“Lord, Your Name is so great and powerful! People everywhere see Your splendor. Your glorious majesty streams from the heavens, filling the earth with the fame of Your Name! You have built a stronghold by the songs of babies. Strength rises up with the chorus of singing children. This kind of praise has the power to shut Satan’s mouth. Childlike worship will silence the madness of those who oppose you.”
Psalms 8:1-2 TPT
Do you remember the Christmas jingle from Toys R Us? Well if the praises and singing of little children can shut Satan’s mouth, then I don’t want to grow up! How about you? This of course is not speaking of immature adults, but of pure childlike faith, confidence and trust in God and all He is. A part of the benefit of being called children of God. Or the sweet endearment of John the apostle, “my little children.” He wasn’t speaking to toddlers, but to us grown up kids of the Kingdom.
In one of Jesus’ great object lessons, He taught that unless we become like children in our acceptance of who He is, we will never enter heaven. This is where the intellectuals and elites of this world get off the train. They’re too stoic and learned for this childlike journey. There’s intellectual honesty and there’s pharisaism. There’s the “this is too simplistic” and there’s the curious-A lost art on adults. We must know everything before we believe. Toys R us kids couldn’t care less. Wide eyed enthusiasts like us kids can’t wait for the adventure.
The Study of God’s Word is an adventure of pure faith. We don’t have the disciples firsthand account, but we do share one common experience: The indwelling Holy Spirit. He teaches us how to be children, childlike in our faith, not childish. There’s a difference. We’re fully mature, confident even, but not smug and self assured. We sit with childlike wonder like Mary at the feet of Jesus. Luke 10
Jesus knew that in order to accept His message it would require that we dispose of all adult inhibitions and come as children. It requires faith to believe in a God we cannot see, a Jesus we’ve never met and a place called heaven we’ve never been to. It takes childlike faith to believe Words promising all kinds of amazing out of this world things. Forgiveness of sins no matter how vile, healing and health no matter the disease, every material, social, emotional and spiritual need met, unconditionally loved no matter what. Only children can appreciate the wonder of promises made-promises kept.
But To learn that weakness is really strength, praise is a weapon, worship is a stranglehold on Satan’s power, That submission is freedom, blood washes white, faith moves mountains, believing is seeing, mercy is endless, Grace sufficient- I don’t want to grow up! This is better than believing in my own wisdom and abilities. It doesn’t make me lazy because faith is active. It doesn’t make me naive, since I’ve experienced these promises, and it certainly doesn’t make me weak, because I’m believing in Someone greater than myself.
When the disciples were jockeying for greatness and significance, Jesus did this.
“At that time the disciples came to ask Jesus, “Who is considered to be the greatest in heaven’s kingdom realm?” Jesus called a little one to His side and said to them, “Learn this well: Unless you dramatically change your way of thinking and become teachable, and learn about heaven’s kingdom realm with the wide-eyed wonder of a child, you will never be able to enter in. Whoever continually humbles himself to become like this gentle child is the greatest one in heaven’s kingdom realm.”
Matthew 18:1-4 TPT
Told you! Children have more fun in God’s Kingdom. Children reap all the benefits. Grownups work, laboring for what will never satisfy. Struggling to earn what we receive as children. Satan knows this game too well. That’s why he does everything to keep us from being children. We’re the weapon that scares him the most. Childlike faith in Jesus and the Word, terrifies him. Jesus rebuked His disciples for seeing children as a distraction. Let’s read.
“The people brought their babies and small children to Jesus so that He might lay His hands on them to bless them. When the disciples saw this, they scolded the parents and told them to stop troubling the Master. But Jesus called for the parents, the children, and His disciples to come and listen to Him. Then He told them, “Never hinder a child from coming to Me. Let them all come, for God’s kingdom realm belongs to them as much as it does to anyone else. They demonstrate to you what faith is all about. Learn this well: unless you receive the revelation of the kingdom realm the same way a little child receives it, you will never be able to enter in.”
Luke 18:15-17 TPT
Will you join me in a vow never to grow up? It’s more funner that way. I know funner isn’t proper English but who cares when you’re a child. Let’s enjoy this journey of faith in Jesus. Let’s not waste another minute trying to be perfect. He’s our perfection. Remember childlike not childish. Teachable not stuck in your head. Humble not high minded. Resting not striving. The markings of one who has discovered that life is best lived with childlike wonder, the way our Father intended.
Father, in the Name of Jesus I want to thank You for calling us grownups children. Your children. What a privilege we have to use our God given imagination to see ourselves the way You see us. I know that there may be some in this audience who may never have been hugged by an earthly father, but You give the greatest hugs. Sitting at Your feet, Lord, is the best seat in the house. May we never grow up and lose the wonder of You. May we bask in the sweetness of Your embrace and stand in awe of how Great and Awesome You are. In Jesus Name 🙏
He uses the weakest voices of the earth-“the praises of children and infants “ to show off His glory and to prevail. This is indeed an upside down Kingdom.
Written by permission of the Holy Spirit
W. Tennant
Merry Christmas to you and your families! Surely the Lord has been faithful to us. Don’t allow Covid to dampen your spirits, Jesus Christ is still Lord of all!🙏🎄
Kommentarer