I just got tagged by my friend Lori.
Here are the rules:
1. Pick up the nearest book (of at least 123 pages).
2. Open the book to page 123.
3. Find the fifth sentence.
4. Post the next three sentences.
5. Tag five people (I won't be able to do this since I don't know many who are bloggers)
Well, the closest book to me is called Perfect Weight America by Jordan Rubin but when I turned to page 123 there was a chart on the page and only 2 or 3 sentences. So, I decided to reach for another book called The Power of a Praying Parent. I had pulled this out when I had been up several times a night praying for our little ones. Last week, we all came down with the flu and it killed me to see Roman struggling with such a high fever for several days. Unfortunately, we all got the flu and it was the most difficult 3 - 4 days trying to take care of 2 kids and also trying to heal ourselves. Thankfully, the MOPS group I belong to at Dallas First Church pitched in and delivered dinner 2 nights. What a tremendous blessing that was for our family. But, with God's strength and healing we made it through and we are all doing great!
Ok, so here goes:
This comes from chapter 17 titled, Staying Attracted to Holiness and Purity
"This doesn't just happen. It must be taught. And although we can do much to teach our children about living purely in the ways of the Lord and model this to the best of our ability, the real teacher is the Holy Spirit. Holiness begins with a love for Him. "Keep yourself pure" (1 Timothy 5:22), the Bible instructs us. That's a hard assignment for anyone, but especially for a child. It can only be accomplished by total submission to God and His law and the enabling power of the Holy Spirit."
These few sentences really made me think about my teenage years. I didn't know the Lord back then and, boy, was it so easy to be distracted or enticed to do things that were so unpleasing to God. I realize how important it is to pray for our children at such a young age and to hopefully lay a Godly foundation for them so when they are older and are enticed with life's temptations, they will want to reject it.
I love this prayer at the end of the chapter:
Lord, I pray that you would fill Roman and Ethan with a love for you that surpasses their love for anything or anyone else. Help them to respect and revere Your laws and understand that they are there for their benefit. Hide your Word in their heart so that there is no attraction to sin. I pray they will run from evil, from impurity, from unholy thoughts, words and deeds, and that they will be drawn toward whatever is pure and holy. In Jesus name, Amen!
Ok, so here goes:
This comes from chapter 17 titled, Staying Attracted to Holiness and Purity
"This doesn't just happen. It must be taught. And although we can do much to teach our children about living purely in the ways of the Lord and model this to the best of our ability, the real teacher is the Holy Spirit. Holiness begins with a love for Him. "Keep yourself pure" (1 Timothy 5:22), the Bible instructs us. That's a hard assignment for anyone, but especially for a child. It can only be accomplished by total submission to God and His law and the enabling power of the Holy Spirit."
These few sentences really made me think about my teenage years. I didn't know the Lord back then and, boy, was it so easy to be distracted or enticed to do things that were so unpleasing to God. I realize how important it is to pray for our children at such a young age and to hopefully lay a Godly foundation for them so when they are older and are enticed with life's temptations, they will want to reject it.
I love this prayer at the end of the chapter:
Lord, I pray that you would fill Roman and Ethan with a love for you that surpasses their love for anything or anyone else. Help them to respect and revere Your laws and understand that they are there for their benefit. Hide your Word in their heart so that there is no attraction to sin. I pray they will run from evil, from impurity, from unholy thoughts, words and deeds, and that they will be drawn toward whatever is pure and holy. In Jesus name, Amen!
