Spirit Filled Parenting

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Parents are under obligation to the Lord to raise their Children in a manner that would please him.

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Christian Parenting: to Nurture a child by correcting them and teaching them God's wisdom through our words and actions, and all without being overbearing or harsh.
This is to be done by parents who are dependent on the Spirit and who are doing it as service to the Lord.

The Father's Duty

The Reason He Addresses Fathers
They Have the Responsibility, Not the Church or the government, but parents.
You are the one with the greatest influence on your children, not their friends or peers.

The negative command expounded

Your position of authority is easily abused. Children are vulnerable. Men are prone to do this.
Ways parents provoke their kids.
Well-meaning overprotection
Favoritism
Pushing achievement beyond reasonable boundaries
Discouragement (Never complimented, always critized)
Parent’s failing to sacrifice for their kids and making them feel unwanted.
Not allowing them to mature at a normal pace and not letting them be Children.
Using love as a tool of reward or punishment.
Physical and verbal abuse.

The Positive Duty Expounded

The Lord's Discipline

Do it the way he would, raise them like he would want them raised. Raise your child to fear God, teach him the Lord and his ways.

Bring them Up

Nurture them, care for them, and be tender to them. This is Christ's attitude for you. Don't despise them or be bitter at them, but nurture them. Give them what will cause them to grow and be mature and healthy. This is why you are a parent.

Nurture the How?

With Discipline and Instruction

Discipline

Training with Correction
We must not leave them to themselves.
o First, then, if you would train your children rightly, train them in the way they should go, and not in the way that they would. Remember children are born with a decided bias towards evil, and therefore if you let them choose for themselves, they are certain to choose wrong...
If, then, you would deal wisely with your child, you must not leave him to the guidance of his own will. Think for him, judge for him, act for him, just as you would for one weak and blind; but for pity’s sake, give him not up to his own wayward tastes and inclinations. It must not be his likings and wishes that are consulted. He knows not yet what is good for his mind and soul, any more than what is good for his body. You do not let him decide what he shall eat, and what he shall drink, and how he shall be clothed. Be consistent, and deal with his mind in like manner. Train him in the way that is scriptural and right, and not in the way that he fancies. J.C. Ryle
Proverbs 29:15 ESV
15 The rod and reproof give wisdom, but a child left to himself brings shame to his mother.
Prov.
We must subdue their self-will

Susannah Wesley, the mother of John and Charles Wesley, raised seventeen children and had these words to say about raising children: “The parent who studies to subdue [self-will] in his child works together with God in the renewing and saving a soul. The parent who indulges it does the devil’s work, makes religion impracticable, salvation unattainable, and does all that in him lies to damn his child, soul and body forever” (cited in The Journal of John Wesley [Chicago: Moody, n. d.], p. 106).

We must even use physical discipline.
Proverbs 13:24 ESV
24 Whoever spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is diligent to discipline him.
Prov. 13:
Proverbs 19:18 ESV
18 Discipline your son, for there is hope; do not set your heart on putting him to death.
Our Culture Despises This Notion
“You must leave a child to himself, allow him to think for himself.” Let him come to his own conclusions.
It is Necessary For Their Nurture
Proverbs 22:15 ESV
15 Folly is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of discipline drives it far from him.
Proverbs 29:17 ESV
17 Discipline your son, and he will give you rest; he will give delight to your heart.
Susannah Wesley, the mother of John and Charles Wesley, raised seventeen children and had these words to say about raising children: “The parent who studies to subdue [self-will] in his child works together with God in the renewing and saving a soul. The parent who indulges it does the devil’s work, makes religion impracticable, salvation unattainable, and does all that in him lies to damn his child, soul and body forever” (cited in The Journal of John Wesley [Chicago: Moody, n. d.], p. 106).
MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (1986). Ephesians (p. 319). Chicago: Moody Press.
MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (1986). Ephesians (p. 319). Chicago: Moody Press.
MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (1986). Ephesians (p. 319). Chicago: Moody Press.
Susannah Wesley, the mother of John and Charles Wesley, raised seventeen children and had these words to say about raising children: “The parent who studies to subdue [self-will] in his child works together with God in the renewing and saving a soul. The parent who indulges it does the devil’s work, makes religion impracticable, salvation unattainable, and does all that in him lies to damn his child, soul and body forever” (cited in The Journal of John Wesley [Chicago: Moody, n. d.], p. 106).
MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (1986). Ephesians (p. 319). Chicago: Moody Press.

Instruction:

proper attitudes and behaviors. What to think and how to behave.
Instruction of the Bible and about God
Deuteronomy 6:7 ESV
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.
A thorough knowledge of the Bible is the foundation of all clear views of religion. He that is well-grounded in it will not generally be found a waverer, and carried about by every wind of new doctrine. Any system of training which does not make a knowledge of Scripture the first thing is unsafe and unsound.
See that your children read the Bible reverently. Train them to look on it, not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the Word of God, written by the Holy Ghost Himself- all true, all profitable, and able to make us wise unto salvation, through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
See that they read it regularly. Train them to regard it as their soul’s daily food — as a thing essential to their soul’s daily health. I know well you cannot make this anything more than a form; but there is no telling the amount of sin which a mere form may indirectly restrain.
See that they read it all. You need not shrink from bringing any doctrine before them. You need not fancy that the leading doctrines of Christianity are things which children cannot understand. Children understand far more of the Bible than we are apt to suppose.
Tell them of sin, its guilt, its consequences, its power, its vileness: you will find they can comprehend something of this. Tell them of the Lord Jesus Christ, and His work for our salvation- the Atonement, the cross, the Blood, the sacrifice, the intercession: you will discover there is something not beyond them in all this.
Tell them of the work of the Holy Spirit in man’s heart, how He changes, and renews, and sanctifies, and purifies: you will soon see they can go along with you in some measure in this. In short, I suspect we have no idea how much a little child can take in of the length and breadth of the glorious Gospel. They see far more of these things than we suppose. Fill their minds with Scripture. Let the Word dwell in them richly. Give them the Bible, the whole Bible, even while they are young. J.C. Ryle
About God’s wisdom for living.
Well, such is the duty of a father. And I close with this, listen carefully. You have this duty as a father and I want to lay it as clear as I can at your feet. If you fail, father, to teach your son to fear God, the devil will teach him to hate God. If you fail to teach your son to guard his mind, the devil will gladly teach him to have an open mind. If you fail to teach your son to obey his parents, the devil will teach him to rebel and break his parent's heart. If you fail to teach your son to select his companions, the devil will gladly choose them for him. If you fail to teach your son to control his body, the devil will teach him to give it over completely to lust. If you fail to teach your son to enjoy the marriage partner that God has given him, the devil will teach him to destroy the marriage. If you fail to teach your son to watch his words, the devil will fill his mouth with filth. If you fail to teach your son to pursue his work, the devil will make his laziness a tool of hell. If you fail to teach your son to manage his money, the devil will teach him to waste it on riotous living. And if you fail to teach your son to love his neighbor, the devil will gladly teach him to love only himself. We have a great responsibility to this generation and the next as fathers.”
MacArthur on
It's for the Lord's sake that you do this. It's his command and his orders you are obeying. And it can be done in his strength.
It's God's normal means of grace in your Child's life.
Proverbs 22:6 ESV
6 Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.
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