How To Raise Godly Children In Today’s World.

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Scripture: “For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he received”- Hebrews 12:6  

In Today’s fast world raising moral and godly children has turned into a really tasking job for not just the parents but even the church. The world's vices and life has infiltrated even the church and is become a norm. 

This has deeply affected the way children are nurtured and raised, as it now deviates from the will and purpose of the maker(God).

But all the same, we must be zealous and ensure on raising God-fearing and moral children to save humanity and also make our society a better place to live. 

And the Bible says, “ Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it” – Proverbs 22:6 

 In this article we'll be talking about the topic; ”Raising Your Children The Godly Way”.

This is a command from God to the parents, you should not let the love towards your children cause you to neglect the fundamentals you should impact in them.  

Now there are scriptural pathways you should follow in raising your children the God’s way, which include the following :

1. Be The Mirror

Being the mirror here implies that you must be an example to them. Live out thoughts that you want to see in your children. Be a living Epistle, It is a well-known fact that children tend to learn more through observation,  especially from their parents. 

So, be their model. Don't teach them a thing, but you are completely doing the direct opposite of what you are teaching them. This would rather leave the child in a confused state.

 God is not a confusing Father, and He has entrusted you with the children to guide them in His ways. Don’t confuse them! Okay, dear parents?

The Bible also says,  “Children's children are the crown of old men, and the glory of children are their fathers” -Proverbs 17:6

2.  Teach Them To Be A Loving Being By Loving Them.

As parents, you are meant to love your children unconditionally, just the way God loves us unconditionally, even while you were still a sinner He loved you. Also, Scripture says, “Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and everyone that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God”.- 1 John 4:7 

So, there should be no limit to your love for them. Also, know that their childish attitude or behavior should never stop you from loving and always caring for them or interfere with the way you love them. 

For the kingdom is of their Kind, when you learn to love them, they will know how to show love to others.

3. Discipline Them

You should indeed love your children, but in the same vein, you ought not to forget the place of discipline in child training.

You should correct your children when it calls for, no matter their age or condition related to their birth. Don't Look away from any ungodly attitude or strange character they exhibit because they are still children. 

The Bible says, “He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him becomes”.-  Proverbs 13:24 

You should start correcting and impacting morality in them when they are still kids and growing up because their minds are very much flexible at that stage. And when someone else is in a position to correct your children, you should welcome and appreciate the person.

This is because child upbringing is a work for all and not just the parents, and you should learn to discipline them in love, whatever is done for the kingdom must be in love.  The Bible says,  “Correct thy son, and he shall give thee rest; yea, he shall give delight unto thy soul”.- Proverbs 29:17. 

And our scripture also makes it very clear, that God only disciplines those He truly loves, if you fail to discipline your kids because you don't want to hurt or make them feel offended then you have gone contrary to the pattern of the kingdom. “For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he received”- Hebrews 12:6  

4. Make Your Faith Known To Them Through  God's Word. 

The Bible says, “Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me”- John 5:39  

As parents, you should know that God has put the children in your custody to care for and raise them according to His plan and purpose, as such family devotion is vital for children’s edification. Search and study the Bible together as a family on daily basis, and make it interactive. 

Also, ask them questions to check their knowledge level and to know their view of certain issues of life based on scriptural perspective. Correct and guide them as they learn. The Bible also says, “If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?”- Psalms 11:3 

Let them know the need for one to have Christ in his or her life and allow them to ask you questions and to clear their doubts. Scriptures says, ”Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee. Blessed art thou, O LORD: teach me thy statutes”- Psalm 119:11 &12 

5. Be Approachable.

 It is one thing to be a parent, it's another thing to be approachable. Don't be a tyrant parent all in the name of making them respectful.

 You only end up making them fearful rather than being respectful, and friendly with them, playing with them, making jokes, and playing games together this will help bind the family and also let them approach you with ease. 

Allow them to teach you the little they know. You may be surprised that even at your age you don't know what they shared with you. With that you will be able to know them well, the type of friends they have, the things they love doing, and other sides because they will easily open up to you.

"For a small moment have I forsaken thee; but with great mercies will I gather thee"- Isaiah 54:7. The Father also does not forsake us despite our rebellious ways of life. Therefore you ought to keep it so with your Children, make room for them in your heart. 

6. Teach Them To Pray And Pray For Them Too, 

The Bible says, “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you” - Matthew 7:7

You should let them know that you are only their earthly parents and that they have a heavenly Father whom they can reach and commune with through the prayers they offer in Faith to Him. And that He surely hears and will answer them, “Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not”- Jeremiah 33:3 

Let them know He will surely attend to them when they pray. and you should learn to proclaim positive words and scriptural affirmations on your children, no matter what they have done wrong, bless them in good and bad times. Words carry creative power and potential.

The Bible says, “And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up”- Deuteronomy 6:6-7.

The word of God is life, if you don’t educate and teach them the word and how to relate with their heavenly Father, they would conform to the world against God’s ultimate Will.

Conclusion

No parent loves to have children that are disrespectful and lack moral upbringing. This is the reason every Christian family should emulate, the attitudes of Joseph and Mary in raising the Child Jesus.

As you can also attest according to the scriptures, Joseph and Mary always took Jesus along where ever they went, especially in ensuring his moral upbringing.

So, to raise godly and Holy Spirit lead children ensure to follow the guideline in this article, line upon line, precept upon precept, and probably you have some others do well to add them. They will greatly bless and keep the lives of your children in order not to lose them to the devil and his antics.

Prayer

Father, IJN: I thank you for the light of your word that has blessed my soul through this teaching.

Father, IJN: Fill all parents with the spirit of wisdom and revelation in being able to care for the children and raise a priestly and God-fearing generation.

Father, IJN: By the power of the blood of Jesus, I decree the crushing of every demonic antic or strategy to initiate your children to the ungodly pattern of this world.

Commit Memory

“ Correct thy son, and he shall give thee rest; yea, he shall give delight unto thy soul”—Proverbs 29: 17

Further Reading

Isaiah 54:13, Proverbs 1:8-9, Matt 19:14, Eph 6:4

Quote

"The way we talk to our children becomes their inner voice."- Peggy O'Mara.

Assignment

Pray always for your children and commit them to God's care, keep teaching them the word of truth daily. Many have perished for lack of knowledge of the truth. The truth sets free when you know it. So, teach the truth to your children at all times. Psalm 1:1-3, Isaiah 34:16