When someone is mean to you it is human nature to want to retaliate, make them pay, or get even. But stooping to their level of meanness won’t make you feel better, nor will it change their behavior! The old expression, “Revenge is sweet,” simply is not true. It just fills your heart with evil. Look at the example Christ set when He was here on earth. He was judged, spied on, and gossiped and lied about, but He took it all in loving silence. Not once did he seek revenge or retaliation. He returned good for evil and was kind to those who mistreated Him. That’s what God wants us to do as well. When people ignore you, are rude or mean–refuse to be offended. Their bad actions don’t define you …
[12:22, 3/12/2021] Elvis Tshepo: Sharing God's Love
Thursday 11 March 2021
Raising Brats
The biggest problem with today’s generation of children is that they are totally focused on “self." Now more than ever before, children are the center of attention, demanding, and often rule the household. But is it any wonder when they have been raised to believe that the world revolves around “them”? Why, even on television, every sitcom features a child with the smart remarks and the parents are made to look like idiots. In many homes, there is no real discipline! Mom might say, “Don’t do that!” and the child does it anyway. Then she repeats herself, but still, the child continues, oblivious to what the parent is saying. Again, Mom says, “If you don’t stop doing that you are going to be punished!” But the child isn’t listening, and the mom, tired of fighting, shakes her head and walks away. What is really happening is, the child has learned: 1. Mom doesn’t mean what she says. 2. That they don’t have to respect their parents and 3. That they can do whatever they want! Then once they become teenagers–parents are heartbroken to watch them turn to the sinful pleasures of the world, in a desperate attempt to find happiness. It’s no mystery why kids are leaving the church and turning their backs on God. The Bible gives lots of good advice about raising children–but nowhere does God recommend spoiling children and raising brats! God wants parents to teach their children to love Him as their Creator, Savior, and Best Friend. It is far more important to teach children to be kind, meek, humble, obedient, generous, and loving than to spoil them by giving them everything they want–for there will be no selfish people in heaven! Parents must give an account to God on how they raise their children! The Bible says in Proverbs 22:6,6 “Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it.” Parents, love your children enough–to set firm boundaries, discipline with love, and prepare their hearts for heaven! Text: 1 Peter 5:8, Isaiah 49:25, Hosea 2:6, Malachi 4:6
Bible Texts:
Isaiah 49:25 NKJV - But thus says the LORD: "Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken away, And the prey of the terrible be delivered; For I will contend with him who contends with you, And I will save your children.
Hosea 2:6 NKJV - "Therefore, behold, I will hedge up your way with thorns, And wall her in, So that she cannot find her paths."
Malachi 4:6 NKJV - And he will turn The hearts of the fathers to the children, And the hearts of the children to their fathers, Lest I come and strike the earth with a curse