Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”
Matthew 19:14
As I was wrapping up a message that I was asked to minister at my church a few weeks ago God strongly impressed on my heart to add another extremely important focus to the message that He had given me. I have to say that I was kind of caught off guard because I had just breathed a sigh of relief at the completion of the study, timing it, and what the Lord had given and just when "I" thought I was done God strongly impressed on my heart that a most essential portion of the message was not yet included and needed to be added.
The highlight; the harvest of children. I thought to myself, "Children"? Am I hearing You right? " Lord this does not fit in with the message." "Are you giving me a brand new message?" "Am I to start over?" I immediately began to panic because this was a day before I was to minister the message. How was this intricate and most integral "piece" going to interlace with what was already given with so little time? But despite my panic and confusion, God did what He always does. He confirmed His Word and gave me what to say.
The message God had given me was primarily about the harvest being ripe and the urgency for immediate laborers to "work" the fields of souls who are in need of God's saving grace. To fulfill the Great Commission. Now, many times when we think of the harvest and evangelism our focus can automatically be zoomed in on adults, and sometimes the children can get lost in the unplowed fields of adults.
But it is clear and established that God's heart is concerned with, set on, and rejoices over children. So much so that when the disciples forbid the children to come, Jesus broke the cultural norms of that time and welcomed the children, and then laid hands on them and blessed them. (Matthew 19:13-15)
As I've started to be more intentional in putting my hands to the plow in the fields of children, one thing I love and have noticed about them is for the most part they receive the Word with gladness! They're receptive and eager to hear about Jesus. I think because their hearts haven't been hardened by life's hardships and disappointments like adults have. Their young hearts tend to be fertile, tender, and ripe for the implanted Word of God.
This is why it's imperative that we be intentional to plant seeds of the Word of God in their precious hearts. They may not understand it all but God's Word is potent. Alive and active. His Word is life, spirit and He watches over it to perform it. The Word of God stays the duration!
Another thing that I love and admire about children is their pure prayers! Though it's absolutely imperative that they develop a prayer life early on and we are to teach them the fundamentals of prayer. But I find that a lot of times they teach me a thing or two about prayer. Straight to the point and brimming over with faith and humility. Honest. Authentic. God-honoring and true. They don't anticipate what to pray, they just pray what's on their hearts.
When a child prays there is a simple, automatic trust that God hears, God will answer. Period. No doubt or after thoughts of worry. In this way, I'm still learning.
"For the kingdom of heaven belongs to those who are like these children." Matthew 19:14b
The Word of God, prayer, and them knowing how much they are valued and how much Jesus loves them are the fundamental building blocks for their "houses" to be able to stand because they are built on the Rock and able to guard them against the perpetual evil in this world.
The world is very adamant to bombard their lives with evil and immorality. The anti-Christ agenda is being aggressively pushed and some of these things are even taught in school. But just as the world systems are aggressively pushing evil agendas we must be even more insistent and unrelenting to share the goodness of the Lord and teach them His ways. His paths. His Word.
How can a young person stay on the path of purity? By living according to your word. Psalm 119:9
So as we close out our prayer series today, God's highlight is for us to be intentional to affirm and acknowledge children. Be it our children, grandchildren, relatives, or children in our community. Like Jesus, we must make time to really see them. Engage them. Affirm them. Because if we don't the world will.
Let's be diligent to bless them and show genuine concern and earnestly pray for them. This way they know they are valued, loved and it helps them to not be bent on conforming to this world.
Together let's be intentional seed planters in our children and young people. Someone else may come along and water the seeds. God will make it grow in their hearts and by faith, we believe that our children will grow into trees of righteousness for His Name's sake.
Lastly, I must share with you that God has confirmed His Word in regards to Him impressing in my heart to add the harvest of children to the message. Well, since then five children, including teens and preteens have given their lives to Christ as a result of God doing the drawing in their hearts and someone being intentional to plant seeds and tell them about Jesus! Hallelujah!
I boast in the Lord for His goodness and I ask that you please pray with me for their new walk with Jesus and for more young souls to be added to the kingdom of God and make a great impact in their generation!
No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him. John 6:44
I praise God for His faithfulness to send the Word, watch over it, and perform it! What I thought didn't fit in the message, fit perfectly! God's ways are not our ways, nor His thought our thoughts! We are not to lean on our own understanding but in all our ways acknowledge Him and He will direct our paths! All we must do is trust Him and be obedient. It might not make sense, but it will make faith!
When a seed is planted in the heart of a child, watered by faith, and cultivated in prayer, God is faithful to bring in the increase!
Thank you so much for agreeing with me in prayer for our children in this prayer series. Let's continue to keep them lifted. This is a hard, scary, and wicked world but our prayers for them to our Father in heaven make all the difference in their lives.
Love and prayers!
Shannon
Join me and two of my grands in closing out our Back to School prayer series!
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Scriptures references used: John 6:44 Proverbs 3:5-6
Psalm 119:9 Isaiah 55:8-9 1 Corinthians 6:3-9
Isaiah 61:3
