Principled Living

Nicholas Biddle, who was president of a big bank during the latter half of the 19^th century, related a story concerning a time when his workload was so heavy that he had to ask several of his employees to work on Sunday. They all consented but one who respectfully said, “I cannot conscientiously labor on the Sabbath.” The youth was then told by Biddle that if he could not work, he would have to be replaced, whereupon he politely tendered his resignation.

The very next day a gentleman walked up to Mr. Biddle and said he was in need of a very reliable office administrator, someone with high morals in lieu of the fact he would be entrusted with huge sums of money. Biddle immediately recommended the young man he had let go of the previous day. Why? The young man exhibited principled living.

ICHE continues to promote character training as one of the center pieces of home discipleship with Jesus Christ being the foundation. While strict adherence to principled living may be considered naïve in today’s cutthroat political and business climate, in God’s economy it is always in vogue. Our children must choose whether they are going to follow the systems of man of the Word of God. The framework for these decisions starts in the home with a myriad of everyday choices.

Do our children have an understanding of the stewardship of time? Do they spend thirty minutes doing a five-minute job, not out of an inadequate skill set but but because of slothful distraction? Are they responsible to pick up after themselves without being told or does a tired Mom have to come in and either crack the whip or clean the room herself? Is first time obedience the normative or does Dad have to resort to threatening? These everyday tasks—and many other similar ones—are the means of grace that we parents are to employ in teaching our children principled-centered living.

This month’s prayer and fasting is focused on asking God to help us detect and address areas in our children’s daily conduct where they lack principle. We understand that this is an ongoing labor but one that is worth deep consideration. How in the world can we equip our children to stay true to basic tenants of the faith and moral principles when the overall culture is awash in relativity, self-focus, and pragmatic thinking? By the grace of God.

On the second Tuesday of each month (or if another day works better for you), we are asking you to join us in some type of self-prescribed fast for the following:

1. Pray that we parents inspect our own hearts by the power of the Holy Spirit to see if we live by principles or make daily choices by what benefits us pragmatically.
   • Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified.-2 Cor. 13:5
   • But let each one examine his own work, and then he will have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another. -Galatians 6:4
     
2. Pray that God will give us grace to discern areas where our children lack principles and grant us the necessary energy to do this consistently throughout their time with us..
   • And Elisha prayed, and said, “Lord, I pray, open his eyes that he may see.” Then the Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw. And behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. -2 Kings 6:17
   • O God, You are more awesome than Your holy places. The God of Israel is He who gives strength and power to His people. Blessed be God! -Psalms 68:35
     
3. Pray that any secret sin or ungodly appetites in our children’s lives will be exposed early so that genuine repentance and restoration can occur.
   • O God, You know my foolishness; And my sins are not hidden from You.-Psalms 69:5
   • But all things that are exposed are made manifest by the light, for whatever makes manifest is light. -Ephesians 5:13
     
4. Pray that we parents will pay the price of consistently engaging our children so that when difficult conversations are necessary, the relationship will already be in place.
   • The lazy man will not plow because of winter; He will beg during harvest and have nothing. -Proverbs 20:4
   • And he will turn The hearts of the fathers to the children, And the hearts of the children to their fathers, Lest I come and strike the earth with a curse.”-Malachi 4:6
     
5. Pray that God might grace both us and our children with a sobering sense of the fear of the Lord and that His Word of blessing and cursing are still true today.
   • Come, you children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord.-Psalms 34:11
   • But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting On those who fear Him, And His righteousness to children’s children, -Psalms 103:17
     
6. Pray that our children will be more concerned about pleasing God than man, whether “man” is in the workplace, on media, in books, or even in the church.
   • There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death.-Proverbs 16:25
   • For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ.-Gal. 1:10
     
7. Pray that God will give us and our children a keen awareness of how subtle the whispers of compromise can lead us away from principled center living.
   • … But he did not know that the Lord had departed from him.-Judges 16:21
   • Take heed to yourselves, lest your heart be deceived, and you turn aside and serve other gods and worship them,-Deut. 11:16
     
8. Pray that God might show our children great mercy by blessing their efforts of principled living.
   • For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. -Gal. 6:8
   • And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, because you obey the voice of the Lord your God:-Deut. 28:2
     
9. In pursuit of principled living, pray that our private realities will precede our public appearance.
   • But all their works they do to be seen by men. They make their phylacteries broad and enlarge the borders of their garments. -Matthew 23:5
   • Blind Pharisee, first cleanse the inside of the cup and dish, that the outside of them may be clean also. -Matthew 23:26
     
10. Pray that our children will realize that a life without principles will ultimately lead to moral rot over time.
    • and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. -Matthew 7:25
    • The memory of the righteous is blessed, But the name of the wicked will rot. -Proverbs 10:7