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October 2018 Life Lessons

Doug Harrell

Having grown up on the farm, October to me has always been harvest time, it still is.  The farm harvest is important and critical, but the soul harvest is even more important in our lives.  I would expect a large percentage of the people reading this article are old enough to have children and this is the very first harvest field of souls that we need to concentrate on.  If we are not careful in life we will let it get in the way of living!  We get so busy being busy that we let time pass that we should be spending with our children and grandchildren teaching them the things that are truly important.  Jesus was very clear on the importance of children.  “And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them, And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me. But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.”Matthew 18:2-6 KJV.  We must accept the fact that the most important task assigned a parent is to nurture our children and bring them into a relationship with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  In today’s politically correct environment many times the prevailing attitude is that there are various ways to heaven and that all religions lead to God and heaven.  That is not the way the Bible reads!  “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”John 14:6 KJV  As our children grow and leave the environment of the home, which hopefully is Christ centered, and go out into todays world their thinking will be challenged to an extent that I could not have even comprehended years ago when I was growing up.  We MUST get our children in a Bible teaching and preaching church environment, not by sending them, but by taking them!  If we parents don’t lead by example the teaching will not stick!

Another area that we must take a strong stand in is in our election process.  I am not going to say vote for any particular party line but we must stand up for our Christian values if we expect our children to have anything like we experienced growing up.  Examine the values and platforms of the people that are running for office, ask tough questions of them regarding their individual values and stands on things.  Be brave enough to vote for the people that exhibit and follow Christian values in their personal lives.  This country became great because of the value system it was based on and it will crumble if those values are allowed to be eroded away.  We owe it to our children, grandchildren and future generations to leave them a country that they can be free in and can grow both spiritually and otherwise.  We can be successful personally, but we must leave a culture behind that allows spiritual growth, not just business and personal wealth.  “For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?” Matthew 16:26 KJV Our focus must be on being sure that we will be able to spend eternity with our families in the mansions of glory and to be able to do that, we must contribute and work with all our hearts and minds to bring our children along on this journey.  Walk the walk and don’t just talk the talk, we do have a role to play!  God Bless!