Dear children, when you hear a knock on the door, the natural response is to call out, “Who is there?” The person at the door, naturally, also replies, “It’s me.”
Either you like the person or not, you have to attend to them since you have responded.
Knocking on doors is indirectly asking to gain access into a place. Courtesy demands we don’t just barge into people’s homes without first seeking their permission, hence the need to knock. That’s rude.
“Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends.”
Rev.3:20
Dear children, Jesus stands at the door of our hearts, with nothing but love for us, asking us to please let Him. He eagerly wants to be a part of our lives so He can show us His wonderful and powerful love for us.
Just as we invite our friends over to visit or sleep over, Jesus wants us to do the same too with him. He wants to be our best friend who stays with us throughout the day. He wants to protect us, provide for us, and do much more than a human friend can do.
Do you hear Jesus at the door today? Is he your best friend? Will you open the door for him to enter?
Dear children, Jesus is waiting, eager to throw his arm across your shoulders and start chatting with you.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank you for finding my heart worthy of your love. I open my heart to you today. Please, come in. You are welcome. Amen.
Declaration: My children are receptive. They accept the invitation of Jesus early in life and open the door of their hearts unto him.
Dear young lad, you must learn to be a good friend. Lee noticed that Ben always stayed back in class during lunch break for some days now. Ben was his classmate and friend. Lee decided to speak to Ben today immediately after the lunch bell rang.
“Ben, where is your lunch pack?” Asked Lee.
Ben looked away and tried to smile but Lee saw that the smile was a fake one.
“I noticed you haven’t been coming to school with your lunch pack.” Said Lee. “Is there something wrong?”
Ben shook his head refusing to meet Lee’s probing eyes. “Nothing.”
“Will you share my lunch with me?” Offered Lee.
Lee remembered what the bible says about helping others in Galatians chapter six and verse two.
“Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.”
Carrying each other’s burdens is a sign of true friendship because a friend should offer to help his friends when they have a need. Even if they don’t ask for help and you notice that they need help with something.
This is what Jesus says about helping our friends
John 15:14 You are my friends if you do what I command.
Don’t you like to be friends with Jesus? How about calling Him your best friend? Then do what He commands. Help your friends.
I pray that God will strengthen you in the area of helping your friends.
Prayer:
Lord, Jesus, thank You for the wonderful friends You surround me with. I pray that You make me a better friend. I want to be always ready to help my friends in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Action point:
Will you look round at your friends today and see what areas they need help with. You could also ask them what they need help with.
Declaration:
I am compassionate. I share what I have with my friends.
“Teaching My Children Gratitude is what I must start doing,” Mr Alfred said to himself. Mr Alfred was the father of Taiwo and Kenny.
Taiwo and Kenny are twins. They both are returning to school. Their dad gave Taiwo some amount of money for upkeep. Taiwo was provoked, saying the amount was small.
Kenny, on the other hand, was given the same amount of money. He went flat prostrating, thanking his father. He already mapped out how to spend the money, such that it will last him for the month.
That was how a master gave talents to his servants. One he gave 5, to another 2, and to another, 1 talent. I believe we know the story.
God expects us to be grateful first for everything we have through our parents or others.
He also expects us to do business with what he has his given is.
Don’t be like Taiwo and the ungrateful servant? Be like Kenny, who used his talents well.
Each had a reward? Which reward would you like to have?
The good –
“The master said, well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling the small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!”
Matt.25:23 (NLT)
The bad –
“To those who use well what they are given, even more will be given, and they will have an abundance. But from those who do nothing, even what little they have will be taken away.”
Matt 25:29 (NLT)
Be grateful for all you have and use them well. As a parent, say this to yourself: “Teaching My Children Gratitude Is My Responsibility.”
Prayer: Lord, I am grateful for my parents and all the people you have used to bless me.
Declaration: I am a grateful soul. I make good use of what is given to me. Amen
There is a very popular verse that talks about how to worship God. This is probably one of the most common verses in the scriptures. I am sure you must have heard it quoted by your Sunday school teacher from time to time.
What verse am I talking about?
It’s the last verse in the book of psalms.
Psalms 150:6 (KJV) Let every thing that hath breath praise the LORD. Praise ye the LORD.
“Praise the Lord” is one of the most used sentences in Christianity. Used both by those who know the meaning and those who don’t. It is used every service day in churches, every other time during family devotion, and as often as one can remember.
We sometimes get so familiar that it no more makes meaning to us. Just like we can get familiar with our parents and teachers and miss out on what God has packaged inside them for our profiting.
One of the meanings of the word praise is to “worship”. So the psalmist is telling us to worship God.
Psalms 150:6 (TPT) Let everyone everywhere join in the crescendo of ecstatic praise to Yahweh! Hallelujah! Praise the Lord!
I love that!
The crescendo of ecstatic praise!
Children, as long as you have breath, you are expected to worship God. Your duty is to reverence him and pay homage to him. Do not join the group of those who complain, murmur, and grumble, rather, give God quality worship.
Do you know God destroyed an entire generation because they murmured?
1 Cor 10:10 (ASV)Neither murmur ye, as some of them murmured, and perished by the destroyer
Declaration: My children are worship beings. They spend time worshiping the father. Amen
Prayer: Lord, teach my children the mystery behind worship. Let their worship be always acceptable before you.
There is something called the will of God, which is usually divided into the perfect will and the permissive will. The best we should aim for is the perfect will of God.
And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
Rom 12:2 (NKJV)
Children, let your mind be renewed. The best way to do this is by putting the law of God in your heart.
I delight to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart.”
Psalm 40:8 (ESV)
Children, to really enjoy God’s blessings and to align with God’s purpose for your lives, you must delight to do the will of God.
His will is not burdensome. He simply expects us to do as written in the word. Part of his will is to honor your parents.
Children, obey your parents in the Lord for this is right. “Honor your father and mother,” which is the first commandment accompanied by a promise, namely, “that it may go well with you and that you will live a long time on the earth.”
Eph 6:1-3 (NET)
You must strive to always please Him in all ways. When you seek Him first, every other thing shall be added unto you.
But let your first care be for his kingdom and his righteousness; and all these other things will be given to you in addition.
Matt 6:33 (BBE)
Prayer: My children seek to do God’s will. They put God first in Jesus name. Amen
Declaration:
My children delight to do God’s will always. They obey His dictates. They live to please Him always.
Action Plan: Decide in your heart to do the perfect will of God.
