Hi everyone! It's Tania and welcome to the Moms for Christ podcast. The Word I have today comes from the book of Luke, chapter 9, verse 1-2 and it says, “When Jesus had called the Twelve together, He gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases, and He sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal the sick.”

Recently, the Lord began to stir this Word in me. Jesus prepared His disciples for the work of building the Kingdom; He demonstrated that work in His life every day. He sent the disciples to begin to put what He taught them into practice.

"Jesus understood that He had given His disciples the only thing they really needed - power and authority in Christ."

If you continue to read the chapter, He tells His disciples not to take anything with them. It says in Luke 9:3, “‘Take nothing for the journey - no staff, no bag, no bread, no money, no extra shirt.’” As a parent, this is completely opposite of everything you teach your children as they get older and begin to leave the house. It's the same running list every time they go anywhere without me or their dad: Do you have your phone? Do you have money? Around what time do you think that you'll be done? Do you have a snack? Do you have water? And the list continues depending on where they're going and how long they will be gone.

A few weeks ago, my teenage son rode his bike to school for the first time. From our house to the high school it's just under two miles. This is something he’s wanted to do for a while, and after months of begging, finally a day came when my husband and I finally felt he was ready. He would have to get up early with enough time to make it to school on time. He had to call me on his way home. My husband and I talked to him about where to ride his bike when he crossed the bridge, and the route he would take. When the day came, all that I could do was pray, trusting that all the preparation and instruction we had given him would sustain him.

Jesus understood that He had given His disciples the only thing they really needed - power and authority in Christ. Food wouldn't sustain them. A staff wouldn't protect them. At some point, all that He had taught them along with the power and authority to drive out demons and heal the sick was enough. It was this testimony that would either draw some to the Lord, or repel others from the Lord.

"Please help us to raise children who look to You - children who trust You."

In Luke 9:5 it says, “‘If the people do not welcome you, leave their town and shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them.’” As parents, teachers, aunts, uncles, grandparents or even close friends, we understand that we must be the ones to train the children in the Lord. A day will come when that training must be tested, and the things that this world has to offer will not sustain them - only the power of the Lord.

Lord, thank You that You have given us Your Word. Please help us to demonstrate the proclamation of Your Kingdom in our lives. Please help us to raise children who look to You - children who trust You. Please, teach us how to prepare them so that as they step out of our homes, they would proclaim Your Kingdom - that they would walk every day knowing that Christ in them gives them the power to heal the sick and drive out demons. I pray that just as You sent out the disciples, that as the children step out of our homes, their lives would be a testimony of the power of Your Name. I pray that their lives would be lives that proclaim each and every day, ‘The Kingdom of God is here in me.’

God bless and have a wonderful week, I will speak to you again soon.