OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

DATE: FRIDAY JULY 14TH 2017

THEME: FOUNDATION: HOW STRONG?

Memorise:

Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life. 1 Timothy 6:19

Read: Psalm 11:3-5

11:3 If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?

11:4 The Lord is in his holy temple, the Lord's throne is in heaven: his eyes behold, his eyelids try, the children of men.

11:5 The Lord trieth the righteous: but the wicked and him that loveth violence his soul hateth.

Message:

The foundation of any building or structure is very important. According to Proverbs 22:6, if a child is given the right foundation, it will be easy for him or her to build on it and succeed in life. The question then is, what kind of foundation are you laying for your child or ward? Do you know that some parents are the ones who push their children into destruction? For instance, if you have a child whose Christian foundation is not solidly established and you send such a child into the society with liberal values, don’t be surprised to see the child follow ungodly lifestyle. For this reason, when you are considering tertiary education for your child, also put into consideration how that child will access spiritual growth in the institution you want to send him or her to. An ideal school should be able to satisfy the academic, moral and spiritual needs of a child. All these should be well balanced. A child’s foundation is laid from kindergarten to university, after which the child will be able to continue in the righteous path of his or her upbringing. Do your children have a solid foundation in Christ? Is their foundation strong enough to carry whatever will be built on it?

On the other hand, the strength of a child’s foundation is a function of several factors such as: the spiritual level of the parents, the values upheld in that family, the parents’ level of education, the financial resources available to the child, and so on. It is true that you cannot give what you don’t have. This invariably means that as parents, the more you invest in your spiritual life, the greater the chances of giving your children a more solid foundation. Children learn a lot by simply copying their parents. Many parents engage in certain unhealthy habits and their children are watching them. The laughable thing is that some parents who practice unwholesome habits even warn their children not to try such. To believe that their children will take them seriously is to engage in self-deception. Some men have girlfriends and their children are aware of this, but they beg them never to tell their mothers. Some even bring such ladies home and bribe their children to keep their mouth shut. How can such children ever grow up to become faithful to their spouses? The strongest legacy you can give your children is to live the kind of life you desire to see in them.

Prayer Point:

Father, help me to lay a very solid foundation for every member of my family.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
2 Samuel 3-4
Ezekiel 7:23-8:6

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 16: GOD GIVE US CHRISTIAN HOMES

1. God give us Christian homes!
Homes where the Bible is loved and taught,
Homes where the Master’s will is sought,
Homes crowned with beauty Your love has wrought;
God give us Christian homes;
God give us Christian homes!

2. God give us Christian homes!
Homes where the father is true and strong,
Homes that are free from the blight of wrong,
Homes that are joyous with love and song;
God give us Christian homes;
God give us Christian homes!

3. God give us Christian homes!
Homes where the mother, in caring quest,
Strives to show others Your way is best,
Homes where the Lord is an honored guest;
God give us Christian homes;
God give us Christian homes!

4. God give us Christian homes!
Homes where the children are led to know
Christ in His beauty who loves them so,
Homes where the altar fires burn and glow;
God give us Christian homes;
God give us Christian homes!