IMPRESS THEM UPON YOUR CHILDREN

[Timothy lets us know that “The goal of this command is love, which comes from a PURE HEART AND A GOOD CONSCIENCE AND A SINCERE FAITH. Some have departed from these and have turned to meaningless talk.” (1 Timothy 1:5-6) “Doing your own thing” is popular these days, so we must be sure our children don’t miss out!] “Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. IMPRESS THEM ON YOUR CHILDREN. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.” (Deut. 6:5-7) [Loving the Lord is not a difficult task, but WE MUST LOVE HIM WITH OUR ALL! By our example, by the choices we make, by the words we speak; our lives must designate our love for our Abba Father!] “Know therefore that the LORD your God is God; HE IS THE FAITHFUL GOD, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commandments.” (Deut. 7:9) [Our Abba Father honors our obedience to Him; He says:] “All these blessings will come on you and accompany you if you obey the LORD your God…” (Deut. 28:2) [When God speaks, we must pay attention to the words of His mouth. We need to be open to the Lord communicating with us!] “And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ–to the glory and praise of God.” (Phil. 1:9-11) [Paul says: This is the substance of all my prayers for you, that your love to God, to one another, and to all mankind, may overflow more and more, that it may be like a river, continually fed with rain and fresh streams so that it continues to swell and increase until it fills all its banks, and floods the adjacent plains.] “I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. ALL OF US, THEN, WHO ARE MATURE SHOULD TAKE SUCH A VIEW OF THINGS. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you. Only let us live up to what we have already attained. Join together in following my example, brothers and sisters, and just as you have us as a model, keep your eyes on those who live as we do.” (Phil. 3:14-17)

Be blessed as you praise The Lord, knowing that IF ON SOME POINT WE THINK DIFFERENTLY, THAT GOD WILL MAKE CLEAR TO US!
-Bill Stockham