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"WHERE PRAYER AND PRAISE TAKE YOU INTO HIS PRESENCE"

Monday, September 26, 2011

The Cycle of Life

Proverbs 22:6 Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it.





Last weekend, my family and I went to the movie theater to watch the newest rendition of, “The Lion King.” The movie began with the king of the jungle, The Lion Mufasa, dedicating his son, Simba, to the gods. Although the production had a great plot, the movie ended the same way it started. At the end of the movie, Simba, the newly-crowned king of the jungle and the son of Mufasa, dedicated his son to the gods. I walked away from the movie refocused on the inevitable cycle of life and the responsibility of parents to prepare children to receive and carry the torch to the next generation.



In the movie, Simba didn’t appreciate and neither did he understand the instructions given him by his father. But when his father died and he ascended to the world of maturity and responsibility, he found the words and the wisdom of his father invaluable. Like Simba, I didn’t always agree with the methods of my parents in how they brought me up. But as an adult, I appreciate the upbringing I received from them. When I was a child, I was taken to “the field” at a very young age and taught a work ethic (you know, “An honest day’s work for an honest day’s pay). In Lue Henry Lockett’s house, saying “yea” or “naw” to an adult would have gotten me the infamous “back-hand lick” because I was taught to respect those in authority and those older than me. In my community, the generation my senior took pride in the way they dressed and behaved and they lived their lives by a code of ethics, morals, and values.



As parents, my wife and I inherited the task of teaching and training our children to be productive citizens and to make a positive impact the world in which we live. But as pastors, one of our main concerns is, “Who will catch and carry the spiritual baton when we die?” The clarion call for all parents—especially those who are Christian—is to, “Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it.” Proverbs 22:6 (NKJV)



Let’s Pray: “Father, we pray that You’ll help us to prepare our seed to catch and carry the spiritual baton to their generation and teach them to do the same, in Jesus’ Name, amen.”



Daily Confession

Thank You for making me the head and not the tail

Above only and not beneath

The lender and not the borrower

The conquerer and not the conquered



Thank You for giving me all things that pertain to life and godliness

And for delivering my life from death and destruction

So that I might live and not die

To declare Your Works



Thank You that no sickness shall live in my body

For by Your Stripes I am healed



Thank You that I shall not be stressed, oppressed or depressed

But I'm kept in perfect peace as my mind is stayed on Thee



Thank You that I'm not distressed, distracted, or in disarray

But I'm focused on what You've called me to do



Thank You that there is no lack in my life today

For my God shall supply all my needs according to His Riches in Glory by Christ Jesus



This is the day that the Lord has made

I will rejoice and be glad in it,

In Jesus' Name,

Amen



Questions of the Day

General Knowledge



1. What are the seven sins that God hates?

2. Where are they found?

3. Which one is an abomination to him?

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