Kingdom Family (Stephen Russell)

We have all heard the expression - "He is his father's son" or  "they are a chip off the old block" or "the apple didn't fall far from the tree!". This morning I'm not going to discuss methods on how to bring up your children, but I am going to show you how to influence them. It is about leadership and example - because it is more a case of our children, young folk and those around us are watching you as opposed to us instructing them! Paul says in Philippians 4:9 "Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you." The best training is demonstration, not instruction. How many times have we heard folk say to their children, "do as a say, not as I do!"? When really we should be saying, "do as I do!". Demonstration has more impact than instruction. As the people of God we have the opportunity to influence those around us, the unsaved, work colleagues, friends, our children and young people, all those in our sphere of influence. That we become imitators of Christ,  influencing the world and advancing the Kingdom.