Joel 2:16
Gather the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the children, and those that suck the breasts: let the bridegroom go forth of his chamber, and the bride out of her closet.
In God’s call for His people to return, there were several things He specifically mentioned to do. He told them to rend their hearts and call a solemn assembly. He said to blow the trumpets and set themselves apart for a fast. He then said to call the people together. In the call for the gathering, God specifically mentioned to gather the children. God wanted the children to be as much a part of the assembly as the adults. God was saying, don't leave your children home while the adults serve God. God was saying, whatever you do, do not let the children stay back and live for the world while the parents are getting right with God. God wanted it to be a family affair of the whole family serving God.
Satan’s attack has always been to win the heart of the children. If Satan could not get the parents, he always attempted to get the children. In our present society, because evil people cannot change the mind of adults to accept their abominable lifestyles, they have gone after the children, and many are complicit and ignore what is going on. Just as God’s call to gather the children, so Satan has made the same call to gather the children. Satan is very willing to lose all the adults if he can win the hearts of the children over to his abominable lifestyles and actions. We MUST gather the children if we are going to keep Satan from destroying their minds and lives. Satan is very much after their minds, because if he wins their minds, he wins their hearts.
If there is ever a time for churches to become aggressive about going after the children, it is now. Churches say they are serious about reaching the heart of the children, but their actions certainly don't seem like it. While churches cancel bus routes, church services, and Sunday schools, Satan has not canceled one event but adds events to steal the heart of children.
My friend, God’s command to gather the children is still His command for today. Instead of putting children in services that play, let us keep the children under the preaching of God’s Word by the man of God, the pastor. Instead of showing videos and having worldly youth conferences that mimic Hollywood themes, we ought to have youth conferences that mimic God’s Word.
Moreover, instead of canceling bus routes, we ought to do everything in our power to add them. As more adults quit attending church, more children will never know what the inside of a church looks like if we don't get our bus ministries running again.
Furthermore, instead of letting your children stay home while you go soul winning, it would be good for parents to gather the children and take them soul winning with them. The mantra that you ought not to lose your children for the ministry sounds cute, but Satan applauds this mantra as he tries to gather the children by having parents keep them from serving God. I have learned that you don't have to lose your children for the ministry, and the best way to keep them from being lost to the ministry is to get them involved in the ministry with you. Parents, let’s gather our children and let them sit with us in church and serve God with us; this is the way we will turn their hearts toward serving God.
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