About the Author:
Leslie Mattern

As a wife and mother of three, Leslie is eager to share her love for God through her writing. She offers practical as well as biblical advice on parenting, and life issues.

Additionally, Leslie loves to write stories for chidren where her clever story telling ability and creativity engage her young and not so young readers.

Some Really Good Advice for Parents

By Leslie Mattern

I've taught in public and private schools and currently home schools our three children. I first started writing for God when I was asked to teach Children’s Church. The children wanted stories about modern times, so I prayed and wrote modern children’s stories about God. Now I write about getting to know God and His Holy Word better, so that I can Love Him better and share that Love with others.

Be the parent God created you to be.

1. God did not create your children to be the parent.
   
   I cannot tell you how many times I have seen parents do what their children tell them to do. I have never seen so much disrespect. If children do not get their own way, they know exactly how to manipulate their parents into doing something that the child had no right to ask. There is nothing wrong with children making suggestions and having discussions, the problem is when children start arguing and demanding and the parents give in, just for peace. This is not what God meant by being a peacemaker. This is where God talks about a rod and a rod does not have to be a spanking. God uses a rod because a shepherd carries a staff and a rod. The shepherd uses the rod to guide the sheep to the right direction it should go. The staff will pull the sheep out of trouble. Punishment should not be given out of self anger, but instead with Love and guidance from God. Take time to ask and listen to God before you correct your children.
   
   
2. God did not create parents to be a child’s best friend.
   
   This relationship can only come, when the child realizes that God is the true Father and parent. Once the child has accepted the authority of God in their lives, then the parent is free to be a brother or sister in Christ and a best friend. Sinners don’t make the best parents or the best of friends. Christ, the Immanuel is the only one that can be a parent and best friend at the same time, because He is the only one, that never sinned.
   
3. God does not want schools to take the place of Godly parents.
   
   I am shocked at how many parents have left the task of parenting their children, to schools. The amazing thing is that most schools refuse to acknowledge that there is a God and that all of the glory and honor should go to Him alone.
   
   Secular schools teach that we don’t need God. God teaches us, that we can’t exist without Him.
   
   Secular schools teach that the earth and nature created itself. God teaches that He created all things.
   
   Secular schools teach that reading will give you control of your own life. God created reading and gave us His Book and many other books, so we would see the importance of Him being in control of our lives. When we read history, we realize that sinful men will never have peace until God is Lord over all.
   
   Secular schools teach that math is hard and doesn’t have a Godly purpose. God teaches that He is a God of order and so He created math to show us that design and formulas gives us peace and harmony (this is explained a little fuller in another article, “God in a Math Lesson”); and science for discovering wonders about our Creator.
   
   Secular schools also teach that God had nothing to do with our history or the success of our country. We forget what happened to Nebuchadnezzar when he took the credit for what God had done.
   
   Christian schools should not do the above, but they were also never meant to take the place of a Godly parent. I have seen so many Christian schools fail children, because parents left the parenting to the school.
   
   

   Jude 1 (New King James Version):20 But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, 21 keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. 22 And on some have compassion, making a distinction; 23 but others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire, hating even the garment defiled by the flesh.
   
   Proverbs 23 (New King James Version):11 For their Redeemer is mighty; He will plead their cause against you. 12 Apply your heart to instruction, and your ears to words of knowledge.
   13 Do not withhold correction from a child, For if you beat him with a rod, he will not die. 14 You shall beat him with a rod, and deliver his soul from hell.
   
   Romans 1 (New King James Version):18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 19 because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. 20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, 21 because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Professing to be wise, they became fools, 23 and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man—and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things. 24 Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, 25 who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.
   
   
   Daniel 4 (New King James Version): 28 All this came upon King Nebuchadnezzar. 29 At the end of the twelve months he was walking about the royal palace of Babylon . 30 The king spoke, saying, “Is not this great Babylon , that I have built for a royal dwelling by my mighty power and for the honor of my majesty?”
   
   31 While the word was still in the king’s mouth, a voice fell from heaven: “King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is spoken: the kingdom has departed from you! 32 And they shall drive you from men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. They shall make you eat grass like oxen; and seven times shall pass over you, until you know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever He chooses.” 33 That very hour the word was fulfilled concerning Nebuchadnezzar; he was driven from men and ate grass like oxen; his body was wet with the dew of heaven till his hair had grown like eagles’ feathers and his nails like birds’ claws.
   
   This article is dedicated to God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ, the Immanuel, who is “God with us.” Isaiah 7:14, Isaiah 8:8-10, Isaiah 9:6-7, Matthew 1:22-24, John 5:40-47 and who is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of this world John 1:29,36 ; Revelation 7:13-17
   
   "Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved."

Copyright © January, 2007 - Leslie Mattern. All rights reserved.

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