1 Samuel 3:19
“And Samuel grew, and the LORD was with him, and did let none of his words fall to the ground.”
Throughout the Scriptures you will find that God began to work in
the heart of His chosen when they were children. You must never
underestimate God working in a child’s heart. Samuel was a child when
God first spake to him, and from the first time to the end of his life
he grew in the LORD.
When I look at my own life, I see that God certainly began to work
through me as a child. I was only four years of age when I accepted the
LORD as my Saviour. It was at 7 years of age when I led my first person
to Christ. I was thirteen years of age when I surrendered to be a
preacher of the Gospel. I was 15 years of age when I began to preach
every week. I’m personally thankful that God does start working in the
lives of individuals when they are children. Let me give you some
suggestions that will help to create an atmosphere in your child’s heart
to grow in the LORD.
First, never discourage the LORD working in their life. Samuel was
just a child when the LORD spake to him, and Eli was wise enough not to
discourage the LORD speaking to his heart. When it’s invitation time and
your child raises their hand, don't discourage the LORD speaking by
grabbing their hand and lowering it. It should thrill your soul that the
LORD is speaking to them. Never discourage them from walking an aisle.
This is the LORD working in their heart.
Second, be sure they have a personal time with God every day. My
parents oftentimes asked me if I read the Scriptures that day. As a
parent, you need to stay on top of your child’s walk with God. It’s not
how much they read the Scriptures and pray, but it’s the fact that they
are reading and praying every day. God cannot speak to them if they are
not daily praying and reading the Scriptures.
Third, take them to conferences to hear preaching. Anytime there
was a conference within driving distance, my father would take me to
hear the preaching. It was always a highlight of my life as a child to
go with my father to hear preaching. You need to make much of preaching
in your child’s life. When they see that you are taking time to get
around preaching, then they will see the importance of it in their own
life. God will speak to your child through preaching.
Fourth, talk with them about decisions they’ve made for the LORD. I
oftentimes talk to my daughter about the LORD working in her heart. You
should make every decision for the LORD a big thing. You just don't
know which decision will be the life-changing decision in their life.
Fifth, the greatest way to create an atmosphere for your children
to grow in the LORD is to serve the LORD yourself. There is nothing like
an example of a parent serving the LORD that will help the child to
grow in the LORD. The life you personally live speaks volumes to your
child. Never underestimate your example. If you live right, it will
encourage them to live right.
These five suggestions are in no way an exhaustive list to helping
your child grow in the LORD. These suggestion are important, and they
must be present in your child’s life if they are to grow in the LORD. Be
that encouragement to your child by creating an atmosphere for the LORD
to speak to them.