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If I was the enemy I would let fear drive you mother. However, fear would not be enough, for the Shepard would quickly intervene with your offspring and I would be... reconditioned for my failure. No, I would need to mask your fear with pride as the cover. Yes, pride, that you would parent your child so well that they would never leave the Shepard's side. I would whisper in prideful fear of the 'fleshiness' of your world. I would have your heart turn bitter and hard to music, dancing, reading, even imagination that did not fall in line with the legalistic aspects of the Word. Slowly I would mold you into a prideful and self-righteous bigot. As your offspring grew I would pressure you to keep your offspring's bubble sealed up tight from anything in the world. Fear in the news and from friends would help me close the bubble round your offspring tighter. The rot of the anti-spirit's fruit would grow in you as you began to compare your offspring to others. You would judge when your friend's offspring made mistakes that hurt the Shepard and gloat inwardly that your offspring would never make those kinds of mistakes because they were safe in their bubble, safe from the world. As the years rolled by it would not matter whether your offspring openly rebelled against you and their bubble or fooled you into thinking they were perfectly content with the bubble. Oh! How it would be so hard to be patient and wait in the dark for them to leave your relentless over protection! But my master shows no mercy if we rush the process. We all pride ourselves on the anti-fruits and how well we can entice you and your offspring. Eventually, they would leave and since I had accomplished my work on you and your heart, it would be time for fresh meat. As your offspring entered into the world and saw all it had to offer for the first time it would drive their senses mad. Rest assured mother I would be in their ear, relentlessly enticing as I have no need for sleep. I would give them just enough push to test out everything there was to offer the flesh. And because you did such a great job dulling their senses, they will crave the sensations like an addict. I would open their ears to music other than those vile hymns. I would open their eyes to movies that stimulated the mind with images you either never told them about or condemned into making a forbidden fruit so that they would want to gorge themselves on it all in the privacy of their own dwelling. I would show them the pleasures of the flesh by widening their horizons into clubs with dancing and bars with dancing. I have many allies there that would help me take them along with others into sexual immorality. Turning, always turning, from your suffocating confinement to experiences that satisfied. Only you, the Shepard and I would know that these worldly satisfactions were imitations, mirages, forgeries always quickly fading. As you and the Shepard tried to turn them back I would continue to give them little bits of gratification as I twisted their hearts into stone. But I would not be done. No, no, I never like to leave my conquest alone for long in case the Shepard were to break through. So back I would come... to you. I would add to your diseased heart new feelings. I would begin slow in whispers and then grow louder and louder into your ear. I would be so truthful with you. I would have you reminiscing about the past and I would shield your eyes from any good things He gave you in those days and let you focus on the bad. I would remind you how terrible of a mother you were. How you failed and that is why your child now belonged to us. I would even open your eyes to the fact those friends that you judged, now had offspring... ugh ...that followed the Shepard passionately. I would show you the fruits of the Shepard shining bright from them! Haha! To see you crumble under guilt, shame, rejection, failures and despair. You would now see how, yes, those friends offspring did "taste" some of the world as they grew. But, they were there to guide them back and to explain to them that the world was only offering temporary pleasure. How I hate them! You would learn that these friends you put below you, in gradual doses, exposed their offspring to truths of the world. You would learn many, many, many of these you believed to be my masters work were in all reality, from the Shepard who was the Creator of them, we simply slinked our way in to corrupt those parts of creation. Then I would leave you, old and on your death bed, riddled with anger for the Shepard not warning you of what your bubble was really doing. Poor mother, He did, He really did. But you chose to blind your eyes to His creation and His teachings. How many in His Word failed (Adam, Noah, Abraham, David, Peter, Paul) and yet Him Who Must Not Be Named rose them up into greatness for His glory? Over and over and over again, it was right in front of you! But the spirits of self-righteousness, judgement, fear, pride, comparison, bitterness kept you from seeing it... So now I have you and your offspring, trapped. ~ Your enemy A hard truth to swallow mothers... but grace Hang with me mothers. I know how hard that read was for you, I know because I have been there. A week ago I posted a book review, "MamaBear Apologetics" on this site. This book showed me that this was the enemies plan for my children and me. I had had my children in a bubble. However, before I get into that, let me share with you why I needed to write today's blog. It happened earlier this week. I am on a FaceBook page for Christian parents who work together to give reviews of books that are "safe" for their children to read. The page is a wonderful page! There is immense diversity on this page (the good kind). Some mothers are looking for books with no agendas, others with no magic, others with no fantasy; still others that are okay with fantasy but do not want an agenda, some who want fantasy but no magic. The diversity is astounding, but all of them align with the basis of no agenda. These mothers are honest and loving. I have yet to see a nasty comment on this page! What a breath of fresh air. Yet, my heart broke this week when I read one mother's post. She was looking for books for her preteen to read but she went into great detail on what she did not want. This mother said they did no music other than hymns, they did not dance, I do not remember if they did movies but if they did it was the same ... conviction. They stayed away from all fantasy period. I could tell from the comments that mothers were empathizing with her and cared, but little could give recommendations with such boundaries. Even I struggled, I was going to suggest Narnia but that was fantasy. This family has been on my heart since then. As mothers we have got to test these spirits. As mothers we have to not live in fear. As mothers we have to stay away from the comparison/judgement/self-rightous game. We do this by following Jesus' command to be in the world but not of it. Too many are not obeying this command and hide behind the wall of legalism. Oh, and like many other saying, this is not a Bible verse but it is taken from verses with deductive reasoning applied. Now, before you get offended, please hear me out until the end. Bet you did not know that, did you... So, now that you know the truth, but by all means, do not take my word for it but instead be a Berean and look it up for yourself. So, how did this phrase come about? Well it came about from a command that was suppose to go with human intellect to do deductive reasoning. Before I give you the command let me show love to the mothers who are reading because I asked them to, but probably want to chew my head off. I do know where you are coming from and I know exactly where you are getting your command. You are indeed getting it from God's Word. 1 John 2:15 states "Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him." Am I right? Please rest assured I had my children in their "bubble" as I wrote in the book review of "MamaBear Apologetics". However, I saw what the Spirit was saying through the ladies who wrote it. But know, not one of us are perfect. We are all fallible, especially when it comes to parenting. So we must all find humility and keep a teachable spirit in us. Back to the command. Usually, in God will confirm things in three's. It simply means, if He really wants to get your attention about something, look for Him to repeat it. In all four gospel books of the Bible, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, Jesus gave the same command. Generally speaking, Matthew 28:19-20, Mark 16:15, Luke 14:23 and John 17:14-16 say the same thing, Go therefore into all the world and make disciples. How can you OR your children honor and obey this command if you shut yourself off from the world? 1. Being in the world Making disciples of the world CAN NOT happen if we close ourselves and our children out from the world. The two can not be reconciled. It is humbling for me to admit this as I am a homeschool mom as you know. But, to you mothers with children in public schools (and even private schools), honor and blessings to you. If you have prayed about homeschooling and tested the spirits about it and had the conviction NOT to homeschool, wow! God has amazing plans for your children! They have been found worthy in the Lord's eyes to be sent in behind enemy lines to be the light in the dark. I tear up just thinking about it! In a sense I know this must make your life harder as things you may not be ready to discuss with your children come up. But they are the example of being in the world making disciples. They are NOT of the world as they are not relishing in the sensations of the world (and if they are I know you are praying for them and guiding them with Jesus at your back and He will not let them get away) Rest assured, "If you remain in Me and My Words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you." John 15:7 So how do we as mothers apply this to today? What does it mean? It means that raising a child is an organic and ever changing process. Just as their physical bodies grow, change and adapt. You MUST allow their spiritual and emotional bodies do the same. After all, it was not the enemy that created music, that was Jesus (even the angels are in heaven singing right now and their original songs far predate hymns and yet I am sure they can also get behind many of the modern songs too, that glorify God). It was not the enemy that created fantasy and imagination, it was Jesus (we take for granted the creation itself, animals, plants, inventions, innovation, rising the dead, miracles, etc). It was not the enemy that created dancing, it was Jesus (you can find over 69 verses regarding dancing, but, Let them praise His name in the DANCE :let them sing praises unto Him with timbrel and harp. Psalm 149:3 as proof). As you raise your child, yes, there should be boundaries. Especially at the beginning! No baby should be showing up to a dance party! However, as your child grows start opening the door of the Lord's creation to them while you are around to guide and influence them. If they are interested in a country or rock song, do not shut them down cold turkey. Look at the lyrics and together decide if it is appropriate. If they want to see a movie with possibly a "hidden" agenda, go with them and then afterwards discuss the movie. Were there Biblical truths? Where did they see the enemies or false hoods or half truths? If they want to go to a dance, ask about the environment? Will there be chaperones, do you know who they are, what kind of music? Can you trust your child? All of this should be done by the conviction of the Holy Spirit. My 13 year old daughter is extremely discerning and can pull out truths vs. half truths in movies very well, for example. However, my boys who are 10 and 11 are YEARS away from being able to see things that require such discernment. But I do not close the door, I keep it open only enough for where they are at. I pray this is making sense mother. 2. Of the world... When Jesus said to make disciples of all the world He meant we needed to get our hands dirty. It would be ugly, dangerous, hard and even at times deadly. Yet, He still gave us the command, trusting us to not stop with "me" but to teach and instruct our children while He gave us the power to do so. In a research study done by Lifeway Research (The Next Generation Is Leaving the Faith Earlier Than You Realize - Lifeway Research ), they concluded that, "most nonreligious children are born into religious households and lose their faith while under the supervision of parents who believe that they are successfully transmitting their religious values." with a staggering percentage of 66% of 16 year olds leaving the Protestant Church! Mothers, there has to be a happy balance between letting our children run wild before they have the wisdom of the Lord and keeping them so close and confined that despite hearing the wisdom of the Lord they have no practice in telling the world "No!" when it tries to snare them. It does not mean they will not make mistakes. They will, it simply means you will be there to correct and guide them with the smaller mistakes so that hopefully, 1. they will not repeat those mistakes or make bigger mistakes, 2. if they do make a mistake once out of the house, they will come to you for wise counsel despite their age because you were there guiding in the beginning. There will be things our children should never be taught to "be in", but we must explain why using biblical discernment not just the "because God says not to" response. We must let them enjoy God's creation. Jesus commanded us to hate "people" (our family) in order to love Him. The original Greek did not mean hate as we in this culture believe. It meant to "love less". Therefore, when 1 John 2:15 states the word "love" it means to love the Lord MORE than the things in His creation. And yes, the enemy has great tactics for corrupting the creation but we must then stop the corruption from growing with light, and none of us can do that with our light hidden under a basket. You fool of a worm! I sent you to tear the mother and child apart from each other as well as the Shepard! I sent you to make the cage of the offspring like a gentle bubble! You were doing so well and yet you have failed! You let your guard down with the mother. The Shepard has healed her heart, because despite your constant yells in her ears the Shepard's whisper got to her! She began praying, therefore He began fighting for her offspring through the disgusting aroma of her prayers! Filth! Then to make matters worse it has spread! Now her offspring's heart is beginning to soften, they are listening to her and to Him! You imbecile, you worthless scum, you have lost them to the Shepard. The damage He has caused is so great that little can be done to correct course. Make no mistake that I will tell the master of your failure and he will make it so you never underestimate the power of the Spirit's fruit and His power! ~ Higher powered enemy I hope this has encouraged you mothers and has given you hope if you find yourself under the attack of the enemy in this area. Know I love you all greatly, as does the King and He will never stop fighting for you and your children. God bless until next time, unless Jesus returns first! Maranatha!
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