Child Rearing - According To The Word Of God!

Everywhere we look, there is an article or book about how to raise children. An author will strongly give one opinion, and another writer will just as strongly give another. Some support old fashioned values, others think we need to loosen up. What are parents supposed to believe? We have the desire to bring our children up well, wanting them to be godly, responsible, productive, and successful adults. We want them to be a joy to us, and not bring us a lifetime of grief. But how do we achieve that? How do we get the wisdom needed for such an awesome responsibility?

Let's look to the Bible as our infallible source of advice. Why not get our guidance from God, who created our children, and knows exactly what they need? Here are a few of the many scriptural guidelines for raising our children.

OUR DUTIES AS PARENTS

1. To love them (Titus 2:4)

2. To bring them to Christ (Matthew 19:13,14)

3. To train them up for God (Proverbs 22:6; Ephesians 6:4)

4. To instruct them in God's word (Deuteronomy 4:9; 11:19; Isaiah 38:19)

5. To tell them of God's judgments (Joel 1:3)

6. To tell them of the miraculous works of God (Exodus 10:2; Psalms 78:4)

7. To command them to obey God (Deuteronomy 32:46; 1 Chronicles 28:9)

8. To bless them (Genesis 48:15; Hebrews 11:20)

9. To pity them (Psalms 103:13)

10. To provide for them (Job 42:15; 2 Corinthians 12:14; 1 Timothy 5:8)

11. To rule them (1 Timothy 3:4,12)

12. To correct them (Proverbs 13:24; 19:18; 23:13; 29:17; Hebrews 12:7)

13. Not to provoke them (Ephesians 6:4; Colossians 3:21)

14. Pray for them (Lamentations 2:19)

RESULTS OF GODLY PARENTING

1. They will not bring their parents shame. (Proverbs 29:15)

2. They will not depart from Christian teaching when they are older. (Proverbs 22:6)

3. They will have great peace. (Isaiah 54:13)

4. They will bring us joy. (Proverbs 15:20)

5. They will give us peace and delight to our soul. (Proverbs 29:17)

6. They will rise up and call us blessed. (Proverbs 31:28)

7. Keeping God's commands will help prolong their lives, bring them prosperity, and win them favor and a good name in the sight of God and man. (Proverbs 3:1,2,4)

Who would not want all these wonderful benefits for their children? Yet, we are only human. How can we accomplish all this? Let's remember these promises.

1. If you lack wisdom, ask God and He will give it to you. (James 1:5)

2. We can do all things through Christ who strengthens us. (Philippians 4:13)

3. Pray! The prayer of the righteous is powerful and effective. (James 5:16)

More Scriptures Concerning this.....

Proverbs 3:12
For whom the LORD loves he corrects; even as a father the son in whom he delights.

Proverbs 10:1
A wise son makes a glad father: but a foolish son is the heaviness of his mother.

Proverbs 13:22
A good man leaves an inheritance to his children's children: and the wealth of the sinner is laid up for the just.

Proverbs 13:24
He that spares his rod hates his son: but he that loves him chastens him betimes.

Proverbs 15:20
A wise son makes a glad father: but a foolish man despises his mother.

Proverbs 17:2
A wise servant shall have rule over a son that causes shame, and shall have part of the inheritance among the brethren.

Proverbs 17:25
A foolish son is a grief to his father, and bitterness to her that bare him.

Proverbs 19:13
A foolish son is the calamity of his father: and the contentions of a wife are a continual dropping.

Proverbs 19:18
Chasten thy son while there is hope, and let not thy soul spare for his crying.

Proverbs 19:26
He that wastes his father, and chases away his mother, is a son that causes shame, and brings reproach.

Proverbs 19:27
Cease, my son, to hear the instruction that causes to err from the words of knowledge.

Proverbs 20:11
Even a child is known by his doings, whether his work be pure, and whether it be right.

Proverbs 20:20
Who ever curses his father or his mother, his lamp shall be put out in obscure darkness.

Proverbs 22:6
Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.

Proverbs 22:15
Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.

Proverbs 23:13-14
Withhold not correction from the child: for if thou beats him with the rod, he shall not die. Thou shalt beat him with the rod, and shalt deliver his soul from hell.

Proverbs 23:15-16
My son, if thine heart be wise, my heart shall rejoice, even mine. Yea, my reins shall rejoice, when thy lips speak right things.

Proverbs 23:24
The father of the righteous shall greatly rejoice: and he that begs a wise child shall have joy of him.

Proverbs 29:15
The rod and reproof give wisdom: but a child left to himself brings his mother to shame.

Proverbs 29:17
Correct thy son, and he shall give thee rest; yea, he shall give delight unto thy soul.

Proverbs 29:21
He that delicately brings up his servant from a child shall have him become his son at the length.

In conclusion, we don't have to be confused and unstable in our child rearing. By bringing up our children according to the Bible, we will all enjoy the benefits, both now and eternally!

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Unifying The Church - The Body Of Christ!

.....I come to you today as an Ambassador for God through Christ, to speak to YOU as a trumpet, and also as a prophetic voice, detached from things that mean nothing, and attached to God's things, that mean everything, preparing the way. A clear sounding word, used in the Old Testament as a signaling of God's presence, a calling of the assemblies, announcing a Feast, and a gathering of the Nation of Israel. As an Ambassador, it is my job to be a peacemaker. A peacemaker does not evade issues. He faces them, deals with them, and conquers them. He has no passive acceptance of things, but actively faces things, making peace, even when the way to peace is through struggle. The Church is to be the conscience of the Nation, and the conscience of Society, establishing peace, which is for the most part, to experience F.R.E.E.D.O.M. - Fully Renouncing Every Evil Dominion Over Man, from all trouble, and the enjoyment of all good. A conviction brought about by loyalty and living for Christ today.

.....I wish to address this day, the subject of Unifying the Church - The Body of Christ. Jesus is coming again, and is returning for 1 Bride, without spot, or blemish. Yet, the body of Christ is still not picking up on this. The true power of the Church will not manifest itself today until we come together as one.

.....I am about to show you a physical picture of a Spiritual Truth concerning this. Christianity was meant to be seen. We are to be a guide to make clear the way as an example, and also a warning light to others, concerning our duties to the world. I wish to start with Mathew 5: 14-16 which says, "You are the light (One Light) of the world. A city, (The New Jerusalem), that is set on a hill, (A High Place For Everyone To See), and cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but a lamp stand, and it gives light to all who are in the house, (The World). Let your light so shine before men, (Visible To All), that they may see your good works, (Attracting Them To God), and glorify your Father in Heaven."

Follow me now to the book of "The Revelation Of Jesus Christ."

.....In Revelation 1: 10-13 it says, "I was in the Spirit on the Lord's Day, and I heard behind me a loud voice, as a trumpet, saying, I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, and what you see, write to the seven churches which are in Asia: to Ephesus, to Smyrna, to Pergamos, to Thyatira, to Sardis, to Philadelphia, and to Laodicea. Then I turned to see the voice that spoke with me. And having turned I saw seven golden lamp stands, and in the midst of the seven lamp stands One like the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band."

.....Note that there are seven lights revealing Christ, in His fullness, standing there in the midst of the light. And as I said earlier, we are the Light. But why are we not there yet?

.....Chapters 2 and 3 in the book of Revelation of Jesus contains seven messages to seven churches. The number 7 in the bible represents Completion, or Divine Perfection. God is trying to reveal to us how the unity of the body of Christ is to come about. The perfecting of the Church. A physical picture of a Spiritual Truth. Each message contains a praise, and a rebuke from the Lord, then a correction to be made in the body, and then a reward for that correction. I have listed them below in part for this study.

The Church of Ephesus

Commendation- Rejects evil, perseveres, has patience.
Criticism- Love for Christ no longer fervent.
Correction- Do the works you did at first.
Promise- The tree of Life.

The Church of Smyrna

Commendation- Gracefully bears suffering.
Criticism- None.
Correction- Be faithful until death.
Promise- The crown of Life.

The Church of Pergamos

Commendation- Keeps the faith of Christ.
Criticism- Tolerates immorality, idolatry, and heresies.
Correction- Repent.
Promise- Hidden manna, and a stone with a new name.

The Church of Thyatira

Commendation- Love, service, faith, patience is greater than at first.
Criticism- Tolerates cult of idolatry and immorality.
Correction- Judgement coming, keep the faith.
Promise- Rule over nations and receive the morning star.

The Church of Sardis

Commendation- Some have kept the faith.
Criticism- A dead church
Correction- Repent, strengthen what remains.
Promise- Faithful honored and clothed in white.

The Church of Philadelphia

Commendation- Perseveres in the faith.
Criticism- None.
Correction- Keep the faith.
Promise- A place in God's presence, a new name, and the New Jerusalem.

The Church of Laodicea

Commendation- None.
Criticism- Indifferent.
Correction- Be zealous and repent.
Promise- Share Christ's throne.

Now picture with me how this all works:

Imagine we, the church, are in a dark room, (The World), and as a correction is made in our lives, a light is lit on a Menorah, (Jesus is the Golden Candlestick, and YOU are the Light of the World). The light reveals an aspect of Truth, about Christ, and you in Christ. A promise revealed and received. Now we know through the study of scripture that light always dispels darkness. And also no amount of darkness can ever put out that light, (Truth), once it is lit, (Within You). That is Revelation. So as we, the Body of Christ, continue to make these 7 corrections within the Church, more and more lights are then lit, revealing more of Him and less of us, until all that we see is Him. These corrections are in the correct order according to the word of God, and will manifest the fullness of Christ, restoring the power within the Church, unifying the body, creating a bride, (1 Bride), without spot or blemish for Him to receive. God gave us the perfect example of this when He created Adam and Eve. God first made Adam, and then Eve for him, his help-mate, 1 bride, was made from a part of him. In this same way, God made Christ, and His Bride, the Church is to also be made from Him. That can only be manifested stage by stage through these 7 corrections for perfection. So Church, let's start making these corrections. How you might ask? Through the Six Steps to the Throne of God, which I will reveal to you later.
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