How To Raise Warriors

Our children are our legacy and are a testament of how we live by example. They are precious souls that are only ours from the standpoint of stewardship and we only have them in our care for a short time so we have to make the most of the time that we have to be their parents. We do not by any means own them but we are responsible for them and will be held accountable to Yahuweh for how we raise them. This is the primary reason why we cannot afford to ignore the time in which we live and are raising our children! We must redeem the time! Things are very different than they were more than 30 years ago when I was my children's age. And just in case no one told you or you've been in denial, we are the last generation and Yahshua is very soon to return. So between now and the time that He returns to claim all that is His, it is absolutely imperative that parents who are Believers realize that they have the distinct and very crucial assignment to indoctrinate by precept and example the children that Yahuweh has entrusted to us. We cannot afford to raise weak, inconsistent, cowardly, mealy-mouthed individuals who will easily fall prey to the deceptive wiles of this world! 

Acts 17:30-31 says, "Truly, then, having overlooked these times of ignorance, Elohim now commands all men everywhere to repent, because He has appointed a day on which He is going to judge the world in righteousness by a Man whom He has appointed, having given proof of this to all by raising Him from the dead." Yahuweh is requiring of this current generation a greater knowledge of His Word and a more intimate relationship with Him. We cannot afford to have our children seduced away from their calling and inheritance in Yahshua of being ambassadors, kings and priests on the earth because we are too preoccupied with the things of this world. We MUST raise warriors who have a ready knowledge of Scripture and are able to stamp out territory for Yahuweh, Most High! That means that we MUST proactively indoctrinate our children beyond the realm of "Sunday school" or "children's church". Every single day, we MUST make the asserted effort to see to it that our children have their identity and reality rooted and grounded in Yahshua so that they will gladly assume their positions as ambassadors, kings, priests and warriors of the Kingdom of Yahuweh, El Elyon. Warriors must be trained and their gifts developed and honed in order to be used as lethal weapons to successfully destroy and drive out the enemy. We cannot afford to admire or idolize pop culture in any respect and we cannot afford to send the covert message to our children that our faith is wrapped up in Sabbath observance alone. Either one of these insidious habits borne of complacency and apathy will undermine and devalue the importance of being Holy and set apart; in the world but not of it!

There are seven things that EVERY parent who is a Believer in Yahshua should do to raise Ruach filled warriors:

1. Be consistent in your own relationship with Yahshua! Children mimic and emulate what they see. So it is imperative that you are walking out the Commandments and living a consistently clean and Holy life. That doesn't mean that you are perfect and you are not expected to be perfect but you are expected to be Holy. You are then given the sobering task of introspection, examining yourself so that you can call your children to account for their inconsistencies and sin without disqualifying yourself!
2. Don't hide your light under a bushel! Your children need to hear you singing praises to Yahuweh; see you worshiping Him, praying to Him and honoring Him with your life. They NEED to see you yielding your whole life to Him faithfully as an act of worship! Pray with your children, read Scripture to your children, do devotions with your children. Your children NEED to hear you praying for them and they NEED you to teach them how to pray. Ask them about their day and tell them how they can apply Scriptural principles to everyday life and situations that they face.
3. Watch who you associate with and be very mindful of who your children associate with in church, school and other activities! It does no good to raise your children to love Yahuweh when their social circles are saturated with people who don't value salvation and an intimate relationship with Yahshua. You can't isolate them and raise them in a bubble but you do need to cut off associations and influences that undermine your raising children who are kingdom warriors and who understand who they are as kingdom warriors.
4. Turn off the TV and fast from social media! Some of the absolute worst influences and attacks on your home come from pop culture via television, movies, books, social media, and music. PLEASE do not make the mistake that so many parents have made by underestimating the power of these mediums to undermine how you raise your children! The TV should not be your child's babysitter! Pop culture idolatry should not be apart of your home's culture! If the music and books that your child listens to and reads is not glorifying of Yahshua and edifying to them spiritually, then you should probably re-evaluate everything that comes into your home and reprogram your children to listen to music and read books that are edifying to them as well as glorifying Messiah. Why would you accept anything less? Joshua 24:15-16 says, "But if you refuse to serve Yahuweh, then choose today whom you will serve. Would you prefer the gods your ancestors served beyond Euphrates? Or will it be the gods of the Amorites in whose land you now live? But as for me and my family, we will serve Yahuweh. The people replied, "We would never abandon Yahuweh and serve other gods." Proverbs 4:23 tells us, "Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life." Don't let the standards of this wicked, carnal, temporal culture captivate the hearts and minds of your children and determine the course of your children's lives only to ultimately make them enemies of Yahuweh! Yes, it is THAT serious! It is NOT just music; just a movie; just a book! Many books, movies and music aimed at your children are meant to indoctrinate them towards that very real satanic world system of these last days! Why set them up to be fodder for satan? It is your duty as a parent to protect your children, physically, emotionally and spiritually! Failure to do so will result in your being held accountable for what your children fall prey to! You won't be responsible for every mistake that they will ever make but trust me, you would much rather err on the side of caution and use wisdom borne of the Ruach, who will lead you into ALL truth so that you can have your entire household under the covering of the Ruach haQodesh, than to be too permissive as most parents these days are, and leave your family open for disaster.
5.  Don't be afraid to learn from your children and admit when you are wrong! Most Believers make the tragic mistake of portraying a phony alter-ego of perfection to their children. Not understanding that their children need a REAL parent not a perfect parent! It's okay if you flub up every now and again, just make sure that you see things for what they really are and can humble yourself repent to Yahuweh and apologize to your children especially when your mistakes and missteps have a direct effect on them! And please don't make the mistake of being too obtuse or protective of your role as parent to learn from your children. Be open to learning from your children as well as teaching your children. Many times our children carry in them a very wise and honest perspective of situations that can prove to be wise counsel for us to accept. Often times Yahuweh will even use our children to show us ourselves, so you'd do well to pay attention!
6. Have fun with your children! Your children NEED to see you living a joyous life in Yahuweh! While we should definitely take our callings as ambassadors, kings, priests and warriors quite seriously, we shouldn't take ourselves too seriously. Your children should be able to see you laugh at yourself and laugh with them regarding the joys of life. Don't be afraid relax and enjoy life! Even Father Yahuweh has a sense of humor!
7. Be consistent and make teaching your children scripture a priority! Set aside some part of your morning or evening to study scripture with your children. This is so very important as you will learn along with your children what Yahuweh expect of us as ambassadors, kings, priests and warriors. This will also help them to develop a sound and stable reality and identity in Yahshua which will help them to grow into formidable kingdom warriors. II Timothy 2:15 says, "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." Spending quality time by yourself and with your children studying Scripture will stir up in you and them a profound love for Yahuweh and the things of His kingdom as well as provide a firm foundation that will make them confident in their Elohim, Yahuweh!
8. ***BONUS***THIS IS FOR SINGLE PARENTS ONLY! Please do not disqualify yourself as a Believer to your children and anyone else by having a constant stream of boyfriends (moms) or girlfriends (dads)! It can be quite difficult living a chaste life however it is by no means impossible! Your children NEED to see you waiting on Yahuweh for a suitable spouse and partner to help raise them. If you have fallen in this area repent, apologize to your kids if they are aware of the situation and purpose in your heart to be chaste and wait on Yahuweh. Remember, I Corinthians 6:19 says, "Don't you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit (Ruach HaQodesh), who lives in you and was given to you by Yahuweh? You do not belong to yourself". So no matter what the circumstances are around your becoming a single parent, you as a Believer want to perpetuate a lifestyle of purity and chastity to your children. If you are embarrassed to talk to your children about sex because of mistakes that you have made ask Yahuweh to grant you wisdom and peace enough to discuss sexual matters with your children in the context of holiness and Scripture so that they don't feel like they have to get that information from their peers, pop culture or some other entity that may be contrary to the culture of your home.

This is just the beginning of learning to raise formidable, contenders for the Faith, Warriors of Yahshua haMashiach who will gladly and boldly proclaim His name before this wicked generation! The Shema (Hebrew meaning hear and do), Deuteronomy 6:4-9 says, HEAR, O ISRAEL: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates. Never has parenting been more of a challenge and perhaps you are thinking that you didn't "sign up" for this when you became a parent nevertheless you are a parent, you are a Believer and you are mandated to teach your children the ways of Yahuweh by precept and example. The alternative would be to have children who hate Yahuweh because their identity and reality are deeply entrenched in the things of this world. Such children are in danger of losing their souls in this day and age, being made fodder for the enemy and may very well die and go to hell because their parents neglected to teach them the weapons of their warfare. (II Corinthians 10:4) Even if they should stray all you can do is what Yahuweh has mandated for you to do as a parent, the rest is in His hands! 

Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it. Proverbs 22:6

Mediocrity hates greatness, be great in Yahshua's name and let the haters, hate!

Single Mother's Midrash exists to provide information and education pertaining to subjects of single parenthood, being single and chaste, empowerment through the word of Yahuweh and much more. Single Mother's Midrash is a publication of Natsarim Remnant Ministries. Natsarim Remnant Ministries is a Torah-observing, Commandment-keeping ministry whose mission is proclaim that Yahshua is Messiah and Savior of the world and the only begotten Son of Yahuweh, Creator of the Universe; He and Father, Yahuweh and the Ruach haQodesh are ONE. For more information regarding Natsarim Remnant Ministries feel free to call us at 614-522-9707 or email us at NatsarimRemnant@rocketmail.com. Be abundantly blessed in Yahshua's name.

The Necessary Discomfort

My mother and I recently had a discussion about wimpy parents who don't want to be the heavy in their children's opinions. Instead these wimpy, milk-toast parents have taken the preposterous notion that a parent can be their child's buddy. I have, like so many other parents watched the "nanny" shows that send in a nanny to help the parents effectively raise their children. Even more embarrassing are the parents who go on the various talk shows with their kids, who they have allowed to get outrageously out of hand. I often wonder about parents who end up afraid of their own children. It's bizarre and unnatural and really there is no need for it.

When I was a teenager my mother would have the radio playing in the bathroom and it was always on the local Christian music station. One of the programs that I grew up being very fond of was Focus On the Family with Dr. James Dobson and one of the books that he had written was titled "Parenting Isn't For Cowards." Truer words could not have been spoken. Although I don't agree with Dr. Dobson's political leanings as of late, I even as a teenager then, agreed with his concept of parenting based on biblical principles. Please do not take this out of context, abusive behavior towards anyone, especially a child is always unacceptable however I am not one of these mealy-mouthed, punk liberals who believes that corporal punishment is NEVER useful. WRONG! Corporal punishment is useful for different children in different ways but always as a last resort. But no matter how you decide as a parent to discipline your children, just know that it is not pleasant but it is necessary and failure to create and establish as well as enforce boundaries for your children will cause them to resent you later on!

Proverbs 13:24, 22:15 and 29:15 all refer to the importance of corporal punishment but just know that if you feel as if this is not the best thing for you or your child that whatever form of discipline or boundary enforcement you use will have to be effective and should begin as soon as the child becomes aware that there are consequences for their actions. I'm not saying that you saying that you shouldn't create a friendly environment of openness and mutual respect but the role of a parent has to be clearly defined even more so than the boundaries that exist on your job between you and your supervisor. The best bosses are those who are friendly and respectful and yet professional. These managers, supervisors, etc understand that an effective workplace is hinged upon creating boundaries between them and those who work for them. Your boss can not be effective or successful if they are constantly compromising their position to appease you or have your approval and validation on every decision that they make. Like it or not, they're in charge and they don't have to have your approval for anything that they do. Case in point, if you are too busy trying to simply appease your children because you don't want to be bothered or gain your child's approval and validation of who you are as a person and as a parent then you will not be the kind of parent that they need and deserve. Some of you, might not like this but YOU are the parent and you have to begin to trust that the love that you have for God and your child will enable you to make the right decisions concerning your children so that they can grow up to be children who will be an asset to you and society and that means disciplining your children effectively so that they clearly understand that there are consequences for their actions.

If you are a Christian parent understand that these children are yours on loan. They are not yours in the true sense of your possessing them which is one of the reasons why you should not treat them so much as if they are a possession but rather like everything else that God brings into your life, a gift. You are a steward not an owner. One day just like everything else that you do in this life, you will have to give an account for how you have raised the precious souls that God has so graciously entrusted to you to raise to His glory. So if you abuse, misuse or mistreat your children; neglect them or even provoke them to anger and a life of struggle by being a wimpy, spineless parent who would rather be a buddy than a parent, then you WILL have to answer for what you chose to do or chose not to do in the raising and rearing of those children. Failure to create and establish boundaries makes a child feel as if you don't care. As a parent you also handicap a child when you neglect to create boundaries and enforce them for your children. It's called lawlessness! Children who grow up with a disrespect for authority, legitimate boundaries and who haven't been taught how to behave appropriately at home will not miraculously do so in public and they will bring you to an open shame! Lawless adults end up in prison, on drugs, indulging in other self-destructive behaviors and the cemetaries are full of young people whose parents didn't think that they were harming their kids by being their buddy's while neglecting to fulfill their roles as effective parents. I can't tell you how you should raise your child but you need to know what the Bible says and then you need to be sure that your methods of discipline are effective and that they do not break the child's spirit or are in any way counterproductive to your children growing up to be happy, healthy, stable adults. Whatever you do, do it in love and your child might not like it now but they'll love you for it later.

Additional scriptures: Proverbs 10:1, 17:25, 22:6, and Ephesians 6:4

Be abundantly blessed!

Mediocrity hates greatness...be great and let the haters hate!

Mocha Brown aka Koretta L. Allen is available for public speaking engagements especially pertaining to subjects of single parenthood, being single, women's empowerment through the word of God and much more. Mochababybrown@gmail.com