Reclaiming our households for Christ

By: American Decency Staff

By Bill Johnson We never planned to have grandchildren living with us at the age of 64.  Yet, we do and with it there come many fresh reminders of the incredible stress and strain upon parents during these early years: changing diapers, petty childhood quarreling, the big chore it is to take them anywhere, i.e. battling with car seats and seatbelts, etc. Thankfully, Danny (2) and Mia (5) still have their mom with them though father is far away. What a great opportunity it is, though, to be able to speak and love into their daily lives. One doesn’t have to look far to find others in similar places:  broken marriages, single parenting, older kids having to return home due   to financial falterings, joblessness – the list goes on. Though Satan is crouching at our door seeking whom he may devour, it doesn’t have to be a time for despair or discouragement. I believe it is a time for seeking God’s helping hand as in all things. God is so gracious.  His truth is what it is – true!  That’s where we as a household have turned and are turning:  to God and His Word.  Here are a few short reminders He has provided. 1.  Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord and He will lift you up.  [I Peter 5:6-9] We have to realize that we truly do need God’s help.  We need to prayerfully come before God and ask Him every day, throughout the day, to help us keep ourselves inclined toward Him and His ways. 2.  Keep your relationships with those around you free of bitterness, wrath, anger.  This can be easier said than done, but with God it is attainable. 3.  It is imperative that parents train their children to take seriously the scriptural admonition to honor their parents.  [Ephesians 6:1-3] Friends in Christ,  we need God’s help in our households no matter our circumstances in our lives. Our homes and our nation will only be filled with a sense of unity, spiritual vitality, and wholesomeness as our households are centered in Jesus Christ. Here are some spiritual practices worth reclaiming: Daily devotions. Starting the day in the word of God.  Getting up early and reading from the Bible and meditating on portions through which the Holy Spirit is speaking. Spiritual warfare. Do you start the day recognizing that you are in a spiritual war? “Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.  Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth … Many give lip service to acknowledging that there is a spiritual war going on, but they do little to nothing to prepare to do battle.   Devotions are key!  Paul writes about this very passionately and practically in Ephesians 6. I urge to read this passage with a fresh new look.  We are facing difficult times.  We can sit back on our heels and acclimate to the embattlement, or we can humble ourselves, acknowledge daily living for what it is: spiritual warfare. In acknowledging that our battle is not against flesh and blood but against spiritual wickedness in high places, we can then prepare our hearts, souls and minds for action. It kind of sounds like a bit of self-discipline, doesn’t it?  That’s because it is. What football coach would ever allow one of his players to set foot on the field unconditioned  for blocking, tackling, running, passing, or catching? We need first of all to  condition ourselves.  Learn to pray ourselves.  Learn to read the Bible, get to know what it means to abide in Christ, to know Him personally. We can’t pass along and train others about something we know little to nothing about. You don’t want your child or your grandchild to be ill equipped to learn how to walk by faith, to learn how to engage in spiritual warfare.  You don’t want them to be left wide open to the seductions, the ploys, the trickery of the evil one, Satan, and to be destroyed. But when we say we don’t want them to be ill equipped, why do we too often not coach and train them to stand against the wiles of the devil? In closing, one of the things that has been so encouraging to me about having little ones at home once again is to see them learn to pray, learn to listen, learn to say “I’m sorryâ€Â and “thank youâ€Â, see them go to church faithfully with their mother and to desire to go. Nonetheless, it will always start with us as adults.  Humbling ourselves, seeking His face, truly asking for His help that we will know Him personally and more and more fully so that we can cry out to Him day by day in our weakness, recognizing how great are our needs. We must recognize sin for what it really is – rebellion against God.  We must conscientiously submit to the authority of Christ.  This takes discipline. Discipline on the football field is hard work. Spiritual disciplines, too, are hard work.  Learning to pray, developing relationship with Christ, turning from sin.    When we live for Christ, we have His power within  us.  We live in His strength, not our own. The above is in bulletin insert form as it is one of inserts that we make available online each month.  To have it emailed to you at the end of each month, email kimberly@americandecency.org For pdf of our January bulletin insert: https://americandecency.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/btnjanuary2011.pdf Your support is important to our ability to make a difference. Donate online at: https://secure4.afo.net/ada/donate.php American Decency Association is a member of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability. American Decency Association Bill Johnson, President P.O. Box 202 Fremont, MI 49412 ph: 231-924-4050   www.americandecency.org http://www.twitter.com/billwjohnson

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