Monday, 16 December
Memory Verse: Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it. Proverbs 22:6
MORE LESSON: Psalm 127:3-5 3 Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward. 4 As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth. 5 Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate.
One of the things that are missing in the Christian faith that make it weak, especially when it is confronted by opposition is the lack of thorough education early in life. There is this laxity among Christian parents that makes them think it is too early to begin to train their child in the things of God. For instance, some parents come to family altar alone and they allow their young child to keep sleeping, giving the excuse that the he is too young to be awake at that time. However, this is contrary to God's principle of raising children. Prov. 22:6 says,
Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it. If we ignore God's counsel in doing anything, then we cannot blame Him when things go wrong.
It is quite unfortunate that other religions of the world copy godly principles and follow them to the letter while the children of light are complacent about it. For instance, in Islam, they begin to teach their children the Quran at a very tender age and one major instruction has to do with living and dying for what they believe. I thought the only thing that these small children are sent to do in the quranic school is to learn the Quran. But a young man told to me that he learnt early in life at the small quaranic school, to defend, fight, live and die for Islam at any cost. By the time he was getting to the secondary school he had heard that doctrine so well that he counted it a normal thing to accept to die if that is what it will cost to defend Islam. So if anyone declares a jihad, it would not take anything to find volunteers. It does not need a special appeal for people to carry explosives and commit suicide; that is to become what they call suicide bombers. It is so easy finding volunteers any time a call is made because everybody is taught, beginning from childhood, not only the basics of the Quran and Islam but also the fact that everyone who is a Muslim must live and die for the sake of Islam.
As Christian parents, we must arise to our responsibilities knowing that we would give account of the children in our custody. If God who owns them has given an instruction on how to raise them, then we must adhere to it. Arise today and bring your children up in the way of the Lord.
Prayer/Action
* Thank God for making you a custodian of His children and for the privilege to raise them.
* Ask for grace and wisdom to train your children - both biological and spiritual - in the way of the Lord.
* Rebuke every plan and device of the enemy concerning your children.
TODAY’S PROPHETIC PRAYER: The Lion of the tribe of Judah, roar every satanic beast of December to surrender everywhere I go this month, in the precious name of Jesus.
