Parents, we all remember those countless nights of being woke up by a newborn baby's cries, well after a year I still do! Anyways, I remember one night of repeatedly getting up with Caomi. I was tired, frustrated, on the verge of crying. The only thing I knew to do was pray. I prayed for my crying baby girl for about 10 minutes, I remember very vivdly I prayed "Lord bless her with things only You can give her." Immediately the Lord spoke to me and said, "She is already well blessed. Because of you and Josh she will know Me." I began to sob. What an honor.
I read a book called Secrets from Beyond the Grave by Perry Stone, a well known author and evangelist. In his book he speaks frequently of "out of body experiences". In one he interviewed a man who had a massive heart attack. He was rushed to the hospital and immediately underwent open heart surgery. He died on the table. He recalls falling down a dark tunnel and wondering to himself, if I have died why am I going down, I should be going up...to Heaven. He landed in a dark field with no grass or trees. He was surrounded by hundreds of other people, but they all had blank faces. He sees a large angelic creature in the distance, the creature shouts, "If you are seeking rest and peace come to me!" Drawn like a "magnet to metal" the crowd shoves their way to this supernatural being. The people were grabbed and tossed into pits of fire by other angelic creatures. He describes seeing this place as one large massive pit surrounded by other small pits of individuals, painful screaming from both male and female, the smell of burning flesh and sulfur; gasping for a single breath, heat so strong he didnt understand how he was able to survive it. The point I'm trying to get to is not that hell is a freightening place (which it is) but this part; " I saw teenagers in these pits, and they would reach down into the fiery flames and pull up another being I assume it was their parent, and they would shake them and blame them screaming 'It's all your fault I'm here!' " Obviously the man was revived on the table to be able to share this story. Whether you believe in out od body experiences or not is up to you, but keep in mind there are out of body experiences in the bible. Still, imagine being that parent ripped up out of the flames to be blamed for not teaching your child about salvation is you.
I believe on judgement day parents will be judged according to the ways of their child. Were you a good role model? Are you promoting sin? Is your child on his/her way to heaven or hell? If you beleive in the bible, and if you love your child the way you say you do why aren't you concerned about their eternal life? I am 100% concerned with my childs eternal life. I will do everything in my power to raise her up as a woman of God. If she strays away I know my prayers didn't go unheard and I know the blood of Jesus covers her. I once heard a story of a 14 YEAR OLD boy who overdosed on heroin, marajuana, pills and alcohol. He was rushed to the hospital and revived. We all know he should have been dead having done that many drugs. But he had a praying mother. Now this 14 year old boy is a grown man sharing his testimony of salvation. He says when he died that night he fell down the same spiraling tunnel, however he was taken to a cell and tortured and mocked by demons. They were telling him "We tricked you and got you hooked on drugs so we could kill you. Your hopelessly lost now!" Terrified, the most glorious thing occured, two golden hands, the hands of God, reached down into his cell. The evil spirits argued with God, "No this soul is ours, you can't have it!" God placed the boy back in his fleshly body and said, "Because of your mothers prayers I have spared you, you are called by Me." OH PRAISE GOD! He is so good! PRAYING WORKS!
If there is only one thing I could have Caomi remember when she leaves me to go out on her own, it will be that I want her to know of Jesus. Not success, not finding true love, everything on this earth, everything in this life is temporary. I refuse to stand in judgement and have my daughter condemned to hell on behalf of my poor choices while raising her.
I remember last summer I had a 7 year old I was babysitting. Everyone knows that age is irritating! While all the kids were taking a nap I decided to go outside to tan, listen to my music and just pray. I was praying, "Lord, I dont see how You are using me, what am I doing that's pleasing to you?" Just at that moment the little girl walks oustide, I think great cant I get 5 minutes of alone time? She sits in the chair beside me, rolls her sleeves up, lays back, puts her arms up, and says, "Look, I'm laying out just like you." Right away the Lord spoke to me and said, "She watches everything you do, she looks up to you and wants to be just like you." If that's not an attitude adjustment I dont know what is! But this is just like children, they want to grow up to be just like you! You are their role model! I never again will think just because I'm not preaching or traveling doing missions doesnt mean I'm not being used.
It's never too late to change how you parent. Eternity is what matters. No body thinks about this, we're all so busy being consumed in our day to day lives we don't pay attention to "I'm not promised tomorrow." Where would you go? Up or down? What about your children? More than likely their going where you are. Only you can change it. Does your child know Jesus? But not just know of Him, does he/she have a relationship with Him? Whats does it take to get to heaven? Obey His commandments, believe in His word, Begin a relationship with Him.
No comments:
Post a Comment