With All Your Heart for A Lifetime!

Scripture Reading

Ephesians 6:1–4 (ESV)

1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 2 “Honor your father and mother” (this is the first commandment with a promise), 3 “that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.” 4 Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.

Opening Hym 577: In the Heart of Jesus

Closing Hymn 652: Love at Home

The Drag Problem

A young man makes an impression on his elderly neighbour

Neighbour asks him about background

Young man replies that he had a drag problem

drag to church, drag to prayer meeting...

We’ve Got Competition

Ephesians 6:4 ESV

4 Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.

The Bible makes it clear ...

But we have competition from FB, tiktok, IG

Is there a magic bullet?

Studies have shown that one factor contributing to mature faith, lifelong values, and commitment to Christ in the faith community is the communication process between parents and children during the developmental years. Studies have also revealed that “positive family communication leads to developing values and social competencies in children.”—FM 2023 Resource Book, p. 38

Adventist Families in North America Report, 2010

1,397 Respondents

Biggest source of marital conflict was money (38%)

Followed by child discipline (18%)

Parent-Child Relationship

Factors that affect a child’s development:

Parental behaviour

Parenting style

Quality of emotional attachment

Communication

Mutual trust

Mutuality in the parent-child relationship is based on “mutual care and respect as well as open communication.”7 It means that parents are entrusted with the responsibility of creating a safe environment where children’s needs are adequately met, their concerns and interests are validated and addressed, and they develop trust—Ibid

Do You Have a Hearing Problem?

Deuteronomy 6:4–7 (ESV)

4 “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 5 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. 6 And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. 7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.

“Trust, requires effective listening”

Three types of Hearing:

Spontaneous - birds singing for example

Selective - we choose to hear

Attentive hearing

the process of being mentally and spiritually alert to what is communicated with the intent to act on what one hears.

How to Teach

Hear God

Love God

Teach your children

Teaching your children is the responsibilty of the children — too often we blame the teacher, friends or your environment for your child’s misbehaviour.

It is no easy matter to train and educate children wisely. As parents try to keep judgment and the fear of the Lord before them, difficulties will arise. The children will reveal the perversity bound up in their hearts. They show love of folly, of independence, a hatred of restraint and discipline. They practice deception and utter falsehoods. Too many parents, instead of punishing the children for these faults, make themselves blind in order that they shall not see beneath the surface or discern the true meaning of these things. Therefore the children continue in their deceptive practices, forming characters that God cannot approve. CG 233.2

Conclusion

Adventist Family Report

When asked about child discipline:

42% - mix of mild and firm

30% - mild but consistent

9% - Strict obdience by any means

Ephesians 6:1–4 ESV

1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 2 “Honor your father and mother” (this is the first commandment with a promise), 3 “that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.” 4 Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.

Children have a responsibility towards their parents.

But we have a responsibility towards them as well

And parents it begins with you:

Listen to God

Love God with all your heart

And teach by example