| “You shall teach them to your children, speaking of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.” – Deuteronomy 11:19 |
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| The T in PARENT means TEACHER Looking at Deuteronomy 11:19 we need to immediately know that the “them” refers to God’s Word from verse 18. Deuteronomy 11:19 gives instructions to PARENTS to INSTRUCT their children and gives parents a variety of ways to INSTRUCT children. The BIBLE teaches that PARENTS are to be TEACHING the WORD of GOD to their CHILDREN. So often we think of a place to teach our children but it is a PERSON(s) that is to teach our children and the first person with the top responsibility of teaching God’s Word to their children is the PARENTS of the children. For some of you, this is INCREDIBLY challenging. It was for me. It is one thing to be a learner and a whole different thing to be a teacher. I had to learn to teach. One of the lessons I learned for teaching was that I was to be learning not just for myself but for my children. This meant that during my quiet time, I was reading for me and for them. This meant that when listening to a sermon I was listening for me and for them. There would be numerous times I would read or hear something that I knew the Holy Spirit was impressing me to share with my children. Another big lesson for me was to be watching for as well as creating TEACHABLE MOMENTS in order to pour into my children Biblical truth. Teachable moments arise when questions come up. Be ever so careful when your child is curious and asking questions about spiritual things. Don’t quench that curiosity. Give answers to their question or find the answers. As a matter of fact, fuel curiosity by asking questions. Jesus not only answered questions from the disciples He Himself would ask questions! As you look at the instructions from Deuteronomy 11:19, it really does give some very practical “suggestions” for teaching your children. There is the time sitting in your house which today may be when you are eating a meal. There is the time when you are walking which today would be driving. Then there is when you lie down and when you rise up. I have a friend who likes to say BIBLE BEFORE BED and BIBLE BEFORE BREAKFAST. Friends, end each day with a Bible verse and start each day with a Bible verse. It could be the same one for a week. It could be a different one for each day. What is important is you are teaching some of God’s Word to your children! Parents (and grandparents) may I ask what is the last Biblical truth you taught one of your children? How are you applying the teaching of Deuteronomy 6 and Deuteronomy 11:19 to TEACH your children? It takes WORK and TIME to be a TEACHER! (Just ask any who does it for a living.) God has entrusted you with children. You are to TRAIN THEM UP in the way they should live (Prov. 22:6)! Be diligent to do the hard work and MAKE the time to teach. Look back at Deuteronomy 11:18 as it gives ideas for keeping God’s Word before your eyes AND (listen) your children’s eyes! Verse to DATE the Word on November 19 (11/19) is Deuteronomy 11:19. It says, “You shall teach them to your children, speaking of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.” Continue Strong passing God’s Word on to the next generation! And remember to DATE THE WORD |