Scripture of the Day
3 John, Vs. 4
“The Way For Children”
I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.
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What a joy to know that our children have unlimited access to GOD’s Word. Now, it is still up to them to take advantage of the opportunity. We can train a child in The Way, but they must choose to take the path for themselves. We must continue to train our prince and princess, but there is no way you will ever be able to punish them into accepting, loving, and obeying GOD. But through training (sometimes it takes a little hands-on-training) and requirements, when the time comes, they will not depart from it.
My grandfather use to drug me every Wednesday & Sunday! And I’m sure many of you were drugged too. That man drug me to church every Wednesday & Sunday. In fact, that was one of his requirements. Now a days we give the children the option, which usually results in an option not to develop a true relationship with GOD. Then when the opt out, we want to drag them to salvation. Look at it this way. When a high school basketball player is awful at free throws . . . the coach will train the player, and then require the player to shoot a hundred free throws. If the player refuses the training and opt out on the requirements, what will happen next? Train and require. In just about any sport or job . . . there is the training and then there is requirements. So how much more should we be training our children and establishing requirements (standards). The more I was exposed to the truth, the more I began to understand the truth. It took awhile, but as I began to understand the truth, the more I began to walk in the truth. It’s been a long journey, but I’m sure it brings my grandfather great joy to know that his children walk in truth.
Train your child - Require your child - Lead your child - Love your child - Pray for your child – Just as GOD does for you. It may not happen in the time you want it to, but trust me . . . Your Child Will Walk In Truth!
Food For Thought: If GOD knows we are not perfect, why do you expect your children to be perfect? GOD has never dropped HIS standards of excellence, but HE loves us just as much after our mistakes as HE does before our mistakes.
Listen, you can train and require. You can shape and mold. But only JESUS can save. Point them to The Way and they will walk in truth!
3 comments:
As a single mother, my prayers (and this was before I got saved and had a personal relationship with God), were that God would allow me to raise a "man" who would be a help to society and not a hinder, who loves the Lord, who would accomplish his dreams and his heart desires, and who would be a great father. I can say, that God answered my prayers! When I got saved, I realized that it was God's grace and mercy that brought me through the rearing and teaching process for my son. Now that I read the bible and is familiar with its doctrines, I wouldn't want it any other way. Some parents have to stop being friends to their children and be parents and teach them what is right according to God's words.
"The Way For Children"
I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth. (3 John, Vs. 4)
Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it. (Proverb 22:6) NIV
My 18 year old grandchild just recently moved in with us a few weeks ago (due to the drama of life). I remember when she and our other four grandchildren use to visit us in her younger days we would always take them to church with us. But unfortunately, when they went back home their parents were not active in the church.
Now that my granddaughter is 18 years old, she is far from being a saint...and my brother, as you stated...she's gonna need lots of "little hands-on-training." The problem she's not a little child any longer...however, I still want to present the gospel of truth unto her...and I realize that I won't be very successful in using an "in-your-face" kind of tactic. Instead I plan to take advantage of every one of my teaching opportunities...taking advantage of those opportunities to contrast the light of truth against the lies of darkness; believe me...because SPIRITUAL WARFARE is REAL...I have no doubt of being presented with endless opportunities to highlight that contrast!!!!!
For a few year I taught the 6th, 7th, and 8th grade bible study, and I would use Proverb 22:6 as our class theme, as well as Isaiah 1:18 "Come now, let us reason together," says the LORD.
I always found that by challenge them to use good reasoning would present great opportunities to use their minds to THINK things out...challenging them to seek after truth!!!
As you stated..."only JESUS can save." We are charged to "Point them to The Way and they will walk in truth! Therefore, over the few years of teaching teen bible study I understood fully that is was only my job teach them truths of God's Word, and I have learned that there's no better way to get their attention than to contrast truth against lies.
When it comes to teaching teens, there's one other tool that I always liked using...and that was to describe to them what "personal maturity & growth" looked like. I would draw on the "greenboards or blackboards" a graph that represented maturity-growth from birth to 18 years old, and I would relate maturity growth to good decision making over those years...i.e...a baby can't make good decisions...but maturity/decision making should grow over time. And I would tell them that their parents are expecting them to make better decisions as they grow older...and as they proved out their maturity... parents would give them greater freedoms in making their own decisions.
I tried to point out to them that one of the key factors to them making better decisions is directly related to their maturity in Christ Jesus...and such maturity can only come in knowing the Word of God!!!
Now, back to my 18 year old granddaughter...it would bring me no "greater joy than to hear that my granddaughter...walk in truth."
Thanks for this very timely SOD!
All Praise And Glory Unto Our God In Heaven, Amen.
Well said Ms. C
Only by the GRACE of God!!!
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