Daily Devotionals by Ardith Keef

       Having children has never made anyone an expert on children.
     As a matter of fact, in Christian circles, many of the old Sunday School materials and  Child Evangelism materials were developed by single ladies.
     Having a child is something that happens to parents who don't want children, and parents who do. If you travel the world, each country is populated in such a manner it is not hard to see that for the most part, having children often makes a parent myopic and only able to develop expertise in determining what will bring about the desired result in the next few minutes or hours.
     When the Lord has something to teach His own, He does not and has never used human expertise or learning apart from the Cross. It doesn't matter what the subject is, the situation is still the same.
     But the things we do each day, particularly in the areas of marriage and child-rearing, become dangerously immune to Heaven's guidance, simply because we assume there can be no counsel that can be acceptable unless the counselor knows exactly what is going on, or unless he has been in the same situation.
     The Cross is the Cross.
     Discipline is discipline whether the situation is a parent's eyes glazing over and delaying a reprimand for naughty behavior, or whether it is foolishness and unbiblical behavior toward a mate.
     Don't forget Naman found healing when he obeyed and dipped in the dirty Jordan, and seven times, at that!
     All issues of right and wrong stem from the same thing - obedience to God's Word in integrity, character, discipline and truth. What a ridiculous thing to think that no one can correct us in teaching our children integrity. It only takes one to whom the Lord has opened heaven and revealed His integrity.
     It would be foolish to say Paul's words to the Church can't be relied on, since we have no information about his experience with marriage before his conversion. If he had no experience at all, does that mean the revelation God gave is worthless?
     Those having His qualities have His wisdom. And those having endless experience and much human success, but no rich, deep, abiding presence of the indwelling Holy Spirit are fountains of polluted dust.
     All things come from Him and lead to Him - so does the raising and training of children as well as every other area of life we could name!
     
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