Parenting - Ephesians 6:4 - The Chapel Fort Wayne

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Parenting - Ephesians 6:4

The Discipline of Margin

May 3, 2023 • Pastor Mike Fanning • Ephesians 6:4

Notice that there is both a negative warning and a positive admonition to fathers & parents in this important verse. The warning: do not provoke your children to anger. We provoke in our parenting when we are overly critical or overly harsh. When we get in a mode of parenting out of our own anger, Paul says: “just stop that”!

The encouragement is rather to bring them up through all the years of their childhood in the wise & loving ways of our new life in Christ just outlined in Ephesians 4-5. Parents: model that life, teach it wisely & winsomely to them. And then help your children to put it into practice in their own lives, in the way they treat others!

PRAY: Lord, as a parent, help me to live consistently and passionately the life you’ve saved me into. And help me to pass it on and build it into my children. AMEN

Remembrance - Joshua 3:5

May 19, 2023 • Pastor Mike Fanning • Joshua 3:5

Christians are people who are saved and set apart for the purposes of God! But too often we end up not living up to those purposes. There is a time when we need to put the breaks on in life and rededicate ourselves fully to God. Instead of going to God with our agenda we surrender ourselves anew to His agenda. This consecration is a prerequisite to being used mightily by God, of seeing Him do wonders in and through your life. PRAY: Lord God, I am all yours! You purchased me through the blood of Jesus and my life is no longer my own. So I offer myself up to You again. You have set me apart for your purposes and I am here for my God given mission! Shape me, use me, empower me to love others with Your love and point them to Jesus in all that I do. Amen.

Remembrance - Deuteronomy 5:15

May 18, 2023 • Pastor Mike Fanning • Deuteronomy 5:15

Like the nation of Israel after their deliverance from slavery in Egypt, we Christians must regularly take time to remember the slavery from which we were delivered through the gospel of Jesus Christ! This remembering who we were before Christ serves as a launching point toward where God is now leading in our new life in Christ. The contrast is deeply motivational. So take time to remember your BC life and to praise Him for both the sins He has set you free from and for the new life of growth and victory that you now have. A new life that is empowered by the Spirit and is lived out for God’s glory. PRAY: Lord Jesus, I thank you and praise you for dying on the cross for all my sins. Thank you for delivering me and setting me free. I never want to go back to that life. So take me forward Lord Jesus into the new and abundant life you have for me. A life of true freedom and impact for your glory. Amen.

Remembrance - 2 Peter 3:1-2

May 17, 2023 • Pastor Mike Fanning • 2 Peter 3:1–2

One of the great truths and promises that Christians are constantly reminded to focus on is the blessed hope of the return of our Savior Jesus Christ. Peter prompts us to give honest, diligent mental attention to this ultimate future event that both the Old Testament prophets and the Lord Jesus himself consistently pointed to. And we must constantly remember the truth of His future coming because this serves as a major motivational force in our living passionately for Him today! Because what we do today counts for eternity! And whatever troubles we face today will not last forever because Jesus is coming back. PRAY: Lord Jesus, thank you for telling us how the story ends! Thank you that the end of the story is actually a beautiful, eternal new beginning! Thank you that the relationship we have with You now by faith will one day be face to face! Amen.