Address—Will Hayhoe
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Well, Tim reminds us of the value of.
Staying on a schedule and it is beneficial. So I guess it's 8:00 and.
With the Lord's help, we're going to get started here. And I just wanted to say at the outset that.
A couple weeks ago and Tim and I exchanged a few messages and he shared with me a desire that I think is evident to everyone. But maybe just to be sure, this is what was said. There have been many spiritual and doctrinal attacks on the Saints these past years.
And we need a time of refreshing and encouragement as well as building 1 under up in the most holy faith. So that was encouraging to me to know of Tim and I'm sure it's Timoney Lanes desire. And so I trust that the effect of considering the word of God this evening together might do just that. We're thankful that we have the Spirit of God and we're thankful we have the word of God without that.
Where would we be?
And so.
It is encouraging to know that it is possible that we can be truly refreshed and encouraged in our Christian experience and the Lord desires it to be so. I was reminded at supper time of a verse someone gave to me from John 7 where the Lord Jesus says if any man thirst, let them come unto me and drink. So again, it just reminds us that true encouragement, real refreshment is going to come.
In measure as we get to know the Lord Jesus more.
So I trust it'll be so by considering him together this evening. We usually start with a hymn, so I'd like to sing #209 Someone could start hymn #209.
Let's just ask the Lord's help with the word of prayer.
Lord Jesus, we look forward to the day when we will be home in heaven and see thy very face, and we thank Thee that we can.
Walk through this world with a measure of peace. So I desire that every soul have peace with God through salvation and that we are be guided as we walk through.
Go day by day and we realize that Thy word is given to us as a lamp to our feet and light to our path. We trust that the effect of reading it together this evening.
Might both encourage us, refresh us, let us know while I do it. Alkins guide and convict each one of us, as Thy word is considered in whatever is necessary. And so we pray that we'd be turned in and sensitive to hear Thy voice as we consider Thy word together. We ask Thee for Thy help. We count on it. Lord Jesus, we ask it in thy name. Amen.
So I was thinking that I think many of us have come to meetings like this.
Where the topic is not really known in advance. And so if you're like me and I think a lot of us have similar characteristics, perhaps you walk in and you wonder, well what's going to be spoken about. And I suppose that's a very natural and fair question And then?
Perhaps you're a little bit like me and sometimes you get part way through a topic or you've been sitting in a meeting and you wonder, well, I'm struggling to get the point of what's being talked about.
I don't know if anybody's had that experience. I have, and sometimes I've realized afterwards that it's not not on the speaker. Maybe I wasn't as familiar with the Word of God as I should be, but nonetheless it, it happens.
But you know, sometimes we also ask the question. I wonder if the topic is relevant to my life.
How many of you have asked that question sort of in your head ahead of time?
And again, naturally, it's a good question to pose in some ways.
But you know, when you, when you do that or when I did that and still do sometimes something like your reference point as well. It's, it's you and what I think I would benefit from, from the word of God and, and the Lord knows our our hearts and he knows why we ask those types of questions. So it's nothing wrong with asking a question. But I want to start this evening with a little bit of a.
Few general comments before we go into a subject.
And.
I want to suggest that there is a better question to ask than perhaps all of those questions, and it's when the Word of God is open.
As it trusts can be here in a few moments.
Am I? Am I willing to truly listen to the Word of God?
Perhaps even.
Of necessity, sometimes maybe we we get distracted by what the person's saying. Are you not?
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Easily following along, but the word of God itself, it has the power.
In it, it's perfect, it's without air, and the Spirit of God can use it. And I would like to, just as a general comment before we go into the subject, I'd like to call attention to three occurrences in the Word of God where people were able to truly listen to to God and they're commended for doing so. The first one, if you can just turn it, is in First Thessalonians.
Chapter 2. So this is a collective audience.
An assembly in the city of Thessalonica and the verse that I'd like to read is First Thessalonians 2, verse 13.
And Paul is writing and he's writing to the Thessalonians and he says for this cause also thank we God without ceasing because.
When ye received the word of God, which he heard of us.
Now this is the point. Ye received it not as the word of man, but as it is in truth the Word of God, which effectually works also in you that belief. So tonight we're starting the message on the premise that everyone here knows the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior and that you have therefore the Spirit of God within you, and the Word of God to some extent is of value to you in your life.
And I trust them that we can.
Take from the example of Thessalonians. These were relatively new converts. They had not been saved that long.
And yet they had a desire to receive what was presented to them as it came from God, so much so that Paul could write and thank them for the example they were being for receiving it as. So in other words, they didn't get distracted by the messenger Paul. They believe that as from God himself. And that was it says at the end, which effectually also works. And so that's the word of God itself.
Through our conscience sometimes and speaks to us and helps us in our Christian pathway as he knows best, so we may have a good idea of what I may.
I have a good idea of what I think I need a certain stage in my life. And it's not wrong to have those desires and God delights to guide us, but it's primarily from his Word. And so every time we open up the word of God, I hope that we can do like the Thessalonians do. And that applies whether we're reading in our personal reading or in a family reading at home, or certainly it's if it's read in assembly or in an occasion such as this. So that's an example of.
A collective group. Now let's look at two individuals which both women, which I think are very precious.
That are commanded much the same and the first one will go to as in Mark Chapter 7. You could turn to Mark 7.
And here we started. We'll just read starting verse.
24.
And this is the word Jesus here on this earth, and it says, And from thence he arose and went into the borders.
Natalie and Saigon entered into a house, and would have no man know it, but he could not be hid, for a certain woman, whose daughter had an unclean spirit, heard of him, and came and fell at his feet. The woman was a Greek, a Syrophoenician by nation, and she besought him that he would cast forth the devil out of her daughter. But Jesus said unto her.
Let the children first be filled for does not need to take the children's bread to cast it.
Into the dogs.
And she answered and said unto him, Yes, Lord, yet the dogs under the table eat of the children's crumbs. And he said unto her, For this saying, Go thy way, the devil has gone out of thy daughter. And when she was come to her house, she found the devil gone out, and her daughter laid upon the bed.
Well, you might be wondering what's why? What's the point of the passage in context of what we're saying?
To me, this woman is a striking example given to us in the Word of God, if you could think of someone in distress in their personal life.
To a greater extent than this woman had a distress. Could you imagine something more distrustful than a mother with a daughter possessed with a devil? That was a very, very.
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Strong need, great need. She came to the Lord Jesus and she laid out her concern and what does the Lord do? He says let the children first be filled for does not need to take the children's bed into custody. And of the dogs, did that seem to have any?
Relevance to her great need.
I don't think immediately it did, but you know what? She listened to the Lord Jesus.
She listened, and the reason we know she listened is because her response was in relationship to what the Lord had just said, not directly in relation to his great need for what she had come to the Lord in the first place.
I trust you can see that she is an example of willingness to listen. And so often we have great needs and the Lord wants to teach us something and it's maybe not immediately about what we think our need is. It's something out that He needs to show us.
But we just keep going at our need, not really listening to the word of God.
And so I just want to call attention to her as a wonderful woman of faith and at 11, to whom we can turn to when we get to thinking that the Lord is not hearing us, are we willing to listen from His word? Now, another one is Mary and Luke 10. So we'll just go to Luke 10.
I think you know the story Mary, Martha, Lazarus from the town of Bethany. This is in Luke 10 verse 38.
Now it came to pass as they went, as they went, that he entered into a certain village, and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house. Martha had a sister called Mary which also sat at Jesus feet and heard his word. But Martha was covered about much serving, and came to him and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister left me to serve alone?
Good her, therefore, that she helped me. And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha.
Now we are careful and troubled about many things, but one thing is needful.
And Mary hath chosen thy good part, which shall not be taken away.
Somehow, well, I think we can immediately, perhaps many of us have enjoyed this portion of how Mary it says very specifically she sat at Jesus feet and heard his word. Don't think that needs much else additional explanation just to ask myself as we go now a little bit further into the word of God, perhaps on a specific subject.
I hope that you'll that we will all hear His word.
And I just want to say as we go into the subject that perhaps along the way.
A speaker like myself, the same might add a little bit, might even give a personal instance or something like that. But if it's going to help, well, I hope it is, but it could not be. But don't get distracted by an example from a personal life experience or try to just be assured that you have your can I say the core message as it is from the word.
You can ask yourself at the end of the meeting, what verses were referred to and can I go back over them because that's where the value is, because that's.
The words of God, the living Word of God, is so.
Essential. And so that's a little preamble, but now the subject at hand, I'd like with the Lorde help to consider a little.
How that I'd like to have a message, I'll say it.
Four children, but it's not two children.
And I'd like to look into the Word of God, and I think we'll quickly learn that God places an extremely high value.
On children and this is a family camp so we have all ages.
And thankfully we have children here, but it's not so much I want to try to let the Word of God speak to us that we can be reminded of how God places a very high value on children.
And how those of us who are not children anymore, we can learn from God's word that our actions, what we do, what we choose to say.
Has an effect.
And it's, it's real. And I think that if we are truly have our hearts attracted to children.
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Then we can, and periodically those of us who are adults take a little pause.
Anna And just be assured, how am I behaving, whether that's in my household, whether that's in the assembly where I go, whether that's any interaction I have, It's a it can have an effect and it does have an effect. And we have a real privilege to support our children. Now, we understand, of course, that parents have an especial, very specific role and we might touch on that very briefly. But my thought more is just to be reminded from Scripture for all of us.
That children are valuable. So let's look at a familiar verse first in Psalm 127.
I'll read 2 scriptures now. Psalm 127, verse 3.
And then one from the New Testament.
Psalm 127 verse.
3.
No children are inherited.
Of the Lord, and the fruit of the womb is His.
Reward children are in heritage from the Lord now.
Familiar portion. You can maybe even be able to guess what it is from Mark 10 where the Lord Jesus says suffer the little children to come unto me. So let's read that from Mark 10.
Verse 14.
Verse 13, Mark chapter 10 and verse 13.
And they brought young children to him that he should touch them.
And his disciples rebuked those that brought them, that Jesus saw them.
But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them now, for of such is the Kingdom of God.
So we have those two verses, children, our heritage from the Lord suffer the little children to come unto me and forbid them. Not in both cases. It doesn't say parents, it just says children. And so of course, I think we all understand Justin.
Be sure that we're telling us like children, we're talking about those of a certain age. We all are children of God. But tonight I just want to emphasize that young ones, little children are precious to the Lord Jesus as we have it reported to us in God's word and it says children are in heritage.
Of the Lord. What does that mean? I think we probably all pondered that verse a little bit, and I did a little bit too. And a heritage. What is a heritage? Well, I think it includes a number of things, perhaps something that is of value.
From the past on, we anticipate into some point in the future.
I think sometimes heritage brings out the thought of protection. It's valuable to be protected. Children are valuable. As I was thinking about this, I.
How to experience in my work involves developing land and we started a parcel a year or so ago and about a month ago we got this notice and it said that adjoining this parcel there is a heritage tree. That's interesting. What is a heritage tree? I mean, exactly what is that? Well, we got to figure it out, but looking into it a little bit, it seems like.
There is this tree was.
Could be several 100 years old or more. And it seems the claim is, is that it marks a path. So before there were roads and certainly GPS or anything like that, there was apparently paths that were built by peoples of the day and they as a tree grew. If they needed to mark a certain point, they would trim it, print it in a certain way that they knew it was going to mark the path for the future for those who would come. So it would take time to do that right to grow.
And then prune it in a certain way. And so the what's been put forward is, is that this is a heritage tree. So I got a plan last week and a big bold letters heritage tree with an arrow pointed at it. And you need to go and study this tree and figure out how it might be affected. So heritage. So it means it, I guess it means something of value. And I think in the context of the word of God, it's very clear that's what it's trying to say. Children are valuable. They're precious over time and they need to be.
Protectable. And so now that we have that established, I'd like to look like to read about the Lord Jesus when he was 12 years old from Luke two. And the point of reading this passage is just to help us get from the word of God.
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We have children and then we have adults. So let's just read from Luke 2, starting at verse.
40.
This is the Lord Jesus himself. Remember, this is God himself. It's recorded in his Word.
The child grew, Jesus grew and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was upon him.
Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the feast of the Passover, and notice this. And when he was 12 years old they went up to Jerusalem. After the custom of the feast. When they had fulfilled the days, they returned The child Jesus carried behind in Jerusalem, and Joseph and his mother knew not of it. But they, supposing him to have been in the company, went a day's journey, and they saw him among the King's folk and acquaintance. When they found him not, they turned back again to Jerusalem, seeking.
And it came to pass that after three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them and asking them questions. And all that heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers. And when they saw him, they were amazed. And his mother said unto him, Son, why is thou thus dealt with us? Behold, thy father, and I have sought thee sorrowing.
And he said unto them, How is it that you sought me?
Wished ye not that I must be about my father's business. And they understood not the saying which he stake unto them. And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them. But his mother kept all these sayings in her heart.
And then perhaps I'll just quote a verse that I think was familiar to all of us from the Paul wrote when he wrote to the Corinthians. It's kind of an interesting verse in the middle of the love chapter. And he says, when I was a child, I thought as a child, I understood as a child, but when I became a man, I put away childish things.
So I'd like to just pause for a moment and again, just receive it from the Word of God.
We have a children.
And I think what the Bible presents to us is we have adults. So this room is filled with.
One of two children or adults and the reason I just want to call attention to that is that because.
Relative to, I'll say, our culture that we've all grown up with for quite a few years now.
There is a the tendency to think that you have children and then you have a period of time and then you're an adult and there certainly is a transition and it's a unique time in your life. Some of you are in that period of time, but the Bible presents to us in the example of the Lord Jesus.
It says that he was 12 years old and you know, we only learn of his age at perhaps well, we know of his birth when he was two years old, 12 and then 30. So we know that this happened and it's recorded for us. And I think it's for a reason. It shows that there is even for a holy God, there was the example of one that was.
Becoming a man and so I just want to say that and.
As we go on now and talk to those who are not children, I think if I asked any 14 year old in this room are you a child, you would quickly say no.
But if you're not a child, then there is a maturing and an interest in what the Word of God says. The Lord Jesus himself called His Father's business. There was an interest that was different than a child in that verse in Corinthians says that you put away childish things.
And so we live in a culture where.
There is a lot, perhaps it's promoted subtly and otherwise, that there's a long transition time and I just want to say gently.
That consider the word of God.
You know that the word teenager only came into existence in about 1945, so that means for 1900 years.
There wasn't that word. And you know, if you read in history, and some of you I'm sure have and more than I have, that if you read in the 1800s when you were 1214 years old, you were counting on as an adult to contribute to the family household and there was a.
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An attitude, responsibility and all that went with that. And so the last, you know, all of us and most of us in this room have been born since maybe 1945. There's probably a few before that. But you know, we just want to be careful about.
When you get to that age, take up with those responsibilities. So I just want to pass that along as I believe it is. I'm hopeful to distinguish. So now with that, I'd like to look now at what I'll call.
Practical exhortations, and these are just five. The Bible is full of practical exhortations, but I think that they can be of maybe particular significance to help us as adults. We should lay hold of these things and then as we interact with children again, parents in a very special way, we can try to instill in them these.
I'll call them exhortations. So the first is we are born.
With an old nature and the flesh prophets nothing. So we'll just consider that for a few minutes and then I have one here. I'll just call it We reap what we sow, and that applies to adults and we'll consider that. And then perhaps there's opportunity to help our children understand that we have the whole thing that's so important.
Around.
The need to learn to trust God, to believe His Word, and that the path to happiness is through obedience. And that again applies to all of us in this room. And perhaps we can help our children learn that in their youth for the benefits that come with it for a lifetime. And then we have the thought around that God has designed us in such a way that we are.
To depend on him throughout our entire life and dependence is the expression of that. We need help. And let's consider a few scriptures around that. And then I have something here called that we need to learn to guard or control our affections. And then finally that part of Christian experience is.
That we are all in the school of God and the Lord. He corrects us throughout all of our life.
And it's valuable to learn to accept the chastening hand of God. And so the first one is we were born with an old nature. Romans 7 and 18 says, for I know that is in me, that is in my flesh dwells no good thing. And I can I trust that every adult, every person here in this room knows the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior. And at that point you have a new nature.
And then there's the conflict, as we know, between the old and the new nature. But I just want to say that.
We are all born with the condition of an old nature.
And perhaps it's not very pleasant to think about, but it is what we read in God's Word.
And then, so then we have the thought where David said in Psalm 51, Behold, I was shape it in iniquity and in sin did my mother concede me?
David came to recognize that he had experiences. Perhaps he's the person in the Word of God that has shown more than anyone else the experiences of life. And he made mistakes. And he came to the point of saying that that was the condition in which he was born and.
We know that that which is born of the flesh is flesh, and so I don't want to do all this one too long.
But just now, as it applies to our children, you know, that's how they are born in this world and it's healthy. It's good to simply recognize it. And so maybe especially for parents, it's a little bit hard to see you're especially a newborn baby and say that they have the old nature, they're beautiful. They're they're to be nurtured, they're to be protected. And and the thought that they have the old nature is.
Perhaps not.
Could be not acknowledged as it should and so just the point is, is that then.
If it manifests itself as it will and does it did in everyone of us, and it can still in each one of us will serve our adults too. But if you have the care of a child, whether you're a parent, whether you're a friend, an aunt, an older sibling, even a grandparent like I am, now you see that you can try to look into God's Word as to how you can help the child to recognize it so that they come to repentance.
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Age and know the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior. So you can almost turn it into a positive by saying, yes, it's hard and it's painful to acknowledge. But if it brings them to their point of repentance when they're just one year old or 18 months old or whenever it is, they're brought into the presence of God and they say, Lord Jesus save me, then they have the new nature, then they're saved for all eternity. Don't we all want that? The Lord Jesus does And so just remember that.
There is that old nature.
Now let's have a few thoughts around. We reap what we sow. Now let's turn that for this one to Galatians 6. Again, it's so important to get it from the scriptures. Galatians 6.
Verse versus 8:00 and 9:00. So then Galatians chapter 6, verses 8:00 and 9:00.
For he that sails to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption, but he that sails to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. Let us not be weary in well doing, for in due season we shall reap if we faint not.
So again, that applies to all of us adults, and we need to take it seriously. What we do has consequences. That's what these scriptures are saying, that it gives us the analogy of sewing. And I'm not in agriculture. I know Bernie and others are. But just a few thoughts that we can draw from this, that we can then apply perhaps.
To how we can help children.
We have the thought in agriculture of preparing, being prepared. We have the thought of nutrients. So you need to add fertilizer and, and nutrients. And then what about weeds? You can have Weeds aren't going to help a plant grow well and.
Then. So let's just think about those for a few minutes. Prepare.
How can we prepare our children? Well, there's valuable ways we can prepare them and still in them the Word of God. Take time to read the word of God. You know, plants experience inclement weather, we call it, or adverse situations, but if they have a good soil prepared, we can compare that to the Bible.
They have a better chance of surviving and so I just want to encourage.
Again, all of us, yes, again, parents have a special role in this, but we interact. Those of us who have a care for children, there's times that we can call attention to the word of God.
And help them.
And so perhaps.
You're like my wife and I are now we have the joy of grandchildren. They come over well. Is the word of God part of the occasion? Maybe you're an older sibling and you're stirred up a little bit to show, you know, you're 16 and you have a younger sibling. Maybe you're an aunt, an uncle. There's opportunities to bring the word of God before children in a simple way. They take it in. They're so they, they yearn for things. They're so attentive. They are.
So impressionable at such a young age. And if you take an opportunity to have the word of God before them, it can bear fruit. And it's like providing nutrients and bringing the soil in so that when the adversity comes, they're they're more prepared. And what about the thought of weeds? Well, maybe we could just apply it in this way. Little weeds are not very profitable, right? They are.
They hinder the growth and so we can you can ask yourself.
As you interact with children and maybe I can say a word, especially to parents, because again, you have a very special privilege and unique responsibility. What am I? Are there things that I'm that my kids are being exposed to that seem little and insignificant, but as they grow, they're going to choke out the word. We have that story about the the seed that sown in the bad. And one of them is.
Out the word and so you can just ask yourself again, kids are so habits that are formed in their youth.
The recreational activities are amazing, but is it so intense that the Word of God is tending to be?
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Set aside or not being emphasized as it could be again, there's no rules in Christianity. We don't the word of God in the New Testament isn't written that way. It's written for our heart to to attract us and to that it's also written to stir us up. And so I think that it's it's healthy to ask, you know, how are the children being affected by how I interact with them and there's look for opportunities to to have the word of God open and.
And there's there's many some are invested in perhaps you take up with taking a Sunday school class. What a great opportunity to, you know, do a craft and and get the kids into the word of God. And so it's these things that are sown can reap tremendous benefits down the road.
I just have a few. I want to make sure I do things that I had in mind.
It talks about here if we faint not it says here in Galatians again I'll just read it. Let us not be wearing while doing from due season. We shall reap if we faint not and so I just want to say a word maybe especially to the mothers that are here this evening. Raising children is a tremendous amount of work. It is beyond measure what God will reward in eternity is don't give up it's it's.
It's not easy. Day by day, the Lord will give strength for the day and maybe for all of us. You know, again, kids are so impressionable. Sometimes adversity effects those of us who are adults. And how do I respond?
You know kids are watching.
And they pick up on things far more than I think we generally give them credit for. And if there's adversity of some kind in our life and it happens, right?
The Lord himself said in the world you shall have tribulation, but be of good cheer. I've overcome the world and so how do I respond?
Proverbs 2410 says, If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small.
We should lift up the hands that hang down. We should try to continue on even when there is the winds of adversity seem to be against us.
For the benefit of our children who are watching, if they see us wilt under adversity, it can have an unintended but real consequence on them that could have a real effect on their life. So lift up the hands that hang down. Well, let's continue on here.
The thought around the value of trusting and obeying.
And believing God's Word, I was reading this afternoon a little bit from Acts 27, where there's that account of Paul. And he was on the ship, I think it left from Crete, and there was a great storm. And the Angel of God says it came and strengthened him. And Paul was brought to say, sirs, I believe God. It was a very adverse situation. But the point is, is that he.
Believed God. He claimed God's word.
And he said it to all that could hear him on the ship. And so do I believe God. We have the example of Thomas. He doubted, but the Lord restored him. Well, how does this affect our children?
We have the verse Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. Children, obey your parents and the Lord for this is right. Maybe the kids are even able to listen a little bit.
Children obey its essential for your happiness. God has made us that we need to learn to trust and obey not God doesn't want to make us little hope. I speak reverently robots that just do things because somebody told us to do it. He'll tell us why any in due time, but in the meantime.
You will reap tremendous blessing if God and Mom give you instructions and you're able to just say OK.
I will do it. The Bible teaches us that That's the path of blessing, the path of happiness. You think of the example of Joseph in the Old Testament.
It caused tremendous challenge in his life, but he when he was 17 years old, his father said, will you go? And he did and he obeyed. I think he had a sense that it was not going to go well, but he he continued on and it was for the ultimate blessing of his entire family because he was willing to obey. And so the Bible says, children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.
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I'd just like to read some verses from John 13 that speak to the fact that happiness comes from obedience. John chapter.
13.
Candidates versus the trust will refresh us and encourage us. John 13, starting at verse.
15 Do I give you an example that you should do as I have done to you? Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his Lord, neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him, if ye know these things.
Happy are ye if ye do them so just a simple application that.
We have instructions from God's Word, if your children that are young, your parents are given to you to guide you, to show love, nurture and admonish, and you'll be happy if you can just simply learn to obey. That's God's path of blessing. Now we'll move on to the thought of dependence, and it's closely related.
But I think that it's something that I just like to read a verse that might appear a little bit unusual in this context, but.
I hope it helps Matthew read from Matthew the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew chapter 5.
Matthew chapter 5, verse 3.
The Lord Jesus himself says.
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven. Now I just like to read. I enjoy the commentary on this verse and.
Just want to read it, the man said.
And comment on this, he said poor in spirit refers to those who acknowledge their own helplessness.
And rely on God's omnipotence. That means that God is all powerful.
They sense their spiritual need and find it supplied in the Lord.
Isn't that a good attitude for all of us to have? Me especially the attitude of depending. We live in a culture that trains us to be independent, to think it through. Everything is given to be evaluated and held for consideration until I understand it. But that's not how God has designed us to go through life. He designed us to go through life depending on Him in a real way.
And so we can help our children to learn.
To be dependent and in that regard, I want to quote a verse that may appear a little bit unusual, but in this context, but it's a that's a verse we know it says in Proverbs 2215, foolishness is bound in the part of a child. You say, well, what do you that doesn't seem to connect. Well, foolishness is presented in the Proverbs and in most of the word of God isn't so much the way we use it now like oh, he's being foolish like trivial or it's more.
A fool is someone that lives independently of God.
They may acknowledge that God exists, but it's of no relevance to them and they go through their life.
They say the word of God, and what God says is it becomes irrelevant to them. Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child.
They need children need to be taught to depend.
And an independent streak in a young child needs to be addressed as early as possible because it's essential that they learn to depend on God. And we know that verse goes on to say foolishness is bound in the heart of the child, but the rod of correction will drive it far from him. And so the Bible is given to us. Receive it as God's word. Not what any man says, but there is the thought of correction to help them understand.
That they must live in reverence to reference to.
A holy God. And they can't just do what they want when they want. Otherwise they're going to have a life full of sorrow. And so there are many ways that we need to learn. The Bible says you are not your own.
You're bought with a price. The Lord Jesus paid dearly for our salvation. We need to depend on Him for the salvation of our life. We counted on Him for the salvation of our soul. We need to depend on Him for the preservation.
And salvation of our life, lest we fall into a ditch, as we all are prone to do.
It's important to learn to walk in a dependent way. And now I'll just move along to the thought of controlling our affections and our desires. We know the verse in Colossians. Set your affections on things above, not on things on the earth. I don't think that's hard to be understood, but it's so important. Our affections are our hearts.
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And we as adults, we get to, I'll say to some extent you can say we get to choose where is my heart, what is important to me? The Lord Jesus pleads with us, Set your affections on things above not and things of the earth. And I know some verses in Titus two that I just like to read together.
Titus, chapter 2.
And starting at verse, we'll read verse six. It says young men likewise exhort to be sober minded or self-control, control your affections. And then we'll jump down to verse 12, teaching us that denying ungodliness a worldly lusts, we should live soberly. Again, that word has the thought of self-control.
Guarding our affections, not just letting them go anywhere.
We should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world.
Our children are observing us and I'm not. Again, I'm a grandparent now. It's a wonderful joy, but it's wonderful to have children around. They're constantly observing us. They can pick up on what our hearts are attracted to. So that's the part that it affects the children. And if our heart is towards children, I'm willing to set aside affections then my life.
That could be a distraction to them as they observed me. Am I willing to even think about that?
It's significant how impressionable they are, and I know probably many adults have talked about this, and I know my wife and I have, but we have these things.
And my, they're attractive and I'm guilty more than probably anybody else to be. You just go to it like you have a few spare moments and, and, and your kids.
It starts to take away from time that you could spend with them and then all of a sudden they're like pulling on you and you're like annoyed and it just goes downhill.
Well, it started with I didn't control what my affections were. So these things are real. Perhaps they are with you. I know they are with me. And so we can consider where our affections are and we can help train our children to set affections in the right place. Again, just think of things like they have children, have spare time, they're all at a different age. They grow up so fast. You have such a short period.
With them, but at different ages they're attracted to different things and you can help them learn to get them to participate. Dad and mom in your household, you're having guests over well at a very young age you can help them participate in and get their affections going towards your the guests you're going to have by getting them to participate. I know that's practical you can take it for what it's worth but.
There's real ways that you can help your children get affections in the right direction so as they grow and get older.
They then can do things that are of value for eternity themselves. And so these are just little things that we can consider together. So then the last one I want to go to is.
The thought of correction. We know the verse Hebrews chapter 12, verses 6 and seven. Salzburg. And ye have forgotten. And have ye forgotten the exhortation which speaks unto you as unto children, my son.
This is from Hebrews. You want to turn to it. Hebrews chapter 12, verse 7. The word of God says, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, for whom the Lord nor faint when art rebuked of him for whom the Lord loves, he chastens and scourges every song whom he receives.
We are all in the school of God.
We if some of the kids are listening and saying, OK, well, he's getting ready to say that I might need correction. What the word of God is saying is that we all need correction. We are all subject to it throughout our entire life. And yes, there is the role of parents correcting children and the Bible gives a little bit of practical, I would say very practical instruction in that regard to be taken up with.
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But let's think about the thought whom the Lord loves. The source motive is love.
Sometimes I used to think of this as you sort of had to set aside love to get the correction done, but that's not the way the Word of God presents it. Love is not suspended to accomplish correction. It's the root motive that's there all along. Yes, there's, if any correction. And in fact, it goes on to say that it's painful in the moment. The Word of God acknowledges that. And so if it's so, don't be surprised.
If your child comes to the point of needing correction and there's tears, it's that's.
It's part of the necessity of training the nerd that says in their Ephesians the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Those two things go throughout life and throughout raising our children. Nurture and admonition. Perhaps just a few practical thoughts in that regard. If if correction is necessary, it's beneficial. The Bible talks about doing it speedily.
Whatever that means, do it sooner.
Then later the Bible says, so withhold not correction from the child, don't hold back. It might be painful, it might be hard to get over the hurdle, but Bible says withhold not correction. You know, and I just want to say a word to those who are fathers here.
You know, again, we are affected by our culture and there's a real eroding of authority. But a father has authority and he has responsibility.
And we need those of you who are dads, you need to take up with it in a very real way. It's for the benefit of your whole household. Take the responsibility, take the leadership.
You're done in the right way, it will garner the love and that your wife desires to have expressed that she knows that there's the protection is being brought by someone who is cares enough to look out and try to guide children.
For the Lord Jesus Christ for that eternal day.
David said at the end of his life, I think was it yesterday or at some point someone referred to the Samuel and the last words of David and he said it in it. And at the end of his life in Second Samuel 23, David records that God spoke to him and said he that rules over man must be just ruling in the fear of God. So when it comes to discipline should be done.
With a sense of the God is holy, that it's never done in anger.
It's never done as a fleshly response to achieve an immediate result. It's done with love and care, the spirit of that it would be for the eternal blessing those who receive it. And so we need to have a reverent fear of God, every one of us and especially those of us who are men, that we would realize that God is over us and we give an account to him.
And so I just trust that those two thoughts would be for the encouragement of each each of us here and know what each would cause us to go further into the Word of God and to pray together to seek to support each other in our Christian life. We don't know what's ahead of us.
But the Lord Jesus can take care of us.