Training

Love you all, praying for you,
 
I just love God’s Word – it cuts through the crap.  It strips things down to the basics.  It’s untainted, unvarnished truth.  It is challenging, that’s why it’s not always fun to hear.  That’s why God says, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.  I love that God’s Word says things by which you can understand other things.  Proverbs 22:6 - Train up a child in the way they should go, and when they are old they will not depart from it.  It might seem for a while like they forgot, but they will come back to what they were trained in.  This is equally true… train up a child in the way they shouldn’t go, and when they are old, they will not depart from it. (Only God can save them.)  If you have children, you do or you probably will.  Be careful how you train.  And your biggest training is when you’re not training. The interesting thing about training a child...  They will do what you do, more than what you say.  That’s why every parent in their life has seen their kid do something, and in shock and horror ask them… “Who taught you that?” Where did you learn that?”  (Well… it was you).  You can say all day, but they will do what you do.  That’s why the best thing you can do is work on you.  Get God’s Word in you, Be instant in obedience, be constant in prayer.  Be quick to praise, and quick to forgive, quick to overlook, and diligent in what He tells you to do.  Your training them, starts with training you.  As a Father one of the best things you can ever do for your child, is love their Mommy.  The same applies with other people.  What you do screams louder than what you say.  How you treat people is how they remember you, not what you accomplish.  How they feel about themselves when they are with you – is how they view you and remember you, not what you accomplish that you think will make them look up to you.  Actions speak louder than words.  How do you make sure your actions match your words? There is only one way.  His Word has to be in you.  His Word is what He has written, (The Bible by His Spirit) and what He tells you (The still, small voice, by His Spirit).    Know His Word and His plans.  Ask Him and fully do what He planned for you today.  It’s why PiVAT is critical to your training, because it is your regular conversation with God, asking for His plans, which He can’t wait to give you.  It will include loving people, you wouldn’t have normally thought to invest in today, or take time for, or pray for.  His plans for you are His Word to you - His present word.  PiVAT before dinner is that daily conversation with Him, that puts you in position – to hear what He wants you to do – that is so much better than what you would come up with, or think is best.  Then, know His Written Word that transforms your mind - your view of God, and your view of yourself, and your view of everyone around you.  PRISM is how God speaks to you every day through His Written Word that is unchanging from generation to generation.  It’s God’s truth, and wisdom, and love for people, just like His love for you.  Whatever you do – you are training someone.  Someone is watching. They don’t listen to what you say, they watch what you do.  How you handle adversity, setback, victory, success and failure, how you respond to how others treat you, what you do when no one’s looking, what you do when things go wrong, what you do when others wrong you, what you do when everyone is doing something else, how you treat those who are different than you, who are less than you and who are greater than you.  They’re watching.  That’s why His Word for every day, and His Word for you today is so important.  It trains you in what is right in the way you should go, so others can see the way that they could go.  So others who watch what you do, and what you say, can be drawn to the good that God is, and the good that He has for them.  Praying that you will remember those who are watching, that by watching you they can be trained up in the way that they should go: in faith, praise, humility, obedience, diligence, so that when they are old, they will still walk in the same victory that you do. 
 
Love you all,
dad