Today's Passage - Ephesians 6:4

River of Life Christian Church ︳www.rolcc.net/english Ephesians 6:4   "Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord."   This was not just spoken to the fathers, but it reminds all the parents to uphold principles when they are teaching their children, else the children don't know how to behave.  There are two feelings here: Exasperating the children will first make them mad and then make them lose hope.  Fury and despair are expressions for the dissatisfaction inside many children because their parents do not uphold sound principles when they discipline their children.  What are the basic principles in disciplining children?   First, pay close attention to the children and spend time with them.  Some parents claim to spend time with their children, but they are not really paying attention to them.  Sometimes they will watch TV and work on computers while playing with children, which is same as telling the children: "I'd rather do anything else than playing with you."  Children always receive the message of love through action.  A big hug is better than saying "I love you," and playing sports together beats giving them an expensive gift.  One time, a judge was questioning a suspect, and the judge was shocked when he learned the name of the young man's father.  He asked the young man, "your father is a famous authority in law, and his book helped me to pass the bar exam, so why are you bringing shame to his name?"  The young man answered: "During the years that he dedicated to writing the book, every time I entered his room he would kick me out.  When I was sad he didn't comfort me and when I did wrong he didn't correct.  That book made you a judge, but it made me a criminal."  Don't ever neglect the time that you spend with your children.  If you don't discipline them when they are young, when you try to discipline them after they grow up it will be too late.   Second, disciplining needs to be done with principle and timeliness.  If children do something wrong, they need to be corrected immediately.  It would be too late to discipline them after a day because they won't even remember what happened, and it will simply "exasperate" them.  Also, disciplining needs to be effective, so children needs to feel punished when they are being punished.  Touching their hands lightly will never be effective.  Children can be timed out, stand against the wall, or have some privileges such as watching TV taken away.  Parents must find the most effective method to discipline the children, and both parents must take the same stand.  If parents have different standards, children won't know what to follow.   Third, we must bring our children to God.  Not only in church or Sunday school, but through our word, action and teaching we need to bring the hearts of our children to the Lord.  The Bible says that we ought to "train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it."  Parents, are you willing to teach your children this way?                                                                                    Pray with Pastor Tong           Lord, I thank you because children are heritage given by you.  When we are concerned about our kids, we ask that you listen to our cry from your throne.  In this time filled with disobedience, may you give all the children a soft and teachable heart.  Give us wisdom to know how to teach our children to live before you all their life.  I thank you and I pray in the victorious name of Jesus, amen!