Looking back on your childhood did you ever wish your parents shared how God’s word helps navigate through life’s difficulties as a child, a tween, a teen, a young adult and today?
Did your parents share the commandments as practical steps to govern your life? The Bible is an overcomers guide. It teaches how to overcome difficulties, obstacles, hurt, bitterness and strife. We begin to encounter challenges during our childhood, and the way we respond to them begins to take form in our early years. If you teach your children the Word, it will live in their heart.
Psalm 119:11 says – I have hidden your word in my heart.
If Gods word is hidden in our hearts, how did it get there? We received it through study and application. When should we begin studying and applying the Word as part of daily living? We should begin applying the Word when we are children. If we do not help our children hold the Word in their hearts, when they are tested they will often find that they have no resources to navigate through the dangers of life.
When we teach our children how to apply the Word in their daily lives, it will bring the Word to their remembrance in times of need. John 14:26 (ESV) says, But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.
My question is, why do we wait and allow our children to live life unprepared to navigate the treacherous waters of life? Children go home as early as preschool saying someone hurt their feelings, wounded them in some way. This is the time to begin sharing the practical application of the Word. This is the time to start providing the tools to navigate difficulties.
The Whole Armor of God (see September 2017 post) is their covering, the Word of God is part of the armor. The Sword of the Spirit is an offensive tool and is the Word of God. Sending your children out into the world without understanding how to apply the Word leaves them exposed to the wiles of the evil one.
2 Timothy 3:14-15 (ESV) But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.
It is never too early to prepare your children to live Christian lives fully immersed in the Word and able to navigate through difficult times. Don’t let the world define your children, but rather by the fact that they chose to stand and be defined by the characteristics of Christ. The world would (self-talk) define them as failures, thinking of themselves as being weak, inferior, hopeless, and depressed. Enable them to define themselves as Gods children, liberated and victorious.
Today is the day to begin training our children to walk with the Lord during good times and difficult times. If they have the tools to protect themselves, as well as spread the Good Word through their deeds, then we as parents and adults in the life of the young have done a good work.
This is the greatest gift you can give them.