~ Saturating our Children in the Things of God ( parts 1, 2 and 3 )
Part one
Filling our Home With the Word of God.
I love the verses in Deuteronomy. 6:5-9, concerning the parents role to teach and impart to their children the things and ways of the Lord.
5) Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.
6) These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts.
7) Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.
8) Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads.
9) Write them on the door frames of your houses and on your gates.
A huge responsibility we have as parents for sure.
We can implement this easily into our homes and lives though with just a bit of effort on our part.
The first place to start I believe is to rid our homes of anything that is not of God. Like all secular books, magazines, and media. Then see what all you can bring in to your home, or things you can do with your family that will impart God and His truth to them.
You do not need to rely on only your self to teach your children the things and ways of God. We are very fortunate that there is many recourses out there for Christian families, form Christian books and magazines, to CDs and DVDs. But be very choosy, sadly many things can fall under the label "Christian", yet not be very edifying for your family. Often they may not stick to the truth either.
Wall stickers with Godly sayings and Bible verses is a great way to have the Word of God where the children can read it and put it to memory. I have lots of these around my house.
I make sure that all our reading materials, music, and any thing we watch is good and edifying. That way every thing they consume in their minds all day long is all Godly, wholesome, and pure.
I love to use this Philippians 4:8 as a guide-line for what is fit and edifying for our family.
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable -- if anything is excellent or praiseworthy -- think about such things. Philippians 4:8 NIV
~ Is it TRUE?
~ Is it NOBLE?
~ Is it RIGHT?
~ Is it PURE?
~ Is it LOVELY?
~ Is it ADMIRABLE?
~ Is it EXCELLENT?
~ Is it PRAISEWORTHY?
This is a great verse to use to rid our the home of anything that is not of God. If it does not fit this guide-line, out it goes!! That simple.
I do not want our children to read any books or materials , listen to any music, or watch anything that does not fit this guide-line. PERIOD! And yes, us parents have to set the example for this as well. I personally would never care to fill my mind or time with any thing less.
The responsibility of teaching our children the things of God basically all our waking hours is definitely a huge responsibility, and nothing to be taken lightly.
But it is made a lot easier when we stick to the guide-line of Philippians 4:8. As well as having God centered school work too. They learn about God through out the day as they are doing school.
When we are driving any where the only station we have on is the Christian station, so as we are out and about we are filled with Godly music, or great inspiring messages. We have heard some really great messages when we have been on the road. And I just love it. There is no way I could have came up with that really great powerful message on my own for my kids to hear. I am very grateful for all the great resources we have at our finger tips to help us in our great role.
I also start our morning out with reading to the children out of the Bible, or an inspirational or devotional book we are reading at the time. And then we read together again in the evenings as a whole family. I also get all the children to memorize Bible verses. I try very hard each evening to go to both the boys and girls room to say prayers with them, and a quote a couple Bible verses before they go to sleep.
If we put our hearts, time, and energy into this I believe we can make Deuteronomy 6: 5-9 a reality in our homes.
Saturate yourself and your children in the things of God today and every day!
Proverbs 22:6
Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old , he will not depart from it
Filling our Home With the Word of God.
I love the verses in Deuteronomy. 6:5-9, concerning the parents role to teach and impart to their children the things and ways of the Lord.
5) Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.
6) These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts.
7) Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.
8) Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads.
9) Write them on the door frames of your houses and on your gates.
A huge responsibility we have as parents for sure.
We can implement this easily into our homes and lives though with just a bit of effort on our part.
The first place to start I believe is to rid our homes of anything that is not of God. Like all secular books, magazines, and media. Then see what all you can bring in to your home, or things you can do with your family that will impart God and His truth to them.
You do not need to rely on only your self to teach your children the things and ways of God. We are very fortunate that there is many recourses out there for Christian families, form Christian books and magazines, to CDs and DVDs. But be very choosy, sadly many things can fall under the label "Christian", yet not be very edifying for your family. Often they may not stick to the truth either.
Wall stickers with Godly sayings and Bible verses is a great way to have the Word of God where the children can read it and put it to memory. I have lots of these around my house.
I make sure that all our reading materials, music, and any thing we watch is good and edifying. That way every thing they consume in their minds all day long is all Godly, wholesome, and pure.
I love to use this Philippians 4:8 as a guide-line for what is fit and edifying for our family.
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable -- if anything is excellent or praiseworthy -- think about such things. Philippians 4:8 NIV
~ Is it TRUE?
~ Is it NOBLE?
~ Is it RIGHT?
~ Is it PURE?
~ Is it LOVELY?
~ Is it ADMIRABLE?
~ Is it EXCELLENT?
~ Is it PRAISEWORTHY?
This is a great verse to use to rid our the home of anything that is not of God. If it does not fit this guide-line, out it goes!! That simple.
I do not want our children to read any books or materials , listen to any music, or watch anything that does not fit this guide-line. PERIOD! And yes, us parents have to set the example for this as well. I personally would never care to fill my mind or time with any thing less.
The responsibility of teaching our children the things of God basically all our waking hours is definitely a huge responsibility, and nothing to be taken lightly.
But it is made a lot easier when we stick to the guide-line of Philippians 4:8. As well as having God centered school work too. They learn about God through out the day as they are doing school.
When we are driving any where the only station we have on is the Christian station, so as we are out and about we are filled with Godly music, or great inspiring messages. We have heard some really great messages when we have been on the road. And I just love it. There is no way I could have came up with that really great powerful message on my own for my kids to hear. I am very grateful for all the great resources we have at our finger tips to help us in our great role.
I also start our morning out with reading to the children out of the Bible, or an inspirational or devotional book we are reading at the time. And then we read together again in the evenings as a whole family. I also get all the children to memorize Bible verses. I try very hard each evening to go to both the boys and girls room to say prayers with them, and a quote a couple Bible verses before they go to sleep.
If we put our hearts, time, and energy into this I believe we can make Deuteronomy 6: 5-9 a reality in our homes.
Saturate yourself and your children in the things of God today and every day!
Proverbs 22:6
Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old , he will not depart from it
Saturating our Children in the Things of God
Part two
Establishing Healthy Eating Habits.
Establishing good and healthy eating habits in our children has to start right at the first stages of feeding our little ones. Other wise it doesn't take long and they can become picky and unhealthy eaters pretty quickly. I know because I have some of those! :)
This post though is not about food entirely, but on developing a good and healthy diet habit for reading and watching things. And it is a lot like food eating habits. You really have to start young with it, and has to be at the top of your priority.
As you train their taste buds to like and enjoy the foods that not only taste good, but is good for them, and for their health, nutrition, and growth. So you need to also train them to enjoy the reading materials, music, and movies that are good for them; mind, body, and soul. Not just to merrily entertain and thrill for the moment.
Taste buds can be trained at any age, but is a lot easier at the young age. Put them off to a good start feeding them only the good and healthy things for the mind and soul, and they will learn to truly love and enjoy it too. Especially more so as they grow physically and spiritually, and come to truly love God for themselves, and have a personal relationship with Him.
If we start them off on the things that taste or feel good only, but have no worth, or goodness we have got them off on the wrong foot, and they will be enjoying the things that do not give life, or true fulfillment and happiness. Then when you put in front of them the healthier fair, don't be surprise when they find it flat or boring. Their taste buds have been sadly jaded.
They should love the good and wholesome things of God, and find them to be life giving, refreshing, and very exciting. And to loath the unwholesome. Anything that is not full of Gods goodness and nutrition should be treated as junk-food and kept to very small amounts and very seldom.
Of course loving parents would never feed their child's body with any food that is spoiled, or would right down harm him. But what about their minds and souls, are they not just as important, and precious? They deserve nothing less than the very best!
See, I set before you today life and prosperity, death and destruction.
For I command you today to love the LORD your God, to walk in obedience to him, and to keep his commands, decrees and laws; then you will live and increase, and the LORD your God will bless you in the land you are entering to possess. Deuteronomy 30:15-16
This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live. Deuteronomy 30:19
May we feed our children's minds with only God honoring substance which gives life! And that they may be lovers of His truth and righteousness!
~ Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Philippians 4:8
~ I will set nothing wicked before my eyes; I hate the work of those who fall away; It shall not cling to me. Psalm 101:3
~ Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart Be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer. Psalm 19:14
Establishing Healthy Eating Habits.
Establishing good and healthy eating habits in our children has to start right at the first stages of feeding our little ones. Other wise it doesn't take long and they can become picky and unhealthy eaters pretty quickly. I know because I have some of those! :)
This post though is not about food entirely, but on developing a good and healthy diet habit for reading and watching things. And it is a lot like food eating habits. You really have to start young with it, and has to be at the top of your priority.
As you train their taste buds to like and enjoy the foods that not only taste good, but is good for them, and for their health, nutrition, and growth. So you need to also train them to enjoy the reading materials, music, and movies that are good for them; mind, body, and soul. Not just to merrily entertain and thrill for the moment.
Taste buds can be trained at any age, but is a lot easier at the young age. Put them off to a good start feeding them only the good and healthy things for the mind and soul, and they will learn to truly love and enjoy it too. Especially more so as they grow physically and spiritually, and come to truly love God for themselves, and have a personal relationship with Him.
If we start them off on the things that taste or feel good only, but have no worth, or goodness we have got them off on the wrong foot, and they will be enjoying the things that do not give life, or true fulfillment and happiness. Then when you put in front of them the healthier fair, don't be surprise when they find it flat or boring. Their taste buds have been sadly jaded.
They should love the good and wholesome things of God, and find them to be life giving, refreshing, and very exciting. And to loath the unwholesome. Anything that is not full of Gods goodness and nutrition should be treated as junk-food and kept to very small amounts and very seldom.
Of course loving parents would never feed their child's body with any food that is spoiled, or would right down harm him. But what about their minds and souls, are they not just as important, and precious? They deserve nothing less than the very best!
See, I set before you today life and prosperity, death and destruction.
For I command you today to love the LORD your God, to walk in obedience to him, and to keep his commands, decrees and laws; then you will live and increase, and the LORD your God will bless you in the land you are entering to possess. Deuteronomy 30:15-16
This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live. Deuteronomy 30:19
May we feed our children's minds with only God honoring substance which gives life! And that they may be lovers of His truth and righteousness!
~ Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Philippians 4:8
~ I will set nothing wicked before my eyes; I hate the work of those who fall away; It shall not cling to me. Psalm 101:3
~ Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart Be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer. Psalm 19:14
Saturating our Children in the Things of God
Part three
Making our Home a Godly Atmosphere & Diligently Teaching our Children the Word of God.
We can not guarantee that our children will give their hearts to God and serve Him all their lives. Though that is our greatest hope and desire, and goal in life.
But all we can do is our part.
We can diligently teach and impress the Word of God on them and to them. We can saturate them in the word of God and the things of God on a daily bases. As well as teaching them by our example. The way we live our lives as parents speak louder than words anyway.
Right from a very young age they need to know by our words, actions, and deeds that this is who we are and what we do.
We are God's people doing Bible things in Bible ways. Our lives revolve around God and the things of God. We are different from the world. There is things we just can't do, we won't do it, or would not even have a slightest desire to do because we love God, and only want to do those things that are pleasing in His sight.
They need to see that we are a set apart people, a peculiar people, and that we are in the world, but not a part of the world.
Here is some really great verses on this subject.
1 Peter 2:9 "But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:"
Titus 2:14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.
John 17:16 "They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world."
Romans 12: 2 "And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. "
James 4: 4 "Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God."
1 John 2: 15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
And above all else we can also pray diligently and regularly that our children will choose to love and serve God with all their heart , soul, and minds. And that He will be the center of their lives.
Colossians 3: 16-17
16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
17 And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.
( Also read ) Deuteronomy 6:4-9
Making our Home a Godly Atmosphere & Diligently Teaching our Children the Word of God.
We can not guarantee that our children will give their hearts to God and serve Him all their lives. Though that is our greatest hope and desire, and goal in life.
But all we can do is our part.
We can diligently teach and impress the Word of God on them and to them. We can saturate them in the word of God and the things of God on a daily bases. As well as teaching them by our example. The way we live our lives as parents speak louder than words anyway.
Right from a very young age they need to know by our words, actions, and deeds that this is who we are and what we do.
We are God's people doing Bible things in Bible ways. Our lives revolve around God and the things of God. We are different from the world. There is things we just can't do, we won't do it, or would not even have a slightest desire to do because we love God, and only want to do those things that are pleasing in His sight.
They need to see that we are a set apart people, a peculiar people, and that we are in the world, but not a part of the world.
Here is some really great verses on this subject.
1 Peter 2:9 "But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:"
Titus 2:14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.
John 17:16 "They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world."
Romans 12: 2 "And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. "
James 4: 4 "Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God."
1 John 2: 15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
And above all else we can also pray diligently and regularly that our children will choose to love and serve God with all their heart , soul, and minds. And that He will be the center of their lives.
Colossians 3: 16-17
16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
17 And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.
( Also read ) Deuteronomy 6:4-9
