Staggering numbers

I stumbled onto "Revival Outside the Walls Ministry" website and was absolutely blown away by what I read there. I'm sharing just four of the statistics (see below) as they relate to what we're praying for this week, but I hope you'll take some time to go check out their website in more depth. We need to be in prayer daily for our youth because it sounds as if the principles and doctrines in the Bible are not being shared even in the church.
     A woman in one of our bible study groups posed the question (regarding sharing our faith): What are we afraid of? We aren't persecuted here in the U.S. as those in other countries are. We can speak freely without the risk of being thrown in jail or killed (there are exceptions to this, of course); yet those people living where it's illegal to believe in Christ do share the gospel. They put their life on the line to spread God's word. Here, we have nothing to lose, but we seem to be more afraid and therefore don't share it. It doesn't make any sense.
Possible answers/responses:

• afraid of rejection
• afraid of being asked questions we don't know the answers to
• afraid we're pushing our beliefs on others
• afraid of making others angry or uncomfortable

These are legitimate responses, but none of them are life-threatening. We need to do whatever we can to get past these fears. As for myself, I've been in prayer about it and God has given me opportunities to share in ways that I'm more comfortable with which helps me build up the confidence to do more along those lines. So, whatever your fear is, please pray about it and listen when God responds.

Start with a conversation:

Only half of all the teenagers who grew up in a “Christian Home” had regular family conversations about God. | Revival Outside the Walls Ministry

93% of practicing Christians aren’t comfortable to have a conversation about the Lord with their own grandchildren. | Revival Outside the Walls Ministry

Remember, the children are the future church.

Two-thirds of all American churches are experiencing (1) no growth and (2) a decline in numbers. | Revival Outside the Walls Ministry

24 of 25 Millennials don’t have a Biblical worldview. | Revival Outside the Walls Ministry

You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.

Deuteronomy 6:7 ESV

*********

Please join me this week in praying for children's ministries, for their effectiveness and potential to multiply and spread the Good News to all nations.

I'll post daily reminders on:

twitter @7DegreesOfMe

Instagram @archadia27

Facebook group 7th Hour Prayer Power

Greatest joy

I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.

3 John 1:4 ESV

Our reward

Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord,

The fruit of the womb is a reward.

Psalm 127:3 NKJV

Peace

All your children shall be taught by the Lord, 

and great shall be the peace of your children.

Isaiah 54:13 ESV

Tell of His wonderful works

Give ear, O my people, to my law;

Incline your ears to the words of my mouth.

I will open my mouth in a parable;

I will utter dark sayings of old,

Which we have heard and known,

And our fathers have told us.

We will not hide them from their children,

Telling to the generation to come the praises of the Lord,

And His strength and His wonderful works that He has done.

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,

The children who would be born,

That they may arise and declare them to their children,

That they may set their hope in God,

And not forget the works of God,

But keep His commandments;

Psalm 78:1-7 NKJV

*****

Please join me this week in praying for a child you know. Pray that that child is raised in the Word. Pray for that child to grow up understanding the gospel, what Jesus did for them, and for their lives to glorify God. If you are the parent or guardian of the child, pray for the seeds you plant to blossom into image-bearing fruit that will perpetually spread God's Word.
I'll post daily reminders on:
twitter @7DegreesOfMe
Instagram @archadia27
Facebook group 7th Hour Prayer Power

Teach your children well

This is worth repeating: "If we don't teach our children to follow Christ, the world will teach them not to." We have a very short time with our children where we have their full dependence and are their primary source of influence. As they grow, their circle of influence grows, so make sure you spend as much time with them as possible. Eat dinner together at the dinner table. Go to their events. Be involved with their groups. Get to know their friends and teachers. Most importantly, read the Bible together, attend church together, and pray together.

And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.

Deuteronomy 6:6-7 ESV

*****

Please join me this week in praying for a child you know. Pray that that child is raised in the Word. Pray for that child to grow up understanding the gospel, what Jesus did for them, and for their lives to glorify God. If you are the parent or guardian of the child, pray for the seeds you plant to blossom into image-bearing fruit that will perpetually spread God's Word.
I'll post daily reminders on:
twitter @7DegreesOfMe
Instagram @archadia27
Facebook group 7th Hour Prayer Power

Jesus loves the little children

When I was growing up, my mom and I went to Sunday school and church almost every Sunday. I wasn't saved until I was 14, but as a child growing up in that atmosphere, I knew that Jesus loved me; I believed in Him and there was never any doubt that what the Bible said was the truth.

I took the words of Matthew 19:13-15 literally and pictured the kingdom of heaven full of children and thought it must be a fun and happy place. I pictured a loving, caring, Jesus and took comfort in that. I can't imagine where I'd be without that early spiritual education. Give the children in your life a chance to know Jesus with the faith and open-mindedness of a young child.

Then children were brought to him that he might lay his hands on them and pray. The disciples rebuked the people, but Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.” And he laid his hands on them and went away.

Matthew 19:13-15 ESV

*****

Please join me this week in praying for a child you know. Pray that that child is raised in the Word. Pray for that child to grow up understanding the gospel, what Jesus did for them, and for their lives to glorify God. If you are the parent or guardian of the child, pray for the seeds you plant to blossom into image-bearing fruit that will perpetually spread God's Word.
I'll post daily reminders on:
twitter @7DegreesOfMe
Instagram @archadia27
Facebook group 7th Hour Prayer Power

Vacation Bible School

Vacation Bible School at The Ridge Church in Brookville, OH **

Remember going to Vacation Bible School as a kid? It was one of the highlights of every summer for me. Kind of a crash course where I learned more about Jesus and the Bible and a deeper understanding of what it all meant and how it all worked together. Plus, there were art projects and singing and games and snacks ... all of the elements to hold my attention and get me excited about the experience. At the time, I just saw it as a fun week, but looking back, I realize what an important role it played in my spiritual upbringing.

There are Vacation Bible School opportunities throughout the area and most of them are either on the weekends and/or weekday evenings, so find one and give your children the opportunity to experience Jesus with other kids and have a memorable time doing it. We need to raise godly children if we hope to spread Christianity to all parts of the world. It's our duty as parents, guardians, relatives, neighbors (even if the child is now an adult - don't give up).

Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.

Proverbs 22:6 ESV

** Kids Jam, Vacation Bible School at The Ridge Church in Brookville OH is going on this week. It's not too late to join in. Visit the website: KIDS JAM! and/or their facebook page: TheRidgeKidsMinistry for more information.

*****

Please join me this week in praying for a child you know. Pray that that child is raised in the Word. Pray for that child to grow up understanding the gospel, what Jesus did for them, and for their lives to glorify God. If you are the parent or guardian of the child, pray for the seeds you plant to blossom into image-bearing fruit that will perpetually spread God's Word.
I'll post daily reminders on:
twitter @7DegreesOfMe
Instagram @archadia27
Facebook group 7th Hour Prayer Power