EAR TRAINERS

Part 2

 

"Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?" (Galatians 3:2,5).

 

Have you ever thought of the words, "the hearing of faith?" Before we have faith, we must hear first. Faith is not an airy fairy thing that is based on nothing! It is only true faith if it is based on the Word of God. Romans 10:17 says, "So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God."

This is why it is so important for mothers to be ear trainers. We must train our children to hear and obey us so they can hear and obey the Word of God. We must train our children not just to hear words, but to get into the habit of listening with their heart and inner ears.

Not only do we train them to have obedient and prompt ears, but we train them how to listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit as He speaks through the hearing of the Word of God. Timothy came to faith by listening to the Scriptures as a child. 2 Timothy 3:15 says, "From a child thou hast known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus." We don't wait until our children are older to read them the Word of God. We start from when they are babies. The little babe nursing at the breast can hear the God's words at Family Devotions every evening and morning. The little toddler rocking on his mother's or father's knee at Family Devotions is being prepared for salvation as he listens to living words of God.

In his book, How to Have a Family Altar by Norman V. Williams states, "Babies have ears to hear with! They have hearts to believe with! The Holy Spirit who holds the reins of that child's mind and heart is mightily present to bless when you give the Word of God! ...It is your duty to exhort your child daily with the blessed Word of God. If you do that, you will be amazed to see what the Holy Spirit will do in that little heart! ... This is the family altar-bringing our children to Christ in His Word that He might touch them!"

Paul also speaks to Timothy about being "nourished up in the words of faith" (2 Timothy 4:6). We will nourish our children in the words of faith as we teach them how to listen. The more they hear (listening beyond words to the voice of the Holy Spirit illuminating the Word), the more they will walk in faith. We don't want our children to know "the letter of the law" but the anointing of the Spirit of God upon the Word, because "the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life" (2 Corinthians 3:6).*

Jesus reprimanded the people for having "dull ears" (Matthew 13:15-16). The writer of Hebrews could not reveal the "strong meat" to his readers because they were "dull of hearing." (Hebrews 5:11-14) May God save us from having dull ears. May He save us from raising children who have dull ears.

"The hearing of faith" also shows us how important it is to encourage one another with the words of God. This is why we should not forsake "the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more as ye see the day approaching" (Hebrews 10:25).When we confess the truths of the Word of God to one another's ears we build one another up. The more we come together and affirm the truth to one another, the more we increase each other's faith. That's why we need one another.

Hebrews 12:25 says, "See that you do not refuse him who speaks. For if they did not escape who refused him who spoke on earth, much more shall we not escape if we turn away from him who speaks from heaven."

Love from NANCY CAMPBELL

 

PRAYER:

"Dear Father, please help me to nourish my children up in the Word of God by reading it to them daily. Help me to teach them how to listen to me so they will know how to hear words from heaven. In Jesus' name, Amen."

 

AFFIRMATION:

I am teaching my children how to hear the One who speaks from heaven!

 

* To see how we help our hearers to hear, you may like to go to www.aboverubies.org and click on Articles and Stories, then Bible in the Home, and then How do we use the Daily Light?

 

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