Child Dedicaton

Baby Dedications
What We Believe
Let the little children come to me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven. -Jesus, Son of God

CHILDREN ARE A HERITAGE
The Bible says that children are a heritage and a reward from the Lord (see Psalm 127:3). God has given Christian parents the tremendous responsibility of raising their children in the ways of the Lord (see Ephesians 6:4). He entrusts parents with the responsibility of establishing a foundation built upon Jesus Christ early in the lives of their children.

WHY CHILDREN SHOULD BE DEDICATED
Baby dedications are actually family dedications. The entire family needs to be lifted up in prayer so that family members will be empowered to keep their responsibilities. The Bible gives us an example of dedicating a child to the Lord through the account of Hannah in 1 Samuel 1:11, 26-28. Unable to have children, Hannah wept before the Lord because of her condition. As she was weeping, she made a vow to God and said, “O Lord of hosts, if You will indeed look on the affliction of Your maidservant and remember me, and not forget Your maidservant, but will give Your maidservant a man child, then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life…” (1 Samuel 1:11). God honored Hannah’s request and gave her a son, Samuel. Hannah kept her vow and dedicated (which means “to set apart”) Samuel to the Lord.

REQUIREMENTS FOR DEDICATION
To dedicate a child to the Lord is to make a vow to submit your child completely to the will of God and raise that child in the ways of the Lord. Parents who have not placed their faith in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord will be unable to submit their children to God’s will and His ways, because they themselves do not know the ways of the Lord. As a result, we must decline any requests to involve an unbelieving parent in the dedication of a child. We view this as an act of protection rather than rejection, as we cannot encourage someone to make a vow to God that we know he or she cannot keep. The Bible says, “It is a trap for a man to dedicate something rashly and only later to consider his vow” Proverbs 20:25 NIV). The Bible records instances where God dealt severely with those who broke their vows to Him (for example, read Acts 5:1-11). A believing parent may dedicate a child independently of an unbelieving spouse. Single parents who dedicate their children may not have boyfriends or girlfriends present with them on the platform.

RESPONSIBILITIES OF A CHIRSTIAN PARENT
Christian parents are to do all they can to “set apart” their child of God until that child can make his or her own choice regarding a relationship with Jesus Christ. By dedicating a child to the Lord, parents make a vow to raise their child in God’s ways and not their own. They commit themselves to this promise and must do all they can to keep it. The responsibilities God has entrusted to Christian parents include continuously praying for their children (see Job 1:5), instructing them in the way of the Lord (see Proverbs 22: 6), setting a godly example (see Proverbs 20:7), and disciplining them as Scripture commands (see Proverbs 29:15, 17; 13; 24). These responsibilities can only be fulfilled in Christ’s strength. As a parent, your devotion to God-or lack of it- will make a resounding impression on the next generation. May your legacy be a godly legacy.


Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture references are taken from the Holy Bible, New King James Version [NKJV], copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.
Scripture quotations marked NIV are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version ®. NIV ®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society.

We are starting a new Bible Study.

Have you recently made a decision to learn of and follow Jesus Christ?

We want to be the first to welcome you to God’s family. The decision to accept Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior is the most important decision you will ever make. If you accepted Jesus Christ with your whole heart, then He has come into your life. God has forgiven you of all your sins – Past, present, and future. He has also given you eternal life with Him. No longer do you need to fear death. We know what a big decision you have just made and want to help you in any way we can.

This study is designed to get you started in your relationship with Jesus Christ. If you need a Bible, we have one for you. Just ask and we will provide. This study has 12 Bible studies that will help you get started in your relationship with God. These studies will help you answer some of the questions you may have: Can I be 100% sure that I’m going to heaven? What is prayer and how does it work? Is the Bible really God’s word and how does it impact my life? If I’m a Christian, why do I still struggle with sin? These questions and many others will be answered as you go through these studies. You may have a lot of questions but don’t worry. We are here to assist you in any way we can.

Our desire is that you grow in your relationship with Jesus Christ. This occurs through time spent with the Lord in prayer, reading the Bible, and fellowship with other believers. Thought the Christian life is wonderful, it can be difficult at times. Some of your old habits may not just suddenly disappear. Understand that though God has saved you, He is just beginning the process of changing you through the power of the Holy Spirit who resides within you. Don’t be discouraged if you continue to struggle in certain areas. God loves you and will begin to change you if your are willing. Remember our bad habits didn’t just start overnight and they will not just disappear overnight. God is faithful and He will complete the work within you as you keep your eyes on Him and allow Him to change you from the inside out.

These will be the twelve studies that we will be teaching.

1. Assurance of Salvation
2. Assurance of Answered Prayer
3. Assurance of Victory
4. Assurance of Forgiveness
5. Assurance of Guidance
6. Putting Christ First
7. His Strength
8. God’s Word
9. Love
10. The Church
11. Good Works
12. Witnessing

We will be starting this study here at our home very soon. If you are interested in studying with us, please leave a comment here and we will give you more information on the time and place.

If you would like us to come to your place and share this, we would be happy to. We believe strongly that we need to be in the Word so we will do it when and where if it is wanted.

So, again from Patti and I, welcome to the family of God. We are excited that you have chosen to follow Jesus Christ. We pray that you begin to grow each day and everyday in your faith. Please don’t forget we are here to help you as much as we can. If there is anything we can do, please let us know.

Charlie and Patti,
The Marengo Home Fellowship