Note on Being Good
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Posted:Dec 3, 2009 2:06 pm
Last Updated:Dec 9, 2025 12:51 am 8210 Views
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Notes on Being Good Romans 6:17
Thanks be to God that...you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were committed.
One day our Samuel, then eight, typed out a treatise titled: "HOW TO BE GOOD." Here is his own unedited work, shared with his permission:HOW TO BE GOOD
1. Obay you parntes and GOD.6. Do not cheat.
2. Do want other want to do.7. Play right.
3. Do not be selfish.8. Be a good player.
4. Be good to babbysearts.9. Dont be a por sport.
5. Do want parntes say.10. Do no cuse.
Not bad, is it? Who knows what triggered this active boy to jot down this inspired list? Samuel's conclusions are a 's perception of several of the Ten Commandments. And he may know them a little better than most adults.
When I look at the Ten Commandments, I see that the first two alone are a good summary of how to be good:
1. "You shall have no other gods before Me" (Exod. 20:3). While Israel was tempted to worship idols, I'm convinced that one of modern Christianity's worst forms of idolatry is materialism. Barbara and I constantly evaluate this issue because we don't want to leave a legacy of materialism for our .
Another form of idolatry is our worship of self-fulfillment. Careers, the number of we decide to have, our attitudes about divorce-all have been sired by the personal rights movement.
2. "You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain" (v. 7). Taking God's name in vain is more than just using His name as a swear word. It means "to take His name to mean nothing." Even the way many Christians use the phrase "Praise the Lord" can become slang if we say it only out of habit. God is holy and sacred, the God to be feared. Swearing is thoughtlessly speaking of Him in a non-God-fearing way.
We know that these commandments (and the other eight as well) contain a moral snapshot of God's nature, holiness and goodness. Philosophers try to find out God's nature by reason. Believers discover who He is as they walk in obedience to His Word.
Prayer:
That doing God's will may become an inner urge in your heart, not just a dutiful observing of external commands.
Discuss: Read and discuss the Ten Commandments from Exodus 20:1-17 at your next family meal.
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Talking with Teenagers Part 1
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Posted:Dec 2, 2009 10:59 am
Last Updated:Dec 9, 2025 12:51 am 4180 Views
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Talking with Teenagers (Part One) Psalm 78:6,7
That they may arise and tell them to their , that they should put their confidence in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep His commandments.
My Benjamin was standing in the kitchen, nibbling on some barbecue potato chips. We hadn't really had any substantive, meaningful conversations in a week or more, so I'm certain I stunned him with a question I asked for no other reason than staying "connected" with a 14-year-old boy going through puberty. I asked, "You been keeping your mind clean at school, ?"
I paused for emphasis, not that the question needed any help. Then I added, "You know, pornography-the kind of sleazy stuff boys pass around and look at?"
He looked me straight in the eye with a half-grin, like I'd been reading his mail, and said, "Funny you should ask. Today at school a friend brought a Penthouse magazine into the locker room. But I didn't look at it. I just turned and walked out."
"Good for you! Good for you!" I said twice, to let my affirming words soak into this growing boy's heart. The big grin that made its way across his face told me he was proud he had done what was right.
The sad truth is that many parents just don't have the nerve to ask teenagers such an intrusive question. It's as if something happens to parents when their become teenagers and they don't know how to talk to them.
Adolescence is the age when should be learning how to bring their Christian faith into the realities of everyday life. It's one thing to teach your about God, as Psalm 78 says, but it's quite another thing to teach them how to walk with God and avoid temptations such as pornography.
I'll let you in on another secret: Your teenagers probably want you to talk to them. And if you doubt that, I've got some proof...in the next devotion.
Prayer:
For one another that your faith would be marked by the same courage that the Old Testament saints used to battle their enemies.
Discuss: Why is it so threatening to talk to teenagers about such critical issues? As a couple, discuss your level of comfort.
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Rebuilding the Walls
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Posted:Dec 2, 2009 9:05 am
Last Updated:Dec 9, 2025 12:51 am 2838 Views
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Rebuilding the Walls Nehemiah 1:3,4
"The wall of Jerusalem is broken down." When I heard these words, I sat down and wept and mourned for days; and I was fasting and praying before the God of heaven.
What can we do about the state of our nation and our homes? Of course we can see that our own homes resist the drift toward ruin. We can also do as Nehemiah did. He wept, fasted and prayed-for four months!Then he acted. After months of prayer, he had a plan that was etched on his heart and mind by the hand of God. Nehemiah saw the walls of Jerusalem rebuilt in 55 days. Even his enemies stood in disbelief at the achievement. God intervened and brought order, cooperation, and action out of what had been chaos for nearly 90 years.
America today is much like Jerusalem was then. Our nation's primary wall of defense-the family-lies in ruin and desperately needs rebuilding. As in Nehemiah's time, the task before us needs God's intervention as never before. We need to pray that: Christian marriages and families will exemplify the love of God to a perishing world. We in the church will have wisdom and courage in standing against divorce and the impact it is having on our families, while having compassion and love for those who suffer its devastation. Our will marry wisely. The legacy we leave our will not be one of materialism and spiritual apathy, but of caring concern for a world that needs to know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. God will bring the resources (money, talent, leadership, technology and manpower) to all who are striving to strengthen families.
Let's pray for the state of the union by praying for the state of the marriage union: God, come and rebuild the wall. Come and repair all the broken pieces of our families today. Confuse our enemies, O Lord, and weaken their influence for evil! May Your favor be upon our families.
Prayer:
Spend some time tonight in prayer with your mate. Go through the prayer needs listed above. Pray that Jesus Christ will be Lord first in your own home, then in every Christian home, to the glory of God.
Discuss: In what areas does your family need rebuilding?
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God's Plumb Line
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Posted:Dec 1, 2009 12:43 pm
Last Updated:Dec 9, 2025 12:51 am 2641 Views
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God's Plumb Line Amos 7 ,8
The Lord was standing by a vertical wall, with a plumb line in His hand. And the Lord said to me, "What do you see, Amos?"...Then the Lord said, "Behold I am about to put a plumb line in the midst of My people Israel."
"The strength of a nation," said Abraham Lincoln, "lies in the homes of its people." In other words, the state of the union is determined by the state of the marriage union-the condition of our nation's marriages, families and homes.By what yardstick can we accurately measure how our homes are doing? The prophet Amos stood by a wall that was straight or "plumb" according to God's own measure. That is the measure we need to apply to our homes and our nation.
Yet, even as far back as 1947, historian Carle Zimmerman wrote a chilling account of the factors that he said have led to the ultimate collapse of a civilization. In those ruins he found that marriage had lost its sacredness and was frequently broken by divorce. Women lost their inclination for childbearing, and the birth rate decreased. There was public disrespect for parents, parenthood and authority in general.
He also found that there had been an increase in juvenile delinquency, promiscuity and rebellion. Even people with traditional marriages refused to accept family responsibilities. Adultery was increasingly accepted. There was an increasing desire for, and spread of, sexual perversions of all kinds, including homosexuality.
Think about Zimmerman's study as you look at the state of our country today. Half of all new marriages now end in divorce. The birth rate has declined. Juvenile delinquency, sexual perversion and promiscuity are rampant.
Why is this happening? Because the state of the union is determined by the state of the marriage union. Are we destined to follow in the footsteps of cultures that have fallen because of all this? Our only hope is to rebuild the walls of both the home and the nation according to God's plumb line.
Prayer:
Ask God to help you, as individuals and as a family, to represent Him and His standard well.
Discuss: As you look into God's Word-our plumb line-is there an area of your life or an attitude in your marriage that needs to be "corrected" and brought into conformity with God's standard?
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Talking with Teenagers Part 2
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Posted:Nov 30, 2009 11:54 am
Last Updated:Dec 9, 2025 12:51 am 2618 Views
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Talking with Teenagers (Part Two) Deuteronomy 6:6,7 (NIV)
These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your . Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.
Yes, I know all about teenagers-their bravado, their "I know it all" attitude. I know they often think their parents are stupid. But regardless of how they act, they still desire to have meaningful conversations with you.If you doubt that, here's some evidence. A few years ago my church's youth pastors gave the youth group a two-question survey. Here's a sampling of their answers to question one: What subject do you wish you could have someone else ask your parents to discuss with you? Petting Marriage Sex Grades Allowance Dating Marijuana Drugs Using the car Curfew God Drinking Guys Friends Making my own decisions Their divorce Dating relationships Big responsibilities Bathing suits Peer pressure Love Beliefs of my own Me My faults Boyfriend problems Girls Money College Overcoming failures in my Christian walk
And you're wondering what you can talk to your teenagers about? What an opportunity to help them learn how to make choices that honor God in the problems they face on a daily basis.
Prayer:
Ask God for His favor upon you, as parents, as you raise teens during these dangerous days.
Discuss: If you have a , give him or her an assignment to answer this question: What are things you would like to talk about with us? Give him the above list and have him circle his top three.
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Talking with Teenagers Part 3
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Posted:Nov 30, 2009 9:03 am
Last Updated:Dec 9, 2025 12:51 am 2959 Views
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Talking with Teenagers (Part Three) 2 Samuel 12
Nathan then said to David, "You are the man!"
King David was on the hot seat. He had slept with Bathsheba, then sent her husband off to be killed at war. When the prophet Nathan approached him with a hypothetical case of a man who committed the same sin, David responded by saying the man deserved to die. Imagine his shock when Nathan cried, "You are the man!"I think of that verse because parents should be prepared to be on the hot seat when they talk with teenagers. If you are not living the life you are telling them to live, they will let you know it.
In the same survey the youth at our church were asked, "What questions would you like to ask your parents if someone else could ask them for you?" Here were some answers: Why do parents have more trouble talking to than have talking to parents? Were you a virgin when you got married? Was it worth it? Have you ever done something horrible that you regretted? Why do you avoid tough issues? How would you feel if your didn't go to college? Have either one of you ever had an affair? Are you sure, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that this marriage will last any longer than your previous ones? Are you willing to admit to your the mistakes you have made and then ask forgiveness? If you had to give up me or your business, which would it be? Do you love or even care about me? Do you think I am worthy or can do anything? Why won't you ever listen to me? Why is it so important to be a "success"? Is that going to get you to heaven?
Do you know what these were saying? They wanted to ask their parents these questions, but they didn't feel the freedom.
Your need your example and involvement. And they need to have the freedom to put you on the hot seat. It is better to be embarrassed by a question you don't want to answer than to raise a who will become a fool and humiliate you later.
Prayer:
Thank God for His grace and forgiveness through faith in Jesus Christ.
Discuss: For only the courageous: Take this list of questions and show them to your . Have him or her mark off which ones he or she would like you to answer someday.
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Wild and Crazy
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Posted:Nov 25, 2009 9:52 am
Last Updated:Dec 9, 2025 12:51 am 3071 Views
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Wild and Crazy Song of Solomon 4:9
You have made my heart beat faster, my sister, my bride; you have made my heart beat faster with a single glance of your eyes.
What was the craziest, silliest thing you did when you courted your mate? Recently I asked some coworkers about crazy things they did when they first dated. Here are some of their answers:
Brent Nelson: "I organized a treasure hunt on Catalina Island in California. For six hours we ran around Catalina Island dressed up like pirates. And that was the day I gave the ring and asked her to marry me. Later we had a romantic dinner."
Kim Spyridon: "On our one-year dating anniversary, my dad called out, 'Kimberly, I think there's something in the front yard that belongs to you.' And in my parents' front yard were helium balloons and a four-foot red heart that said, 'Happy anniversary, darling.' We still have the heart in our garage."
Bob Lepine: "One year I got the pizza guy to make a heart-shaped pizza and deliver it to Mary Ann at work. So she got a heart-shaped pizza. Another year I bought a box of valentines, and I addressed each one using a different variation of her new name as my wife. 'The future Mrs. Bob Lepine.' 'The future Mrs. B. Lepine.' And mailed each of them individually so she had 28 valentines in her mailbox on Valentine's Day."
Lee Walti: "To propose to Jeannette, I arranged for a friend at a radio station to play our favorite song at a specific time. And in the middle of the song I dubbed in my voice, asking her to marry me. I rented a limousine, we had a nice meal, and then we pulled off the side of the road to listen to the radio. She couldn't understand what I was doing, but when she heard the song and then my voice, she burst into tears."
When was the last time you did anything creative like this during your marriage?
Prayer:
Ask God to help you keep the romantic fires burning in your marriage.
Discuss: Now that you have some ideas, what silly thing are you going to do with your mate? Don't tell-it's a secret.
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Barbara's Surgery Part Two
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Posted:Nov 24, 2009 12:30 pm
Last Updated:Dec 9, 2025 12:51 am 3028 Views
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Barbara's Surgery (Part Two) Job 42:2
I know that Thou canst do all things, and that no purpose of Thine can be thwarted.
We knew that people all over the nation were praying for Barbara. Just that knowledge brought incredible comfort and strength. But somewhere along the way I began to think that, because of all these prayers, God was obligated to bring the operation to a quick end. That kind of thinking set me up for disappointment.At 5:30 P.M., nine and one-half hours into the surgery, the doctor informed us, "Barbara is testing us.... You might as well go get dinner. It's going to be awhile!"
Not only was I now in a wrestling match with fear, but disappointment had also jumped into the ring. I questioned God: "Why do Barbara and I have to go through this? What about all those prayers for her? Why can't this be easy?"
Four hours later, though, the suspense was finally over. When they rolled Barbara out, she was so sleepy she didn't feel my kiss or see the relief on my face. The doctor said the operation was successful, but was one of the most difficult he had performed.
I'm thrilled that Barbara apparently will never experience a racing heartbeat again. And the experience has moved our friendship and partnership to some new levels of intimacy and oneness.
That day was the most challenging of my life. As I laid down to sleep at the foot of Barbara's hospital bed, tears of relief that had been withheld earlier came in abundance. My emotionally turbulent day of suspense, fear, discouragement and doubt had finally come to an end. Through the tears I thanked God that He loved me throughout the day and that He had given me my wife back again.
Prayer:
Thank God for His power to do all things according to His purpose, and ask Him to give you the faith to accept His control over every aspect of your life.
Discuss: In what situations have you expressed anger at God when things didn't go your way? Why do we struggle so when we find out we are not in control, but Someone else is in control?
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Barbara's Surgery
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Posted:Nov 23, 2009 10:30 am
Last Updated:Dec 9, 2025 12:51 am 3451 Views
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Barbara's Surgery (Part One) Isaiah 26:3
The steadfast of mind Thou wilt keep in perfect peace, because he trusts in Thee.
At 6:45 A.M. I walked into Barbara's hospital room and found her peacefully asleep. At least she was resting-I sure couldn't.The IV hooked up to her arm told me this was for real. The doctor told me the surgery my wife would face that day would be a lengthy procedure-I hoped it would be about five hours, but I had a hunch it would be much longer.
Barbara and I had traveled to Oklahoma City to correct a problem that, on four occasions, had caused her heart to race at over 300 beats per minute. When she suffered two such episodes in 1990, we decided to seek treatment from a doctor who had developed a new surgical procedure for people with Barbara's problem.
As I sat there that morning, waiting for her to wake up, a horde of fears went through my mind.
As I went to the waiting room with Barbara's parents and friends, I had no idea of what lessons God had waiting for me. What if they damage her heart further, rather than repair it? I thought. Am I about to say good-bye to my wife, friend and partner? I felt so helpless, knowing that there was nothing I could do. Except pray.
At 1:00 P.M. a partially informed receptionist in the waiting area told me that everything was going according to the plan, even though Barbara's heart had taken off racing a few times. "But they got it under control," she said. A combination of things-the look on her face as she talked to the nurse, and the way she reported back to me-told me that more was going on than she was telling me!
Finding peace in the midst of such fear was elusive, but it finally came in getting alone, reading the Psalms and praying. Isaiah 26:3 became a reality because I knew I could trust in God. I learned that it is really tough during suspense-filled times to keep the mind steadfast and full of faith.
Prayer:
For assurance that, no matter what your situation, God is in control.
Discuss: When have you felt most helpless and dependent on God?
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Putting the Thanks Back in Thanksgiving
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Posted:Nov 20, 2009 7:59 am
Last Updated:Dec 9, 2025 12:51 am 2821 Views
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Putting the "Thanks" Back in Thanksgiving 1 Chronicles 16:8
Oh give thanks to the Lord, call upon His name; make known His deeds among the peoples.
We often hear about the need to put Christ back into Christmas. But in our culture, when the Christmas shopping season is in full swing by mid-November, many families find that Thanksgiving is little more than a nice meal to kick off a whirlwind of Yuletide activities.When we think of Thanksgiving, we think of a family feast. It's "Turkey Day." In fact, some school textbooks say that the Pilgrims' original celebration was organized to thank the Indians for helping them! Even historians are forgetting that the Pilgrims originally feasted to thank God who had given them the courage and perseverance to overcome tremendous hardships.
Thanksgiving can be one of the most meaningful holidays of the year...if you give it the right focus.
Barbara does a great job of helping our family celebrate Thanksgiving-the Rainey Thanksgiving Brunch.
Everyone wears their Sunday "dress up" clothes for the meal. The make up place cards, decorate the table and set it with fine plates and glasses. The brunch always includes a special French toast that requires 45 minutes to bake. While this meal is in the oven, we gather around the table and begin the brunch by reading selections from The Light and the Glory by Peter Marshall and David Manuel. This book tells of the strong Christian faith of many original settlers in America, and includes two chapters on the Pilgrims.
On each plate are five kernels of corn. The family passes a basket around the table, and each person places one kernel of corn at a time into the basket and tells of one thing he or she is thankful for. The basket goes around the table five times.
After we are finished, we have each person write on his or her place card what he or she said. These cards are kept to look over in future years.
While we do this for brunch, you can see that these ideas can easily be adapted for the regular Thanksgiving meal. love the tradition, and it helps them focus on putting true "thanks" into "Thanksgiving."
Prayer:
Tonight at dinner ask God to help you to remember His goodness and to be grateful. Then have each family member give thanks for something God has done.
Discuss: What can you do to give this holiday a stronger spiritual emphasis?
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