Continuing the discussion from yesterday's post, TWELVE BIBLICAL REASONS WHY GOD GIVES US CHILDREN, one writer commented that most of the Scriptures mentioned were from the Old Testament and that in the New Testament we are not obligated to bring forth natural children, but only spiritual children.
Because we must be faithful to the truth, I will make comment. There are many doctrines and truths that were established in the Old Testament that are not repeated in the New Testament because they were already accepted as truth by those living in the New Testament. They did not have to be established or repeated again. One of these is having children. God's very first words to Adam and Eve after He created them and blessed them were: "Be fruitful, multiply, and fill the earth" (Genesis 1:28). God didn't change His plan for mankind in the New Testament. God's design from eternity is revealed from the beginning to the end of the Bible. He is the God of eternity. He established His plans before the ages of the world ever began. He is the unchangeable God.
Where is the Scripture that says that we should no longer bring forth children, but only spiritual children? Of course, it is nowhere to be found. We cannot make up our own doctrines. We must keep to God's infallible and eternal Word. And yes, He wants us to be witnesses, proclaiming God's truth of salvation and leading as many people as we can to Jesus, but this is not instead of having children. We do this as we continue God's first commandment of having children. In fact, we accomplish it more by having children. And we bring into the world more people to be revealers of God's image in the earth.
If we were to only birth spiritual children, we would soon have no spiritual children to birth, as we can only bring spiritual birth to children who have first been naturally born. The more children born into the world, the more can receive spiritual birth. And the more children God's people embrace from Him (for He only is the Giver of life), the more witnesses, preachers, and proclaimers of the truth we raise to bring people to Jesus in this world.
At this moment, we are destitute of the godly seed, so much so that we don't even have enough godly people to vote in righteous politicians and a godly president. This would not be our experience in this country if Christians had not stopped having the children God wanted them to have. Instead of filling the land with godly children, we have purposely limited them. This is far from God plan.
Love from Nancy
I want to share Rachael Stokes' testimony which she wrote in response to yesterday's post, especially because it is her little grandson, Jackson who is pictured. She shares:
After reading my post yesterday of TWELVE BIBLICAL REASONS WHY GOD GIVES US CHILDREN a number of mothers shared that it was hard for them to read because they struggle with the pain of infertility. Dear precious ladies in this situation, I want you to know that I agonize with you. The ache and longing for children can be unbearable. After many years of barrenness, Rachel, Jacob's wife, cried out in despair, "Give me children, or else I die" (Genesis 30:1).
1. BECAUSE HE WANTS TO BLESS YOU (Genesis 1:27-28; 9:1, 2, 7; Psalm 128:3-4 and loads of others). There is a whole chapter on these blessing Scriptures in the book, Be Fruitful and Multiply.
All about us we have voices vying for our attention. Voices that fill our mind, program our minds, and even propagandize us. What is the loudest voice in your mind?
Do you like to wear an apron? I'm one of those people who need to wear an apron when I'm preparing food or I soon stain my clothes. I love pretty aprons but mine don't stay pretty for very long as they soon become stained and look well-used.
Never give up. Keep faithfully building each new day to make your home a happy and healthy sanctuary for your husband and children.
The greatest temptation from the enemy of our souls is in our minds. This is where he loves to attack us most, or should I say, even torment us. It is in our minds that he brings thoughts of doubt, deception, despondency, rejection, anger, self-pity, and even despair. If we are not aware of his tactics and do not resist them, they will become bigger in our minds and he wins the victory.
My daughter, Serene's little boy, Shepherd, is the gatekeeper of their land. Because they have to keep their cows from getting to the neighbors, they have two gates to get to their home. One is about 500 feet from their home and the other about 100 feet.
God's will for you is to flourish in your home. Here's some ways to flourish in your home:
Did you know that God's plan for you is to FLOURISH? And where does He want you to flourish? In your home. Psalm 128:3-4 (TLB): “Your wife will be like fruitful vine, FLOURISHING within your home. And look at all those children! There they sit around your table as vigorous and healthy as young olive trees. That is the Lord’s reward for those who fear Him.”
Jesus came to glorify God on this earth (John 17:4). Although Jesus is no longer on earth in bodily form, He still has the same passion to glorify His Father on the earth. But now He wants to do it, not only in Jerusalem and Israel where He came in person, but throughout the whole earth. Now He wants to do it through YOU.
What is your disposition toward your husband? I was struck by another phrase in Way's translation of Titus 2:4 which exhorts wives "to be amiable and submissive to their own husbands." To be amiable makes for a happy and loving atmosphere.
I love the Arthur S. Way's translation of Titus 2:3-5 where it tells the older women their responsibilities: "They should be teachers of virtue, qualified to school in self-control the young women, to teach them to love their husbands and their children, to be discreet and chaste, to recognize that their sphere is home, to be amiable and submissive to their own husbands, so that no slander may assail the Word of God."
A friend shared with me an incident that happened at a ladies meeting. A mother arrived with a new baby and everyone was oohing and aahing over the baby. A mother of three was also delighting in the baby when she suddenly pushed away from the baby and said, "I must resist! I must resist!"
My friend, Heather Bryant shared this with me:
Mother, you are the light of your home and the light of the nation.
Recently I talked to a young man who is attending college. He shared how his professors advocate delaying marriage and childbearing until they establish themselves and their career. This is how all young people are educated today. Girls are urged to make sure they get settled in a career so that they will have a means of support "in case their marriage fails."
I was reading again in Daniel 3 the familiar story of how Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refused to bow to the golden image. They were the only ones who refused to bow. It is amazing that everyone else in Babylon had become a victim and slave to do what they were told. They were indoctrinated and brainwashed that this was the right thing to do. It says that "all the people, the nations, and the languages fell down and worshipped the golden image" (v
Do you feel as though you have too much work to do today? When can you get time to rest? Can I encourage you with the words of Jesus? He said: "My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work" (John 4:34). Jesus also said: "I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work" (John 9:4). Read also John 5:17, 36; 6:27, 38; and 17:4.