Devotional..

I receive excellent devotionals online from Alpha Omega Publishing. This is the one I got today:

New Birth
Friday / June 05, 2009


"And he that winneth souls is wise" (Proverbs 11:30b).

As I tucked my two oldest children into their bunk beds, I felt the pull of my own bed calling me. Our homeschooling family had relocated near our mission organization's headquarters, so my husband and I could receive extensive child evangelism training. Late nights in preparing teaching visuals for our training lessons, studying biblical doctrine in-depth, and maintaining our homeschooling schedule had frazzled us both mentally and physically. Each night we were half asleep before we even laid our heads on the pillow, and tonight was no different. However, as I reached to turn out the light after reading a story to our oldest son and daughter, my daughter asked, "Mom, how can I get to heaven?" Smiling, I realized this was the moment I had been praying for since the day she was born. God was giving me the amazing gift of letting me be the one to guide my child through her second birth. Praying for extra physical strength and God's divine wisdom, I proceeded to share the message of salvation with both my daughter and my son that night. "How fitting," I thought as I rejoiced in their decision to accept Christ. "Christ taught me the Scripture I needed to know during our training in order to lead my own children to Him first."

Soul winners are not just born. They're taught, trained, and motivated by the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit. In fact, when Jesus was here on earth, He took three years to teach and train His disciples the art of soul winning. However, even with all the modern witnessing techniques of today, winning souls is still ineffective without the Holy Spirit's leading and conviction. Only God can illuminate the mind of unbelieving children or adults, convict their hearts of their sinful condition, and move their wills to respond in faith.

Are you prepared to share the hope that lies within you (1 Peter 3:15)? As a Christian homeschooling parent, God says you're part of a witnessing team (Acts 5:32). Yielded and obedient to the Holy Spirit, you have the amazing privilege of leading countless souls to the Savior of the world, starting with your own family. No matter what method you use, be prepared to share the Gospel and enjoy the greatest privilege of being a homeschooling parent-leading your child to Christ.

Father God, leading our children to a saving knowledge of You is one reason we homeschool. Please use me to teach them about You, and to invite them to receive You as Savior and Lord. In Jesus' saving name, Amen.