Pastor Philip Nissley has been the Senior Pastor of New Hope Assembly for 24+ years. He has a passion for the Downriver community and Detroit to be changed by the power of God.
SPIRITUALITY AND FAITH
WHAT TO TELL YOUR CHILD ABOUT THEIR POTENTIAL
Article by Pastor Philip Nissley,
New Hope Assembly of God, Taylor, MI
Its God’s plan that children bring joy to their parents! But that the dream can become a nightmare with unspeakable grief and shame once that child begins to walk, talk and make decisions – if they don’t know what the Bible says about their potential! In Psa. 139:13-16 and Prov. 22:1-6 it says:
• Our identity and purpose come from God who formed us.
• We are a masterpiece of God’s creativity “fearfully made”.
• God made us to love Him and reflect who He is and His “wonderful works”
• “In His book are written the days ordained for me” and Satan cannot stop this Potential when I am living in God!
• “A good name is to be more desired than great wealth”.
• Train up a child and God will use or later restore that child.
PARENTS MUST HAVE A PLAN AND GOAL TO RAISE THEIR CHILD
A. Tell Your Child that God has a wonderful plan for their life! God tells us His plan
for each of us (Psa. 139:16) that is written in His book! Since we’re “fearfully and wonderfully made”, God calls parents to have a strategy in Prov. 22:6 to “train up a child in the way he/she should go”! Life is filled with goals! An artist can see the painting in his mind before he puts it on canvas. A wise builder builds according to the blueprint. A teacher teaches according to the curriculum planner. Runners run with the vision of crossing the finish line. Therefore, parents MUST ask “How can I share Jer. 29:11-14 and tell my children of God’s goals for their lives? How can I share Psa. 139 and reveal to them the great love and worth God has given them, His identity and design for their lives?
Look again at Proverbs 22:6. Do you see the word “train”? It comes from a Hebrew word meaning “to narrow". What does that have to do with child-rearing, you ask? Well, in basketball during March Madness many teams get eliminated because too much room was given to the