Today’s Open Heavens devotional, 16 March 2026, is THE INTENTIONAL PARENT II
The daily devotion guide is written by Pastor E. A. Adeboye, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG).
OPEN HEAVENS 16 MARCH 2026 DEVOTIONAL
TOPIC: THE INTENTIONAL PARENT II
MEMORISE:
Correct thy son, and he shall give thee rest; yea, he shall give delight unto thy soul.
Proverbs 29:17
READ: Psalm 1:1-6
1 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.
2 But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.
3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.
4 The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away.
5 Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.
6 For the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.
RCCG OPEN HEAVENS 16 MARCH 2026 MESSAGE TODAY
Yesterday, I mentioned that God expects parents to train their children in His way. I also discussed how being filled with God’s word is the first step in training children in the way of the Lord. Today, I will discuss some other steps that must be taken to train children in the way of the Lord.
It is important for parents to act in a godly manner at all times. Children usually copy what they see others do, especially their parents. If a child’s parents are filled with the word of God, it becomes easier for the child to become interested in God’s word. Parents who pray regularly and always ask their children to join them are creating the right environment for their children to build the capacity to pray as well.
Whenever I went to visit my children while they were in school, I would often go on walks with them. On those walks, I would remind them of God’s word and pray with them. At every opportunity I had, I ensured that I taught them the word of God and how to apply it across all spheres of life. This is why, today, as adults, they are fully committed to serving God.
When parents teach their children in the way of the Lord, they will have rest, as today’s memory verse tells us. However, when they fail to model the right way for their children to live, they shouldn’t be surprised when they lead sinful lives. Sadly, the ungodly lifestyles of some parents discourage their children from serving God.
Parents should also intentionally shape the lives of their children by praying for them regularly. They should confess God’s word over their lives at all times and refrain from pronouncing negative words over them, especially when they are angry.
The tongue is very powerful and holds the power of life and death (Proverbs 18:21).
The best time to start teaching children in the way of the Lord is when they are toddlers, so that it will be engrafted in their spirits as they grow. Even when they become adults, parents should ensure that they continually remind them of God’s word and pronounce it over their lives. They are to teach their children the word of God at all times (Deuteronomy 6:6-2).
Beloved, God wants His children to have peace in their old age. This is why He wants parents to train their children in the right way so they can give them rest in their old age.
REFLECTION:
Are you modelling the right behaviour to the children around you?
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR
Judges 9-10
Open Heavens HYMN 59: I WANT TO BE LIKE JESUS
OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL 16 MARCH 2026 COMMENTARY
MEMORISE: Proverbs 29:17
“Correct thy son, and he shall give thee rest; yea, he shall give delight unto thy soul.”
This verse is a direct promise from the throne of grace to parents who embrace the difficult work of discipline. The Hebrew word for “correct” (yasar) implies instruction, admonition, and disciplined training—not punitive anger but formative shaping. The outcome is twofold: rest (cessation of anxiety and conflict) and delight (deep, soul-level joy). Parental diligence in training yields a dividend of peace that compounds in old age.
BIBLE READING: Psalm 1:1-6
While this psalm is universally applied to individual righteousness, its principles are profoundly relevant to parenting:
v. 1: The blessed parent walks not in the counsel of the ungodly—including worldly parenting philosophies that reject biblical discipline.
v. 2: Their delight is in the law of the Lord, and they meditate therein day and night—the prerequisite for training children in the way.
v. 3: Such a parent is like a tree planted by rivers of water—stable, fruitful, and enduring. Their children are the leaves that do not wither.
v. 4-6: The contrast: the ungodly parent (chaff, unstable, perishing) produces children who cannot stand in judgment.
The Comprehensive Curriculum of Godly Parenting
Building on yesterday’s foundation—that parental training must flow from a heart saturated with Scripture—Pastor E.A. Adeboye now expands the curriculum. He reveals that training children in the way of the Lord requires visible modeling, intentional prayer, disciplined correction, and early initiation. These are not optional supplements but essential components of faithful parenthood.
1. The Power of Parental Example
Children Are Born Imitators:
- From infancy, children learn by observation and replication. They absorb not merely your instructions but your posture, your priorities, and your emotional responses to life. Before they understand your theology, they have memorized your behavior.
- The Inescapable Reality: You are always modeling. The question is not whether your children will imitate you, but what they will imitate. Your unguarded moments—how you handle frustration, how you speak of absent colleagues, how you respond to bad news—are your most powerful sermons.
The Testimony of Daddy Adeboye:
- “Whenever I went to visit my children while they were in school, I would often go on walks with them. On those walks, I would remind them of God’s word and pray with them.”
- The Key: These were not formal, scheduled discipleship sessions. They were walks—ordinary, unremarkable moments seized for eternal purposes. The cumulative effect of these consistent, small investments produced adult children “fully committed to serving God.”
The Tragic Counter-Testimony:
- “Sadly, the ungodly lifestyles of some parents discourage their children from serving God.” This is one of the most devastating statements in the devotional. Parents who profess faith but practice worldliness become the greatest obstacle to their children’s salvation. Their hypocrisy builds a wall of cynicism that may take decades to dismantle.
2. The Weapon of Parental Prayer
Intercession as Formation:
- Parents must not only pray with their children but for their children. This dual approach models dependence on God while actively engaging heaven on their behalf.
- Confession Over Curse: Proverbs 18:21 is a sobering reality. Parents who, in moments of frustration, speak death over their children—”You will never amount to anything,” “You are just like your worthless father,” “I wish you had never been born”—are not merely venting; they are releasing spiritual power. Words spoken over children in anger can become self-fulfilling prophecies of destruction.
The Discipline of Positive Declaration:
- Deliberately confess God’s Word over your children. Pronounce Scriptural promises upon their lives: “You are the head and not the tail” (Deuteronomy 28:13). “God has not given you a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and a sound mind” (2 Timothy 1:7). “You are fearfully and wonderfully made” (Psalm 139:14).
- The Principle: Your words do not create reality, but they align with or oppose God’s declared reality over your child. Speak what God speaks.
3. The Timing of Training
The Toddler Window:
- “The best time to start teaching children in the way of the Lord is when they are toddlers, so that it will be engrafted in their spirits as they grow.”
- The Science: Early childhood is the period of maximal neural plasticity and spiritual receptivity. The foundations of trust, authority, and moral categories are laid in these formative years. To delay spiritual training until adolescence is to attempt construction on a shifting foundation.
- The Implication: Teaching toddlers Scripture is not “cute”; it is strategic. The verses hidden in their hearts at age three will surface as anchors in the storms of age thirteen.
The Adult Continuation:
- Parenting is not terminated at age eighteen or twenty-one. Adult children still require spiritual covering. Parents should “continually remind them of God’s word and pronounce it over their lives.” This is not control but covering; not interference but intercession.
4. The Outcome: Rest and Delight
The Promise of Rest:
- Proverbs 29:17 is not merely a proverb; it is a divine guarantee. The labor of training is intense, but the rest it produces is profound. Parents who invest in the spiritual formation of their children are investing in their own future peace.
- Rest Defined: Freedom from the anxiety of a prodigal’s wandering. Freedom from the shame of a child’s public disgrace. Freedom from the burden of perpetual rescue missions.
The Promise of Delight:
- “Yea, he shall give delight unto thy soul.” There is a unique, soul-level joy that comes from seeing your child walk in truth (3 John 1:4). It is the joy of harvest after planting. It is the joy of seeing the image of God reflected in the face of your descendant.
5. The Biblical Model: The Unfinished Assignment
Deuteronomy 6:6-7 Revisited:
- The command to teach children “diligently” is perpetual. It does not expire when the child is baptized, confirmed, or married. The content changes (from milk to meat), but the responsibility endures.
How to Train Children in the Way of the Lord
Model Before You Lecture:
- Before you teach your child to pray, let them see you praying. Before you instruct them to read Scripture, let them see you with the open Book. Your life is your loudest lesson. Conduct a personal audit: “What is my current lifestyle teaching my children about the value of God’s Word, prayer, and holiness?”
Create Rhythms of Spiritual Conversation:
- Follow Daddy Adeboye’s example: use walks, car rides, and meals as natural opportunities for spiritual dialogue. Do not confine faith discussions to formal “devotions.” Let the Word flow into ordinary moments.
Pray With and For Your Children Daily:
- Establish a consistent pattern of praying with your children—at bedtime, before meals, before departures. Additionally, maintain a private prayer journal where you specifically confess Scripture over each child by name.
Guard Your Tongue Relentlessly:
- Make a covenant with God: “I will not speak words of death over my children, even in my angriest moments.” When you fail, repent immediately—not only to God but to your child. Model the humility of confession.
Start Early, Continue Always:
- If your children are still toddlers, begin now. If they are adolescents, begin now. If they are adults, begin now. The best time to plant a tree was twenty years ago; the second best time is today. Your prayers are never too late.
Warning: The Deception of “They’ll Figure It Out”
The Myth of Spiritual Autonomy:
- Some parents adopt a passive posture: “I don’t want to force religion on my children. I’ll let them decide for themselves when they’re older.” This is not neutrality; it is abdication. Children do not grow into godliness by accident; they grow into the image of whatever they worship. If parents do not intentionally point them to the true God, the world will enthusiastically introduce them to false ones.
The Danger of Delegation:
- You cannot outsource the spiritual formation of your children to the church, the Christian school, or the youth pastor. These are allies, not substitutes. The primary discipleship center is the home; the primary disciplers are parents.
Conclusion: The Legacy of a Well-Trained Generation
Pray this:
“Heavenly Father, I acknowledge that my children are not mine but Yours, entrusted to my stewardship for a brief season. Forgive me for the times I have modeled ungodliness before them. Forgive me for the negative words I have spoken over them in anger. Today, I recommit myself to the sacred assignment of training them in Your way. Help me to live before them as a transparent example of Your grace. Give me wisdom to seize ordinary moments for eternal conversations. Teach me to pray with them and for them with perseverance and faith. I renounce every curse spoken over my children, knowingly or unknowingly, and I release Your Word as the final authority over their lives. May they rise up and call me blessed. May they give me rest in my old age and delight to my soul. Above all, may they serve You faithfully all the days of their lives. In Jesus’ mighty name, Amen.”
Action Steps:
- The 30-Day Modeling Challenge: Identify one spiritual discipline you want your children to develop (prayer, Scripture reading, gratitude). For 30 days, practice it visibly and verbally, inviting them to join you. Journal the changes in their interest and your own consistency.
- The Word Confession List: For each child, write 3-5 Scripture promises. Place them in your prayer closet or phone. Confess them aloud over your children daily for the next month.
- The Tongue Covenant: Create a visual reminder (phone wallpaper, mirror note) that reads: “Life and death are in the power of the tongue.” Let it serve as a trigger to pause before speaking in moments of frustration with your children.
- The Intergenerational Walk: If you have adult children, schedule a regular “walk and talk” (physically or by phone) to pray with them and remind them of God’s Word. Your parenting assignment is lifelong.
Remember: Your children are not an interruption to your ministry; they are your primary ministry.
“I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.” (3 John 1:4). Train them well. Your rest depends on it; their eternity depends on it.
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