In the previous blogs, I have been talking about protecting our children and our responsibility as parents to cover them emotionally, physically, and mentally. Now we will look how to protect our children spiritually.
Moses was put in a basket and placed in the river to protect him from the ruthless and hateful Pharoah, but he was also protected spiritually when God opened the door for his mother to nurse him and take care of him. This allowed her to pour into him the ways and laws of God’s people. He never forgot those teachings and when he grew up he did not follow the ways of the Egyptians, but rather was led by the one true God Jehovah.
When a parent brings a baby into this world, they are required by God to teach them HIS ways. By doing this it will assure that when they are grown they will have God so impressed in their hearts that they will not veer off even a little from Biblical truths.
Those who fear the Lord are secure, he will be a refuge for their children. Proverbs 14:26 NLT
King Solomon is simply reminding us that if our children grow up to fear (or respect) the Lord that they will be secure and safe from the enemy. When we have spent their younger years instilling God into them, we are preparing them for eternity. Life is so very short and the ultimate goal for our children must be Heaven.
When the Israelites were told to prepare to leave Egypt they were required to prepare the family for the departure. Parent, can you truly say that you are preparing your children for leaving this world one day and walking into eternity with the Creator? It’s a question for us all to consider.
As the parents were required to put the blood on the door of their houses, we are also required to figuratively place the blood of Jesus on the door of our homes. We cannot take our kids to Heaven unless we have taken them to Calvary where they claim the blood that was shed for their salvation.
What if a parent thought the blood on the door was gross and just too far fetched? You’re right – the death angel would have visited their house that night.
And athletes cannot win the prize unless they follow the rules. 2 Timothy 2:5 (NLT)
I implore all parents to be very certain that you have read God’s Word and are obeying it in whole. This does not mean we can pick and choose the scriptures we like and ignore those that seem uncomfortable.
But if you cause one of these little ones who trusts in me to fall into sin, it would be better for you to have a large millstone tied around your neck and be drowned in the depths of the sea. Matthew 18:6 NLT
- Follow the guidelines set by God when leading your children spiritually.
Direct your children onto the right path, and when they are older, they will not leave it. Proverbs 22:6 NLT
- We must take our kids to Jesus and teach them right living.
….Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of God belongs to those who are like these children. Mark 10:14
Our kids are not mature enough to decide who to follow. They are depending on us to make that decision. Please direct them to help put God at the center of their lives.
- We must be good examples to our children. Remember they are following us, so where are we leading them?
- They must be taught respect for God and you. If they don’t respect you they won’t respect God and this doesn’t help them on their path to eternity.
- They need to be taught to make wise choices and they need help to do so.
- We must bless our children. (see Genesis 9:24-26)
- It will take prayer and submission to God to successfully cover our children spiritually.
To Do: Take the time to STOP your world and be certain you are allowing every scripture in God’s Word to be obeyed by your family. Be certain the church you take your children too is a Bible-believing church and not just an organization full of fellowship and activities.
Suggested Family Time: Take some summer pictures off your phone and make an album full of vacation and fun events. Get the whole family involved in choosing the photos. This is making memories a family affair and so much fun to look back over in the years to come.
Time to Smile: Eight year old Ethan had a revelation: “Judas was the one with the backpack full of stuff. That’s how he got his name: Judas-is-carrying-it.”
Recommended Reading: This time I recommend a thought-provoking movie, Like Arrows: The Art of Parenting. When conflict, rebellion and resentment overwhelm this family, they commit to changing their parenting strategy. They soon realize that lifelong solutions were closer than they had ever imagined. Awesome movie!!
Previous Blog: Protecting Our Children Emotionally
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