Prayer & Preparation for February 11th, 2024
This Lord's Day
Here are some details about our morning service:
Songs we'll sing: "Rejoice," "Is He Worthy," "How Deep the Father's Love for Us," "Christ the True and Better," and "Be Thou My Vision (Oh God, Be My Everything)"
Sermon text: Ephesians 6:4
Cross-references: Deut. 6:4-9; Prov. 13:24; 19:18; 20:7; 23:24-25; Ecc. 12:13-14; Matt. 28:19-20; Rom. 1:30; 13:1-5; Eph. 1:3-6; 2:4; 4:1-3; 5:1-2, 21; 6:1; Col. 1:28; 3:16; 2 Tim. 3:2, 14-16; Heb. 12:3-11
Helpful articles from my study and prep:
In addition, I also consulted Tim (and Kathy) Keller's daily devotionals from the book of Proverbs. It's entitled God's Wisdom for Navigating Life, and the reading are arranged topically. In the parenting section (dated September 29 to October 14), he makes statements like these:
"Traditionally parents used strict discipline. The modern view is that parents should mainly be supportive and allow children to do self-discovery. Proverbs teaches that the ultimate goal of parenting is neither mere control nor affirmation but to teach their children to become wise and righteous.... If...parents just let their child grow up as a detached, autonomous self, that's parental malpractice."
"A family needs the constant, every-hour expression of love, joy, and wonder. You must 'catch your child being good' and jump on every opportunity for praise."
"There is a design in the world, and to go against it brings natural consequences. If parents do no bring carefully controlled, unpleasant consequences into the children's lives, they will go out into the world and bring far more painful and harmful results onto themselves later. Inflicting minor sadness now avoids great despair later. If you do that while they are young, there is hope that the child will internalize your training and learn self-control.... God's parenting is perfect, and he disciplines us for our good. He knows we hate the consequences he brings into our lives now, but later they will bear enormous fruit."
"Child discipline also demands parental discipline. It is easy to punish in anger rather than in love. Rather than sitting on the couch, shouting unfulfilled threats with increasing irritability, parents must respond instantly to any disobedience while they are still calm, and see that consequences are imposed."
"A child should feel they are the object of powerful, unconditional love from the parent."
I'm praying Ephesians 3:14-21 for our church in our proclaiming and hearing/receiving of God's Word this Lord's Day: May our Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, according to the riches of his glory, grant us to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in our inner being, so that Christ may dwell in our hearts through faith-that we, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that we may be filled with all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church (and in our families) and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
Love you, church!
Jeff Tague
