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Chapter 3
CREATING AN ATMOSPHERE OF LOVE
Creating an atmosphere of love, joy, peace and contentment is so very important for a happy home. “Godliness
with contentment is of great price.” These attitudes are picked up by other family members and they behave
differently.
Fighting amongst the parents can create insecurity and inner problems in children. Babies cry a lot more, some
need security blankets, chew things, and display their insecurities in various ways, because they sense and pick
up the unrest, turmoil and lack of peace in the home.
Our sins affect our children. They tend to whine more, be fussy or complain. I found out that when I had one of
my sons, he was eighteen months at the time, that I was complaining a lot and had a negative attitude about a lot
of things. I notice that this particular son was starting to complain a lot too (by being fussy and dissatisfied),
whereas he had always been a very contented child. I put the two things together, and saw that my attitude had
directly affected my child. So I had to repent and as soon as I did, my son stopped as well. But they can also
pick up our good attitudes and exhibit these as well. Oh God is SOOO Good!
“A wise woman builds her house; a foolish one tears it down” (Prov 14:1).
“It is better to live in a corner of an attic than with a crabby woman in a lovely home” (Prov 21:9).
“It is better to live in the desert than with a quarrelsome complaining woman” (Prov 21:19).
Outward things like music playing, having a clean house, a graciously served meal, looking our best for our
families, having the table set nice for everyone to eat at, candles burning can all create a lovely outward
atmosphere for our homes. But first there must be a peace on the inside of us. We must have a settled, content
and self controlled spirit within us in order to bring this about. These fruits of the Holy Spirit which are mentioned
in Galatians will be picked up by others and affect them greatly.
God’s love is shown through us every time we exhibit a fruit of the Spirit. This requires keeping our hearts and
minds stayed on Him so that these fruits will automatically come out. Children learn how to react and respond to
situations from their teachers (us). When children see the fruit of the Spirit (spoken of in Galatians) manifested
towards temptations that we are tempted with, they know how to handle their own temptations better. Children
become like their teachers (us). Once there was a very long gas line in the 70’s and people had to wait for more
than an hour in line to get some gas. Some people became very upset at the wait and tempers began to fly.
Rudeness set in, cars tried to cut in front of each other and so on. But as children sat in the cars waiting as well,
they would see first hand either people yielding to sins and stress, or yielding to the Holy Spirit who would bring
peace in the midst of the trial. That is what we want to exhibit to our children, that example of peace. Our
children are our disciples. We need to become better disciples of Jesus so that we can manifest love, joy, peace,
longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, self-control which are all fruits of the Spirit.
Older women are to teach the younger women. Disciple them to love their husbands and their children, to be
keepers of the home and obedient to their husbands.
Children are used as instruments by God to convict us at times. Sometimes it comes as a direct word. Like, they
may say something to us that we do not like to hear, but they are speaking innocently by observing a wrong
characteristic in us. They are not intentionally being disrespectful at times, but their observation sometimes just
blurts out. We then at that point need to stake stock and listen to what they just said. Asking ourselves, is that
really what I am doing, said, think, behave like? We should not always harden our hearts because they are
children, and children are not supposed to say anything to their parents that might convict them. When we are
wrong, we need to recognize it, repent and apoligize.
They may be an EXAMPLE to us through their right conduct and bring conviction to our hearts. We see their
purity of motive, their unselfishness and perhaps their generosity, which might convict us if we struggle in any of
these areas.
All parents wrong their children in one way or another. We all say things out of a mean spirit sometimes that hurt
them, and sometimes we misjudge their motives for doing something. When we do either of these things, we
must be quick to repent, not only to the Lord but also to the child that we have hurt. We need to not only pray for
forgiveness for our sin, but also that God will erase the damage we did to the child’s heart, if any, so the child will
not be permanently affected by our action or words. He will if we pray, repent and ask Him to. He is a very good
Forgiver of those who ASK. Children are very forgiving as well and they will also learn what to do when they
make mistakes or hurt someone themselves. They will learn to ask for forgiveness from God and from others
also. Because they see our humility in asking for forgiveness a deeper closeness can develop between the two
of you. We expect our children to apologize when they do things that are wrong don’t we, well, so should we
apologize to them if we have wronged them as well. Fruits of the Spirit can grow in us as this type of honesty and
humility is exhibited.
Pray for guidance and wisdom. Solomon prayed that he might be able to have wisdom and an understanding
heart in order to rule his people well. God gave him both, and He will give us the same thing if we pray for it.
James says, “If any man lack wisdom let Him ask of God.” We need to do this in order to handle each situation
that comes our way with God’s wisdom. We also need to learn to be flexible in methods of training and yield to
His leading as He shows us how to parent our children. It is one of the hardest things we will ever do, being a
parent, because it requires so much WISDOM that we lack in the natural, but with God’s help, we can be
instruments in HIS hands to raise these children for Him and His glory!
All of these things are part of creating a home with an atmosphere of love, peace, joy and contentment amongst
the family members, and you have a very big role in this.
May the Lord bless and guide you as you pray for His help to create (build) your home for Him and His glory.
CREATING AN ATMOSPHERE OF LOVE
Creating an atmosphere of love, joy, peace and contentment is so very important for a happy home. “Godliness
with contentment is of great price.” These attitudes are picked up by other family members and they behave
differently.
Fighting amongst the parents can create insecurity and inner problems in children. Babies cry a lot more, some
need security blankets, chew things, and display their insecurities in various ways, because they sense and pick
up the unrest, turmoil and lack of peace in the home.
Our sins affect our children. They tend to whine more, be fussy or complain. I found out that when I had one of
my sons, he was eighteen months at the time, that I was complaining a lot and had a negative attitude about a lot
of things. I notice that this particular son was starting to complain a lot too (by being fussy and dissatisfied),
whereas he had always been a very contented child. I put the two things together, and saw that my attitude had
directly affected my child. So I had to repent and as soon as I did, my son stopped as well. But they can also
pick up our good attitudes and exhibit these as well. Oh God is SOOO Good!
“A wise woman builds her house; a foolish one tears it down” (Prov 14:1).
“It is better to live in a corner of an attic than with a crabby woman in a lovely home” (Prov 21:9).
“It is better to live in the desert than with a quarrelsome complaining woman” (Prov 21:19).
Outward things like music playing, having a clean house, a graciously served meal, looking our best for our
families, having the table set nice for everyone to eat at, candles burning can all create a lovely outward
atmosphere for our homes. But first there must be a peace on the inside of us. We must have a settled, content
and self controlled spirit within us in order to bring this about. These fruits of the Holy Spirit which are mentioned
in Galatians will be picked up by others and affect them greatly.
God’s love is shown through us every time we exhibit a fruit of the Spirit. This requires keeping our hearts and
minds stayed on Him so that these fruits will automatically come out. Children learn how to react and respond to
situations from their teachers (us). When children see the fruit of the Spirit (spoken of in Galatians) manifested
towards temptations that we are tempted with, they know how to handle their own temptations better. Children
become like their teachers (us). Once there was a very long gas line in the 70’s and people had to wait for more
than an hour in line to get some gas. Some people became very upset at the wait and tempers began to fly.
Rudeness set in, cars tried to cut in front of each other and so on. But as children sat in the cars waiting as well,
they would see first hand either people yielding to sins and stress, or yielding to the Holy Spirit who would bring
peace in the midst of the trial. That is what we want to exhibit to our children, that example of peace. Our
children are our disciples. We need to become better disciples of Jesus so that we can manifest love, joy, peace,
longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, self-control which are all fruits of the Spirit.
Older women are to teach the younger women. Disciple them to love their husbands and their children, to be
keepers of the home and obedient to their husbands.
Children are used as instruments by God to convict us at times. Sometimes it comes as a direct word. Like, they
may say something to us that we do not like to hear, but they are speaking innocently by observing a wrong
characteristic in us. They are not intentionally being disrespectful at times, but their observation sometimes just
blurts out. We then at that point need to stake stock and listen to what they just said. Asking ourselves, is that
really what I am doing, said, think, behave like? We should not always harden our hearts because they are
children, and children are not supposed to say anything to their parents that might convict them. When we are
wrong, we need to recognize it, repent and apoligize.
They may be an EXAMPLE to us through their right conduct and bring conviction to our hearts. We see their
purity of motive, their unselfishness and perhaps their generosity, which might convict us if we struggle in any of
these areas.
All parents wrong their children in one way or another. We all say things out of a mean spirit sometimes that hurt
them, and sometimes we misjudge their motives for doing something. When we do either of these things, we
must be quick to repent, not only to the Lord but also to the child that we have hurt. We need to not only pray for
forgiveness for our sin, but also that God will erase the damage we did to the child’s heart, if any, so the child will
not be permanently affected by our action or words. He will if we pray, repent and ask Him to. He is a very good
Forgiver of those who ASK. Children are very forgiving as well and they will also learn what to do when they
make mistakes or hurt someone themselves. They will learn to ask for forgiveness from God and from others
also. Because they see our humility in asking for forgiveness a deeper closeness can develop between the two
of you. We expect our children to apologize when they do things that are wrong don’t we, well, so should we
apologize to them if we have wronged them as well. Fruits of the Spirit can grow in us as this type of honesty and
humility is exhibited.
Pray for guidance and wisdom. Solomon prayed that he might be able to have wisdom and an understanding
heart in order to rule his people well. God gave him both, and He will give us the same thing if we pray for it.
James says, “If any man lack wisdom let Him ask of God.” We need to do this in order to handle each situation
that comes our way with God’s wisdom. We also need to learn to be flexible in methods of training and yield to
His leading as He shows us how to parent our children. It is one of the hardest things we will ever do, being a
parent, because it requires so much WISDOM that we lack in the natural, but with God’s help, we can be
instruments in HIS hands to raise these children for Him and His glory!
All of these things are part of creating a home with an atmosphere of love, peace, joy and contentment amongst
the family members, and you have a very big role in this.
May the Lord bless and guide you as you pray for His help to create (build) your home for Him and His glory.
| Women for the Lord www.WomenfortheLord.com "Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies." Proverbs 31:10 |
