Sunday, October 16, 2016

Are You Preparing The Next Generation?

The answer for our nation's future, and really...for that of the entire world is quite clear. The answer is of God, and lies distinctly in His Word. It is our future generations. The answer for a better tomorrow lies in the hands of our own children and grandchildren. Yes, we must seek the face of God for our nation, and for ourselves today! We need divine intervention now! And God will do it if we His people will humble ourselves and pray, and seek His face, and turn from our wicked ways. But what about tomorrow? What about after you and I are gone? What about the next generation? How will they impact our world? Will things get better or worse? Instead of fearing for the future of our children and grandchildren, our generation can do something now about the future!

Listen to Proverbs 22:6. "Train up a child in the way he should go, even when he is old he will not depart from it." This verse not only applies to teaching your children right from wrong, according to the Bible. But it deals with the future. This is God's way. We are facing way too much trouble today, because Christian parents failed to accomplish the above verse of Scripture in the past. I want to look more closely at the Scripture above.

The words "train up", from the original language have meaning that perhaps most Christian parents don't realize. Very early training for the child is indicated by this word. Some meanings: to initiate, to teach; to dedicate, to consecrate, to inaugurate. This Hebrew verb "Chanak" occurs 5 times in the Bible. Let's look at a couple of examples. (I Kings 8:63), "Solomon offered for the sacrifice of peace offerings, which he offered to the LORD, 22,000 oxen and 120,000 sheep. So the king and all the sons of Israel dedicated the house of the LORD." Another example: (2 Chronicles 7:5), "King Solomon offered a sacrifice of 22,000 oxen and 120,000 sheep. Thus the king and all the people dedicated the house of God." This Hebrew verb describes something very similar to our ground-breaking ceremony.

It's very common for Christian parents to "dedicate" their children to the Lord very early. But this Hebrew word "Chanak" goes much deeper than a simple ceremony. Along with the dedication, it is a commitment to properly train the child to live in our world according to Jesus, and His Word. Not only is this "dedication" and "consecration" a commitment by the parents, but by the community as well.

Let me share a very important reason we need to prepare the next generation. You see, there is a hole in our society representing over 50 million babies aborted since 1973. Think about the world-changer that never made it out of the womb. Think about the possible cancer-curers snuffed out before they were born. Think about the Preachers, Pastors, Teachers, Apostles, Prophets, and Evangelists whose voices and ministries were never heard. How could that not affect our land? But there is still hope. It is the upcoming generations. Those whose parents get it. Those who are not being trained by the latest trends and fads of our culture. But those who are being trained up in the way they should go....the way of God! God's way is counter-cultural, but most powerful. God's way is the way that changes lives of billions for eternity!

The above verse Proverbs 22:6 is not just another verse to encourage parents to train their children to be good Christians in the midst of a lot of bad folk. No, it is a challenge to change the future of cities and nations. Parents please get this. As long as your children are young, you can train them up way they should go. Again, this verse deals with their future, and the future of the world. Make a commitment NOW to be very particular about what they watch, see, hear, listen to, where they go in person, and on the internet. Provide them with materials. Talk to them. Teach them about Jesus. Pray with them. Teach them that to be a world-changer, they eventually will be faced with going against the flow of this world. And never forget, either you will train them up in the way they should go (God's individual destiny for them), or the world will train them up in a way that opposes God.

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