Lo, children are an heritage of the Lord: and the fruits of the womb is his reward. Psalm 127:3.
I have a special message to parents. I am charged to bring to parents the strict requirement of God in each family. Fathers and mothers need to be daily reconverted in the line of bringing light into their own families. Cultivate Christian politeness in your training of your children. Guard yourselves. Never allow your hand to strike a child in anger. Your children are the Lord’s property and they must be treated kindly, but not vindicated in their disrespect of righteousness and truth by your own careless irreverence. Give them righteousness. Christ is truth, the complete perfect sample of what every soul must be if he enters the heavenly courts. All the great facts are set forth. You can never cure an evil spirit by doing irreligious work….
Be kind in your speech to your children. No loud, tempestuous scolding will cure your children of any evil action. No taking your children in a passion and shaking them will convert them from the error of their ways to do God’s will. They are God’s property. As a people professing to be reformers the very best lesson that you can give your children in this age of corruption is not to indulge them to become fashionable after the worldly style. Sons and daughters are to be instructed as to what it means to be obedient to God’s requirements, what will fit you and them for a position in the heavenly kingdom.
Watch and pray, fathers and mothers, lest ye enter into temptation. Give your hearts and minds and souls to God’s service. You are not to be severe, but kneel before the Lord with your own hearts softened by the grace of God. Be converted that you may have the earnest of the Holy Spirit. What a comfort to know that the Lord will help you in every emergency, for you are laborers together with God….
Fathers and mothers, you take the responsibility of bringing children into the world. Will you consider it is not for you to work in vain? “We then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain.” … Now this takes in Christian experience. Here is large encouragement. Here are the graces we are to receive, if we comply with the conditions. Fathers, mothers, if you are not converted, will you measure your advantages if you will comply with the conditions? … Your children are the Lord’s property with which you have been entrusted, to bring up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.—Manuscript 61, October 15, 1911, “Individual Responsibility of Fathers and Mothers.”
The Upward Look p. 302
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Prayer Requests
—- Please pray for my daughter Krystal for her to come to God with her concerns of work, her living situation, school and a God-provided significant other. Kimberly
—-My baby has been pretty sick today and I’m worried about how he is breathing. Please pray for healing and that he is able to rest and his breathing is good. Haley
—-Please pray for us as we are being evacuated because of a wildfire. Betty
—-Please pray for Mike and Eileen and Larry as they travel. Please pray for Ron who is sick and the doctors cannot figure out why. Pray for all our family as there is covid-19 at Brian’s work. Rose
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Dear Friends,
One summer we lived in a campground so we could save up enough money to buy a mobile home. Ronnie Jay was five years old at the time and soon became friends with Lyndon, the campground owner’s grandson. The two boys had many good times together. The thought of many fun things to keep them occupied. Some of those things got them into trouble.
The campground had a swimming pool. Many of the campers found the cool water refreshing in the North Carolina heat and humidity. The boys decided that the toads that lived everywhere around would enjoy a swim to cool off too. They caught some and tossed them into the pool. They were surprised that the toads were not happy with their swim. They got an added benefit to their mischief. Those toads made the girls scream. That was all two little boys needed to give them entertainment. After that they occasionally tossed a few toads into the pool just to hear the screams of fright.
Those girls were afraid, too, of the bats that flew around the lights that were around the pool at night. The bats were not interested in the people; they were busy getting a nice meal of insects that were attracted to the lighted pool area. But these girls did not understand, so they were frightened.
Often times we react in the same way to a situation that we do not understand and figuratively fight and kick and scream when things go wrong in our lives. How many times we think God is unfair in His dealings with us, but that is because we do not see the whole picture. We do not see that the very thing that is so distasteful to us, is the very thing we must go through to make us ready for Heaven. Paul tells us, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” Rom 8:28
Like Job, we do not understand why troubles and trials come our way. God’s Word reveals what was going on behind the scenes in Job’s case in order to give us comfort and hope when we are going through trials. “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.” Prov 3:5-7 Precious Redeemer! Wonderful Friend! “Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!” Psa 107:15
God “hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him. As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us. Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear him. For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust.” Ps 103:10-14 We can rest in His promises. “Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine. When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. For I am the LORD thy God.” Isa 43:1-3 “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.” Jer 29:11-13
May we “trust in the LORD, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed. Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass. And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday. Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him.” Psa 37:3-7 May we allow Him to lead in our lives in the way He knows is best. May we daily look for the blessings He showers upon us and praise Him with a grateful heart.
Rose