Keep it simple

[lareli]

When trying to explain to kids.. is this right..

God wants everyone to be saved but not in this go round.. He chooses a relative few in this age and the rest will have to get saved in the next age. Or will there be yet another age after the next one where some will be saved?

God created the devil and uses the devil to help mold, shape, teach, punish us. God is not fighting against the devil as if they are in some struggle of good vs evil. Is this right?

[lareli]

When we die we are dead. Our spirit returns to God, our flesh and soul return to the earth until we are resurrected. Even if we're dead for 10,000 years, our resurrection will seem instantaneous because the dead know nothing.

[Dave in Tenn]

I think you're doing fine. 

[lareli]

Thank you sir.

my kid was reading a kids book to me that her grandparents got her. It had a 'christian' theme to it and she asked me "is the devil real?".

I get a little nervous that I'm going to over or under explain things to her when it comes to this stuff.

I tried to keep it simple and say something like "well, ya but God created him just like He created everything else and everything is under Gods control." That seemed to be good enough for her.

[Musterseed]

When I was growing up in Newfoundland , (little Ireland) I call it,we had the Prodestant (public schools) and Catholic schools and the kids would throw rocks at each other and say" public,public ring the bell, Catholic,Catholic,  go to hell. 😂 Sometimes the parents would get into it too and tell each other that their children were little devils. I have to laugh when I think back now, My dad would say, " don't worry old trout, there ain't no hell or devils". I believed that.😬.  I remember when I was twenty living in Toronto, my husband who loves scary movies decided to take me to see the opening of the Exorcist. We stood in line for four hours in the winter.Everyone was talking about it so I was kind of excited..
I only saw half of the movie, I was so scared, I made my husband take me home, we got a parking ticket too. For one whole month I would not stay alone, I always felt like I wasn't alone, and this one day, I came out of the bathroom and my seven month old  baby girl was standing up
next to the stroller that she was strapped into .😟😈Well, I was convinced the devil did it .I left my apt.and went to my sisters, I did that every day for a month. I kept my lights on at all times and kept my baby close. Everyone kept telling me , that stuff is not real so after awhile I went back to yeah, they're right and gradually got over it. Never bothered me again until two years ago.Yep he's real alright.. Now, when I tell my grown children that the devil is real and is the ruler of this world, they laugh at me and think I am crazy. I don't blame them, I thought I was crazy too. I got hit in the head quite a few times with rocks and I threw some too.


incoming rocks, run , duck hide.

[lareli]

I saw 'the exorcist' when I was about 5 years old. I was being raised by my single dad and he didn't know any better. Movies like that and also 'poltergeist' shaped how I viewed 'the devil' and God. I would have nightmares about family members being possessed by the devil and stuff like that.

Knowing the truth... that God created the devil and uses him to accomplish His plan. That God and the devil aren't in some great struggle to see who's going to win... the truth has given me peace for sure.

[indianabob]

Hi Pamela,
Childhood memories are always interesting.
I don't remember throwing or being hit with rocks as a teen, but I have often fallen on ice or when running and hit my head on something harder than my head. So maybe that's how God got my attention. In any case what once was bad is turning out for the good. Romans 8:28
Indiana Bob

When I was growing up in Newfoundland , (little Ireland) I call it,we had the Prodestant (public schools) and Catholic schools and the kids would throw rocks at each other and say" public,public ring the bell, Catholic,Catholic,  go to hell. 😂 Sometimes the parents would get into it too and tell each other that their children were little devils. I have to laugh when I think back now, My dad would say, " don't worry old trout, there ain't no hell or devils". I believed that.😬. 

[Musterseed]

Hi Mr I Bob
I hope you and your family are well. I am just getting over a nasty flu. Lots of time to rest and read. I am learning so much. I am focused mostly on the NT, I really have a hard time with the OT.
I really love this scripture from (1 Peter 8- 9)
Though you have not seen Him, you love Him. Though you do not now see Him, you believe in Him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with Glory, obtaining the outcome of your Faith
The salvation of your souls."The words of the Lord are so beautiful , sometimes I cry  but mostly I am filled with joy." For our heart rejoices in Him, because we trust in his Holy Name."
I love reading The Psalms too. I had to slow down with my studying, I felt I wasn't absorbing it and
That made me disappointed in myself, but The Lord got me back on track. I love Him so much.
What an amazing gift. Great is Our God.
Oh I wasn't a teen when throwing rocks, I was about ten or so. I left home at fifteen. But yes, sometimes I look back at my childhood, i have no regrets. I hear my pillow calling me. Goodnight and May God Bless You and yours.🙏🏼 Pamela.

[lareli]

Thought of this thread yesterday when I heard someone say "if you can't explain something.... even rocket science... if you can't explain it to a 10 year old in a way that they understand, then you don't really understand what you're talking about."

I don't know if that's a true statement for every topic but I think that's a good way to think about what I've learned here at bt.