You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk to them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.   Deuteronomy 6:7 NKJV

I work in a job where I regularly encounter sexual predators and drug dealers. These are the issues your children face on a daily basis. And if your child isn’t getting the love, attention, structure and support they need at home they will go elsewhere seeking it. Unfortunately, they may end up encountering these people. And worse, these people may draw them into a close association.

Yesterday, we talked about raising children up in the way they should go. Of course, we are talking about bringing a child up in prayer, Bible study and church attendance. Now as I told you, I have no children. I spent 18 years working with juvenile delinquents, however, and I saw the good, the bad and the ugly of child rearing. I saw children who were neglected and abused and found acceptance with pedophiles and drug dealers. And yes, on rare occasions, I saw children who were raised in church get involved in criminal behavior.

I’m not trying to tell you how to raise your children, I am just telling you what the Bible says about raising children. We live in a cruel world, and it is getting worse each day. Parents must fight the evil of this world to keep their children safe. We know we need God’s help to fight against evil.

We need to follow the Bible’s advice for raising our children and trust in God to keep them safe.

In our Scripture passage for today, Moses is instructing parents on teaching their children the Ten Commandments. They were to constantly be teaching their children God’s commands and how to live a godly life. We should be doing the same. You can’t teach children by saying, “Do as I say and not as I do.” Your children learn by example, so please keep this in mind. Moses is stressing here how important it is for God to be the central focus of their daily life.

And you don’t have to be a parent to have a positive influence on a child. I’m talking to you aunts, uncles, and grandparents as well as church workers and teachers.

In the New Testament, Paul warns parents against provoking children to wrath. In Ephesians 6:4, Paul said, “And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord.”

God disciplines His children, but He also shows us His love and mercy. Children must know they are loved. They must be disciplined, but with love. Parents must be loving and nurture their children. Discipline should be used to teach them right from wrong, not to get the parent’s frustration out. It should be consistent. Children should know what they can and can’t do and what the consequences of their actions will be.

You can be assured the devil wants your children just as he wants you. If you are going to stand against the devil and do your best to protect your children from him, you better adhere to what the Bible teaches about parenting.

Do all you can to protect your children from the evil in this world by giving them a good foundation. Read the Bible to them and with them. Pray with them and get them into a good Bible teaching church so they can have a good, solid church family.

And know who they are associating with both in person and online.

Because believe me our children need all the help they can get in this world today.

Have a great day!