Kids that turn out Right

Luke 15:11-22 New Living Translation (NLT)

To illustrate the point further, Jesus told them this story: “A man had two sons. 

12 The younger son told his father, ‘I want my share of your estate now before you die.’ So his father agreed to divide his wealth between his sons.

1. Why did the younger son want to leave?

2. What was the relationship with the father like?

3. How much attention did he receive?

13 “A few days later this younger son packed all his belongings and moved to a distant land, and there he wasted all his money in wild living. 

14 About the time his money ran out, a great famine swept over the land, and he began to starve. 

15 He persuaded a local farmer to hire him, and the man sent him into his fields to feed the pigs. 

16 The young man became so hungry that even the pods he was feeding the pigs looked good to him. But no one gave him anything.

17 “When he finally came to his senses, he said to himself, ‘At home even the hired servants have food enough to spare, and here I am dying of hunger! 

18 I will go home to my father and say, “Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, 

19 and I am no longer worthy of being called your son. Please take me on as a hired servant.”’

20 “So he returned home to his father. And while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him. 

21 His son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, and I am no longer worthy of being called your son.’

22 “But his father said to the servants, ‘Quick! Bring the finest robe in the house and put it on him. Get a ring for his finger and sandals for his feet.

1. Give your kids attention. 

A. Spend 15 minutes of quality time every day with each one of them. 

B. Get involved in what they like to do.  

C. Monitor the relationship on family nights together.

2. Use your authority wisely with accountability. 

A. Say to them "What are you doing?"  

B. As a parent you need to be an unmovable object to your child.  

C. Don't rescue them from their consequences.  

D. Let them reap the consequences.  Use consequences for boundaries.  

E. Pain changes character.

3. Shown your affection for them and tell them daily that you love them. 

When you take 1 step toward God, he takes 1 million steps toward you.  

Larry Stockstill, Bethany House of Worship

https://www.churchofthehighlands.com/media/message/kids-that-turn-out-right