Don’t just improve… Be transformed! - Parenting/Children January 31, 2016

Parenting/Children  Children are a gift from God– Psalm 127:3  Even for the childless, God will bring disciples/ spiritual children for those wanting them – Is 54:1  It can be hard, but it is good  We often want to transform our Children, but we must start with us. – We must change!

Common Questions/Issues  Am I being too strict or too lenient?  How should I train my children?  Why don’t my children obey?  How can I make sure they succeed in life?

5 Steps to Transformed Parenting 1. First Things First – Correctly Define Goals 2. Discover God’s Plans 3. Model What You Want To See 4. Pray For Your Children 5. Follow Biblical Principles

First Things First – Correctly Define Goals  Ultimate Goals  Happy? Successful? Productive members of society?  Not bad, but not best  Eternal life, relationship with God  For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come. – 1 Tim 4:8 (Paul to his spiritual son Timothy)

Discover God’s Plans  God created each person/child for a purpose, specific good works and has given each specific natural gifts (and after born-again spiritual gifts) – Eph 2:10; 1 Cor 12:7  God knows the future (we don’t )  We should pray and seek God’s plans for our children (like David did for Solomon -1 Chr 28)

Model What You Want To See - Children Learn Most by What We Do  We need to get our lives right with God  David didn’t give Solomon a good example  David’s sin caused great problems in his children  We need to have a real relationship with God and model it  Reading the Bible and Praying  Dependence on God  Priority of Church, serving God

Pray For Your Children  We aren’t always with them  God is  We can’t change their hearts  God can  We can’t provide for all of their physical, emotional and spiritual needs  God can

Bible is FULL of Parenting guidelines  First might just think of specific statements to parents or children  God’s relationship to us is as a Father to his children  We study how God relates to his people – virtually the entire Bible – we learn his ways, attitudes: how to parent!

Follow Biblical Principles  Mercy over judgement – James 2:13  Consider the kindness and sternness of God – Rom 11:22  God’s character/name – Ex 34:6-7 - The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation.  Ask for forgiveness – we sin against our children at times. When we do, we need to ask forgiveness

Biblical Principles (cont)  Children belong to God, not us  We are only guardians or caretakers for a period of time – Luke 1:17; Gal 4:2

5 Steps to Transformed Parenting 1. First Things First – Correctly Define Goals 2. Discover God’s Plans 3. Model What You Want To See 4. Pray For Your Children 5. Follow Biblical Principles