Dearest Mothers, Who Are You Training Your Children For?

Dearest Mothers,

Today I went with Mark 6:12 Ministries https://www.youtube.com/user/mark612ministries?feature=results_main  to give the gospel at the annual  running competition in Duluth called, The Grandma's Marathon. Thousands of people from all over the World attend this event to participate or observe. Steve and John preached the gospel while the rest of us gave out tracts and held signs and banners.
It was an exciting day indeed as we had many wonderful opportunities to talk to people, one-on-one about the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ.
  
We are familiar with the usual scoffers and mockers, but each year it is worse then the year before. Many people hate the message of the cross, and as the days become more evil the numbers of people increase who exhibit pure hatred of the gospel message.

This blog is for encouraging young mothers to train their children for Jesus Christ, so even though giving the gospel and sharing with people is very exciting, I want to shift to the purpose of this post-

My greatest grief and heart ache is when I see more and more of the children and young people becoming despisers of truth. I'm sorry to say it is much worse now- more then ever before in past years. I wish you could have seen the hardness in their very young faces as we offered tracts or as they read our signs, so you could better understand the seriousness of what I am saying. How can children be so hard and exhibit such hatred and scorn for the gospel?

God tells Parents to train up children in the way that they should go, Proverbs 22:6  He tells us foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child, Proverbs 22:15  But He gives instructions in the training of children, see Deuteronomy 6:4. There are so many other verses which speak of training children for God, you can find them in this blog, but better yet go straight to the Bible. The children and young people who are so hateful and opposed the the gospel are being trained but for evil and for satan.

There is a training of children for God, and there is a training of children for satan.

 Do nothing to teach children truth, neglect them and just give them over to the World and satan will take over to train them. They will be trained in violence, immorality, disrespect for authority, in hatred and every evil thing imaginable. They will hate God and His people. It is happening today, I quake for the future of America and for the World.

Judgement is here. America deserves judgement as she has made it legal to shed innocent blood through abortion, close to 60 million babies slaughtered since 1973. She been given over to violence, and corruption. Her people are despisers of God and His Son Jesus Christ the Lord, the Creator of all.This Scripture describes it well:

This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. (2 Timothy 3:1-5)


- Please wake up Mothers- don't leave your children to be trained by vile and corrupt haters of God. You teach them Truth- Jesus said, "I am the Way the Truth and the Life, no man can come unto the Father but by Me."
Read the Bible to them, teach the Word of God, expose the lies of the devil to them (who wants them to hate God and end up in hell.) Give them truth- fight for their souls! Deny yourselves and take up the cross and follow Jesus- it's hard work but with strength from God you can do it. Invest your time in training your children for the Lord Jesus.

He that soweth iniquity shall reap vanity: and the rod of his anger shall fail.
(Proverbs 22:8)
The fear of the LORD prolongeth days: but the years of the wicked shall be shortened. The hope of the righteous shall be gladness: but the expectation of the wicked shall perish. The way of the LORD is strength to the upright: but destruction shall be to the workers of iniquity. The righteous shall never be removed: but the wicked shall not inhabit the earth. The mouth of the just bringeth forth wisdom: but the froward tongue shall be cut out. The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable: but the mouth of the wicked speaketh frowardness. (Proverbs 10:27-32)

THE CHRISTIAN MOTHER by John Abbot- 1833 Chapter one part 2

THE CHRISTIAN MOTHER
by John Abbott, 1833, Worcester, Mass. Published by the American Tract Society

Read: Chapter One: Part One

Part Two:
The Mother's RESPONSIBILITY
"Be an example . . . in speech, in the way you live, in your love, your faith, and your purity." 1 Timothy 4:12
"Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it." Proverbs 22:6


. . . A pious and faithful mother may have a dissolute child. He may break away from all restraints, and God may leave him to "eat the fruit of his own devices." The parent, thus afflicted and broken-hearted, can only bow before the sovereignty of her Maker, who says, "be still, and know that I am God." The consciousness, however, of having done one's duty, divests this affliction of much of its bitterness. And beside, such cases are rare.
Profligate children are generally the offspring of parents who have neglected the moral and religious education of their family. Some parents are themselves profligate, and thus not only allow their children to grow up unrestrained, but by their example lure them to sin. But there are others, who are very upright, and virtuous, and even pious themselves, who do, nevertheless, neglect the moral culture of their children; and as a consequence, they grow up in disobedience and sin. It matters but little what the cause is which leads to this neglect. The neglect itself will ordinarily be followed by disobedience and self-will.
Hence the reason that children of eminent men, both in church and state, are not unfrequently the disgrace of their parents. If the mother is unaccustomed to govern her children, if she looks to the father to enforce obedience, and to control; when he is absent, all family government is absent, and the children are left to run wild—to learn lessons of disobedience; to practise arts of deception; to build, upon the foundation of contempt for a mother, a character of insubordination and iniquity. But if the children are under the efficient government of a judicious mother, the reverse of this is almost invariably the case. And since, in nearly every instance, the early years of life are entrusted to a mother's care, it follows that maternal influence, more than any thing else, forms the future character.
The history of John Newton is often mentioned as a proof of the deep and lasting impression which a mother may produce upon the mind of her child. He had a pious mother. She often retired to her closet, and placing her hand upon his youthful head, implored God's blessing upon her boy. These prayers and instructions sunk deep into his heart. He could not but revere that mother. He could not but feel that there was a holiness in such a character, demanding reverence and love. He could not tear from his heart, in after life, the impressions then produced. Though he became a wicked wanderer, though he forsook friends and home, and every virtue; the remembrance of a mother's prayers, like a guardian angel, followed him wherever he went. He mingled in the most evil and disgraceful scenes of a sailor's life, and while surrounded with guilty associates, in midnight revelry, he would fancy he felt the soft hand of his mother upon his head, pleading with God to forgive and bless her boy. He went to the coast of Africa, and became even more degraded than the savages upon her dreary shores. But the soft hand of his mother was still upon his head, and the fervent prayers of his mother still thrilled in his heart. And this influence, after the lapse of many guilty years, brought back the prodigal, a penitent and a child of God; elevated him to be one of the brightest ornaments of the Christian church, and to guide many sons and daughters to glory. What a forcible comment is this upon the power of maternal influence! And what
encouragement does this present to every mother to be faithful in her efforts to train up her child for God! Had Mrs. Newton neglected her duty, had she even been as remiss as many Christian mothers, her son, to all human view, might have continued in sin, and been an outcast from heaven. It was through the influence of the mother that the son was saved. Newton became afterward a most successful preacher of the Gospel, and every soul which he was instrumental in saving, as he sings the song of redeeming mercy, will, through eternity, bless God that Newton had such a mother.
The influence thus exerted upon the mind, in early childhood, may, for many years, be apparently lost. When a son leaves home, and enters upon the busy world, many are the temptations which come crowding upon him. If he leaves home without established principles of religion and self-control, he will most assuredly fall before these temptations. He may indeed fall, even after all a mother has done, or can do; and he may become deeply involved in guilt.
But he may apparently forget every lesson he learnt at home, while the influence of a mother's instructions, and a mother's prayers, is yet working powerfully and effectually in his heart. He will think of a mother's tears, when remorse keeps him awake at midnight, or when danger threatens him with speedy arraignment at the bar of God. The thoughts of the sacredness of home will often throw bitterness into his cup of guilty pleasure, and compel him to sigh for the virtue and the peace he has forsaken. Even though far away, in abodes of infamy, degraded and abandoned, he must occasionally think of a broken-hearted mother. Thus may he, after many years, perhaps long after she has gone down to the grave, be led, by the remembrance of her virtues, to forsake his sins.
A short time since, a gentleman, in one of our most populous cities, was going to attend a seaman's meeting in the mariner's chapel. Directly opposite the chapel there was a sailor's boarding house. In the door-way sat a hardy, weather-beaten sailor, with arms folded, and puffing a cigar, watching the people as they gradually assembled for the meeting. The gentleman walked up to him and said, "Well, my friend, won't you go with us to meeting?"
"No!" said the sailor, bluntly. The gentleman, who, from the appearance of the man, was prepared for a repulse, mildly replied, "You look, my friend, as though you had seen hard days; have you a mother?" The sailor raised his head, looked earnestly in the gentleman's face, and made no reply.
The gentleman continued—"Suppose your mother were here now, what advice would she give you?" The tears rushed into the eyes of the poor sailor; he tried for a moment to conceal them, but could not; and, hastily brushing them away with the back of his rough hand, rose and said, with a voice almost inarticulate through emotion, "I'll go to the meeting." He crossed the street, entered the door of the chapel, and took his seat with the assembled congregation.
What afterward became of the man is not known. It is however almost certain that he must have had a mother who had given him good instruction; and when the gentleman appealed to her, hardened as the sailor was, his heart melted. It is by no means improbable that this interview may have checked this man in his sins, and led him to Christ. At any event, it shows the strength of maternal influence. It shows that years of wandering and of sin cannot erase from the heart the impression which a mother's instructions and a mother's prayers have left there.

Continue To Read: Chapter One: Part Three

Christian Parents That Actually Love and Cherish Their Little Ones!

Dearest Mothers,

I am so blessed to know some Christian parents that actually love and cherish their little ones. The godly love shows in the character of their children, the brightness of their faces and the peace in their spirit. Their children are being trained in the nurture and admonition of the Lord Jesus.

There is something different about these children from children of most other christian families.

I'd like to expound on this a bit for the joy and excitement I have seeing this family!

The parents love the Lord Jesus Christ and have committed themselves to Him. It is obvious that they obey God in His Word. Here are a few verses that I can testify they follow:

1. Study to show yourself approved unto God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. But shun profane and vain utterances: for they will increase unto more ungodliness. (2Ti 2:15-16)

2. In all things showing yourself a pattern of good works: in doctrine showing incorruptness, gravity, sincerity, Sound speech, that cannot be condemned; that he that is an opponent may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you. (Tit 2:7-8)

3. And, you fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. (Eph 6:4)

4. Therefore shall you lay up these my words in your heart and in your soul, and bind them for a sign upon your hand, that they may be as frontlets between your eyes. And you shall teach them to your children, speaking of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. And you shall write them upon the door posts of your house, and upon your gates: That your days may be multiplied, and the days of your children, in the land which the LORD swore unto your fathers to give them, as the days of heaven upon the earth. (Deu 11:18-21)

There are many other Scriptures I could place here... They take their walk in the Lord Jesus soberly and seriously.

What does God think of a family that obey Him?
God is well pleased with such a family, showing favor with rich blessings and grace upon them.

Great peace have they who love your law: and nothing shall offend them. LORD, I have hoped for your salvation, and done your commandments. My soul has kept your testimonies; and I love them exceedingly. I have kept your precepts and your testimonies: for all my ways are before you. [Tau] Let my cry come near before you, O LORD: give me understanding according to your word. Let my supplication come before you: deliver me according to your word. My lips shall utter praise, when you have taught me your statutes. My tongue shall speak of your word: for all your commandments are righteousness. Let your hand help me; for I have chosen your precepts. I have longed for your salvation, O LORD; and your law is my delight. Let my soul live, and it shall praise you; and let your judgments help me. (Psa 119:165-175)


What does the world think of a family that actually obey God?

The natural man does not understand such a family....
A family that does not watch movies, avoids TV., does not leave their children to play alone with other children, separates themselves from worldly activity. A family that does not entertain their children with worldly games and videos.

Since therefore Christ has suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin; That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God. For the time past of our life will suffice us to have done the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in licentiousness, lusts, excess of wine, reveling, carousing, and abominable idolatries: In which they think it strange that you run not with them to the same excess of dissipation, speaking evil of you:(1Pe 4:1-4)


The parents in this family are nurturing their children with the things of the Lord. Jesus Christ is the exciting subject of each hour. Jesus is exalted and honored and the children are very excited about Bible stories and songs. The children dance and jump to the praises of Jesus Christ. They have not been corrupted with worldly excitement and pleasure but are learning the rich and true treasures of God. And they see the fulfillment and peace He gives to those who love Him.


Mothers, this is a beautiful picture. Every time I see this family my heart rejoices! The children honor Jesus Christ and have a heart for evangelism. Yes, at very early ages, (even at around one year old) they are loving the Lord Jesus and have respect for their parents. Let me tell you, they are a delight to be around!

A Christian mother has a great responsibility before God to raise her children for Him. This is no game dear mothers, it is a very serious and difficult yet rewarding job.

The mother of the family I am talking about has given up her own fleshly desires. She is seeking the Lord Jesus for direction and help which He is abundantly pouring out upon her. This mother is careful to honor her husband and submit herself to him, being an example of obedience to God that her children can see. This mother feels the weight of the responsibility to raise her children for Him and dedicates her hours and days to this task. She is a wise women and builds her home on the solid Rock of Jesus Christ.(Every wise woman builds her house: but the foolish plucks it down with her hands.Pro 14:1)
This mother prays for her children and teaches them to pray for others and needs that arise. She is praying for her husband, financial needs, spiritual protection and help, everything that comes up in daily living and finding God to be very faithful. This mother rises up in the morning praying that she might have wisdom to train her children for Jesus, and prays for their salvation.

I love to talk to this godly mother. I love to hear how God shows her fun and interesting ways to teach her precious children the things of God in every day experiences. While sitting at the table eating, playing together, reading, taking walks or drives, what ever the case may be, God shows her something she can say to them about Him. Praise God for this! Her children are being so blessed by their Mother as she invests her time into their learning and growing for the glory of God!

It grieves me to hear mothers say they would like to be ministering to others outside the home someway. Your children are your ministry right now... Be faithful and maybe in a few years ahead God will be able to use you because you were faithful to the task HE has given you NOW!

Pray for wisdom dear mothers, God is able to provide it and He will if you seek Him with your whole heart. Love your children, invest your time and days in training them for Him!

................................


I do realize there are some mothers who feel they need to go off to work for financial reasons and can't be home, or single mothers who would love to be home. I am going to say something to you that might seem impossible... but with God all things are possible.. Pray that God will show you a way to stay home and raise your children for Him. It's that important and our God is that powerful.
I am talking to women who truly belong to God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Do not limit God in your thoughts. Here is what God has told older women to say to you who are younger:

"That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed." (Tit 2:4-5)

Did you notice He said,"keepers at home"? "AT" is exactly what is said here. This is not a popular message in our culture these days. The reason it is not popular is because satan has deceived many women into thinking they can be independent of any control from men. These feminist women criticize, ridicule, degrade and scorn any women that willing submits herself to her husband. This lie from satan is the same lie that he gave Eve in the Garden of Eden, and the very opposite of what God commanded women: "Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee." (Gen 3:16)
The feminist spirit is prevalent in our world and it is a rebellious spirit against our God. Please pray and seek the Lord to reveal any feminist spirit that might be in you and repent of it. Ask God to change your attitude and give you His perspective and wisdom. Humble yourself under the mighty hand of God: "Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:" (1Pe 5:6-8)

To the single mothers I make a plea to you to understand that God is able to provide for you too if you will trust in Him. This message may seem ridiculous to some but God is very able to take care of you and provide. Read this story of a widow with two sons, our God can provide and will if you but ask Him:
"Now there cried a certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets unto Elisha, saying, Thy servant my husband is dead; and thou knowest that thy servant did fear the LORD: and the creditor is come to take unto him my two sons to be bondmen. And Elisha said unto her, What shall I do for thee? tell me, what hast thou in the house? And she said, Thine handmaid hath not any thing in the house, save a pot of oil. Then he said, Go, borrow thee vessels abroad of all thy neighbors, even empty vessels; borrow not a few. And when thou art come in, thou shalt shut the door upon thee and upon thy sons, and shalt pour out into all those vessels, and thou shalt set aside that which is full. So she went from him, and shut the door upon her and upon her sons, who brought the vessels to her; and she poured out. And it came to pass, when the vessels were full, that she said unto her son, Bring me yet a vessel. And he said unto her, There is not a vessel more. And the oil stayed. Then she came and told the man of God. And he said, Go, sell the oil, and pay thy debt, and live thou and thy children of the rest." (2Ki 4:1-7)





Happy are you, O Israel: who is like unto you, O people saved by the LORD, the shield of your help, and who is the sword of your excellency! and your enemies shall submit unto you; and you shall tread upon their high places.
(Deu 33:29)

Mothers, Teach Your Children To Think About Jesus All The Time !

Dearest Mothers,
Life is so short! I remember an old saying, "One life will soon be past, only what's done for Christ will last."

One life will soon be past.. Have you thought about that very much?

One day your children will be grown and leave home.

One day you may find yourself looking into a mirror and thinking, I was once young.

One day you may wonder where the time went and how you spent your years.

One day you will die and face your Creator...

One life will soon be past.

"Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come and the years draw near of which you will say, "I have no pleasure in them"... before the silver cord is snapped, or the golden bowl is broken, or the pitcher is shattered at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern, and the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the spirit returns to God who gave it. . . The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil." (Ecc 12:1-7,13,14)

Remember God, our Creator!

It seems to me many, many people have forgotten their Creator, in fact it seems they would like to avoid remembering Him all together. A person can forget God and ignore His promptings to think about Him or seek Him by keeping busy with numerous activities. For most people it is more comfortable to play a game, watch a video, do crafts, be "busy" on the computer, do sports, go shopping, visit friends, go to church and church activities, etc... But remember our Creator? Do you doubt this? What is it we women talk about when visiting with a friend, in a group meeting/gathering, at home with our children, or with our husband? Is it about our Creator Jesus Christ? Is He prominent in our conversations?

How can we expect our children to think about Jesus Christ the Lord and love Him if we don't? Our children are watching and learning from us.


If we say,"Oh I do remember God every day! I talk to Him and read the Bible almost everyday. I love Him!" But as the old saying goes, "Actions speak louder than words." How does your daily living show that you love Jesus and remember Him?

Think about a young girl newly engaged and in love. Her mind is on the young man she is going to marry and wants to talk to him and of him all the time. It does not take very long to learn what is important to a person. If the Lord Jesus is in your mind all the time, you are going to want to talk about Him.

We say we love Jesus and to obey Him is important to us. We sing, "He is everything to me." But please, please take a serious look at what you are communicating to your children. Does Jesus Christ the Lord saturate your day? Do you talk about Him in your daily activities and living ? Do your children know that life should be centered around Him in work, play, meals, sleep, and in all things we do?

Are you reminding your children daily that He is their Creator and we owe everything to Him, even our breath? It is not possible to talk about Jesus Christ the Lord too much!


We need to obey God in training our children properly for Him. Get away from the Worldly ideas of teaching your children through entertainment, empty books and recordings that forsake the truth about God. They deny any knowledge of God and actually produce an anti-God spirit. Even things that might seem cute or harmless can be wrong if they are replacing the things of God.

Teach them God's way! Remember your Creator! Point them to Him daily and continually! Please read this scripture carefully and pray for wisdom in training your children for Him.:

"You shall therefore lay up these words of mine in your heart and in your soul, and you shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall teach them to your children, talking of them when you are sitting in your house, and when you are walking by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates, that your days and the days of your children may be multiplied in the land that the LORD swore to your fathers to give them, as long as the heavens are above the earth." (Deuteronomy 11:18-21)


Our children need to learn the truth about God. He is most important in every aspect of life. Nothing compares to Jesus Christ and knowing Him. All else pales in value and excitement. Why waste time in things that are perishing when we can invest our lives in eternal things! Teach these eternal things to your children!

"While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal." (2Co 4:18)


HE knows our thoughts...

"O LORD, you have searched me and known me! You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar. You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways. Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O LORD, you know it altogether"...
(Psalm 139:1-4)



Mothers..........get serious about raising your children for Jesus,

One life will soon be past.
Only what is done for Christ will last!