by Dennis and Barbara Rainey

1 Thessalonians 3:13
So that He may establish your hearts unblamable in holiness before our God and Father.

How can you help your children stay pure in the sexual area? I have a few suggestions:

First, remember that your relationship with your child is the bridge into his or her life. In war, the enemy wants to isolate you and cut off your supply line. Today the enemy wants to cut you off from your teenagers, then he can isolate them and convince them of anything.

Second, give your preteens and teens some limits that will challenge them. Barbara and I are challenging our children to not kiss a member of the opposite sex until the wedding kiss. You may think this sounds puritanical (compared to the world, it is)-but we are praying that such a high standard will help them control their sexual urges.

In addition, we are helping them set standards that will aid them in responding to many of the temptations our culture offers. We cannot insulate them from the world, but we can encourage them to avoid viewing television shows and movies that have sexual content.

Finally, ask your teenager to become accountable to you. Accountability means staying involved in your teenager's life by asking some tough questions.

After church, my son went over to a young lady's home. I asked, "Her mom's there, right?" And, "What time will you be home?" I come by this training naturally because my mom used to bug me to death about where I had been, where I was going and when I would be home.

As you hold standards up for your teenager, be sure to explain some of the reasons God commanded us to abstain from sexual immorality: freedom from guilt and emotional scars, freedom from sexually transmitted diseases and unwanted pregnancies, and preservation of a gift that can only be given to one person-the gift of innocence. He has our best in mind.

And, please, after you've decided what boundaries you will draw for your children, remind them that if they fail there is grace and forgiveness-from God and from you.

Prayer:

Ask God to help you get your boundaries and standards from the Scriptures and not the world.

Discuss: Talk with your mate about the worst thing that could happen if you challenge your children not to kiss until they are married. Now discuss the worst consequence of having no standard.

Would you like your own copy of this devotional?