Topical - Wisdom, teaching childre...
“Teaching My Children Wisdom”
A wise son makes a glad father, but a foolish son
is the grief of his mother.
—Proverbs 10:1
I. The Father’s Role
And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. "You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. (Deuteronomy 6:6-7 NKJV)
A. Bound up in the principle of Deut.6:6-7.
1. Is Teaching My Children Wisdom
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom (Psalms 111:10)
a) No one is truly wise who rejects or disregards the gospel message.
b) Beyond the basic truths of the gospel are also many vital biblical lessons about character, integrity, justice, prudence, discernment, and all the practical issues of life.
c) I am charged with the Duty of carefully training Ronnie & Brittany with godly wisdom in all such matters.
Proverbs is an Inspired Summary of such practical wisdom.
1. The best wisdom of several ancient sages is thus compiles in Solomon’s Book of Proverbs with the seal of divine inspiration guaranteeing that these sayings are:
…“Profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16 NKJV)
Solomon includes an admonition to his own Son in the opening vv.
My son, hear the instruction of your father, And do not forsake the law of your mother; For they will be a graceful ornament on your head, And chains about your neck. (Proverbs 1:8-9 NKJV)
My son, if you receive my words, And treasure my commands within you, (Proverbs 2:1 NKJV)
My son, do not forget my law, But let your heart keep my commands; (Proverbs 3:1 NKJV)
Hear, my children, the instruction of a father, And give attention to know understanding; (Proverbs 4:1 NKJV)
Hear, my son, and receive my sayings, And the years of your life will be many. (Proverbs 4:10 NKJV)
My son, give attention to my words; Incline your ear to my sayings. (Proverbs 4:20 NKJV)
My son, pay attention to my wisdom; Lend your ear to my understanding, (Proverbs 5:1 NKJV)
My son, keep your father's command, And do not forsake the law of your mother. (Proverbs 6:20 NKJV)
My son, keep my words, And treasure my commands within you. (Proverbs 7:1 NKJV)
Such admonitions also apply to Ronnie & Brittany,
And if I hope to teach well,
I must master the wisdom of Scripture in my life & live consistently
So that these principles of wisdom are reflected in my own character.
2. The Dangers of an Inconsistent Life.
Solomon Himself is an object lesson about the danger of inconsistency
1. Solomon was, in intellectual terms, the wisest man who lived.
And God gave Solomon wisdom and exceedingly great understanding, and largeness of heart like the sand on the seashore. (1 Kings 4:29 NKJV)
God Himself told Solomon, “I have given you a wise and understanding heart, so that there has not been anyone like you before you, nor shall any like you arise after you. (1 Kings 3:12 NKJV)
His instructions were wise, but he failed miserably by way of example.
1. Solomon included several warnings about the dangers of being seduced by the wrong kind of women (Prov.2:16-19, 5:3-13, 20; 6:23-29, 7:5-27; 22:14; 31:30).
2. But Scripture says this about Solomon:
But King Solomon loved many foreign women, as well as the daughter of Pharaoh: women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Sidonians, and Hittites-- from the nations of whom the LORD had said to the children of Israel, "You shall not intermarry with them, nor they with you. Surely they will turn away your hearts after their gods." Solomon clung to these in love. (1 Kings 11:1-2 NKJV)
It does no good to teach Ronnie & Brittany sound wisdom & then live a life that contradicts what I am teaching!
In fact there may be no surer way to provoke my children to despise and discard the wisdom of the Lord.
3. This not only caused his son to fail (1 Kings 12:6-11), but it also tore apart the entire Israelite nation and led to an apostasy from which Israel never did recover
So the LORD became angry with Solomon, because his heart had turned from the LORD God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice, and had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods; but he did not keep what the LORD had commanded. Therefore the LORD said to Solomon, "Because you have done this, and have not kept My covenant and My statutes, which I have commanded you, I will surely tear the kingdom away from you and give it to your servant. "Nevertheless I will not do it in your days, for the sake of your father David; I will tear it out of the hand of your son. "However I will not tear away the whole kingdom; I will give one tribe to your son for the sake of my servant David, and for the sake of Jerusalem which I have chosen." Now the LORD raised up an adversary against Solomon, Hadad the Edomite; he was a descendant of the king in Edom. (1 Kings 11:9-14 )
Solomon’s instructions to his son were sound.
But the example he set nullified his wise counsel.
His life was inconsistent with his teaching!
There is not greater mistake
I could make as a parent to my children.
4. Wisdom encompasses not only what we know but also what we do and sometimes what we don’t do.
A wise man fears and departs from evil (Proverbs 14:16)
…He who restrains his lips is wise. (Proverbs 10:19)
He who wins souls is wise. (Proverbs 11:30)
…He who heeds counsel is wise. (Proverbs 12:15)
5. When all is said and done, what is done is as vital to true wisdom as what is said.
As a parent it is my duty from God not only to teach my Ronnie & Brittany the concept of wise living, but also to model wisdom for them, so that they understand that this wisdom is the noblest and purest of all.
3. The Personification of Wisdom
In Proverbs 1:20-21 wisdom is personified:
Wisdom calls aloud outside; She raises her voice in the open squares. She cries out in the chief concourses, At the openings of the gates in the city She speaks her words: (Proverbs 1:20-21 NKJV)
a) What is she crying about?
1. She is calling simple-minded people to turn away from being naïve.
2. She is crying out for scoffers and fools to turn to wisdom (v.22)
The whole book of Proverbs echo’s that call to wisdom.
a) In 2:1-6, the voice of the father encourages his son to seek wisdom:
My son, if you receive my words, And treasure my commands within you, So that you incline your ear to wisdom, And apply your heart to understanding; Yes, if you cry out for discernment, And lift up your voice for understanding, If you seek her as silver, And search for her as for hidden treasures; Then you will understand the fear of the LORD, And find the knowledge of God. For the LORD gives wisdom; From His mouth come knowledge and understanding; (Proverbs 2:1-6 NKJV)
b) The fathers primary appeal to his son is this: “Pursue Wisdom”
For wisdom is better than rubies, And all the things one may desire cannot be compared with her. "I, wisdom, dwell with prudence, And find out knowledge and discretion. The fear of the LORD is to hate evil; Pride and arrogance and the evil way And the perverse mouth I hate. Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom; I am understanding, I have strength. By me kings reign, And rulers decree justice. By me princes rule, and nobles, All the judges of the earth. I love those who love me, And those who seek me diligently will find me. Riches and honor are with me, Enduring riches and righteousness. My fruit is better than gold, yes, than fine gold, And my revenue than choice silver. I traverse the way of righteousness, In the midst of the paths of justice, That I may cause those who love me to inherit wealth, That I may fill their treasuries. (Proverbs 8:11-21 NKJV)
c) The verses that follow have clear overtones that identify Christ as the true personification of all wisdom:
"The LORD possessed me at the beginning of His way, Before His works of old. I have been established from everlasting, From the beginning, before there was ever an earth. When there were no depths I was brought forth, When there were no fountains abounding with water. Before the mountains were settled, Before the hills, I was brought forth; While as yet He had not made the earth or the fields, Or the primeval dust of the world. When He prepared the heavens, I was there, When He drew a circle on the face of the deep, When He established the clouds above, When He strengthened the fountains of the deep, When He assigned to the sea its limit, So that the waters would not transgress His command, When He marked out the foundations of the earth, Then I was beside Him as a master craftsman; And I was daily His delight, Rejoicing always before Him, (Proverbs 8:22-30 NKJV)
d) Christ thus embodies and personifies all authentic wisdom. He is the sum of all wisdom—
“In [Him] are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Colossians 2:3)
1. Therefore, as a parent my teaching task boils down to teaching Ronnie & Brittany about Jesus Christ.
2. Whether I am teaching them the gospel, or teaching them wisdom for life in general, the proper focus of all my instruction is Jesus Christ!
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—Ten Principles of Wisdom for My Kids—
1. Teach My Children to Fear Their God.
All Genuine Wisdom starts with Fearing God
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, But fools despise wisdom and instruction. (Proverbs 1:7 NKJV)
"The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. (Proverbs 9:10 NKJV)
a) If I want to be successful in parenting, it literally begins, by installing within Brittany & Ronnie, a proper fear of God.
This fear has two aspects:
1. Reverence—a sacred awe of God’s utter holiness. It involves the kind of respect and veneration that results in fear in the presence of such absolute majesty
2. Fear of God’s Displeasure—genuine faith acknowledges God’s right to chasten, His right to punish, and His right to judge. Therefore, in the presence of God, true wisdom trembles with a holy, healthy sense of terror and apprehension. The deeper our sense of our own guilt, the more profound should be our dread of God’s displeasure.
Be sure to give them a full appreciation all His attributes
a) They need to know from the earliest of age, that God is angry with the wicked, and He will punish evildoers (Ps.7:11-13).
"And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. (Matthew 10:28 NKJV)
Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, For this is man's all. (Ecclesiastes 12:13)
1. Material designed for young children too often presents only the gentle, meek, and mild attributes of God.
2. He is portrayed as an always-benign [compassionate, gracious, kind, harmless] grandfather being-an insipid man-made god, more like Santa than the God of Scripture.
Take care not to teach my children
Such a wrong perspective of God
My Goal as a father.
1. I have not satisfied the responsibilities of parenthood when I have made Ronnie & Brittany submit to me.
v If I am consistent and firm in my discipline, they may obey me because they fear violating my standards.
v Brittany & Ronnie should fear violating God’s standard, not merely mine. I am only an intermediary with the responsibility for teaching my children to fear God.
v If they grow up fearing only my displeasure but not God’s, what will they do when I am not their?
2. Ronnie & Brittany need to grow up with an awareness that:
v when they do wrong, they set themselves up against a holy God.
v & He will deal out consequences for those who violate His righteous principles.
3. Teach them that sin is a capitol offense against a holy God.
4. Teach them that God is not mocked, and they will reap the bitter consequences of whatever sin they sow (Gal.6:7-8).
5. Instill in Brittany & Ronnie a healthy fear of God. Without this sort of fear, genuine repentance is not even possible.
Furthermore, when they fear God they will also fear sin
In mercy and truth Atonement is provided for iniquity; And by the fear of the LORD one departs from evil. (Proverbs 16:6 NKJV)
A wise man fears and departs from evil, But a fool rages and is self-confident. (Proverbs 14:16 NKJV)
The fear of the LORD prolongs days, But the years of the wicked will be shortened. (Proverbs 10:27 NKJV)
The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, To turn one away from the snares of death. (Proverbs 14:27 NKJV)
The fear of the LORD leads to life, And he who has it will abide in satisfaction; He will not be visited with evil. (Proverbs 19:23)
Better is a little with the fear of the LORD, Than great treasure with trouble. (Proverbs 15:16 NKJV)
In the fear of the LORD there is strong confidence, And His children will have a place of refuge. (Proverbs 14:26 NKJV)
2. Teach My Children to Guard Their Minds.
This is a must, especially for the age of the Internet
Keep your heart with all diligence, For out of it spring the issues of life (Proverbs 4:23 NKJV).
For as he thinks in his heart, so is he (Proverbs 23:7 NKJV).
"The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it? (Jeremiah 17:9 NKJV)
a) Brittany & Ronnie must learn to guard their minds diligently.
1. The forces of evil are waging a campaign to capture the minds of our youth today.
2. The onslaught against righteous thinking comes from several fronts:
v television, radio, movies, music, the internet.
v & nowadays even from school curriculum.
a) I must monitor what they see
b) I have a right and a responsibility to help them toward what edifies and away from all that does not.
I will set nothing wicked before my eyes (Psalms 101:3 NKJV).
Then it happened one evening that David arose from his bed and walked on the roof of the king's house. And from the roof he saw a woman bathing, and the woman was very beautiful to behold. So David sent and inquired about the woman. And someone said, "Is this not Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?" (2 Samuel 11:2-3 NKJV)
Total Isolation is not the Answer
1. No amount of isolation can keep their hearts free from defilement, because they carry sinful desires & a sinful imagination around inside like I do.
2. Trying to shield them from external evil influences will not teach them to be wise and discerning.
I must teach them how to cultivate wholesome thoughts.
Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy----meditate on these things. (Philippians 4:8 NKJV)
Out of our thoughts come our conduct.
"What comes out of a man, that defiles a man. "For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, "thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness. (Mark 7:20-22 NKJV)
Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. (Genesis 6:5 NKJV)
And He said to them, "You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God. (Luke 16:15 NKJV)
"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you cleanse the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of extortion and self-indulgence. "Blind Pharisee, first cleanse the inside of the cup and dish, that the outside of them may be clean also.
"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men's bones and all uncleanness. "Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness. (Matthew 23:25-28 NKJV)
The Truest test of character is the thought life
a) Our true character is therefore defined by what we think, not how we appear to others, not what we say and, ultimately, not even how we behave.
For as he thinks in his heart, so is he (Proverbs 23:7 NKJV)
v I have the task of helping my kids program their minds with truth, kindness, faithfulness, honesty, integrity, loyalty, love, and all the other virtues that ought to shape their thinking.
3. Teach My Children to Obey Their Parents.
Solomon makes this appeal to his son.
My son, hear the instruction of your father, And do not forsake the law of your mother; (Proverbs 1:8 NKJV)
Hear, my children, the instruction of a father, And give attention to know understanding; For I give you good doctrine: Do not forsake my law. When I was my father's son, Tender and the only one in the sight of my mother, He also taught me, and said to me: "Let your heart retain my words; Keep my commands, and live. (Proverbs 4:1-4 NKJV)
My son, keep your father's command, And do not forsake the law of your mother. Bind them continually upon your heart; Tie them around your neck. When you roam, they will lead you; When you sleep, they will keep you; And when you awake, they will speak with you. For the commandment is a lamp, And the law a light; Reproofs of instruction are the way of life, (Proverbs 6:20-23)
A warning to the wayward child.
The eye that mocks his father, And scorns obedience to his mother, The ravens of the valley will pick it out, And the young eagles will eat it. (Proverbs 30:17 NKJV)
a) If I want my children to be faithful and live a righteous life, it begins by learning to obey Kristi & Myself.
"Honor your father and mother," which is the first commandment with promise: "that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth." (Ephesians 6:2-3 NKJV)
"Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the LORD your God is giving you. (Exodus 20:12 NKJV)
"A son honors his father, And a servant his master. If then I am the Father, Where is My honor? And if I am a Master, Where is My reverence? Says the LORD of hosts To you priests who despise My name. Yet you say, `In what way have we despised Your name?' (Malachi 1:6 NKJV)
"For God commanded, saying, `Honor your father and your mother'; and, `He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death.' (Matthew 15:4 NKJV)
Obedience involves discipline, chastening and correction.
He who spares his rod hates his son, But he who loves him disciplines him promptly. (Proverbs 13:24 NKJV)
My son, do not despise the chastening of the LORD, Nor detest His correction; For whom the LORD loves He corrects, Just as a father the son in whom he delights. (Proverbs 3:11-12 NKJV)
a) If I fail to correct my children when they are disobedient, it is displaying a shameful lack of love.
1. Chastening helps conform their minds to wisdom.
2. It removes foolishness from their hearts.
3. It can help deliver them from the miser of sin’s consequences up to and including hell!
Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child; The rod of correction will drive it far from him. (Proverbs 22:15 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. (Proverbs 23:13-14 NKJV)
Chastening should be firm & consistent
Chasten thy son while there is hope, and let not thy soul spare for his crying. (Proverbs 19:18 KJV)
The rod and rebuke give wisdom, But a child left to himself brings shame to his mother. (Proverbs 29:15 NKJV)
a) A disobedient child makes not only a spiritual disaster but an anti-social personality and, very often, a criminal adult.
4. Teach My Children to Select Their Companions.
Choosing their friends wisely is most vital to their life.
He who walks with wise men will be wise, But the companion of fools will be destroyed. (Proverbs 13:20 NKJV)
Do not be deceived: "Evil company corrupts good habits." (1 Corinthians 15:33 NKJV)
a) If I do not help my kids select their companions, and help them to learn to select for themselves, the right kind of companions, the wrong kind of companions will select them.
1. Their moral standards, the language they use, the activities they engage in will not probable rise above bad companionship.
2. A bad influence among their friends poses a deadly danger.
Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? (1 Corinthians 5:6 NKJV)
b) It is a fact of human nature:
1. Young people are more prone to follow a bad example than they are to set a good example, especially if it means going against their peers.
My son, if sinners entice you, do not consent – Prov.1:10
And it came to pass after these things that his master's wife cast longing eyes on Joseph, and she said, "Lie with me." But he refused and said to his master's wife, "Look, my master does not know what is with me in the house, and he has committed all that he has to my hand. "There is no one greater in this house than I, nor has he kept back anything from me but you, because you are his wife. How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?" So it was, as she spoke to Joseph day by day, that he did not heed her, to lie with her or to be with her. But it happened about this time, when Joseph went into the house to do his work, and none of the men of the house was inside, that she caught him by his garment, saying, "Lie with me." But he left his garment in her hand, and fled and ran outside. And so it was, when she saw that he had left his garment in her hand and fled outside, (Genesis 39:7-13 NKJV)
And it came to pass, when she pestered him daily with her words and pressed him, so that his soul was vexed to death, that he told her all his heart, and said to her, "No razor has ever come upon my head, for I have been a Nazirite to God from my mother's womb. If I am shaven, then my strength will leave me, and I shall become weak, and be like any other man." When Delilah saw that he had told her all his heart, she sent and called for the lords of the Philistines, saying, "Come up once more, for he has told me all his heart." So the lords of the Philistines came up to her and brought the money in their hand. Then she lulled him to sleep on her knees, and called for a man and had him shave off the seven locks of his head. Then she began to torment him, and his strength left him. And she said, "The Philistines are upon you, Samson!" So he awoke from his sleep, and said, "I will go out as before, at other times, and shake myself free!" But he did not know that the LORD had departed from him. Then the Philistines took him and put out his eyes, and brought him down to Gaza. They bound him with bronze fetters, and he became a grinder in the prison. (Judges 16:16-21 NKJV)
a) I need to make sure that my kids are not susceptible to being recruited into bad company.
b) Evil doers will always try to seduce the naïve by making evil sound exciting and adventurous.
If they say, "Come with us, Let us lie in wait to shed blood; Let us lurk secretly for the innocent without cause; Let us swallow them alive like Sheol, And whole, like those who go down to the Pit; We shall find all kinds of precious possessions, We shall fill our houses with spoil; Cast in your lot among us, Let us all have one purse" -- My son, do not walk in the way with them, Keep your foot from their path; For their feet run to evil, And they make haste to shed blood. Surely, in vain the net is spread In the sight of any bird; But they lie in wait for their own blood, They lurk secretly for their own lives. (Proverbs 1:11-18 NKJV)
a) I can be certain that my kids are going to face peer pressure to conform to a standard of conduct that is ungodly and sinful.
1. Teach them to select companions wisely—to not be intimidated into the wrong kind of friends.
2. Don’t let Britt. & Ronnie surround themselves with the wrong kind of peer pressure.
Instruct them how to choose companions that lift them up.
When wisdom enters your heart, And knowledge is pleasant to your soul, Discretion will preserve you; Understanding will keep you, To deliver you from the way of evil, From the man who speaks perverse things, From those who leave the paths of uprightness To walk in the ways of darkness; Who rejoice in doing evil, And delight in the perversity of the wicked; Whose ways are crooked, And who are devious in their paths; (Proverbs 2:10-15 NKJV)
And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. (Acts 2:42 NKJV)
And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching. (Hebrews 10:24-25 NKJV)
5. Teach My Children to Control Their Lusts.
Flee youthful Lusts– 2 Timothy 2:22
And it came to pass after these things that his master's wife cast longing eyes on Joseph, and she said, "Lie with me." But he refused and said to his master's wife, "Look, my master does not know what is with me in the house, and he has committed all that he has to my hand. "There is no one greater in this house than I, nor has he kept back anything from me but you, because you are his wife. How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?" So it was, as she spoke to Joseph day by day, that he did not heed her, to lie with her or to be with her. But it happened about this time, when Joseph went into the house to do his work, and none of the men of the house was inside, that she caught him by his garment, saying, "Lie with me." But he left his garment in her hand, and fled and ran outside. And so it was, when she saw that he had left his garment in her hand and fled outside, (Genesis 39:7-13 NKJV)
Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. (2 Timothy 2:22 NKJV)
Deliver yourself like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter, And like a bird from the hand of the fowler. (Proverbs 6:5 NKJV)
Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body. (1 Corinthians 6:18)
How can a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed according to Your word. (Psalms 119:9 NKJV)
Blessed is the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful. (Psalms 1:1NKJV)
Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul, (1 Peter 2:11 NKJV)
Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity. (1 Timothy 4:12 NKJV)
a) I must realize my kids develop powerful passions that can lead them into tragedy unless they learn to control their lusts.
True Wisdom has the effect of delivering us from evil companions.
To deliver you from the immoral woman, From the seductress who flatters with her words, Who forsakes the companion of her youth, And forgets the covenant of her God. For her house leads down to death, And her paths to the dead; None who go to her return, Nor do they regain the paths of life-- (Proverbs 2:16-19 NKJV)
Fornication can literally be fatal.
For the lips of an immoral woman drip honey, And her mouth is smoother than oil; But in the end she is bitter as wormwood, Sharp as a two-edged sword. Her feet go down to death, Her steps lay hold of hell. (Proverbs 5:3-5 NKJV)
1. This could be a reference to venereal disease, or possible the kind of divine chastisement that costs the sinner his life (1Cor.11:30; 1Jn.5:16).
2. More likely it is referring to legal penalty for adultery (Deut.22:22).
3. But even in a society where the death penalty does not apply in cases of adultery, fornication is a soul-destroying & life-destroying sin (Prov.6:23-33).
Fornication often brings a life-long reproach
Sometimes it’s impossible to regain trust that was broken.
1. Men are not qualified to serve as elders and deacons in the church unless they are “above reproach.”
A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach; (1 Timothy 3:2 NKJV)
But let these also first be tested; then let them serve as deacons, being found blameless. (1 Timothy 3:10 NKJV)
being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality…who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them. (Romans 1:29-32 NKJV)
Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, (1 Corinthians 6:9 NKJV)
The importance of naivete and the importance of not giving in to the
unbridled lust—Proverbs 7:6-27
Here is the victim:
1. He deliberately takes the path to an immoral woman house, passing the street near the corner.
2. He may not have any evil plans to go in, but never the less he is in a neighborhood where he ought not to be.
3. This is the beginning of almost every sin of immorality.
4. He is going to become prey to the wiles of a harlot.
5. She entices him by appealing to every kind of lust.
6. Like the Devil, she wants to kill, steel & destroy!
6. Teach My Children to Enjoy Their Spouses.
Channel their youthful passions toward righteous ends.
1. Specifically teach them to reserve their sexual passions for their spouses alone.
2. And then teach them to be faithful, and not seek to gratify sexual desires out side the bounds of their marriage.
Drink water from your own cistern, And running water from your own well. (Proverbs 5:15 NKJV)
Let your fountain be blessed, And rejoice with the wife of your youth. As a loving deer and a graceful doe, Let her breasts satisfy you at all times; And always be enraptured with her love. For why should you, my son, be enraptured by an immoral woman, And be embraced in the arms of a seductress? (Proverbs 5:18-20)
Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. (Genesis 2:24 NKJV)
For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you should abstain from sexual immorality; that each of you should know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor, not in passion of lust, like the Gentiles who do not know God; (1 Thessalonians 4:3-5 NKJV)
Live joyfully with the wife whom you love all the days of your vain life which He has given you under the sun, all your days of vanity; for that is your portion in life, and in the labor which you perform under the sun. (Ecclesiastes 9:9)
Yet you say, "For what reason?" Because the LORD has been witness Between you and the wife of your youth, With whom you have dealt treacherously; Yet she is your companion And your wife by covenant. But did He not make them one, Having a remnant of the Spirit? And why one? He seeks godly offspring. Therefore take heed to your spirit, And let none deal treacherously with the wife of his youth. (Malachi 2:14-15 NKJV)
Husbands, likewise, dwell with them with understanding, giving honor to the wife, as to the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers may not be hindered. (1 Peter 3:7 NKJV)
7. Teach My Children to Watch Their Words.
Speak truth, what edifies not injures—keeping words pure.
Put away from you a deceitful mouth, And put perverse lips far from you. (Proverbs 4:24 NKJV)
The mouth of the righteous is a well of life, But violence covers the mouth of the wicked. (Proverbs 10:11 NKJV)
The tongue of the righteous is choice silver; The heart of the wicked is worth little. The lips of the righteous feed many, But fools die for lack of wisdom. (Proverbs 10:20-21 NKJV)
The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable, But the mouth of the wicked what is perverse. (Proverbs 10:32 NKJV)
There is one who speaks like the piercings of a sword, But the tongue of the wise promotes health. (Proverbs 12:18 NKJV)
The lips of the wise disperse knowledge, But the heart of the fool does not do so. (Proverbs 15:7 NKJV)
The heart of the wise teaches his mouth, And adds learning to his lips. (Proverbs 16:23 NKJV)
There is gold and a multitude of rubies, But the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel. (Proverbs 20:15 NKJV)
Stress the importance to my children of telling the truth.
Lying lips are an abomination to the LORD, But those who deal truthfully are His delight. (Proverbs 12:22 NKJV)
1. If a person can train his conscience to life with a lie, that person will be susceptible to any sin.
2. If you can cover you sin with a lie, and if you condition you conscience to tolerate the lie, you conscience will in effect become useless to keep you from any sin.
It is often wiser not to talk:
In the multitude of words sin is not lacking, But he who restrains his lips is wise. (Proverbs 10:19 NKJV)
For a dream comes through much activity, And a fool's voice is known by his many words. (Ecclesiastes 5:3 NKJV)
The words of his mouth begin with foolishness, And the end of his talk is raving madness. (Ecclesiastes 10:13 NKJV)
But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. (James 3:8 NKJV)
He who has knowledge spares his words, And a man of understanding is of a calm spirit. Even a fool is counted wise when he holds his peace; When he shuts his lips, he is considered perceptive. (Proverbs 17:27-28 NKJV)
I said, "I will guard my ways, Lest I sin with my tongue; I will restrain my mouth with a muzzle, While the wicked are before me." (Psalms 39:1 NKJV)
So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; (James 1:19 NKJV)
For we all stumble in many things. If anyone does not stumble in word, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle the whole body. (James 3:2 NKJV)
8. Teach My Children to Pursue Their Work.
1. Teach them the value of hard work.
Go to the ant, you sluggard! Consider her ways and be wise, Which, having no captain, Overseer or ruler, Provides her supplies in the summer, And gathers her food in the harvest (Proverbs 6:6-8).
a) Almost everyone will work hard, or appear to work hard, when the boss is watching.
The ant works hard even though it has no overseer.
Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; (Philippians 2:12 NKJV)
Bondservants, be obedient to those who are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in sincerity of heart, as to Christ; not with eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, (Ephesians 6:5-6 cf. Col.3:22 NKJV)
But as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, even so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God who tests our hearts. (1 Thessalonians 2:4 NKJV)
b) Reasons are given for labor.
1. We must labor in order to walk honestly before outsiders, that is, before the world of unbelievers.
2. Man is to work to provide the necessities of life for all men.
3. Man is to work in order to have enough to give to the needy of the world.
4. We must labor in order to have enough to meet the necessities of life.
c) They are going to have to learn to work on their own initiative if they are going to be successful in life.
2. They also need to be taught how to plan ahead.
a) The ant prepares her food in the simmer, anticipating the coming winter.
b) If Ronnie & Brittany do learn this vital lesson in life, they will grow up to be sluggards.
c) They will forfeit tomorrow’s harvest for the sake of today’s leisure—they will want but not work—they will do what they enjoy, but delay what they find unpleasant.
How long will you slumber, O sluggard? When will you rise from your sleep? A little sleep, a little slumber, A little folding of the hands to sleep-- So shall your poverty come on you like a prowler, And your need like an armed man. (Proverbs 6:9-11 NKJV)
Pursuing their work, they will have plenty and earn respect.
Do you see a man who excels in his work? He will stand before kings; He will not stand before unknown men. (Proverbs 22:29 NKJV)
He who has a slack hand becomes poor, But the hand of the diligent makes rich. He who gathers in summer is a wise son; He who sleeps in harvest is a son who causes shame. (Proverbs 10:4-5 NKJV)
9. Teach My Children to Manage Their Money
Honoring the Lord is Most Important
Honor the LORD with your possessions, And with the firstfruits of all your increase; So your barns will be filled with plenty, And your vats will overflow with new wine. (Proverbs 3:9-10 NKJV)
a) The firstfruits & all my possessions belong to the Lord, & are to be used for the glory of God.
b) Therefore, if I want Ronnie & Brittany to know the fullness of God’s blessing:
1. Teach them how to give generously to God.
2. Teach them how to use their resources to honor Him.
3. Give them chores & an allowance to be able to earn money & to give a portion unto the Lord.
There is one who scatters, yet increases more; And there is one who withholds more than is right, But it leads to poverty. The generous soul will be made rich, And he who waters will also be watered himself. The people will curse him who withholds grain, But blessing will be on the head of him who sells it. (Proverbs 11:24-26 NKJV)
He who has pity on the poor lends to the LORD, And He will pay back what he has given. (Proverbs 19:17 NKJV)
He who has a generous eye will be blessed, For he gives of his bread to the poor. Cast out the scoffer, and contention will leave; Yes, strife and reproach will cease. (Proverbs 22:9-10 NKJV)
By humility and the fear of the LORD Are riches and honor and life. Thorns and snares are in the way of the perverse; He who guards his soul will be far from them. (Proverbs 22:4-5 NKJV)
The Negative Lessons
He who is greedy for gain troubles his own house, But he who hates bribes will live. (Proverbs 15:27 NKJV)
My son, if you become surety for your friend, If you have shaken hands in pledge for a stranger, You are snared by the words of your mouth; You are taken by the words of your mouth. So do this, my son, and deliver yourself; For you have come into the hand of your friend: Go and humble yourself; Plead with your friend. Give no sleep to your eyes, Nor slumber to your eyelids. Deliver yourself like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter, And like a bird from the hand of the fowler. (Proverbs 6:1-5 NKJV)
Do not overwork to be rich; Because of your own understanding, cease! (Proverbs 23:4 NKJV)
He who trusts in his riches will fall, But the righteous will flourish like foliage. (Proverbs 11:28 NKJV)
As a ring of gold in a swine's snout, So is a lovely woman who lacks discretion. (Proverbs 11:22 NKJV)
A gracious woman retains honor, But ruthless men retain riches. (Proverbs 11:16 NKJV)
a) How one manages one’s money is a moral and spiritual issue. Make sure my children understand this!
10. Teach My Children to Love Their Neighbors.
Teach them the value of kindness, mercy & compassion.
Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, When it is in the power of your hand to do so. Do not say to your neighbor, "Go, and come back, And tomorrow I will give it," When you have it with you. Do not devise evil against your neighbor, For he dwells by you for safety's sake. (Proverbs 3:27-29 NKJV)
`You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the LORD. (Leviticus 19:18 NKJV)
"You have heard that it was said, `You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' "But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, "that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. "For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? "And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so? "Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect. (Matthew 5:43-48 NKJV)
For the ways of man are before the eyes of the LORD, And He ponders all his paths. His own iniquities entrap the wicked man, And he is caught in the cords of his sin. (Proverbs 5:21-22 NKJV)
"And the second is like it: `You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' (Matthew 22:39 NKJV)
If I fail to teach my children to fear God, the devil will teach them to hate God.
If I fail to teach them to guard their minds, the devil will teach them to have a corrupt mind.
If I fail to teach them to obey their parents, the devil will teach them to rebel and break our hearts.
If I fail to teach them to select carefully their companions, the devil will choose companions for them.
If I fail to teach them to control their lusts, the devil will teach them how to fulfill their lusts.
If I fail to teach them to enjoy their own spouses, the devil will teach them to destroy their marriages.
If I fail to teach them to watch their words, the devil will fill their mouths with filth.
If I fail to teach them to pursue their work, the devil will make their laziness a tool of hell.
If I fail to teach them to mange their money, the devil will teach them to squander it on riotous living.
If I fail to teach them to love their enemies, the devil will teach them to love only themselves.