Lifebit

Confess your sins…

not your neighbors.
Proverbs 11:13

Think on These...

Your attitude determines your altitude.

The treasures of the bible are found…
only by those who dig for them.

Only when you are completely pliable
can you be completely strong.

Build your foundation strong enough
to stand on without falling

Nothing ruins the truth like stretching it.

2 Cor. 2:14

Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place.

Proverbs 1:8-9

⁸ Listen, my son, to your father's instruction
and do not forsake your mother's teaching.

⁹ They will be a garland to grace your head
and a chain to adorn your neck.

Wise Families Value Obedience

Dr. Jack Graham

Hear, my son, your father's instruction, and forsake not your mother's teaching, for they are a graceful garland for your head and pendants for your neck. (Proverbs 1:8-9)

Yesterday we learned that wise families fear and respect the Lord. Today we'll see that wise families also understand the importance of and value obedience.

As parents, it's important to teach your kids to obey you because as they learn to obey you, they will learn to obey God! And I think the verses above give two ways you are to do that...through instruction and teaching.

The word instruction is from a Hebrew word that includes the idea of counsel, warning, and correction. Dad, I believe this describes your role in the family...to be firm in instruction, to lay down reasonable rules and fair boundaries, and to give correction and fair discipline.

The word teaching in the verses above describes, I believe, the work of a mom in the home. It's a word that actually means coaxing or coaching. In other words, mom, your role is to teach your children...to push them forward to become all God desires for them.

It's like a mama bird with her nest full of little birds. When it's time for those baby birds to fly, the mama stirs up the nest, flaps her wings, and coaxes those little birds to elevate!

So parents, I want to ask you today, are you instructing and teaching your children? And as you do, are they learning to obey you? As they do, they will someday be ready to obey God.

Dr. Jack Graham's passion is to lead men and women from all walks of life into a more intimate and life-changing relationship with Jesus Christ. Pastor Graham is the voice of Power Point Ministries and has led the 26,000-member Prestonwood Baptist Church in Plano, Texas since 1989. He is the author of several books including You Can Make a Difference, Lessons from the Heart, Life according to Jesus, and A Man of God. Dr. Graham lives in Frisco, Texas, with his wife and ministry partner, Deb. The Grahams have three children and one grandson.

Amos 3:7

⁷ Surely the Sovereign LORD does nothing
without revealing his plan
to his servants the prophets.

God's Messengers

Amos 3:7 - Surely the Sovereign Lord does nothing without revealing His plan to His servants the prophets.

"You are called to free businesspeople from the Esau life." Those were the words spoken to me years ago by someone God sent into my life. I had been in the midst of trying to understand some catastrophic events that shook my world. Years later, I was able to see that God gave this person supernatural insight that revealed God's calling on my life.

God still uses His prophets today to reveal His plans in the lives of His people. I have seen this Scripture proved over and over in the lives of people. It is as though God sends out His "scouts" to inform His servants what is ahead for them. Sometimes He does this because He knows the event will require such changes in that person's life and so He wants to assure them of His love. I have experienced the Lord using me in this way in the life of other individuals. God did this in the life of Moses. He came to Moses at the burning bush to reveal His purposes for the people of Israel and His call on Moses to free them. The apostle Paul had Cornelius come to him to let him know God had called him to preach to the Gentiles.

Has God placed individuals in your life to speak His plans for you? Are your eyes and ears spiritually sensitive so that you will know who are messengers of God? Elisha had a servant who could not see or hear with spiritual eyes and ears until Elisha prayed they would be opened. Then the servant could see the great army of God protecting them (see 2 Kings 6:17). Pray that you might see and hear with the Spirit. He may desire to reveal His purposes and plans through another individual.