ENDURE HARDSHIP AS DISCIPLINE
Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father?…No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it. Hebrews 12: 7-11
As we see in Hebrews chapter twelve, once we “keep our eyes fixed on Jesus,” we will be aware of how we should then live. Now he teaches us about the value of hardships and discipline that does not seem helpful but in the end produces a harvest of righteousness and peace.
Alexander was on his first research trip to Cuba for Open Doors. He asked a Cuban pastor what his needs were. He expected the response to itemize the many material needs that the churches in Cuba obviously lacked.
“The first thing we need is your prayers,” he replied, “to know the Body of Christ is with us.” Then he went on to list their tremendous need for Bibles, teaching aids, Sunday school materials and printing supplies. Then he concluded with the statement that they could use anything and everything. “If you send us just a bar of soap, we’ll be grateful,” he confessed. “We’ll praise God for it!”
Alexander says, “I felt a big lump in my throat as I thought of all the Bibles, literature and freedoms I enjoyed. Yet even with all my blessings, my testimony was not as strong. So I struggled to articulate my feelings. ‘Pastor,’ I said, ‘I can only begin to sense and imagine the difficulties you have encountered.’”
The pastor’s eyes became misty and he softly responded, “Oh yes brother, we have been through the most difficult years. Yet we don’t fear persecution. As a matter of fact, we welcome it because it purifies us!”
Freddie Sun spent years in prison in China because of his Christian faith. Prison was literally a trial of fire for him. He worked in a factory making tee-joints from pig iron. Every day he loaded and unloaded the furnace which fired up to 2700 degrees Fahrenheit. In the midst of this hell on earth, God spoke to him. “I have put you in this high-temperature furnace. Don’t worry—you won’t melt. But your impurities will be removed so you can become a useful tee-joint!”
RESPONSE: Today I will receive God’s discipline with the awareness that it is refining me to be more like Jesus.
PRAYER: Lord help me to accept hardship as Your discipline for my life. I look forward to the harvest of righteousness and peace.
 | Choosing Honor When I Feel Dishonored LYSA TERKEURST Lee en español |
“Sow righteousness for yourselves, reap the fruit of unfailing love, and break up your unplowed ground; for it is time to seek the LORD, until he comes and showers his righteousness on you.” Hosea 10:12 (NIV)
I remember one day when I got an email that started, “Shame on you.”
Lovely.
And of course, it came on the same day I had some technical issues messing with my workday along with a little attitude situation involving a family member.
But instead of firing off the initial email response my flesh wanted to send, I stopped and lifted up a simple and honest prayer: What is the deal, Jesus? Why do I always seem to have little pieces of brokenness in my life every day? It’s so frustrating. I need Your perspective on the brokenness, or I need a break from it. There was no answer. No instant verse. Nothing.
Until the next morning. With a tired heart, I sat once again at my farm table and opened up my tattered and worn Truth Book. And there, in the book of Hosea, God had wisdom my heart desperately needed. Wisdom I want us to break down together today:
“Sow righteousness for yourselves, reap the fruit of unfailing love, and break up your unplowed ground; for it is time to seek the LORD, until he comes and showers his righteousness on you” (Hosea 10:12).
Sow righteousness for yourselves …
In other words, we must sow righteousness into our lives — right choices that honor God. We must make these choices. Choose to honor Him in the midst of it all. Even when we are dishonored, honor Him still.
Reap the fruit of unfailing love …
There will be fruit in the midst of every choice that honors God. It will be the fruit of God’s unfailing love. Remember, Romans 8 teaches us that nothing shall separate us from the love of God. Yet, that is Satan’s great tactic — to get us entangled in things that make us forget or doubt God’s unfailing love.
We resist the enemy’s distracting entanglements by honoring God with the choices we face right now.
Break up your unplowed ground …
Pain and heartbreak are hard. But I’m learning we must not resist the blessing of brokenness that tills the ground of our hearts. Breaking up the unplowed ground of our hearts makes them ready for new life, new growth and new maturity that can’t be found any other way.
For it is time to seek the Lord …
We must seek God like never before. And part of seeking Him is allowing for grace space in our lives — granting God’s grace a space in our minds, our hearts, our lives. When circumstances of life leak us dry, we can see this emptiness as an opportunity. Instead of reacting out of emptiness, we can choose to see that this emptiness is the perfect spot for a space of grace in life.
And as we give grace to those who don’t deserve it, the mercy jars of heaven will lavish it back on us.
The showers …
I love this part. This is where we see growth. We begin making more right choices that honor Him. We start looking at life, people and annoying circumstances differently. And we even dare to whisper, “Thank You,” when the need for grace spaces comes again and again.
I don’t know what kind of frustrations or heartbreak you face today, sweet friend. But let’s decide right now we’ll give our hearts permission to grow in fertile soil by making right choices that honor God. Let’s make space for grace. And then let’s watch God work in our hearts and lives in ways we never would have dared to ask.
Father God, help me trust Your love for me enough to choose to act contrary to my feelings and simply walk in Your Truth. I know living according to Your ways yields a harvest of blessings. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
TRUTH FOR TODAY: Galatians 6:9, “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” (NIV)
RELATED RESOURCES: You don’t have to keep allowing triggers to hijack your emotions. Disempower them by embracing the two necessary parts of forgiveness with Lysa TerKeurst’s new book, Forgiving What You Can’t Forget. Get your copy here today.
CONNECT: Keep up with the latest from Lysa TerKeurst when you visit her website.
REFLECT AND RESPOND: Are there any relationships or circumstances where it has felt difficult to honor the Lord in your choices recently? How did today’s devotion encourage you? We would love to hear your thoughts in the comments!
© 2021 by Lysa TerKeurst. All rights reserved.Proverbs 31 Ministries
P.O. Box 3189
Matthews, NC 28106
www.Proverbs31.org
Promise #21
Promise #21:
I will shield your life and deliver you from the wicked.
Psalm 97:10 (WEB)
You who love Yahweh, hate evil.
He preserves the souls of his saints.
He delivers them out of the hand of the wicked.
God is our protector. God is our defender and He promises to shield us and deliver us from the hand of the wicked. The New Living Translation says Psalm 27:10 this way… You who love the Lord, hate evil! He protects the lives of his godly people and rescues them from the power of the wicked. (NLT)
No matter how great the opposition you are facing, God is greater because good fathers protect their kids. It is that simple. The world can be a very scary place to live in apart from this revelation. But when we know that our Dad is the biggest, the strongest and the most loving Dad in the universe, it makes all the difference in the world!
May we all be convinced of this truth on a deeper level than we have ever known before. My prayer today is that the knowledge of our Father’s protecting love will bring a sense of peace and rest and security in our soul so that we will be confident that He is indeed our fortress and our shield.
May we echo the words found in Psalm 91:1-2 that says… 1 He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. 2 I will say of Yahweh, “He is my refuge and my fortress; my God, in whom I trust.” (WEB)
Love God And Love Others Well
Keep Your Eye On The Prize
“I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.” — Philippians 3:14 NLT
Continuing education instructors and workplace training leaders will tell you that even adults will go above and beyond for the promise of a prize, no matter how small or silly. People who organize fund-raisers know this too — attendance is always better when an art show, 5K, or festival involves prizes. People love to know they’re winners.
In Philippians, Paul compared this life to a footrace. The good news is that the love of God will save you and ensure that you’re part of the race. And the better news? There’s a prize waiting for you at the end, even if you don’t do life perfectly (and rest assured, you won’t do it perfectly). The best news of all is that heavenly prize isn’t just heaven; it Jesus Himself.
In this event called life, the starting line and finish line are established in the love of God, and receiving the prize means setting your sights on Him.
I want to do the best I can in this race Lord. You’re the Prize that makes those steep hills worth it all. Amen.
Jesus speaks…
Keep believing and hoping. Then, at just the right time, I will lift you up. Until then, give Me all your worries, and trust that My plan for you is good—because I love you.
His Destiny Was The Cross
by: DaySpring
His destiny was the cross…
his purpose was love…
his reason was you.
All that God has, he gave us in Christ.
All that Christ has, he gave us through the cross.
All that Christ is, is all we’ll ever need…
and that makes him our everything.
Today’s Reading: Romans 8:37 NLT
No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.
Looking for more inspiration? You can find more resources for hope and encouragement, such as products to help you grow in your faith or resources in our article library on DaySpring.com.
5 Powerful Prayers for Protection in the Storms of Life
Compiled & Edited by Crosswalk Editorial Staff
Our world is filled with events and situations that can cause great fear and anxiety. It’s easy to become overwhelmed and live imprisoned by fear. But that is not the way of God! We are promised in God’s Word that he is faithful and will protect us. God wants us to let go of fear and to live life to the fullest! (John 10:10)
Remember this promise from Scripture:
“But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one.” (2 Thessalonians 3:3)
When you are overcome by worry, use these prayers for protection to remember who God is and the protection he has promised you.
Photo credit: ©Thinkstock
1. A Prayer for Personal Protection
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Father, I come to You today, bowing in my heart, asking for protection from the evil one. Lord, we are assailed moment by moment with images on television, the internet, books and newspapers that leave us vulnerable to sin of every kind. Surround us with Your divine hedge of protection. Encompass us round about with Your strength and Your might. Let all who take refuge in You be glad, let them ever sing for joy. And may You shelter us, that those who love Your name may exult in You. For it is You who blesses the righteous man, O LORD, You surround him favor as with a shield. (Psalm 5:11-12)
Lord, I ask that You protect our minds. Father, the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace. (Romans 8:6) O God, set our minds on You. Let us not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of our minds that we may prove what Your will is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. (Romans 12:2) Help us by the power of Your Spirit to think on whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything is worthy of praise, let our minds dwell on these things. (Philippians 4:8)
Strengthen us in the power of Your might, O God. Dress us in Your armor so that we can stand firm against the schemes of the devil. We know that our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.(Ephesians 6:10-12)
You are our keeper, O Lord, the shade on our right hand. Protect us from all evil and keep our soul. Guard our going out and our coming in. From this time and forever. In Jesus’ name, Amen. – by Lynn Cooke
Photo credit: ©Thinkstock/LincolnRogers
2. A Prayer to Protect My Family
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Lord, I pray Your emotional, physical, and spiritual protection over my kids (grandkids). Keep evil far from them, and help them to trust You as their refuge and strength. I pray You will guard their minds from harmful instruction, and grant them discernment to recognize truth. I pray You will make them strong and courageous in the presence of danger, recognizing that You have overcome and will set right all injustice and wrong one day. Help them to find rest in Your shadow, as they live in the spiritual shelter You provide for them. Let them know that the only safe place is in Jesus, and that their home on earth is only temporary. – Ryan Duncan, Culture Editor at Crosswalk.com
Photo credit: ©Thinkstock/itsmejust
3. A Prayer That My Family Will Know Your Love
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Lord, I pray that my kids (grandkids) will develop an eternal perspective and purpose, not an earthly one. Help them to see life–and every challenge–through Your eyes, eager and unafraid to share with others the good news of Jesus wherever they go. I pray that they will set their minds on things above, not just what’s going on here, and that they will be rooted and grounded in Your love. I pray they will come to understand the extent of Your own love for them–that it surpasses all the head knowledge they will acquire in school. I pray they will be filled up with You from morning ’til night. – Rebecca Barlow Jordan
Photo credit: ©Thinkstock/takasuu
4. “St. Patrick’s Breastplate” Protective Prayer
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Celtic monks used it to start their day.The hymn was several stanzas long, and the last two stanzas were especially memorable and moving:Christ be with me, Christ within me,Christ behind me, Christ before me,Christ beside me, Christ to win me,Christ to comfort and restore me.Christ beneath me, Christ above me,Christ in quiet, Christ in danger,Christ in hearts of all that love me,Christ in mouth of friend and stranger. I bind unto myself the Name,The strong Name of the Trinity;By invocation of the same.The Three in One, and One in Three,Of Whom all nature hath creation,Eternal Father, Spirit, Word:Praise to the Lord of my salvation,Salvation is of Christ the Lord. Photo credit: ©Thinkstock/RomoloTavani
5. “Priestly Blessings” Prayer from Scripture
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Numbers 6:22-27 is known as the “Priestly Blessing” or sometimes the “Aaronic Benediction.” There are seven requests made in this prayer.
The LORD said to Moses, “Tell Aaron and his sons, ‘This is how you are to bless the Israelites. Say to them: “’The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace.”‘ “So they will put my name on the Israelites, and I will bless them.”
1. The Lord bless you…
The word “bless” means to “provide favor or benefit.” Father, we pray that for our children. You are the Eternal God. Please place Your great kindness and advantage on those we love. May they be approved and favored by You.
2. and keep you…
The Hebrew word “keep” means to “watch, guard, defend.” This is a prayer for protection. Father, my children are not perfect. They are going to make mistakes. But please watch over them and guard them again mistakes of youth that are unalterable. Please defend them against temptation. Protect them against Satan who desires to devour them.
3. the LORD make his face shine upon you…
This is a request for God’s presence.Father, as a parent I know that I can’t be with my children all the time, but You can. Just like they feel the warmth of the sun shining on them, please allow them to experience Your presence. Thank You for being with them wherever they go.
4. and be gracious to you…
Grace is God’s undeserved favor. He gives us what we don’t deserve. Father, thank You for Your gift of grace. I pray that gift to be poured out on my children. Following that great gift of salvation, please show them your kindness and love in all the endeavors of their lives.
5. the Lord turn his face toward you…
Here is a request for God’s fellowship.Father, thank You, that because of their trust in Jesus, the Holy Spirit lives in my children. Please walk with them in a powerful way. Enable them to submit to the Spirit’s control day by day and moment by moment.
6. and give you peace.
The Hebrew word for peace used here is “shalom.” It means “completeness, wholeness, and contentment.” Lord, please calm my children’s fears; soothe their anxious souls. Keep them complete and whole in their thinking, emotions, desires, and actions.
7. So they will put my name on ___________ (the name of your child/children).
This is a request of identification. Lord, please place Your holy mark on my children. Set them apart to be used by You. I love them but You love them more. You love them with an everlasting love. May they represent You well on their earthly journey. And when their journey is completed, welcome them home to live forever with You.
(notes by Ron Moore, The Journey)
Photo credit: ©Thinkstock/vadimguzhva
Prayers for Protection and Safety from the Bible
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“But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one.” – 2 Thessalonians 3:3
“God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.” – Psalm 46:1
“My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one.” – John 17:15
“And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.” – Matthew 6:13
“Because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead, nor will you let your faithful one see decay. You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.” – Psalm 16:10-11
Read more Bible verses about protection.
To read the text-only version of this article please click here.
Photo credit: ©Thinkstock
5 Ways to Keep a Heavenly Perspective
Julie Sanders
Contributing Writer
Whether it’s a new year or a new day, most of us try to meet it with a fresh perspective.
For people of faith, we aim to keep a heavenly perspective. Try as we might, it seems the world works against us.
Morning notifications alert us to overnight developments in our nation, our community, and our family. How do we think in a godly way about life in an ungodly world?
With a mixed bag of media sending information across our mental screens, the stuff of earth has a way of hijacking our best intentions. It’s not easy to think God’s thoughts about the issues of the day or the lives we lead. Without a heavenly perspective, it’s impossible to live like Jesus as spouses, employees, parents, leaders, or neighbors.
To see what the Bible says about this problem plaguing all of humankind, I looked to see what God’s word has to say about how to keep a heavenly perspective.
Before we lean into wisdom for the way we think, let’s define perspective. Merriam-Webster says perspective is all about how we see things, especially how accurately we see them and how significantly we see them.
Perspective is, “The capacity to view things in their true relations or relative importance.” Do we see things as they really are and as important as they truly are?
A heavenly perspective sees life and its parts how God sees them and how significantly He sees them.
Here are 5 ways to keep a heavenly perspective.
Photo Credit: ©iStock/Getty Images Plus/bestdesigns
1. Think Big Picture to See God’s Way
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It’s easy to see what’s in front of us with a short-sighted view leading to tunnel vision. We only see a small slice of time and purpose. We need to consider how our limited view fits into God’s big picture.
“I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me.I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say, ‘My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please.’From the east I summon a bird of prey; from a far-off land, a man to fulfill my purpose. What I have said, that I will bring about; what I have planned, that I will do” (Isaiah 46:9b-11).
God has a heavenly purpose for events we watch play out on earth. Though His thoughts are beyond ours, we can be intentional about pausing to ask how God is working. How do issues of our day fit into His divine design?
God uses every circumstance to draw people to Himself and add to His glory among all nations. His ways are beyond our ability to understand. Still, His Holy Spirit uses His word, inspired and preserved, to give a glimpse of His heavenly outlook on our lives.
“Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out!” (Romans 11:33)
When we see events scrolling across our screens, it’s easy to fix our eyes on how it looks from where we live. But with God’s help, we can look through the lens of His truth to see the bigger picture and the higher purpose behind life here and now.
Photo Credit: ©GettyImages/metamorworks
2. Clear Away Distractions for a Heavenly Focus
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It’s hard to look through the lens of truth with distractions in the way.
Thoughts enter visually through texts, apps, television, websites and old-fashioned printed formats. Other thoughts find their way in audibly through podcasts, music, more apps, phone calls, real conversations, and environmental sounds.
Without boundaries on who, what, when, where, and how we receive input, overload is unavoidable. No one curates the combination of stimuli we receive.
If we find ourselves unable to see from heaven’s view, we may need to clear away distractions. Start with one of these five steps.
- Identify the top 3 sources that most often hijack your perspective.
- Take an inventory of information sources where you subscribe.
- Consider only keeping subscriptions with a heavenly perspective.
- Create a list of simple boundaries to practice keeping your perspective heavenly.
- Ask God to make you aware of distractions from His perspective.
Information piles up and clouds our view. Just one may be a speck in our sight, but many images, opinions, and events create clutter in an otherwise clear perspective.
Even a flood of good messages collect like a barrier of layers through which we see the world. These compete with our pursuit of an unobstructed understanding of God’s viewpoint.
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts” (Isaiah 55:8-9).
If we want to see like God sees, we have to clear the overwhelming flood of earthly input.
Photo Credit: ©Unsplash/Paul Skorupska
3. Compare Earthly Things to Heavenly Truth
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After an inventory of information and influences, it’s time to evaluate them with God’s word. By comparing earthly things to heavenly truths, we become more consistent in seeing with a godly view of life’s circumstances and their significance.
“Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, ‘If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that’” (James 4:14-15).
To keep a right view of our lives, we need to see where events fit with God’s divine purpose. We don’t know the details of our future, but we know our current state isn’t our permanent state. We know our flesh is temporary and our lives dependent on God’s plans.
Whether we contemplate a health decision, a parenting decision, a relationship commitment, a professional choice, or a response to authority, our current conduct fits into the context of eternity.
Truth puts life’s parts into perspective—God’s perspective.
Since the bulk of our lives will be lived in eternity, earthly decisions deserve to be driven by values of our heavenly home. Trophies, titles, arguments, and opinions take on different value when we see earthly life as a mist.
While it’s easy to get sidetracked by what the world loves, a divine glimpse of where this life fits changes everything. Not only does heavenly insight impact our future someday, but it impacts our present day.
As we parent, worship, save, serve, speak, work, act, advocate, and love, we see earthly investments through the filter of heavenly returns.
Photo Credit: ©Unsplash/Nathan Dumlao
4. Pray for Understanding of Earthly Issues
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God in His compassion, “remembers that we are dust,” (Psalm 103:14b). Our best efforts to sort out the stuff of our experience leave us scratching our heads or wringing our hands.
“If any of you lacks wisdom,” and we do, “you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you,” (James 1:5).
Our gentle Heavenly Father invites us to ask for help disentangling ourselves from thinking with only the limited insight of where we live. He motions us in close, letting us know He’ll give us lots of help getting His perspective when we ask.
Without stopping to ask for insight, we lack it. We move ahead with a down-sized version of what we could access through getting on our knees and getting a better grasp on what we see and experience.
God understands we’ll make our best-laid plans with what we know, but He assures us His all-knowing plans will win the day. By stopping to raise a plea for God’s perspective to shape our own, our earthly plans gain heavenly purpose.
“Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails” (Proverbs 19:21).
God hasn’t left us to muddle through as mankind without giving us insider access to His heavenly ways of seeing our lives. Like a parent who knows a telescope will amaze a childish mind straining to see the stars, He invites us to, “Come look at this.”
Through the lens of God’s truth, we find clarity and magnificence in what was once only darkness. He wants us to see our earthly days with the heavenly scope of eternity.
Photo Credit: ©iStock/Getty Images Plus/Anastasiia Stiahailo
5. Set Your Mind to Think Straight
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Enticed by passing experts, flamboyant opinions, or new voices, our gaze drops to earth over and over. We find it hard to take our eyes off shiny things marketed by media or other men.
Most offer assurances of their significance, promising to be more than man-made mist. Temptation whispers that to look away and compare issues to God’s word is to risk missing out or being left out. Earthly things and people promise to be the answer we’ve been waiting for.
It’s okay to stop fixating on fixing things of earth. God says, “Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things,” (Colossians 3:2). This doesn’t mean we abdicate our role to actively benefit things of this world with earthly good.
However, to “set” our minds is to get understanding by directing our affections in a specific direction.
We love things, make things, get things, and pursue things. While things aren’t offensive in themselves, God draws our attention to the priority of thinking in His ways to live in His ways as His people for His glory.
“No one serving as a soldier gets entangled in civilian affairs, but rather tries to please his commanding officer,” (2 Timothy 2:4).
With life now in the bigger picture of life forever, we’re free to let go of pre-occupation with “here.” We know God actively shepherds life’s circumstances, good and bad, for our good. “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28).
Although it is an expression of God’s love to fight for justice and mercy in the world, a heaven-focused mindset keeps these things in perspective.
Because of God’s nature and His authority over all things here and there, earth and heaven, we can trust Him. He’s fully aware of events playing out globally, nationally, locally, and personally. What a relief!
We can keep a heavenly perspective about earthly things by directing our minds to God’s truth. God’s got this.
Photo Credit: ©GettyImages/Mike Powell
Julie Sanders loves helping women find God’s peace in today’s challenging times. She is the author of Expectant, The ABCs of Praying for Students, and the creator of How to Prayer Walk for Your School. She and her husband call Central Oregon home, but serve leaders globally and cross-culturally. Julie can be found at juliesanders.org.
4 Things You Can Do for Your Adult Children Who Don’t Believe in God
Deirdre Reilly
deirdrereilly.com
Having adult children who do not have faith may be one of the hardest roads for a loving Christian parent to travel. Even if you have done everything right — you attended church when your kids were growing up, prayers were said every night at the dinner table, and you openly turned to God in both praise and supplication — sometimes those sweet little kids who so openly, trustingly believed in Christ grow into questioning, doubting, and even impatient adults who shut you down at the mere mention of God or His son.
You know your adult children were lovingly created by God, and eternally loved by Him; Jeremiah I:5 pinpoints the intimate nature of that holy love, stating, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.”
You are probably praying every day for your adult child’s salvation, too — the most important action you can take in all situations. So, why can’t your kids just get with the program, and believe?
There is good news in this challenging situation. The Lord gave us free will for a very important reason: He wants us to come to Him willingly. He does not want robots who love Him because our parents told us to.
Who hasn’t been moved by the depiction of Christ knocking on the closed door? Many have not opened that door until adulthood. But they have opened it, finally understanding that stanza of the beloved old hymn “Amazing Grace”: “How precious did that grace appear, the hour I first believed.”
This can happen for your adult children! God will ultimately do the heavy lifting, but here are some ways you can help while respecting your adult children’s’ autonomy — and even strengthening the parent-child bond in the process.
Photo Credit: ©GettyImages/fizkes
Walk a Mile in Their Shoes — Respect the Challenges of Modern Life.
Today, simple pleasures enjoyed in the past often take a back seat to time spent on social media, longer hours at work, and constant pressure to fulfill many different roles. Young women are hit with constant images of how they are supposed to look and act, with those standards constantly changing. One moment they are supposed to be feminist icons, and the next, multi-tasking spouses and parents, posting picture-perfect versions of themselves and their families to Facebook. Young men are also presented with conflicting messages: they are to be sensitive, always-present partners, and also be confident bread-winners and “real men.”
Simply put, in days past there was more time to thoughtfully consider faith and its place in our lives. We were not tempted into increasingly random social media interactions back then, and daily life didn’t rely so much on technology. Today, a bevy of apps promise to deliver what we were able to find on our own: peace and focus.
Young adults are navigating a lot of pressures every day. Importantly, they may rarely discuss these pressures, as they take on a more mature role of shielding their parents from worry. If parents of adult children respect this reality, in a sense “walking a mile in their shoes,” it will lend focus to any talk about faith. Perhaps a parent can try beginning conversations with, “So tell me about how busy you are lately; how do you handle all that so well?” That is a lot more likely to open a deeper conversation than, “I am worried about your salvation — can we talk?” Empathy and understanding are important tools, and shouldn’t be overlooked.
The Bible offers some good direction here, in Colossians 3:21: “Fathers, do not embitter your children, or they will become discouraged.”
Make Sure Your Adult Child Has a Bible
This might sound very simple, but many young adults raised in the church do not have God’s Word handy. Perhaps when they moved out of the family home the Bible was left behind, a symbol of a more childish, more dependent past. Perhaps they gave their Bible away when culling through their book collection. Or perhaps it’s down in the basement gathering dust.
Whatever the case, a Bible is the most important book anyone can own. It contains all of life’s truths and offers a blueprint for how to live, too.
While your adult kids may not accept that, it doesn’t make it less true.
Additionally, how often does the light bulb of belief go on when in church, conveniently near a Bible? Many salvation stories occur outside of the church. Many occur at the brink of despair, when an individual has reached the end of their rope, trying to find their way alone. A Bible is a physical and metaphysical lifeline; it is both a book you can hold and a Spirit you can feel. If your adult child has a Bible or a Bible app, God’s Word is with them — and if that light bulb of faith does go off, they are ready to be willingly, joyously swallowed up in its brilliant light.
To my shame, years ago an acquaintance who is an atheist told me she didn’t have a copy of the Bible — and I did nothing about that. How easy it would have been to drop off one of my copies, or gift her with her own. But my own busy life took over, and that precious opportunity was lost.
Drop off a Bible to your adult kid, or send them one, if they’re far away. You can also recommend a good Bible app. Chances are, they will keep that Bible around, whether on their bookshelf or on their phone, because they love you.
Photo Credit: ©Sparrowstock
Be Ready to Listen to Doubts and Old Hurts
We like to think we know everything about our children’s formative years, but we don’t. They have experienced some things that will be forever unknown to us. This may include things that have deeply hurt them when it comes to faith. Perhaps they prayed and prayed for something that never happened, and it dimmed a light deep inside of them. Perhaps a personal tragedy — the loss of a parent or loved one, a broken love relationship — hardened your child’s heart to God. Whatever the reason, a wounded child often grows into a doubting, rejecting adult. Sometimes only God can reach into a hurting heart.
When I was a non-believing teen of 19, my parents asked me to go to a young people’s Bible study at their church, and I grudgingly complied. During a game of Bible Trivia, I was asked a relatively simple question about the Bible, but I came up empty — not having ever really read the Bible, it would have been unusual if I did know the answer.
The other teens in the group snickered and whispered at my ignorance. They quietly mocked my inability to answer the question, and I left the group deciding that becoming a Christian was about the last thing I would ever do. My parents were understandably dismayed by the group’s reaction, and I never returned. And although at the time I made fun of those kids and their rudeness, I was, deep down, hurt by their mockery. And it stunted my faith growth for several years.
Perhaps your adult child has experienced something similar, or even more serious, by a Christian who claims to represent God. Humans are fallible, and will often let us down. If you listen carefully and empathically when your adult child expresses hurt or doubt, and do so without judgment or expectation, the warm feeling of being heard may open a door in your child’s heart — or at least a window.
Be Yourself — You Are a Christian!
As a way to stay close to adult children, Christian parents may de-emphasize their faith, or not mention it at all. They seek open channels of communication with their kids and fear that too much “God talk” will chase them away. No parent likes to hear the sigh on the telephone or witness the subtle eye roll when the topic of faith is broached.
A dear friend of mine shared her method for talking with her non-believing adult child: “She knows I am a Christian, she was raised in the faith, and I love her and she is precious to me no matter where she is when it comes to belief. I believe the Lord will work in her life in His perfect time, and I never, ever hesitate to say, ‘I’m praying for you.’ That’s the best way I know to love her; to pray for her.”
I think back to my own teen years full of doubt. My parents would talk freely about their faith, and my mother, in particular, would leave short books on faith topics in my bedroom. I did not read them at the time (except for the inscriptions; her heartfelt notes to a beloved daughter), but now I treasure these well-worn books. I’m so glad she loved me enough to look past my doubts and give me these books.
There is an often-quoted Bible passage that speaks to raising children in faith for their lifelong benefit. Proverbs 22:6 tells us, “Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.” There is a delightfully hidden nature to this verse; it addresses both childhood and old age but does not make a comment on the middle part of life. I believe God is carefully watching over our adult children during these busy middle years, and the fruits of our early faith instruction combined with our crucial daily prayers may indeed only be harvested in their later years.
Remember, in the vast spectrum of space and time, it doesn’t matter the date of your arrival to the Kingdom — only that you do finally reach that glorious destination.
Photo Credit: ©GettyImages/monkeybusinessimages
Deirdre Reilly is a writer and editor, and her commentary has appeared on various websites including CBN.com, FoxNews.com, and others. Her new book, “The Pretend Christian: Traveling Beyond Denomination to the True Jesus,” details her own personal journey through doubt and fear into true belief. You can connect with Deirdre via www.deirdrereilly.com, or follow her on Twitter at @deirdrewrites.
yes, God is listening
God is intimate, compassionate, and faithful to respond according to His will. ~ Ruth Schwenk, Settle My Soul
He Bends Down
Ruth Schwenk, co-author with Karen Ehman of Settle My Soul
Turn Your ear to me, come quickly to my rescue; be my rock of refuge, a strong fortress to save me. — Psalm 31:2
As I sat waiting for a friend to join me at a local coffee shop, I overheard part of a conversation from a woman who was visibly frustrated. She was a young woman, most likely in her late twenties or early thirties. A working professional. She was describing a meeting with her supervisor who for nearly twenty minutes never looked up from his phone as he answered questions, clearly multitasking and half listening.
I can see why she was so upset!
Who wants to be half listened to?
We’ve probably all done the same, in varying degrees. We try to do too much all at once. We half listen to a coworker, friend, husband, or even our kids. We are sort of there, or there just enough, but far from fully present.
While we have all been on both the giving and receiving end of this type of listening, one thing we can be confident of is that God does not listen to us this way. He is never distracted or annoyed. He is fully engaged, fully attentive, and faithful to respond.
The psalmist gave us a beautiful description of just how much God loves us and desires to listen to us. He wrote, “Turn your ear to me, come quickly to my rescue; be my rock of refuge, a strong fortress to save me” (Psalm 31:2). It’s staggering to think about how the word translated as “turn your ear” can also be translated as “bow down your ear.”
Imagine the King of kings, the Lord of all Creation, the One we bow down to bending His ear to us. He doesn’t listen from afar. He bends down, gets close, turns His ear to hear us. He is intimate, compassionate, and faithful to respond according to His will.
God loves us by listening to us. Even when He seems distant, He is not. He is present, faithful, and working out His purposes and promises, often in ways we can’t see.
So cry out to Him. Don’t stop seeking Him. In faith and persistence, draw near to the God who loves you by listening to you.
Father, I know You ask me to come to You in faith and with persistence. Remind me of the way You are present, active, and compassionate toward me. Thank You for loving me by listening to me. In Jesus’ name, amen.
- How have you seen God work in your midst when you take time to listen to Him?
- What is most encouraging about the image of God bowing down His ear to listen to you?
~ Ruth
Excerpted with permission from Settle My Soul by Karen Ehman and Ruth Schwenk, copyright Karen Ehman and Ruth Schwenk.
. . . .
Your Turn
If you feel unheard by God, if you think your prayers hit the ceiling and fall to the floor, if you think He’s forgotten you, you’re believing lies. God loves to love you. He is listening, watching, and actively involved in your life even when you can’t see it. I once heard a beautiful turn of phrase that God bends down so close to listen that it’s more kiss than communication. Come share your thoughts with us on our blog. We want to hear from you! ~ Laurie McClure, Faith.Full
iBIBLE Behind the Scenes | Sister or Wife?
RevelationMedia
A Behind-the-Scenes Look
at the Making of iBIBLE
Sister or Wife?
Welcome to a behind-the-scenes look at the research and artwork that goes into making each scene of iBIBLE. Today, we look at Abram and Isaac’s ruses involving their wives.
As we make our way through the entire Divine narrative, illustrating the iBIBLE, there are some unusual events that must be animated. For example, two times in Scripture, Abram said that his wife Sarai was his sister. And later, his son, Isaac, did the same with his own wife. Let’s look at why they conceived of such ruses, and what happened next.
The first time this happened was after Abram left Haran at 75 years old. Abram, his wife Sarai, and their tribe traveled around Canaan, pitched their tents, fed their flocks, and journeyed on. While traveling, they received a promise from God that He would give this land to Abram’s descendants. But then, trouble came:
Now there was a famine in the land. So Abram went down to Egypt to sojourn there, for the famine was severe in the land.—Gen. 12:10 [ESV]
As they approached the formidable empire of Egypt, Abram turned to his wife with an unusual request:
When he was about to enter Egypt, he said to Sarai his wife, “I know that you are a woman beautiful in appearance, and when the Egyptians see you, they will say, ‘This is his wife.’ Then they will kill me, but they will let you live. Say you are my sister, that it may go well with me because of you, and that my life may be spared for your sake. —Gen. 12:11–13
Abram asked Sarai to say she was his sister
Abram was worried that once the men in Egypt saw how beautiful Sarai was, they would simply kill him so they could marry Sarai. Motivated by fear, Abram asked her to say that she was his sister, rather than his wife.
So, what happened when they arrived in Egypt? Abram was proven (at least partially) right!
When Abram entered Egypt, the Egyptians saw that the woman was very beautiful. And when the princes of Pharaoh saw her, they praised her to Pharaoh. And the woman was taken into Pharaoh’s house. —Gen. 12:14–15
Sarai was so beautiful that Pharoah’s princes mentioned her to Pharaoh. Then, she was taken into Pharaoh’s house. Abram was treated very well because of this, and was given gifts of sheep, donkeys, camels, and servants. But, all was not right in Egypt: Sarai was Abram’s wife, and God was not pleased.
But the Lord afflicted Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai, Abram’s wife. —Gen. 12:17
Pharaoh and all of the people living in his house suffered great plagues! The Bible doesn’t tell us how Pharaoh figured out that taking Sarai into his house was the cause of the plagues, but he understood it soon enough, and called for Abram:
So Pharaoh called Abram and said, What is this you have done to me? Why did you not tell me that she was your wife? Why did you say, ‘She is my sister,’ so that I took her for my wife? Now then, here is your wife; take her, and go.” —Gen. 12:18–19
Pharaoh ordered his men to send Abram, Sarai, and all his tribe out of Egypt. This event should have taught Abram that he could have trusted God all along. What would have happened if God had not intervened?
Pharaoh sent Abram and Sarai away
Years passed, and Abram’s name was changed by God from Abram to Abraham, meaning “father of many” to remind him of the promise that God had made to him, saying, “You shall be the father of a multitude of nations.” (Gen. 17:4) And, God reiterated His promise to make a nation from Sarai, and changed her name to Sarah. (Gen. 17:15)
Despite God’s continued provision and protection of Abraham, he repeated the same deception as before. This time, it took place when he entered the Philistine city of Gerar.
And Abraham said of Sarah his wife, “She is my sister.” And Abimelech king of Gerar sent and took Sarah. —Gen. 20:2
And again, God intervened:
But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night and said to him, “Behold, you are a dead man because of the woman whom you have taken, for she is a man’s wife.” Now Abimelech had not approached her. So he said, “Lord, will you kill an innocent people? Did he not himself say to me, ‘She is my sister’? And she herself said, ‘He is my brother.’ In the integrity of my heart and the innocence of my hands I have done this.” —Gen. 20:3–5
Abimelech received a warning from God
King Abimelech rose early the next morning, and took swift action.
Then Abimelech called Abraham and said to him, “What have you done to us? And how have I sinned against you, that you have brought on me and my kingdom a great sin? You have done to me things that ought not to be done.” —Gen. 20:9–10
Again, the Scripture reveals that Abraham was motivated by fear. However, he also added that Sarah was indeed his half-sister:
Abraham said, “I did it because I thought, ‘There is no fear of God at all in this place, and they will kill me because of my wife.’ Besides, she is indeed my sister, the daughter of my father though not the daughter of my mother, and she became my wife.” —Gen. 20:11–12
While Abraham offered the explanation that Sarah was, at least partially, his sister, his words did not erase the fact that he had deceived the King into believing Sarah was not his wife.
This same deception is repeated a third time with Abraham’s son Isaac in the same city of Gerar. And again, the motivation was fear:
So Isaac settled in Gerar. When the men of the place asked him about his wife, he said, “She is my sister,” for he feared to say, “My wife,” thinking, “lest the men of the place should kill me because of Rebekah,” because she was attractive in appearance. —Gen. 26:6–7
And when Abimelech, the king of the Philistines, looked out a window and saw Isaac and Rebekah laughing together, he called for Isaac:
So Abimelech called Isaac and said, “Behold, she is your wife. How then could you say, ‘She is my sister’?” Isaac said to him, “Because I thought, ‘Lest I die because of her.’” Abimelech said, “What is this you have done to us? One of the people might easily have lain with your wife, and you would have brought guilt upon us.” So Abimelech warned all the people, saying, “Whoever touches this man or his wife shall surely be put to death.” —Gen. 26:9–11
Abimelech rebuked Isaac and Rebekah
Isaac had not learned from the errors of his father even though God had intervened both times. Rebekah, however, was also spared being taken as a wife by Abimelech. Without God’s intervention, both Abraham and Isaac could have lost their beautiful wives.
SIDENOTE: There is debate among scholars as to whether Abimelech is the same king that tried to take Sarai as his wife years earlier, or if Abimelech was a term related to position of leadership, like that of a Pharaoh. Whether it is the same Abimelech as before or not, we see that Isaac followed in Abraham’s footsteps and convinced his wife to say that she was his sister. Both Abraham and Isaac did so out of fear for their own lives.
The Biblical narrative reveals many events between God and His people. And, even though God had chosen Abraham and Isaac to build a legacy of people who would be in covenant with Him, they were also human, and not without their own weakness and sin. The Bible reveals God’s mercy in the face of man’s frailties!
Throughout iBIBLE, viewers will learn that even the patriarchs of the Bible struggled with trials, temptations, and fears. This can bring courage to the viewer because it inspires us to look to God for our perfection, and not to our own strength, lest anyone should boast.
Unpacking Holy Scripture is more than an adventure. It is guide and source for our own journey of faith! Thank you for walking with us as we proclaim God’s story to the world in this new and innovative format!
The Bible reveals God’s mercy in the face of man’s frailties!
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take a walk on the wild side
Parenting may not be an easy journey, but in this it is truly a sacred one. — Gary Thomas, Sacred Parenting
Walking on the Wild Side of Parenting
by Gary Thomas, from Sacred Parenting
In our enthusiasm to celebrate children (a good thing), we are sometimes tempted to overlook the key Christian doctrine of original sin. A child can be raised by godly parents, yet still choose to live an ungodly life:
A wise son heeds his father’s instruction, but a mocker does not listen to rebuke. —Proverbs 13:1
Some sons can bring great honor to their home and their parents; others choose to bring shame:
He who gathers crops in summer is a wise son, but he who sleeps during harvest is a disgraceful son. —Proverbs 10:5
Some children will bring anguish rather than joy:
A wise son brings joy to his father, but a foolish man despises his mother. —Proverbs 15:20
At times children can even steal from their parents (Proverbs 28:24) or drive their mother from her own house (Proverbs 19:26). In this regard, the Bible is more honest than many contemporary Christians. In the Old Testament, God gives us accounts of children who do all sorts of heinous acts.
Abimelech, the son of Gideon, provides one such example. We don’t know a lot about Gideon and his parenting style, but we do know that God’s hand was with Gideon as He used him to free Israel from the control of the Midianites. After Gideon’s great exploits, the people tried to make Gideon king:
Rule over us — you, your son and your grandson – because you have saved us out of the hand of Midian. —Judges 8:22
Gideon refused, demonstrating a noble and humble character:
I will not rule over you, nor will my son rule over you. The LORD will rule over you. — Judges 8:23
Gideon lived a post-military life of blessing and had many children. After Gideon’s death, one of his sons, Abimelech, burned with ambition to rule the nation. Desperate to establish himself as ruler and remove all pretenders, Abimelech murdered all his brothers, except for one. By the providential judgment of God, Abimelech died when a woman dropped a millstone on his head. The Bible tells us that God lay behind this attack:
Thus God repaid the wickedness that Abimelech had done to his father by murdering his seventy brothers.
—Judges 9:56
God apparently didn’t have a problem considering this child a curse. In His providential plan, He sought the death of this wickedly ambitious son.
Sometimes a wayward son or daughter results from a poor upbringing; the parents may indeed have to assume some of the blame (Proverbs 29:15). But a child can receive many spiritual advantages and still choose, with the freedom God gives him, to become a wayward son. Jesus loved Judas as a son, yet the betrayer still opted to turn against Him. Adam and Eve had a godly son (Abel) and a murderous son (Cain). Was their parenting the only factor leading Abel to offer worthy sacrifices and Cain to turn into a selfish, jealous, and bloodthirsty sibling?
President John Adams had one son —John Quincy — who followed him into the presidency and enjoyed a prosperous career. Two other sons had shameful lifestyles. Charles Adams became an alcoholic – his mother described him as a “poor, unhappy, wretched man.” One relative described Thomas Adams as “one of the most unpleasant characters in this world… a brute in manners and a bully to his family.” John and Abigail raised one remarkable son and two disgraceful ones. Was their parenting the only factor that determined each boy’s character?
I suspect I’ve probably raised more than a few eyebrows by now. I can even imagine some condemnations: “How dare you suggest children aren’t a blessing? I bet you also favor abortion, don’t you?”
No, I definitely do not. I am ardently, passionately, and unequivocally pro-life. But I’ve also had enough life experience to know that parenting – even sacred parenting – comes with no guarantees, and I grieve for the good, decent, and godly parents who get treated like pariahs because a kid of theirs goes bad. They weren’t “perfect” parents, of course, and in that sense they may share some of the blame. But tell me – just who is a perfect parent?
Show me one father or one mother who didn’t, at times, spoil their child, just a little. Who didn’t, out of fear or weariness or ignorance or overcommitment, fail to confront something that needed to be faced, at least one time? I’ll let that parent cast the first stone.
Some of us got away with it; some of us didn’t. In my travels I’ve met far too many godly parents who live with a gaping wound. Not only do they face the pain of watching their deeply loved child self- destruct, but they also live with a judgment that the child’s abhorrent way of life stems from their failure as parents.
Godly children are a tremendous blessing; this is a precious biblical truth. But Scripture is honest, and we should be as well. Wayward children can, at the very least, feel like a fierce curse.
How sobering to face the vulnerability that someone could make our lives absolutely miserable – and yet we would lay down our lives on his or her behalf without thinking about it. Just such an amazing spiritual transformation takes place in the journey of parenting. Once again, Paul models our call to this ministry when he writes,
Who is weak, and I do not feel weak? Who is led into sin, and I do not inwardly burn? —2 Corinthians 11:29
For many of us, however, the difficulty of parenting comes not in facing betrayal but in enduring a very tiring occupation. Today’s Christian usually prays for relief, for comfort, and for healing – but that’s not always what Scripture teaches us to do.
For example, the apostle Paul prayed that the Colossians would be…
…strengthened with all power according to [God’s] glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience. —Colossians 1:11
Instead of immediately asking for their deliverance, Paul prayed that the believers in Colosse would grow in maturity.
If you think about it, how do we grow in endurance and patience? Only one path exists, which we’ve already mentioned: to have both our endurance and patience sorely tried, even past the breaking point, until we learn to rest in God’s “glorious might.” You’ll never develop your biceps if you lift just one-pound weights; you have to stress the muscle beyond its normal routine. The same principle holds true spiritually. If God gives us situations we already have the strength to handle, we won’t have to grow in order to deal with them.
The crux of the issue is this: Our first and natural inclination in any trial is to pray for God to remove the difficulty. But God’s first priority is often to strengthen us in the midst of the difficulty rather than to take us out of the difficulty. That’s because He can see the treasure that lies at the end of the trail.
Consider how many times you have broken your promises once offered fervently and earnestly to God. Consider on how many occasions you have said or thought or even done vile things in full sight of a holy and perfect God. Consider God’s eagerness to forgive you, the persistence of His grace, the limitless supply of His understanding and patience and mercy —all offered without condition on your behalf.
Without difficult children, we might take this patience and mercy and forgiveness for granted. That’s where difficult children become a rare gift – they show us a side of God we might otherwise miss.
Parenting may not be an easy journey, but in this it is truly a sacred one.
Excerpted with permission from Sacred Parenting by Gary Thomas, copyright Gary L. Thomas
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Your Turn
Raising difficult children is definitely the often painful, hidden, and unspoken wild side of parenting, especially among Christians. But, what our children ask of us pales in comparison to what we ask of God. How have your parenting difficulties actually shined a brighter light on God’s grace in your life? Come join the conversation! We want to hear from you. ~ Devotionals Daily
Wisdom for Today
“The memory of the righteous will be a blessing.” – Proverbs 10:7
Dose of Devotion 