NEW TESTAMENT READING PLAN: Acts 8-10
SCRIPTURE READING
Eph 6:1-4 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. “Honor your father
and mother” (this is the first commandment with a promise), ”that it may go well with you
and that you may live long in the land.” Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but
bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.
One of the purposes of marriage is for making children—that is, procreation. Having babies!
This is not the main meaning of marriage but is an important one. But merely populating
the earth isn’t good enough; marriage is for making children disciples of Jesus. The point
of family is to increase the number of followers of Jesus on the planet. What does it
mean to bring up children in the discipline and instruction of the Lord? First, it involves
setting Biblical standards and boundaries and reproving children when they cross those
boundaries or break those standards. Second, in involves training children or discipling
them in their walk with God. This means that families need to pray together and read the
Bible together. You may be single or married without kids, but you can still pray for the
families in our church because parents desperately need your prayers. Family values in
our society are degrading; parents are fighting against a culture that wants to steal the
souls of their children. For those of you that are empty nesters – discipleship doesn’t stop
just because your kids are grown. Even adult children need godly counsel and the prayers
of their parents. As a church, let’s commit to taking these verses seriously, let’s commit to
bringing up our children in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.
PRAYER and MEDITATION
1. Spend a few moments praying for the families in our church. Pray that parents would
see the importance of training and disciplining their children. Pray that parents would set
healthy boundaries for their kids and teach them about the Lord.
2. Pray for the children in our church. Pray that they would be obedient and that they would
live set apart from the world, that they would seek first the Kingdom of God. Pray that
many strong lifelong friendships would develop as children seek God together.
3. Pray for the leaders who train and disciple our children each week, pray for wisdom,
love and compassion for the kids in our church.
