​

CURRENT RADIO SERIES God's Secrets   CURRENT TV SERIES Unchained

Train up a child in the way that he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.  --Proverbs 22:6 One of the most important things you can teach your children is respect. Because unless a child learns respect, they learn rebellion. Children need to be taught respect for God, for parents, for school authorities, and for church leaders. The reason is because we are each born with the inclination to rebel and disobey. As Proverbs 22:15 says, “Folly is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of discipline drives it far from him.” Now, I know that the “rod of discipline” is a controversial subject in today’s society. But regardless of where you stand on spanking your children, every child needs discipline. So how do you know when should you should discipline your child?   You should discipline your child when he or she willfully disobeys, not matter what their age.   You should discipline your child when he or she steps out of bounds. Make sure your children know what the boundaries are and correct them when they break the rules. Make the rules fair and reasonable – don’t major in the minors – but enforce the boundaries. When you teach and discipline your children on those things that are precious, valuable, and eternal, you’ll give them something to live by. And you’ll help grow them into the men and women God created them to be.   Are you modeling respect for God, parents, school authorities, and church leaders in your home?

Who You Listen to Matters

by Dr. Paul Chappell

“So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam the third day, as the king had appointed, saying, Come to me again the third day. And the king answered the people roughly, and forsook the old men’s counsel that they gave him; And spake to them after the counsel of the young men, saying, My father made your yoke heavy, and I will add to your yoke: my father also chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.”
1 Kings 12:12–14

With his performance as head of the Union Army during the Civil War still fresh in people’s minds, Ulysses S. Grant was overwhelmingly elected as the 18th president in 1868. Although Grant had performed well as a general, he did not seem to be careful about the people he selected to fill the offices in his administration. As a result, though Grant himself was personally honest, his time in office was marked with serious scandal and corruption. Many around him used their position to enrich themselves, and by the time Grant’s presidency ended, “Grantism” had become a popular shorthand expression to describe political corruption and greed in government.
No matter how strong we may think we are in our beliefs and convictions, surrounding ourselves with people who do not live by God’s principles will always lead to heartache. Even if we manage to maintain our own integrity, which is not guaranteed if we live among evil companions, our reputation will undoubtedly be tarnished by actions of those with whom we have chosen to associate ourselves.
This doesn’t mean we should never touch the lives of people whose lifestyle indicates how greatly they need Christ. Jesus Himself was known as a friend of sinners (Luke 7:34). But there is a difference between sharing the gospel with those who need the Lord and making them your closest friends and trusted advisers. We should be gracious and kind to everyone, but our closest friends and advisers must be chosen from those who are going in the direction we are going—otherwise certain tragedy will follow.
 

Today’s Growth Principle: 

The people with whom you surround yourself will have a profound influence on your thinking and choices.