Monthly Archives: December 2012

Christian Living, Discipline of children, Guests

World Changing

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My You Version devotions have been excellent in addressing family dynamics. Today’s is no less worthy of bringing to you here at The White Stone.

DISCIPLINE

Every child is a bundle of raw emotions and energies. The role of the parent is to help the child control himself so that these emotions and energies are not destructive but constructive. Discipline is simply teaching a child to control himself.

There is a vast difference between punishment and discipline. Punishment is getting even. Discipline is inflicting a smaller amount of pain on a person than he would receive if he were permitted to go on unchecked in his action. For example, if your small child reaches out to touch a hot stove, you grab his hand and slap it sharply. You have inflicted pain on the child, but the pain is far less than what he would receive if he were permitted to go ahead and touch the stove. That is discipline.

God disciplines His children, but He does not punish them. Punishment occurs when a person wants to hurt someone as badly as he has been hurt. But God’s Word clearly says: If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten? But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons. Furthermore, we have had human fathers who corrected us, and we paid them respect. Shall we not much more readily be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live? For they indeed for a few days chastened us as seemed best to them, but He for our profit, that we may be partakers of His holiness. Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it (Hebrews 12: 7-11).

via Draw Near – 365 Guides to Greater Intimacy with God | YouVersion.com.

Discipline is simply teaching a child to control himself.

Punishment is getting even.

Oh, that parents EVERYWHERE would control themselves and heed these holy instructions!

And would it not be glorious if all Father’s children would get it through our heads and drop it down into our hearts that our GOD does NOT PUNISH us – His children? GETTING EVEN with us is NEVER what Father does. His discipline, anything and everything He allows to come upon His born-again ones are to teach us to yield to His Spirit so we will have the power to control our own flesh, emotions, and our very souls. And would it not be world-changing if human parents would imitate GOD, especially when DISCIPLINING their children?

Blessings of Joy and Peace,

Blessings of peace and honor, joy and glorifying our great and Holy King be upon you all this very day.  Father may it be that all we Your Born Again Ones will imitate You today for JESUS’ sake.  

Celebrations, Christmas, Guests

Close Enough!

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I do not know who is the Author of this piece but I cannot imagine myself not sharing it with you. I cried and at the end clapped my hands in praise saying Yes, You are! Yes, You are!!

twas’ 11 days before Christmas, around 9:38
when 20 beautiful children stormed through heaven’s gate.
…

their smiles were contagious, their laughter filled the air.
they could hardly believe all the beauty they saw there.
they were filled with such joy, they didn’t know what to say.
they remembered nothing of what had happened earlier that day.
“where are we?” asked a little girl, as quiet as a mouse.
“this is heaven.” declared a small boy. “we’re spending Christmas at God’s house.”
when what to their wondering eyes did appear,
but Jesus, their savior, the children gathered near.
He looked at them and smiled, and they smiled just the same.
then He opened His arms and He called them by name.
and in that moment was joy, that only heaven can bring
those children all flew into the arms of their King
and as they lingered in the warmth of His embrace,
one small girl turned and looked at Jesus’ face.
and as if He could read all the questions she had
He gently whispered to her, “I’ll take care of mom and dad.”
then He looked down on earth, the world far below
He saw all of the hurt, the sorrow, and woe
then He closed His eyes and He outstretched His hand,
“Let My power and presence re-enter this land!”
“may this country be delivered from the hands of fools”
“I’m taking back my nation. I’m taking back my schools!”
then He and the children stood up without a sound.
“come now my children, let me show you around.”
excitement filled the space, some skipped and some ran.
all displaying enthusiasm that only a small child can.
and i heard Him proclaim as He walked out of sight,
“in the midst of this darkness, I AM STILL THE LIGHT.”
Perhaps the scene last Friday morning in Heaven did not go exactly as depicted here but this description is close enough for me to give me great, great comfort!! Close enough for me to see my Holy Savior and give Him praise, worship and adoration!!!
 

Oh, ABBA, thank You, thank You in JESUS HOLY AND ETERNAL NAME! To HIM be glory forever and ever!!

Blessings of Joy and Peace,

Christian Living, Guests, You Tubes

Train

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I have been eager since earlier this morning to share my YOU VERSION devotion with you today. Contained in the devotion is information that I do not recall having previously received. It is good!

CREATING A TASTE FOR GOD

Perhaps the key passage in Scripture to understanding the parent’s proper attitude toward children is Proverbs 22:6. However, we often misunderstand that verse because we do not really know what the verb ‘train’ means.

To the modern mind, the verb ‘train’ smacks of discipline. We can almost see the hard-boiled sergeant dressing down the new recruit, a strict teacher telling his student what to do, or a demanding father insisting a son do something right. However, in the original Hebrew that is not at all what ‘train’ meant. In that ancient tongue, “train” denoted the action of the midwife when she would dip her finger in the oil and rub the tiny palate of the newborn baby, causing that baby to have a desire to suck. Thus, what that verse really means is, “Create a taste for God in the heart of your child, and when he is old nothing else in life will satisfy his hunger.”

What a difference a correct understanding of this simple verse makes. As godly parents, we are not always to “straighten out our children.” Rather, we are to love them deeply and provide a climate of love and security that is a result of our relationship with God. The child raised in such an atmosphere is a lot closer to Calvary than one raised in a hostile or cold setting.

via Draw Near – 365 Guides to Greater Intimacy with God | YouVersion.com.

Did you see it?

What a revealing definition of train. It makes so much sense to me! Train up a child so they have a hunger for GOD and that child will not have departed from the LORD even when he is old. It’s a bit late for me as my childbearing years are over :) but perhaps I can still be TRAINED and some young ones will yet benefit. :) I hope you will pass this along to some young mothers. How glorious it would be to have a generation of children so trained.

Proverbs 22:6 Complete Jewish Bible (CJB)

6 Train a child in the way he [should] go; and, even when old, he will not swerve from it.

via Proverbs 22:6 CJB – Train a child in the way he [should] – Bible Gateway.

Blessings of Joy and Peace,  Kathie

Christian Living, Repentance

Something New About Something Old

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I have fallen way behind in my workbook in my James study (Beth Moore) and yet as ABBA would have it He’s right on time where I picked up today.

The statement that prompted me here is one Beth made on page 108 of the aforementioned workbook: “and then she did something new. She believed God and acted upon it.”

And the light came on!  And so to all of us the word is

Do something new — believe GOD.

And one might say I believed GOD a long time ago! And that for sure is true. But what about this?

In that old situation, in that protracted issue that is beyond wearisome – do something new! Believe GOD! And act upon that belief! 

Our subject She is Rabah. We can correctly surmise, I believe, that Rahab had long been in her situation. That she had long been taking care of business. But on the day those two Jewish ‘Boys’ came by her house, she did something very new! And the new she did changed her life and her legacy.

To read and refresh your recollection of Rahab please click HERE for a link to read Joshua 2, Joshua 6 and Matthew 1.

Doing something new – Believing GOD – delivered Rahab from prostitution and placed her in the lineage of THE LORD JESUS CHRIST!

Perhaps we do not need to be rescued, delivered from prostitution; perhaps we don’t even need to be rescued and delivered from some disabling addiction; but I’m thinking there is not a one of us that does not need to do something new about something old.     

What would doing something new – Believing GOD  – do for you and me? We won’t know til we do!!

If this generates questions in your mind, perhaps we can inquire of  ABBA together – send me a comment or an email and lets talk.

Blessings of Joy and Peace,