Good morning everyone. Man, my weekend was long and wore me plum out but, it was a good one. We had a youth benefit yard sale Saturday and raised $1600.00 toward our November youth retreat. Yesterday morning we had our baby dedication at church and then last night youth was off the hook. Parent dedicated 17 of their children to the Lord yesterday. Pretty awesome! Then last night 3 young people accept Jesus into their hearts as their Savior. Then one re-dedicates his life back to the Lord in his girlfriends driveway when they got to her house. God is so good! Our prayer requests went on for almost 30 minutes. It hurt me to see how these kids hurt so much and are carrying so much around with them at such a young age. I want to share a passage that my pastor shared yesterday. I believe that this passage in the Bible is a lot more important than some of us may think. Our children are our future and we need to remember what an honor God has given us to have them and to be around them.
Bible verse: Proverbs 22:6 Train up a child in the way he should go; and when he is old, he will not depart from it.
All of us have children, will have children, work with children, or will have some contact with children. Teaching and training children should be done by using principles written in the word of God. The Bible is a perfect road map on how we should teach or children. I have read of seven positive principles to help them all the days of their lives.
1. Moral and spiritual values- Deuteronomy 6:6,7
2. A sense of belonging- psalm 127:3
3. Listen to your children- Genesis 22:7,8
4. Develop their talents and abilities- Matthew 18:10
5. Provide quality time with them- Proverbs 17:22
6. teach them to respect authority- Romans 13:1,2
7. Don't start too late.......
The young years of a childs life are the formative years. They are moldable and are open to new things.
Now, I do think that we can't bring all children up or train them the same. We should build up the individuality and special strengths that God has given each child. By us talking to their teachers, other parents, youth leaders, friends, or maybe grandparents. We can learn how to develop the individual capabilities of each child.
Many parents and youth leaders want to make choices for the children, I think that this actually hurts the child in the long run. We can guide them but, not make the choices for them. If a child learns to make decisions on their own, it will be better in the future. We will not always have to watch every move they make. We will know they will do their best to make the right choices.
I believe anytime you are dealing with children, you really need to make sure your heart is in the right place and pray that God will guide us to be a leader to them. Children are very trusting. They will take what you tell them and believe it. God holds parents and other adults who influence young children accountable for how they affect children ability to trust. Jesus warns in Matthew 18:6 "whoever causes one of these little ones who believes in me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea". Our children are the future, we should take time for them. Have a great day, I love you, and God bless!
Food for thought: No God = No peace Know God = know peace
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