Being a good parent has never been an easy task. And in our present culture in America the task seems more difficult than before.  The present day culture is certainly not a friend to the parent who is attempting to rear their children in the ways of the Lord!

Parenting is not only important it is a biblical imperative. For the Christian parent for us to succeed in rearing our own to follow Christ as children and ultimately into adulthood.

As concerning any important truth it impossible to handle the subject completely in a short concise way. But one way to learn deep truth is to address them in shorter lessons and readings, a few lessons at a time.  So in today's blog I want to share a few truths that will help parent's to rear their children successfully for God. 

I.  ENCOURAGEMENT IS AS IMPORTANT AS CORRECTION!
Children are constantly seeking praise especially from their parents.  How often do we here them say " Daddy look at me" or " Mommy watch me." They even do this with their grandparents of which I must confess I LOVE IT!   This desire of encouragement continues through adolescence and onward into adulthood. Because of human pride it may be camouflaged to some degree but non the less it is still a reality.

Wise is the parent who understands the importance of encouragement and makes every effort to serve it up in large portions.  

I must confess that for me it is more natural to serve up correction than encouragement. Perhaps it is my temperament linked to my spiritual gifts and how my life's experiences have shaped me which naturally lead me to such. But I suspect every parent may find it easier to correct than praise because of our sin natures and that makes it so important for us to plan to intentionally look for opportunities to encourage our children more than correcting them. Because we must correct them often this will entail developing the habit of using much more encouraging words in daily conversations  it’s easier to see the need to correct than an opportunity to praise.

II. WALKING WITH GOD IS IRREPLACEABLE!
Children will more often than not pattern much of their life after their parents. There are those exceptions but often they will follow many of the footsteps they have been led to walk as children and teens. They develop habits of life as they grow up and most of those habits they have subconsciously began to live because that is the way of life they have been led into.  Thank the Lord that some wrong habits of life can be replaced in adulthood as one begins to make biblical decisions of their own. Sometimes a mate , friend or christian mentor help to develop some of these good habits. But thanks to those parents who have instilled in the fabric of the life of their children godly principles by pattering a life of walking with God. As they watched their parents they have seen them walking in the ways of the Lord, and walking with the Lord personally.  And as their parents walked with God their children watched and learned how to do the same.  Parents, a serious  and consistent walk with God is the most important thing you can do to help rear your children for God.

III. WALKING  WITH YOUR CHILDREN IS ALL IMPORTANT!
As parents it is important to walk with God but if you don;t walk with your children they will never see what a walk with God really looks like. We must walk with God but we must walk with God with our children. They need to see how life is lived by one who walks with God 24 hours a day. They need to see how those who walk with God work, purchase, relate, plan, decide, serve, forgive, think, pray, study, rest, relax and a host of other actions and attitudes of life. Parents need to spend large amounts of time with their children to show them how walking with God acts out in every day life. Years and years of such patterning will certainly make a difference. The key is to walk with God. I am more than sure that when we as parents and grandparents are genuinely walking with God that the time we spend with our children will provide much security, enjoyment, pleasure and patterns of godly living for them. 

Three Keys to Parenting - Encourage More Than You Correct- Walk With God- Walk With Your Children!