Parenting Seasons

Question – “So, what do I do with them now?!”

Review- Why this series? (Spheres setup)

Old Testament + Ephesians order, flow, and context from organized faith community to the home

Deuteronomy 6:4–9 (NASB95) 4 “Hear, O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD is one! 5 “You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. 6 “These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart. 7 “You shall teach them diligently to your sons 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 up. 8 “You shall bind them as a sign on your hand and they shall be as frontals on your forehead. 9 “You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

Ephesians 6:1–4 (NASB95) 1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 2 HONOR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER (which is the first commandment with a promise), 3 SO THAT IT MAY BE WELL WITH YOU, AND THAT YOU MAY LIVE LONG ON THE EARTH. 4 Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.

The importance in knowing the true goal and staying focused on it

In every season, parents can disciple their kids towards Jesus-likeness by keeping their… EYES ON THE TARGET

• Partner with God in His agenda for my kids (stewardship VS ownership)
• Raising resilient disciples of Jesus prepared for the world
• Raising boys and girls to be mature men and women who love God
• “Our kids were given to us for the purpose of the mission. When we treat them less like arrows and more like accessories to our lives, we’re not only stunting their development but also discouraging them from finding God’s plan altogether.” J.D Greear

In every season, parents can disciple their kids towards Jesus-likeness by keeping their… MARRIAGE A PRIORITY

“The best way to love your kids is to love your wife”, Chuck Wigton

Adam & Eve before Cain & Abel

Ephesians 5 (marriage) before Ephesians 6 (parenting)

In every season, parents can disciple their kids towards Jesus-likeness by keeping their… LIFE ON DISPLAY

The only way to raise godly men & women is to be a godly parent… (Deuteronomy 6:5-6)

You teach them [what you’re learning]

You talk with them [what you know thus far] You walk with them [daily – life is very daily]

– They are watching you, and they’re suppose to – “more is caught than taught”

– Jesus came down and put His life on full display in every way

Living our lives on display & modeling = God’s method