God’s Plan for the Family: Biblical Parenting

You are listening to a new beginning with Craig Lori, a podcast supported by harvest partners for more ways to deepen and challenge your spiritual walk and roll and pastor breaks free online courses sign up and harvest out a word. Neither parent living mom and then he was a pair of very important purpose in your job is to lead your child Jesus brought Dave to rebel report so we need to bring our children to be more like going to the border so we need to set an example, some things are called and some things are taught what your children need to see shortly live godly line we have ways of the Lord Frederick said it's easier to build strong children are broken today on a new beginning for you chart a course for the Lord's counsel on how to rear our children copy of this Ephesians 6 were in the series called Holmes we home and God's plan for the family. Ephesians 6 verse one we read these words children obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right on your father and mother, which is the first commandment with promise that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth. Honor your father and your mother.

Now I know moms and dads are not always honorable people, but we should still honor them and offer respect to them and I'll say something kids need their parents.

They need mom and dad and here's a thought.

Kids don't need mom and dad to be their best friend.

They neither mom and dad to be there parents through a sort of a popular trend today. Moms want to be best friends with their daughters and sometimes you read about these young celebrity girls in mom goes out and parties with the daughter that is so absurd. Parents be an example because friends come and go but parents are there for life and you as a parent have a very important purpose in the life of your child get there to teach them right from wrong, you're there to provide for them. You're there to protect them and get there to lay a foundation on the light but most importantly your job is to lead your child to Jesus Christ and what a gift. Children are want to give children are, you know someone 27 three says children are a heritage from the Lord. Children are reward from him like arrows in the hands of a warrior.

Our sons born and once you blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them.

Nordic heritage could be translated gift.

So another way to say this.

Children are a gift from heaven there a gift to us from God they're not ours to possess.

They're not ours to hold their ours to unfold enter nurture and point to Christ. What a great privilege. It is they have children, you know sometimes people say what our kids are perfect. We've never had problems with their kids and you know they've never rebelled. They've never been disrespectful also will hold are your kids three and four. Don't know what you're talking about, you know nothing about parenting yet not talk to me after you've survived the teenage years. Maybe I'll listen to you Wednesday of the advice of a Mark Twain who said years ago. Things run along pretty smoothly until your kid reaches 13 that's the time you need to stick him in a barrel and hammer down the lid license not see them for the knothole. Then Twain writes about the time he turned 16.

Plug up the knothole that some literal advice. By the way for someone thinks it is. So we need God's help to be moms to be dads and just as we need help with her marriages. We need God's help as parents because we live in a culture that's largely hostile to the family and it certainly does not support the role of mother and father affected many ways culture. By that I mean music, movies, television, and other things tend to undermine the role of the parent. But first of all, Paul directs his remarks to children, he says, obey your parents in the Lord. Verse one.

Honor your father or mother. This is the commandment with promise and needs to give weight to your parents. It's hard to be apparent today. This is why we read in the Gospels that the mothers brought their children to Jesus. And if you're a smart mom you'll keep bringing your child Jesus.

I love that story because the moms see Jesus.

They bring their kids doing other disciples like for some back there like doing security all of a sudden you know I don't bother the monster right now is busy, tired, and in Jesus a hold on now, let those little children come on to me and don't forbid them for of such is the kingdom of heaven, London, the kids came to Christ and loved him and he loved them and the mothers but in the original language can be translated. The mothers Bringing their children to Jesus. I like the fact that even though they were reported by the disciples the moms were persistently not were bringing our kids to Christ and you keep doing the same with your children as well say a few words about having a prodigal child toward the end of the message. If that's what you're dealing with right now. I remember during that one of these riots a while back. The story of this mother that came in drug her boy home.

This one turns on the TV.

She sees her boy out and some riot in the streets she runs in filming this this woman's name is Toya Graham. She grabs her son Fred Simone Nellis and she to use some vulgarity, some profanity that we do not endorse, but you gotta love what she did she draw that boy home. What, that's the way I raise you. We expect mothers to do that.

We expect moms to step up to the plate. We depend on moms to do that. Oh my goodness of mom just took a day off collectively from the responsibilities. It seems like our culture would collapse overnight, but unfortunately men are not stepping up to the plate. Like mother's usually do, there's exceptions, there's wayward moms and a horribly neglectful, but by and large, mothers are there for the children.

We expect them to be there but a lot of dads mother missing in action. So as we read the Scriptures here today. They're not just directed to women there directed to men because right now in our culture were losing fathers at an unprecedented rate. One expert said were in danger of becoming a fatherless society whatever support you fathers don't provoke your children to wrath, bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord.

Course, the statement is assuming that the father is there was unheard of in first century culture for up father to abandon his responsibilities in this home. Nowadays it seems to be almost the norm. I know little about this.

I was raised enough fatherless home to be completely candid. I was raised in effect in a motherless. My mom didn't really raise me at all. I was just sort of left ear and left there and mostly left to myself and so this can be a problem for many people today, but here's why. And that is so important. I know putting a lot of pressure on you guys, but this is the truth to a large degree a child's view of God is based on their view of their father. You're an earthly representative about why Madonna gone their estimate.

Further, sorry but you'll see a lot of times people sort of transfer their relationship with her earthly father to their heavenly father.

So their earthly father was mean and harsh or maybe even abusive. They view God.

That way if their earthly father was aloof and distant and none communicative, then they think God's that way because we need to know God is alike got it all. God is loving God is carrying God is nurturing but God at the same time is just and righteous and holy. But you're a representative of God, dear kids. That's why your role is so vital in the home. It's funny how kids view their dads of the passing of time. Read a magazine article that sorta showed how a child abuser father when a child is four years old Isaac my daddy can do anything when the child is seven they say my daddy knows a lot all whole lot when the child is a they say. Well, my father doesn't know everything.

When a child's 12 will naturally dad doesn't know about that either. At 14 oh man that's so old school. He doesn't know that either 21 that is so lame at 25 you know dad knows a little about that. Not that much at 30 was fine with that thinks about that 35 years before we decide let's get dads idea first shed 50. What would data thought about that at 60 you know what my dad you literally everything that 65 I wish I could talk it over with dad one more time, Mr. Greg Laurie will have the second half of today study in just a moment, emails, phone calls, and even text messages from listeners are so encouraging to us and they let us know the effectiveness of these studies to Greg for a decade now and grow closer to God because of the way he speaks three asked to listen to your podcast. In my free time while driving your teaching through God's word is given me hope to work. There may be some childhood. They carried me into adulthood. I'm now married, has been, and I listen to getting he served in the Army. Lima nursing school. It's a little silly that we sometimes spend quality time laying on the floor with our dog and listening to your messages as a grown woman and wife Allison thoroughly enjoyed listening to your wife Kathy speak I can just see her love for God and others.

And I want to thank you both for providing such amazing resources for every stage of my life were so grateful to hear of changed lives to harvest ministries and if you have a story to tell of how the studies touched your life. Email Pastor Greg greg@harvest.org that's great harvest.org today. Pastor Greg is reinforcing the important role we have his parents to train up our children in the ways of the Lord in a message called God's plan for the family.

What were to do and not to do as parents first work, don't provoke your children to wrath the word provoke leads to anger that affect the word provoke means a repeated pattern of treatment that causes the child to have anger and resentment that boils over outright hostility again the word provoke means a repeated pattern of treatment that causes a child to have anger and resentment that boils over outright hostility. How would we provoke our children.

One way we anger our children are provoke them is by showing favoritism to one child over another. Experts say the effects of parental favoritism. Left unchecked can be long lasting.

A study was done that from Sibley to since her mom consistently favored or rejected. One child over another were far more likely to exhibit depression in mid-to-late the less favored kids. Also, what ill will toward their parent or favored sibling. You see this matters is a perfect example in the Bible of Isaac. Isaac had two sons Jacob and Esau and Isaac favored Esau, because Esau was an outdoorsy hunter type kid and of course his father really loved his barbecue venison, but wife Rebecca. She favored Jacob.

Jacob like to hang around the house. You know, help mom out a little bit. So this caused a division among the boys that went well into their adult years.

That was favoritism. You would think that Jacob would've learned from this when he got his own family. But no, he goes and favors one of his sons over the others. He favored Joseph so much. So we gave him a special little coat we noticed the coat of many colors right but actually what that was, was a longsleeved tunic which basically said to the brothers.

Joseph doesn't have to work in the fields in the hot sun like you, he's my favored son and you know certainly Joseph made things worse by tattling on his brothers telling on his brothers so they paid it back by selling him to slave traders when you know you ticked off your siblings. When that happened, but really there was a responsibility here on the part of his father Jacob and favoring him don't favor one child over another child. By the way, kids know it when you have a favorite. You're not as clever as you think you are know what I want to buy a gift for one of my granddaughters all safe to get this for this granddaughter. My wife is a know everything you buy. You have to buy five of them.

You have five grandchildren. So I do the math. Isaac she doesn't need that much the way you provoke your children is by never complementing them you provoke them by never complementing them or affirming them.

I grew up in the home of the word no complement.

There was no affirmation. There was no doubt a boy. It just wasn't done. No hugs, no kisses, no I love you said by anyone to anyone.

So when I became a dad I think I over compensated. I agree with the statement of Dr. Dobson when he said every parent owes their first child, an apology is probably true because we all made mistakes of the first kids in my right idea. So I think I over disciplined I/O, I was overly generous.

I didn't understand those were not good things and so I mean I'm sure this example before, but I would just take my son Christopher, my only boy at that point Jonathan had not yet been born. We just go to a toy store and I just find a toy for no reason and not just a thought. A big toy he want to go the toy store yes and so we went to Toys "R" Us and this is when Star Wars was out the first time is a long time ago. I wish I kept those figures in their original packaging.

Their valuable now. So we would go and I joke you Christopher. You can pick up a little figure become a Star Wars character so you look very carefully and think about it, and pull different ones off is looking for. You know, Luke Skywalker or Darth Vader or Hansel or someone like that and he says that I want on solo will be well when he was looking at the little characters. I was looking at the Star Wars hardware on the top shelf and I had my eye, and different ones of these that I want Han Solo. That's it. Okay great will get it. How about the millennium felt good to go with that. I think this giant box office show. We bought it.

We came home because they were looking. His role arises that what you doing G so we can over do things for sure so one problem is never affirming our child. Another problem is over affirming our child.

This may be a problem or an culture today in the way a lot of younger parents are raising their children. They actually have come up with a term for its called helicopter parenting. In an article said quote when praising children goes too far. She is the worry about spoiling their kids and so they criticize lavishly and withheld praise.

Now they worry about self-esteem, so they withheld criticism and praise lavishly and the problem with this is its produce a lot of narcissistic self centered kids and I see it all the time.

Kids that have no respect and I was taught my boys respect you known adult walks in the room you stand up and you shake their head and he looked him in the eye and you're respectful to people to teach these things to kids. They don't do it naturally.

When I look at disrespectful kids. That's the fault of the parents because the parents haven't done their job of parenting and helping the children know what are we to do or to bring them up. It says in the training and admonition of the Lord bring them up. This could also be translated nourished and fee.

Another translation says let them be. Kindly cherish it says bring them up does not say knock them down. Nor does it say leave them to themselves because Proverbs 2915 says a child left to himself brings shame to his mother. That's a problem in many homes in America today. I read an article with a head like a new generation of latchkey kids has emerged a latchkey kid is a kid that goes to school and they come home and there alone for hours until mom or dad get home. This article said it jumped to 15 million every day.

A 6% increase since 2004.

Those influencing these kids in many cases their peers are training them or the public school system.

God help us so that our media would listen. It's your job.

Mom and dad your job to train your children to bring them up in the way of the Lord and not tell you what to bring them up because their sinful nature brings them down. I don't think I have to tell you that your child is a sinner just like you're a sinner. David said in sin did my mother conceive me. I never had to teach my boys how to send never dissented up boys. I would teach other sin, but to start with this work.

My note I didn't have to teach if they came naturally to them just like you came naturally to me like it will come naturally to every person know what we need to do is help our children come to Jesus and develop their own relationship with God. Listen to this. Nothing can really happen through us until this first happened to us. And Paul writes in Philippians 49 the things that you've learned and received and heard and seen in me practice these things. Listen, some things are caught in some things are taught and what your children need to see is your faith in action and when I first became a Christian I came from.

His grades broken home.

You all know that and so I mean I was converted my life was changed I would meet some kids that were kind of rebelling against God, and they would tell me how they came from homes of hypocrisy and I would think men have no idea what about home. Looks like I came from the worst home ever.

Why would you not walk with God and later I began to realize what hypocrisy does, in some ways it's almost better, almost, not really, but in some ways it's almost better to come from a home of complete nonbelief than the come from a home or mom and dad see their Christians and they don't live it and I'll tell you what.

When you raise McKenna home. I was raised in, which was godless. Multiple fathers alcoholism.

All that stuff you know that's not good and I can this all the world up close and personal. I said I don't want that.

There has to be something better. So at least I knew this is not the example to follow when you come from home or mom and dad see their Christians and they contradicted in their fighting and their screaming and they're getting drunk or doing whatever they do or even breaking up.

This is the worst thing you could do to your kid because now you've given them an excuse for their unbelief.

So live godly line candid counsel today from Pastor Greg Laurie on the important responsibility of parenthood.

Pastor Greg has more to share, as this message continues here on a new beginning.

Today's message is titled God's plan for the family. Pastor Greg, I'm not sure of ever ask you this.

You know pastors are the go to encouragers when a life or death crisis comes up. Yes, where do pastors go when a crisis comes up. Obviously, God's word but can they go to someone with skin on well I hope they can. I know that when my son died 13 years ago I sought out counsel and help from many wonderful men of God people I got to know, just as a father who lost his son being a preacher doesn't give you a leg up on crisis or tragedy think it would, but you're still just a human being. Remember, pastors doesn't serve in ministry there.

People just like you they hurt just like you do and sometimes it's hard for them because they don't have anywhere to go. Thankfully, I have a wide circle of very godly friends that I can turn to and I did turn to and I told them I need help I need to hear the Scripture. And please pray for me in and I reached out I think one of the problems Dave is something some people are hurting as they isolate they separate themselves and that's a huge mistake.

You know we weren't meant to do life alone. We need one another, were designed that way and I think it's very important for us to give help to others when they needed but also to receive help when you yourself need it.

So I've a great resource that's going to encourage you that's going to bring hope to you and it's written by my friend Tony Evans. Now y'all know Tony if you listen to Christian radio is a fantastic radio program called urban alternative and Tony is just such a powerful communicator of God's word, and so he is written this book with members of his family's written this book with his children, so he's got his daughter Crystal and his daughter Priscilla along with the sons Anthony and Jonathan. They all got together and wrote this book called divine disruption subtitled holding on to faith when life breaks your heart and it focuses on the departure of their mother, Lois, they haven't. She had such a profound influence on all of them.

So it's a really honest book. It's candidate talk about the struggles the pains are going through, but it's a hopeful book and appoint you to Christ. I know this book will be a blessing to you or maybe someone you know that is recently lost a loved one again. The title is divine disruption by Tony Evans and his children. I will send you a copy of this book for your gift of any size. Let me tell you the reason we offer these great spiritual resources as we want to strengthen you in your faith, but also this is a way for you to help us do what we do, which is reaching people with the teaching of God's word and with the proclamation of the gospel. I know you believe in that you're listening to us which you help us to do that even more effectively. So whatever gift you send will be used. To help us to continue in our mission and will rush you in return your own copy of this great new book divine disruption by Pastor Tony Evans and his children it's right it's powerful encouragement from five gifted communicators and just the tip.

Chapter 11 has some of the most powerful teaching from Dr. Evans you want to take some notes that you may want to post some of those thoughts on social media again will send divine disruption your way to thank you for your investment in keeping Pastor Greg studies coming your way. Each day we would be able to continue without the generosity of those who partner with us were completely listener supported so you can connect with us online@harvest.org or write us at a new beginning. Box 4000, Riverside, CA 92514 or call us anytime of the day or night at 1-800-821-3300. That's 1-800-821-3300. Sometimes, we can always make sure your church is coming to you is coming due on your TV screen or on your tablet or your computer or even your phone. We do it every weekend and it's called harvest home. We worship we have a message of the word of God.

If you want to find out more, just go to harvest.org enjoy this this weekend for harvest at all will next time more valuable insight for parents from Pastor Greg's message God's plan for the family from a series home sweet home jointed here on a new beginning. Pastor and Bible teacher Greg Laurie and everybody thinks you're listening to this podcast to learn more about harvest ministries follow the show and consider supporting it. Just go to harvest.org and find out how to know God personally go to harvest.org and click on know God