OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL: THURSDAY, OCTOBER 12TH 2017- OBEDIENT CHILDREN

Memorise: Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee. Exodus 20:12
Read: Ephesians 6:1-3
1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right.
2 Honour thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise;
3 That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth.
Bible in one year: 2nd Corinthians 1-3, Daniel 5:29-6:13

1. Children are assets of the Almighty God entrusted to our care. We must therefore ensure that we do all we can to nurture them for the Lord and not for ourselves.
2. We should strive to receive commendation from the Lord for our efforts in bringing them up as children He can be proud of.
3. Raising children in today’s world is serious business. Unfortunately, we live in a world where parents have left to chance or entirely neglected the huge tasking of bringing up their children in the fear of the Lord.
4. Many parents justify themselves by concluding that they are helpless, and they shift the blame of their own failures to the happenings in the society.
5. In the time of father Abraham, there were also parents who did not bring up their children to follow the path of God, but for Abraham, his testimony was different. God said this concerning him in Genesis 18:19: “For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD, to do justice and judgement; that the LORD may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him.”
6. If you want to raise children who will be obedient to the Lord, you must be ready to start right from the beginning of the child’s life. That is what parenting is all about. It involves training and educating a child from the phase of infancy through to adulthood.
7. If you carry out the job of parenting as unto the Lord, you will be well rewarded by Him.
8. There are many parents who realise late in life that they have neglected their roles as parents. In order to make amends, some of them begin to make efforts at “repairing” the lives of their children, but at that point, they discover it has become a herculean task.
9. Obedient children are godly children, committed to a life of honesty in all they do. Such children will never bring shame, reproach or embarrassment to the God of their fathers, because they have a deep understanding of the covenant upon which they have been groomed.
10. There are parents today who have lost control of their children. Some other parents have turned their children into symbols of idolatry. They fear their children more than they fear God. May that not be your portion in Jesus’ Name.
11. Obedient children must honour their parents. They must respect them irrespective of their status in society, if they want to live a life without regret. When their parents need their attention or help, they must be there for them. They must also be ready to submit willfully to their instructions, corrections and rebuke.
12. There are children who bring sorrow to their parents. On the other hand, children of destiny bring great comfort to everyone around them.
13. Are you a child of destiny?

Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it. Proverbs 22:6 Training up a child in the way of the Lord is the best way any parent can choose to bring up their children. It is of great value both on earth and in heaven for the child. The parent also will not only enjoy peace of mind and joy over the child but will also be rewarded for great and good grooming of the child by God. We should stop giving excuses and stand to the responsibility of bringing up our children the godly way. May God strengthen and help us to bring up obedient children in Jesus name. We bless God for Pastor E.A Adeboye and pray that may he wax stronger in Jesus name.

Prayer Point
Father, let my children please You always, and grant me grace to care for my parents.
HYMN
1 God give us Christian homes! 
Homes where the Bible is loved and taught, 
Homes where the Master’s will is sought, 
Homes crowned with beauty Your love has wrought; 
God give us Christian homes; 
God give us Christian homes! 
2 God give us Christian homes! 
Homes where the father is true and strong, 
Homes that are free from the blight of wrong, 
Homes that are joyous with love and song; 
God give us Christian homes; 
God give us Christian homes! 
3 God give us Christian homes! 
Homes where the mother, in caring quest, 
Strives to show others Your way is best, 
Homes where the Lord is an honored guest; 
God give us Christian homes; 
God give us Christian homes! 
4 God give us Christian homes! 
Homes where the children are led to know 
Christ in His beauty who loves them so, 
Homes where the altar fires burn and glow; 
God give us Christian homes; 
God give us Christian homes!

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