Time To Work

(The above graphic came with others in an e-mail and I have not been able to make out the name of the artist.  It is used in good faith and will be removed if necessary.)

But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 19:14 KJV)

Can’t stand to work in Vacation Bible School?  Can’t find time to work with children in Sunday School?  Feel that the church is there for adults to come and worship?  Think children should sit quietly at parent’s side and receive the meat of the service along with them?

Revisit Matthew 19:14 above or Mark 10:14 or Luke 18:16.

There are times for milk, before taking in meat, even in Christian services. 

And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able. (1 Corinthians 3:1-2 KJV)

While adults are expected to grow quickly in Christian life, children need that milk.  They need to sit and learn at Jesus’ feet.  Through the loving examples of their parents is the very best way.  Next best, from loving Christian workers seeing to their growth in church activities.

This past week was filled with such workers looking after the spiritual well being of children from pre-K through the 6th grade.  The opportunity to serve them was an opportunity to serve Him. Remember Christ’s parable of all nations gathered before the throne? Those sent to the right heard:

And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. (Matthew 25:40 KJV)

Others stood there, too, heard words of condemnation and were sent to everlasting punishment with these words ringing in their ears:

Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. (Matthew 25:45 KJV)

James would not only understand where I’m going with this, he wrote to us to tell us of it:

Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. (James 2:18 KJV)

Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest. (John 4:35 KJV)

Go to work!

It’s Over

The shuttle came down, the black skies of space were ripped off, the planets and stars stored away. Instead of the shuttle door, the sanctuary will be wide open to crowds on Sunday.  Moon rocks and landers have been removed and the choir loft again holds chairs, ready for hymns.  The Big Jumpy Things that covered the yard returned to folded pieces that fit into the backs of pickups and went home.

Unless you were at Vacation Bible School, it is as though it never happened, but it did.

Decisions were made this week that will affect individuals and families for years to come.  Children were introduced to each other and made friendships that will last.  Teachers gave and received hugs, praying they would see these children in their Sunday School classes.  Many wouldn’t be coming back on a regular basis.

There was a young brother and sister we invited that won’t.  They spend their summer days helping their Mom at a local restaurant. We were in there for lunch on Monday.  Second Daughter, her niece and nephew were with us.  The children fell into the same age groups and we had fun chatting with them.  She asked, they were interested and the next day one of our vans brought them in.

First Gil (granddaughter-in-law) took photographs all week and one of them is of this young gentleman in group, bright and shiny-eyed, excited and having a great time.  I took a copy to him Friday morning and his Mom looked just as happy about as he was.  Those are the moments!  But, they have a church home of their own and are happy there.  We’ll see them on special occasions, but not on a regular basis.

The workers – and there were many!! – put in hours before hand in preparation, and hours afterward returning the church to pre-VBS cleanliness.  Each day Fellowship hall held five tables full of children every half hour until all were refreshed.  Each day Youth, too old for the classes yet too young to teach, saw to children’s safety as they enjoyed the Big Jumpy Things to their fullest.  Each day there was check-in for attendance, penny counters for offerings, song leaders, skit performers, people in all areas working with and praying for the children.

Why?

For he established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children: That the generation to come might know them, even the children which should be born; who should arise and declare them to their children: That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments: (Psalms 78:5-7 KJV)

These workers who display God’s love for man (1 John 4:19) also have beautiful feet, as Paul expounded upon Isaiah 52:7:

For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things! (Romans 10:13-15 KJV)

Talk About Children

Monday we started with 96 children, by Wednesday we had 115 and I didn't see yesterday's total.  They are divided into four groups for their class/activities, the largest groups are over 40.  They have 30 minutes for games and refreshments.  This year we have big Jumpy Things for them to play in, so they want their treats quickly!  It's worked well this week with three of us setting up refreshments, and cleaning between groups.  My experiences gave me some insight when reading this article.

A restaurant recently changed it’s policy to not serve children. To put it kindly, the owner said:  'Parents have gradually diminished their cooperation.'

Another site (I neglected to save it’s location) polled it’s readers as to whether the restaurant should deny children.  A great many of the readers chose to take the change personally, fitting it into their view regarding the decline of families in America.

Not me.  I see it as a laxness on the part of parents who did not respect the restaurant, nor their children.  Instead of denigrating the owners for making a call based on their business needs, we need to be setting examples.

I remember a restaurant birthday party.  We had close to a dozen, and so did the group next to us.  There were four children six or under in that group. A couple were a bit wiggly, but the parents paid attention and corrected their table manners.  It was a pleasure to watch them, and I stopped to compliment the family as we were leaving.

I’m proud to say that my grandson and his wife have done a very good job setting examples for their children.  We were a group of twelve at a restaurant recently.  Their four children did ask a good many questions about the menu, but once the selections were determined, they were good dinner companions, too.

Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it. (Proverbs 22:6 KJV)

I think that includes respect for others.  In this case, an awareness that dining away from home includes those surrounding you.  There are attitudes and actions appropriate in one arena that are not in another.  Teaching children the difference remains the job of parents.

The easiest way to do so is to invite friends and relatives over for dinner – and I don’t mean backyard barbeques.  Have a sit down dinner focusing on including the children.  Check out table manners, correcting if needed, commending where appropriate.  Accomplish this before taking them to restaurants, teaching them that there’s a big difference between fast foods with a play area and restaurants with wait staff who see to their requests.

Teaching that respect for others falls under one of my favorite verses – the one that follows the first and great commandment:

And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. (Matthew 22:39 KJV)

Taking Care

This week is Vacation Bible School, from 9:30 in the morning until noon.  There’s a lot of excitement. There’s a lot of Bible reading.  There are a lot of questions.  The gospel is given, Jesus is taught and salvation is a topic of conversation.

There is the temptation on the part of some Christians to rely on a form of “The Sinner’s Prayer” and call them saved when a child repeats it. We don’t.  Care must be taken that this isn’t a moment of excitement, of peer pressure or teacher’s great desire.  It is a moment of understanding if a child says they’ve been saved.

Two of my great-grandsons will be baptized this coming Sunday.  Church is not new to them.  They attended long before they moved closer to us.  They’ve attended Sunday School for years.  The older made his profession of faith this summer at Youth Camp.  The younger made his this week in Bible School.

Care was taken with First GGS and he was counseled by several adults to be certain he understood the reason for and the meaning of salvation. Second GGS needed that same attention, from the same people, to be certain he was not following an example nor desiring the same attention, but understood what he was doing.  Guess it also comes down to the adults understanding that, too!

We are aware of Matthew’s example of the sower in Chapter 13.  The word is given to all, but some of it never takes root nor grows into fruitfulness.  Christ explained this parable to His disciples:

Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower. [Matthew 13:18 KJV]

It is our responsibility to see that the ground is prepared:

But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. [Matthew 13:23 KJV]

That’s what I want for my loved ones.  Not:

He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful. [Matthew 13:22 KJV]

Nor:

But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it; Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended. [Matthew 13:20-21 KJV]

So, time is taken with each child, not just my great-grands.  Questions asked, explanations given, discussions with parents included – all this long before baptisms are scheduled.

It sounds simple when we read:

And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. [Acts 16:30-31 KJV]

Never forget the following verse:

And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house. [Acts 16:32 KJV]

Vacation Bible School

Take a look at this classroom in our church.  Monday it was all laid out for the children who would be coming to Vacation Bible School. Each student’s workbook, along with a Bible for reference, laid before each chair, and crayons for making their stories personal.  Don’t you appreciate teachers that prepares for their students?

Teachers gave attention to details when decorating, adding these tiny stickers to the door.  We know they catch the children’s attention and they’ll show them to each other:  “See the rocket!”  “Look, there’s a star!” A lot of time and effort goes into preparing for and presenting summer’s Bible School.

The theme, planning and largest decorations came from our Youth Director.  The children get to walk through the door of a space shuttle to enter the auditorium.  The skits include astronauts, robots and aliens!  Talk about excitement!

Many arrive in our church vans, thanks to the dedication of drivers who make visits weeks in advance.  And, let me digress a bit – see that covered walkway between the buildings?  My Beloved Husband designed and built that with our children’s help. The congregation works hard making the church attractive and welcoming. Recent remodeling was completed just the week before VBS started.  We love making our church home comfortable for visitors.

But we never lose sight of the main purpose – introducing children to Bible study and the gospel of Jesus Christ, who lived, died and rose again to show God’s love for His creation.

And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. (Deuteronomy 6:5-7 KJV)

Jesus reaffirmed this commandment.  In temptation, He provided our reason for worship:

Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying, Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. (Matthew 22:35-40 KJV)

The Bible tells us these teachers are doing great work:

Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:17-19 KJV)

May you do great work also!!

Three Prayers

Graphic Source Unknown

It was an e-mail with a prayer, and I receive it (or one almost like it) several times each year:

"God, our Father, walk through my house and take away
all my worries and illnesses and please watch over and heal my family in Jesus name, Amen."

Of course there are admonitions to keep it going, and someone always does.  Let’s take a moment to consider this little egotistical prayer.

Ooops, did I offend someone by calling it egotistical?  It is very much like one Jabez spoke millennia ago:

And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that thine hand might be with me, and that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me!

Hard to fault either one of them, right?  Especially when we’re  told:

And God granted him that which he requested. (1 Chronicles 4:10 KJV)

We know that Jabez was more honorable than his brethren and this his mother bore him in sorrow (1 Chronicles 4:9), but we aren’t told how dishonorable his brothers were, nor what caused his mother’s sorrow.  Yet, God granted him that which he requested – so shouldn’t we be able to pray the same type of prayer?

Of course.  If earthly comfort is all we are looking for.  Look at what is missing from this prayer.  Compare  both of these with one from another who most certainly was more honorable than His brethren, and His mother pondered over His birth, then watched in sorrow as He died.

After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. (Matthew 6:9-13 KJV)

Let’s take a quick look at the manner of these three prayers. 

Both biblical prayers acknowledge God – one as the God of Israel, the other as our Father.  The e-mail does not define God as either, though the prayer is given in Jesus name which precludes most religions.

Only Jesus’ example exalts God, praising Him and bending to His will before asking for daily needs. The two others ask for material things, personal requests – though Jabez does pray that God be with him in all things.
Both Jabez and Jesus ask that God keep them from evil – the third one does not acknowledge the presence of evil in this world. Jabez made it personal – that evil would not grieve him.

Only Jesus closes with the glorification of God, stating His eternal presence.

I don’t really care to determine which one God listens to, for He knows our hearts and our needs.  I would like for you to think about which one you’d rather pray.

Fathers

Children's children are the crown of old men; and the glory of children are their fathers. (Proverbs 17:6 KJV)

There were several verses in between tonight, but one Pastor used stuck in my mind:

And she named the child Ichabod, saying, The glory is departed from Israel: because the ark of God was taken, and because of her father in law and her husband. (1 Samuel 4:21 KJV)

We don’t know the mother’s name, just that she was the wife of Phinehas, son of Eli.  We meet Eli through Hannah as she prayed for a child and he thought she was drunk with wine.  She explained her situation and Eli blessed her:

Then Eli answered and said, Go in peace: and the God of Israel grant thee thy petition that thou hast asked of him. (1 Samuel 1:17 KJV)

God did grant her petition and her son Samuel came to Eli to serve the Lord.  It was a very good thing, for Eli’s sons, though priests, were ungodly.  They mishandled sacrifices for personal gain and were unfaithful to their wives with women at the tabernacle.  Eli’s words went unheeded.

If one man sin against another, the judge shall judge him: but if a man sin against the LORD, who shall intreat for him? Notwithstanding they hearkened not unto the voice of their father, because the LORD would slay them. (1 Samuel 2:25 KJV)

Ichabod was born the day his father, uncle and grandfather died, then his mother died, too. The glory of this child died.

How many children do we know that could be named “glory is departed” because they do not have a father to be their glory?  How many fathers fall out of love with mothers and leave their children without beauty, honor or valor – the definitions of the noun ‘glory.’  The definition of the verb glory include:  joy, rejoice, boast, pride. 

How many children are left with remnants of their family instead of pride and being able to boast of their father’s achievements? How can these children’s children be their grandfather’s crowning joy? So much is lost.

So, what can we do about it?  What has been done cannot be undone. We can’t go back and undo a family’s breakup.  We can’t create fathers for the fatherless.  Acknowledging that is hard, and sad.

What we can do is introduce them to a Father who will not leave.  The Father who hears our prayers.  The Father for whom all of us can say:

We love him, because he first loved us. (1 John 4:19 KJV)

The Father who teaches us daily to love His children.