The Conflict of the Ages in Living Sound

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Myers Media

Nancy Hamilton

The Desire of Ages in Living Sound

Chapter 1 - God With Us

Chapter 2 - The Chosen People

Chapter 3 - The Fullness of the Time

Chapter 4 - Unto You a Saviour

Chapter 5 - The Dedication

Chapter 6 - We Have Seen His Star

Chapter 7 - As a Child

Chapter 8 - The Passover Visit

Chapter 9 - Days of Conflict

Chapter 10 - The Voice in the Wilderness

Chapter 11 - The Baptism

Chapter 12 - The Temptation

Chapter 13 - The Victory

Chapter 14 - We Have Found the Messias

Chapter 15 - At the Marriage Feast

Chapter 16 - In His Temple

Chapter 17 - Nicodemus

Chapter 18 - He Must Increase

Chapter 19 - At Jacobs Well

Chapter 20 - Except Ye See Signs and Wonders

Chapter 21 - Bethesda and the Sanhedrin

Chapter 22 - Imprisonment and Death of John

Chapter 23 - The Kingdom of God Is at Hand

Chapter 24 - Is Not This the Carpenters Son

Chapter 25 - The Call by the Sea

Chapter 26 - At Capernaum

Chapter 27 - Thou Canst Make Me Clean

Chapter 28 - Levi-Matthew

Chapter 29 - The Sabbath

Chapter 30 - He Ordained Twelve

Chapter 31 - The Sermon on the Mount

Chapter 32 - The Centurion

Chapter 33 - Who Are My Brethren

Chapter 34 - The Invitation

Chapter 35 - Peace Be Still

Chapter 36 - The Touch of Faith

Chapter 37 - The First Evangelists

Chapter 38 - Come Rest Awhile

Chapter 39 - Give Ye Them to Eat

Chapter 40 - A Night on the Lake

Chapter 41 - The Crisis in Galilee

Chapter 42 - Tradition

Chapter 43 - Barriers Broken Down

Chapter 44 - The True Sign

Chapter 45 - The Foreshadowing of the Cross

Chapter 46 - He Was Transfigured

Chapter 47 - Ministry

Chapter 48 - Who Is the Greatest

Chapter 49 - At the Feast of Tabernacles

Chapter 50 - Among Snares

Chapter 51 - The Light of Life

Chapter 52 - The Divine Shepherd

Chapter 53 - The Last Journey From Galilee

Chapter 54 - The Good Samaritan

Chapter 55 - Not With Outward Show

Chapter 56 - Blessing the Children

Chapter 57 - One Thing Thou Lackest

Chapter 58 - Lazarus Come Forth

Chapter 59 - Priestly Plottings

Chapter 60 - The Law of the New Kingdom

Chapter 61 - Zacchaeus

Chapter 62 - The Feast at Simons House

Chapter 63 - Thy King Cometh

Chapter 64 - A Doomed People

Chapter 65 - The Temple Cleansed Again

Chapter 66 - Controversy

Chapter 67 - Woes on the Pharisees

Chapter 68 - In the Outer Court

Chapter 69 - On the Mount of Olives

Chapter 70 - The Least of These My Brethren

Chapter 71 - A Servant of Servants

Chapter 72 - In Remembrance of Me

Chapter 73 - Let Not Your Heart Be Troubled

Chapter 74 - Gethsemane

Chapter 75 - Before Annas and the Court of Caiaphas

Chapter 76 - Judas

Chapter 77 - In Pilates Judgment Hall

Chapter 78 - Calvary

Chapter 79 - It is Finished

Chapter 80 - In Josephs Tomb

Chapter 81 - The Lord Is Risen

Chapter 82 - Why Weepest Thou

Chapter 83 - The Walk to Emmaus

Chapter 84 - Peace Be Unto You

Chapter 85 - By the Sea Once More

Chapter 86 - Go Teach All Nations

Chapter 87 - To My Father and Your Father

The desire of ages Chapter 56, blessing the children. Jesus was ever a lover of children. He accepted their childish sympathy and their open unaffected love. The grateful praise from their pure lips was music to his ears and refreshed his spirit when oppressed by contact with crafty and hypocritical men. Wherever the savior went, the ity of his countenance in his gentle kindly manner won the love and confidence of children among the Jews. It was customary for children to be brought to some rabbi that he might lay his hands upon them in blessing by the Savior's. Disciples thought his work too important to be interrupted in this way. When the mothers came to him with their little ones, the disciples looked on them with disfavor. They thought these children too young to be benefited by a visit to Jesus and concluded that he would be displeased at their presence, but it was the disciples with whom he was displeased. The Savior understood the care and burden of the mothers who were seeking to train their children according to the word of God, he had heard their prayers. He himself had drawn them into his presence. One mother with her child had left her home to find Jesus on the way. She told a neighbor her Erin and the neighbor wanted to have Jesus bless her children. Thus, several mothers came together with their little ones. Some of the children had passed beyond the years of infancy to childhood and youth. When the mothers made known their desire, Jesus heard with sympathy the timid tearful request, but he waited to see how the disciples would treat them. When he saw them send the mothers away thinking to do him a favor, he showed them their errors saying Suffer the little children to come unto me and forbid them not for as such as the kingdom of God. He took the children in his arms, he laid his hands upon them and gave them the blessing for which they came. The mothers were comforted. They returned to their homes, strengthened and blessed by the words of Christ. They were encouraged to take up their burden with new cheerfulness and to work hopefully for their children. The mothers of today are to receive his words with the same faith. Christ is as rarely a personal savior today as when he lived a man among men. He is as verily the helper of mothers today as when he gathered the little ones to his arms in Judea, the children of our hearth. So as much the purchase of his blood, as with the children of long ago, Jesus knows the burden of every mother's heart. He who had a mother that struggled with poverty and privation sympathizes with every mother in her labor. He who made a long journey in order to relieve the anxious heart of a Canaanite woman will do as much for the mothers of today. He who gave back to the widow of Nain, her only son, and who in his agony upon the cross remembered his own mother is touched today by the mother Sorrow in every grief and every need. He will comfort and help let mothers come to Jesus with their perplexities. They will find grace sufficient to aid them in the management of their children. The gates are open for every mother who would lay her burdens at the savior's feet. He who said, suffer the little children to come unto me and forbid them not still invites the mothers to lead up their little ones to be blessed by him. Even the babe in its mother's arms may dwell under the shadow of the Almighty. Through the faith of the praying mother John the Baptist was filled with the Holy Spirit from his birth. If we will live in communion with God, we too may expect the divine spirit to mold our little ones even from their earliest moments in the children who were brought in contact with him, Jesus saw the men and women who should be heirs of his grace and subjects of his kingdom and some of whom would become martyrs for his sake. He knew that these children would listen to him and accept him as their redeemer far more readily than would grown up people, many of whom were the worldly wives and hardhearted in his teaching. He came down to their level here. The majesty of heaven did not disdain to answer their questions and simplify his important lessons to meet their childish understanding. He planted in their minds the seeds of truth, which in after years would spring up and bear fruit unto eternal life. It is still true that children are the most susceptible to the teachings of the gospel. Their hearts are open to divine influences and strong to retain the lessons received. The little children may be Christians having an experience in accordance with their years. They need to be educated in spiritual things and parents should give them every advantage that they may form characters after the militude of the character of Christ. Fathers and mothers should look upon their children as younger members of the Lord's family committed to them to educate for heaven. The lessons that we ourselves learned from Christ, we should give to our children as the young minds can receive them little by little opening to them the beauty of the principles of heaven. Thus the Christian home becomes a school where the parents serve as under teachers while Christ himself is the chief instructor. In working for the conversion of our children, we should not look for violent emotion as the essential evidence of conviction of sin, nor is it necessary to know the exact time when they are converted. We should teach them to bring their sins to Jesus, asking him for forgiveness and believing that he pardons and receives them as he receives the children when he was personally on earth. As the mother teaches her children to obey her because they love her, she is teaching them the first lessons in the Christian life. The mother's love represents to the child the love of Christ and the little ones who trust and obey. Their mother are learning to trust and obey the savior. Jesus was the pattern for children and he was also the father's example. He spoke as one having authority and his word was with power. Yet in all his intercourse with rude and violent men, he did not use one unkind or disc discourteous expression. The grace of Christ in the heart will impart a heaven born dignity and sense of propriety. It will soften whatever is harsh and subdue all that is coarse and unkind. It will lead fathers and mothers to treat their children as intelligent beings as they themselves would like to be treated. Parents in the training of your children, study the lessons that God has given in nature. If you were trained pink or rose or a lily, how would you do it? Ask the gardener by what process he makes every branch and leaf to flourish so beautifully and to develop in symmetry and loveliness. He will tell you that it was by no rude touch, no violent effort for this would only break the delicate Stens. It was by little attentions often repeated. He moistened the soil and protected the growing plants from the fierce blasts and from the scorching sun and God caused them to flourish, into blossom, into loveliness. In dealing with your children, follow the method of the gardener by gentle touches, by lovely administrations. Seek to fashion their characters after the pattern of the character of Christ. Encourage the expression of love toward God toward one another. The reason why there are so many hardhearted men and women in the world is that true affection has been regarded as weakness and has been discouraged and repressed. The better nature of these persons were stifled in childhood and unless the light of divine love shall melt away their cold selfishness, their happiness will be forever ruined. If we wish our children to possess the tender spirit of Jesus and the sympathy that angels manifest for us, we must encourage the generous loving impulses of childhood. Teach the children to see Christ in nature. Take them them out into the open air, under the noble trees, into the garden, and in all the wonderful works of creation, teach them to see an expression of his love. Teach them that he made the laws which govern all living things and he has made laws for us and that these laws are for our happiness and joy. Do not weary them with long prayers and tedious exhortation, but through nature's object lessons. Teach them obedience to the law of God as you win their confidence in you as followers of Christ, it will be easy to teach them of the great love wherewith he has loved us as you try to make plain the truths of salvation and point the children to Christ as a personal savior. Angels will be by your side. The Lord will give to fathers and mothers grace to interest their little ones in the precious story of the babe of Bethlem, who is indeed the hope of the world. When Jesus told the disciples not to forbid the children to come to him, he was speaking to his followers in all ages, to officers of the church, to ministers, helpers, and all Christians. Jesus is drawing the children and he beats us, suffer them to come as if he would say they will come. If you do not enter them, let not your un Christ-like character, misrepresent Jesus. Do not keep the little ones away from him by your coldness and harshness. Never give them cause to feel that heaven will not be a pleasant place to them. If you are there, do not speak of religion as something that children cannot understand or act as if they were not expected to accept Christ in their childhood. Do not give them the false impression that the religion of Christ is a religion of gloom and that in coming to the Savior they must give up. All that makes life joyful. As the Holy Spirit moves upon the hearts of the children, cooperate with his work, teach them that the Savior is calling them that nothing can give him greater joy than for them to give themselves to him in the bloom and freshness of their years. The Savior regards with infinite tenderness, the souls whom he has purchased with his own blood, they are the claim of his love. He looks upon them with unutterable longing. His heart is drawn out not only to the best behaved children, but to those who have by inheritance objectionable traits of character. Many parents do not understand how much they are responsible for these traits in their children. They have not the tenderness and wisdom to deal with the airing ones whom they have made what they are, But Jesus looks upon these children with pity. He traces from cause to effect. The Christian worker may be Christ's agent. In drawing these children to the savior by wisdom and tact, he may bind them to his heart. He may give them courage and hope and through the grace of Christ may see them transformed in character so that of them, it may be said of such is the kingdom of God.

Ellen G. White

Book

The Desire of Ages in Living Sound

Chapter 56 - Blessing the Children

Read by Nancy Hamilton

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Other Teachings in Series

Chapter 1 - God With Us

Chapter 2 - The Chosen People

Chapter 3 - The Fullness of the Time

Chapter 4 - Unto You a Saviour

Chapter 5 - The Dedication

Chapter 6 - We Have Seen His Star

Chapter 7 - As a Child

Chapter 8 - The Passover Visit

Chapter 9 - Days of Conflict

Chapter 10 - The Voice in the Wilderness

Chapter 11 - The Baptism

Chapter 12 - The Temptation

Chapter 13 - The Victory

Chapter 14 - We Have Found the Messias

Chapter 15 - At the Marriage Feast

Chapter 16 - In His Temple

Chapter 17 - Nicodemus

Chapter 18 - He Must Increase

Chapter 19 - At Jacobs Well

Chapter 20 - Except Ye See Signs and Wonders

Chapter 21 - Bethesda and the Sanhedrin

Chapter 22 - Imprisonment and Death of John

Chapter 23 - The Kingdom of God Is at Hand

Chapter 24 - Is Not This the Carpenters Son

Chapter 25 - The Call by the Sea

Chapter 26 - At Capernaum

Chapter 27 - Thou Canst Make Me Clean

Chapter 28 - Levi-Matthew

Chapter 29 - The Sabbath

Chapter 30 - He Ordained Twelve

Chapter 31 - The Sermon on the Mount

Chapter 32 - The Centurion

Chapter 33 - Who Are My Brethren

Chapter 34 - The Invitation

Chapter 35 - Peace Be Still

Chapter 36 - The Touch of Faith

Chapter 37 - The First Evangelists

Chapter 38 - Come Rest Awhile

Chapter 39 - Give Ye Them to Eat

Chapter 40 - A Night on the Lake

Chapter 41 - The Crisis in Galilee

Chapter 42 - Tradition

Chapter 43 - Barriers Broken Down

Chapter 44 - The True Sign

Chapter 45 - The Foreshadowing of the Cross

Chapter 46 - He Was Transfigured

Chapter 47 - Ministry

Chapter 48 - Who Is the Greatest

Chapter 49 - At the Feast of Tabernacles

Chapter 50 - Among Snares

Chapter 51 - The Light of Life

Chapter 52 - The Divine Shepherd

Chapter 53 - The Last Journey From Galilee

Chapter 54 - The Good Samaritan

Chapter 55 - Not With Outward Show

Chapter 56 - Blessing the Children

Chapter 57 - One Thing Thou Lackest

Chapter 58 - Lazarus Come Forth

Chapter 59 - Priestly Plottings

Chapter 60 - The Law of the New Kingdom

Chapter 61 - Zacchaeus

Chapter 62 - The Feast at Simons House

Chapter 63 - Thy King Cometh

Chapter 64 - A Doomed People

Chapter 65 - The Temple Cleansed Again

Chapter 66 - Controversy

Chapter 67 - Woes on the Pharisees

Chapter 68 - In the Outer Court

Chapter 69 - On the Mount of Olives

Chapter 70 - The Least of These My Brethren

Chapter 71 - A Servant of Servants