TRAIN THEM FOR HIM

Mark 10:13-16 " And they brought young children to him, that he should touch them: and his disciples rebuked those that brought them. But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God. Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein. And he took them up in his arms, put his hands upon them, and blessed them." As the mother of four, precious children I am so thankful that the Lord loves kids. I am thankful that he does not put an age limit on salvation or service. I am thankful that regardless of who we are or where we come from, that he will allow anyone, young or old, to be saved. I know that a child has to come to an age of understanding before they can be saved (we call it the "age of accountability") but that age is different for everyone. I have friends who were saved as young as the age of three. There are some who think that is impossible, and that no three year old could possibly trust Christ as Saviour and truly know what they are doing. Ah, but they can. I am thankful that God knows the heart and mind of us all, and he will save anyone who believes and trusts in him. As parents, we know our children. But NO ONE knows us, inside & out, like GOD knows us. God knows who understands and who doesn’t. God knows who believes and who doesn’t. I started praying for my children before they were ever born. I asked the Lord to help me to be the kind of mother who kept them in His house, and trained them right. I also asked him to touch their hearts and that they would be saved at a young age. I prayed this fervently because I wanted them to know Christ as Saviour before they got old enough to be hardened by this old sinful world. I am thankful that they have all made a profession of faith. Even now, I still pray that if they ever have a doubt that they would be brave enough to come to me or someone they trust and ask questions, to settle things in their hearts, so that they would not live a life of doubt and fear. After they were born again, I started asking the Lord to touch their hearts about their service for him. I have never asked the Lord to call my sons to be preachers, or my daughters to be preachers wives, but I have asked him to keep their hearts soft so that they will yield to whatever it is that GOD wants them to do. I hope and pray that they will want to be in the Lord's ministry someday. I hope to see them serving faithfully in their local, New Testament, King James Bible preaching, independent, fundamental, Baptist church someday. I do not know if that will happen but I hope and I pray for it everyday. I ask the Lord to give them a "servant’s heart." That is not where it ends though. I can’t just ask the Lord for that and then send my children out into the world with a "here’s hopin’!" attitude. No. I have to keep them in God’s house CONSTANTLY and CONSISTENTLY, as well as, LIVE AT HOME WHAT WE LIVE AT CHURCH. I also try to show them different ways that they can serve the Lord, now, while they are young. To many times we have the attitude that children cannot serve because they are to young. That is wrong. I know of about five thousand people that would have not had lunch one day had the Lord thought that a child was not allowed to help. (See John9:9-13) Now, I am not talking about being in an authoritative position, I am talking about helping (which is serving). Kids can do all kinds of things to help in God’s house. They can pick up trash, and take it out. They can vacuum, dust, help the older saints in and out of their cars, hold doors, pass out bulletins, the list goes on and on. They can also worship as good (and sometimes better) than most older people. I’ve heard nine-year-old bus kids pray the Holy Ghost right down in the middle of the congregation. I’ve heard junior church kids sing until you just knew the angels of heaven were standing there with them. I’ve even heard some teenage boys preach with such power that the altars were filled when they were done. Now, I don’t know how big your church is. Mine is,... I guess,... medium. We are not huge and we are not itty-bitty either. We do not have hundreds but when we gather, we gather to worship. We do not have tons of children, but we do have some. Some are bus kids, and some are the children of our members. But there are only a select few that are there faithfully. When I say faithfully, I mean, EVERY time the doors are open. EVERY TIME. No matter the weather, no matter the day of the week, no matter the time of the year, no matter the holiday, no matter the family reunion, no matter what...THEY ARE THERE. We certainly do not have so many that we can "spare a few". My children are part of that select few. So, when they are there, I give them jobs to do. The other faithful children have things that they do as well. We have a family that works together in the bus ministry. By family I mean, FAMILY...Dad, Mom, children, and they all work the route, and ride the route...TOGETHER. This is how it should be, families worshiping together, and working together. The Bible says, " Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it." Proverbs 22:6. There is no age limit here. God says to "train up". That means we are to start them out that way and never stop. If we do not train them, who will? The world would certainly love an opportunity to train them. The world would love to have your child serving them. Why not teach them to serve God instead, while they are young? If you are a parent that is trying to train your child to follow Christ, and to do right, keep it up. Do not let anyone discourage you from it. Do not let anyone discourage your child from it either! There will be people tell you that your child can't do this job or that job, but yet they do not want to do it. You hang in there! There will be people tell you that your children will hate you when they grow up for making them go. You hang in there! No matter what anyone tells you, working in the church, or around the church, or for the church, WILL NOT hurt your child. You keep them as close to it and in it as much as is humanly possible. The world will take every chance it gets to draw them away, so you take every chance you get to keep them in. DO NOT LET ANYONE DISCOURAGE YOUR SERVICE FOR CHRIST, OR YOUR CHILD’S. When the disciples rebuked people for bringing their children to Jesus, it displeased the Lord. (Mark 10:14). It may get hard sometimes. You may feel like you are not doing any good but let me quote an old saying, "only one life t'will soon be past, only what’s done for Christ will last." Train them for HIM. Matthew 18:1-7 " At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them, And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me. But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea. Woe unto the world because of offences! for it must needs be that offences come; but woe to that man by whom the offence cometh!"