The Contenders For The Faith

I posted this on my blog at:

http://www.jasonburtonfamily.net

But I thought it was worth repeating here:

We just had great success with our garage sale the past two weekends. I always say, "I hate having garage sales," and I still do, but it is amazing how much easier it is when you do well, praise the Lord!

It amazes me how helpful the kids were the past two weekends. Sometimes as you go through life day by day, it is difficult to step back and realize how special each of your children are. As parents, we too often take for granted the time God has given us with our kids.

I often hear that Billy Sunday was a great preacher who didn't spend enough time making sure he was ministering to his family as well as the masses. I am no man's judge if they are preaching right, but it behooves us to make certain our church ministry does not exclude our responsibilities to our families. One point of error often encountered is that people think they must have two seperate ministries, the family and the church. Be certain, however, that they are one in the same.

If you are working at the church, take your kids with you! If you are helping someone in the church, take your kids with you! We have such a mindset in this day that children are a bother, when the Word of God says exactly the opposite! "Lo, children are an heritage unto the Lord, and the fruit of the womb is His reward." If you have to mow the church lawn, show your son how to fill up the gas tank on the mower and have him walk with you. If you have a ladies meeting, ladies, take your daughters with you! If you are embarrassed by your children, train them up Biblically. Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it (Proverbs 22:6). It is not all that difficult if we can only get around the fact that a selfish attitude as a parent will not raise up godly children.

In this day and age of taking time for yourself, doing things for yourself, pleasing yourself, let us buck this trend and take time with the kids, do things with our kids, and please the Lord in the raising of our kids.

Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward. As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth. 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.
(Psalms 127:3-5)

I know that goes against what most of us have been taught, but I think the One who created us has the correct perspective.

God Bless,

Jason