Garwood Presbyterian Church

Becoming God's Great Parent For Your Children

I Samuel 1:27-28, Proverbs 13:24, I Thes. 5:11, II Timothy 3:14-17

1. Dedicate Your Children to God
   1. I Samuel 1:27-28
   2. Give your children to God because you trust Him, and because they are ultimately His re-sponsibility.
   3. And because you want what God wants for them, not what you want.
      1. So you don't try to gain your sense of fulfillment and success through them.
      2. If you do try this, they will eventually react to this, turn against you, and fight you.
2. Pray For and With Your Children
   1. Praying with your children is one of the very best things you can do with them.
   2. In Luke 18:1, Jesus says to keep on praying and to not give up. This would especially ap-ply for our children.
   3. Philippians 4:6-7 says we should not be anxious about our children. Instead, we should pray and petition God with our requests about them, doing this with a positive attitude of thanksgiving. Then we will enjoy having God's peace, instead of being anxious.
3. Teach Your Children God's Truth In the Bible
   1. Deuteronomy 11:18-20 says that this is primarily the parents' responsibility at home.
      1. This can be done through reading a children's Bible to your children or other Christian book containing the Bible's truth.
      2. It can also be done by having Christian plaques and pictures in your home, listening to Christian music, and watching Christian television and videos.
   2. Your church is also here to help teach your children God's truth in the Bible.
   3. Proverbs 22:6 says that we should do more than teach our children at home. We should also train them in God's ways.
      1. This is mainly done through our example of how we live the Christian life before them.
      2. When we do this, it says that they will not turn from God's ways when they are older.
   4. II Timothy 3:14-17 says that Timothy learned the Holy Scriptures from infancy, which can make us wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus, and are also useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness, so that we will be thoroughly equipped to do good things for God.
4. Discipline Your Children As Necessary
   1. Proverbs 13:24; 19:18; 29:17, 19.
   2. Have appropriate punishments.
   3. But do not overcorrect them, Col. 3:21.
      1. Especially do not correct in anger. Anger = Abuse. Psalm 37:8.
5. Love Your Children
   1. Dedicating them to God, praying for them, teaching them God's truth, and disciplining them are all ways of loving your children.
   2. Encouraging them is another important way to love your children. I Thes. 5:11, Heb. 3:13.
   3. Forgiving your children is a very important way to love them because it encourages them to believe in God's forgiveness and love of them.
      1. The most important time to forgive your children is after you have disciplined them.
   4. Having fun with your children feels like love to them! So go ahead & have fun with them!
      1. Take time to be with them and create a lasting bond while you can.
6. What Have You Learned From This That You Should Incorporate Into Your Life?