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As Christian PARENTS I suppose our greatest concern is for the salvation and happiness of our children. It is a difficult time to raise them. I believe most parents try to do their best. It is not what the church alone can provide. Home has more responsibility - Godly instructions, seeing and hearing the right things and the application of the Token. No matter how old you are, and how old your children become, they will still hurt you deeply, even those that are grown and in church.
Is it worth it? I would have to say yes, scripturally yes.
Ps 127:3 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.
Many times children as they grow older do not realize what they have. The following was posted by Channel 4 News concerning children needing a home that are in foster care.
Channel 4 News - "Being a teenager can be confusing. Being a teenager in foster care only adds to tat confusion. Meet 15-year-old Skylar hoping to find some clarity and stability with a family of his own. They showed his picture with a basket ball, a nice looking young boy."
One of the online response was; "Heartbreaking! Many 15 yr olds think they can't wait to move out, make their own rules, live their own lives and this child is looking for love, structure, a safe place to call home. I pray he finds a truly good family that wants the best for Skylar."
CHILDREN NEED A HOME WHERE THE TOKEN IS APPLIED
Children need a home, parents and Christian guidance to know how to live, work and be what God has called them to be.
Prov 22:6 Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.
Deut 6:6 And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: 7 And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.
THE BOYS AND GIRLS I SPOKE WITH SEPARATELY IN OUR CHURCH
I spoke to the boys about being a boy, being strong, how important they were as young men to the future of the church and not just our church, but the future of a family and the future of God's plan. I showed them their scriptural covenant (Genesis 3:17-19).
I spoke with the girls about fellowship, friendship and the importance of the being a group together. And how the older youth should influence the younger. They need one another and to be a part of each other, to help and encourage the other that needs it.
I spoke to them about, being a lady in regards to their covenant (Genesis 3:16).
THE WORLD'S INFLUENCE
55-0123A THE.APPROACH.TO.GOD_ CHICAGO.IL SUNDAY_
When Job was the oldest Book in the Bible... And when Job, an old man... And just before that disaster happened to his home, he got kind of worried. He had a bunch of children, and they were worldly, going out, mingling with the things of the world.
And all of we parents know what a feeling that is. When your children, your very heart, begins to mingle with the world, get out among the unbelievers. I don't suppose Billy is present at the time; I think he's out maybe talking to Brother Wood. But in our city, we do not have a Christian school. And there's a bunch of worldly children, girls and boys too. And when I thought of sending my boy to that school, knowing that everything that I drilled into him, unless he becomes really converted, really come to Christ, that is, all of his nature would be changed, he'd be swept out from under my hands, as soon as he got with this worldly bunch. Because the very nature in him, no matter, being a good boy, that doesn't... Having a minister father, a religious home, where we don't approve of any of the worldly things in our home... We try to live by the grace of God, like Christians ought to live, the influence set before him. I knowed if he was lost, he'd certainly walk over a righteous home, to be lost by. And I want him to have to walk over my life. And he'd have to walk over the Bible. He'd have to walk over the Blood of Christ. Because I'll certainly, by God's grace, present it in front of him.
But if his nature isn't changed, he will go right on just the same. And how I think of the day that Billy entered high school. And how I thought, "Oh, my." And knowing that he yet... He had, oh, he'd been baptized, certainly, but had never made a full surrender, consecration to Christ. Knowing that the nature of a child yet was in him, how my heart yearned for him, and how I'd pray, go out in my car and ride around and say, "God, don't let my boy get wrapped up in that kind of a stuff out there." How that I said, "God, I--I hope, I pray, his mother's dead, and I've been both daddy and mother to him. So please don't let him get wrapped up out there, and get in trouble. Some way, will You just protect him?" - William Branham
A continuation from the same sermon:
...A couple of days before, I said, "Billy, you're treading on dangerous ground. Get out of the company you're in." I said, "The Lord Jesus showed me last night, just before I went to bed, while standing in the room there, after prayer, I seen you not listen to what I was saying. But you jumped from a window, and I seen you turning, head up, and heels up, like that, going over, and over, going through space." I said," You must stop running with that kind of company." Well, a kid, he just kept on. - William Branham
2 Cor 6:14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?
64-0830E QUESTIONS.AND.ANSWERS.4_ JEFFERSONVILLE.IN COD SUNDAY_
Brother Branham, what achievement should we let our preteenage children participate in? (I beg your pardon, it's)--what activities should our preteen children anticipate-- participate in. Also, how should we go about helping them select their associates?
Keep them in Christian company as long as you possibly can. Keep them with... If it's a girl, keep her with Christian girls; Christian boys, vice versa. If she's old enough to go with a boy, see that she keeps with the right kind of boy. Discourage her to any boy otherwise, or boy to a girl. If she's going with an unbeliever, try to encourage her to go with a believer, and vice versa. Make your home nice. Make your home a place where your daughter or son will not be ashamed to bring their company before their father and mother, and into their house; and make home so happy that they'll be pleased in their home to stay there.
62-0128A A.PARADOX_ PHOENIX.AZ SUNDAY_
One time when a believer got in the wrong company... (We have that all the time.) A believer by the name of Jehoshaphat got into the wrong company with Ahab, a make-believer. And when a make-believer and a believer gets together, you got trouble. Now, when you get a believer in a seminary that's got a bunch of make-believers in there, you got trouble again.
So Jehoshaphat wanted an axe to grind-or Ahab, rather, sent for Jehoshaphat to come down. He showed him all the glory of his Kingdom. And Jehoshaphat, like a believer... Sometimes seeing the exciting, something extraordinary, he becomes excited about it. And that's when the man has to watch. That's where you girls have to watch some little guy with his hair slicked down and... Be careful. And some of you boys has to watch that little--you little Jezebel, you know, and would lead you off the wrong way. Be careful. Stay in the right company.
WHAT CAN WE DO?
Dad, be a Dad, husband and a Believer. Mom, be everything God has called you to be. It is not as hard as doing the contrary to the Word.
We have a promise, regardless of what it seems like, or how bad our children may become someday. They are sinners and must be saved just like you were.
61-0808 THY.HOUSE_ TIFTON.GA TUESDAY_
« E-31 † Now, if I am praying that God will save these teen-age children, and I believe with all my heart He will do it, see that's the same way Job stood. Say, "Oh, look at this kid, how he's doing." I don't care what he's doing or what she's doing. I still have put that child in the hand of Almighty God and my--me and my house shall be saved. See? Because I...
Even though I may pass on before they do, but somehow before they leave here, God will twist them right down on the trail. I--I believe that... Somehow or another. He will make it so miserable for them, till they will have to do it. See?
And that's the way I believe, it's, "Thou and thy house shall be saved."
I've seen a many that... I've watched that come into my meetings. Many time, an old boy will come up there that's been rough all of his life. He fall down on his knees and go to crying, and get up, say, "Well, I had a dear old mother. Oh, if she's in heaven tonight, I know she's looking down and she is glad to see me at this altar."
See? What it is, that old mother prayed and believed. See, she's gone on long ago, but here's them prayers. Because the righteousness... See, thy and thy house shall be saved. God knows how to work. He knows how to do. He knows how to do everything just right. - William Branham
Pastor Bill Ivy, Living Word Tabernacle, Campbell Missouri USA
www.livingwordtabernacle.com