Welcome once again to God’s guidance concerning family matters. Last week, I taught on Children Are Blessings! I said children are gifts from God and unique blends of their parents.
Today, I would like to talk briefly on Raising God-fearing children. God has given those children to you to raise in His fear, so that they will become an ensign to the world around them. No one can help raise these children in a better way than you (the parents).
The Church, the School and the Society cannot take your place as parents, in terms of child raising. Your children are meant for signs and wonders. Behold, I and the children whom the LORD hath given me are for signs and for wonders in Israel from the LORD of hosts, which dwelleth in mount Zion (Isaiah 8:18).
When you create the fear of the Lord in their hearts, you would have secured a great and glorious future that cannot be dashed or tampered with. Your children must be raised on a solid foundation. If the foundation is faulty then there is no guarantee for the future. No wonder, the Bible says in Psalm 11:3 If the foundation be destroyed…
The foundation of your children shall not be faulty in Jesus’ name. Invest in the foundation of your children, so that you will have joy from them. I pray that all parents reading this article, today, will find joy over their children tomorrow in Jesus’ mighty name.
Man is a tripartite being. He is composed of three parts – spirit, soul and body (1 Thessalonians 5:23). This automatically means that man has spiritual, emotional and physiological needs which have to be met. Children are no less human. They too are spirit, soul and body. It follows, therefore, that they have needs in these three realms, which must be satisfied.
Now, let’s consider the three main aspects of children’s lives and see how you can instill the fear of God into them.
The Spiritual Aspect
Just like adults have spiritual needs, so also the children do. The Bible tells us in John 4:24 that God is a Spirit. God made man in His image; therefore, man is essentially a spirit being. It is with that spirit that contact is made with God. Hence, each of those children can have contact with God, that is, they can establish a relationship with God.
After this foundation has been laid, then we can now begin to build on it. The scripture must be opened and shared with them. You have to create time to sit down and teach them the Word of God. This is of great importance, because it instills the fear of God into their hearts so that when they grow and get into the world, God’s fear that has been planted in them will preserve them in the way of the Lord (Proverb 22:6). Remember Joseph? His parents were not there, yet, he refused to sin against God (Genesis 39:9).
It is important to note that every single life has a purpose, including children. Jeremiah 1:5 says: Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations. Jeremiah was ordained a prophet from the womb. So by prayer, locate your children’s ordination and propel them along that part.
Also, teach your children on how to pray correctly, bearing in mind the different kinds of prayers. Introduce your children to their heavenly Father, encourage them to pray daily. Finally, on meeting their needs spiritually, introduce them to active, Christian service in the house of God. Ensure that you make time available to meet their spiritual needs.
The Emotional Aspect
Children are to be loved, cared for and accepted. As a parent, you must meet their needs emotionally. They must be emotionally satisfied, so that there will be no attraction from outside, that will be able to secure their attention.
The reason for child abuse and all manner of evil today in the society, is because most parents are no longer there to meet the emotional needs of these children. Ensure that you are approachable and easily accessible by your children.
Give them opportunities to ask you question about what is bothering them. Don’t be “too big” for them that they will be afraid and prefer to seek for solace elsewhere.
Be there when you ought to so that, they will not look out for outside influence. I tell people all the time, that before a child will begin to go on drugs, something has gone wrong back at home. When you meet their needs in this area, no devil will influence them from outside.
Also, good, open and effective communication is a vital tool in helping your children to develop emotional stability. A child, who is self-assured and has high self-esteem, will be immune to foreign influence. May the Lord grant you grace to perform.
The Physical Aspect
Cleanliness, they say, is next to godliness. As a parent, it is also your duty to make provision for your children’s physical needs. They should be neat and adequately clothed for various periods. Ensure that as you appear neat, your children also look neat both at home and everywhere they may be found. They ought to be true representatives of Christ.
1 Timothy 5:8 says: But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel. Your children should be well fed that is; they should be given a balanced diet no matter how small. There is a need for you to supervise their feeding habits.
Also, in their academics, be there to help. Prayerfully help them in their choice of subjects, and ultimately in setting goals in their career. Although these goals may change, but at least they should have one. Discover their bent in life and stir them in that direction. Please, don’t force them into your mold because, God may have a totally different plan for them therefore, encourage them to have Bible-based dreams.
It is also important for you to teach them how to handle money, and how to be financially accountable. This way, they will not be a disgrace to you in future. Statistics shows that over 90 per cent of the children of wealthy people don’t end up wealthy. Why? They are not taught how to spend money judiciously, so they end up wasting it. Rescue your children now, by teaching them how to spend their money wisely.
In conclusion, these three aspects of lives of the children I have mentioned, come in that order of priority: the spiritual need, the emotional need and the physical need. Don’t put all your attention on the physical that is not right; order your priorities correctly. I pray that God will give you the grace to perform so that your children will become responsible adults tomorrow.
Without the help of God, the best of man is still not enough. To enjoy that help in raising your children, you must first accept Jesus as your Lord and Saviour. If you would want to receive Him right now, please pray this prayer of faith with me:
Dear Lord, I come to You today. I am a sinner. Forgive me of my sins. Cleanse me with Your precious Blood. I accept You as my Lord and Saviour. Thank You for saving me. Now I know I am born again!
Congratulations!
You are now born again! All-round rest and peace are guaranteed you, in Jesus’ Name. Call or write, and share your testimonies with me through contact@faithoyedepo.org, and conselling@faithoyedepo.org; OR 07026385437 and 08141320204.
For more insight, these books authored by me are available at the Dominion Bookstores in all Living Faith Churches and other leading Christian bookstores:
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