Category: Devotionals/Bible Studies

Theme verse:  “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom [the ability to discern; wise in judgement]: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.” Proverbs 9:10

Introduction: Before we go into this week’s lesson, let’s touch on a point that we did not cover last week. Last week we talked about how people become bigger than God in our lives. There is a single word for this … idolatry.

What is idolatry? Is it simply the worship of an idol? No. Idolatry is more prevalent in our lives than we realize because in truth, idolatry is when we spend extra time (specifically away from God) on people or things. It is something that you have become strongly attached to or have a strong affection for.

Now knowing the true definition of idolatry, would you not say that when people become BIG in your life, you (unintentionally) become strongly attached to them? Your whole focus and world seems to revolve around THEM … people, does it not?

It does not even have to be people. It can be our jobs that consume us and that we become so attached to. It can even be our feelings (or emotions) that consume us and that we become too attached to.

All of this goes back to Pastor’s message the other Sunday … ALL of these are based on our CHOICES. We CHOOSE what we fill our minds and our time with … and sadly,

“What consumes your mind controls your life” — Unknown

Remember that we spoke about how we cannot serve two masters … we will either hate the one or love the other (Matthew 6:24)? When people (or anything else) are BIG, they control our lives … they are our masters, and we are their servants.

What does God’s Word say we are to do in situations like this? Luke 4:8 Jesus shows us by His example … “And Jesus answered and said unto him, Get thee behind me Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.”

Defining the Fear of God:

It “is a holy awe or reverence of God and his laws, which springs from a just view and real love of the divine character, leading the subjects of it to hate and shun everything that can offend such a holy being, and inclining them to aim at perfect obedience.”¹

“Fear of the Lord means reverent submission that leads to obedience.”2 – Edward T. Welch

Our fear must change!

Our FOCUS must change:

1. Isaiah 26:3-4 “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee. Trust ye in the Lord for ever: for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength.”

Our SUBMISSION must change:

• Submission is “to yield to the governance or authority of.”³ Lord, here’s my life! You control it!
• James 4:7 “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”
• When we do not surrender ourselves to God’s plan and will for our lives, we are not only making ourselves miserable, but MORE than likely we are pulling someone else along with us!!! Eeeks, ladies!!! Did you just see that picture in your mind’s eye?? Who are you pulling along with you into your disobedience to God and His Word?? I GUARANTEE that someone else is following you … or at the minimum being affected by you and your actions or attitudes.

Our OBEDIENCE must change:

• Our obedience must change:
• Acts 5:29b “…We ought to obey God rather than men.”

Our LOVE must change:

• I John 4:19 “We love Him, because He first loved us.”
• I John 4: 16b-18 “…God is love, and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. Herein is our love made perfect … There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.”
• When it comes to love, our actions will ALWAYS speak louder than words alone. Do I need to repeat this? Our actions WILL ALWAYS speak louder than our words alone. I was just thinking this past week of doing a lesson on our loves.

Our TALK must change:

• Psalm 141:3 “Set a watch, O LORD, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips.”
• Psalm 19:14 “Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.”
• Ephesians 4:29 “Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.”

Our THOUGHTS (mind) must change:

• Philippians 2:4 “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.”
• Tearing down the strongholds of our imagination (II Corinthians 10:3-5).
• Filling our minds with the right things, the positive things (Philippians 4:8).
• What we think and dwell on is our own choice. A thought may cross our minds, but we do not have to let it stay there. [illus: birds may light on our head but we do not have to let them build a nest there] [illus: someone says something and we pick up on one phrase that about drives us crazy as to what they meant by it; when in truth they never meant anything adverse by it, but it was the way our minds made up the meaning of it]

“The person who fears the Lord will fear nothing else.”⁴ – Edward T. Welch

Conclusion: You can tell God how big your problem is, but don’t forget to tell your problem how BIG your God is too! Psalm 95:3 “For the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all gods.”

Printable PDF of Bible Study Lesson

¹ FEAR – Definition from the KJV Dictionary (av1611.com)

² Welch, Edward T, “When people are big and God is small” p. 97

³ Submit | Definition of Submit by Merriam-Webster (merriam-webster.com)

⁴ Welch, Edward T, “When people are big and God is small” p. 96

“A good man leaveth an inheritance to his children’s children …” Proverbs 13:22a KJV

I know as mothers we each desire to raise our children well. But, in reality, we are human and we will make mistakes. Not one of us is perfect. You have made mistakes. I have made mistakes. We all have made mistakes. We all have done something … or many things … that we regret or will regret. Things that we wish that we could go back and change. But, unfortunately, those things are in our past. There is no changing them.

There is something that we can do with our past though … we can turn it over to Jesus. We can go to Him and tell Him where we have failed and ask Him to forgive us … and He will.

Then, looking forward, we must ask God to show us what ways that we can reflect Him and His Word into the lives of our children, our children’s children (our grandchildren), and the children for generations to come. The interesting thing about reflection is that it only reflects what is there.

So, what qualities do we need in our lives to be able to
reflect Christ to our children and grandchildren?

Prayer —

• Prayer is a powerful tool of the Christian that can break barriers that we cannot break.
• You never know how powerful prayer is until you pray.
• We cannot do anything in our own strength. We cannot change. We cannot heal. But we do have a God who can. John 5:30a “I can of mine own self do nothing …” How many times have we told ourselves that “WE can do this!”? But we cannot! Only GOD can!
• There are going to be things in our lives and our children’s lives and our grandchildren’s lives that look impossible to change for the better … but they can … with God! Matthew 19:26b “…With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.”

You will never know how powerful PRAYER is … until you PRAY.

God’s Word –

• What kind of personal devotions do you have?
• Yes, we may have small children, but we must take time for our own spiritual growth. We cannot help someone else grow if we are not growing.
• Not only that but God’s Word is just that God speaking to us. So, when we need guidance and answers to life’s questions, where are we to get them? Well, as Christians, it should be from God’s Word. Psalm 119:105 “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.”

Lover of the body of Christ (the church) –

• We show love best by actions. The phrase “actions speak louder than words” is so true. What are we showing our children?
• Hebrews 10:25 “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more as ye see the day approaching.”
• If we make excuses for not attending church, our children will learn to make excuses for not attending church. This is a dangerous roller-coaster to be on!

Unconditional Love –

• Sometimes our children will do some very hurtful (or embarrassing) things to us. But we must ALWAYS love as Jesus would … and the only way that we can do that is if He is living inside of us. Jesus’ love NEVER fails … I Corinthians 13:8a “Charity [love] never faileth.”

We must ALWAYS love as Jesus would.

Grace –

• Grace is defined as “God’s unmerited (unearned) favor.”
• God bestowed His grace upon us at Calvary. Romans 5:8 “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”
• Let us show His grace to our children. Let us show them favor even when it is unearned.

Forgiveness –

• We must set the example of forgiving others … Ephesians 4:32 “And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.”
• Bitterness is a hard thing to swallow and if left, it will destroy not only you but all those around you.

Peace –

• Only God can give us true peace. John 14:27a “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you …”
• If we want peace in our homes, we are going to have to seek that peace from above.

Past –

• Put your past behind you, mommas! Don’t keep dredging it up. The ugliness of it does not get any prettier the more that we wallow in it.
• The Bible says to admit that we have sinned (confess that sin to God) and God will forgive us. I John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

Hope –

• Psalm 42:11 “Why art thou cast down, O my soul? And why art thou disquieted within me? HOPE thou IN GOD: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God.”
• God can restore! God can heal! Where there is life, there is hope. May we find our HOPE in HIM!
• Romans 5:5a “And hope maketh not ashamed …”

Where there is life, there is hope. NEVER, ever give up on your children, mommas!

Is our reflection perfect? Are we perfect mommas now? No. But, God only requires us to be obedient to Him and He will take care of the rest. So, momma, are you willing to be obedient to Him?

Remember that it does not matter what your past has been. God can forgive you if you confess and repent of those sins to Him.

He has a greater plan now for you … Jeremiah 29:11, 13 “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end … And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.”

Let’s go searching for Him, mommas, so that we can be reflecting Christ in our homes!