0630 – Parents, Train Up a Child in the Way He Should Go 家长,教养孩童,使他走当行的道

God who is a merciful and compassionate God will always build a hedge around us. We must not decide to walk away or walk out of God’s protection by willfully living a life independent of God. That’s sin. The devil will attack us when we forsake God, backslide, and sin against God. It is when someone intentionally walks out of the sheepfold and away from the Shepherd’s protection that he is prone to attacks.We need to model our walk with God to our children in the area of our devotion and lifestyle.

We need to remember that God has children but He doesn’t have grandchildren! It means our children have to accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior personally! We need to inculcate not just the knowledge of God but also the walk with God to our children. We need to model for them what it means to walk with God. It has to do with training.

Proverbs 22:6 (NKJV)Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it.

There is a constant struggle between the lure of the world and the need for them to walk with God. The world is constantly vying for their attention and conforming them to the pattern of the world. Social media is a very powerful voice in the lives of our children and the kind of liberal educational system is also forming their values. We cannot take it for granted that our children will get to know the Lord eventually. Therefore, as parents we should put top priority in getting our children to walk in the truth above all other activities. In order to do that we must not treat Christianity as a religion with a set of laws but a walk of faith with God. Eternal life is in FOLLOWING God and not just knowing OF God.

2 John 1:4(NKJV) I rejoiced greatly that I have found some of your children walking in truth, as we received commandment from the Father.

We are to encourage our children to walk with God just like the Apostle Paul asked the people to follow him as he followed Christ.

It is when they are not walking with the Lord and do not have a reverential fear of God that they get into trouble. Therefore, praying as a family, rejoicing over answered prayer and journeying with them are important. They should be able to witness the work of God in our lives. The transformation that they witnessed in our lives after we have received Christ will impact them greatly especially when they experience peace, love and stability in the home!

There is no greater joy than when we discover that our children are passionate about God. We should not be concerned when our children are overzealous for God because it is better to “trim wild fire than no fire” for God. We know that God has built a hedge around us therefore don’t allow your children to walk or stray away from God! Encourage them to stay in the sheepfold so that the Chief Shepherd Jesus Christ is able to protect them!

Sermon Series: Job and I (Part 3)


家长,教养孩童,使他走当行的道

仁慈和怜悯的神必在我们周围筑起篱笆。我们切莫任性地过独立于神的生活,从而踏出或离开神的护庇。那是罪。当我们离弃神,背弃祂,得罪祂的时候,魔鬼就会攻击我们。正是当有人故意走出羊圈,远离牧羊人的保护时,这人才容易受到攻击。

在我们的日常生活和奉献,我们需要为孩子树立我们与神同行的榜样。

我们需要记住神有孩子,但祂没有孙子!这意味着我们的孩子要亲自接受耶稣基督作为他们的主和救主!我们不仅要向我们的孩子灌输对神的知识,还要向他们灌输与神同行的知识。我们需要为他们树立榜样,告诉他们与神同行意味着什么。这关乎训练。

箴言22;6 教养孩童,使他走当行的道,就是到老他也不偏离。

一边是世界的诱惑,一边是与神同行的需要,其间必有持续的挣扎。世界在不断地争夺他们的注意力,使他们随从世界。社交媒体是我们孩子生活中一个非常强大的声音,开明自由的教育体系也正在形成他们的价值观。我们不能理所当然的认为我们的孩子最终会认识神。因此,让孩子走在真理的道路上,这应该是我们为人父母者的首要任务。为了做到这一点,我们不能把基督教当作一个有一套律法的宗教而是一个与神同行的信心旅程。永生在于跟随神,而不仅仅是“认识”神。

约翰二书1:4我见你的儿女,有照我们从父所受之命令遵行真理的,就甚欢喜。

我们要鼓励我们的孩子与神同行,就像使徒保罗要求人们跟随他,正如他跟随基督一样。

当孩子们不与神同行,心中没有对神的敬畏之时,就是他们闯祸的时候。因此,全家一起祷告,为蒙应允的祷告而欢欣,并与他们一起同行是很重要的。他们就能见证神在我们生命中的工作。当他们见证到我们信主之后生命的转变,这将对他们产生巨大的影响,尤其是当他们在家中经历到平安、爱和安定的时候!

当我们发现我们的孩子对神充满热情时,没有比这更大的喜乐了。当我们的孩子对神过于热心时,我们不应该担心,因为控制对神的火热好过对神没有火热。我们知道神在我们周围筑起了一道篱笆,所以不要让你的孩子远离神!鼓励他们留在羊圈里,这样牧人耶稣基督就能保护他们!

讲章系列:约伯与我(第三部分)