Alesaggio
04-19-2004, 07:57 PM
(This study is a basic and simple lesson meant to provoke more indepth study and heart searching, in other words, a simple lesson on a complex subject.)
Psalm 127:3; Malachi 2:15 is the setting for this study.
“Why does God entrust us with children?” Or stated differently, “What is the goal or purpose of Christian parenting?” Successful parenting is more than survival, it is a divine gift that should be carefully and seriously performed with prayer and devotion to God.
When we lose sight of our purpose or where we are supposed to be going in the mission of parenting we begin to substitute any number of approaches to parenting:
* Ostrich Approach --- the close-your-eyes-and-hope-for-the-best-parent.
Just take care of basic needs, shuttle them around, feed them keep clothes on their backs and look the other way… it will all work out in the end.
* Delegated Approach--- Believing that good leadership always means delegation, this parent uses others to raise his or her children: childcare, day care, schools, camps, counselors, scouts, coaches, church and anyone else out there they can delegate parental responsibility to raise their children.
* Materialistic Approach --- This parent believes that if he or she just provides the child with the best of everything then all the child’s needs will be met. Nothing but the best for my child – clothes, toys, schools, a car ….
* Warden Approach --- This parent runs a tight ship. These drill instructor parents focus on keeping all external behavior in line with a detailed set of rules. Their kids would describe them as rigid, critical, meddling and angry.
* Busy Bee Approach --- Kids need to learn how to program mom and dad’s palm pilot just to get time with them. This parent’s focus is career advancement not kids. (And it is often justified because of the kids).
* Minivan Approach --- Parenting is simply a transportation problem. They believe that lining up a full calendar of events and activities is what makes a successful family.
If parenting is to be purpose driven then we must understand God’s purpose (s);
Psalm 127:3-4, “Behold, children are a gift of the LORD, The fruit of the womb is a (His) reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, So are the children of one’s youth.”
Your children are God’s most serious assignment in your life.
“Gift/ heritage” = that which may be passed on as a permanent inheritance, but an inheritance in the sense of a trust. In law = ‘the confidence reposed in a person by giving him nominal ownership of something, which he is to keep, use and or administer for another’s benefit (in this case God’s). Something that belongs to another but has been entrusted to you for you to care for, for you to teach, for you to love, for you train up, for you to protect… but in accordance with the instructions of the giver… the true owner: God the creator…Steward or managers of that which belongs to another: God.
“Arrows” --- Children are like arrows and parents are like the bow. Parents are to make sure their children are aimed toward the right destination not just to do with what we please. Parents you are setting the direction of your children’s lives. BE CAREFUL WHERE YOU AIM!
Two paddleboats left Memphis about the same time, traveling down the Mississippi River to New Orleans. As they traveled side by side, sailors from one vessel made a few remarks about the snail’s pace of the other. Words were exchanged. Challenges were made. And the race began. Competition became vicious as the two boats roared through the Deep South. One boat began falling behind. Not enough fuel. There had been plenty of coal for the trip, but not enough for a race. As the boat dropped back, an enterprising young sailor took some of the ship’s cargo and tossed it into the ovens. When the sailors saw that the supplies burned as well as the coal, they fueled their boat with the material they had been assigned to transport. They ended up winning the race, but burned their cargo. Far too many parents learn too late that in the process of life they destroyed their children in the process of making a living!
God has entrusted cargo to us, too: our children. Our job is to do our part in seeing that this cargo reaches its destination. God has entrusted His children to us…precious cargo.
God introduces marriage in Genesis 2 with Adam and Eve: Genesis 2:24 Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.
Apostle Paul refers back to this passage in teaching on marriage in NT: Ephesians 5:31 "For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh."
Jesus: Matthew 19:6 "So then, they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate." Notice that the two shall become one (a new creation bound by covenant with God)
Malachi 2:13-15. Religious leaders of God’s people were breaking covenant with God and divorcing their wives and in so doing they angered God and endangered their children: Malachi 2: 13 “Another thing you do: You flood the Lord’s altar with tears. You weep and wail because he no longer pays attention to your offerings or accepts them with pleasure from your hands.
Mal 2:14 You ask, "Why?" It is because the LORD is acting as the witness between you and the wife of your youth, because you have broken faith with her, though she is your partner, the wife of your marriage covenant.
Mal 2:15 Has not the LORD made them one? In flesh and spirit they are his. And why one? Because he was seeking godly offspring. So guard yourself in your spirit, and do not break faith with the wife of your youth.”
Did you catch that? On creation day, God set in place a master plan, and He put it in the safekeeping of two people --- a father and a mother. He didn’t just put this plan in place for the selfish pleasure of the couple… God wanted something from them. He was waiting for it, counting on it, and depending on it so the rest of His plan could work: Through the union of man and woman/husband and wife, He is seeking godly offspring.
Question: What is the true fruit of the apple tree? Answer: (not an apple, but) Another apple tree … full grown that bears fruit of its own (other apple trees). The true fruit of a Christian mother and father is another mature Christian family—this process continues to generation to generation.
Psa 71:17-18, Since my youth, O God, you have taught me, and to this day I declare your marvelous deeds. Even when I am old and gray, do not forsake me, O God, till I declare your power to the next generation, your might to all who are to come.
Parents are entrusted with children to raise up godly offspring in order to powerfully influence the world for Jesus Christ.
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations. . . Acts 1:8 “But you will receive power when the Holy Ghost comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."
A Few Reminders in Raising Children:
1. Love the Lord With All Your Heart --- powerful teaching is not about, ultimately, about the teacher’s techniques; it’s about the teacher’s heart. Our children will be impacted by the things we truly devote our lives to… the things we love. We must start in our own heart relationship with the Lord (Salvation/ Sanctification).
2. Know and Obey God’s Word Yourself …. Deut 6:6-9. Right after telling parents they must start by loving God, Moses then tells them they must love God’s word…His commandments… His scriptures. Ask God for devotion and feelings… He wants you to succeed.
3. Involve your children in prayer … bring Jesus Christ into the picture… “lets pray about it” Pray for and with your children.
4. Tell Your Children about how God is working in your life. (Psa 78:3-4) “…what we have heard and known, what our fathers have told us. We will not hide them from their children; we will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the LORD, his power, and the wonders he has done. Then they would put their trust in God and would not forget his deeds but would keep his commands.”
5. Teach Your Children the Word of God. (Deut. 6, Eph 6, 2 Tim 3:15 “… from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus…” Never too young…. Reading, talking… sharing… using…
6. Teach Them to Love the Things of God: The Word, The Church, The Preaching and the man of God. Teach your children that being “different” is not bad and that God has a special place in the world for His children and that special place is a “privilege” not a “punishment.” Teach them to be selective in their life’s choices—guided by the Word and not the world.
7. Lead Them To calvary. Help them to understand the simple truths of the Gospel… and who Jesus is and what He has done for them… and how they might know the power of the resurrection by obeying Acts 2:38.
8. Encourage and Train them to Love and Serve the Lord… first priority and everything else is part of it. Involve God in different aspects of their lives… fellowship / community / friends…
9. Listen to their heart… modeling His grace, His forgiveness and His love (I’m not perfect, you’re not). Failures are not fatal if they know how to recover.
10. Never give up. Parenting is a life long process that changes over time.
Someone once said, “You only know the quality of your parenting when you see what your grandchildren become.”
-----------------+-----------------------
Psalm 127:3; Malachi 2:15 is the setting for this study.
“Why does God entrust us with children?” Or stated differently, “What is the goal or purpose of Christian parenting?” Successful parenting is more than survival, it is a divine gift that should be carefully and seriously performed with prayer and devotion to God.
When we lose sight of our purpose or where we are supposed to be going in the mission of parenting we begin to substitute any number of approaches to parenting:
* Ostrich Approach --- the close-your-eyes-and-hope-for-the-best-parent.
Just take care of basic needs, shuttle them around, feed them keep clothes on their backs and look the other way… it will all work out in the end.
* Delegated Approach--- Believing that good leadership always means delegation, this parent uses others to raise his or her children: childcare, day care, schools, camps, counselors, scouts, coaches, church and anyone else out there they can delegate parental responsibility to raise their children.
* Materialistic Approach --- This parent believes that if he or she just provides the child with the best of everything then all the child’s needs will be met. Nothing but the best for my child – clothes, toys, schools, a car ….
* Warden Approach --- This parent runs a tight ship. These drill instructor parents focus on keeping all external behavior in line with a detailed set of rules. Their kids would describe them as rigid, critical, meddling and angry.
* Busy Bee Approach --- Kids need to learn how to program mom and dad’s palm pilot just to get time with them. This parent’s focus is career advancement not kids. (And it is often justified because of the kids).
* Minivan Approach --- Parenting is simply a transportation problem. They believe that lining up a full calendar of events and activities is what makes a successful family.
If parenting is to be purpose driven then we must understand God’s purpose (s);
Psalm 127:3-4, “Behold, children are a gift of the LORD, The fruit of the womb is a (His) reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, So are the children of one’s youth.”
Your children are God’s most serious assignment in your life.
“Gift/ heritage” = that which may be passed on as a permanent inheritance, but an inheritance in the sense of a trust. In law = ‘the confidence reposed in a person by giving him nominal ownership of something, which he is to keep, use and or administer for another’s benefit (in this case God’s). Something that belongs to another but has been entrusted to you for you to care for, for you to teach, for you to love, for you train up, for you to protect… but in accordance with the instructions of the giver… the true owner: God the creator…Steward or managers of that which belongs to another: God.
“Arrows” --- Children are like arrows and parents are like the bow. Parents are to make sure their children are aimed toward the right destination not just to do with what we please. Parents you are setting the direction of your children’s lives. BE CAREFUL WHERE YOU AIM!
Two paddleboats left Memphis about the same time, traveling down the Mississippi River to New Orleans. As they traveled side by side, sailors from one vessel made a few remarks about the snail’s pace of the other. Words were exchanged. Challenges were made. And the race began. Competition became vicious as the two boats roared through the Deep South. One boat began falling behind. Not enough fuel. There had been plenty of coal for the trip, but not enough for a race. As the boat dropped back, an enterprising young sailor took some of the ship’s cargo and tossed it into the ovens. When the sailors saw that the supplies burned as well as the coal, they fueled their boat with the material they had been assigned to transport. They ended up winning the race, but burned their cargo. Far too many parents learn too late that in the process of life they destroyed their children in the process of making a living!
God has entrusted cargo to us, too: our children. Our job is to do our part in seeing that this cargo reaches its destination. God has entrusted His children to us…precious cargo.
God introduces marriage in Genesis 2 with Adam and Eve: Genesis 2:24 Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.
Apostle Paul refers back to this passage in teaching on marriage in NT: Ephesians 5:31 "For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh."
Jesus: Matthew 19:6 "So then, they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate." Notice that the two shall become one (a new creation bound by covenant with God)
Malachi 2:13-15. Religious leaders of God’s people were breaking covenant with God and divorcing their wives and in so doing they angered God and endangered their children: Malachi 2: 13 “Another thing you do: You flood the Lord’s altar with tears. You weep and wail because he no longer pays attention to your offerings or accepts them with pleasure from your hands.
Mal 2:14 You ask, "Why?" It is because the LORD is acting as the witness between you and the wife of your youth, because you have broken faith with her, though she is your partner, the wife of your marriage covenant.
Mal 2:15 Has not the LORD made them one? In flesh and spirit they are his. And why one? Because he was seeking godly offspring. So guard yourself in your spirit, and do not break faith with the wife of your youth.”
Did you catch that? On creation day, God set in place a master plan, and He put it in the safekeeping of two people --- a father and a mother. He didn’t just put this plan in place for the selfish pleasure of the couple… God wanted something from them. He was waiting for it, counting on it, and depending on it so the rest of His plan could work: Through the union of man and woman/husband and wife, He is seeking godly offspring.
Question: What is the true fruit of the apple tree? Answer: (not an apple, but) Another apple tree … full grown that bears fruit of its own (other apple trees). The true fruit of a Christian mother and father is another mature Christian family—this process continues to generation to generation.
Psa 71:17-18, Since my youth, O God, you have taught me, and to this day I declare your marvelous deeds. Even when I am old and gray, do not forsake me, O God, till I declare your power to the next generation, your might to all who are to come.
Parents are entrusted with children to raise up godly offspring in order to powerfully influence the world for Jesus Christ.
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations. . . Acts 1:8 “But you will receive power when the Holy Ghost comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."
A Few Reminders in Raising Children:
1. Love the Lord With All Your Heart --- powerful teaching is not about, ultimately, about the teacher’s techniques; it’s about the teacher’s heart. Our children will be impacted by the things we truly devote our lives to… the things we love. We must start in our own heart relationship with the Lord (Salvation/ Sanctification).
2. Know and Obey God’s Word Yourself …. Deut 6:6-9. Right after telling parents they must start by loving God, Moses then tells them they must love God’s word…His commandments… His scriptures. Ask God for devotion and feelings… He wants you to succeed.
3. Involve your children in prayer … bring Jesus Christ into the picture… “lets pray about it” Pray for and with your children.
4. Tell Your Children about how God is working in your life. (Psa 78:3-4) “…what we have heard and known, what our fathers have told us. We will not hide them from their children; we will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the LORD, his power, and the wonders he has done. Then they would put their trust in God and would not forget his deeds but would keep his commands.”
5. Teach Your Children the Word of God. (Deut. 6, Eph 6, 2 Tim 3:15 “… from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus…” Never too young…. Reading, talking… sharing… using…
6. Teach Them to Love the Things of God: The Word, The Church, The Preaching and the man of God. Teach your children that being “different” is not bad and that God has a special place in the world for His children and that special place is a “privilege” not a “punishment.” Teach them to be selective in their life’s choices—guided by the Word and not the world.
7. Lead Them To calvary. Help them to understand the simple truths of the Gospel… and who Jesus is and what He has done for them… and how they might know the power of the resurrection by obeying Acts 2:38.
8. Encourage and Train them to Love and Serve the Lord… first priority and everything else is part of it. Involve God in different aspects of their lives… fellowship / community / friends…
9. Listen to their heart… modeling His grace, His forgiveness and His love (I’m not perfect, you’re not). Failures are not fatal if they know how to recover.
10. Never give up. Parenting is a life long process that changes over time.
Someone once said, “You only know the quality of your parenting when you see what your grandchildren become.”
-----------------+-----------------------