Topic: Child’s Training (Part 1)
Dear reader,
You are welcome to this great month of grace. Grace is defined as God’s unmerited favour upon man; therefore, God’s divine favour will locate you and your family this month and beyond in Jesus name. God has been very faithful ever since the year began and I believe you have also experienced His faithfulness. This month, we shall be looking at the all-important subject of ‘Child’s Training’
I termed it “all important” because if every home gives quality training to its wards, our society will be a better place to live in. Child training refers to the process of promoting and supporting the physical, emotional and intellectual development of a child from infancy to adulthood. Every parent has the responsibility to train their children aright, as the Bible commands that we train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it (Proverbs 22:6).
Parents must bear in mind that the children of today are the adults of tomorrow who constitute the future generation. Christian parents must ask themselves what legacy they are leaving behind for their children. Nothing can be compared with a sound upbringing.
Things to note on Child Training
1. God owns your Child:
Every child is owned by God the Creator but given to individuals, called parents, to be caretakers on the earth. The Bible clearly states: Lo, children are an heritage of the Lord: and the fruit of the womb is his reward (Psalm 127:3). If all children belong to God and He has made you a caretaker, then you will surely give account of your stewardship as a caregiver to the child (ren) given to you. In order to give a good record and be rewarded for it in return, you must take child training as a responsibility to be excelled at.
2. It is a commandment:
Child training is not a piece of advice, a suggestion or a thing you do at your convenience. It is a commandment from God. You are commanded to nurture your child (ren) in line with God’s principles for life as stated in the Bible. If you refuse to do so, you are disobeying God’s commandment, and as far as God is concerned, disobedience is as terrible as witchcraft (1 Samuel 15:23). If you are not bringing up your children in the way they should go, you are cutting short the number of your days. Receive grace from God now to be obedient to this commandment on child training in Jesus’ name.
3. It is the responsibilities of both parents:
Take a look at Proverbs 22:6 again. God did not mention here who particularly should do the training, but definitely it is the parents. I mean both parents because neither the father nor the mother alone can give birth to a child. It is the combined efforts of both parties;therefore, the training must be done by both parents.
Both parents must create time for their children so that those children will not become thorns in their flesh tomorrow. Training your children in the fear of the Lord is your primary responsibilities. Do not lay it aside. Both parents ought to fulfil their parts, if this must be successful. The Bible says: Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour(Ecclesiastics 4:9).
As parents, pay close attention to your children, create time to listen to them, fellowship together with them, give them opportunities to ask you questions that are bothering them. Learn to create time for fun and excitement and all tension will be diffused. Do not allow your children to become products of neglect and do not be too busy to attend to them. I pray for a release of grace upon you now for fulfillment in Jesus’ mighty name.
4. It requires the Investment of Time:
In a bid to make it in business or career, some parents neglect spending time with their children. They are too busy making money. They leave their homes early in the morning and return late at night; particularly those in the cities. They keep busy trying to make ends meet financially, but unfortunately, they seldom do.
The destinies of many children have been marred because they were left to house helps to raise. The Church is being robbed of her future great men and women, because many godly parents are producing ungodly children. Our responsibility is to stop the intention of the devil over the lives of our children, by investing time into their proper upbringing. So, parents, must wake up to this responsibility.
However, if you are not in Christ, it is impossible to bring up godly children. It only takes the grace of God to instill the right character in your children and see them manifest this. You can get this grace by being born again. The question then is, have you ever asked Jesus to come into your heart? If your answer is “NO”, or you are not sure, please pray this prayer with all sincerity and confidence: Dear Lord Jesus Christ, I come to You today. I am a sinner. Forgive me my sins and cleanse me with Your Blood. I accept You as my Lord and personal Saviour. Make me a child of God today. Thank You for delivering me from sin and satan to serve the living God and thank You for accepting me into Your Kingdom.
Congratulations! If you prayed this simple prayer of faith with me, you are now born again and a child of God. He loves you and will never leave you. Read your Bible daily, obey God’s Word and seek Christian fellowship (John 14:21).
With this, you are guaranteed all-round rest and peace in Jesus’ Name! Call or write to share your testimonies with me through contact@faithoyedepo.org, 07026385437 OR 08141320204.
For more insight, these books authored by me are available at the Dominion Bookstores in all Living Faith Churches and other leading Christian bookstores: Raising Godly Children, Understanding Motherhood, Building a Successful Family and A Living Witness.
“Please click to read other inspiring articles by Pastor Faith Oyedepo”
Pastor Faith Oyedepo is the wife of Bishop David Oyedepo, the founder of the Living Faith Church Worldwide a.k.a. Winners’ Chapel, and Senior Pastor of Faith Tabernacle, Canaanland, Ota, Nigeria.
