Realizing The Joy Of The Lord

MORE PARENTS are hauling their children before the court in an attempt to wrestle back control over them.

"More mothers are bringing their children on private matters, saying ’help me, this child is wandering, help me’," she said.

"They might be realising that they can’t assist them anymore so they are saying let the court deal with them and, maybe, that would have an effect on them," she said.

The magistrate laid blamed for deviant behaviour squarely on the drug culture and influences from North America.

But, in the majority of cases that had come before her, parental guidance was missing.

And it wasn’t restricted to young mothers, either, she said.

"You find some even in their 40s and 50s who can’t discipline their children right – who can’t control them."

This, Cooke-Alleyne said, was such a cause for concern that she felt there should be mandatory courses on parenting from the time a woman became pregnant.

"We’re living in different times," she said. "You need a license to operate a car. You can’t drive without one. But with parenting, you don’t have a test to go through and you have a life that can make a difference in the world in 18 years from now."

Adapted from Parents ’standing firm’

Published on: 2/19/06. Sunday Sun

Stories by Heather Lynn-Evanson

The picture painted by magistrate Cooke-Alleyne is one in which families are in disarray: A world where children have taken over and are holding parents hostage.

In other places we read of homosexual marriages being readily accepted and the adoption of children by these unions.

We read of spousal abuse and rises in divorces. Persons now prefer to live together outside of marriage;

We live in a world that impacts our families in a very negative way. A world full of drugs and sexual abuse.

Violence and crime.

Pornography and immorality

Where love is replaced by lust and fornication is the norm;

In the midst of all this, how can we realize the joy of serving Christ and pass it on to our children?

Brothers and sisters I have news for you!! The Israelites were brought out into such a world. A world full of immorality, lust and ungodliness but God had a remedy to keep them immune from the influences around them. This remedy is also available to us.

God does not leave us devoid of wisdom as to how to realize the Joy of serving Christ in our lives and how we can pass it on to our children? In fact we know that this is his desire and whatever God wants for us he provides directions on how to achieve it. He never leaves anything to chance. Let us turn in our bibles to Deut. 6:1-3

Prayer

Let us turn in our Bibles to the book of Deuteronomy

Deut: 6:1,2Now these are the commandments, the statues and the judgments which the Lord your God commanded to teach you that ye might do them in the land whither ye go to possess it:

That thou mightest fear the Lord thy God, to keep all his statues and his commandments which I command thee, thou and thy son, and thy son’s son, all the day of thy life; and that thy days may be prolonged

One of the first commands Moses spelled out is that they should fear the Lord their God. This command is reinforced throughout scripture The psalmist tells us in Ps.9:10

[Ps. 9:10 ] The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.

The King James Version, (Cambridge: Cambridge) 1769.

The angel in Revelation 14:7 declares to this generation-Fear God- and Jesus gives the command in Matt. 8:28 And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

The King James Version, (Cambridge: Cambridge) 1769.

One of first steps in realizing the Joy of serving Christ is to stop fearing what man can do to you and fear God. Too many people rather than base their decisions on their Christian values and principles, make their decisions to favour spouses, employers, friends, or relatives. Their fear spouses displeasure, being fired, offending friends and relatives rather than offending God. If we are to experience the Joy of Serving Christ we must have a free conscience; A conscience void of any wrong doing. Too often people act out of fear of losing friendships, displeasing spouses, family members or relatives only to end up with the very same people doing things that offend them. The bible declares in psalms 146: 3 Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help. The King James Version, (Cambridge: Cambridge) 1769.