How Can We Be Good Parents? Part I

We have a great need today for godly parents. All around us we observe broken homes. Unfortunately, we even observe many problems within Christian homes. Who or what is to blame? Society? Teachers? Our churches? Pastors? Sunday School teachers or youth pastor? NO, we have nobody to blame but ourselves. Parents, we are responsible for our children! We MUST own that responsibility! E. Allen Griffith hits the nail on the head:

"The need of our day is for godly, devoted parents to commit themselves to rearing their children with strict adherence to the principles and instructions found in the Word of God. That commitment will require time and energy that few seem
willing to invest in family life."

Friends, with God's help we can be the parents that God wants us to be. I want to emphasize three points that I believe will help us to be good parents. In this first post I will elaborate on my first point which is that a parent must first cultivate their own spiritual life.



We must take our spiritual life very seriously. Too many Christians struggle to work on their own spiritual growth. We do have a part in the process even though we know that the Holy Spirit is the One who ultimately must be working in our lives. First of all we need to commit ourselves to complete obedience to the Word of God. Deuteronomy 6 is a great passage for parents to study. In order to keep their part of the Covenant with God, they were to obey the Law and teach it to their children. Covenant faithfulness required obedience. In Deuteronomy 6 obedience is emphasized in the first three verses. Verse one states "that ye might do them." Verse two states "to keep all his statutes and his commandments." And verse three states "and observe to do it." Obviously, obedience is crucial to our spiritual walk. James also emphasizes the importance of obedience to the Word.

James 1:22 "But be ye doers of the Word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves." James 1:25 "But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed."

Parents, not only is obedience to God's Word important, but we must also have a passion for our great God. Do you enjoy spending time with your God? Do you spend any quality time with your God? Why is it that we can go through our day with barely even thinking about our great God? He has done so much for us. Just read Ephesians chapter one and if it does not move you friend, then you have grown spiritualy cold. Deuteronomy 6:5 exhorts us to "love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might."

If you do not desire the Word and to obey it, there is a good chance niether will your children. We need the Word of God to instuct us and only then will we be able to raise godly children by God's standards. Our children also need to see that we absolutely love our great God and His Son the Lord Jesus Christ. Passion can be contagious and our children will learn by watching us. If you fail to cultivate your spiritual life, I promise you that you will struggle in raising your children for God's glory. Stay tuned for more later!! God Bless!!