And these words which I com - mand you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. God’s way of life should be so central to a godly family that they should naturally talk about Him reg - ularly while performing daily activ - ities. Every parent needs to ask if they obey God’s clear command. Teach - ing children about God, His laws, and His way of life is a most import- ant responsibility! Parents must not be embarrassed about talking about God, His laws, and His way of life. God instructs parents in Proverbs 22:6: Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it. If you have small children, are they read to from the Bible? Do they re - ceive Bible stories before they go to sleep? Are they taught about the Sabbath and the Holy Days? Learn - ing the truth should be fun! Are the Sabbath and the Holy Days made special? Or are they a burden to our children? Be a godly person—set the right example There is a famous saying—“Who you are speaks so loudly I can’t hear what you are saying.” A Christian cannot expect their children to listen to advice while ignoring their exam - ple. Do you live so that when your children think of fairness, caring, and integrity, they think of you?
Notice what God said regarding Abraham, his children, and his household. In Genesis 18:19 it states: For I have known him, in order that he may command his chil - dren and his household after him, that they keep the way of the LORD, to do righteousness and justice, that the LORD may bring to Abraham what He has spoken to him. Could God say this about us about the way His people are raising their children? God could say this about Abraham because Abraham had demonstrated his faithfulness to God. Abraham was 100% commit - ted to obeying God—to the point of being willing to sacrifice his own son (Hebrews 11:17-19). A parent’s daily life must be a Godly one! As parents Christians must be will - ing to face the fact that if they expect their children to turn out right, they themselves must be right. Parents should behave in the way they want our children to. A parent’s daily life must be a Godly one! Children learn from their parent’s example and will see right through hypocrisy if any exists. Tell children they are loved and show it When a parent says – “I love you” they must mean it! Luke 15:11-32 tells us the story of the prodigal son:
But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my fa - ther’s hired servants have bread enough and to spare, and I per - ish with hunger? I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you, And I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants.’ And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him. And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight and am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet. And bring the fatted calf here and kill it and let us eat and be merry; For this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ And they began to be merry… God is this way with His people— His future children—and they should also be this way with their children.
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