"Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. “Honor your father and mother”–which is the first commandment with a promise– “that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.” Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord."
Ephesians 6:1-4
In Eden, God warned Adam and Eve to stay away from the Trees of Knowledge and Life,
but He blessed them with everything else. All provisions, perfect health, ideal environment, even relationship face to face with God their Father. They were in a perfect world,and all they needed to do was to listen to the instruction of their Father and all would be well, but what happened?
At the first suggestion of the serpent/devil they gravitated to the only thing that was withheld from them, and it brought their perfect world crashing down. As a result they brought down on themselves and all mankind, hardship, corruption, separation from their Father and death.
Parenthood is daunting. We see reflections of Eden in the willful defiance of our children even from infancy. As parents we are charged with training up our kids in the "way they should go", but to do it with encouragement and discipline, the scriptures tell us "not to exasperate" our children- there is tremendous power in what we say to them. Our Father draws us with lovingkindness, the Holy Spirit will convict us when we fall, but who hears Him say things like: "you are dumb, ugly, stupid, lazy, worthless...you'll never amount to anything good"...?
No, God deals with us in love, He calls things into being that may yet to be manifested, our potential have not been brought into fruition yet.
As children, which we all have been and in a sense will always be with our heavenly Father, we must practice obedience, even if we don't always agree. Children tend to think that they are invincible, that nothing bad can happen to them...but this word is a commandment, not a suggestion. The following verse reads "so that it will go well with you", meaning that if we do not obey, things may not go well, and our very lives are at stake, in much the same way that Adam and Eve's futures were changed dramatically for the worst.
Today in whatever roles in our lives this word applies to, let us listen to the voice of the Father as well as our own fathers and mothers.
Our very lives may depend on it.
Ephesians 6:1-4
In Eden, God warned Adam and Eve to stay away from the Trees of Knowledge and Life,
but He blessed them with everything else. All provisions, perfect health, ideal environment, even relationship face to face with God their Father. They were in a perfect world,and all they needed to do was to listen to the instruction of their Father and all would be well, but what happened?
At the first suggestion of the serpent/devil they gravitated to the only thing that was withheld from them, and it brought their perfect world crashing down. As a result they brought down on themselves and all mankind, hardship, corruption, separation from their Father and death.
Parenthood is daunting. We see reflections of Eden in the willful defiance of our children even from infancy. As parents we are charged with training up our kids in the "way they should go", but to do it with encouragement and discipline, the scriptures tell us "not to exasperate" our children- there is tremendous power in what we say to them. Our Father draws us with lovingkindness, the Holy Spirit will convict us when we fall, but who hears Him say things like: "you are dumb, ugly, stupid, lazy, worthless...you'll never amount to anything good"...?
No, God deals with us in love, He calls things into being that may yet to be manifested, our potential have not been brought into fruition yet.
As children, which we all have been and in a sense will always be with our heavenly Father, we must practice obedience, even if we don't always agree. Children tend to think that they are invincible, that nothing bad can happen to them...but this word is a commandment, not a suggestion. The following verse reads "so that it will go well with you", meaning that if we do not obey, things may not go well, and our very lives are at stake, in much the same way that Adam and Eve's futures were changed dramatically for the worst.
Today in whatever roles in our lives this word applies to, let us listen to the voice of the Father as well as our own fathers and mothers.
Our very lives may depend on it.
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