I trust that you and your family are adjusting well as we all get back to the routines of another school year. New shoes, clothes and school supplies are in for a long year. There is nothing better than opening a new box of crayons or the smell of a new eraser. It is fun to watch the new turn into the routine again.

It is a challenge to raise a family today. It is the hardest and scariest thing I have ever done. I know myself. I can take the simple and make it complex. I can take the functioning and create dysfunction. I know this feeling all too well when I consider my role as a father. This year I launched out my last child. As I drove back from dropping her off at college, all I could think about were the untaught lessons, the mistakes I made and the deep desire that she will do well in spite of me.

I know, self-loathing, but take a good look around in our world today. What kind of world have we created for our children to grow up in? We are in a desperate situation in our world today. Immorality, addictions, racism, riots, wars. What about our homes? We reflect the world we live in within the four walls of our house. Divorce, addictions, abuse. Yep, we have a problem and it is getting worse.

The Bible tells in Ecclesiastes 4:12 “… a threefold cord is not quickly broken.” The more cords a rope has the stronger it will be and the longer it will last. The more support that I give to my home, the more it will withstand, the more it will endure, and the more it will last. The last thing I want to do is to guide my children to a path of self-destruction. I propose that there are three things every home needs to help our children today: GOD, YOU, and CHURCH.

The first cord is GOD. You cannot raise children without Divine help. What kind of results do you expect without the Creator of the home in the home? Perhaps this is our greatest mistake today. We try too much to do things without God, and tragically we see those efforts self-implode. The Bible clearly declares in Psalm 127:1 “Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.” Is the Lord invited into your home? Is He the Lord of your home? It does not take much investigation to see if that is true, we know. The mistake made is not correcting it. Perhaps it is time to send an invitation to the Lord. Invite Him in and watch Him work! He is good at fixing things and creating beautiful things.

The second cord is YOU. Take a long look at yourself. Are you living what you are trying to teach your children? Our children learn by watching and mimicking their parents. Your children cuss – probably learned it from you. Your children have a temper, probably learned it from you. When I look at my children, I see too much of me in them. Some is good, some funny, but there are things I did not want to teach my children, but I did. I never spoke a word, but they found many of my failures and copied them. Children need you to live out your walk with God in a daily way. When they see you demand behavior that you yourself will not do, you create frustration. This is why the Bible teaches in Ephesians 6:4, “And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.”

The third cord is CHURCH. You are not equipped with all you need to raise your family. You need to learn, you need to grow. This is the job of the church. The Lord defines the task of the church as “For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ …” (Ephesians 4:12). The church should come along the side of the home and assist it in every way possible. Do not send your children, come with them. Children need to see Mom and Dad growing in their own faith. They need to see their parents love the church that Christ gave to us. Children need to serve alongside their parents as they serve the Lord. Get your children to church so that they can learn about their Savior. You will be eternally grateful for taking your children to church.

This new year of school will have its hardships and challenges. They will steal your sleep and make you a nervous wreck. God already knows of them and is fully prepared to handle each of them. Nothing is too hard for God. But before He can help, you must invite Him in. You must start walking with God. You need to get your family back into church. Will you make the choice to start preparing your children for eternity? Our time with them is limited – trust me, I know.