RAISING YOUR CHILDREN. OPEN. HEAVEN

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

DATE: FRIDAY 27TH SEPTEMBER 2019

THEME: RAISING YOUR CHILDREN


MEMORISE:
And all thy children shall be taught of the LORD; and great shall be the peace of thy children. Isaiah  54:13


READ: 1 Samuel  2:27-33

2:27 And there came a man of God unto Eli, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Did I plainly appear unto the house of thy father, when they were in Egypt in Pharaoh's house?  2:28 And did I choose him out of all the tribes of Israel to be my priest, to offer upon mine altar, to burn incense, to wear an ephod before me? and did I give unto the house of thy father all the offerings made by fire of the children of Israel?  2:29 Wherefore kick ye at my sacrifice and at mine offering, which I have commanded in my habitation; and honourest thy sons above me, to make yourselves fat with the chiefest of all the offerings of Israel my people?  2:30 Wherefore the LORD God of Israel saith, I said indeed that thy house, and the house of thy father, should walk before me for ever: but now the LORD saith, Be it far from me; for them that honour me I will honour, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed.  2:31 Behold, the days come, that I will cut off thine arm, and the arm of thy father's house, that there shall not be an old man in thine house.  2:32 And thou shalt see an enemy in my habitation, in all the wealth which God shall give Israel: and there shall not be an old man in thine house for ever.  2:33 And the man of thine, whom I shall not cut off from mine altar, shall be to consume thine eyes, and to grieve thine heart: and all the increase of thine house shall die in the flower of their age.


MESSAGE

Parents are stewards to whom God has entrusted children for proper care, and He expects to get a good report of their performance in this assignment. In essence, every parent is a caretaker of his or her children. As a parent, how are you carrying out this delicate assignment? Are you handling it with levity of putting in all the effort it requires? Modernisation is fast eroding good culture in our children. Many parents in the name of modernisation put tight and revealing clothes on their little children when they are going out. How do you expect little girls like that to dress when they become adults? Many parents complain about their teenage children's choice of clothes and level of sexual exposure, without realising that they are the ones who caused it all. These days, some parents claim they don't want to "force a religion" on their children, saying they want them to choose for themselves; so, they go to church and leave their children at home sleeping. However, when it comes to education, they force their children to wake up early to go to school. Can't you see that the devil is already deceiving you into placing your child in his hands? How can you say your life is better because you met Jesus Christ, yet you want to leave your child to possibly choose something else? Ensure your children go to church and that they read their Bibles. Introduce them to the One who died to save their souls, doing the best you can to ensure that they are saved, and trust God to keep them in the light when they are old enough to be on their own.


It is unfortunate that the devil has also started deceiving people into thinking that using the rod on a child is wrong. You may not agree with me, but I know that God's word is never wrong. Proverbs  23:13-14 says:

"Withhold not correction from the child: for if thou beatest him with the rod, he shall not die. Thou shalt beat him with the rod, and shalt deliver his soul from hell."

In fact, the word of God says if you don't use the rod on your child, then it means you hate that child (Proverbs 13:24). There is a difference between child abuse and chastising a child. You can withhold the cane and still abuse that child, whereas you can use a cane and correct in love. Let us get it clear: our attention should be on correcting with love and not on whether you use the rod or not. The word of God is ever true: if you love your child, you will always instruct that child and will not spare the rod when it is necessary to discipline him or her. Put in your best efforts to ensure that you raise your children in God's way.


KEY POINT:
Are you training your children in God's way or the way society dictates?


BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
2 Kings 19-20, Daniel 8:15-9:2

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE


HYMN 16: GOD, GIVE US CHRISTIAN HOMES

1. God give us Christian homes
Homes where the Bible is loved and taught
Homes where the Master's will is sought
Homes crowned with beauty Thy love hath wrought
God give us Christian homes
God give us Christian homes

2. God give us Christian homes
Homes where the father is true and strong
Homes that are free from the blight of wrong
Homes that are joyous with love and song
God give us Christian homes
God give us Christian homes

3. God give us Christian homes
Homes where the mother, in caring quest
Strives to show others Your way is best
Homes where the Lord is an honoured guest
God give us Christian homes
God give us Christian homes

4. God give us Christian homes
Homes where the children are led to know
Christ in His beauty who loves them so
Homes where the altar fires burn and glow
God give us Christian homes
God give us Christian homes.