How to Raise Godly Children

Sermon OverviewScripture Passage: 1 Samuel 1It's well been said that the head of the home is the husband, but the heart of the home is the mother. Perhaps the most powerful and influential class of people in the world today are mothers.1 Samuel 1 tells the story of Hannah, a barren woman who wanted more than anything else to have a son. After much prayer, God gave Hannah a son named Samuel, who was considered one of the greatest prophets of the Old Testament.Hannah’s story offers five powerful principles for raising godly children.The first is the Principle of Proper Priority: “And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed to the Lord and wept in anguish” (1 Samuel 1:10). Hannah had a God-given instinct to be a mother. She recognized that there is no greater earthly blessing than children.The second principle is the Power of Prayer. Adrian Rogers says, “The time to begin to raise godly children is before they're born, and even before they're conceived.”Hannah is one of several women in the Bible who were considered barren and were later given children by God; other examples are Sarah, Rachel, Ruth, and Elizabeth. Their children went on to bless the world and glorify God. Understanding this, we should begin praying for our children before they are ever conceived.The third principle of raising godly children is the Principle of Purpose: Hannah’s reason for wanting a child was to dedicate him back to God. She wanted to glorify God through her child. Our prayers for our children should not regard their wealth or power, but how they will glorify God.The fourth is the Principle of Persistence: “Go in peace, and the God of Israel grant your petition which you have asked of Him” (1 Samuel 1:17). Hannah was a woman of prayer, but not just prayer easily uttered and soon forgotten. She continued to pray before and after this child was born. By her example, we learn to never waver in our prayers, no matter how dark the circumstances.Finally, there’s the Principle of Persuasion. A mother makes the deepest impression on a child; her chief weapon in her arsenal is the influence she has over her children.Apply it to your lifeAre you raising your children for the glory of God? Remember, those who will take that priority, make that prayer, own that purpose, commit to that persistence and persuasion, by the grace of God, will raise godly children.