The Importance of Godly Parenting
The Following is an Excerpt from our Book, Angry Without a Cause (Click Here to Order)
Look at what Charles Finney, the great American Evangelist of the 1800’s, said in relation to parenting:
“Parents should begin at the outset to get the mastery over the will [of their children] and then keep it. The most steadfast and uniform perseverance is essential to retaining the mastery of their will . . . IF I FIND A PERSON LINGERING UNDER CONVICTION AND FINDING IT VERY DIFFICULT TO SUBMIT TO GOD . . . I OFTEN MAKE INQUIRY, AND WITH SCARCELY A SOLITARY EXCEPTION, FIND THAT PARENTAL AUTHORITY HAS NEVER HAD A THOROUGH INFLUENCE OVER HIM: his will was not early subdued, and ever after, while still a minor, he was not kept in a state of unqualified submission and obedience.”
This is one amazing quote, and in my mind, it certainly explains why the primary role of Elijah, according to Malachi 4:6, will be to “turn the hearts of the fathers to the children.” In His infinite wisdom, God is fully aware that if parental authority is established in the home, then by the time children reach adulthood they will have an easier time submitting to their Divine Authority.
One of the things that I love about Biblical parenting is the freedom that it offers from yelling, screaming, and raising your voice in order to get your children to obey. It was such a blessing when my wife and I realized that children could be brought under subjection by using calm and confident commands. It was even more of an eye-opener for us to see that when you train your children to properly respond to authority, you are also accomplishing a much higher and nobler objective. You are not only increasing your chances of having a joyful atmosphere in the home, but you are also conditioning your children’s hearts to one day properly respond to the “STILL SMALL VOICE” of the Holy Spirit.
If a child only learns to obey when his parents finally blow up or get belligerent with him, the child’s heart is not being CONDITIONED to properly respond to the quiet prompting and prodding of the Holy Spirit of God. As a matter of fact, this type of child will often turn into an adult that will only respond to God after He has had to do something drastic or dramatic in his life in order to get his attention.
Parents, may I make a very pertinent statement at this time? Will the “still small voice” of the Holy Spirit be a foreign language to your children because of the constant use of angry words, sarcastic remarks, and frustrated phrases in your home? Are you making the Holy Spirit’s job more difficult because you have been attempting to control your children through harsh words and angry tones? May I say that we must not forget that God has given each and every parent a great mission field within the context of their own family. Dads and Moms, this “parenting-thing” is not just about learning some tips and techniques to keep your children out from “underneath your feet.” Actually, you have an opportunity everyday to “prepare the way of the Lord” in the hearts of your children by teaching them to properly respond to Godlike authority.
Watch this Short Video to See if Your Marriage May be Caught in the Cycle of Resentment and Anger
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