Fighting For Your Family - Part 4 Series

Fighting for Your Family

Open: Welcome to Restoration Fellowship Church and our series “Fighting for Your Family”!

We are glad you’re here! We started this series three weeks ago. Today is the final message in the series. Let’s review what we’ve learned already...

REVIEW from Last Three Weeks

FIRST WEEK: # 1 – THERE IS NO

SUCH THING AS A PERFECT FAMILY

# 2 – ONLY FAMILIES THAT LIVE BY

GODLY PRINCIPLES SURVIVE AND

THRIVE

# 3 - IT DOESN’T TAKE PERFECTION

TO MAKE A GREAT FAMILY, BUT IT

DOES TAKE WORK

SECOND WEEK: we talked about being

a WARRIOR for your family

#1 – Your Spiritual Life Strengthens or

Weakens Every Relationship You Have

in the Family

# 2 - Your Spiritual Life Impacts Your

Integrity in The Home

# 3 – Your Spiritual Life Impacts Your

Ability to Settle Conflict Within Your

Family

LAST WEEK: Building a Family that Will

Last

A Family That Will Last Has....

1.

Strong Sense of Commitment

2. StrongCommunion(timespent

together)

3. StrongCommunication

4. StrongCopingSkills

Message Title: Raising Your Kids the

“Right” Way

Notice the word “right” in quotations because right according to whom?

As Christians, we need to see what the Bible says, not necessarily what “others” say.

TEXT:

Hebrews 12:5-11:

“My son, do not make light of the Lord’s

discipline, and do not lose heart when

he rebukes you, because the Lord

disciplines those he loves, and he

punishes everyone he accepts as a

son.” Endure hardship as discipline;

God is treating you as sons. For what

son is not disciplined by his father? If

you are not disciplined (and everyone

undergoes discipline), then you are

illegitimate children and not true sons.

Moreover, we have all had human

fathers who disciplined us and we

respected them for it. How much more

should we submit to the Father of our

spirits and live! Our fathers disciplined

us for a little while as they thought best;

but God disciplines us for our good, that

we may share in his holiness. No

discipline seems pleasant at the time,

but painful. Later on, however, it

produces a harvest of righteousness

and peace for those who have been

trained by it.

This verse teaches us how God deals with his children. Since we are created in God’s image, it also teaches us about the way earthly parents should discipline their children. Notice this:



We are to study God’s methods in dealing with

us and then use those methods in dealing with our children. As God raises his children, so we are to raise ours.

 Discipline is a sign of love. v. 6

 Discipline is a sign of sonship. vv. 7-

8

Discipline produces godly fruit. vv.

10-11

In a sense Hebrews 12 calls us to look

to God as the model parent.

Godly parenting begins with the

study of God—his character, his

methods, his ways, and most of all, his

Word.

Let’s look at 6 biblical principles

regarding raising our children.

Principle #1: We Should Not Shy

Away from this Topic Because of

Cultural Pressure

 There is a large, well-organized, well-financed, and well-publicized antispanking movement in America. It is led by psychologists, social workers, and educational leaders who strongly oppose all forms of physical discipline of children.

 It has led to something called “child- centered parenting” where parents are instructed to look at their children as friends more than as children needing their direction and guidance.

(See “When to Spank,” US News and World Report, April 13, 1998 for a detailed analysis of the factors that led to the antispanking movement.)

 AsIlookbacktothewayIwas raised, it occurs to me that either there was no antispanking movement when I was growing up or my parents definitely didn’t believein it!

 It isn’t my purpose to offer a detailed argument in favor of spanking.

 I will say that Focus on the Family believes there is a place for mild spanking in the discipline of children ages two to ten.

 It’s also fair to say that no one I know believes that spanking should be the major tool parents use to raise their children. If you are spanking your children every day, or almost every

day, then you probably need some instruction in good childrearing methods.

 My position is the same as Focus on the Family: Mild spanking has a place in a child’s discipline but it should never be the main tool parents use to motivate their children to obey.

Principle #2: Biblical Discipline Must

Reflect a Proper Mixture of Law and

Grace.

 God always begins with law and moves to grace. Even in the Garden of Eden, God told Adam not to eat from one particular tree. That’s law.

 Later would come words of grace and forgiveness.

 When we raise our children, we must start with law. We must give them