Influencing Your Children

This Sunday, I’m returning to our message series on parenting called “Parental Guidance Required”. In this series, we’re talking about the importance of relationships in raising your children. As a parent, you need to influence three relationships with your children. Their relationship with God. Their relationship with you as their parents and their relationship with others outside of your home. Each relationship is vital for you as a parent to work on with your children.

Today, my message title is “Influencing Your Children.” I want to talk about your relationship as a parent with your children. A parent’s relationship with their child is the most important factor in determining a child’s future. Through your relationship with your child, you can influence their relationship with God and with others outside of your home. A child raised without parents or without godly parents is at a great disadvantage. A parent’s relationship with their children is critical.

NIV Malachi 4:6 He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers; God wants the hearts of fathers turned to their children and vice versa. In other words, God wants parents to build strong, godly relationships with their children. Just because parents are present in the home with a child, does not mean that their hearts are turned toward one another.

You as a parent can influence your children for God in such a way that the result is passed down through generations. NIV Psalm 103:17 But from everlasting to everlasting the LORD’s love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children’s children. If you fear the Lord and influence your children for Him, the results will be passed on to your children’s children. Of course, the reverse is true as well. If you do not raise your children well, then the negative results will also be passed down through the generations as well.

Today, I want to focus on the two major phases that each parent must understand to raise their children in a godly way.

To hear more about this topic, listen to my February 25, 2007 message entitled Influencing Your Children