Sometimes we can get so overwhelmed with all the books,  information available on the internet, and advice from well-meaning friends and family on the different aspects of parenting, that we don’t know what to do!!

Whether you are struggling with behavior problems with your children or the methods of potty training, YOU know your child and the situation better than anyone else and GOD will lead YOU.

Just close the books!

Quit searching the internet!

Quit quizzing others!

and ASK GOD!

Search HIS WORD for direction!

We all need encouragement from others, but don’t substitute the fellowship with other moms for time alone with God.  In order to know what to do for your little one, you must spend time with the One who created you both.  He is ready and waiting to help.  If you let Him help, motherhood can draw you closer to God than you have ever been!

I am convinced that there is nothing a child goes through or a situation we go through that can not be handled with prayer and the Word.  An old preacher once said, “God works in the lives of children through their parents; and parents work in the lives of their children through prayer.” It always goes back to God.  Pray about EVERYTHING, no matter how big or small.

My favorite verse as a mom has always been 1 Thessalonians 5:24 “Faithful is who calls you, who will also do it.” He has called us to the awesome and sometimes overwhelming responsibility and privilege of parenting – He has PROMISED to do it through us!!

In I Chronicles 29:19 King David prayed for his son, “And give unto Solomon my son a perfect heart, to keep your commandments, testimonies, and your statutes, and to do all these things, and to build a palace, for which I have made provision.

Then in 1 Kings 5:3-5 Solomon begins the task of building the temple, “You know how my father David could not build a house for the name of the Lord his God because of the wars which were fought against him on every side, until the Lord put his foes under the soles of his feet. But now the Lord my God has given me rest on every side; there is neither adversary nor evil occurrence. And behold, I propose to build a house for the name of the Lord my God, as the Lord spoke to my father David, saying, “Your son, whom I will set on your throne in your place, he shall build the house for My name.”

King David had a desire to build the temple for the Lord to dwell in.  However he was not able to build it because of wars surrounding him.  So he made preparation for his son Solomon to build it.  Solomon was glad to carry out this desire his dad had.  Solomon spent 7 years building the temple for the Lord.  This made his dad glad!!

Just as David made preparation for Solomon to build the temple for God to dwell in, fathers are to make provision for their children to build a temple. I Corinthians 3:16 points out that God desires to live in us now, “Don’t you know that you are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you.” Then children are to take the provision of instruction and training in the Word from their fathers and build their lives to be a dwelling place for God.  This should make a glad dad (3 John 1:4 I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.)

Spend the day making your dad glad and leading your children to make their dad glad!

Let’s take this week before Father’s Day to concentrate on teaching our children to be grateful for their fathers, listen to their instruction, and make Glad Dads.   If your child does not have an earthly father, emphasize his relationship with his Heavenly Father.

…children take pride in their fathers
Proverbs 17:6

My son, hear the instruction of your father…
Proverbs 1:8

A person who loves wisdom makes his father happy…
Proverbs 29:3

Bible:

Proverbs 29:3 Are you doing those things that please your Dad?  The Bible says the best way to make your dad happy is to be wise – to do and say those things that please God – to choose to do the right thing.  We can ask God to help us make our  ‘dad glad’.

John 8:26-28 Jesus said, “I do always those things that please the Father:  His Father is God.  Jesus always pleased God.  Jesus said that He only talked about the things He had heard His Father talk about.  He said He did nothing but what His Father had taught Him to do.  God is our Father too and we should always please Him.  But God, who is our Heavenly Father, has given us an earthly Father.  We please God when we listen to our dads just as Jesus listened to his Dad.

Luke 15:11-22 There was a young man who didn’t listen to his dad.  He decided he wanted to leave his dad so he asked for all the money that belonged to him and he left.  When the son got far away, he began to do bad things in bad places with bad people.  Soon he had spent all his money and had nothing to eat and no where to go but back home to his father. He went home and told his dad that he was sorry for all the bad things he had done.  His dad was glad he came home; he forgave him for everything.

Ephesians 6:1-2 God tells children to obey their parents and to honor their father and mother.  This will please God and it will please your dad.  Obeying your parents means doing what they say to do.  Honoring your parents means to have respect for them – like when your dad is talking, be quiet until he has finished – or when your dad says something, don’t argue with him.  Obeying and honoring your parents will please your dad and it will please God.

Philippians 2:13 For God is working in you, giving you the desire to obey him and the power to do what pleases him. Jesus did always those things that pleased His Father.  How can we always do those things that please God and our dad?  The Bible says that God will work in us to do those things that please Him.  Sometimes when you find it hard to do the things that please God or your dad, remember that God promises to help you do the right things if you ask Him.

Prayer: God, thank you for my dad.  Help me to listen to him and obey.
Thank you that my dad takes care of me.  God, please take care of my dad and help him with all the things he has to do.

Suggested Activities:

1. Make a poster for the fridge with one of the Bible verse and a picture of dad and pictures of some things he does.
2. Play ‘Follow the Leader’ with dad being the leader.
3. Play ‘Dad Says’ like ‘Simon Says’.
4. Show things that belong to dad. Cover the items, sneak one item away, and let child guess what is missing.
5. Make hand prints on a plaque for dad.
6. Greet Dad with hugs and kisses at the door when he comes home from work.
7. Make a thank you card for dad.  List, draw, or find pictures of things dad does and thank him for doing them.
8. Color one of these pages from Ministry-to-Children.com or one of these pages from Kaboose.com
9. Bake cookies for Dad in shapes of things he uses such as a car, tie, hat, ball, tools, etc.
10. Talk about ways to make a ‘Glad Dad’:
    1. come when he calls
    2. listen when he talks
    3. hear and obey his instructions

Songs:

God Made My Daddy (listen)
(lyrics) God made my daddy; he helps me do so many things.
I love my daddy; he takes care of me
or
God is my Father; He helps me do so many things.
I love my Father; He takes care of me.”

Glad for Dad (listen)
(lyrics)I’m glad today; I’m glad today.
For my Dad, I’m glad today.
God, please help me make my Dad glad

Books
We’re Very Good Friends, My Father and I
The Prodigal Son (Arch Books)
Just Me and My Dad (Little Critter)

Lord Jesus, make Thyself to me

A living, bright Reality;

More present to faith’s vision keen

Than any outward object seen;

More dear, more intimately nigh,

Than even the sweetest earthly tie.

Train Up The Child is all about establishing God’s Word in our children.  Please take the time to watch this short video as Dale Hudson gives excellent suggestions as to how to get the Word from their heads to their hearts.  He points out that it is more about relationship than retention!!!  Keep praying for yourself and for your children the prayer above.

JUNE SPARK from Dale Hudson on Vimeo.

Lord Jesus, make Thyself to me

A living, bright Reality;

More present to faith’s vision keen

Than any outward object seen;

More dear, more intimately nigh,

Than even the sweetest earthly tie.

In all your training of your children, whether it be manners, the skill of riding a bike, the knack of organizing, the correct way to hold a pencil, or whatever – remember the most important thing you will ever pass on to your children is the attitude and desire summed up in the above poem/prayer by Charlotte Elliot.  Pray it passionately for yourself.  Be an example of one who truly knows Jesus and depends on Him for everything, so that your child will desire to know Jesus in the same way and will one day passionately pray this for himself.

Jeremiah 9:23-24
This is what the Lord says: “Let not the wise man gloat in his wisdom, or the mighty man in his might, or the rich man in his riches. Let them boast in this alone: that they truly know me and understand that I am the Lord who is just and righteous, whose love is unfailing, and that I delight in these things. I, the Lord, have spoken!