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Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it (Proverbs 22:6).
As a parent you either accelerate or stifle your child’s giftedness. The Bible says, ‘Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.’ (Proverbs 22:6) That doesn’t mean when you set your kids on the right path they’ll never leave it. No, salvation is the work of God (1 Corinthians 3:6). So what does this Scripture mean? The Amplified Bible says, ‘Train up a child in the way he should go [and in keeping with his individual gift or bent]’. Note the word ‘bent’. The Benefits of Reading God's Word

As a parent you hold the bow, and your child is the arrow. So pray for God’s help in recognising your child’s strengths and giftedness and aim them ‘in the way [he or she] should go.’ The fact is God pre-wired your infant, pre-programmed your toddler’s strengths, set your teen on a trajectory, and then gave you an eighteen-year research project! So ask yourself, ‘What sets my child apart?’ Childhood tendencies often forecast adult abilities. Read them. Discern them. Affirm them. Cheerlead them.

Think about the life of Joseph. At seventeen he saw dreams and visions of himself as a leader (Genesis 37:2–10). And as an adult he interpreted the dreams of Pharaoh and ended up leading the nation (Genesis 40–41). As a boy David displayed two strengths: fighting and music. Later he killed a lion and a bear (1 Samuel 17:34–37). And he played skilfully on the harp (1 Samuel 16). Fighting and music dominated David’s adult life, and are largely what he’s remembered for today. So strive to understand, appreciate and channel your child’s uniqueness. You Need Faith

Raising your child ‘in the way he should go’ means being aware of:
(1) Their interests. John Ruskin said, ‘Tell me what you like, and I’ll tell you what you are.’ What do your children like? Numbers? Colours? Activities? The greatest gift you can give them isn’t your riches, but revealing to them their own.

(2) Their relationships. What statement best characterises your child?
a) ‘Follow me, everyone.’
b) ‘I’ll let you know if I need help.’
c) ‘Can we do this together?’
d) ‘Tell me what to do and I’ll do it.’
Don’t characterise loners as aloof, or crowd-seekers as arrogant. God designed them that way. What gives your child satisfaction and makes them say, ‘Yes’? Do they love the journey, or the destination? Do they like to keep things straight, or straighten things out? What thrills one child bothers another.

(3) Their environment. A cactus thrives under different conditions from a rosebush. What soil does your child grow in? Some love to be noticed while others prefer to hide in the crowd. Some do well taking tests, others excel in the subject but stumble when it comes to exams. Winston Churchill repeatedly failed tests in school, yet he changed history. We only excel when we’re in the right environment.  What Is a Parent To Do

(4) Their strengths. At two, Van Cliburn played a song on the piano as a result of hearing someone teaching in an adjacent room. His mother noticed, gave him lessons, and the kid from Kilgore, Texas, won the first International Tchaikovsky Piano Competition in Moscow. Resist the urge to label your children before studying them, and ask God to help you understand their uniqueness.

More Reading: 2 King 13–15, Luke 20:9–26, Psalm 26, Proverbs 7:26–2

What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine and go to the mountains to seek the one that is straying? (Matthew 18:12).

When a traveller was robbed and left to die on the Jericho Road, Jesus said, ‘A… priest…Likewise a Levite…passed by on the other side.’ (Luke 10:31–32) That sounds cold, doesn’t it? But what if they over looked the man not because they lacked compassion, but because they were late for a Bible study or a board meeting? Would they have been justified?

James MacDonald writes: ‘This parable didn’t register until I’d been in the ministry for years. I’d walked past so many people who could’ve used my help, but because I was too distracted by church programmes, broken lives by the roadside rarely fitted into my agenda. Love isn’t efficient; it can’t be scheduled. This hurting man couldn’t have waited three weeks for an appointment, or for the Samaritan to launch a ministry of care to similar victims.’ Life’s most rewarding experiences rarely come in neat little packages. They’re found in unexpected encounters and at critical times in the lives of people. What It Means to Repent

 In fact, some people who can’t remember your last sermon can tell you in detail what you said to them in the hospital or over coffee last year, because it touched them so personally. Nothing in ministry is more seductive than thinking your work on behalf of the multitudes justifies ignoring those who can only be reached individually. Jesus said, ‘If a [shepherd] has a hundred sheep, and one…is lost…Won’t he…go…search for the lost one?’ When Peter said, ‘Lord…I love You,’ Jesus said, ‘Take care of My sheep.’ (John 21:16) And today He’s saying that to you, Pastor!

Sometimes pastors hide behind their busy schedules to avoid having to say ‘no’ to people. Jesus knew when to get involved, and when not to. Learn from Him. You’ll never be able to respond effectively if you feel obligated to meet every need all the time. And God’s not asking you to. He only expects you to respond to what He sends your way.

James MacDonald says: ‘I’ll never forget my guidance counsellor’s face when she heard I was going into the ministry. “But you don’t even like people!” she exclaimed. I remember thinking, “So what? Ministry’s about preaching and leading a congregation to greater heights. I don’t have to worry about individuals.” But that’s a myth. We dare not become so programme-focused that we flee from the next person God sends our way. I’m amazed how far bureaucracies will go to make systemic change, rather than making an exception that would easily fix the problem. You Need Faith

Personal needs are too significant to commit to the rigidity of any programme. Some of us think the problem with handling needs personally is that they can multiply like rabbits. Plus, programmes exist to prevent you from becoming overwhelmed, right? Wrong! The “ministry myth” that says, “What you do for one you must do for all,” is a recipe for burnout.’ Jesus spent much of His time ministering to individual needs. And He said, ‘The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.’ But in order to do that you must make room in your life for the unexpected.

God said, ‘Only in returning to Me and resting in Me will you be saved. In quietness and confidence is your strength. But you would have none of it.’ When you’re emotionally and spiritually drained by people’s expectations, it’s easy to grow numb to the full range of human emotions. And while it may seem like a relief to be free from negative emotions, the positive ones also become elusive because you don’t feel much of anything—good or bad. When that happens you’re likely to end up being directed by things like:
(1) over-scheduling.
(2) poor time management.
 (3) performance anxiety.
(4) having few boundaries.
(5) tolerating toxic relationships and bad habits.
 (6) unresolved grief or pain.
 (7) wrong goals.

So what’s the answer? ‘Only in returning to Me and resting in Me will you be saved.’ Instead of pushing on and struggling to keep going, stop and talk to God about what’s happening in your life. Rather than feeling isolated and weighed down by the impossibility of your situation, include Him in the equation by praying: ‘Lord, help me to keep my mind stayed on You. Cheerful Giving Or Fearful Giving?

During this time of business and stress help me to reorder my priorities according to Your will, to think Your thoughts, and to let the mind of Christ have its rightful authority in my life. Your Word says You’ve ordained peace for me. Because You are my fortress and my deliverer, I will not allow myself to be troubled or afraid. Thank You for keeping my heart and mind at rest through Christ Jesus. Amen.’

More Reading: Job 15-17, John 19:8-16

I was glad when they said to me, Let us go to the house of the Lord (Psalm 122:1)
People stay away from church for many reasons. Sometimes they feel bad because their faith isn’t working as well as they think it should. Or they’re still struggling with certain problems. Or they’re depressed because it looks like everyone else is doing well except them.

Don’t let discouragement keep you away from your spiritual family. You need their love and support. You need to hear them say, ‘We made it, and by God’s grace you can too.’ The Bible says, ‘Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some.’ (Hebrews 10:25) The word ‘forsaking’ is taken from three Greek words which could be translated ‘out’, ‘down’, and ‘behind’. It pretty much describes someone who feels left out, spiritually and emotionally down, and far behind everyone else. Keep Your Eyes On Jesus

The moment you feel that way the enemy whispers, ‘Just stay home from church today; you don’t need to go there with all those good people.’ If the enemy can separate you from other believers at the very time you need them most, he can rob you of what God has in store for you. Sure, you can stay at home, read your Bible and turn on Christian radio and television. A PORTRAIT OF PAIN

 But surrounded by your spiritual family you’ll get answers, experience joy and receive encouragement you can’t find anywhere else. Church is the last place the devil wants you to go when you’re feeling low. He knows if you go, you’ll be touched by the presence of the Lord and be able to crawl out of the hole you’re in. So, go to church!

More Reading: Genesis 50, Haggai 1-2, John 17:1-12

The Spirit and the bride say, "Come!" And let the one who hears say, "Come!" Let those who are thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life (Revelation 22:17).

The Babylonians encircled Jerusalem and cut off its food supply. The question was, how long could they hold out? That’s what the Babylonians kept wondering. But a month passed, then two, then an entire year, and still they held out. Keep Your Eyes On Jesus

The secret of Jerusalem’s survival lay in a water supply from a spring outside the city walls where Hezekiah had cut a 542 m long tunnel through solid rock. From there water passed under the city walls to a reservoir inside called the Pool of Siloam.
Without it God’s people would have gone down in defeat. But it’s not just another Bible story; there’s an important lesson here for you.To live victoriously you must: Share Your Life

(1) know your life’s true source;
(2) protect it;
(3) draw from it daily.

If your security, your strength, your self-worth or your strategy for living comes from any other source but God, the enemy can defeat you. Everything you need comes from God, so protect and nurture your relationship with Him, for it will always be the focal point of Satan’s attack. A day without reading God’s Word isn’t merely a slip; it’s a set-up for failure.

 Prayerlessness isn’t carelessness; it’s foolishness in the extreme. You say, ‘Well, I’m doing ok and I don’t pray or read the Bible very much.’ Maybe you haven’t reached your hour of testing yet. When that comes, without an established source to draw from you’ll struggle more and succeed less. Is that really how you want to live? If not, the word for you today is: ‘Come and drink the Water of Life.’

More Reading: Job 1-4, John 18:12-24

All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had. Acts 4:32.

When you read the story of the New Testament Church, you tend to get caught up in its explosive growth and amazing miracles. But here’s a component you shouldn’t miss:

‘No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had… There were no needy persons among them…those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the money…and it was distributed to anyone as he had need.’ (Acts 4:32–35 NIV) You say, ‘If I just had more money I’d be happy.’ You might feel more secure and have fewer worries, but you wouldn’t necessarily be happier.  Bringing Down Your Goliath

In the Journal of Happiness Studies, researchers looked at what distinguished quite happy people from less happy people. One factor consistently separated those two groups. It’s not about how much money you have; it’s not about your health, security, attractiveness, IQ or career success. What distinguishes consistently happy people from less happy people is the presence of rich, deep, joy-producing, life-changing, meaningful relationships. Peace of Mind

Social researcher Robert Putnam writes: ‘The single most common finding from a half-century’s research on life satisfaction, not only in the U.S. but around the world, is that happiness is best predicted by the breadth and depth of one’s social connections.’ But you can know a lot of people without really being known by any of them, and end up lonely. Those folks in the New Testament Church got it right: it’s in sharing with one another spiritually, emotionally, financially and relationally that you achieve your highest level of joy.

More Reading: Genesis 44-46, John 16:19-24-

 Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” (Mark 6:31)

A competition was held between two men to see who could chop down the most trees in a single day. One man was older and more experienced, while the other was younger and less experienced. And that’s where the difference showed up. Keep Your Eyes On Jesus

The younger man spent eight hours chopping down trees, and at the end of the day he had a total of twenty-five. Believing the older man lacked stamina and youth, he sat down, fully confident he would win. Meanwhile the older man, who had taken a ten-minute break each hour, ended his day by chopping down forty trees.

In shock the younger man asked, ‘How is this possible, old man? I didn’t stop. You stopped every hour for ten minutes and yet you chopped down almost twice as many trees as I did.’ The older man replied, ‘Every hour I sat down for ten minutes and did two things. First, I took time to rest and recharge my batteries. Second, I took time to sharpen my axe. Yes, you were working hard but you were working with a dull axe.’ Take The Plunge

There’s an important lesson here for you.
 In order to succeed at what God has called you to do in life, you must always do these two things:
(1) Make time for rest and renewal. You cannot always be giving out; you must also stop and take in. That’s where prayer and Bible reading come in: they restore what life depletes.
 (2) Stay sharp. When your axe is dull it requires more energy and produces fewer results. So take time to rest and sharp

More Reading: Genesis 24:1-25:18, John 13:18-30,

For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God (Romans 8:14).

God will help you to be all you can be, but He will never help you to be somebody else. When you try to be somebody else, you lose yourself in the process. God wants us to fit into His plan, not yield to pressure and try to fit into someone else’s. It’s all right to be different; different is OK! How To Activate God's Word

Find out what you’re good at, throw yourself into it wholeheartedly and you’ll start to experience true joy. Besides, when you try to do what somebody else is good at, you generally fail, right? That’s because God hasn’t assigned you to do what they are doing, or at least not in the way they’re doing it. But that doesn’t mean you’re not good at anything. Here’s an important key: focus on your potential, not your limitations.

We all have limitations and we must accept them. That’s not a bad thing, it’s just a fact of life. Actually, it’s wonderful to be different without feeling like there’s something wrong with you. Spiritually mature people know that God loves them as they are and has a purpose for their life, so they’re not threatened by the abilities and accomplishments of others. They enjoy what other people do, because they enjoy what they themselves do. Paul writes, ‘Let us not become… competitive… envying and… jealous of one another’ (Galatians 5:26 ). The Engrafted Word

In the end, what matters most is being able to say as Jesus said, ‘I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do’ (John 17:4 ). Any time you can say that, you did it right!

Make the right decisions and choosing the right actions are crux of living successfully. If you are the source of your own wisdom, or you’re looking to others, your odds are not good. Paul writes, ‘let Christ’s word with all its wisdom and richness live in you’ if you do, you’ll have the winning strategy for your life. But you must:

•    Read it. You don’t have to understand it all; it’s not an intellectual exercise. Reading it prayerfully brings power and wisdom because, for the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. (Hebrews 4: 12) listen to God

•    Meditate on it that’s means ‘chew on’ it. Let your Spiritual digestive juices process God’s Word until its nutrients become part of you: strengthening, energizing and directing you.

•    Believe it. So is my word that goes out from my mouth:  It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it. (Isaiah 55: 11). There’s only thing that can short-circuit god’s Word-unbelief. For we also have had the good news proclaimed to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because they did not share the faith of those who obeyed. (Hebrews 4:2). ‘Hearing’ opens the door; ‘believe’ walks through it and activates the promise.

•    Receive it. No matter how strongly you believe in God’s promises and His intention to give them to you, they’re not yours until you receive them by faith. ‘Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours’ (Mark 11: 24). So believe your answer is on the way, and keep your faith strong until it arrives.

While you are waiting for God’s Word to be fulfilled in your life, do these three things.

1.    Verbalize it. The most effective way to pray is to speak god’s Word. The patriarchs, prophets and psalmists regularly reminded God of His promises in prayer, confident He would keep them. The surest indicator of God’s will is His Word. ‘This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.  And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him (1 John 5:14-15). God always responds. To His Word, always.

2.    Obey it. God’s plan for us is not just to speak his Word, vital as this is but that we obey it (James 1:22). The hymn-writer said: ‘when we walk with the Lord in the light of His Word, what a glory He sheds on our way; while we do His good will, He abides with us still, and with all who will trust an obey.’ Obedience-faith in action-aligns us with God and he responds by fulfilling His promise to us. use what God gave you

3.    Share it. Parent them to your children.  Take to heart these words that I give you today. Repeat them to your children. Talk about them when you’re at home or away, when you lie down or get up’ (Deuteronomy 6:6-7). You needn’t be a qualified teacher, just a sincere teller. Sharing God’s word will produce fruit in the lives of your family, friends, relatives; business associates and neighbors, and also increase your own grasp and understanding of it.

More Reading: Judges 4-6, Mark 10:13-22

 Psalm 131:2 “But I have calmed and quieted myself, I am like a weaned child with its mother; like a weaned child I am content”.

One of the greatest stress inducers we face daily is noise. We live in a noisy world. To enjoy a more peaceful atmosphere we must create one! So find a place where you won’t be interrupted and learn to enjoy simply being quiet for a while.

If you’re a high-energy, time-conscious, result-oriented individual with too much to do and not enough time to do it, you’ll discover this is not easy. And before you start thinking, this is not very spiritual, ‘take a moment and consider these four Scriptures:

1) The fruit of righteousness will be peace; the effect of righteousness will be quietness and confidence forever’ (Isaiah 32:17)
2) ‘Better one handful with tranquility than two handfuls with toil and chasing after the wind’ (Ecclesiastes 4:6).
3) ‘Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business…’ (1Thessalonians 4:11).
4) ‘Be still, and know that I am God…’ (Psalm 46:10), you can’t live a continually noisy life and expect to walk in peace.

Jesus made sure He had seasons of peace and time alone. Nobody had a greater life’s purpose or more incessant demands placed upon Him than He did. Yet the Bible says, He ‘…often withdrew to lonely places and prayed’ (Luke 5:16).

Surely if Jesus needed this type of lifestyle, you do too. Spending quiet time with God is essential to restoring your body, your mind and your emotions. The truth is, you need it regularly, so insist on having it and don’t let anyone take it from you. Work your schedule around God don’t try to work God in around your schedule.

More reading: 1Kings 21-22, Mark 14:27.

Acts 13:22 After removing Saul, he made David their king. God testified concerning him: ‘I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do.’

Anytime God describes someone as ‘a man after my own heart,’ study them carefully. Let’s look at the life of David. He had a humble start but a great finish. David began as a shepherd and ended up as a king.

1 Peter 4:10 "Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful
stewards of God's grace in its various forms".

Each time you make a responsible decision, you become a more responsible person. Successful people don't blame others, they take responsibility for their actions and attitudes.