Theme of the Week: Raising Godly Kids
Bible Verse: Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. Ephesians 6:4
Scripture Reading: Ephesians 6:1-9
As fathers who follow Jesus, we have a desire and a heart to see our children love Jesus and grow in Him. This could be based on many different things. Maybe for you it’s because of the change He has made in your life. Maybe it’s because you know the truth of His word and you want your kids to know His truth too. Maybe it’s simply because you want to see them in Heaven with you one day. Maybe you have a different reason. Whatever your reason, as a Christian parent, this is not a bad desire. In fact, this is a God-given job when you become a parent.
Paul writes in Ephesians 6:4 that fathers are to “bring them [children] up in the training and instruction of the Lord.” And in 1 Thessalonians 2:12, he writes that a parent is to be encouraging, comforting, and should urge their children to “live lives worthy of God.”
Now, the Bible has many other references to parenting; it is a well of wisdom from where we, who did not get an instruction manual with each kid, can lower our buckets and learn how to do what sometimes seems impossible. But how do we do this in today’s world? Paul didn’t have cell phones, video streaming, and the next great video game system to compete against. He didn’t have unlimited data or malls to shop at. How do we grow our kids to love Jesus in a culture that is so overwhelming?
Over the next week, we will be looking at practical ways to grow your child’s love for Jesus. My aim is to encourage you as a father (or grandfather/mentor).
This is by far not the only list of ideas out there, but it can be a start. Being a dad is hard but be encouraged because our heavenly Father is with us every step of the way.
Prayer: Jesus, Thank You that You are faithful and with us. Thank You for my kids. Walk with me as I learn to be a better dad for them. Amen.
Reflection: Read 1 Thessalonians 2:11-12, reflect on the words that Paul uses to describe how a father should deal with his children, and ask yourself how you can improve on them.
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