Christian Parenting

Proverbs 22
by Jean Papp

Proverbs 22:6; Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will NOT depart from it.

The Spirit Life bible defines this scripture best with: Train up has the idea of a parent graciously investing in a child whatever wisdom, love, nurture, and discipline is needed for him to become fully committed to God. It presupposes the emotional and spiritual maturity of the parent to do so. In the way he should go is to do the training according to the unique personality, gifts, and aspirations of the child. It also means to train the child to avoid whatever natural tendencies he might have that would prevent total commitment to God (for example, a weak will, a lack of discipline, a susceptibility to depression). Hence, the promise is that proper development insures the child will stay committed to God.

Training is not just a one time deal. Training is an ongoing process. I don’t think parents realize just how important it is to train up a child in the Lord.

A few years back my sister’s neighbor, who was a young man in his early 20’s seemed to have his act together. He had a girlfriend whom he was madly in love with. One night she was killed in a car accident and he found out later she was pregnant. Needless to say, he was completely devastated. About two weeks went by and all of a sudden the police and the coroner were at the house. We found out that he had committed suicide. How sad is that?  I felt really bad for him.

One day while praying the Lord spoke to me and said: “If he would have KNOWN me, he wouldn’t have taken his life.” I started thinking about that. It really makes sense.

The definition of know is: to be convinced or certain of.

When we know the Lord and have a relationship with him, even when things get REALLY bad – we still have some hope (even if it is deep down). This is one reason that it is so important that people train their children up in the Lord from the very beginning of life. They need to know how to handle every kind of situation that life will throw at them whether it is physical, spiritual, emotional, financially, or in relationships. When children are brought up in the Lord and know him, when bad times come, they will know how to sit back and rest in the Lord.

Children need to learn at a very young age how to pray.

When I was about 16 yrs old I was riding my quad (a 4-wheel motorcycle) in Glamis Sand dunes. I got stung by a bee and didn’t realize it. As I was riding, I started to feel weird; my hands, neck and face were getting really itchy. I thought, wow, what is wrong with me? I stopped the group and took a drink of water. My body was starting to feel different also.

I thought to myself, we are almost at the hill, I will be fine. As I kept riding, my chest started to feel a lot of pressure, like an elephant was standing on it. Finally, we arrived at the hill. I took a ride up the hill and when I got to the top I knew there was a real problem. It was hard to breathe.

I went back down to the group where my parents were and took my helmet off. I was very swollen. I was in Anaphalytic shock. Breathing was getting difficult. I was really scared.

My parents got me in the jeep and rushed me back to camp where we had some paramedics with us. On the way back to camp my parents were praying over me. I would say my breathing was not getting worse, but the pain in my chest was getting more painful. I started to pray out loud. I said: “Satan, you are NOT going to take my life. I told him that I am going to preach one day, and started to tell the devil to give up!” At that point, the pain in my chest started to get less.

So, I continued the praying out loud along with my parents. To make a long story short when we got back to camp the paramedics knew exactly what was wrong with me. They opened 3-4 benedryl’s and put the medication under my tongue, so it would get into my system right away. We called 911; they advised up to either stop at the ranger station and wait for an ambulance or drive directly to the Brawley hospital. It was faster to go straight there so we did. I was much better after the benedryl and was released from the hospital.

Learning as a small child how to stand up to the devil and know my authority in the lord made a real difference in praying that day.There was great power!

I know of a group of state workers, who this last year in 2009 experienced more than normal suicide attempts and successful suicides. They seemed to be mainly about the same reasons of divorce, stress etc. It is so sad.

When being told about it, I said “they didn’t have the hope they needed because they didn’t really know the Lord.” Then I was told, Oh, no they were big in going to church and stuff.

Personally, I think it doesn’t matter how much you go to church, it doesn’t mean you KNOW the Lord. Some people go to church 2-3 times per week, give their tithe, etc. That still doesn’t mean they KNOW the Lord. If you truly KNOW the Lord it is because you spend a lot of time in prayer, reading the word, worship and one on one time with him, having a relationship.

I believe if these people would have really known the Lord, they would have had the hope to get through it, they would have known there best friend Jesus was right there with them, they would have known the promise in Jeremiah 29:11: For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.

If people would train their children up in the Lord from the very beginning to know and always depend on the lord for everything we wouldn’t have these tragic endings/suicides.

Jean Papp

 

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Are My Kids Getting Enough?
By Deana Van Fleet

Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.  Proverbs 22:6

Over my nineteen years of being a mother, I have wondered (more times than I can count) if my children are receiving enough.  Enough of ME, enough time, enough attention, enough individuality, enough validation, enough teaching about the Lord and His Will for their lives.  Is it all ever enough – or an even better question is can you ever really stop trying to make sure it is enough?

My mother antennae are always on the lookout for signs that one of my children needs more of me or more of something I can give them.  I watch their emotions as much as I watch their food intake, hours of sleep each night, homework and social schedules. 

I truly want my children to be emotionally secure, not growing up with an empty spot inside of them that never quite got filled. 

Yet, I am never completely sure it’s ever enough.

That’s the part of me that is a mother with ‘mother thoughts’ and ‘mother worries’. 

The part of me that is a spirit-filled Christ follower knows that these beautiful, amazing children are not mine but are the Lord’s.  He created them and He placed them into my care — but I don’t own them and ultimately my part of their life, as their mother, is to train them in the Word and the Will of God for their lives and trust God to do the rest.

I am to lead to the best of my ability with my own life shadowing the things of God that give my children a good, righteous goal for their own lives.  That doesn’t mean perfection, and that doesn’t mean I won’t make mistakes – but it means that I understand my place in their lives and I know the importance of making sure that Christ is kept as the center of all of our lives, our relationships, and our family.

What do I want for my children?  I want them to know Christ – personally and intimately.  I want them to know, to the core of their being, that what we have in this life that truly matters is our relationship with the Lord.  I want them to walk with Him, trust Him, talk to Him, worship and praise His Name, and know that without any doubt at all He is real and He is ALL.

I thank God for my children every day.  They are amazing gifts to me from God and I want to do the very best for them that I am able to.  To me, the best I can give them is God.

Praying for the words of the prophets to flow,

Deana Van Fleet
Banner Word.ca

 

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