Truth or Consequences
Posted in Daily Focus on Saturday, August 24, 2013
“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge” (Proverbs 1:7a).
Until I became a homeschooling parent, I never knew how obvious a young child looks when telling a lie. Living together 24/7 gives you a distinct advantage in reading your child’s body language and facial expressions, and my children knew I could tell instantly when a lie was coming from their lips. In addition, my children’s respect for our house rules also helped to curtail lies. Knowing they would receive a lessened punishment for telling the truth, they were quick to tell on themselves and confess their wrongdoing.
Having a healthy respect and fear of God will also help a Christian resist Satan’s temptations. When our flesh is strong and urges us to sin, walking away and saying "no" is easier when we consider our accountability to Almighty God. Like our children, our fear of God’s discipline should prevent evil actions from taking place in our lives. As we come to revere God and hate sin as He does, we will seek to live our lives in such a way that pleases Him.
Are you living in some deception today? God already sees and knows the lie you’re living. Don’t stay in your sin and wait to be caught like Achan (Joshua 7). Come to your Heavenly Father now, confess your sin, and let His loving discipline correct the error of your ways. “And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth” (Hebrews 12:5-6).
Lord, forgive me for lying and foolishly trying to hide my sin from You. I confess that what I have done is wrong and ask You to cleanse me from my unrighteousness. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Comments(3 comments)
SISTER L 08/24/2008 08:10:09
Very true. Being at home is such an advantage of training our children to be honest. We get to know their facial expressions so well and can properly and Biblically guide them to be honest Christians. The other day my son , from the back seat of the car said, "Mommy I took candy from your office, It's in my pocket." I praised him for being honest with me and telling me the truth right away. I told him that we would need to have consequences when we got home, but that I'm proud of him for owning up.
KATHY S 08/24/2012 06:57:39
Fear of the Lord......
Something very prevelant at our home. For me, with all the illnesses and injuries, surgeires etc. that I have had in recent months ( & years) and the Lord keeps sparing my life, I would be an idiot to intentionally go against his word.
I am just Thankful to be here. The only thing I need to improve on is tithing, after I resolve my small amount of debt that\'s left, tithing will be a first priority.
My son see\'s how God has spared me, heals me, and answers our prayers, he has such strong faith for someone of his age.
Although he\'s not perfect, he knows, without the Lord, I would not still be here, and therefore he tries quite hard to obey Jesus\'s rules. His prayer every night is mainly that God heal my heart and everything else, and keep heart disease and cancer far away from the 2 of us. That\'s a big prayer/request,
and he knows it.
So, he may have minor infractions, but he know that God is always watching us, as do I. God has a way of keeping us \"in line\". We Love him and want to please him, but, the fear of knowing that he literally holds our lives in his hands, is enough to make me want to follow his rules!
Thank you Jesus! Amen.
JODI N 08/24/2012 07:00:58
My youngest child just turned 12 years old. Earlier this week he shared with me a decision that he\'d made. He decided that it would be silly to not own up to mistakes, and he was choosing to confess his mistakes and accidents from here on out. It just came from out of the blue. And it warmed my heart to hear my child share his heart with me like that. Love my kids! So glad we can homeschool them! I love to see them learning new things!