Daily Archives: November 2, 2011

Devotional Studies Through the Bible

>Unworthy

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I am unworthy of all the lovingkindness
and of all the faithfulness
which You have shown to Your servant.
Genesis 32:10
 
In Genesis 32 we discover the first time that Jacob calls upon the name of the Lord. He is about to have to encounter his brother, Esau. Jacob has found himself between a rock and a hard place. He has Laban behind him, and he has Esau before him, who the last time he saw him, was ready to kill him. So with nowhere to run and fear gripping him, Jacob turns to God.
 
Jacob cries out, asking for God’s deliverance. He doesn’t ask out of his own merit or out of his own right, for Jacob has come face-to-face with his own unworthiness. Jacob appeals to God from the promise that God Himself had made him. He appeals to God according to the covenant and according to the word of God.
 
We are beginning to see evidence of the work that God has been doing on Jacob’s heart. He is finally coming to the realization that all that he has is because of the God of his fathers. He has come to know that God has kept the words that he spoke to him at Bethel(Genesis 28:13–15). He now comes before God and reminds God of these words, of this promise, again. He knows that he does not deserve God’s help, but he knows that God honors His word.
 
Jacob’s deliverance was not based on his righteous acts but on the covenant of God. “For the promise to Abraham or to his descendants that he would be heir of the world was not through the Law, but through the righteousness of faith” (Romans 4:13). God had promised Jacob that He would see him safely home. He had promised him that his descendants would inherit the land. He had promised him that He would not leave him until He had done all that He had promised him. This promise was made to Jacob, the deceiver. This promise was made before Jacob claimed the God of his fathers as his own.
 
This is the same confidence we have today. The promises of God are never first made to the saint. They are made to the sinner. When the sinner hears the promise, he then comes before God and appeals to Him according to His word. The sinner comes knowing he does not deserve God’s deliverance, but still he comes.
 
When the sinner sees that God has kept His word, even though he, the sinner, was unworthy, he realizes that this God is true and faithful. Then he puts all his trust in this God. It is then that this sinner becomes the saint.
 
Oh, precious one, have you come face-to-face with your own unworthiness?
Have you realized your state as a sinner?
Have you realized that apart from God there is no good in you?
Are you standing between a rock and a hard place?
Then look up to the One who calls you.
 
Salvation through Christ is not based on our own righteousness but on the grace of God and the promise of His Word, “for by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God” (Ephesians 2:8).
 
My friend, be fully assured that what God has promised, He is able to perform (Romans 4:21). Abraham believed God, and he was credited righteous, as was Jacob, and as are we when we believe.
 
Oh Father,
 
How unworthy I am of Your lovingkindness and Your faithfulness. How thankful I am that Your love and faithfulness is not dependent upon mine. You say that even if we are faithless, You remain faithful, for You cannot deny Yourself (2 Timothy 2:13). I have done nothing to earn or deserve Your love, but You offer it freely without cost. My Jesus, you are the mediator of a better covenant (Hebrews 8:6). Through this covenant I am able to have confidence to enter the holy place through Your blood, which means that when I stumble and fall, when I fail You, when I sin against You, I can still run boldly to Your throne and in true repentance seek Your deliverance. Oh Father, I thank You and give You all the glory and praise!
 
My Jesus, it is in Your name I pray,
Amen.
Train Up A Child Series, Uncategorized

Train Up A Child Day 12

This one is a good one…
This twelfth point is one that our entire nation is currently reaping the consequences…

Train Up A Child Day Twelve

12.  Train them with a constant fear of over-indulgence.
   
This is the one point of all on which you have most need to be on your guard.  It is natural to be tender and affectionate towards your own flesh and blood, and it is the excess of this very tenderness and affection which you have to fear.  Take heed that it does not make you blind to your children’s faults, and deaf to all advice about them.  Take heed lest it make you overlook bad conduct, rather than have the pain of inflicting punishment and correction.
   
I know well that punishment and correction are disagreeable things.  Nothing is more unpleasant than giving pain to those we love, and calling forth their tears.  But so long as hearts are what hearts are, it is vain to suppose, as a general rule, that children can ever be brought up without correction.
   
Spoiling is a very expressive word, and sadly full of meaning. Now it is the shortest way to spoil children to let them have their own way, — to allow them to do wrong and not to punish them for it.  Believe me, you must not do it, whatever pain it may cost you unless you wish to ruin your children’s souls.
   
You cannot say that Scripture does not speak expressly on this subject: “He that spareth his rod, hateth his son; but he that loveth him, chasteneth him betimes” (Prov. 13:24). “Chasten thy son while there is hope, and let not thy soul spare for his crying” (Prov. 19:18).  “Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child: but the rod of correction shall drive it from him” (Prov. 22:15).  “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 deliver his soul from hell” (Prov. 23:13,14).  “The rod and reproof give wisdom: but a child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame.” “Correct thy son, and he shall give thee rest, yea, he shall give delight to thy soul” (Prov. 29:15,17).
   
How strong and forcible are these texts! How melancholy is the fact, that in many Christian families they seem almost unknown! Their children need reproof, but it is hardly ever given; they need correction, but it is hardly ever employed.  And yet this book of Proverbs is not obsolete and unfit for Christians.  It is given by inspiration of God, and profitable.  It is given for our learning, even as the Epistles to the Romans and Ephesians. Surely the believer who brings up his children without attention to its counsel is making himself wise above that which is written, and greatly errs.
   
Fathers and mothers, I tell you plainly, if you never punish your children when they are in fault, you are doing them a grievous wrong.  I warn you, this is the rock on which the saints of God, in every age, have only too frequently made shipwreck. 

I would fain persuade you to be wise in time, and keep clear of it. See it in Eli’s case.  His sons Hophni and Phinehas “made themselves vile, and he restrained them not.” He gave them no more than a tame and lukewarm reproof, when he ought to have rebuked them sharply.  In one word, he honoured his sons above God. And what was the end of these things? He lived to hear of the death of both his sons in battle, and his own grey hairs were brought down with sorrow to the grave (1 Sam. 2:22-29, 3:13).
   
See, too, the case of David.  Who can read without pain the history of his children, and their sins? Amnon’s incest, — Absalom’s murder and proud rebellion, — Adonijah’s scheming ambition: truly these were grievous wounds for the man after God’s own heart to receive from his own house.  But was there no fault on his side? I fear there can be no doubt there was.  I find a clue to it all in the account of Adonijah in 1 Kings 1:6: “His father had not displeased him at any time in saying, Why hast thou done so?” There was the foundation of all the mischief.  David was an over-indulgent father, — a father who let his children have their own way, — and he reaped according as he had sown.
   
Parents, I beseech you, for your children’s sake, beware of over-indulgence.  I call on you to remember, it is your first duty to consult their real interests, and not their fancies and likings; — to train them, not to humour them — to profit, not merely to please.
   
You must not give way to every wish and caprice of your child’s mind, however much you may love him.  You must not let him suppose his will is to be everything, and that he has only to desire a thing and it will be done.  Do not, I pray you, make your children idols, lest God should take them away, and break your idol, just to convince you of your folly.
   
Learn to say “No” to your children.  Show them that you are able to refuse whatever you think is not fit for them. Show them that you are ready to punish disobedience, and that when you speak of punishment, you are not only ready to threaten, but also to perform.  Do not threaten too much.  Threatened folks, and threatened faults, live long.  Punish seldom, but really and in good earnest, — frequent and slight punishment is a wretched system indeed. 
   
Beware of letting small faults pass unnoticed under the idea “it is a little one.” There are no little things in training children; all are important.  Little weeds need plucking up as much as any.  Leave them alone, and they will soon be great.

Reader, if there be any point which deserves your attention, believe me, it is this one.  It is one that will give you trouble, I know.  But if you do not take trouble with your children when they are young, they will give you trouble when they are old. Choose which you prefer.

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I would love nothing more than to just give my children every thing that makes them smile at me and jump in my arms with elated excitement over their newest “yes” to whatever they have requested… but this is something that I just cannot do… no matter how much I want to.
It takes work and discipline as a parent to correct your children and to hold to your Word. Sometimes it is much easier to let them have their way… but easier is rarely the most beneficial.
One thing I learned as a parent early on was that when I punished my children I was also punishing me. It affected my life, my plans, my day, my schedule to discipline them accordingly. And yes I learned this parental punishment increases as they get older. But it must be done.
We were listening to the radio the other day and the radio hosts were talking about how kids know whose the “soft” parent and whose the “hard” parent… I looked at my Shelby and laughed and asked her what she thought and I knew what she would say… bless our kids hearts, but they don’t have a “soft” parent. Both my husband and I are pretty strict on obedience and we are on the same team always and our kids know it. We make the hard calls and we back each other up. No matter how much it hurts… Our children’s life and their future literally do depend on it.