JOY FILLED PARENTING - 5 (DO NOT BE A HINDRANCE TO YOUR CHILDREN)

“Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them...” – Matthew 19:14

Few people tried to bring their little children to Jesus for Him to bless them but His disciples rebuked them. Jesus saw that and said, “Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them.”

As parents are we letting our children to go to Jesus by leading them to Him or are we hindering our children?

I knew a servant of God who was living in a particular city. He has a little daughter. There was a popular school in that city and he had all the financial requirements to make his daughter study in that school. The school had a great reputation but yet he admitted his daughter in another school. 

When he was speaking to one of my family members, he told the reason that the school syllabus has internet even for small children and if he had put her in that school she might not get close to Jesus Christ. As a father he feared that his daughter might fall into the sin as she won’t understand the dangers behind that internet. He thought that he should not be a hindrance in her life and so he admitted her in another school where internet and related things will be taught only to those in the teen age. 

Sometimes as parents we have to take decisions that will lead our children to Jesus and not away from Jesus Christ. You should not put your children in a vulnerable place and then feel bad when something happens to your child. The decisions that you take regarding your children is very important for they have an effect in their life. 

On that day the disciples of Jesus blocked the way for the little children to reach Jesus and so Jesus rebuked His disciples. 

Do not let Jesus get angry upon you by being a stumbling block to your children. He has entrusted you a greater responsibility. Make sure in all circumstances that your children grew in the knowledge of God. God will surely give you His grace. 

WORSHIP AND PRAISE GOD EVEN WHEN YOU FACE TOUGH TIMES

And he said: “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, And naked shall I return there. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; Blessed be the name of the Lord.” – Job 1:21

Job was a blameless and upright person who had kept his trust upon God. He had seven sons and three daughters. He was a wealthy person. On a particular day few of his servants came and told him that all his wealth were taken and destroyed and his children were also dead because of a great wind that came and struck the four corners of the house and it fell on them.

Bible recorded the reactions of Job after he had lost everything. Job arose, tore his rob, shaved his head and worshiped saying, “The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; Blessed be the name of the Lord.”

He praised God even after he heard that he had lost all of his possessions, wealth and children. Such was his love upon God. 

His wife asked him to curse God and die. But even at that time he did not spoke anything against God. Even at the toughest circumstances of his life, he praised God. Finally God has blessed him twice as much as he had before.

Recently I heard a testimony of a Pastor. Few months back as he was travelling to a particular place, he had met with an accident. The car in which he was travelling was crushed and the bones in his arm were broken to pieces. He could see his bones which was penetrating outside the flesh. As blood was dripping he said, “God thank you for permitting this accident in my life.”

His friends took him to hospital. And doctors put back his arm to the normal position after keeping 8 plates inside his arm. They finally told him that he can never move his fingers throughout his life time. To which he praised and thank God for saving his life. He kept his faith upon God and worshipped Him. Months passed and finally God healed him completely and he could move his fingers so freely. 

Few weeks before he released a worship CD in which he had played music with the same hand.

He went through miserable condition but yet he had chosen to worship and praise God. So God blessed him richly. 

My dear young friends, praise God even when you face tough situations. You might have a bad health or bad financial status or broken family. It might be anything. The situations around you might seem to be a Jericho wall to you. Just praise God. You will see God working in your life. The problems and troubles that you are facing will certainly disappear when you praise God. Job worshiped God and He blessed him with greater blessings. He will do the same in your life. You will receive greater blessings.

GHG PRESENTS HADASSAH - VIDEO PRESENTATION ON THE LIFE STORY OF QUEEN ESTHER

ASK THE LORD FOR THE BLESSING AND ASK THE BLESSING FOR THE LORD

“...the Lord remembered her.” – 1 Samuel 1:19

In 1 Samuel 1^st chapter we read about the life of Hannah. Hannah was barren and so her rival provoked her severely. Though her husband loved her a lot, her life was miserable because she had no child. She longed for that blessing but yet nothing happened in her life. 

One day with all her sorrow and bitterness, she ran to God’s presence and prayed a beautiful prayer. 

“Then she made a vow and said, “O Lord of hosts, if You will indeed look on the affliction of Your maidservant and remember me, and not forget Your maidservant, but will give Your maidservant a male child, then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life, and no razor shall come upon his head.” - 1 Samuel 1:11

Bible records that God heard her prayers and He remembered her and blessed her with a child. She did two wonderful things which made God to remember her. 

1.      She asked the Lord for the blessing. 

“So it came to pass in the process of time that Hannah conceived and bore a son, and called his name Samuel, saying, “Because I have asked for him from the Lord.” – 1 Samuel 1:20

In Genesis 30^th Chapter we read about a woman named Rachel. Jacob was her husband and she was also barren. She went to Jacob and said, “Give me children or else I die.”

Though Hannah was barren she had never went to her husband believing that he can give her a children but she knew that she has a God who can give her a child. So she went to God’s presence and had poured all her expectations, sorrow to Him. She asked God for a child and so God remembered and blessed her.

2.      She asked the blessing for the Lord.

“...then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life..." - 1 Samuel 1:11

Hannah never had thought that she will ask the blessing and once she receive it she will say thanks to the Lord and move on her own way with the blessing that she received from the Lord.

But she made a vow saying that she will give that blessing to the Lord. She asked the blessing for the Lord so that God can use that blessing for His glory. 

And so God remembered her and blessed her with Samuel. God used Samuel as prophet to anoint David as a king over Israel. God used Samuel for His glory.

My dear young friends, are you in need of a blessing? Ask God and also make a vow to God that you will give that blessing into God’s hands so that He will use it according to His will. If you make a commitment today, God will richly bless you and through you many will get blessed.

JESUS CHRIST IS STILL LOVING YOU

“For I am the Lord, I do not change; Therefore you are not consumed, O sons of Jacob.” – Malachi 3:6 

In Luke 15:11-32, we read about a father who had two sons. The father had great plans about his children and he wants them to stay with him always. But one day the younger one came to the father and asked for his portion of wealth. The father might have understood the plan of his younger son and with so much sorrow in his heart he would have given him his portion of wealth.

Within few days the younger son decided to leave his father and he made a journey to a far place. He lived a life according to his own desire. He wasted all his possession in a prodigal living. And then immediately he had started to face several problems in his life. He could not even get to eat the food of swine.

One day he decided to return back to his father. He knew he is not worthy to be his son but yet he returned back to his father. As he returned his father saw him and had great compassion on him. The father ran to him and kissed him.  His love upon his son had never changed. 

It’s true that his son was not obedient to him. He has not listened to the voice of his father and destroyed the wealth that was given to him by his father. He brought shame to the reputation of his father. The father had all rights to judge him according to his deeds and actions. 

But yet the father loved his son. Though the son’s character and deeds changed, the father had not changed. 

You might have gone away from God. Your love upon God has changed a lot. You are not praying as you have prayed before because you do not love God as you have loved Him before. You have given God’s place to someone and you love that particular person and the sin you are in more than God. You do not fear God anymore. You moved away from God and from His blessings. 

God has every right to judge you and come against you. But yet even today He is waiting for you with so much compassion. Today God says to you, “For I am the Lord, I do not change; Therefore you are not consumed” 

You are not destroyed because God’s love upon you has not changed. Today you are not facing any shame in your life though you are doing sinful deeds is because God is still holding onto you. 

His love upon you remains the same. He has the same compassion on you as He had upon you years back. He is still waiting for you. You have changed a lot. But He is God and He change not.

If you surrender your life to God today, Jesus Christ will bless you with richest blessings and He will keep you in His bosom for the rest of your days. You will live as His son and you will be a blessing. He is waiting for you with an unchanging love.

GOD'S PROMISE FOR THE MONTH OF OCTOBER'15