If you want to Satan-proof your children, then mark their lives with faith. Let them see you living by faith, reading God’s Word, praying, and attending church. When you emphasize the importance of serving God, your children will think it’s important, too. They may not want to serve God right off the bat, but if you just hang in there, God will bring them through.
I want to encourage you to stop murmuring about your church in front your children. Some of you go to church and then, on the way home, say, “Well, the greeters weren’t too friendly,” or “I really didn’t like the message today.” The pastor is too loud when he worships,” or some other gripe. Then, you wonder why your children do not want to go to the church! It’s because you’ve marked them with negative words. If you want to Satan-proof your children and mark them for God’s service, then you’d better begin to speak well of your church so that your children will esteem it, too.
Devil’s Goal
The devil does not care how he gets into your relationships – his only goal is to infiltrate them and cause trouble.
1 John 4:21
“And he has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother.”
For over a week, John has reminded us again and again. We must love our brothers and sisters in Christ. This reminder, however, is the clincher. If we love God, then we must love his children and our brothers and sisters in Christ. Notice that the word isn't "should" or "will try" or "want to."
No, we must. The Bible is careful not to put many "must do" or "thou shalt" commands in Scripture. So God's point is clear. Love of each other is not optional, negotiable, or even something to be delayed. God sent Jesus to die for the sins of all of God's children. How can we not love those for whom Christ gave so much? As Paul will say to the Corinthians, "God's love compels us!" We MUST love.
Think it over…
~ The remarkable thing about fearing God is that when you fear God you fear nothing else, whereas if you do not fear God you fear everything else. - Oswald Chambers
~ No storm is so great, no wave is so high, no sea is so deep, no wind is so strong, that Jesus cannot either calm it or carry us through it…Anne Graham Lotz
I want to encourage you to stop murmuring about your church in front your children. Some of you go to church and then, on the way home, say, “Well, the greeters weren’t too friendly,” or “I really didn’t like the message today.” The pastor is too loud when he worships,” or some other gripe. Then, you wonder why your children do not want to go to the church! It’s because you’ve marked them with negative words. If you want to Satan-proof your children and mark them for God’s service, then you’d better begin to speak well of your church so that your children will esteem it, too.
Devil’s Goal
The devil does not care how he gets into your relationships – his only goal is to infiltrate them and cause trouble.
1 John 4:21
“And he has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother.”
For over a week, John has reminded us again and again. We must love our brothers and sisters in Christ. This reminder, however, is the clincher. If we love God, then we must love his children and our brothers and sisters in Christ. Notice that the word isn't "should" or "will try" or "want to."
No, we must. The Bible is careful not to put many "must do" or "thou shalt" commands in Scripture. So God's point is clear. Love of each other is not optional, negotiable, or even something to be delayed. God sent Jesus to die for the sins of all of God's children. How can we not love those for whom Christ gave so much? As Paul will say to the Corinthians, "God's love compels us!" We MUST love.
Think it over…
~ The remarkable thing about fearing God is that when you fear God you fear nothing else, whereas if you do not fear God you fear everything else. - Oswald Chambers
~ No storm is so great, no wave is so high, no sea is so deep, no wind is so strong, that Jesus cannot either calm it or carry us through it…Anne Graham Lotz
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