November 27

Good morning, Hillcrest Family!

I love today's reading in 1 Peter 5:6-11. "Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, 7 casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. 8 Be sober, be vigilant; because[g] your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. 9 Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world. 10 But may[h] the God of all grace, who called us[i] to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you. 11 To Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen." I love that we can humble ourselves and give God all those things, big ones and little ones, that we care about and that He will take care of us. He cares for us. He really, really does even if it doesn't feel like it at the moment.

In this passage, we're told to be sober and vigilant. Being sober means to be marked by earnestly thoughtful character or demeanor. Vigilant means alertly watchful especially to avoid danger. As a parent, I am vigilant to watch over and protect my children. As a children's minister, I am vigilant to watch over our HC flock of children. Why? Because the devil walks around like a roaring lion, seeking to devour us, our children and our families. Wolves, lions, and bears seek out the weak in flocks to devour them first. They make easy prey. How susceptible are our little ones to our vicious adversary. Do we realize that?

In some countries, men & women train their little ones - really little ones even - for war, strapping bombs on them and putting vicious weapons in their hands. Muslims whisper in their newborn's ears that Alah is god and that they belong to him for life! Abortion rears its ugly head even in Dallas, stealing these little ones away. Do you realize that drug lords in Mexico are training kids in Mexico and in Texas and even Dallas to do their drug trafficking? They are calling these kids - "The Expendables!" Then there is sex slave trafficking right here in Dallas and around the world. But even less subtle are the every day distractions that take our children's attention and hearts away from God. I say all this to say that we MUST be sober and vigilant to protect our kids from the enemy more than ever before.

Reading Psalm 119 about David's troubles and cry to the Lord encouraged me. At one point he says that the proud almost made an end to him on earth...except for God's precepts. David knew and loved and obeyed God's precepts, His Word. The Word of the Lord is the Sword of the Spirit. We must read and know and obey God's Word AND share it with the children and new in faith in our lives. We must be sober and vigilant to teach these little ones God's Word! Reading and learning God's Word isn't hard. We can do it at bedtime or as a morning devotional or put the Word on cd while we drive. Obeying it, however, is the challenge. That's where we discipline ourselves and our children and pray that God creates in us a clean, new heart that is obedient to follow His commands.

So I challenge myself and you today... Are we sober and vigilant in God's Word ourselves? Will we accept the challenge to teach God's precepts and Word to our children and those new in faith? There is a war raging against this generation and against the family. There is a war raging in Dallas. But greater is He who is in us than he that is in the world. Victory is ours. Take up your sword today!

Have a blessed day. See you tomorrow at Church!

Blessings,
Rolanda Green
Hillcrest Children's Minister