There is what is known as the force of gratitude. Sounds huge? Let’s break it down. Ideally, when someone gives you a gift or offers a compliment, you ought to say thank you because it shows courtesy, that you are well brought up and not a country bumpkin.
Also, it’s a sacrifice on the person’s side. They decided to give you out of love or they saw that you needed something.
Even with a compliment, the person took his or her time to really look at you and decide to appreciate you for how you dressed, your hair, how clean your nails are, or how nice you smell. They noticed you.
The least you can say is thank you with a very genuine and friendly smile.
If someone pays you a compliment about how good your grades are, say thank you. That’s the force of gratitude.
The Bible tells us to be thankful and that when we are grateful for what we have, we will receive more.
There are lots of people out there looking for who to notice them and would be grateful to just have one person say to them “you look good.”
I believe you have understood the force of gratitude. Therefore, remember to say thank you the next time you get a gift or compliment.
Prayer: Lord, I am grateful for all I have. Thank you for providing for my needs. Thank you for the compliments I have gotten and will get. Help me to always appreciate whatever I receive from others. Amen.
Action plan: Consciously be aware of people’s compliments. Ensure you reply with a smile and “thank you.”
Declaration: My children are grateful. They show appreciation in all they do.
My children are preserved. God is in the business of preserving and protecting. Part of His promise to us is to be with us in trouble.
More specifically, he wants to preserve us, especially our children, from the snares of death.
One way children can make this happen is by fearing the Lord.
The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, that one may turn away from the snares of death.
Proverbs 14:27 ESV
Like we read in the scripture above, the fear of the Lord is paramount to our daily living.
When you have the fear of God, you will turn away from the snare of death.
That is, when you put the fear of God in your heart by studying and meditating on God’s word and obeying all instructions, you will be lead by God and preserved from any form of snare.
Children, decide to do it God’s way. Follow God, follow the bible and watch how God will stand up for you.
Prayer: Lord, preserve my children in Jesus name. Amen
Action point: Read, meditate, and study the word.
Declaration: My children are preserved from any form of snare.
How can you master the Voice of God? First, you must know that God speaks to everyone including children. Remember the story of little Samuel in the bible, who later became a strong prophet that ministered to the Israelites and anointed kings?
Our heavenly father wants to speak to us and He does so in different ways. One of such way is through His word- the bible. The bible is the only place where all of God’s words reside.
Reading the bible is one of the ways you can hear from God. When you read about what God did, how He did it, and who He did it for, you get to know more about God.
Maybe you are facing a situation and don’t know how to go about it, read the bible. God will speak to you through a verse or chapter. He will direct you to a book where someone just like you, faced the same dilemma you are in.
When you read through, you will learn how the person resolved it with God’s help.
or the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
Heb 4:12 KJV
The bible says His words are living. They are alive, quick, and sharp. Always speaking. See it as God speaking directly to you.
What is God’s stand on judging others? There have been times when you have been so quick to judge someone without thinking before you do so. Within seconds you form an opinion of them. But Jesus warns against the dangers of doing so.
“Don’t judge other people, and you will not be judged. Don’t accuse others of being guilty, and you will not be accused of being guilty. Forgive other people, and you will be forgiven.
Luke 6:37 ICB.
You see one of your classmates with a dirty uniform and quickly you call him or her “dirty”. Well, you might not say it to their face, but in your heart you say it and it shows on your face too. You look disgusted and act snobbishly towards the person. You don’t know what happened to the person. He could have slipped and fallen down hence the dirty uniform. Or he could have been attacked by a group of bullies who roughened him up.
Or you have a classmate who fails terribly at school in exams and tests. Calling her dumb and “empty head” is judging her based on her academic prowess. You don’t know what’s happening at home with her parents. Probably she doesn’t have time to study at home because she helps her mother at their little shop. Unlike you whose parents are not selling anything!
The bottom line is this – don’t jump to conclusions about people because you don’t know what happened to them. That’s why Jesus warns that you shouldn’t judge people.
May the Holy Spirit give you a heart that loves instead of judging. Amen
PRAYER: Lord, help me not to judge others in Jesus’ name, amen.
ACTION PLAN: Watch your words and thoughts the next time you are quick to judge others.
What do you do when you are confused? Do you praise God? What do you do when you don’t know what to do? What do you do when things seem to have gone out of place?
See what the psalmist said
Praise him for his mighty acts: praise him according to his excellent greatness.
Ps 150:2
Just as the psalmist said, we should learn to praise God. We can focus on one of his deeds and thank him for it.
Praise him for his mighty acts. The formation of your child is a mighty act on its own. The intricate intertwining of the bones, intestines, different systems in the body et cetera, should spur you to praise God on their behalf.
Praise him for his acts of power, praise him for his magnificent greatness;
Psalm 150:2
Let’s not only praise God but encourage our children to praise as well. No child is too small to do that.
This morning, do you have a song in your heart? Sing unto Him and praise Him for His goodness.
PRAYER: Help my children to praise you always oh Lord; Amen
ACTION PLAN: Go ahead and sing a song unto God.
DECLARATION: I will praise God. My children will praise God. My family will praise God.
