Family: Covenant Relationships
Moms & Dads – The Covenant of Stewardship
Sex creates life, but moms and dads steward life. Parenting is a covenant calling — a sacred responsibility to raise children as gifts from God, not possessions of man.
1. Children are gifts, not possessions.
“Children are a gift from the Lord; they are a reward from him.”—Psalm 127:3
God calls children gifts and rewards, not trophies or property.
Nearly 1 in 4 U.S. children grow up without father involvement, doubling the risk of dropping out and quadrupling the risk of poverty.
“Our children are arrows to be released, not trophies to be displayed.”
2. Transfer dependence from us to God.
“And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength… Repeat them again and again to your children.”—Deuteronomy 6:5–7
Our calling is not just to raise happy kids, but holy kids.
Teens who regularly attend church with their parents are 40% more likely to keep their faith as adults.
“Good parenting isn’t giving our kids everything they want — it’s preparing them for the One they need.”
3. Discipline is covenant care, not punishment.
“Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger… Rather, bring them up with the discipline and instruction that comes from the Lord.”—Ephesians 6:4
Discipline shapes, not shames. It aligns, not provokes.
Consistent, loving discipline reduces the risk of behavioral disorders by 30%.
“Discipline is not what you do to your child, it’s what you do for your child.”
4. Parent by presence: time, touch, talk.
“Then he took the children in his arms and placed his hands on their heads and blessed them.”—Mark 10:13–16
Jesus gave children His time, His touch, and His words of blessing.
Just 15 minutes a day of focused attention builds a child’s security and emotional health.
“You can’t outsource presence. Covenant requires showing up.”
5. Model what you want multiplied
“Jesus replied, ‘You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you, for he wrote, “These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.”’”—Mark 7:6
Children see through hypocrisy; more is caught than taught.
Barna research shows kids with authentic faith modeled at home are 5x more likely to continue in faith as adults.
“Your children may not always listen to what you say, but they will never fail to imitate who you are.”
Takeaways
- Sex creates life, but moms and dads steward life.
- Parenting is covenant stewardship, not ownership.
- The goal isn’t happiness today, but holiness for eternity.
- Presence is powerful. Authenticity is non-negotiable.
Faith Declarations
- I believe my children are gifts from God, not possessions of man.
- I will transfer their dependence from me to God.
- I will discipline with love, not anger.
- I will parent with presence — time, touch, and talk.
- My children will catch from me a faith worth living.
Sex may create life, but moms and dads steward life — a covenant calling from God.
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