The Preacher and His Family (3)
Children Obey Your Parents
Eric Owens
Focal Point 2011
Build Your Wall |
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Today I'd like to share with you an excellent message for everyone. Eric Owens did a wonderful job speaking to children. We are all someone's children, so this message is for all today and is even good for the young ones to listen to as well. Parents are also addressed in the second half of the lesson.
The Preacher and His Family (3) Children Obey Your Parents Eric Owens Focal Point 2011
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There are many joys in being a mother. The first time you hold the little one, first kisses, first time to 'show off' to family, and first worship service with your little one. Then there are the exciting first accomplishments: first smile, laugh, crawl, steps and so much more.
But honestly, the day to day task of mothering is HARD. It is difficult when the little ones first try to exert their will. When they suddenly don't want to eat the food that they ate 6 times last week, when they don't want to leave the store, or when they insist on grabbing the hair of the lady in front of them during worship. A mother may win battle after battle, but the war rages on. No one tells moms-to-be that the reality is they will be living 24 hrs a day, 7 days a week with little ones demanding attention and who LOVE to push momma's buttons to make her blow her top. "The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things; That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed." (Titus 2:3-5) Today, our focus in this article is on verse 4. It is significant to me that Paul thought it important enough to tell the older women to teach the younger women to "love their children." Wouldn't most women you ask say they love their children? Not many would say they don't.I think it goes back to how we define love. Many times when an example of love is in the Bible, it is an active love. "If you love me keep my commandments," (John 14:15) and "greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends if ye do whatsoever I command you," (John 15:13-14) are just a couple of the verses that teach this principle. Let us strive to show our love by our actions to our children everyday. "Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity never faileth:" (1 Corinthians 13:4-8a) Our congregation is completing a Fishers of Men training class today. This is really a great class and if you can get one going where you are, DO IT!
"Now as he walked by the sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew his brother casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers. And Jesus said unto them, Come ye after me, and I will make you to become fishers of men. And straightway they forsook their nets, and followed him." (Mark 1:16-18) Are you letting Him make you to become a fisher of men? Growing in good soil - 8 ways to grow Dawn Pasley 2010 Ladies Day Monroeville, AL If you missed the first 2 Father Fridays you can find them here.
We are beginning today to look at God as a perfect example of what a father ought to be and we are beginning in the beginning. God initially had 2 children, Adam and Eve, and did what all good parents do: He prepared for their arrival. He didn't put a crib together or buy diapers, but He definitely prepared a home for them in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 2:8-9). Then He let them enjoy their new home, but there were two conditions: chores to do and rules to obey (Genesis 2:15-17). Every family needs these two things. Obviously, a newborn can't comprehend either of these concepts, but as soon as they become capable work and obedience become essential to their future well-being. We seem to have gotten things backwards in our society and it is time to get back to God's plan for the family. The children are not head of the home, the father is and as fathers we must not tolerate insubordination at an early age or we will suffer dire consequences later. Notice that the work God gave was appropriate to the man and later the woman also, it could easily be done and only after their disobedience did Adam's work become burdensome (as punishment Genesis 3:17-19). It is essential that we realize that even in paradise there was work to be done. It is important that we as fathers give children tasks they are capable of performing. A 2-year-old can't put away the clean dishes or wash the dirty ones, but he or she can pick up toys and put them away (seems only logical since he or she got them out and played with them in the first place). Don't expect, however, that what they pulled out of the toy box over 2 hours is going to be put back in 5 minutes; that's unrealistic. How would you feel if your boss told you to do a month's work in one day? Next look at the obedience God expected. He did not give Adam and Eve a thousand-page rule book or even 10 commandments. He gave them one clearly stated easily understood rule and that is where it has to start with little children. As they learn a new rule others can and should be added, but in increments to fit their understanding. The first rule our children learned was while they were young enough to still be nursing. That first rule was the equivalent of 'don't bite the hand that feeds you'. A bite would get an immediate "no, don't bite!" and a thump on the cheek just hard enough to cause pain and associate the word 'no' and the pain with their biting. Some took longer than others but soon all learned not to bite. God's command was not vague. He did not say, "There's some fruit on a tree out there somewhere that I don't want you to eat." Instead He was specific, "But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it". That is clear and easily understood. There is no reason to believe that Adam and Eve misunderstood because Eve told the serpent what the rule was and what tree it referred to as well (Genesis 3:3). It is important for us to have the rule in place first and it can be very helpful to discuss these things with our wives so that each of us can see if we agree to the rules and the appropriateness of them for each child and each age and maturity level. As you can see fatherhood is much more than just reproducing. In addition to the command being in place and clearly understood, the consequence of disobedience was also clearly stated (Genesis 2:17: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die). We may not always measure up on this one, but we must make a greater effort. Unfortunately, many fathers (and mothers, too) don't tell their children what is expected of them much less what reaction disobedience will bring. All too often a child is yelled at, spanked, beaten, put in time-out, or punished in some other way with no understanding of why or how to avoid having it happen again in the future. In many cases like this the child was not doing anything that he or she had been told not to do, and was not warned that a particular behavior would bring punishment. How cruelly we treat children simply because we never help them understand how to please us. The child mistreated and abused in this way commonly will soon adopt an attitude of resignation that says, "I can't please them no matter what I do, so why try". Oddly enough, some people have this same attitude toward God; likely because of their parents or the teaching they have received at some church or another. The fact is that God makes it as clear and simple as possible for us to know how to please Him. As fathers we should do the same with our families. Make the chores appropriate to the varying abilities of different ages and maturity of your children. Make the rules simple, plain, easily understood, and realistic for each child's maturity. Make sure the child knows and understands the rule and the consequence for breaking it, and don't punish on a whim or because you are in a bad mood. Romans 5:13 says, "but sin is not imputed when there is no law." To punish a child for an accident or for something that you just decided you don't like after he has already done it is child abuse. On the other hand, to allow a child to break a given and understood rule without consequence is also child abuse. Consistency thou art a jewel. Let's pray that we can be more consistent in the discipline of our children, and be more like our Heavenly Father. More to come . . . next time. If you've missed the other two lessons on the Church find them here.
Requirements for a Kingdom - Church part 3 I have to admit, the skeleton for this lesson comes from a class my husband had in college. He gave me this idea. In a class about the Old Testament he learned that a Kingdom should have these things: 1) Property - Land 2) People 3) Precepts - a Law 4) Potentate - a Leader We can easily see this from the Kingdom of Israel. In Genesis chapter 12 and verse 7, God shows Abraham a land and promises it to his descendants. This is the land of Canaan that became Israel later when Joshua brought the Israelites in. Also in Genesis, we see that Abraham's descendants were to be the people. See what God told Abraham: The LORD said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him, "Lift up your eyes and look from the place where you are, northward and southward and eastward and westward, for all the land that you see I will give to you and to your offspring forever. I will make your offspring as the dust of the earth, so that if one can count the dust of the earth, your offspring also can be counted. Arise, walk through the length and the breadth of the land, for I will give it to you." (Genesis 13:14-17) Here we see, again, the land promise, but at the end God is talking about the people that would become the nation of Israel. These are the people God (through Moses) led from Egypt into the wilderness. It was in this wilderness, on the Mount Sinai, that the law was given from God to Moses. "And the LORD said unto Moses, Come up to me into the mount, and be there: and I will give thee tables of stone, and a law, and commandments which I have written; that thou mayest teach them." (Exodus 24:12) This law was for the nation of Israel only. It is not a law we should follow today. (See Col. 2:14 and Heb. 8:8-13) The last thing is the King or ruler. Originally, God was to be the King over Israel, but the people insisted on an earthly human king. "And ye have this day rejected your God, who himself saved you out of all your adversities and your tribulations; and ye have said unto him, Nay, but set a king over us. Now therefore present yourselves before the LORD by your tribes, and by your thousands." (1 Sam. 10:19) But our focus today is on the Church, God's new Kingdom. Let's identify these 4 things within the church. The land that is promised to us is heaven. "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time." (1 Pet. 1:3-5, see also 2 Pet. 3:12-14) The people are listed in that section as well. Those "who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation." (1 Peter 1:5, see also Rom. 9:22-26) Our law was brought by Jesus. "And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel." (Hebrews 12:24) "But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed." (James 1:25) Jesus is also the head over the church, and Lord over the Kingdom. "That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all." (Ephesians 1:17-23, see also 1 Tim. 6:13-16) So, the Kingdom of God has a property or land (Heaven), a people (the saved), precepts or a law (the New Testament) and a potentate or ruler (Christ). Just as the children of Israel wandered in the wilderness before being allowed into their promised land, so we are sojourners here until we can get to heaven one day. Isn't it interesting that they wandered in the Wilderness of Sin (Num. 33:11-12) and we do, too. Let us not fall as they did in that wilderness. Gospel Broadcasting Network - GBN is a great place to watch a lot of good video to 'build your wall.' You can watch the live stream or archived shows. I enjoy playing the shows on my laptop in the kitchen while cooking. You can pull up their schedule. They show "Digger Doug" from Apologetics Press - a great show for kids!
Gospel Broadcasting Network Apologetics Press has great resources for little ones in the family! Creation cards are a great way to teach them about creation! They also have beautifully illustrated Bible stories like "A Patient Man from Uz" (Job) and "The Son Who Ran Away" (Prodigal Son). Also they have Early Reader, Learn to Read and Advanced Reader series that are science readers for varying reading abilities. For the upper elementary-aged child, there is "Dinosaurs Unleashed" that tells the truth about dinosaurs. With all that there are still MORE great books for kids, teens and adults! There are even monthly magazines to subscribe to - a wonderful one for kids called "Discovery". The Digger Doug video series for kids is a great teaching tool as well. Be sure to check out their free e-books, too! Go build your wall with Apologetics Press!
Once I heard a story about a mother who wanted to stop the fussing and fighting on a Sunday morning as the family prepared for worship. She decided to put a tape recorder in the hall so that later she could play it for her family and point out to her children how unkind they were to each other. She was pleasantly surprised that it was one of the best mornings they'd had in a long time. The family was actually kind to one another and helped each other instead of fussing and fighting. After some thought, the mother realized that the only thing that had changed that morning was her own attitude. She knew the recorder was there, so she was acting better herself.
What a difference our own attitude can make! "It is better to dwell in a corner of the housetop, than with a brawling woman in a wide house." (Proverbs 21:9) "He that keepeth his mouth keepeth his life: but he that openeth wide his lips shall have destruction." (Proverbs 13:3) "If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain." (James 1:26) Here's another sermon to add to your day's feast! God's Love for Man - Genesis-Exodus Eric Owens 2007 Power Lectures - Southaven, MS |