The Bible is the sufficient guidebook for parenting as much as it is for anything else (2 Timothy 3:16-17). It certainly does not give every detail, but it certainly does give foundational principles. God is the ultimate and perfect expert on everything-including parenting. He has all wisdom and knowledge (Colossians 2).
It takes wisdom to build a home in the proper manner (Proverbs 24:3-4). True wisdom only comes from God. Wisdom is living life from God’s perspective and in obedience to His will.
God must build the house for it to really last for eternity. This is too much for us on our own (Psalm 127:1).
Children are a blessing from God. God is the giver of life (Psalm 127:3-5). Every child is unique because of being created by God.
Parenting is teaming up with God to build children into what they are supposed to be (Psalm 127:1).
The principles work anytime for anyone, but they really should be applied by people who are saved. If you want God to build your home, you should first commit your individual lives and your home to Christ, walk under His Lordship, and walk in His Spirit.
Ultimately, children are a stewardship because they come from God. Therefore, we must make parenting a priority and order our lives accordingly.
Prayer is essential in seeing our children impacted properly for God.
Spiritual warfare (Ephesians 6) is certainly directed against the home because it is foundational to everything else. As goes the home, so goes the society and the church.
We need to learn to parent by principle-not pride.
We need to parent for the future and not just for today. Remember, it our job to work with God to build them into what He created and designed them to be. We are preparing them for their God-intended future. We are preparing them to leave us and live on their own.
I want them to be champions for Christ. Certainly, I want them to be compliant and stay out of trouble, but that is only half the story. I don’t want to live in fear of the world. I want to be used by God to see my children grow up to impact this world for Christ.
Leadership Principle-We can’t produce something that we are not. We can’t lead people beyond where we are.
Parents are responsible for the way they raise their children. Children are responsible for their decisions and the way they turn out once they become adults (Ezekiel 18). There are no absolute guarantees with parenting (Proverbs 22:6) [?] People are created with a will and have sinful natures.
