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Gift from GOD
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Posted by: angelofthelord
Babies, a special gift from God. While death is a sad part of this human
experience we all have to deal with throughout our journey and one day face
ourselves, today I want to deal with the other end of that spectrum, when
life begins. One of the great joys I have each day is receiving emails from
people
excited that they are going to have a child. It is one of those special
moments in a person's life that crescendos less than a year later with the
birth of that precious baby. It has been an honor and privilege to pray for
so many babies still in the womb and in a few months receive a picture of
one of those babies that is truly a gift from God.
Having a child is one of the greatest responsibilities a person has during
this lifetime. Raising that child is without a doubt the most important
ministry a parent will ever have. The Bible claims in 1 Timothy 5:8 that if
you don't take care of your relatives, especially those in your family you
have denied the faith and are worse than an infidel or unbeliever. There
are no exceptions to this verse. It doesn't say, unless you are a pastor.
It doesn't say, unless you are the head of a major company. It doesn't say,
unless you are too busy helping other people. The Word of God is clear that
the number one responsibility of a parent is to your family and EVERYTHING
else in your life is secondary.
*I want every parent to take a moment right now, pray, and ask God if your
spouse and children are truly the number one priority in your life after
your relationship with Christ. If not, NOW is the time to make whatever
changes that need to be made to insure they are!
For every man and woman that is reading this today that is expecting a
child, I want to encourage you to start praying over your child even know
while that baby is still in the womb. Pray health over your baby. Pray
protection over your baby. Pray God's blessings over your baby. Pray that
your baby will have a heart that yearns for Jesus. Even after that baby is
born, you need to be praying over your baby everyday. God has entrusted
this life into your care. Prayer demonstrates our dependence upon God.
Never in your life will you be more tested and more dependent upon the Lord
than in raising your child.
As your child begins to get older, teaching that child how to pray, reading
the Word of God to your child, making sure your child is in church every
week, are all ways to follow God's Word and raise that child in the
admonition of the Lord. GOD HAS GIVEN YOU THE RESPONSIBILITY OF RAISING
YOUR CHILD IN THE FAITH AND WILL HOLD YOU ACCOUNTABLE. The Bible tells us
in Proverbs 22:6, "Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old
he will not turn from it." *The greatest thing you will ever do for your
child is to lay a foundation of faith in Christ and God's Word in their
life!
Listen moms and dads. As your child gets older they will begin to make
their own decisions. At some point, you won't be able to make their choices
for them. That is why laying that foundation of faith is so critical. Let
me make sure you understand something. You are NOT responsible for the
decisions they make. Just like your mother and father were not responsible
for the decisions you made, you are not responsible for the decisions your
children will make. That is why those early years are so critical, since
what they learn in those early years will help to shape the choices they
make as they get older. Know that even if they turn from the Lord at some
point, when times get difficult it is that spiritual foundation you helped
lay in their life that will sustain them. Just like the prodigal son made
some horrible decisions, when he hit rock bottom he knew to "go home" to his
father.
Let me speak for a minute directly to those who have had the pain of losing
a child before you were able to give birth, as well as those who have had a
baby or child die. Let me remind you the Bible tells us that tomorrow is
promised to none of us. That means each day is a gift from God whether we
are in the womb, 2 months old, 5 years old, 15, 40, or 90 years old. We
will never fully understand why God chooses to allow someone to die when
they do. However, the greatest desire and goal of any parent should be for
their child to know Christ as their Savior and have the assurance of
everlasting life. For those who have lost a baby in the womb or a baby or
young child, you can be assured that your baby or child is forever with the
Lord. The only thing that will send a person to hell is rejecting Christ as
their Savior and since your baby or child never had that opportunity, they
are with the Lord for eternity.
Also, I know that many of you are in tears today because you so desperately
want a child and for reasons only God knows, you have not been able to
conceive. Again, why your prayers have not been answered is something only
God knows for certain, but let me encourage you to continue to pray for a
child, knowing that with God ALL things are possible. We have too many
testimonies both from God's Word and from so many people of how God allowed
them to conceive later in life after many years of not having any children.
Also, never forget that God may have a special calling on your life to be a
mom or dad to a child by adoption. There are so many children who have been
given up for adoption who need Godly parents, and God may be calling you to
have a child by adoption.
There is nothing more exciting in
life than finding out that you are going to have a child, going through
those months of preparing for the birth of your child, and then that
incredible day you will never forget as long as you live when your baby is
born. Of course, that is also the start of the most important job you will
ever have in this life, raising your child. Let me close today with a
special prayer of blessing for your baby, whether this baby is still in the
womb or recently born, and for you to be the Godly parents God has called
you to be.
"Father, I pray today for those precious babies who are still in the womb.
I pray oh Lord that you will touch these precious lives and make their
bodies healthy, their minds sharp, and their hearts tender towards the Lord.
I pray oh Lord that you will bring forth these precious babies from the womb
in your perfect timing and that these babies will grow and mature into
mighty men and women of God should Jesus tarry in His return. For those
babies and children, I pray oh Lord that you will protect them from the
evils of this dark world. I pray oh Lord that they will be raised in the
admonition of the Lord, in the strength of your Word, and become great men
and women of God to lead your people in these last days. Father, I lift up
the moms and dads of these children. Give them your strength, your wisdom,
your discernment as they raise their children in the ways of the Lord. I
pray oh Lord that you will guide them and help them to be the Godly moms and
dads to their children you have called them to be. Bless their homes oh
Lord, let the Sprit of the living God be present and make their home and
lives great beacons of light in this lost and dying world. I pray blessings
on these babies and children, blessings on these moms and dads
in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen!"