How Living For Jesus Will Impact The Lives Of Your Children

Podcast episode: https://www.charismapodcastnetwork.com/show/awakenthewonder/535ed999-96f0-4331-960b-0c35694773a1/Preaching-In-Public-School-At-Eight-Years-Old

There have been moments throughout life that marked me, moments that have shaped me to become who I am in Christ today. As I travel throughout the world sharing the good news of Jesus to hundreds of thousands of people, I can’t help but realize the sacrifice that came before me by so many. Many of those life-changing encounters happened because of the devotion my parents had to Jesus. I grew up as a PK (pastors kid), but my experience may have been different than many others. For my family, it was never just about a church service on Sunday. My dad was the first generation in coming to Christ. While in a drug deal, getting high, someone told him about Jesus and invited him to church. Both of my parents decided to leave the world behind and follow Jesus with everything they had. While growing up, I watched them every day, I saw the love they had and still have for our Savior and one another. They knew what He had saved them from, and they gave every area of their lives to Him. My parents were the real deal. They were the same at church as they were at home. As pastor’s they showed me first-hand the importance of going out into the city, preaching the gospel, and loving on those in need.

Friends, whether you had the same experience growing up, or not, you can be that light to your children. As a parent, you are the first representation of Christ to your kids while they are growing up. They learn about who He is, how much He loves us and cares for us through you. When I was young, I remember going to the park to hang out with other church kids. One of them came up to me and asked me to smoke a cigarette with them. I immediately said no and continued as they pressured me, not because of fear of punishment, but because of my love for Jesus that my parents had displayed to me growing up. It was a defining moment for me as an 8- year-old kid being approached by a 14 year-old teenager. Nobody would have ever known, but what my parents had taught and demonstrated to me, came through when they weren’t there.

You can cultivate an atmosphere in your home for Jesus to come in and encounter your children. At seven-years-old, I was baptized with the Holy Spirit and began praying in tongues. I encourage you to teach your children about the Holy Spirit. He is the one who will truly reveal Jesus to them in their heart. After I was baptized in the Holy Spirit, I would go door-to-door in the community sharing the gospel with people and asking if I could pray for them. In third grade, I told my dad I wanted to reach my school for the Lord. I used my love for sports and created an after school program for other students. We would play dodgeball, hopscotch, and basketball. I would preach the gospel to them after we played sports. Many kids made the choice to give their lives to Jesus. We started a prayer group around the flag pole at school and it went every single Wednesday the entire school year. Sometimes I would be the only one, and other times more than 100 kids would gather to pray, but I went rain or shine.

My parents modeled this life for me in and out of the house. Waking up, I would walk in the living room to see my mom reading her Bible every day. Getting ready for high school I could hear my dad up early in the morning praying and interceding. My mom had an incredible capacity for love and my dad sought after the glory of God. One time while in Sunday school, I disrespected the teacher giving her a hard time. My dad heard about it and sat me on the pew, making me write an apology to her. He made it clear I would never disrespect another person. I was never given any special treatment for being the pastor’s kid, and my parents taught me to show others love and respect.

I have carried these principles with me throughout my life and they have helped me to be where I am today. They have influenced how I raise my four children now. Proverbs 22:6 (NLT) says, “Direct your children onto the right path, and when they are older, they will not leave it.” As a parent, ask the Holy Spirit to help you reveal the love of the Father to your children. Don’t show them what religion looks like, show them what a relationship with the One who created them looks like. Be encouraged, if your children aren’t currently walking with the Lord, that the seeds you have planted in their life will bear fruit. The ones you are raising up will be used by God to change the world for His glory. As His time of returning comes closer and closer, there is nothing more important you could model to your child than to love on Jesus with all of their heart and store up oil in the secret place. Matthew 5:8 (NLT) says, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.”

Evangelist Caleb Wampler is Founder and CEO of Kingdom Encounters International. He has seen hundreds of thousands of people come to Jesus in countries that are hostile to the gospel, witnessed incredible miracles and regularly experiences God’s wonder.

For more information on Evangelist Caleb Wampler check out his ministry site at: www.kingdomencounters.us

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