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Respite For the Weary
Dear Children,Do you know why you are here on this earth, or why God placed you here at this particular time and no other? Do you know your sole purpose of living? First and foremost, sweet ones, you were created simply to be loved by God Himself! He even calls you “beloved”, and He is delighted in you. What great news! For example, just as your daddy and I chose to have a baby (or two or four), in order to love and to cherish, God, too, created you, simply to adore you. How freeing! Our purpose is to be . . . loved!Now, my dear ones, once you have learned to rest in this wonderful purpose in your life, and you begin to know the One who adores you, your soul will then be compelled to live out the call of your life. Listen to this powerful catechism statement that I learned as a child in order to explain your calling:“The chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.”What do you think this means children? Well, to “glorify God,” first of all, means to take all that you are, and all that you do and use it to bring honor and beauty to the One who created you and loves you, instead of bringing this focus to yourself. Let Him pour His great love into you, so you can pour His great love out to others. Because your heart has been touched by the matchless love of Christ, you, simply by the way you live your life, in both good times and bad, are to carry His message of love to the hearts who have not yet heard the gospel. (Please realize, sweet ones, the times that you think are difficult or “bad” in your life are the very times that Christ has the greatest opportunity to show His love, and shine the brightest through you.)As you are “glorifying God” by allowing His love to be poured into your heart, you will then be able to enjoyHim in any circumstance, both now on this earth and forever in heaven! Children, He wants you to have His joy-filled heart when living for Him, not a “hum-drum” Christian walk that nobody wants to follow. Know Him, and find out He is joy, and laughter, and love. Seek out all His goodness, and mercy, and splendor, and then lavish in it! Make sure, children, the Bread-that-people-are-hungry-for does not appear old, dry, or stale in your life. Remember, the bread from heaven given to the Israelites each day was sweet; so is your Jesus.So, dear ones, know you are the beloved of God. Rest here, and may He fill you up. Then, and only then, understand how you can best be used by your Creator and King. Watch the love of Christ overflow from your heart as you simply live out your God-given desires. Do all these things in order that the name of Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and you in Him (II Thess. 1:12).Remember, life is not about you; life is about the One who loves you. Live for Him, and ENJOY!
Dear Heavenly Father,I pray my children would fully understand what it means to be loved by You. May they daily humble themselves, realizing Your great love moved You to buy them with a great price---the precious blood of Your son, Jesus. May this awesome realization move them to glorify You with all that they are, dear God, in every way.May they also be humbled by the incredible truth that their bodies are now the residing place of Your Holy Spirit! May this truth also move them to seek Your will, dear Father, not their own, I pray. Impress on them, their life does matter, one, because You love them, and two, because You desire them to help spread Your love to others. Give them a heart of flesh, dear Lord, not of stone, so they may be used by You in a powerful way. May they each hear Your great calling to go and make disciples of all the nations (Matt. 28:19), whether that means across the street, across the country, or across the world. Help them to see they are vitally important in this process of sowing and reaping, because the harvest is so plentiful, but the workers areso few. May they respond to your great call, O Lord of the Harvest!O God, may my children be able to stand before You, and be considered worthy of Your calling. Make them realize they are Your beloved children; and only because of Christ living in them, they are worthy. Fulfill every desire You have for them. May they live for You not out of their works, but in their response to Your love for them, their sweet Savior and King. They are Yours, dear Lord. May they forever live for you.
Amen
I John 3:1; I John 4:7-11; I Sam. 3:10; Ps. 73:25-28; I Peter 3:13-15; Ps. 4:6-7; Ps. 30:10-12; Ex. 16:13-15, 31; Is. 6:8
Gal. 2:20; I Peter 1:18-20; I Chron. 28:9-10; I Cor. 6:19-20; Matt. 9:36-38; II Tim. 4:1-3; Ezekiel 36;26-27; II Thess. 1:11-12; Eph. 2:8-10; Phil. 3:10-14
Dear Children,One of the most claimed verses in all of scripture I use when I pray for you is Romans 1:16. I continually ask the Lord to fill your heart, so you will be able to say with great confidence: I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes.I pray, children, you will never shrink away at the name of Jesus; but instead, you will speak with boldness the great mystery of who He is. Remember, you are the ambassadors of the most High King---the King of all kings, the Lord of all lords! Do you understand what this means? Listen to the Webster’s definition of ambassador: “a diplomatic official of the highest rank sent by one sovereign or state to another as its resident representative, or sent on a special or temporary mission.” In other words, children, you have been appointed by God, your King, to represent Him in the very place you are living; you are on His special mission, which is to preach the good news of His Son, Jesus Christ.Do you also realize, we have been given a position of “highest rank”? And do you know, the only way you have obtained this position is because of what Jesus did for you on the cross? Without this grace, we would have no rank at all. But now, because of His love, we have been clothed in beautiful robes of righteousness. He is not ashamed to call us His own!So why is it that we, as humans, sometimes hide or seem ashamed of Him? When the name of Jesus is mentioned in a group of questionable believers, what do you do? I truly am asking this question to myself, and have been convicted to pray about it in my life, as well as yours. For too many years, instead of being poured out like a drink offering, I have been more like a water bottle with a security top on it, giving only drip- drops at a time (or giving only when it’s been sucked out of me). And for too many years, I’ve been tiptoeing instead of marching, whispering instead of shouting from the mountaintops! Children, I’m praying you won’t fall into the same trap of fear of rejection or shame, or whatever it is, that might keep you from claiming Christ aloud. I’m so thankful our God is a forgiving God, slow to anger and abounding in mercy. He forgave Peter for denying Him three times; He can also forgive me. But I must also repent (change direction), as Peter did, and march on. This does not mean that I, or you, have to be obnoxiously loud or abrasive when it comes to declaring Jesus Christ as our Savior. This approach may turn more people off than on to Him. But I am saying this: you and I need to be ready to seize every opportunity that comes our way to give all unbelievers, or struggling Christians, a reason for the Hope that you have in your heart. Your one gentle, yet affirming, answer may lead one life out of darkness into Light!Always remember, your “special mission”: Jesus has commanded you, as His ambassadors, to speak to others about His wonderful saving grace, and His unconditional love. Your life matters in this matter! Yes, He could, because of who He is, do all this without you and me; but that’s not the way He chooses to work. Throughout all Scripture and all history, God has continually used the vessel of one human heart to touch the core of another human heart with His amazing love! He did this Himself, when He sent Jesus to live among us.So, how about it? Are you His ambassador, His “resident representative” on this earth? You will win hearts, first, by your loving actions---by rolling up those righteous robes and getting involved in the muck of people’s lives, just like your King, Jesus, did for you. Loving action will get their attention. Then, your words will have meaning. And after you’ve gotten their attention, pray like Paul did, one of the greatest missionaries of all time: that you may speak boldly as (you) ought to speak (Eph. 6:20).I forewarn you here, sweet ones, some will take what you have to say and value it as a great treasure, “selling” everything else in order to keep hold of this one great possession. Yet others may not. Be prepared for rejection, for suffering, for persecution, and for hardship. For example, Paul was an ambassador in chains, and Jesus was crucified. Take great hope in this promise, however; “If you are reviled for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. (I Peter 4:14). May you, my sweet children, be blessed with His precious Spirit, as you declare His name to all the world.
I love you
Amen
FOR THINE IS THE KINGDOM, AND THE POWER, AND THE GLORY FOREVER
Dear Children,Let me briefly remind you of the well-known short story of “Little Red Riding Hood.”One day Little Red Riding Hood was asked by her mother to take some fresh-baked bread and cookies to her ill-feeling grandmother. Little Red Riding Hood, who loved independence and adventure, was thrilled at even the thought of walking through the woods and down the path all alone. She grabbed her cloak, as well as the basket of goodies, and was off with a gleeful skip along the well-traveled path. As she was leaving, she heard her gentle mother’s voice calling out, “Stay along the path and don’t dilly-dally among the flowers!”Well, we all know how the story plays out. The big bad wolf comes along, lures Little Red Riding Hood off the path, races before her to Grandmother’s house, and eats Grandmother up----Yikes! (Nicer versions say that the wolf stuffed Grandmother in a closet or under the bed, but still----Yikes!) The wolf, disguised as Grandmother, then lay in waiting for Little Red Riding Hood to come along as well. What a cruel, deceptive and conniving wolf! Well, thank goodness for the strong, attentive, and heroic Woodcutter! He proceeds to save the day by chasing down the wolf and freeing the sweet little Grandmother from wherever she was “stuffed.” The story ends happily, as Little Red Riding Hood discusses with Grandmother and the Woodcutter- over the fresh-baked cookies, of course- the valuable lesson she has learned: stay along the PATH, and don’t “dilly-dally” among the flowers!Children, did you know that you, like Little Red Riding Hood, have been asked to stay along a certain path? The path is straight and narrow, by God’s design, yet full of blessing and life. Realize “straight and narrow” does not mean rigid and boring. Remember who God is! God’s path is a safe place to establish your footsteps, but at the same time it is full of excitement and adventure. Yes, the path might have hurdles to overcome or pitfalls to walk through, but they, too, have been put there for a purpose. God Himself desires to walk with, in, and through all those who choose to spend their days on His beautiful path. Keep this in mind as well: His path leads to Paradise. There is no better journey, and no better final destination.However, I want to also point out that you, like Little Red Riding Hood, have a “wolf” along your path. The big bad wolf in the story enticed Little Red Riding Hood to look away from her goal, and set her eyes on the things around her---just for a little while. With this one nudge, she couldn’t resist stopping, stepping, sitting, smelling, and then selecting some beautiful flowers for her grandmother (an innocent suggestion made by the deceptive wolf). You see, sweet ones, this is exactly what the devil will do to you when you decide to take the straight, narrow, and high road. He and his pack of followers are even described in the Bible as ravenous wolves; and, they will go to any extreme (even dress up in disguise) to lure you from your goal. Know, he will cause those side-roads to be very enticing and even quite innocent at first. But also know, consequences will come if you choose to get off the path your Creator has already paved for you. (Heaven forbid either of your grandmothers are eaten by a wolf!)So children, please listen to the gentle voice of your Mother as she calls out to you when you begin your own personal journey: “Stay along the path, and don’t dilly-dally among the flowers!” If you keep your eyes fixed straight in front of you, you won’t even see those “forbidden flowers.” Make Jesus Christ your focus. Do not look to the right or to the left; look to Him.If you sense trouble “brewing,” call on Jesus, your Savior, and like the Woodcutter, He will come to your rescue. Remember, His Holy Spirit lives in you; and by His strength (not your own flesh), you can say “NO!” to the “big bad wolf.” Continually ask Jesus to walk with you, in you, and through you. He will be delighted to hold your hand. Then, once you have His hand, you better hold on real tight, because I am praying, your journey with Jesus will be filled with His joy, His excitement, His adventure, as well as His gentle loving peace.Sweet ones, Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. He is ALL you need.
I love you
1. Read the story of “Little Red Riding Hood” to your children (even your older children will enjoy hearing it again).2. Point out and discuss spiritual significances in the story:The path (God’s plan, God’s way)Little Red Riding Hood (your child)The wolf (Satan)The flowers (Satan’s deceptions)The Woodcutter (Jesus, their Savior)3. Role-play this story. Allow your child to play Little Red Riding Hood. Play it through once as the story goes. Then, play it once with Little Red Riding Hood resisting the wolf’s temptations, as well as crying out for the Woodcutter. The Woodcutter, then, comes quickly, and chases the wolf away before she even steps off the path! Discuss the difference between both ways you played out the story. (Notice, Grandmother was safe the second time throughout.)
Dear Heavenly Father,Thank You for the personalized path you have created for each of my children. I pray You will give them the desire to stay on this path, not looking to the right or to the left, but keeping their eyes fixed on You, dear Jesus. And while walking, continue to prepare the way for them, as You have promised, by removing every obstacle of sin out of their way. As a result, may my children experience a full and extended walk with You. May nothing keep them from knowing all of You!Help my children to see, dear Father, that You have provided Your Word as the hand-written map for each of them as they walk down this road:It is perfect, able to restore the soul;It is sure, making wise the simple;It is right, rejoicing the heart;And it is pure, enlightening the eyes! (Ps. 19:7-8)Show them, if they are obedient to this “map” and decide to stay on this path of life, then You promise they will experience Your pleasures forever. Their well-being(peace) will be like a river and their righteousness will be as waves of the sea (Is: 48:18).O God, also help them to realize, they can experience these promises only by Your Spirit. Thank You for desiring to walk with us and in us, each and every minute. Without Your Holy Spirit, our walk would be filled with legalism and confinement. Yet with Your Spirit, we can experience the great newness of Life:You lead us on level ground. (Ps.143: 8 - 10)You hold our hand in Yours. (Ps.18:35)You enlarge our steps beneath us. (Ps.18:36)Your provide mercy, faithfulness, and blessing. (Lam. 3:21-25)Thank you, dear God, for Your bounty in our lives! Teach my children, O Father, to walk by the Spirit, trusting in You, so they can enjoy all the grace, glory, and good things that You have planned for each of them.Finally, as they walk with you, I pray Your Spirit would keep them from carrying out the evil deeds of their flesh. Help them to recognize and resist Satan, in every disguise and in every circumstance. Guard their hearts and minds concerning any kind of foolishness or temptation from their peers, or their “heroes,” or any one else who tries to lure them off Your path. May they not consent to any of their deceptive ways, dear Father. Give them Your strength to say “no!”O dear God, I praise You and thank You for creating my children’s path, and for walking with them on it. Please fight off the evil that will come alongside their path. May they allow You to guide them, love them, and protect them every step along the way.
Amen
Matt. 7:13-14; Ps. 37:23-24; Job 23:10-12; Matt. 7:15-17; Heb. 12:1-2; Ps. 138:3; Ps. 18:16-19; Is. 55:12; John 14:6
Jer. 29:11-13; Ps. 16:8-9: Is. 43:19; Ps. 16:11; Rom. 6:4; Ps. 84:11-12; Gal. 5:16-18; Pr. 1:8-19; Is. 58:11; I John 1:5-7
FOR THINE IS THE KINGDOM, AND THE POWER, AND THE GLORY FOREVER
Dear Children,After, and only after, you have given Jesus your heart, I am praying for each of you to strive for a high standard of excellence as you live each day of your life. I desire to see this character trait in your lives, not for your sakes, nor for mine or your Daddy’s, but for the sake of your Savior. You see, whatever you do, God asks you to do it for Him, not for those around you. Keep a heavenly focus, and help from Heaven will come. My earnest prayer for your lives is that each of you will seek to bring glory to His Holy Name in all you say, and in all you do. But remember, this should never be done out of “duty” to a faraway god, but rather, out of a true love for your intimate Savior!So, children, when you choose to serve Him, then serve Him with all your might. Know, His Holy Spirit is waiting to be used in a mighty way through you. Do not settle for less than what He can provide. Now, sweet ones, this does not mean you will be, or have to be, the best at everything you do; it simply means you are to give your best. When you do this, God asks for nothing else---to Him, you have won! May your ears “hear” the applause of heaven!On the other hand, understand this: being “lukewarm” in your everyday walk is very unappealing to your Creator. He created you to stand up and radiate His excellent glory, not to sit and become stagnant in the ordinary! “You are His workmanship,” my dear children, “created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that you should walk in them” (Eph. 2:10). Don’t sit children, WALK. Walk mightily, walk humbly, walk truthfully, walk faithfully. Your goal is to glorify Jesus in each step you take. Listen, also, to some other direct commands from scripture that emphasize giving your best as a result of your love for Jesus, the One who loved you first:When you work, work heartily. (Col. 3:23)When you pray, pray fervently. (Luke 22:44)When you give, give cheerfully. (II Cor. 9: 6-8)When you love, love unconditionally. (Eph. 5:1-2)When you run, run as a winner. (I Cor. 9:23-24)Be diligent. (II Peter 1:5-8)Make the most of every opportunity. (Col. 4:5)Let Christ live in you richly. (Col. 3:16)Move mountains. (Matt. 17:20-21)What is it, then, God is asking you to do today, tomorrow, and each day He gives you breath? Whatever it is, sweet ones, do “your call” with all your might; remember, “your might” draws strength from His Spirit, so aim HIGH! Then you, and I, will find great satisfaction as we witness His wonderful Name being exalted through you in an excellent way.
I love you
1. Discuss, first and foremost, “giving their all” is a result of understanding the LOVE of Christ, who died to live in them. Knowing of His love will compel them to live 100%.2. Fill a cup of water half full. Have this represent a job halfway done, half effort, half desire. Notice how the water stays settled down stationary.3. Now fill a cup of water, and keep filling it until it spills over (maybe turn on the faucet and put the cup under it). This cup represents living life to the fullest, by allowing the Living Water (not their strength, but Christ’s) to come in and overflow. Notice how wet everything around the overflowing cup becomes. Emphasize because of their disciplined and steadfast work of love for Jesus, they as well as others will receive great “refreshment” and blessing all along the way!
Dear Heavenly Father,I pray my children would not be satisfied with a lifestyle of mediocrity; but out of true love for You, I ask they would each strive for a high standard of excellence in all they do. May they seek to bring glory to Your Holy Name, dear Father, by loving You and living for You with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength. Keep their eyes open, and their ears attentive to what You would have them to do with their lives. May they respond to Your call quickly, dear Lord, not lacking in diligence, but serving You with a fervent, loving spirit. Thank You for being the wind beneath their wings, dear Father. May they believe that You can truly make them soar like eagles!I pray, once again, Lord, that my children will be able to recognize their talents and abilities while they are young. Give us, as their parents, insight so we can direct them to the place where they can best serve You. And when they have found this “place,” may they strive to increase their talents for You---pressing down on all sides, making room for more. Help them to know You desire to give abundantly to those who give of themselves abundantly. May they not be satisfied to work with wood, hay, or straw; but may they seek to bring forth beauty to Your Name that rivals gold, silver, and precious stones. You, O High King, deserve to be honored in this way!O Father, I also pray for my children to never take the excellence You have given them and claim it as their own. Keep them from this sin, I pray. Continually remind them, they can do nothing in their own strength. Make them realize, You are the source of their excellence, and the giver of all good things. So, if they are to boast, may they boast in You, dear Father, who gave us everything through our Lord Jesus Christ. I pray my children’s ambition would be: that their lifestyle, their talents, their abilities, their voice, their mind, but above all else, their heart would draw others into a deeper, closer relationship to You. May they proclaim with their life, How excellent is Your Name in all the earth! (Psalm 8:1)Finally, when my children get to the end of each day, as well as the end of all their days on this earth, may each one of them be able to confidently stand before You and say: “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith” (II Tim. 4:7). And how sweet it will be for each of them to hear Your gentle, yet confirming response: “Yes, you have, my child, well done, good and faithful servant.” (Matt. 25:23)Take each of their hearts, sweet Lord Jesus, and make them Yours.
Amen
Col. 3:17; Col. 3:23-24; Ps. 37:3-6: Rev. 3:16; Eph. 4:1-6; Micah 6:8; I John 2:5b-6; Eph. 1:18-19; Ps. 90:12, 16- 17; I Cor. 10:31
Matt. 22:37-39; Rom. 12:10-11; Is. 40:28-31; Matt. 25:14-30; I Cor. 3:11-14; Gal. 6:14
FOR THINE IS THE KINGDOM, AND THE POWER, AND THE GLORY FOREVER
Dear Children,Christmas Day is very close, as I am writing you this letter. As a matter of fact, I’m sitting on the couch next to our Christmas tree right now, watching the lights glisten. It’s a calm peaceful night, so I thought I would seize the opportunity to put this thought down on paper.On several different occasions, while listening to the radio in the van, we have heard the song “The Little Drummer boy” played and sung, in many different styles and many different ways. Over the holiday season, this song has become one of my favorites. Listen to these words:“Come, they told me . . .A newborn King to see.Our finest gifts we bring,To lay before the King . . .So, to honor Him,When we come,Little Baby ----I am a poor boy, too.I have no gift to bring,That’s fit to give a King.Shall I play for you?Me, and my drum?Mary nodded.The ox and lamb kept time.I played my drum for Him;I played my best for Him.Then, He smiled at me.Me, and my drum.I want you to realize, my dear ones, this song represents you and me. What gift do each of you have to set before the mighty King? Is there anything that we can give that He doesn’t already have? For example:Can you give Him your mind?Remember, He is the One who can hide things from the wise and intelligent and reveal them to babes (Matt. 11:25).Can you give him your voice?Remember, He is the One who made all the birds of the world to sing.Can you give Him your special talents or abilities?Remember, He is the One who created the feathers of the peacock, the speed of the panther, and the strength of the bear.Can you give Him your treasures?Remember, the earth is the Lord’s and all it contains (Ps. 24:1)Let me tell you this, children: the only thing that God, in heaven, wants from you, on this earth, is the steady beat of your devoted heart. Your uniquely designed heart is the gift you are to bring to Him. At this gift, he will turn, and “smile at you.”There are two women in the Bible who portray this scene exactly. One was the poor widow who put only two small copper coins in the offering plate at the temple. Many condemned her, looking down on her out of their self-righteousness, because she gave such a small amount. But Jesus, full of compassion and understanding, saw what was “behind” the two coins. He smiled at her because she gave all that she had; she gave her heart.The other woman was Mary of Bethany. Just a short time before Jesus was to be crucified, Mary came to Him at the supper table of Simon, the leper’s house. She fell at Jesus’ feet, broke an extremely expensive bottle of perfume, and began to anoint Him, in humility and in love. To mere man, (which happened to be Jesus’ disciples), this act seemed foolish and wasteful. But to Jesus, the breaking of the bottle signified the breaking of her heart. When her “all” was given to her Savior, a sweet-smelling aroma then filled the air. In response, Jesus “smiled at her.”Do you see, children, when you “break your heart” open to Him, you, too, will have something that will bring sweetness to His Name? After He has your heart (your gift to Him), your individually selected talents and treasures (His gift to you) will radiate with His glory! Seek Him first, and everything else will be added! I want you to be very careful here, though, children. Never, never let the gifts He has “added” unto you become your passion in life. Jesus Christ is to remain your passion, and you are to give these gifts back to Him out of a complete love from your heart. Your heart behind the talents and treasures He has given you is what will bring Jesus and His kingdom honor, not the talent or the treasure itself! For example, it was not the coins from the poor widow, or the perfume from humble Mary---and it’s not your knowledge of Him, or your voice to Him, or your abilities for Him---that will bring a smile to His face. He wants your heart alone; the other gifts will follow as a result of your humbled devotion. This must come first.So, sweet ones, what do you have to bring to the King as you humbly bow before Him? Do you want Him to “smile at you”? Give Him what He is longing to hear, the steady beat of your devoted heart. Then, watch how your gift to Him will be “played out” in each of your lives, in its own unique way. May His loving smile be all you need to keep on “playing” for the glory of His kingdom.
I love you
1. Role-play together the story of the poor widow who gave “only” two coins, while the rich were putting in much more (Matt. 12:41-44). Focus on who Jesus was pleased with, and why.2. Find a small drum (or use plastic Tupperware and a spoon). Begin to tap it slowly, repetitively explaining this is the beat of your child’s heart. Continue “tapping” while you discuss: God in Heaven delights or “smiles at” this sound more than any other treasure or gift they could ever bring to Him. All the riches of the world cannot “out-give” this sound! He wants their heart.3. Continue to discuss: When He has their heartbeat first, then their unique gifts will bring glory to His name!
Dear Heavenly Father,I humbly ask on bended knee that each one of my children would bring to You the gift of their heart. You know, dear Father, my greatest desire is to see my children walking in truth. I cannot do this through my own power, but I know You can through Yours. O dear God, may Your Holy Spirit prompt them to have an unending passion to love, to serve, and to honor You with all that they have, and all that they are.I do thank You for their uniqueness and diversity. I pray You would give each of them insight on how they can best bring glory to Your kingdom. Reveal their spiritual and physical gifts to them early so their heart can beat for You in these areas. I pray, You would remain their passion in life, not the talents or the treasure You have given them. May they always strive to use their gifts out of a humbled and contrite heart which will bring glory and honor to Your Name.
Keep their focus on You, O God, I pray,And may the beat of their heart always beSteady, unwavering, and completely devotedto You,their holy, righteous, and merciful King.
Amen
Ez. 36:26; Mark 12:41-44; Matt. 26:6-13; Rom. 12:4-8; Matt. 6:33; Col. 3:23-24
I Chron. 28:9; Jer. 17:5-10; I Cor. 12:12-18; Deut. 6:3-11; I Peter 4:10-11; I Peter 5:5-6; Ps. 16:8-9
Dear Children,Here are a few Biblical insights from your mother and daddy who love God, and who love each of you, very much. These points focus on the evil that reigns in this world, and how the Lord instructs you to fight against it:1.Be aware of the tactics of the enemy. The Bible says: Be shrewd as serpents, and innocent as doves (Matt. 10:16). Realize children, as Christians, you are being sent out as sheep in the midst of wolves (Matt. 10:16). This means you need to be ready and wise, as well as untainted by the enticing pleasures of this world. Be on the look-out for anything that might slither into your path and cause you to stumble. Also, realize, evil may come in the form of a person, place, or thing. Keep watching and praying, so your God-given wisdom from above can outwit this crafty serpent from below. Remember, this is the exact same serpent that outsmarted Eve at the beginning of time. He has had a lot of practice, and a lot of success. Continue to ask God for strength and protection to help you turn and walk the other way- or better yet. . .2. Run from your enemy!The Bible says: Flee from youthful lusts . . . (II Tim. 2:22) (Please understand, youthful lusts are tactics of the enemy.) I can assure you, in this case, “running away” is never considered a cowardly act! Do you remember Joseph? He ran away from Pharoh’s wife with all his might. This decision took courage! And by God’s power working in him, he fled, and wisely chose to remain innocent. Also know this truth, if you resist the devil, he will flee from you! (James 4:7) Submit to God, the Commander who loves you, and you will be victorious!3. Choose your combat buddies.I suggest and pray you will choose a few close friends who are like-minded with Jesus Christ. Choose friends you want to be “in the trenches with” --- friends who will hold your hand whenyou’re scared, friends who will fight with you, and sometimes even for you when you are weak. Also, remember, Bad company corrupts good morals (I Cor. 15:33). I urge you not to get involved with a large group that will end up making you compromise all, or even a part of, what you stand for in Christ. It’s okay (actually it is a command) to be a light in this dark world. But do this in a way in which you know, for sure, your candle will not be snuffed out in the process.4. Have the will to win!The Bible says: A joyful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones (Pr. 17:22). Remember, children, in this life, certain things will come your way (be it sickness, or tragedy, or any other trial) which seem evil at the time. These things actually are the “evil” of this world, and these are more of Satan’s tactics that he will use to try and crush your spirit. However, God’s goal through these trials is the opposite. He has allowed them to filter through His hand both for your ultimate good, and His ultimate glory! So ask God to give you perseverance and a joyful heart during these times of turmoil and attack. Remember too, God, who is all wise, never asks us to understand “why” He does what he does. He simply asks us to trust Him for who He is. This will be so very hard when you are searching for concrete answers. But, the alternative to trusting Him is having a dried-up and broken spirit---then the victory will belong to your enemy. You see, he wants you to travel on a downhill spiral only to bury you alive! (He is that cruel!) But, may I, in turn, remind you that Christ, Your Commander, came to men, to revive, and to refill the broken heart! Let Him come to you dear ones; then, watch His rewards of victory, which is incomprehensible peace and over-flowing joy, blossom from your “tilled up” soul.I love you, my dear children, with the precious love of my victorious Savior, and yours, Jesus Christ. All I ever hope to be is wrapped up in His life, death, and resurrection (from II Cor. 5:17-21). May this be your heart’s desire as well.
I love you
Take each point from the above letter and discuss:1. Satan’s tactics; What might his disguises, his lures, his traps look like in your child’s life? For example, in Joseph’s case, Satan used a beautiful, powerful woman (not an old hag) to try and lure him away. Focus on, and even practice the method of turning and running from evil. See how fast each of you can run!2. Friends, both now, and in the future: Stress the importance of deep friendships---ones that will help them grow and mature in their walk with Christ, as opposed to ones that might lure them away from this walk.3. Plant a bulb or a vegetable together. As you dig deep in the messy dirt talk of trials that will come in their lives. Continue to water (and discuss) as you watch over time, a source of beauty grow from the “tilled-up” soil. OR, Make cookies or a cake together. Again, as you add the ingredients, mix them altogether, and put it in the oven to bake, talk of the hardships and fiery trials in this life that will come. However, when the cake or cookies are done, taste and see what was produced from this mixing, this beating, and this baking!
Dear Heavenly Father,So much of the time, I do worry about my children (what might happen to them physically, emotionally, and spiritually) both now, and in the future. Please forgive me for this lack of faith. I know I waste a lot of time and energy that should have been directed elsewhere. Please help me to replace this anxiety with prayers of protection that only You, our refuge, can give.I pray right now, dear God, that you would keep my children far away from anyone whose mouth speaks deceit, and whose right hand is a hand of falsehood (Ps. 144:8) And may those who seek or delight to hurt them be ashamed and humiliated, as well as turned back and dishonored (Ps. 40:14). Please, dear Lord, put a hedge of protection around them, keeping them in Your arms of love, so no evil can come near them.I also pray You will give them the wisdom to recognize evil quickly; and then, give them the ability to turn and flee from it. Thank You, that we can call on You to rescue our soul out of the snare of the evil one. For our help is in the Name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth (Ps. 124:8).I continue to pray, in this same realm of protection, for the friendships each child will have in their lives. Please, dear Father, impress on them the importance of surrounding themselves with good influences, those whose hearts are seeking You. Help them not to even want to follow a corrupt crowd that will lead them down a crooked path, far away from Your presence. Instead, give my children a heart to lead these people down the path of righteousness and peace that only You can give. Please strengthen my children’s hearts and minds so they might influence these wandering friends towards You.I also pray for each one of my children to have beautiful Christ-like role models in their lives. From them, may they learn more of what it’s like to live passionately for You. May my children be able to see how these role models listen and follow the voice of their Savior, the Friend who sticks closer than a brother (Pr. 18:24).Also, dear Lord, I pray for further protection from any kind of (what we, as humans, consider) “tragic” accident in their daily lives of school, play, travel, or any other activity. May You continually give charge to your angels concerning my children, guarding them with Your sword drawn, in all their ways.Finally, dear Father, I ask for bodily protection from the sickness and disease that runs rampant in this world. Put a mighty shield around them, so that the infections will be thwarted away from their bodies. May they make wise choices about what they eat and drink, and give them the desire to exercise (without becoming obsessed with any of these, I pray) so they may have a vigorous heart and strong body. Help them also to realize a spiritually sound mind has a direct impact on their physical well-being (and vice-versa).Father, You are the God of all good, the Shepherd who leads and guides us through all the circumstances of our lives. I trust in You, dear Lord, and I realize this: if any harm does come to my children, or if any accidents do happen, or if any sickness does fall on them, it is not because I have failed to pray to You, or that You have failed as God. I do know it is only because Your good hand has allowed it; therefore, You also will allow good to come from it. Your ways are so much higher than mine, O God, and I want Your ways no matter what. I confess sometimes I pray this prayer with clenched fists of worry and fear. But truly, my heart’s desire is for You to be glorified in the lives of my children. Help me to let go, and then give them to You, dear Father, so You can mold them and make them into your beautiful vessels. You are their potter, as well as their deliverer, their rock, their fortress, and their shield. My heart knows Your hand is so much greater than mine; and there is no better place for them to be.
Amen
Gen. 4:7; II Cor. 1:13-15; Gen. 3:1-7; II Tim. 2:22; Gen. 39:1-12; Ps. 18:24; Pr. 1:10-15; James 1:2-4; Pr. 20:24; Ps. 34:15- 22; Ps. 126:5-6; II Cor. 5:17-21
Phil. 4:6-7; Job 1:10; Pr. 2:6-12; Ps. 18:16-19; Ps. 91:11; Job 1:20-22; Gen. 50:19-20; Is. 55:8-9; Jer. 18:6; Ps. 18:1-3; Ps. 37:23-25
Dear Children,From my last letter, you learned Satan is powerful, and he is the “ruler of this world.” However, may your heart also listen to this truth as well: God is the Author of power, and He has overcome the world! May you never be without hope.Now, I have the awesome privilege of trying to explain the power of God. To do this, I want you to close your eyes and take yourself back in time as I remind you of a few Old Testament Bible stories. I have chosen these particular ones simply because I would have loved to have seen, for myself, God’s majestic power displayed in these particular ways:1. Creation. Can you imagine watching God forming the waves of the sea, or giving the moon and stars their light in the vast universe? Or can you imagine the Creator of life knitting together the intricate details of the first human body; and then, God Himself breathing the first breath of life into him?
2. Noah’s Ark. Don’t you think Noah wondered a time or two how he and his family would shut that huge door to the Ark? It had to be heavy and stable enough to hold two of every animal on the earth! Well, God Himself shut the door for them. I would have loved to see the massive ramp go up . . . gently, smoothly, tightly, securely.
3. Parting the Red Sea. Think children, what if you were there? What an amazing display of the power of God . . . and to walk between walls of water!
4. David and Goliath. God’s power was in that faithful young boy, and God’s power sailed with that stone?
Now, children, I want to turn our focus to the power of Jesus, the Son of God, who is One with God. Keep your eyes closed and imagine you’re with Him. These are some New Testament stories that, again, I would have loved to eye-witness:1. Feeding the five thousand. An awesome event! How could the five loaves and two fish multiply without the power of Jesus? No way at all; but with Him, nothing is impossible! (Matt. 19:26) They went away full, and satisfied---with twelve baskets left over!
2. Calming the Sea. If I were in the disciples’ boat during that storm-infested night, I would have been absolutely terrified, out-yelling these panic-stricken men (and “losing my lunch” in between screams)! But, Jesus calmed the violent storm with just three words, “Peace, be still.” And immediately, the wind and the waves obeyed Him; they became perfectly calm. Would you not fall at his feet and worship Him after witnessing such amazing power?
3. One Healing Miracle. There were so many great miracles, but I possibly would have chosen to see the healing of the blind man----the one where Jesus spit on the ground, made clay, and put it over the man’s eyes. Jesus then told him to go wash his eyes in the Pool of Siloam. The blind man obeyed His voice and received his sight, seeing life for the very first time.
4. Easter Morning. What if you were walking with Mary Magdalene, and the other Mary and you heard with your own ears the greatest truth ever spoken to mankind: He is not here, He is risen! Would your heart have leapt for joy? It can now.
I want to end by focusing on the power of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit’s power pertains directly to us, the believing Christians, living right now. When Jesus left this earth, He did not leave us as orphans, but He sent The Helper in His place. And His Spirit is one of the Trinity, so He has all the incredible power of the Holy Father, and Christ the Son. He asks us not to quench His Spirit, but to use it. What do you plan to do today with the power He has given you? Here are some things I always hope for in my life:1. To have the power of His unconditional love. I want to love you, my children, and your daddy, and my parents, and my friends, and my “enemies” the way Jesus Christ loves me.2. To have the power of self control in all I say and do. So much of the time, I push Him aside and rely on myself. (That, by the way, is quenching the Spirit.)3. To have the power to speak boldly for Christ. I want my lips to be a fountain of praise, bringing honor and glory to His Name as long as I live.4. To have the power to endure all things. I want to run the race with endurance, and to fight the good fight of faith, never losing my hope, no matter what comes my way.Can I do these things? Can you? Yes, we can! But only if we allow the Holy Spirit to reign in our hearts. Remember, His power is perfected in weakness (II Cor. 12:9), so don’t think you have to have it all together first. That’s a lie from the father of lies, himself. Let God’s awesome power, dear ones,form youprotect youremove sin from youcarry youfeed and satisfy youquiet youmake you “see”and give LIFE to you forever.I challenge you to compare the list above with the list of what Satan wants to do to you with his power (from my previous letter); and then, my dear ones, choose your Commander.
I love you
Dear Heavenly Father,May You forever be exalted and praised because of Your awesome power! You are truly so much greater than our Enemy. You have promised to overcome the world with Your presence, Your peace, and Your plan. Thank You, O Holy King of kings.I pray my children would become completely confident in this mighty power of Yours, dear God. Remind them of the incredible displays of Your authority existing all throughout Your Word:You can make water pour from rock,You can cause the sun to stand still:You can shut the mouths of lions;You can crush Satan under Your feet.May this give my children the assurance that when they have you completely reigning over their hearts and minds they too can fight Satan and be victorious. For You, Ruler of Life, are all they need in order to defeat the devil, ruler of this age. You are their Holy One, their Creator, their Redeemer, their Master, and their Friend. May they be assured, You will never leave them nor forsake them as they confront the evil one! May Your truth and Your power make them strong and courageous.Also, dear Father, I pray my children would become even more confident when they realize Satan is just the opposite of who You are. You are truth, but he has nothing to stand on but lies. And these lies can, and will, come crashing down beneath him if he is attacked by the power of Your Word. May they use this mighty weapon to behead the great serpent of old, I pray. You are the Savior of this world, dear Lord Jesus. May my children claim Your power and be forever victorious in You.
Amen
Matt. 28:18; John 16:33; John 20:21-22; Luke 10:19-20; Ps. 62: 5-8; John 11:25-27; John 14: 15-18; I Thess. 5:19; I John 4:4
Ps. 89:11-18; Gen. 18:14a; Rom. 16:19-20; James 4:7; I Chron. 28:20; Heb. 4:12-13; I John 4:14-15; John 8:31- 32, compared to John 8:43-47
Dear Children,I want you to be keenly aware of who Satan is. Some of the terms he has been referred to as in the Bible are:serpent---Genesis 3: 1-7thief---John 10:10enemy---Psalms 61:3deceiver---Revelation 12:9-11father of lies---John 8:44roaring lion---I Peter 5:8accuser---Revelation 12:9-11ruler of darkness---Ephesians 6:12destroyer---John 10:10Now, listen to his main objectives as he roams the earth, seeking out hearts, minds, and souls. He will make every effort:to trick youto steal from youto attack youto fool youto lie to youto devour youto pass wrong judgment on youto keep you in his darknessand to completely defeat you.Children, Satan is very much alive, and he is very powerful. If you do not have Christ in your heart and mind, then he does have the power to do to you all the things he plots out and schemes. Remember, his goal is to keep you locked up in a prison cell where you are completely unable to serve the God whom you proclaim to love. He is desperately trying to keep you bound to your “old self.” Recognize some of these strongholds (which I have mentioned before) which Satan will wrap like thick cords around your mind: shame, guilt, fear, bitterness, worry, confusion, discontentment, and doubt. Also take note, there are many other heavy chains your enemy will use to dominate your behavior. Know, dear ones, he is behind every single snare you fall into. He is oh-so-crafty, and will always attack you in your weakest moment, targeting your weakest spot. So, I want you to take Jesus’ advice: Keep watching and praying, that you may not enter into temptation; the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak (Mat 26:41). Call on Him in time of need; His Spirit will surely come to your rescue. Your Savior Jesus, is the only One who can sever those cords and break those chains. I know this to be true, first hand, children. Satan had the “cords” of shame and discontentment wrapped so tightly around my neck, they were choking the way, the truth and the life out of me, and I was not even aware of his schemes! Like I said, he is oh-so-crafty. However, my Jesus did come, and he did save. And now, my cup overflows!I love you
Dear Heavenly Father,I pray my children would be given abundant wisdom concerning who Satan is and what his objectives are in each of their lives. With this wisdom, may they be able to stand firm against their enemy.First, I pray, they will know that Satan is a ruler. Help them to realize he is much more than a “passive being” down in the depths of the earth. Instead, may they see him as active as You have described him in Your Word: he is like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour (I Peter 5:8). Help them to understand, You have “given permission” to Satan for the whole world to lie in his power (I John 5:19). He is the ruler of darkness; and we, as believers, will wrestle against his forces of the world until the day we go Home. Make my children ready for battle, dear Lord. May they bring Your light into this dark place.Secondly, I pray, my children will know that Satan is a liar. Make them aware this master deceiver is always scheming out ways in which he can keep God’s children from being these “lights” for the cause of Christ! May they know that Satan wants their light off! Make my children aware, dear Lord, of their own weaknesses and strongholds; and may they expect to be attacked by Satan in these areas. Keep them, I pray, from being lured into his evil bondage. Always guard their minds from his deceiving use of guilt, or shame, or fear, or bitterness, or any other cord he chooses to tie them up or “snuff them out” with! May they say, with confidence, as Jesus did: Get behind me Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me: for you are not setting your mind on God’s interest, but man’s (Mat. 16:23).And finally, dear Lord, I pray, my children will know that Satan is a thief. He comes only to steal, kill, and destroy (John 10:10). May they realize his goals are to rob us of our contentment, to put to death our productive time, and to utterly ruin our joy. May he not have this death grip on the hearts and lives of my children, I pray. Instead, may they realize why You have come, sweet Lord Jesus: that they might have life, and have it abundantly (John 10:10). May they choose life over death, light over darkness, and victory over defeat.
Amen
Job 1:6-22; Rom. 8:5-11; Col. 3:1-10; Col. 2:8-10; Ps. 18:3-19; Luke 4:18
Eph. 2:1-5; Eph. 6:12; II Cor. 11:13-14; II Cor. 11:3; I John 5:12; John 8:12; Ps. 27:1-3; I John 5:4-5
Dear Children,It’s story time! Listen to this make-believe tale about a certain forgetful knight:Once upon a time there was a young man named Englebert, who on this special day, happened to be living out his dream of becoming a real knight. He had always wanted to be a real knight in the real King’s army when “he grew up.” And it seemed like only yesterday, he was playing “good knights” and “bad knights” with his little friends. They would use buckets for helmets, cooking lids for shields, and long sticks for swords. What “great battles” they would have!But now, he was “grown up,” and this was the real thing! Englebert had become a majestic knight in service to the King; and this was his first time to sleep in the palace quarters. What a jumble of nerves he was! And, poor Englebert, when his nerves got jumbled, so did his mind! He just kept repeating to himself as he drifted off into an uneasy, restless sleep: “If there’s a battle, I must find my horse and go fight, find my horse and go fight, find my horse and go fight. . . . “ Well, guess what? Very soon Englebert would have his first chance to go into battle. . . .In the wee morning hours, a mighty trumpet blew a resounding alarm to all the King’s horsemen and all the King’s men! An enemy had been sighted, and all were to prepare immediately for battle. Englebert flung the covers off himself in a panic and darted about the room to and fro in fretful hysteria, thinking about everything and nothing at the same time. He then remembered what he had told himself the night before: “O yes, yes, my horse. I must find my horse and go fight!” And so, off he went running frantically out the door searching wildly for his horse, wearing only his polka-dotted underwear. This crazy behavior would have continued, except that Englebert stepped on a huge thorn that stuck in his foot. “Ouch!” he yelled as he bent over to see the problem. Suddenly, he realized, “Oh, my goodness! I forgot my armored boots! I must go back and get my armored boots!” That, he did quickly. He found them at once, put them on, and again attempted to scurry off to the battle. But before he could even get out the door, he butted his head with tremendous force against its frame, which he sometimes forgot was low. “Ouch! And double ouch!” he cried, as he felt the swelling knot on his forehead. “Oh, my lands! My helmet! I forgot my helmet!” So he found his helmet, put it on, and declared himself ready for battle---in his armored boots, his helmet, and his polka- dotted underwear.This time his hunt for his horse was successful. Sleepy-headed Gertrude was standing quietly underneath a large tree. Englebert sped up his already quick pace and gave a mighty leap into the air, landing with a heavy smack on old Gerdy. However, old Gerdy was not ready for young Englebert. She did not appreciate this sudden surprise. Stubbornly, she bucked him off with a gigantic buck, which sent him sailing through the air. Poor Englebert landed on his bottom, with a BIG thud quite a distance away. “Ouch! And triple ouch!” he yelled. “That was a terribly painful landing!” And when he looked down, he realized why. “Oh my heavens! I have forgotten to put on my armored pants! I must go back at once!” But as he got up, a branch from the tree he was under scratched his bare chest, making a long red mark across it. “Ouch! And quadruple ouch!” he declared. “And yes, I must get my breastplate as well!” And so, Englebert ran in his helmet, his armored boots, and his underwear, back to his quarters to get his armored pants and his protective breastplate.. . . “Ah! Now, I am ready to fight!” he said to himself as he, this time, slowly mounted Gertrude. “Let’s be off, my dear faithful horse.” So Englebert and Gertrude followed the noise of the battle and came very close to the action. As a matter of fact, one arrow whizzed through the air above his head and another hit his breastplate, bouncing off to the ground beneath him. Soon, however, several arrows were flying ALL around him. Then, somehow, one managed to stick him in the crevice below his shoulder. “Ouch! And quintuple ouch! That hurt!” he said as he pulled the (not-so-deep) arrow out of his shoulder. It was at this time he realized he had forgotten his shield. “Oh my stars! I forgot my shield! I must go back and get my shield. I cannot truly be protected without it!” And so Englebert dashed to his quarters, one more time.“Ah! Now, I’m ready! I have all that I need to fight---I cannot be better prepared.” Sure enough, this time, the arrows of battle could not touch Englebert. He took courage in the sound of the “chink” as they hit his shield and bounced away. However, he did begin to wonder to himself what he would do if the enemy came closer, which, in fact, they were! “Hmm, “he wondered, “I cannot fight like this forever. As a matter of fact, I’m not fighting at all! I’m just defending!” He turned and looked around at his fellow knight. He was holding his mighty sword that glistened in the early morning sun. With this weapon, he was able to fight off the enemy with great valor.“Aha! That’s it!” declared Englebert. “My sword! I forgot my sword! And if I don’t go get it, I will have infinite ouches!” So, one last time, Englebert raced to his quarters, grabbed his own sword, and returned to the edge of the battle. There, with Gertrude beneath him, he stood tall, almost heroically. His armor was fully applied: his boots, his helmet, his pants, his breastplate, his shield, and now his sword. Although it took him a while, he had finally become a real knight in service to a real King. Englebert, then, feeling strong and courageous, stepped into battle and fought with all his might, in order to bring glory and honor to his King’s name. The end.Okay, children, here’s the meaning behind Englebert’s absent-minded behavior. . . .Just as he forgot to put on his armor to fight a physical battle, we too can forget to put on our “armor” when we fight our daily spiritual battles. Children, you (and I) need to “get dressed” spiritually every day in order to be equipped and ready to fight off the fiery darts of the evil one. Satan will send those arrows; and you better believe, he will attack when he sees you without your armor on. Remember, put on the armor of God, and keep it on, my dear ones.Here are just a few hints on how to get dressed for this battle. In the morning, when you are ready for the day---washing your face, brushing your teeth, putting on your clothes---you can also be “praying on” your armor:
Do you get the picture? There are so many ways to “pray on” your protective armor; don’t limit it to these. But please, dear children, don’t always live and fight defensively! You have the ability to defeat the enemy with the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. This weapon, dear children, when used with the shield of faith, will cause Satan not only to back off, but he will also turn and flee! I challenge you, children, to hide His Word in your heart so that you may use it decisively when you are being attacked. Realize this takes time, energy, and effort, but knowing His Word and using it wisely is worth it all.Believe God is real, and He will really win. Have faith in His power, not your own. And remember, His power is in every piece of armor that you choose to put on or carry. Please don’t go out into the daily battle of life just in your “spiritual underwear.” Because your experience, my dear ones, may not be as humorous as Englebert’s.
I love you
Dear Heavenly Father,I praise You and thank You for all of Your power and all of Your protection You freely give to us as Christians. For You have promised to come and live inside of all those who believe. I pray, dear God, that my children would never doubt Your promises. Help them to believe they have the power through You to resist Satan when he is attacking them in a vulnerable spot.I pray they will stand firm on You, dear Lord, the Rock of Ages. For, You promise not to allow those feet to slip who are walking in faith. Keep them on Your solid foundation, which is changeless and eternal. There, may they daily be in a habit of taking up and putting on each piece of precious armor that comes from You.First of all, I pray each child would always buckle the belt of truth around their waist. Help them, dear Father, to pursue a life of complete honesty---one that will keep their conscience clean, their integrity blameless, and their hearts pure. And may Your truth forever set them free from the lies and deception of Satan, their enemy.Secondly, I pray my children would realize the awesome privilege of being able to wear Your righteousness as a breastplate. As they humbly apply this piece of armor, impress on them, this can be worn only because of the blood their Savior shed for them on the cross. May they wear it for You, dear Jesus, with honor and dignity.Then, as my children shod their feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace, I pray they would realize this is Your mighty calling---going out, as You have commanded, to set trapped prisoners free. May they never be satisfied with being stationary in You; but fill them with the desire to be the bearer of this Good News, which is able to save lost souls.And as they go, may they remember to take up Your invincible shield of faith, so they may be able to resist all the flaming missiles of the evil one. Give them the confidence they need to accomplish all the wonderful plans You have waiting for them in your will.In addition to all of this armor, may they daily put on Your helmet of salvation, which will, once again, protect them from the lies and schemes of Satan. May they meditate on You as their God and Savior, and lover of their soul. Give them the mind of Christ, and fill them with Your beauty, Your wisdom, and Your love.And finally, dear Lord, may my children never forget to carry with them Your mighty weapon, the sword of the Spirit, which is Your Word. For it is living and active, able to pierce as far as the division of the soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart (Heb. 4:12). May they hide Your Word inside them, meditating on it even in the night watches (Ps.63:6), I pray, so they may be able to use it in any time of need.You are our Mighty Warrior, dear God, and our Commander in Chief. Thank You for providing Your armor to all those who seek and serve You as their King. May my children, by Your Spirit, choose to be a part of Your army, fighting the good fight of faith---now and forevermore.
Amen
Eph. 6:10-17; Col. 4:2; Ps. 119:11; I John 3:8b; Ex. 14:14; Gal. 1:3-5
Rom. 13:12; Eph. 1:18-19; I Cor. 16:13-14; Ps. 121:1-8; Ps. 15:1-5; Is. 59:16-21; Ps. 144:1-2; Ps. 24:7-10; II Sam. 22: 29-47
Dear Children,I have mentioned to you several times the different “idols” that have the potential to take Christ off the throne of your heart. I thought I would list them one more time, so that you can always be on the lookout when Satan tries to persuade you with these things:money---I Timothy 6:9-11power---John 15:5pride---James 4:3-6sexual immorality---Col. 3:5-6complacency---Isaiah 32:9-17family or friends---Luke 9:57-62physical body---I Timothy 4:8fame---Romans 12:3materialism---James 5:1-6alcohol, drugs---Ephesians 5:18-21food---Phil. 3:18-19sleep---Proverbs 6:6-11legalism---Galatians 5:1-6, 18Notice some of these things seem quite innocent (family, friends, food). But realize, sweet ones, idol”worship comes as a result of putting any of these things I just mentioned as first in your heart and mind, expecting them to meet the need that only Christ can. Remember, where your treasure is, there will your heart be also (Matt. 6:21). Keep your treasure in Jesus alone, and everything else will be added unto you. He promises to reward those who seek Him.Also, if you look at the list again, notice all these things are centered around self---the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the boastful pride of life (I John 2:16). In a sense, you have made yourself “God”. Don’t go there, children; that is the world speaking to you. Continue to humbly ask God to help you focus on Him alone, so you may persevere in His will, not yours. Ask yourself often when you feel caught, “Is this thought, action or desire for Him, or is it for me?” And I will tell you this, if you are His child, He cannot help but answer this question for you, in love. . . .One way God shows love is by discipline. So, if you have put yourself up on His “high horse,” trying to meet all your own personal desires, He will give you the opportunity to get off in one of two ways; with a gentle rebuke or with a mighty buck. Which would you prefer? (Try not to even get on the horse!) Let God be God, children. And you be who you are called to be, His humble servant. If you focus on loving Him, and nothing else, your lives will be blessed, sweet ones, more than you can ever imagine. What a promise!
I love you
Dear Heavenly Father,I thank You for who You are: a holy and righteous God, full of marvelous light. Because of Your nature, You cannot tempt anyone with darkness and evil. I ask, however, that You will, with Your loving hand, lead my children’s hearts away from all these temptations that exist in the world today. Hide them, dear Father, in the shelter of the Most High and protect them in the shadow of Your wings. There, guard them from Satan’s cunning traps and snares. May they recognize the idols he will try to use in order to replace You as their one true God. Keep them, dear Lord, from any kind of love, lust, attitude, or addiction that will take You off the throne of their heart. Help them to know and believe there is nothing on this earth that can satisfy their soul, no matter how good it looks or feels or tastes or smells at the present fleeting moment. Instead, may they taste and see that the Lord is good . . .(Ps. 34:8). May You alone, O God, be their portion.Thank You, dear Father, for the promise of always providing a way of escape when temptations come. Rescue them by speaking loudly to their conscience, I pray. And then, in turn, may they call on You in time of need. Please fill their weak flesh with Your strong Spirit. Cause them to grab Your hand, because You are the only one who can pull them out of the miry clay! Please set their feet on the solid rock and establish their steps. May they realize, on this Rock, Jesus Christ, they will never be shaken. And I pray, dear Father, this is where they will choose to stand.
Amen
I John 5:19-21; Matt. 6:25-34; I John 2:15-17; Heb. 12:5-11; Is. 66: 1-2
James 1:13-16; Ps. 91:1-4; I Peter 2:11-17; Lam. 3:21-25; I Cor. 10:13; II Peter 2:9; Ps. 116:1-7; Matt. 26:41; Ps. 40:1-3
Dear Children,What is faith? The Bible says: Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, conviction of things not seen (Heb. 11:1). This simply means, even though you don’t see something with your eyes, you still believe it to be true with your heart. For example, if I were to tell one of you not to touch the stovetop because it is very hot, you would not touch it (I hope). You know me, and you know of my love for you; so therefore, you have put your faith in my words. So, you see, your trust in me has kept you from burning your hand.Well, children, this is the kind of faith God wants you to have in Him. Simply believe His Word. You will find the older you get, the more questions you will have. Do seek answers, but don’t lose your childlike faith in the process. Don’t try to figure out what, how, why, or when to the point of doubt--- rather dig deep in His Word and believe all of its great mysteries from beginning to end!There are three specific areas in which I am praying for your faith to be incredibly strong. First, I pray you will believe in God’s awesome power. Believe He is the great “I AM” (Ex. 3:13-14).He can move mountains, part seas, make the sun stand still,and walk on water.He can heal the sick, make the lame man walk, and the blind man see.He can change a human heart of stone, into a tender heart that overflows with His great love.And, He can defeat the sting of death for the sake of you and me!When you pray, children, pray to this God, asking that His “will” would be done, so that He will be glorified! So much is left unaccomplished simply because of the lack of faith in a human heart. Don’t make Jesus have to ask you, like He had to ask His own disciples, Why do you doubt?Where is your faith? (Luke 8:25). Believe in Him, sweet ones. Believe in His awesome power!Secondly, I want you to always have faith in His love for you. Never doubt He cares. You are his sheep; He is the Great Shepherd who goes to the extreme of laying down His own life for yours! If you do begin to doubt, remember to ask Him to show you His great love in a fresh way, so your faith will be renewed and strengthened. The more you seek His love, the more you will find it.Thirdly, I want you to have faith in His wonderful forgiveness. This is found in confessing your sins to your Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (I John 1:9)! Don’t go to His throne of grace and come away with a heart still full of sin because you are holding on to the guilt and shame of sin you just confessed! If you are repentant, then you are forgiven—completely. In His eyes, you are as white as snow! Believe this truth.Keep the faith, sweet ones. Stand firm in it, live by it, walk in it, and fight the good fight with it.Remember:Our God is who He says He is,He always love, and always forgives.
I love you
1. Tell your children to stand up, put their arms by their side, and then close their eyes.2. Move a small walking distance away from them. Now, ask them to come to you, walking with their eyes closed. Tell them to listen to the sound of your voice -- you will direct their footsteps. Tell them to trust you.3. Once they have made it safely to you, hug them, love them, and explain: this is how we should follow, by faith alone, God’s voice. If we trust in His Word, and abide by it, He will direct our paths!
Dear Heavenly Father,I thank You for the “childlike” faith each of my children possess in their heart right now, believing every word of the Bible to be true, simply because of Your grace. Thank you for allowing them to trust us, as their parents, and to believe completely in the great Bible stories we tell them. Also, I praise you for their (and our) freedom in this land to hear about You. May we always proclaim You as a:God—Full of mercy, power, and loveWho can shut the mouths of roaring lions,And part rivers and seas in a moment’s time.God—Who can make great walls crumble like sand,And still a raging storm with only a whisper.God—Who can make it rain for forty daysCovering the earth, and saving the faithful.God—Who can send bread from heaven for forty years,Feeding the hungry, and saving the faithless.But most of all, may they hear and know and believeIn an awesome GodWho can defeat the sting of death,And rise victorious!Great is the Lord, and highly to be praised! (Ps. 145:3).O God, help us, as their parents, to continue to fill them up with Your words and Your ways at this young age, so they can always stand strong on Your firm foundation. Give them mighty faith as Noah, Abraham, and Moses, so you can perform mightily through them. May they realize, without You, they can do nothing; yet, with You, nothing is impossible!And as they grow, I pray their faith will not shake or waver when Satan tries to defeat them with all the worries of this world. Keep them strong, dear Lord, reminding them they need not fear. For You, their Deliverer, have overcome the world!O Father, I also pray You will remind them, without faith, they cannot please You. I pray they will never doubt Your power in them, or Your love for them, or Your forgiveness granted to them. Please cause these fundamental truths to reign in their hearts and minds.May they dare to touch the fringe of Your coat, lord Jesus. For You are the cornerstone of our faith. With this kind of faith, they can live life abundantly, as You desire them to! I pray they will always hide themselves in the shadow of Your wings, believing You are their strong tower in any storm, and an indestructible refuge in any time of trouble. And as they are in this holy place, dear Lord, give them the faith of a mustard seed, allowing them to move mountains through Your power and for Your glory.
Amen
Matt. 18:3-4; John 20:24-29; Luke 1:37; Matt. 8:5-13; John 10:14-15; I Cor. 16:13; Gal. 3:11,4; II Tim. 4:7-8.
Deut. 11:18-20; Phil. 4:13; Eph. 6:16; I John 5:4-5; Heb. 11:16; Pr. 18:10; Ps. 9:9-10; Matt. 17:20
RELATED VERSE: AND FORGIVE US OUR DEBTS AS WE FORGIVE OUR DEBTORS
Dear Children,I want you to be prepared for two unavoidable circumstances you will face all throughout your lifetime: One, be prepared to be “wronged,” and two, be prepared to forgive.Concerning being wronged: Children, because you live among sinners, you will be sinned against--- sometimes in small ways, sometimes in big ways; sometimes intentionally, sometimes accidentally. Just be prepared, not surprised.Now, how are you to deal with a “slap in the face,” a “stab in the back,” a “push that takes the breath out of you?” Let me direct you to Jesus. One thing He always did when He walked on this earth was to point out the sin to the sinner. He was very effective and clear in calling black “black,” and white “white.” Remember he turned the money changers’ tables over in the temple because of their abuse of His Father’s house of prayer? And countless times He called the scribes and Pharisees of that day exactly what they were-- -blind men, hypocrites, and a brood of vipers. He gave them these names because they were rejecting the very God that they proclaimed to love and serve! Do you see what I’m saying, children? Jesus went to the sinners, pointed out their sin, and then gave them the opportunity to repent of it, or continue in it. And then, He walked away in peace. That’s what you need to do, sweet ones. If (or I should say “when”) somebody has hurt you, go to him and confront him with the issue. (I would recommend praying about what to call him or her, or them: a “brood of vipers” is pretty strong! Remember, Jesus says, your gentleness will make you great. So, I am sure everything Jesus did and said to each sinner was done in a wonderful way, which resulted in an invitation. His goal was to “lure” them into repentance.) You, children, are to do the same. Let the one who has wronged you know how this particular sin has affected you. They may not even be aware they have hurt you. This will then put the “ball in their court,” and that’s where you need to leave it. You, too, walk away in peace as Jesus did. Now, they may humbly ask you for forgiveness; but, then again, they may not. So, what do you do if they don’t say they are sorry? Be prepared to forgive them anyway.Concerning forgiveness: Let me, again, point you to Your Savior. Realize the topic of forgiveness is the first thing Jesus discusses after He teaches His disciples how to pray. It is extremely important to Him. Let me just give you a few of His basic principles concerning this matter:1. Jesus said, “If you don’t forgive, your Father won’t forgive you” (from Matt 6:15). Remember I asked if you wanted to be clean and white? Well, if you do, then Jesus asks you to offer this same freedom to the one who has done you wrong. Don’t expect to experience God’s forgiveness if you can’t give it. Do expect a hard and bitter heart, an angry mind, and a discontented soul. All of this is tied up in un-forgiveness. And then, you can also expect this infectious attitude to fester into all other relationships! Is holding on to this un-forgiveness really worth it, dear ones? The answer is NO! However, Satan would beg to differ. Choose to forgive, children, choose to forgive---seventy times seven. Choose to forgive.2. Jesus went even one step further in forgiveness. He said: “Love your enemies” (Matt. 5:44). Wow, what a difficult command! But, children, you are not to worry about “pay-back time.” God, Himself, will deal with the one who has wronged you. (However, again realize this---He will always do it in a way that is best for the sinner to be exposed to the invitation of the cross). He will extend mercy to all who cry “mercy” from a truly repentant heart. If you don’t let go of the vengeance, you are not allowing God to operate in His mighty way. You, then, are still captive to a bitter unforgiving heart, while your wrongdoer runs free, possible continuing to sin against you and others. Think about this: Would you choose to have your wrong-doer be under the judgment of the one true God, Creator of the universe, or under the judgment of a human being who is likened to “the dust of the earth?” Move out of the judgment seat, and let God be who He says He is! Obey Him, and love your enemy. (Let me stress to you here, sweet ones, sometimes your “enemy” happens to be your Christian brother or sister, and even your future spouse. Be ready for this. Also, realize these “enemies” are sometimes the hardest to forgive.) Jesus says to feed them, give them your shirt, turn the other cheek, and walk that second mile. Let the one who has done you wrong question your forgiveness, not revel in your unforgiveness. May you and God be on the same side, having the same goal: To bring your enemies to their knees, in order to worship Him, right alongside of you.3. Jesus also tells you to “pray for your enemies.” Children, I want you to turn all your thoughts of anger, frustration, and even hatred towards your enemy into loving prayer for that person. Pray for reconciliation, pray for peace, but most importantly, pray for their salvation. Remember, saving their soul is the big picture! May you pray for them so much, you begin to truly want them to know the Savior of their sin-covered heart. And if the person who has wronged you, is already a Christian, pray this situation will enlighten them, humble them, and cause them to grow in Christ. You may very well be the particular vessel that God has chosen to use in working out your “enemy’s” salvation or spiritual growth. Don’t turn their wrong-doing into a frivolous ant-war while the hand of the King of kings is at work behind the whole thing. Let go of unforgiveness, children; the battle was never yours to fight standing up, only kneeling down. Pray God will work mightily through the forgiveness you, by His grace, are offering your “enemy.”Do know this, sweet ones: God does have the ability to heap burning coals on the head of your enemy, if that’s what you think might help you through this situation. But, read His word and see how it’s done: by choosing to forgive them, by choosing to love them, by choosing to pray for them, and by choosing to entrust the situation to God alone. If you let go of your grip (which you might have around their neck), He promises to give you the freedom of His peace in your heart. Then, your wrong-doer will enter into none other than the hands of almighty God, the righteous Judge and merciful Father.Jesus said, Do not be overcome with evil, but overcome evil with good (Romans 12:21). God is good, dear ones. Overcome your wrong-doer with Him. He is your only hope, your only answer.
Dear Children,If you capture an understanding of anything at all concerning your Heavenly Father, I pray, with all my heart, you will have a complete knowledge and heartfelt belief in His intimate love for each of you. Study I Corinthians 13. God is the author of this kind of love, so it is accurate to say, this is the way He loves you. Please know, sweet ones, the devil himself is going to try to keep you from understanding this love. You see, Satan realizes, if you don’t know, or if you don’t rely upon this Source of love, then you will soon become an empty vessel with nothing to draw from and nothing to give. Know God’s love, dear children, believe in His love! I want you to listen to a couple of small, yet convincing, ways that I know He loves me, personally:This past winter I was looking out the window of my bedroom as I was running on the treadmill. The day happened to be cold and wintery, and the ground was covered with a wonderful, soft white dust of snow. As I was admiring this outdoor beauty, a brilliantly colored redbird flew into the scene and perched himself on a branch right there in front of me. “Wow,” I thought to myself, as I gazed at the bright red bird contrasted against the pure white snow. I then prayed to God, “This picture is so beautiful to me! Thank you, God, for giving me this scene to that I could enjoy your incredible artwork! You know what it reminds me of, God?” (I was not fully aware that He put the thought in my head to begin with.) “What a perfect picture to illustrate how Jesus can turn the crimson blood of my sin into something as pure and white as this snow. How amazing to me! Thank You, God, for this vivid reminder. Thank you, Lord Jesus!”Well, the next time I ran on the treadmill, I said a short little prayer (really not expecting an answer), saying, “God, I’d love it if You would send that red bird back my way.” Children, do you know, not just one, but two redbirds flew and sat right in front of my window!? I just laughed out loud! In my mind and heart I knew God did that for me, because He loves me. And I truly felt His love for me then.You see, during this period of time in my life, I had been asking God to really show me, and reassure me of His personal love for me as an individual. I knew that “God so loved the world” (John 3:16), but I needed a reminder of His great love for me. Well, one way He chose to answer this prayer was to start sending me redbirds everywhere I went! Isn’t that funny? But, it’s true! One, for months, would “happen to” (no such thing in God’s world) fly right in front of our van every single Thursday as we drove down the tree- shaded street to Grandmother’s and Dee-Doc’s house. And then, I’d see them on walks, and in friends’ yards, and anywhere and everywhere! They would just show up right in my line of vision. They would also come in the early quiet mornings as I wrote these letters to you, my sweet ones, and these prayers to God, my loving Father. He knew I needed, at that time, a very visible reminder of His love. So...He let the redbirds fly.Now, I know you may think those redbirds may have been there all along. And, you know what? You may be absolutely right. But, the fact that my God opened my eyes to see them in such a way that I would always be reminded of Christ’s love for me is the beauty of it all. Again, every time I see them, I just smile at His consistency. I know God Himself is “wooing” me. He does this for you too, you know. He loves you like a bridegroom loves a bride, and He yearns for your heart! Ask Him, children, to open your eyes and your heart so you, too, can see and receive this intimate love He has planned especially for you. I promise, you will be overwhelmed with great joy and laughter at the way He pursues you!Now listen to another time I really felt His love for me. (By the way, “feeling” His love like this is temporary, but trusting in His love is forever. We are called to trust in His love.) I was outlet shopping in Gulf Shores during our summer vacation. Maggie, you were with me. We wandered in a country store and browsed all through it, picking up a few things as we went. When we got up to the check-out counter, I saw a selection of silver rings. For a while, I had been wanting a ring with either a cross on it or one with the Christian symbol of a fish. Well, there the ring sat, right in front of me; I knew in my heart, this ring was meant for my finger. There was only one, so I picked up the little silver ring with small black crosses, and slid it on my finger. And, of course the ring fit! I smiled and bought the simple yet beautiful ring, knowing that my God was really the One who picked out this “gift” for me, the one He loves, as opposed to me picking it out for Him, the One I love. Remember, “we love because He first loved us” (I John 4:19). The ring now reminds me of this truth every time I wear it.Children, you may think this redbird and ring business is just a little bit “off the wall,” and that your mother is a wee bit crazy. ( I do have more stories of His love for me!) But, what I think is crazy is how anyone can not believe that God cares for them in this way. He is their Father, if they believe in Him! We as humans, and even animals, give to, provide for, and protect our young. Why, then, wouldn’t God, our Creator, who knows each of our hearts intimately, also do the same?I challenge you, children, to seek God’s personal love for you. God is real, and He really loves you. He is not just floating around watching you go about your days with no feeling for you at all. And He’s not a God who’s sitting there waiting to zap you down when you do something wrong. Remember, there’s nothing you have done, are doing, or will do that can make Him stop loving you, or even love you “more.” He can’t “not love” because He is Love! Loving, sweet ones, is not about what you do; it’s about accepting what He does— remember, He gave and continues to give Himself to you—through Jesus Christ. O, children, how His heart is lovesick and broken, and tears rain down from heaven, when He, and the love He has to give, is rejected by His people, His creation. You see, He desires to be an active part of all your days—giving you encouragement, providing you hope, and building your faith. He knows your “likes,” your needs, and even your wants. Ask Him to be real to you. And then, sit back , and marvel at His love as He answers.I have one more ”love” story for you: My sister, your Aunt “Pooh,” told me, several years ago she was feeling rather “blue” on a particular “red” Valentine’s Day. She had just been through a breakup with a boyfriend and was very lonely and confused. She sat praying to God from her broken heart, saying something like: “God, I just need to know that You love me. I feel so alone right now. Please just reveal Your love for me on this special day that is set aside for love.” Well, she told me, when she opened her Bible (remember, if you don’t seek, you won’t find), she “happened to” turn to a verse she did not remember reading before. There, before her eyes, were the most simple, but yet most cherished words you could ever say to a human heart: “Since you are precious and honored in my sight, and because I love you...” (Is. 43:4) God Himself spoke them to her that day, at that moment when she needed it most. Please, my sweet ones, let Him speak those words to you.
I love you
1. Mother (or Daddy), pray to God each day, “Show me, dear Father, in a personal way, You love me.” Wait expectantly for His answer. Then, share the answer with your children.2. Ask your children to pray the same prayer. When they recognize their answer, tell them to share it with you. (realize, parents, you may recognize the answered prayer before they do, so be sure to point it out to them.)3. Rejoice together by thanking Him for His intimate love!
Dear Heavenly Father,I humbly ask for Your incredible love to penetrate the hearts of my children. May they never doubt it, and always live by it. May they understand You love them with a love that is greater than we could ever imagine! For Your love surpasses knowledge. Thank You for making us the apple of Your eye (Ps. 17:8). Nothing can separate us from You!Please help my children to see the most beautiful evidence of Your love is in the giving of Yourself. Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself... being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross (Phil. 2:6-8). O thank you, God, for this perfect and holy sacrifice of Your love, so that we may have Your life living inside of us! May my children sing with all their heart these beautiful words to this timeless hymn:“And can it be that I should gain,An int’rest in the Savior’s blood?Died He for me, who caused His pain?For me, who Him to death pursued?Amazing love! How can it be?That thou, my God shouldst die for me?”May they grasp and keep hold of this amazing love, dear Father. And as they grow in it, may their light shine brighter and brighter, causing them to guide others around them, who may (or may not) be seeking You. I pray that believing, understanding, and proclaiming Your love, Lord Jesus, would be the passion of my children’s beating heart. I pray Your love will give them joy, fulfilling and overflowing. And may You, dear Jesus, hear them willfully declare to You and to the world, ...Your loving-kindness is better than life... (Ps. 63:3).
Amen
Eph. 3:14-19, Is. 1:18; Ps. 86:13; Is. 61:10; Is. 62:5; Is. 54:5; Ps. 103:13; Deut. 5:29; Ps. 145:14-19
Is. 54:10; Rom. 8:38-39; Jer. 31:3; Matt. 5:14-16; Ps. 16:11
Dear Children,As I explained in my previous letter, I hope you will truly understand what Christ has done for you on the cross, and then go before Him to ask for the forgiveness He longs to give. But not only do I hope you will ask, I also hope you will accept this forgiveness with your whole heart. Accept forgiveness for the obvious sins that affect the body (lying, stealing, cheating, gossiping, any addictive behavior, unkindness, idleness, worldliness, selfishness). But, I also want you to be sure to confess and then accept His forgiveness for sins that are not so obvious---sins which affect your mind and soul.Here is a list of some of these sins:Fear (of the unknown, or of failure),Guilt (over things said, or done in the past),Shame (caused by things done against you, or things you deliberately or accidentally have done),Confusion (about your past, present, or future decisions),Worry (concerning all of life’s “issues”),Bitterness (caused by not forgiving others, or yourself),Doubt (caused by not believing God is faithful in who He says He is.)Do you, children, feel any of these strongholds gripping your heart? Recognize these negative emotions, too, are sins. In a way, they can become your god because you allow them to rule your life. But, realize Christ died for these specific sins, as well. And when He died, He offered to take all sins off of our own shoulders and place them on His. Children, don’t try to take them back. Let go of them. You don’t need to carry the guilt and shame and fear, or whatever you might be holding on to. I want to stress to you again, let Jesus carry and crucify these feelings, so you can be free! Live in the freedom of forgiveness purchased by your merciful Savior, not in the captivity of a feeling initiated by the merciless deceptor himself. Remember, Satan wants to keep you locked “in a cage,” so you will be ineffective for the cause of Christ. But Jesus wants to set you free, so you can mount up with wings like eagles and fly! Which would you rather be, my sweet ones? If you choose the latter (and I pray you will), then let your Jesus unlock the cage, and let your God put the wind beneath your wings, and then let His Holy Spirit dwell in you so you may soar in freedom, in righteousness, and in peace.
I love you
Dear Heavenly Father,It is one thing for my children to understand Your forgiveness with head knowledge, but it means nothing if they do not accept your grace with their heart. O God, I pray they will truly believe they are forgiven in Your eyes. If they let go of their sin, may they know it is as far away from them as the east is from the west. Help them to realize, the consequences of sin will remain, but nothing can bring that confessed and repented sin back. And in this freedom of forgiveness, help them, dear Father, to joyfully bear their consequences with this in mind: You are always molding, always teaching, and always perfecting their faith in love. Thank You, dear Jesus, for the awesome gift and process of purity.I also pray You would make my children keenly aware of the tools Satan uses to keep deceptive feelings hanging on their shoulders and in their heart. Help them to realize, Satan desperately wants to keep them stained and self-defeated, hiding in a shadow of darkness, or underneath a rock, where they will be completely ineffective for You. Give them the determined will to fight him with Your strength. Remind them You hung on the cross to carry the sorrows of our sin. May they never trivialize Your death by trying to take their sin off Your shoulders and put it back on their own---for You are worthy to bear our grief! Give them the ability to forgive themselves, as You have forgiven them.May they find a life of freedom as they accept Your forgiveness, changing their heavy-laden heart caused by strongholds, into a heart full of joy found in You. You are the Father of lights, bringing to us the good and perfect gift of forgiveness. May You shine radiantly through the vessel which You have cleaned, causing them to be a beautiful display of Your splendor!
Amen
II Cor. 5:21; Ps. 142:7; Is. 40:28-31; Gal. 5:1
Ps. 103:8-12; Heb. 12:1-2; Heb. 3:12-14; II Peter1: 5-11; I Peter 2:24; Matt. 11:28-30; James 1:17; Matt. 5:14- 17
Dear Children,I want you to imagine a tree firmly planted by streams of water. Its trunk is sturdy, and its branches are strong. Its leaves are a plush green, and its fruit is ripe, ready for picking. Its beauty is eye-catching, and its shade is inviting. But, think now, sweet ones, what part of the tree can not be seen that causes it to stand firmly in the ground? Yes, you’re right—the roots. They reach far down into the earth, acting as an anchor for the beautiful tree above.Now, children, I want you to think of your life. You, also, are to be firmly planted by the streams of Living Water—Jesus Christ. In order to stand strong, you also will need to have strong roots. The previous six prayers that I have prayed for you are some of these roots:A Love of God’s WordAn Understanding of God’s WordAn Understanding of God’s LoveA Faith in GodSecurity in God, andContentment in God.Realize, sweet ones, the deeper you go into His rich soil, the stronger your roots will be, and the more your tree will flourish. You (and others) will begin to see beautiful blossoms which, in time, will produce the magnificent fruit of the Spirit:LoveJoyPeacePatienceKindnessGoodnessFaithfulnessGentleness, andSelf-control!So, my dear ones, make your roots strong. Seek wisdom, and knowledge, and faith, and security, and love, and contentment in Him! Remember your goal: First you want people to see your bud turn into a beautiful flower, which is lovely to their eyes. Then, you want them to see your flower blossom into fruit, which they will want to “take from” your tree and “eat”! Cause them to wonder, “Why is their tree so beautiful, and their fruit so tasty? What makes them stand so strong and look so alive? I want to be like that! How can I be?” And then, my children, be prepared to answer...
I love you
1. On a beautiful day, go outside and examine a strong, vibrant tree. Or, you may want to pull up a plant (one you’re not attracted to!) and “touch and feel” the roots.2. Talk about its roots: how long, sturdy, and deep are they? (They are as deep as the tree is tall!)3. Compare the roots, as well as the beauty of the tree to each child’s life. When they are planted in God’s Word, and grow deeper into it, they then obtain the strength and beauty which comes from Christ alone.
Dear Heavenly Father,What a wonder it is to know that because of what Jesus did on the cross, we have the incredible privilege of being filled with Your Holy Spirit! May my children not quench Your beautiful Spirit, dear Jesus. But instead give them a heart that longs to abide in You, and You in them, so the fruit of Your amazing character may be exhibited in their lives. I pray their heart will possess:A Love that conquers all,A Joy that overflows,A Peace that passes all understanding,And Patience that stills the heart.Give them Kindness that seeks the orphan and the widow;And Goodness that defeats all evil,May they obtain your Faithfulness that is new every morning,And Gentleness that can turn away all kinds of wrath,And, dear Lord, I pray for Self-control that only You,The One who died to self, can give.
Amen
Ps. 1:1-3; John 7:38; Hosea 14:4-8; Gal. 5:18, 22-25; Jer. 17:5-8; I Peter 3:15; Pr. 11:30
Rom. 5:5; I Thess. 5:19; John 15:4-5; Gal. 5:22-25; Pr. 10:12; Ps. 16:11; Phil 4:6-7; Ps. 62:1; James 1:27; Ps. 31:19-20; Lam. 3:21-23; Pr. 15:1; Phil. 2: 5-8; John 15:1; Gal. 5:16-18
RELATED VERSE: GIVE US THIS DAY OUR DAILY BREAD
Dear Children,Imagine with me for a few minutes...you’re outside in our back yard, and it’s extremely hot. You can feel the oven-like summer sun pressing all around you—making it difficult to breathe. However, this does not stop any of you from playing a super game of kickball all afternoon with the neighbors. Time goes on and on, and you’ve been running fast, playing hard, and yelling loud—lots of F-U-N! When the game is finally done, everyone comes directly inside, all bee-lining for the same thing, a drink of ice-cold water. As you each gulp this refreshing drink, all I hear as I watch nearby, is a resounding chorus of “AHHH”s. Fresh, cool water tastes so good, all the way down— quenching your thirst completely.Now, imagine something else... you are absolutely famished. It seems as if lunch was hours and hours and hours ago, and somehow you missed your snack. Dinner seems forever away, and the dull pain inside your hollow stomach grows larger (and louder) each minute you are made to wait---UGH! So...you begin to moan and groan with your stomach. “I’m hungry!” “How much longer?” “Is it ready yet?” ...Finally, the table is set, the blessing is said, and you dig your teeth into a hot, buttered homemade roll (remember, you’re imagining!) Again, words cannot express the satisfaction; only a long-awaited “MMMMM” comes from within.Children, doesn’t it feel so good when your thirst is quenched and when your hunger is satisfied? Don’t you enjoy being refreshed and renewed? Well, did you know you have a soul that thirsts and hungers in a very similar way in which your body does? And, do you know how you can satisfy your soul’s longing? The Word of life, which God has so graciously given to us, straight from His divine inspiration, can be as completely filling to your soul as that ice-cold glass of water or that hot buttered roll is to your body. I pray you will have a continual longing for His Word. The Living Water is never dull or lukewarm; it’s always pure and always refreshing. And I pray you will have a repeated craving for what His Word has to offer (the menu is never drab or tasteless; it’s always diverse, always savoring).Remember, children, there is no need to walk around days-on-end with a dehydrated heart and an empty, hungry soul! You know where to go. Feast on His Holy Word, dear ones. When you do, you undoubtedly will “taste and see that the Lord is good” (Psalm 34:8)
I love you
1. The next time your children are extremely thirsty, provide ice-cold water for their parched throats. While they aredrinking and experiencing refreshment, explain to them how the Living Water, Jesus Christ, through His Word, does thisvery thing to our soul.2. Repeat this experience when your children are very hungry by providing something delicious and fulfilling to theirempty stomachs.3. Discuss and compare the physical needs of our body to the spiritual needs of our soul. “Physical” food and drinkbring needed refreshment, growth, and regained energy. The Living Water and the Bread of Life found in the Wordbring us the needed satisfaction of peace, hope, and joy.
Dear Heavenly Father,You are so peacefully present in the quietness of the morning. Thank You from all my heart that You desire to meet with me. How much You teach me through Your Word! You listen to the burdens of my humbled, contrite, and broken heart; and then, You faithfully fill me with your mercy, Your love, and Your refreshing Spirit. Oh thank You, dear Jesus, for taking the time to meet my every need.Please, dear Lord, I ask that my children would be quiet, with a submissive spirit before You, their Savior. May this time with You be top priority in their days. May they discover the beauty of Your love for them as they hear the kindness of Your voice through the reading and meditating of Your Word.O God, You say Your Word is living and active and sharper than any two edged sword (Heb. 4:12). I ask that You pierce their hearts with this “sword,” so they may discover the beautiful richness of the amazing love You have for each of them. May they hunger for You as a beggar searching for a bite of bread to eat, and thirst for You as a deer pants for a sip of water to drink. And as they are earnestly seeking You, fill them up, I pray, hiding Your Word in their hearts. For You are the only Bread of Life and the only Living Water that can satisfy the deepest longings of our soul. May they desire to continually go to Your banqueting table, which is always bountifully overflowing with the richness of who You are! And thank You, dear Jesus, for Your plate offered to us is always full, and the water from Your well provided for us never runs dry! Oh, the depth and the height of Your gracious love that can be found all throughout Your holy Word! May they grasp the “handle” of abundance and drink it up.
Dear Children,Finding security in God and being content in Him have a “working relationship.” They are almost one in the same. But, I think you must have security in Him before you will ever be content with Him. Your thought process might be: “I have found Him trustworthy (security); so therefore, I will rest with Him (contentment).” I will focus on the same two areas from my previous letter: do not look for contentment in your self; do not look for contentment in things.Concerning self: Now, children, let me say to you again how important it is to be satisfied with the way God has made you (your looks, your personality, your strengths, your weaknesses). Right now, I will touch on your “looks”, because this is such a “biggie” in our world today. There is so much focus on physical appearances—it’s incredible! And let me tell you, it is a trap set by the devil himself. Children, he will do anything he can to keep your focus on your outward appearance and not on your heart. Believe me, I have fallen into this snare many times! I think because of my rough red burn scars on my legs, as well as the continual bombardment of what the world considers “beautiful”, I have allowed myself to believe the lies of Satan. There have been times when I would stand in front of the mirror and critique myself to the point where there was nothing “good” left. First of all, dear ones, that’s a complete waste of God’s time; I confess. And secondly, who do you think was standing there with me, putting those words of discontentment into my head? You bet, Satan. And he was doing a mighty fine job in attacking me where he knew I was not completely secure. I would walk away from that place defeated, despondent, and absolutely useless for the sake of God’s kingdom—exactly where Satan wanted me to be!So, if this ever happens to you, sweet ones—where you start becoming dissatisfied with your looks, (believe me, the devil will try to use it all—too tall, too short, ears too big, nose too long or pudgy, too light- skinned, too pimply, too curvy here, not curvy enough there...)--- I want you to say these words immediately: Get behind me, Satan! (Matt. 16:23). This means, “Go away, Satan, you are not welcome here!” Jesus, Himself, used these words. He was always aware and prepared for the lies of Satan. Then, children, you need to replace those negative thoughts with positive ones. Always replace the lies of Satan with the truths of God! Girls, you say something like, “I am the beautiful bride of Christ. He cherishes me, and He adores me. I am precious in His sight.” And boys, you, also, are referred to as the bride of Christ. But you can even say, “I am a chosen warrior of the Most High King. He has called me by name. He has redeemed me because He loves me. I am His. “ Now, walk away, and serve Him with a contented heart. Don’t let Satan win, dear ones. It is a fight, and you possess the strength of the Victor, so walk away victorious.You see, children, God asks you to learn to be content in the way He has created you. And your job is to recognize the beauty and good-looks that are uniquely yours, and then praise Him for it! Don’t confuse this issue: God expects us to humbly admit there is “nothing good” in our hearts without the gracious gift of Jesus Christ. But at the same time, He also expects us to joyfully praise Him for His handiwork, our human bodies! Again, children, never “shake your fist” at your Creator concerning a “mistake” you think He made. Instead, thank Him for your uniquely designed body He intended for you alone, and resolve to use “your unique beauty” for His glory only. Your outward appearance should be used only as a lure to show the beauty of your heart. Just like a beautiful voice enhances the meaning of the words to a lovely song, it’s okay to clean up, look nice, and be attractive, in order to draw others to you, so they can learn the meaning of your heart. I think God desires His earthly vessels to be “pretty,” as long as there’s something on the inside! Please remember, inner beauty through Christ is your goal, children. The way you look and dress should always be an attraction for Him, not a distraction from Him! Don’t focus on the shallow surface, just painting and decorating the outside of your “jar of clay.” Children, I have prayed for so long that you will be beautiful on the inside. For man looks at the outward appearance, but God looks at the heart (I Sam. 16:7).Before we go on, I want to give you one example of an incredibly beautiful heart. I was sitting by a sweet, sweet lady who was lying on her death-bed at the time, due to a very aggressive cancer. You know her, dear ones, Mrs. Verlie Baker. One of her lungs had already been destroyed by this horrible disease, and the other one was well on its way. She had lost her hair because of the chemotherapy, and she was very pale and weak from the lack of oxygen and blood circulation. But, I tell you what, as I sat there and looked into her eyes and talked with her quietly, I saw true beauty, the kind that Christ sees! Even as she was struggling for breath, she was giving God all honor, and glory, and majesty due His Name. Her sweetness in the midst of struggle spoke to my heart, children. I walked away from that place, saying to myself, “That is the kind of beauty I want.” And I so desire for you to have it too.Now, concerning things: I am also praying you will learn to be content in the plans God has for you. But again, in the future, the devil is going to try to “rock your boat” of contentment, somehow—whether a position not achieved, or personal goals not reached, or anything else in life you have greatly desired and not yet grasped. For instance, did you know, if it were up to me, sweet ones, you would probably have one or two more siblings right now? But, because of a decision your Daddy and I made right after number four, we are not having any more children. Not too long after this decision was made, however, I really began to regret our choice of not having any more babies. Soon, my heart began filling up with discontent and shame. I felt like I had “wronged” God, and now I was bearing the consequences of our bad choice. But you know, I kept “hearing” God’s faint voice speaking to my clouded heart: “Don’t worry, Chris, you’re alright. Remember, I cause all things to work together for good, even decisions that you might think are bad. Besides, I have something else for you to do.” Well, at the time I didn’t want anything else. I wanted only to hold another baby. (Maternal instincts are very strong, whether you have one, two, or ten children!) I was so discontent, I was having trouble enjoying the gift of you four children. However, in desperation, I decided to “give Him a chance.” Slowly, I began to let go of what I wanted and seek what the “something else” might be. Soon, His voice became clearer, and I found myself in the midst of writing these letters to you, and these prayers for you! Deep down, I knew God wanted me to write; I just had to allow Him to peel off the layers of discontentment from my heart. And now, I have found true contentment in Him through this project—His project. He wanted a pen in my hand in the early morning hours, not another sweet, cuddly baby. Hopefully, through these prayers and letters, I will be able to touch lots and lots of babies’ growing hearts, instead of just one. This has become my desire now. He had (and still has) a plan for me, and He has one for you, too. But, I tell you what, you will not be able to do His will if you’ve got your fingers wrapped around your own. Cease striving after things God obviously doesn’t want you to have right now. He wants you to have Him! Open your hands, sweet ones. Let Him plop His “project,” His will, down into your empty palms. And then do it. Pretty soon, you will marvel that your old desire no longer consumes you, but that your new desire and God’s desire are one in the same. What a wonderful treasure—contentment in Him alone. Learn to be content, sweet ones. First I will pray you will always be secure in His love; and then, contentment in His way will soon follow.
I love you
1. Get a hand mirror or go to a bathroom mirror with your children (individually).2. Talk with each of them about what they see: their likes and dislikes. (Notice younger children will not have dislikes! We can learn from them!) Reinforce the Potter/Clay picture with your child. Tell them how pleased the Potter is with His project. They are His handiwork!Also, learn to replace any negative thoughts with truth. Practice saying who they are in the eyes of Christ:- The boys, “I am a Victorious Warrior of the Most High King, He has called me by name...”- The girls, “I am the bride of Christ, and He desires my beauty...”Tell them this is their true significance. Pray together for a contented heart, one that will rest in the truth of who they are in Christ.3. Offer a candy bar to your child. Tell him to eat half. After eating the treat, ask him, “Are you thankful for the gift, or are you feeling cheated because you can’t have the whole thing?” Discuss contentment using this illustration.
Dear Heavenly Father,You are the Bread of Life, the only One who can truly satisfy the hollow and empty void of the human heart. Thank You, Jesus, for coming to fill up our emptiness with Your overwhelming love. I pray my children would find this place of contentment in You alone. May they count everything else in this world as “rubbish” in comparison to having and knowing You. And, as they walk through this life, help them in all areas (physical, financial, emotional) to never covet more, or less, than what You have already ordained for them.Physically, I pray they will be completely content in the way You have made them. Remind them, dear Father, You are their Creator, and You designed every inch of their appearance. And You saw that it was very good (Gen. 1:31)! Help them also to know You are not like the shallow man, who focuses only on outward appearances; instead, Your focus is on what is in the heart. May they understand this is where true beauty lies, and then, may they seek this beauty!Also, I pray they will be content in the plans You have for each of them. If they have “little” (in any area of life), may they praise and thank You with a grateful heart for what you have given them. Continually awe them by the way You provide for the daily needs. May they view this period of time as a wonderful faith- building opportunity in their lives, finding out that they can truly trust and depend on You alone.And God, if they have “much,” I pray dear Lord, they will remember You are their sole Provider. Impress this truth upon their hearts: whatever they have, riches or talents, comes from You alone. Continually remind them, their possessions were never theirs to begin with, nor will they ever be! Please guard them from becoming greedy or proud. May they honor and glorify You with what they have, willingly giving to others in need, as You have willingly given to them.Finally, dear Lord, I pray my children will never fall into the trap of comparing their life to someone else’s, which only leads to anger, frustration, bitterness—a discontented heart. Instead, may they truly believe, You have only the best in store for Your obedient children, no matter how it appears at the moment. Someone else may have all the “riches” (whatever that is to a person) in the world, but help them to realize they have been freely given all riches of Jesus Christ, the blessed King of kings! May they earnestly desire Your riches, dear Lord, not the fading ones of this world. Help them to die to self (their desires, their plans, their goals, their will), even when it seems, to them, that their way is “certainly” the better way. Then, may they live for You, sweet Jesus, in the place You have for them, with a quiet and contented heart.O Father, I ask You to help [Mac and] me in this same area. Convict us and remind us, our children are watching our every action, our every decision. Help us, as their earthly teachers, to never run after the wind, desperately grasping at nothing.
Please keep usRooted, grounded, and satisfiedIn thePerfect, complete, and unfailingLove of Jesus Christ-Our Savior, our Master, our Friend.For only You can fill our cup, and then some!
Amen
Ps. 25:1-2; Zeph. 3:17; Ps. 100:3; Rom. 16:19-20; II Tim. 2:20-21; Rom. 8:28; Ps. 131
Phil. 3:7-8; Phil. 4:11-13; Is. 64:8; I Sam. 16:7; Pr. 16:9; Phil. 4:19; Matt. 6:25; Mark 10:17-22; Ex. 20:17; Col. 2:2-3; Ecc. 2:10-11; Ps. 23:1,5
Dear Children,Are you ready to go on a treasure hunt? Listen to this story: There once was a family with four blonde-headed, blue-eyed children—Maggie 9, full of leadership, Brent (“Bink”), 7, full of playfulness; Davis, 4, full of direction; and Emmy 3, full of passion. Well, one day they got a letter in the mailbox that was addressed as follows:“To the Baxter Children Only”So, with a puzzled look, their Mommy handed it over to Maggie, who excitedly ripped it open while the others watched in anticipation.“What is it? What does it say? Tell us what it says, Maggie!” the others shouted, all at the same time.“Just a minute,” Maggie said, in her sweet, yet firm voice, “and when everybody is quiet, I’ll read it to you.” So, Bink, Davis, and Emmy all calmed down and sat quietly, waiting to hear what the letter had to say.“Okay.” Then, Maggie began to read:“The Baxter children are invited to go on a special treasure hunt on a mysterious island. Attached to this note is a map you will need in order to find the hidden treasure. Come tomorrow, first thing in the morning, and begin...”“Wow! Can we go? Can we go, Mommy?” all four asked excitedly as they jumped up and down. “We’ll see,” said Mommy. “Let’s ask Daddy first.”Well, later that afternoon, Daddy came home, and the children attacked him at the door with glee, explaining their unexpected invitation. Daddy quickly said, “Sure, you can go on a deserted and mysterious island, all alone, without a chaperone and hunt for a hidden treasure. Why not?” (Please remember, sweet ones, this is a pretend story.)“WHEE!” shouted Maggie.“All right!” yelled Bink.“Yahoo!” exclaimed Davis.And little Emmy just happily screamed twirling around the room with delight.So very early the next morning, everybody was up and dressed in hiking attire: long pants (Mommy insisted, so they would not get poison ivy or spider bites), hiking boots for the jungly-woods, and backpacks full of necessary items such as first aid cream, Band-Aids, plenty of water, M&Ms, Snickers, and Sweet-Tarts.When it was time to go, everybody loaded up the truck, checking twice to see if they had everything. Daddy called out, “Map?” Check, in Maggie’s hand. “Shovels?” Check, on Bink’s back. “Compass?” Check, attached to Davis’ belt loop. “Whistle?” Check, around Emmy’s neck. “Lunches?” Check, Mommy had slid them in each backpack.“OK then, we’re ready. Let’s go,” said Daddy, secretly wishing that he too had been invited on this wonderful adventure.After driving a while on bumpy and twisted back-roads, they came to a small dock that had a fishing boat waiting for them. The whole family transferred from the truck to the boat, which would take them to the mysterious island. Once they arrived, Mommy and Daddy helped everybody unload their things. “Be careful, stick together, follow the directions, and have fun. We love you!” they said as they waved goodbye to their four dear children.Because they were on their own now, Maggie quickly assumed her leadership position. “Bink,” she said, “ you’re gonna go first to cut away branches and vines for us to pass; then Emmy will go next, then Davis. I’ll be last so I can see everybody. Now, we are right here at the edge of the jungle,” she said as she pointed to the map, “and we need to get here, to this ‘X-marks the spot.’ The first thing the instructions say is to go to the biggest boulder we can find on this beach area, and then go twenty-eight steps straight into the jungle.”Everybody looked around. Davis and Bink spotted it at the exact same time. “There it is, over there. Come on!” So they all darted away to the huge rock. Once they came upon it, they got into their “assigned” positions and began to count and step: one (step), two (step), three (step)...And the day went on: Maggie, with map in hand, would shout out orders; Bink, whistling like a “happy- go-lucky” pirate, cut down the vines; Davis, stopping every now and then to check his compass or to wipe some dirt off his shirt, followed his brother’s footsteps; and Emmy, gleefully bouncing as she stepped, pointed out every butterfly and flower in sight. At noon, they took a short break and ate their lunch by a beautiful stream. They ate and laughed and played and waded barefoot in the cold brook. But then, Maggie’s maternal instincts kicked in; she remembered there might be snakes under the rocks. At that moment, everybody promptly got out of the water, put their socks and boots back on, and resumed their search for the treasure...After one more hour of map-following through the thick green jungle, they finally came to their last instruction. “Walk seven steps into a small clearing, turn to your left, and start digging,” Maggie read. Bink, with his good hunting eyes, spotted the clearing.“Come on!” he said with excitement, half skipping as he and the others made the last seven steps. They all reached the clearing; Bink handed out the shovels, and they all began to dig. With each dig of their shovels, each child got a little more excited, until Emmy couldn’t stand it any longer. She threw down her shovel and started doing cartwheels and somersaults all around the hole, getting leaves and dirt and twigs stuck in her long blonde hair. Davis, doing his best to ignore these “childish” antics of his little sister, would every now and then “accidentally” fling a shovel of dirt on her as she somersaulted by. However, the next time he stuck his shovel deep into the earth, he hit something!“What was that?” Davis asked, with a twinkle of excitement in his eyes. They all stopped short, came over to where Davis was, and began to dig in his spot. Sure enough, Maggie and Bink also heard a sudden “thud,” as they dug their shovels down in to the thick rich soil.“This is it! It’s the treasure!” Maggie said with certainty. Everybody jumped for joy, sang a happy song, and danced a happy dance.“Now, we all have to help each other pull this heavy box to the level ground,” instructed Maggie. So, with the boys on one side, and the girls on the other, they “heaved” and “hoed” the treasure chest up onto the ground beside the hole.Bink used his handy-dandy hunting knife to cut some thick rope loose from the chest. Then Davis remembered he brought his “key-that-opens-everything” with him (which was also attached to his belt loop, with his compass and small flashlight). The key did its trick, and they all helped each other push on the heavy top of the treasure chest. With one last shove, the lid opened with a huge jolt, sending Emmy flipping over the top. Amazingly, she landed on her own two feet, didn’t miss a beat, and scooted to the treasure chest.“Wow!” they all said simultaneously. The chest was full of gold, and silver, and all kinds of shiny, glittering pieces. It also contained jewelry loaded with diamonds, and rubies, and sapphires—just like the treasure you would imagine to find on an old pirate’s ship! It was all there! After staring at the treasure in amazement, and feeling the pieces run between their fingers, they began to laugh with joy over the thrill of this great adventure. What fun this day had been! They hunted for this treasure, and to their great delight, this treasure had been found!Did you like this story, children? Wasn’t it fun to find an enormous treasure chest filled with all kinds of jewels? Wouldn’t you like to really hunt for something like that? What a thrill to find anything of great worth!Well, did you know you already have a treasure like the one I’ve just described, and even better, in your own home? God’s book, sweet ones, His Holy Word, can be compared to the treasure chest you “found” in the story. Inside it, you will discover absolutely beautiful jewels. And obtaining these kinds of riches are far greater than any amount of silver or gold you could possibly possess. They are the “rubies” of wisdom, the “diamonds” of knowledge, and the “pearls” of understanding, as well as the beautiful gems of faith, hope, and love. And the deeper you go into “His treasure chest,” the greater the value of these jewels!Children, I want you to also see the treasure chest as being in the shape of a cross, instead of a regular old trunk. The cross represents the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, who became the “Word in the flesh.” Until you claim Him alone as your own personal Savior, you will not truly find all the hidden treasures of wisdom and knowledge. Do you realize He gave up EVERYTHING, so that you might have EVERYTHING? He is God’s “great mystery,” and when you grasp hold of Him, a surge of tremendous wealth comes into your heart that will change your whole outlook on life. No longer will you lay up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal (Matt. 6:19). Instead, you will want to lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do NOT break in and steal (Matt. 6:20).Dear children, please do not let this treasure, God’s Word to you, sit on the shelf and gather dust. Lay it wide open in front of you and claim these precious jewels as your very own. Bask in His riches. May they be more desirable than gold, yes, than much fine gold (Ps. 19:10). For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also (Matt. 6:21).
I love you
1. Find your jewelry box, or create one, and show it to your children.2. Let them open the box and “touch and feel” all the beautiful and unique pieces in it. Hold pieces up to the light and let them shine.3. While they are doing this, explain: There is an abundance of beautiful and unique riches for them which can be found in the “treasure box” of God’s Word.
Dear Lord God,Your Word is a lamp to my feet, and a light to my path (Ps. 119:105). It guides, corrects, teaches, moves, and loves. The wealth of Your Word is so full, so deep, so wide, and so long, that it can be read over and over, and still, something fresh and new is revealed every time it is opened! O, Father, I pray, as my children read Your holy Word, they would each be given a marvelous understanding of the great treasures inside. Give them wisdom which travels beyond their years, I pray.May they understand the Old Testament is not just a book of miraculous adventures, but it is Your infallible Word—full of power, and truth, and prophecy, which continually points to You, dear, Jesus. You are the fulfillment of that power, that truth, and that prophecy. May they earnestly dig deep into Your Word, and find all these wonderful mysteries for themselves.Also, help them to know, and see, and believe that we are one in the same with the Israelites of the Old Testament. Because of Your gracious adoption to all who believe in Your Son, we too, are heirs of Your kingdom! I thank You, O God, our Father!Help them to clearly see this beautiful Old Testament picture: just as Moses led Your children, the Israelites, out of bondage and slavery in Egypt, Jesus has come to rescue each of us, Your children today, and lead them into both a life full of freedom now, as well as the promised land of heaven!O dear God, when my children open Your Word, please open the eyes of their heart as well, so they may know who this Jesus is, and see the magnitude of what He has done for them. Take off any blinders that Satan has put on their eyes, so they may fully claim His radiance and His most wonderful act of grace as their own. (And please, may they understand GRACE—undeserved favor, given freely to sinners like me!)Clear their minds, my sweet Savior, and my awesome God, of anything that might distract them from thinking, focusing, and meditating on all these excellent treasures of truth found in Your Word—the greatest of these being Your unfailing love.
Amen
Matt. 7:7-8; Matt. 13:44-46; Pr. 3:13-15; Col. 2:2-3; II Cor. 8:9; Deut. 4:29
Rom. 11:33; Ps. 119:33-38; Luke 4:17-21; Gal. 3:6-9, 23-29; Ex. 3:1-10; Gal. 5:1; Ps. 119:18; Eph. 1:16-19; Phil. 3:10
RELATED VERSE: AND FORGIVE US OUR DEBTS AS WE FORGIVE OUR DEBTORS
Dear Children,Remember what your football pants looked like right after your game? They were filthy, weren’t they?! Now, let’s say, when I saw the damage that was done to your clothes, I decided to send you all to the garage instead of the laundry room, so you could “strip down” in there. I then told you (and myself), that I would deal with the muddy mess of clothes later. And then, what if your dear Mother, somehow, got distracted in the day (imagine that!) and forgot all about the big-time-muddy-mess in the garage? And finally, let’s say, the pile sat another day, and then another . . . . Children, answer this simple question for me: Would your pants in the pile be clean or dirty? Yes, you’re absolutely right, they would still be filthy! As a matter of fact, they would probably be dirtier than the day they were first put there. They would definitely have grown a powerful stench, and the mud would have had time to sit, and settle in.Sweet ones, my point here goes back, once again, to your heart. You, like I said before, have sin in your life now, and always will. Do not let this discourage you; because, remember, you also have the “Great Cleanser” of the heart, Jesus Christ, who continually washes you from this sin. However, it is your responsibility to bring your sin before Him. If you do not confess your sins, they will remain in your heart. And not only that, they will grow! Confess your sin, my children. Do not hide your wrong-doing “in a corner” or “under a rug”; it will be uncovered. And do not belittle your sin, casting it off as trivial or frivolous; it will grow. Finally, do not wait to confess your sin, so you can “enjoy” it just one last time; it will have time to fester and spread.Remember also, children, your sin affects more than just you. For example, say Bink was the first one to get all muddy in the football game. But then, he tackled Emmy. You can be sure some of the mud that was all over him spread to Emmy during his tackle (even if the tackle was done gently). Do you see what I’m saying? Take this truth to heart. Please, children, remove all the pride that might keep you from falling on your knees before a holy, yet forgiving God. Like I said, He’s waiting for you to ask. He is so faithful to forgive! So, my sweet ones, go boldly to the throne of grace, with a truly repentant heart and confess your sin to the One who can purify your soul. I can assure you, through God’s Word, if you confess your sin, you will receive His forgiveness. Then, in faith, you will walk away from His throne of grace, fresh and new, ready to serve Him once more.
I love you
Dear Heavenly Father,I pray my children would always come before You with a humbled heart, ready to acknowledge and confess their sin before Your holy presence. You are full of amazing grace! A broken and contrite heart, O God, Thou will not despise (Ps. 51:17).Please, dear Lord, I ask that You would keep my children from trying to “hide” their sin from their daddy and me, as their parents, or from You. Continue to enlighten us, and make us very aware of the intentions of their heart so their sin may be “nipped in the bud.” May this process of quick confession keep their sin from growing, spreading, and then collapsing all around them.Impress on their hearts, dear Lord, these two things: No matter what, their sin will be exposed. And also, no matter what, their sin will bring consequences, not only on themselves, but also on the lives of those they love the most. Convict them of these truths, O God. But at the same time, help them to remember that You, dear Jesus, never come to judge and condemn us to death; but rather to SAVE and provide for us a beautiful life, both now and forever!I do ask for the prompting of Your Spirit to always help them to think before they speak, and think before they act. And in a time of temptation, may they always call on You. Please remind them, dear Father, Your Son, Jesus, was also tempted by Satan, yet He prevailed! Also reveal to them that they can have His Holy Spirit to be their strength in time of weakness, so that they, too, can also prevail. God, if they have found themselves deep in the pit of a certain sin, please show them the “way of escape” that You offer every time!Then, dear Lord, give them the continual desire and ability to choose this way of freedom! May they yearn for the pleasure and joy found in Your eternal presence, rather than being satisfied with the fleeting pleasures and enjoyment found in this temporal world. I ask, dear Father, when they do confess their sin before You, they will then be awed by the beautiful growth that always comes when a weakness of the flesh is turned into a God-filled strength.Finally, I pray You would reveal to my children any sin in their heart that they may not even be aware of. May they take time to examine themselves as they read Your Word and pray to You. Bring to the surface any impurities that they need to confess to You, their “Great Cleanser.” Wash [them] with hyssop, and [they] shall be clean . . . (Ps. 51:7). I believe You can make them completely white, dear Father. Make them believe it, too. May they come humbly before You to ask for a purified soul.
Amen
Ps. 32:1-5; Pr. 16:18; James 5:16; I John 1:8-10, 2:1-2
Pr. 28:13; Num. 32:23; Matt. 4:1-11; I Cor. 10:13; II Cor. 3:17; II Cor. 12:9-10; Ps. 139:23-24; Lam 3:40; Ps. 51:1-2, 7,10-13.
RELATED VERSE: AND FORGIVE US OUR DEBTS AS WE FORGIVE OUR DEBTORS
Dear Children,I’ve got another fun little story for you:The four of you children decided it was an excellent day to play some football in the back yard. Being football season, the football “bug” had bitten Bink, and his enthusiasm with the sport was quite catchy! Everybody excitedly “suited up” with any kind of gear that could be found around the house. The teams were chosen: the girls, the Fighting Iris, would play the boys, the Bumble Bees. This was a pretty fair match-up considering the sizes: the girls the biggest and smallest players, Maggie (9) and Emmy (3), while the boys had the two medium-sized players, Bink (7) and Davis (4).Now, the only rule by the referee, your Mother (who thought is best to watch the game from the kitchen window), was: if there were BIG tears, the game would be over that instant. So Bink, whose goal was to play football until the moon came out, made sure his tackles towards Emmy would be done with much gentleness and grace. However, towards Maggie, he would show no mercy!And what a grand day of play it was! The game consisted of lots of running, and tackling, and throwing, and screaming; and then, more running, and tackling, and throwing, and screaming. Bink used his toughness and knowledge of the game; Davis used his speed and agility; Maggie used her size and insight; and little Emmy’s display of “total body sacrifice” was phenomenal! Each player made at least one incredible touchdown, causing the game to come down to the very last second, and the very last play...Finally, the referee, who stepped out onto the porch, blew the whistle, and the game was over! (Now, because I’m your mother, who loves both the Fighting Iris and the Bumble Bees dearly, I’m not going to say anymore about the score. You can each use your imagination, and create your very own hero/heroine ending.)It was now time to shake hands and come in. And, in you all came! Each of you was red-faced, and your hair was wringing wet with sweat. The boy’s hair stood straight up on its ends, while the girls’ stuck to the back of their neck and on the sides of their cheeks. But more than your sweaty appearance, you were all delighted in the fact that your “football pants” were covered with mud stains. This, in your minds, was real- live proof that you each had played one awesome football game!The first thought in my mind was, “Yikes!”, followed by an “Ugh!”, and then, a sigh, “How in the world am I going to get all those terrible stains out?!” After taking a deep breath, and trying to change my focus from the mud-stained pants to the eager blue eyes standing before me, I proceeded to congratulate each of you for the great sportsmanlike conduct that was exhibited, and the “tough-as-nails” attitude that was displayed. I was so very proud to be the mother of such great football players! Then, I shuffled you all out, telling each of you to quickly strip down in the laundry room. Soon afterwards, I filled the washing machine with very hot water, used almost a full bottle of stain remover on the mud-covered clothes, and gave them all a heavy-duty washing. Guess what, kids? Your “uniforms are sparkly clean (with a few exceptions of soft gray stains at the knee). They’re ready for a re-match! Let game two begin. . . .Did you like this story? Now, listen to the simple yet profound meaning behind your football game. When you believe in Jesus Christ as your Savior, you become a beautiful child of the one true God. Rejoice in this promise! However, also know, without His grace, there is nothing good in your heart, or mine. As a matter of fact, when we listen to our flesh, we continually cover our heart in sin every single day! You know the deep muddy stains you got on your uniforms while you played? Well, when we sin, that’s what our heart looks like. Mud (sin) is caked all over it. However, sweet ones, remember there is HOPE! Just as I put your clothes through a great cleaning to get the stains out, we too have the “Great Cleanser,” our Jesus, to wash out the sins of our heart! Only by His blood, which was shed on the cross, can we be clean! And He wipes out all the stains (not leaving any dingy gray areas!) Again, realize Jesus is the source of all the good in our hearts! Do you know this truth? Do you want this truth? Let Him wash you, dear ones. He alone can make you clean and righteous before a pure and Holy God. May I, and much more importantly, may the God of all good, hear you sing with great joy and confidence the words to this beautiful song:“What can wash away my sin?Nothing but the blood of Jesus.What can make me whole again?Nothing but the blood of Jesus.Oh! Precious is the flow,That makes me white as snow.No other fount I know.Nothing but the blood of Jesus.”One thing to remember, children, you need to always ask Him to clean your mud-caked heart. Please know your salvation is forever secure when you confess Jesus as your Savior. However, the act of confessing your sin before Him is a daily habit, because we daily sin! He waits for you to ask for cleansing, and for healing. Go to Him, sweet ones, and become “whiter than snow.”I love you
Dear Heavenly Father,I pray my children will fully understand the concept of forgiveness. May they know it only comes through believing in the life, death, and resurrection of your Son, Jesus Christ. He is the Savior that you have so graciously sent to all who believe! Thank You, O God, my Father! And thank You, O Jesus, my Friend! You became the unblemished, sacrificial Lamb who was led silently to be slaughtered----for me. You were pierced through for my transgressions, and crushed for my iniquities. You chose to take my scourging, and my death, so that I could be healed and FREE! I praise You for this “tragic,” yet beautiful truth.O God, open the eyes of my children’s hearts so they, too, will see this extreme and unconditional love that was poured into the divine sacrifice of your Son on the cross. Help them to realize their sin (not just the Romans and Jews of that day) caused the lashings on His back, the beatings of His body, and the crown of thorns on His head. Make them realize, they spit in His face, and drove the nails through His hands and feet. Finally, convict them of the fact, their sin in their life today made Him hang with outstretched arms two thousand years ago. And yet, dear Jesus, sweet Savior, while You hung there in death, You caused HOPE to prevail! Your love reached the ends of the earth, and Your forgiveness flowed with it. Again, thank You, O God, for this “tragic,” yet beautiful truth!O, dear Heavenly Father, I humbly pray, my children would not reject You by being satisfied with living in the pleasures of their sin. Instead, may they fully embrace the only One who can possibly make the mud- caked human heart as white as new fallen snow.May they desire You to graciously cleanse and purify their hearts, O Lord, setting them free from the bondage of sin as they live their life now. Also, I praise You that you have saved them from eternal separation from You in their death later; this being a tragic reality, which will fall on anyone who rejects You as the One true way to salvation. O God, I praise You again for the beautiful truth of eternal life that is imparted to all those who believe!
Amen
Ps. 14:2-3; Ps. 18:16-19; Acts 10:38-43; Rom. 5:8-11; Rom. 10:9; Acts 13:38-39; Is. 1:18
Rom. 5:18-19; Is. 53:4-6; Matt. 26:63-68; James 4:8-10; John 3:34-36
Dear Children,This is a very important letter, so listen up. I want you to be sure to find your security in God alone, nothing else. The truth is, dear ones, security in anything else will never be found. Rest in Him; rest in His Word. Do not put your security in yourself. Do not put your security in things, tangible or intangible.Concerning self: Once again, I am speaking from experience. You see, children, most of my young life I have been dissatisfied with the way I look, and I still struggle with this today. You know the thick red burn scars you’ve seen all over my thighs? Well, they are the result of a traumatic accident, which happened when I was three years old. Hot grease covered the front of my small body, and the damage it caused is still evident today. I have to admit, I have never liked these scars. In fact, I’ve hated them with a passion a lot of the time. I remember praying at night when I was young (and even during my teenage years), asking God to miraculously take them away so that I would be “normal” in the morning. Because I was a swimmer, I was faced almost daily with the looks of disgust I would receive from others because of these scars. It was unbearable at times!But you know what, sweet ones? Because of my scars, I was stripped of any kind of security I could have put in myself. Instead, I was forced to run (by God’s wonderful plan) into His loving arms to find my strength and confidence. I remember praying each day before entering the pool deck at the University of Texas, where the men and women practiced at the same time. I would pray, “Okay, God, You’re gonna have to go out there with me. Here I go...” And then, I would open the door to the locker room and walk—with HIM. I know for certain I would not have prayed this prayer if these scars were not on my legs. As a matter of fact, I think I would have walked--- with pride, instead. So, do you see, children, although I hate the scars, I have learned to love what these burns brought about my life: A Great Security in God Alone. For where I am weak, through Him, I am strong!Sweet ones, God may have made you a certain way, physically, you don’t like; or He may cause things to happen (through His loving hand) that will be questionable in your eyes. I want you to know, first of all, never question your Maker. The “flaw” you see in yourself, may be the one lure which pulls you towards Him. Also, remember, He desires your whole heart, not just a part of it. And if you are His child, He has promised to cause all things to work together for good, even this “flaw.” So be secure in Him and the way He has made you.Now concerning things: Children, be careful where you stand. There is only one solid Rock, and His Name is Jesus Christ. Everything else (money, power, fame, outward beauty...) is based on self-reliance. And please know these foundations only promise to crumble beneath your feet! I had to learn this lesson, too. For years in swimming, because I so desperately wanted to be number one, I was putting all I had into the sport for me, instead of for Him, the One who gave me the strength, ability, and speed to swim. Even though I was a professing Christian, who loved God very much and sought to honor Him, my heart would not let go of seeking success and fame for myself. And when I came up (what I thought was) empty-handed, I was left defeated and ashamed. However, through this, I learned the meaning of this great hymn...“On Christ the solid Rock I standAll other ground is sinking sand,All other ground is sinking sand.”I so want you, my sweet ones, to grasp this truth for yourselves early in life. Learn to stand, with great confidence, on the solid Rock, which is Jesus Christ.
I love you
1. Wrap up with your children in a big blanket or comforter. Talk about how this makes them feel: warm, safe, secure.2. Explain, security in God’s love can surround us each and every day. He is ever-present!3. Also, compare standing on a rock to standing in sand. Which is more secure and safe? Tell them Jesus Christ is our Rock, the Rock of Ages!
Dear Heavenly Father,I thank You for each one of the children which You have uniquely created and generously given to [Mac] and me. What a blessing these jewels have been! I cherish them with all my heart, and cannot express in words my humble appreciation to You for allowing me to have these [four] lives to love and raise up in accordance with Your words and Your ways. Please, God, forgive me when I fail, or when they become more to me than they should be. Help me to continually remember they are Yours; You give them every beat of their heart. Thank you.Dear Father, I ask that my children also would realize they belong to You. Help them to know, You have created them exactly the way You planned from the beginning. Convince them, You are pleased with Your creation and each is “fearfully and wonderfully made” in Your sight (Ps. 139:14). May they realize, You don’t make mistakes; and You love them just the way they are! Help them to receive this everlasting love, dear Father, then rest securely in it.Also, dear God, I continually pray for my children to know they are not here by chance; but You, the Most High God, have a reason for creating them, not only as they are, but also where they are. May their passion in life be to confidently and courageously honor their King, in their unique way. Give them insight, dear Lord, into what You have planned for each of them. Make them aware of their particular strengths and weaknesses, helping them to realize, You can use both of these to bring honor and glory to Your Name. May they never be too proud to share their weaknesses with someone who may need a brother or a sister to hold their hand in any kind of struggle. In the same breath, I pray they would humbly use their strengths to hold someone else’s hand, lifting them up out of the miry clay through Your Spirit. I pray, the security my children have found in You, dear Lord, would be a might instrument used to draw others hearts to You, O Rock of Ages.
Amen
Ps. 62:5-6; Ps. 116:5-7; II Cor. 12:7-12; Is. 45:9; Rom. 8:28; Matt. 7:24-27; Ps. 40:1-3; Ps. 94L17-19
Ps. 139:13-18; Jer. 31:3; Jer. 29:11-13; Pr. 27:17; I Thess. 5:11; Deut. 32:3-4
My Dear Children,I am fervently praying that you all learn early in life how to be a servant to others. Did you know Jesus, King of all mankind, came to earth to serve the mere man He created? His life is the epitome of servanthood!Now, imagine with me, if He were alive (in human form, that is) today. I ask you the now-famous words behind the popular WWJD bracelets, “What would Jesus do?” Here are a few things I thought of:
You will find, dear children, that having a servant’s heart is one of the greatest ways to show love for another human being. Practice this concept while you are young, sweet ones, with your brothers and sisters. Then, later in life, it will come more naturally as you begin to serve the one you marry, and also serve your own children. I’m telling you this though—if you haven’t learned servanthood by the time your first child is born, you’re in for a rude awakening (literally). The very moment that newborn-cry pierces your ears for the first time, your life as you know it, has dramatically changed—ready or not!Please know I fully realize having a servant’s heart is hardly ever easy. All of our hearts are so full of SELF. However, there is Hope. Remember Jesus Christ, the best Servant of all time? If you believe in Him, He lives inside of you. Don’t quench His Spirit; instead, ask Him to help you when nothing in your own heart wants to choose unselfish ways. Ask Him to take over, and completely trust Him. Then, He will give you the ability to wash the feet of another.
I love you
Have your children practice serving one another one full day. Examples:1. Make each other’s bed.2. Make each other’s breakfast and lunch.3. Do something for parents without being asked.Discuss how servanthood shows love for one another!
Dear Heavenly Father,I earnestly pray for my children, asking You to give them a servant’s heart towards all those they will encounter: their siblings, their parents, their elders, and their friends.Help them to see clearly, dear Jesus, how You lovingly related to Your disciples – washing their feet, living, and then dying for them. In so doing, You were completely obeying the voice of Your Heavenly Father. May my children understand that these two relationships go hand in hand: When they are reaching for Your hand and obeying Your voice, O God, they can, then, through Your Holy Spirit, reach out to serve their friend or even “enemy” who is standing beside them.O Lord, sometimes it is so hard for me to lay down my own selfish desires (due to stubbornness, pride, or even fatigue) and go that extra mile for someone, including the ones I love the most. Teach me, dear Lord, by Your power working in me, to put others before myself. I pray this so that my children may see a joyful servant before their eyes.God, I also ask You to keep my children from relying on their temporal feelings or wavering emotions when making decisions about how to respond in difficult situations. Keep them close to You, dear Lord, as their stronghold, and convict them quickly when their thinking about a situation is not right. Then, give them Your wisdom and power to correct their thoughts and actions. Help them to put other people’s interests before their own, not matter how hard it is at the time. Please help them to serve others out of their love for You. Remind them that Christ Himself came to serve and not to be served. Then, bless them, dear Lord, with Your peace and joy in the same way as you have so often blessed me, after I have submitted my selfish will to Your perfect one.And finally, I pray, this temporary time with their brothers and sisters, and with us, as their parents, will be a building block for future relationships not only with their spouses, but also with their personal walk with You, Heavenly Father. Thank You, Promise-Keeper, for providing peace to those who seek it. May my children die to themselves to find life in You.
Amen
Is. 42:1; Matt. 20:32; John 15:12; Eph. 6:5-9; Matt. 7:12; Mark 9:41; Luke 6:35; I Thess. 5:19; John 13:13-15
John 13:1, 3-6; John 14:8-12; Matt. 5:38-42; Matt. 20:28; John 12:24-26; I Peter 3:8-12; Matt. 10:38-39
Dear Children,One of the hardest tasks your daddy and I have had as parents, is to teach obedience. At the same time, one of the hardest lessons for you as children, has been to learn obedience. The determined look in each of your eyes of “I do it my way!” is all too familiar. However, this look is quickly retaliated with the words that either your daddy or I say so often: “choose to obey.” Know this, children: you can choose to take one of two, and only two, paths. One path is the path of obedience, which brings an abundance of blessing; the other is the path of disobedience, which is full of consequences. For example, take a look In the Bible:
On the other hand,
Children, do you see the choices you make, good or bad, can affect all those around you?Please regard the rules we make for you as a means of protection rather than a means of entrapment. For instance, a little sting on the bottom for running in the street is much better than being hit by a car, isn’t it? We love you, and that is what is behind “the sting.” You know, God deals with us the same way. He makes rules for our protection; and He disciplines us because He loves us. He wants us to “choose to obey,” and we can obey through the help of His Holy Spirit.If you practice learning obedience to your parents now, it will become the foundation for obedience to your Heavenly Father later in life. Believe me, I know, giving up your own will is a very hard thing to do, and obedience will continue to be hard as you get older. Yet, “choose to obey, “ dear ones. Remember, He loves you, and His strength is ever-present. He is there to help you when you’re standing at the crossroads. Seek Him, and He will make it very clear which path you should take. Trust Him, then walk down the one He has for you. Then, expect blessing upon blessing.
I love you
Dear Heavenly Father,I thank you for the great amount of determination You have given each of my children. (I have to admit, sometimes that’s a hard thing for me to be grateful for!) I do pray, however, they will commit to use their strong minds for Your glory only. May they always stand firm in You as they fight the good fight of faith, knowing and believing that Your way is the best way. I pray they would study Your Word and listen to the beckoning of Your Spirit. May they recognize quickly when their human desires are not in alliance with what You are asking them to do. As hard as it will be for them to “let go” of their will, I ask that You would give them the strength to do so.Thank you, dear Jesus, for Your perfect example of submission when You went to the cross. Your obedience to Your Heavenly Father has given us access to Your Holy Spirit! O God, may my children understand the magnitude of this gracious act on Your behalf. Please give them this same submissive Spirit in their own hearts, dear Father, so that they, too, may be able to say on bended knee, “Not my will, but Thine be done” (Luke 22:42).Help them, dear Lord, to realize that obedience to You brings blessing- the greatest blessing being the gift of Your unconditional love. For when we obey, we are able to comprehend the awesome truth of Your love being better than life! May they take this love they have received from You, dear Father, and use it as a mighty instrument in leading others into a life of obedience as well. May Your Holy Spirit reign forever in the hearts of my children, as well as in the hearts of those they have brought to You.
Amen
Eph. 6:1-3; Gal. 6:7-8; Gen. 6:8-9,22 and 7:23; Gen. 22:9-18; Ex. 14:29-30; Rom. 5:19; Num. 14:27-30; II Sam. 12:7-14; Gen. 19:24-25; Ps. 32:8-1-; Heb. 12:5-11; Pr. 22:6; Pr. 3:5-6
I Tim. 6:11-12; Ps. 119:9-10; James 4:7-8; Luke 22 40-44; Ps. 63:3; Rom. 1:5
Dear Children,Do you remember the Aesop’s fable, “The Tortoise and the Hare”? Well, it’s a wonderful little story packed with meaning. Listen as I retell it to you in my own words:There once was a sleek rabbit who happened to think pretty highly of himself. He could run as fast as the wind, and he made sure everybody around him knew it.One day he came across his turtle “friend” who was slowly making his way toward a nearby pond for a morning swim. “Ha! Ha!” the rabbit mockingly laughed. “Look how very slow you are moving! Can’t you go any faster than that at all?”The turtle looked him in the eyes with certainty (knowing of the rabbit’s character), and said, “I challenge you to a race, and we will see who wins.” The rabbit was quite amused at the thought of racing a turtle, of all things, so he willingly agreed to the turtle’s challenge.They decided how far they would run; and then, asked the friendly fox to be the judge. With a “ready, set, go,” they were off! Of course, the rabbit sped way out in front, very far ahead of the slow-moving turtle. He darted here, and darted there, and ran in circles, just to show off his magnificent speed and agility. However, after a fast and furious beginning, the prideful rabbit was now a wee bit winded. So, he decided to slow down. “After all,” he reasoned to himself, “I am very far ahead of the plodding turtle, and a little playtime among these pretty flowers will do me no harm.” But, then, ... “Ahh,” he eyed a beautiful shade tree! He thought, “What a perfect spot to take a small nap on this unusually hot day. I have time to rest...just a little bit.” And so, he lay down ... and fell ... fast ... asleep.Meanwhile, the turtle kept his mind focused on winning, his eyes set on the course in front of him, and his will steadfast toward the goal. He came moving along, slowly yet persistently, passing the rabbit as he slept. Not only did he pass him, but he was so far ahead of the now wide-awake and frenzied rabbit, that the turtle managed to cross the finish line first! Of course, the swift, yet lazy rabbit was utterly humbled and dismayed.Sweet ones, do you see the point of this fable? The rabbit, loaded with his gift of speed, did not use it properly. On the other hand, the turtle, whose speed was actually one of his greatest weaknesses, never slacked off, stayed focused, and ended up beating the rabbit across the finish line! The rabbit got lazy, while the turtle got busy.Children, I’m asking you to be careful of the sneaky “tool”’ that Satan uses in many Christians today. It’s called complacency. His desire is to sidetrack you. He will try to entice you to take a “short, little” nap underneath a perfect shady tree. Certain areas in which he has mastered this in my generation (and yours) are the television, the computer, and even your favorite hobbies. Remember what I have always said: “Too much of a good thing is not good.” So these things, in and of themselves, are fine. It’s just abuse of, and the excessive use of, these things that pull you away from the desired “race of life” God is asking you to run.Also, please understand that there is a big difference between resting and being lazy. God rested on the seventh day, after six days of creation. And Jesus took time out to rest, after providing for the needs of others. Follow these examples, rest after work. Rest in the Lord so you can regain the physical, mental, and spiritual strength that you need to continue the work He has called you to do –nothing more, nothing less. The shade under His tree promises the refreshing peace and joy of His Spirit. There, you will be revived and renewed once more.Use your time wisely, make the most of your opportunities, stay fervent in spirit, running your race in such a way that you may win the prize. Then, rest in Him. Memorize the verse: “Awake, sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you” (Eph. 5:14)Children, I challenge you to be determined not to miss the “Son shining” on you during your spiritual walks with Him. Make time for Him. He is waiting for you..He will help you stay the course, and like the turtle, you will be rewarded greatly!
I love you
(Discuss the “Turtle and the Hare” fable.)
Dear Lord God, Thank You for being our King! And because of the grace given in Jesus, we have become Your appointed ambassadors! I pray each of my children will take this honorary position seriously. Please give them a heart that beats steadfastly for You. Make them very aware of Satan’s tool of passivity which keeps many Christians from being effective for Jesus Christ. Guard them from being lazy, complacent, or satisfied with the “status quo” and mere comforts in life. May they understand that having a sluggard disposition— physically, mentally, or spiritually—will end in poverty only. Empower them by Your Spirit to deliberately turn from this sin. Then, may they use their minds, their bodies, and their hearts in a determined, persistent, and even urgent manner, so that You may be glorified through them. Give them the desire to walk as children of light, pursuing Your goodness, righteousness, and truth. Help them to know You have the ability to shine in all that they do, even when the task at hand seems frivolous or unimportant.Finally dear Lord, I pray, my children will veer away from procrastination (a close companion of complacency). Help them, by Your Spirit, not to put off the specific good works that You have prepared for each of them to do. I pray this prayer with a convicted sinner’s heart, dear Lord. So often I have put off ‘til tomorrow what I should have done today. Forgive me and help me, so that my children will see a diligent worker before their eyes. However, when I pray this prayer, I specifically ask that the “good works” we do, be a result of our love for You, not simply an effort to merit favor in Your eyes. Help my children realize they can add nothing to what You have already given them by grace. So out of love for their Savior, may they seek an active lifestyle, giving Your free love away to others.May they, and I, respond to the gentle “nudging” of your Holy Spirit; and with a steadfast heart, press ever forward for the cause of Christ—for this is why we live.
Amen
Pr. 6:9-11; Pr. 4:25-27, II Cor. 12:9-10; Is. 32:9; Matt. 11:28; Eph. 5:15-17; Rom. 12:10-13; I Cor. 9:24; Pr. 12:27
II Cor. 5:20, Ps. 108:1-3; Pr. 13:4; Eph. 2:8-10; I Cor. 15:57-58; Gal. 6:9-10; James 1:22-27
Dear Children,I want you to know, I am earnestly praying you will all learn how to earnestly pray. Did you know, your Father and Creator longs to hear your voice, and desires a sweet personal relationship with you? Prayer is so important, dear children, for so many different reasons.1. In prayer, we can worship God. Lift Him up, children; speak and sing to Him concerning His power and greatness. This will remind you of your humble position before your mighty God, who is so full of love for you. He is worthy to be praised!2. In prayer, we can be thankful to God. Look around, children; you are blessed. Never forget to thank the Bestower of every good gift, especially for the gift of freedom we have in Christ. This alone should be a reason to always be grateful. He has given you life everlasting! What an unfathomable blessing!But also, sweet ones, always remember to be thankful for the little things. For example, when I was in college, my roommate, Stacy, and I would thank God at night for “three good things” concerning that particular day. It was a good little game; and sometimes, the focus on the “good things” would change my whole disposition before I went to sleep! (Even if, on occasion, our third “good thing” was simply that we did not have to think of a fourth “good thing”) As hard and miserable as the day may have seemed, we would have to giggle at our tired humor. You see, God promises to honor even your attempts at a thankful heart, filling us with a peace that passes all understanding.3. In prayer, we can ask for forgiveness from our sin. Never forget to do this, sweet ones. There has to be an emptying out before there can be a pouring in, otherwise the clear fresh Water will turn a murky brown. Remember, He already knows your sin, but, He is waiting to hear you speak from your troubled heart. It’s called confession.4. In prayer, we can cry out to God concerning ourselves—in our sorrow, in our pain, in our struggles, in our confusion. I cannot tell you, dear ones, how many times I have cried, and even sobbed before the Lord—sometimes speaking, sometimes speechless (for the Holy Spirit has words for us when we cannot express our trouble or sorrow). And, you know, afterwards, I come away so refreshed! Having faith that my plea for help has been heard, I grasp hold of the endless compassion He has poured all over my heart. Pour out your heartache before Him, children. He is listening!5. In prayer, we can cry out to God concerning others. Children when you feel completely helpless concerning someone else’s situation, or struggle, or tragedy, the absolute BEST thing you can do for them is pray. God is the One in control of their life, so plead your case before Him and cry for mercy before the God of all mercy. Pray for them to have the treasures of His will: His comfort, His direction, His healing, and His love. If you fervently pray for the hearts and souls of other people, you will be sure to see God at work, in His time and in His way (and sometimes through you!). Your faith, and theirs, will be strengthened through watching Him answer prayers.Children, I think you’ve figured out by now that neither your Daddy nor I are sinless. Do please forgive us when our own sin has affected you. We do love you the best we humanly can, but God is the one Who has the perfect love for you. I, also, have to continually go to this perfect One to be wiped clean. I’m still learning, just like you are. But, I have figured out (by the grace of God), the more I speak to Him, and the more I give up my will to Him, then the more He is able to rescue me from my “old self,” and replace it with the “new.”As the familiar praise-song teaches, “Our God is an awesome God who reigns... with wisdom, power, and love.” Talk to Him, dear children, in the morning, at noon, and at night. Then, you will discover how much this awesome God cares for your little heart.
I love you
1. Construct a prayer together with your children using the five points in the letter.Praise God for the one attribute of His character;Thank God for one “good thing”;Pray for one Godly attribute you would like to attain over time (patience, kindness, self-control, etc.);Pray for one person;Pray for forgiveness of one sin.2. Get on your knees and pray this prayer with your children. Remind them, they can also pray throughout the day alone.3. Practice this exercise again and again, asking your children to change the one attribute of God, the one “good thing,” etc., each time. Explain to them, they are beginning to learn the concept of “praying without ceasing”.
Dear Heavenly Father,I pray each of my children will regard praying to You—the altogether righteous, yet merciful God—as an honor and a privilege. For the price was the blood of Jesus, in order to be able to step into Your presence in this way! As they meditate on Your broad and amazing character, may they, with a thankful heart, praise and worship You. May they use songs, hymns, and spiritual songs, proclaiming, “the Lord lives, and blessed be my rock, and exalted be the God of my salvation” (Ps. 18:46).At the same time they are lifting Your Name on high, may my children also humble themselves in Your presence, dear Lord. Convict them of their sin. Give them the ability to confess this to You on bended knee. Help them to empty themselves, so You can both purify them, and fill them with Your marvelous grace!And as my children continue to pray, keep them sensitive not only to their own needs, but also to the needs of others. May they petition these things to You, Holy Father, knowing and believing that You, dear Jesus, ever live to make intercession for your children. Thank You for the promise, of being able to ask anything according to Your will, and it will be given to us!O God, You are a jealous God. What an incredible truth to know that You, the King of Heaven and Earth, cherish the voice of each child you created. And not only do you love us, You also allow us to (somehow in Your wonderful mysterious way) “play a role” in the furthering of your kingdom as we devote ourselves to prayer. Thank You for Your Word which says, “the effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much” (James 5:16). Impress on my children’s hearts, dear Lord, to pray in this manner, so Your power and Your glory may be manifested in their lives. May the way You choose to answer their prayers be a great faith- builder in their relationship to You, just as it has been in mine.Thank You, dear Father, for Your compassionate listening ear, Your faithful working hands, and Your unconditional loving heart. May my children forever cling to You – always praising, always confessing, and always crying out to You as their Lord and as their Saviour.
Amen
Ps. 145:1-3; I Thess. 5:18; Phil. 4:6-7; Ps. 5:1-3; Ps. 143:4-8; Rom. 8:26-27; Eph. 6:18; James 5:13-18; Heb. 4:15- 16; Ps. 51:1-13; Ps. 55:16-17
Ps. 150:1-6; I John 1:9; Heb. 7:25; Luke 17:11-19; Ps. 61:1-4; I Thess. 5:17
Dear Children,From the words of Jesus, this is compassion:“A certain man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho; and he fell among robbers, and they stripped him and beat him, and went off leaving him half dead. And by chance a certain priest was going down on that road, and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. And likewise a Levite also, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a certain Samaritan, who was on a journey, came upon him; and when he saw him, he felt compassion, and came to him, and bandaged up his wounds, pouring oil and wine on them; and he put him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him. And the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the inn keeper and said, ‘Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, when I return, I will repay you’ “ (Luke 10:30-35).Children, do you see the difference in the hearts of these men who came upon the beaten man laying by the roadside? The priest and the Levite, supposedly God-fearing men, went to the extreme of passing on the other side of the road, literally avoiding a dying man! But the Samaritan, whose people happened to be despised by the Jews because of their mixed Gentile blood, did everything he could to give life back to him. Do you see, this compassionate Samaritan went out of his way to help a dying man, who, at this particular time period, was considered an “enemy”? And also, do you see it cost him time, and money, and energy? However, he was pleased to offer his help.Sweet ones, I want you to know, there are so many people “out there” who are not only suffering physically, but are, more importantly, “dying” spiritually. I am praying you will be able to see and feel the pain and hurt of another person’s heart, so that you can help bind up their wounds through the love of Christ. Jesus expects this from you, you know. His last words in the story about the Good Samaritan were directed to all of us: “Go and do the same” (Luke 10:37) Heed this call, and open the eyes of your heart—see, with compassion, the hunger of the hungry, the sickness of the sickly, the hurt of the hurting, and the loneliness of the lonely. Then, have mercy on them just as your Heavenly Father had mercy on you.
I love you
Dear Heavenly Father,You are the God of great compassion, “(staying) near to the brokenhearted and (saving) those who are crushed in spirit” (Psalm 34:18). Thank You for Your intimate love that can bind up the wounds of an aching soul. May my children see how You work and be awed by it. Then by Your Spirit, may they desire to have a heart full of compassion that mirrors Yours. May they never get so involved in their own selfish desires that they become oblivious to the needs (physically, emotionally, and spiritually) of hurting people around them. Forgive me for doing this very thing, dear Lord. Convict my heart, and my husband’s, to be a living example of how to show compassion to others—loving our neighbors (whoever they may be) as we love ourselves. Help us to be able to “rejoice with those who rejoice, and to weep with those who weep” (Romans 12:15).But more than looking at us, may they look to You, Lord Jesus, the greatest living example of compassion there ever was or will be! May my children be deeply touched by the way You gave endless mercy to those suffering around You while You walked on this earth—healing the sick, feeding the hungry, listening to the needy, and saving the lost. And the same compassion in Your eyes and the same love in Your touch that You gave then, is still poured out in abundance on Your children today. For You never change, and Your compassion never fails—it is new every morning. Thank You dear Jesus, for this truth! May my children fall at Your feet and find this endless mercy. Then, may they rise up, and extend this same compassion to all those around them who may be crushed in spirit.
Amen
Is. 61:1, Pr. 3:3-4; Ps. 41:1-3; Luke 6:36
Matt. 22:36-40; Rom. 12:15-16; Matt. 9:36-38; Matt. 11:4-5; Is. 30:18-19; Heb. 13:8; Lam. 3:21-25; Ps. 40:11; Col. 3:12-14; Matt. 25:36-40; Matt. 5:7
Dear Children,I want to make something very clear to you. If you have obtained all these things I have just written to you in my previous letters:An obedient heart,A steadfast heart,A compassionate heart,And a prayerful heart,But do not have a heart full of love, then your efforts have all been done in vain.Remember the good Samaritan? If he had done everything exactly the same—picked up the dying man, cared for him, taken him to an inn, and paid for his stay--- but did it out of duty, and not out of love for both God and man, this merciful act would have meant nothing to our Heavenly Father. Yes, the sick man would still have gotten well, but the point of the story (and of our lives) is to develop a love for our God, as well as for our neighbor.Also, if you pray beautiful prayers using big, wonderful words, making it sound “impressive” to God or others, but there is no love in your heart towards Him, did you know your prayer will actually sound like clanging cymbals in His ears?Please understand children, God is not merely interested in your compassionate acts, or your generous services. His focus is on the heart of love which produces these things. And He does not want your time, your energy, or your money. He wants to see a heart of love which compels you to give of these things freely and cheerfully. Again, I tell you, sweet ones, He is not interested in this diligent work for His kingdom or these fancy prayers that lift up His Name, if there is not a true love for Him which moves you to say and do these things. Cease striving for all of this if there is not a genuine love for your Heavenly Father first. Your ambition in life is to know God, to know of His love, and then to give this love away to others. Stop and ask Him to pour His pure love deep inside your heart. His love is like no other. His love is the greatest of all these things. “It is the perfect bond of unity” (Col. 3:14). After, and only after, you have obtained this love from Him and for Him, can you then go forward – living for the One who has this kind of love for you.
I love you
1. Serve your children a cold bowl of soup for lunch. Wait for their expression and questioning.2. Explain there is nothing wrong with the soup; all the ingredients are there. However, it does not taste nearly as appetizing because of the lack of warmth. Compare the “lack of warmth” to the “lack of love” that sometimes might appear in our thoughts, actions, and attitudes.3. Now, heat up your children’s soup, as well as your own, and enjoy it together. But, before doing so, pray: “God, please gently break open my humanly cold heart and warm it up with Your perfect love.” (Remind your children, the more willing you are to have a break in your heart, the more gentle this break will be!)
Dear Heavenly Father,Thank You for loving us perfectly. To think You have adopted us and called us Your very own– thank You! Dear God, I pray my children would meditate on Your love, understand it, and then wholeheartedly claim the breadth and length and height and depth of it. Your love never fails! Fill them up with this love, I pray. May nothing in this world quench it. My heart’s desire is for my children to receive Your “agape” love, and bask in it. May they realize they can obtain an endless supply of Your love by listening to your word and walking in Your ways. May they know You, dear Father, and know of Your love.When they have “found” this love, I then pray they willfully desire to give this love to the hearts of others. I ask that my children would learn to love You, Lord Jesus, (and their neighbor), the way You first loved them --- with all their heart, with all their soul, with all their mind, with all their strength. Help them to realize, all the other spiritual gifts You have given them will mean nothing if they are not preceded by Your love.Encourage them, dear God, to run the race set before them, with the power of Your mighty love living inside of them. May they fix their eyes on Jesus, holding nothing back, dear Lord, but willfully living through faith in You. Thank You, Heavenly Father, for the consistency of Your character—never leaving, never forsaking, always abiding, always faithful. You are Love. May they glean from You, O Father, giver of ALL.
Amen
Ps. 127:1,2; Rom. 13:8-10; I John 3:16-18; Matt. 6:5-8; II Cor. 9:7; Rom. 5:5; I Cor. 13:1-8,13; Rom. 5:8; Ps. 18:1
I John 3:1; 1 John 4:7-21; Deut. 6:5; Heb. 12:1-3; Eph. 5:1-2; Eph. 2:4-7
Read Section 1 Online (FREE)Download Section 1 PDF (FREE)HANDOUT 1: "The Five Love Languages of Children" .docHANDOUT 2: "Personality Types" .docRead Section 2 Online (FREE)Download Section 2 PDF (FREE)Read Section 3 Online (FREE)Download Section 3 PDF (FREE)Read Section 4 Online (FREE)Download Section 4 PDF (FREE)Read Section 5 Online (FREE)Download Section 5 PDF (FREE)Read Section 6 Online (FREE)Download Section 6 PDF (FREE)[This E-Moms study, taken from Chris' book A Mother's Privilege, is taught by Chris Baxter to mothers at her home church Fellowship Bible Church in Brentwood, Tennessee. www.FellowshipNashville.org. To contact Study Administrator, email Emoms@comcast.net]
To The ReaderAbout ten years ago, I wrote a book entitled Living the Lord’s Prayer. Recently, I have taken some time to re-visit the book and its contents. Because the subject matter pertains to helping mothers instruct their children concerning God’s truths found in His word, I have decided to change the title of this study (and future book) to A Mother’s Privilege.You will find that each chapter of this study is divided into three letters:The first letter is written to my children. This letter pertains to a certain truth about God that I desire them to understand. The letters consist of a variety of stories and explanations created for a young mind or young believer. For example, I have written one letter concerning compassion, explaining it in a way in which Jesus would have shown compassion. These letters are for you and your children. You may choose to read some of these letters to them; however, most letters will serve as a launching block to help you create your own simple explanations concerning God’s incredible truths. I have also provided suggestions at the end of each letter to assist you in your teaching time with your children.The second letter is a written prayer for my children. The prayers are a humble plea to our Holy God, asking Him to take this particular truth and bring it to life in their hearts. For example, my desire, and I am sure yours as well, is for our children to not only understand compassion, but also to live and love compassionately, as a way of life.And then, the third letter is God’s word to you. These are scripture references that are found in the two previous letters, making the truth “valid.” To continue with the example, at the end of the compassion chapter, you will find verses pertaining to compassion. My utmost desire is to point you to God’s word, God’s hope, God’s answer to life—Jesus Christ.May the pages of this study, which follows the guidelines of The Lord's Prayer, be beneficial to your heart first. Then, may you take what He has taught you, and impress it into the hearts of your children.Written In His Love,Chris Baxter
Dear Children,When you look outside today, look all around. Do you see the remarkably blue sky, beautifully contrasted against the cotton-like clouds? And then, do you feel the saturating warmth of the far-away sun on your face? With only the brush of His hand, God created this beautiful scene...and more. Now focus closer in. Do you see the flaming red bird perched on that branch singing its distinct little song? Look at the jet-black feathers surrounding its bright-orange beak. What incredible detail from its incredible Creator! And He even knows where this particular bird will fly. Nothing escapes the Creator of life. Heaven is [His] throne, and the earth is [His] footstool. (Is. 66:1a)Now, focus even closer. Look at your hands. Do you see those tiny, little intricate lines on your fingertips? Your sweet Father made those lines, and there is not a single person on this earth that has the same ones as you. He is so involved with you, that He even knows how many hairs you have on your head— remember, He put them there! Realize, sweet ones, He is delighted with how He made you. He wants you to be you, so you can best serve Him. That is why He made you. You are HIS creation, bearing His image.Look around one last time and take this concept to heart:The same God who createdThe overwhelming mountain ranges, and the simple rolling hills,The rapidly flowing rivers, and the steady whispering streams,The pitch black of the night, and the all-encompassing light of the day,Is the same God who created you.And then, most importantly, realize He considers youHis prized possession.Meditate on this truth, my sweet ones. And may it send you to your knees, humbly bowing before this Master-Planner, as well as this Intimate-Creator, giving Him your all.
I love you
1. Take a walk with your children, discussing God’s incredible Creation.2. Make fingerprints with your children, discussing His intricate handiwork.3. Compare God’s awesome vastness with His incredible detail.
O Holy Father,You are the Creator of all life. Everything that moves, and breathes, and has being, You have ordained. You created the beauty of the sunset, the intricate and prideful feathers of a peacock, and the awesome wonder of the wind. However, Your greatest delight in all of creation is Your fingerprint of life that You have placed on each of Your children. How You smile with each touch and each mold. With joy, You give every breath into each heart, body, and soul. O God, help my children to see Your vastness and Your power, but more than that, may they “feel” Your loving touch. Help them to know and believe, they are more beautiful in Your eyes than any breathtaking sunrise or any spectacular mountain top view. You rejoice over them with singing!I ask they would be awed, dear Lord, by Your handiwork around them. May this cause them to humbly serve You as the Creator, not only of the universe but also as the Creator of their own hearts. Assure them that they have been made in Your image, the King of kings. Wrap them in your robe of righteousness and place Your crown of beauty upon their heads, so they may shine for Your glory. Give them the heart to respond to Your call—to live, to love, to serve, and to be a magnificent display of your splendor. Continually remind them, dear Lord, of this truth: Your purpose for giving them each breath and life is for Your glory only! Prompt them to live accordingly, dear Father, so they may find Your blessed peace in their souls.
Amen
Ps. 104:1-6; Is. 40:12-14,18; Ps. 139:1-6; Matt. 10:29-31; Is. 62:3-4; Job 38:4-12; Ps. 8
Col. 1:16; Gen. 2:7; Zeph. 3:17; Is. 61:10; II Thess. 1:11-12; Ps. 150:6
Dear Children,Did you know that after Moses went up to the mountain to talk with God concerning the Ten Commandments, his face shone bright like the sun? The holiness of God created the radiance on Moses’ face. And did you know that a long, long time ago, in the Old Testament, God lived in a Holy Temple which His people, the Israelites, built for Him? You could not see Him, but His presence was there in the form of a thick cloud. There was one room called the Holy of Holies where His Spirit resided. No one, except the High Priest at that time, could enter this throne room because it was so full of the glory of God. If they did, they were sure to die.Let me give you another picture of God’s holiness, as you listen to this true story found in the Bible...Once upon a time, king David, along with the Israelite people, desired to worship their God and celebrate His goodness by singing and dancing before His holy presence. In order to do this, they felt the ark of the a covenant needed to be carried back to their city.Now, the ark was a holy representation of God’s presence among His people. God Himself had given specific instructions on how this “holy treasure box” should be transported from city to city. The men of Israel, however, disregarded God’s instruction, and decided to carry the ark on a cart pulled by an ox. At one point in their travel, the ox almost turned the cart over, which caused the ark to wobble. A man named Uzzah saw this shifting, so he quickly reached out his hand to steady the holy ark. But when his hand touched the ark, God struck him down instantly, and he died (I Chron. 13:9-10). You see, children, God had specifically warned His people not to touch the ark! Uzzah’s tragic death was a serious reminder to the Israelites, and to us, that God is too holy for our human touch!However, an amazing thing has happened! Do you know where this holy God now lives? He can live in you! If you believe, sweet children, that Jesus died on the cross and rose again, then His Holy Spirit will come and live in your heart. He is the bridge between the human heart and God’s heart. You now are His holy temple, and your heart is the Holy of Holies. Jesus, the perfect High Priest, lives in you. We do not have to be terrified of His presence any longer, just awed that a God so full of power and greatness has graciously chosen to live inside His people! He longs to live in your heart and reign over it. He can “make your face shine” too! Please let Him, sweet ones, for He is all good, all loving, and altogether holy.
I love you
1. Take a flashlight into a dark room. Turn it on, and explain how God’s holiness penetrates darkness.2. Stay in the dark room, put a white pillow case over the flashlight.3. From this illustration, discuss how God’s holiness (flashlight) can shine through you.
O Lord God,I pray my children will be given a great understanding of exactly Whom they serve. You are holy— omniscient, all powerful, altogether righteous, pure and awesome God:You are the God who parted the Red Sea, making water stand like a wallYou are the God who caused fire to come down from heaven—consuming the sacrifice, the water, the wood, and even the stones around it.You are the God, who can make a mountain tremble and shake because of your presence; and a temple curtain tear from top to bottom because of your plan.Thank you, dear God, for the gift of being able to enter into the Holy of Holies because of the blood Jesus shed on the cross. You are our High Priest, Lord Jesus! Previous to Your holy sacrifice, no one could come before You without the fear of possible death. But now, because of You, we can come boldly with the reverence, the awe, and the gratitude of LIFE everlasting! You are the God of compassion, the God of purity, the God of absolute power, and the God of amazing love! “Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God, the Almighty” (Rev. 4:8)Please give my children the reverential fear of Your character, dear God, which is the beginning of wisdom (Ps. 11:10). May they never see You as a small god who is here only to fulfill their big wish list. Instead, may they consider the magnitude of Your holiness as they humbly, yet confidently, approach Your throne of grace on bended knee. With a thankful heart, may they present to You their praises for who You are, their confession for who they are not; and then, their petitions for what you would have them to be, through Your power and for Your glory. May You reign, dear Father, as holy King of kings in their lives.
Amen
Ex. 34:1-8, 28-35; Ex. 40:34,38; Chron. 13:1-14; Rom. 5:5-6; Rev. 3:20; I Cor. 6:19-20; Phil. 2:12-15; Ps. 34:5
Is. 46:8-10; Heb. 4:14-16; Is. 6:1-2,8; Rom. 12:1; Ps. 27:4-5
RELATED VERSE: OUR FATHER WHO ART IN HEAVEN, HALLOWED BE THY NAME
Dear Children,I want to tell you a little story:There once was a little boy who was a little bit naughty. He told little lies now and then, and he also liked to be destructive. He would even steal small things occasionally. Well, as he grew, his naughtiness grew too. His lies became bigger and his destructive behavior grew from tearing up his own things to tearing up and vandalizing other people’s things. His stealing, as well, became a very serious problem.Well, one day he got caught one day. He was arrested by the police and taken to jail. During the time he was waiting for his trial to see the Judge, he became very sorry for all the things he had done. He wished he could have a second chance, but he knew it was too late. However, during the night, a Stranger with a strong, yet gentle voice came to him and asked, “Are you sorry for what you have done?”“Oh, yes,” said the boy.“And if you were to be free from jail, what would you do?”The boy quickly replied, “Oh, I would turn from my evil ways and do good. I have learned that the road to wickedness leads nowhere, and I don’t want to walk on this road anymore.”The gentle Stranger sat quietly and listened to the outpouring of the young boy’s heart.Well, the next day at the trial, the boy was standing sadly before the Judge with his head hanging low. He waited for what he knew would be a long-term prison sentence. But, out of the corner of his eye, he saw the kind Stranger walking into the courtroom. With a determined look on his face and compassion in his eyes, he stood directly in front of the boy! He then looked steadfastly at the Judge and said, “I will take his place. Let the boy go free!” In amazement to the boy, the Judge agreed with this offer. The Judge then turned and looked the boy in the eyes. And to his surprise, he had the same caring gaze as the Stranger. The Judge said to him, “You may go. But go with a changed heart, determined to pursue good things, not evil.”The boy wept with both gratitude and sorrow, as he saw the gentle Stranger led silently away. This innocent Man was choosing to bear the punishment for the boy’s own wrongdoing. He said earnestly to himself, “I will live my life for that Man, since He has given His life for me. I will strive to be like Him—gentle and kind, caring and good, and most of all self-sacrificing.” The young boy turned and walked out of the courtroom, now... a free man.Children, do you know the message behind this story? Do you know who the gentle Stranger represents? Yes, He is Jesus. And who is the gracious Judge? Yes, He is God, our Father. Do you see who you are, and who I am? We are that boy. There is no good in us, dear children, none at all. We were born in sin, and should die because of our sin! Yet, Jesus Christ comes in and stands in front of us, all glorious and pure. He covers us with His prefect love, so that God, the Judge, can see only the redemptive blood of His Son, which is worthy of life forever and ever! He is your Redeemer, dear ones. Believe in Him. He is the Son of God, the Lamb of God, the perfect sacrifice. Please believe He did die for you, and that He conquered death by rising again! He truly was led away silently, in all his gentleness, mercy, and love. He was crucified, taking the punishment we deserve. Do you believe this truth? Know that when you confess your sin and repent of your ways, you are washed completely clean by His blood!Now, let me ask you another question. What are you going to do for the One who gave His life for you? If you choose to live for Him, then He will come and help you. He will provide His Holy Spirit to live in you. You will not be left alone to “do good” by your own effort. (Remember, we can’t even do that!) Your Redeemer lives, dear ones. Let Him live through you!
I love you
Dear Heavenly Father,Thank You for sending us a Redeemer, strong and pure, gentle and kind, full of mercy and grace. Sometimes my soul cannot grasp the awesome LOVE that was lavished on me by Your living and holy sacrifice, Jesus Christ. Thank You, dear sweet Jesus, for offering Yourself, a Lamb without blemish, and for enduring the cross for me, a human heart spattered full of stains. Although One with God, You chose to deny Yourself and take my punishment, my afflictions, my iniquities, and my death. What amazing and unconditional love of both God, the Holy Father, and Jesus, His obedient Son.Dear sweet Jesus, may my children fully understand this mighty act of love from You, their perfect Redeemer. May Your love prompt them to give You every beat of their heart, which was purchased by Your blood. May they realize it is only because of the cross that they can now have the comfort, the power, and the guidance of Your Holy Spirit. I pray You will give them a continual sense of reverence and gratitude towards You, the One who is mighty to save. May they pledge to lovingly live for the One who lovingly died, giving His life as a ransom, in order to set them FREE!
Amen
Is. 30:1, II Cor. 7:10; John 8:1-11; Gal. 2:20; Rom. 3:10-11; Matt. 27:27-31; Rom. 6:23, John 14:26; I Cor. 10:13; Eph. 2:8-9; Rom. 6:4
Eph. 1:7-8; I Peter 1:18-19; II Cor. 5:21; Is. 53:4-10; Rom. 5: 8-9; I Cor. 6:20; Gal. 3:13-14; Matt. 20:28.
RELATED VERSE: OUR FATHER WHO ART IN HEAVEN, HALLOWED BE THY NAME
Dear Children,I am grateful to be able to say that God has generously blessed me with wonderful friends throughout my lifetime. They have not all come at one time, but they have been sprinkled over the years of my life. From a young age like you, through my teens, my twenties, and now my thirties, I have been blessed with true friends. When I think of each one, she warms my heart, brings a smile to my face, or even a tear to my eye. Friendship is such a cherished possession. Such a strong bond is formed between hearts that neither time, nor distance, nor change, can ever break it.Children, I pray you will have these kinds of friends, ones who will last for eternity. I want you to have friends you can laugh with and cry with. You need friends you can trust, and friends who will hold you accountable. I pray God will provide these soul-mates for you, when you seek Him. He graciously knows we need each other.And guess what? He has already provided the greatest Friend you could possibly have, Jesus Christ. It is from Him, my dear ones, that all other true friendships begin. He knows you like none other. He came for you, even in your sin. He understands you, because He made you! Talk to Him, dear children, and walk with Him. Then you will be sure to find out, He is the One who is the greatest lover of your soul.
I love you
Dear Lord Jesus,I pray that my children will know You as a friend that sticks closer than a brother (Prov. 18:24). Open their eyes to see how much You care for them and listen to them; how much You pray for them and love them. You died to be their FRIEND! Thank You for the promises You have given us that will never be broken.You give: the Bread of Life to those who hunger,Living Water to those who thirst,Comfort to those who are hurting,Peace to those with a troubled heart.Thank you, dear Jesus, for never leaving us nor forsaking us. Draw my children to You, sweet Savior, and take hold of their hand with Your gentle one. Convince them, they are walking with a Friend that intimately loves their soul. Give them the desire to walk with You alone in the quietness of their day. And there, teach them of Your unconditional and sacrificial love. May their companionship with You be filled with joy, laughter, and song, as well as comfort, compassion, and grace. Thank You for giving us Your all in order to call us “friends.”O God, I also pray my children would consider this loving bond with You as a responsibility on their part as well. Convict them, and then help them to be a friend to You, dear Jesus, the One who died for them. I pray they will not be ashamed of You, deny You, ignore you, or do anything that will dishonor their relationship with You. May they also give their all, so they can sincerely call you “Friend.”And finally, impress on their hearts one of your greatest teachings: being a friend to others, in reality, is being a friend to You. May they realize, when they give their time, energy, and effort to someone in need, they are not only doing this for just a human being, but they are also doing it for You, dear Jesus. May this truth challenge them to be a great friend to others throughout their lives, knowing this is a mere reflection of their love for You. Thank You, for loving us first, sweet Savior, and dear Friend. May my children pour Your love into the hearts of others.
Amen
Ecc. 4:9-12; Ex. 33:9-11; Pr. 27:6; John 10:14-15; Ps. 12:39:1-3, 17-18
I Peter 5:7; Ps. 145:18-19; Heb. 7:25; John 15:13-17; John 6:48-51; John 7:37-38; II Cor. 1:3-4; John 14:27; Josh. 1:5; Ps. 37:23-24; II Tim. 2:11-13; Matt. 25:35-40; I John 4:19,21
RELATED VERSE: OUR FATHER WHO ART IN HEAVEN, HALLOWED BE THY NAME
My Dear Children,When I think of the term “master,” I tend to think of an evil man, holding a whip in his hand, yelling insults while mistreating his slaves. In biblical times, the Egyptians treated the Israelites like this when they were in bondage. They had no heart towards the Israelites, no compassion whatsoever. The slaves were only there to fulfill the objectives of their masters. Yet the harder they worked, the more they were pushed.Well, I would like you to know another Master. He is so opposite of what I have just described, it is like comparing night and day. Do you know Whom I’m talking about? Yes, His Name is Jesus. Oh children, He is so gentle and kind and humble in heart. His desire is to give you rest for your souls! He does not have a whip for those who love Him; instead, He has a rod and staff to comfort and guide all who trust Him. Did you know that God, Jesus’ Father and Equal, goes to the wonderful extreme of adopting us as His own sons and daughters? We are not slaves wearing filthy rags. We are children of the Most High God, wearing righteous robes as His ambassadors! He does not order us to be removed from His royal presence; as a matter of fact, it’s just the opposite. He invites us to His own banqueting table. He has prepared a feast of you, dear ones.I encourage you to know this Master. There is none like Him. You will find all other masters will be very similar to the Egyptian rulers—abusive, demanding, and full of sorrow and pain. Children, choose for yourselves today whom you will serve (Josh. 24:15).
I love you
(Role play with your children. You are the “master”, and they are the “slave.”)
Dear Lord God,I ask that my children would serve You alone as their Master. I pray nothing in this world would take the place You so jealously desire in their hearts. Please keep them from developing a love for money, a prideful spirit, an unhealthy relationship, or anything else that might lure them from completely submitting their hearts to You as Lord of all. Instead, may they flee from youthful lusts, and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace (II Tim. 2:22). Allow them to become a vessel for honor, sanctified, useful to You as their Master (II Tim. 2:21). And as they submit to You, dear Lord, please continually show them what a gentle and loving Lord You are. May they see that Your desire is to bless those who live in obedience to You.Thank You, dear Father, for longing to lavish your love on us; and even more, thank You for choosing to call us Your own children. You have made us Your heirs, O great High King! Please dear God, help my children to live accordingly. May they serve You with joyful hearts, recognizing that all other masters on this earth come with weighted chains. But You, Abba Father, Lord of life, have come with magnificent truth— tremendous Truth that will cause those who live by it to soar like an eagle in freedom!My prayer again, dear Lord, is for you to continually reign in the hearts of my children. I want them to have a driving desire to serve You alone as the Lord of their life. Through Your word, may they respond quickly to Your teaching, Your reproof, Your correction, and Your training in righteousness; that they may be adequate, equipped for every good work (II Tim. 3:16-17). May they bring glory to You, dear God. Be their Lord and their Master.
Amen
Ex. 1:6-14; Is. 40:11, Matt. 11:28-30; Ps. 23; Song of Sol. 2:4; Ps. 46:10-11; 1 Tim. 6:10-12
Ex. 20:4-6; James 4:4-8; Josh. 1:7-8; Rom. 8:15-16; Matt. 6:19-21; John 8:34-36; Is. 40:28-31; Gal 5:1.
no results
So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, "If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth and the truth will set you free." John 8:31-32
Dear Lord,
First and foremost may we know the truth of who you are, Savior of the world AND Savior of our individual hearts. Then, we ask you to give us a desire to abide in your living word, trusting it completely so we can experience freedom like we've never known! Help us to realize everything else is the opposite, binding us to lesser gods that ultimately cause hardship rather than blessing. In Jesus' Name, Amen.