Trained Well

Love you all, praying for you,
 
I just love God’s Word – it tells the truth, whether comfortable or not.  It tells you things that apply mostly to you, but also to others.  Have you ever noticed that the most touchy thing about people – is their kids?  You can say a lot of things, but don’t say anything about how they handle their kids, that’s usually a ‘don’t go there’ subject, unless you want them to be highly offended.  Have you noticed that some parents don’t train their kids?  Now, have you ever noticed that statement is actually not true? The opposite is true.  They have trained them – they’ve trained them well.  Every parent trains their children.  It’s not that the parents never trained their kids to obey… they have trained them not to obey.  The child is doing what they were trained to do.  Some parents train their kids to obey after they count to three.   “One,” “Two,”  (Two and a half), the kid will not obey when the parent instructs them.  They will obey only when the parent counts to three.  That’s how they have been trained.  Some parents train their kids to obey at the moment they are about to totally lose it!  That’s when the child has been trained, it’s time to obey!  They will not obey before they see Mom and Dad about to lose a gasket, and then they will obey.  Some parents train their children to obey – after they sit in a chair.  They will not obey until after they sit in a chair, not when the parent instructs or requests something of them, only after they sit in a chair, or spend time in a corner, or in a time out.  It’s how they’ve been trained.  Proverbs 23:12 - Apply your heart to instruction and your ears to words of knowledge.  (Wow what a secret, God just revealed).   Do not withhold discipline from a child; if you punish him with the rod, he will not die.  Punish him with the rod and save his soul from death.  This isn’t about behavior modification, this is about the soul of the child, but it’s really about - the soul of you.  God is not a bad parent, be warned.  He will train you to obey, because He loves you and wants what’s best for you!  Do you obey the still small voice, of your Father?  Or His two-by-four?  Have you learned to apply your heart to instruction, and your ear to His next word of knowledge?  Will you obey His still small voice?  Or do you require His rod of correction – before you obey?  Do you know what makes it so hard to obey?  Not looking to.  Not looking to hear His voice, or His commands, not seeking His will or His plans.  You just do your thing, and you’re so busy doing what you want to do, or saying whatever comes into your mind – which immediately comes out of your mouth.  If you aren’t expecting His instruction, if you’re not looking for it, so you can follow it… you probably won’t notice that still small voice.  God wants to lead you with His still, small voice, He wants to lead you even with just a glance.  Those who are looking for His voice – listening for His next Word, His next instruction -  are the ones who obey the quickest.  They have the best conversations with Him, they aren’t worried about the rod of correction, they are pursuing His best plan in His best way and His best time.  They are walking in the joy of their relationship with Him.  They are so attentive to hear His voice, they hear it always, and follow wherever He leads.  Their mouth says what He says, their heart is wise, they speak what is right.  His voice is very clear – because they have removed the noise and other voices.  His voice is clear, because they look for it, they’re listening.  Praying that you will seek God for PiVAT Weekly for this week, and PiVAT before dinner each day, and PRISM time in His Word.    It’s how you look for His next instruction, it’s how you recognize what He would say, it’s how you tune your ear to His Voice.  Praying that you will never suffer from the rod of correction, because your conversation with Him is ongoing, overflowing, full of blessing and all of His Good for you!  Praying that you will respond to that still small voice – because you’re looking for it – and then - that you will train your children to obey like you do…
 
Love you all,
dad