Usually when parents send their kids to school to educate them it is for all the wrong reasons. In scripture we do for a different reason as we teach them to live distinctive lives in this world as we are not of it! God says to Israel "teach these things to your children!..and when they ask remember what the Lord did and teach your children!"
The child: This text puts a tremendous task in front of us. Who are our children? They are children of GOD! Of all the children they are COVENANT children! Children entrusted to us and given to us that we may be means that they may be turned to HIM! Read the story of Hannah. God lays the blueprint of that child that he may be fit for heaven. Can you see how different already we are from the world? Israel gave their children that they bore unto God to ungodliness and so we can too give our children to the world and gods of secularism of this world. They are GODS! God's children and need to be trained up! We must remember that the child is GODS. They soak up everything and even hear already in the mother's womb and are susceptible. Little subtle branches. We need to address them according to their need. We have a VERY small window. Teach them the things of the Lord that they may grow up to KNOW GOD....BEND THEM! They too are prone to sin, rebellion, anarchists as we carry it ourselves, pass on our genes, and we know their struggles all to well like ours.
Training: The original text reads "touch to his mouth that he may acquire a taste for..." We need to put to them the spiritual, the heavenly that they may acquire a taste. Why would be bombard them with the worldly? and worldly things? An antithetical world...a thesis that there is a heavenly home and extend it into his whole life that we may be used as means to speak to the heart of the child! Bring up a child in HIS WAY or ACCORDING TO HIM! God has given the child all the characteristics to fit him for the kingdom and we are means to bring them up to that end! Our training and nurturing MUST fit the child! The reason is if we don't we miss it! We have to "hit" our children where their at and at their level and juncture and when we train that child where it hits them than he will remember it! That's our calling as parents!
Result: Train up a child in his way and they will never be able to shake it. Not to be a success in this world, but a promise to teach them the doctrine of salvation that lasts an ETERNITY!
To the utmost power we promise to do that as parents!
"Born Unto the Lord!" Ezekiel 16:20 As our children are enrolled in school and schedules that are somewhat different than expected at times we turn to this chapter. We deal with schedules, changes in it, and sometimes ask ourselves "why do we go...[ abbreviated | read entire ]
"Obedience to the Word" Ephesians 6:1-4 This seems to repeat the 5h commandment but there is a significant difference. The basis of the 5th commandment has root in the authority given and derived from God, but Ephesians has to do with the...[ abbreviated | read entire ]
"General Responsibility" Psalm 78:1-7 What we have done is tremendous. Honored family and children making out houses actual homes while the world abuses and disposes of children. Secondly, it is a sign and seal of God's very covenant and who are...[ abbreviated | read entire ]
"Equipping our Children Well" 2 Timothy 3:17 Our children are now back to school once again. We reminisce on our baptism vows "to the best of our ability!" To nurture them in the fear of God so they will be "thoroughly equipped" for the Kingdom...[ abbreviated | read entire ]
"God's Knowledge of Us" Genesis 18:19 Having discussed marriage and the scriptural values in regard to the world, in regards to our family life previously, we see that society shows degenerative family lives and we too must be concerned with...[ abbreviated | read entire ]
"Relevant Instruction" Proverbs 22:6 (Deut. 6) The book of Proverbs is full of practical knowledge and will reveal its treasures if we study it. With a clear vision (as we discussed last week) the more clear the vision the more we can pattern our...[ abbreviated | read entire ]