What about our children?

Proverbs 22:6 (New Living Translation)

Direct your children onto the right path, and when they are older, they will not leave it.

Let me start by saying foundation is the most important process of building anything. I’ve walked pass many young boys and girls, viewed their behavior, made a quick assessment, prayed for them, and continued life. This time was different, it hit me like a ton of bricks; it’s as if God Himself was moving inside me, oh what pain I feel!

I’ve witnessed many problems with children, and mine are no exception; it seemed everything could be traced back to how the child was or is taught. It’s not about the problems, everyone will encounter them; it’s about how they as children handle the problems.

One child in particular stood out, he just couldn’t seem to get it right! He resided in what seemed like a good home environment, but something was missing. Let’s get to the real problem here! It really requires a solid foundation for children in order to give them the best chance in life. It’s not always about the money, though the money matters; you can live in the best neighborhoods, drive the best automobiles, even the best of friends, there isn’t any replacement for proper guidance.

I asked myself what’s wrong with this child. Something isn’t adding up; he lives in a nice house, he got a mom, a dad, a sister, and all the gadgets a child would desire. Then it became visible to me, the foundation was out of balance. The mom was attempting with her best effort to discipline the child, but he just seemed to exhibit the same problematic behavior over and over again. Let’s look deeper inside this family world…

The real problem here was the failure of the father to align with the mother to train up the child while he is young, because it’s very difficult to train them once they’re older. The father, father figure, mentors or whatever label we give them are vitally important in a child’s early years, and much more in their latter years.

Show me a real problem child, and I can trace it back to their foundation. You may say I know people who came up in the best environment, and they are problem people today. My question to you, how do you know? Just because someone tell you everything is ok doesn’t mean everything is in fact ok.

To the mother’s:

If this is you receive these words, make the adjustment, and I know a change will come. Don’t talk bad about the children father! It doesn’t matter how bad your relationship is with him, he’s still their father. You are training your children to hate, you may not realize it, but it’s taking shape right before your eyes. Believe me, it may not show up until later, but it will show up.

To the father’s:

Men we have a world of influence in our children lives; it’s something about the father’s voice that gives our children the boost they need to get their act together or just to motivate them to move forward. Check this out! I taught a JROTC group in Germany, a young man stood out, he was a problem child so to speak, one day I caught him alone, and began to inquire as to why he acted in this manner – he began to say I don’t act bad, then I hit home, I said where is your father? He broke down in tears; he’s in jail man he said! I just let him vent for the moment, he said I love him, and just want to be with him. I embraced him, and told him it’s ok; I was at a lost for words, I told him to write his father, and let him know just how much he love him.

Gentlemen, it doesn’t matter what you’ve done; you can be locked up this very hour you still can make a difference in your children lives. Your little ones still welcome you as father in their lives. Father’s everywhere I challenge you to get in touch with your children like never before, they need us, their destine can be enhanced by our very presence. Let’s come together for our children, let’s break the chain of bondage we’re in, and do it for our children. Love is spelled TIME. I love all of you!

Blessings,

CJ

One step away from a blessing

First I would like to open with a story from the Bible. Please read the entire story below:

Luke 15 (New Living Translation)

Story of the Lost Son

11. To illustrate the point further, Jesus told them this story: "A man had two sons.

12. The younger son told his father, `I want my share of your estate now, instead of waiting until you die.' So his father agreed to divide his wealth between his sons.

13. "A few days later this younger son packed all his belongings and took a trip to a distant land, and there he wasted all his money on wild living.

14. About the time his money ran out, a great famine swept over the land, and he began to starve.

15. He persuaded a local farmer to hire him to feed his pigs.

16. The boy became so hungry that even the pods he was feeding the pigs looked good to him. But no one gave him anything.

17. "When he finally came to his senses, he said to himself, `At home even the hired men have food enough to spare, and here I am, dying of hunger!

18. I will go home to my father and say, "Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you,

19. and I am no longer worthy of being called your son. Please take me on as a hired man." '

20. "So he returned home to his father. And while he was still a long distance away, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him.

21. His son said to him, `Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, and I am no longer worthy of being called your son.'

22. "But his father said to the servants, `Quick! Bring the finest robe in the house and put it on him. Get a ring for his finger, and sandals for his feet.

23. And kill the calf we have been fattening in the pen. We must celebrate with a feast,

24. for this son of mine was dead and has now returned to life. He was lost, but now he is found.' So the party began.

25. "Meanwhile, the older son was in the fields working. When he returned home, he heard music and dancing in the house,

26. and he asked one of the servants what was going on.

27. `Your brother is back,' he was told, `and your father has killed the calf we were fattening and has prepared a great feast. We are celebrating because of his safe return.'

28. "The older brother was angry and wouldn't go in. His father came out and begged him,

29. but he replied, `All these years I've worked hard for you and never once refused to do a single thing you told me to. And in all that time you never gave me even one young goat for a feast with my friends.

30. Yet when this son of yours comes back after squandering your money on prostitutes, you celebrate by killing the finest calf we have.'

31. "His father said to him, `Look, dear son, you and I are very close, and everything I have is yours.

32. We had to celebrate this happy day. For your brother was dead and has come back to life! He was lost, but now he is found!' "

Wow, what a story! I’ve read this passage several times, and each time God reveal’s something different. Here we see the younger son convince his father to give him his share of the estate now, instead of waiting until he dies. So his father agreed to divide his wealth between his sons. Isn’t it amazing how the younger person in the family is always labeled the spoiled one, the wild one, the hype of the party? Jesus also picks on the younger.

The Bible states that this young man went away and wasted everything he owned on wild living. He arrived to a low place in his life, but he came to his senses, repented and his father restored in fully. In other words, he was given another chance.

This story is just one of three stories that Jesus told, but the real aim here in all cases is something was lost, but now found.

We tend to write ourselves out of this story, but if the truth be told – all of us occasionally exhibit this type of behavior. “I’m talking to the Christians now!” We may not out right live wild, but there are areas in our lives that we try to hide from God, we live in portion what the younger son did in this story. I have a news flash, “God doesn’t bless mess.”

Some of us (Christians) are one step away from sleeping with the pigs. I’m glad you asked why I said that. We know how to live this Christian life, but often times we make small adjustments to validate the wrong we do. Rather than go to God in prayer, we often entertain other Christians struggling with similar issues, they convince us to view the word differently, causing us to become numb to the word of God, and we receive man’s report over God’s. Notice what the young son did in this story; he came to his senses, and repented. Our pride causes hardship; we’re in a fallen state, rather than repent, we opt to sleep with the pigs. Read the entire chapter of Luke 15, notice what happens when what was lost, was found. Rejoicing took place, people lives were changed for the better. God will bless obedience!

Luke 5 (New Living Translation)

1. One day as Jesus was preaching on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, great crowds pressed in on him to listen to the word of God.

2. He noticed two empty boats at the water's edge, for the fishermen had left them and were washing their nets.

3. Stepping into one of the boats, Jesus asked Simon, its owner, to push it out into the water. So he sat in the boat and taught the crowds from there.

4. When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, "Now go out where it is deeper and let down your nets, and you will catch many fish."

5. "Master," Simon replied, "we worked hard all last night and didn't catch a thing. But if you say so, we'll try again."

6. And this time their nets were so full they began to tear!

7. A shout for help brought their partners in the other boat, and soon both boats were filled with fish and on the verge of sinking.

When we allow Jesus access to our boat (our body), our lives, he can use it to direct many, and after kingdom business has been conducted, a blessing above measure is received for our personal lives. Allow God to use you for the kingdom, and I guarantee your desires will be received; Heaven will open up just for you. I pray that all who read this most lengthy message will take this word hide it in your hearts that you sin not against God. Blessings to all!

CJ

Who will make the sacrifice?

I visit many different shelters, halfway houses, nursing homes, children shelters, and others. Now don’t get me wrong, I’m nothing special, just presented with a caring heart as many of you are.

I see so much brokenness, people walking around with no sense of purpose; many of them had beautiful lives before everything started to tumble down.

Isn’t it something how one day we’re on top of the world, next day life knocks on our doors with news we really didn’t need; life as we knew it change forever.

I myself started out in brokenness as many of our children have today; growing up struggling from day to day, forced to become an adult before our time. I can recall words I said continually – when I get out of here, I’ll never repeat this process. When I finished High School I left the very same night of graduation. I became motivated to make a difference not only in my life, but in the lives of others. I was always a good person, in my eyes anyway, but being good is only a very small process of the whole. I took on a great life task helping anyone that crossed my path that seemed to be stuck in life with no sense of hope. I must confess that the God in my mother showed Himself in my life prompting a desire to reach out and lend a helping hand. Nothing I did, it’s all because of Him (God).

I cross paths with many people from day to day; most are trying to obtain every advantage life has to offer, that’s great, but what next? I believe God allow us to obtain the stuff, whatever that is - to share with others. Everyone doesn’t have the same advantages in obtaining, and the ones who do obtain for the most part is too selfish to show another the way, must less share. Who will take time out of their busy schedules and help? Everything we’ve learned someone took time out and helped, and it wasn’t always the school teachers! Sadly today more than ever our children are learning life lessons through hands on experiences which are very dangerous. It hurt my heart so much to see the struggle, but more than that, to see so many turn a blind eye to this issue. Every opportunity I get to make a difference in another’s life, I except the challenge!

How can we help? Believe it or not we drive pass, walk pass or cross paths with many in need of help. They may not ask, but we know what’s needed. Here is a good rule of approach, if you have a skill teach someone else what you know, especially those who you see that’s struggling. What we do with what God expose us too will surface again in life; if you can help, you should. I often say, when you reach out and assist another; the life you save just might be you own.

Proverbs 19:17

He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the LORD; and that which he hath given will he pay him again.

CJ