¤¤¤
00:00:00.66\00:00:09.64
¤¤¤
00:00:11.31\00:00:21.28
Doug Batchelor: We're here
on the beautiful coast of the
00:00:21.32\00:00:23.15
island of Puerto Rico.
00:00:23.18\00:00:25.02
And if you were to travel east
about 2,000 miles, of course
00:00:25.05\00:00:28.19
you'd be out in the
middle of the ocean.
00:00:28.22\00:00:30.26
But you'd also be in
the middle of a mystical sea
00:00:30.29\00:00:32.49
called the Sargasso Sea.
00:00:32.53\00:00:34.63
It gets its name because of this
common brown seaweed that can be
00:00:34.66\00:00:39.03
found floating in vast mass.
00:00:39.07\00:00:42.14
The area of the Sargasso
Sea is about 700 miles wide
00:00:42.17\00:00:46.01
and 2,000 miles long.
00:00:46.04\00:00:48.28
Now, the seaweed
itself is fascinating stuff.
00:00:48.31\00:00:51.01
It was first
observed and called gulf weed
00:00:51.05\00:00:53.45
by Christopher Columbus.
00:00:53.48\00:00:55.35
It gets the name
sargum from the Portuguese.
00:00:55.38\00:00:57.49
Some people use it as herbal
remedies, but out in the middle
00:00:57.52\00:01:00.12
of the Sargasso Sea, the
water is some of the bluest
00:01:00.16\00:01:02.69
in the world.
00:01:02.72\00:01:04.13
It's there you can see
200 feet deep in places.
00:01:04.16\00:01:07.76
It also has a great biodiversity
and ecosystem that surrounds
00:01:07.83\00:01:11.07
the Sargasso Sea.
00:01:11.10\00:01:13.00
For years, scientists
wondered where the American
00:01:13.03\00:01:15.37
and Atlantic eels were breeding.
00:01:15.40\00:01:17.71
They knew the adult eel swam
down the rivers out into the
00:01:17.74\00:01:20.41
Atlantic, but they
never could find the place
00:01:20.44\00:01:22.61
where they reproduced.
00:01:22.64\00:01:24.21
Finally, they discovered
it was out in the middle
00:01:24.25\00:01:25.95
of the Sargasso Sea.
00:01:25.98\00:01:27.72
So, it's a fascinating place,
but if you're an ancient sailor,
00:01:27.75\00:01:30.95
you did not want
to get stuck there.
00:01:30.99\00:01:35.09
Being caught in the
doldrums was extremely difficult
00:01:35.92\00:01:38.53
for the ancient sailors.
00:01:38.56\00:01:40.30
Of course, their boats were
driven by wind and sail, and
00:01:40.33\00:01:43.10
they'd be caught in the vast
mass of the seaweed that would
00:01:43.13\00:01:46.43
wrap around their rudder,
barnacles would begin to grow.
00:01:46.47\00:01:48.94
It's an area that is notorious
for light and baffling winds,
00:01:48.97\00:01:52.61
and so they'd make no
progress, they'd get stuck.
00:01:52.64\00:01:55.84
The men would become
extremely dispirited.
00:01:55.88\00:01:58.38
Sometimes violence and
even insanity would break out
00:01:58.41\00:02:01.42
as people were
trapped in the doldrums.
00:02:01.45\00:02:04.75
Well, friends, perhaps sometimes
you felt that you're trapped
00:02:04.79\00:02:07.16
in the doldrums.
00:02:07.19\00:02:09.06
You've gone through episodes of
depression, you feel like you're
00:02:09.09\00:02:11.49
going in circles,
life seems stifling.
00:02:11.53\00:02:14.10
You know, the Bible offers
good news, there is a way out.
00:02:14.10\00:02:17.47
The Bible talks about a famous
character that was trapped
00:02:17.50\00:02:20.27
in a cycle of depression.
00:02:20.30\00:02:22.30
He was low as you could be.
00:02:22.34\00:02:24.04
Matter of fact, he even had
seaweed wrapped around his head.
00:02:24.07\00:02:26.81
His name was Jonah, but
God gave him a way of escape.
00:02:26.84\00:02:30.78
In Jonah chapter 2,
verse 3 through 7, we read,
00:02:30.81\00:02:34.45
"For you cast me into
the depths, into the heart
00:02:34.48\00:02:37.39
of the seas, and the
floods surrounded me.
00:02:37.42\00:02:40.19
All of your billows and
your waves passed over me.
00:02:40.22\00:02:43.12
Then I said, 'I have
been cast out of your sight.
00:02:43.16\00:02:46.36
Yet I will look again
towards your holy temple.'
00:02:46.39\00:02:49.00
The waters
surrounded me, even to my soul.
00:02:49.03\00:02:51.77
The deep closed around me.
00:02:51.80\00:02:53.77
Weeds were
wrapped around my head.
00:02:53.80\00:02:56.10
I went down to the
moorings of the mountains.
00:02:56.14\00:02:58.67
The earth with its bars
closed behind me forever.
00:02:58.71\00:03:02.14
Yet you've brought
my life up from the pit.
00:03:02.18\00:03:04.75
O Lord, my God, when my soul
fainted within me, I remember
00:03:04.78\00:03:09.15
the Lord, and my prayer went up
to you, into your holy temple."
00:03:09.18\00:03:13.92
You know, friends, the
way that Jonah got out of his
00:03:13.96\00:03:16.42
discouraging circumstances,
he turned to God and he prayed.
00:03:16.46\00:03:20.16
And if God could hear Jonah's
prayer, just think about it, he
00:03:20.20\00:03:22.96
was as far away from
God as anybody could be.
00:03:23.00\00:03:25.37
He was in the belly of a
sea monster in the bottom of the
00:03:25.40\00:03:28.27
ocean in the dark, yet he turned
to God and God heard his prayer.
00:03:28.30\00:03:31.94
You know, these ancient sailors,
when they were trapped on the
00:03:31.97\00:03:35.14
deck of a ship for weeks stuck
in the doldrums, discouraged,
00:03:35.18\00:03:38.55
sometimes they would have a
prayer meeting and pray that God
00:03:38.58\00:03:41.12
would send a breeze
that would set them free
00:03:41.15\00:03:43.55
and get their boats moving.
00:03:43.59\00:03:45.55
They turned to God in prayer
and often miracles would happen,
00:03:45.59\00:03:48.29
and the wind would flutter
in the sails and bring them
00:03:48.32\00:03:50.69
out of their seaweed prison.
00:03:50.73\00:03:52.96
Friends, maybe you have
been stuck in the doldrums.
00:03:52.99\00:03:55.53
Maybe you've been caught
in a cycle of depression.
00:03:55.56\00:03:58.27
If God can do it for Jonah,
if he can do it for the ancient
00:03:58.30\00:04:00.84
sailors, he can do it for you.
00:04:00.87\00:04:02.90
Turn to the Lord in prayer,
trust his Spirit to blow through
00:04:02.94\00:04:05.51
your soul and to set you free.
00:04:05.54\00:04:08.74
¤¤¤
00:04:08.78\00:04:18.75
¤¤¤
00:04:18.79\00:04:28.73
¤¤¤
00:04:28.76\00:04:34.57
Jean Ross: Hello friends,
00:04:38.84\00:04:40.28
welcome to
"Sabbath School Study Hour"
00:04:40.31\00:04:41.91
here at the Granite Bay
Seventh Day Adventist Church
00:04:41.94\00:04:43.75
in Sacramento, California.
00:04:43.78\00:04:45.65
I'd like to welcome our online
numbers and our friends who are
00:04:45.68\00:04:48.32
joining us across the
country and around the world,
00:04:48.35\00:04:50.85
part of our extended
Sabbath school class.
00:04:50.89\00:04:53.59
And also, we'd like to welcome
our regular in person Sabbath
00:04:53.62\00:04:56.99
School members and those
who are visiting with us today.
00:04:57.03\00:04:59.73
We're glad that you are
here ready to study once again.
00:04:59.76\00:05:02.63
Our lesson dealing with
the subject of family seasons.
00:05:02.66\00:05:06.10
Now, I know a number of you are
aware that we are actually three
00:05:06.13\00:05:09.04
weeks ahead than everyone
else because we prerecord these
00:05:09.07\00:05:12.21
for broadcast purpose
later on, so today our lesson
00:05:12.24\00:05:16.51
is actually lesson
number eight that is entitled
00:05:16.54\00:05:19.18
"Seasons of Parenting."
00:05:19.21\00:05:21.22
And we're going to be getting
into that in just a few moments,
00:05:21.25\00:05:23.85
but we'd like to let our friends
know about our free offer for
00:05:23.89\00:05:26.79
today, a study guide entitled
"The Only Lifeboat" that's part
00:05:26.82\00:05:30.79
of our Amazing Adventure series,
a series of Bible studies geared
00:05:30.83\00:05:33.76
specifically for kids.
00:05:33.80\00:05:36.10
Of course, adults can also learn
from this, and we'll be happy
00:05:36.13\00:05:38.83
to send this to
anyone who calls and asks.
00:05:38.87\00:05:41.00
If you'd like to receive a
copy, the number to call is...
00:05:41.04\00:05:46.11
and you can ask
for offer number 805.
00:05:46.14\00:05:50.15
And we'll be happy to send this
to anyone who calls and asks,
00:05:50.18\00:05:52.75
or you can get a digital copy
of the study "The Only Lifeboat"
00:05:52.78\00:05:56.75
by simply texting the
code SH126 to the number 40544.
00:05:56.79\00:06:04.56
And you'll get a link
and it'll show you a way you
00:06:04.59\00:06:06.80
can download just
a fantastic lesson.
00:06:06.83\00:06:10.10
This is one in a series
of lessons dealing with some
00:06:10.13\00:06:13.10
important Bible
truths especially geared
00:06:13.13\00:06:16.20
for young people.
00:06:16.24\00:06:17.94
So, take advantage
of that free offer.
00:06:17.97\00:06:19.54
Well, before we get to our
lesson, we're going to begin
00:06:19.57\00:06:21.28
by lifting our voices in song.
00:06:21.31\00:06:23.01
We'd like to invite our
song leaders to come forward.
00:06:23.04\00:06:26.58
male: We're going to have a
song before we begin the lesson
00:06:27.55\00:06:29.85
study, and it's number
458, "More Love to Thee,
00:06:29.88\00:06:32.79
O Christ, More Love
to Thee," number 458.
00:06:32.82\00:06:37.13
¤¤¤
00:06:37.16\00:06:42.63
¤ More love to thee, O
Christ, more love to thee ¤
00:06:42.66\00:06:51.47
¤ Hear thou the prayer
I make on bended knee ¤
00:06:51.51\00:07:00.82
¤ This is my earnest plea,
more love, O Christ to thee ¤
00:07:00.85\00:07:10.43
¤ More love to
thee, more love to thee ¤
00:07:10.46\00:07:19.17
¤ Once earthly joy I
craved, sought peace and rest ¤
00:07:20.34\00:07:28.71
¤ Now thee alone I
seek, give what is best ¤
00:07:28.74\00:07:37.49
¤ This all my prayer shall be,
more love, O Christ, to thee ¤
00:07:37.52\00:07:46.90
¤ More love to
thee, more love to thee ¤
00:07:46.93\00:07:55.24
¤ Let sorrow do its
work, send grief or pain ¤
00:07:56.40\00:08:04.68
¤ Sweet are thy messengers,
sweet their refrain ¤
00:08:04.71\00:08:13.59
¤ When they can sing with me ¤
00:08:13.62\00:08:17.93
¤ more love, O Christ, to thee ¤
00:08:17.96\00:08:22.73
¤ More love to
thee, more love to thee ¤
00:08:22.76\00:08:32.47
¤ Then shall my latest
breath whisper thy praise ¤
00:08:32.51\00:08:40.82
¤ This be the parting
cry my heart shall raise ¤
00:08:40.85\00:08:49.56
¤ This still its
prayer shall be ¤
00:08:49.59\00:08:54.30
¤ more love, O Christ, to thee ¤
00:08:54.30\00:08:59.20
¤ More love to
thee, more love to thee ¤¤
00:08:59.23\00:09:09.11
male: Thank you for singing.
00:09:11.45\00:09:14.88
Jean: Let's bow our
heads for a word of prayer.
00:09:16.85\00:09:20.82
Father in heaven, we thank you
that we have this opportunity
00:09:20.86\00:09:23.63
together in your house and
open up your Word and study
00:09:23.66\00:09:26.39
an important
subject, that of parenting.
00:09:26.43\00:09:29.16
And we know, Father, you are the
great parent, and we can learn
00:09:29.20\00:09:32.07
so many lessons in the
way that you interact with us.
00:09:32.10\00:09:34.94
We also thank you for the
counsel that you've given us in
00:09:34.97\00:09:37.41
your Word that could help
us be even better parents.
00:09:37.44\00:09:39.64
So, we ask your special blessing
upon our study time today in
00:09:39.67\00:09:42.88
Jesus's name, amen.
00:09:42.91\00:09:46.18
This morning, I'd like to invite
Pastor Doug to come forward.
00:09:46.21\00:09:48.65
And we got two podiums up here,
so we're going to try team teach
00:09:48.68\00:09:53.82
our lesson today on parenting.
00:09:53.86\00:09:56.76
We thought it was such an
important, big subject, it's
00:09:56.79\00:09:58.76
going to take two
pastors to try to unpack
00:09:58.79\00:10:01.36
all of the lessons that we find.
00:10:01.40\00:10:03.16
Good morning, Pastor Doug.
00:10:03.20\00:10:04.73
Doug: Good morning, Pastor Ross.
00:10:04.77\00:10:07.84
Folks, you're going to wonder
why that sounded so funny.
00:10:07.87\00:10:12.11
But you know, we thought it'd be
a good idea for us to team up on
00:10:12.14\00:10:16.24
this, and I didn't give him very
much warning because I thought,
00:10:16.28\00:10:20.68
you know, we're really coming
at this lesson on parenting from
00:10:20.72\00:10:23.69
two different perspectives.
00:10:23.72\00:10:25.62
Pastor Ross grew up in a
Christian home, his parents
00:10:25.65\00:10:28.26
are still married
today after many years.
00:10:28.29\00:10:30.43
I grew up with parents that were
each married four or more times,
00:10:30.46\00:10:34.13
and my brother and I
often lived with my mother,
00:10:34.20\00:10:37.20
who was a single parent.
00:10:37.23\00:10:39.17
We thought, well, we'll try
to just add more perspective
00:10:39.20\00:10:41.50
to it that way.
00:10:41.54\00:10:43.47
So, the lesson today is
on "Seasons of Parenting,"
00:10:43.51\00:10:45.97
it's lesson number eight.
00:10:46.01\00:10:47.88
And we have a memory verse.
00:10:47.91\00:10:49.58
I hope you can say it with
me, you should know it by now.
00:10:49.61\00:10:51.31
Psalm 127, verse
3, are you ready?
00:10:51.35\00:10:54.55
Psalm 127, verse 3,
"Behold, children are a heritage
00:10:54.58\00:10:59.65
from the Lord, and the
fruit of the womb is a reward."
00:10:59.69\00:11:05.03
Now, I have often thought,
and it talks about this in the
00:11:05.06\00:11:08.60
lesson, can you imagine what it
would be like for Adam and Eve
00:11:08.63\00:11:14.60
to have their first child?
00:11:14.64\00:11:17.67
You know, one of the reasons
I have a hard time believing
00:11:17.71\00:11:19.91
in evolution is
just the way that humans
00:11:19.94\00:11:23.91
and most mammals procreate.
00:11:23.95\00:11:26.38
Through a
cooperative act of love,
00:11:26.41\00:11:28.85
they recreate in their image.
00:11:28.88\00:11:31.22
Evolutionists say that the
early forms of life, cells would
00:11:31.25\00:11:34.52
simply come to the point where
they would divide, and they
00:11:34.56\00:11:37.99
divide perfectly and evenly,
where they keep their own
00:11:38.03\00:11:40.76
nucleus and DNA.
00:11:40.80\00:11:42.83
And they just when you
want to start a family if you're
00:11:42.86\00:11:44.87
a single cell,
you just split in two.
00:11:44.90\00:11:46.90
Why don't we do that today?
00:11:46.94\00:11:49.14
What along the way, what along
the way in the process or scheme
00:11:49.17\00:11:54.24
of evolution would ever call for
two people to fall in love to,
00:11:54.28\00:12:00.62
then through an act
of love and cooperation,
00:12:00.65\00:12:03.32
procreate in their own image?
00:12:03.35\00:12:05.19
They've never explained that.
00:12:05.22\00:12:06.92
And that to me
is a real mystery.
00:12:06.96\00:12:08.62
So, having families, and this is
one thing I think made the devil
00:12:08.66\00:12:11.69
mad is that humans
could recreate in their image,
00:12:11.73\00:12:15.03
and the devil can't create.
00:12:15.06\00:12:17.17
And he got to focus his wrath on
this race made in God's image.
00:12:17.20\00:12:20.97
Can you imagine Eve, first baby?
00:12:21.00\00:12:23.00
I don't know that the suffering
to be even after the curse--
00:12:23.04\00:12:27.04
I know I'm rambling here.
00:12:27.08\00:12:29.31
When God told Adam and Eve
because of their sin in sorrow
00:12:29.34\00:12:32.51
she would bring forth children,
what would it have been like to
00:12:32.55\00:12:35.68
have children without sorrow?
00:12:35.72\00:12:38.69
I just picture Eve rolling over
in the morning and nudging Adam
00:12:38.72\00:12:42.72
and say, "You're
never going to believe
00:12:42.76\00:12:44.53
what happened last night.
00:12:44.56\00:12:46.56
I had a baby."
00:12:46.59\00:12:48.90
But you know, now it's with,
you know, pain and sorrow and
00:12:48.93\00:12:53.84
a lot of bodily changes.
00:12:53.87\00:12:56.24
It's just all a
miracle, you know--
00:12:56.27\00:12:58.47
Jean: You know, usually when
a lady's going to have her first
00:12:58.51\00:13:01.38
child, I know in the case
of my wife when our firstborn
00:13:01.41\00:13:04.98
was--well, she was pregnant
with our oldest one, there was
00:13:05.01\00:13:08.58
a special bond and relationship
that she developed with my
00:13:08.62\00:13:12.49
mother and with her mother as
they kind of walked her through
00:13:12.52\00:13:15.36
the process of pregnancy, what
to expect, how this all works.
00:13:15.39\00:13:19.39
You think of Eve, she probably,
I'd imagine, that there was a
00:13:19.43\00:13:22.73
special bonding that took place
between God and Eve because God
00:13:22.76\00:13:26.77
was sort of leading her through
the process of what to expect
00:13:26.80\00:13:29.57
and what to do.
00:13:29.60\00:13:31.51
This is the first pregnancy
and the first baby to be born.
00:13:31.54\00:13:34.01
So, you can just kind of
imagine that there was a special
00:13:34.04\00:13:36.78
relationship I'm sure that Eve
experienced with God as he kind
00:13:36.81\00:13:40.58
of guided her or helped
her through this process.
00:13:40.62\00:13:42.68
He was the only one who
would've known what to expect
00:13:42.72\00:13:45.15
or how all this works.
00:13:45.19\00:13:47.42
Doug: Were there fig
leaves for pampers back then?
00:13:47.46\00:13:51.13
Where do you buy them?
00:13:51.16\00:13:52.76
Anyway, so the
early parents, they had--
00:13:52.79\00:13:56.16
it must've been a
very exciting experience.
00:13:56.20\00:13:58.93
And I think that Eve even
thought that Cain might be
00:13:58.97\00:14:01.40
the first Messiah.
00:14:01.44\00:14:03.07
She says, "I have
gotten a man from the Lord,"
00:14:03.10\00:14:05.17
and perhaps she thought that.
00:14:05.21\00:14:07.34
We probably ought to jump
into the first section here,
00:14:07.38\00:14:09.98
and it's talking
about childless parenting.
00:14:10.01\00:14:12.95
Now, this may sound like an
oxymoron, childless parenting,
00:14:12.98\00:14:17.05
but you know, there are quite
a few examples in the Bible of
00:14:17.09\00:14:20.22
people that they wanted families
and they couldn't have children.
00:14:20.26\00:14:24.63
Now today, things are different.
00:14:24.66\00:14:27.13
In Bible times, nobody said,
"Well, shall we have children or
00:14:27.20\00:14:31.03
shall we not have children?"
00:14:31.07\00:14:32.90
In Bible times,
everybody wanted children.
00:14:32.93\00:14:35.34
You don't find an example in
the Bible of a couple that got
00:14:35.37\00:14:37.81
married and said, "Well, maybe
we shouldn't have any children,"
00:14:37.84\00:14:41.98
because that was your
social security for one thing.
00:14:42.01\00:14:45.21
If you didn't have children
to care for you in your old age
00:14:45.25\00:14:47.62
and help provide for you and do
the work of the family business,
00:14:47.65\00:14:51.82
it was just unthinkable.
00:14:51.85\00:14:54.12
But there are several examples
of barren women in the Bible.
00:14:54.16\00:14:57.66
And one thing I noticed, I
was just sitting there thinking
00:14:57.69\00:15:01.43
about it, if you named someone
that struggled with barrenness
00:15:01.46\00:15:04.30
in the Bible, I'll bet you
they ended up having children.
00:15:04.33\00:15:09.64
In other words, all of those
who were barren in the Bible
00:15:09.67\00:15:12.27
ultimately had
children that I can think of.
00:15:12.31\00:15:16.75
So, let's look at some of them.
00:15:16.78\00:15:18.85
And while we're talking about
this, just keep in mind it can
00:15:18.88\00:15:22.32
be very difficult, there was a
terrible social stigma that went
00:15:22.35\00:15:25.82
with not having children.
00:15:25.85\00:15:27.79
It was like you were under a
curse 'cause it says children
00:15:27.82\00:15:29.79
were a blessing.
00:15:29.82\00:15:31.59
And if you didn't have them, you
thought, "What did I do wrong?"
00:15:31.63\00:15:34.00
And so, there was a lot
of suffering that connected
00:15:34.00\00:15:35.86
with these parents
that didn't have children.
00:15:35.90\00:15:38.17
Jean: And of course, probably
the one that you're going to
00:15:38.20\00:15:40.20
start with, Pastor Doug, is that
famous story of Sarah, who old
00:15:40.24\00:15:43.14
age, more than 90
years old, finally--you know,
00:15:43.17\00:15:47.04
God makes the promise
both to Abraham and to Sarah,
00:15:47.08\00:15:49.78
but their faith was tested,
and there were some things
00:15:49.81\00:15:51.98
that they had to learn
through that experience.
00:15:52.01\00:15:53.82
But I think you mentioned,
Pastor Doug, there's seven
00:15:53.85\00:15:56.22
miracle births that we read
about in the Bible, and all of
00:15:56.25\00:15:59.89
them are somehow connected with
revealing or explaining further
00:15:59.92\00:16:04.36
the plan of redemption, pointing
in some way to the coming
00:16:04.39\00:16:07.23
of the Messiah.
00:16:07.23\00:16:09.06
Doug: Yeah, and let
me see if I can remember.
00:16:09.10\00:16:11.10
You realize the three wives
of the patriarchs, their primary
00:16:11.13\00:16:13.70
wives, Abraham, Isaac,
and Jacob, were all barren.
00:16:13.74\00:16:17.84
And it's amazing 'cause you read
that, of course, there was a
00:16:17.87\00:16:22.41
miracle when Sarah gave birth,
but just imagine people say
00:16:22.44\00:16:26.48
to Abraham, "What's your name?"
00:16:26.51\00:16:28.12
"Abraham."
00:16:28.15\00:16:30.02
"Oh, father of a multitude.
How many children do you have?"
00:16:30.05\00:16:32.02
"None yet."
00:16:32.05\00:16:33.76
"How old are you?"
00:16:33.79\00:16:35.56
"A hundred."
00:16:35.59\00:16:37.59
I mean, that must've
been hard to explain.
00:16:37.63\00:16:39.56
But ultimately, of course,
God fulfilled his promise.
00:16:39.59\00:16:42.36
Not only was it a miracle with
Sarah and it brought great joy,
00:16:42.40\00:16:46.57
but it was also a
miracle with Rebekah.
00:16:46.60\00:16:49.57
You can read here in Genesis
25:21, "Now Isaac pleaded
00:16:49.60\00:16:53.78
with the Lord for his
wife because she was barren,
00:16:53.81\00:16:57.58
and the Lord granted his plea."
00:16:57.61\00:16:59.48
Now, the word "pleaded" there
means years went by when they
00:16:59.51\00:17:02.55
had no children.
00:17:02.58\00:17:04.75
And finally, she
conceived and she had twins.
00:17:04.79\00:17:06.92
And then you go to Rachel, who
was the one that Jacob initially
00:17:06.96\00:17:09.62
wanted to marry, and it says,
"Now Rachel saw that she bore
00:17:09.66\00:17:15.36
no children to Jacob."
00:17:15.40\00:17:17.40
Several years probably went
by and Rachel envied her sister,
00:17:17.43\00:17:21.07
and said, "Give me
children or I'll die."
00:17:21.10\00:17:24.07
Now, I want to pause here for a
moment, Pastor Ross, because you
00:17:24.11\00:17:27.31
know, the church is built around
assuming that we're ministering
00:17:27.34\00:17:32.25
to families, but you know, there
are families in the church that
00:17:32.28\00:17:35.75
they feel a tinge of pain
whenever they see the children's
00:17:35.78\00:17:38.32
story 'cause they
wanted to have children.
00:17:38.35\00:17:40.62
I've got some dear friends
and I--you know, they cooperated
00:17:40.66\00:17:44.46
with the natural methods and
they just never had children.
00:17:44.49\00:17:48.20
And first thing people
would ask when they'd say,
00:17:48.23\00:17:50.20
"Well, so how long
have you been married?"
00:17:50.23\00:17:51.93
"Twenty years."
00:17:51.97\00:17:53.50
"How many children do you have?"
00:17:53.54\00:17:55.00
"None."
00:17:55.04\00:17:56.74
And there's always kind
of like an awkward silence.
00:17:56.77\00:17:58.61
I think we need to
be sensitive to that.
00:17:58.64\00:18:00.58
But when you're
in a church family,
00:18:00.61\00:18:02.98
everybody can be a parent.
00:18:03.01\00:18:06.45
I think about growing up,
you know, when you have divorced
00:18:06.48\00:18:08.68
parents and you have a
single mom and, you know,
00:18:08.72\00:18:12.89
you didn't have
Christianity modeled before you.
00:18:12.92\00:18:15.52
I am so thankful for
grandparents, some adopted
00:18:15.56\00:18:20.33
uncles, camp counselors that
modeled for me what it looks
00:18:20.36\00:18:24.50
like to be a father or
to be a person of integrity.
00:18:24.53\00:18:28.54
And so all of us, whether you
have children or not, you can do
00:18:28.57\00:18:32.74
some parenting to the children
that come under your influence.
00:18:32.77\00:18:37.25
Jean: You know, as a child,
I remember I was placed with
00:18:37.28\00:18:39.88
parents that loved the Lord
and they modeled Christianity.
00:18:39.91\00:18:43.32
But in addition to that, there
were a couple of older folks
00:18:43.35\00:18:46.45
when I was just a kid growing
up, going to church every week,
00:18:46.49\00:18:49.62
I remember there was a
song leader in particular,
00:18:49.66\00:18:51.49
just a great old man.
00:18:51.53\00:18:53.43
But his way of showing care
and concern even to the children
00:18:53.46\00:18:58.20
is a powerful witness.
00:18:58.23\00:18:59.90
I remember that.
00:18:59.93\00:19:01.64
So, even though we might not
have kids or we might be older,
00:19:01.67\00:19:04.64
we could still have a positive
influence upon the young people
00:19:04.67\00:19:06.51
or the kids in the church.
00:19:06.54\00:19:08.54
And I think we all have a part
to play as a church family in
00:19:08.58\00:19:10.65
encouraging and helping both
young parents and the children
00:19:10.68\00:19:14.68
in setting an example of what
it is to be a true Christian.
00:19:14.72\00:19:17.62
Doug: Yeah.
00:19:17.65\00:19:19.62
And kids, when they're young,
don't ever underestimate how
00:19:19.65\00:19:22.02
much they're taking in,
they're watching everything.
00:19:22.06\00:19:24.23
And they note when you
make decisions of integrity,
00:19:24.26\00:19:27.86
and they note when you fail.
00:19:27.93\00:19:30.40
And they'll
bring it back to you.
00:19:30.43\00:19:32.60
And so they're watching, so
best way to teach them is what?
00:19:32.63\00:19:36.64
Example.
00:19:36.67\00:19:38.17
What's the second one? Example.
00:19:38.21\00:19:40.21
Third one? Example.
00:19:40.24\00:19:42.38
Be a good
example for the children.
00:19:42.41\00:19:44.55
And then there's one other that
it gives here in the lesson,
00:19:44.58\00:19:47.38
and I'll not read
the whole passage.
00:19:47.42\00:19:49.28
You got Abraham, Isaac,
Jacob, then you got Hannah.
00:19:49.32\00:19:52.89
And Hannah especially suffered
because she had a sister wife,
00:19:52.92\00:19:56.76
Peninnah, and it
calls her her adversary.
00:19:56.79\00:20:00.76
And you know, that's
the same word for Satan,
00:20:00.80\00:20:02.70
he's called the adversary.
00:20:02.73\00:20:05.03
And she provoked her.
00:20:05.07\00:20:06.74
I mean, that's really cruel.
00:20:06.77\00:20:08.54
Hannah couldn't have children,
Peninnah had many children,
00:20:08.57\00:20:10.64
and she would
say, "Oh, well, I guess
00:20:10.67\00:20:12.37
you've done something wrong.
00:20:12.41\00:20:13.74
God's cursing you.
00:20:13.78\00:20:15.31
Look at all of my children."
00:20:15.34\00:20:16.78
And Peninnah was resentful
because they had to share
00:20:16.81\00:20:18.81
the love of Elkanah.
00:20:18.85\00:20:20.85
And you know, that
never works out in the Bible.
00:20:20.88\00:20:23.18
When you got one husband and
several wives, there's always
00:20:23.22\00:20:26.62
some kind of competition for
the affection of the husband.
00:20:26.65\00:20:29.86
Jean: Of course, we see the
same situation taking place in
00:20:29.89\00:20:32.69
the wives of Jacob.
00:20:32.73\00:20:34.73
You have Rachel and Leah, and
there's a little bit of jealousy
00:20:34.73\00:20:37.87
going back and forth.
00:20:37.90\00:20:39.83
And if you were the one that
was able to have kids and you're
00:20:39.87\00:20:42.00
able to have more kids than the
other, you kind of saw yourself
00:20:42.04\00:20:45.37
as being the first wife.
00:20:45.41\00:20:47.41
And there was some
controversy that developed.
00:20:47.44\00:20:49.74
Well, we find the same
thing taking place with Hannah.
00:20:49.78\00:20:52.21
Hannah turns to God and
just open her heart in prayer,
00:20:52.25\00:20:55.35
and a very powerful story.
00:20:55.38\00:20:57.15
We don't have time to read the
whole thing, and it's wonderful
00:20:57.19\00:20:59.09
how God hears and
recognizes her heart,
00:20:59.12\00:21:01.86
and actually grants her request.
00:21:01.89\00:21:04.06
Doug: Amen.
00:21:04.09\00:21:05.76
So, I probably got to
tie this off when we talk
00:21:05.79\00:21:07.76
about single parenting.
00:21:07.83\00:21:09.50
The seven barren women that had
miracle births in the Bible are
00:21:09.53\00:21:12.70
you've got Sarah, Rebekah,
Rachel, Hannah, the Shunammite
00:21:12.73\00:21:18.64
woman, John the Baptist's
mother, and Samson's parents.
00:21:18.67\00:21:24.11
So, you got these
seven miracle births.
00:21:24.15\00:21:26.31
And each one of those
babies--they're all boys,
00:21:26.35\00:21:28.22
it's interesting.
00:21:28.25\00:21:29.92
Each one of those boys is
a type of Christ in some way.
00:21:29.95\00:21:32.85
Isaac is the willing sacrifice
on the mountain, right?
00:21:32.89\00:21:36.22
Joseph, he's sold by his
brothers, but he forgives them
00:21:36.26\00:21:39.23
and he feeds the world.
00:21:39.26\00:21:41.83
And you just go down the line,
Samson, he stretches out his
00:21:41.86\00:21:45.27
arms, lays down his
life, he's a type of Christ.
00:21:45.30\00:21:47.67
And so, you just have
some interesting stories here.
00:21:47.70\00:21:50.37
Now, one more thing, this is
why we're talking about these
00:21:50.41\00:21:52.71
barren--it's so amazing
that the wives of the patriarchs
00:21:52.74\00:21:57.65
are all barren
until Jacob goes to Egypt.
00:21:57.68\00:22:00.62
God said, "I will
multiply you there."
00:22:00.65\00:22:03.02
They go from being barren to
being the most prolific people
00:22:03.05\00:22:08.12
in the world.
00:22:08.16\00:22:10.03
It says they multiply,
they multiplied exceedingly,
00:22:10.06\00:22:11.89
they greatly multiplied.
00:22:11.93\00:22:13.60
So, even the Egyptians
said, "What's going on here?
00:22:13.63\00:22:15.60
They're soon
going to outnumber us."
00:22:15.63\00:22:18.07
And so, God did something
finally when they went to Egypt.
00:22:18.10\00:22:20.70
While they were being
persecuted, they grew.
00:22:20.74\00:22:24.14
And it seems like
during times of persecution,
00:22:24.17\00:22:26.31
the church grows too.
00:22:26.34\00:22:28.21
Jean: Absolutely.
00:22:28.24\00:22:30.05
And it's mentioned each
of those miracle childs--
00:22:30.08\00:22:32.28
children played some part
in God's plan of redemption.
00:22:32.31\00:22:34.68
Samson was a
deliverer for Israel.
00:22:34.72\00:22:36.79
You have John the Baptist
that prepared the way for Jesus.
00:22:36.82\00:22:39.85
And so, there's a lesson
in each of these experiences.
00:22:39.89\00:22:42.42
And often those children came,
or I think every time those
00:22:42.46\00:22:46.23
children came as a result of
earnest interceding or prayer
00:22:46.26\00:22:49.43
on behalf of the mother.
00:22:49.46\00:22:51.30
The mother prayed and God
heard and answered the prayer,
00:22:51.33\00:22:53.34
or the father prayed on
behalf of the wife and God heard
00:22:53.37\00:22:55.44
and answered their prayer.
00:22:55.47\00:22:57.07
So, it's connected with prayer.
00:22:57.11\00:22:58.51
Doug: Amen.
00:22:58.54\00:23:00.44
Now, just before we leave
that section about single or
00:23:00.48\00:23:02.71
childless parenting, some people
choose not to have children.
00:23:02.74\00:23:07.12
Is there a time in the Bible
where God says it may be really
00:23:07.15\00:23:10.55
difficult for those that
have children in the last days?
00:23:10.59\00:23:13.86
You know, Matthew 24:19, Jesus
said, "Woe to those who are
00:23:13.89\00:23:17.33
pregnant and those who are
nursing babies in those days,"
00:23:17.36\00:23:19.79
speaking of a time
of great tribulation.
00:23:19.83\00:23:22.60
And on the way to the
cross, he was talking about the
00:23:22.63\00:23:25.30
destruction of
Jerusalem that was coming.
00:23:25.33\00:23:27.57
He said to the women that were
weeping, "The days are coming in
00:23:27.60\00:23:30.41
which they will say, 'Blessed
are the barren, the wombs that
00:23:30.44\00:23:33.54
never bear, and the
breasts which never nurse.'"
00:23:33.58\00:23:36.34
With those exceptions,
every other time in the Bible,
00:23:36.38\00:23:38.81
God wanted his
children be fruitful, multiply.
00:23:38.85\00:23:41.75
But there was a time when
he said you need to think about
00:23:41.78\00:23:44.35
time of trouble.
00:23:44.39\00:23:46.39
During the persecution of
the Romans in the early church,
00:23:46.42\00:23:48.79
Paul said, "It might be
better if you're like me and you
00:23:48.82\00:23:51.39
don't get married and
have families now 'cause it can
00:23:51.43\00:23:54.00
inhibit the
spreading of the gospel."
00:23:54.03\00:23:56.93
So, just keeping
balance in the lesson,
00:23:56.97\00:23:59.53
there were also those occasions.
00:23:59.57\00:24:01.94
Jean: The next place
that we look at, the next day,
00:24:01.97\00:24:03.97
as part of the lesson
deals now with single parenting.
00:24:04.01\00:24:07.04
Not only do you have parents
that want children and for some
00:24:07.08\00:24:09.68
reason they might not have kids,
but there are situations where
00:24:09.71\00:24:13.58
maybe one of the parents
pass away and the other parent
00:24:13.62\00:24:16.72
is left to raise the children.
00:24:16.75\00:24:18.82
Maybe there's a
divorce and the children are
00:24:18.85\00:24:21.12
with one parent or the other.
00:24:21.16\00:24:23.83
Sometimes there's a
situation where there might be a
00:24:23.86\00:24:26.33
grandparent that for some reason
needs to take over the care
00:24:26.36\00:24:30.27
or the parenting
of their grandchild.
00:24:30.30\00:24:32.50
So, these different scenarios,
does the Bible have anything
00:24:32.53\00:24:35.20
to say with
reference to single parenting?
00:24:35.24\00:24:37.31
Doug: Yeah.
00:24:37.34\00:24:39.34
And I forget what
the statistics are.
00:24:39.37\00:24:41.34
It's somewhere, 25%, 30%
of parents in North America,
00:24:41.38\00:24:43.68
at least part
of their parenting,
00:24:43.71\00:24:45.61
they are single parents.
00:24:45.65\00:24:47.55
And even married
parents, if your spouse travels,
00:24:47.58\00:24:49.88
you may be a
single parent at times.
00:24:49.92\00:24:53.56
And so, you know, we need to
be very sensitive to that when
00:24:53.59\00:24:56.73
there are family get-togethers
and we have couples occasions,
00:24:56.76\00:25:02.03
we need to be sensitive to
the single parents in there and,
00:25:02.06\00:25:04.87
as a church family, keep
them in mind, give them support.
00:25:04.90\00:25:08.30
Who are some of
the single parents?
00:25:08.34\00:25:10.64
Well, you read in Genesis 16
that after Sarah gave birth, of
00:25:10.67\00:25:16.51
course Abraham had
already had a child with Hagar,
00:25:16.54\00:25:19.18
God said, "This is
never going to work out."
00:25:19.21\00:25:22.12
At the encouragement of
Sarah, Hagar was put out.
00:25:22.15\00:25:26.25
And she may have thought, "You
know, I never asked to be--"
00:25:26.29\00:25:29.99
First of all, she was probably
given as a slave to Abraham by
00:25:30.03\00:25:32.99
the Pharaoh during the famine.
00:25:33.03\00:25:35.23
When he left, Pharaoh
gave servants to Abraham,
00:25:35.26\00:25:37.67
an Egyptian.
00:25:37.70\00:25:39.80
And then she
never said, you know,
00:25:39.83\00:25:41.97
"I want to be a
concubine for Abraham."
00:25:42.00\00:25:43.97
That was Sarah's idea.
00:25:44.01\00:25:46.24
So, she cooperates, she
has a child, she loves her baby
00:25:46.27\00:25:48.48
and Abraham says,
"Look, this was a mistake.
00:25:48.51\00:25:50.35
You've got to go."
00:25:50.38\00:25:52.15
You kind of--your
heart goes out to Hagar.
00:25:52.18\00:25:54.25
And there was a time there when
she just thought that she and
00:25:54.28\00:25:57.65
Ishmael were just going to
die of thirst in the wilderness.
00:25:57.69\00:26:00.56
And God made her some promises.
00:26:00.59\00:26:02.36
You can look in--well, first he
gave a promise when she ran away
00:26:02.39\00:26:05.66
when she was persecuted,
and that's in Genesis 9--16,
00:26:05.69\00:26:08.70
verse 9 rather.
00:26:08.73\00:26:11.10
"The angel of the Lord said
to her, 'Return to your mistress
00:26:11.13\00:26:13.44
and submit yourself to her
hand, so I will multiply your
00:26:13.47\00:26:18.37
descendants
exceedingly so they'll not be
00:26:18.41\00:26:20.54
counted for multitude.'"
00:26:20.58\00:26:22.58
And so, the
angel encouraged her.
00:26:22.61\00:26:24.45
And then later when she
was cast out, the angel said,
00:26:24.48\00:26:26.98
"I hear you."
00:26:27.02\00:26:29.25
And God supplied water for
the boy when they were dying of
00:26:29.28\00:26:32.02
thirst out in the wilderness.
00:26:32.05\00:26:33.89
And he did grow up and become
the father of a great clan,
00:26:33.92\00:26:36.89
and Ishmael had
12 sons of his own.
00:26:36.93\00:26:39.23
So, God took care of her
during those difficult times.
00:26:39.26\00:26:42.40
Now, there's some others
that you may want to mention.
00:26:42.43\00:26:44.67
Jean: Yes, another
interesting one that the lesson
00:26:44.70\00:26:46.84
brings out is during a terrible
famine that occurred in Israel,
00:26:46.87\00:26:49.54
the prophet Elijah was sent to a
town, Zarephath by name, and God
00:26:49.57\00:26:54.28
prepared a place for him to stay
with a widow that had two sons.
00:26:54.31\00:26:59.45
And you remember the miracle
story, they had run out of
00:26:59.48\00:27:02.12
resources, and God performed
a miracle to provide the oil.
00:27:02.15\00:27:04.92
So, we see God providing
for a widow in this case
00:27:04.95\00:27:08.22
that was still
raising her children.
00:27:08.26\00:27:10.49
Doug: Mm-hmm.
00:27:10.53\00:27:12.66
Yeah, and the Lord
does miracles to sustain.
00:27:12.69\00:27:14.96
You know, I thought that there's
some good promises here that you
00:27:15.00\00:27:19.53
can find for single parents.
00:27:19.57\00:27:22.90
Matthew 11:28, he says,
"Come to me, you who labor
00:27:22.94\00:27:26.14
and are heavy laden."
00:27:26.17\00:27:28.44
Think about all
the work in parenting.
00:27:28.48\00:27:30.58
When one parent has to do it
all, it's not always, but it's
00:27:30.61\00:27:34.15
often the mother that ends
up being a single parent, though
00:27:34.18\00:27:36.65
I've known some fathers
that their wife passed away
00:27:36.69\00:27:39.39
and they had to raise
the children on their own.
00:27:39.42\00:27:41.66
They never remarried
and it is very difficult.
00:27:41.69\00:27:44.66
You got to take care the
work that a father might do
00:27:44.69\00:27:48.53
and a mother might do.
00:27:48.56\00:27:50.33
It's everything from the
yardwork, to the housework,
00:27:50.37\00:27:52.20
to the laundry, to the
cleaning, to the school.
00:27:52.23\00:27:54.84
And it can be
absolutely exhausting.
00:27:54.87\00:27:58.21
I remember with my mother,
you know, she had two boys.
00:27:58.24\00:28:01.28
One of them was sick, my
brother had cystic fibrosis.
00:28:01.31\00:28:04.11
She's in New York City,
she's trying to run a career,
00:28:04.15\00:28:06.15
she's got us both in
school, she's taking care
00:28:06.18\00:28:08.42
of medical appointments.
00:28:08.45\00:28:10.59
And I saw her have a few
meltdowns, and I know now how
00:28:10.62\00:28:13.89
much pressure it
really is to try and take care
00:28:13.92\00:28:17.13
of all those things.
00:28:17.16\00:28:19.16
So, Jesus says, "Come to me.
00:28:19.19\00:28:21.13
Cast your cares upon the Lord."
00:28:21.16\00:28:23.33
And then you can remember that
promise in Philippians 4:13,
00:28:23.37\00:28:26.70
"I can do all things through
Christ who strengthens me."
00:28:26.74\00:28:30.57
I'm just curious,
do you mind my asking?
00:28:30.61\00:28:32.84
How many of you
had single parents?
00:28:32.87\00:28:35.68
Mind raising your hand?
00:28:35.71\00:28:37.48
I see.
00:28:37.51\00:28:39.45
Yeah, quite a few hands
went up, that looked like
00:28:39.48\00:28:41.15
just about 20% right there.
00:28:41.18\00:28:42.88
So, you understand.
00:28:42.92\00:28:44.62
You grew up in a home
like that, it requires help.
00:28:44.65\00:28:47.92
Jeremiah 32, God said,
"Behold, I am the Lord,
00:28:47.96\00:28:51.29
the God of all flesh.
00:28:51.33\00:28:53.29
Is there
anything too hard for me?"
00:28:53.33\00:28:55.23
And then
Jeremiah 29, he promises,
00:28:55.26\00:28:57.20
"I have a plan
and a future for you."
00:28:57.23\00:29:00.47
So, there's a lot of promises
that God gives to single parents
00:29:00.50\00:29:05.57
to support them.
00:29:05.61\00:29:07.51
But you know, I think it's great
when churches have programs
00:29:07.54\00:29:10.98
where they say, "We are going
to provide some child program so
00:29:11.01\00:29:15.62
the parents who have no
spouse, they can come to these."
00:29:15.65\00:29:19.59
It's great.
00:29:19.62\00:29:21.62
It's such a blessing.
00:29:21.66\00:29:23.69
The people in the church
who help with childcare deserve
00:29:23.73\00:29:26.96
double trophies, especially if
you come to programs where you
00:29:27.00\00:29:30.63
can't sit in the program 'cause
you're taking care of children,
00:29:30.67\00:29:33.03
but you're making it possible
for single parents to maybe go
00:29:33.07\00:29:36.40
to an evangelistic
program, or cooking school,
00:29:36.44\00:29:38.57
or whatever it is.
00:29:38.61\00:29:40.74
And it's such a
relief and a release to them.
00:29:40.78\00:29:42.78
Jean: Because the Bible talks
about the importance of the
00:29:42.81\00:29:44.88
church family helping to,
in a special way, encourage
00:29:44.91\00:29:48.18
and be support for
single parents and widows.
00:29:48.22\00:29:50.89
Matter of fact, we have this
counsel given to us in James
00:29:50.92\00:29:53.72
chapter 1, verse 27, it says,
"Pure and undefiled religion
00:29:53.76\00:29:57.79
before God and the Father is
this, to visit the orphans and
00:29:57.83\00:30:01.33
the widows in their trouble."
00:30:01.36\00:30:03.30
So, part of the work of the
church is in particular to take
00:30:03.33\00:30:05.60
special care or be there to
help, and I think you can add
00:30:05.63\00:30:09.27
single parents to this category,
the widows, the orphans.
00:30:09.30\00:30:12.94
Those who don't have immediate
family, the church family needs
00:30:12.97\00:30:18.08
to step in and do what we can
as a church to try and encourage
00:30:18.11\00:30:20.98
and support those who are
raising children by themself.
00:30:21.02\00:30:24.22
Doug: Absolutely.
00:30:24.25\00:30:26.45
And the commandment that says
honor your father and mother
00:30:26.49\00:30:29.62
is not just talking
about your literal mom and dad.
00:30:29.66\00:30:31.43
I think children should be
taught to honor the people of
00:30:31.46\00:30:34.96
age and experience that are
around them, honor their elders.
00:30:35.00\00:30:40.74
In our little church we
used to have up there in Covelo,
00:30:40.77\00:30:43.64
we told all the kids that
all the parents--I don't know,
00:30:43.67\00:30:46.14
we never voted on it, we
just had it as a practice
00:30:46.17\00:30:48.84
that the kids always called
all the adults either, you know,
00:30:48.88\00:30:52.98
grandma or
grandpa or aunt or uncle.
00:30:53.01\00:30:55.98
And to this very day, our adult
kids call some of our friends up
00:30:56.02\00:30:59.05
there Uncle Joe, Aunt Roxie.
00:30:59.09\00:31:01.52
They just learned it as kids,
and even though they're adults
00:31:01.56\00:31:04.23
now, it was just like it
made the whole church feel like
00:31:04.26\00:31:06.49
a family when you do that.
00:31:06.53\00:31:09.30
Now, there's a quote from the
book "Desire of Ages" in page 1
00:31:09.33\00:31:13.13
to 45 in your lesson.
00:31:13.17\00:31:15.67
And you think about
Mary, the mother of Jesus.
00:31:15.70\00:31:18.91
Death had separated her
from Joseph, who had shared her
00:31:18.94\00:31:22.94
knowledge of the
mystery of the birth of Jesus.
00:31:22.98\00:31:25.41
Now, there was no one
to whom she could confide
00:31:25.45\00:31:27.98
her hopes and fears.
00:31:28.02\00:31:30.15
The past two months
had been very sorrowful."
00:31:30.19\00:31:33.09
Mary for a good part of
her life was a single mother.
00:31:33.12\00:31:36.46
And so, you know, God
can relate to all of us.
00:31:36.49\00:31:42.03
Of course, the Lord
knows everything anyway.
00:31:42.06\00:31:44.43
We probably ought to move along.
00:31:44.47\00:31:46.27
Next section, we got a
lot to say on these next three
00:31:46.30\00:31:48.37
sections, the joy and
responsibility of parenting.
00:31:48.40\00:31:51.31
Now, we're just going to
talk about general parenting,
00:31:51.34\00:31:54.21
and we'll repeat
that verse that we find.
00:31:54.24\00:31:56.48
Why don't you
read that, Pastor Ross?
00:31:56.51\00:31:58.21
Psalm 127, verse 3 to 5.
00:31:58.25\00:32:00.22
Jean: It says, "Lo, children
are a heritage of the Lord,
00:32:00.25\00:32:02.62
the fruit of the womb, a reward.
00:32:02.65\00:32:04.72
As arrows in the
hand of a mighty man,
00:32:04.75\00:32:06.76
so children of the youth.
00:32:06.79\00:32:09.29
Happy is the man that
has his quiver full of them.
00:32:09.32\00:32:12.76
They shall not be
ashamed, but they shall speak
00:32:12.79\00:32:15.03
with the enemies at the gate."
00:32:15.06\00:32:16.90
So, here it talks about having
families with kids brings joy.
00:32:16.93\00:32:21.77
And indeed it does bring joy,
especially when the kids are at
00:32:21.80\00:32:25.31
the age where they're
beginning to toddle their way
00:32:25.34\00:32:28.44
around the house, and
they're beginning to learn,
00:32:28.48\00:32:31.01
and they come up with
some rather interesting things
00:32:31.05\00:32:33.11
that they say and
the things that they do.
00:32:33.15\00:32:35.22
And as parents watch and
they see their children develop
00:32:35.25\00:32:37.52
and grow and learn, it is
indeed just a very exciting time
00:32:37.55\00:32:41.66
and a wonderful
experience for parents.
00:32:41.69\00:32:43.83
I remember when my children
were born, in a spiritual sense
00:32:43.86\00:32:47.50
I think you begin to understand
even a little bit more the love
00:32:47.56\00:32:52.67
of our heavenly Father when you
have your own children and you
00:32:52.70\00:32:57.47
think of, you know, how
much time it takes to train your
00:32:57.51\00:33:01.34
kids and how much
effort you have to put in.
00:33:01.38\00:33:04.58
You think of how much time
and effort my heavenly Father
00:33:04.61\00:33:07.28
is putting to try and train
me, to help me grow spiritually,
00:33:07.32\00:33:11.02
to learn to walk spiritually.
00:33:11.05\00:33:13.12
And so, there are some wonderful
lessons--matter of fact,
00:33:13.15\00:33:15.36
Pastor Doug, the Bible tells
us that after Enoch had his son,
00:33:15.39\00:33:19.43
then it says he began
to walk with the Lord.
00:33:19.46\00:33:22.16
So, perhaps there was some
special experience that he as
00:33:22.20\00:33:25.23
a father experienced that
helped him understand even more
00:33:25.27\00:33:28.67
of the relationship of his
heavenly Father towards him.
00:33:28.70\00:33:31.41
Doug: Mm-hmm.
00:33:31.44\00:33:33.51
Yeah, one thing is when
you have young children,
00:33:33.54\00:33:36.85
looking at their
sense of trust is humbling.
00:33:36.88\00:33:40.92
You know, they look up to their
mother and their father, and
00:33:40.95\00:33:43.75
their eyes are full of wonder
and the whole world is exciting,
00:33:43.79\00:33:46.25
and they just trust you
every day that you're going
00:33:46.29\00:33:48.62
to take care of them,
you're going to love them,
00:33:48.66\00:33:50.76
you're going to feed them.
00:33:50.79\00:33:52.56
And their lives depend on you.
00:33:52.59\00:33:54.46
And when you're young and you
have your first children and you
00:33:54.46\00:33:56.97
realize, "Here's a human
being and they are trusting me
00:33:57.00\00:33:59.00
with their entire
life," it's humbling.
00:33:59.03\00:34:02.87
And then it helps you
think something about how we
00:34:02.90\00:34:05.14
trust our heavenly Father.
00:34:05.17\00:34:07.24
And it's also a joy.
00:34:07.28\00:34:08.94
You know, God did not make
his creatures to create stress
00:34:08.98\00:34:13.08
in the universe.
00:34:13.11\00:34:15.18
So often, people think about
children, the responsibility,
00:34:15.22\00:34:17.22
the stress.
00:34:17.25\00:34:19.09
He did it for joy, love, wonder.
00:34:19.12\00:34:21.26
And you know, one of the most
wonderful things, some of the
00:34:21.29\00:34:23.73
most fun things I can remember
with our kids is sitting down on
00:34:23.76\00:34:28.13
the carpet in the living
room wrestling with them,
00:34:28.16\00:34:32.70
building things with
Lego, listening to them squeal
00:34:32.73\00:34:35.70
with joy, this total
abandon of happiness.
00:34:35.74\00:34:39.01
And you know, when you see
that kind of joy with your kids,
00:34:39.04\00:34:41.48
those are the times that are
a real pleasure to be parents.
00:34:41.51\00:34:45.08
When they're
firstborn and they keep you up
00:34:45.11\00:34:46.95
all night long crying,
that's not near as wonderful.
00:34:46.98\00:34:50.82
But it balances out, amen?
00:34:50.85\00:34:54.96
Jean: You know, one of
the things that I think in
00:34:54.99\00:34:57.13
particular sort of endears
children to their parents is
00:34:57.16\00:34:59.43
when you begin to notice
how that your kids are beginning
00:34:59.46\00:35:03.97
to copy what you
do and what you say,
00:35:04.00\00:35:07.10
even just automatically
they start picking it up.
00:35:07.14\00:35:09.80
And maybe it's a little
different for little boys
00:35:09.84\00:35:11.97
and little girls, but I remember
when my boys would start
00:35:12.01\00:35:14.98
copying the things I did.
00:35:15.01\00:35:17.31
I'd be driving and I'd
be looking in the back seat,
00:35:17.35\00:35:19.71
and they'd be watching,
and they'd be going like this
00:35:19.75\00:35:21.75
with their hands.
00:35:21.78\00:35:23.49
And I'd walk a certain
way and they'd try to walk
00:35:23.52\00:35:24.89
a certain way.
00:35:24.92\00:35:26.32
And I'd say something and they
tried to say it the same way.
00:35:26.35\00:35:28.72
They're just absorbing
everything that they see.
00:35:28.76\00:35:31.13
And when the kids are around
about eight, nine years old,
00:35:31.16\00:35:34.20
I remember that was a
great time for my kids 'cause
00:35:34.20\00:35:36.63
at that point, the kids
are not wise enough to realize
00:35:36.67\00:35:39.50
that mommy and daddy,
there are things they can't do.
00:35:39.53\00:35:43.61
But at that age, they
think daddy can do anything.
00:35:43.64\00:35:45.84
He's the biggest,
he's the strongest,
00:35:45.87\00:35:48.18
and you hear your kids bragging
on you to their friends.
00:35:48.21\00:35:50.51
"Oh, my dad can do this.
00:35:50.55\00:35:52.25
Oh, my dad can do that."
00:35:52.28\00:35:54.12
And it really endears the
children to the parents when you
00:35:54.15\00:35:56.89
realize that here is a
little being, little human being
00:35:56.92\00:35:59.89
that is following
you, that looks up to you.
00:35:59.92\00:36:03.69
And it brings a degree
of responsibility as well.
00:36:03.73\00:36:06.76
Are we going to train
our children the right way?
00:36:06.80\00:36:09.46
And their minds are so open
to learning around those ages.
00:36:09.50\00:36:12.33
Doug: Yeah.
00:36:12.37\00:36:14.57
And that brings us to that very
familiar verse that is true,
00:36:14.60\00:36:17.51
Proverbs 22, verse 6, "Train up
a child in the way he should go,
00:36:17.54\00:36:22.61
and when he is old, he
will not depart from it."
00:36:22.64\00:36:25.51
It is so important that
just from the very beginning
00:36:25.55\00:36:29.45
that they're guided
with biblical principles.
00:36:29.48\00:36:32.69
And there's quite a
few verses here that talk
00:36:32.72\00:36:34.79
about the importance of
that, but just from the very--
00:36:34.82\00:36:38.39
you know, it's mind-boggling.
00:36:38.43\00:36:40.23
If you ever read
about Susanna Wesley,
00:36:40.26\00:36:42.36
her son John Wesley
founded the Methodist church,
00:36:42.40\00:36:45.23
but you could
really say she founded it
00:36:45.27\00:36:47.40
because through
Charles, a great hymn writer,
00:36:47.44\00:36:49.40
and through John, they were
people of incredible discipline.
00:36:49.44\00:36:53.71
She taught them to read just
using the Bible as a textbook.
00:36:53.74\00:36:57.15
And by the age of five,
all of her children read
00:36:57.18\00:36:59.91
through the Bible.
00:36:59.95\00:37:02.15
I mean, just this
woman was mind-boggling.
00:37:02.18\00:37:04.55
She taught them
to sleep on command,
00:37:04.59\00:37:07.49
and they said through
their lives it'd help them.
00:37:07.52\00:37:09.59
Whenever they were tired,
they can just make themselves
00:37:09.62\00:37:11.63
go to sleep.
00:37:11.66\00:37:13.63
And her house, she
had like 19 children.
00:37:13.66\00:37:16.30
But she realized, "Look, it's
going to be chaos in the home
00:37:16.33\00:37:19.90
unless you teach them
from an early age some basics."
00:37:19.93\00:37:23.20
All the kids learned to work
from very--they learned to pick
00:37:23.24\00:37:26.64
up after themselves, they
learned not to cry loudly.
00:37:26.68\00:37:29.64
And she--it'd be interesting
if you read some of the things
00:37:29.68\00:37:32.88
that Susanna Wesley
introduced in raising children.
00:37:32.91\00:37:37.15
It was a wonderful thing.
00:37:37.19\00:37:39.25
Jean: Deuteronomy chapter 6
has two principles that I think
00:37:39.29\00:37:42.09
as parents would
make a world of difference
00:37:42.12\00:37:44.49
if you keep remembering it.
00:37:44.53\00:37:46.66
And the principle is
teach, talk, and the other one
00:37:46.70\00:37:50.03
is bind and write.
00:37:50.07\00:37:52.50
Teach, talk.
00:37:52.53\00:37:54.87
So, in your life, in your
interaction with your children,
00:37:54.90\00:37:57.37
talk about the Lord.
00:37:57.41\00:37:59.41
Talk about the
principles of right and wrong,
00:37:59.44\00:38:01.71
and give them an example.
00:38:01.74\00:38:03.98
Everything you say, if you're
not going to follow it up with
00:38:04.01\00:38:06.75
your own example, isn't
going to have half the impact
00:38:06.78\00:38:09.05
on your children.
00:38:09.08\00:38:10.85
So, teach, talk in all of
the interaction with your kids.
00:38:10.89\00:38:13.56
The other one is bind and write.
00:38:13.59\00:38:16.02
Take every opportunity that you
can to, by precept and example,
00:38:16.06\00:38:20.63
show them in what you do.
00:38:20.66\00:38:22.56
Talks about the law being on
your hand and in your forehead,
00:38:22.60\00:38:25.80
that in all we do and in
all we think, God is number one
00:38:25.83\00:38:29.47
in our marriage, in
our home, in our parenting.
00:38:29.50\00:38:32.91
It's about God
and his love for us.
00:38:32.94\00:38:35.61
Doug: And it's interesting
that Moses would put that
00:38:35.64\00:38:39.28
instruction right after
stating the Ten Commandments.
00:38:39.31\00:38:42.82
It's like, you know, here
you've got God's perfect Word,
00:38:42.85\00:38:45.59
the holiest thing in the
nation was the ark that had
00:38:45.62\00:38:48.72
the Ten Commandments inside.
00:38:48.76\00:38:50.46
The Word of God was really
the treasure of the nation.
00:38:50.49\00:38:52.86
Right after giving that,
he says, and Pastor Ross is
00:38:52.89\00:38:55.83
referring to this in Deuteronomy
6:6, "These words that I command
00:38:55.86\00:38:59.50
you today shall be in
your heart," so you have to go
00:38:59.53\00:39:02.04
after the
hearts of the children.
00:39:02.07\00:39:04.14
"Teach them diligently."
00:39:04.17\00:39:05.87
The word
"diligently" there means almost
00:39:05.91\00:39:07.68
to the point of
aerobic perspiration.
00:39:07.71\00:39:09.78
Make it just a regular
process, faithful, persistent.
00:39:09.81\00:39:13.21
"Talk of them when you sit
in your house, when you walk
00:39:13.25\00:39:16.52
by the way, when you lay
down," that's evening worship,
00:39:16.55\00:39:20.39
"when you rise up,"
that's morning worship.
00:39:20.42\00:39:22.79
"You shall bind them
for a sign on your hand."
00:39:22.82\00:39:25.23
That means in everything
you do, it should be there.
00:39:25.26\00:39:27.23
Frontlets between your
eyes, you've heard of the mark
00:39:27.30\00:39:29.33
of the beast and the
hand in the forehead?
00:39:29.36\00:39:31.57
It's talking about in your
actions and between your eyes.
00:39:31.60\00:39:33.97
"Write them on the doorposts of
your house and on your gates."
00:39:34.00\00:39:37.17
When you go out, when you
come in, let them be reminded
00:39:37.21\00:39:39.81
with it everywhere.
00:39:39.84\00:39:41.64
So, they are surrounded with
the principles of God's Word,
00:39:41.68\00:39:44.31
and that guides them as
they grow through their lives.
00:39:44.35\00:39:47.25
Jean: Another important
point that we want to remember,
00:39:47.28\00:39:49.45
not only are we wanting our
children to first and foremost
00:39:49.48\00:39:52.89
have a relationship with
God, have develop or developed
00:39:52.92\00:39:55.72
a Christ-like character,
we want them in the kingdom.
00:39:55.76\00:39:58.89
That is our number
one goal as parents.
00:39:58.93\00:40:01.53
But in addition to their
own salvation, we also want
00:40:01.56\00:40:04.27
to teach them the
principles of witnessing
00:40:04.30\00:40:06.87
or sharing with others.
00:40:06.90\00:40:08.84
So, we want to be disciple
makers of our children, not only
00:40:08.87\00:40:12.44
teaching them how they are to
live with reference to Christ,
00:40:12.47\00:40:15.58
but also teaching
them how they can share
00:40:15.61\00:40:17.98
their faith with others.
00:40:18.01\00:40:20.02
I had the opportunity of
growing up in a pastor's home.
00:40:20.05\00:40:22.12
And as far as I can remember,
the work of ministry wasn't just
00:40:22.15\00:40:26.02
something that dad did,
but it seemed the whole family
00:40:26.05\00:40:29.16
was involved in
ministry in some capacity.
00:40:29.19\00:40:31.59
We had often moved
to different places.
00:40:31.63\00:40:33.83
But even from a little by,
I was remembered--I remembered
00:40:33.86\00:40:36.67
that this calling to be involved
in sharing and witnessing
00:40:36.70\00:40:40.40
and evangelism was something
not just for one member of the
00:40:40.44\00:40:43.41
family, but the family as a
unit needed to make a commitment
00:40:43.44\00:40:47.08
to saying, "Lord, I want to do
what I can to share the gospel."
00:40:47.11\00:40:50.81
And I think that principle is
there whatever our family might
00:40:50.85\00:40:53.62
be, We want to teach our
children how they can share
00:40:53.65\00:40:56.89
their faith with others.
00:40:56.92\00:40:58.85
Doug: Amen.
00:40:58.89\00:41:00.96
You do it by example, and
the Bible also says sometimes
00:41:00.99\00:41:03.56
you need to exert authority.
00:41:03.59\00:41:05.73
You read here in Genesis 18:18,
speaking of Abraham, "Since
00:41:05.76\00:41:09.76
Abraham shall surely become a
great and mighty nation and all
00:41:09.80\00:41:13.97
the nations of the earth will be
blessed in him, for I have known
00:41:14.00\00:41:17.64
him, in order that he may
command his children and his
00:41:17.67\00:41:21.98
household after him that
they keep the ways of the Lord,
00:41:22.01\00:41:25.98
to do righteousness and justice,
that the Lord may bring Abraham
00:41:26.01\00:41:29.28
what he has spoken to him."
00:41:29.32\00:41:31.55
So, parents and families,
you want to lead by example,
00:41:31.59\00:41:34.86
but sometimes
you want to command.
00:41:34.89\00:41:37.33
And should discipline be
part of a Christian home?
00:41:37.36\00:41:43.37
Is discipline
part of God's order?
00:41:43.40\00:41:46.23
And that should
all be done in love.
00:41:46.27\00:41:48.70
You can read in
Ephesians 6:4, "And you fathers,
00:41:48.74\00:41:53.11
do not provoke
your children to wrath."
00:41:53.14\00:41:55.98
Everything should be done
in love and don't just agitate
00:41:56.01\00:41:58.51
your children, don't nag.
00:41:58.55\00:42:00.68
"But bring them up in
the training and admonition
00:42:00.72\00:42:03.15
of the Lord."
00:42:03.18\00:42:05.12
Admonition, to admonish means to
counsel somebody in a decisive
00:42:05.15\00:42:10.53
way and to guide them
in what the right thing is.
00:42:10.56\00:42:14.23
Jean: I think it's
important especially for those
00:42:14.30\00:42:16.33
who might have young
children, little children.
00:42:16.36\00:42:19.20
Start teaching them the
principles that are important
00:42:19.23\00:42:22.44
when they're young.
00:42:22.47\00:42:24.77
Sometimes parents will be
very lenient on their children
00:42:24.81\00:42:27.54
when they're two,
three, four years of age.
00:42:27.58\00:42:30.15
And then as they get older and
they get to those teenage years,
00:42:30.18\00:42:32.78
then suddenly they
try to reel them in,
00:42:32.81\00:42:35.35
and usually the
result is rebellion.
00:42:35.38\00:42:37.82
But if we can train our
children when they are young
00:42:37.85\00:42:40.42
the principles of right and
wrong, and yes, as Pastor Doug
00:42:40.46\00:42:43.43
says, part of that training
is involving some degree
00:42:43.46\00:42:47.03
of punishment if they
don't follow the principles.
00:42:47.03\00:42:51.67
Now, that's not
always, you know, a spanking.
00:42:51.70\00:42:54.44
There are other ways that we can
train, but there's consequences.
00:42:54.47\00:42:57.27
We need to teach our
children consequences.
00:42:57.31\00:43:00.11
If we can lay that firm
foundation when they're young,
00:43:00.14\00:43:03.04
and as they get older and
you go into those teenage years,
00:43:03.08\00:43:07.48
usually it's a little
easier to kind of work with them
00:43:07.52\00:43:10.62
because they have
that firm foundation.
00:43:10.65\00:43:13.02
If we get it backwards and be
very lenient on the early days
00:43:13.05\00:43:16.32
and we don't lay
those principles,
00:43:16.36\00:43:18.73
then we're probably setting
ourselves up for some challenges
00:43:18.76\00:43:21.40
when they get a little older.
00:43:21.43\00:43:23.47
Doug: Yeah, you know,
the lesson talks about
00:43:23.50\00:43:25.80
the children of Eli.
00:43:25.83\00:43:28.34
And you remember the counsel
that God gave, you read in
00:43:28.37\00:43:31.51
1 Samuel chapter 3, Samuel
has to bring a message to Eli,
00:43:31.54\00:43:36.61
"Behold, I'll do something
in Israel at which the ears
00:43:36.64\00:43:39.45
of everyone who
hears it will tingle.
00:43:39.48\00:43:42.15
In that day, I will perform
against Eli all that I've spoken
00:43:42.18\00:43:45.09
concerning his house from
beginning to end, for I told him
00:43:45.12\00:43:49.36
that I will judge his house
for the iniquity which he knows
00:43:49.39\00:43:52.96
because his sons
made themselves vile
00:43:52.99\00:43:55.86
and he did not restrain them."
00:43:55.90\00:43:59.00
A punishment was to come upon
the house of Eli 'cause he did
00:43:59.03\00:44:03.20
not restrain his children and
they brought other people down.
00:44:03.24\00:44:07.34
So, there's not only
privilege in having children,
00:44:07.38\00:44:09.84
there's a big responsibility.
00:44:09.88\00:44:12.01
And we should do all we can
to guide them in the right way.
00:44:12.05\00:44:14.48
Now, whenever you say
this, a lot of parents are going
00:44:14.52\00:44:17.35
to think, "Oh, my
kids, they messed up
00:44:17.39\00:44:19.35
and it's all my fault."
00:44:19.39\00:44:20.22
Not necessarily.
00:44:20.26\00:44:22.16
It might be some of your
fault, but what did God do wrong
00:44:22.19\00:44:26.53
that made Adam go wrong?
00:44:26.56\00:44:29.20
And what did Adam and Eve
do wrong where Seth was so good
00:44:29.23\00:44:32.13
and Abel was so
good and Cain was so bad?
00:44:32.17\00:44:36.07
Every child must
make their own choices.
00:44:36.10\00:44:38.51
Don't you all know somebody
that had several children,
00:44:38.54\00:44:40.71
and so many of them turned
out great and one turned out
00:44:40.74\00:44:42.98
to be a serial
killer or something?
00:44:43.01\00:44:44.95
And you think, "What?
00:44:44.98\00:44:46.58
What'd that--
where'd that come from?"
00:44:46.61\00:44:49.08
Everybody ultimately
makes their own choice.
00:44:49.12\00:44:51.92
And so, do all you can though.
00:44:51.95\00:44:53.56
When they're
young, restrain them.
00:44:53.59\00:44:55.46
It's a lot easier
when they're young.
00:44:55.49\00:44:57.56
Jean: I like the point the
lesson brings, that it says,
00:44:57.59\00:44:59.49
"Being a good
parent is our choice.
00:44:59.53\00:45:02.16
How our children turn out
is ultimately their choice."
00:45:02.20\00:45:06.74
So, we want to do the
best we can to train them,
00:45:06.77\00:45:09.14
but recognize they have freedom
of will, they can choose.
00:45:09.17\00:45:12.17
So, lay those foundations.
00:45:12.21\00:45:14.04
And then, of course, prayer.
00:45:14.08\00:45:15.84
As they get older, pray for
them, be the best example you
00:45:15.88\00:45:18.01
can be, and then
place them in God's hands.
00:45:18.05\00:45:20.35
So, it's ultimately what we
as parents can do, place them in
00:45:20.38\00:45:23.02
God's hands saying, "Lord,
do the work only you can do
00:45:23.05\00:45:25.89
in the hearts and the
lives of our children."
00:45:25.92\00:45:28.22
Doug: Amen: Now, there
is a good quote that comes
00:45:28.26\00:45:31.36
in the lesson, it's from
Testimonies volume 1, page 218.
00:45:31.39\00:45:35.23
"Parents, you should commence
your first lessons of discipline
00:45:35.26\00:45:38.30
when your children
are babes in your arms."
00:45:38.33\00:45:41.00
Now, that does not
mean spanking them,
00:45:41.04\00:45:43.24
it's talking
about your guiding them.
00:45:43.27\00:45:45.41
It might mean you
say, "Shh, don't cry,"
00:45:45.44\00:45:47.54
and just so
they understand that.
00:45:47.58\00:45:49.78
"Teach them to yield
their will to yours."
00:45:49.81\00:45:53.62
That's so different from what
we're told in society today.
00:45:53.65\00:45:56.38
Don't tell your
children what to believe,
00:45:56.42\00:45:58.12
let them discover for themself.
00:45:58.15\00:45:59.89
They should be free.
00:45:59.92\00:46:01.56
You heard that before?
00:46:01.59\00:46:03.02
Don't tell them they
have to be Christians.
00:46:03.06\00:46:05.13
I've met Christian
parents says, "Well, we're going
00:46:05.16\00:46:06.93
to let our children
decide for themselves."
00:46:06.96\00:46:09.46
I thought you don't--you're
not reading your Bible.
00:46:09.50\00:46:12.90
"Teach them to
yield their will to yours.
00:46:12.93\00:46:14.94
This can be done by
bearing an even hand
00:46:14.97\00:46:17.57
and manifesting firmness.
00:46:17.61\00:46:19.54
Parents should have perfect
control over their own spirits,
00:46:19.57\00:46:22.78
and with mindness and firmness
bend their will of the child
00:46:22.81\00:46:26.08
until it should expect nothing
except to yield to their wishes.
00:46:26.11\00:46:30.05
Parents, do not
commence in season.
00:46:30.09\00:46:32.45
The first manifestation
of temper, if not subdued
00:46:32.49\00:46:36.42
and the children grows stubborn,
which increases with growth
00:46:36.46\00:46:39.26
and strengthens
with their strength."
00:46:39.29\00:46:41.86
So yeah, if you don't nip it
in the bud, those little angels
00:46:41.90\00:46:45.70
turn into little monsters.
00:46:45.73\00:46:48.04
Any of you ever gone to
the supermarket and you see--
00:46:48.07\00:46:50.81
you hear this
shrieking, and some parent
00:46:50.84\00:46:53.81
is trying to pull
away from the parents,
00:46:53.84\00:46:55.91
and they're on the floor,
and they're having a tantrum
00:46:55.94\00:46:58.18
and a fit
because the parent said,
00:46:58.21\00:47:00.38
"No, you can't have that,
you know, chocolate cereal,"
00:47:00.42\00:47:02.48
or whatever it
is that they wanted?
00:47:02.52\00:47:04.59
And they just--the parents,
they just can't control them,
00:47:04.62\00:47:09.09
they're just out of control.
00:47:09.12\00:47:10.96
They're screaming,
and everybody's looking,
00:47:10.99\00:47:12.83
and they don't know what to do.
00:47:12.86\00:47:14.66
And it's really sad if they get
older and they start doing that.
00:47:14.73\00:47:17.60
So, when they're very young, in
a loving way you've got to teach
00:47:17.63\00:47:20.84
them what is appropriate
and acceptable behavior.
00:47:20.87\00:47:23.54
Jean: And of course, God
does that with us, doesn't he?
00:47:23.57\00:47:25.77
He also teaches us, as
we're all his children.
00:47:25.81\00:47:28.31
Even as adults, God is patient
with us, but he does allow us
00:47:28.34\00:47:33.05
at times to bear the
results of bad choices.
00:47:33.08\00:47:36.58
And he leads us
through that process,
00:47:36.62\00:47:38.82
and we want to model
that to our children.
00:47:38.85\00:47:41.02
We want to be the best examples
that we can be, and then
00:47:41.06\00:47:43.29
provide some guidance,
especially when they're young,
00:47:43.32\00:47:45.99
in the way that they need to go.
00:47:46.03\00:47:48.13
Doug: Amen.
00:47:48.16\00:47:50.13
Final section here,
it's talking about fighting
00:47:50.17\00:47:52.23
for your prodigal child.
00:47:52.27\00:47:54.14
And of course, we all know
the parable of the prodigal son.
00:47:54.17\00:47:56.97
How did that--
father had two boys.
00:47:57.01\00:47:59.01
You know, one stayed at home
and one ran off, same father.
00:47:59.04\00:48:02.51
And how did that father
fight for his prodigal child?
00:48:02.54\00:48:06.55
Unconditional love, prayed the
whole time that boy was gone,
00:48:06.58\00:48:11.45
sometimes it means waiting.
00:48:11.49\00:48:13.69
Now, what are the three
things you can do for a child
00:48:13.72\00:48:15.86
that's a prodigal?
00:48:15.89\00:48:17.89
They're actually the same
three things you do for anybody
00:48:17.93\00:48:19.93
if you want to reach them.
00:48:19.96\00:48:21.76
There's only
three things you can do.
00:48:21.80\00:48:23.63
If they'll listen, you share
information, but you've got to
00:48:23.67\00:48:25.57
be careful not to
nag your prodigal.
00:48:25.60\00:48:27.67
That usually drives them away.
00:48:27.70\00:48:29.70
But if they're open and they'll
listen, give them something,
00:48:29.74\00:48:32.41
give them books or CDs, or
talk to them about the Lord,
00:48:32.44\00:48:35.21
or Bible study.
00:48:35.24\00:48:37.18
If they'll listen to
information, share information.
00:48:37.21\00:48:39.31
If that's not
working, you pray for them.
00:48:39.35\00:48:41.85
And sometimes people make
that sound like it's, you know,
00:48:41.88\00:48:44.55
last resort, it's dismissive.
00:48:44.59\00:48:46.65
"Oh, well, we'll pray."
00:48:46.69\00:48:48.69
Prayer is
actually very powerful.
00:48:48.72\00:48:50.69
One father came to Jesus and
he had a boy that was possessed
00:48:50.73\00:48:52.86
by a devil, and Christ
later told the disciples,
00:48:52.89\00:48:55.33
"This kind does not come forth
except by prayer and fasting."
00:48:55.36\00:48:58.57
It might mean you fast
and pray for that prodigal.
00:48:58.60\00:49:02.57
And then finally,
be a good example.
00:49:02.60\00:49:05.61
I said three
things, there's really four.
00:49:05.64\00:49:07.94
Be a good example
would be number three,
00:49:07.98\00:49:09.98
number four is do the
above three persistently.
00:49:10.01\00:49:12.81
Keep at it.
00:49:12.85\00:49:14.85
God is very patient,
sometimes it takes years.
00:49:14.88\00:49:17.69
Hezekiah prayed
for his son Manasseh.
00:49:17.72\00:49:20.69
Hezekiah was long dead by
the time Manasseh repented
00:49:20.72\00:49:24.23
at age 50.
00:49:24.26\00:49:26.56
So, it took a long time,
but God answered his prayers.
00:49:26.59\00:49:31.27
And so, be persistent in
continuing to pray for them.
00:49:31.30\00:49:34.27
Jean: You know, I think one
of the tendencies as parents if
00:49:34.30\00:49:36.91
you do have a prodigal child is,
especially when they're older,
00:49:36.94\00:49:40.88
we think, "Lord,
what did I do wrong?"
00:49:40.91\00:49:43.21
When you look at the parable
of the prodigal son and you see
00:49:43.24\00:49:46.11
a wonderful demonstration of
the love of the father, he was,
00:49:46.15\00:49:49.72
you know, still
reaching out to his son.
00:49:49.75\00:49:52.42
It's not necessarily
that we as parents have failed
00:49:52.45\00:49:55.12
if we have a prodigal child.
00:49:55.16\00:49:58.19
Maybe God is--well, he is, he's
still working in their hearts
00:49:58.23\00:50:01.10
and lives, and
he'll bring them around.
00:50:01.13\00:50:03.67
We want to be
faithful in doing our part,
00:50:03.70\00:50:06.00
and just trusting him that God
will take care of the situation.
00:50:06.03\00:50:08.87
Doug: Amen.
00:50:08.90\00:50:11.11
You know,
technically I was a prodigal.
00:50:11.14\00:50:13.34
I was the black sheep that
ran away and just gave everybody
00:50:13.38\00:50:15.68
lots of trouble.
00:50:15.71\00:50:17.85
And God reached me, and
he can reach your prodigals.
00:50:17.88\00:50:21.32
And if you have made a mistake
in raising your children,
00:50:21.35\00:50:24.15
don't just beat yourself up.
00:50:24.19\00:50:26.32
Paul says, Philippians 3:13,
"Brethren, I do not count myself
00:50:26.35\00:50:29.86
to have
apprehended, but one thing I do,
00:50:29.89\00:50:32.63
forgetting those
things which are behind."
00:50:32.66\00:50:34.93
Once you make a
mistake, confess it, repent,
00:50:34.96\00:50:37.27
and believe that God
forgives you, and move on.
00:50:37.30\00:50:40.14
"Forgetting those things that
are behind, I reach forward to
00:50:40.17\00:50:43.67
those things which are ahead.
00:50:43.71\00:50:45.91
And I press towards the goal
of the prize of the upward call
00:50:45.94\00:50:48.61
in Jesus Christ."
00:50:48.64\00:50:50.78
Then I'll close with this
wonderful promise you find
00:50:50.81\00:50:53.05
in the book of Joel chapter 2.
00:50:53.08\00:50:55.02
He says, "I will restore to
you the years that the swarming
00:50:55.05\00:50:58.32
locust has eaten."
00:50:58.35\00:51:00.52
You know, when you pray and you
repent, don't give up believing
00:51:00.56\00:51:03.29
that God can, you know,
reach those prodigal children
00:51:03.32\00:51:06.70
and he can restore.
00:51:06.73\00:51:10.20
You know, sometimes you
might need to--like I said,
00:51:10.23\00:51:13.57
you'll repent, you admit
your mistakes, you might need
00:51:13.60\00:51:16.50
to write a letter to your
children and apologize to them,
00:51:16.54\00:51:19.34
and say, "You know, I
wish I was a better parent."
00:51:19.37\00:51:21.61
Ask them for forgiveness.
00:51:21.64\00:51:23.61
And then you do all you can
to show them unconditional love,
00:51:23.65\00:51:26.41
and you pray that God reaches
and brings them back to the fold
00:51:26.45\00:51:30.42
if they're out there wandering.
00:51:30.45\00:51:32.55
Jean: You know, we do have
a study guide that we'd like
00:51:32.59\00:51:34.59
to tell our friends who
are joining us online about,
00:51:34.62\00:51:36.66
and it's part of our
Amazing Adventure series.
00:51:36.69\00:51:38.69
Pastor Doug, this is probably,
oh, about 10, 11 years old
00:51:38.73\00:51:41.23
that we did this series,
but we go all over the place.
00:51:41.26\00:51:44.00
And we will meet now young
people that are in college or
00:51:44.03\00:51:47.84
upper high school and they'll
say, "Oh, the first time that I
00:51:47.87\00:51:50.94
really gave my life to Jesus
or began to study or understand
00:51:50.97\00:51:54.24
the gospel was because of
the Amazing Adventure series."
00:51:54.28\00:51:57.68
And we do have part of
that series, a lesson entitled
00:51:57.71\00:52:00.62
"The Only Lifeboat," it's from
the Amazing Adventure series.
00:52:00.65\00:52:03.99
I'd like to make this
available to those who are
00:52:04.02\00:52:06.15
joining us online.
00:52:06.19\00:52:08.19
If you would like to receive
a free copy of this study guide,
00:52:08.22\00:52:11.03
all you'll have to
do is call the number...
00:52:11.06\00:52:15.63
and ask for offer number 805.
00:52:15.66\00:52:18.93
Or you can download for
free a copy of our lesson
00:52:18.97\00:52:23.20
by simply texting the
code SH126 to the number 40544.
00:52:23.24\00:52:30.85
Doug: Amen. God
bless you, friends.
00:52:30.88\00:52:32.95
We'll look forward
to studying his Word
00:52:32.98\00:52:34.85
with you again next week.
00:52:34.88\00:52:37.42
male announcer: Don't
forget to request today's
00:52:38.25\00:52:40.49
life-changing free resource.
00:52:40.52\00:52:42.12
Not only can you receive
this free gift in the mail,
00:52:42.16\00:52:44.16
you can download a digital
copy straight to your computer
00:52:44.19\00:52:46.26
or mobile device.
00:52:46.29\00:52:47.96
To get your digital copy of
today's free gift, simply text
00:52:47.96\00:52:51.00
the keyword on
your screen to 40544,
00:52:51.03\00:52:54.47
or visit the web
address shown on your screen.
00:52:54.50\00:52:57.14
And be sure to select
the digital download option
00:52:57.17\00:52:59.67
on the request page.
00:52:59.71\00:53:01.64
It's now easier than ever
for you to study God's Word with
00:53:01.68\00:53:04.18
Amazing Facts
wherever and whenever you want,
00:53:04.21\00:53:07.32
and most important
to share it with others.
00:53:07.35\00:53:10.22
male announcer: Can't get enough
Amazing Facts Bible study?
00:53:11.92\00:53:14.89
You don't have to
wait until next week
00:53:14.92\00:53:16.86
to enjoy more
truth-filled programming.
00:53:16.89\00:53:19.39
Visit the Amazing Facts
media library at aftv.org.
00:53:19.43\00:53:24.33
At aftv.org, you can enjoy video
and audio presentations as well
00:53:24.37\00:53:29.60
as printed material all
free of charge 24 hours a day,
00:53:29.64\00:53:33.81
7 days a week right from
your computer or mobile device.
00:53:33.84\00:53:37.41
Visit aftv.org.
00:53:37.45\00:53:40.58
announcer: Amazing
Facts changed lives.
00:53:45.09\00:53:49.29
Steve Johnson: I was
heading south on Interstate 5.
00:53:55.33\00:53:58.03
This commercial
came on KFBK radio about
00:53:58.07\00:54:01.84
a Revelation
seminar by Amazing Facts.
00:54:01.87\00:54:04.54
I began--my chest
began to tighten up,
00:54:04.57\00:54:07.18
I began sweating profusely.
00:54:07.21\00:54:09.64
I had difficulty in breathing.
00:54:09.68\00:54:12.35
There were this big rest area.
00:54:12.38\00:54:14.52
And at this time, I
pulled into there, I thought,
00:54:14.55\00:54:16.79
"Well, maybe I'm
having a heart attack."
00:54:16.82\00:54:19.02
I got out of my truck, walked
into the men's restroom there,
00:54:19.05\00:54:22.62
and put cold water on my face,
00:54:22.66\00:54:24.83
and then
finally things subsided.
00:54:24.86\00:54:26.93
A week later, again I heard
this Amazing Facts commercial
00:54:26.96\00:54:30.10
come on the radio.
00:54:30.13\00:54:32.13
In fact, the meetings were
going to start that very night.
00:54:32.17\00:54:34.17
And again, immediately
I had these same symptoms.
00:54:34.20\00:54:37.07
I thought, "You
know, this isn't my heart.
00:54:37.11\00:54:39.47
I have to go to that meeting."
00:54:39.51\00:54:41.78
And as I was going
down to Sacramento,
00:54:41.81\00:54:44.05
I decided to park and go inside.
00:54:44.08\00:54:47.22
Well, I got in and walked
into the furthermost rear seat
00:54:47.25\00:54:51.72
they had in the pew there.
00:54:51.75\00:54:54.19
And this particular evangelist,
his name was Kim Kjaer.
00:54:54.22\00:55:00.20
It was like taking one
layer off at a time of an onion.
00:55:00.23\00:55:04.30
He laid it out so perfectly
that we could all understand it.
00:55:04.33\00:55:07.47
And I was really motivated,
I couldn't believe it.
00:55:07.50\00:55:10.24
Well, I finished, I
didn't miss a meeting.
00:55:10.27\00:55:12.64
In fact, on the fifth
night, they had an altar call,
00:55:12.67\00:55:16.11
and my knees stood right
up, and I walked forward,
00:55:16.14\00:55:18.95
and I gave my
heart to Jesus Christ.
00:55:18.98\00:55:21.65
I've learned throughout
this whole thing that when you--
00:55:21.68\00:55:25.32
when you leave the devil's
territory, he gets pretty active
00:55:25.35\00:55:29.06
in causing a lot of problems.
00:55:29.09\00:55:31.56
Well, I had the evangelist come
out and they had prayer with me
00:55:31.59\00:55:35.60
about my business.
00:55:35.63\00:55:38.00
I would find a sick business and
make it well and then market it.
00:55:38.03\00:55:42.50
I finally ended up with a
business that I really enjoyed.
00:55:42.54\00:55:45.41
It was one that was
building equestrian centers.
00:55:45.44\00:55:49.01
And they said to me,
"Steve," he said, "you know,
00:55:49.04\00:55:51.11
if you're going to
really keep the Sabbath,
00:55:51.15\00:55:53.21
you've got to shut
your doors on the Sabbath."
00:55:53.25\00:55:55.45
Well, I did.
00:55:55.48\00:55:56.95
And so, I sold the
business to my brother.
00:55:56.99\00:55:59.05
Took me 22 years to
build that business,
00:55:59.09\00:56:02.09
and he lost it in 33 months.
00:56:02.12\00:56:05.06
My son, who was my business
partner, I'd been giving him 10%
00:56:05.09\00:56:08.20
of the business every year.
00:56:08.23\00:56:10.47
He thought I'd just
fallen off the bridge.
00:56:10.50\00:56:14.10
My son didn't talk
to me for 5 1/2 years.
00:56:14.97\00:56:18.11
And then a few
other things happened.
00:56:18.14\00:56:20.21
So, I had an ex-employee
living in my guesthouse,
00:56:20.24\00:56:22.74
he kind of
watched after our place.
00:56:22.78\00:56:25.68
And he said, "Steve," he said,
"there's an Allied moving van
00:56:25.71\00:56:29.35
backed up to your
front door in your home."
00:56:29.38\00:56:31.55
I said, "You're kidding."
I said, "What do you mean?"
00:56:31.59\00:56:34.89
He said, "They're moving
everything out of your house
00:56:34.92\00:56:37.09
into this truck, and your wife
is out there supervising them."
00:56:37.13\00:56:41.03
And when I went home
and opened the front door,
00:56:41.06\00:56:43.30
my voice echoed in that house.
00:56:43.33\00:56:45.30
There wasn't any
furniture left anywhere.
00:56:45.33\00:56:47.24
There was one bed
left in the house.
00:56:47.27\00:56:49.94
I knew my wife was upset because
of my coming to this church,
00:56:49.97\00:56:54.38
but I had no idea that
she would move out like this.
00:56:54.41\00:56:57.75
That was a total shock to me.
00:56:57.78\00:57:00.08
It was some time there I
locked myself in the bedroom
00:57:00.12\00:57:02.78
and I began reading the Bible.
00:57:02.82\00:57:04.79
I spent about a half a year
just every night getting home
00:57:04.82\00:57:08.09
and I would study.
00:57:08.12\00:57:10.96
It allowed me to have a personal
relationship with Jesus Christ.
00:57:10.99\00:57:14.50
Well, to make a long
story short, I met Crystal,
00:57:14.56\00:57:18.10
and she was a godly woman.
00:57:18.13\00:57:20.20
That was the
Lord's doing, not mine.
00:57:20.24\00:57:22.84
And he was just
there to let me know that,
00:57:22.87\00:57:25.07
"I'm with you all the way.
00:57:25.11\00:57:27.18
Even though you're going to have
some trials and you're going to
00:57:27.21\00:57:29.44
have some hardships, I want you
to know that I'll be with you."
00:57:29.48\00:57:32.65
Because no matter what
I do now, he is my leader.
00:57:32.68\00:57:37.09
He's the leader of my marriage,
he's the leader of everything
00:57:37.12\00:57:39.55
in my life today.
00:57:39.59\00:57:41.89
That one meeting with
the Amazing Facts seminar
00:57:41.92\00:57:44.23
changed my entire life.
00:57:44.26\00:57:46.29
And to this day, I'm
still on fire for God,
00:57:46.33\00:57:49.26
I'm still
witnessing to my neighbors.
00:57:49.30\00:57:51.53
My name is Steve
Johnson, and it's because of you
00:57:51.57\00:57:54.24
that Amazing Facts
has changed my life.
00:57:54.27\00:57:57.84
¤¤¤
00:57:57.87\00:58:07.85
¤¤¤
00:58:07.88\00:58:17.19
¤¤¤
00:58:17.23\00:58:24.93
CC BY ABERDEEN CAPTIONING
1-800-688-6621 WWW.ABERCAP.COM
00:58:24.97\00:58:39.98