Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.
What is God really like?
• God is caring.
• God is close and aware of the details.
• God is consistent.
• God is competent.
If our children are going to grow up knowing God is caring, close, consistent, and competent, then you and I must be caring, close, consistent, and competent. We must care about our children enough to show them what God is like and show them how they can become like Christ. John 17:14a says, "I have given them your word”. We can become a spiritual leader to our children by developing the characteristics that are evident in Jesus as He taught His disciples for three years. He taught them that the Word of God is our foundation. It’s what we build our lives on and it’s what our children should build their lives on. God’s Word is the truth, and Jesus said in John 8:31, "Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."
I want my want my children to be free; I don’t want them bound up by guilt. I don’t want them bound up by worry.And I don't want them to be messed up by resentment. I don’t want them to be pressured by the expectations of others. There’s only one way to help our children to be free. And that is to teach them the truth that will set them free. Teach them that, when we build our lives on God’s Word, then we will live a life of genuine freedom. A life built on God’s Truth is filled with happiness, joy, passion, and purpose. We will spare our children an awful lot of headaches and heartaches and heartbreaks if we teach them to rely on God’s Word as the sole authority for their lives.
Applications:
Parenting isn't easy, it takes lots of patience and discipline to a raise a loving and a God fearing child. However, I just want to remind all parents and those of us who not yet but hoping to be some day to know that frustration and anger shouldn't be our causes for discipline. Instead, we should act in love, treating our children as Jesus treats the people He loves. This is very vital to the development of a child and their knowledge of the who the Lord really is.
Reflections:
God expects you and I to be the primary teacher of His word and that means we have to know God’s word ourselves. Like many of us, you may need to catch up by getting into a Bible study. Then, teach your children to study the Bible for themselves.
Power verses:
Sons are a heritage from the Lord, children a reward from him. Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are sons born in one's youth. Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them. They will not be put to shame when they contend with their enemies in the gate.--Psalm 127:3-5
God blessed them and said to them, "Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground."--Genesis 1:28
Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.--Deuteronomy 11:19
2011 By Enyonam Gbekle. All rights reserved.
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