We can easily decipher the values and priorities of parents by how they’re raising their children every day, how your day as a family is invested or spent, the focus of your trainings and conversations, and what’s most important for you to give your children (education, spirituality, gadgets, vacation, etc.).

Now, I’d like to ask that we each critically analyze what’s the most important legacy we want to give our children—that we are actively or passively invested in ensuring they become. This speaks to our values, whether we have intentionally set them or not. If the values don’t align with what we should be instilling as a family, it’s time to re-evaluate and intentionally set our parenting values.

So, I ask again: What’s the most valuable legacy we should give our children and how should we start inculcating this in them from today? What should guide our value formation and priority setting as godly parents?

Lessons from Father Abraham

Hearken to me, ye that follow after righteousness, ye that seek the LORD: look unto the rock whence ye are hewn, and to the hole of the pit whence ye are digged. Look unto Abraham your father, and unto Sarah that bare you: for I called him alone, and blessed him, and increased him.”

‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭51‬:‭1‬-‭2‬ ‭KJV‬‬

“For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD, to do justice and judgment; that the LORD may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him.”

‭‭Genesis‬ ‭18‬:‭19‬ ‭KJV‬‬

“It is true; I have singled him out as my own, so that he will lead his family and household to follow my ways and live by what is right and just. I will fulfill all the promises that I have spoken to him.””

‭‭Genesis‬ ‭18‬:‭19‬ ‭TPT‬

These scriptures provide valuable insights into Abraham’s family values and priorities:

✅Following the ways of God

✅Living right (upholding justice and righteousness)

✅Living justly (integrity)

These values reflect not only a personal relationship with God but also a commitment to making a positive impact in the community by standing up for what is right with wisdom, empathy, kindness, relevant skills and knowledge; and living with integrity.

Abraham’s household was known for its godliness, which was evident in the 318 trained men born in his household who he led in pursuit of Lot in Genesis 14:14-16. This demonstrates that his values went beyond personal spirituality and included training his household to defend against injustice and to be a force to be reckoned with in the world. 

Is it not amazing that a single family could take on five kings, each with full complement of military regiment, defeat them in war and recover their loots? This is the picture of the possibilities of a godly family raised with godly values and aligned with divine agenda! 

I trust that you have been stirred to examine your parenting priorities and values and align them with Abraham’s example as prescribed in the scriptures. This will open up your family to endless possibilities of greatness.

May the Lord guide you as you make a commitment to raise godly seeds for His glory, who would not only know God intimately and walk in His ways but also make significant impact in the world. 

God bless you! 

Watching the Movie, The Forge yesterday with my children reminded me of the teaching on Discipling our Children which the Lord asked me to do on our Parenting Community (Parents Raising Godly Children Community) in June 2024. I am inspired to share this again with every parent and I will encourage you to watch that movie also, The Forge. 

What does it mean to disciple? 

1. A disciple is someone who learns or studies or follows someone or something.
2. To disciple someone is to teach them about that person and what it means to follow.
3. Discipleship is the condition or situation of being a follower or a learner of a philosophy, belief or person.

Jesus came to restore what was lost; our relationship with God and place in the Kingdom. He gives us a pattern of sonship and demonstrates the ways of God’s Kingdom. He did this through discipleship and charged those He successfully discipled to then go into all the world and do same till the kingdom of this world becomes the Kingdom of our God and of His Christ!

Jesus tells us to “make disciples.”  Disciple literally means “student, learner or follower.” To make disciples is to teach people about Jesus and help them to follow Him. How? In 1 Corinthians 11:1 Paul says, “Follow me as I follow Christ.”  We can follow Jesus. We can tell others about Him. We can love God and love others and share the peace of Jesus like Jesus told us to. And in doing so, we are in fact making disciples.

How is this relevant in parenting?

”I have singled him out so that he will direct his sons and their families to keep the way of the Lord by doing what is right and just. Then I will do for Abraham all that I have promised.”“

‭‭Genesis‬ ‭18‬:‭19‬ ‭NLT‬‬

https://bible.com/bible/116/gen.18.19.NLT

”It is true; I have singled him out as my own, so that he will lead his family and household to follow my ways and live by what is right and just. I will fulfill all the promises that I have spoken to him.”“

‭‭Genesis‬ ‭18‬:‭19‬ ‭TPT‬‬

https://bible.com/bible/1849/gen.18.19.TPT

“The most important job you have as a parent is to train and disciple your

children.” Voddie Baucham

Parenting is God’s discipleship model/design and structure for raising godly seed and filling the earth with godliness (the ways of the Kingdom). God is counting on parents to disciple their children in the ways of the kingdom of God. And that can only happen when the parents themselves have been adequately discipled. 

For parents, to make a disciple would mean that their children would grow up to being Christ-like, following Christ as a lifestyle and making disciples of others too.

It occurred to me that a probable reason Abraham didn’t have Isaac immediately God promised him is because he had to be with God first to learn His ways and purpose which he would then pass on to his own children. 

”When Abram was ninety-nine years old, Yahweh appeared to him again and said, “I am the God who is more than enough. Live your life in my presence and be blameless. I will confirm my covenant between me and you, and I will greatly multiply your descendants.”“

‭‭Genesis‬ ‭17‬:‭1‬-‭2‬ ‭TPT‬‬

https://bible.com/bible/1849/gen.17.1-2.TPT

The protocol was also repeated in Jesus’ call to His disciples:

“Follow me and I will make you fishers of others for me.”

The goal of discipleship is to make people know who Jesus is and what it means to follow him. We cannot make anyone even our children to follow Christ unless we can live exemplary such that they experience first hand through us who Jesus is and what it means to follow him. And this is not speaking to perfection or morality, but to having a sincere heart with God. If our children cannot testify of experiencing Jesus of the Bible through their daily interactions with us, His love, patience, kindness, integrity, character etc, then we’re yet to start. That is discipleship! 

I had a discussion with a teenager who told me that she could see that her parent has drifted from the faith. She said he says all the right things but he doesn’t live right. I was amazed because the children indeed see us beyond what we think is obvious. They’re more convinced through our being than our sayings. God is either believable or otherwise to them through their daily interactions with us. Haven’t you heard of some pastors’ children going into rebellion against God and not wanting to have anything to do with the church because they saw the hypocrisy and double standards of their parents first hand while some have good testimony because of the examples of their godly parents! 

We cannot give what we do not have. To disciple others, we must be disciples ourselves. Carrying our cross daily, following after our Master.

Therefore this is a call to becoming first and then discipling. 

”The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach,“

‭‭Acts‬ ‭1‬:‭1‬ ‭KJV‬‬

https://bible.com/bible/1/act.1.1.KJV

Jesus DID before He TAUGHT. And what he did flowed out of His BEING. 

Parents – follow Jesus. 

Show your children what it means to be Christ-like. 

Talk about Him with them.

Share the hope you have, forgiveness, restoration, joy etc

Teach them who Jesus is and what it means to follow him. 

Talk about Him when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up (Duet. 6:7). 

Make disciples!

I pray for every parent reading this that the Lord will find godly seeds in our Children, we will be destiny partners with populating the earth with godliness through our children and may we be able to present our children to God as worthy stewards of His precious gifts in Jesus name, amen

I will like to hear your thoughts on this, how you have been Discipling your children and your renewed commitments to God towards this cause. Please share in the comments.

 Imagine standing at the finish line of a relay race, watching as runners pass the baton to the next generation. This is the story of legacy; the lasting impact of our lives, values and faith. According to Oxford Dictionary, legacy is the long lasting impact of past events or a person’s life. But what does it truly mean to leave a legacy?

 A Concern for Faith

 Jesus once asked, “When the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:8). This haunting question reveals God’s desire to preserve faith across generations. To understand faith, let’s revisit Jesus’ parable about a persistent widow. She refused to give up, demonstrating patience and trust. This is faith – not just a feeling, but a choice to persevere.

 The Father of Faith

 Abraham, the father of faith, learned patience and trust through his journey with God. For 25 years, he waited for the promised son, Isaac. Then, God tested his loyalty, priority, and trust by asking him to sacrifice Isaac. Abraham’s response revealed the essence of faith: unwavering trust, love for God above all else, and loyalty. Genesis 18:19 shows why God chose Abraham to start a new generation: “For I have known him, in order that he may command his children and his household after him, that they keep the way of the Lord…” 

 A Legacy of Faith

 Abraham’s story teaches us that faith is:

– Patience in uncertainty

– Trust in God’s faithfulness

– Loyalty to God above all else

– Prioritizing God’s ways

In today’s fast-paced world, we often crave instant gratification, seeking God’s power without embracing His character. But faith requires perseverance.

As we reflect on our own legacy, we must ask: What kind of faith are we passing on to the next generation? 

 The Story Continues…

 Will you pass on the batons of faith to your children and grandchildren? The legacy of faith is too precious to fade away. Stay tuned for Part 2, where we’ll explore practical ways to build a lasting family legacy. 

Reflection Questions:

 1. What does faith mean to you? 

2. How are you passing on the legacy of faith to the next generation? 

3. What values and traditions do you want to leave behind?

Prayer Request:
Share your prayer requests for your family legacy.

Building a family legacy of faith requires intentionality, patience and prayer. May God guide and empower you as you pass on the batons of faith to the next generation.

I would love to hear from you, please share your thoughts and experience on family legacy of faith. Do leave us a comment, like and share this blog post.

Thank you and see you next time for the concluding part of this post.

Contact Us: prgccng@gmail.com
Social Media: @Parents_raising_godly_children

As parents, we often focus on providing for our children’s physical and material needs, but forget the vital importance of our own well-being and relationship with our spouses. This week, we dedicated time to praying for ourselves and our spouses, recognizing that we are the foundation upon which our homes and children are built, with Jesus as the chief cornerstone.

The Importance of Couples’ Unity
Regardless of family structure – married, divorced, single-parenting, or blended – it’s essential for both parents to work together harmoniously for the sanity and healthy growth of their children. Statistics reveal the significance of couples’ unity on their children’s outcomes:

• Children from harmonious households develop emotional intelligence (85%) and social skills (80%) (National Center for Health Statistics, 2019)
• Kids exposed to parental conflict are 2-3 times more likely to experience anxiety, depression, and behavioral issues (American Psychological Association, 2019)
• Children from cohesive families have better academic performance (75%) and higher self-esteem (70%) (Journal of Marriage and Family, 2018)

Tips for Improving Harmonious Relations

1. Effective Communication: Active listening, clear expression, and constructive feedback are crucial.
2. Conflict Resolution: Forgive and resolve conflicts amicably, without holding grudges or compromising boundaries.
3. Emotional Intelligence: Recognize, manage, and use emotions to motivate and achieve great results.
4. Shared Parenting Responsibilities: Balance financial and non-financial responsibilities to raise well-rounded children.
5. Quality Time Together: Nurture your relationship through intentional time spent together.

Rebuilding and Restoring Our Homes
If you’re struggling, remember that God is love and can help fix broken vessels. Seek His guidance, pray, and have open conversations with your partner to renew your vision for your relationship.

Key Takeaways

• Children from stable, loving households tend to have healthier relationships (75%) and better mental health (70%) in adulthood (Journal of Family Issues, 2019)
• Adults who experienced parental conflict during childhood are more likely to experience relationship difficulties (55%) and mental health issues (50%) (Journal of Marriage and Family, 2018)

Conclusion
As parents, we have the responsibility to create a loving atmosphere in our homes, where our children can thrive and become loving individuals. By prioritizing our own well-being, relationships, and unity, we can build a strong foundation for our families and secure a brighter future for our children.

Reflection Questions

1. How can you improve communication with your spouse?
2. What conflicts need resolving, and how can you work together?
3. How can you prioritize quality time together?
4. What shared parenting responsibilities need rebalancing?
5. Seek God’s guidance and support in rebuilding and restoring your home.

May God bless you as you strive to build a strong, loving family foundation.