Behold, children are a gift of the LORD. The fruit of the womb is a reward. (Psalm 127:3 NASB)
Based on a fundamental takeaway from this anchor text in Psalms, we discover that parenting is a true gift from God. He gives us children to enjoy--children are a gift! However, it is possible to fall into the trap of enduring a child’s behavior issues rather than genuinely enjoying the child as a gift from Heaven.
As a result, maybe we shouldn't shy away from this question: How can I raise children that I enjoy?
You must start with the heart. The Bible tells us that everything flows from the heart. Think of it this way: Your child's heart is upstream, and anything flowing out of them is downstream, such as characteristics and behaviors.
As Christian parents, depositing the correct teachings into our children's hearts is essential. It ensures that they learn and develop self-control. Additionally, I have come to believe that one of the most crucial elements of parenting is to embrace this truth:
The purpose of parenting is not to control the child but to teach the child self-control.
In present times, this principle becomes increasingly important because--whether we choose to realize it or not--every time our child scrolls through social media or launches a playlist, the world teaches them lifestyle philosophies. Unfortunately, most of those philosophies permeate darkness. It seems we are raising our children in a spiritual Babylon, similar to the culture in the Book of Daniel. As a result, when it comes to any unholy ideology that culture may utilize for capturing our children, Christian sons and daughters must be raised to respond with uncompromising attitudes like Daniel, Shadrach, Meschach, and Abendago.
What are you teaching and developing in your child? Because the most important disciple you will ever make is your child. And, if we take away all the potential layers of discipleship, then making a disciple comes down to helping people get centered. Therefore, as parents, we must choose to sow seeds of godliness into our children. The hope is that we can then center them in Christ so that anything transpiring around them will not abort what God is nurturing inside of them. Because if our children are centered correctly, that which flows from their hearts will be of God. This truth means they will have the power within them to defeat any attack the enemy forms against them!
We can identify our spiritual center by evaluating the gravitational pulls in our life.
There is a gravitational pull associated with Jesus. CONVICTION is God’s gravitational pull, and He designed your CONSCIENCE to keep you in the right orbit. So, what is your family's center? What is your child’s center? How do we evaluate our priorities to make sure we are centered correctly? These are essential questions to answer as parents. I invite you to watch this crucial message, How to Lead Your Family Well, as we walk through the significance of centering our families on the things that matter most. It's our responsibility to plant the correct seeds within our children's hearts to assist in keeping them centered. We are blessed with the opportunity to make our children into disciples!
“But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.” (Joshua 24:15 NKJV) WATCH IT | DISCUSSION GUIDE | MESSAGE NOTES
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