Are You a Chunk of Cement or a Thing of Beauty?

"The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life." Proverbs 10:11a

Think of the most beautiful fountain you have ever seen?  I am sure your body just immediately relaxed a little and you let out a huge breath!  The refreshing noise of running water and the beauty of cascading falls immediately brings peace and restores the soul to all who pass by!  However, that refreshment only comes when the fountain is plugged into a water source.  Otherwise, it is just a big chunk of cement that can be more of an eyesore than a thing of beauty.  The key... it must be plugged in!

The Bible tells us in the book of Proverbs that our mouth can be a fountain of life!  God will allow our lips to be a refreshing agent of Him.  However, we must be plugged into Christ and His Words, we must be connected to the "River of Life" (Revelations 22:1).  Unless our lips speak from the overflow of His Words and Presence in our life, they are empty and meaningless to those who pass by.

The question is simple, today are your lips going to be a refreshing fountain of beauty or simply a chunk of cement not being used for what it was created?  If today you want to be a fountain, then first you must be plugged into the River of Life!  If you have never acknowledged that Jesus is the Son of God, admitted that you are a sinner who has fallen short of God's Glory incapable of ever working your way to Heaven on your own, thanked Jesus for dying on the cross for your sins, and asked Him to be Lord of your life: you must do that first!  Remember, a fountain MUST be plugged in!  Second, if you have made this decision, spend some time with Him today so that you can overflow His presence in your life.

Today... be a fountain!

"Stop whining! It is driving Mommy crazy!"

Your kids have been whining all day. What you want to say is, "We have so much to be thankful for! Did you know the Bible tells us to do all things without grumbling or disputing, to be thankful in all circumstances for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus and that a joyful heart doth good like a medicine?"  It is easy to recall theses verses in the peaceful moments of prayer and contemplation.  However, in this moment you have two kids on the floor of your kitchen crying and the only thing you can think of is, " Stop whining!  It is driving Mommy crazy!"

Please tell me I am not alone!  It is truly my heart's desire to raise my children to grow to know and love the Lord, and to grow to be more like Jesus. I want to take everyday moments and teach them Biblical truths. However, I find my parenting has focused more on trying to get them to stop doing sinful behaviors (losing their temper, not sharing, being unkind, using harsh words, etc.) instead of teaching them why these behaviors are wrong. My own sin nature gets in the way, and I lose my patience instead of using these times to teach them about our Savior.

Maybe in the heat of the moment you are able to recall verses with ease that deal with the issue on hand. However, I need a little help!  At the end of this post is a link to an online document. Over the past few weeks as I have been a mulling over trying to raise my children to be Godly, I have begun to compile verses that deal with sinful behaviors in my home (ex. anger, not sharing, whining, fear, using ugly words, being unkind, not listening, etc.). I have compiled a spreadsheet that I have posted on my refrigerator, so that in the moment, I can easily point them to God's word.

I truly believe Hebrews 4:12, "For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.". Only the Word of God is capable of changing the hearts and minds of my children to make them more like Jesus!  I am praying that God uses this tool to keep my children, and myself, in tune with His desires for our life!

If you think this tool would be helpful, please feel free to download it and post it in your home too: Click here to download!