The first most obvious answer to this question is that it will keep them safe.  A parent normally makes rules in order to achieve a positive outcome, most notably, a child’s physical safety, but also their emotional and spiritual safety too. Generally, a child who listens to their well-intentioned parents will get into fewer scrapes than one who doesn’t. 

Second, training in obedience teaches a child that there are other people out there who they can learn from. To obey means to humble yourself to the authority of another. ‘Obey’ and ‘authority’ can come across as strong overbearing words, but in the proper context of good intention and godly standards, they have a deeper meaning and strength. It is a gift, in fact, to teach a child that there is always more to learn, and that there are people out there who can answer questions and have knowledge and experience to impart. A child or young person who learns to humble themselves early on will be open to learning throughout their life; they will know when to ask for help, and they will have the strength of character to put aside their own pride in order to submit to the experience of another. 

Essentially, obedience is a means to strengthen and grow characteristics in a child that will benefit them way into adult life. 

It has to be said, obedience and wisdom go hand in hand. Just as much as obeying well-intentioned and godly people will bring reward, choosing to follow and obey sin and ungodliness has the opposite effect. The truth is, we will always be in submission to something (whether it feels like it or not). Throughout our lives we must submit to parents, educators, leaders, evidence, the laws of the land, ideals, and practices. However, we do have the choice. 

In the Bible, God has given us a standard and a choice. Wisdom is gained by using the Bible as a tool to measure what is right and wrong, what is godly and what is ungodly. THROUGH wisdom we can learn to discern who or what we should submit to. Ultimately, it is this, submit to God and godliness, and reject sin and sinfulness. 

By informing children about the authority and love of God, we are teaching them to submit to and obey Someone who will NEVER let them down and Someone who will teach them and lead them in righteousness and love. 

Parents fail, laws fail, educators and leaders fail, but God never fails. 

By learning about obedience through the Bible, a child is learning about a characteristic that is recommended by a loving, all-encompassing, infinite God. When obedience is learned through the eyes of God, it becomes a pathway to success and true joy, rather than a tool that is used to force you to submit to the whims and fancies of the powerful. 

In conclusion, here are some verses to encourage you as you teach your children about the rewards and benefits of godly obedience: 

Whoever keeps his commandments abides in God, and God in him. And by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit whom he has given us. 

1 John 3:24 

Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death. 

John 8:51 

Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is mine; 

Exodus 19:5 

Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you. 

Hebrews 13:17 

Know therefore today, and lay it to your heart, that the Lord is God in heaven above and on the earth beneath; there is no other. Therefore you shall keep his statutes and his commandments, which I command you today, that it may go well with you and with your children after you, and that you may prolong your days in the land that the Lord your God is giving you for all time. 

Deuteronomy 4: 39-40 

For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you. Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them. 

John 13: 15-17 

The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. 

To be kind, generous, honest, courageous—these are things many aspire to, whether they are followers of Christ, or not. 

Obedience though…obedience doesn’t have that same attraction.  

At first glance, obedience looks like the opposite of what we want to be as humans—free, independent, able to make our own decisions and live our own lives. But, if you look closer, you see that obedience to God doesn’t steal your destiny from you; it actually assists you in achieving it. 

How was Jesus obedient, and how do we apply that in our lives? 

Well, Jesus was obedient to death (Philippians 2:8). 

Imagine being obedient to God, even though it means dying a terrible and shameful death. It doesn’t sound very appealing. However, in order to understand the significance of obedience, we have to look at the whole perspective: 

For as by the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man's obedience the many will be made righteous. – Romans 5:19 

Because Jesus chose to obey God and die on the cross, the path has been opened for all to be saved from the penalty of disobedience. 

If we look even closer at the events after the death of Jesus, we see His resurrection and entry into glory, by which His death on the cross pales in comparison. His murder, an ugly act of great injustice, was the catalyst of what is the greatest miracle of all—eternal life through Christ for all who reach for it. 

Well, in one sense… yes, He does.  

We are all sinners; we have acted wrongly, against the will of God; we have hurt one another; we have been malicious, jealous, angry, unforgiving. Yet, because Jesus obeyed God, took our sins upon Himself, and died in our stead, we have been given an invitation to repent and walk under the banner of His righteousness, forgiven. 

God calls us to repent, to fall at His feet and ask for His forgiveness. Our first act of obedience to God is to obey this call to repentance. And when we do, the sinful past self is dead, and a new person in Christ is born. To obey God is to die to sin and live renewed in His righteousness. 

But obedience doesn’t stop at the point of salvation. As Christians, we are called to obey. We must humble ourselves and be willing to serve. And yes, it’s really hard. 

But remember to look at the bigger picture. 

When you feel persecuted because of your choice to follow Christ, remember that you are loved, that you have been found, you are safe, you will be with Him in heaven. That your obedience to Him will make you stronger in faith, full of the Holy Spirit, and a partaker in His glory.  Your obedience is a catalyst for miracles, just like it was for Jesus. He is the benchmark that we must aspire to. 

Even Jesus prayed for relief in the Garden of Gethsemane (Matthew 26:36-44) – 

Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to his disciples, “Sit here, while I go over there and pray.”  And taking with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, he began to be sorrowful and troubled.  Then he said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here, and watch with me.”  And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.”  And he came to the disciples and found them sleeping. And he said to Peter, “So, could you not watch with me one hour? Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”  Again, for the second time, he went away and prayed, “My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done.” And again he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy.  So, leaving them again, he went away and prayed for the third time, saying the same words again. 

Imagine being so upset and so alone, not being supported or understood by your closest friends at your greatest moment of need, knowing that a gruesome and painful death was ahead. It’s not surprising that Jesus asked God for a way out. 

Yet, He still obeyed. He still did what had to be done. And He did it because He loved us. He did it because of the bigger picture. Because He knew the ultimate result of obedience to God is not death, but life. 

Throughout the New Testament, Christ gives us many commandments to obey, but He does narrow it down for us in Matthew 26:36-40: 

Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?”  And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbour as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.

It all comes down to loving God and loving others. By doing these things, we are obeying God. 

So, as you go ahead with your day, remember to live in obedience to Him and watch and see as He uses your actions to bring life and restoration to all those around you. 

Wow! Can you believe it is already March? 2020 forced everyone to slow down, but this year feels like the days are just passing by so quickly! Despite lockdowns, lives seem busier than ever. There are so many things going on—the world events, juggling your schedule with work and family under the same roof, uncertainties in the current economic state, new variants of the virus, and the list can go on and on. This is the time we must seek peace intently in every moment. Not just for our own well-being but also for us to bring peace and light in this chaotic world. 

In Luke 10:38-42, the story of Martha and Mary gives us a lesson about seeking peace by choosing our priorities. 

Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to his teaching. But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.”  

But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.” 

Often, we can relate to Martha. She was so distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. This did not really make her bad, because she just wanted to be a great host. She just wanted the best, at least what she thought was the best, but Jesus preferred otherwise. 

Our minds can be so caught up with all the things that need to be done. We think about our children’s schoolwork, our own work, our daily meal, the Covid situation, our health, our loved ones’ well-being, our future and so on.  And those are important—but Jesus said in Luke 10:41:

“Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.” 

In the Passion Translation (TPT), it says:  

The Lord answered her, “Martha, my beloved Martha. Why are you upset and troubled, pulled away by all these many distractions? Are they really that important? Mary has discovered the one thing most important by choosing to sit at my feet. She is undistracted, and I won’t take this privilege from her.” 

Jesus called Martha twice. That is significant because He was calling to her attention. What if Jesus just wanted Martha to open the door to let Him in? And like Martha, what if Jesus is calling you today just to pause for a minute and just sit by His feet? When you sit by Jesus’ feet, peace comes—the peace that surpasses all understanding. He is the Prince of Peace after all (Isaiah 9:6).  

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. - Philippians 4:6-7 

You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. - Isaiah 26:3  

When we hear the word ‘rest’, we usually think, “I would love to, but I don’t have the time” or it could be that we have a mindset of ‘rest is for the weak’. Whatever you think about this, rest is important! We must find pockets of rest during the week and not wait for Saturday or Sunday to come before we decide to rest.  

Rest might look different to everyone. Some might find rest when they sleep, some go for a run, some spend intentional time with loved ones, some bake… whatever rest looks like for you, take it. This is good for you. Just take note, the rest that sustains you long term is deeper than these activities. You find that rest in God. 

Psalm 23: 1-3 (NLT):

The Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need. 

When we let the peace of God come in our lives, rest follows. We are welcome to rest in Him. Instead of worry and doubt, there is rest. Instead of chaos, there is rest. Choose to rest. 

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are from The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. 

Scripture quotations marked TPT are from The Passion Translation®. Copyright © 2017, 2018 by Passion & Fire Ministries, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. ThePassionTranslation.com. 

Scripture quotations marked KJV are from The Authorized (King James) Version. Rights in the Authorized Version in the United Kingdom are vested in the Crown. Reproduced by permission of the Crown’s patentee, Cambridge University Press. 

Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. 

Scriptures marked NKJV are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved. 

Scripture quotations marked AMP are taken from the Amplified® Bible Classic, Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. (www.Lockman.org) 

It’s not black and white. 

To a degree it’s true, Commitment = Sacrifice, but it’s not as black and white as that. You see, commitment is when you prioritise the thing that you know will be of more lasting importance in the long run. 

Think back to a time when you prioritised your studies over going out with your friends. In the moment it may have felt like a loss, like you were missing out on some fun, but in the long run you were able to pass a test that you may have failed and move forward in your education. 

This is not to say you should ALWAYS prioritise work over fun. There is a time for everything, and there is a place for being committed to your social life as well (in fact, this is highly recommended). 

The point is, you have to make sure that you are committed to the RIGHT things at the RIGHT time. 

It’s certain that every one of you reading this can think of a time when you chose to commit to the wrong thing. Now, looking back, you regret the decisions you made because it inconvenienced your bigger picture in the future. 

Wisdom is our friend. 

Wisdom is our friend during the times when we face decisions about what we prioritise. 

Wisdom is like a pair of glasses—when you equip it, everything becomes clearer. You get a bigger a view of the situation.  

When it’s time to make those life decisions, look at your choices through the lens of wisdom. 

Ask yourself questions like: 

Once you have the answers to your questions, make your choice. 

Committed adj.  

Pledged or bound to a certain course, dedicated. 

Sounds massive, doesn’t it? 

And sometimes it is. Marriage for example…HUGE COMMITMENT.  Other times the commitment is smaller, but still important–like making sure that you get through that pile of washing so that you have clean clothes to wear next week. 

When you make a commitment, you are saying, ‘I’m going to see this through to the end.’ And whether that is to the end of your life, like marriage, or the end of the week, like your washing, it’s important! 

You’ve made this commitment because, through wisdom, you have decided it is valuable in your life. Therefore, it is essential that you see it through to the end. Complete the mission you have set for yourself and reap the rewards! 

If things start getting difficult, it’s easy to lose sight of why we made commitments in the first place. This is why it’s good to make an account of your reasons when you make the decision to commit to something. 

For example: 

You have committed to walking at least half an hour every day because you have learned that moving your body regularly is key to a healthy lifestyle and mental wellbeing, especially during this pandemic when you are at home and sedentary for most of the day. However, it’s been raining the whole week! You don’t feel like going for walks in the rain. How do you stay committed? 

First of all, look back to your reasons for making this decision. Oh yeah, ‘healthy lifestyle & mental wellbeing’. Then, find ways to get round the difficulty–Get your wellies and raincoat on, or do some jogging on the spot or use a skipping rope in the home. 

At the end of the day, we make commitments because we think something good will come from them. In the last example, the reward was good health. In marriage, the reward is a partner for life and children, and extended family. Every commitment has an outcome, and if we stay committed that outcome is often VERY rewarding. 

The commitment = the reward: 

Today we are all facing the decision to commit to something. Let’s do ourselves a favour and look at our choices through the lens of wisdom, make our commitments (big or small), and then see them through to the end. 

Take some time when you can, and write down the reasons why you have made certain commitments. Put them in a place where you can see them, and then, if you ever feel like you’ve made a mistake or feel like giving up, read your reasons and be inspired to keep going! 

You can do this! 

“And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.” – Galatians 6:9 

“Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established.” – Proverbs 16:3 

“But above all, my brothers, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or by any other oath, but let your “yes” be yes and your “no” be no, so that you may not fall under condemnation.” -- James 5:12 

Do you have any other Scriptures to share or advice about how to stay committed? If you do, feel free to share below :D 

Reset your Focus 

We are exposed to so many confusing and frustrating things on social media and through the news. It’s so easy for our attention to dwell on the melting pot of current events and be overwhelmed with thoughts like, “I need to keep up to date with this, I NEED to have answers for everything that is going on, I NEED to find a way out of this situation.”  The truth is the only thing you do NEED to focus on is Jesus. 

Jesus said, “I am the WAY, the TRUTH, and the LIFE.” 

He is literally telling us that He is an all-in-one solution. 

So, how do we focus on Jesus? 

Well, a big reason why we easily focus on the mainstream ‘Debbie Downers’ of the world is because we get blasted with their obnoxious reports and opinions as soon as we pick up our phones and start scrolling.  

So here’s an idea—have a cull on your phone. 

Get rid of the apps that tend to take your focus from where it should be (on Jesus). OR do one even better, tweak those apps so that you get blasted with content from creators and trusted sources that are sensitive and honest in how they share news. Follow sites that uphold Biblical principles and that share information that would build your confidence, not knock it down. 

This is not to say you shouldn’t be ‘in the know’ about current events or whatever else is going on, but you can control how you receive it, and you can control who you hear it from.  

Try and adjust the way you see the world according to the ways of Jesus, His character, His words, and His example. Try to see Jesus in everything that is going on (kind of like when Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were in the fire and weren’t afraid, because they knew that they weren’t alone). 

As you begin this year, try not to be distracted by the dumpster fire of current events. Reset your focus to be on Jesus. He is there; sometimes you just have to refocus to see Him.  

Exercise your Trust  

Once you have committed to focus on Jesus, you need to remember to trust Him. 

Our free will enables us to make decisions in this life, and sometimes we don’t make the right ones. Take time, as often as you can, to entrust your decisions to Jesus. Ask him to help you in your decision making, and also trust that if you make wrong choices, He can make things right. 

Actively exercise your trust in Him, so that it becomes second nature.  

Trust in Jesus allows positive traits to flow into your heart. It allows you to have joy, even when things are tough. It allows you to have hope, when there seems to be no light at the end of the tunnel. 

If you do not strive to trust in Jesus, you can easily stop focusing on him and fall back into drowning in the mire of doubt and hopelessness that tries to close in around us every day. 

How can we exercise trust? 

A great exercise to enhance your trust muscles is to look back and be thankful. 

Look back at all the different situations the Lord has brought you through. Gratitude is a powerful tool in conquering anxiety and is a balm for soothing worries. Try and take some time daily (or weekly, or however is best for you) and write down a few things that you are thankful for. Try and do this in the morning as it will help you start the day with a brain that is reminded of the goodness of God in your life. It’s amazing how much of a difference this can make. 

Your trust in Jesus is a guard against ideas and feelings that will try and convince you that there is no hope. Don’t forget to exercise it! 

Plan to be like Jesus 

With your focus on Jesus, and a trust that is strong, you can start making plans with confidence. Of course, we like to make practical plans for ourselves at the new year, to push our creativity, grow our businesses, get healthier—all that good stuff—but here is another challenge for you, from us. 

The Character Trait Challenge – 

For the past few years, the staff at CEE have sat together and assigned one of the 90 Biblical character traits to each month of the year to be our monthly focus.  

If you don’t know what these character traits are, here’s an explanation: 

ACE has compiled a list of 90 character traits that Christ exhibited throughout the Bible. This list a great tool, because it can help us learn more about each individual trait and then figure out how to put it to use in our own lives. Ultimately, as Christians, we want to be like Jesus, so implementing and putting these traits into practice is a step in the right direction! 

So here is a challenge for you! Using the list of Character traits below (click the button to download), choose a trait for each month this year, try and learn more about the trait, and have a go at putting it into practice throughout the month. Keep a diary of what you think about the character trait, how difficult (or easy) it was for you to implement, and what you learned through the practice of it—How did it make you feel? How did it affect others? What resulted from your actioning of this characteristic?  

Dig deep into what it means to be like Jesus and put it to practice! 

We hope you enjoy taking part in this challenge and that it blesses and surprises you this year. 

In Summary: 

Reset your focus on Jesus. 

Practice trusting in Jesus. 

Plan to be like Jesus. 

Happy new year to all our readers! 😊