Cathy’s Corner

 

Being a Godly parent

 

Never underestimate the ponderings of a Christian parent. Never underestimate the power that comes when a parent pleads with God on behalf of a child. Who knows how many prayers are being answered right now because of the faithful ponderings of a parent ten or twenty years ago? God listens to thoughtful parents.

            Praying for our children is a noble task. If what we are doing, in this fast-paced society, is taking us away from prayer time for our children, we’re doing too much. There is nothing more special, more precious than time that a parent spends struggling and pondering with God on behalf of a child. Max Lucado -  Walking With the Savior

 

Know and believe today that the Lord is God. He is God in heaven above and on the earth below. There is no other god! Obey his laws and commands that I am giving you today so that things will go well for you and your children. Then you will live a long time in the land that the Lord your God is giving to you forever. Deuteronomy 4:39-40.

 

            I attended a conference this past week and the basis of the entire conference was on Deuteronomy 6. As parents and grandparents we have been given a command to teach our children and grand children who God is, that they should love Him with all their heart, mind, soul and strength, and to follow Him all of their days. We can’t do that if we aren’t walking with Him ourselves. If we tell them that they need to go to church, read their Bible and pray yet we drop them off at church and don’t attend ourselves, never crack our Bible or bow our head then we’ve taught them that it really doesn’t matter.

            Working with our young mom’s ministry has opened my eyes to so many things. I see these girls as lost souls searching for someone to love them and to show them some attention. They need a parent interceding on their behalf, someone praying fervently for them and over them. In most cases their parents have taught them they are unimportant and other things matter more than they do. Actions speak louder than words in most cases and when we model one thing and speak another, those actions usually have a much louder voice. Prayer however can speak volumes louder than anything else. The words of a parent interceding for a child go straight tot the heart of God. I began praying for my children before they were even born and for their future spouse. I started praying for the grandkids as soon as I knew they were on their way. I’ve seen God intervene many times in the lives of my children and I believe He heard my prayers. I’ve felt God’s presence and comfort so many times over the years as I have pleaded on one of my children’s behalf. My prayers may not have been answered the way I wanted every time but they were answered the way God thought best, and as Romans 8:28 states, He works all things out for good. You may still have children at home and are just beginning to grow your family; I encourage you to intercede on their behalf everyday. Those with older children lift them up to God everyday and your grandchildren as well. God hears are prayers and they make a difference in the lives of our children.

 

Have a great day in the Lord

 

Cathy’s Corner

 

Borrowed from - TGIF Today God Is First Volume 1, by Os Hillman
08-18-2010

 

Today's Prayer
For every problem, every anxiety, every temptation, every sin in my life, there is a deliverer--Jesus Christ! Thank you, God, for Your sacrifice, Your love, Your way to reach down and pull me up. Please forgive me and help me to stand sure-footed and steady on the Rock of my salvation and not to slip and fall into the mire of the world. Please, be in control of my life...and I know everything will be all right. In Jesus' name, amen.

The Response of Faith
..."Everything is all right".... 2 Kings 4:26

The prophet Elisha often would travel through the town of Shunem, and in that town was a well-to-do couple who extended hospitality to him. At first, they simply offered Elisha a meal when he came through town. Then, seeing that Elisha needed a place to stay and study, they built a room for him above their house so that each time he came through town, he had a place to stay. He was so appreciative of their kindness that one day he asked the wife what he could do for her. His servant Gehazi later informed Elisha that the woman was barren and her husband was old. " 'About this time next year,' Elisha said, 'you will hold a son in your arms' " (2 Kings 4:16). A year later the son arrived.

One day the father was working in the field, and the son became ill and died. The woman ran to meet Elisha to inform him. When Elisha asked what was wrong, she did not panic and react in fear. Her response to Elisha seemed almost unnatural. "Everything is all right," she said. Elisha went to the boy and raised him from the dead. It was a glorious miracle. (See Second Kings 4.)

Faith looks at situations through God's eyes, not the eyes of our limited understanding. This woman did not panic, for she knew something more than the current circumstance. Faith does not panic, but realizes that what looks like devastating circumstances may be God's plan to bring glory to Himself by demonstrating His power. When Jesus appeared on the water to the disciples in the middle of the night, they exclaimed, "It's a ghost!" (see Mt. 14:26) First appearances can bring great fear upon us even to the point of paralyzing us. Find the Lord in your circumstance today. Exercise your faith today and trust Him for His outcome in the situation.

Today God Is First (TGIF) devotional message, Copyright by Os Hillman, Marketplace Leaders

 

How many times do our circumstances seem so overwhelming that we can’t see anyway that God can intervene and change them? How many times can we look back and see when He has? Recently I went through something that I knew there was no way the situation was going to be changed by me or anyone else and I was scared to death. So I fasted for a week and prayed more and more every day. I even went on prayer bike rides praying and interceding for the situation. What looked like devastating circumstances to me was indeed God’s way of bringing glory to Himself. The situation was rectified and some said “it was a sign;” but I believe it can only be explained as “it was God.” His power was demonstrated in such a way that it was obvious He was all powerful. While I would like to say I was completely calm through the entire thing, I was not. But I did trust that God was going to provide and protect and had faith He would work all things out for His good.

 

Have a great day in the Lord!