Austin Bible Church
It would be difficult to determine who deserves the door prize for being the most frustrated parents living in a certain area. There are frustrated parents living all over the world. A number of Old Testament books were specifically written for youth and are, therefore, a primer for parents: Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes and Song of Solomon.
Psalms 119 was written by a lad on a 22-day death march as a captive and how the Lord sustained him. In Proverbs, David teaches his teenage son, Solomon and also Solomon teaches Rehoboam. Psalms 119:9-11.
“Beth. How can a young man keep his way pure? By keeping it according to Your word. With all my heart I have sought You; Do not let me wander from Your commandments. Your word I have treasured in my heart, That I may not sin against You.” (Psalms 119:9-11, NASB)
Remember that family is Divine Institution #3 and is the basis for stability in the national entity. Here is where, according to Proverbs, certain things are taught to children to take a great deal of the frustration out of their lives. They are to be taught respect for authority of their parents, the Word of God, God Himself, the pastor-teacher, the school teacher, the coach, the officer in the military, the police, the judge, the employer and so on. Prov. 1:8; Prov. 6:20-23.
“Hear, my son, your father's instruction And do not forsake your mother's teaching;” (Proverbs 1:8, NASB)
“My son, observe the commandment of your father And do not forsake the teaching of your mother; Bind them continually on your heart; Tie them around your neck. When you walk about, they will guide you; When you sleep, they will watch over you; And when you awake, they will talk to you. For the commandment is a lamp and the teaching is light; And reproofs for discipline are the way of life” (Proverbs 6:20-23, NASB)
Children are to be taught by their parents the principle of self-discipline in matters of immorality. Prov. 7:1-5.
“My son, keep my words And treasure my commandments within you. Keep my commandments and live, And my teaching as the apple of your eye. Bind them on your fingers; Write them on the tablet of your heart. Say to wisdom, "You are my sister," And call understanding your intimate friend; That they may keep you from an adulteress, From the foreigner who flatters with her words.” (Proverbs 7:1-5, NASB)
Children are to be taught respect for the privacy of others. Prov. 11:13; Prov. 18:8; Prov. 20:19; Prov. 28:20-22.
“He who goes about as a talebearer reveals secrets, But he who is trustworthy conceals a matter.” (Proverbs 11:13, NASB)
“The words of a whisperer are like dainty morsels, And they go down into the innermost parts of the body.” (Proverbs 18:8, NASB)
“He who goes about as a slanderer reveals secrets, Therefore do not associate with a gossip.” (Proverbs 20:19, NASB)
“A faithful man will abound with blessings, But he who makes haste to be rich will not go unpunished. To show partiality is not good, Because for a piece of bread a man will transgress. A man with an evil eye hastens after wealth And does not know that want will come upon him.” (Proverbs 28:20-22, NASB)
Children are to be taught respect for the property of others. The Bible is against robbery. Prov. 1:10-14.
“My son, if sinners entice you, Do not consent. If they say, "Come with us, Let us lie in wait for blood, Let us ambush the innocent without cause; Let us swallow them alive like Sheol, Even whole, as those who go down to the pit; We will find all kinds of precious wealth, We will fill our houses with spoil; Throw in your lot with us, We shall all have one purse,"” (Proverbs 1:10-14, NASB)
The Bible teaches that it is sin to steal or try to steal the affections of another man’s wife. Prov. 6:29-32.
“So is the one who goes in to his neighbor's wife; Whoever touches her will not go unpunished. Men do not despise a thief if he steals To satisfy himself when he is hungry; But when he is found, he must repay sevenfold; He must give all the substance of his house. The one who commits adultery with a woman is lacking sense; He who would destroy himself does it.” (Proverbs 6:29-32, NASB)
The Bible teaches that it is wrong to destroy others’ property. Prov. 30:14.
“There is a kind of man whose teeth are like swords And his jaw teeth like knives, To devour the afflicted from the earth And the needy from among men.” (Proverbs 30:14, NASB)
Children are to be taught respect for the rights of others. We are guaranteed by our Constitution the right to drive and walk down the streets and sidewalks of our cities. We have freedom to pursue vocation and so on. We have freedoms as long as they do not infringe on the rights and freedoms of others. Prov. 28:17.
“A man who is laden with the guilt of human blood Will be a fugitive until death; let no one support him.” (Proverbs 28:17, NASB)
Frustrated parents are often those who do not teach the principles listed above. They are too busy working in life. They have no time to teach their children Bible doctrine in the home.
Fathers should teach the facts of life to their sons at the proper time regarding the Bible doctrine relating to man-woman relationships, dating behaviors and prohibitions, etc. Fathers should instruct their daughters regarding the many forces in society that seek to destroy her virginity. A father follows through in Deuteronomy 6:6-9.
“"These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart. "You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up. "You shall bind them as a sign on your hand and they shall be as frontals on your forehead. "You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.” (Deuteronomy 6:6-9, NASB)
Many men’s pride won’t let them admit that they’re frustrated and a failure. Many men say they don’t need the crutch of a church to lean on and that a church is for the weak. But they lean on the bottle or hide behind the skirts of a woman and generally spend more time in recreational pursuits than in child rearing, and they don’t plan to change.
Deuteronomy 21:18-21 shows the severity of not being in control of your children. Bible doctrine in the soul of the believer is the only answer to this problem.
“"If any man has a stubborn and rebellious son who will not obey his father or his mother, and when they chastise him, he will not even listen to them, then his father and mother shall seize him, and bring him out to the elders of his city at the gateway of his hometown. "They shall say to the elders of his city, 'This son of ours is stubborn and rebellious, he will not obey us, he is a glutton and a drunkard.' "Then all the men of his city shall stone him to death; so you shall remove the evil from your midst, and all Israel will hear of it and fear.” (Deuteronomy 21:18-21, NASB)