[Pastor Ralph]

Q2. (Ephesians 6:4) What kind of behavior by fathers (or mothers, for that matter) can embitter or cause a child to lose heart? What do you think the "training and instruction of the Lord" involves?

[cct1106]

As the scripture brings out that fathers should not be irritating (badgering) to children. Do not be putting them down or saying mean and cruel things to them. Should be training and teaching discipline and mental regulating with love.

[Commissioned]

Q2. (Ephesians 6:4) What kind of behavior by fathers (or mothers, for that matter) can embitter or cause a child to lose heart?
Treating the child with disrespect. Speaking to the child without allowing them to share their opinion in a matter. Discipling the child in anger and without love. Parents must always treat their children as a gift from God and beyond that we must remember that our children belong to the Lord and we are to treat them as His precious jewel.

What do you think the "training and instruction of the Lord" involves?
It involves the parents teaching the child from the Word of God. Parents are to teach their children how to live by the Word, obeying the commands of God, applying the word to situations they find themselves in. The best teacher that they will have is seeing their parents model what they are teaching.

[revmrf]

Q2. (Ephesians 6:4) What kind of behavior by fathers (or mothers, for that matter) can embitter or cause a child to lose heart?

By never giving them credit or encouragement, whether the were successful in a task or not. By ignoring their input and ideas, a non-acknowledgment of their person-hood and growth. i.e. 'stupid kid'

What do you think the "training and instruction of the Lord" involves?

Teach to give value.. highest value.. to our Scriptures by our own life style and example. Example: When I taught my children to ski, I found the most efficient, long lasting and best way was not by many words, rather by example "Follow Me!" They mimicked me, turned where I turned on bumps, saw my body positions, and watched and copied my equipment care. All three kids became expert skiers and raced competitively.

Admonish gently b/c a child may not be aware of the consequences of their action[s]. Take time to be with each child. Special, unique time, alone with him/her. This demonstrates our love and value of them. Example: I have a friend that takes his grand daughter out to dinner periodically... not just on birthdays or such. It is just him and her. He dresses in a suit coat and tie, and gives her a flower. Confession: I wish I had done that.

[charisbarak]

Parents can be very unthinking sometimes. They correct their children in anger--unlovingly and make the child feel like a failure & very much unloved. The parents can be so self-centered they think only of the crime that was committed towards them & seek an "almost revenge" on the child. Other times, they wish to control the child or enjoy seeing a child suffer. This is especially true when parents are themselves messed up, on drugs or alcohol.

The training & instruction of the Lord takes place when the parent deliberately calms him/herself down & prays--allowing themselves time to lovingly correct their child. Children need boundaries & need to be held to not stepping over them. Allowing punishment, following through each time--letting them experience the consequences of what they did, and ending that session with a hug for the child to let them know you still love them, but letting them know that they did something wrong. Turning them to the right direction is part of the training & instruction. Regular Bible reading & Bible memorization are excellent tools to show the children what God expects & that He loves them so much more than you could ever love them and He & you want the very best for them.

[Eudora]

Q2. (Ephesians 6:4) What kind of behavior by fathers (or mothers, for that matter) can embitter or cause a child to lose heart? When we discipline out of a re-action to an action, we cause friction. It becomes combustion. Frustration and anger only bring out the worst in us as parents and show us in a very bad light. This cause our children to fear us and rebel. To wait a bit is best. We can bring the honey of The Lord to any conversation and then lay down a just punishment or admonition with our children. But of course this is something again, I have learned to late in life since my children are all grown. All I can say is that if any of you are young and in this lesson, and have not yet had children, raise them in The Lord. In every situation, ask yourself, “How would Jesus handle this if He were here right now” Then seek His wisdom.

What do you think the "training and instruction of the Lord" involves? Learning from The Master, how to be come the servant.

As Jesus began to grow up, He knew that there was something different about Himself and this difference began to show it’s importance when He was still very young.

As Jesus grew older, there is only a short mention of how He grew and became strong in spirit, and filled with wisdom and that the grace of God was upon Him. Luke 2: 39-40

The next mention of Jesus in His childhood was that every year Jesus' parents went to Jerusalem for the Passover festival. When Jesus was twelve years old, they attended the festival as usual. After the celebration was over, they started home to Nazareth, but Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents didn't miss him at first, because they assumed He was with friends among the other travelers. Luke 2:41-51

But when He didn't show up that evening, they started to look for Him among their relatives and friends. When they couldn't find Him, they went back to Jerusalem to search for Him there. Three days later they finally discovered Him. He was in the Temple, sitting among the religious teachers, discussing deep questions with them. And all who heard Him were amazed at His understanding and His answers.

His parents didn't know what to think. "Son!" His mother said to Him. "Why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been frantic, searching for you everywhere."

But why did you need to search?" He asked. "You should have known that I would be in my Father's house." But they didn't understand what He meant.

Then He returned to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them; and His mother stored all these things in her heart. So Jesus grew both in height and in wisdom, and He was loved by God and by all who knew Him.

We learned that just like God raised up Jesus to be who He was to become, God had to involve parents who would raise Him up on earth, just like your parents are involved in helping us to grow.

We learned the importance of the role of His parents and how they were responsible to train Him and teach Jesus and protect Him so that Jesus would meet His full potential. We saw where Jesus came to the awareness of who He was and still chose to go back to Nazareth with His parents and live in obedience to their authority over Him. His parents didn't know or understand His mission in life but they knew Jesus was unique. He treated them with respect and they in return, treated Him with respect. In this way, He honored them.

He honored above all, God in heaven.

[sis. dee]

Q2. (Ephesians 6:4) What kind of behavior by fathers (or mothers, for that matter) can embitter or cause a child to lose heart? What do you think the "training and instruction of the Lord" involves?

We can never say anything good about them, always talking them down. Disrepecting our children, not showing them love nor support. When we discipline some it is done out of anger and not love.

The training and instruction of the Lord should involves training your children in the ways of the Lord, by Bible reading. having daily devotions, going to church together, teaching them to pray. We should instruct our children in love and in godly wisdoms.

[JustJeff]

Bad parental behavior would include sexual, verbal, physical and spiritual abuse, neglect, abandonment, trauma, excessiveness in corporal punishment, degradation. Any or all would cause a child to become bitter and lose heart, to say the least.
Proverbs 22:6; "Train up a child in the way he should go; and when he is old, he will not depart from it." Simply put, a parent needs to be a Christlike example in all aspects of their behavior which would include biblical rearing and training of their youngsters. That would include moderate behavior which would prevent excessiveness, and a greater reliance on the Lord.

[masika]

The purpose of parental dicipline is to help children grow , not to excasperate and provoke them to anger or discouragement- Parenting is not easy - It takes lots of patient to raise children in a loving , Christ-honoring manner. But frustration and anger should not be causes for discipline . Instead parents should act in love , treating their childrern as Jesus treats the people He Loves . This is vital to children's development and their understanding of what Christ is Like.

[Helen Williams]

Fathers/mothers do not want to cause embitterment when training their children. We are to train with love. Children learn from example. We cannot let wrong behavior go without being corrected, but as I said correct in love. This is an on going processs. We want our children to grow and deal with their children in a loving manner.

We also have to watch how we speak, beacuse language can be abusive. We don't want to provoke our kids. If we follow the greatest example of all and that is Jesus then we are on the right road. God want us to train them up in the way of the Lord.

[Helenmm]

Over correction can be associated with anorexia. Ignoring a child or paying insufficient attention to him/her may well cause major depression if not outright rebellion. Putting children down will produce undesirable effects. Some children ex;por by pushing people's buttons hardand need stronger correction than others whose desire is to please their parents. Each is different and warrants special attention.
The training and instruction of the lord involves spending time with children in doing lots of things together, discussing their lives and what God might have to say about things. It also involves lots of encouragement, which means that you need to get to know the child and what s/he is good at so they may feel encouraged and strengthened, I think anticipation is important - seeing what is coming up in the near future and discussing appropriate scenarios so the child will be forewarned about the issues, and has a "management plan" in place, eg the need to discuss teenage issues early so chldren can see what goes on and make sound decision for themseles. Sensing a child's problems and being ready for discussion is valuable. There is so much involved. For example, today I was watching a James Dobson program on the effects of computer games on children. Having time and interest in the children is so urgent. Too many times parents are too busy to know what is really going on, and regret it later.

[Stan]

Q2. (Ephesians 6:4) What kind of behavior by fathers (or mothers, for that matter) can embitter or cause a child to lose heart? What do you think the "training and instruction of the Lord" involves?

A hard stuborn I'm always right attitude that causes children to rebel against the Lord and not be able to honor father and mother as God has ordained. If we press on the our atttitudes then they can only rebel and cause themto lose faith when they are not seeing it livedout by their parents.

Training and instruction means instructing them in the Bible and how it applies to their daily lives and how to live for Christ. At the same time we must be learning how to grow in the ways of faith so that we can teach this to our children as well.

[Lisa Rupert]

Q2. (Ephesians 6:4) What kind of behavior by fathers (or mothers, for that matter) can embitter or cause a child to lose heart?
One kind of behavior would be the "You do as I say, and not as I do" behavior.
Parents are to love and nurture their children. They are to train and guide them and protect them and teach them the ways of the Lord and also the difference between the ways of the Lord and the ways of the world and teach them how to balance the two ways. They are to lie down primary principals needed for their children to live a Christian life. Parents should prepare their children for the changes that life will bring about, teach them the importance of having the Lord in their lives as they adventure though life. Parents must remember what you teach will be taught, if it is bad behavior, then bad behavior will be the reward and will proceed to next generation, if it is good Christian behavior this too will be taught and forwarded on.

What do you think the "training and instruction of the Lord" involves?
I believe good instruction, loving guidance, firm but effective discipline, caring, nurturing, training, a good hands approach into what your child sees and experiences in his/her life, followed with understanding and direction with postive doctrine which will not only lead but sustain and guide them into a Christian lifestyle.

[June]

Purposely provoking and badgering the child and making discipline a power game. Father's need not discipline in anger. It is to train the child's spirit not to break it. By exercising all the fruits of the Spirit during discipline would help train them up.

[BJB123]

1)Being to hard or to harsh on a child can cause them to lose heart. Parents should be gentle/kind and caring and yet give them correct discipline and not expect things that children cannot deal with. Children should be raised up in a Godly home and in a Godly manner.
2)Train and teach children about Christ. Teach them the ways of the Lord.

[PCHRIS]

There is a number of behaviours which can lead to a child losing heart- sexual, physical, mental, verbal abuse. For me the most lasting effect would be the derogatory remarks, the put downs and the 'you are not wanted' talk is the most damaging.

Training our children in the way of the Lord: devotions, reading the Word, prayer, worship but also a stable Godly family relationship works well.

One quote from R.W. Dale reads- " parents should care more for the loyalty of their children to Christ than for anything besides, more for this than for their health, their intellectual vigour, and brilliance, their material prosperity, their social position, their exemption fron great sorrows and great misfortunes"

[haar]

Behaviour that can enbtter the child is that which provokes him. Such behaviours can be unloving, unmerited or unfair treaatment in the name of discipline.

Training of the child should be loving, tender and shuld not be by acts of wickedness to the child.

[sahala p.s.]

Q2. (Ephesians 6:4) What kind of behavior by fathers (or mothers, for that matter) can embitter or cause a child to lose heart? What do you think the "training and instruction of the Lord" involves?

The kind of behavior by fathers (or mothers, for that matter) that can embitter or cause a child to lose heart is that deliberately provoke a child's anger by badgering or turning an incident into a power game or that cause a child to react in a way that suggest acceptance of a challenge.
The training and instruction of the Lord involves anything done by or out of fathers to their children in form of example, maintaining discipline, diligence, teaching, instruction, showing, giving responsibility, then supporting them as they learn to keep them faithfully in following Lord.

[Minchar]

Q2. (Ephesians 6:4) What kind of behavior by fathers (or mothers, for that matter) can embitter or cause a child to lose heart? What do you think the "training and instruction of the Lord" involves?

Provoking a child can cause the child to become bitter. Alot of times as parents, we try to live our lives through our children which becomes a problem. We begin to make ourselves feel good at the expense of our children which is wrong. They will only become discourage and bitter. Training and instruction involve thing such as maintaining discipline, diligence, teaching, instructing, showing, giving responsibilities, and then supporting them as they learn which will keep them faithful along with warning and admonition. As a single mother, I found myself not consistent with my punishment which was not wise. We must remember that we are raising and training our kids as unto the Lord. They do not belong to us they belong to Him.