Category: Parent/Child Relationships

Do You Have Habits That Need To Be Changed?

The most important habit you should have is to put God first. If you need to change any habits, that should be the first one to change. That will lay the foundation for all of your other habits. Ask God to reveal what habits to make and what habits to break. He will let you know which ones to work on and He will also help you develop them or quit them. He wants to be involved in every day of your life and in every situation that you face. The life God has planned for you is better than you could plan yourself. Ask God to help you put Him first so you can have the best plan.

A Manly Thing

 Men have this thing about wanting to fix things, to fix problems whether the problem is theirs or someone else’s,  to do things on their own, to achieve on their own. This is great until things don’t work out so well. When things don’t work out so well, they lose motivation and confidence.

 God wants to be a part of every project and problem that we face. Sometimes it is hard for a man to turn to God for help because they have that in them to handle it on their own. Especially when it involves another human being, the man will have to come to terms with the fact that we cannot change others. God gave them a free will and God does not cross that so what makes us think we will be able to.

 Men that are doing their best to follow God will often do what they can until things get ugly and then they will call on God. God wants to be a part of the project and solution from the beginning. If we invite Him to help from the beginning, we will save ourselves a lot of grieve.

 When men face issues that cause them to feel like failures like a child not turning out like they expected, a failed marriage, not being able to find work or maybe a job that isn’t meeting the needs for his family like he would like, etc., they may often get discouraged and lose motivation. This is a great time to be walking with God because He can remind us of who we are in Christ. We may be trying to solve an issue that involves another human being and we may need to come to terms that it is not going to happen. Maybe it is just a matter of letting go and letting God. Sometimes when we do that it allows God to work. It will be out of obedience and admitting that It can’t be done without God that the answer will come.

Sometimes the answer that we want does not come. That is when we have to decide if we are going to let it destroy us or allow God to work in it and use it to bring Him glory. This is not about us. This is about God. We are but a speck of dust that only exists for a second compared to eternity that God loves and will work to our betterment through everything that we go through but we have to let Him work. It will all come to completion and we will find joy again but it takes that step of letting God do what God wants to do it the situation. The end will be better in the long run. What good does it do to get down on ourselves and feel sorry for ourselves? We must move ahead and continue to follow in the steps that God leads us. It is not what crosses our path that matters. It is what we do with it that matters and what we allow it to do to us. Don’t be defeated. Give it to God and move ahead.

Do you think God has a plan for your rebellious teen or the addict in your life?

What do parents have in common with Moses?

What do rebellious teens and addicts have in common with Pharaoh?

Moses had to convince Pharaoh that God was God. Of course this was done with God behind the whole plan. Story is in Exodus. Chapter 5 – 12 discuss the plagues.

How many plagues did the people endure until Pharaoh finally was convinced that God is God. At times, his people and his officials even tried to convince him. He kept calling on Moses to pray and relieve his misery and promising to let the people go and then he would not keep his promise.

If you are dealing with an addict or rebellious teen in your life, chances are they will lie to get what they want, making promises to change or that this will be the last time they will request help. They want you to rescue them from their misery. They fail to do as they promised and their heart is hard until they experience another plague. Then they are again vulnerable and seem remorseful of their behavior and ask for forgiveness and make another broken promise.

How many plagues will they have to experience to come to terms that God is God? What will they have to endure to humble themselves and submit to God? Everyone that loves them tries to convince them that they need to make changes in their life but nothing seems to get through. What will it take before they start to do things differently? What consequence will finally convince them that they need to change the way they are doing things?

If we are the ones dealing with the addict or rebellious teen, who can help us to show them that God is God? We need to go to God with each incident so that He can tell us what to do and how to deal with the addict or rebellious teen. We need to continue to return to God each and every time.

Don’t Resist Change, Examine It

 

Sometimes peoples’ beliefs don’t line up exactly. Every individual needs to pray and read on their own. When you read God’s word, be sure to pray to God that He would reveal to you what He wants you to get from your reading. With Jesus in your heart, He will reveal to you what He desires you to learn from your reading.

Some will state their beliefs and they don’t even spend time in prayer and reading. Their belief is coming from something else. It may be coming from another person or from a past experience or it may be the way they just choose to believe. These may not always be correct. Some don’t want to seek because they don’t want to change how they are living. They are convinced they are OK in what they already believe. People tend to resist change even when it may be good.

What we believe can sometimes change because of how God reveals things to us as we grow. God reveals things to each individual differently based on their need and where they are in their walk with Him. When God reveals things to us, we need to be open and willing to accept what He gives us. It is through hearing and obeying that we will continue to grow. We should be careful not to resist changes that God wants to make because the changes that God brings into our life is always going to be good.

Keeping God at the center of your life is the most important. With prayer, God can reveal anything he wants to you. He can change , grow, and reveal things to people even when they have limitations that prohibit them from reading. He meets people where they are and overcomes whatever limitation they have because those that seek Him will find Him.