Sunday, July 12, 2015

Core Principles for Christian Parenting (Part 3)

Ephesians 4:17-32
Core Principles for Christian Parenting

I. Teach Your Child the Value of the Truth  v.25

II. Teach Your Child How to Handle Emotions v.26-27

The attitude of the home is equal to the environment in which we exist.
Emotions are barometers of our inner feelings.
Emotional disorders are often created by improper "learned" responses to normal emotions.
1. Depression = Anger turned inward
2. Anxiety = The repression of a truth about life
Children are Receptors and Reflectors.
You may have the right to be angry but it does not give you the right to be rude, mean or destructive. 
The Danger of Anger v.31  (The Progression of Anger)
·  Bitterness reflects a smoldering resentment.
·  Wrath has to do with rage. The word means to burn.
·  Anger is internal smoldering. Wrath is what we feel on the inside, but anger is what we show on the outside.
·  Clamor reflects the outburst that reveals loss of control. The word literally means loud quarreling.
·  Slander is the ongoing defamation of someone that rises from a bitter heart.
·  Malice is the general term for evil that is the root of all vices. Malevolence is wishing to invoke harm on others. It turns physical.

III. Teach Your Child the Importance of Responsibility v.28a

Responsibilities = identity = self-esteem.
Boredom = Not taking responsibility for personal happiness. 
The root of theft is selfishness.
A changed life is not controlled by selfish ambition and a high sense of entitlement. 
It is God’s plan for everyone to work who is able to do so.  

IV. Teach Your Child to Be Benevolent v.28b
The value of my life is best discerned by how many I benefit, not how many I can control.

Devotional Archive