DEAR PARENTS - it is our high and holy calling to raise godly children by teaching them what it means to be a godly, modest, pure follower of Jesus Christ. We need a lot of grace and wisdom from God to do this, but we must also make every effort to fulfill our duties as parents in the evil days we live in.

We must be diligent and set the example of what it means to live a godly life in this ungodly world and not allow the media and culture to shape their values and priorities.

The worst role models are so many of the secular music artists whose dress and lyrics are lewd, crude, and rude! Plus reality TV which is unwholesome and ungodly, as well as a large percent of movie stars who present the worst possible examples! May God give you grace and wisdom and holy determination to raise godly children for Jesus. Pray for your children in these difficult last days.

Do not allow the world system and ungodly 'friends' to lead them down the wrong path.  Say goodbye to MTV and HBO and instead have family devotions together! Plus stay far away from all of these so-called women's magazines and other ungodly literature that glorifies sex and immodesty and presents very unrealistic pictures of what a woman should look like!

The following is a wise list of guidelines for parents who wish to raise godly children:

1.  Be an example and monitor what kind of influences you allow in your home.  This is extremely serious! Love your sons and daughters and give them guidance. Teach them godly values that inspire them toward moral and mental purity. Be there for them and pray for them.

2.  All parents who want to raise godly sons and daughters, must set boundaries and have basic rules. The Bible is full of commandments about how to live, talk, and act in this fallen world.  It's our calling to train our children according to the Bible and instill in them godly values.

3.  No child of God is to wear provocative clothing and especially not our teenage girls.  It draws the wrong kind of attention and it can lead to sexual sin. Parents are to instruct and set boundaries. This is not legalism but it is commanded that we repent of all lewdness as true born again Christians. 

4.  Do you feed your mind on a healthy diet from the Word of God, or do you instead feed your mind with the 'junk food' of TV programs and music that defies and mocks God? You cannot be 'double-minded' and mock God in this way. The Bible says in Gal. 6:7-8 'Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will reap. For the one who sows to feed the flesh, will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.' We live in an X-rated world which is expressed through the media. We cannot take lightly the media's pervasive influence in this culture. The Bible says 'In Him, we live and move and have our being.' But for many families, it's 'In TV we live and move and have our being.' Are you filtering your viewing habits to only watch clean, pure, wholesome programs or are you careless? Living godly is an intentional pursuit! True Christians do not make a mockery of God and cannot have a lifestyle of careless TV viewing.

5.  You cannot be passive while your mind is being snared by ungodliness! The drift toward worldliness is subtle and starts in the heart. God pleasing discernment means being diligent concerning what we expose our minds to. TV IS THE WORST EDUCATOR THERE IS FOR OUR YOUNG MEN AND YOUNG WOMEN.

6.  We cannot expect to have godly sons and daughters without discipline and biblical training.  They can't just sit and watch junk on MTV such as Beyonce, Lady Ga-Ga, and Miley Cyrus for this will only terribly corrupt a young person's thinking. Romans 12:2 says not to be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of our minds. Refuse to allow any ungodly programs, books, magazines, music, or games into your home. Your sons and daughters will NOT be in the 'popular crowd' who desire to live holy and live for the Lord, just as Jesus and His true disciples were not in the 'popular crowd'. Your children WILL, however, be pleasing to the Lord which is all that truly matters.

7.  Being a parent is a huge responsibility and calling and we have to answer to God. Are we putting our hearts and souls into being the mom and dad God called us to be? DADS, LET'S DO OUR BEST BY THE GRACE OF GOD TO RAISE YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN WHO LIVE FOR JESUS.

8.  Christian parents who love their children and set a godly example and set boundaries are doing what pleases the Lord. We must set rules! The 10 commandments are rules. Godly instruction is commanded of us as parents. Either we train them in the Word of God, or the world will train them to be ungodly. There are a few godly sons and daughters who did not rebel and they lived by the rules of the house and remained pure in body and mind!

9.  Col. 3:20 - 'Children obey your parents in all things, for this is well pleasing to the Lord.'  Parents must be in control of the family and the dads need to step up and lovingly raise their sons and daughters in godliness. The children need to be expected to obey and honor their parents. If they rebel, then the parents are not at fault if they did their best to do the will of God in raising their children. 

10.  To be honest these days, most homes have no rules at all and it shows up in the way kids live their lives these days. The problem is not godly loving protective rules, but families, where there are no rules and children can watch anything they desire to on TV, wear whatever they want, have whatever 'friends' they choose and listen to any kind of music they want.  Self-indulgence is causing much havoc in many homes!

11.  We must train by example and biblical instruction DAILY!! Are we doing this faithfully??

Deut. 5:6-9  'And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart. AND THOU SHALT TEACH DILIGENTLY UNTO THY CHILDREN, AND SHALT TALK TO THEM WHEN THOU SITTEST IN THINE HOUSE, AND WHEN THOU WALKEST BY THE WAY, AND WHEN THOU LIEST DOWN, AND WHEN THOU RISEST UP. And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be frontlets between thine eyes. And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates.'

NOW THAT IS SERIOUS INSTRUCTIONS FILLING THE ATMOSPHERE OF THE HOME! The love and holiness of God should permeate our homes! Having family devotions where you talk, share the Word of God, and pray are essential. Finally remember that as Christians, we need to remind our children to do as the Bible tells us which is to walk in the Spirit. The Spirit will comfort us, guide us in knowing the right thing to do and say, and help us each and every day on our journey as we live to follow our precious Lord Jesus. 

FINAL IMPORTANT NOTE:  Raising our sons and daughters to love and obey the Lord is not a light matter, but is a matter that concerns their eternal destination. Those who put their faith in God and trust in Jesus' sacrifice to cleanse them of their sins, and who evidence this faith as seen by obeying the Lord in sincerity and following Him will inherit eternal life. But those who mock God, and want to continue in sin have chosen to reject the Lord Jesus and not follow Him and their eternal destination will be separated from the wondrous presence of God. 

Matthew 13:40-43 - "So just as the tares/(weeds) are gathered up and burned with fire; so it will be at the end of this age.  The Son of Man will send forth His angels and they will gather out of His Kingdom all things that cause sin and all who do evil and will throw them into the furnace of fire; in that place, there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous shall shine forth like the sun in the Kingdom of the Father. He who has ears to hear let him hear." 

I hope people will be willing to hear and not close their ears to God's truths, but instead will seriously hear His caring warnings. God wants all men to be saved, and He does not want us to be among the 'tares/weeds' who get burned, but instead, He wants us to be with those who will forever shine and rejoice in the presence of God forever! This should also be a big motivator to cause us to strive with all of our hearts to raise godly sons and daughters who sincerely love and obey the Lord and who will not be among the 'tares/weeds' at the time of God's Judgment but will be among the shining righteous!

Article by David Cooke