Raising Children God's Way

Introduction: “The only way on God’s earth you will ever solve the problem of reaching the masses is by getting hold of the children.”

1. IT MUST BE PRACTICAL - "Train"
1. Train: [to drag] to guide the growth of by constant practice
2. Actions (practice) are its Goal; training is not effective unless it develops a change in actions (Proverbs 20:11)
3. Actions are its Method; words unsupported by actions are ineffective
2. IT MUST BE PERSISTENT - "Train"
1. Training is Effected by Constant Practice
2. Training by Definition Requires Consistency
1. Not responding to every other offense
2. Not controlled by emotions (Ephesians 6:4)
3. Not playing parents off one another
3. Consistency is More Important Than Severity
3. IT MUST BE POSITIVE - "up"
1. Even the Negative Aspects are Positive in Final Goals (Hebrews 12:9-11)
2. Seeing the Good Defines the Evil (Isaiah 7:15)
3. Train the Attitudes Behind the Actions (2 Corinthians 8:12)
4. Continually Point Them Up
1. Be optimistic in your dealings with the children
2. Show them that they can do right
3. Always point them to the Lord
4. IT MUST BE PREVENTATIVE - "a child"
1. Training is Prevention; Not a Cure
1. Dont wait until the problem is out of control
2. Dont hope the problem will go away Its not just a stage
2. There is Much Power is Turning to God Early
1. They need to seek God early (Proverbs 8:17)
2. They need to be trained before the evil days come (Ecclesiastes 12:1)
3. If you do not discipline your child, life will; but by then it may be too late (Proverbs 15:31)
5. IT MUST BE PRINCIPLED in the way
1. Not Simply a Set of Rules and Regulations; this may keep them under control, but it will not teach them how to live
2. But How to Walk in the Way of God (Psalm 27:11)
1. Teach them to think rightly about things
2. Spend serious time with your children
1. Play with them
2. Work with them
3. Instruct them
4. Listen to them
6. IT MUST BE PERSONAL that he
1. No Two Children are the Same (Psalm 139:14-17)
2. Training Must be Personalized
3. Children Must be Allowed and Encouraged to be the Individual God has Made them to Be
7. IT MUST BE PROPELLING should go
1. Seek More for Them Than you Had (Psalm 119:97-99); the highest goal for a teacher is that his student go further than he has ever gone
2. Train Them to God on When you are Not There

Conclusion: The key challenge of training: it requires the character development of Mom and Dad. You must grow so that your children can know.