Raising Children of Faith
Your child is suspended. That was what I was told. Maybe you can relate. You feel like you raised a good kid, maybe better than most. You have taken them to church and modeled holiness in your home. Perhaps you even pray for your children regularly but they are still wayward.
God holds parents accountable for the training of their children and their discipline. However, the name that a child makes for themselves is their own burden to bear.
In the Bible, we read about Eli the Priest and his sons. I can imagine that he raised them to honor God, yet they took it upon themselves to dishonor Him as unholy Priests in His tabernacle. Because Elijah did not correct them, they all died (I Samuel 2:12-36)
Parenting is hard. We love our kids. We want the best for them and discipline is hard. We have let things slip that we probably needed to discuss. I am sure that there have been times when we have majored on the minor things as well. But parents seeking to raise faithful kids have to draw a line in their home. There has to be some clear white and black boundaries! Let's discuss them.
Inside the Home
For example, we will always honor the Lord in our home. This is our house, so we decide what toys to allow, what audio and visual media is enjoyed and who gets invited over. As parents, we must protect our children as well as our peace. It's OK to disallow what is evil and make allowance for what is good.
The faith you practice in private before your children will stay with them.
We have caught our children doing what is wrong, but we have also caught them doing what was right! Being seen having quiet time or reading the Word is proof that something is sinking in. You will influence your children by your personal daily life more than taking them to church or by lecturing. Your faith increases their faith!
Outside of Home
Some parents feel that they have no control over what happens outside of their home. They relinquish parenting on the corner of their property. Let us share something with you.
Outside the four walls of our home, there is an uncontrollable environment. Our responsibility as parents is to cover our children in prayer when they are out of sight and arm's reach. The enemy has a plan of attack against our babies. We have to stand guard but we also need to teach our children spiritual warfare. Have you taught your children how to defend themselves in the physical as well as the spiritual?
Faithful Kids
Faithful kids need faithful parents. Our boys are tweens at this time. They are beginning to really test the waters and try to decide who they will be. Although we model Christianity before them, it's our job as parents to put other Godly examples around them. For example, if you claim to serve God but none of your friends who visit set a good Christ-like example, you are showing them that compromising standards is OK. By acting one way on Sunday and the opposite all week, you are teaching your children that your faith is in word only, not in deed.
Consistency is key. The more we love and serve Jesus the more we can model that love and service. It does not guarantee great kids, but our obedience has rewards and so does theirs.
Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old, he will not depart from it( Proverbs 22:6). In 2 Chronicles 6, we read the story of how Solomon was able to do something for God that his father could not. We can set the stage and give our children the tools, but they will decide how to build. When the right foundation is set, everything else built on it is solid. Let's never have to question whether or not we pointed them to Jesus enough.
Our kids are growing up. Let's give them something to look up too - not us - but Christ!
God holds parents accountable for the training of their children and their discipline. However, the name that a child makes for themselves is their own burden to bear.
In the Bible, we read about Eli the Priest and his sons. I can imagine that he raised them to honor God, yet they took it upon themselves to dishonor Him as unholy Priests in His tabernacle. Because Elijah did not correct them, they all died (I Samuel 2:12-36)
Parenting is hard. We love our kids. We want the best for them and discipline is hard. We have let things slip that we probably needed to discuss. I am sure that there have been times when we have majored on the minor things as well. But parents seeking to raise faithful kids have to draw a line in their home. There has to be some clear white and black boundaries! Let's discuss them.
Inside the Home
For example, we will always honor the Lord in our home. This is our house, so we decide what toys to allow, what audio and visual media is enjoyed and who gets invited over. As parents, we must protect our children as well as our peace. It's OK to disallow what is evil and make allowance for what is good.
The faith you practice in private before your children will stay with them.
We have caught our children doing what is wrong, but we have also caught them doing what was right! Being seen having quiet time or reading the Word is proof that something is sinking in. You will influence your children by your personal daily life more than taking them to church or by lecturing. Your faith increases their faith!
Outside of Home
Some parents feel that they have no control over what happens outside of their home. They relinquish parenting on the corner of their property. Let us share something with you.
Where our feet cannot go, prayer does!!
Outside the four walls of our home, there is an uncontrollable environment. Our responsibility as parents is to cover our children in prayer when they are out of sight and arm's reach. The enemy has a plan of attack against our babies. We have to stand guard but we also need to teach our children spiritual warfare. Have you taught your children how to defend themselves in the physical as well as the spiritual?
Faithful Kids
Faithful kids need faithful parents. Our boys are tweens at this time. They are beginning to really test the waters and try to decide who they will be. Although we model Christianity before them, it's our job as parents to put other Godly examples around them. For example, if you claim to serve God but none of your friends who visit set a good Christ-like example, you are showing them that compromising standards is OK. By acting one way on Sunday and the opposite all week, you are teaching your children that your faith is in word only, not in deed.
Consistency is key. The more we love and serve Jesus the more we can model that love and service. It does not guarantee great kids, but our obedience has rewards and so does theirs.
Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old, he will not depart from it( Proverbs 22:6). In 2 Chronicles 6, we read the story of how Solomon was able to do something for God that his father could not. We can set the stage and give our children the tools, but they will decide how to build. When the right foundation is set, everything else built on it is solid. Let's never have to question whether or not we pointed them to Jesus enough.
Our kids are growing up. Let's give them something to look up too - not us - but Christ!
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| A fun trip to the zoo - Summer 2017 |
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