PARENTHOOD
a divine stewardship

NURTURE THEM IN THE LORD

When we, the parents in the Lord's Recovery, consider our responsibility of raising our children, we must always keep a sharp awareness of the charge that we are to "nurture them in the discipline and admonition of the Lord" (Ephesians 6:4). We must not rely on the latest trends in the world of pop psychology to determine how our children should be trained, disciplined, or given their rights as human beings.

The Bible is our standard which governs how we care for the children whom God has committed into our hands. Therefore, we ourselves must first be those who are faithful to read and pray over the Word of God. We also need to learn how to lead our children into an appreciation of their heritage in the Lord by reviewing with them their history as it is found in the Word and in the church, that they may come to know not only the acts of the Lord but also His ways (Psalm 103:7).

In this issue of Parenthood we have included two portions from the ministry of brother Witness Lee. The first article, taken from Life Messages number two, focuses on the need to have a daily private time with the Lord to be enlightened and to be filled with the Lord. Without such a practice of daily contact with the Lord, we are not qualified to be parents in the highest sense. In order to lead our children to become useful vessels for the Lord's Recovery, we must be vital, functioning members of Christ's Body, that is, we must have the growth in life which is the result of a personal as well as corporate contact with the Lord every day.

THE NEED FOR A PRIVATE TIME OF PRAYER

Because the building is the growth in life, it is important that we know how to grow in life. In this message I have the burden to share about this matter in a very practical way. Throughout the years, we have greatly emphasized, perhaps over emphasized, the corporate aspect of the Christian life. We have laid great stress upon coming together to meet, to pray, and to read the Word. However, I am concerned that many, especially the young people in corporate living situations, do not have a private time of prayer. They have only the corporate prayer. I admit that no private time of prayer can replace the corporate time. The blessing, help, and life we receive in the meetings cannot be found elsewhere. Nevertheless, we need to remember that in the things pertaining to life there are always two aspects. In the Christian life there is the individual side and the corporate side, and neither can replace the other. We must have both. Furthermore, these two sides should be evenly balanced.

Ephesians, a book that presents such a high vision concerning the church, also encourages us to pray. In chapter one Paul gives us the vision concerning God's well speaking that produces the church. But there must be the prayer to follow this vision. Hence, Paul prayed that we would have a spirit of wisdom and revelation. Without prayer, the vision is not adequate. Many of us have seen the vision of God's purpose concerning the church. But we also need to pray, both corporately and individually.

We all need to have a private time with the Lord. This needs to be built up into a daily habit. The best time for such a private time with the Lord is in the morning. Some who leave for work very early, however, may need to choose another time of the day. Nevertheless, we all need to set aside time for the Lord daily, preferably at least thirty minutes.

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