GROWN UP BABIES

How are you training your children? Are you training them to be grown up babies or mature sons and daughters in the Lord? Sadly, too many adults are still babies in the Lord, even though they may have been Christians for years. They haven’t yet learned to feed from God’s Words daily. They still rely on their pastor or minister to give them a meal once a week when they go to church? But during the week they starve. They never open their Bible and don’t know how to feed from the Living Word each day.

Is this the habit of your children? Or are you training them, as soon as they are old enough, to spend some time each day to read God’s Word for themselves? Are you training them how to hear from God as they read this living Word? It’s not enough for them to read, they must know how to HEAR from God.

To begin this training you may like to try this idea. Start your homeschooling day this way. Teach them to look for treasures in the Bible. Purchase for yourself and each one of your reading children a hard-covered diary with a page for every day of the year. Begin with opening your Bibles and journals at the appropriate date. Decide which book of the Bible you will go through, reading a chapter each day.

Pray first and then encourage them to silently read the chapter, LOOKING AND EXPECTING GOD TO SPEAK TO THEM PERSONALLY. Do it together. You, along with your children. We all look for the Scripture that speaks to us most powerfully in the chapter.

We write the Scripture at the top of the page and then write what God says to us. It is amazing how that even writing the Scripture brings more understanding. As you write the revelation, more understanding comes. We then write a prayer of response to the Lord. This makes the Word of God personal and real, rather than a reading chore.

After we have all finished, I read out loud the Scripture and what God has revealed to me. The children then read their Scripture and what God spoke to them. We are blessed not only by reading, but also by writing and sharing.

Of course, everyone has their own ways that suit their lifestyle and family life. You may prefer to encourage your children to find a special spot on their own where they can have their Quiet Time with the Lord. Whatever you encourage, inspire them to listen carefully to the Holy Spirit and to write down what God speaks to them. Writing daily what God speaks to me has been the greatest blessing of my Christian walk.

I remember reading about a wonderful father who as he came to say goodnight to each of his eleven children lay a Bible on their pillows so they would remember to feed from the Word of God before they arose for the day.

Also, when you have Family Devotions together each day, remind your children to listen to what the Holy Spirit says to them as they hear His words. Then, of course, ask them to share when you have finished reading. You will be amazed at what God speaks to your children. And they will get into the habit of hearing from God.

Mothers, don’t raise handicapped spiritual babies. Raise your children to be young men and women who are tall and strong in the Lord because they know how to daily feed for themselves?

Have a blessed day, Nancy Campbell

To read more, go to DON’T STAY A BABY. Link: http://aboverubies.org/…/916-bible-in-the-home-dont-stay-a-…

P.S. In the next few days I will post further articles that will help you and your children how to make your Bible reading exciting and how to really hear from God as you open the Word.