Training Up a Child

By: Pastor Andre Butler


Let’s say that you are training your body to run in a marathon, or maybe you’re training yourself to play well on the basketball court. Well first, you have a goal that you’re trying to accomplish. There’s some result that you want, whether it’s being able to make a jump shot every time or being able to run a mile in five minutes.

Second, you have some type of training curriculum. In other words, you have a plan that you’re following to reach that goal. This of course then involves repetition. You have to do it over and over again so that you’re trained to do it. So now let’s apply this to what the scripture is saying. Well, there’s obviously a goal you’re trying to reach with your children. There’s a result that you want, which is for them to be Godly, mighty, and blessed seed in the earth. And the curriculum that you need to use in training them is the Word of God.

This of course involves the need for repetition.

I’ve learned with my own daughters that what this scripture is really talking about is similar to programming a computer. What you’re doing is programming their spirits. You’re teaching them the Word of God so that this becomes a part of their own spiritual programming. As a parent you need to keep giving the Word of God to your children so that the Word abides on the inside of them, becomes a part of their programming, and eventually they can automatically make the right decisions.

You have to keep teaching them the Word of God and making sure that they understand the boundaries that the Word has given them. If you don’t give your children boundaries, they will absolutely ruin their lives. They have to learn about boundaries in the home before they’ll really be able to stay within the boundaries outside of the home. You have to teach them about things that they can and cannot do, and then you have to repeat it over and over.

Training requires constant attention. Sometimes we can get so caught up in regular life—and in many cases just surviving--that we forget about training. And before you know it, your child’s all grown up and you never really trained them, and then you wonder about the result that you see. One of the most important things that you will ever do on this planet is train up your own children.

Doing that should be a high priority in your life. So ask yourself: what kind of job am I doing in training my children so that they can be the type of person that God wants them to be and therefore a person that will be blessed?

Scripture Of The Day: "Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it." - Proverbs 22:6 (NKJV)

Pastor Andre Butler is a young man anointed and commissioned by God to spread the Good News of Christ. A 1996 graduate of Rhema Bible Training Center, Pastor Butler serves as Co-Pastor of Word of Faith International Christian Center in Southfield, MI.s. For more information about Pastor Andre Butler, log onto http://www.andrebutler.tv.…

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God Is Doing A New Thing

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Dr. Creflo A. Dollar

It is a new day and God wants to do something new in your life! If you are a Believer, you have a right to receive the manifestation of every word God has spoken over your life. As you lay hold of it by faith, it will come to pass. It is easy to become discouraged when you don’t see things happening quickly enough, but as you seek His face through praise, prayer and worship, He will begin to reveal more of who He is to you. The more you know about Him, the more confident you will become in His ability to do exactly what He said He would do.

You may have been going through some troubling circumstance or struggling with a certain situation for some time now. But the good news is that your days of strugg ling are over! If you want to experience the power of God in your life, it is critical that you find out what God promises in His Word. He doesn’t want you to stay in your current situation; He wants to take you to new levels of glory every day! All it takes is your unwavering belief in what He says in His Word.

Isaiah 43:19 (AMP) says, “Behold, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs forth; do you not perceive and know it and will you not give heed to it?” God is a God of new beginnings. That’s right! He is multifaceted and always wants to show you an aspect of Himself that you have never seen before. In addition, He wants to do some new things in your life. He wants you to see and experience abundance like you’ve never before experienced it.

Expectation is key to receiving the new things God desires to do in your life. Whether it is healing, deliverance, financial breakthrough or restoration of a relationship, God will come through for you if you expect Him to. He is a loving Father Who wants to bless you.

As you expect to see the goodness of God manifest in your life, you must lay hold of it by faith. Nothing in the Kingdom of God works without it. Habakkuk 2:4 says, “…but the just shall live by his faith.” In addition, you must be sure that you are walking in love—first toward God, and second toward others. These two commandments are the keys to activating your faith and confidence in God.

Finally, your words—specifically the Word of God that you confess—will connect you to a new reality of living, one that is characterized by God’s glory overtaking you. If you’re not saying anything, you’re not creating anything! You have to use your God-given authority in order to begin experiencing something new.

Your “new thing” may be debt freedom or buying a new home. Whatever it is, find scriptures on those areas and begin meditating on them. Get them in your heart until they become so real to you that you can’t see things any other way than through God’s eyes. Having the blueprint of a new reality and way of life in your heart and mind through consistent meditation will fuel your faith. Then when you speak the Word with boldness, it will come to pass. But first, your heart must be established in the truths that are contained in it.

I want you to begin thinking differently about your life. It’s time to get rid of the old attitudes, habits and lifestyle that you have been living and holding onto and usher in the new! By standing on God’s Word, walking in faith and love and using your authority, you can literally change your reality. God is ready to reveal His glory to you in a new way; the question is, are you ready to receive it?

Maintaining Divine Health

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Dr. Betty R. Price

I have spoken many times about how we need to be doers of the Word of God so that when we face our greatest challenges, all the discipline and training that went into our becoming doers of the Word will work on our behalf. But if we do not develop our most holy faith on the little issues of life when the bigger challenges arise we won't be able to stand.

What is just as important as building up our faith is maintaining it after we have faced a major attack from the devil. Too many Christians think that once God has helped them withstand such an attack, they can relax because they have won the battle. But the devil is still walking about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour (1 Peter 5:8). If we don't remain vigilant and continue walking by faith, Satan will find some way to take advantage of our laxity.

When I was diagnosed with inoperable lymphoma back in 1990, I had to undergo major surgery just so the doctors could diagnose the condition. The results of that biopsy were the worst news one could receive. Many people receiving the same news would have given up and gone home to die!

But because of the Word, I had built up in me, and because I gave that Word precedence over all the circumstances concerning my health, God was able to work through the doctors to manifest my healing. Still, if I hadn't continued giving the Word first place in my life by confessing and acting on it, and if I hadn't changed some things in the natural to take care of my body, I might not be enjoying my divine health today.

To maintain my health in the spirit realm, I continue to confess every day that God restores health to me and heals me of all my wounds (Jeremiah 30:17). I continue to say that whatever things I ask when I pray, I believe that I receive them, and I shall have them (Mark 11:24).

I declare daily that every cell in my body is normal and that every organ is functioning properly. I praise and thank the Lord for it all. Another Scripture I confess is Psalm 103, the first five verses of which read:

1 Bless the LORD, O my soul;
And all that is within me, bless His holy name!
2 Bless the LORD, O my soul,
And forget not all His benefits:
3 Who forgives all your iniquities,
Who heals all your diseases,
4 Who redeems your life from destruction,
Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies,
5 Who satisfies your mouth with good things,
So that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.

These are wonderful verses to confess, not just when you are sick but all the time so you can keep your spiritual immune system built up.

There are also some physical things we should do along with confessing and living by God's Word. One of the things we need to do to keep our "temples" in good shape is exercise. Paul writes in 1 Timothy 4:8, For bodily exercise profits a little... and we need to take advantage of the little profit that it gives us.

Although I don't like to exercise, I like the results that come from exercising, such as feeling better, improved muscle tone, staying healthier and sleeping more soundly at night. For this reason, I purpose to do the exercise because I want to live a long and healthy life.

I exercise three times a week. After stretching I do 175 sit-up crunches, 50 side kicks and 50 back kicks for each leg, and a total of 90 arm raises with five-pound weights. Please keep in mind that whatever exercise program you choose to do, go consult with a doctor before starting the program so he can help you decide what is best for you.

Along with exercising, you have to watch what you eat. This is where I have made the most changes. Before the cancer attack, I seldom ate live fruits and vegetables. Now I make sure to do so every day-fruit in the morning, a salad at lunch and vegetables with my meal at night. I also used to drink nine cups of coffee a day and I would not drink water because I did not like the taste of water.

But we all need to drink water so we can flush the toxins out of our system. If we don't, those toxins can build up and cause all sorts of problems later on in life. Now I have only two cups of coffee a day and drink plenty of water every day.

Not long ago, I went to the doctor for a minor aliment. Upon a thorough examination the doctor said that I was in the best of health and that everything looked normal. Praise God that He says that with long life He will satisfy me (Psalm 91:16), and that He always honors His Word for those who will stand on it. I also thank God for bringing people into my path who encouraged me to take better care of my body. God definitely has a part to play in our health, but our part in keeping our temple healthy is just as important.

Winning The War Within

Pastor Andre Butler


For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds --2 Corinthians 10:3-4

Paul is very clear in this verse that believers are in the midst of war. But in this war we don’t use natural means of fighting because we're not warring against flesh and blood. In other words, we don't pick up swords, spears, or even a gun.

However, we do have weapons. One weapon is the Word of God, and another is the anointing of God. Paul again says that our weapons aren't carnal, or natural weapons. Our weapons are actually spiritual, and they are mighty through God. If we are in war, and we have weapons of war, then we must have an enemy, and our enemy must have weapons of his own.

Be assured that our enemy is going to do everything in his power to destroy us with his weapons. God has given you the ability to triumph over every situation, but Satan is going to come and attack you. You may have already become very familiar with his attacks.

Satan knows that if he allows you to follow God without intercepting you, without trying to impede your progress, eventually you will do everything that God has called you to do, and Satan will lose big time. The Bible, therefore, teaches you to put on the whole armor of God so that you can defeat Satan when he attacks you.

When you’re in a war, it’s wise to have knowledge about your enemy's weapons so you can prepare appropriately. It's not good to step out in the midst of battle without a clue as to what the enemy's going to do against you. This principle applies to believers as well. Many Christians have struggled and lived on the same level year after year, unable to beat some area in their lives because they don't understand the weapon Satan is using against them.

No matter what your areas are, the battleground that you must win is in your mind. You may not become an expert right away in dealing with this, but if you keep working at it, you’ll be vigilant, sober, and alert when Satan comes to bring something your way. You won’t let anything through.

God's weapons are stronger than Satan's weapons.
God's Word is stronger than Satan's thoughts.

The weapon that God has given us, His Word, is stronger than any weapon that Satan has. When Satan brings thoughts against your life, you need to recognize that they’re not of God. You need to cast those thoughts down and replace them with the spoken Word of God.

This worked every time for Jesus, and it will work every time for you. Trouble cannot defeat you. The only thing that can stop you is you. If you allow Satan to cause you to lose the war within, then you'll be defeated.