RESTORATION OF THE GENERATIONAL BLESSING (For details of DAPHNE KIRK )

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As we consider the Biblical environment for expressing kingdom life, it is important to apply these Biblical foundations to the children's environment. The thrust of Scripture is generational. God created the generations (Isaiah 41:4) as the environment in which His children should be nurtured and discipled. Psalm 78 1-7 talks powerfully about the responsibility of one generation to another. "What we have heard and known… we will not hide them from their children; we will tell the next generation…so the next generation would know them, even the children yet to be born and they in turn would tell their children. THEN they would put their trust in God and would not forget His deeds but would keep His commandments" One of the most ignored commands of the Bible is that we should "write it on our hearts and tell it to our children (Deuteronomy 6 6-8) Silently the enemy has stolen that environment from our children and the result is that throughout the world I hear the cry "What shall we do with the children?"

People often look for programmes, for resources, for entertainment, for anything that will catch the attention of their children. Their Father is not just looking for their attention but for their hearts and for relationship with them. He has left His body (community) on earth to be the expression of His heart to His children. Paul Hegstrom sums it up this way, "How can a man (woman or child) love God who he has not seen, if he has not been loved by man who he can see?"

THE SPIRIT OF ELIJAH

Today is a new day! Today is the day when He is fulfilling the promise to send "Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and terrible day of the Lord. And he will restore the hearts of the fathers to their children and the hearts of the children to their fathers, or else I will come and strike the land with a curse." (Malachi 4) This is not just about your family, it is not just about your church is it about your nation! It is about your nation being redeemed from the curse.

All over the world there is a stirring for change, for parents once again to be restored to, and empowered for, the role of being the primary disciplers of their children, supported by their community. So supportive was the community Jesus lived in, that when Mary and Jospeh left Jerusalem they did not notice their son was missing. It was only when they checked with everyone else that they realised they had left Him behined! (Luke 2 41)

In such a supportive setting a child's full potential can be released. This is the time the "hearts of the fathers are being turned to the children, and the hearts of the children to the fathers". Children flourish when this happens and they stand as beacons in a lost and dying world. These are the days of Elijah!

GOD"S COMMUNITY

Consider the community of the trinity of God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit relationally flowing and communing together. When God created Adam and Eve, He wanted a reflection of Himself and so He ordained family to be relationally flowing and communing together. When He set His people of Israel in order, He placed each child within a family, each family within a tribe and each tribe within the nation. The cell church provides a model of all ages working together and it's appropriately called the "Intergenerational cell."

(Diagram p27 Heirs Together)

Within the intergenerational cell, God is bringing that same order back to His people: each child within the family, each family within a cell, and each cell within a congregation. Children coming into the membership of cells are quick to notice an inclusive atmosphere. The contrast often provokes their honest comments about confusion over parents that frequently left them with babysitters as one child explained, "I wondered what my parents were doing and why they had to leave me all the time." After experiencing the community aspect of a cell, she said, "I am glad now that I can be a part of everything and that we can go to church together. I know my being here makes it even better for my parents too."

(Diagram p 28 Heirs Together)

As cells work to establish community, it is essential to honour the first community (family) that God created, so that the filter (parents) that God put around the children to be an expression of Himself remains. The intergenerational cell maintains the family environment for children, surrounding and supporting the whole family and so expressing the heart of God. There is a covering and support for the parents rather than a replacement.

In the cell environment, children and parents can interact together within the
community of God to "work out their salvation" with fear and trembling Recently, I visited with a little boy. He was excited to tell me about a recent family outing to the movies where the family members split up to see three different movies. This was not family togetherness at all! The only togetherness had been enroute to and from the theatre. Sadly, this is how many families consider going to church together "as a family"... in different rooms, experiencing and hearing different things, and then going home together. In this mobile society where the extended family is often separated, God is providing the potential for community within His church, a place where parents can be involved partakers with their children in the cell.

Consider the contributions the elderly saints (Grandparent figures) could share with younger generations if they shared their lives with younger people who took the time to listen and gain from their insight and wisdom. So the prayer of David would be fulfilled "O Lord from my youth you have taught me, even now when I am old and grey don't let me die till I have told the next generation your wonderful works your power to all who are to come" Each older person has a divine commission, to pass on to those younger than themselves, including the children! By encouraging mutual appreciation and commonality of vision, cells' inclusive nature embraces individuals, twosomes and families. ! In the tribes every generation travelled together. Today we can have one vision and one purpose and travel together.
Psalms 133 reminds us, "How good and pleasant it is when brothers live (community) together in unity... for there the Lord bestows His blessing, even life for evermore."

WE NEED THE CHILDREN

We need to go beyond including children in a patronizing way. Children need to know that they are valued, that we need them in our lives. Jesus said that we should "become like little children" Matthew 18: 3. How will we know how to become like them if we don't have them with us? Who needed whom most? Did Samuel need Eli, or did Eli need Samuel? The truth is that they needed each other. My experience taking a 9-year-old boy to minister with me in another church demonstrates this principle in action. Initially I considered taking another adult as well, but knew that the Spirit of God in Matthew was enough. Several of the people that we spoke with were amazed at the trust I had in this young person, and how he answered questions. It was a great honour to know he had prayed for me and had been a warrior of faith by my side. Much like Samuel and Eli, we needed each other and received the commanded blessing that comes from flowing together.

HOW DO CHILDREN LEARN?

Statistically we are loosing children, young people today are in desperate situations, so many of these having been churched children from Christian families. Could it be this is a result of having moved so far from the generational flow and environment God created for them to be discipled in. Within a generational environment He knew they would learn quite naturally, experientially, through modelling, by questioning, interacting and so many other ways, while being cared for by parents who He intended would be the reflection of His own to character.

Such a child would know that, " just as I am loved by my parents so my heavenly Father loves me, just as I am forgiven so I begin to understand the unconditional love of my Father, just as I am lovingly disciplined so I will understand as I grow older that I also have a Heavenly Father who loves me enough to discipline me."

Generally the Church has dismantled this environment and tried to "teach" children totally in a peer environment away from their parents. Secular counselling for children takes place within the context of the family, and often the extended family. We need to take that Biblical wisdom and bring healing and wholeness to children and their families in the same context.

REACHING OTHERS

As cells serve the community together -- children, young people and adults reaching out, supporting one another -- they are providing a net that can reach any generation for Jesus. Parents are aware of their children's prayers for their unsaved friends and can empower them to reach their friends for Jesus and at the same befriend and bring Jesus to the whole family.

Within the context of the community of the cell, families and different generations can work together to bring in the harvest. "By this shall all men know that you are my disciples, when you have love one for another"

A cell I visited recently demonstrated Christian compassion for low-income families by distributing free meat. This outreach took place in an environment of warmth and acceptance that melted the shame that often accompanies economic adversity. Cell members of all ages worked in unison to welcome their visitors. Children were integrally involved greeting, helping to serve drinks and carrying meat for their guests. The laughter and smiles within this cell environment indicated that each generation felt involved in jointly spreading the love of Jesus. It was a great contrast to the hatred, bitterness, unforgiveness and communication gaps so prevalent in these times outside of the church.

THE AVIODED SIN

There is one sin in the body of Christ that I have never heard addressed from the pulpit, that I have never heard an altar call for , and that people are often given permission to avoid. In this day when there is a call to holiness, the time has come for that sin to be exposed and addressed in the hearts of EVERY believer. It is the sin of Matthew 18.1-14. So great is that sin in the eyes of Jesus that He says "if anyone causes one of these little ones to sin, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea" (verse 6) the time is here for EVERY believer to examine their heart attitudes to children. This includes sins of omission too, for lack of care and love sends its own damaging message. We are ALL called to be accountable before God and man for the sin of our own hearts towards children.
This will require change. Leaving the familiar, good or bad, is often hard, particularly when it requires changes in heart and lifestyle. But change is what the Christian walk is all about. We strive to die to self daily and live for Christ. Today He is exposing this sin in order that EVERY person can be found blameless before Him. The Holy Spirit is bringing a purifying of the environment in which the children live so that they can grow, thrive and become the revival generation that is being promised throughout the earth.

HIS REIGN FROM GENERATION TO GENERATION

It is sobering to wonder how many people are fulfilling their destiny to impact the younger generation of children. Jesus prayed in John 17 "that they might be one." and that includes the generations. His throne, His dominion, His plans, and His salvation, are to be established from generation to generation. Each child is the flow to the coming generations, establishing of the rule and reign of the King of Kings on this earth. When you touch a child you touch the generations that are to come.

The fires of revival are being poured out from heaven "In these last days I will pour out my spirit on ALL people. Your sons and daughter will prophesy …." Acts 2 17. This generation is rising up; we have the privilege of nurturing, empowering and releasing them.

I will give the rest of my days to see the kingdom of God established, to see in every nation children being rescued from the devices of the enemy, and to see restoration to families, so that the world might see the manifestation of the glory of God and know that our Redeemer lives. Will you?

Appendix
It is vital to take much care, time and preparation when transitioning the children in Cell Church. Many churches take much time in training for transitioning the adults; the same must apply to the whole area of children. This is an issue for the Senior Pastor and His leadership team, cell leaders, parents, children's ministry. infact it is affects just about everyone!

The same process applies as in every area of transition : values first and out of them comes new life,

Take time for prayer, prayer and more prayer supported by conferences, coaching, resources, teaching and preaching, consultation.

The Holy Spirit is breathing life into His children. Some of the areas he is choosing to use include:
Parents discipling their children, churches resourcing and supporting parents and other adults in the role of discipleship, intergenerational cells, equipping/encounter weekends, transitioning the children's ministry into children's cells, harvest events and so much more.

He is a big God with big plans for His little ones!