Worthy of Praise
|
Posted:Sep 10, 2009 11:51 am
Last Updated:Jan 24, 2026 5:56 am 10210 Views
|
Worthy of Praise Proverbs 31:28,29
Her rise up and bless her; her husband also, and he praises her, saying: "Many daughters have done nobly, but you excel them all."
The crowning glory of the woman in Proverbs 31 is that her and husband praise her. I think one thing we're not emphasizing today is praising moms for being the keepers of our greatest national treasure-our .I think Debbie Haley really sums up what a mom is all about. Here is a portion of Debbie's tribute to her mother, Jane:
Mom was born in a small town in Kentucky. She was married in the middle of her senior year in high school. Two years after I was born, Mom didn't go to college and pursue a glamorous career. She did something much greater. She raised four who now rise up and call her blessed.
Mom showed me what it was to have a faith in God. Mom showed me what generosity and sacrificial giving were all about. She taught me about being honest. She taught me about manners. Mom showed me what it was to love your husband. She has now loved him in marriage for some 38 years.
Mom took care of herself. She was so beautiful and I always was proud of her. I wanted to grow up and be a mother just like her. Mom showed me that the most important thing a woman can do is to serve her family by staying at home with her .
Mom is now reaping the rewards of being a grandmother. My are blessed to have her for one. I know that God has called me to be a mother. I am proud to be one and proud to have a mother like the one I have. I pray that I can take what she has given me and pass it down to my daughters.
Thank you, Mom. I love you.
These are words more mothers need to hear from their .
Prayer:
That God would give you the opportunity soon to thank your mother for the good things she has done in your life.
Discuss: For what qualities can you praise your mother?
|
|
|
0
Comments
|
|
Motherhood as a Career
|
Posted:Sep 9, 2009 10:33 am
Last Updated:Jan 24, 2026 5:56 am 10120 Views
|
Motherhood as a Career by Barbara Rainey Titus 2:4,5
That they may encourage the young women to love their husbands, to love their , to be sensible, pure, workers at home, kind, being subject to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be dishonored.
Our society often sends the wrong signals to mothers. It tells moms they are dispensable. It tells us that all mothers need to do is provide maid service, shuttle service and offer purchasing advice; that real mothering can be done by trained caretakers.I believe Christian mothers need to think critically about these cultural messages and challenge them. More moms need to make a career of busying themselves at home, and investing in their husbands and the next generation.
I realize there are many reasons for mothers to have full-time or part-time jobs. But I also know some couples need to look critically at whether this is for survival, for personal fulfillment or simply to maintain a higher standard of living. If a couple feels it's necessary for Mom to work outside the home, some crucial questions should be addressed.
A Christian mother should ask whether her husband is in total agreement with this decision. The two-career marriage may solve financial difficulties, but it creates others because many needs of the family will not receive full attention.
Another good question is: If extra income is essential, can it be earned on a flexible time frame, or by working at home? A woman in my church was able to develop a part-time photography business out of her home. She was always sure that whenever she had appointments she could leave her little boy with her husband or a friend.
A career speaks of total commitment and full-time focus. No commitment or focus is more worthy of being a career than mothering the you bring into the world.
Prayer:
That God will guide you to make decisions about career and family that reflect the priority that rearing should have in a Christian home.
Discuss: What are some prices sometimes pay for both parents working outside the home?
|
|
|
0
Comments
|
|
Satan's Lies to Families 2
|
Posted:Sep 8, 2009 11:38 am
Last Updated:Jan 24, 2026 5:56 am 10210 Views
|
Satan's Lies to Families (Part Two) John 8:44
Whenever he [the devil] speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature; for he is a liar, and the father of lies.
I can think of at least four lies Satan tells families:1. "You're a failure. You'll never make it." The lie of self-condemnation is one of Satan's chief weapons. You may struggle with feelings of guilt, failure or inferiority. Satan would have us believe that our faults are much too damaging to be covered by the grace of God. If you believe this lie, it renders you powerless, passive and paralyzed without any hope of progress as a parent.
2. "You don't deserve to be unhappy." Of course God does want us to be happy, but the way Satan puts the statement is a lie because he means, "All you need to do is get out from under this relationship or these family pressures and you'll be happy." It's a "feel-good lie" because what really feels good is working through problems together.
3. "Nobody will find out." Have you ever heard a little voice tempting you to do something illegal or immoral that would bring instant satisfaction or pleasure? You may think nobody will discover what you do, but that's a lie. The truth will come out.
4. "If I had what Sam has, I'd be happier." Satan wants you to think that what you have is inferior to what someone else has. The lie is exposed when we realize that such comparisons are always made from a distance. If we had what Sam had, we would probably experience Sam-type problems, and they may be worse than ours.
Remember that Satan is a counterfeiter. If we refuse to believe his lies, he is rendered powerless. Resist him by remembering the truth of God's Word.
Prayer:
That a sense of God's own power will fill your heart, and that His voice through the Word will drown out each of Satan's lies.
Discuss: Which of these lies do you see Satan using with you? Be specific.
|
|
|
0
Comments
|
|
Satan's Lies to Families
|
Posted:Sep 7, 2009 9:18 am
Last Updated:Jan 24, 2026 5:56 am 10683 Views
|
Satan's Lies to Families (Part One) John 8:44
He [the devil] was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him.
The "Desert Storm" conflict that Saddam Hussein fueled a few years ago caused me to reflect on the spiritual battle that daily swirls around your family and ours.Families don't seem to talk about spiritual battle much. Our enemy is unseen. The theater for operations and battles-our souls (our minds, emotions and will)-does not appear on any map. Maybe it sounds a little too mystical for us to think of life being more than what is seen, but the Bible says spiritual battle is real. And what is at stake is of the utmost importance.
Joe Louis, one of the greatest heavyweight boxers of all time, was once asked about the secret of his success. Lewis responded by saying that he and his manager always studied each opponent thoroughly. As a result, Louis said, he was seldom surprised and was able to stay on the offensive throughout the entire fight.
I feel that too many Christians are uninformed about Satan and his tactics. As a result, many are living defensive, shell-shocked lifestyles. I want to help you stay on the offensive and win your family's encounters with the adversary by learning one of his primary strategies.
A good friend, Ney Bailey, made a profound statement about our spiritual adversary, Satan, and his daily tactics on our spiritual lives: "The only power that Satan has is in his lies and getting us to believe them."
It was interesting to watch how Saddam Hussein used lies to intimidate, create fear and keep us off balance in battle. In the first 24 hours of the ground war offensive, Baghdad radio reported that, "Allied troops were dying like flies." I felt afraid. I just knew he had killed thousands of our troops with chemical and biological weapons. I felt that perhaps this ground war is not such a good idea after all; maybe we should pull out and go home.
But I was believing a lie. It was only as the truth became clear, that my fears were relieved: Our forces were achieving overwhelming victory.
Satan knows better than Saddam Hussein that his real power in your life is through his lies.
Prayer:
In prayer resist the devil-the promise is he will flee from you. Ask God to help you recognize your real enemy, spot the lies and grow in faith.
Discuss: How frequently do you doubt God's Word? What lies undermine your faith in God and His Word?
|
|
|
0
Comments
|
|
and the Image of God
|
Posted:Sep 4, 2009 9:31 am
Last Updated:Jan 24, 2026 5:56 am 10189 Views
|
by Dennis and Barbara Rainey
September 4
and the Image of God Genesis 1:27
And God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.
How do you communicate to your that they are cherished and accepted both by you and by God, while still holding up realistic standards for them?The world places a premium upon performance. As a result, three false values have arisen: intellect, beauty and athletic ability. You must respect your 's uniquenesses above the imposing pressures of the world's value system, showing that they are made in God's image regardless of performance.
It's also difficult to build self-esteem when parents have differing expectations. Consider the boy who grows up with a father who wants him to be aggressive, competitive and outgoing. Add a mother who desires a quiet, calm, "mommy's boy." The result is a caught in a vice, unable to please either of his parents.
Your own upbringing influences your ability to communicate reasonable expectations. If your parents held unachievable standards over you, you will tend to do the same thing to your , even though you fight fiercely to avoid it.
What can you do to correct unreal expectations? First, know your . Know his or her true abilities and interests. Each should be uniquely considered, apart from siblings.
Second, clearly verbalize your expectations. Unfortunately, many standards are never spoken until they are violated. One suggestion: Write down all the major expectations you hold for your and post them on a personalized bulletin board.
Third, praise your for genuine effort. Warm praise and respect will encourage the growth of positive self-esteem. You might ask yourself, "How many times do I positively reinforce my for his or her efforts each day?" Don't be guilty of withholding your approval from your . Lavishly grant approval of a "job well done."
Prayer:
That you can experience God's acceptance in order to communicate acceptance and self-esteem to your .
Discuss: On a scale of 1-10 (1 = low), rank your parents' expectations of you as a . Discuss with your mate how those expectations affect you and your parenting style today.
|
|
|
0
Comments
|
|
The Weight of Expectations
|
Posted:Sep 3, 2009 12:11 pm
Last Updated:Jan 24, 2026 5:56 am 10173 Views
|
The Weight of Expectations Ephesians 6:4
And, fathers, do not provoke your to anger; but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.
A doctor, on his way to visit a new baby in the hospital, found a small piece of paper on the floor. On the crumpled sheet a new father had scribbled: John Peter Jones...John P. Jones...Governor John Jones...Pastor John Jones...President John P. Jones...J. P. Jones all the way.This young fellow may be fortunate to have a father with vision, ambition and a healthy degree of flexibility. However, he also may have some problems if these same expectations become unreasonable demands.
Parental expectations have a great effect on developing your 's self-esteem. The God-given influence you have over your 's formative years is crucial to your 's view of him- or herself. In her book Your 's Self-Esteem, Dorothy Corkille Briggs writes, " rarely question our expectations; instead they question their personal inadequacy to achieve those expectations."
Today, many Christians carry excess and unnecessary baggage in their walks with Christ due to poor self-esteem developed while they were . As parents, it is imperative that we raise our to know Christ and to have healthy, balanced perspectives of who they are: sinful, but also highly valued and loved by God.
I will never forget one of my first counseling appointments when we started this ministry to families. A mom sat in my office and told the story of her 11-year-old 's relationship with his dad.
The father constantly criticized the boy: "You dummy-you left the door open!" "Look at these grades-that's pitiful!" "You struck out at the game-I can't believe you did that!" "Look at your room, it's a mess and so are you!"
That boy is a man today. And I wouldn't be surprised if, each day, he hears a loud inner voice of self-doubt. His own father, in his zeal to make his a success, programmed him for failure instead.
Prayer:
That God's acceptance of you will cause you to be so secure that you willingly extend acceptance and realistic expectations to your .
Discuss: Talk with your spouse about your expectations for yourself and your . Are they realistic?
|
|
|
0
Comments
|
|
Decision Making in Marriage
|
Posted:Sep 2, 2009 11:13 am
Last Updated:Jan 24, 2026 5:56 am 10117 Views
|
Decision Making in Marriage 1 Corinthians 11:3,11
But I want you to understand that Christ is the head of every man, and the man is the head of a woman, and God is the head of Christ. However, in the Lord, neither is woman independent of man, nor is man independent of woman.
Barbara and I made a commitment early in our marriage that we would make all decisions together. Only if we come to an honest yet unshakable disagreement do I make the decision as head of the house.I mention this because many men use their "headship" as a sort of club to force their wives to "submit." I don't think it's a mistake that Paul writes, "Neither is woman independent of man, nor is man independent of woman." We need each other in marriage, and in the decisions we make as a couple.
One lesson I've learned with decision making in our marriage is just because Barbara says something once doesn't mean that she's felt like I have heard her. Sometimes I need to hear her again and again and understand the emotional power behind her words. This is especially important when she disagrees with a decision I make because only if she knows I understand her will she be ready to follow that decision.
In the decision we made about our Rebecca's gymnastics involvement, I maintained that we should move her out of gymnastics. As Barbara recalls, "I knew intuitively Dennis was probably right, but I wasn't ready to make that decision yet. I loved watching Rebecca perform. She was built for gymnastics and she loved it.
"I also was concerned because I didn't want her to grow up and resent us for forcing her to quit. I needed to share with Dennis how I felt. It just took me time to come to where I felt like I had adequately expressed that."
The reality was, there was truth in what Barbara said. Her cautions against Rebecca resenting that decision were sound. As husbands we err in decision making when we don't really take our wife's opinion into account. It is the wise man who does!
Prayer:
Is there a decision you need to make? Why not stop and pray together about that decision right now?
Discuss: What do you like most about the way you and your mate make decisions? Least?
|
|
|
0
Comments
|
|
Taking a Stand
|
Posted:Sep 1, 2009 11:51 am
Last Updated:Sep 2, 2009 11:12 am 10253 Views
|
Taking a Stand
Romans 1:16
For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes.
One fall day I felt a big lump in my throat as our left early for school. Ashley, age 17; Benjamin, 15; and Samuel, 13, were going to participate in "See You at the Pole," a nationwide movement of Christian junior and senior high school students gathering around flagpoles to pray for their schools.
The previous evening our family had seen a video promoting "See You at the Pole." We had been thrilled to watch as 250 teenagers prayed around their flagpole. We applauded the courage of a group of only five students who dared to pray around their school's flagpole while the rest of the student body went their ways. But I got a catch in my throat when the video showed one lone girl at another school standing by the pole-praying.
Ashley and Benjamin knew of at least a dozen students who were planning to pray with them at their high school. But Samuel knew of only two other students who might pray with him-and even that wasn't a sure thing. What if he's the only one? I thought.
I looked down at my through watery eyes. Everything within me wanted to spare him the pain of what he might face. But I realized this was a time for Samuel to count the cost of what it means to be a follower of Christ.
Well, as it turned out, nearly 50 out of a student body of 425 showed up with Samuel. God used that event to teach all of us some important lessons. Barbara and I realized our need the opportunity to hammer out their own faith in the midst of their doubts, just like we did. And it reminded me to take courageous and public stands for Christ, and not be ashamed!
Prayer:
That you and each member of your family will never be intimidated or ashamed to affirm Christian values in a non-Christian world.
Discuss: How have you and your had the opportunity to take a public stand for Christ? Share a recent time where you've been ashamed to stand up for Jesus Christ.
|
|
|
1
comment
|
|
Parental Discouragement
|
Posted:Aug 31, 2009 9:39 am
Last Updated:Jan 24, 2026 5:56 am 10135 Views
|
Parental Discouragement by Barbara Rainey 1 Peter 1:6,7
In this you greatly rejoice,...that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold,...even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
Do you want to know what the chief of all emotions for mothers is today? It's not anger, worry, fear, loneliness, lack of confidence or feelings of failure. It's discouragement. It begins as exasperation and can become feelings of being out of control.At times raising six has a way of getting you discouraged. I remember going to a pancake house and the were really at each other's throats. Dennis and I were thinking, We're failures. We're raising juvenile delinquents. Here we are speaking at conferences and on the radio every day, and we're failures!
But that is just part of raising . If there is anyone who is doing it perfectly, then he or she better peel back the cover on the and find out if he or she is a robot. We don't raise robots, we raise with wills of their own. They are going to disappoint us and we will be discouraged.
I think Christians are more susceptible to discouragement because our standard is holiness. Nothing less than 100 percent perfection. Somehow we start believing that our faith will eliminate failure. In reality, our faith will help us battle the discouragement that comes after failure.
We need to hold on to our faith. "Being more precious than gold," our faith combined with a lot of perseverance will result in an imperishable reward-and a generation of who are raised up in Him.
Prayer:
Ask the Lord to help you and your mate to allow yourselves the freedom to fail as parents, and to teach you how to handle those times when you feel like failures.
Discuss: Discouragement and raising a family. How does it impact you? How can you come alongside your spouse?
|
|
|
0
Comments
|
|
Hellfire and Brimstone Part One
|
Posted:Aug 28, 2009 8:44 am
Last Updated:Jan 24, 2026 5:56 am 10151 Views
|
Hellfire and Brimstone (Part One) Psalm 119:137
Righteous art Thou, O Lord, and upright are Thy judgments.
In Scripture we see two sides to God: One is His loving, compassionate, caring side. He is the God who created us and made the supreme sacrifice to offer us eternal life.Then there is the God of holiness, the God of wrath; the God who judges sin.
I'm afraid the Church today has lost the balance on the teeter-totter between these two sides to God's nature. Too often we emphasize His love and forget that He is just and righteous; He will not tolerate sin.
I don't think we talk enough today about sin and its consequences. The Bible tells us the penalty for sin is hell. These are not popular concepts in our culture of tolerance.
Hell isn't in style today because it represents a couple of things that are repugnant. It represents accountability to someone in authority, and we want to avoid authority. And it represents absolute eternal judgment. We have a difficult time believing that such a place could exist, and we don't want to really believe that everlasting punishment and torment is a reality. And when we no longer see the eternal retribution of our sins, we lose any urgency for repenting of those sins.
So we don't talk much about hell to our , extended family or our friends.
But hell is real.
To the Greeks, the distance between the bull's-eye and where the arrow hit was known as "the sin." It meant to fall short of the ideal. To sin means to "miss the mark."
God is patient, but He is not tolerant. He is holy. His justice calls for an atonement (a payment, a penalty) for man's sins. Our must have some understanding that their sins can keep them out of heaven. Their sins must be paid for. And that is what Jesus Christ did for us on the cross.
Prayer:
That God will give you a holy fear of Him.
Discuss: Think back to your life before you became a Christian. What was it like? What sins did Jesus die for?
|
|
|
0
Comments
|
|
