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What kind of life are we preparing our children for? This world is pulling our children in so many different directions and many times influencing them in ways that are not good for them or for society. How should we raise our children to not only be successful adults, but people of integrity, honesty and faith?

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

There are many ways to train up our children. Some methods are good and some are bad. The best methods are those found in Scripture. Here are a few that I believe are of great value to our children and that we as parents should not neglect to teach our children.

Exodus 20:12 – Honor your father and your mother: that your days may be long upon the land which Yahweh your Elohim gives you.

Children should be taught to respect, esteem, and obey their parents, not only for the sake of peace and harmonious living, but because by doing so Yahweh will grant them a long life. To dishonor one’s parents will result in much grief and a shortened life span.

Leviticus 19:3 –  You shall fear every man his mother, and his father, and keep my sabbaths: I am Yahweh your Elohim.

In this verses, “fear” means to reverence or highly esteem one’s parents. We are to treat them like kings and queens and meet their needs whenever possible including caring for them in their old age as they cared for us when we could not care for ourselves in our young age.

Ephesians 6:1 – Children, obey your parents in [Yahweh]: for this is right.

Colossians 3:20 – Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto Yahweh.

When children obey their parents, it leads to a peaceful home which runs smoothly and efficiently. Disobedient children cause chaos and disruptions that then lead to anger, ill feelings, rebellion, hatred and a host of other emotions and actions that grieve the heart of our Creator, Yahweh.

John 3:16 – For [Elohim] so loved the world, that He gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

This, of course, is the most important instruction for children as well as adults. Everything we do in life will be a total waste if we lose our souls come judgment day because we did not believe in Yahweh’s only begotten Son Yeshua.

Psalm 119:9 – How shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to your word.

Children need to be taught to read and meditate on Yahweh’s Word (the Bible/Scriptures) daily. As imperative as literal food is to our physical life, so is spiritual food to our spiritual life. Without hearing the Word read and doing what it says, our spiritual life will just wither away.

Psalm 148:12-13 – Both young men, and maidens; old men, and children: Let them praise the name of Yahweh: for His name alone is excellent; His glory is above the earth and heaven.

Our children, as well as us adults, can get so caught up in life that we forget to praise Yahweh for His goodness to us and thank Him for all His blessings. Children need to be taught to take time out of their busy schedules to commune with their Creator and praise His name.

Proverbs 3:1-3 – My son, forget not my law; but let your heart keep my commandments: For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to you. Let not mercy and truth forsake you: bind them about your neck; write them upon the table of your heart:

Obedience to Yahweh’s commandments are of the utmost importance. According to 1 John 3:4, “Sin is the transgression of the law”. Children must learn what the law (Torah) says and obey it’s commands so they will not sin.

Mercy and truth are “weightier matters of the law.” Through showing mercy towards others, Yahweh will show mercy towards us when we stand before the judge of our souls. Yeshua said he was “the truth” and the Scriptures say, “thy Word is truth”. Faith in Yeshua (the truth) and obedience to the Word of Yahweh (the truth) are identifying character traits of the believers in the latter days (Revelation 12:17).

Proverbs 8:32-33 – Now therefore listen to me, O you children: for blessed are they that keep my ways. Hear instruction, and be wise, and refuse it not.

Proverbs 13:1 – A wise son hears his father’s instruction: but a scorner hears not rebuke.

In Proverbs 8 above, wisdom is personified as it speaks to children. We need to teach our children to acquire wisdom through asking Yahweh for it in prayer,  developing it through studying the Scriptures, and gaining it through the teachers in their lives. They need to be taught to crave knowledge which will bear the fruit of wisdom.

Proverbs 19:27 – Cease, my son, to hear the instruction that causes to err from the words of knowledge.

We need to teach our children to be discerning, to ask Yahweh to give them the gift of discernment, and teach them Torah so they will know the difference between right and wrong. There will be many people in their lives that will lead them astray unless they are firmly grounded in knowledge and truth.

Ecclesiastes 12:1 – Remember now your Creator in the days of your youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when you shall say, I have no pleasure in them;

The best time to remember one’s Creator and draw near to Him is when we are young. In this way, Yahweh will lead us in the proper path early in life, sparing us from the evil days that inevitably come when we are separated from Him.

2 Timothy 2:22 – Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, love, peace, with them that call on the Master out of a pure heart.

The lusts of the flesh have a very strong pull on our youth. This world seems to revolve around sex and self satisfaction. Everywhere we turn there is something to stir up lust through visual, auditory or tactical stimulation. If our youth are firmly grounded in Torah and are being led by the Holy Spirit, these lusts will be easier to flee. It is made even easier when they associate with other youth that call upon Yahweh for help and guidance rather than associating with unbelievers that will draw them into sin or away from Yahweh and Yeshua.

Titus 2:6-8 – Young men likewise exhort to be sober minded. In all things showing yourself a pattern of good works: in doctrine showing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity,  sound speech, that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you.

Not only should our children abstain from mind altering drugs and alcohol, but they need to be trained to put away foolishness and the things that tend to foolishness. In doing so, they will set a good example for other youth.

Our children will not have us around all the time to assist them through life. They need to be taught to be dependent on Yahweh rather than us or self. They need to know Torah, to know Yahweh and Yeshua, and to pray fervently for Yahweh’s protection, guidance, provision, and salvation through His Son Yeshua. May it be so.