment by the sex they see on TV, by the music they hear, by the peer pressure of a designer lifestyle. They are trapped in a life of sin called acceptance: being liked, being better than others, and having more. Stage Three: Enslavement (James 1:15b) Every individual is free to choose how he or she lives, but he is NOT
free to choose the result of how he lives. Every individual is free to have their kicks, but NO ONE is free from kickbacks. Every individual is free to make choices, but NO ONE is free to avoid the consequences of their choices. Our children are going to be enticed. Do they have the inner strength to resist the enticement? If not, they will become entrapped; and, unless God intervenes, eventually enslaved.
What to do: ✞ Pray for your children. ✞ Guard what your children see and hear. (The path of desire begins there.) ✞ When someone reports a “negative” about your child, do not become angry with the one who reports it. Be thankful God has allowed it to be revealed so that you can begin the correction process.
FAMILY ALTAR
JUNE 13
Bible Reading: Psalm 119:1-11 Key Verse: Psalm 119:9 – Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word.
Key Words: cleanse his way
Some of the best maintenance is preventive.
If you can prevent a problem from occurring, you are much better off physically, financially, and emotionally. The A family altar offers same is true in dealing with your children. more time for family One of the most important things a mother or growth spiritually. father can do to help prevent behavior problems is to have a daily family altar (or family devotions). A family altar helps in at least seven areas. 1. It is a means by which the Word of God can be exalted in the home. I have never known of a young person who loved and exalted God’s
Word to be a discipline problem. Love and exalt the Word of God (Psalm 119:11, 19, 105). 2. It is a means by which the family can pray and communicate together. There is nothing like a father praying openly for his wife and children; a mother for her husband, sons and daughters; and children praying for Mom and Dad and each other. Note: Jesus never taught the disciples to preach but he did teach them to pray (Matthew 6:9-13). 3. It sets the right example. When parents take time to show their love for God’s Word and desire to share it with their children, it sets the right example for their children. 4. It is an opportunity to train your children while they are trainable. 5. It is an opportunity to teach your children the importance of obedience to you as parents (I Timothy 5:4). 6. It is a means by which children can be won to Christ (Mark 10:13-16). What a privilege to see your children understand the plan of salvation and to have the opportunity to play a vital part in their salvation. 7. It is a means by which your children can mature spiritually (II Peter 3:18). If your children attend every church service your local church has, they still get less than eight hours of Bible per week. A family altar offers more time for spiritual family growth. Very few children have behavior problems when Mom and Dad sit down with them for just a few minutes everyday to learn from God’s Word.
What to do: ✞ First of all, have a family altar. ✞ Have a set time. ✞ Make it interesting by asking questions and getting the children involved. ✞ Memorize Scripture. ✞ A family altar should last around 15 minutes if your children are small.
CONSIDER YOUR PUNISHMENT
JUNE 14
 Bible Reading: Lamentations 3:37-54 Key Verse: Lamentations 3:39 – Wherefore doth a living man complain, a man for the punishment of his sins?
Key Words: punishment of his sins
All of our lives we learn through the penalties of our mistakes.
A child who breaks his favorite toy while having a temper tantrum learns that he has punished himself. A child who is denied a privilege because of disobedience will think Punishment by twice before disobeying again. Children must itself is not training. learn that there are consequences for misbehavior. Bible teaching makes it clear that misbehavior must be dealt with (Leviticus 26:41, Lamentations 3:39). Why, even God chastens those whom He loves (Hebrews 12:6). Dads are exhorted not to spare the rod; but at the same time, the Christian home is pictured as a happy place with children as the crowning joy of the parents. How can parents discipline so that their children are really their crowning joy? Let me suggest the following. First of all, parents should guard against a permissive lifestyle in their children; but Children must learn on the other hand, it is equally as dangerous for that there are parents to be overly strict (all law and no grace). consequences for Too severe a punishment will encourage your misbehavior. child to lie, produce ungodly fear, and cause your child to develop nervous habits. Discipline that is too strict may make your child compliant, yet he may not be happy. Mom and Dad, respect is earned, not legislated. It is cruel to threaten your children. Remember, Dad, we are not to provoke our children to wrath (Ephesians 6:4). Secondly, as a parent, I should not only concern myself with punishing my child, but I should also consider what punishment does not achieve. a. It does not identify the cause of misbehavior, and
b. It does not show or teach a better way. Proverbs 22:6 tells us to train our children. Punishment by itself is not training. Thirdly, after you have disciplined your child, he needs to know that you love him. A reassuring hug and an “I love you and you are my crowning joy” would not hurt. May God bless you as you raise your children for God’s glory.
What to do: ✞ Let your children learn to suffer the consequences of their actions. ✞ Admit to yourself: My child is not perfect. The only perfect child ever born was Jesus. ✞ Always love your children no matter what!!
SPEAK LORD
JUNE 15
Bible Reading: Amos 3:1-8 Key Verse: Amos 3:1 – Hear this word that the LORD hath spoken against you, O children of Israel, against the whole family which I brought up from the land of Egypt, saying
Key Words: Hear this…
I
often have people say to me, “God never speaks to me.” Let me assure you that, if you are a believer, God does speak to you. The problem is not God’s “speaking”; the problem is your “hearing.” I heard of a naturalist, a scientist that studies nature, who was walking with a friend along a busy street. Near the street corner, he stopped and asked his friend, “Did you hear that cricket?” The friend looked at him in amazement and asked him, “What cricket?” The naturalist repeated, “I hear a cricket. Do you hear it?” The friend protested, “There is no way you could hear a cricket in the midst of all the traffic and noise.”
With that the naturalist walked over to the curbside and spied a rock. He picked up the rock, and there was the cricket – off it hopped. The friend was astounded. “That’s amazing!” he said. “How in the world did you hear that cricket?” The naturalist replied, “I am trained to hear the cricket. Let me show you something.” The naturalist reached into his pocket, pulled out a silver dollar, and dropped it on the sidewalk. As it jingled, a dozen people stopped and looked around. The naturalist then said, “See, we hear what we are listening for.” The problem with many believers is that they are not listening to God. They listen to their boss, television, radio, DVDs, books, teachers, and friends; but they are not listening to God. Today all of us – dads, moms, and children need to listen to God!!
What to do: ✞ As you read God’s Word, make it personal and listen. ✞ As you pray, ask God to open your spiritual ears to hear what God’s Word is saying. ✞ Apply what you hear. Be a doer of the Word, not a hearer only.
HARD TIMES
JUNE 16
Bible Reading: II Corinthians 12:1-10 Key Verse: II Corinthians 12:9 – 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.
Key Words: My grace is sufficient
From my experience and study of God’s Word, it has become very apparent to me that hard times are no respecter of persons. Every individual and every family will, at some point, experience the hard times of life.
Remember when Cain slew his brother, Abel?
They were the sons of Adam and Eve. Can you imagine the agony they must have felt to have one son slain by another son–all because of the sin they had committed? This must have been extremely hard on them. Joseph also knew something about hard times. He was hated by his brothers, sold into slavery, lied about by Potiphar’s wife, and cast into prison – sounds Indeed, God’s pretty trying to me! And what about David? He grace is sufficient. was pursued by King Saul, was betrayed by Absalom, and fought off a deadly disease (Psalm 32). Then there was Hezekiah who destroyed all the false gods. You know there were many in Israel who were not happy about that. Then there were the Assyrians, led by Sennacherib, who were determined to defeat Judah and destroy Hezekiah. What about Hezekiah’s illness, when he was told he was going to die? Pretty hard times, don’t you think? Now, one cannot talk about hard times without thinking of Job. He lost all of his possessions; his children all died; he was smitten with boils; his friends berated him for being out of God’s will (which he wasn’t). I would certainly call that hard times. Time and space will not allow us to talk about Paul’s hard times, but notice II Corinthians 11:23-27, Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more; in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft. Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. Without a doubt, the hardest time our family has ever faced was when Christy’s little Aussie boy; Callie and Cassia’s little bubba; Nana, Carissa, Cherie and Daniel’s little Austin; and PawPaw’s Bud passed away. A little time has passed since we buried our son, brother, grandson and nephew. It was, and in
many ways still is, a hard time; but like Paul and others, we have found that indeed God’s grace is sufficient.
What to do: ✞ Stay close to God. ✞ Pray often. ✞ Read God’s Word often. ✞ Invest your life in others going through hard times.
CLASHES OF THE WILLS
JUNE 17
Bible Reading: Proverbs 4:1-13 Key Verse: Proverbs 4:11 – I have taught thee in the way of wisdom; I have led thee in right paths.
Key Words: I have taught thee in the way of wisdom.
Have you ever given much thought to the world in which our children live? They are under authority all day long! Do this! Don’t do that! They are constantly to be in subjection to you, Mom and Dad; and, on occasion, they are going to not only disagree with you but also disobey you. Set the Thus the stage is now set for a clashing of the wills. These right clashes are not always necessary. Some of them, if not most of them, could easily be avoided by applying a few example. simple principles. (These principles also apply to an adult’s relationship with other adults.) 1. Be easily pleased. Children automatically put up their defenses when they know that a parent is seldom pleased with what they do. Let your children know when they please you. (Mark 1:11) 2. Do not be argumentative. DO NOT put yourself in a position of arguing with your child. If children know you will argue with them, you have set the stage for a clash of the wills. Remember that you are the parent;
they are your children. Arguing is not allowed (Ecclesiastes 10:12). 3. Major on the majors; minor on the minors. Keep things in perspective. Do not make major issues out of nonessential ones. (Matthew 23:24) 4. Avoid criticism. When correcting your child, criticism is certainly not necessary. When you criticize, you are building resentment instead of respect… and Keep things again, you are setting the stage for a clash of in perspective. the wills (Ephesians 6:4). 5. Set the right example. If you have a tendency to clash wills with those over you, then you are setting the wrong example for your children (Galatians 6:7). Now, if it is necessary to discipline your child, do so; but do avoid the unnecessary clash of the wills. Remember, as parents, our goal is to mold them into the image of God, not into “our image.”
What to do: ✞ Apply the above principles.
YOUR FANTASTIC FUTURE
JUNE 18
Bible Reading: Matthew 25:14-30 Key Verse: Matthew 25:21 – His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.
Key Words: Well done, thou good and faithful servant…
From my vantage point, there has never been a generation with such a fantastic future as the youth of today. They have greater opportunities for learning, greater tools to help them accomplish their goals (e.g. computers and the Internet); and, thanks to a tense world situation, a greater motivation to accomplish something constructive.
The tragedy of all this is that too many of our youth are sacrificing their fantastic future for the fun-filled present, which leads me to a portion of Scripture found in Matthew 25:14-30. Jesus is speaking about a future kingdom. In this prophetic story He lays out three principles for success that every young person ought to apply to his life; and parents should help their own children with the application of these principles. Principle #1. We start as servants before God makes us rulers: Well done, thou good and faithful servant (Matthew 25:21). God’s pattern has always been to start at the bottom and work up. We appreciate what we work for a whole lot more than what is handed to us. (I have seen that over the years.) Joseph certainly started at the bottom. He was a slave in Potiphar’s house, worked up through the system (through God’s intervention), and became the governor of Egypt. Principle #2. We start with a few things before we are entrusted with many things: Thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many (Matthew 25:21b). Let me tell you about a British youth who lived a century ago. He was saved at the age of 15 and immediately began to serve the Lord by passing out tracts around his neighborhood. When he was 16, he taught a Sunday School class. At age 17 he pastored a small church of about 40 members. As he was faithful year by year, the congregation grew; and at the age of 30, Charles Spurgeon was speaking before thousands each Sunday. He was faithful with a few and God blessed him with much. Principle #3. We start with work before we experience joy. While I do believe in having fun, service is spelled: W - O - R - K. It is no fun to learn algebra equations or musical scales; but once you learn them, you have opened the door to enjoyment. May God bless you as you apply these principles of success for your fantastic future.
What to do: ✞ Help your children to both understand and apply the above principles.
LITTLE HUMANS
JUNE 19
Bible Reading: Psalm 51 Key Verse: Psalm 51:5 – Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.
Key Words: In sin did my mother conceive me…
Children, like all of us, come into the world with a sin nature.
The psalmist David said, In sin did my mother conceive me. In Scripture we do not find a contrast between “innocent children” and “sinful adults.” Proverbs 22:15 says, Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him. Children are sinners as well as adults. I have never seen a child who needed instruction on how to sin; it comes quite naturally. I doubt that any of you sat your child down and taught him how to lie. All you get when It just comes naturally. you educate a sinner In his book, Recovering the Lost is a “clever sinner.” Tools of Learning, Douglas Wilson writes, “I had to confront my five-year-old daughter because of bitterness toward her brother. It seems he had clobbered her earlier in the day; although he was disciplined for his action, she was unwilling to forgive. So I quoted Matthew 6:14-15, For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly father will also forgive you; But if you forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. In scripture we do “Looking at me she said, ‘Who is not find a contrast this Matthew guy, anyway?’ between “innocent “Now her questioning of the children” and “sinful scripture was not due to liberal theology, but it adults.” Children was a result of her unforgiving spirit and her are sinners as well sin nature.” as adults. Our children are sinners and education alone is not the answer. All you get
when you educate a sinner is a clever sinner. Knowledge by itself does not make people better, but rather makes them worse. Education is not the answer to our problem; Jesus is! (Romans 3:20, 5:20) I think all of you would agree with me that we here at the school want your children to receive a Godly education. But if all we do is educate the mind and never attempt to regenerate the heart, we all have failed, both as staff and parents.
What to do: ✞ Make sure your children know God’s plan of salvation. ✞ Make sure they understand that Jesus is the key to life. ✞ Understand that we all have a sin nature that must be dealt with daily; thus it is imperative that we keep our relationship with God right.
A FATHER’S TASK JUNE 20 Bible Reading: Ephesians 6:1-4 Key Verse: Ephesians 6:4 – And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.
Key Words: Bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.
I
am told that psychologists today confirm what has been known for a long time –a child’s personality is shaped very early in life, probably by the age of four or five. The preschool years are the most formative years of a person’s life. Since this molding process usually takes place in the home, the parent’s role is of extreme importance. It is often assumed that the mother carries the burden of responsibility because she usually spends more time with the child; but the father’s task is equally important, and it is imperative that dads become personally involved in the shaping of that little life. In fact, dads should set the spiritual tone for the home.
Canon
Shore wrote, “I once saw, lying side by side in a sculptor’s workshop, two heads made of metal. One was perfect, all the features of a manly, noble face were clear and distinct. The other, however, was unrecognizable; it was marred and spoiled. The man who was showing it to me said, ‘This one is badly distorted because the metal was allowed to cool before it was stamped out, and therefore it would not take the impression.’ So too are many souls stamped with the likeness of our Savior while they are warm in their youthfulness, but once they cool toward the things of God, their lives are marred with sin and become distorted.” Christian dads need to ask themselves, “What impression am I having on the little ones in my home?” I trust it is a Godly impression. Happy Father’s Day to each of you fathers.
What to do: ✞ Be a Godly example. ✞ Let your children know that you love them but most of all that God loves them. ✞ Never belittle their spiritual authorities (pastor, youth pastor, etc.) but pray for them and praise them.
THE DECAY OF MARRIAGE
JUNE 21
Bible Reading: Mark 10:1-12 Key Verse: Mark 10:5 – And Jesus answered and said unto them, For the hardness of your heart he wrote you this precept.
Key Words: Hardness of your heart
In
Mark chapter 10, God’s Word lays out for us some practical principles in regard to marriage. First of all, marriage is to be between a man and a woman (verse 6). Homosexuality is never condoned by God and is labeled as a perversion in Romans 1:26-28. Marriage is to Secondly, if a marriage is to be a success, be between a the in-laws (verse 7) must maintain their proper man and a place. The in-laws’ continual interference can be a woman. detriment to a successful marriage. Thirdly, the married couple is no longer two individual people, but they are one flesh (verse 8). Just as you would never hurt yourself, you should never hurt your mate. Fourthly, no one should come between the married couple (verse 9). Fifthly, marriage is a lifetime commitment (verses 11-12). But in this day of sexual freedom and promiscuity, we see the institution of marriage decaying right before our eyes. Historian Carle Zimmerman, in his 1947 book, Family and Civilization, recorded his keen observations as he compared the disintegration of various cultures with the parallel decline of family life in those cultures. Eight specific patterns of domestic behavior typified the downward spiral of each culture. The eight patterns are as follows: 1. Marriage loses its sacredness. 2. The traditional meaning of the marriage ceremony is lost. 3. Feminist movements abound. 4. Increased public disrespect for parents is apparent. 5. Promiscuity - girls begin to lead the way in sexual perversion.
6.
Married couples refuse to accept their family responsibility. 7. Adultery is accepted. 8. Sex-related crimes increase. Need I remind you that this was written in 1947? Yet it describes today’s America to a tee. I encourage you – stay close to God and to your spouse.
What to do: ✞ Keep a steady relationship with God through prayer, Bible study, and daily activities. ✞ Continue to stay in love with your spouse by acts of kindness and by fulfilling your role in the home. ✞ Train your young men to lead and your young ladies to be submissive. Teach them the importance of purity.
A HAPPY HOME
JUNE 22
Bible Reading: Psalm 127 Key Verse: Psalm 127:1 – Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.
Key Words: Except the Lord build the house
Let me ask you, do you have a happy home - a home where each family member is honored and respected, a home where each family member feels love, peace, and joy? Do you have this type of home? We are told that unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain that build it. You cannot build your home into a place of peace, joy, and love. Only God can do that. In order for this to be accomplished, God must have His rightful place as the Head of your home. Let me reiterate that fame and money do not produce a home of love, peace, and joy – only God does. The famous Adams family (no, not the TV show, but the children of the second President of the United States, John Adams, 1735 – 1826) had much
fame, but they never experienced a happy home. John Adams’ eldest child, Nabby, married out of God’s will and spent her life in misery. His son, Charles, and one of his were both kicked out of college and died of alcohol-related illnesses at the age of 30.. Another Another grandson was an alcoholic and committed suicide at the age of 28. Another grandson, Charles Francis Adams, actually made something of his life and spent years writing the family biography. He concluded the biography by saying, “The history of my family is not a pleasant one to remember. It is one of few triumphs and many deep groanings within, and many a sadness and sorrow.” I trust this is not the story of your family. If your family is young, train them well. If they are grown and out of God’s will, pray for them often.
What to do: ✞ Understand the importance of having God and not money or materialism at the top of your priority list. ✞ Remember, children spell love T - I - M - E. ✞ Have a family altar. ✞ Pray for your family daily.
THE BLENDED FAMILY
JUNE 23
Bible Reading: James 1:1-8 Key Verse: James 1:5 – If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
Key Words: Let him ask
I am often asked advice in regard to how to successfully blend two families together. Let us face reality: Divorce today is rampant; remarriage is, in many cases, inevitable; and blended families are on the rise. But divorce and
remarriage are not the only reasons we have blended families. They may also be the result of the death of a spouse. Whatever the reason, we live in a day of blended families. Here are some spiritual guidelines that can help, but remember that it is going to take God’s grace to be successful. Communicate 1. Make things right with God in your personal life. with God and Any unconfessed sin should be acknowledged each other. (I John 1:9). 2. Ask God for wisdom (James 1:5). 3. Remember where your rest is (Matthew 11:28-30). 4. Have a family altar and train the family to think and act with God in mind. (Deuteronomy 6:6-7) 5. Have your personal Bible devotions daily. (Joshua 1:8) 6. Remember that patience is a virtue. (II Peter 1:5-7, Galatians 5:22-23) 7. Some practical advice…move! Do not live in either spouse’s house. Children see that as We live in a their domain. day of blended 8. Have the same rules for all children, and be families. consistent. (Philippians 3:16) 9. Communicate as a couple. Be on the same page together. Remember that Evil communications corrupt good manners (I Corinthians 15:33 ). 10. Keep your marriage second only to Christ in your priorities. Raise your children in the house of God (Matthew 6:33).
What to do: ✞ Put the above principles into practice and pray, pray, pray! ✞ Of course the real key is to marry in God’s will, and to let your first marriage be the “love of your life.”
PLANNING AHEAD
JUNE 24
Bible Reading: Genesis 42:21-24 Key Verse: Genesis 42:22 – And Reuben answered them, saying, Spake I not unto you, saying, Do not sin against the child; and ye would not hear? therefore, behold, also his blood is required.
Key Words: Do not sin against the child
In the business world there is a saying, “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.” How true! Let me ask you – what are you planning for your children’s lives? Do you plan how to teach your children about Christ? When your child comes to you under conviction by the Holy Spirit, what will you say? Last but not least, are you planting the seed of the gospel in your children’s hearts so that one day they will say, “Mom and Dad, I want to be saved”? If you neglect spiritual planning and say, “Well, I take my child to church every now and then; and I hope everything will work out in the end,” I can guarantee you that it will not. You need to plan for the Satan does not want the old sheep spiritual welfare of your when he can take our young lambs. children. Note again the words of Genesis 42:22, “Do not sin against the child.” When we fail to plan for their salvation, we certainly sin against them. You cannot save them, but you can certainly see that the seed of salvation is sown. Dr. W. B. Riley told of spending a brief vacation years ago with a Scottish sheepherder. His host met him at the train station. During the long drive back to the ranch, the shepherd was strangely quiet and seemed bothered about something. Dr. Riley pressed for the reason for his silence. The shepherd began to weep and said, “I lost 65 of my best sheep last night; wolves got in.” The sympathetic pastor expressed his grief over the great loss, and then asked, “Were these your old sheep you have had for years?” “Don’t you know,” answered the shepherd, “a wolf will never take an old sheep when he can get a young lamb.” Oh, so true! Your child needs to know Christ today and needs to have
a close relationship with Him, because Satan does not want the old sheep, he wants your young lambs.
What to do: ✞ Plant the seed of the gospel in your children’s hearts. ✞ Pray for your children daily. ✞ Pray with them daily. Let them hear you pray for them. (Everyday I heard my parents pray for me, and it had a major spiritual impact on my life.) ✞ Make sure they faithfully attend a Bible-believing church.
COMMUNICATION
JUNE 25
Bible Reading: Ephesians 4:26-32 Key Verse: Ephesians 4:29 – Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.
Key Words: Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth.
A real key to the success of a marriage is communication.
How well do you communicate with your mate? Ask yourself seven simple questions about your communication skills with your spouse, and you will find the answer as to how well you communicate. 1. Is your partner your closest confidante? Talk to your Do you talk with your spouse more than spouse lovingly, you do your neighbor or friend? simply, and 2. Do you always tell your spouse the plainly. absolute truth (John 8:32)? 3. Do you avoid sarcasm, harmful remarks, and public criticism of your spouse? 4. Do you regularly compliment your spouse? 5. Do you listen - now, I mean really listen - when your spouse is talking?
6.
Do you value your spouse’s opinion? 7. Do you discipline yourself not to interrupt or contradict when your spouse is talking? Godly, pure communication is of extreme importance in a marriage. Miscommunication or no communication can lead to wrong conclusions and decisions. A four-year-old was eating an apple in the back seat of the car when he asked his dad, “Why is my apple turning brown?” The dad explained, “Because after you ate the skin off, the meat of the apple came in contact with the air, which caused it to oxidize, thus changing its molecular structure, and turning it into a different color.” After a long silence, the four-year-old said, “Daddy, were you talking to me?” While we may have correct answers and great ideas, if our spouse cannot understand or will not listen because of the way we communicate, our communication is a failure. So, talk to your spouse; but talk to them lovingly, simply, and plainly.
What to do: ✞ Every couple needs a time (daily) to sit down and communicate. ✞ Read your Bible together. ✞ Pray together. ✞ Once again, be loving, simple, and plain in what you say. ✞ Keep private matters private.
INTEGRITY
JUNE 26
Bible Reading: Proverbs 20:1-7 Key Verse: Proverbs 20:7 –The just man walketh in his integrity: his children are blessed after him.
Key Word: Integrity
We
are told in Proverbs 20:7 that, “The just man walketh in his integrity: his children are blessed after him.” If our children are to be blessed, we must be parents of integrity. The word integrity comes from the root word integer, which means “whole.” Let me explain. As parents, we cannot pick and choose the areas where we will be honest. We must be honest and truthful in all areas of life, even if it Integrity is a hurts. We must have character, not just in some holiness that areas but in every area of our life. Dr. Bob Jones, directs every area Sr. used to say, “Character is what you do in the of our lives. dark when no one else is looking.” Let me explain further. How many times has your child answered the phone, and it was for you; but you did not want to talk so you told your child, “Tell them I’m not here”? That is a lack of integrity, and it is teaching your children to have no integrity. Have you ever covered for your children’s not doing their homework or written an excuse for an absence that was not totally truthful? That is lacking integrity. Partial honesty or partial integrity is no honesty or integrity. A man in Long Beach, California, went into a chicken franchise to buy lunch for himself and the lady with him. He took his order of chicken and drove to a nearby park for a picnic. When he opened the box of chicken, he was surprised to find money instead of chicken. As a safety precaution, the manager kept the earnings in a chicken box in case of a robbery; but he had inadvertently handed the man the wrong box. The man quickly returned his box full of cash to the store manager. Needless to say, the manager was elated. He was so elated that he proclaimed this man to be “the most honest guy in town.” The store manager wanted to call the local newspaper and have the story, along with the man’s
picture, published for everyone to see. The man protested to such an idea. The manager pressed him for a reason for his protesting. Finally, the man proclaimed, “You see, I am married, and the woman I am with is not my wife.” Now I ask you, do you think the man was honest? Partial honesty is no honesty at all. Integrity is a holiness that directs every area of our lives. The just man walketh in his integrity: his children are blessed after him.
What to do: ✞ Practice integrity in your daily life. ✞ Remember, life’s lessons are more caught than taught. ✞ Pray for your family. ✞ Love your children and your spouse, but stay in love with God. (Jude 21)
SIN IS STILL SIN
JUNE 27
Bible Reading: Luke 24:13-35 Key Verse: Luke 24:24 — And certain of them which were with us went to the sepulchre, and found it even so as the women had said: but him they saw not.
Key Words: Did not our hearts burn within us?
One thing about conviction is that you cannot ignore it.
Like heartburn, you know it is there; and it is there because of sin. One thing that saddens my heart is to see parents attempt to cover The milder you mark the the sin of their child rather than deal with label, the more dangerous it. As a parent you must understand that sin is an abomination to God. No matter you make the poison! how you might try to justify it, we are told in Luke 16:15, And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.
Evangelist J. Wilbur Chapman, who had a strong influence on Billy Sunday, related the following story: “After a preacher had cried out against sin, one of his members complained, ‘We don’t want you to talk so plainly about sin because if the children hear you preaching so much about it, they will more easily sin. Call it a mistake if you will, but don’t call it sin.’ “ The preacher left and went to his medicine chest and returned with a bottle of strychnine marked “poison.” He said, ‘I see what you want me to do, you want me to change the label. Suppose I remove the label marked “poison” and put some mild label, such as “essence of peppermint”? Can’t you see what would happen? The milder you mark the label, the more dangerous you make the poison!’” Sin is poison. No matter how parents try to label it, cover it up, or excuse it, it is still sin; and it is still poison. The best thing you can do for your child is to say, “You are wrong. You have sinned, and you must seek God’s forgiveness.” But never, never label your child’s sin as “essence of peppermint.”
What to do: ✞ Teach your children to lovingly call sin, sin. ✞ Never cover for the wrongs of your child. ✞ Have you prayed for your children today?
THE BIBLE
JUNE 28
Bible Reading: Jeremiah 23:23-29 Key Verse: Jeremiah 23:29 – Is not my word like as a fire? saith the LORD; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces?
Key Words: My Word
There is no more important book than God’s Word, the Bible. God’s Word is a sword (Hebrews 4:12); it is a guide (Psalm 119:105). It is our life (Psalm 119:17). God’s Word is profitable for doctrine (teaching us
what is right), for reproof (teaching us what is not right), for correction (teaching us how to get right), and for instruction (teaching us how to stay right) (II Timothy 3:16). God’s Word is of the utmost importance to your family. The truth of the importance of God’s Word is revealed in the following story: In his little volume, Peace in the Valley, Vance Havner writes about his childhood. “The story of my early years might well be called ‘Two Books and a Boy.’ I grew up in the Carolina hills in an old-fashioned home with a Bible at the heart of it. Father read the Scriptures each evening at family devotions by the light of a kerosene lamp. I began to read the Book early, memorized portions of it, fed upon the stories of its heroes, Joseph and Moses and Samson and David and Daniel. Above all, there was the story of Jesus. “Another book came into my life as a lad. Living as I did in the country, I became interested in the bird life around me. We used to buy boxes of baking soda, each of which contained a card with the picture and description of a bird. I became fascinated with the subject, and one day I secured a little bird guide. It opened a new world.” God’s Word is The Bible and the bird book did wonders of the utmost for this young man. God has written his message to importance to us in two books: the revelation of nature and the your family. God-breathed Scriptures. The book of nature is not enough. By it we may know the art of God but not the heart of God. We may know the garden but not the Gardener. So God sent His Son and gave us the account of what He did in a Book. That Book is the Bible. Read it; memorize it; live by it.
What to do: ✞ Have the family memorize verses together. ✞ Read God’s Word together. ✞ Live by the Bible. ✞ Always remember, if the Bible tells you one thing, but your conscience tells you another - obey the Bible.
THE FAMILY AND CONTENTMENT
JUNE 29
Bible Reading: I Timothy 6:1-8 Key Verse: I Timothy 6:7 –For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.
Key Word: contentment is great gain
The
average person is exposed to over 400 advertisements a day through the radio, the television, newspapers, magazines, the Internet… advertisements are everywhere you go! They are slick, stylish, shiny, and subtle. Before you realize it, the Madison Avenue pied piper has led you into a world of exaggerated make-believe, convincing you that you cannot live without designer clothes, a high-definition television, a smartphone, anti-wrinkle cream, the Atkins diet; and the list goes on and on. Such bombardments do a number on us and cause us to believe that we deserve the best. After all, advertising is a mega-million dollar a year industry. Unless they can convince you that you cannot be happy without what they are selling… well, simply put, they are out of business. What is the answer for all this worldly materialism being pushed on us? C-O-N-T-E-N-T-M-E-N-T. When you live with contentment, you are undisturbed by all of the outside forces saying, “Buy me.” The apostle Paul lived in contentment. In 1 Timothy 6:8 he said, And having food and raiment let us be therewith content. Now that’s pretty simple, is it not? Having something to eat and some raiment to cover the body should suffice. It is funny, though, how our lives contradict that verse. We find ourselves clawing, scraping, grabbing, and fighting for more. John D. Rockefeller, one of the Madison Avenue pied pipers himself, was asked, “How much will it take to make a man happy?” His answer was right on, “A little more than what he has.” Paul said in Philippians 4:11-12, Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.
That is contentment! But notice how Paul said that he had to learn to be content. You learn contentment by practicing self-control and not feeding what I call your Madison Avenue desires (the flesh). Paul lived with contentment, not in search of some shallow stream of desire that would surely dry up. You and I can do that as well, but we will have to resist the over 400 attacks per day. Now, go out and serve God and live with contentment, being thankful for what you have.
What to do: ✞ Ask God to help you be content ✞ Understand that a lack of contentment not only leads to sin but is a sin. Daily deny yourself at least one thing you want but do not need, and let the list of things you deny yourself grow from there. ✞ Pray that your family will be content ✞ Learn to say NO to your children and their worldly wants and desires.
BE CAREFUL
JUNE 30
Bible Reading: II Corinthians 11:1-14 Key Verse: II Corinthians 11:3 – But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.
Key Words: The serpent beguiled Eve
We are told in I Peter 5:8 that Satan is as a roaring lion.
We are also told in II Corinthians 11:14 that he is an angel of light. In verse 3 of our text we see that Satan is very deceptive. The family today is in great peril because of the deception of Satan. It was Satan’s deceptiveness that destroyed Adam and Eve. Achan fell through deception (Joshua 7:21); and the list goes on and on. So I caution you as dads,
moms, and children to be careful. I read sometime ago about a young Indian who decided to climb to the summit of a nearby snow-capped mountain. He donned his buffalo-hide shirt, wrapped his blanket around himself, and set off. When he reached the summit and gazed over the If we fail to see scenic view below, he began to swell with pride for sin as sin, we his accomplishments. will be sorry. Then he saw a motion at his feet. It was a snake that was cold and lifeless and about to die. The snake began to ask for help, “It is too cold for me up here, and I will freeze to death unless you carry me back down the mountain.” The Indian replied, “I know your kind. You will bite me and kill me if I pick you up.” “No,” said the snake, “I will treat you The family today is differently. If you do this for me, I will not harm in great peril because you.” of the deception of So the Indian picked up the snake Satan. and tucked it under his shirt. Arriving in the valley below, he removed the snake and laid it on the ground whereupon the snake coiled and struck and planted his deadly venom into the Indian. “But you promised,” he said. The snake responded, “You knew I was deadly when you picked me up. I simply did what snakes do; I bit you.” Now the moral of the story is simply this: If we fail to see sin as sin, and Satan as a serpent, we will be sorry – so be careful!!
What to do: ✞ Stay away from compromising situations. ✞ Ask God to help you and give you wisdom. ✞ Parents, teach your children not to walk on the edge close to sin. ✞ Parents, set the right example for your children. ✞ Understand that sin will always bite you.
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I deeply appreciate the help of:
Mary Schleifer Mary Parsons John and Tascha Piatt Christina Mathis And my lovely wife, Linda
Without God using these people to help, this devotional would not have been possible.
Dr. Mike Rouse
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