Online Sermons
Lesson #8 - Children Are Gifts From God
Series: Home-BuildersLESSON #8 – CHILDREN ARE GIFTS FROM GOD
INTRODUCTION
Dr. David Jeremiah in his insightful book, Gifts From God, writes, “Children are not accidents that come to derail our
career plans. They are not incoveniences or intrusions into the lives of busy parents. Our children are God's gifts to us.”
PSALM 127:3-5a and PSALM 128:3
Behold, children are a gift of the Lord; The fruit of the womb is a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, so are the children of one's youth. How blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them…Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine, within your house, your children like olive plants around the table.
~ Just as learning to aim well is critical to good archery skills, so, too, with the parenting of children:
AIMING WELL CAN MAKE ALL THE DIFFERENCE.
- As with growing healthy olive plants, cultivating wholesome children requires attentive nurturing (Eph.6:4).
A TENDENCY TO BE OVERWHELMED
Child-rearing books abound on every sub-topic imaginable:
Solo … Middle … Gifted … Strong-willed ... Shy … Learning-disabled … Attention deficit disorder … Adopted … etc.
How to toilet train … How to put 'em to bed … How to boost their I.Q., help with homework, end sibling rivalry, cultivate self-esteem, etc.
Just thinking about the volumes written by “professionals“ may prove to be intimidating and even somewhat paralyzing.
John Rosemond (one of the best authors on child-rearing) adds a candid confession that's meant to be an encouragement.
“(I am) guilty - - guilty of contributing to the entirely false notion that raising a child is complex, difficult, demanding, draining,
exasperating, and so on. Granted, some children are more difficult than others, and with every child there will be difficult
moments, but raising children is not, in general, what people like myself have made it out to be be. Please accept my apologies.”
While good parenting isn't easy and may often appear to be a daunting task, it remains a joy-filled and quite doable assignment.
GOD WILL PROVIDE
“No culture has ever been able to provide a better shipyard for building storm-proof vessels for
the journey of man from the cradle to the grave than the individual nourished in a loving family.”
Ex.20:12 / Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be prolonged in the land which the Lord your God gives you.
Prov.1:8-9 / Hear, my son, your father's instruction, and do not forsake your mother's teaching;
Indeed, they are a graceful wreath to you heard, and ornaments about your neck.
Prov.22:6a / Train up a child in the way he should go...
God provides wisdom from above (Js.3:17), which He provides via His word to all who asks (Js.1:5).
Prov.3:1 / My son do not forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments; For length of days and years of life, and peace they will add to you.
WHO'S “IN CHARGE OF” THE CHILDREN?
Discuss parenting styles: absenteeism … abdication … unassertive … democratic … milque-toast ... despotism … benevolent dictator … etc.
~ James Dobson (Parenting Isn't For Cowards) stresses this important point. “I cannot overemphasize the importance of 'taking charge'
of a strong-willed child during the early years of his life. This is not accomplished by being harsh, gruff or stern. Instead, the relationship
is produced by confident and steady leadership. You are the boss. You are in charge. If you believe it, the child will accept it also.”
~ Parents who constantly bend over backwards for their children eventually fall over backward. Parents who constantly go out of their way for their children eventually lose their way. There are two entirely different ways of 'going before' one's children. The first is to claim one's legitimate authority as a parent and lead. The consequence of this is that the children will follow. They become the parent's disciples, in the truest sense of the term, in which case discipline becomes a natural aspect of the parent-child relationship and will never be a big deal.
The second way of going before is to run interference. The consequence of this is that one's children have no reason to follow.../ Rosemond
