Prepare Children for "The End Times"

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Permalink Reply by Tracie Zander on April 15, 2009 at 7:44am

I too am wondering how to do this, we have kind of touched on the subject but I'm trying to focus on hearts being ready, I think because I don't know how to do this part without scaring them. I'm just finishing the book 90 Minutes in Heaven and was contemplating reading that out loud. I think it would give them some security and comfort. Any ideas?
Tracie

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Permalink Reply by Andrea Brown on April 15, 2009 at 7:56pm

It is a tough subject to discuss with children, but it is also a reality based in God's Word. Teaching our children why it is so important for people to know Christ for their salvation can prepare them for understanding this subject. If the "End" is in our life time or not, the truth is, all life with in us on earth eventually ends and we must know and believe in Christ Jesus in order to be with Him in heaven. My suggestion would be making sure your children understand that as long as they know and have a relationship with Christ that they are taken care of. We may see the "end " as it happens or we may just pass on here on earth, where we end up is what is important. Giving the children an understanding of where they go and who they are with after the end times will hopefully relieve the burdens on their heart. What a wonderful place we will be and with such a wonderful Almighty God we will be with! I hope this helps even though my thoughts are a little scrambled!

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Permalink Reply by Melissa Ringstaff on April 20, 2009 at 12:13pm

Karen, this subject is so dear to my heart! My children are so excited about the end times! Because I am excited about it. They literally cannot wait for Jesus to come back. We talk about it almost daily. That is what we are living for - to see Jesus face to face!

Our children need to have a faith worth dying for. I believe that there will be children in the last days who are separated from their parents and they will preach the gospel from the prisons. They will have the courage to stand up for what they believe in. Ou family has long been preparing for the time of trouble - spiritually speaking. If you are weak now, there is no way you will make it through the time of trouble.

It is so important that we teach our children about heaven in way that is real to them. My little five year says her prayers everyday and includes - of her own thinking - words like "Jesus, please help us to see you soon. Please help us to get to heaven safely, please let us see all of the beautiful animals in heaven soon.... etc." My children don't really expect to ever get married or even grow up here on this earth. I mean, we are preparing our hearts for the future, but at the same time we believe so strongly that Jesus will come soon to take us home that we are living with that idea daily. This earth is not our real home. The things of this world are shallow and futile. I was recently thinking how basically everything in our American society is all about vanity. It isn't eternal.

I was so sad the other day when talking to a girl at church who is about 13 or 14 and I was telling her how I believe Jesus will be here within the next year or two or three - and she looked bummed and said, "I won't even be 18!" You see, this precious girl wants to live out her life here on earth more than she wants to live in the kingdom of heaven. So many of our young people - adults too - don't really believe that heaven has something better to offer than the pleasures of this world. Heaven is a real place, just like this earth where we can sing, and play, and feast together. I always tell my girls and the children I work with - things like - "just imagine swimming with the dolphins - you won't be able to drown! And imagine playing in the field with the tigers and bears! And just think, you'll never get sick again or even stub your toe!"

Heaven is so exciting. I long for Jesus to come today! I am ready for the time of trouble. My children are prepared to walk away from our home and flee into the mountains - the wilderness - like Jesus says in Mark 13:14-23.

Teach your children to love Jesus more than anything else in this world and they will be ready. And then teach them to survive on nothing and they will be okay during the time of trouble. Teach them to trust God with their very lives and in the last days, they will have no fear.

I am planning to write an article or two about this subject in the near future. This is so exciting to me!

Melissa Ringstaff

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Permalink Reply by Nava eshet Kalev Michaels on December 16, 2009 at 12:47pm

Melissa~

Have you written the articles on preparations yet? If not, I'm one who's looking forward to it! :)

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Permalink Reply by Bonnie E on December 1, 2009 at 2:41pm

Live as if HE is returning in the next five minutes; plan/think like HE won't be returning for 1,000 years. It is important for our children to know all of HIS WORD. HIS WORD is being fulfilled all around us.

I would disagree with some on the part of being excited about it---it is a day of darkness and not light. But to not tell our children what is going on in spiritual reality would be lying to them.

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Permalink Reply by Nava eshet Kalev Michaels on December 16, 2009 at 12:44pm

I've been a part of this community for a few months now and have never posted, so "hello"/"peace" to you all. :)
As Melissa and Bonnie said, foundationally they must know and learn to love their Messiah. Daily scripture reading from both covenants will show them who our God is: His love, His power, His strength, His wisdom throughout history, coupled with praying with them on life issues, teaching them patience and watching for the answers will show them that He is real, He doesn't change, and regardless of what happens in our world, He is still on the throne.

Practically what we do is teach how to live now for the future. I believe as well that our Messiah will return in a few short years, and with that in mind, we've incorporated some very useful practices in our life as a family and as a community of Believers. We garden, can, take survival/wilderness training classes, do whatever we can to learn to live as self-sufficiently as possible while we keep our eyes open to the spiritual/political climate, and moreso on the sky waiting for our Bridegrom's deliverance - in essence, we're occupying! :)

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