Teaching Spiritual Values
Deuteronomy 6:1-2″ Now these are the commandments, the statutes, and the judgments, which the LORD your God commanded to teach you, that ye might do them in the land whither ye go to possess it: That thou mightest fear the LORD thy God, to keep all his statutes and his commandments, which I command thee, thou, and thy son, and thy son’s son, all the days of thy life; and that thy days may be prolonged.”
Spiritual values taught in your family makes a difference in the lives of your children. Spiritual values are Godly principals and standards by which one governs their life.
There are many reasons why parents should teach spiritual values:
First, parents should teach spiritual values to see their children grow spiritually. Just like parents desire to see children grow physically, mentally and socially, they should have a strong desire to see them grow spiritually. A child growing in their relationship with God prepares them to become more God centered than worldly centered.
Second, parents should teach spiritual values to help their children live fulfilled lives. The ultimate goal of any parent is to position their child to live a fulfilled life. A fulfilled life is a life with a purpose. A fulfilled life is a life that makes a difference in others and glorifies God. In I Kings chapter 2, King David charged and challenged his son Solomon live a fulfilled life by walking in the purposes and practices of God.
Third, parents should teach spiritual values to help their children make them become better decisions makers. Poor decisions today can create severe problems in the future. A child that consistently practices making good decisions increases their potential in becoming successful in life.
Last, parents should teach spiritual values to enable their children to become responsible citizens. Every parent desires to see their children mature and become responsible individuals. Teaching spiritual values enables young people to consciously look at life through spiritual lens that will in turn filter their thinking process. Hopefully this process enables young people to become productive and responsible citizens.
What are some benefits of teaching my children spiritual values? I am glad you asked! Let me share with you four absolutes regarding teaching spiritual values.
It Prepares, It Protects, It Promises, It Pleases.
Teaching spiritual values prepares children for their future. Spiritual values provide a great foundation block for young people. A strong spiritual foundation can prove to be beneficial while journeying through this life.
Second, spiritual values promise guidance and peace. A child lead by the wisdom and ways of God can ensure for themselves a life of supernatural guidance and peace. Many adults today can testify if they would have trusted and depended on God earlier in life, their future would have turned out brighter. One of my favorite pair of bible scriptures is Proverbs 3:5, 6 “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”
Third, spiritual values protects from additional problem and hardships in life. Life itself brings trails and tribulation, to add additional problems can be devastating. The proper spiritual training in life can protect your child from a multitude of serious headaches and heartaches. Psalm 32:8 “I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye.”
Last, living by spiritual values pleases God. A Christian’s life is to please God, so we must continue to ask ourselves how are we doing at bringing God glory and honor. If parents instill in their children at an early age, this practice of living to please God this could make an eternal difference in their life.
Challenge:
Teaching spiritual values to your children takes discipline and dedication. This is a life long process that does not end when they graduate from middle school or high school. Be prepared for the long haul and remember it will pay off. God Bless You!
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God In Our Conversation
Deuteronomy 6:7 “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 tho liest down, and when thou risest up.”
We are to talk of spiritual things in our homes just as we would talk about anything else. You talk together about your favorite sports team and the game they played last night. No big deal, you just talk about that. You talk about what you are going to do next week. You don’t lecture on it. You don’t make a big announcement, you simply talk about it…. You may talk about what you plan to watch on television that evening. You don’t hold classes about it. There is an easygoing, natural flow of conversation…
That is what will make your Christianity authentic. It isn’t a Sunday lifestyle! It is a Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday cycle-of-living lifestyle. So much so, that Christ fits naturally into the regular conversation of the home.
Challenge:
The Christian life is not a “forced” way to live. It is the natural flow of the life of God out of our lives to others. Thus our conversation should be as a easy flowing river… the words should pour off our lips about the Lord to others (especially to our children) like the flow of water in a river.
Think about it… what do you talk about?
Maybe some improvement is in order.
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Glorify God To The Maximum
Psalm 102:3 “I will praise thee, O LORD, among the people, and I will sing praises to thee among the nations.”
By making us in His image, God gave us capacities not given to other forms of life. Ideally, He made us to know Him, to love Him, and to obey Him. He did not put rings into our noses that He might pull us around like oxen…
No, He gave us freedom to make choices. By His grace we are equipped to understand His plan because we have a mind with which we can know Him. We are also free to love and adore Him because we have emotions. He takes pleasure in or affection and devotion. We can obey His instructions but we are not pawns on a global chessboard. It is the voluntary spontaneity of our response that He finds divine pleasure. When we His people freely respond in worship and praise, obedience and adoration, God is glorified to the maximum.
Challenge:
Well, what do you think? Is there anything in your life that God has done for you that would warrant praise and worship?
If the answer is yes then what are you waiting for?
What an advantage you would have for this day if you could muster up some praise and worship before you start your day today!
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God’s Instruction Book
1 John 5:20 “And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.”
God offers instruction, but then it’s our move. We must accept His instruction and apply it to our lives. Then, and only then, can we expect to cash in on the benefits of His instruction. So you see, application is the essential link between instruction and change…
God has sent us His instruction. He has preserved every word in a book, the Bible. It is all there, just as He communicated it to us. When He returns for His own, He isn’t going to ask us how much we memorized or how often we met for study. No, He will want to know, “What did you do about my instruction?”
Challenge:
Try applying a verse of scripture that you memorized years ago… today.
Like 1 Thessalonians 5:17 “Pray without ceasing.” Or 2 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.” Or Acts 1:8 “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”
God for it!
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On Sunday, July 5th, Paradise will have only one service at 10:45am. This means that we will not be having the 9:30am Bible hour classes.
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A Rare Commodity
Proverbs 27:23 “A man’s pride shall bring him low: but honour shall uphold the humble of spirit.”
Humility isn’t a show that we put on; in fact, if we think we are humble, we’re probably not. And in our day of self-promotion, self-assertion, spotlighting “celebrities of the faith,” and magnifying the flesh, this quality— so greatly valued by the Lord Jesus Christ— is a rare commodity indeed…
A truly humble person looks for opportunities to give himself freely to others rather than holding back, to release rather than hoarding, to build up rather than tearing down, to serve rather than being served, to learn form others rather than clamoring for the teaching stand. How blessed are those that learn this principle early in life
Today is Independence Day in the United States. The reason we are able to celebrate this wonderful country for these past two-hundred and thirty-three years is hundreds of thousands of men and women have humbled themselves to serve in our military… even unto death. Thank you for humbling yourself so that we might be safe and have all the liberties that we hold so dear.
Challenge:
Make it a point to find someone who has served or is currently serving this country in the military and thank them for their sacrifice.
Please make sure that you humble yourself rather than having someone else or God humble you.
You need to keep a proper perspective of your life— this includes taking larger doses of humility.
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Pleasure and Pain
Psalm 25:2 “O my God, I trust in thee: let me not be ashamed, let not mine enemies triumph over me.”
It’s impossible to pass through life without experiencing times when you cannot see your way through a deep valley. Times when the package is delivered at the back door comes delivered in the ugly wrapping of death or affliction or illness or divorce… John Seldon, the old British jurist and scholar, put it more bluntly. “Pleasure is nothing else but the intermission of pain.”
You may find yourself enjoying the intermission. Today, you may be smiling. Your heart may be light and merry. Perhaps answers to prayers have come beautifully and deliberately. You are swept away in delight. But it’s also quite possible that you are caught in the grip of affliction. You may be going through some of the hardest days of your life. You may be wondering Why?Why me?Why this trial?
When you persevere through a trial, God gives you a special measure of insight. You become the recipient of the favor of God as He gives to you something that would not be learned otherwise.
Challenge:
Someone once said, “Trouble is a measure of your worth.” I know, you say, “I wish I was worth less.”
You should rejoice when you are tried, because God never uses anyone that hasn’t been broken first.
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You Are God’s Personal Concern
Proverbs 16:7 “When a man’s ways please the LORD, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him.”
You know what? God personally cares about the things that worry us. He cares more about them than we care about them: those things that hang in our minds as nagging, aching, worrisome thoughts.
Moses had some worrisome thoughts dragging him down. Do you remember why he left Egypt…? He was running for his life. Pharaoh and some of his men were looking for Moses, to kill him. (Exodus 2:15) Then forty years later God told Moses to return to Egypt (Exodus 3 and 4). Naturally Moses was worried about those men back in Egypt who wanted his head. He was reluctant to go back. But once acquiesced to God’s will, he said, “Lord, I’m available. I’m going to trust in You with all my heart. I’m not going to lean on my own understanding.” Then while he was still in Midian, God said, “And the LORD said unto Moses in Midian, Go, return into Egypt: for all the men are dead which sought thy life.” (Exodus 4:19) Isn’t that remarkable? What a tremendous relief!
Challenge:
What are you worried about that God has instructed you to do?
Why aren’t you doing it?
Don’t let worry stop you from becoming ALL that God wants to do in you.
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The memorial service for Pamela Iverson, Leslie Wood’s mother, will be at Paradise Church on July 11th at 11am. Please pray for the service as there will be many unsaved people in attendance.
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A Word To Fathers
Ephesians 6:4 “ And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.”
I know Father’s day is past but fathers… everyday is your day- to shine. It is your opportunity to be that good representative of your Heavenly Father to your children.
As Fathers, everything we do in regards to our children should be done out of the love of God, and not just for our benefit. Love is not self seeking, and so everything we do as a Father should be for their benefit. The Word instructs you to bring your children up tenderly, so you have to monitor everything you’re doing with your child. You almost need to have a kind of love meter to see how many things you’re doing that are out of God’s love versus how many things you’re doing just for yourself.
You need to be diligent and pay attention to how you’re raising and training your children to make sure that everything you do with them is out of the love of God. Now, I know that’s easier said than done. You’re talking about every day of your life, but the Bible teaches us we’re supposed to walk in love every day anyway.
That’s not a new commandment. And that surely includes loving your child.
We as Fathers have to take this business of training our children up seriously. Many of us are very successful in our fields because we’re detailed, diligent, and focused. We don’t miss anything. And thank God for the achievements that we have, but the day is going to come where all that is going to pass away. But what you do with your children will last forever.
So if you’re going to be detailed and focused in whatever your career area is, you should absolutely be like that with your children. The Bible says that a Father who has produced a righteous son will greatly rejoice. Why is that? Because the way your children turn out has a great impact on you.
So when you see them living a righteous life, mighty before God, producing for God, and prospering in every area–you’ll rejoice!
God wants you to make sure they become righteous for their benefit and also for yours. The job you do as a parent will determine your future prosperity. One of the things that will cause you to rejoice is that your child is living right before God, and staying on the path that God has for them.
Your children are part of your prosperity.
Challenge:
Make every effort to be the holy man of God to your children so that you might influence your children to become the same.
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