Bring them unto Christ

In Mark 10:13-16 we read the account of the disciples rebuking the parents that desired to bring their children to meet Christ.  What a gross and heinous sin the disciples committed.  I believe their motives were very sincere in trying to protect Jesus schedule, but what an offense they were to the gospel.

We, if we are not careful, can commit the same sin.  We can discourage people from coming to Christ by our manner of life.  If we habitually live an inconsistent life we will certainly discourage people from coming to Christ.  If we walk in the flesh rather than the Spirit on a continual basis; we enlist ourselves in Satan’s army.  For we must seek to live godly in Christ Jesus because we know this is true, “The force of example, whether for good or bad is very powerful.”

If our life is a prayer less life then we also discourage people to come to Christ.  If we desire people to come to Christ we must take them up in the arms of our prayer.  God uses prayer as a means to bring people to a saving faith in Jesus.

Finally, if we fail to teach people the truth of God’s word we are discouraging them from coming to Christ.  We don’t simply say, “Do not teach people; they will be converted in God’s own time if it be his purpose.”  This sort of reasoning is not only cruel to the person, but displeasing to Christ!  We must teach people the things of God.  For, the Lord works through their mind of understanding.

Woe to those, who like the disciples, act as jackals to the lion of hell.  May God give repentance to those who have been the bodyguard to the prince of darkness.  O God save us from hindering a single soul from coming to Christ.

A mother's prayer

Since my first daughter was born nineteen months ago I have been doing a lot of studying about parenting.  My main emphasis is how I can properly bring my children up in the ways of the Lord.  I have found a lot of great material regarding this topic.
 
Today I read a quote from one of Spurgeon’s sermons and he explained the approach his mother took explaining the things of the Lord to him and his siblings.  I was blessed by this quote and found it provided a great example of a way we can properly teach our children about the Lord.  I thought it might be helpful to other young parents as well.  So here is the quote:
 
It was the custom on Sunday evenings, while we were yet little children, for her to stay at home with us, and then we sat round the table and read verse by verse, and she explained the Scripture to us.  After that was done, then came the time of pleading; there was a little piece of “Alleyn’s Alarm,” or of Baxter’s “Call to the Unconverted,” and this was read with pointe observations made to each of us as we sat round the table; and the question was asked how long it would be before we would think about our state, how long before we would seek the Lord.  Then came a mother’s prayer, and some of the words of a mother’s prayer we shall never forget, even when our hair is grey.  I remember on one occasion her praying thus: “Now, Lord, if my children go on in their sins, it will not be from ignorance that they perish, and my soul must bear a swift witness against them at the day of judgment if they lay not hold of Christ.” Charles Spurgeon