Marks of Childhood

 Thought For Today - January 15
  Marks of Childhood
By: Robert A. Searles
 
 Who is a child of God? God is the creator of all living; but he is not necessarily the Father of all. Not all people are the children of God. Only those who have been truly born again and have been begotten by him. There is a vast difference between the children of God and the children of the devil. Those who have acknowledged that they are lost sinners, and turn to Jesus Christ for salvation are truly the born again children of God. Those who will not acknowledge and turn away from their sin, and insist on following the course of the world, are the children of the devil.

 God speaks to his children, and the devil speaks to his children. A child of God will hear the voice of God and obey him, whereas, the child of the devil will hear and obey him. 

 “In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil; whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.” 1 John 3: 10

Children, when very young and immature have a tendency to believe anything and everything they hear, whether it be true or false, good or evil. If we want our children to grow up and mature as a true child of God, then we who are parents and grandparents must be sure that we ourselves are the true children of God, and are following his direction for the rearing of our children.

 “The simple believe every word, but the prudent man looketh well to his going.” Prov 14: 15.

 A prudent child of God who is a parent or guardian of children will be wise concerning that which he allows to enter his mind and soul through the eye gate and the ear gate. Likewise, he will not allow his children to absorb endless hours of trash and evil presented to them via television or the internet. 

 “Train up a child in the way he should go; and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” Prov 22:6.

 “Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child, but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.” Prov 22: 15.

 If we are the children of God, we can expect that because God loves us so much, he will, on occasion, use the rod of correction in our lives to keep us in harmony with his will. Children have a love for amusements. Young children, for the most part, love to get outside and play with their friends in the streets. The streets of our cities today are in no way a safe place for young children to hang around . They are a cesspool of corruption, full of vice, drug dealers, and criminals, as well as sex perverts and child molesters. A parent who is a child of God and desires that his children be the children of God will not turn their children loose to themselves and allow them to go anyplace they like any time they want. They will place strict controls on their children’s whereabouts, and their companions at all times.

 God has promised that there will come a day when the kingdom of Christ reigns on this earth that children who love to play will be able to play in the streets of the new Jerusalem in perfect safety. 

 “Thus saith the Lord of hosts; there shall yet old men and old women dwell in the streets of Jerusalem, and every man with the staff in his hand for very age, and the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in the streets thereof.” Zecharah 8: 4,5.

 Children have a tendency to be very fickle, going from one thing to the next, and never seeming to be satisfied, sometimes complaining about the toys they play with; and sometimes complaining about their surroundings. Many adult Christians who are indeed the children of God are full of complaints and unrest, going from one thing to the next without ever finding any satisfaction in anything. If we as God’s children are not careful, we can be swayed and influenced by every wind of doctrine that comes our way. We need to be careful that we are well grounded in the word of God and know what we believe and why.

 “That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine and the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness whereby they lie in wait to deceive .” Ephesians 4:14

 All God’s children, no matter their age or level of maturity, need rules and guidelines by which to live and order their lives. Those who are truly the children of the heavenly Father have been given the Holy Spirit to indwell them and to be their law giver, interpreter, and guide. We are heirs to the kingdom of Christ, but until our perfection in Christ is fulfilled, we are under tutors and governors.

 “Now I say that the heir as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be Lord of all, but is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the Father. Even so do we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world, but when the fullness of time was come, God sent forth his son, made of a woman, made under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons, and because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the spirit of his son unto your hearts, saying, Abba Father.” Galations 4: 1-6.

 Some children of God have not progressed much beyond the state of babyhood and remain ignorant of many things that God has taught in his word. Such children, because of neglect of gaining knowledge of God’s word are not equip to do much of the work that God requires of his children, thus they are hampered in their service to God.

 “For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracle of God; and are become such as have need of milk and not of strong meat. For every one that useth milk is unskillful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe.” Heb 5: 12, 13.

 May we who are the children of God listen to our Father when he speaks o us through his written word and the guidance of the Holy Spirit. If we will obey our parent we will be blessed, especially if we obey our heavenly Father. 

Telehelp PublicationsChristian Literature Ministry 

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