To read part 1,go here.

Giving your children purpose includes showing them how to walk out their faith. This is not about performing. Before these actions can have any feet, they need to be rooted in love for God, otherwise they will hold no weight. They will be empty for you. See 1 Corinthians 13:1.

In order to know what God's purpose is for you, and your children, you need to learn {and teach} God's Word. But it cannot stop there.

Live God's Word

Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. James 1:22

As you teach the Bible, also teach your children how to live it out.

How do you love God in a practical sense?

"If you love me, you will obey what I command." John 14:15

How do I love God with all my heart?

We are called to love God, above all else.

I'm going to break down Mark 12:30 a bit:

Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. {emphasis mine}

Heart has a focus on thinking and understanding (The Strongest NIV Exhaustive Concordance).

Some ways we can focus our hearts on loving God is by filling them with the good things of God, and purging them of the bad.

The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks. Luke 6:45

So how do we live this out in a practical sense? Before you even read my thoughts, what would you say? It's quite plain here that when we love God, we will fill our heart with good things.

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things. Philippians 4:8

Practical Steps: Remove things from your life and your children's live that do not honor God and go right to the heart of you, and your children. Replace them with the good.

Example: Reading material and TV. Do you know what you're children are reading or watching? Is it good for the heart? Does it put any focus on what God deems as true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable? Does it spur your children to live a better life or only drive them further away from God? This is only something you can answer for yourself and your children.

Example from my family: To help you get a visual for what I mean, there is a PBS kids show I will not allow my children to watch because I noticed how it had a poor effect on their attitudes. The content in the show itself wasn't bad, but the poor behavior displayed consistently by the main character was quickly picked up by my children. It was not good for their hearts, so we cut the show out. There are plenty of other worthy PBS kids shows for them to enjoy!

This is a practical example of how we can love God with all our heart. It's as simple as saying "no" to the less than good, and "yes" to the better. We choose this not because it's a "rule", but because we love God and want to honor Him; we want to love what He loves. We're not going to do it perfectly. Everyday we have to make a hundred conscience choices about our lives and that of our children's. We may not realize something has an effect right away. That's why we have God's word. To guide us.

Next: Part 3 {where we learn about loving God with all our soul}.

This post was shared at: • Homestead Barn Hop • Soli Deo Gloria • Time Warp Wife • Domestically Divine • On Your Heart Tuesdays • Gratituesdays • Living Well Wednesdays • Homemaking Link-Up • Welcome Wednesdays • Works for Me Wednesdays • Big Family Fridays

This post contains an affiliate link. Please read our disclosure policy here. Photo Credit: Heart Drawing on the Sand