It’s hard not to be discouraged when our faith is under attack, our nation seems to be changing at warp speed, evil is called good, and good evil. While we have reasons for concern, could our discouragement point to something deeper?
What does it mean to fear the Lord? We have all heard the term, but what does it actually mean and how is it lived out in our lives?
And how can a simple parenting principle not only help us in our parenting but, also, help us better understand the fear of the Lord?
Do your kids know your testimony, not just the parts you use to point out why they’re ungrateful or what would have happened if you had talked like that to your parents? Many of us would probably say, “No.”
Perhaps, we should remember that the Bible shows us the people in its pages, even those greatly used by God, with all their warts, sins, and shortcomings. It also shows us the consequences they faced as a result. Their stories serve as warnings to us and, ultimately, point us to the grace of God.
Those of us who are parents often pray our children will avoid the mistakes we’ve made and not suffer the same consequences. But do we share our testimonies with them? When we humbly share what God has done in our lives, it can open the door to real conversation.
But there are a couple of cautions in doing so. One is a wisdom issue, and the other can cause all our talk and warnings to backfire.
What are the basics of the Christian faith? What does it mean to be a Christian? How do we know we can trust the Bible? Why did Jesus have to die? How is a person saved? If someone you love and care about asked you those questions and you knew their eternity hung in the balance, would you know how to answer them?
And from our reading in Proverbs:
Is there an angry person in your life? How do you respond to them? Do you make excuses? Do you give in to their selfish demands? How should you respond to people whose lives are characterized by anger? Find out in today’s post.
Are you inside God’s circle of blessings or have you put yourself on the outside? When we put ourselves outside of God’s circle of blessings, we risk shortening our lives and opening ourselves to God’s discipline.
And what about your children? Are you teaching them how to stay inside that circle of blessings? Today’s post has a simple illustration to help them (and you) understand why it’s so important.
And from our Old Testament reading:
God gave Saul the privilege of being Israel’s first king. He blessed him in many ways including giving him victory in battle, loyal men like the future king David, and a wise son in Jonathan. But Saul is a great example of one man’s failure to stay inside God’s circle of blessings.
Have you ever wished someone could tell you how to change your husband (or wife)? If you’re like me, you have tried and failed and tried again. Sometimes, our husbands do need changing and God wants us to be part of that process. But our Proverbs reading reminds us that we won’t help them change by doing it in ungodly ways. In fact, the best way to help our husbands change may seem counterintuitive.
Have you ever wondered why we don’t see the powerful moves of God that we read about in the Bible? Part of the reason is that God was moving in a particular way during the book of Acts and in the first-century church. He was validating the gospel, the reality of the resurrection, the truths of Scripture, and his call on the church to be a set-apart people made up of Jews and Gentiles. But that doesn’t mean that God doesn’t still do miraculous things. God is the same yesterday, today, and forever, according to Hebrews 13.8. So why does there seem to be so little power in the church today? Could it have something to do with us?
How Would You Respond to Persecution? Is it possible to be excited about persecution? That seems almost impossible! But here in Acts 4, Israel’s ungodly leaders threatened Peter and John, telling them they were to no longer preach about Jesus. Instead of making them and the other disciples afraid, as John MacArthur says, “it exhilarated them.” And though God may allow men to criticize or persecute us sometimes, is it possible to rejoice when that happens? And why should we?
When is it right to disobey those in authority? As believers, we may be forced to consider that question more and more frequently. We know that God places a high priority on respect for authority. He commands us to live obediently under the authority of our government, our work structure, our church leadership, and within the family. So, when is it right to disobey those in authority?
When we looked at Psalm 73 a few days ago, we saw that the psalmist Asaph had been tempted to envy the wicked for their seeming prosperity and lack of problems. That is until he got his focus back onto God and remembered the judgment that awaited them if they didn’t repent. In today’s reading from the Psalms, he revisited that subject and praised God for His righteous judgment.
And at the end of 2 Kings, we see a great example of God’s mercy to His own even in the midst of national judgment.
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