Faith

by Debbie Wallis

“Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you,” Ephesians 4:32

Oh the joys and headaches, of summertime fun with our children. They can spend so much free time with each other that irritation starts stealing the joy All life challenges and situations is an opportunity to teach them God’s Word Kindness and forgiveness is the heart of Christianity. We are to be examples to the world that we are different As Christians we teach our children to ask for forgiveness when they hurt or wrong someone and to forgive another person even if they don’t ask for it God says we can’t even come to Him unless we try to work out our problems with our brother and sister in Christ This is a great example to point out when your kids want something from you but they aren’t getting along Point out that you will listen to them after they go and reconcile with their sibling “So if you are about to bring thanks to God at the alter and you remember that someone is angry with you, leave your gift there and go make peace with that person, then return and offer your thankfulness to God , ” Matthew 5:23-24

Teach your children that God’s word is for them today and for the rest of their life His word is the truth and never fails nor changes It’s the long term goal as a parent to raise healthy, productive adults that contribute to the Kingdom of God and brings Him glory That should be the basis for every decision a Christian parent makes Proverbs 12:1 “To accept correction is wise, but he who hates it is stupid ” I love this verse. Teaching our children to love discipline is a challenge, but you can do it Siblings need to be willing to take correction from each other and not get defensive about healthy criticism given with love I encourage my grandchildren that while they don’t have the authority to be bossy, they do have the responsibility to help each other learn and grow And I’m also real it’s difficult and no one likes it No one is perfect and this is an important lesson in getting along with others Knowing that you are imperfect and God forgives you is key to being understanding when other people mess up If everyone always gets an A without really earning it, it dilutes the A to average. Excellence comes from critiquing average and changing where the changes are needed

Again, our long term goal is to raise healthy, productive adults that contribute to the Kingdom of God and brings Him glory in all they do

“Each of you has been blessed with one of God’s many wonderful gifts, use it to serve others, so use your gift well,” 1 Peter 4:10 “Jesus didn’t come to be served but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many,” Matthew 20:28. We don’t all have the same talents You may not be good at what your brother is good at. Teach your children to rejoice in each other’s gifts and talents Having your children serve one another is a gift to them for their entire lives. Helping with chores, moving out of someone’s way, just doing what you can to bless someone else is how we all need to treat each other

“But you should defend those who are helpless and have no hope Be fair and give justice to the poor and homeless ” Proverbs 31: 8-9 This verse shows us how to treat those less fortunate If your child thinks their sibling is “dumb” or a “pain” then instead of belittling they should work to build them up, help them with homework, and work beside them as they do chores and writing letters of encouragements

Sometimes conceit, provoking and envy will be at the core of sibling problems Ask God to show you which of these your child struggles with and help through it so you can help them conquer those negative emotions

“Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another,” Galatians 5:26

“Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God,” Hebrews 13:16. Sharing…yep, it’s important and in the Bible We share, not because we want to, but because we choose to love others more than we love ourselves It’s just so hard to think of others sometimes, especially when you’re young and immature Building these abilities takes time and patience and perseverance. Don’t be upset when your child acts selfishly, but keep feeding the Word into them over and over with love “Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others,” Philippians 2:3-4

We cannot make our children want to please God but we can teach obedience and rely on His Word to penetrate their hearts. There are consequences in life for disobedience Your children and grandchildren can learn those life lessons while under your supervision and hopefully spare them heartache later Many parents talk to me about how their kids fight and don’t get along and summer time freedom exasperates it Sometimes they are told that’s just the way it is and they should accept it. No, that’s not true and our guide through life is not what society tells us but what God says He says fighting with our brothers and sisters is wrong. How can we learn to get along with others if we cannot get along with our family? Our family experiences follow us as baggage Bad baggage is hard to let go of and Satan uses it against us over and over until it’s laid at the foot of the cross once and for all That doesn’t happen until we choose to obey God’s word and unlearn bad behavior.

“Stop being bitter and angry and mad at others Don’t yell at one another or say bad things about them or even be rude, Instead, be kind and merciful, and forgive others, just as God forgave you because of Jesus Christ,” Ephesians 4:31-32

If you don’t have a Bible please contact me at sfadebbie@yahoo and I will provide you with one.

Red River Cowboy Church Day Camp

Red River Cowboy Church DAY CAMP “WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY ABOUT BULLYING?”

Friday June 26, 6:30pm to 8:30pm IT ALL STARTS WITH KTCC YOUTH BAND, FELLOWSHIP, REGISTRATION AND COWBOY SUPPER

Saturday June 27 from 9:00am to 2:00pm we will study what the bible say about bullying. Music, activities and lunch for ages 4 through 17.

Registration is on any Sunday at the church between 10:00 and 12:00 or call 903 532 9019 or 903 821 7006

We look forward to seeing you! Red River Cowboys Church is located on Hwy 691 off of US75 west of TMC hospital