God the Parent

Book excerpt: Biblically Thorough God the Parent is an easy-reading, orderly account of God's example of parenting. The book is thorough, referring to about 900 Old and New Testament passages related to parenting! The author, Nate Davis, is a father of 10, student of the Bible and one who loves God. Not satisfied with parenting books that use a verse here or there, he studied and wrote for the better part of a decade to expound the biblical basis for good parenting. His application is practical and his conclusion is simple: "Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children" (Ephesians 5:1, NIV). Principles Parents Can Apply God the Parent is not a "system" for child training but a discovery of biblical principles on which parents can build. The book considers these questions: * From God's perspective, why is parenting important? * According to the Bible, what goals should parents have for their children? * What is the best way for parents to relate to their children when there is a question of moral conduct? * How can parents encourage their family to trust God? * How does a child's heart affect his behavior? Can parents rely on a heart made new? * How and why did God make rules? How can parents imitate him in rule making? * What are parents to do about bad behavior? Should parents discipline? If so, what does that look like? * How do parents prepare their children for future obedience? * How do parents reason with their children? The goal is not to have independent, self-reliant or successful children. The aim is not to have children who follow a set of rules, who have learned about Christianity and who appear to comply. The goal is for children to know, trust, love and submit to the Spirit of the Living God. Jesus said, "I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing" (John 15:5, NIV). God's aim is that children would fellowship with the Spirit of Jesus in such a way that they do what he wants. The uniqueness of that goal requires that parents employ principles recorded in the pages of the Bible. In your pursuit of that endeavor, God the Parent will be a valuable resource. Back Cover: The best way to be a truly successful parent is to forget results and instead adore, obey and imitate God the Parent. He left us an example to follow. When we consider the ways he acted parent-like, the following themes recur: 1. Trust: God started by building trust. 2. Judging: God was king, and he used judges to uphold his rules. 3. Heart: Instead of mere compliance, God's goal was to change hearts. 4. Rules: God made rules and established them through repetition. 5. Discipline: God used loss and hardship in the process of changing hearts. 6. Testing: God tested to evaluate obedience. 7. Reasoning: God urged careful obedience, reasoning that it was the best way of life. These are the starting principles for good parenting, and they point to the good news of a new life in Jesus. With hundreds of Bible references, God the Parent walks moms and dads through these truths.