Obedience

The main way we show our love for God is by obedience to His Laws. We are born totally dependent on someone else. As we grow and develop, we learn to do things for ourselves. It doesn't take too long though for us to get to the point where our innate rebellious spirits start to assert themselves and we don't want to do what our parents want us to do, usually about 18 months to two years. (That's why they call it the "terrible twos".)  The remainder of childhood, if a child is disciplined properly, becomes a tug of war between the will of the child and the will of the parents. Hopefully, the parents win and the child becomes a well-balanced member of society. But even with the very best discipline in childhood, we all retain a portion of that independent, rebellious spirit and that is what causes us not to want to obey God's Laws.
  If our faith is nurtured properly and we grow in our relationship with and knowledge of God, we come to the realization that God's Laws are given in love. They are not to inhibit us or spoil our happiness, but to protect us from danger or harm to our bodies, minds, spirits and emotions. We learn to trust that God loves us more than anyone on earth could and wants only the best for our lives.
  Through God's Word in Scripture we are told of the many benefits of obedience to God's Laws. The following are some of them. Take time to meditate on them or perhaps memorize some of them so that when your spirit of rebellion raises it's ugly head you can use God's Word to fight against it.
  See, I set before you today life and prosperity, death and destruction. For I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in His ways, and to keep His commands, decrees and laws; then you will live and increase, and the Lord your God will bless you... . I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. Choose life, then that you and your descendants may live, by loving the Lord, your God, heeding His voice, and holding fast to him. Deuteronomy 30:15-16, 19b, 20a
  Do what is right and good in the Lord's sight, so that it may go well with you... Deuteronomy 6:18
  If you pay attention to these laws and are careful to follow them, then the Lord your God will keep his covenant of love with you, as He swore to your forefathers.  Deuteronomy 7:12
  Oh, that their hearts would be inclined to fear me and keep all my commands always, so that it might go well with them and their children forever!  Deuteronomy 5:29
  Carefully follow the terms of this covenant, so that you may prosper in everything you do.  Deuteronomy 29:9
  Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me--put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.  Philippians 4:9
  Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.  Matthew 5:19
  "Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock."  Matthew 7:24-25
  "If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in His love."  John 15:10
  But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it--he will be blessed in what he does.  James 1:25
  Beloved, if our consciences have nothing to charge us with, we can be sure that God is with us and that we will receive at His hands whatever we ask. Why?  Because we obey His commands and do what pleases Him.  1 John 3:22
  For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God's sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous.  Romans 2:13
  "For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother."  Matthew 12:50
  The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.
1 John 2:17
  "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven."  Matthew 7:21
  Blessed are they who maintain justice, who constantly do what is right.  Psalm 106:3
  And, once made perfect, He became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey Him.  Hebrews 5:9
  "I tell you the truth, if anyone keeps My Word, he will never see death."  John 8:51

On Raising Children

In raising children remember:

  “All men have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”  Romans 3:23.

We are all in need of a Savior.  Therefore, if your children sin, it’s not necessarily because you didn’t train them correctly. Research has shown that some very good parents, who did a very good job disciplining, teaching and nurturing their children, have children who go astray.

  One example I can think of is Franklin Graham, one of the sons of the late Reverend Billy Graham. He went astray as a youth, but eventually got back on the straight and narrow path and now is the head of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association.