12 April 2026

Fathers Not Provoking Their Children, Part 4 (TMF:2855)

Friday, April 17, 2026

Peace to Live By: Fathers Not Provoking Their Children, Part 4 (TMF:2855) - Daniel Litton
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But another way to tell if the father has been too overbearing, it has been personally observed, is that generally the male children will sometimes bully peers or siblings. This is unfortunate, and when it is seen, it is often also noticed that the father appears to be strict. Certainly, there would be others reasons that bullying by children could occur. And one more thing on this subject, it can be quickly noted that just as earthly fathers should not provoke their children, this would also mean that God does not provoke us, as his children. Some Christians feel God is strict, and constantly correcting them, but this verse goes to show us that isn’t the case. If one believes in internal promptings from the Holy Spirit, this would also mean that the Holy Spirit does not constantly correct with internal promptings or even external signs. These would be feelings generated by the old-self, and that old-self can lead people to believe God is correcting them constantly when he isn’t.

Fathers Not Provoking Their Children, Part 3 (TMF:2854)

Thursday, April 16, 2026

Peace to Live By: Fathers Not Provoking Their Children, Part 3 (TMF:2854) - Daniel Litton
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This seems to happen more often in a stricter church, where the father is strict. But again, it seems to be becoming less common in our current time. Also, it can happen when the father is over-ambitious in that he wants his kid to be the best, say, in a certain sport. Probably more common for us to understand. Whatever the reason for this kind of attitude on the part of the father, it is Biblically incorrect. And it has always boggled the mind that in stricter churches fathers have justified their strict upbringing of their children. Of course, it depends on one’s view of strictness in what one allows for their children. But another way to tell if the father has been too overbearing, it has been personally observed, is that generally the male children will sometimes bully peers or siblings. This is unfortunate, and when it is seen, it is often also noticed that the father appears to be strict. Certainly, there would be others reasons that bullying by children could occur.

Fathers Not Provoking Their Children, Part 2 (TMF:2853)

Wednesday, April 15, 2026

Peace to Live By: Fathers Not Provoking Their Children, Part 2 (TMF:2853) - Daniel Litton
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What is meant is that generally the struggle in our day and age is the reverse, in that fathers are too lenient on their children. That is, they sometimes don’t discipline them enough, so that children become not as structured as they should be or could be. This has been the observation made in many instances. Obviously, this would be a result of fathers themselves not being disciplined, or caring too much about themselves that they don’t pay enough attention to their children. Of course, if the father is absent, that puts the burden on the mother for all the discipline that is needed. What happens when the fathers are unreasonably strict on their kids? The observation has been that generally the kids become rebellious as they get older, and sometimes this rebelliousness is in secret. This seems to happen more often in a stricter church, where the father is strict. But again, it seems to be becoming less common in our current time.

Fathers Not Provoking Their Children, Part 1 (TMF:2852)

Tuesday, April 14, 2026

Peace to Live By: Fathers Not Provoking Their Children, Part 1 (TMF:2852) - Daniel Litton
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Verse 21 of Colossians 3: “Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged” (ESV). The call from the Apostle Paul in this verse is for fathers (and really, this could be said for mothers as well), not to be excessively hard on their children. We know, or should know by now, that being unreasonably hard on children causes them to not want to try anymore. It appears, in our current time, that generally it doesn’t seem this is so much of a problem in our society. It definitely used to be, say anywhere from thirty years ago on back, but in the same way as the marital relationship has undergone renovations in many individuals minds, so has the parental relationship. What is meant is that generally the struggle in our day and age is the reverse, in that fathers are too lenient on their children. That is, they sometimes don’t discipline them enough, so that children become not as structured as they should be or could be. This has been the observation made in many instances.

Children Obeying their Parents, Part 4 (TMF:2851)

Monday, April 13, 2026

Peace to Live By: Children Obeying their Parents, Part 4 (TMF:2851) - Daniel Litton
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Let’s imagine for example that God showed up at your house one day, and he asked you, the child, how things were going. What are you going to say? “Well, my parents are just too overbearing. My dad makes me help cut the grass on Saturday mornings, and he doesn’t even pay me a fair amount. Sometimes he won’t let me go hang out with friends because he says there is work to do around the house. Then, on top of that, during the week my mom makes me sometimes spend two hours on my homework, not just one.” What do you think God would say to that? Aren’t they giving you everything you need to live? Don’t they sometimes let you see your friends? Isn’t your schoolwork important? Don’t you think you should do what they say? Suppose God asks another child what he thinks. Suppose that child responds, “Well, my parents really are fair to me. My dad only asks me to help him Saturday mornings, which isn’t even that much. He even pays me for what I do. Then, my mom helps me with my homework, and usually I don’t have to work on it that long, maybe an hour a night.” Which child do you think God will be happy with?