BULLSEYE

It’s hunting season!

Preparing for hunting season takes time and much practice.    So does raising godly children.    

Do you ever wish you could go back in time and do things over?    I have more wisdom now than I did when my children were still living at home.    Funny how that works, right?

I learned with each child and I think Shane and I did a pretty good job of raising independent children to be independent adults, but  

I’m constantly asking myself…. did I show enough of Jesus to them in my life that they want to model after me, or did I inadvertently speak one thing and show them another?   Oh Lord, how I pray I showed them You.   

Raising children is like preparing for hunting season.    As a matter of fact God tells us in His word that we are to shoot our children like arrows and aim for the best target …..and shoot them towards Jesus…landing in eternity with Him.    

Psalm 127:4  As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth. (KJV)

We aim them for success and we guide them as they go.    We guide them by living Jesus out in our lives before them daily.    

We aim our children like arrows towards hungering and thirsting for all things righteous 

Matthew 5:6  Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. (KJV)

and abstaining from all things evil.

 

1 Thessalonians 5:22  Abstain from all appearance of evil. (KJV)

If a parent doesn’t aim a child by teaching a child to hunger and thirst after God, then the child will a lot of times seek outside influences to meet the need the parent should have met.    

A child will usually pattern their life after their parents….usually each gender patterning the same gender parent.  Ex: sons pattern dads while daughters pattern moms.  

Yet they will also look for someone that treats them the same as the opposite gender parent.  

This is why both mom and dad are so vitally important in a child’s life.   

If we miss the bullseye (Jesus) then we have certainly missed the mark for our children and set them up for trials and future scars…missing the mark of being all that God called them to be. 

Instead of being left to stagger and possibly fail or constantly missing the mark of what children were created to be… God has called us parents to teach our children by using His Word as our guideline and wants to see parents who demonstrate it in every single aspect of their lives.  

Deuteronomy 6:6  And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart:

Deuteronomy 6:7  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. (KJV)

Aiming children takes a conscious effort and calls for us parents to be diligent.   

Talking about the Lord and all things about Him is a favorite subject of mine and yet I still ask myself…. did I talk about Jesus enough to my children?    Did I miss teaching opportunities?   I’m sure that I did.    

Did I use every opportunity to discuss Gods goodness and did I discuss the importance of living a life for Him?   Did I demonstrate the abundance of Gods Grace to my children?    

It’s not hard for me to see the things of God in all things and all situations….but sometimes I lack in the ability of being able to express it correctly.    

My children are now grown and I pour prayer over all their lives every single day….multiple times throughout the day and through the night.    

I want even my grown children to grasp and get a full understanding of what Jesus really is to them.   

The job of aiming your children is never finished on this earth!

Shane and I pray every single morning for our children and grandchildren as we are still aiming them like arrows towards the greatest target….Jesus!

I want them to get a full understanding of Christianity and pray they understand it’s not just a lifestyle but it’s about the relationship that causes them to WANT to live that better life style because of the tremendous love they have in their heart for Christ.   

I aim my children like arrows now mostly through prayer.    Through direct non sugar coated prayer.  

I ask specifically for God to place a crown of thorns on my Children’s heads so that if they step out of line of Gods will then they will be quickly pricked.  I pray for any wrong to be brought to light so that it can be exposed to allow my children to be free from the bondage of the sin. 

I pray for God to place people in their lives and in their path throughout the day that will speak to them exactly what God wants them to hear in their moment of need.   I pray for any hurt and unhealed hearts to be made whole.  I pray specific prayers for each one as the Holy Spirit leads and allows me to discern a need in their individual life.   I speak life over them and their families and aim them towards Gods promises. 

I aim them towards blessings and not cursing.    

Isaiah 54:17  No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgement thou shalt condemn.  (KJV)

I aim them towards strength, Hope, courage and an abundance of faith with works that will put their faith in action.  I pray for their heart to be totally on fire for the Lord and I refuse to take anything less to prevent them from a luke warm life.  

Revelation 3:16  So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. (KJV)

 I remind my children that they are my most precious gift from God and that even through my failures…. I’ve loved them with perfection.    It never wavered… and it never will!!!!   NEVER!!!

God tells us that children are a heritage:

Psalm 127:3  Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward. (KJV)

This means they are the Lords possession….His property and we are the caretaker.   God entrusted His property to us…because He sees us as warriors… mighty warriors that will take our children and aim for the bullseye!!!

The job of aiming children is never done until one of us leaves this earth and enters into eternity.    

So take your children and grandchildren like a hunter or a warrior would take their weapon…. and aim them like arrows towards

 the bullseye…..

Aim them towards the kingdom of heaven.   

Aim them towards righteousness so they can be filled with all things of God.   

Aim them towards meekness so their inheritance can be rich in Christ.  

Aim them towards a pure heart so that they can see God in all things and give Him all glory and honor.  

Aim them towards making peace so that they will proudly be called children of God.  

aim them like arrows towards the bullseye….. aim them towards Jesus and become a legacy for generations to come.  

Psalm 112:2  His seed shall be mighty upon earth: the generation of the upright shall be blessed. (KJV)