July 22, 2007

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 Scripture KJV

Reverend David S. Huffer

Westwood Baptist Church - 2124 Davis Road
 Waynesboro, VA

Children: Training Up A Child

Proverbs 22:6

I remember the day that my first child came into my life – Elizabeth Nicole Huffer.

·         I held her little head in my hands as her little body seemed to curl and cuddle into mine.

·         As I looked into her beautiful brown eyes – I knew she was mine!

Then it hit me – the responsibility of caring for such a little girl was a bit scary.

·         How would I care and provide for her?

·         What kind of parent would I become?

·         What would I teach her? Could I teach her? Would she respond?

Her needs and the responsibility to meet those needs was enough to overwhelm the best.

My second child came a little more than two years after Elizabeth – Jonathan Marshall Huffer.

·         I quickly found out that there is a big difference between training up a girl and training up a boy.

Probably, one of the most fearful and overwhelming thoughts parents can have is: “How will my children turn out?”

·         Think about the amount of information that is available to our children and the speed at which it is accessed.

·         Years ago, knowledge was often gained by sitting down with a World Book Encyclopedia in hand.

TODAY – A child can log onto the information superhighway – the internet – and instantly obtain a mountain of information on any given subject without turning a page.

·         Both at school and in the home this quickly gained information is designed to equip and prepare our children for life.

Michael Cobb of Genesis One Ministries says: “Our children are learning … but we must ask ourselves, how are they being trained?”

FRIENDS - Solomon in His God-given wisdom gives us as parents’ Biblical counsel to “Train up” our children.

·         I can remember my mom telling me “They don’t come with instruction books!”

·         admonition of the Lord.”

FRIENDS – What could be more crucial than knowing how to raise and train our children?

·         Manoah, the father of Sampson, prayed prior to Samson’s birth for instruction on how to raise their son.

·         Judges 13:8 – “Then Manoah prayed to the LORD, and said: ’O my Lord, please let the Man of God whom You sent come to us again and teach us what we shall do for the child who will be born.”

The Hebrew word for “train” is derived from a root word that means “To affect the taste.”

·         Some have suggested that it is a touching of the palette to create the swallowing or sucking action

The idea is that parents need to create a hunger or thirst for the things of God!

·         Matthew 5:6 – “Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth.”

Parents are encouraged to train up their child “in the way” they should go.

·         To teach our children in the way they should go is not a force feeding with the idea “you’re going to eat this, even if you don’t like it.”

“In the way” is better translated “in his/her way.”

·         This is not to say you allow your children to have their way all the time, thus developing a self-willed attitude in the child.

·         Rather it is recognizing the “bent” in a child’s life and training them accordingly.

·         If a child has a bent toward being outdoors, train him in the ways of the Lord through the outdoors.

·         If a child has a bent toward books and study – then train them accordingly.

Webster’s Dictionary defines “TRAIN” as:

·         To instruct by exercise

·         To form to a proper shape

·         To discipline for use

TRAINING INVOLVES TEACHING

·         Moses instructed the children of Israel: those who had children, and those who would have children to teach their children.

If you are thinking: “Our kids are grown and out of the home. This doesn’t apply to me.”

You need to know the Hebrew word used for “children” is far reaching.

·         It speaks of household sons, daughters, nephews, nieces, and grandchildren – so listen up!

Deut. 6:7 – “”You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them as you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.”

WHEN ARE THE BEST TIMES TO TEACH YOUR CHILDREN?

All times are expedient to teach

·         Sitting in your house

·         Walking in all ways of life

·         Bedtime

·         Morning time

EX. Next time your child is cutting grass, ask them what the Bible says about grass. DOES ANYONE KNOW?

·         Isaiah 40:8 – “The grass withers, the flower fades, But the word of God stands forever.”

The grass clippings will die because they are cut off from the source of life.

·         Teach them that the Word of God is the only permanent thing to hold onto in this life.

·         For when we get to heaven the Word of God, Christ Jesus Himself will be there with us.

FRIENDS – This is the manner in which Jesus often taught His disciples

·         Matthew 13:3 – “behold a sower went out to sow…”

·         Matthew 6:28 – “Consider the lilies of the field …”

·         John 4:35 – “Behold I say to you lift up your eyes and look at the fields ...”

ALL aspects of our lives are teachable moments to train a child in the ways of the Lord.

TRAINING INVOLVES MODELING

Adrian Rodgers – “As parents, we cannot put anything in our child’s heart that is not first in our own, anymore than we can come from where we’ve not been.”

techniques and expect our children’s life to be different?

·         Training involves modeling or setting the example of how to live a godly life

When Albert Schweitzer was asked how to raise children, he said: “Three principles – First – example; second; example; and third – example.”

Steven Covey says: “You cannot not model. It’s impossible. People will see your example – positive or negative – as a pattern for the way life is to be lived.”

The apostle Paul told the Philippians to follow his example in their Christian life.

·         To Timothy Paul encouraged him to be an example to the believers.

·         And Jesus told us to follow His example.

·         John 13:15 – “For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you.”

Deuteronomy 6:7 – which I read earlier – is built upon the foundation of verse 6- “And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart.”

FRIENDS – The idea of modeling boils down to this crucial aspect.

·         What is the “Center” of your life?

·         I’m not asking what are your likes and dislikes that you want to pass on.

BUT – WHERE IS YOUR HEART? What do you treasure at the very center core of your life?

·         Where does your Security come from?

·         Where does your Guidance come from?

·         Where does your Wisdom come from?

·         Where does your Strength come from?

Where you find your security, guidance, wisdom, and strength – Is that where you want your children to find theirs?

According to Steven Covey, author of Seven Habits Of Highly Effective Families, “Modeling as parents to our children is our most basic, most sacred, most spiritual responsibility.”

TRAINING INVOLVES CORRECTION

What would we be like if we never received the correction we did?

·         What will our children turn out to be if we fail to correct them?

·         Correction is a part of training a child

·         Proverbs 19:18 – “Chasten your son while there is hope, And do not set your heart on his destruction.”

FRIENDS – We live in a world of physical abuses that bring harm and damage both to the body and mind.

·         Many parents now shy away from correcting their children.

·         However, Biblical correction is intended to bring about a positive reaction.

A. Correcting Love

·         Proverbs 13:24 – “He who spares his rod hates his son, But he who loves him disciplines him promptly.”

B. Correcting Foolishness

·         Proverbs 22:15 – “Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child; the rod of correction will drive it far from him.”

C. Correcting Deliverance

·         Proverbs 23:14 – “You shall beat him with a rod, and deliver his soul from hell”

FRIENDS – The parent who refuses to correct their children is refusing to obey Biblical proven standards for the family.

·         Parents – correct your children in love for the purpose of training them, and watch them flourish!

Hebrews 12:6-7 – “For whom the LORD loves He chastens, And scourges every son whom he receives. If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten?

CLOSING THOUGHTS

Psalm 127:3 – “Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD, The fruit of the womb is a reward.”

·         What heritage is your children carrying with them today?

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

·         This scripture is a principle more than it is a promise

·         Principles never change!

·         They are never influenced by the surrounding pressure of the day.

·         Too many parents and families are bending to the present cultural trends – rather than bending their children towards the Lord!
 

Henry Ward Beecher said: “Expedients are for the hour; principles for the ages.”

·         Expedients are crash courses on God

·         Principles are placed in the heart by teaching, modeling, and correction.

Train up your children in his or her way and when they are old they will not depart from the teachings of God you have placed in their lives.

AMEN!

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