Marvelous Mothers

To Mama and Jesus, You and He

You gave me life and He extended it.

You saved me from the cold and He from sin.

You taught me hope and He defended it.

From you I once was born. . . from Him again.

You let me skip in fields that He had made.

He bid me bless the loaves you baked for me.

You ordered me to gaze where once He lay. He bid me kneel in your Gethsemane.

I owe you both the treasure of my art. I myself am so saddled with this debt That I cannot fail in paying every part Lest I should leave this pair with one regret. You, Mother, taught me how to love a King. In both of you was hidden everything.

A preacher once talked and prayed with the past President of the United States, George Bush—talked to him about his personal salvation, his relationship to Christ, and prayed with him about that—and he looked me in the eyes, and he said, “I want to tell you, my mother—my mother—was the most godly person I’ve ever known,” and told me about the influence that his mother had upon his life[1]

Introduction

Today is Mother’s Day, and we have a Mother’s Day text—Proverbs chapter 22 and verse 6. Dear friend, I want to tell you that the devil does not want you to listen to the message that we have today. It is Satan’s plan to fracture our families, because the devil knows.

Commence with Childhood

Number one: It is the training that commences in childhood

Now, notice what the Scripture says:

“Train up a child”

And the word train

idea of dedicating

it has been used in Hebrew literature, the same word, to mean “dedicating.”

Have you dedicated your children to the Lord?

Why is this?

Why is this?

Why should you start when they’re young?

Why should you commence with childhood?

Why does the Bible say, “Train up a child”?

Why doesn’t it say, “Train up a teenager”?

The Correction Factor

First of all is the correction factor.

easier to correct them when they’re young.

It’s so much easier to steer them when they’re young.

Proverbs 19:18 NKJV

Chasten your son while there is hope, And do not set your heart on his destruction.

Proverbs chapter 19: 18: “Chasten thy son while there is hope.”

Proverbs 13:24 NKJV

He who spares his rod hates his son, But he who loves him disciplines him promptly.

Proverbs 13:24: “He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes.” () Now if you’re using the King James, it says “chasteneth him betimes.”

betimes literally means “early”—that is, when he’s young

the easiest time to correct them

“Well,” you say, “they don’t need correcting: they are little angels.”

they are all little angels; but I want to tell you, as their legs get longer, you are going to find out their wings are going to get shorter

The Communication Factor

It is a wonderful time for communication

little children have a great ability to learn

Why is this?

a great curiosity factor

“Why, Daddy? Why, Mommy?”

Do you know what I’m talking about?

Don’t say, “Stop asking so many questions.”

“Why are you doing this?” you are to tell him, “This is the way God has set it up.” “What does this mean?” You see, that is the way you are to teach. That is the way you are to communicate truth.

The Conversion Factor

Early is the time for conversion.

We ought to see to it that our children pray, and see to it that our children find Christ at an early age.

Do not to manipulate children

Now I’m not saying that any child ought to be led to Christ before he has the comprehension and the knowledge and the conviction of sin.

Ninety percent of all of our Southern Baptist missionaries who are on the foreign field, according to a survey—ninety percent of them—were converted before they were eleven.

The church father Polycarp was converted when he was nine. He died in the flames for Jesus at ninety

it ought to be our joy to lead our children to Christ; and not only to lead them to Christ, but see to it that they are Spirit-filled.

Correct with Consistency

you need to correct with consistency.

Train is a bigger word than teach.

Hebrew word has entered the idea of “correction.” Or “discipline.”

Because You Love Them

Proverbs 13:24 NKJV

He who spares his rod hates his son, But he who loves him disciplines him promptly.

Proverbs chapter 13:24,“He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes.” ()

“Betimes”—that is, he chastens him early. He chastens him early. He that spares his rod hates his son.

“Betimes”—that is, he chastens him early. He chastens him early. He that spares his rod hates his son.

Now sometimes somebody will say, “Well, you know, I just can’t whip him. I just love him so much.” That’s a lie. You don’t love him. You love you

The Bible says “Whom the Father loves, He chastens.” ()

Because of the Nature of Human Nature

Nature of human nature

Proverbs 22:15 NKJV

Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child; The rod of correction will drive it far from him.

: “Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child.”

Foolishness not“silliness,”. It means “wickedness

Foolishness not“silliness,”. It means “wickedness

When a child learns there is a moral authority

Because You Might Want to Save Yourself Disgrace

You might want to save yourself a little disgrace and give yourself a little pleasure

Proverbs 29:15 NKJV

The rod and rebuke give wisdom, But a child left to himself brings shame to his mother.

: “The rod and reproof give wisdom: but a child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame.”

: “The rod and reproof give wisdom: but a child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame.”

Proverbs 29:17 NKJV

Correct your son, and he will give you rest; Yes, he will give delight to your soul.

“Correct thy son, and he shall give thee rest; yea, he shall give delight unto thy soul.”

“Correct thy son, and he shall give thee rest; yea, he shall give delight unto thy soul.”

Because You May Save a Soul from Hell

Proverbs 23:13–14 NKJV

Do not withhold correction from a child, For if you beat him with a rod, he will not die. You shall beat him with a rod, And deliver his soul from hell.

“Withhold not correction from the child: for if thou beatest him with the rod, he shall not die. Thou shalt beat him with the rod, and shalt deliver his soul from hell.” ()

“Withhold not correction from the child: for if thou beatest him with the rod, he shall not die. Thou shalt beat him with the rod, and shalt deliver his soul from hell.” ()

“beat him with the rod,”

Not-talking about child abuse

The word rod here is not the idea of a club; you use a spanking utensil

Never ever are you to do physical harm to a child

Chastise a child without doing physical harm

Save a soul from hell.

“He will not die.”

E. Rules for Discipline

Now, let me talk to you just a little bit very practically, if I can, on this Mother’s Day about some rules for discipline; things that we’ve learned from life and learned from the Word of God.

Start Early

Again, I want to tell you, start early. When should you begin to chastise a child and correct a child? When they are old enough to knowingly and willingly disobey. When they are old enough to knowingly and willingly disobey, then that’s the time for you to knowingly and willingly to start.

Spanking Should Not Be the First Thing

Don’t think of a spanking as the first thing that you ought to do

You ought to talk first

You ought to reason first

You ought to warn first

You ought to instruct first

Keep Your Word

if you’ve told a child, “Child, if you do this, or if you do that, just as surely as I live, you’re going to get a spanking,” then keep your word.

Adrian Rogers once told his children, “Look. I mean, if the Rapture comes, you’re going to get it on the way up. But I’m going to keep my word.”

Administrate the Punishment Promptly

Do it promptly

Present a United Front

Husband and wife, you need to present a united front

When You Discipline, Do a Good Job

Always Discipline in Love

Always discipline in love

Hebrews 12:6 NKJV

For whom the Lord loves He chastens, And scourges every son whom He receives.”

“Whom the Father loves, He chastens.”

Ephesians 6:4 NKJV

And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord.

“Whom the Father loves, He chastens.”

Word nurture actually means in the “discipline” of the Lord

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

Word nurture actually means in the “discipline” of the Lord

Don’t do it in wrath

Never withhold your love as a form of punishment

Always Work for Repentance

When you chastise a child, always work for repentance.

You see, you’re not getting even with the child

You’re trying to correct the child more than just outwardly

you’re trying to correct the child inwardly

Communicate with Creativity

The Bible says, “Train up a child in the way that he should go.” It doesn’t say teach him; it says train him.

Some of you men spend more time training your dogs than you do your children.

And how are we going to train them?

Creatively. Why creatively? Well, notice what the Scripture says. It says, “Train up a child in the way that he should go.”

every child is an individual

Hebrew word way is a word that is used in the Bible to mean “the bending of a bow.”

Now, let me give it this way; let me give you a loose translation: “Train up a child in the way that he is bent.” That’s really what it means: “the way that he is bent.”

all children come into the world with a natural bent.

God only makes originals

you must deal with that child as an individual.

We have had three, and all three of them are different.

Adam and Eve had Cain and Abel.

Jacob and Esau—twins. And look at the difference between Jacob and Esau in the Bible

sons of David.- Solomon and Absalom

don’t try to make something of your child that God does not want to make out of that child

Do you try to succeed through that child and force your desires and your ambitions and your goals upon that child?

You say, “Mine are not bent; they’re warped.”

A. The Bible Should Be Taught Creatively

Well, first of all, let’s think a little bit about creativity.

How should you teach the Bible?

There are so many ways to teach God’s Word rather than just reading the Bible.

One man named Charles “Tremendous” Jones—he’s a motivational speaker—got the idea, there was his son growing up; before long his son was going to want an automobile; so Charles Jones got a bookshelf full of books that he wanted his son to read, and said, “Son, pretty soon you’re going to want to have an automobile. So here’s what happens. For every one of these books that you read, Dad will put so much in the automobile fund. But you must write a report on the books after you read them.” “Now,” he said, “you read like a bum, you’ll walk like a bum. But you read the right way, and you’re going to drive the right way.” That salted the kid down pretty good, didn’t it? I mean, here he is, ready to read. That, to me, I think, is creativity—because he knew that particular boy.

B. The Bible Should Be Taught Consistently

the Bible can be taught creatively

Bible baseball

: “Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine?”—now, notice—“them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts.” () Isn’t that an amazing thing?

God says you can take a little baby that has just been weaned, teach him “Jesus loves me, this I know,” and that child can learn about God, and respect and reverence God

He may not understand it and comprehend it all intellectually, but he will be learning, all the same.

And how will he learn?

verse 10: “For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little.”

Dorothy Law Nolte wrote these words:

If a child lives with criticism, he learns to condemn.

If a child lives with hostility, he learns to fight.

If a child lives with ridicule, he learns to be shy.

If a child lives with shame, he learns to feel guilty.

If a child lives with tolerance, he learns to be patient.

If a child lives with encouragement, he learns confidence.

If a child lives with praise, he learns to appreciate.

If a child lives with fairness, he learns justice.

If a child lives with security, he learns to have faith.

If a child lives with approval, he learns to like himself.

If a child lives with acceptance and friendship, he learns to find love in the world.

—Dorothy Law Nolte

C. The Bible Should Be Taught Compellingly

“Train up a child in the way that he should go.”

Do you know what the word train here means?

idea of dedication;

idea of discipline

very root has the idea of putting something in the mouth to be tasted, or more literally “to touch the palate.”

Now what this verse says is, you put something in the mouth to be tasted

You see, we don’t just ram it down their throat.

That’s why some kids don’t like family worship.

They are individuals

TJ & Michael

we are to teach the Bible that way

we train up a child in the way that he should go, according to that particular child

IV. Continue with Confidence

If we commence with childhood; if we correct with consistency; if we communicate with creativity, then we will continue with confidence

“When he is old, he will not depart from it.”

Doesn’t mean when he’s an old man.

The word old here actually has the idea of hair on the chin.

Able to grow a beard

You know, some people have the idea that you’re supposed to raise little children, teach them about God, and then when they’re teenagers they go off, and then after a while they come back.

Conclusion

I want to tell you, dear friend, they are going to live for God, and you can bring your children to Christ. I thank God for the ability and the opportunities that God has given me to serve Him; but I tell you, if I have failed my children, I feel that I have failed. And if I succeed with my children, no matter what else happens, if my children love the Lord Jesus, I will say, “Thank you, Lord. It’s been worth living. I’ve had a wonderful time.”[2]