UCB WORD FOR TODAY JULY 16, 2023 DEVOTIONAL
UCB Word For Today July 16, 2023 Sunday Daily Devotional Message by United Christian Broadcasters
TOPIC:Â Follow God and Take your Children with You
SCRIPTURE: ‘Lot moved his tents to a place near Sodom.’
Genesis 13:12 NLT
Jesus said: ‘If anyone causes one of these little ones – those who believe in me – to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea’ (Matthew 18:6 NIV). Implicit in those words is a sobering challenge to every parent (and every person who is a role model for children): your moral authority doesn’t come from your knowledge but from your lifestyle and integrity. As your children grow up, they’re less apt to listen to what you say and more inclined to imitate what you do. So where are your footsteps leading?
Remember Abraham and Lot? They shared the same family, the same faith, and had the same opportunities in life. But when it came to raising children, Abraham grew roses and Lot grew weeds. What made the difference? Abraham followed God while Lot followed his own selfish interests. ‘Lot moved his tents to a place near Sodom.’ Before it was over, Lot lost his moral authority with his family. So here is the question: as a parent (or a role model), where are you pitching your tent?
King David also lost his moral authority with his family. Even though God forgave his affair with Bathsheba and permitted him to remain on the throne, his sin took a terrible toll. His son Amnon raped his sister Tamar. His other son Absalom stole the throne, and his son Solomon’s wives ultimately led him into idolatry. Nathan the prophet told him, ‘Out of your own household I am going to bring calamity on you’ (2 Samuel 12:11 NIV). You only get one chance to do it right, so follow God and take your children with you.
DAILY BIBLE READING: Luke 13:1-21, Psalms 74-76
UCB Word For Today 16th July 2023. United Christian Broadcasters is a Christian media charity that exists to offer every person, in every place, every moment of the day, the opportunity to hear, watch or read the Word of God in a relevant and engaging way.
