When thinking about raising children in these times, there is one thing that I see as very important...Biblical discernment. My husband and I need it and my children need it. In general, we are pretty needy people, aren't we?

Webster's American Dictionary of the English Langauage of 1828 defines *to discern* in the verb form as:

To see or understand the difference; to make distinction; as, to discern between good and evil, truth and falsehood.

Discernment is defined as:

N.The act of discerning; also, the power or faculty of the mind by which it distinguishes one thing from another, as truth from falsehood, virtue from vice; acuteness of judgement; power of perceiving differences of things or ideas, and their relations and tendencies. The error of youth often proceed from the want of discernment.

I feel somewhat overwhelmed at times when thinking about preparing my children for the world and how to know the difference between evil and good....I realize that even my 4 year old knows what is sin (on a very basic level) and has distinguished between right and wrong in many areas. But, this is just the beginning for her little mind and heart to know and understand what is of God and what is not. My 2 year old has no clue yet, except very basic things like: Do not bite or hit...be gentle, love God, etc.... My 2 oldest have been taught from a very early age, from a Biblical perspective, what is godly and what is not. I have witnessed them being discerning on many occasions...for this I am VERY grateful to God. At times, I see them making very wise decisions and I feel like we have prepared them well and God is really working in their lives...then at times, I wonder if they can really always know what is right and best...Will they be tricked by Satan's schemes? Will they follow along, not seeing the consequences down the road? Will they see the difference in the narrow gate that leads to eternal life and the wide gates that lead to destruction. I do trust God...But, these things still weigh heavy on my heart.

I know that entrusting my children to the Lord is of utmost importance. I must trust God to do this work in them...but as a parent, I also have a huge responsibility to be teaching and training them to be wise, not fools, and to walk in the ways of the Lord all of their days. I pray for them a lot and discernment is what I pray for the most, after praying for their salvation.

How do we become discerning and how do we teach our children to be discerning? Through knowing what God has to say--His Word.

We all know that God hates sin, so should we. When we are discerning, we are distinguishing between evil and good...virtue and vice...sinfulness and holiness. Being discerning has to do with even recognizing when there is a temptation to sin. Then recognizing sinfulness in ourselves and in the world. One of the things I do hate(I never use this word, except when talking about something like this) in this life is sin. I want to know how to resist sin in my own life and how to flee from it. I want to be removed from its presence...I so badly want to be *protected* from it. I want to be protected from doing sinful things and also from sinful things others may do to me or my family. I want my children to live holy lives...not sinless,I realize we can not be perfectly sinless and if we say we have no sin, we are liars...but, what I mean is that, I want my children to walk in His ways and be able to resist getting caught up in a sinful lifestyle or habits. This is at the core of who I am as a mother. These are my biggest challenges and the things that make my heart ache the most. Thankfully, Jesus Christ has paid the penalty for us, so that we are no longer slaves to sin. We don't have to sin...it is a choice...our sinful nature is still there, though, and Satan with his crafty schemes, can trick us into sinning at times. This is where I pray earnestly and fervently for my children...that they can know the Lord and His ways so well that they won't be tricked. Discernment is key.

Doesn't ever believing parent want this for their children? I pray for God's wisdom often...I need it. I especially need it in the area of raising children. How do I prepare them? How do I nurture their hearts to seeing God's Word and helping them cultivate a delight in the Lord and the Lord, alone? How do I always know the right things to say and do to make a lasting impact in their hearts? How do I know that I have done enough? Thankfully, God's grace does cover my insufficiencies in this area. In my weakness He is strong and where I can't, He can. I have to constantly be casting my cares on Him...because He does care for me and my children and He understands these concerns as well.

I have to remind myself of what I already know...that it is God at work in us, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.(Philippians 2:13)

And...

By Grace Through Faith

Ephesians 2:1-10 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

So we must discern what is pleasing to the Lord:

Ephesians5:8-10 For at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord.