IN THE EYES OF A CHILD

Proverbs 18:7
7 A fool's mouth is his undoing,
and his lips are a snare to his soul.
NIV

The Amplified Bible states this: 

Proverbs 18:7  A [self confident] fool's mouth is

his ruin and his lips are a snare to himself.

Titus 2:6-8

6 Similarly, encourage the young men to be self-controlled. 7 In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness 8 and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us. 

NIV

Self control in our speech.......is speaking with a sound that cannot be condemned. It is speaking to our husband/wife with sound speech. It is speaking to our children with sound speech. It is speaking in the work place/church with sound speech. It is serious, it is of integrity and it is teaching.

So what are we teaching those around us?

Are we teaching something that will encourage the one standing next to us or are we just discouraging them?

Ezra 4:4-5

4 Then the peoples around them set out to discourage the people of Judah and make them afraid to go on building.  5 They hired counselors to work against them and frustrate their plans during the entire reign of Cyrus king of Persia and down to the reign of Darius king of Persia. 

NIV

In the above, we are reminded of those who just want to stop people. In just a few words they were to create delays and hinder the work. The hired came to trouble.

They were being discouraged at every turn of work they tried to deliver. They became the discouraged and lost their courage.

In reading in Ezra 4 there is much opposition. And when it is to the plan of the Lord, that kind is the opposition that has the subtlety of the old serpent, satan. In this case, superstition was a high priority and any who opposed it were those building the temple to God.

As in the case with the Israelites, those who pretended to help only wanted to delay the entire work and did not want it to progress any further. What is it written in Psalm 55:21................ His speech is smooth as butter, yet war is in his heart; his words are more soothing than oil, yet they are drawn swords. NIV

Know any people like that? No?

You know they sound really nice with their speech.....

Ezra 4:2

"Let us help you build because, like you, we seek your God and have been sacrificing to him since the time of Esarhaddon king of Assyria, who brought us here." 

NIV

It was a lie! They wanted to hinder .........their kisses as of the enemy....deceitful.

 We can do the same to a love one in our own family!

Any time we speak something against another, and maybe we never thought that it was a "negative" yet caused the other to be provoked is not good and will not build a good relationship and will not carry them forward, but cause them to stop "dead" in their  pathway. I do not want to be guilty of that to any one!  Do you?

What does it look like?

Romans 13:14……….14 Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature.     NIV

Colossians 3:21 Fathers, do not provoke or irritate or fret your children [ do not be hard on them or harass them], lest they become discouraged and sullen and morose and feel inferior and frustrated. [Do not break their spirit.] Amplified Bible

Have you ever seen a conversation between a parent and a child and the child has no alternative but to act their age? One can see from the unfolding moment exactly how the child expects it to play out! And they were right??? They, the child or children even speak what the parent will say next! Yes, they have been down that road before.

CHILDREN WANT TO BE A PART OF THE FAMILY  and I know from previous experience that children must be a part of all that is going to affect, effect, and contribute anything to the family as a whole. Now if it is between the mother and the father, of course not! But anything the child has been a part of is to be included as 'a standing member of the family'.

Is that not the work of the "devil" when we allow any discouragement to come upon our children or grand-children?  Children sometimes do not understand, because of their age, of certain things that a parent or parents are desiring to come to pass for their future. And leaving the child out of it when he/she sees them they become agitated, fretful, and just sullen adds TO the small child's world. The child becomes scared, his/her security is shattered. And does no one see it happening?

They want to understand, but they see everyone who is leading the family has tuned out and turned off..........when the child/children need to hear from them the most at that time.

Romans 13:14.......tells us to clothe ourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ and not to think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature. Would not terrifying a child by acting sullen be creating a force that will break their spirit?

Yes, again it is breaking their little spirit. We can laugh with them when hiking on a sunny day or may be even on rainy day..............no decisions to make, no big deals on the horizon...........but when the ground begins to shake, and the walls start moving, and the child sees a parent or parents shut down, the communication line is down. It is severed!

Should not be this way ever in regards to our child, children or grand-children. They want to be a part and they want to understand.  Children are to be continually nurtured and brought in to understand the workings in the family, not shut down at a moment's notice because they do not understand because of age. Help them to understand. Tell them what is going on, right now!

WHAT IF GOD SAID, "I AM NOT TELLING YOU BECAUSE YOU WOULD NOT UNDERSTAND. I AM KEEPING EVERYTHING SECRET FROM YOU FOREVER!" WOW!

By all means if it is a flesh thing, surely keep it to yourself. For you will have to deal with it sooner or later. But in something that pertains to what God is doing in and for the family it is to involve the entire family. Communication was the secret to Christ's ministry. In keeping step with Him, we keep the testimonies alive. They keep us aware of the God who invades the impossible when the views of those around us are focused on the temporary physical circumstances.

In the eyes of the child, their world is closed off. And without a constant awareness and of our speaking truth about every situation, we keep them connected to us and to the vision God has for the entire family. If we do not do that, then we will see without doubt "vision and ministry" reduced to nothing more than we do in our own strength and amounts to kicking up some dust!
Ever seen those who just "kick up some dust" while they think they are ministering life?

We should not want to kick around the dust. In the scripture below we are reminded of those who go their own way.......Isaiah 29:4

4 Brought low, you will speak from the ground;

your speech will mumble out of the dust.

Your voice will come ghostlike from the earth;

out of the dust your speech will whisper. 

NIV

Understanding that this will occur, we should take the extra step to make sure our child/children/grand-children are involved in decisions that pertain to them: like school, like taking a trip, in any sickness occurring, any project they are involved in, anything we need to live for God, they will also need!
When I was very young, and we went to visit grandparents in another state, I always remember my younger sister desiring sternly for her pillow. It went with her, as some resemblance of her bedtime at home, while visiting in another's home. My Mom always placed it close to the luggage so that it would not be left behind. Kids can be left behind without parents even knowing it. We need to awaken to things of God for our families, our loved ones who God cherishes.  They need to know that we always must go to Him for direction, not looking at the views of others..........and until our young ones are able to do that.........we must be that line that keeps them connected to life and truth in any regard to an outside situation involving the whole of the family.

My prayer today is for those who have been broken, either by previous relationships that broke the human spirit by being provoked, goaded and maligned. I pray for those who have been dealt a great blow by a loved one who came back with anything but love.

Father, thank You for Jesus, the Son of Your love. Who has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love. In Him, we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins. Help us Holy Spirit. You see the damage done. Show us how to minimize that which has been caused. Help us to speak and see restoration to that which has done by our speaking, our own doing, and acts of just provoking another to wrath. Today we desire to be those who will be salt to those in pain and anguish. We choose to be those who will abide in truth and be committed to be responsible when others cross our paths who may be dealing with a loss, or just cut off from God's plan for them by another. Help us to understand in how to communicate with our children and grand-children that we will not provoke them but lead them in life that is everlasting in YOU Father. Show us what to speak and how to be constant in teaching with integrity and not as a spoiled one wrapped up in the flesh nature. It just leads back to the dust.

Father, Your Word is true and we confess and profess that Your Word is for us. You will never leave us or forsake us. We ask today to support those who have trials and tribulations that are weighing them down. We come boldly to the throne of Grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in this time of need. (Hebrews 4:16) Strengthen our hearts for the battle ahead and give patience as we wait on You. We pray to be those who rejoice in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfast in prayer. (Romans 12:12)

We are family. We are to act like a family..........and in this journey help us to encourage our family. Help us to be the "kind".

"Your Love O' Lord endures forever----do not abandon the works of Your hands. Amen.

You can also visit my Youtube channel The Voice of Prayer for more teaching at http://bit.ly/1tNyBhV