Raising Little Rascals Series

Raising Little Rascals

Pastor Glenn Newton May 16, 2004

“COL 3:21 Fathers, do not embitter your children, or they will become discouraged.”

“ EPH 6:4 Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and

instruction of the Lord.”

“ PR 3:11 My son, do not despise the LORD’s discipline and do not resent his rebuke,

PR 3:12 because the LORD disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in.

PR 3:13 Blessed is the man who finds wisdom, the man who gains understanding,”

This morning I want to encourage you as you are raising your children, as you are doing

all that you know to bring them up in the knowledge of God.... don’t give up, don’t ever

think that you can’t do it. The truth is this morning you, as the parent have more influence

over your child than anyone else in the world.....that’s a great responsiblility we need to

allow God to teach us how to handle that responsibility.

PR 12:1 Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates correction is

stupid.” King Soloman, the writer of Proverbs, and acknowledged as one of the wisest

men ever to live has some strong words for us this morning doesn’t he? Parents, we need

to be disciplined by God, and learn what it means to be a good parent, so then we can pass

this knowledge down to our kids, and we do that through training and discipline... it’s

called loving our kids.

The Apostle Paul has given us some instructions on what not to do as parents, we read in

Eph. and Colossians about the same thing, listen to his words...

“COL 3:21 Fathers, do not embitter your children, or they will become discouraged.”

“ EPH 6:4 Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the

training and instruction of the Lord.”

That word exasperate comes from the root word in the Greek which literally means “to

make one hostile towards something”. Obviously thats not the goal of good parenting.

How we go about training and teaching our children has a profound impact on them...

How many of you here this morning would say that your parents style of discipline, their

way of raising you has impacted how you raised your kids? Anyone?

When our kids make a mistake, how do you treat that mistake? We are going to talk

about that in a few minutes... let me share a story I read...

One Saturday morning, 6 year old Brandon decided to fix his parents pancakes. He found

a big bowl and spoon, pulled the chair to the counter, opened a cabinet and pulled out the

flour, spilling it on the floor. He scooped some of the flour into a bowl with his hands,

mixed in most of a cup of milk and added some sugar, leaving a floury trail on the floor

which by now he had a few tracks left by the kitten.

Brandon was covered with flour and getting frustrated. He wanted this to be something

very special for Mom and Dad, but it was going from bad to worse. He didn’t know what

to do next, whether to put it all into the oven or on the stove... and he didn’t know how

either of them worked!

Suddenly he saw his kitten licking from a bowl of mix and reached to push her away,

knocking the egg carton to the floor. Frantically he tried to clean up this monumental

mess but slipped on the eggs, getting his pj’s all white and sticky. Just then he saw Dad

standing at the door. (What would your kids think if they were caught in this situation?)

Big tears welled up in Brandon’s eyes. All he’d wanted to do was something good, but

he’d made a terrible mess. He was sure a scolding was coming, maybe even a spanking.

But his Father just watched him. Then, walking over through the mess, he picked up his

crying son, hugged him and loved him, getting his own pj’s all white and sticky in the

process.

Life is full of teachable moments.... this morning I want to share with you some guidelines

on how to discipline your children... really how to shape your child’s will, so that they can

make good choices.

How many parents here this morning understand what I mean when I say that kids have a

strong will? Maybe you have been blessed with a strong willed child... let me tell you

something, you have a great treasure... it may not feel like it, but that strong willed child

could become one of our next great leaders, one of our next great Preachers, Doctor’s,

Teachers...... but the key to becoming great at anything is discipline, that will must be