Parenting God's Love
Noni McVey
| Rejoice |
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Jesus’ body laid in a dark, musty cave for three days and nights. Then, without warning the earth began to shake with a violent earthquake. An angel of the Lord descended from the heavens and rolled away the massive stone that covered the entrance of the tomb. The soldiers began to shake with fear as they saw the angel sitting on the stone, shinning brightly. The guards fell to the ground and passed out with fear. As Mary and Mary Magdalene approached the tomb they rejoiced at the angel’s news that Jesus was alive! As they ran to find the disciples and tell them the exciting news, Jesus stopped them and said hello. They fell on their knees and worshiped Him. They were full of joy as they realized their Lord was alive. There were many people who celebrated the resurrection of Jesus! They were thrilled to know their Savior and friend was alive! Just like them, we should be excited that our Savior and friend Jesus is alive! The Devil thought he had won a great victory over Jesus, but really he lost by a land slide. The moment Jesus rose from the dead, He gave us the joy of knowing we can live forever. The best part is that Jesus was resurrected and ascended to heaven to become our high priest. Jesus Christ shall return to establish the Kingdom of God on earth and rule as King of kings with His saints forever. Teach your children to rejoice in the Good News of the Gospel!  |
| Encourage Giving |
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Help your children experience the joy of giving by getting them involved in a service project. If your child has a talent or a hobby he or she can share with others, encourage using their talents to help others. Here are a few suggestions: • Serve a meal at a shelter or food kitchen. • Collect jackets, sweaters and coats for the homeless or migrant workers. • Make a blanket for Project Linus. Website; www.projectlinus.org • Help at an animal shelter. • Become an Ombuddy and visit convalescent hospitals. Teach your child to give from the heart not only to family, but to those less fortunate too.  |
| I am Third |
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The author of the following story is unknown. It is a nice story, which may help you reinforce with your child the importance of putting God and others before oneself. There was a boy who was very popular among others his age. He was an excellent leader in his school groups. One of his friends visited him and saw a homemade plaque in his room with the words "I Am Third" on it. His friend asked him what it meant and he replied, "It is the motto I try to use in my life. It means "God is first, others are second, and I am Third.'" The driving force in our lives should be trying to please God. Secondly, we should take into consideration the needs and pleasures of others. With our own pleasures subordinated, we will truly be the humble servants of God. Follow up this story with memorizing II Corinthians 9:7 with your child. “So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, ‘not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver” (2 Corinthians 9:7).  |
| In Pursuit of Kindness |
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A kind heart is one of the best virtues we can give our children. Kindness is an attractive quality that will affect a child’s life in a positive way. Putting the needs of others ahead of ones own, taking the time to encourage and not destroy cultivates a harvest that is filled with happiness and success. When parents teach their children to help the poor, feed the hungry, visit the sick, lift up the downtrodden and give shelter to the homeless, they are teaching a lifestyle that is the standard of Christ. We should not be surprised that the human imitation of God’s kindness does not come naturally. In fact, ultimately no one is kind (Psalm 14:3; Romans 3:12). It is only as the fruit of God’s Spirit that kindness can be a constant, steady and unchanging fact of the believer’s life experiences. Jesus makes the understanding of kindness pretty clear. He tells us that showing undeserved kindness to others imitates God’s character. God has shown great kindness to everyone He has made (Psalm 145:9), even to those of His creatures who are ungrateful and wicked. It is through this great Godly kindness He leads all who will listen and learn to repentance, not to rejection of Him (Romans 2:4). In like manner, we are to respond to people with kindness regardless of their feelings toward us. Whether it is one of love and admiration or one of malice and wickedness, we must respond with Godly kindness. If someone mistreats you because you are a Christian, don’t curse him; pray that God will bless him. When others are happy, be happy with them. When they are sad, share their sorrow. People experience happiness through kindness when they feel a sense of achievement flowing from their lives. We become happy when we express kindness through a worthy cause. By doing so the labor of our lives has ultimate meaning. For people to be truly happy there must be a sense of contribution and fulfillment. Centuries ago, the Apostle Paul wrote to the church at Galatia, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law” (Galatians 5:22-23). What Paul seems to be saying is that God intends for us to be happy people. It is through His spirit in us we are satisfied, provided we put to use the virtues of His Spirit. It is God’s will that we accept each other as brothers and sisters, that we show each other warm kindness and affection and that we lead our lives to achieve great things for His Kingdom. When you teach your child to be kind, you are also teaching him to respect others. As parents, do you show one another respect? There are days in everyone’s life that not everything goes well. On those days, are patience, kindness and gentleness shown to one another or is the household filled with anger and tension? This does not mean that everyday of your child’s life should be without a problem, nor should life be seen through rose colored glasses. Storms in the experiences of living are character building. The key to developing compassion is how you, the parent, handle the storm with the right response. There is not one event or storm in a child’s life that will develop kindness. It is observing a parent over a period of time and how you react to each difficult situation that will make the difference. Children learn early on by your example. When you discipline your child, do you do it out of love and respect? Punishment should never be done in anger. When your children fight, do you shrug it off as sibling rivalry or do you step in and stop the fighting because in your house it is not acceptable? In this life there is no way we can be perfectly flawless in our pursuit of expressing Godly kindness as Christ Jesus did, but we can certainly aspire to be as much like Christ as possible. Teach your child that he can have peace, not turmoil in his life, if he practices kindness in his daily life.  |
| A Poem for inspiration from Audrey Hepburn |
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The following poem is quoted from “Audrey Hepburn” by Barry Paris © 1996 Putnam. Ms. Hepburn would read this poem to children for inspiration. For attractive lips, speak words of kindness. For lovely eyes, seek out the good in people. For a slim figure, share your food with the hungry. For beautiful hair, let a child run his fingers through it once a day. For poise, walk with the knowledge you'll never walk alone... People, even more than things, have to be restored, renewed, revived, reclaimed and redeemed and redeemed ... Never throw out anybody. Remember, if you ever need a helping hand, you'll find one at the end of your arm. As you grow older you will discover that you have two hands. One for helping yourself, the other for helping others.  |
| Four Kind Men - Mark 2:1-12 |
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Talk about the importance of friendship with your children. Start by asking, do you have a good friend? Maybe you have several good friends. It is nice to have friends and there are times we all are in need of a good friend. The following Bible Story is about a man who had four kind friends. Word of Jesus’ ability to heal was spreading quickly. He healed a man of an evil spirit and that same day He healed Peter’s mother-in-law. By the time evening rolled around there were crowds of sick people wanting Jesus to heal them. In the morning, Jesus tried to go to a quiet place, but was unsuccessful as many sick people followed. Jesus went on a tour of Galilee with Peter, Andrew, James and John. He taught in the synagogues, preached the gospel of the Kingdom and healed many wherever He went. When He returned to His home in Capernaum, people crowded into a house to hear Him preach. Among those that came to see Christ were four men. They were carrying a man who was paralyzed. The man could not walk. They must have felt some disappointment when they saw the house was filled and spilling out with people. There seemed to be no way to get their friend to Jesus. While the situation looked bleak, they did not give up. If someone really loves and wants to help a friend in need, he will not give up. One will do whatever it takes to help a friend. Jesus said, “This is My commandment that you love one another as I have loved you” (John 15:12). God can use you to help another even when it seems impossible. These four men did not give up. The four men carried their sick friend to the roof of the house where Jesus was preaching. Bible-time homes were not like our homes today. They were usually flat and the roofs were probably made up of mud mixed with straw. Once on the roof, the four friends began to take the roof apart. When the hole was large enough, they lowered their friend through the hole. When Jesus saw the faith of these four friends, He said to the paralyzed man, “Son, your sins are forgiven you.” This statement from Jesus did not please some who thought only God could forgive someone of his sins. Was Jesus claiming to be God? Yes. During Jesus’ day it was believed that sickness and disease were the result of sin. There are different factors that can bring about physical sickness. Illness may be the result of violating the principles of health, or the direct result of a person’s sin (Matthew 9:1-7; John 5:14). There are also times that sickness is inherited (John 9:2) or the result of an injury or accident (Luke 13:1-5. Jesus confirms in John 9:1-3 that physical ailments are not necessarily caused by sin. In this paralyzed man’s position, he may have been disabled since birth or his sin may have brought about his illness. Jesus’ ability to heal was a clear demonstration of God’s power in Christ. Healings performed by Jesus represented to the world His absolute power over the world, which was given to Him by God. When Jesus told the paralyzed man his sins were forgiven, Jesus was informing the religious leaders He had the ability to forgive sin. Talk such as this was considered blasphemous, an affront to God’s authority and power (Isaiah 43:25) and was punishable by death. While those who questioned Jesus’ authority did not speak out, Jesus knew what they were thinking. Jesus said, “Why do you reason about these things in your hearts? Which is easier to say to the paralytic, ’Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say ‘Arise, take up your bed and walk? But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins, He said ‘Arise, take up your bed and go to your house.’” To the delight of his friends, the paralyzed man immediately got up from the bed and stood. All the people were amazed. There was happiness and joy as the people glorified God and said, “We never saw anything like this!” Imagine how happy the four friends must have been. They must have been glad they made the effort and did not give up. They had helped in making a difference in someone’s life. When you have a friend that needs Jesus’ kind of love, be sure to give it (I Corinthians 13:4,7).  |
| Kindness Rules |
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Since we want to teach out children how to model what Christ did, share the following with your child to begin a discussion about how one can show kindness to others. Jesus! What an awesome man (and God)! There were some really great things about the way Jesus acted while He was on earth. One of those things is how kind He was to others. Kindness poured out of Jesus. You could even say Jesus is the definition of kindness. Like Jesus, you can show kindness in lots of different ways. You can be helpful, show compassion, have good manners, be tender, say polite words, or show concern for the elderly, handicapped, or sick. Jesus showed kindness in many ways. He ate dinner with a mean guy named Zachaeus who had no friends. He fed 5,000 hungry people on a hillside. Jesus prayed with His disciples, raised men from the dead, and forgave the “very sinful woman.” In Ephesians 4:32 it says, “be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you” (NKJV). You are commanded to be kind to others, just like Jesus was. You see people everyday who need someone to show them kindness. You see neighbors, friends, family, teachers, and many others you don’t know. Ask God to help you think of ways to be kind to everyone you see. Kindness is giving yourself! It’s not being selfish, but it’s seeing how much you can give of your time to others. Be kind today! Give of yourself ~ even if you just give someone a smile.  |
| Ways to Introduce Your Child to God |
Kathie Reimer, in her book “1001 Ways to Introduce Your Child to God,” has some great ideas for raising an obedient and loving child!
“1001 Ways to Introduce Your Child to God” by Kathie Reimer  |
| Moses is Called By God - Exodus 2: 15-3:18 |
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In the story below, your children can learn that the God that appeared to Moses and instructed Moses about who He is, is the same God who can live in us today. God is the same yesterday, today and forever (Hebrews 13:8). We love Him because we can trust in Him. One day Moses was in the desert, tending sheep that belonged to his father-in-law. He led the flock to the back of the desert and came to the mountain of God, called Horeb. Suddenly the angel of the Lord appeared to Moses in a flame of fire from the middle of a bush. Moses looked and saw that the bush burned with fire but it was not destroyed. When the Lord saw Moses turn aside to look closer at the bush, God called to him from the middle of the bush and said, “Moses, Moses!” And Moses answered, “Here I am.” God said, “Do not come near. Take your shoes off your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.” God continued, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. Moses hid his face for he was afraid to look upon God.” God spoke again, “I have seen the misery of my people who are in Egypt and I have heard their cries because of these taskmasters, for I know their sorrows. So I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them out of that land into a land of good and large, into a land flowing with milk and honey.” God was going to take them to the land of Canaan, which He had promised their forefathers. God said to Moses, “Come now, and I will send you to Pharaoh so you may lead my people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt.” But Moses said to the Lord, “Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh, and lead the children of Israel out of Egypt?” God said, “I will certainly be with you, and this shall be a sign to you that I have sent you: When you bring the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God on this mountain.” Then Moses said to the Lord: “When I come to the children of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you’ and they say to me, ‘ What is his name?’ what shall I say to them?” God said, “This you shall say to the children of Israel: ‘I AM WHO I AM. This you must say to the children of Israel. I AM has sent me to you.’” Moses was to tell the people that “I AM” had sent him. This was the name by which God chose to reveal himself to Israel. The name was to become a memorial throughout their generations. Do you ever think you don’t have the strength, courage or wisdom to do what God asks of you? The Bible says in 2 Corinthians 3:5, “Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God.” This means that by ourselves we are not powerful, but the all-powerful God is and He can do anything. The key is to trust in Him. God desired that Moses would know He is the all-powerful God who would help him deliver the children of Israel out of bondage. God wanted Moses to trust Him. God wants you to trust Him as well. God wants you to know who He is too. He is your strength, courage and wisdom. God’s Word says, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13). His name is “I AM” and He is here to give you all the strength and courage you could ever need. Go to God in prayer and ask Him to help you trust in His power.  |
| Do You Know Who God Is? |
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The most fundamental need facing each of us as a parent today is to recognize the existence of God, understand His character and personality and pass this on to our children. Teaching our children about God begins by involving them in our religion and by example. The scripture to begin teaching about God is Proverbs 1:7, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.” In our world today, knowledge abounds but true wisdom is scarce. The first step to teach your children is that wisdom is not just about knowing a lot, but rather one’s attitude will affect everything in one’s life. Teach your children to have the attitude of fear for the Lord because this attitude is the beginning of wisdom. To fear God means to honor, respect, trust and be in awe of His power. Next, involve your children in your religion. Teaching them to pray, read and memorize scripture, sing hymns and attend church does this. God and Jesus Christ need to be a part of your family’s everyday life. God should not be reserved only for meal and bedtime prayers. Your faith should be a part of your everyday life. This can be done through your conversations and your thankfulness for all God has provided you and your family. The existence of God has been a debate for mankind throughout the millennial. No one can make another person believe in God. However, God’s existence is powerfully demonstrated by His creation. The reality of the material universe, the existence of life and the interdependence and sustenance of the laws governing His creation require a Creator, a Life-Giver and a Sustainer. David said, “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament showeth his handiwork” (Psalm 19:1). Paul records in Romans 1:19, 20 “That which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shown it unto them. For the invisible things of him [God] from [looking up at] the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead so that they are without excuse.” So there is no excuse for not believing in God. God can be known because of the creation all around us. Teach your children the nature of God
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| I AM’S of God |
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Teach your children the "I AMS of God 1. I AM 2. I AM THAT I AM 3. I am the Lord 4. I am Almighty God 5. I am the God of Abraham 6. I am the Lord God of Abraham 7. I am God, the God of thy father 8. I am the God of Bethel 9. I am the God of thy father 10. I am the Lord your God 11. I the Lord your God am holy 12. I the Lord am holy 13. I the Lord thy God am a jealous God 14. I am He 15. I am God 16. I am the Lord thy God 17. I am the God of Israel 18. I am thy God 19. I am the first 20. I am the last 21. I am thy part of thine inheritance 22. I am the Lord thy Savior 23. I am the Lord, the God of all flesh 24. I am a witness 25. I am a father to Israel 26. I am the Lord God 27. I am the Lord their God 28. I am your God 29. I am a great King 30. I am the God of thy fathers From The Dake Annotated Reference Bible, Page 71  |
| Jesus Name |
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To begin a discussion, with your child, about the power in Jesus' name, you may want to read or share the following information. How many times have you finished a prayer with the words, “in Jesus’ name, amen?” The Bible says that one day every knee will bow to the ground at the mention of the name Jesus. What is it about that name? Certainly there is no other name so powerful. When the name of Jesus is mentioned it can heal, chase away evil and bring incredible peace and happiness. Is the name of Jesus just a magic word like hocus-pocus? Absolutely not! It’s a name that speaks of the King of Kings, the ruler of the universe and the Prince of Peace. Wherever the name of Jesus is spoken for good, you can be sure Jesus is right there, waiting to do something wonderful. Think about how awesome that is. Wherever you are, you can call on the name of Jesus to help make something good happen. You don’t have to be an adult, a minister, or anybody special. Anyone who is a child of God can call out the name of Jesus and He will be there instantly. Now you have to remember that He is God, and that makes Him smarter than everyone else. So sometimes He may answer your prayers a little differently than you thought He should. However, God will always answer in a way that will bring glory to Him. So when you are around others, don’t be afraid to speak out the name of Jesus, and ask Him to help your family, friends, teachers, neighbors, and anyone else that has blood pumping through their body. It’s a powerful name, so don’t leave home without it!  |
| Do Your Children Worry? |
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Kids today spend a lot of time worrying. The Bible makes it very clear that God does not want us worrying, but instead, trusting in Him. Here is a simple, but very meaningful activity that can help your children learn to cast their worries on Jesus. Find a fair size jar and label it “The Worry Jar.” When you or one of your children have a worry, write it down and put it in the jar. That night, before you go to sleep, pray with your child about the concern. Ask God for peace and for help. After a couple of months, empty the jar together and see how many prayers God answered. Don’t forget to give thanks and praise! As your child grows older, he/she will really be able to trust in God and not worry, but be happy! Hmm! That sounds like a good song!  |
