A great article on something all parents will face, especially in the age we live in where kids are bombarded with secular believes from before preschool on up. The message has been woven into their cartoon shows (Dinosaur Train) and in the children’s books and in the classrooms. I have found it everywhere. It can feel suffocating.
How can we protect our little ones from this world?
First, we need to call for reinforcements not of this world, for we can not succeed on our own. We need to pray daily for God’s protection and wisdom. We need to start early laying the foundation of the Truth and build that essential trust. Trust in us and trust in God!
Maranatha, Lord come quickly!
myblessedhope
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How Do I Know the Bible Is True?
January 22, 2013
“Lord, what can I do to help her understand the truth of your Word?” A tear fell onto my Bible as I thought of my pre-teen daughter’s words and prayed for wisdom. At eight, she was voicing questions about faith. “How can a book written so long ago have anything to do with me today?” “How can I believe in a God I can’t see?”
The first time those words rolled off her lips, I thought my heart would shatter. How could my child be asking such questions? Aren’t we raising her to trust the Bible as her compass? Didn’t she accept Jesus as her Savior? Fear and anxiety preyed on my mind for months.
Yet questions are natural and proper. As her questions have continued through the years, four important principles have helped my husband, Jim, and me.
Prayer
I assumed that because our family had daily devotions and attended church, and we laid a strong biblical foundation, our daughter would trust the Lord. When I realized that faith was the work of the Holy Spirit, I began to pray for her like never before that she would know the Lord and grow strong in her own faith. Interceding in prayer is our privilege and our responsibility.
Open Communication
An atmosphere where children feel they are being heard and understood is vital. It’s sometimes difficult to answer questions without getting defensive or emotional, but asking questions isn’t wrong. We may not always know the answers, but we can provide Biblebased resources. Apologetics books or a visit to the Creation Museum, for example, can help children discover that Scripture is the trustworthy foundation for understanding all of life. On occasion we also share how God has answered prayers. So we encourage questions, and we listen.
Modeling
Along with sharing God’s Word, we can focus on being good role models. In real life our children see faith lived out, the importance of walking in the Spirit, and the relevance of the Bible. We’re not perfect, but there’s power when our children see us on our knees at the foot of the cross. Seeing us trust and obey God despite life’s ups and downs shows them the reality of faith in our lives.
Trust
As parents, Jim and I tend the soil of our daughter’s heart by continuing to have family devotions, being open and honest, teaching her how to think biblically, and encouraging her in godly living. Ultimately, though, faith is between her and God. We can lean on the verse, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household” (Acts 16:31).
It’s been four years since our daughter first asked, “How do I know what I believe is true?” This year, as she has been reading more Bible-based apologetics books, God is answering our prayers and blessing our commitment to teach and show her the truth. Now she asks a different question: “How can people not know it’s true?”
[Read the original article at Answers in Genesis.]
Read more: http://kirkcameron.com/2013/01/how-do-i-know-the-bible-is-true/#ixzz2IjrRp0Sd
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Click on the article title for a link to full original referenced article.
In Romans 10 Paul lays out how salvation is open to all, Jew and Gentile. He writes:
“For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.” – Romans 10:4-5
What he is saying is now it is not about works or how closely to a “T” you follow the law. But that it is through God’s gift of grace through faith in His Son, Jesus Christ. It is really that simple, and yet a hard step for some of us.
“That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” – Romans 10:9
Christ is the narrow gate (Matthew 7:13-14), through faith in Him you will be saved. It is the only “works” that God requires for eternal salvation.