Kisah sepasang kadal - True Story

A Mighty Warrior - Mom who is praying

“I have no greater joy than to know that my children are walking in the truth.”

3 John 1:4

Proverbs 31 introduces us to the mother whose children rise up and call her blessed, as a “wife of noble character”, “an excellent wife" and “a capable, intelligent, and virtuous woman.”

The actual Hebrew word for excellent or virtuous is chayil and is sometimes interpreted as “virtuous, boldly courageous, powerful, mighty warrior.” The mother whose children rise up and call her blessed is a warrior who battles in prayer for the hearts, minds, and souls of her children. She prays a hedge of protection around them and stands in the gap when they don’t know how to pray for themselves. She meets the enemy head on, dressed in the armor of God with the sword of the spirit (the word of God) drawn and ready for action. We may never know the many times that the enemy’s schemes against our children were thwarted by the power of our prayers.

As a mother, you may feel at times that your burden for you child seems more than you can bear. Peter tells us to “cast all our cares upon Him, because He cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7). He cares for your children, too. No matter how much you love your children, God loves them more.

It's just an idea … you can make a 4 x 6 laminated card with prayers that your children will:
· Know Christ as Savior early in life. (Psalm 63:1, 2 Timothy 3:15)
· Have a hatred for sin. (Psalm 97:10)
· Be caught when guilty. (Psalm 119:71)
· Be protected from the evil one in each area of their lives: spiritual, emotional, and physical (John 17:15)
· Have a responsible attitude in all their interpersonal relationships (Daniel 6:3)
· Respect those in authority over them. (Romans 13:1)
· Desire the right kind of friends and be protected from the wrong friends. (Proverbs 1:10-11)
· Be kept from the wrong mate and saved for the right one. (2 Corinthians 6:14-17)
· Be kept pure until marriage (as well as the one they marry). (1 Corinthians 6:18-20)
· Learn to totally submit to God and actively resist Satan in all things. (James 4:7)
· Be single-hearted, willing to be sold out to Jesus Christ. (Romans 12:1-2)
· Be hedged in so they cannot find their way to wrong people or wrong places and that the wrong people cannot find their way to them. (Hosea 2:6)

A mother wears many hats during the years of raising her children. And while we take off those hats one-by-one as they grow and mature, there is one that will always remain – the hat of a mother who prays.

BEING A MOM THAT MATTERS - Part 1

Proverbs 22:6

“Train children how to live right, and when they are old, they will not change”

So much of who we are as women is rooted in the parent/child relationship. I believe that my role as a mother will greatly affect the kind of woman my daughter will become. I also believe that moms are the primary teachers in a child’s life.

Seriously, we live in a world that many times denies the importance of being a mom. I don’t come to you as an expert. I simply want to be a successful mom. Being a parent is a holy calling from God and God never calls us to do a job without providing the power and the plan to do that job successfully. How can we be the moms that really matter?

1. Be a mom who loves God.
1 John 4:19 “We love, because God first loved us”
We are incapable of loving our children like they were meant to be loved until we first love God! Motherhood at its best demands a thriving partnership with God! We cannot give unconditional love until we have experienced unconditional love! And God is the only source of that kind of love! We can do everything else right as a parent but if we don’t begin with loving God - we will fail!

2. Be a mom who prays continually.
I Thessalonians 5:17 should every mother’s commitment to her children. “Never stop praying”. It is never too late to start praying and it is always too early to stop.

• Pray for God’s plan – not yours – when praying for your children.
• Pray that you will see your child like God sees your child.
• Pray specifically for your child. For example, take a verse from Proverbs and say it in front of you son/daughter. For son, Proverbs 3:5-6, “Lord, I pray that (your son's name) would trust in You with all His heart and will lean not unto his own understanding. I pray that in all his ways, (your son's name) will acknowledge You and that You will direct his paths.” And for daughter, 1 Peter 5:7, “Lord, I pray that (your daughter's name) would cast all her care upon You, because You care for her.”

Prayer is an eternal gift we can give to our children, teaching them the importance of prayer and teaching them how to pray. We can start early to pray with our kids at bedtime. I am convinced that if we pray for our children and with our children, it will change their lives and ours and give us insight that we can gain no other way.

3. Be a mom who gives time.
Proverbs 22:6 “Train children how to live right, and when they are old, they will not change”
It takes time to be a mom, to know and to train your children. Every child comes with a set of characteristics already established by God. Our job is to identify those characteristics and then steer the child toward them. The original root word for “train” is the term for “the palate, the roof of the mouth, the gums”. In the days of Solomon, a midwife would deliver the baby, dip her finger into the juice of crushed dates, reach into the mouth of the baby and massage the gums and palate to create a sense of taste and thirst. She would then give the child to the mother so the baby could nurse. Our job as mothers is to develop a thirst in our children for the right things. And that takes time.

There is a popular philosophy today that it doesn’t matter the quantity of time that we spend with our kids as long as it is quality time. It does matter! Can a woman have it all - a home, a family, a career? I think she can. I’m just not sure she can have them all at the same time. There are seasons of life to which we must yield in order to be the mother God wants us to be. Time spent with children is never wasted! Every minute invested in your child is an eternal investment! Give your children the best of your time – not the leftovers.

· Make weekly dates with your kids.
· Pull them out of school occasionally for a fun day.
· Have a meal together every day.
· Be involved in the things they enjoy.
In other words, be available! And just your physical presence is not enough. Be a mom who gives your children time.
Being a mom is the hardest job on earth and can bring out the best and the worst in you. I know being a mom requires great sacrifice and limitless energy, but to invest your time and best efforts into a child, to watch that child grow and develop, is to be part of the creative majesty of life itself.

Have a great day, moms!

BEING A MOM THAT MATTERS - Part 2

Psalm 127:3

“Children are a gift from the LORD; they are a reward from Him”

So much of who we are as men and women is rooted in the parent/child relationship. I believe that my role as a mother will greatly affect the kind of woman my daughter will become. I also believe that moms are the primary teachers in a child’s life. Yesterday, we identified three steps we can take to be the moms God wants us to be:

1. Be a mom who loves God.
2. Be a mom who prays continually.
3. Be a mom who gives time.
   
   Next step is …
4. Be a mom who encourages.

Today, let’s talk about being a mom who encourages her children. In 1 Thessalonians 5:11, we find the simple but life-changing directive, “So encourage each other and give each other strength”. When we encourage our children, we deposit strength in them. We need to be careful to keep their emotional deposits in balance. Many kids are in emotional bankruptcy because constant withdrawals of criticism are made with few deposits of encouragement. Our job is to study our kids and discover their strengths and weaknesses. We need to understand that many times, their greatest weakness may very well become their greatest strengths.

As a child, I was very stubborn. I know. It is almost impossible to imagine - almost. That stubbornness often got me into trouble, but it also made me the survivor of some very hard times. We need to look for the good things in our children and draw them into the spotlight. In other words, become their “encourager” and their “cheerleader.” Everyone needs a cheerleader.

5. Be a mom who laughs.
Proverbs 17:22 “A happy heart is like good medicine, but a broken spirit drains your strength”
Moms, we need to lighten up, or my friend's daughter says, “Chill, Mom!” Kids are fun! Find ways to bring joy and laughter into your home. Moms are the thermostats of the home and need to keep the emotional setting on joy. Children get most of their first impressions of God from their parents. I want my kids to know that God is a God of joy and laughter. Kids need a mom who laughs.

6. Be a mom who hugs.
Luke 18:15 “One day some parents brought their little children to Jesus so he could touch them and bless them”
Children need moms who touch them in a loving way and demonstrate healthy physical affection. The reality is that children not only need, but crave physical affection. It is a God-given need that is meant to be met in God-given ways. There is healing in a mother’s touch. Start early and never stop! It is a terrible shock for kids to have the hugging stop just at the age when they need it the most.

7. Be a mom who disciplines.
Proverbs 6:23 “The correction of discipline is the way to life”
Kids want and need discipline – whether they know it or not. Knowing is our job as mothers. Discipline is a hedge of protection in the life of a child. Part of our job as a parent is to tend that hedge, to keep it strong and in place. If we are not careful, every day can dissolve into a never-ending battle for control. As parents, we need to let go of what we can and hold our ground on what we can’t.

Discipline principles:
1. Be consistent
2. Discipline from love ... not anger.
3. Pick your battles carefully.
4. Don’t expect children to act like adults.
5. Teach kids that there are consequences to choices.
6. Realize that every child is different.
7. Don’t discipline until you have control of your emotions. This last point is major. We are the adults who should be able to control emotions. If we don’t, neither will our children. Proverbs 29:11 says, “Foolish people lose their tempers, but wise people control theirs”.

Pick your battles of discipline and wage them with emotions under control. Whatever you do, don’t put the light out in their eyes. Kids need a mom who disciplines.

8. Be a mom who forgives.
Colossians 3:13 13 Get along with each other, and forgive each other. If someone does wrong to you, forgive that person because the Lord forgave you”

We teach children how to forgive others by how we forgive them! Forgiveness is part of every healthy relationship so when we practice forgiveness, we are modeling healthy relationships for them. We also teach our children about God’s forgiveness by how we forgive. Be quick to forgive your child but be quicker to ask your child’s forgiveness.

Being a mom is the hardest job on earth! It brings out the best and the worst in you! I know that motherhood requires great sacrifice and limitless energy! But to invest your time and best efforts into a child, to watch that child grow and develop, is to be part of the creative majesty of life itself! Today, I commit to seek God’s power and plan to be a soon-to-be-mom who really matters.

Have a great day, Moms!

MARRIAGE COUPLE DEVOTION - PART 1

Proverbs 31:11-12; 30

“Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value. She brings him good, not harm. A woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.”

Family means different things to different people. What is a family? Well, I can tell you that it is not what it used to be. Family is no longer simple, but blended and complex. It has changed to include many different relationships of people who live together.

· Couples with children
· Couples with no children (yet …)
· Single women with children
· Single men with children
· Grandparents with children
· Parents with grown children who have left and come back home
· Close friends living together
· Unrelated people living together

And they are all family! Family is a group of persons belonging to or forming a household. We’ve looked at what a family is, but more important is the question, “What is the purpose of family?” There are no perfect families. There never have been. However, the purpose of family is to illustrate the nature and character of God. In other words, family is the primary place we learn about God.

There was a story, in a sunday school class of first-graders was asked to draw a picture of God. When the pastor stopped by to inspect their work, the children were happy to show him their drawings. One child had drawn God in the form of a brightly colored rainbow. Another had drawn the face of an old man coming out of billowing clouds. One drawing looked a lot like Superman, but perhaps the best picture was the one proudly displayed by a girl who said, "I didn't know what God looked like exactly, so I drew my daddy!”

Children get their first impressions of God from their parents. The family is important to God. In fact, He created it before He created the church and, as with each of His creations, He made a plan for it to succeed. At the heart of that plan is love. To be part of a family is to be loved. So the challenge before us today is how should we love our family?

I know we all want to be part of a family where we give and receive love. Proverbs 31 tells us how. This chapter, a portrait of a wife and mother, was painted by a King as the kind of woman his mother wanted her son to marry. It is a standard of excellence, not only for women, but for every member of every family. Over the next three days, we will find seven ways in the life of this woman to love your family.

1. Build trust
Proverbs 31:11 tells us that “her husband has full confidence in her.” “Full confidence” literally means to trust, to take refuge in or to lean on. The Proverbs 31 woman spent a lifetime building trust. She trusted God and had a personal relationship with Him (vs. 30). We cannot be trustworthy if we are not trusting, and if we don’t trust God, we cannot truly trust others. If we are not “taking refuge” or “leaning on” Jesus Christ, when others take refuge and lean on us, we will crumble and fall. Trust shatters fear.

Psalm 56:3 “But when I am afraid, I will put my confidence in you. Yes, I will trust the promises of God. And since I am trusting him, what can mere man do to me?”

Trust is fragile and once broken, very hard to build again.
To enjoy our family, we must first trust God, which then enables us to build trust in our family. Our family needs to be able to trust us, no matter what, without having to worry about stepping on emotional land mines. There will be no joy in our homes if there is not an atmosphere of trust. Family is a “team” idea and nothing is more deadly to the success of a team than a lack of trust. Trust God and then build trust in your family.

Have a good day!

MARRIAGE COUPLE DEVOTION - PART 2

Proverbs 31:13; 15; 20

“She selects wool and flax and works with eager hands. She gets up while it is still dark; she provides food for her family and portions for her servant girls. She opens her arms to the poor and extends her hands to the needy.”

Family is important to God. He created it before He created the church and, as with each of His creations, He made a plan for it to succeed. At the heart of that plan is love. To be part of a family is to be loved. Yesterday, we saw that the first step to loving our family is to build trust. The second step is to serve our family with joy. We are told by many to serve ourselves not others. The Proverbs 31 woman had every opportunity to live a life of leisure.

· She has a prominent husband.
· She had a lot of influence.
· She was visible and active in community.
· She was in charge of charity events.
But she got up while it was still dark to make breakfast for her family and for those who served her. Verse 13 tells us she worked with “eager” hands. The literal meaning of “eager” is “in delight or in chosen joy.” In other words, she chose to serve with joy, which means we can choose to serve our family with joy as well. Jesus teaches the truth that service is a natural result of love.

Galatians 5:13 (LB) “For, dear brothers, you have been given freedom: not freedom to do wrong, but freedom to love and serve each other.”

Yet, many of us find it easier to serve everyone in love except our family. Service to those we love and call family should not be a burden. In fact, an attitude of service is contagious! The best way to teach your family to serve is to serve them.

2. Plan well
Proverbs 31:15b, 21, 27 (LB) “She plans the day's work. She has no fear of winter for her household, for she has made warm clothes for all of them. She watches carefully all that goes on throughout her household.”

Planning prevents chaos. This woman is in control of her home and her life. The control came from good planning. She mastered the skill of homemaking before she ever set foot in the workplace. She set her priorities; then arranged her life around them. She didn’t allow others to set priorities for her but chose to focus on what was important, not just urgent. Have you noticed that the urgent things in life barge in demanding attention while the important things wait to be chosen? We can spend a lifetime on the urgent and miss the important. We must set family priorities because if we don’t, the world will.

The Proverbs 31 woman knew what needed to be done and made sure that it was done first and in the right way. She didn’t fear winter or the hard times because she was prepared. Family should provide the most satisfying earthly relationships. If it doesn’t, the problem may be with our planning. Here are some simple tips for planning:

1. Budget your time.
2. Choose one day a week to plan the entire week.
3. Eliminate. Have an “elimination” meeting once a month with your family. Eliminate the things that are hurting your family.

4. Learn to leave the “lesser” things undone.
5. Delegate. Include everyone in the family in the work as well as the playing.
6. Simplify. Give up on perfection. It’s for heaven ... not earth!
Plan well! It demonstrates your love for your family!

3. Work hard
Proverbs 31:16-18 (LB) “She goes out to inspect a field and buys it; with her own hands she plants a vineyard. She is a hard worker. She works far into the night.”

There is nothing lazy about this woman and laziness should not be part of our character as women of God(hehehehe …. ). This is a busy woman, but not too busy and not busy doing the wrong things. Busyness does not always equal productivity. I believe a woman can have it all - a career, a family. I’m just not sure she can have it all at the same time.

The Proverbs 31 woman has a strong sense of who she is and what God created her to be. She has a clear plan for life and notice she doesn’t do all of the work herself. Working together builds a sense of family. In a nationwide survey, thousands of school children were asked, “What makes a happy family?” The most-mentioned key to happiness was “doing things together.” Plan “family projects” and family work days. At the end of day, give them something as reward. You can build some of your greatest family traditions and memories around work. A woman who loves her family is willing to work hard for them and with them, planning well and building trust.

Have a good day!

MARRIAGE COUPLE DEVOTION - PART 3

Proverbs 31:26

“When she speaks, her words are wise, and kindness is the rule for everything she says.”

Family is important to God. He created it before He created the church and, as with each of His creations, He made a plan for it to succeed. At the heart of that plan is love! To be part of a family is to be loved. Over the last two days, we have examined the first steps to loving your family; to build trust, to serve them with joy, to plan well and to work hard.

4. We can also love and enjoy our family by guarding our tongue
The power of the spoken word is great. Words are like seeds. What we plant will grow. If we plant negative, critical words, we will reap a family that is negative and critical. Look for the good in your family then speak it. Be their cheerleader. Everyone needs a cheerleader!

Psalm 141:3 “Set a guard over my mouth, O LORD: keep watch over the door of my lips.”
Ask yourself these questions before speaking.

T is it true?
H Is it helpful?
I is it inspiring?
N is it necessary?
K is it kind?

5. Think before you speak!
Use the five to one ratio when correcting anyone - five positive remarks to one negative. The harder the truth, the greater the love we should use to say it. It is our responsibility to use our words to train and instruct our family about the daily things in life, but more importantly, to instruct them about eternal things. We are very concerned about providing for our children when we need to be more concerned about caring for our children. The greatest care we can give is to disciple them by speaking words of truth. Guard your tongue!

6. The sixth way to enjoy our family is to take care of ourselves
The Proverbs 31 woman certainly did. “She is energetic. Her own clothing is beautifully made--a purple gown of pure linen. She is a woman of strength and dignity and has no fear of old age.” Proverbs 31:17; 22; 25

Families are hard work. In order to make our family relationships replenishing we must be replenished. Psalm 46:10 instructs us to “Be still and know that I am God.” Let’s apply this verse specifically.

Be still, MY MUSCLES, and know God’s RELAXATION.
Be still, MY NERVES, and know God’s REST.
Be still, MY HEART, and know God’s QUIETNESS.
Be still, MY BODY, and know God’s RENEWAL.
Be still, MY MIND, and know God’s PEACE.

In order to be all that we can be to our families, we must be all that we can be mentally, physically, spiritually and emotionally. We must be balanced. The Proverbs 31 woman was energetic and hard working for the tasks she was gifted and called to do. Proverbs 31:25 tells us this woman could laugh “at the days to come.” The picture here is of a woman who enjoyed her life. She worked hard, but she knew how to stop and plant a vineyard. She liked to shop and watched for bargains. She liked to look beautiful, dressing in purple fine linen.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 “You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore, honor God with your body.”
We cannot give our heart to God and keep our body for ourselves. When you take care of yourself, you are honoring God and loving your family.

7. The final way to enjoy and love your family is to remember your audience
Proverbs 31:28-31 “Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all. Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised. Give her the reward she has earned, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.”

It’s so easy to have the wrong audience and the truth is that our audience determines how we run the race. Our audience should be God, our mate, our children and then others. One day we will stand before God as keeper of the family He has loaned to us for a short time. Will He be pleased? Will He say “Well done”? Will our family stand and bless us? Will others say this woman loved and enjoyed her family?

Have a great day!