Why do we correct and discipline our children? Because we want them to grow up prepared to be successful in life. Some parents scream at their children and lash our when their children irritate them and get on their nerves. This is opposite to training children. Responsible parents diligently and lovingly discipline bad behavior. They correct their children and bring them into line when they are out of order, disobedient, tell lies, talk back, pout, and have moods. They will not tolerate these negative habits.
Why? Because they are preparing their children for life--to one day be the best employee in the company, to have good attitudes, to be a vessel ready to be used by God, and also to enjoy a happy and successful marriage If we allow our children to grow up with negative habits, those habits can destroy their marriage.
Dear wife and mother, in the same way God diligently works in our lives. His wants to conform us into the image of His Son (Romans 8:29). This certainly doesn’t happen without some serious working of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Paul said to the Corinthians: “Our one prayer is for the complete correction of your lives” (2 Corinthians 13:9 Barclay). The KJV uses “perfection” for the word “correction.” I checked my Lexicon and it says the word “denotes a process in the progress.” This can only happen through correction of what is wrong in our lives.
We must always be open to God’s gentle correction. He uses many ways to do this. He speaks to us as we read His Word and shows us what grieves the Holy Spirit in our lives (Ephesians 4:27, 30). He uses other people to correct us (sometimes our husbands). We don’t usually like it, do we? But we must remember that it is ultimately God who wants to correct us and conform us into His image.
If we don’t listen to God speaking to us through His word, or we don’t have a soft heart to receive correction from our husband or other people, He often allows difficulties and trials to come our way to wake us up, refine us, and bring us into line with His will.
Let’s keep soft hearts, always open to correction. If our children are stubborn and do not receive our correction, they become willful and rebellious. It’s just the same with us. We either have soft and tender hearts to God’s correction in our lives or we become stubborn and rebellious.
The Amplified version says: “And this we also pray for: your all-round strengthening and perfecting of the soul.” I want this, don’t you? It only comes through CORRECTION. For ourselves personally and in the training of our children.
Love from Nancy Campbell
I love the line from the delightful children’s book by George MacDonald, “At the Back of the North Wind.” He says, “For our Selves will always do pretty well if we don’t pay them too much attention.” What true words. It is the same principle Jesus gave us in Mark 8:35: “For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s, the same shall save it.”
May you have such a lovely day as you are honored and blessed by your family. Make no mistake about it. You have the most high-powered career in the nation! It is not the most high-paid career in the nation, but it is the most influential.
We discovered in the post below, “Above the Normal,” that David wanted to build a home for God that was exceedingly magnificent. When Solomon begins to build the house, he uses more adjectives. He states that he is going to build a house that will be “GREAT and WONDERFUL” (1 Chronicles 22:9). We are either building a normal marriage or a GREAT marriage. We are either building a normal family, or a GREAT family.
Yesterday we talked about building a magnificent home for God. But there’s more! Do you notice that the Bible constantly uses adjectives? Nothing about God is average and therefore the Bible needs adjectives to describe God’s plan for us.
King David had a passionate vision to build a house for the Lord His God. It wasn’t a little vision, but a huge vision. He used some amazing adjectives as he described the house he wanted to build. In 1 Chronicles 22:5 he confesses: “The house that is to be builded for the LORD must be EXCEEDINGLY MAGNIFICENT, of fame and glory throughout all countries.”
What’s your heart attitude today? Upset and brooding because things aren’t going your way? I believe it is important to cultivate a “turning attitude.” It’s not enough to turn once to God. It is a daily, hourly, and moment by moment turning our hearts to Him. Hosea 12:6 says: “Therefore turn thou to thy God: keep mercy and judgement, and wait on thy God continually.”
Amen. Let's be women of truth. Let's be women of strength. Let's not be intimidated by the lies of the enemy.
“I beg your pardon. Are you talking to me?” That’s not me. I’m for ever failing and getting angry with the children.” Yes, I understand. The Bible says: “There is none that doeth good, no, not one” (Psalm 14:3 and Romans 3:10). True!
Do you really believe what God says? Do I? God’s words are eternal. He doesn’t give us a different set of plans for each generation, but His plans work for all generations. Even in 2018! In fact, no generation is exempt from God’s plans and purposes. Every generation is without excuse.
A mother’s job description is enormous. I don’t think there is another career in the nation that imbibes so many profiles. In Chapter 15 in my book, “The Power of Motherhood,” I list just on 100 different profiles and I know I haven’t exhausted the list.
It is amazing that many blogging mothers share about how motherhood is “so hard.” They talk about how it’s necessary to get away from their children.
How is your soul today? Downcast? Reveling in self-pity? Or even dead? I have answer for you. It’s God’s living Word.
HERE IS THE FULL POEM Would you like to read the full poem that I mentioned in my post below?
Today I received an email from a dear friend who works as a missionary up in the mountains with the native people of Panama. She lives alone and his given her life to these people. She doesn't even come home on furlough.
If you love your children, you will want the best for them. You will want things to go well with them.
Are we allowed to be indignant? Or is that not Christlike? Well, we read an instance where Jesus was very indignant.
Colin and I were out walking this morning. The school bus passed us on the road. But it was only 6.30 am. Because it's now spring, it was light, but in the winter time it is pitch dark at this time. And often they don't return until 4.30 pm or later when it is dark again. My heart grieved.