The Bible tells us, "In
the beginning was the Word,
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and the Word was with God,
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and the Word was God."
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It says to,
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"Receive with
meekness the implanted Word,
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which is able to save your souls
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and to be diligent
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to present
yourself approved to God,
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rightly dividing
the Word of truth."
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Join us now
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for the 3ABN
Sabbath School Panel.
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Our study today
is Family Seasons.
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Hello, and welcome to
the 3ABN Sabbath School
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Bible Panel
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or the Bible
Sabbath School Panel,
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whichever one, it's
all about Sabbath School.
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Amen.
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And we're glad that
you've taken the time
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to tune in.
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Again, if you're
part of our family,
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you know, this is a study
that we all enjoy tremendously.
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All you need to
study with us is a Bible
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and also a
Sabbath School lesson,
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in just a moment I'll tell
you how to get a copy of that.
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But first, I wanna begin by
just having a word of prayer.
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And then, Jill, would
you pray for us today?
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Sure.
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Holy Father, we come before You
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in the name of
Jesus thanking You
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for the gift of family,
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thanking You for
the gift of Your Word.
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And we ask right
now for Your Holy Spirit
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that You would teach us,
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and that we would hear and obey
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what You give us in Jesus' name.
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Amen. Amen.
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A very interesting
lesson "Season of Parenting."
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And this is broken
down in various ways.
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Mine on Sunday is
"Childless Parenting".
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And it says perfectly
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because my wife
and I have no children
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but before we dive into
that if you'd like a copy
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to follow along with us,
go to this following website,
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ABSG.Adventist.org to
download a digital copy
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or go to your local
Seventh-day Adventist Church,
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and I'm sure
that they will be glad
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to introduce you
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to a panel of
people to study with.
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But let's also
meet our panel of people
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that we're gonna
be studying with.
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To my left is the
General Manager of 3ABN,
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Jill, Jill Morikone.
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Good to have you here,
Jill. Thank you, Pastor.
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And the Pastor Kenny Shelton.
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You're not just to study...
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He's a preacher on our Panel.
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Yeah, and I like that.
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He's always got a sermon ready
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and he's always
unashamed to preach it.
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Good to have you
here, Pastor Kenny Shelton.
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Good to be here. Thank you.
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Pastor Ryan Day.
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He's the youngest,
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and he said
before we got on the set,
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he's the least seasoned,
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but he's coming along very well.
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Praise the Lord.
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And we appreciate your
growth, we're seeing it.
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Amen.
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And Shelley Quinn,
how many hats do you have?
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Many. I'm well-seasoned.
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Let's put it that way.
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And we appreciate
every hat you wear,
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and but also, your
student hat is a beautiful one.
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And we appreciate your
approach to God's Word.
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Amen.
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And so childless parenting...
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You know, the
Season of Parenting,
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this is an interesting story,
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and I'm gonna do my
best to get through it
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because I've never been
a parent of our children.
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My wife and I've been
married going on 36 years now,
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and we don't have
any children of our own,
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not that we hadn't tried,
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but whatever reason,
Lord had a different plan,
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and I've grown
into the contentment
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that the Lord is
more sovereign than I.
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And so He's allowed
us in the course of time
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to raise different children,
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and that is nieces and nephews.
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And to appreciate the fact
that we don't have children
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because this world
is a different world.
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I mean, it's a different world.
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Yes it is.
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The world that we live in today
is so challenging that truly,
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I think this thing
called Season of Parenting
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should be more specifically
seasons of parenting.
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Because
parenting, in my generation,
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is different
than parenting today.
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And you can go
back every generation.
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You could see parenting
had different challenges.
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The one thing that
was consistent though
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is human nature.
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Humans nature was the same,
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so an addiction of
the '70s or '80s or '90s
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or going back to '60s or '50s
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there were different challenges.
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In every generation,
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I think adults thought
that children lost their minds.
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But we're convinced
today that they have.
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Yes.
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That the memory text
is really a beautiful one,
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and it's in Psalm 127:3,
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and I'll read that
when you're hearing.
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The Psalmist David
writes these beautiful words.
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"Behold, children are a heritage
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from the Lord,
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the fruit of the
womb is a reward."
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I'm gonna dive
into childless parenting
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and go with me to the
Book of Genesis Chapter 18.
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I wanna show you
a couple of passages
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because if you had
not heard my story,
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my story is somewhat unique,
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unique to me but
not unique to the world
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because I come from a home
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where my mom and
dad were not married,
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and so they didn't really
enter into parenting at all.
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I was just
conceived, I was given birth,
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and they went
their separate ways.
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At three months old, I
was left at a babysitter.
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My dad's name was not
even on my birth certificate.
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My mom was too young,
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and she decided not to
take me back home to our family,
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which is a
Filipino French family
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in the Virgin Islands.
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I'm all four nationalities,
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Filipino and
Caucasian on my mom's side
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and black and Native
American on my dad's side.
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I'm another.
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And I appreciate my other,
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and I refuse to be categorized
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because I wanna
appreciate all of my heritage.
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But my mom was raised
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in a small island
in the Virgin Islands
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called Saint
Thomas in Frenchtown.
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Hi, Saint Thomas or Saint Thomas
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how would we say it.
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Or the Virgin Islands
how they would say it.
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But my mom was
raised in a situation
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where she decided to
take a different course
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and my brother and my sister
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and I were all
born in New York City,
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but we were all born
to different fathers.
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So my mom was like an Abraham,
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she was a female Abraham.
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Instead of having
different mothers,
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my mom had different...
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All of us had different fathers.
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I was one of the
fortunate ones to find out
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later on in life
who my mother was,
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but my brother
didn't really find out
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who his dad is,
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and my sister
didn't really find out
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who her father is.
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It was some suggestions.
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So I'm approaching
this from the perspective
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of a child that did
not become a parent,
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and a child who
didn't have parents.
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That's right.
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But the Lord was
gracious because at a tender age
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of three months old,
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He allowed me and my sister
to be inserted into a home
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where the woman
was an Adventist,
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and the husband
was not a Christian.
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She was a strong woman
and the influences of my life
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were strongly molded by a woman
who had a connection with God
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and a man who was
just straight out strong.
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From the old
school, he was born in 1912,
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sorry, 1910.
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And he was from the
school of no credit cards,
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no debt, if it was in the house,
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it was paid for.
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The only thing he didn't
pay for right off the bat
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was his home,
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but he paid for that
before he passed away.
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He was a person who
understood the value of money
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and making strong
decisions and sticking with it.
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He was no nonsense.
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And I think a lot of my strength
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came from him.
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I saw how he dealt
with the situations in life,
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but I also saw
how he loved his wife.
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And we had fun
at the dinner table,
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we learned the principles
of cleaning the house,
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we had chores,
everything was scheduled,
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he was no nonsense but
he knew how to have fun
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when the time came,
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and I learnt a lot of that.
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But Genesis 18:11,
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points out that sometimes
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the Lord chooses to bless people
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at His timing
rather than their timing.
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And Genesis 18:11, says,
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"Now Abraham and Sarah were old,
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well advanced in age,
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and Sarah had past
the age of childbearing."
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And then Genesis 30:1,
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and this is another
situation, and it says,
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"Now when Rachel saw that
she bore Jacob no children,
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Rachel envied her
sister, and said to Jacob,
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'Give me
children, or else I die.'"
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I can imagine those situations
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'cause my wife and
I lived in California.
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And I'm gonna be very practical,
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I'm gonna let you
guys hit the Bible,
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but I want to be
very practical today
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and communicate to somebody
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who may be in the
same situation I was in.
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When my wife and I
were married many years ago,
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we know, we sought
all the medical ways
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to have children,
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we thought
about what could we do
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because we love children.
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I mean, we just,
sometimes you see
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a little child that
looks like both of us.
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In some instances we say,
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"Well, that's may be
what our son might look like,
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well, that's may be
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what our
daughter might look like."
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When I was sitting at home,
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you know, wiping
our eyes with tears,
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and just boohoo and...
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"Lord, please give us a child."
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Because at this point in life,
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we do not wanna
be Abraham and Sarah
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if we candid about it.
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We're kind of
happy with where we are.
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But the Lord has a plan,
and here's what I want to say,
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"When it seems as
though God is silent,
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He's not really silent.
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He's working at
our plan for greater."
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You know, Jeremiah 29:11,
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"I know the
thoughts I think toward you,
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says the Lord,
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thoughts of
peace and not of evil,
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to give you a
future and a hope."
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And I look at our lives
now, I look at my life now,
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and my wife and I have sat down
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on many days and said,
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"We could not
orchestrate our lives
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where turned out."
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So let me say this to
those who maybe childless.
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I know of many
famous evangelists
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in our church,
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many favorite, the Vendens,
Gary and Marilyn, a very good,
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wonderful couple of
ours, they don't have children.
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Malashenkos, they
were without children.
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And there are number of other
very well-know personalities
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in Adventism that
don't have children.
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And but God has taken
the granite of their lives
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and carved out a picture
so beautiful that He says,
00:10:04.47\00:10:08.27
"I had a
different plan for you."
00:10:08.30\00:10:10.11
And I've come to realize
that the greatest blessing
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in life is not
necessarily having children,
00:10:13.11\00:10:16.04
but fulfilling God's plan.
00:10:16.08\00:10:17.41
Amen.
00:10:17.45\00:10:18.78
So when you think
that a child is...
00:10:18.81\00:10:20.35
So my sister-in-law,
00:10:20.38\00:10:21.78
my wife's sister
often says to Angie,
00:10:21.82\00:10:24.85
when we see a kid that
says, "Oh, how cute she is!"
00:10:24.89\00:10:27.39
My sister-in-law
says, "You better be glad,
00:10:27.42\00:10:29.36
you don't have children
because they may get old,
00:10:29.39\00:10:32.26
and we think that when
they hit 18 problems end.
00:10:32.29\00:10:34.90
No, they just change addresses,
but the problems continue."
00:10:34.93\00:10:39.23
So when God is silent,
He has a different plan.
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That's my first point.
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When God is silent,
He has a different plan.
00:10:42.80\00:10:44.61
Jeremiah 29:11.
00:10:44.64\00:10:47.51
God knows the plans He has,
00:10:47.54\00:10:49.71
and our future will
be a future and a hope...
00:10:49.74\00:10:52.31
Yes.
00:10:52.35\00:10:53.68
If we're simply in the
silent moments of the life
00:10:53.72\00:10:55.05
when the delivery is
not coming to your house,
00:10:55.08\00:10:57.82
say, "God has another plan."
00:10:57.85\00:10:59.29
And we've learned that.
00:10:59.32\00:11:00.66
We've been to now
about 64 countries
00:11:00.69\00:11:02.16
around the world,
00:11:02.19\00:11:03.53
we could never have done
that had we had children.
00:11:03.56\00:11:06.43
We've moved about 14 times,
00:11:06.46\00:11:07.90
we could never have
done that if we had children.
00:11:07.93\00:11:11.33
And God has put
us in a humbling way
00:11:11.37\00:11:13.37
on a stage where to His
glory we are using our lives
00:11:13.40\00:11:17.64
to lead people to Christ.
00:11:17.67\00:11:19.47
We could never have
planned what has worked out.
00:11:19.51\00:11:22.04
So I look back and say,
00:11:22.08\00:11:23.41
"God, I'm so happy
that You're in charge
00:11:23.45\00:11:26.08
and I'm not."
00:11:26.11\00:11:27.68
The other one, we
have to put the emotions
00:11:27.72\00:11:30.22
aside of childlessness
because the emotions
00:11:30.25\00:11:33.86
could be more of damaging,
00:11:33.89\00:11:37.23
and then the child
himself or herself.
00:11:37.26\00:11:41.43
The child can come along
00:11:41.46\00:11:42.86
and give you a
different emotional damage.
00:11:42.90\00:11:46.33
But my wife and I learned
how to deal with the emotions
00:11:46.37\00:11:49.94
of not having a child.
00:11:49.97\00:11:52.77
Every time we
see friends that say,
00:11:52.81\00:11:55.31
we meet people
and they would say,
00:11:55.34\00:11:57.35
"How many children do you have?"
00:11:57.38\00:11:59.15
And we say, "We
have sheep instead,
00:11:59.18\00:12:02.58
we have many sheep."
00:12:02.62\00:12:03.99
They said, "Sheep?
00:12:04.02\00:12:05.35
Are you sheep farmers?"
00:12:05.39\00:12:06.72
"Yes, we've got a lot
of sheep in our church.
00:12:06.76\00:12:09.06
Yeah, we got a sheep that bite."
00:12:09.09\00:12:11.09
And they say,
"What do you mean?"
00:12:11.13\00:12:12.46
"Well, we don't have children."
00:12:12.49\00:12:13.83
And we embrace
that we have sheep.
00:12:13.86\00:12:16.46
And we have
sheep don't we, Jill.
00:12:16.50\00:12:18.63
That's right.
00:12:18.67\00:12:20.00
The sheep I have
that is not of this old.
00:12:20.04\00:12:21.87
And so we got pass
the emotion of that.
00:12:21.90\00:12:24.27
And then the other
thing, the painful question,
00:12:24.31\00:12:26.37
when somebody asks the question
00:12:26.41\00:12:27.98
that is a pain
to you, redirect it.
00:12:28.01\00:12:30.65
"How many children do you have?"
00:12:30.68\00:12:32.01
"We have sheep."
00:12:32.05\00:12:33.38
God had a different plan.
00:12:33.42\00:12:34.75
So you maybe a person
young or you may be a person
00:12:34.78\00:12:37.75
in the middle avenues of
life where it's still possible
00:12:37.79\00:12:40.09
and you're still
trying or you may be a person
00:12:40.12\00:12:42.32
who's reached a
latter point of your life
00:12:42.36\00:12:44.66
and you don't have children,
00:12:44.69\00:12:46.73
submit to the plans of the Lord
00:12:46.76\00:12:48.83
and realize that the Lord's plan
00:12:48.86\00:12:54.37
will supersede our expectations.
00:12:54.40\00:12:57.24
So I'm being practical.
00:12:57.27\00:12:58.61
I'm gonna let you all
hit the Bible aspects of it.
00:12:58.64\00:13:01.64
Also, there are those
people that can have children
00:13:01.68\00:13:04.28
that choose not to.
00:13:04.31\00:13:05.81
And those of us,
00:13:05.85\00:13:07.18
we see people that have children
00:13:07.22\00:13:09.28
and we say sometimes,
"All we wanted was one."
00:13:09.32\00:13:11.89
And they have eight,
00:13:11.92\00:13:13.25
and they don't
raise them correctly.
00:13:13.29\00:13:14.62
But once again, we
submit to the Lord's plan.
00:13:14.66\00:13:16.99
The other thing is my
wife and I have learned this,
00:13:17.03\00:13:20.03
and I'm gonna say
this to those of you
00:13:20.06\00:13:21.43
that do have children,
00:13:21.46\00:13:23.10
be sensitive to those
that don't have children.
00:13:23.13\00:13:26.77
And don't make a person
who doesn't have children
00:13:26.80\00:13:29.04
feel like they are
missing out on something
00:13:29.07\00:13:31.61
because they are really
not missing out on anything.
00:13:31.64\00:13:34.34
I would consider it
missing out on something
00:13:34.38\00:13:36.51
if I miss out on eternal life.
00:13:36.54\00:13:38.75
Missing out on
everything else is secondary
00:13:38.78\00:13:41.48
to missing out
on the eternal life.
00:13:41.52\00:13:42.85
I'm being very practical.
00:13:42.88\00:13:44.22
It's good.
00:13:44.25\00:13:45.59
And remember this text.
00:13:45.62\00:13:46.96
This is the beautiful text,
00:13:46.99\00:13:48.32
you know, that I've embraced.
00:13:48.36\00:13:49.86
Psalm 103:13,
00:13:49.89\00:13:53.16
"As a father
pities his children,"
00:13:53.19\00:13:56.60
I'm not childless,
00:13:56.63\00:13:58.70
I'm the child of
the most high God,
00:13:58.73\00:14:02.00
"so the Lord pities
those who fear Him."
00:14:02.04\00:14:04.37
I've got a
father and I'm content.
00:14:04.41\00:14:06.31
I'm His child, He's my
father, and I'm happy with that.
00:14:06.34\00:14:09.91
So really, I maybe
childless, but I have a father.
00:14:09.94\00:14:13.25
Amen. I love that.
00:14:13.28\00:14:15.08
Thank you so much, Pastor John,
00:14:15.12\00:14:16.45
what a beautiful
picture of the love of God
00:14:16.48\00:14:19.09
and how He can
work in our lives.
00:14:19.12\00:14:22.32
He can fulfill
His plan through us,
00:14:22.36\00:14:24.66
even if life doesn't
always turn out the way
00:14:24.69\00:14:26.93
you had expected,
00:14:26.96\00:14:28.30
but God has a
bigger and a better plan.
00:14:28.33\00:14:31.57
On Monday, we look
at single parenting,
00:14:31.60\00:14:35.07
and I'll just be frank with you,
00:14:35.10\00:14:36.91
I'm not the ideal
person for this lesson.
00:14:36.94\00:14:39.01
Number one, Greg
and I don't have kids,
00:14:39.04\00:14:41.61
we share what
you and Angie have,
00:14:41.64\00:14:43.31
but in addition
to that, I'm married,
00:14:43.35\00:14:46.92
so I don't understand
the pain of singleness.
00:14:46.95\00:14:49.52
But we're going
to look at principles
00:14:49.55\00:14:52.42
from the Word of God,
00:14:52.45\00:14:55.42
principles on
being a single parent,
00:14:55.46\00:14:58.59
seven biblical
principles on single parenting.
00:14:58.63\00:15:01.76
I know that single parents
00:15:01.80\00:15:04.40
come through a variety of means.
00:15:04.43\00:15:05.80
You might be a single mom,
and maybe you got pregnant,
00:15:05.83\00:15:08.90
and you never got married,
00:15:08.94\00:15:10.27
and you decided
to keep your child.
00:15:10.31\00:15:12.21
Praise the Lord
for that decision.
00:15:12.24\00:15:15.24
We just applaud you for that.
00:15:15.28\00:15:17.71
Maybe you're a couple, you
never chose to get married,
00:15:17.75\00:15:21.55
and then one or the other one
of you was raising that child,
00:15:21.58\00:15:24.92
maybe you got married
and later got divorced,
00:15:24.95\00:15:28.12
and there's
joint custody issues,
00:15:28.16\00:15:30.13
maybe you got married
and one of the spouses died.
00:15:30.16\00:15:34.80
There's many different reasons,
00:15:34.83\00:15:36.67
why we have
single parents today.
00:15:36.70\00:15:39.40
And it's a painful process,
00:15:39.43\00:15:41.00
but there's biblical
principles that we can apply
00:15:41.04\00:15:44.77
to being a single parent.
00:15:44.81\00:15:46.81
Number one,
understand you are never alone.
00:15:46.84\00:15:49.74
Amen.
00:15:49.78\00:15:51.11
Isaiah 43, one of
my favorite scriptures.
00:15:51.15\00:15:53.35
Isaiah 43:1-3,
"Now, thus says the Lord,
00:15:53.38\00:15:59.19
who created you, O
Jacob, and He who formed you,
00:15:59.22\00:16:03.69
O Israel, 'Fear not,
for I have redeemed you,
00:16:03.73\00:16:07.26
I have called you by your name,
00:16:07.30\00:16:08.63
you are Mine,' we belong to Him,
00:16:08.66\00:16:11.83
'When you pass
through the waters,
00:16:11.87\00:16:13.20
I will be with you,
and through the rivers,
00:16:13.23\00:16:15.90
they shall not overflow you.
00:16:15.94\00:16:18.34
When you walk through the
fire, you will not be burned,
00:16:18.37\00:16:21.18
nor shall the flames scorch you.
00:16:21.21\00:16:22.84
For I am the Lord your God,
00:16:22.88\00:16:25.11
The Holy One of
Israel, your Savior.'"
00:16:25.15\00:16:27.82
So you might feel like,
"I'm going through the flood,
00:16:27.85\00:16:30.49
I'm going through the fire,
I'm experiencing difficulties.
00:16:30.52\00:16:34.49
And, God, I don't
even know what to do
00:16:34.52\00:16:36.32
and how to raise these kids."
00:16:36.36\00:16:38.26
But you're not walking
through that experience alone
00:16:38.29\00:16:42.16
because God walks
through it with you.
00:16:42.20\00:16:45.80
Number two, ask God for wisdom.
00:16:45.83\00:16:49.14
James 1:5, James tells us,
"If any of you lacks wisdom,
00:16:49.17\00:16:54.74
let him ask of Me,
00:16:54.78\00:16:56.54
and I will give it to him
liberally without reproach,
00:16:56.58\00:17:00.95
and it will be given to him."
00:17:00.98\00:17:03.05
And this applies not
only into single parenting
00:17:03.08\00:17:05.05
but to any
experience we have in life,
00:17:05.09\00:17:08.39
we just come before God.
00:17:08.42\00:17:09.86
But especially
to single parents,
00:17:09.89\00:17:11.23
you know...
00:17:11.26\00:17:12.59
I think about in marriage,
00:17:12.63\00:17:13.96
it was such a
blessing to balance
00:17:14.00\00:17:15.36
ideas of someone else,
00:17:15.40\00:17:16.87
such a blessing
to talk together.
00:17:16.90\00:17:19.03
Greg and I talk
together about the day,
00:17:19.07\00:17:20.74
and I say, "How should
I handle this situation?
00:17:20.77\00:17:23.54
Or what do you recommend here?"
00:17:23.57\00:17:25.17
It was such a blessing to
have like a sounding board,
00:17:25.21\00:17:28.24
and to talk to
someone about those things.
00:17:28.28\00:17:31.35
But if you're a single
parent, you can talk to God.
00:17:31.38\00:17:35.02
Say, "God, I need wisdom here.
00:17:35.05\00:17:36.62
How should I discipline?
00:17:36.65\00:17:37.99
How should I raise them?
00:17:38.02\00:17:39.55
What should I do
in this circumstance?"
00:17:39.59\00:17:41.79
Number three, make the
most of your time together.
00:17:41.82\00:17:47.33
Ephesians 5:16
says, "Redeeming the time,
00:17:47.36\00:17:50.50
because the days are evil."
00:17:50.53\00:17:52.67
You know, I think
single parents especially,
00:17:52.70\00:17:55.10
they're trying
to be the provider,
00:17:55.14\00:17:57.81
and so the kids are
either in school all day
00:17:57.84\00:18:00.21
or they're at daycare
00:18:00.24\00:18:01.74
because there's
no parent at home
00:18:01.78\00:18:03.61
to be there for the children.
00:18:03.65\00:18:05.31
So you have almost less
time as it were with your kids,
00:18:05.35\00:18:09.75
but make the most of
the time you have together.
00:18:09.78\00:18:12.65
I have a friend who
is actually a single mom.
00:18:12.69\00:18:15.22
She's a foster mom,
00:18:15.26\00:18:16.59
and she works fulltime
00:18:16.62\00:18:18.36
and everyday her
kids go to daycare.
00:18:18.39\00:18:20.40
So then she said,
00:18:20.43\00:18:21.76
"Jill, I make
the most of moments,
00:18:21.80\00:18:24.30
every moment I
have with my kids,
00:18:24.33\00:18:27.87
I make the most of it."
00:18:27.90\00:18:29.24
It's not like you come
home after a long day of work
00:18:29.27\00:18:31.17
and, "Okay, you
just go watch TV,
00:18:31.21\00:18:33.11
you go do your own
thing because I'm busy,
00:18:33.14\00:18:35.04
and I need to do this."
00:18:35.08\00:18:36.41
But she's intentional at
making the most of the time
00:18:36.44\00:18:40.55
she does have
together with her kids.
00:18:40.58\00:18:42.98
Number four, trust
God for your finances.
00:18:43.02\00:18:47.16
Now this is especially
true if you're single mom.
00:18:47.19\00:18:51.73
Always, single parents
live on one income usually.
00:18:51.76\00:18:55.76
I think of the
widow of Zarephath.
00:18:55.80\00:18:57.43
1 Kings Chapter 17, remember?
00:18:57.47\00:18:59.63
Elijah had gone before King Ahab
00:18:59.67\00:19:01.67
and said there's
gonna be a drought,
00:19:01.70\00:19:03.04
no rain for 3.5 years.
00:19:03.07\00:19:04.91
He hid away at
the Brook Cherith.
00:19:04.94\00:19:07.11
And then, that brook
dried up, and the Lord said,
00:19:07.14\00:19:09.94
"Go to Zarephath and
there there's a widow woman
00:19:09.98\00:19:12.91
who's going to help you."
00:19:12.95\00:19:14.78
So he went and
what does she say?
00:19:14.82\00:19:17.09
"I don't have any food,
I'm baking the last cake."
00:19:17.12\00:19:21.29
The last bread, Pastor Kenny.
00:19:21.32\00:19:23.22
"The last oil and this is
it, this is all that I have."
00:19:23.26\00:19:28.03
And yet, Elijah said,
"Make a cake for me first."
00:19:28.06\00:19:31.73
Whoo!
00:19:31.77\00:19:33.57
Trust God for your
finances and what happened,
00:19:33.60\00:19:36.74
the rest of the
time, he was with her.
00:19:36.77\00:19:38.77
Praise God.
00:19:38.81\00:19:40.14
What happened?
00:19:40.18\00:19:41.51
The flower never diminished.
00:19:41.54\00:19:42.88
That's right.
00:19:42.91\00:19:44.25
And the oil never ran dry.
00:19:44.28\00:19:46.55
Jeremiah 32:27,
00:19:46.58\00:19:49.02
Jesus says,
"Behold, I am the Lord,
00:19:49.05\00:19:51.19
the God of all flesh.
00:19:51.22\00:19:53.25
Is there
anything too hard for me?"
00:19:53.29\00:19:55.29
So you might be saying,
"I can't make ends meet,
00:19:55.32\00:19:57.59
I don't know
00:19:57.63\00:19:58.96
where I'm gonna pay
the rent this month,
00:19:58.99\00:20:00.33
or I don't know
00:20:00.36\00:20:01.70
how I'm going to
put food on the table,
00:20:01.73\00:20:04.33
or pay the electric bill."
00:20:04.37\00:20:06.07
Trust God for your finances.
00:20:06.10\00:20:08.90
Number five, tell
your kids the truth.
00:20:08.94\00:20:12.67
Now this might be
a little interesting
00:20:12.71\00:20:15.04
but, you know, some
parents maybe there's a death,
00:20:15.08\00:20:19.95
one of the spouses
died and you're afraid,
00:20:19.98\00:20:22.38
you're not sure
what to tell the kids
00:20:22.42\00:20:24.19
about what took place.
00:20:24.22\00:20:25.55
Maybe there's a divorce,
00:20:25.59\00:20:27.19
you're not even
sure what to say,
00:20:27.22\00:20:28.82
but be honest with your kids.
00:20:28.86\00:20:31.16
Tell them the truth.
00:20:31.19\00:20:32.53
Ephesians 4:15 says,
00:20:32.56\00:20:33.90
"But, speaking
the truth in love,
00:20:33.93\00:20:36.30
that we may grow up
in all things into Him,
00:20:36.33\00:20:39.47
who is the head,
even Christ Jesus."
00:20:39.50\00:20:41.94
So tell them the truth.
00:20:41.97\00:20:43.30
Number six, moral forgiveness.
00:20:43.34\00:20:47.34
Ask your children
for their forgiveness.
00:20:47.38\00:20:50.38
If you gone through a divorce,
00:20:50.41\00:20:52.08
that's caused
your children pain.
00:20:52.11\00:20:54.68
You might need
to go back to them
00:20:54.72\00:20:56.45
and to ask for forgiveness.
00:20:56.48\00:20:58.89
If you wronged your
children in some fashion,
00:20:58.92\00:21:02.32
don't be too proud
to go back and to say,
00:21:02.36\00:21:05.83
"I'm sorry for what I did here."
00:21:05.86\00:21:08.20
Don't walk in bitterness.
00:21:08.23\00:21:09.56
I think many times
through life's experiences
00:21:09.60\00:21:14.30
whether it's a
divorce or a death,
00:21:14.34\00:21:16.27
that trauma can cause a
parent to become better.
00:21:16.30\00:21:20.41
They could become
bitter toward their acts,
00:21:20.44\00:21:22.51
they could become
bitter against God
00:21:22.54\00:21:24.45
because "Why did my spouse die
00:21:24.48\00:21:26.08
when I needed him so
badly or her so badly?"
00:21:26.11\00:21:30.32
But don't walk in bitterness.
00:21:30.35\00:21:32.62
Release that bitterness.
00:21:32.65\00:21:34.39
Hebrews 12:14-15,
00:21:34.42\00:21:36.19
"Follow peace with
all men, and holiness,
00:21:36.22\00:21:38.66
without which no
one shall see the Lord.
00:21:38.69\00:21:41.46
Looking
diligently lest anyone fail
00:21:41.50\00:21:44.07
of the grace of Christ,
00:21:44.10\00:21:45.47
lest any root of bitterness
springing up trouble you,
00:21:45.50\00:21:48.77
and thereby many
people be defiled."
00:21:48.80\00:21:52.31
So you don't want
a root of bitterness
00:21:52.34\00:21:54.88
in your own heart to
contaminate your home.
00:21:54.91\00:21:58.35
So allow the Lord Jesus
to take out that bitterness
00:21:58.38\00:22:03.22
and to replace in your
home a beautiful sweet spirit.
00:22:03.25\00:22:06.89
And finally, number seven,
00:22:06.92\00:22:08.52
become involved in
service and community.
00:22:08.56\00:22:13.66
As so many times, Pastor John,
I know in my own experience,
00:22:13.70\00:22:16.70
say I am going through an
issue or trial or circumstance,
00:22:16.73\00:22:20.20
it's easy to
wallow in your own stuff.
00:22:20.24\00:22:21.57
That's right.
00:22:21.60\00:22:22.94
You know, it's easy to...
00:22:22.97\00:22:24.31
I don't reach out.
00:22:24.34\00:22:25.67
I don't see the needs
00:22:25.71\00:22:27.04
or the problems of
other people, all I see is,
00:22:27.08\00:22:28.64
"Boy, I'm facing
00:22:28.68\00:22:30.01
an insurmountable
obstacle right now.
00:22:30.05\00:22:32.35
And that becomes all you see,
00:22:32.38\00:22:35.02
it's everything in
front of your face.
00:22:35.05\00:22:37.29
But if you reach outside,
00:22:37.32\00:22:39.52
you say, "Okay, I
don't have enough money.
00:22:39.55\00:22:41.42
Okay, I'm still trying
to release this bitterness.
00:22:41.46\00:22:43.49
Okay, I'm struggling,
and I'm lonely, and I'm sad."
00:22:43.53\00:22:46.26
Get out of yourself.
00:22:46.29\00:22:47.76
And I don't mean
that rudely or unkindly
00:22:47.80\00:22:50.60
but get out of yourself,
00:22:50.63\00:22:52.57
look at the
needs of other people,
00:22:52.60\00:22:54.50
seek to volunteer,
00:22:54.54\00:22:56.07
seek to become
involved in church,
00:22:56.10\00:22:58.27
seek to have your
kids involved in outreach.
00:22:58.31\00:23:01.94
That will impact your mood.
00:23:01.98\00:23:04.68
That will change you.
00:23:04.71\00:23:07.48
Galatians 6:2, we're called
to, "Bear one another's burdens,
00:23:07.52\00:23:11.12
and so fulfill
the law of Christ."
00:23:11.15\00:23:12.99
Now many times we think,
00:23:13.02\00:23:14.36
"Okay, I'm waiting for
someone to bear my burdens."
00:23:14.39\00:23:16.86
Reach out and bear
someone else's burdens.
00:23:16.89\00:23:20.30
And when you do that,
00:23:20.33\00:23:21.86
you'll find
that your own burdens
00:23:21.90\00:23:23.57
become a bit lighter.
00:23:23.60\00:23:25.63
Proverbs 11:25,
00:23:25.67\00:23:27.04
"The generous soul
will be made rich or fat,
00:23:27.07\00:23:31.21
and he who waters will
also be watered himself."
00:23:31.24\00:23:35.04
So when you
reach out and you pour
00:23:35.08\00:23:36.88
in to someone else's life,
00:23:36.91\00:23:39.28
you give and what happens?
00:23:39.31\00:23:41.12
It comes back to you.
00:23:41.15\00:23:43.15
It should be given to you.
00:23:43.18\00:23:44.52
So when and if
you ever experienced
00:23:44.55\00:23:48.92
the walk of a single parent,
know that you're never alone,
00:23:48.96\00:23:53.23
God the Father,
00:23:53.26\00:23:54.60
Son and Holy Spirit is with you
00:23:54.63\00:23:56.43
and God will see you
through that circumstance.
00:23:56.46\00:23:59.77
Amen. That's right.
00:23:59.80\00:24:01.14
That was wonderful, Jill.
00:24:01.17\00:24:02.50
You know, we are
appreciating this lesson,
00:24:02.54\00:24:04.87
but we're gonna
take a short break
00:24:04.91\00:24:06.37
and we will be right back.
00:24:06.41\00:24:09.41
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00:24:13.31\00:24:14.65
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00:24:14.68\00:24:16.75
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00:24:28.43\00:24:29.76
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00:24:29.80\00:24:32.90
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Welcome back to our
Sabbath School Panel.
00:24:45.45\00:24:48.08
It's been going wonderful.
00:24:48.12\00:24:49.45
Jill, you did an excellent job.
00:24:49.48\00:24:50.82
But Pastor
Kenny, it's your turn.
00:24:50.85\00:24:52.45
And what is the
title of your lesson?
00:24:52.49\00:24:53.82
Well, the title of it is the,
00:24:53.86\00:24:55.19
"The Joy and
Responsibility of Parenting."
00:24:55.22\00:24:57.39
Wow! Okay.
00:24:57.43\00:24:58.76
I think I can honestly say that
these two things as reality,
00:24:58.79\00:25:02.93
as parents, there is some joy
00:25:02.96\00:25:05.13
and certainly there's
a lot of responsibility.
00:25:05.17\00:25:08.10
You know, when a
child comes in to the home,
00:25:08.14\00:25:10.81
nothing remains the same,
00:25:10.84\00:25:12.27
everything is
different from that day forward.
00:25:12.31\00:25:14.64
Yes.
00:25:14.68\00:25:16.01
And it's not always
bad, it's a good thing,
00:25:16.04\00:25:17.51
makes people happy.
00:25:17.55\00:25:18.88
So I thought that,
00:25:18.91\00:25:20.25
you know,
parenting lesson brings up,
00:25:20.28\00:25:21.62
parenting is not like cooking.
00:25:21.65\00:25:23.65
You know, if you
think about parenting,
00:25:23.69\00:25:25.02
it's not like cooking.
00:25:25.05\00:25:26.39
You know, sometimes
I see my wife going,
00:25:26.42\00:25:28.02
you know, to the kitchen there,
00:25:28.06\00:25:29.46
and she gets out
of little cook book
00:25:29.49\00:25:31.73
and she's throw little
this, I'll go throw one and...
00:25:31.76\00:25:34.36
'Cause usually
very few measures that,
00:25:34.40\00:25:35.73
you know, it's the
way grandma use to do it,
00:25:35.76\00:25:37.70
you know that they said pinch.
00:25:37.73\00:25:39.53
Pinch of this and pinch of that,
00:25:39.57\00:25:40.90
and they put in the pot,
00:25:40.94\00:25:42.27
and so on, so forth.
00:25:42.30\00:25:43.64
And I found this out,
00:25:43.67\00:25:45.01
if you kind of
follow the guidelines
00:25:45.04\00:25:46.51
and you do what you need,
00:25:46.54\00:25:47.94
put the right ingredients
in and to get right cook time,
00:25:47.98\00:25:51.91
it's gonna turn up pretty nice.
00:25:51.95\00:25:54.15
But, you know, if
you think about it,
00:25:54.18\00:25:56.25
you get the taste you
want, and the desired look,
00:25:56.28\00:25:58.95
even you say, "Man,
this is a good deal."
00:25:58.99\00:26:00.66
But, you know,
parenting at least to me
00:26:00.69\00:26:02.62
is not quite the same.
00:26:02.66\00:26:04.33
Parenting is
not the same at all.
00:26:04.36\00:26:06.03
And I'll give you just
a few reasons for that,
00:26:06.06\00:26:08.03
just four, five of them,
and there's a lot of them.
00:26:08.06\00:26:10.70
Trust me, there's a lot of them,
00:26:10.73\00:26:12.07
but still yet, you
can't just do them,
00:26:12.10\00:26:14.57
pinch of this, pinch of that,
00:26:14.60\00:26:15.94
and treat all the
children the very same way
00:26:15.97\00:26:17.37
because everyone is different.
00:26:17.41\00:26:18.74
Yeah.
00:26:18.77\00:26:20.11
And they're
different because simply,
00:26:20.14\00:26:21.54
children are not alike, okay?
00:26:21.58\00:26:23.95
If you have 2, you
have 5, you have 10,
00:26:23.98\00:26:26.92
you know, some of
our family had 12 and 13,
00:26:26.95\00:26:29.18
you know, as it required,
none of them was the same.
00:26:29.22\00:26:31.75
There were some
different ingredients
00:26:31.79\00:26:33.82
put in there,
that's what I think.
00:26:33.86\00:26:35.36
And two, you know,
this children, again,
00:26:35.39\00:26:40.63
they're not the same
00:26:40.66\00:26:42.30
regardless of what
happens when they're born,
00:26:42.33\00:26:44.23
they each one
has a different mind,
00:26:44.27\00:26:46.84
and a different mindset
and you have to approach
00:26:46.87\00:26:49.14
each child differently
than you did the last one.
00:26:49.17\00:26:51.77
It'd nice if you say,
00:26:51.81\00:26:53.14
"Okay, I've got
this thing working.
00:26:53.17\00:26:54.51
Now everybody we're
gonna do it this way."
00:26:54.54\00:26:55.91
It just seem like
it doesn't work out
00:26:55.94\00:26:57.41
that way at all.
00:26:57.45\00:26:58.78
'Cause you know why?
00:26:58.81\00:27:00.15
Because the children
have a brain of their own
00:27:00.18\00:27:01.52
and you'll find
that out pretty quick.
00:27:01.55\00:27:02.88
In fact, when you're
three or four years old,
00:27:02.92\00:27:04.49
they learn more than you
00:27:04.52\00:27:05.85
and they're
smarter than you already.
00:27:05.89\00:27:07.79
Four, some follow
rules, I've found on children,
00:27:07.82\00:27:10.86
some follow rules,
00:27:10.89\00:27:12.39
and they do a
real nice job of it
00:27:12.43\00:27:14.06
and there are others they think
that rules are to be broken.
00:27:14.10\00:27:18.77
I wasn't
necessarily rules are to broken,
00:27:18.80\00:27:21.20
but I challenge the rules a lot.
00:27:21.24\00:27:23.41
I knew what they
were, I know the parameters,
00:27:23.44\00:27:25.17
I knew what happened
if I did, If I didn't,
00:27:25.21\00:27:26.98
but I was one of those,
00:27:27.01\00:27:28.34
I just maybe
probably wasn't easy,
00:27:28.38\00:27:30.48
you know, easy to follow.
00:27:30.51\00:27:32.28
Their rules were
there and I challenged them.
00:27:32.31\00:27:34.68
And five, some
children are laid back.
00:27:34.72\00:27:39.55
Yeah, really, they're laid back,
00:27:39.59\00:27:40.92
and they are easy.
00:27:40.96\00:27:42.29
You can say one time,
00:27:42.32\00:27:43.86
you know, "You
don't want do this
00:27:43.89\00:27:45.23
or do that."
00:27:45.26\00:27:46.59
And usually, you don't
have a problem with them.
00:27:46.63\00:27:48.00
With me it's an everyday ordeal.
00:27:48.03\00:27:50.23
I go through the
same thing every day.
00:27:50.27\00:27:52.03
Mom and dad say,
00:27:52.07\00:27:53.40
"You know, Kenny, every day,
00:27:53.44\00:27:54.77
we get so tired,
00:27:54.80\00:27:56.14
you had to have a
whipping every day."
00:27:56.17\00:27:57.51
You know, my
uncles will say to me.
00:27:57.54\00:27:59.91
Every time I see him,
00:27:59.94\00:28:01.28
I work with him
on Sunday and then...
00:28:01.31\00:28:02.94
I'm a 12 years old.
00:28:02.98\00:28:04.31
So I went to, you
know, during the summertime,
00:28:04.35\00:28:07.62
and just as soon as I...
00:28:07.65\00:28:08.98
At that age, you
don't like to be hassled
00:28:09.02\00:28:10.52
about getting
whipping and things, you know?
00:28:10.55\00:28:12.32
And first thing he'd see me,
00:28:12.35\00:28:13.69
he say, "Kenny, have you
had your whipping yet today?"
00:28:13.72\00:28:16.52
I'd say, "No, Uncle Vernon,
I haven't had my whipping yet."
00:28:16.56\00:28:19.23
He'd say, "Well, I'm
going to give you one
00:28:19.26\00:28:20.60
because you're gonna need
it before the day is over."
00:28:20.63\00:28:23.06
And he was right.
00:28:23.10\00:28:24.80
He was right. I did need it.
00:28:24.83\00:28:27.60
But regardless of all these
different things, you know.
00:28:27.64\00:28:30.27
Again, some of the
children are aggressive,
00:28:30.31\00:28:32.57
you know, and you
have to approach them
00:28:32.61\00:28:34.44
a whole lot
different than others.
00:28:34.48\00:28:35.91
That responsibility
of parent is a joy.
00:28:35.94\00:28:38.85
It brings some real joy
and pursue some responsibility.
00:28:38.88\00:28:41.32
Parents are...
00:28:41.35\00:28:42.68
Proverbs 22:6 says...
00:28:42.72\00:28:45.65
This is the one everyone knows.
00:28:45.69\00:28:47.02
We hear and we quote
out, "Train up a child," what?
00:28:47.06\00:28:49.29
"In the way he should go,
00:28:49.32\00:28:50.66
and when he is old he
will not depart from it."
00:28:50.69\00:28:53.29
But, you know,
a lot of us seeing
00:28:53.33\00:28:54.76
that experience in your home
00:28:54.80\00:28:56.13
where you receive
letters and phone calls
00:28:56.16\00:28:57.73
all the time about people say,
00:28:57.77\00:28:59.10
"I trained them right,
00:28:59.13\00:29:00.47
I trained them
right up and hard,
00:29:00.50\00:29:01.84
I brought them
upright in the home,
00:29:01.87\00:29:03.20
but, you know,
they're not in the church,
00:29:03.24\00:29:04.57
you know, they're not..."
00:29:04.61\00:29:05.94
You know, I encourage you...
00:29:05.97\00:29:07.31
It's not over with you.
00:29:07.34\00:29:08.68
You know, it's not
finished yet keep praying.
00:29:08.71\00:29:11.05
And one of the last
things God's gonna do
00:29:11.08\00:29:12.95
for the moms and dads is the...
00:29:12.98\00:29:14.48
Mothers, faithful mothers,
that pray for your children,
00:29:14.52\00:29:16.89
I really believe that
God's gonna bring him back.
00:29:16.92\00:29:19.32
Hang in there. Don't give up.
00:29:19.35\00:29:20.69
Don't quit one prayer too soon.
00:29:20.72\00:29:22.76
Sometime we quit.
00:29:22.79\00:29:24.13
Spirit of Prophecy says,
00:29:24.16\00:29:25.49
"When we quit
one prayer too soon,
00:29:25.53\00:29:26.93
our prayer would
have been answered
00:29:26.96\00:29:28.30
if we would have
labored one more time with God."
00:29:28.33\00:29:30.47
It's important.
00:29:30.50\00:29:31.83
You know, parents
are to lead the way,
00:29:31.87\00:29:34.50
and they are to
teach their children
00:29:34.54\00:29:36.54
to love and to obey God.
00:29:36.57\00:29:38.41
That to me
that's just the supreme,
00:29:38.44\00:29:40.54
you know, we teach them do that,
00:29:40.58\00:29:41.91
and we teach them
this, Exodus 20:12.
00:29:41.94\00:29:45.18
And we should be.
00:29:45.21\00:29:46.55
It seemed like it's
not being taught very much,
00:29:46.58\00:29:47.92
you know, in the world today.
00:29:47.95\00:29:49.28
It's simply one
of the commandments.
00:29:49.32\00:29:50.65
It says, "You teach your
child to honor your," what?
00:29:50.69\00:29:53.66
"Your father and your mother
00:29:53.69\00:29:55.02
that your days may
be long upon the land,
00:29:55.06\00:29:57.19
which the Lord thy
God have given thee."
00:29:57.23\00:29:59.83
We realize that we've
heard all of our life.
00:29:59.86\00:30:01.30
My mom used to
yell at me all the time,
00:30:01.33\00:30:02.66
"Kenny, you need
to honor mom and dad,
00:30:02.70\00:30:04.03
heaven's not
gonna be your home."
00:30:04.07\00:30:05.60
You need honor mom and
dad because that's a promise
00:30:05.63\00:30:09.34
that God given that
your days will be long.
00:30:09.37\00:30:12.27
And if I can see
the reasoning behind
00:30:12.31\00:30:14.24
that now is to
listen to mom and dad
00:30:14.28\00:30:16.44
is they're helping
you along life's way
00:30:16.48\00:30:18.78
because there's some pitfalls,
00:30:18.81\00:30:20.48
you know, and
they're trying to keep you
00:30:20.52\00:30:21.85
out of those pitfalls.
00:30:21.88\00:30:23.22
And so they give you
some warnings to there,
00:30:23.25\00:30:24.92
and we some time
we live a lot longer
00:30:24.95\00:30:26.29
if we don't get involved in
all the things of the world.
00:30:26.32\00:30:28.66
I saw a sign.
00:30:28.69\00:30:30.03
Now I don't know
where the sign was that,
00:30:30.06\00:30:31.39
you know, I'm a reader of signs.
00:30:31.43\00:30:33.09
When I go down the
road, and people say,
00:30:33.13\00:30:34.53
"Well, I need be
watching the road."
00:30:34.56\00:30:35.90
Well, that's true too.
00:30:35.93\00:30:37.27
Well, I'm a reader of signs,
00:30:37.30\00:30:38.63
and it seems
somewhere it said this.
00:30:38.67\00:30:40.24
And this caught my attention,
00:30:40.27\00:30:41.60
Pastor, I'll tell you why
00:30:41.64\00:30:42.97
because I think
it said remodeling.
00:30:43.00\00:30:45.24
When you talk about
remodeling and building,
00:30:45.27\00:30:46.61
I'm always going, "Huh?
00:30:46.64\00:30:47.98
Huh? You know."
00:30:48.01\00:30:49.34
And so the sign said...
00:30:49.38\00:30:50.71
On there it said,
"Want to remodel your home?"
00:30:50.75\00:30:52.81
I thought, "Hey,
yeah, that's a good idea."
00:30:52.85\00:30:54.55
It said, "Take
your family to church."
00:30:54.58\00:30:56.45
That's good. That's good.
00:30:56.48\00:30:58.32
Hey, somebody write that down.
00:30:58.35\00:31:00.99
You know, really, if you
want to remodel your home,
00:31:01.02\00:31:03.43
you're tired of the same
old, same old in the house,
00:31:03.46\00:31:06.03
and you want things to change,
00:31:06.06\00:31:07.50
you don't like the
way the things are going,
00:31:07.53\00:31:10.27
you know, do some remodeling.
00:31:10.30\00:31:12.33
And I suggest this,
00:31:12.37\00:31:13.70
those who like to
do the remodeling,
00:31:13.74\00:31:15.07
start with yourself.
00:31:15.10\00:31:16.44
That's where I had to start.
00:31:16.47\00:31:17.81
I have to start
with remodeling by,
00:31:17.84\00:31:19.17
you know, to myself,
00:31:19.21\00:31:20.54
and ask God to remodel me
the way He wants me to be.
00:31:20.58\00:31:22.88
Amen.
00:31:22.91\00:31:24.25
And as a parent, we
talk about responsibilities,
00:31:24.28\00:31:25.95
and we want to make sure
that our home is a model like,
00:31:25.98\00:31:31.05
you know, heaven should be.
00:31:31.09\00:31:32.52
Children need to
love to be in the home,
00:31:32.55\00:31:34.36
they need to love to come home.
00:31:34.39\00:31:36.06
And it's a little foretaste
of what heaven's to be.
00:31:36.09\00:31:37.69
The Adventist Home 36 says this,
00:31:37.73\00:31:40.40
it says, "A well-ordered
Christian household."
00:31:40.43\00:31:44.03
I've read this many times
00:31:44.07\00:31:45.40
and sometimes it
didn't make sense years ago,
00:31:45.43\00:31:46.97
and it makes a lot
of sense to me now.
00:31:47.00\00:31:49.04
"A well-ordered
Christian household
00:31:49.07\00:31:50.91
is a powerful
argument in favor of reality
00:31:50.94\00:31:54.94
of the Christian religion.
00:31:54.98\00:31:57.01
All can see that there
is an influence at work
00:31:57.05\00:32:00.18
in the family.
00:32:00.22\00:32:02.35
They would indeed be
the light of the world."
00:32:02.38\00:32:06.15
It's not what
scripture really tells us
00:32:06.19\00:32:07.66
that we're to be a light
on the hill in that, right?
00:32:07.69\00:32:10.49
Don't hide that
candle, just light it,
00:32:10.53\00:32:12.43
set it out for the world to see.
00:32:12.46\00:32:14.36
So again, notice
that it's a well-ordered
00:32:14.40\00:32:16.60
Christian family,
00:32:16.63\00:32:17.97
it's not chaotic, chaos,
beating, banging, thumping,
00:32:18.00\00:32:22.27
you know, sometimes
going on screaming, hollering.
00:32:22.30\00:32:25.51
In some
neighborhoods when you live,
00:32:25.54\00:32:26.91
there's some time you have to...
00:32:26.94\00:32:28.44
May I say, New
York's much better
00:32:28.48\00:32:29.81
than I would do it around here,
00:32:29.84\00:32:31.18
but a lot of time
people just have to close
00:32:31.21\00:32:32.55
their doors and windows
because it gets so loud.
00:32:32.58\00:32:35.28
Things go on, you know,
and it should not go on.
00:32:35.32\00:32:37.65
So a well-ordered
Christian household says a lot,
00:32:37.69\00:32:41.02
the cause of Christ.
00:32:41.06\00:32:42.49
Parents, upon you
rest the responsibility.
00:32:42.52\00:32:45.53
Review and Herald
Article 129, 1901,
00:32:45.56\00:32:49.73
"Parents," notice this,
00:32:49.76\00:32:51.23
Upon you rest the responsibility
00:32:51.27\00:32:53.34
of being light
bearers and light givers."
00:32:53.37\00:32:57.04
Notice that. "Shine
as lights in the home."
00:32:57.07\00:33:00.04
And how sad, sometime
we've turned the power off,
00:33:00.08\00:33:02.58
electricity.
00:33:02.61\00:33:03.95
We're not the lights
that we should have been.
00:33:03.98\00:33:06.35
And, you know,
we have to go back
00:33:06.38\00:33:07.72
when we've done that
and raising children.
00:33:07.75\00:33:09.42
We've done the wrong thing.
00:33:09.45\00:33:10.99
We need to go back and
say, "God, forgive me."
00:33:11.02\00:33:13.15
And ask our children
to forgive us and say,
00:33:13.19\00:33:15.26
"I wish, by the grace of God,
00:33:15.29\00:33:16.62
we could do it
all, but we can't.
00:33:16.66\00:33:18.33
We just ask for your forgiveness
00:33:18.36\00:33:19.69
and keep going."
00:33:19.73\00:33:21.06
And God says to you
and He says to me today.
00:33:21.10\00:33:23.26
When I first came to
Christ, been to the church many,
00:33:23.30\00:33:25.67
many years, but when
conversion really came,
00:33:25.70\00:33:28.20
God didn't beat
me up, He didn't say,
00:33:28.24\00:33:29.57
"Kenny, why did you...
00:33:29.60\00:33:30.94
What's all this right here?"
00:33:30.97\00:33:32.31
He simply said,
"Kenny, redeem the time."
00:33:32.34\00:33:33.78
Oh, what a burden lifted,
what a joy it was to realize.
00:33:33.81\00:33:37.51
He just says, "Come
on, just redeem the time."
00:33:37.55\00:33:39.88
And that's what He
says to families today,
00:33:39.91\00:33:41.75
and that time
it can be redeemed.
00:33:41.78\00:33:43.75
"Our work for Christ is
to begin with the family,
00:33:43.79\00:33:45.95
in the home...
00:33:45.99\00:33:47.32
There is no missionary
field more important than this."
00:33:47.36\00:33:50.39
Testimonies 6:429.
00:33:50.43\00:33:52.99
Proverbs 20:7 says,
00:33:53.03\00:33:56.16
"The just man
walketh is in his integrity,
00:33:56.20\00:33:58.90
his children are
blessed after him."
00:33:58.93\00:34:02.40
Wonderful plan for
the spiritual development
00:34:02.44\00:34:04.51
of our children is outlined.
00:34:04.54\00:34:06.17
I wish we had time, we don't.
00:34:06.21\00:34:07.78
We know it's outline,
and I encourage you to do it.
00:34:07.81\00:34:09.84
Get in Deuteronomy
Chapter 6 because it would say,
00:34:09.88\00:34:12.58
"We teach our children to
recognize the Lord, our God.
00:34:12.61\00:34:15.65
We teach our children
00:34:15.68\00:34:17.02
to love God with
all of our heart,
00:34:17.05\00:34:18.39
our soul, and all of our mind."
00:34:18.42\00:34:20.56
And we teach our kids...
00:34:20.59\00:34:21.92
The Word of God is a treasure.
00:34:21.96\00:34:24.39
Treat it with
respect, treat it with dignity.
00:34:24.43\00:34:26.66
Don't be
throwing the Bible around,
00:34:26.70\00:34:28.03
don't be disrespectful
to the Word of God,
00:34:28.06\00:34:29.96
don't be
respectful to your elders
00:34:30.00\00:34:31.43
and to your
pastor and your teacher.
00:34:31.47\00:34:32.87
Love.
00:34:32.90\00:34:34.24
If the parents
do the right thing,
00:34:34.27\00:34:36.30
you know, how wonderful
it's gonna be in the home,
00:34:36.34\00:34:37.97
and how wonderful
it'd be in the church too,
00:34:38.01\00:34:39.97
how much easier
the work will be.
00:34:40.01\00:34:41.74
God's calling us.
00:34:41.78\00:34:43.78
Fathers and
mothers, teach your children,
00:34:43.81\00:34:47.45
number one, to love
Jesus with all their heart
00:34:47.48\00:34:50.79
and their mind.
00:34:50.82\00:34:52.15
And you know what?
00:34:52.19\00:34:53.52
How wonderful that'd
be when Jesus will come,
00:34:53.56\00:34:54.89
we can make it to
heaven together as a family.
00:34:54.92\00:34:56.32
Praise God.
00:34:56.36\00:34:57.69
Oh, wow. Praise the Lord.
00:34:57.73\00:34:59.06
That was a
blessing, Brother Kenny.
00:34:59.09\00:35:00.70
In fact, there's
something you just said that
00:35:00.73\00:35:02.50
really stuck out to me,
00:35:02.53\00:35:04.17
you know, if you
want to remodel your home,
00:35:04.20\00:35:07.74
go to church.
00:35:07.77\00:35:09.10
I just would like to add to that
00:35:09.14\00:35:10.47
'cause it's a great principle.
00:35:10.51\00:35:11.84
You know, some people first
need to go to their front door,
00:35:11.87\00:35:13.91
and they need to slide back
that lock, unlock the deadbolt,
00:35:13.94\00:35:17.21
unlock the
doorknob, open that door,
00:35:17.25\00:35:19.18
and let Jesus in to their
home because a lot of people,
00:35:19.21\00:35:22.78
you know, they bring
a lot of stuff to church
00:35:22.82\00:35:25.05
and first they
need Jesus in the home.
00:35:25.09\00:35:28.12
And I believe
absolutely the principles
00:35:28.16\00:35:29.62
you
communicated is so wonderful.
00:35:29.66\00:35:32.39
In fact, I have a quote
here from Child Guidance.
00:35:32.43\00:35:34.73
This is this comes from the book
00:35:34.76\00:35:36.10
Child Guidance page 233.
00:35:36.13\00:35:38.87
Notice what this says,
00:35:38.90\00:35:40.24
"It is the duty
of those who claim
00:35:40.27\00:35:42.40
to be Christians to present
to the world well-ordered,
00:35:42.44\00:35:48.08
well-disciplined families,
00:35:48.11\00:35:50.68
families that will show
00:35:50.71\00:35:52.05
the power of true Christianity."
00:35:52.08\00:35:54.98
It starts in the home.
00:35:55.02\00:35:56.35
If you want,
00:35:56.38\00:35:57.72
you know, and Pastor
Lomacang is my pastor,
00:35:57.75\00:35:59.09
I know you would know
this more than anything,
00:35:59.12\00:36:01.39
being a pastor for many years,
00:36:01.42\00:36:02.76
you know, you have many sheep,
00:36:02.79\00:36:04.13
and you come to know
many of the difficulties,
00:36:04.16\00:36:06.90
and the trials,
and the problems,
00:36:06.93\00:36:08.46
and the things
that many people endure,
00:36:08.50\00:36:10.37
and a lot of it
can be done away with,
00:36:10.40\00:36:12.57
a lot of that can
be dealt with if people
00:36:12.60\00:36:14.50
would just invite
Jesus into their home,
00:36:14.54\00:36:16.57
and they would have a
personal devotion time,
00:36:16.60\00:36:18.64
a time of worship
and godly men and women
00:36:18.67\00:36:22.74
who are leading and guiding
and discipling their family,
00:36:22.78\00:36:26.92
discipling their children.
00:36:26.95\00:36:28.28
In fact, that's
what today's lesson.
00:36:28.32\00:36:29.88
This is Wednesday's lesson,
"Parenting as Disciple Making".
00:36:29.92\00:36:34.42
And so I'm, you
know, I'm simply gonna be
00:36:34.46\00:36:36.93
sharing again some
biblical principles
00:36:36.96\00:36:39.06
on what the Bible
instructs us and counsels us
00:36:39.09\00:36:41.26
on how to disciple our children.
00:36:41.30\00:36:43.77
And so, you know, I
like how this lesson
00:36:43.80\00:36:45.23
starts up because it
gives kind of a contrast
00:36:45.27\00:36:47.80
between good parenting
and kind of a poor parenting,
00:36:47.84\00:36:51.54
and it uses some
biblical characters.
00:36:51.57\00:36:54.18
For instance,
Genesis Chapter 18,
00:36:54.21\00:36:55.74
we have a
wonderful example in Abraham.
00:36:55.78\00:36:57.95
Abraham, this is
Genesis 18:18, 19.
00:36:57.98\00:37:01.42
I'm not gonna read it,
but Abraham, he was a strong,
00:37:01.45\00:37:04.85
willing, and
obedient leader in his home.
00:37:04.89\00:37:08.26
You know, was he
a perfect parent?
00:37:08.29\00:37:09.76
I'm sure he was.
00:37:09.79\00:37:11.13
And I don't know
of any perfect parent
00:37:11.16\00:37:12.49
that hasn't made a mistake,
obviously, but he was a strong,
00:37:12.53\00:37:15.30
willing, and
obedient leader in his home.
00:37:15.33\00:37:16.83
And I think that
is a great example
00:37:16.87\00:37:18.50
for us to follow.
00:37:18.53\00:37:20.30
And kind of contrast to that,
you go to 1 Samuel 3:10-14.
00:37:20.34\00:37:24.87
And, you know, a
man of God as he was,
00:37:24.91\00:37:27.94
as the leader of his
house, Eli, the priest,
00:37:27.98\00:37:30.95
did not discipline his sons,
00:37:30.98\00:37:32.88
which brought about
iniquity and judgment.
00:37:32.91\00:37:35.28
And you can read that.
00:37:35.32\00:37:36.65
They are in 1 Samuel 3:10-14
about how God speaks to Samuel,
00:37:36.69\00:37:41.49
and He says, "Look, you
know, I've got to bring judgment
00:37:41.52\00:37:43.89
upon the house of Eli
because he did not discipline
00:37:43.93\00:37:47.30
his family correctly."
00:37:47.33\00:37:49.00
You know,
truthfully, most parents believe
00:37:49.03\00:37:51.33
their parenting methods
are the most efficient methods
00:37:51.37\00:37:53.84
of raising kids the right way.
00:37:53.87\00:37:55.67
You know, I think all of us...
00:37:55.70\00:37:57.04
I have not yet met
a parent who has said,
00:37:57.07\00:37:59.44
you know, that,
"Oh, my parenting styles
00:37:59.47\00:38:01.54
are horrible,"
00:38:01.58\00:38:02.91
or "I don't
raise my kids right."
00:38:02.94\00:38:04.28
Most everyone
thinks in some way form
00:38:04.31\00:38:05.71
or fashion that they
have the best methods.
00:38:05.75\00:38:08.62
But, you know, in the end,
00:38:08.65\00:38:09.98
it is a parent's responsibility
to disciple their children
00:38:10.02\00:38:13.86
to become followers of Christ.
00:38:13.89\00:38:15.82
That's the ultimate thing.
00:38:15.86\00:38:17.19
And I love the text
that we've read many times
00:38:17.23\00:38:19.46
in this panel
throughout this lesson coming
00:38:19.49\00:38:21.36
from Malachi 2:15,
the Bible says this,
00:38:21.40\00:38:25.90
"But did He not make them,"
00:38:25.93\00:38:27.34
speaking of the
husband and wife,
00:38:27.37\00:38:29.27
"One."
00:38:29.30\00:38:30.64
"Did He not make them one
having a remnant of the Spirit?
00:38:30.67\00:38:34.51
And why one?"
00:38:34.54\00:38:35.88
Why did God bring this
man and this woman together?
00:38:35.91\00:38:37.95
Notice, "He
seeks godly offspring."
00:38:37.98\00:38:42.05
Well, how do we make
that a reality in our homes?
00:38:42.08\00:38:44.72
It starts with
proper disciple making,
00:38:44.75\00:38:48.29
it starts with being
and setting an example
00:38:48.32\00:38:50.33
for our children to be
raised in the ways of the Lord.
00:38:50.36\00:38:53.43
So I just want to just
make a few remarks here,
00:38:53.46\00:38:56.53
read through a few scriptures,
00:38:56.56\00:38:58.00
as I believe the Bible is always
00:38:58.03\00:38:59.60
the best council
that we can receive.
00:38:59.63\00:39:02.17
First of all, I
wanna start with this one,
00:39:02.20\00:39:03.77
"Govern your kids
with loving kindness."
00:39:03.81\00:39:07.11
Let's just start with
that right off the bat
00:39:07.14\00:39:08.61
as we could jump into the easy,
00:39:08.64\00:39:10.21
discipline your
children, which we'll get to,
00:39:10.25\00:39:11.81
but, you know,
it starts with love.
00:39:11.85\00:39:13.65
Well, as we've learned
in these previous lessons,
00:39:13.68\00:39:16.12
it starts with governing
in your house with love,
00:39:16.15\00:39:18.75
allow the love of
Christ to govern you.
00:39:18.79\00:39:20.49
Ephesians 6:4, it
says, "And you, fathers,
00:39:20.52\00:39:24.36
do not provoke
your children to wrath,
00:39:24.39\00:39:26.46
but bring them
up in the training
00:39:26.49\00:39:28.86
in admonition of the Lord."
00:39:28.90\00:39:30.23
Amen.
00:39:30.27\00:39:31.60
Colossians 3:21
tells us, "Fathers," again,
00:39:31.63\00:39:34.50
"do not provoke your children,
lest they become discouraged."
00:39:34.54\00:39:38.44
And so, you
know, we need to allow
00:39:38.47\00:39:40.48
the love of
Christ to pour through us
00:39:40.51\00:39:42.44
as leaders of our
home that our kids may see
00:39:42.48\00:39:45.98
that example and they may follow
00:39:46.01\00:39:47.82
in that example and, of course,
00:39:47.85\00:39:49.58
receive of the love
00:39:49.62\00:39:50.95
that you're bestowing upon them.
00:39:50.99\00:39:52.85
Next principle,
00:39:52.89\00:39:54.22
instruct your
children in righteous.
00:39:54.26\00:39:57.93
Instruct them. And
this was a big one.
00:39:57.96\00:39:59.39
Okay, Psalm 78:5,
00:39:59.43\00:40:01.83
"For He established
a testimony in Jacob,
00:40:01.86\00:40:04.43
and appointed a law in Israel,
00:40:04.47\00:40:06.87
which He commanded our fathers,
00:40:06.90\00:40:08.80
that they should make
them known to their children."
00:40:08.84\00:40:13.14
And, you know, I
have to just pause
00:40:13.17\00:40:15.21
and say this for a moment,
00:40:15.24\00:40:16.95
I've been blessed to work
with many different children,
00:40:16.98\00:40:20.02
teenagers over the years
00:40:20.05\00:40:21.85
whether it'd be
through Sabbath School,
00:40:21.88\00:40:23.22
whether it'd be as a
youth leader in church.
00:40:23.25\00:40:25.59
And, you know, I praise the Lord
00:40:25.62\00:40:27.02
for that opportunity.
00:40:27.06\00:40:28.39
I praise God that
there are good leaders
00:40:28.42\00:40:30.73
in our church and
in our local churches,
00:40:30.76\00:40:33.19
in our conferences,
and so forth, and so on.
00:40:33.23\00:40:36.06
I praise God
for that leadership,
00:40:36.10\00:40:37.67
that spiritual guidance to teach
00:40:37.70\00:40:39.03
and guide our children,
00:40:39.07\00:40:40.40
even at Sabbath School
because we create a culture
00:40:40.44\00:40:42.64
where some of us bring
our kids to Sabbath School,
00:40:42.67\00:40:45.07
and we kind of put them
in the hands of someone else
00:40:45.11\00:40:47.04
for them to teach them,
00:40:47.08\00:40:48.41
but really, in
the home it starts.
00:40:48.44\00:40:50.51
Instructing our
children in the home
00:40:50.55\00:40:52.31
in the ways of the Lord in
righteousness, in the home.
00:40:52.35\00:40:55.55
So important.
00:40:55.58\00:40:56.92
Proverbs 22:6,
00:40:56.95\00:40:59.12
and this was
obviously a famous quote,
00:40:59.15\00:41:01.92
but it's very, very important,
00:41:01.96\00:41:03.79
"Train up a child in
the way he should go,
00:41:03.83\00:41:06.39
and when he is old he
will not depart from it."
00:41:06.43\00:41:09.10
If we follow that
biblical principle,
00:41:09.13\00:41:11.07
and we allow the
Lord to lead through us,
00:41:11.10\00:41:13.47
the chances of
that child growing up
00:41:13.50\00:41:15.47
and being a godly,
God-fearing person,
00:41:15.50\00:41:18.44
loving the Lord,
loving his neighbor,
00:41:18.47\00:41:19.97
it will be established,
00:41:20.01\00:41:21.34
and they will not
walk away from it.
00:41:21.38\00:41:22.71
Praise God.
00:41:22.74\00:41:24.08
You know, on that point though,
00:41:24.11\00:41:25.45
I have to also say
there's a responsibility
00:41:25.48\00:41:27.05
on a part of the parents
00:41:27.08\00:41:29.22
to receive
instruction themselves,
00:41:29.25\00:41:31.39
continue to allow God
to mold them and shape them
00:41:31.42\00:41:34.69
that they may be
that ultimate example.
00:41:34.72\00:41:36.79
Passage that comes to my mind
00:41:36.83\00:41:38.16
when I'm thinking of this
very sentiment is Hosea 4:6,
00:41:38.19\00:41:42.60
which says, "My
people are destroyed
00:41:42.63\00:41:45.23
for lack of knowledge.
00:41:45.27\00:41:46.84
Because you have
rejected knowledge,
00:41:46.87\00:41:48.70
I will also reject you
and from being preached for Me
00:41:48.74\00:41:51.97
because you have
forgotten the law of your God,
00:41:52.01\00:41:54.81
I will also
forget your children."
00:41:54.84\00:41:56.54
That is a sad text indeed,
00:41:56.58\00:41:58.15
but it's gonna be a
reality for a lot of people.
00:41:58.18\00:42:00.65
It starts in the
home with the parents.
00:42:00.68\00:42:03.72
Allow the Lord to change
00:42:03.75\00:42:05.09
your life so that
you can help guide
00:42:05.12\00:42:07.72
and shape and change
the lives of your children
00:42:07.76\00:42:09.49
in a positive way.
00:42:09.52\00:42:11.13
Is it a good responsibility
00:42:11.16\00:42:12.56
for us to
provide for our children?
00:42:12.59\00:42:15.30
That's obviously a gimme.
00:42:15.33\00:42:16.67
2 Corinthians 12:14,
00:42:16.70\00:42:18.43
"For the children ought
not to lay up for the parents,
00:42:18.47\00:42:21.14
but the parents
for the children."
00:42:21.17\00:42:22.97
We have a
responsibility to, again,
00:42:23.00\00:42:24.67
disciple our children and
providing for their needs.
00:42:24.71\00:42:27.11
Amen.
00:42:27.14\00:42:28.48
Should parents
set a good example?
00:42:28.51\00:42:31.41
Obviously, that's obvious.
00:42:31.45\00:42:32.78
That's an obvious one as well.
00:42:32.81\00:42:34.15
Titus 2:1-5, I
love this council.
00:42:34.18\00:42:36.92
"But as for you,
00:42:36.95\00:42:38.29
speak the
things which are proper
00:42:38.32\00:42:40.06
for sound doctrine
that the older men be sober,
00:42:40.09\00:42:43.43
reverent,
Vtemperate, sound in faith,
00:42:43.46\00:42:45.49
in love, in patience."
00:42:45.53\00:42:47.30
Beautiful.
00:42:47.33\00:42:48.66
"The older women likewise,
00:42:48.70\00:42:50.03
that they be
reverent in behavior,
00:42:50.07\00:42:51.40
not slanderers,
not given to much wine,
00:42:51.43\00:42:53.23
teachers of good
things that they admonish,"
00:42:53.27\00:42:56.24
notice, "the young
women to love their husbands,
00:42:56.27\00:42:58.91
to love their
children, to be discreet,
00:42:58.94\00:43:02.01
chaste,
homemakers, good," notice,
00:43:02.04\00:43:05.15
"obedient to
their own husbands,"
00:43:05.18\00:43:06.98
and, of course,
00:43:07.02\00:43:08.35
"that the word of God
may not be blasphemed."
00:43:08.38\00:43:12.55
Good example,
setting that great example.
00:43:12.59\00:43:14.79
It's important
to be a great leader
00:43:14.82\00:43:16.49
in your household
whether mother or father.
00:43:16.52\00:43:19.19
You know, one who
rules his own house well,
00:43:19.23\00:43:21.80
having his
children in submission
00:43:21.83\00:43:23.23
with all reverence.
00:43:23.26\00:43:24.60
Again, 1 Timothy
3:4, 5, and 12, it says,
00:43:24.63\00:43:28.10
"For if a man does not
know how to rule his own house,
00:43:28.14\00:43:31.07
how will he take
care of the church of God?
00:43:31.11\00:43:34.24
Let deacons be the
husbands of one wife,
00:43:34.28\00:43:36.41
ruling their children
and their own houses well."
00:43:36.44\00:43:39.65
I mean, there's so
many wonderful principles.
00:43:39.68\00:43:41.72
Of course, and we need
to discipline our children.
00:43:41.75\00:43:43.85
You know, we live
in an age today where,
00:43:43.89\00:43:46.15
you know, we
discipline them yes,
00:43:46.19\00:43:47.66
with love and with compassion,
but children need discipline.
00:43:47.69\00:43:51.09
You know, I praise the Lord
00:43:51.13\00:43:52.83
the way my
parents discipline me,
00:43:52.86\00:43:54.23
and I got whoopings.
00:43:54.26\00:43:56.87
We're talked about
whippings, spankings.
00:43:56.90\00:43:58.37
There's a
difference in the south
00:43:58.40\00:43:59.73
between a whipping and whooping.
00:43:59.77\00:44:01.10
And I got lots of them.
00:44:01.14\00:44:02.47
You know, and not one time...
00:44:02.50\00:44:03.84
Now that I'm older,
I look back and say,
00:44:03.87\00:44:05.21
"You know, Dad, Mom,
00:44:05.24\00:44:06.57
I don't like the
way you disciplined me."
00:44:06.61\00:44:08.08
No, I praise the Lord,
00:44:08.11\00:44:09.58
that I had godly
parents that knew
00:44:09.61\00:44:11.48
when I was doing wrong,
00:44:11.51\00:44:12.85
that there's times
that I needed correction,
00:44:12.88\00:44:14.48
but I now pray for
the parents of the day
00:44:14.52\00:44:16.35
because we live in an age where,
00:44:16.38\00:44:17.75
you know, it just
seems like we're terrified
00:44:17.79\00:44:19.95
to instruct our children,
00:44:19.99\00:44:21.32
but I pray that we will
learn to discipline our child
00:44:21.36\00:44:23.79
in the Lord with love.
00:44:23.83\00:44:26.49
We need to reflect
God's loving character.
00:44:26.53\00:44:28.66
"As a father
pities his children,
00:44:28.70\00:44:30.07
so the Lord pities
those who fear Him."
00:44:30.10\00:44:32.57
And, of course, Jeremiah 29:11,
00:44:32.60\00:44:34.90
"For I know the thoughts
that I think towards you,
00:44:34.94\00:44:36.74
says the Lord, thoughts of peace
00:44:36.77\00:44:38.51
and not of evil, to give
you a future and a hope."
00:44:38.54\00:44:41.38
If when we have that
love of God bestowed upon us
00:44:41.41\00:44:43.68
and our life,
00:44:43.71\00:44:45.05
and we're allowing
Jesus Christ to change us,
00:44:45.08\00:44:47.38
and we are living
disciples for Him,
00:44:47.42\00:44:50.52
the little ones will follow,
they will follow that example.
00:44:50.55\00:44:53.59
And that is my
prayer for my life,
00:44:53.62\00:44:55.39
it's my prayer for
all of us on the panel,
00:44:55.42\00:44:57.33
and it's my
prayer for you at home
00:44:57.36\00:44:58.93
that you will allow Jesus Christ
00:44:58.96\00:45:00.96
to transform you
that the little ones
00:45:01.00\00:45:03.06
may be transformed as well.
00:45:03.10\00:45:05.40
Amen and amen.
00:45:05.43\00:45:06.77
Thank you so much, Ryan.
00:45:06.80\00:45:08.14
You know, a
thought just occurred to me
00:45:08.17\00:45:10.11
when I was 13 years old, I
remember praying to the Lord.
00:45:10.14\00:45:14.71
And I said...
00:45:14.74\00:45:16.08
'Cause I always
wanted a lot of children,
00:45:16.11\00:45:18.38
I wanted six children.
00:45:18.41\00:45:21.12
I love children.
00:45:21.15\00:45:22.85
And that was like,
00:45:22.88\00:45:24.45
that's all I wanted to
be was a wife and a mama.
00:45:24.49\00:45:27.52
And I remember
praying and telling the Lord,
00:45:27.56\00:45:30.03
"Don't let me
ever have children,
00:45:30.06\00:45:32.16
if they would die before me."
00:45:32.19\00:45:35.06
And JD and I were
unable to have children,
00:45:35.10\00:45:37.87
we are childless,
00:45:37.90\00:45:39.23
and it was
probably the greatest hurt
00:45:39.27\00:45:42.60
in my life was not
being able to have a child.
00:45:42.64\00:45:47.44
But as I've grown older,
00:45:47.48\00:45:49.11
I realized that
there is something
00:45:49.14\00:45:52.35
that is perhaps even
worse than the death of a child.
00:45:52.38\00:45:58.05
And that is when you
see your child walk away
00:45:58.09\00:46:00.56
from the faith of God.
00:46:00.59\00:46:02.39
And I wanna
return to Proverbs 22:6,
00:46:02.42\00:46:06.73
and we're going to...
00:46:06.76\00:46:08.10
My lesson is Thursday's
00:46:08.13\00:46:10.17
"Fighting for
your Prodigal Child".
00:46:10.20\00:46:13.00
And it says in Proverbs 22:6...
00:46:13.03\00:46:17.51
Interestingly, the
lesson asks is this a guarantee,
00:46:17.54\00:46:23.55
a promise or probability?
00:46:23.58\00:46:25.65
"Train up a child in
the way he should go,
00:46:25.68\00:46:28.75
and when he is old he
will not depart from it."
00:46:28.78\00:46:32.22
There are a good number
of scriptures in the Bible
00:46:32.25\00:46:35.26
that talk about the way of life,
00:46:35.29\00:46:36.86
the way of death, you
know, the path of life.
00:46:36.89\00:46:39.43
And essentially,
what we've got to remember
00:46:39.46\00:46:42.13
is every child has free will.
00:46:42.16\00:46:45.30
They're all born
with the sinful nature.
00:46:45.33\00:46:48.37
So when I was talking
with a young mother recently
00:46:48.40\00:46:52.57
whose daughter has
such a strong personality,
00:46:52.61\00:46:55.64
and the mother's more
passive, her son's passive,
00:46:55.68\00:46:58.51
she identifies with him,
00:46:58.55\00:47:00.15
her daughter's a couple
of years older, and she...
00:47:00.18\00:47:02.55
It's like, "I don't know
what to do with this child."
00:47:02.58\00:47:05.62
And I said, you know,
think about her as being...
00:47:05.65\00:47:10.19
Her personality is
like a powerful river.
00:47:10.23\00:47:13.76
And I said, "What you're doing
00:47:13.80\00:47:15.76
is trying to
redirect this river."
00:47:15.80\00:47:18.73
It's like, when the army of,
00:47:18.77\00:47:20.87
you know, army corps
of engineers comes in,
00:47:20.90\00:47:23.57
and they have to kind of
blast out this little area
00:47:23.61\00:47:26.84
or they're may be just
trying to straighten it out,
00:47:26.88\00:47:29.04
this is what
parents are doing, really.
00:47:29.08\00:47:31.45
So when you train
up a child in the way
00:47:31.48\00:47:34.68
they should go, it
has to be age appropriate.
00:47:34.72\00:47:38.49
Please don't try
to put on your child
00:47:38.52\00:47:42.42
the things that are not
00:47:42.46\00:47:47.80
appropriate to their age
00:47:47.83\00:47:49.40
because you're
gonna confuse your child.
00:47:49.43\00:47:52.13
You've got to teach
them God's principles,
00:47:52.17\00:47:54.40
pray with your children,
00:47:54.44\00:47:55.87
teach them the way
in which they should go.
00:47:55.90\00:48:00.38
And, you know, I wanna
make a very important point.
00:48:00.41\00:48:05.75
Do not make every
decision for your child.
00:48:05.78\00:48:11.55
If you do you,
00:48:11.59\00:48:13.56
they will never learn
how to decide for themselves.
00:48:13.59\00:48:16.93
I think the greatest
thing my mother ever did
00:48:16.96\00:48:19.89
was once I got up to the
age of about 10 years old...
00:48:19.93\00:48:25.77
I mean, I knew she
was doing this before,
00:48:25.80\00:48:28.24
but she would always tell me,
"Okay, what are your options?"
00:48:28.27\00:48:31.91
If you...
00:48:31.94\00:48:33.27
And then I'd say this and this.
00:48:33.31\00:48:34.64
Well, what will
happen if you do this?
00:48:34.68\00:48:36.08
Or what will
happen if you do that?
00:48:36.11\00:48:38.08
So I tried to think
through the consequences.
00:48:38.11\00:48:41.02
And then about the time,
00:48:41.05\00:48:42.98
you know, she
did a lot of guiding
00:48:43.02\00:48:44.89
till I was about
12, and then she'd say,
00:48:44.92\00:48:47.46
"You decide."
00:48:47.49\00:48:48.82
Sometimes I decided
wrong, and I would come home
00:48:48.86\00:48:52.06
and, "Oh, Mama, you know..."
00:48:52.09\00:48:54.23
And she said,
00:48:54.26\00:48:55.60
"Well, we talked about that
00:48:55.63\00:48:57.30
that was one of
the consequences."
00:48:57.33\00:48:59.77
The reason I'm
saying this is I know that
00:48:59.80\00:49:02.07
there's a lot of
parents who send their kids off
00:49:02.10\00:49:04.37
to maybe academies, school,
00:49:04.41\00:49:06.47
and they're 16 years old.
00:49:06.51\00:49:08.44
I would want my child, by
the time my child is 15, 16,
00:49:08.48\00:49:14.02
or even earlier, you
want your child to...
00:49:14.05\00:49:17.62
If they're gonna make mistakes,
00:49:17.65\00:49:18.99
let them make it
while you can influence them
00:49:19.02\00:49:21.69
in the home, right?
00:49:21.72\00:49:23.46
Now I will say that
the lesson basically
00:49:23.49\00:49:27.23
comes to the conclusion
00:49:27.26\00:49:29.46
that this is not
a guaranteed promise
00:49:29.50\00:49:31.63
because children
have minds of their own.
00:49:31.67\00:49:34.67
And it's our legist
duty to train up a child,
00:49:34.70\00:49:39.37
to discipline the child.
00:49:39.41\00:49:41.64
But when you see
a child walk away,
00:49:41.68\00:49:45.71
I wanna give you some promises
00:49:45.75\00:49:47.92
because I do believe
I'm a prodigal child,
00:49:47.95\00:49:52.75
my husband is a prodigal son,
00:49:52.79\00:49:55.19
and the story in
there is when you grew up
00:49:55.22\00:49:58.83
in a home, and
you leave your home,
00:49:58.86\00:50:01.06
and then you come back,
00:50:01.10\00:50:02.43
and it's really all about
00:50:02.46\00:50:03.80
the Lord coming
back to the Lord.
00:50:03.83\00:50:05.17
But we both walked
away from the church
00:50:05.20\00:50:07.37
at some period
in time in our life.
00:50:07.40\00:50:09.40
I mean, I was a Sunday...
00:50:09.44\00:50:11.17
You know, when I
went to college, John,
00:50:11.21\00:50:13.07
you know what they said?
00:50:13.11\00:50:14.44
They call me Pollyanna
and Miss goody two shoes.
00:50:14.48\00:50:17.75
I mean, I was a
Sunday school teacher.
00:50:17.78\00:50:19.51
My mother always told
me I was the easiest child
00:50:19.55\00:50:21.85
in the world to rear, I
never did anything wrong.
00:50:21.88\00:50:25.05
I mean, she said, "You
never did anything wrong."
00:50:25.09\00:50:27.69
So I was just one
of those kind of kids.
00:50:27.72\00:50:30.99
But then when I...
00:50:31.03\00:50:32.36
Because of bad Bible
teaching, when I was in college,
00:50:32.39\00:50:35.60
I got mad at God,
shook my fist to His face,
00:50:35.63\00:50:38.87
and walked away from Him.
00:50:38.90\00:50:40.44
But He chased me
down with His love.
00:50:40.47\00:50:43.14
If you have a prodigal child,
00:50:43.17\00:50:46.34
if you have a
child who is walked away,
00:50:46.37\00:50:49.41
let me give you some promises.
00:50:49.44\00:50:50.85
Jeremiah 31:16-17.
00:50:50.88\00:50:54.32
Now I'm gonna read
this from the Amplified.
00:50:54.35\00:50:58.72
But to me, this
does give you an idea
00:50:58.75\00:51:02.59
that God's on your side.
00:51:02.62\00:51:04.43
If you've been
training up your child,
00:51:04.46\00:51:06.09
you can call on Him.
00:51:06.13\00:51:07.66
And this is what it
says, "Thus says the Lord,
00:51:07.70\00:51:10.70
'Refrain your voice from weeping
00:51:10.73\00:51:13.84
and your eyes from tears,
00:51:13.87\00:51:15.47
for your work,' the
raising of your children,
00:51:15.50\00:51:19.47
your prayers,
'shall be rewarded,'
00:51:19.51\00:51:21.68
says the Lord.
00:51:21.71\00:51:23.04
And they, your children,
00:51:23.08\00:51:25.55
shall come back from
the land of the enemy.
00:51:25.58\00:51:28.55
There is hope."
00:51:28.58\00:51:30.52
Something you can expect.
00:51:30.55\00:51:32.55
Hope in the Bible
means eager expectation.
00:51:32.59\00:51:35.72
"'There is hope in your future,'
00:51:35.76\00:51:37.16
says the Lord.
00:51:37.19\00:51:38.53
'That your
children shall come back
00:51:38.56\00:51:40.53
to their own border.'
00:51:40.56\00:51:42.00
" To their place of
peace and safety and wellbeing.
00:51:42.03\00:51:47.04
Here's another
verse from the Amplified,
00:51:47.07\00:51:49.40
Isaiah 49:25.
00:51:49.44\00:51:52.64
What a promise!
00:51:52.67\00:51:54.54
What a promise!
00:51:54.58\00:51:56.04
And you need to
pray this promise.
00:51:56.08\00:51:59.08
God says, "I will contend
with him who contends with you,
00:51:59.11\00:52:04.85
and I will save," I
will defend, preserve,
00:52:04.89\00:52:07.56
rescue, and
deliver, "your children."
00:52:07.59\00:52:11.13
So you need to pray.
00:52:11.16\00:52:12.49
I mean, claim
that promise, mamas,
00:52:12.53\00:52:14.56
claim that promise, daddies.
00:52:14.60\00:52:16.16
If you've got a
child that's walked away,
00:52:16.20\00:52:18.10
just say, "Lord, you
said in Isaiah 49:25,
00:52:18.13\00:52:21.14
You will contend with
those who contend with me,
00:52:21.17\00:52:24.01
and You're gonna
save my children.
00:52:24.04\00:52:25.37
Thank you, Father."
00:52:25.41\00:52:26.94
You pray that
promise Isaiah 54:13,
00:52:26.98\00:52:30.95
He says, "All
your sons and daughters
00:52:30.98\00:52:33.28
will be taught by the Lord,
00:52:33.31\00:52:35.75
and great will be
your children's peace."
00:52:35.78\00:52:40.32
So what you need to do
00:52:40.36\00:52:42.46
is bring your
concerns to the altar.
00:52:42.49\00:52:45.96
You know, actually to the throne
00:52:45.99\00:52:47.46
of grace is where I'm gonna say.
00:52:47.50\00:52:48.83
Bring your concerns
to the throne of grace,
00:52:48.86\00:52:52.77
and ask the Lord for
your children's sake.
00:52:52.80\00:52:55.90
And, you know, He promises that
00:52:55.94\00:52:58.17
if you'll keep your
eyes focused on Him,
00:52:58.21\00:53:00.04
trusting in Him,
00:53:00.08\00:53:01.54
He's gonna give
you perfect peace.
00:53:01.58\00:53:03.45
That's Isaiah 26:3.
00:53:03.48\00:53:06.41
So He also tells us,
00:53:06.45\00:53:09.05
and I want to encourage
you for this perfect peace.
00:53:09.08\00:53:13.12
Listen to this,
Philippines 4:6, 7,
00:53:13.15\00:53:16.39
"Be anxious for nothing,
00:53:16.42\00:53:18.59
but in everything by
prayer and supplication,
00:53:18.63\00:53:21.03
with thanksgiving,
00:53:21.06\00:53:22.40
let your requests
be made known to God,
00:53:22.43\00:53:25.37
and the peace of God
00:53:25.40\00:53:28.07
which surpasses
all understanding,
00:53:28.10\00:53:32.01
will guard your hearts
00:53:32.04\00:53:33.98
and minds through Christ Jesus."
00:53:34.01\00:53:37.81
You know, aren't we
glad that we can cast
00:53:37.85\00:53:42.22
all of our cares upon Him?
00:53:42.25\00:53:44.35
As we were said to do
because He cares for us.
00:53:44.39\00:53:47.02
Aren't we glad as Paul
wrote in Philippines 1:6,
00:53:47.06\00:53:51.23
that we can be
confident that the good work
00:53:51.26\00:53:54.36
God begins in us,
00:53:54.40\00:53:56.00
the good work God
begins in our children,
00:53:56.03\00:53:58.67
He will be
faithful to complete it.
00:53:58.70\00:54:00.50
This is why I
think it is so important
00:54:00.54\00:54:04.81
to train up a child,
00:54:04.84\00:54:06.61
but some of you may
not have known the Lord
00:54:06.64\00:54:09.71
when you were had your children,
00:54:09.74\00:54:12.71
and you may not
have parented right,
00:54:12.75\00:54:14.48
you may need to
learn how to reparent,
00:54:14.52\00:54:17.29
you may need to try now to,
00:54:17.32\00:54:20.49
you know, reach out
to save those children
00:54:20.52\00:54:22.86
or maybe your
children walked away.
00:54:22.89\00:54:24.79
Just remember this,
00:54:24.83\00:54:26.16
you can pray earnestly
to your heavenly Father,
00:54:26.19\00:54:28.70
and He loves your
children more than He does.
00:54:28.73\00:54:30.97
He wants to see them
in heaven more than you do
00:54:31.00\00:54:34.47
and continue loving your child,
no matter what is going on.
00:54:34.50\00:54:39.67
Remember, they are
a work in progress.
00:54:39.71\00:54:42.41
Just like you and I are.
00:54:42.44\00:54:44.81
Set clear boundaries.
00:54:44.85\00:54:46.65
If you have children at home,
00:54:46.68\00:54:49.22
husband and wife
should have a unified front.
00:54:49.25\00:54:53.96
And if we make mistakes, I
think Jill touched on this,
00:54:53.99\00:54:58.99
be sure that you
let your kids know,
00:54:59.03\00:55:04.33
"I've made a
mistake, forgive me."
00:55:04.37\00:55:07.34
Focus on the future,
focus on God's promises.
00:55:07.37\00:55:11.61
I leave you with
this, Philippines 3:13,
00:55:11.64\00:55:14.88
"Brethren, I do not count myself
00:55:14.91\00:55:17.68
to have
apprehended, but one thing I do,
00:55:17.71\00:55:22.65
forgetting those
things which are behind,
00:55:22.68\00:55:24.85
reaching forward
00:55:24.89\00:55:26.22
to which those
things are ahead."
00:55:26.25\00:55:29.12
Strive on to gain the prize.
00:55:29.16\00:55:33.03
Amen. That's right.
00:55:33.06\00:55:34.40
Thank you, everyone
on this wonderful lesson.
00:55:34.43\00:55:36.90
And I'm wanna
give each one of us
00:55:36.93\00:55:38.27
an opportunity to summarize.
00:55:38.30\00:55:39.73
Jill, I'll begin with you.
00:55:39.77\00:55:41.27
I want to read a quote
from Ministry of Healing 469,
00:55:41.30\00:55:44.77
"What a man is
has more influence
00:55:44.81\00:55:47.48
than what he says.
00:55:47.51\00:55:48.84
The strongest argument
00:55:48.88\00:55:50.38
in favor of the
gospel is a loving
00:55:50.41\00:55:52.41
and lovable Christian."
00:55:52.45\00:55:54.15
So become the person
that you want your kids to be.
00:55:54.18\00:55:58.09
Amen. Amen.
00:55:58.12\00:55:59.45
Praise the Lord.
00:55:59.49\00:56:00.82
Well, I jotted some down,
00:56:00.86\00:56:02.19
I thought, we
talked about discipline.
00:56:02.22\00:56:03.59
Your first lesson of discipline
00:56:03.63\00:56:04.96
begins when your
children are in your arms.
00:56:04.99\00:56:08.50
Teach them to heal
their will to yours.
00:56:08.53\00:56:12.83
Teach them about God.
00:56:12.87\00:56:14.47
Amen. Amen.
00:56:14.50\00:56:15.84
Wonderful.
00:56:15.87\00:56:17.21
I have also a quote,
Testimonies of the Church,
00:56:17.24\00:56:18.61
volume 6, page 93.
00:56:18.64\00:56:20.38
That says,
"Religious instruction
00:56:20.41\00:56:21.74
should be given to children
from their earliest years.
00:56:21.78\00:56:24.85
It should be given,
not in condemned spirit,
00:56:24.88\00:56:28.18
but in a cheerful, happy spirit.
00:56:28.22\00:56:30.05
This must be a
daily hourly work.
00:56:30.09\00:56:32.52
Parents, watch, watch and pray,
00:56:32.55\00:56:35.02
and make your
children your companions."
00:56:35.06\00:56:37.49
And I just wanna say,
00:56:37.53\00:56:38.86
"Refrain your
voice from weeping."
00:56:38.89\00:56:40.23
You know, JD works
00:56:40.26\00:56:41.60
in the Pastoral
Department of 3ABN.
00:56:41.63\00:56:43.83
Daily, he gets
phone calls of people
00:56:43.87\00:56:46.33
who've been
watching 3ABN and saying,
00:56:46.37\00:56:48.57
"I'm coming back to church."
00:56:48.60\00:56:50.04
I mean, this
happens every single day.
00:56:50.07\00:56:52.84
And sadly, it's
often after a parent,
00:56:52.87\00:56:56.38
their parents have passed.
00:56:56.41\00:56:58.31
But when you wake up on
that great getting up morning,
00:56:58.35\00:57:01.48
I hope you'll see
your children there.
00:57:01.52\00:57:03.32
Amen. Amen, that's right.
00:57:03.35\00:57:04.69
And I heard a saying
by Brad Meltzer who says,
00:57:04.72\00:57:07.82
"No matter how far we've come,
our parents are always in us."
00:57:07.86\00:57:13.43
There's something about us
that we will always possess
00:57:13.46\00:57:16.40
that reminds us of
who our parents are.
00:57:16.43\00:57:19.17
And that's why we
want Christ to come on in,
00:57:19.20\00:57:21.14
get those old
parental habits out
00:57:21.17\00:57:23.54
and get the Heavenly Father in.
00:57:23.57\00:57:25.94
Well, thank you so
much for joining us.
00:57:25.97\00:57:27.34
We've tried our best
to bring you principles
00:57:27.38\00:57:29.21
from God's Word.
00:57:29.24\00:57:30.58
Join us next time
for our next lesson,
00:57:30.61\00:57:32.45
"Times of Loss".
00:57:32.48\00:57:34.48
Until we see you then.
00:57:34.52\00:57:35.85
May God bless you.
00:57:35.88\00:57:37.22