Recently in our small group we were talking about how boundaries in our children’s lives create a place for God’s blessing – the blessing is in Ephesians 6:3 – it will go well with them and they will live a long life.

The converse is that outside of the boundaries set in place by authority is a place of danger. “The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves.” (Romans 13:1-2) Therefore, as parents, putting boundaries in place and applying discipline and course correction is like a rescue mission for the hearts of sons and daughters.

“Come out from them and be separate, says the Lord… “I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters…” (2 Corinthians 6:17-18) For me to train up my child in the specific way he or she should go, I need to think differently and I need to teach my children to think differently.

It takes courage to separate them, but hey, we’re on a mission from God.

Because it seems everyone else has such great freedom to roam about, at first glance that’s good, right? The truth is, lack of boundaries and unrestrained direction is equivalent to having no purpose. You see, by definition, to have a purpose we must have a direction, an objective, an aim. But no aim or no direction = no purpose = no vision. No vision creates only random motion and results in statements like “I’m bored.” That’s code for “I don’t have vision” or “I don’t have a purpose.” Hearing a statement like that grieves a father’s heart.

The Lord is seeking godly offspring. He says my son or daughter must be “singled out” – be separated – heart aimed toward Him – set apart, for he or she is “God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for them to do.” (Ephesians 2:10)

THAT… not only gives my son and daughters a purpose and a destiny, that gives ME purpose and destiny and joy as a father. My purpose is to discover the gifts and calling of my son and my daughters and to finish the work He gave me to do!

I teach them discipline with words of instruction and through the “exercise” of training, and by developing the habits of obedience and self-control. Discipline channels and directs their attention, their efforts and their gifts toward a purpose. Disciplined people finish strong!

• My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline and do not resent his rebuke, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in. (Proverbs 3:11-12)
• Discipline your son, for in that there is hope; do not be a willing party to his death. (Proverbs 19:18)
• No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it. (Hebrews 12:11)

In discipline there is love, there is hope, there is righteousness and there is peace. Wow.

Know then in your heart that as a man disciplines his son, so the Lord your God disciplines you. (Deuteronomy 8:5) Discipline creates a disciple. A disciple has purpose. A disciple is in fellowship with the one giving instruction. As God has said: “I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people.” (2 Corinthians 6:16) “Come out from them and be separate, says the Lord… “I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters...” (2 Corinthians 6:17-18)