Scripture Reading Proverbs 1:1-8
Proverbs 1:8 My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother:
The father gives instruction but it is the mother who lays down the law. The mother wants the instruction of the father to be taken to heart. But there are no guarantees that the instructions are received or the heart of the mother is heard. It is what we want for our children but we cannot guarantee their success. Life happens, hearts are broken, lives are changed to never be the same again. Too often we forget, the world, in which we are living, is a sinful world, a fallen world. There is none righteous. Righteousness cannot be achieved apart from humbling yourself under the mighty hand of God.
Psalm 144:12 That our sons may be as plants grown up in their youth; that our daughters may be as corner stones, polished after the similitude of a palace: It is only in the LORD that such a change can be effected in our families. It comes not by will power, nor by a life of perfection, or by being good or by any works of our righteousness, but comes in the Grace of God extended to us in Christ. We are given the opportunity to believe the Word of God.
Our circumstances cannot separate us from God...
" where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:"
I read a book several years ago and just recently read the epilogue section. "When lay my Isaac down" t is a true story about a family whose only son made a terrible decision and then the life changing events of all the family. The book is written by the mother, Carol Kent. It is about letting go of control, in trying to manage the outcome of our circumstances, when life happens. The son was a graduate of the Naval Academy an officer in the Navy with a bright future, married with two step - daughters and then the unthinkable happens. It is a book worth the time to read. Just before their world fell apart they said, "Can life get any better than this." It has been more than a decade since the phone call that changed their life forever. They had to lay their Isaac down and walk in a path they feared to tread and found Christ true to His Word, Rom 8:31 What shall we then say to these things? f God be for us, who can be against us? Rom 8:35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Rom 8:38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Rom 8:39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
We can't change the happenstance of our life; we can only lay our burden down at the feet of Christ. Burdens are lifted by the Crucified Christ. Life is not about Him changing our circumstances; it is about us believing Him, in our life, regardless of our circumstances.
You are never beyond the heart of God
1Pe 5:7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.
If Jonah could find the LORD, from the belly of a whale, you can reach Him from your arena of life. And if the LORD could deliver Jonah, from the belly of hell, your cause is not beyond Him, Jon 2:5 The waters compassed me about, even to the soul: the depth closed me round about, the weeds were wrapped about my head. The weeds wrapped about his head: he was hopeless and from his hopelessness, Jonah cried to the LORD. Jon 2:2 And said, I cried by reason of mine affliction unto the LORD, and he heard me; out of the belly of hell cried I, and thou heardest my voice.
The biblical instruction of a father and the law of thy mother is for you, to turn to the immutable truths of God's grace, mercy, power. When life has left you with a bitter taste of heartache, and with no answers as to why then turn to the unchanging Word of God. It is putting your burden in the hands of God, it is relinquishing your control and trusting your future to God, Who is able. Eph 3:20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,
Unbelief is no little sin
Heb_3:12 Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.
Unbelief leaves you floundering in the prison house of self-righteousness, and pride keeps you locked in that prison of self. Our willingness to live without knowledge and understanding of God's Word is to be laid aside, "....let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us.
Psalm144:11 Rid me, and deliver me from the hand of strange children, whose mouth speaketh vanity, and their right hand is a right hand of falsehood: Strange Children means those who are against the gospel, the enemies to your soul (life), enemies of God. They are false teachers who give a false hope. But God is for you and that is demonstrated in the Gospel. Rom 8:31 What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? Believe Him, Romans 8:32-37 He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
Homes need Christ
"....for without me ye can do nothing." John 15:5
Psa 144:12 That our sons may be as plants grown up in their youth; that our daughters may be as corner stones, polished after the similitude of a palace:
Plants are alive and give provision - our sons are to grow up knowing the gospel and experiencing the grace of God in their life. They are to know about Christ and the wages of sin and why Christ died on the cross. Our sons and daughters should hear they are never beyond the Redeeming Grace of God.
The young man in the book I talked about is serving Christ today, while still in prison. He is alive in Christ and walking in the Grace of God and speaking out for Christ. Yes," where sin abounded grace did much more abound." And the Grace of God is ever real and always abounding.
The cornerstone occupies a prominent place and our daughters are created to be cornerstones of the family not the cornerstone of man's world. Beauty is defined by the Bible not by a magazine, 1 Peter 3:1-7. "polished after the similitude of a palace:" Instead of polishing womanhood - womanhood has been trashed.
Our homes and families need to hear and believe the truth of the gospel. Psa 144:14 That our oxen may be strong to labour; that there be no breaking in, nor going out; that there be no complaining in our streets. Psa 144:15 Happy is that people, that is in such a case: yea, happy is that people, whose God is the LORD. Christ is the only one who can satisfy the longing of the soul. And it is when you take up your cross and follow Him that you are at peace. 1Ti 6:6 But godliness with contentment is a great gain.
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