How can parenting be successful, unless we are parenting with purpose? "Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are children born in one's youth." To know whether or not our arrows have been successful in hitting their target, it is essential to know what the target is.

 

What kind of kids are we hoping to produce one day? To answer this question we need to search the Word of God and see what general requirements God has for our kids, and then pray specifically about the unique requirements for each of our children, hearing the Spirit of God for them, as well as carefully observing where we see Him moving in their lives, and identifying the unique desires, passions and talents He has put into each one of them.

 

In this way, we can move forward with intentional specific training, as well as intentional general training.

 

Specific training could include piano lessons for a future worship leader, team sports for a future warrior or leader, swimming training for a future olympic medalist and role model.

 

To have the character to be able to handle these future roles, it is essential to involve our children in some intentional general training. Whatever their specific purposes, all our children are going to require Godly character. They are going to need perseverance, patience, discipline and determination. They're going to have to understand the value of honesty, faithfulness, generosity and kindness. We want them to love God, love His people, and love growing in knowledge of Him.

 

The bible is full of what we need to teach our children. Read Proverbs. Study it yourself and read it to your children. It explains how valuable wisdom is. And what is wisdom? Wisdom is being able to look at a particular unique situation and know what the right thing and the wrong thing is. Wisdom is knowing God's word and knowing what it means for you at school and at home.

 

It is of utmost importance that you are growing in your understanding of God yourself. The river of the world is flowing downstream from God, and unless we are actively swimming towards God, we are slowly floating away from Him. As a pastor reads the Word not just for himself, but also for what he can teach his congregation, so, too, you now need to read both for yourself and for your children.

 

I would like to suggest some of the things you might find in there, but please do the searching yourself, too.

 

World Changers

 

When Moses was born his mother saw that he was "no ordinary child". She knew God had a great plan for her son, and went to great lengths to preserve his life so that he would be able to achieve his created purpose. I happen to know that your child is no ordinary child either. I know that because God has specifically chosen parents for your child that would dig deep into a website like this to find how to parent with purpose. He has placed your child in an environment where he is loved and exposed to teaching about God. God has a great plan for your child.

 

Heralds of the Kingdom of God

 

God has purposed for your child to carry His kingdom like a banner into battle. Your child needs to understand the values that come with that Kingdom. It is a Kingdom where:

 

• people are more important than things,

• the needy are clothed and fed,

• orphans are placed into families,

• widows are cared for until their dying day and are not considered a burden,

• fathers are present and active with their children,

• women value their roles as wives and mothers,

• honesty is the norm,

• generousity is a privilege,

• hard work is the minimum.

 

Your children will carry in a Kingdom to their families, their workplaces, and their communities that will be categorised by peace replacing unrest, by hope replacing despair, by freedom replacing oppression, by restoration being brought to that which is torn down. And most importantly, it will be a kingdom where God is King. This is what we are preparing our children for. This is parenting with purpose.

 

Carriers of the Gospel

 

The primary reason for which we have children, and the primary purpose for which we are preparing them is to be carriers of the good news that Jesus brings.

 

1. All people know of God because they can see evidence of Him in creation.

2. All men sin and fall short of reaching God.

3. Jesus died for all men.

4. Everyone who hears the gospel and believes will be saved.

5. NOT ALL WILL HEAR BECAUSE NOT ALL WILL BE TOLD.

 

The major breakdown in this chain of all men having the chance to reconciled with God lies with us. We MUST tell all men how to be saved. Our children must tell all men how to be saved. Without this purpose, we may as well go to heaven. Our life here has one major purpose. "To live is Christ, to die is gain". Paul said he was convinced that the only good reason to stay alive and not rush off to enjoy heaven immediately was for the sake of others. "It is for your sake that I stay." This is the purpose of your parenting. Make sure your children are adequately equipped.

 

Stewards of the Earth

 

While we are here, it is also our responsibility to steward the earth wisely. So we bring up our children to fulfil the roles of politicians and policemen, teachers and taxi-drivers, street-sweepers and scientists, environmentalists and engineers. We bring them up to work hard and take an active role in society.

 

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