LIFE LESSON FOR TODAY, 3/11/14










1 JOHN  2:16

For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.


HISTORICAL CONTEXT

Paul is writing letters to the churches and giving them principals to follow in their daily lives. He is telling them to keep God's commandments, love their brother, and to avoid loving things in the world. 


LIFE LESSON FOR TODAY

" LIVING IN THE WORLD"

I hear people say negative things about the world every day.  My daily goal is to avoid falling into sin traps. It is so easy to do if you don't be selective when you watch TV, go online, and use social media. 

I battled with safeguarding my two boys when they were young.  I was very ignorant when I was a new parent. I heard a alarming  sermon one day. There
warnings given to the parents.  They were told to be careful and monitor the cartoons that they let their  children watch.  He said that they are promoting things that the Bible forbids.  I thought that he must be mistaken  I grew up with Loony Tunes and Disney.
I was so used to doing my Saturday chores while my boys watched cartoons.  I decided to sit and watch cartoons with my boys.  Some of the cartoons had sorcery and too much violence. I know that some 
of the cartoons that I watched as a child had some violence.  Some of today's cartoons have  immoral behavior, religion, and  bloody gun battles. I was
attending to a Bible study about sorcery, divination, and witchcraft. I recognized some this in some of  
the cartoons! I suddenly realized that my boys had been looking at these cartoon since they were about
2 years old. I had to ask the Lord to forgive me and  seek His help in undoing any harm that I may have been done to my boys' psyche. I began to monitor their video games, movies,  and school books  too.  





I had to become my children's advocate. I knew that
I had to become a better parent. I was tired mentally and physically when I got home from work.  I only concentrated on making sure homework was done
and getting a quick healthy meal on the table.  I had to rearrange my daily routine.  I made sure that our Saturdays and Sundays were more family oriented. 
I threw out movies, books, and video games that
did not promote Biblical principles. My husband was working on Saturdays so I started changing things first.  He and my boys gave me a hard time in the beginning. I  stuck to my principles and they came around in the end. I stopped Halloween celebrations and went to church harvest festivals.These festivals had all of  the games and candy my children  could want. I made sure that Easter and Christmas time promoted Jesus. My boys knew that Christmas was not just about Santa and gifts.  Easter was the more about Jesus' resurrection. I found a kid's book that discussed the religious meaning of  the cross, the lamb, jelly beans, palm leaves, the lily, the butterfly, and the egg during Easter.  





I knew that I couldn't monitor my boys the same 
way when they became teenagers.  My husband 
and I had a long talk with them.  We explained 
that we loved them but there were house rules.  
They had a curfew and drinking and driving was 
not tolerated.  No friends or girls were allowed 
in the house when a parent was not home. They 
had part-time jobs but understood that education
was important. We went to a church service and
the boys saw their friends afterward. These are
just a few of the things my husband and I tried. 
We wanted them to know, our family had to live 
in the world. We did not  have to partake in all of 
the unethical things that the  world offered.  

I am retired and my boys are grown now. My life
has changed since I no longer have to get up at 
the crack of dawn and work long hours.  I have 
more time to spend with family and friends,going
shopping, looking at TV, surfing the Internet, and visiting Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Pinterest. 
I must monitor my own behavior ansd avoid over indulgence in these pursuits. I could be lead me 
down the path of UNRIGHTEOUSNESS!! I have 
had to turn channels, delete emails, and discard 
junk mail. These are daily functions that I must 
carry out and can  keep  pretty me busy.
 







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