317 | Memorizing Scripture, Cultivating Tenderness, and Intentional Parenting (Phil Comer)

Phil Comer wasn’t raised with a faith background. So when his first son was born, he knew he had to get radically intentional if he was going to raise children who walk with God. In this episode, Phil shares the habits that helped him develop his newfound faith as a young father and launch his grown children into the world with success. 

• Men are designed and commanded to be tenderhearted, kind warriors. 
• No one can love their wife or be used by God as a father without the Holy Spirit. 
• Memorized Scripture carries with you through life, enables you to do battle, and brings you joy. 
• Even if all you do is quietly speak the Scripture out loud for several years, you will memorize it. 
• It’s not what you say to your kids that instructs them; it’s what they see from you.

Phil Comer is a husband, father, and grandfather with 40 years of pastoral and counseling experience. After planting a church in 2004, Phil and his wife, Diane, went on to launch Intentional Parents International. The ministry focuses on equipping young parents and providing focused teaching in the spiritual training of children. 

• 25:57 - "We need to teach this to our kids. We need to model it for our kids, and we need to realize that we need it. When it comes to the memorizing part, we're supposed to meditate on Scripture. Now, I can do that by reading it, but what about when I'm out on a walk and I don't have my Bible on me? Anything I do have, I'm able to bring back up and chew on. That's really what that verse means, that meditating is chewing on something and that's where God comes in."
• 38:02 - "You can't be saying one thing and be living another. That will destroy your kids, and it will lead them away from Christ so quickly. If you are modeling a genuine, authentic faith, if you are a passionate Jesus follower, your kids will pick that up because values are caught more than they're taught. We always have to look at our life every day, am I getting more lukewarm? Am I losing my passion or am I growing in my passion? As long as we're the growing side of Christianity and the growing side of Jesus, our kids are going to pick it up."

• 160 | Raising Passionate Jesus Followers (Phil Comer & Brook Mosser)
• Intentional Parents International
• A Practical Guide to Memorizing Scripture Together
• Raising Passionate Jesus Followers: The Power of Intentional Parenting by Phil & Diane Comer
• The Intentional Parents Podcast

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