Points to Ponder ~ Sarah

Sarah... was first known as Sarai before God changed her name. This name change for Sarah and Abraham (Abram) commemorated the covenant God had made with them, and initiated the beginning of the Jewish Nation; the Nation of Israel. Sarah and Abraham were the first Jews. (Genesis 17:1-11, 15, 16)

Another point to ponder... Not only were Sarah and Abraham husband and wife, but they were also half brother and sister, having the same father. In today’s society this is a repulsive idea but ancient times recorded this as a normal occurrence. My husband and I were married in 1978 in a state that required both a blood test and a 3-day waiting period. When I asked the reason for the blood test, the answer we were given was... to provided evidence that we were not blood relatives. So it seems that even the recent history of our state still indicated a need for that sort of clarification, before a couple would be granted a marriage licence.

Sarah and Abraham’s relationship stands out as a remarkable testimony. There are no other Bible characters more in love, and trusting of each other, than Sarah and Abraham. Though there were reasons for them to play the "blame game", Sarah and Abraham never did. Their commitment to each other was the foundation of their successful spiritual growth. Their spiritual journey presented challenges for them as much as their wilderness wanderings did.

Hebrews 11:8-11 "By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went. By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God. Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised."

A point to ponder... When they journeyed into strange lands, some take issue with Abraham and consider him a coward for having Sarah say she was his sister. However, it was typical for beautiful women to be "collected" and kept as potential wives by their captors. Esther, for example, was "collected" and went through a purification process that lasted 12 months. (Esther 2:2-9, 12)

Genesis 12:10-13 "And there was a famine in the land: and Abram went down into Egypt to sojourn there; for the famine was grievous in the land. And it came to pass, when he was come near to enter Egypt, that he said unto Sarai is wife, Behold now, I know that thou art a fair woman to look upon: Therefore it shall come to pass, when the Egyptians shall see thee, that they shall say, This is his wife: and they will kill me, but they will save thee alive. Say, I pray thee, thou art my sister: that it may be well with me for thy sake; and my soul shall live because of thee."
Genesis 20:12, 13 "And yet indeed she is my sister; she is the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife. And it came to pass, when God caused me to wander from my father’s house, that I said unto her, This is thy kindness which thou shalt shew unto me; at every place whither we shall come, say of me, He is my brother."
For her beauty, kings would kill a husband... but they would give gifts to her brother. When Abraham and Sarah agreed together to say, "she is my sister" this half-truth was a strategic plan of wisdom more then it was a cowardly evasion.

This plan allowed the process of time for these "captors of beautiful women" to understand the might of Abraham’s God. Abraham sojourned by God’s command, and it was therefore God’s protection that went before them. The Lord plagued Pharaoh and his house with great plagues, and again, twenty years later, Abimelech was also witness to the mighty strength of Abraham’s God. (Genesis 12:17; 20:1-7) Never, at any time, did God reprimand Abraham for this.


Genesis 12:3 "And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed."

Sarah’s Barrenness, A Spiritual Challenge. ~ Even in today’s society, couples struggling with infertility problems face many private heartaches and heartbreaks that many of us, unless infertile ourselves, cannot even fathom. Then, there are the painful remarks made by well-meaning onlookers who neglect to consider that their greatest kindness would be to remain silent on this private topic. Many couples struggling with infertility choose to "weather this storm of life" and face their barrenness together. But, in Sarah’s time, getting a baby was as easy as telling your husband to take another wife, which Sarah did... and which lead to their greatest spiritual challenge.

It was Sarah who made the suggestion for Abraham to take Hagar, her handmaid, and it was Abraham who agreed. Forgoing God and making this impetuous wrong decision together meant they would also face the consequences together.

Their Remarkable Relationship. ~ This couple was supportive of each other and they didn’t waste their time with accusations against one another, even when they made wrong decisions. They chose to "weather the storms of life" and they were "together" in every aspect of the word. You don’t see a domineering overbearing husband, and you don’t see a subdued cowering wife. You see a husband and wife balanced in their relationship with equal submission to one another, very like-minded in their thoughts and actions, not condemning, not blaming... "together".

I Peter 3: 5-7 "For after this manner in the old time the holy women also, who trusted in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection unto their own husbands: Even as Sara obeyed Abraham, calling him lord: whose daughters ye are, as long as ye do well, and are not afraid with any amazement. Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered."

When they had disagreements, they talked with each other. And, when it seemed they could not come to terms, they took it to the Lord.

Genesis 16:5 "And Sarai said unto Abram,... ...the Lord judge between me and thee."
Genesis 21:9-14 (vs. 12) "And God said unto Abraham, Let it not be grievous in thy sight because of the lad, and because of thy bondwoman; in all that Sarah hath said unto thee, hearken unto her voice; for in Isaac shall thy seed be called."

The Balance. ~ Sarah and Abraham exemplified the balance of male leadership with female submission. This was never to be a grievous thing. God’s plan for leadership is that it is to be male. Leadership is responsible for those they lead, and leadership is always accountable to God for the outcome... good, bad, or ugly, male leadership answers for it all. He is not "the boss" as much as he is "the responsible party" and all accountability rests on his shoulders. This is what Sarah was acknowledging when she says, "My wrong be upon thee..." in Genesis 16:5.

Numbers 30:14-16 "But if her husband altogether hold his peace at her from day to day; then he establisheth all her vows, or all her bonds, which are upon her: he confirmeth them, because he held his peace at her in the day that he heard them. But if he shall any ways make them void after that he hath heard them; then he shall bear her iniquity. These are the statues, which the Lord commanded Moses, between a man and his wife, between the father and his daughter, being yet in her youth in her father’s house."


The imbalance of this teaching has made it a grievous topic for women because they see themselves as having to submit to the wants and wishes of male domination without consideration; it’s his way or it’s not submission, is the lesson women get. The balance of God’s plan is not grievous.

The balance of female submission is male leadership. The truth of Ephesians 5:21-33 is that if more husbands were the right kind of leader, as the example of Christ with the church, wives would be more inclined to submit. Husbands having trouble with their wives might want to examine how they are leading, instead of focusing on how she’s not submitting.

Ephesians 5:25-27 "Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish."

When God’s plan of submission and leadership, for a husband and wife, becomes grievous... it is because there are secrets between the couple. Secrets cause mistrust, and mistrust is the key element that erodes the balance in God’s plan. Submission is easy, when you can trust the one you are submitting to.

When leadership becomes manipulative, it is no longer leadership, it has become a dictatorship. Leadership, to be successful, must lead with loving trust. This is the relationship Sarah and Abraham exemplified. They always lovingly trusted each other and weathered the storms of life together.

(Additional Bible References for Sarah: Genesis 11:27 through to 13:4; chapters 15:1 through to 17:22; chapter 18:1-15; chapters 20:1 through to 21:1-13; chapters 23; 24:36-38, 64-67; 25:7-12; and 49:31; Isaiah 51:2; Romans 4:18-22; and 9:6-9; Hebrews 11:8-19; I Peter 3:1-6)

in EVERTHING

give thanks.

Giving thanks. This is a conscious effort that I am praying to make a way of life. He cannot take my thanks from me. I must give it to Him. 

If I am trusting God, why would I not give thanks to Him? He has given me so many promises. And I am beyond unworthy. 

this Life. 

my own. my husband's. children. friends. family.

give thanks.

eternal Life.

salvation. through Jesus only. There is nothing I could ever hope to try to do to gain Heaven. or His favor. ever.

Me Obey Him ‘vs’ Me Submit to Him

In the husband/wife relationship, is it... "me obey him" or... "me submit to him"? Did you know there is a difference? True... to obey requires one to submit, and to submit means you obey the wishes of another, but the processes of the two are very different.

As basic as I can state it - to obey means to be obedient and carries with it an authoritativeness that says, "This is the way it’s going to be; it is not open for discussion; this is non-negotiable." Whereas to submit, to be in submission to another, carries with it a subdued form of authority that allows room for negotiation and consideration. Submission allows one to have a voice and an opinion, whereas obedience does not allow this considered negotiation.

For example, we are commanded to obey God’s commandments, which are not subject to negotiation or debate... God said it and that settles it. Obviously, we have no righteousness of our own, nor any omniscient power of our own to negotiate any subject matter with our Holy God. God’s ways are not our ways, but we can be assured that He always has our best interest in mind, hence the reasons we are commanded to obey God. (Deuteronomy 11:27, 28; 26:17; 27:10; 28:9; 30:2, 8, 16; 32:4; I Samuel 12:14, 15; Jeremiah 42:6; Psalm 19:8; 119:75; Romans 7:12; I Peter 4:17) But there are also two other authoritative relationships mentioned in the Bible: the relationship of children with their parents (Ephesians 6:1; Colossians 3:20; Deuteronomy 21:18-20) and servants with their masters (Ephesians 6:5; Colossians 3:22). It is both interesting and necessary to note that these other two relationships (of children/parents and servant/master) are to be patterned in much the same way, for many of the same reasons. (Exodus 20:12; 21:15, 17; Leviticus 19:3; Deuteronomy 8:5; 21:18-21; Proverbs 13:24; 20:20; Psalm 123:3; Mal. 1:6; Ephesians 6:5-7; Colossians 3:22-25; 4:1; I Timothy 6:1, 2: Titus 2:9, 10; I Peter 2:18, 19)

 Have you ever notice that the Bible never says, "Children submit to your parents," or "Servants submit to your masters"? There isn’t the slightest hint of these relationships being of the negotiating kind. In all three of these examples, the command is to obey and there is no suggestion of a negotiating relationship, and it is this command of obedience that also carries with it the hand of chastisement (Deuteronomy 11:1, 2; Hebrews 12:7-11). All three of these relationships are based on a superior and subordinate design... but the husband and wife relationship is a unique unity and is designed to be different, hence the reason why the Bible repeats, "Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands..." in Ephesians 5:22 and Colossians 3:18.

In the Bible, it is only with the husband/wife relationship that we see submission and that is because marriage is not to be a domination relationship. (I Peter 3:1-5; Ephesians 5:21, 22) Marriage is about two becoming one flesh, not just physically (bodily) speak, but more importantly mind, and soul; becoming soul-mates. It is only submission that encourages this as a reciprocating relationship which results in the unique unity of marriage (I Corinthians 7:3, 4; I Peter 3:7; Genesis 2:23, 24; Matthew 19:5, 6). And, with this unique unity of marriage, submission does not allow a husband to dominate his wife. He is also not allowed to chastise his wife in any form or manner. Christ set the example of how a husband is to treat his wife, in Ephesians 5:22-33, and Christ does not dominate. Even when God has to chastise a wayward Christian, we are corrected as a child, not a bride. (Deuteronomy 11:1, 2; Hebrews 12:7-11)

Thank you for reading my post, your questions and comments are welcomed.
God Bless,
Jane Coley

Beating Post High School Challenges

Beating Post HS Challenges
By Cary Schmidt (published by permission)

Have you ever seen a train wreck? There’s not a much more vivid metaphor than the unbridled collision of several tons of moving metal resulting in twisted steel, broken glass and an industrial disaster of gargantuan proportions. Too often we see high school graduates celebrate their graduation night and start down the tracks of adulthood only to wreck their lives just a few miles from the train station!

This is the time of year we see our graduates “commence”—begin their adult lives, their post-high school years; so I thought it would be appropriate to consider the top three challenges facing every graduate. It could be stated that these are the first big and immediate tests that confront a young adult immediately after high school. If they pass these tests, they avoid the bad decisions that can lead to a spiritual train wreck. Perhaps these thoughts will be helpful to you as you prepare graduates for adulthood!

1. The Challenge of a Job—Exodus 20:9-10 says, “Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God.” God created us to work and expects us to lead productive lives. (Ecclesiastes 9:10, “Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might.”) And every young adult is excited about having that first job! Mine was making Big Macs at McDonalds. What a joy. And yet, so many young people allow their job to become their first spiritual downfall—often within a few weeks of high school graduation. How?

They Work at the Wrong Place—even in a tough economy, starter jobs are pretty easy to find—especially for hard working, honest, and clean-cut young people. It’s amazing how many Christians will take jobs at places that a Christian has no business working. No amount of money is worth corrupting your heart and mind, so teach young adults to be selective about work environments. It is possible to work in the world without “eating the king’s meat.” For every Christian, there ought to be some places we just wouldn’t work, no matter what.

They Work at the Wrong Time—the first test of a new job is Sunday work. How is it that we can toss God and His church aside for $7.50 an hour? One of the greatest reasons young people fall away from God after high school is that they stop attending church because of work! But for those who honor God’s commands and protect Sunday, God always provides for their needs in a better way. I’ve watched it hundreds of times over the years—God always takes care of those who protect His day and who stay deliberately and faithfully involved in their local church.

They Work for the Wrong Purpose—some young people view their new job as nothing more than a way to meet new friends and buy clothes or iPods, while others see it as a temporary means to a more important end and a way to be a witness for Christ. Those with a higher purpose—pursuing the will of God—always keep their job in check and view it as an opportunity to facilitate God’s will in other areas.

2. The big challenge is that of friends. Daniel chapter 1 is one of the greatest lessons on friendship in the entire Bible. Because one man took at stand, three others stood with him—regardless of the rest of the crowd. And in the end, all four of them ended up 10 times better than everyone else in the realm! What a huge lesson on carefully choosing friends and being willing to walk away from the wrong crowd.

After graduation—those who choose the wrong crowd basically choose the wrong life! It’s that simple.

Proverbs 27:17 says, “Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.” Nothing changes more rapidly after high school than friendships! A new job, less time with youth group friends, and college brings a whole new world of associations into the life of a young adult. This is a wonderful opportunity that brings with it some danger for those unprepared. Essentially, every graduate needs to understand how to draw a careful line between friends and acquaintances—defined as follows:

Winning the Heart

10 Principles for Spirit-filled Discipline
By Cary Schmidt (published by permission)

The stories are too numerous to recount—Christian parents totally losing it—dads in fist fights with sons, parents in shouting matches with spouses, mothers hurling curse words and personal slurs at their children. Broken glass, holes in sheet rock, and doors slammed off the hinges are just the tip of the iceberg of the real damage. The wounded hearts, the broken relationships, and the closed spirits are the highest prices paid for such uncivilized family life.

Excuses abound as well. “I never had a Christian home.” “Well, my dad hit me a few times too.” “I’m under a lot of stress at work.” “Nobody understands my needs.” “There’s a lot in my past that I’m angry about, and sometimes I take it out on my family.” The fact is, every parent could come up with an excuse for fleshly outbursts because we’re all bound by the flesh!

It’s time for carnal parenting to be banished from Christian homes. If you’re tired of parenting in your flesh—if you’re tired of seeing your own parents in the mirror—then read on. God has a different roadmap for biblical parenting. It’s not rocket science, but it will require a teachable spirit, a humble heart, and submission to basic biblical guidelines. It will require personal growth, teamwork with your spouse, and the development of new habits—Spirit-filled responses.

Regardless of the home life you have experienced, if you know Christ, you are a perfect candidate for becoming a Spirit-filled parent of wisdom, grace, self-control, and loving authority. A carnal parent and a Spirit-filled parent are night and day different! And the products of Spirit-filled discipline are stronger relationships, closer hearts, changed lives, and the list goes on. In an effort to build godly practices into our discipline, let’s quickly discover ten principles that govern Spirit-filled discipline. Discipline that develops the heart is:

1. Controlled and Premeditated
Spirit-filled discipline doesn’t fly off the handle or out of control. It isn’t easily provoked into rage. Personal anger, frustration, and temper are set aside or allowed to cool off privately with the Lord. Proverbs 16:32, “He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city.” Colossians 3:21, “Fathers provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged.”

2. Biblically Principled and Corrective
Spirit-filled discipline rests upon the authority of God and His Word, and it isn’t easily manipulated. It always brings a biblical truth into play and helps the heart understand God’s position. In other words, this isn’t about my agenda as a parent. It’s about helping my child understand God and His agenda. Therefore, I won’t be easily manipulated by excuses or emotions. I will be more focused on teaching my child God’s precepts. Proverbs 19:18, “Chasten thy son while there is hope, and let not thy soul spare for his crying.”

3. Instructive and Nurturing
Spirit-filled discipline moves beyond reaction and actually instructs and teaches. Too often our discipline is merely a reaction to a moment rather than a premeditation of development. Real discipline will think through the values, the heart, and the character of the child. Real discipline isn’t only punitive; it is restorative and instructive. It’s not merely about handing down punishment. It’s about training the character. Proverbs 4:1-4, “Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding. For I give you good doctrine, forsake ye not my law. For I was my father’s son, tender and only beloved in the sight of my mother. He taught me also, and said unto me, Let thine heart retain my words: keep my commandments, and live.”

4. Focused on Beliefs Rather Than Behavior
Spirit-filled discipline seeks to understand the beliefs that drive behavior, not merely to change behavior. Carnal discipline is very self-centered. It seeks to get the child to behave the way I want right now—thus avoiding embarassment or resolving my temporary frustration. It basically says, “I don’t care about your long-term character, I just want you to stop annoying me right now.” Spirit-filled discipline always sets self aside and focuses on the development of the child’s heart. It’s not about modifying behavior, but modifying the heart! Proverbs 23:26, “My son, give me thine heart, and let thine eyes observe my ways.”

Acts of Compassion

One of my joys in ministry is teaching the fourth grade girls Sunday school class at Lancaster Baptist Church. I enjoy incorporating many different teaching methods in our Sunday school class, and for a lesson on the Good Samaritan, I decided to use the element of surprise. On my way to the front of the classroom to begin the lesson, I would trip and fall to the ground. I expected my fourth grade girls to be sympathetic and helpful, then I could explain the definition of compassion and compare it to the Good Samaritan.

My act was flawless. I walked to the front of my classroom and fell, dropping all of my handouts, lesson notes, and visuals. But to my surprise, the girls just sat there. They were shocked and embarrassed for me. Instead of jumping to my aid, they froze in awkward silence. Needless to say, my great class introduction did not go as planned.

As I thought about compassion that day, the Lord taught me that sometimes we as adults respond the same way to others during their time of need or trial. When we see those in need of compassion, we do what my fourth grade girls did—we look on in awkward silence. We love the person, we feel bad, and we want to help. But because we don’t know what to do, we do nothing at all.

True compassion goes beyond a sympathetic feeling in my heart. True compassion involves action. We see this demonstrated by Jesus. He was moved with compassion (Matthew 9:36)—He did something about it! He healed those with disease and saved those who were lost.

How is compassion being displayed in your life today?

In Your Home
Often, it is hardest to be compassionate toward the people closest to us. Ephesians 5:33 commands husbands and wives, “Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.” We don’t always treat our families like we should, but our homes should be a picture of compassion. Does your daughter need help with her math homework? Does your husband need a clean house and a quiet evening at home? Ask God to give you a compassionate heart, and then, with the help of the Holy Spirit, seek for ways to demonstrate that compassion to your family.

In Your Church
Isn’t it easy to get into a routine when we go to church? We drop our Bibles off at our pew, drop our kids off in the nursery, line up for choir, listen to the sermon, and coordinate various details for church related events following the service. Have you recently stopped to notice the person sitting by himself in need of a friend? Do you display true, biblical compassion to those you serve at church, or are you just going through the motions? Galatians 6:10 tells us, “As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.” The Lord can increase your burden and give you wisdom to know how to be a blessing to those around you. Don’t limit what God can do through you. If you stop to look, God will show you someone whom He can encourage through you.

Toward the Lost
We all know John 3:16. “For God so loved the world that he gave….” We find the ultimate picture of compassion in this one phrase. God’s burden for us was displayed through action—He gave His Son. If Jesus felt that type of compassion for each of us as sinners, we should also live to show that compassion to those who don’t know Him. If you’re like me, God renews your heart for the lost during Missions Conferences or other outreach-related events. The missionary testimonies and displays remind us of the desperate need for Jesus in our world today. Sadly, though, my heart loses some of that fervor throughout the year. I have to pray to God for a compassionate heart that will actively share the Gospel with other people. Godly compassion is more than an emotion that comes and goes. It is a God-given burden that compels us to action.

When faced with someone who is hurting, do you respond like one of the fourth grade girls? Do you see a need, but tentatively look on in awkward silence? If so, ask the Holy Spirit to fill you and guide you as you seek to demonstrate compassion to those around you. After all, it is because of the Lord’s compassion that you and I are able to show it to others! Lamentations 3:22 says, “It is of the LORD’S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.” I thank the Lord for our compassionate Saviour and pray that as we enter the fall season, you will be a vessel through which His compassion can flow to those around you!

Article by: Terrie Chappell
Ladies Ministry Director, Lancaster Baptist Church

Making the Busiest Time of Year the Best!

Making the Busiest Time of Year the Best!
By Cary Schmidt (published by permission)

No doubt, this is the best time of the year! And in many ways, it’s also the busiest. There’s a simple, effective way to make the Christmas season balanced and Christ-honoring. On this first day of December I challenge you to do the following exercise. It will spare you a lot of frustration in the next four weeks.

1. Start with the December Calendar—get the month of December, and place everything you have scheduled onto that calendar. Though I use a computer calendar, I find that printing it out helps for this process. The key is, it must be complete. Everything you have scheduled needs to be visible in one place—every church service, every soulwinning time, every appointment, every fellowship, every basketball game, every commitment, etc. You might consider color coding it—family, church, work, etc.

2. Set an Appointment with Your Spouse—find at least an hour over lunch or go to a quiet place where you can study the month together and discuss the commitments. This appointment is critical. A lot of times, we have frustration in our relationships regarding schedules because of a lack of communication. When our expectations differ, we are on a collision course. When we can talk about our schedule ahead of time and decide together what is best, things go better because we share the same expectations. This solves a lot of problems before they happen.

3. Together, Make a List of Things You Want/Need to Do This Month—creatively make a list of the things you want to do to make December special and memorable. For us this is usually things like decorate the tree, make some sugar cookies, play some games on family nights, have a couple of nice dinners out, take family photos, do some Christmas shopping, maybe visit a Christmas place (lights, etc.). Decide when and how you will make Christmas memorable for your family.

4. Together, Make a List of People You Desire to Minister To—the Lord will lead you to minister to people this season. It might be a neighbor, a friend, a coworker, a Sunday school class, or some other family or group in your church. Determine how you will minister to them—whether it is inviting them to church, hosting them at your home, baking some treats, hosting a fellowship, or doing some other act of kindness.

10 Things Teens Won’t Tell You

10 Things Teens Won’t Tell You
By Cary Schmidt (published by permission)

Have you noticed that teens are tight lipped? For a myriad of reasons—usually intimidation being the biggest—they really find it difficult to talk to adults at times. This is especially true with parents. In every home, there is a spiritual battle against authentic communication. Let’s face it—the devil doesn’t want parents and teens to truly open their hearts to each other.

But strong families resist this battle and conquer it. On the other side of the mountain of silence is a fertile meadow of healthy hearts. It’s a deliberate journey to get there, but it’s worth the effort. There isn’t a much sweeter experience in life than open, honest, heart-full communication between a parent and teen. When you have it, you gain a deep, satisfactory sense that this is what God intended in a family.

Malachi 4:6 teaches, “And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers…” In an effort to turn your heart toward your children, I wanted to share the results of a simple survey I did with our students several years ago. These statements and quotes came from faithful Christian adults who grew up in godly homes and in our youth group. The quotes below is what they shared about why they stayed faithful God. This list is what your teens think, whether they tell you or not; and it’s a great place to start a conversation:

1. I know whether you are faking it or not. (Contradiction is extremely confusing.) Amazingly, teens can see straight through us. They know our hearts, they constantly evaluate our motives, our spirit, and our life. If it’s consistent, then they accept our faith as real. If not, then they struggle with the conflict and often reject our faith outright.

Quote: “The teens are encouraged to read their Bibles and I am sure some of them have never seen their parents even pray outside of church.”

Quote: “I don’t think my parents ever contradicted themselves. They live honest lives, which makes it easy to trust them.”

Quote: “Honestly, I can’t remember my parents ever faking it. They were very open and honest with me.”

2. I need to talk openly with you about our faith. (Make sense of my faith.) Teens have questions. That doesn’t automatically make them rebels. They simply need to make a legitimate connection between God’s principles and real life. Many parents see this as the church’s responsibility. And, in part, it is. But every parent must help their teens see the common sense behind God’s eternal truth.

Quote: “My parents were great at this – especially my dad. He would always be bringing up different spiritual issues and explaining to me why we believed it. Sometimes he would bring up different arguments that unsaved people give about some of the things we believe, and he would explain to us why these arguments were wrong.”

Quote: “I never had to bring up a conversation about God or what we believed. My parents were always using every chance they got to expound on why we believe what we believe- there’s a spiritual moral to everything in life.”

Quote: “I grew up in a great church with great Bible preaching (that left few holes to be filled). I didn’t go to my parents often with questions about our faith, but when I did, I receive a Bible answer.”

Becoming an Insightful Parent

Becoming an Insightful Parent
By Cary Schmidt (published by permission)
Becoming an Insightful ParentDiscerning Your Child’s Needs and Responding Biblically

Ephesians 6:4 And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.

Do you understand your children? Do you know how to interpret their behavior? Do you understand warning signs and know how to respond? Do you connect their outward behavior with the condition of their heart?

 In Hebrews 5:12-13 we read a challenge to believers to be skillful in the Word and discerning, “For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. 13 For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. 14 But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.”

The word discerning speaks of judicial estimation—the wisdom and ability to see what’s really doing on in a circumstance. This ability is something we should all desire in every area of life, but especially with nurturing of our own children. Frankly, the primary thing many parents care about is if their kids are “staying out of trouble.” But discerning parents desire to get beneath the surface and to understand what’s going on in they heart. Why?

The heart is where Biblical values are formed—only when we understand their heart can we understand where they stand with God, and if their faith is authentic or merely an outward, temporary show.

The heart is where questions are contemplated—every child has questions, and Satan is good at exploiting these questions and providing false answers. Parents who get into the heart, unearth those questions so they can provide biblical answers.

The heart is where real relationships are cultivated—like the root system of a tree or healthy plant, it’s beneath the surface, face to face, eye to eye, and heart to heart, that a strong relationship and authentic closeness is built.

The heart is where spiritual battle is fought—the Devil is going after our kids hearts. He wants their emotions, their beliefs, and their attitudes. If we’re going to with the spiritual battle, it must be fought for the heart.

A discerning parent is constantly on a sacred pursuit of their child’s heart. Let’s examine ten keys to developing a discerning spirit with our children:

1. Understand God’s Word - the primary way that any of us grow in discernment is the Word of God. The principles of God’s Word provide a foundation of understanding. If you will become a discerning parent, you must become a student of God’s Word and of good parenting books that expound God’s Word.

2. Ask for God’s Wisdom - This is one of God’s great promises to us in James 1—that He will give wisdom to anyone who will ask in faith. Wisdom is the ability to see the real needs and know how to respond. It is the ability to see your child as God sees and to respond as He would have you to respond. Wisdom will help you know when they need to be sent to their room, taken out to lunch, or put to bed.

3. Pray with and for Your Children - nothing will help you understand where the heart is like prayer with someone. Make it a priority to pray with them each night before bed. Sense their heart toward you, toward the Lord, and toward the challenges of life through their response—physically, in prayer. So few parents actually do this, but it’s so powerful and so simple! This brief time of prayer will accomplish spiritually what weeks and weeks of human effort could never accomplish.

Cleanliness Is Next To Godliness

I have a vivid imagination and I love looking at artwork. Sometimes the works just speak to my soul, as is the case with the above artwork called The Invitation by Danny Hahlbolm .

The beauty of the table at the Marriage Supper Of The Bride Of Christ spoke to me. The beautiful china, glasses and cutlery, the immaculate table cloth, the perfectly set table thrilled my soul and tantalised my imagination....

As I gazed at the picture, I wondered how we would have reacted if the table hadn't been set properly- you know, like we sometimes do at home? Would a spotted and wrinkled table cloth have the power to draw us into thoughts of heaven and our marriage supper with Christ? How about spots on the glasses and coffee stains in the cups? Honestly, I think it would be a turn off! I think a less than perfect table and setting would be dishonouring to God.... for like it or not, housekeeping does reflect on the home keeper, for better or worse.

There is an old proverb that says that cleanliness is next to godliness...and I think to a certain extent that that is true.... We should endeavour to have our homes clean and comfortable for they not only reflect on ourselves, but also they point to our heart and faith....

A bit extreme! you say? I don't think so. If we are honest with ourselves, don't we silently think less of a woman who lives in filth or dirt? And when that woman is a Christian, don't we wonder about her relationship with Christ if she cannot fulfill her obligations as a homemaker? I know this to be true, because just such a woman once hosted a Bible Class morning with her home almost making us retch as we sat amongst her doggy smelling carpet and armchairs full of dog fur. Not to mention the kitty litter tray wafting its reek from the nearby laundry.

Offering to help her was not an option as this woman had been helped repeatedly by Sisters in her cell group, but never kept up the good work that the Sisters did. She was too busy reading books- Christian books at that. I believe that this showed a lack of discipline and also a rebellion in doing something she did not want to do: in this case, her housework. My poor Sisters were left feeling slightly used and annoyed. They had cleaned the house a week ago and it should still have been reasonably clean.....

Cleanliness is something we all take for granted....and it is something that isn't noticed until we neglect it. But because cleanliness is symptomatic of our heart attitude and efforts, it also reflects on our walk with the LORD. Cleanliness is next to godliness and reflects on God and us. Let's try to keep our homes and ourselves clean enough to not bring shame on us and dishonour to God! by Danny Hahlbolm

Blessings,

of Morning Cuppas With Glenys

Depart ye, depart ye, go ye out from thence, touch no unclean [thing]; go ye out of the midst of her; be ye clean, that bear the vessels of the LORD. Isaiah 52:11

There Is No Better Place Than Home

What image does “home” conjure up in your mind? Most times, it will be a sweet memory, for home is such a strong part of our lives that it etches itself in our heart in an indelible ink that creates a deep longing. Irregardless of whether home was troubled or not, there is always a part of us that finds it is a refuge. It is that place where we can just be ourselves and let our hair down as we unwind. Here we not only rest and recoup from the rages and trials of the world, but it is in and of itself, a place of solace.

Many a woman can testify to the way home ministers its comfort to her when she comes home after a day’s shopping or visiting. Or for the working woman, when she comes home from a day’s work. It is not unusual for a woman to come home during her lunch break, taking most of her break up in traveling, yet ministered to so deeply by the comfort of being home that she just spends 10 minutes there before returning to work.

There is no sweeter place than home when one is in hospital- the hours pass miserably until those magic words are uttered- “You can go home today!” Even at the end of a holiday, one is usually more than happy to be going home again- great as the holiday has been, there indeed is no place on earth like your own home!

Such is the familiarity of home and its deep comfort to us that often a small child will be distraught when starting kindergarten or school. The separation from home and mother is often traumatic. How good it is that more and more women are home-schooling their children! My husband tells me that there is absolutely nothing quite like coming home after the dog eat dog attitude of the world, and relaxing at home! I do believe home ministers to us in a deep way that no other form of shelter can do!

Home is definitely more than a roof and walls. You will find that in a motel. No, home is a place where familiarity, traditions, routines, personal touches, journeying through life under its shelter and some degree of privacy from outside influences, all plays its part in making home the sweetest place on earth.

Sadly, the world’s trend is to minimise the comfort of home, where within its sheltering walls life’s lessons are taught and relationships are built and strengthened. Home is the cradle of civilisation and its diminished role would prove catastrophic to mankind. Where else does one go for solace, comfort and nurture? What else keeps a soldier from going insane on the battlefield and stops him or her losing all hope- the hope of going home!

We Christian women must therefore do all in our power to promote home as the God ordained institution that He intended. There must be a return to home birthing if possible, home schooling, using the home as a ministry by providing a place for believers to meet, hospitality for all, and looking after elderly parents, whilst remembering that home is the soil where Godly seed is planted and where His ways are taught and practiced.

Here is where family ties will be strengthened, babies brought up as soldiers of the LORD, and where at least here His Name is spoken of with love and reverence. It is here in the home, that hearts will be moulded for eternity- for both those who live there and those who pass through its doors. Home should be a miniature oasis of order, cleanliness, holiness and peace and purity in a world that is sadly lacking most of these qualities.

When God is the foundation of the home as He intended to be, it will be of no importance how grand or plain your home is. The very inbuilt human need for the ministry of the home will carry us through no matter what its condition. As Christian women and keepers of the home, we will be wise in implementing routines for cleaning and maintaining our home both spiritually and physically. We must guard our home zealously from outside unsavoury influences. Peace and holiness should be highly sought after.

The homemaker is a servant who is ministering for the LORD as much as any preacher or evangelist- the future of her family and therefore, society does indeed rest in her hands and the results will be eternal. As women are becoming disenchanted with the world's lies for finding fulfillment in a career- and as they start to feel cheated out of the pleasures of motherhood then I believe that in the near future, there will be an uprising of women who catch the vision of homemaker as a servant of not only her family, but the Most High God. My prayer is that it will come sooner rather than later. For our own sake, our family’s sake and ultimately the world’s.


“He blesses the habitation of the just.” Proverbs 3:33b

By Glenys Hicks of Morning Cuppas With Glenys

What A Godly HomeKeeper Is Not

A godly keeper at home is absolutely not a lesser human being, a mindless robot, or a placid doormat under submission to all men; rather, she is created in the very image of God and of equal worth and value compared to man (Genesis 1:26-28). She is the crown of her husband (Proverbs 12:4), a helper suitable for him (Genesis 2:18). Because she trusts God’s wisdom in establishing perfect order for His creation, she willingly submits to her own husband as unto the Lord (Ephesians 5:22-24). by Jennie Chancey and Stacey McDonald

Certainly a woman is not as some used to think as portrayed in this humourous video. Nor is she a mindless robot as in the film Stepford Wives. We are expected to use our God-given intelligence. God expects us to be women who are sensible and intelligent but discretely so. He has given us role models in scripture. Not one of the many women of valour mentioned in scripture could be accused of being air-heads. As in everything, we are to be balanced.

Being a woman does not mean that we are intellectually inferior to a man. Neither does getting married and being submissive mean that we make ourselves into Stepford wives and put our brains on the shelf, letting our husbands do all our thinking for us. Whilst our husband should be allowed to lead and make the final decision, that does not mean that our opinion and insight is to be ignored.

Let us hold our head up high and humbly voice our opinion and think for ourselves. The key is balance and humility... something the truly feminine keeper of home will employ in her own life.

For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so [let] the wives [be] to their own husbands in every thing. Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church:
For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. Ephesians 5:23-30

Glenys Robyn Hicks of Morning Cuppas With Glenys

Twelve convincing reasons for having family devotions:

1. It unifies the family and sweetens home life.

2. It cultivates the Christian graces and relieves tension and misunderstanding that sometimes threaten the fellowship of the home.

3. It aids our boys and girls in becoming Christians, and helps them to develop ideals that guide them in vital Christian living.

4. It yields spiritual resources for daily tasks and assists us in cultivating dependence upon God.

5. It strengthens us in the face of adversities and disappointments and enables us to trust Christ implicitly in all of life’s circumstances.

6. It makes us conscious during the day of the abiding presence of our Savior and Friend.

7. It bears a Christian witness to the guests in our home.

8. It undergirds the Christian teaching of the Sunday School and the ministry of the church.

9. It affords opportunity for the Christian family to pray for and to sharpen its concern for non-Christian families.

10. It helps us to give a right place to spiritual values and saves us from an undue concern for the temporal things of life.

11. It encourages us to put Christianity into practice in our homes.

12. It honors God and provides an excellent outlet for the expression of our gratitude for the abundance of daily mercies and blessings which come from Him.

Do you have daily devotions?

Lord bless,

Bro. Harry Shomaker