2 Tim3:14 -17 “But as for you , continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is God breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man or woman of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

It is no easy feat today to raise children as there are so many competing messages vying for their attention and loyalty. So how do you bring them up so that they grow into spectacular contributors of society? How do we stop this current trend of our children growing up in self destructive patterns of behaviour? How do we arrest this process? How do we change things? Let me say this parents, I believe you alone have the power to make this change happen. Forget about all the courses and training seminars that are available and get back to the basics.

Here are the basics to change the fabric of our society for the better, by growing up great children into spectacular adults. Here is all you need:

1. A bible – God’s handbook for human life and development. The bible is no ordinary book, it is a supernatural book that when read and listened to on a regular basis fashions, forms and shapes the mind, will and character of the individual that gazes into it.

2. Find a good Christian church that will back you up in what God is teaching your child through bible reading.

Advice:

Just make sure you get a modern language bible translation like the New International Version, New Living Translation or the Message just to name a few. Then go to work at growing up a great future for us all!

Develop a daily family practice of reading the bible together. Begin this process for your child at the moment of conception. Just you and your wife take turns at reading and discussing the Scripture to work out what God is teaching you about life.

Read about Creation in Genesis, read about wisdom in Proverbs, Psalms for worship and awe of God, and finally read the New Testament Matthew, Mark, Luke and John etc to discover what Jesus said about life.

Then pray a simple prayer asking God to back up his Word that All Scripture is God breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man or woman of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

In conclusion, here is the deal… the younger you start this practice the more wise your child will grow, which means they have a far better chance of not making serious mistakes. It is the holy Scriptures that are read to a child when they are young that sets them up for a spectacular future. Parents this is not just for our kids it’s for us as well, for as we read and listen to the scriptures God actually transforms our lives as well. Stress, worry and concern for the future fade away and our life is filled with faith hope and love. As I said, the bible is a supernatural book because it is God breathed!

A final word to my friends the skeptics: I have been exactly where you are at right now and I made a cold calculated simple decision that went like this…What have I got to lose! The existing system is not working, ever man and his dog has an opinion so why don’t I just give God’s opinion a shot first!! You don’t have to spend hundreds of dollars. You just need to get a modern translation bible and start to make a practice of reading it together daily, who knows, God might just show up out of the pages revealing himself to you!

Let’s build a great future for us all by growing up great kids!

Bless ya heaps
Pastor Kev