Kid’s Need Godly Parents

My husband Gerald and I have been married for 13 years and we have a son and a daughter ages 9 and11. We have both been involved in the children ministry since our first born was 2. We enjoy parenting; serving the Lord and helping people grow spiritually. I am so excited to share with you what God has taught Gerald and I over these last 11 years and what God has revealed to me during the writing of this program.

Gerald and I have come to realize that parenting is easy but godly parenting can be extremely challenging. We have not mastered it and will never. But we can say with confidence, when God is the center, it makes everything else easier. God as the center; what does that mean? It means exactly what Joshua told the Israelites in Deut. 6:5-6.

Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Deuteronomy 6:5-6

This means that from the time you wake until the time you go to bed, God is your leader and your focus. When it comes to your children, you are doing everything that it takes to help them know God and to establish a relationship with God. So you see being intentional in our children’s lives all start with us.

My daughter was so excited about the middle school Bible study class which was starting in a couple of weeks at our church. When God put it on my heart to lead this class, I became concerned that my daughter would be less excited about it when she found out that I would be her teacher. So I asked her how does she feel about me being the teacher and she responded, “Mom I am fine with this because you always teach me about the Bible.” Parents – God has given us this responsibility and not the church!

God has given parents a big task and that is to love the Lord with all of our heart, soul and strength. So to do this, we must first accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. So many times, we as Christians accept Jesus as Savior but not as Lord. When Jesus is Lord over our lives – He is important to our lives and we obey His rules. Our desire is to please Him always and not when it is convenient.

We need to show our children what it looks like to have Jesus as Lord. We need to make the commitment that Joshua did in Joshua 24:15.

My family and I are going to worship and obey the LORD (CEV)!
It is this commitment that will catapult your family into a life of serving and worshiping God.

Unfortunately, many Christians haven’t taken this crucial step in surrendering everything to God. They have not made the commitment that Joshua made for his family. This is evident in the research done by Barna Group. One research test reveals that –

Only 15% of parents placed their faith in God at the top of their priority list.

We have to make God a priority, not our children, not our job and not our desires.

Only 20% of parents cited having a significant faith commitment and an identifiable set of religious beliefs as an ingredient required for parental success.

Many Christian parents are raising their children for the world and not God. So what is really important to Christian parents? Well further research described what parents felt were the most important outcomes they are devoted to helping their children experience:
39% good education
24% feeling loved
22% meaningful relationship with Christ
4% moral values

Christian parents must make God a priority if they want their children to make Him a priority. Do as I say and not as I do, does not work. Our children are watching and emulating what we do!
50% of children are led to Christ by their parents.

Will your children be led to Christ as a result of seeing your commitment to Christ or will they be led away from Christ

Your children are looking for godly role models; will they find one in you?

Kathy Kirk copyrighted 2008. Read more articles at www.MyChildsHeart.org