The Children For Christ by Andrew Murray

what it teaches us of God’s purpose, of a parent’s hope, and of a child’s
education.
1. God’s purpose. With the gift of the Holy Spirit to His Church, God had
an object, and that object was power, power from on high for her work
of testifying to the ends of the earth. The very last words of the Master
(Acts 1: 8) speak only of this. All the other blessings of the Spirit,
assurance, joy, holiness, love, have this as their aim — influence, fruitbearing,
the power to bless. It is because so many Christians do not
understand this that there is often such a weary and fruitless seeking
for the blessings of the Spirit, when they would come as unsought, if
there were but a wholehearted surrender to what the Spirit is given to
qualify for, God’s service and work. No wise man wastes power: he
economizes it, and puts in just sufficient for the work. According to the
work our will undertakes, and our faith expects to perform, is the
power, the measure of the Spirit God gives.
This is true of our children too. In Joel’s prophecy God reveals His
purpose with our sons and daughters. Under the mighty breathings of
His Spirit they are to prophesy. What this prophesying is Paul tells us:
`If all prophesy, and there come in one unbelieving or unlearned, he is
reproved by all, he is judged by all: the secrets of his heart are made
manifest: and so he will fall down on his face and worship God,
declaring that God is among you indeed.’ This is prophesying in the
power of the Spirit, convicting even the unbelieving and unlearned.
And for such prophets God wants our sons and daughters. And for such
prophets we ought, in this dispensation of the Holy Spirit, to educate
our sons and daughters.
The world is in sore need of them. The Church is suffering for want of
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