Deuteronomy 6Deuteronomy 6

Raising Awesome KidsRaising Awesome Kids

Welcome to our Annual Friends Welcome to our Annual Friends and Family Dayand Family Day

•Hosted each year on the day prior Hosted each year on the day prior to our kids going back to schoolto our kids going back to school

•Day to celebrate family and Day to celebrate family and friends.friends.

•Usually preach about family, and Usually preach about family, and especially church family.especially church family.

•Today, I want to focus on one Today, I want to focus on one aspect of family – our kids.aspect of family – our kids.

How Do We Raise The Most How Do We Raise The Most Awesome Kids on Earth?Awesome Kids on Earth?

• Proper understanding of parentingProper understanding of parenting• Proper understanding of what’s most Proper understanding of what’s most

important in this worldimportant in this world• Proper understanding of the importance of Proper understanding of the importance of

children in God’s eternal plan.children in God’s eternal plan.

Seeking A Well-Rounded EducationSeeking A Well-Rounded Education

Most parents and grandparents are Most parents and grandparents are very concerned about what kids learn very concerned about what kids learn in schoolin school

•We want a well-rounded educationWe want a well-rounded education

•We fuss when our kids don’t get We fuss when our kids don’t get what we think they should.what we think they should.

•We expect them to learn the 3 Rs – We expect them to learn the 3 Rs – and also some science, history, and also some science, history, geography and other subjects.geography and other subjects.

Our Home LivesOur Home Lives

• Do we appreciate that a big part of our kids’ Do we appreciate that a big part of our kids’ educations start at home?educations start at home?

• What we teach kids about what is most What we teach kids about what is most important in this life will have a major impact important in this life will have a major impact on how they pursue careers and on how they pursue careers and opportunities in the future.opportunities in the future.

• Do we help our kids decide what things are Do we help our kids decide what things are the very most important in this world?the very most important in this world?

The Most Important Subject EverThe Most Important Subject Ever

• What is the most important subject our kids What is the most important subject our kids will ever learn?will ever learn?

• Deuteronomy 6:1-2 -- Deuteronomy 6:1-2 -- These are the These are the commands, decrees and laws the LORD your God commands, decrees and laws the LORD your God directed me to teach you to observe in the land directed me to teach you to observe in the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess, so that you are crossing the Jordan to possess, so that you, your children and their children after that you, your children and their children after them may fear the LORD your God as long as you them may fear the LORD your God as long as you live by keeping all his decrees and commands that live by keeping all his decrees and commands that I give you, and so that you may enjoy long life.I give you, and so that you may enjoy long life.

• Learning God’s decrees is our most important school subject

• Such learning will not take place in public schools so must take place at home.

• What is the promise of such an education? Long life in the land God has given us.

Am I A Godly ParentAm I A Godly Parent

•It takes more than being a godly It takes more than being a godly parent to raise godly kids.parent to raise godly kids.

•Some notable failures:Some notable failures:•EliEli•DavidDavid•HezekiahHezekiah

Godly Parents Must Dispense Godly Godly Parents Must Dispense Godly EducationEducation

•Deuteronomy 6:6-9 -- Deuteronomy 6:6-9 -- These These commandments that I give you today commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your doorframes of your houses and on your gates. gates.

How Do We Impress Our Kids With God’s Will?

•Begins with our having God’s word upon Begins with our having God’s word upon our own hearts.our own hearts.

•Includes creative dissemination tools for Includes creative dissemination tools for proper grounding in the truthproper grounding in the truth

•Demands constant attention, Demands constant attention, reinforcement and nurturing to bear fruit.reinforcement and nurturing to bear fruit.

We Will Be Rewarded For This Diligence

• Deuteronomy 6:25 -- And if we are careful to obey all this law before the LORD our God, as he has commanded us, that will be our righteousness.“

• One of our greatest rewards is to see another generation of children embrace the Lord God and devote themselves to His perfect will.

A Word To Our Children

• You must not wait around for parents to take the initiative.

• Just as you work hard at school, so work hard to know the word of God.

• Invest yourselves in every opportunity to grow in faith and knowledge of the word.

• Help your parents to help you by being interested and involved in Bible learning at home.

•Our world is suffering tremendously today because Bible education is so lacking.•We wonder what’s wrong with the youth in our world today, when we see so much violence and waywardness and self-destruction.•We must ask an important question:

•Am I living up to my responsibility Am I living up to my responsibility as a parent to raise truly awesome as a parent to raise truly awesome kids?kids?