Raising Godly Children

"And also all that generation were gathered unto their fathers: and there arose another generation after them, which knew not the Lord, nor yet the works which he had done for Israel." -Judges 2:10, KJV.

This verse saddens me each time I read it, because it is so true, even today. Christian parents are raising children, never giving them the Biblical foundation they need to serve God, and not ruin their lives with sex, drugs, alcohol, etc. You see, too many parents simply tell their children to do what they're told because "they said so," but what happens when dad/mom is not around anymore? What we must do is give our children Biblical reasons for our rules (which, yes, does require research and work), and only use the "because I said so" argument when absolutely necessary (i.e., you sense danger, and you want your child to quickly obey you). By telling our children the reasons behind our philosophies, they will be much more likely to listen to us and ask us for advice on their lives. The saying holds here: "if you give a man a fish, you feed him for a day, but if you teach a man how to fish, you feed him for a lifetime." Teaching our children the Scriptural principles is teaching them how to fish for God's truth.