Parents, Lay Hold Of God’s Promises 

    It has been laid on my heart, I believe by God, to urge you to unite with me in earnest prayer for our children to the third and fourth generation, praying that they may be born again, filled with the Holy Spirit, used of God, and prepared for His coming so that they will not be ashamed at His appearing.

    Many people quote the first half of Paul’s answer to the Philippian jailor (Acts 16:31): "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved." But few go on to repeat the remainder of the sentence, "and thy house." The "house" may include more than we imagine.

    God’s words to Moses (Ex. 34:7) are also quoted: "Visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children...unto the third and to the fourth generation." But few ever speak of the mercies that God promised in the same text – "keeping mercy for thousands." Notice that the mercies are mentioned first.

    Surely in this age of restlessness and terrible temptations to which our young people are exposed, it behooves us as Christian parents to awake from our lethargy and persistently knock at the door of heaven until it is opened and we receive the answer, especially as it seems the time is short as the Lord’s coming may be very near.

    We have the covenant blessing for our seed. God cannot break His Word.

    In the Epistle to the Galatians we are told that if we are born again we are children of Abraham, for he was the father of the faithful. "Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham" (Gal. 3:7). Therefore we can claim a part in the covenant made with him (Gen. 17:7).

    Jehovah promised Abraham that He would be a God unto his children; therefore, those of believing parents are holy, set apart for Him. This is true even of one believing parent (see 1 Corinthians 7:14).

    God also assures us that He will pour out His Spirit upon our offspring. Oh, that we parents might have the evil heart of unbelief cleansed! Then we would ask in faith and receive and our joy will be made full. May we open our mouths wide and let God fill them as He promises.

    We are living in a chaotic world. We as parents need to receive the fullness of the Holy Spirit ourselves and He will pray through us. The Father will hear as Jesus ever liveth to make intercession for us (Heb. 7:25).

Some Precious Promises Of God

    "I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour My Spirit upon thy seed and My blessing upon thine offspring" (Isa. 44:3).

    "All thy children shall be taught of the Lord" (Isa. 54:13).

    "His seed is blessed" (Psa. 37:26).

    "The children of Thy servants shall continue, and their seed shall be established before Thee" (Psa. 102:28).

    "The mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear Him, and His righteousness unto children’s children" (Psa. 103:17).

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

    "The seed of the righteous shall be delivered" (Prov. 11:21).

    "In the fear of the Lord is strong confidence: and His children shall have a place of refuge" (Prov. 14:26).

    "For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call" (Acts 2:39).

    "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house" (Acts 16:31).

    "I will establish My covenant between Me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee" (Gen. 17:7).

    "I will contend with him that contendeth with thee, and I will save thy children" (Isa. 49:25).

    "Wherefore I will yet plead with you, saith the Lord, and with your children’s children will I plead" (Jer. 2:9).

    "And I will give them one heart, and one way, that they may fear Me for ever, for the good of them, and of their children after them" (Jer. 32:39).

    We have the promise that God will pour out His Spirit upon our seed and His blessing on our offspring. Our children are to be taught of God and to have great peace. Our seed is to be blessed. God will plead with them and give them one heart and one way to serve Him forever. His righteousness is unto children’s children.

    Might we lay hold of these promises that our children might be prepared for the Lord’s coming.

    – A Christian Mother