We’ve seen over and over that the training of our children begins with our own humble response to the Holy Spirit’s work in our lives. We are discipling — disciple-ing, not just disciplining — our children. A disciple imitates his teacher. Our children will imitate us, whether we want them to or not, so one of the best ways to raise God-fearing children is to be a God-fearing parent.
Don’t let all this review that we’re doing discourage you. If you’ve been convicted in several areas, remember — God loves you because of what Jesus has done, not because of what you do. Because of what Jesus has done, we have the power to change with the Holy Spirit’s help. In the meantime, God’s strength is made perfect (or complete) in our weakness (2 Cor. 12:9).
We don’t have to be perfect to be good parents. We just need to place our faith in the One who is perfect, and let our children see us confess and repent when we sin. They need to see us resting in His finished work on the cross and moving on in faith. Then they will learn that they don’t have to be perfect children either. They can be imperfect-but-growing, saved by grace and beloved children of God because of His Son’s perfect sacrifice.
Be patient with yourself and with your children. Change takes time. It takes prayer. It takes the Holy Spirit. God will complete what He has started in your life and in the lives of your children.
“And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ ” (Philippians1:6, ESV).
Assignment: Pray for the Holy Spirit’s convicting, sanctifying work in your life. Then continue reviewing all the lessons we have done this month. If you don’t finish today, keep working on your review before you move on to Day 31.
For your children:
Below is a list of verses we have looked at together with the children over the past month. Let’s review these today.
Read the verses, leaving out the word that is in parentheses and letting the children supply it. (Or read from your preferred translation, leaving out the appropriate word.) If you have young children, you may want to choose just a few of the verses, or read half of them at two different times during the day.
Take a minute to talk about each verse and what they learned about it.
We will be coming back to some of these verses again tomorrow during our treasure hunt.
- And Joshua said to them, “Pass on before the ark of the LORD your God into the midst of the Jordan, and take up each of you a stone upon his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the people of Israel, that this may be a sign among you. When your children ask in time to come, ‘What do those (stones) mean to you?’ (Josh. 4:5-6, ESV)
- “You shall therefore lay up these words of mine in your heart and in your soul, and you shall bind them as a sign on your (hand), and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes (Deut. 11:18 ESV).
- Children, obey your parents in (everything), for this pleases the Lord (Col. 3:20 ESV).
- Hear, my son, your father’s instruction, and forsake not your (mother’s) teaching (Prov 1:8, ESV).
- Then the LORD called Samuel, and he said, “Here I am!” and ran to Eli and said, “(Here I am), for you called me.” But he said, “I did not call; lie down again.” So he went and lay down (1Sam. 3:4-5, ESV).
- For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the (gift) of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast (Eph. 2:8-9, ESV).
- I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner (worthy) of the calling to which you have been called (Eph. 4:1, ESV).
- Let no corrupting talk come out of your (mouths), but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear (Eph. 4:29, ESV).
- The (lips) of the righteous feed many, but fools die for lack of sense (Prov. 10:21, ESV).
- The good person out of the good (treasure) of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks (Luke 6:45, ESV).
- Set a guard, O LORD, over my mouth; keep watch over the (door) of my lips! (Psalm 141:3, ESV).
- So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things. How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small (fire)! (James 3:5, ESV).
- And the whole congregation of the people of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness, and the people of Israel said to them, “Would that we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the meat pots and ate (bread) to the full, for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger” (Exodus 16:2-3, ESV).
- He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the (shadow) of the Almighty (Psalm 91:1, ESV).
- The beginning of strife is like letting out (water), so quit before the quarrel breaks out (Prov. 17:14, ESV).
- As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for (good), to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today (Gen. 50:20, ESV).