On which Chair do you sit? Does that Influence your Children? And a Hello Mornings Link-Up

In April 1999 Christo and I recommitted our lives to God after hearing a teaching about the Three Chairs.

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The teaching was based on the scripture in Josua 24:14-15 

“Now therefore, fear the Lord, serve Him in sincerity and in truth, and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the River and in Egypt. Serve the Lord! And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”

In this passage and the passages that follow a picture is given of Josua who knew the Lord and the works he has done for Israel; the Elders after Josua who knew the Lord and knew about the works the Lord has done for Israel in the previous generation; and the Next Generation who knew not the Lord, nor His works. Judges 2:7-10

A comparison was made how each person sit on one of three chairs. 

The first chair will be a person who is sold out to God. A person who choose God as his personal Savior and made a personal commitment to God at some stage in his life. He is committed to God in every area of his life. This person has a personal relationship with God 

The second chair will be a person who is somewhat committed to God.  He most probably grew up in a home committed to God, accepted the Lord as his personal Savior at one stage, but never made a personal choice to be sold out to God and are just to busy in his life to do so. This person has at most, a responsibility towards God.

The third chair is a person in constant conflict about God and religion and have not yet chosen Jesus as his personal Savior. 

It is beautifully illustrated by the life of Abraham and his offspring:

Abraham (in the first chair) was in a God-first-me-second relationship with God. For Abraham God was personal and real.

Isaac (in the second chair) was in a Me-first-God-second relationship. He compromised in his relationship with God and his family.

The consequences of Isaac's compromising life, is Jacob (in the third chair), who started of a life of me, and me alone.  He took everything away from his brother, manipulated his father, wrestled with God, always trying to be number 1.

Another beautiful illustration is in the life of David and his offspring:

David (in the first chair), is whole hearted for God, he never wrestled with himself, because he was constantly dying to self. He focused on people and served God;

Solomon (in the second chair), started out whole hearted to God choosing wisdom above anything else, but as he grow older he became half hearted, compromising with many wives and their gods.  His life ends living for self, satisfying self and focusing on possessions. He build the Temple of God for 7 years, but spent 13 years on his own palace.

The result of Solomon’s life is Rehoboam (in the third chair), who has no heart for God. He cannot find himself, his life is purposeless and he seeked peace, which he found nowhere.

Interesting how Jesus is also illustrating these three chairs in Revelation:

People who are hot (first chair), people who are cold (third chair) and then people in the second chair who are lukewarm.  Every person in life needs a goal to live for, something they really get excited about, fulfill their life.

The reason why this teaching had Christo and myself recommit our lives to God, was because the chair I’m sitting on while raising my children will very strongly determine and influence their choice of which chair they will sit on when they grow up.

As in the illustration of Joshua, if we as parents are sold out to God; getting excited about God and our life with God; making decisions based on Scripture and our personal relationship with God; have works of miracles in our every day life, they will be attracted to a life with God.  It will be so much easier for such a child to at some stage in their life, make a choice for God.

But if parents are like the elders in Joshua’s illustration who only have works they remember from their parent’s lives, no works and miracles in their own life right now. Living a life of compromising, more sold out to themselves, their jobs and possessions. Modeling a lukewarm religion and no personal relationship, making decisions based on what the saints do, such a child will push away from God. It will not be very attractive, not real. How do you illustrate to a child a God capable of working miracles in their lives, if they themselves have no miracles to show? This child will observe his/her parents chasing a career and possessions which do not fulfill, leaving them with conflict and a purposeless life, not able to find themselves, making decisions based on what society dictates.  

Even Paul in 1 Cor 2:14 - 3:23 describes the different lives as spiritual, carnal (know God, but commit to self) and natural (don’t know God).  

Over the past year I again recommitted my life to God through the Hello Mornings Challenge.  I noticed the number one thing that influenced my children the most, and I didn’t even think it important, is for them to wake up in the morning and find me in God’s Word, studying God’s Word and His will for our life and on my knees earnestly praying for guidance in our lives. For the Lord’s hand of blessing, for difficult decisions in our lives and the calling on our/their lives.

The routine of waking up early every morning to spend time with God in His Word and prayer, also re-motivated my husband and older children to spend time with God, only because actions is more powerful than words.

For me to be able to wake up early, I’m forced to plan my whole day so I can go to bed earlier at night. The model to my children is that my whole life is now structured around my time with God, giving the Lord my best! They also experience how my days started with the Lord differ from days not rising early and spent in the presence of the Lord, which illustrate to them the beautiful fragrance of the Lord.

Without the Hello Mornings challenge and accountability of fellow Christian Women, the change in my life would not have happened.  Looking back at my life, I was giving God my left overs and it left me only partly satisfied, living a compromising, second chair life.  There is so much more in a whole hearted, sold out relationship with God.  The good news is that at any stage of your life, it is possible to move from the second to the first chair - again.  God is always the same and He is waiting.

The next Hello Morning Challenge starts on the 20th of August.  If you feel the Lord pushing on your heart to recommit your life, why not join the Fall (No Spring) Hello Morning Challenge? Thirty seven ladies of South Africa is registered already and over 2,500 ladies around the World! There is still space available in this group if you want to join me, alternatively plenty of Facebook and Twitter groups around the World to choose from.  

Register now!

In August 2011 I learned about the Hello Mornings Challenge through a link up party, so please forgive me but I'm linking this posting to as many Link-up Parties as possible, just maybe someone need the Hello Mornings Challenge as much as I did:

Maximize Your Mornings Link-Up.

The Better Mom Monday Link-Up

 






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Much love

Linnie