I heard about a family who was going to move house. The mum said to dad on the way out, a dad who was always engrossed in his work and earning a living. "Don’t forget we are moving house today." He replied, "Of course, how could I forget that?"

She kept on at him, "Don’t forget we are moving house."

Again he replied, "How stupid do you think I could be? I won’t forget."

That evening he returned to his old home, the curtains were gone, as was the furniture. He had forgotten, but worse he had forgotten where he was moving.

He saw a young lad on a bicycle and decided to ask him, " Young lad, did you know the family who lived here?" " Yes," he said. "Well do you happen to know where they have moved to?"

To which the young boy replied, "Daddy, mummy said you would forget!"

I want to spend some time looking at parenting in the scriptures. I would have to confess that I would probably only scratch the surface and would encourage all parents to spend time in the word of God. It is a manual for good and Godly parenting.

Again I have to confess that I am not a perfect parent by any means, and have learned much from the word of God over the past number of weeks.

It goes without saying that as parents we play a, if not the major role in shaping our children. However, in the day in which we live, the shaping of our children has been left to an intruder, one who has entered our homes and is filling their little minds – television. A

s parents we need to be very careful and aware of the danger of leaving the shaping of our children to the T.V.

Good house keeping magazine reported an experiment carried out by an American newspaper. The newspaper offered 120 families 500 dollars if they would agree not to watch T.V. for a month, only 27 would even try.

After the initial trauma, 5 of the 27 selected said families started to talk more, they played games together and read books. There were many benefits from the experiment.

By the age of 20 you will have been exposed to 20,000 hours of T.V. It is a great time waster, it is a mind shaper, and it is a mind polluter.

104 T.V. Writers were asked some questions their answers were compared with the rest of the nation. This gives us an idea of the morality of many T.V. writers.

On the left are the T.V. writer’s responses on the right the rest of the nation.

So parents, we have a fight on our hands for our children’s minds.

Mums and dads have a responsibility under God to raise their children to equip them, and to do all within our power to win them for Jesus Christ.

The Lord has left us some guidelines in his word, guidelines that we need to follow. In scripture there are examples of Godly people who neglected their parental responsibilities with disastrous consequences.

King David, Eli and even Godly Samuel. No doubt there may be children who have grown up in Christian homes, where parental responsibility has been taken lightly or even ignored and from that home children have erred greatly from the way.

But could I add this note of caution. Each of our children are individuals with different personalities. They could be raised in a Godly home with biblical Godly standards and still err from the truth.

Adam and Eve the first parents had their first child called Cain.

Genesis 4:2 And she again bare his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground.

Their second boy called Abel.

Three boys growing up they had the same parents the same home. Abel land Seth were godly men, but Cain became a murderer.

When the little ones are born, the question is always asked, "Who is she like, who is he like?"

They have daddy’s nose, mummy’s ears. What we should say is he/she is just like Adam. Born in sin and shapen in iniquity.

How do you view your children?

Think back to what Eve said.

She viewed her child as being from the Lord, that is a good place to start.

Children are not a burden they are a blessing.

Unless the lord is centre of the home then everything else is futile, saith the Psalmist.

We can work our fingers to the bone for something that is not needed, in all our business in trying to meet supposed needs we could neglect to give them what they really do need.

I read about a supersonic plane that was going so fast it fired a shot and the bullet hit the same plane. It was going so fast that it shot itself. We could be going so fast, doing so much that we could be shooting ourselves by not supplying what our children need.

Consider the consequences of children who don’t follow the Lord in the book of Proverbs.

• A grief to his mum.

Proverbs 10:1-2

The proverbs of Solomon. A wise son maketh a glad father: but a foolish son is the heaviness of his mother. [2] Treasures of wickedness profit nothing: but righteousness delivereth from death.

• A rebel towards his dad.

Proverbs 15:5 A fool despiseth his father's instruction: but he that regardeth reproof is prudent.

• A sorrow to his dad.

Proverbs 17:21 He that begetteth a fool doeth it to his sorrow: and the father of a fool hath no joy.

• A calamity to his father.

Proverbs 19:13 A foolish son is the calamity of his father: and the contentions of a wife are a continual dropping.

• A disgrace to his parents.

Proverbs 19:26 He that wasteth his father, and chaseth away his mother, is a son that causeth shame, and bringeth reproach.

• A user of his parents.

Proverbs 28:24 Whoso robbeth his father or his mother, and saith, It is no transgression; the same is the companion of a destroyer.

Proverbs 29:15 The rod and reproof give wisdom: but a child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame.

We are considering what the Bible says about children.

‘Heritage’ they are a gift assigned to us.

Notice not only a gift, they are described as a reward.

Psalm 127:4 As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth.

In the hand of a mighty man they can be used to hit targets used against the enemy. What a strike at the enemy if we can raise children who are Godly and influence this world for Christ.

Do you see your children as from the Lord, a gift, a reward, as arrows?

Children can be a source of great joy.

There has to be that note of caution- no guarantees.

But there must be an appreciation of children.

The word for fathers is the word ‘pater’ found also in Heb. 11.

Hebrews 11:23 By faith Moses, when he was born, was hid three months of his parents, because they saw he was a proper child; and they were not afraid of the king's commandment.

The word is translated parents but in Ephesians Father is surely correct.

If Paul had have intended parents he would surely have used the normal word for parents found in verse one.

Ephes. 6:1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right.

So fathers, as head of the home you are ultimately responsible before God for the raising of your children.

And Paul is reminding fathers of their responsibility before God.

Fathers and mothers must themselves be right with God.

Psalm 128:1-2 Blessed is every one that feareth the Lord; that walketh in his ways. [2] For thou shalt eat the labour of thine hands: happy shalt thou be, and it shall be well with thee.

Blessed means happy, very happy, it is a double word. A double blessing for dads or parents. If they don’t obey the word of God they will experience double trouble.

There is blessing, happiness and contentment to be found in parenting. We must walk in his ways, we need to be parents that fear the Lord.

Here we have the picture of the wife as a fruitful vine. A vine clings to a wall. The picture here is of faithfulness and fruitfulness, one who stands by, helps and encourages.

The husbands, like the wall, is a strong support for her and sustains her. Can you see the co-operation that is needed to bring our children up?

Side by side mum and dad in tandem, each fulfilling their roles but each willing to help and support each other.

The olive tree is a symbol of fruitfulness and righteousness.

If an olive tree is well established it could produce fruit for twenty generations. We want children to rise up who will then raise their children, knowing, serving and loving the Lord.

What a blessing a Godly couple can receive from their children.

Ephes. 6:4 And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.

We are to bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.

Nurture is translated, discipline, learning, instructions, it means to train by rules and regulations enforced by discipline or reward.

The word admonition is instruction.

Verbal instruction with a view to correction.

There should be discipline and intruction, positive and negative.

Deut. 6:1-2 Now these are the commandments, the statutes, and the judgments, which the Lord your God commanded to teach you, that ye might do them in the land whither ye go to possess it: [2] That thou mightest fear the Lord thy God, to keep all his statutes and his commandments, which I command thee, thou, and thy son, and thy son's son, all the days of thy life; and that thy days may be prolonged.

Notice again before the parents can teach their children they must obey the word of God themselves, correction in our homes must begin in our own hearts.

Notice again Moses instructs them to hear the truth. Fathers especially, if you want to teach your children, then you must obey and hear the truth. You should have an interest in the word of God.

[5] And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.

Deut. 6:6-7 And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: [7] And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.

• Diligently teach them, this is very important, treat the teaching of God’s word importantly.

• Accurately teach, that is included in the word diligently which actually means to sharpen.

• Repeatedly, not just once and a while.

• Naturally, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.

• Personally, that is your job mum and dad.

You need to start early, ‘train up a child’.

Train is active, passive parenting is not biblical.

We need to warn our children. Two areas the book of Proverbs warns against.

• Sexual temptation.

Proverbs 5:1-5 My son, attend unto my wisdom, and bow thine ear to my understanding: [2] That thou mayest regard discretion, and that thy lips may keep knowledge.

[3] For the lips of a strange woman drop as an honeycomb, and her mouth is smoother than oil: [4] But her end is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a twoedged sword. [5] Her feet go down to death; her steps take hold on hell.

• Alcohol.

Proverbs 23:19-21 Hear thou, my son, and be wise, and guide thine heart in the way. [20] Be not among winebibbers; among riotous eaters of flesh: [21] For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty: and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags.

We need to warn them about the dangers they can face and will face.

Luke 2:39-40 And when they had performed all things according to the law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own city Nazareth. [40] And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom: and the grace of God was upon him.

Mary and Joseph received help from Lord for parenting. God gives us these gifts, he equips us to look after them.

According to the law of God, Mary and Joseph obeyed the Lord.

The child grew - physical needs must be met.

Mentally and emotionally developed.

Luke 2:39-40 And when they had performed all things according to the law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own city Nazareth. [40] And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom: and the grace of God was upon him.

And the grace of God was upon him - spiritual needs met.

Socially developed as well.

Luke 2:52

And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.

Intellectually, emotionally, mentally, physically, spiritually and socially developed in the home.

There are little eyes upon you and they are watching night and day.

There are little ears that quickly take in every word you say.

There are little hands all eager, to do everything you do,

And a little boy who’s dreaming of the day he’ll be like you.

You’re the little fellows idol, yours the wisest of the wise,

In his little mind about you, no suspicions ever rise.

He believes in you devoutly, holds that all you say and do.

He will say and do in your way, when he’s grown up just like you.

There’s a wide-eyed little fellow who believes you’re always right.

And his ears are always open and he watches day and night.

You are setting an example, every day in all you do,

For the little boy who’s waiting, to grow up just like you.