(Clip) Principles for Child Correction — Zac Poonen

Beginning Each Day Free from Grudges

Put to bed at night. I know I have nothing in my heart against anybody in the whole world. I Love them all and I wake up in the morning. I say, thank you Jesus. My first thought is Lord Jesus, I want to talk to you.

Begin your day like that. Even if you have only a few minutes even only one or two minutes. Begin your day like that one or two minutes with God. It's a wonderful day. Way to begin your day. That's what I've done and my life has been.

I'll tell you honestly, I'm not exaggerating. My life has been extremely happy restful free from anxiety free from fear free from discouragement to which I was a slave and. Don't make demands on other people.

Avoiding Unrealistic Demands on Others

Don't make demands on your wife. She's a human being whatever she can do. She does. Some waves are very capable. Some waves are not. Never compare your wife with anybody else. Don't make a demand on other believers.

Sometimes when I go away for a trip, I may ask the brothers in the CFC office to do something. Can you do this by the time I come back after three days? And I tell them before I go itself if for some reason you are not able to do it or something went wrong or something broke or You didn't get time or you had some emergency at home.

So you couldn't do this forget it. It's not serious. Then I conclude with this sentence. The only thing serious in life is sin. That's what I tell. So don't think I'll be disturbed if you come if I come back and you find you did not do it.

No not important. Don't sin. The only thing serious in life is sin. It's been a great help to me. So when I think of somebody messed up something was it sinful? Oh, then it's serious. Was it not sinful because of human inefficiency or.

Because they tried and they didn't bungled up or they broke something and they tried their best. Perfectly, okay. It's not a sin. It's the motive that God sees. Never tell your children I told you so I won't do it.

Correcting Children Without Saying “I Told You So”

Supposing your small children are trying to Fix some toy house or something which is broken and you say no, I'll fix it for you. No, no, no dad I can do it and they try to do it and they don't. They're not able to do it and they come to you and say daddy.

Can you help me? Never say. I told you so never let the words I told you so come out of your mouth to your children or to your younger brothers or to anybody. That is the voice of the expert. Who never makes a mistake.

I told you so I'll never say it. You know what I say. Never mind. Let's fix it. Never mind. Let's fix it. And when it's done, I say there let's learn some lessons for the future always say let's fix it.

You'll get a bond with your children then that will remain forever. And it'll they'll grow to admire you and love you and they will duplicate it with their children. These are little principles. The only thing serious is sin.

Treating Sin as More Serious Than Failure

Sin is very serious. It's worse than cancer. That's why any sin mentioned in the Bible anger sexually dirty thoughts murmuring. Eliminate completely. I decided I used to murmur and get angry in Bengal.

I said, it's completely I don't want cancer in my life. I never want to murmur or grumble about a single thing in my home or in the CFC office or in any church or anywhere. Let's fix it. When God saw Adam and Eve sinned.

Learning to “Fix It” From God’s Dealings With Sin

He asked them. They tried him tried to put the blame on others and all that but God said let's fix it. Right there in Garden of Eden. He said the seed of this woman will crush the head of that snake of the devil.

I See I learned from him. Let's fix it. Of course, there'll be a little punishment, but let's fix it. He gave him a promise. This problem is going to be solved. Don't worry. It's like that when Peter was sinking in this sea.

We Lord did not say why didn't you trust me? That's how we react. No, no, no, no. No, give me your hand Peter. Let me have hold your hand. Let's fix it. Afterwards, I'll ask you why didn't you trust me?

So we do correct but after fixing it not before fixing it never start with why didn't you trust me? You wouldn't have sunk if you had trusted me. This is the language of evil people. Who think they are experts we ruin our children?

Humility, Repentance, and Building Lifelong Relationships

By like that you think I've never done it. I've done it, but I've repented. I Never had a spiritual father to teach me like I'm teaching you. I wish I had I would have made less mistakes with my family.

You guys are lucky that you have somebody to teach you so I'm teaching you not from a man who's never made mistakes. But who learned from my mistakes? I put my hand in the fire and discovered it burnt and so I can tell you don't put your hand in the fire.

That's how I'm speaking and I wish for all of you that you'll have godly children that you'll have a wonderful relationship with your children. It's very important to play with our children and They must see that we are at their level and friends.

I used to say about my own children that I say Lord. They are my children today. I want them to become my brothers one day. And they are my brothers today, but I used to pray for that Lord. I want them to be my brothers one day.