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Post by tiffanybw on Sept 18, 2017 13:06:22 GMT -6
Thank you so much for your detailed reply Stephan! It just feel unsettled when people get attached to a date since we don't know the day or hour, it gives scoffers an opportunity to scoff, and discourages Christians when nothing overt happens. I agree that so many events are converging right now! Are there any threads or links on how to concisely share this with kids? My 14 yr doesn't understand why adults want to talk about something that he views as scary. My dh is no longer pre-trib so we don't discuss this and his comments about endtimes tends to unsettle the kids. In light of all the natural disasters I want to talk with my kids about this. I have many of your same questions when it comes to sharing with my kids. This is what I personally have felt led to do and so don't think that it is the only way or the only right answer. But what we have done in our house: First, I've sat down with each and every one of them (the two older ones 20 and 22 I had to resort to texting, oh well, so be it, lol Millennials!). I didn't talk about the Revelation 12 Sign but spoke in generalities of the times we live in, talked about the recent hurricanes that have definitely captured the attention of my children (other 2 are 17 and 11). Basically, just talked about everything happening all around us, current events, the sin this world is filled with down to being taught outright lies each and every day when they go to school (such as get to pick your gender). Then we talked about Jesus. What He did, why He came as man and how He was the only man to ever live without any sin; was 100% God and 100% Man, and how He died for us and covered our fallen and sinful flesh bodies with His Perfect Body and Blood that is without sin. And that anyone who believes Jesus did that, accepts His Sacrifice for them, and has complete faith in Him... that they are saved. Then I asked them did they want to pray and confirm with their heart the unbreakable bond that exists between them and Jesus, and that they are His and He is theirs forever. They both said yes (2 separate conversations). We prayed. And since then, my husband suggested a nightly Bible Study and family time. We all sit and read a chapter of the Bible. No technology allowed. We open in prayer, we read His Word, we talk about it, we talk about our day or whatever anyone wants to talk about. And then we close in prayer. So far it has been awesome and God is Working in the hearts of ALL of my family!!! And like you said, just that I don't want to scare them. That, plus me and my husband have very differing views on end times, and he pretty much thinks I am a nutcase for even contemplating about... I call it Revelation 12 Sign because that is what started this journey and this new closeness I now have with Jesus... but really and like Stephen said... it is the convergence of everything. My husband doesn't believe it, doesn't want to hear about it, and I have finally learned that for me... just that I have spoken and talked about it... that is all that is for me to do. God doesn't want me continually bashing other people over the head with it, but to instead pray for them and give them over to Him. After all, they all belong to Him already anyways!  So... that is what we have done. And Yeshua has been Blessing us so much! Not talking about with the things of this world. But the things that actually matter. The things that are of Him. Praying for you and your family! *hugs* |
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Post by whatif on Sept 18, 2017 15:31:54 GMT -6
This topic was brought up in a different thread, and I thought it would make a great topic all its own.
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Post by Natalie on Sept 18, 2017 15:53:51 GMT -6
My daughter is nine and loves Jesus. We have some favorite songs we like to play in the car and a couple of them talk about Jesus coming soon (I posted one here on the board). Sometimes it is just us two in the car and so we will sing and talk about the fact that He promised to come back and that He is coming soon. I remember one day the two of us were in the kitchen and the radio was on. There is a song with the words "We will wait upon the Lord," and she says, "We are waiting for Him, aren't we?" I figure she doesn't need to know a whole lot about the mess of the world. We have a map on our wall that shows southern Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. I have printed out world leaders and have lines to their countries. So, with my boys, ages 11 and 14, we have talked a bit about those who are threatening Israel and that Russia is gathering buddies and the Bible says that they will invade Israel. We've talked about how this is going to happen near the time Jesus comes back so He's coming soon. (One day, I found the 11 year old "shooting" the "bad guys". ) My plan this week is to talk about the feasts of the Lord. We covered the spring feasts and how Jesus fulfilled them. We had just studied Egypt, Passover, and Exodus, so it works well. Tomorrow we are going to talk about the fall feasts. At this point I feel that I just want to keep them pointed to Jesus. |
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Post by kjs on Sept 18, 2017 16:32:56 GMT -6
I think Natalie has the right idea, keep everything focus on Jesus.
Remind them that He loves us so much, that He makes ways for us - even if they seem impossible.
Not sure how you handle the scary news stories on the news .... The riots, shootings ....
But I would point out there is much bad and evil in the world and eventually Jesus will say enough is enough, and will go about bringing the Good Things back into this world. But that will require some big changes, because not everyone wants to return to Good.
(not sure how to handle why some do not wish to do good)
any my rate when Jesus starts to bring in His new program, it is going to cause problems at first.... But Jesus promises to keep us safe.
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Post by Natalie on Sept 18, 2017 16:49:37 GMT -6
I get most of my news online, and so they rarely see news on TV. So, thankfully, we really haven't had to deal with the violence that's going on, but I think your answer is a good one.
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Post by lookingabove on Sept 18, 2017 17:39:06 GMT -6
Tiffany, We do things very much the same as your family does. I home educate our children so I am the one who has more opportunities to talk with the kids. Currently, we use Balancing the Sword for questions after we do our daily scripture reading. It doesn't seem to have a denominational slant.
Sometimes my kids will ask questions like "will we see the anti-Christ?", "do you think we will be here when people have to take the mark of the beast?"
I tell them we might possibly have an idea who the anti-Christ will be, after all our adversary doesn't know exactly when the end will be and has to have someone ready at each decade and century. I don't think we will be here here when the mark is implemented. I certainly hope not! I don't have an exact timeline of events, but I know we should looking for Jesus not the anti-Christ. My dh thinks we are deceiving ourselves if we think we can skip out of here before things get bad, hence we've stopped discussing end time events. So for years I simply didn't talk about the Lord's return in any depth. My older kids said they would sometimes feel scared with my dh's talk about end times. I talk to my children about being saved, that it isn't by our own works, and that we need to pray for unsaved family members to be saved.
I had my 14 yr old read about the hurricanes. When the earthquake hit Mexico he was so dismayed and said he really didn't want to read about that. Not sure if that was more an I don't want to read or more not wanting to dwell on the tragedies.
I want my older kids,12 and up, to be aware of current events, but also convey hope and joy to my children and a firm unshakable trust in Christ.
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Post by tiffanybw on Sept 19, 2017 11:06:31 GMT -6
Tiffany, We do things very much the same as your family does. I home educate our children so I am the one who has more opportunities to talk with the kids. Currently, we use Balancing the Sword for questions after we do our daily scripture reading. It doesn't seem to have a denominational slant. Sometimes my kids will ask questions like "will we see the anti-Christ?", "do you think we will be here when people have to take the mark of the beast?" I tell them we might possibly have an idea who the anti-Christ will be, after all our adversary doesn't know exactly when the end will be and has to have someone ready at each decade and century. I don't think we will be here here when the mark is implemented. I certainly hope not! I don't have an exact timeline of events, but I know we should looking for Jesus not the anti-Christ. My dh thinks we are deceiving ourselves if we think we can skip out of here before things get bad, hence we've stopped discussing end time events. So for years I simply didn't talk about the Lord's return in any depth. My older kids said they would sometimes feel scared with my dh's talk about end times. I talk to my children about being saved, that it isn't by our own works, and that we need to pray for unsaved family members to be saved. I had my 14 yr old read about the hurricanes. When the earthquake hit Mexico he was so dismayed and said he really didn't want to read about that. Not sure if that was more an I don't want to read or more not wanting to dwell on the tragedies. I want my older kids,12 and up, to be aware of current events, but also convey hope and joy to my children and a firm unshakable trust in Christ. I wish I would have home schooled my children. I myself though, just that when they were all younger my own relationship with Jesus was lacking (and that is putting it mildly lol). Liam is a junior in high school this year. So, if we are still here... this year and next and then done. Angelina is now in 6th grade. Currently I work as a nanny, love what I do and also love very much the little guy who has been my charge since he was born and for about 2 1/2 years now. Depending upon the world though, and how much longer we will be in it (meaning if Jesus doesn't come as soon as I expect); just that if things get much worse, I definitely would take either or both out from school and home school. So we will see, but hoping we will all be with Jesus soon! My job, though I do love it and love the toddler I nanny, my family and children come first no matter what. Seems to me like everyone here is doing great with their children! When I was a child, just that I grew up in complete fear. Of everything and everyone. I had nightmares all the time and would always be convinced as I lay in the dark awake in the middle of the night, that some intruder had broken in to hurt or kill us. My parents and the church we went to... just that it all was fear based. Fear of losing Salvation, fear of not being good enough for Jesus, fear of current events, fear of end times, on and on. There was so much I was taught directly and also many things I heard indirectly (by listening to the adults conversations) that I was too young to have the capacity to understand and so fear took over. I heard about Christians being tortured and killed, and then heard the details of it... many many things but one example... "evil" people of Satan and babies from families who followed Jesus being thrown up into the air and then bashed to the ground. I remember being scared to death during election season, because I would hear my mom on the phone talking to whomever about if the Democrats won how we were as good as dead, and they would come after Christians, and torture and kill us (and this part of it taught to me directly or I would overhear in such graphic detail). Not a good way for a child to grow up and I didn't want my children growing up in that way, still don't. And so I just think we should all let The Holy Spirit lead us. Under 12 years, definitely, I think lacking capacity to truly understand and so going too deep into world event and prophesy such as Revelation 12 Sign... just that it would do more harm than good and scare them. I did share 2 of Scottie Clarke's videos with my 22 year old. With my 20 year old son Devin I gave him the link to this forum and talked to him more on an adult to adult level. With my 17 year old, I didn't share about this sign, mainly kept it to Jesus and Salvation, because this is what I felt led to do (though I did share more in detail with him than with my 11 year old). With Angelina, we pretty much kept it to Jesus and then just generalities of this current state of the world we live in. Nothing that would scare her because I feel that she simply is not old enough to truly grasp or understand such things (even I am not with some things lol)!!! Truly, it depends. There could be two children of the same age, let's say 14. And those two children, even though the same age, doesn't necessarily mean they are ready to receive the same exact information just because their age is the same. It depends upon the child. And this is why Jesus has given them us, parents, so that we can through The Holy Spirit pray, ask Jesus what they are ready for, and then share with them. Especially today's day in age as these are difficult and sinful times we live in. Seems to me though, that everyone is doing a great job! |
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Post by Natalie on Sept 19, 2017 14:01:45 GMT -6
So, yesterday the kids and I talked about the first four feasts. I had them fold a paper so that they would have 8 squares. My oldest didn't want to write down much details, but the other two illustrated the squares. I'll have to find a way to share my daughter's picture of a stick figure blowing the shofar. Today we talked about the last three. I explained that it is likely that Jesus could fulfill the FOT with the rapture, and so we can be listening for a shout and trumpet call this week in case this is the right time. My 14 year old asked, "How can we be ready for Him?" which led to a great discussion. Middle one brought up Russia. He is such a typical boy and enjoys "fighting the bad guys". My daughter, with wide eyes and a big smile, "You mean He could be coming this week?!" She is so very excited.
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