Showing posts with label #Samaritanspurse. Show all posts
Showing posts with label #Samaritanspurse. Show all posts

Sunday, October 12, 2025

Prepared and Vigilant

 

 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: ~I Peter 5:8


Have you ever been to a reenactment? Every October Walnut Grove Plantation has a reenactment of a revolutionary battle in which Bloody Bill Cunningham was killed. He massacred many patriots in the weeks before. No one seemed to know he was near Walnut Grove. The children were playing in the yard when the alarm sounded that the British were coming. People ran to get the children to safety. The British stormed the house where a patriot was being treated. Militia filled the yard along with British soldiers, and a battle ensued.

What if no one warned the children? What would the enemy have done to them? The patriots didn’t just rush in and shoo the children to safety. They stood their ground and fought against the invaders. They didn’t just rush in untrained. There were sessions to drill the men in resisting the enemy long before the enemy attacked. The children and wives were at the training drills as well. It was almost a social day. Everyone watched and prepared to meet the enemy. Even the little ones played militia games.

Have we trained ourselves in God’s Word to stand against the Devil? Are we training our little ones? Do we rush our little ones to safety, and stand our ground in defense of our families and our country? As one of the men in the film “Courageous” says, “Where are we men of courage?” And might I add, “Where are we women of courage?”  The enemy walks about even now seeking whom he may devour. Our enemy is not the British. The enemy is Satan himself. He will devour our children, our homes, and our country if we are not vigilant in watching and training our children to watch as well. They innocently play while Satan uses every means available to reach into their hearts and minds to destroy.

Where does the enemy lurk? 
  • Should we change the TV channel often? 
  • Should we monitor the music our children hear? 
  • Should we monitor our children's social media and web history?
  • Are we having trouble finding modest clothes? 
  • Are the popular clothes covered with worldly or demonic symbols? 
  • Are we aware of the books our children read, or have read them in school? 

Heavenly Father, help us be aware of the enemy surrounding our families. Show us how to live in the world but not be of the world. You have given us the most precious gift in our families. Help us defend it by being vigilant in training them to be aware of their surroundings and resist the devil's attempts to capture their hearts and minds. In Jesus's name. Amen 

Hey Kids:

One of the things I noticed when attending the Walnut Grove Reenactment was how the training was for the whole family, and it seemed like a social event. How could you and your family participate in training to confront the enemy while still having fun as a social event?

At my church, we have a packing party for Samaritan's Purse. 
Every month, we choose something for families to bring for shoeboxes. 
We store them until November.
Then we bring snack foods for a social event as we pack the boxes.

It's not just about toys and socks. We also teach others that the most important thing Samaritan's Purse will include in the boxes is a gospel booklet in the child's language. They get to bring the booklet to training sessions in their village or town. After the completion of the classes, the children receive a Bible in their language. Siblings, parents, aunts, and uncles also benefit from the children's shoeboxes. The children take the gospel home to their families! 

Whole families and their communities become prepared to meet the enemy with the gospel of Jesus Christ. 

Is your family prepared?

Sunday, October 27, 2024

Prepared

 

 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: ~I Peter 5:8


Have you ever been to a reenactment? On the first weekend in October at Walnut Grove Plantation there is a reenactment of a revolutionary battle in which Bloody Bill Cunningham was killed. He massacred many patriots in the weeks before. No one seemed to know he was near Walnut Grove. The children were playing in the yard when the alarm sounded that the British were coming. People ran to get the children to safety. The British stormed the house where a patriot was being treated. Militia filled the yard along with British soldiers and a battle ensued.

What if no one warned the children? What would the enemy have done to them? The patriots didn’t just rush in and shoo the children to safety. They stood their ground and fought against the invaders. They didn’t just rush in untrained. There were sessions to drill the men in resisting the enemy. The children and wives were at the training drills as well. It was almost a social day. Everyone watched and prepared to meet the enemy. Even the little ones played militia games.

Have we trained ourselves in God’s Word to stand against the Devil? Are we training our little ones? Do we rush our little ones to safety and stand our ground in defense of our families and our country? As one of the men in the film “Courageous” says, “Where are we men of courage?” And might I add, “Where are we women of courage?”  The enemy walks about even now seeking whom he may devour. Our enemy is not the British. The enemy is Satan himself. He will devour our children, our homes, and our country if we are not vigilant in watching and training our children to watch as well. They innocently play while Satan uses every means available to reach into their hearts and minds to destroy.

Where does the enemy lurk? 
  • Do we need to change the TV channel often? 
  • Do we need to monitor the music our children hear? 
  • Do we need to monitor our children's social media and web history?
  • Are we having trouble finding modest clothes? 
  • Are the popular clothes covered with worldly or demonic symbols? 
  • Are we aware of the books our children read or have read them in school? 

Heavenly Father, help us be aware of the enemy surrounding our families. Show us how to live in the world but not be of the world. You have given us the most precious gift in our families. Help us defend it by being vigilant in training them to be aware of their surroundings and resist the devil's attempts to capture their hearts and minds. In Jesus's name. Amen 

Hey Kids:

One of the things I noticed when attending the Walnut Grove Reenactment was how the training was for the whole family and it seemed like a social event. How could you and your family participate in training to confront the enemy while still having fun as a social event?

At my church, we have a packing party for Samaritan's Purse. 
Every month we choose something for families to bring for shoeboxes. 
We store them until November.
Then we bring snack foods for a social event as we pack the boxes.

It's not just about toys and socks. We also teach others that the most important thing Samaritan's Purse will include in the boxes is a gospel booklet in the child's language. They get to bring the booklet to training sessions in their village or town. After the completion of the classes, the children receive a Bible in their language. Siblings, parents, aunts and uncles also benefit from the children's shoeboxes. The children take the gospel home to their families! 

Whole families and their communities become prepared to meet the enemy with the gospel of Jesus Christ. 

Is your family prepared?

Sunday, November 8, 2015

Merry Christmas - Growing in Christ

Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen. Matthew 28:19,20

It was Saturday and as usual my granddaughter came to stay a few hours while mom worked at the bank and dad at the hospital.I waited until she got there to make breakfast so she could help. Blueberry muffins were her choice this morning, so after we mixed and popped them in the oven, we considered what to do on another rainy morning. Naturally, I already had an idea.

It has been on my heart that I see so many people saved, but there is very little follow up teaching them to observe all things. They become worldly Christians, probably through no fault of their own. I'd been talking to my Sunday School class and praying about where do we begin and how? I'd done a personal in depth study of I Corinthians 13. I had heard a preacher say "charity" is "love in action". What actions was I displaying as a Christian? How would I go about practicing "love in action" and teaching new Christians how to grow in the Lord - teaching them to observe all things. This time of year brings an overwhelming amount of requests for donations of all kinds. It's so overwhelming, it sometimes puts me in a Scrooge mood; enough already! But I know of one charity that practices that love in action, one that I do feel comfortable working with.  I thought, this is my opportunity to help my granddaughter know how to grow in the Lord.

While the muffins baked, I let Kady do her favorite thing, play on the computer. Her job was to research Samaritans Purse Operation Christmas Child. She needed to find out about shoe boxes. Here's the site.
http://www.samaritanspurse.org/operation-christmas-child/pack-a-shoe-box/
She chose the age and sex of a child. We went over the things that we could purchase and the things we would need to omit from the box. Naturally, I had a shoe box in the closet.  Another thing the site requests is to pack the box with prayers for the child. When I asked Kady who would ask the blessing for breakfast, she asked me to do it. I prayed for the breakfast and for us to know what to buy for the child that would receive the box. I pray today, Kady remembers to keep praying for the child.

So after a couple of hot muffins, we took the shoe box to a nearby dollar store and asked permission to take it  into the store and fill it before bringing it to the check out. When we finally filled the box, she said, "it seems like we've been here a long time." We had probably spent between 30 minutes and to an hour choosing items and changing our mind, choosing more, and trying to squeeze in as much as we could. It may have been a long time, but a fun time.

Back home she wrote a Christmas card. We took a picture of her and printed it to include. She packed the box several times to make sure all the pieces were tight and secure. Then for the nice big rubber band! No wrapping. Samaritan's Purse will need to check all the items to make sure they will pass customs and standards.

We had no idea the church would be participating in Operation Christmas Child this year. We have never done that before. When the pastor announced the church would pack boxes, Kady turned around and sent me a knowing grin. Another scripture came to mind that is important to helping young Christians grow in the Lord. My paraphrase; talk about the things of God when you get up, when you lie down, when you sit at the table, when you walk in the way. Don't forget about Him when life is easy.  Deuteronomy 6: 5-12.

My prayer is this will be imprinted on Kady's heart as well as the child who will receive a Christmas Shoe Box.
Blessings,
Gail

Hey Kids!
Need I say more? Are you digging in that closet for a box and shaking out the quarters from the piggy bank? Check the site to know exactly what to send to make another kid's Christmas special this year.