FAMILY: GOD’S IDEA – Parenting
*********Pastor Notes || Maribel Barajas***********Date: JUNE 2, 2024
INTRODUCTION: – How many parents here that have raised their kids and are now over 21? (Raise hands)
– Young parents look around… these are the people you need in your life to give you advise…
– As good as that advice is… there’s solid biblical advice for parents in the Word of God.
– more than ever we need to go back to what the Bible has to say about Parenting
TEXT: PROVERBS 22:6
“Train up a child in the way he should go, Even when he grows older he will not abandon it.”
CONTEXT:
PROVERBS ARE PRINCIPLES NOT PROMISES:
– Meaning they are principles on how we should live.
– God gives us principles to give us the best possible outcome in our lives…including
parenting
– The outcome you aren’t in charge of… The principles you are!
Parenting has it’s set of challenges: Their battles look different than the battles we had…
1. Fighting against our culture who has endorsed evil (promoting anti biblical norms)
2. These new “norms” have led us down a darker path! Statistics regarding drug addiction,
and suicide have staggering numbers.
3. Funerals this week. MY QUESTION TO GOD: WHAT CAN I DO ABOUT THIS? God’s
response: equip the parents, remind them that I am with them. DON’T LOSE THE ONES
YOU HAVE, AND OUTREACH THOSE THAT ARE LOST!
Main Questions Today:
1. What is God’s Purpose for Family
2. What is God’s Purpose in Giving You Kids?
3. What is Your Role in Raising Them in God’s Purpose?
1. God’s Purpose For Family
A. What it is not:
• Something to replace your loneliness (God’s blessing doesn’t derive from selfishness)
• Purpose is not Your happiness – happiness is a benefit you will reap when you have walked
in God’s purpose, but it is not the purpose
• When happiness is the purpose… your parenting will fluctuate according to your feelings
in order to see the results you’re looking for at the expense of correction and growth
• This will promote instability in their life because there’s instability in your parenting
B. God’s purpose is found in Genesis 1:27-28
“So God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female
He created them. God blessed them; and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill
the earth, and subdue it”
SUBDUE = TO OVERSEE THE EARTH ON HIS BEHALF!
– to care, to be involved, influential, in goodness, bring impact on God’s Kingdom on earth
– The Family’s mission is the replication and advancement of God’s Kingdom on earth.
*To serve as a photograph of God himself on the earth! (Unity, love, forgiveness…)
THE STRUCTURE & DIVINE ORDER in which this institution is to operate
1. Through the Marriage of a man and a woman: Working together, to advance God’s kingdom
2. WHAT IS GOD’S PURPOSE IN GIVING YOU CHILDREN?
A. The Replication of God’s Image on earth – Not yours!
B. Put the divine imprint of God on them – to carry the image of God
C. Kids were not for your benefit but for HIS!
A. To add more light in the midst of darkness
B. You have to make sure you’re raising them in the light!
God wanted to be replicated on earth through our Families!3. WHAT IS MY ROLE IN RAISING THEM IN GOD’S PURPOSE?
A. Man = Head (responsible for the raising up of the children. Your word has to matter)
B. Woman = Helpmate (fill in the gaps when the man is at work)
C. Together = you are meant to Form their Divine Frame of Reference (their worldview)
– distinguishing the Godly from the ungodly, righteous from unrighteousness..
Illustration: My Car Has a Feature that signals me (beeps) when I’m drifting off my lane or
when there’s danger
– When you neglect to do this… not only are you missing your purpose and opportunity but
you are sending them to chaos! (Imagine giving them keys to your car at 12 w no rules)
Proverbs 22:6 “Train up a child in the way he should go, Even when he grows older he will not
abandon it.”
1. Train Them – Bring them Up
2 meanings
A. TRAIN =.in Hebrew “HANAK” means to prepare a child’s palette for food – to latch better
and get the nourishment the child needed TO PROGRESSIVELY GROWN HEALTHY!
– Parent would use chewed up dates & oil
– Before the child could eat – the parent had to chew the food first!
– You have to receive from the Lord first and break that Word down for your kids
– What are you putting in their mouth? Is it going to help their nourishment? Are they going
to crave a relationship with God?
– **if you don’t teach them God’s Word – someone else will be ready to teach them another
word.
– Don’t Outsource this task!
Deuteronomy 6:6-7 “These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart.
And you shall repeat them diligently to your sons and speak of them when you sit in your house,
when you walk on the road, when you lie down, and when you get up.”
B. TRAIN = Second definition = to “dedicate or consecrate”
Oil – was used for anointing & consecrating!- Your job is to commit your children to the Lord – to prepare them for the service of the Lord!
– Like Hannah did in 1 Samuel
“For this boy I prayed, and the Lord has granted me my request which I asked of Him. So I have
also dedicated him to the Lord; as long as he lives he is dedicated to the Lord.” And he
worshiped the Lord there (where?? In the temple) ” 1 Samuel 1:27-28
Part of that consecration is: Bring them to the house of God – to groups!
To familiarize themselves with the presence of God
2. Don’t Provoke Them
“Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. Honor your father and mother (which is
the first commandment with a promise), so that it may turn out well for you, and that you may
live long on the earth. Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the
discipline and instruction of the Lord.” Ephesians 6:1-4
“Don’t discourage them” or “embitter them”
– As you go through life, use your influence & authority as a parent to Encourage them
– Don’t create an angry & hostile environment – careful with your words! (Build or tear down)
– Instead, have conversation often to teach them, to remind them of expectations…
– If you’ve done this, it’s never too late to say “Im Sorry”
Require Respect, Require Obedience But also do it by having conversations not shouting
matches. (Have you ever seen a successful shouting match??)
Children, you must honor your parents, respect your parents
It is your parents “CALLING” to make sure that you do this.
3. Discipline Them
“Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child; The rod of discipline will remove it far from
him.” Proverbs 22:15
Discipline – knocks the fool out of them – They won’t be a little angel forever!
Parenting is a struggle of Your will vs. Their will
“Break the child’s will not his spirit”
Prov. 29:15. “The rod and a rebuke give wisdom, But a child who gets his own way brings
shame to his mother.”
– NOT THE ANGRY ROD
– NOT THE EMOTIONAL ROD
– NOT THE DEGRADING ROD
– THE LOVING AND TEACHABLE ROD
Let me surprise you with this: Teenagers hate being told what to do!
But you weren’t called to parent based on their will or emotions.
But you shouldn’t’ give them what they want – give them what they need
Parents: provide them with what they need = HOUSE RULES!
HOUSE RULES ARE RULES THAT WILL HOST THE PRESENCE OF GOD IN YOUR HOME:
SET THE RULES & TOGETHER WALK IN THEM WITH YOUR FAMILY AND DECLARE:
“Me and my house, we will serve the Lord” Josue 24:15
