Love Feast #11
“When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me.” 1Corinthians 13:11
Somewhere every morning there are little darlings born around the world. We feed them, love them, laugh with them, clean up after them and then one day, the sun stops shining and dark clouds begin to gather over the home; training begins. Enter, the indelible word “NO.” We begin to tell them “no” so they can live longer. We tell them a firm “no” because we love them. We begin our fight against rebellion.
1. “No! You cannot stick your finger in the electrical socket.”
2. “No! You cannot stick your hand into the bonfire!”
3. “No! You cannot go into the water alone!”
4. “No! You cannot run with a sucker in your mouth!”
5. “No! You cannot run into the street!”
6. “NO! You do not hit mommy!”
7. “NO! You do not pull the dogs ears or tails!”
8. “No! Do not sass me!”
9. “No! No! Stop fighting!
As the child grows:
- “No, you cannot stay past midnight.”
- “No, you cannot hang around that boy.”
- “No, you cannot go to that party.”
4. “No, there are chores first!”
5. “No, do your homework first.”
6. “No, Clean your room first.”
A good godly home is one who teaches boundaries, priorities and respect. The word “no” is proof your parents loved you and cared enough to take the time to correct, train and discipline you in a good way. They taught you that life means taking responsibility for your actions.
I have sat in homes where the two year old ruled the roost. If he interrupted your conversation while you were talking, the mother then, turned from you and listened to him, instead of teaching him to wait until we were finished talking. Further, the mother would ask permission from him to stop pulling the dogs ears with her sentence ending with a “oo-ok?” Or, “I’ll give you a cookie, ooo-ok?” Parents, please wise up! That child has just learned:
- Above all, he calls all the shots. A child is not given by God for the parents to raise in fear of what others think, or to make the child an idol.
He has learned, no matter what he does he will get away with it.
- He learns disrespect.
The only one who really counts is himself and I promise you, this will become a
stronghold in his heart that will lead to future problems as he grows.
- It is ok to hurt an animal.
He is learning it is alright to be cruel to animals and possibly to his future playmates.
He gets rewarded for doing it, a cookie.
4. He is learning how there are rewards for rebellion.
The child does not know what the word “no” means,
because the word is not practiced and followed through with discipline.
This child has learned he will be rewarded when he does wrong. He will continue to test you, to see just how far his rebellion takes him.
What is the result? A gullible and loveless nation that is paying a horrendous price; for accepting the perverted lie of permissiveness. We have mass produced grown children protesting with violence in our streets. They demand their rights, because they were trained this way. Parents feared man instead of God. Parents listened to man’s “wisdom,” instead of God’s wisdom.
We have walked away from the Bible and replaced it with Idolatries. We will believe everything else, except the truth.
Many nations have walked into the trap of a seducing spirit that promised freedom without sacrifice and selfishness without accountability.
As we know, some youths end up in prison where they will at last experience the word “no” and then, understand exactly what it means. They finally learn the consequences of sowing and reaping.
Whatever way you have been raised; if it was a loveless family with not enough freedom or too much freedom, too perfect or embarrassing, whether it was full of abuse and maybe hypocrisy. Unfortunately, all of that is more the norm today, than not. There is no such thing as a perfect family. Parents who try to be too perfect sometimes stress out children who eventually learn they will never measure up to such perfection. The end can be devastating to everyone.
Please listen, you are not the only one who has gone through these things. Paul is saying; The time is now, for you to wake up, walk away and turn off the replay button of your memories. Paul says, “When he was a child, he thought as a child, but when he became a man, he put childish ways behind him.”
You may think, “Well that was Paul. You just don’t know what I’ve been through. How can I forget?” Paul knew God. Do you? If you do not know Him, you can if your heart is humble and willing.
Paul was stating, it is now time for all of us to grow up in the Lord. If we knew what our tomorrow would look like, would we act differently? Do differently? Would we forgive? Paul urges us to love in the way Jesus commanded. The greater the darkness you have walked through, the brighter your lighthouse! The deeper your pit once was, the more discernment, empathy, compassion and understanding you have for others and the less love you received while growing up, the more you want to love and embrace those who have also been robbed of love. And so, it is time to move from our childhood into maturity. It is time to embrace the Holy Spirit that continues to comfort our souls and gives our hearts peace. Do not hesitate any longer. It is time to grow up in His love. Open your eyes right now and see how the power of His Grace moves in your life.
“We love him because he first loved us.” 1John 4:19
Precious Father,
We thank you for keeping us in your truth. We thank you for guiding and directing us. We thank you for holding us accountable in your love. We thank you for correcting us and keeping us on that narrow road. We thank you for always being with us and never leaving us. Your word says, you are a good God whose love never fails.
We pray for those who are wrestling with child raising. Your word says that You have not given us a spirit of fear but of power, love and a sound mind. Minister your word to these parents. Minister your son’s name to their hearts. Minister the proof of His love to them and give them your hope through His direction for their lives. We ask that your Comforter would bring healing to their hearts and comfort to their souls. We ask that you would begin to take away all anxiety in their lives. Give them the answers they are seeking, through your word. Bring them peace and the love they seek Father.
Father, your word says that You are a Spirit and that You are love. Bring those who seek your love, into your will. Open up their hearts to understand the tremendous sacrifice of love, that happened upon the cross for all those who search for your truth. You loved us Father before we ever knew you.
We ask that you would forgive us for our rebellious and selfish ways. We know Your son gave His life so we could have forgiveness of our sins. We know He arose on the third day and was seen by well over 500 witnesses. We know He spoke how He would return for us someday. He lives! O Father, we believe this! We know He is preparing a place for a prepared people!
Prepare our hearts through your love Father. We ask that you would continue to teach us how to love. Make us a strong people through your love. Continue to teach us through your Holy Spirit how to put others first and us last. Right now, we bury all selfish desires and any rebellion we might have in our hearts and choose to grow up in your love. We put down all fleshly priorities in your son’s name. We rejoice in your love, we teach in love, we worship in love, we speak love, we think in love, eat in love and we work and walk and sleep in love. We cherish your love and we ask that we will be examples of your love while we are here. Thank you Lord. In your Son we pray, amen.
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