Train Up a Child

“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) I remember Deuteronomy 6:7 from the early years that my husband and I came to the Lord. It says, “You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, when you rise up.” (NKJV) However, we were so busy being discipled and helping with the church planting of the Vancouver Native Fellowship that we failed to focus on teaching our own children as we were being taught. Children need to be taught, not left to their own devices. And more importantly, we need to reflect Jesus to them. So, when I had the privilege of raising four of my grandchildren, we read the Bible with them every night (a Children’s Bible). It had questions to answer at the end of each reading. It was a special time for all of us. As adults, my children and grandchildren have faith and believe in prayer. It wasn’t an easy task teaching our own children, even after dedicating them to the Lord. Things were moving so fast with both our lives in the Alcoholics Anonymous and Al-Anon programs, and the growing fellowship that began in our home and then at the Vancouver Indian Centre. I will always be a strong advocate for teaching little children about Jesus, telling them how He came as a baby, grew into a man who performed miracles, died on the cross and rose again from the dead so we can have victory over sin and Satan. Dear Heavenly Father, thank you that your Word does not come back void. Thank you for your promise to save and defend our children. – Loretta Oppenheim   Council Fire is a collaboration with Intertribal Life Ministries and Native Evangelical Fellowship of Canada. The Council Fire Daily Devotional Book Set is available on the Intertribal Life Ministries website. Learn more about Council Fire at councilfire365.org