As loving parents, we will work hard to give our children the very best we can. We will see to it that they always have food to eat, that they grow up in a comfortable home, and that they have nice, clean clothes to wear. We will seek out opportunities for the best education. In an attempt to make sure our kids are sociable, well rounded, and liked by others, we sign them up for many, many different activities like sports, music instruction, etc. We teach our children to eat their vegetables, do their homework and finish what they start. We never miss a game and tell them we love them each night before bed. A person could mark each of these items off their "what a good parent should do" checklist and feel pretty good about themselves. But unfortunately, it's not enough! The enemy has us right where he wants us, believing that our children's futures are secure!
Just now, that feeling of "What more could I do? I'm a good parent!" has begun to rise up in some of you reading this. Allow me to clarify. All these things are great and needful in helping to mold your children to find their place in society, but this need to "fit in" to society can be detrimental to their future happiness. We live in a world where people are constantly surrounded by media that insists that we must have "the latest model" (ie…car, computer, phone) in order to be happy. It creates a black hole within us that can never be filled. Our happiness becomes dependent upon what we have. But if we want the VERY BEST for our children, it is imperative that we, not just tell them, but show them the importance of finding their place in the Kingdom of God. The Bible teaches us John 3:16 that because God loved the world (all mankind) so much, that He gave His only begotten Son (to pay their sin debt,) and that whoever would believe in Him, would not perish but have eternal life. In Ephesians 2:8-9, we read that "it's by grace through faith that we are saved, not of ourselves and what we can do, but it is the gift of God…." God gave us, His children, His very best when He gave us Jesus. This knowledge of salvation is the ultimate inheritance we can pass on to our children. This gift will never go out of style. There will never be a better model than Jesus. Their salvation will never tear up or break down or get lost. Jesus will sustain them always, and be their comfort and guide. He will be with them at all times, even when we cannot. Jesus is the VERY BEST.
Jeremiah 29:11 says, "For I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for calamity, to give you a future and a hope." Where there is good, evil is always present, so just the same as God has a plan for us and for our children, satan also has a plan of his own. The great thing is…. WE have the deciding vote. We can choose (and teach our children to choose) God's plan for welfare or we can line up with satan's plan for destruction.
At River of Hope Church, we are instructing our children on how to align themselves for a future filled with blessings and prosperity! We cannot just regurgitate the Bible stories we heard as a child, but we have a responsibility to equip our children with the skills necessary to: