Today’s Open Heavens devotional, 17 March 2026, is THE INTENTIONAL PARENT III.
The daily devotion guide is written by Pastor E. A. Adeboye, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG).
OPEN HEAVENS 17 MARCH 2026 DEVOTIONAL
TOPIC: THE INTENTIONAL PARENT III
MEMORISE
Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.
Matthew 7:17
READ: Psalm 34:1-3
1 I will bless the Lord at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth.
2 My soul shall make her boast in the Lord: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad.
3 O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together.
RCCG OPEN HEAVENS 17 MARCH 2025 MESSAGE TODAY
Over past two days, I have discussed how important it is for parents to train their children in God’s way and some of the things they must consciously do to achieve this.
A poorly trained child often grows up to become a nuisance to society. However, when children are brought up in a godly manner, they grow up to become adults whom their parents can be proud of and good models for other people to emulate.
As I round off this series today, I would like to mention again that parents should teach their children God’s word, ways, and principles at all times. It is not enough to teach and guide them occasionally; parents must train their children at all times.
For example, parents must teach their children when they are in the house, away from home, and when they sit, stand, or lie down (Deuteronomy 6:5-9). I will discuss one other thing that parents must do at all times as part of their lifestyle, and this is showing gratitude.
In today’s Bible reading, David said that he would bless the Lord at all times, and His praise shall continually be on his lips. This is one of the things that parents must do non-stop; they should continually praise the Lord.
Some Christian homes are filled with grumbling, complaining, and all manner of negative talk. Raising children in such an atmosphere will condition them to have a negative mindset when they grow up to become adults.
1 Thessalonians 5:18 says that we should always give thanks to God in everything, regardless of whatever situation we find ourselves in. Parents should let gratitude flow from their lips continually so that their children can pick up that trait from them. Many of the problems in society today stem from the fact that there are too many ungrateful adults who have grown up with a sense of entitlement.
In Genesis 22:1-18, when Abraham was taking Isaac up Mount Moriah to offer him as a sacrifice to God, Isaac asked his father where the lamb for the sacrifice was. This shows that Isaac knew that no one should go to worship God empty-handed. He had learnt the art of worship and thanksgiving from his father and must have seen his father practice it many times.
Giving thanks always is a very important thing that every parent must do to train up their children in the way of the Lord. Parents who are not grateful and thankful should not expect their children to be.
KEY POINT
Ungrateful parents usually raise ungrateful children.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR
Judges 11-13
Open Heavens HYMN 18: PRAISE TO THE LORD THE ALMIGHTY
OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL 17 MARCH 2026 COMMENTARY
MEMORISE: Matthew 7:17
“Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.”
This verse establishes the inescapable law of spiritual genetics. The nature of the tree determines the quality of its fruit. No amount of external treatment, cosmetic adjustment, or environmental manipulation can make a corrupt tree produce good fruit. Applied to parenting, this principle is both a warning and an invitation: parents are the trees; children are the fruit. The most effective curriculum for training children is the transformed character of the parents themselves.
BIBLE READING: Psalm 34:1-3
This passage is David’s manifesto of perpetual praise:
v. 1: “I will bless the LORD at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth.” The adverbs are absolute: “all times,” “continually.” David does not condition his gratitude on favorable circumstances. His praise is not a response to blessing but a posture of worship.
v. 2-3: The corporate dimension: “The humble shall hear thereof, and be glad… O magnify the LORD with me.” Gratitude is contagious. It invites others—including children—into the circle of praise.
The Atmosphere of Gratitude: Parenting as a Lifestyle of Praise
Concluding his three-part series on training children in the way of the Lord, Pastor E.A. Adeboye identifies a critical, often-overlooked component of godly parenting: the atmosphere of gratitude.He argues that parents who complain produce complainers; parents who give thanks produce worshippers. The home is a greenhouse, and the dominant emotional and spiritual climate within it will determine the species of fruit that mature there.
1. The Non-Negotiable of Continuous Training
Occasional Instruction is Insufficient:
- “It is not enough to teach and guide them occasionally; parents must train their children at all times.” The Deuteronomy 6 mandate is not a weekly appointment but a perpetual posture. Spiritual formation is not a subject on the homeschool curriculum; it is the air children breathe.
- The Implication: You cannot compartmentalize parenting. There is no “off-duty” season for discipleship. Every moment, whether recognized or not, is a teaching moment.
The Comprehensive Coverage:
- “Parents must teach their children when they are in the house, away from home, and when they sit, stand, or lie down.” This is total saturation. The Word of God and the ways of God must permeate every physical location and every physical posture of family life.
2. The Atmosphere of the Home
The Diagnostic Question:
- What is the dominant emotional frequency of your household? Is it gratitude or grumbling? Praise or complaint? Thanksgiving or entitlement?
- Pastor Adeboye issues a sobering observation: “Some Christian homes are filled with grumbling, complaining, and all manner of negative talk. Raising children in such an atmosphere will condition them to have a negative mindset when they grow up to become adults.”
The Mechanism of Conditioning:
- Children are not primarily taught by formal instruction; they are conditioned by repeated exposure. A child who hears constant criticism of the pastor, the government, the economy, and the neighbor’s dog is not learning theology; they are learning a posture toward life. They are being discipled into cynicism.
- The Tragedy: Parents who complain about their circumstances are inadvertently training their children to complain about theirs. The “sense of entitlement” that plagues modern society is cultivated in homes where gratitude is rare and grumbling is the native language.
3. The Command and Consequence of Continual Thanksgiving
1 Thessalonians 5:18 as Parental Mandate:
- “In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” This is not a suggestion for pleasant circumstances; it is a command for all circumstances. The qualification “in everything” deliberately includes seasons of loss, disappointment, confusion, and pain.
- The Parental Application: Your children are watching how you respond to unanswered prayers, financial pressure, and relational conflict. Your thanksgiving in the trial is a more powerful sermon than your theology of suffering.
The Abraham-Isaac Model (Genesis 22:1-18):
- Isaac’s question—”Where is the lamb for a burnt offering?”—reveals the depth of his training. He knew that worship requires sacrifice. He knew that one does not approach God empty-handed.
- The Implication: Isaac had learned the art of worship and thanksgiving not from Abraham’s lectures but from Abraham’s life. He had accompanied his father to altars before. He had seen Abraham give thanks before the ram was provided. His faith was caught, not taught.
4. The Testimony of David (Psalm 34:1)
Praise as Perpetual Posture:
- David wrote Psalm 34 in the aftermath of a deeply humiliating episode—he had feigned madness before Abimelech, drooling and scratching at walls to save his life. This was not David’s finest hour. Yet he declares, “I will bless the LORD at all times.”
- The Key: David’s gratitude was not contingent on his performance or his circumstances. It was rooted in the unchanging character of God. This is the gratitude that parents must model: not thanks for good things only, but thanks in all things.
How to Cultivate a Home of Gratitude
Audit Your Conversational Climate:
- For one week, pay attention to the content of your family’s mealtime conversations, car ride dialogues, and evening interactions. What percentage is complaint? What percentage is thanksgiving? What percentage is criticism of others? What percentage is praise to God?
Model Gratitude in All Circumstances:
- When bad news arrives, let your first audible words be praise. When finances are tight, thank God for His provision. When children disappoint, thank God for His patience with you. Your response to adversity is your most influential curriculum.
Institutionalize Thanksgiving:
- Create family rhythms that normalize gratitude. Establish a “Thanksgiving Jar” where family members deposit written praises. Begin meals with specific thanks, not rote prayers. End each day by sharing “one thing I’m thankful for.”
Teach Children to Worship, Not Just Consume:
- Isaac knew that worship involves offering. Teach children that they come to God not only with requests but with sacrifices of praise. Help them set aside portions of their allowance, their time, and their talents as offerings to God.
Replace Grumbling with Gratitude in Your Own Heart:
- You cannot fake gratitude before your children. They will discern the disconnect between your Sunday praise and your Monday complaining. Begin with your own heart. Ask the Holy Spirit to expose roots of entitlement and ingratitude. Repent and receive a new song.
Warning: The Multi-Generational Curse of Ingratitude
Ungrateful Parents Produce Entitled Children:
- Pastor Adeboye connects the dots explicitly: “Many of the problems in society today stem from the fact that there are too many ungrateful adults who have grown up with a sense of entitlement.” Ingratitude is not a victimless sin. It metastasizes across generations.
The Deception of “Deserving”:
- Entitlement is the belief that I deserve certain outcomes, treatment, or provisions. It is the antithesis of grace. Parents who model entitlement teach their children that God and others owe them. This mindset inevitably leads to bitterness when life does not conform to expectations.
Conclusion: The Legacy of a Grateful Generation
Pray this:
“Heavenly Father, I confess that my lips have too often been filled with complaint rather than praise. Forgive me for the atmosphere of grumbling I have cultivated in my home. Forgive me for the negative words that have conditioned my children toward cynicism and entitlement. Today, I repent. Create in me a heart of perpetual gratitude. Let Your praise be continually on my lips, regardless of my circumstances. Help me to model for my children what it means to give thanks in everything. Let our home be known not for our complaints but for our worship. May my children grow up to be adults who bless the Lord at all times, who approach Him with offerings of praise, and who break the cycle of ingratitude in our family line. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”
Action Steps:
- The Gratitude Audit: For the next 7 days, carry a small notebook or use a phone app to track every verbal complaint and every verbal expression of thanksgiving. At the end of the week, calculate your ratio. Ask: “What is my children’s exposure to gratitude vs. grumbling?”
- The Family Thanksgiving Rhythm: Implement a daily or weekly practice of sharing specific thanks. At dinner, have each person share “one thing I’m thankful for today.” Protect this time from becoming rote or rushed.
- The Complaint Fast: Challenge your household to a 24-hour “complaint fast.” No grumbling, no criticizing, no negative talk. Replace complaints with praise. Debrief together afterward about what you learned.
- The Worship Playlist: Curate a family playlist of praise songs. Play it during morning routines, car rides, and evening wind-down. Let praise be the background music of your home.
Remember: Your children will become what they behold. If they behold a parent who blesses the Lord at all times, they will learn that God is worthy of praise in all seasons. If they behold a parent who grumbles continuously, they will learn that God is unreliable and life is unfair.
“I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.” (3 John 1:4). But before they walk in truth, they must see truth walking in you. Let them see you walking in gratitude.
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