CHILDREN
Children are “an heritage of the Lord: and the fruit of the womb is his reward” (Psalm 127:3). In the Bible, children are considered a blessing (Psalm 127:3–5; 1 Chronicles 26:4–5). “Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. Honour thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise; that it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth. And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord” (Ephesians 6:1–4). Fathers have the responsibility to see that their children are taught to pray, go to church, and read the Bible. Should children be made to go to church even when they do not want to? This same question could be asked about going to the dentist, the doctor, or to school. Good parents will lead their children to church and set the example for them. Some have the attitude that small children are too young to learn anything spiritual and should be left at home, but Jesus said, “Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God” (Mark 10:14).
Most of my Christian life, I have worked six days a week, but if I could do it over again, I would have taken off two days a week, one to rest and one to be with my family. I believe the extra time would have paid good dividends. There was more involved in raising children than I realized, and I wish I would have started sooner to pray for them every day, by name.
“I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me” (Isaiah 1:2). This was the Lord speaking in this verse, and though He raised up children, they rebelled against Him. God can do a better job raising children than any parent, yet sometimes the children will not listen, even to God. “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it” (Proverbs 22:6). This verse has been used to teach that if your children turn out bad, it is your fault. However, the verse did not say they will be saved or spiritual, and the Bible says, “The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son” (Ezekiel 18:20).
It cannot be denied that some parents definitely do a better job than others, but I know of children from good homes who have turned out bad and others from bad homes who have turned out good. It would be hard from Scriptures to find a family where all the children turned out spiritual. Certainly not all of King David’s children, or those of the High Priest Eli, or those of the prophet Samuel, or those of Noah, etc. We cannot blame our parents or the government or God for how we turn out. Cain and Abel had the same parents and the same surroundings, but one was a martyr while the other was a murderer. Yes, our surrounding environment has an effect on us, but the real problem has always been on the inside: how we respond to what is going on around us, the decisions we make in life.
Seek God’s help in raising your children through prayer and, yes, fasting where needed. And follow biblical principles for raising children (see CORRECTION OF CHILDREN). We do not want to be prideful and trust in our own wisdom for raising our children. Instead we should ask God, who gave them to us, how to raise them. “In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths” (Proverbs 3:6).
Children are “an heritage of the Lord: and the fruit of the womb is his reward” (Psalm 127:3). In the Bible, children are considered a blessing (Psalm 127:3–5; 1 Chronicles 26:4–5). “Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. Honour thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise; that it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth. And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord” (Ephesians 6:1–4). Fathers have the responsibility to see that their children are taught to pray, go to church, and read the Bible. Should children be made to go to church even when they do not want to? This same question could be asked about going to the dentist, the doctor, or to school. Good parents will lead their children to church and set the example for them. Some have the attitude that small children are too young to learn anything spiritual and should be left at home, but Jesus said, “Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God” (Mark 10:14).
Most of my Christian life, I have worked six days a week, but if I could do it over again, I would have taken off two days a week, one to rest and one to be with my family. I believe the extra time would have paid good dividends. There was more involved in raising children than I realized, and I wish I would have started sooner to pray for them every day, by name.
“I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me” (Isaiah 1:2). This was the Lord speaking in this verse, and though He raised up children, they rebelled against Him. God can do a better job raising children than any parent, yet sometimes the children will not listen, even to God. “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it” (Proverbs 22:6). This verse has been used to teach that if your children turn out bad, it is your fault. However, the verse did not say they will be saved or spiritual, and the Bible says, “The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son” (Ezekiel 18:20).
It cannot be denied that some parents definitely do a better job than others, but I know of children from good homes who have turned out bad and others from bad homes who have turned out good. It would be hard from Scriptures to find a family where all the children turned out spiritual. Certainly not all of King David’s children, or those of the High Priest Eli, or those of the prophet Samuel, or those of Noah, etc. We cannot blame our parents or the government or God for how we turn out. Cain and Abel had the same parents and the same surroundings, but one was a martyr while the other was a murderer. Yes, our surrounding environment has an effect on us, but the real problem has always been on the inside: how we respond to what is going on around us, the decisions we make in life.
Seek God’s help in raising your children through prayer and, yes, fasting where needed. And follow biblical principles for raising children (see CORRECTION OF CHILDREN). We do not want to be prideful and trust in our own wisdom for raising our children. Instead we should ask God, who gave them to us, how to raise them. “In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths” (Proverbs 3:6).