Deuteronomy 11:19
“And ye shall teach them your children, speaking of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.”
When God gives a child to a couple, they acquire a duty to teach them in the ways of the LORD. One of the greatest mindsets that a parent must acquire if they are going to turn their children out for the LORD is that the child does not belong to them, but the child belongs to God. When a parent acquires this mindset, the verse above won’t be difficult to apply. Deuteronomy 11:18-20 shows five things a parent must do in teaching the next generation for the LORD.
First, a parent must take responsibility. The verse above says, “And ye shall teach…” You will never train children to serve the LORD until you realize it is your responsibility to do this. It is not the pastor’s or youth pastor’s responsibility to train your child, but it is yours. Certainly, the authorities you allow in your child’s life can help in training, but it is ultimately your responsibility to train your child. You will never turn your child out for the LORD until you take full responsibility for training them.
Second, it takes an example to train the next generation for the LORD. Verse 18 says, “Therefore shall ye lay up these my words in your heart and in your soul, and bind them for a sign upon your hand, that they may be as frontlets between your eyes.” Don’t expect your children to do what you teach if you are not being an example. Teaching always starts with an example. If there is no example, teaching is just a noise or a form of entertainment. If you want your children to do right, be sure that you are doing right.
Third, it takes information to train the next generation. The verse above commands the parent to “teach them.” Many children never turn out for the LORD because their parents never taught them what was right. Yes, children heard the commands given, but they were never taught why they were to obey those commands. There must come a time when you teach your children from the Scriptures why you live the way you do and do the things you do. Parent, take the time to show your children what you believe from the Scriptures; this will go a long ways into turning them out for the LORD.
Fourth, it takes repetition to train the next generation. If you look at how many times you are to train your children the truth, you will see that God is enforcing the importance of repetition. Don’t let the Devil deceive you into not being repetitious about teaching your children. They may have heard you say something a hundred times, but you must keep on saying it because that is how it is engraved into their hearts.
Fifth, it takes proclamation to train the next generation. Verse 20 says, “And thou shalt write them upon the door posts of thine house, and upon thy gates:” The best way to keep your children walking in the ways of the LORD is to proclaim to everyone that you are Christian. Proclaiming who you belong to will help to keep the bad crowd away from you. Like Joshua, proclaim that you and your family will serve the LORD.
My friend, these five things are paramount to training the next generation for the LORD. I challenge you to follow the LORD’s advice and see how it influences your children for right.