God’s Plan for the Family: Power in Prayer

You are listening to a new beginning with Greg Laurie, a podcast made possible by harvest partners, helping people everywhere know God this at our website and learn more about harvest partners@harvest.org when raising godly homes. Sometimes this doesn't mean you failed visit. Today Pastor Rick Lori has reassuring parents of two. To wander the way your failures appear because your children is a failure as a heavenly father does not gonna have a lot of listen to this Comiskey present can never bring us a lot of writing of your children ways is the most important job very seriously. When a child exercises his own free will. Mom and today on a new beginning. Greg Laurie offers reassurance from his family series 6 bring his message called my family. These six 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.

So we need God's help to be moms to be dads and just as we need help with her marriages. When he got so as 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 to Jesus whatever support you fathers don't provoke your children to wrath, bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord. 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 to 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. Another way you provoke your children is by never complementing them you provoke them by never complementing them or affirming them. I grew up in a 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 one problem is never affirming our child. Another problem is over affirming our child and the problem with this is its produce a lot of narcissistic self centered kids and I see it all the time noted 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.

It's your job. Mom and dad your job to train your children to bring them up in the way of the Lord and I 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 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. 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. We 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 to come from a home or mom and dad see their Christians and they don't live it and I'll tell you why. 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 kinda saw 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 a godly life. Best thing you can do for your kids man love your wife. Best thing you can do for your kids mom. Love your husband Sean what love looks like Joan what a good marriage. Looks like and then as we teach our children.

It's a daily thing. It's a life file a Moses get some great insights into this in Deuteronomy 6 versus 4 to 70 says these words I'm commanding you today will be in your heart. Teach them diligently to your sons and your daughters talk to them when you sit down in your house when you walk together.

When you live down you rise up Moses. The cement just do it all the time doing to get up in the morning before the go to bed at night till when you're just out and about. I find some of the greatest spiritual moments with my children that there were just out doing things and you look for a teaching moment.

You know, sometimes Christian parents want to have their children live in a bubble when can allow any cockiness influences indoor home. We won't even have a television set with nothing, no media, no Internet, just go to sit in the house and I'll read Bible verses to them all day long yeah that's I can work real well is theirs is going to happen your sweet little children are going to CTV at a friends house or walking down the aisle in a mall or so look prepare them to live in the real world.

Someone got up and with my kids I do with my grandkids to his young they want to watch a cartoon. I watch it with them. I don't like cartridge I was going to be a cartoonist before I became a pastor so I've always liked cartoons but I've also noticed there's a lot of subliminal and sometimes not so subliminal messages in those cartoon and certainly in those little sitcoms and those preteen sitcoms you know that you see a lot of now there's messages or conveying messages so I want to with the kids, and afterwards I'll ask them questions and I'll try to help them interpret it. See what I'm trying to help them develop as a biblical worldview for themselves and see things as God wants them to see them. That's a constant process pastor Greg Moore will have the second half of today study in just a moment. We love when we hear from our listeners like this woman tweeted a comment to us great. I really enjoy your daily devotion whenever himself with work life and staff your emails. The one thing that connects me back to the Lord, even if it's only five minutes most precious five minutes 19 thank you were grateful to hear how pastor breaks daily devotionals or touching lives.

If you like to send to us. Email pastor Greg greg@harvest.org doing today would you again that's great@harvest.org pastor Greg continues now with his message God's plan for the family. Sometimes children go astray.

Yes, sometimes they go astray, and then we feel that we have somehow failed it on my own sons both had prodigal times in their life. Both Christopher my oldest and Jonathan. My youngest for a time when astray from their faith, but we never gave up on them and both of them came back to Christ.

So here's just some closing thoughts now number one, even when raising godly homes. Sometimes kids rebel it when raising godly homes. This doesn't mean you failed as a parent here's a perfect example. Jesus told a story we call the parable of the prodigal son. The Bible doesn't call it that, but we call it that.

So you know the story. Jesus said there was a dad with two sons and the youngest son came to his father no lucid paraphrase now if you don't mind that I'm sick of living in this house with you I think your rules. I'm sick of your regulations. I want to go to live my own life and I want my inheritance I don't wait till you die your living too long, so just give me my inheritance now signed off some fun. Amazingly, the father acquiesces. He gives us on this portion of the inheritance. It's not long until the boy is blown.

The family fortune on prostitutes and drunkenness in all kinds of stupid things and he came to nothing. But you know that father love that son and never forgot about that son, and prayed about that son as shown by his reaction when his son came home. So one day the sun came to his senses and said you know what the guys that work for my dad have a better than me. I was going to go home and say father I know I've blown it as your son I would never expect you to see me that way anymore. But can you give me a job so I can have food in my stomach while the boy was a great way off the father some sort like the camera switches soon once he were looking at the prodigal living with pigs literally starving to death miserable bro and so he makes is legal now the camera shifts and it's another scene were back home with dad at the estate and dancer on the porch. Maybe in his rocker, looking on the long road. The boy walked away.

On some years ago and the father sees the side and Jesus says the father saw the sun and begin to run toward him and threw his arms around the sun, the SunStar to speech that no longer worthy to be called your son.

Just make you hard to yell what ever get out the fatted calf. Let's have a barbecue put a ring in his finger.

This my son was dead is alive again.

He was lost is found. Here's the point I want to bring up this point was raised in a loving home, but he still rebel and so this can happen, so don't feel you're a failure as a parent, if your children rebel let me take it a step further. If you are a failure as a parent because your children have gone prodigal God the father is a failure as a heavenly father because does not God have a lot of particles if he does and he is not a failure. By the way, it's just that we have a free will and God lets us utilize it to one of the father do. He welcomed us on this point number two if you have a child that goes prodigal state shooting your beliefs. The father never compromise the father stood his ground, and you need to do the same.

Hold your course lovingly teach the word and continue on doing it. Listen. Both my boys knew that when they lived under my roof it up by my rules. These are the rules and that you live by my rules and you always show respect your mom and me if you have a disagreement, that's fine. We want to hear your disagreement but don't disrespect us and I in. Here's what we believe this is what we do. Just we go to church on Sunday and that means you come to church with us on Sunday to and these are the standards we hold about the way I reserve the right to go anywhere my house. I wanted to go, including my kids rooms because sometimes people don't know that that's your privates. Please don't invade their state. I'm invade any stinking space I want okay for you snooping you better believe I'm snooping goodbye. Find something that's destructive to the child, to bring it to their attention so they don't go the wrong way. That's part of my job as a parent. Like I said earlier they don't need me to be their best friend they need me to be there. Dad may need you to be there. Mom number three.

We should never give up on our kids. Keep praying. Listen to this.

Your children can escape your presence but they can never escape your prayers.

Keep praying for that employee number four always keep the door open. Always keep the door open. Will my son Christopher was in the zone, prodigal phase, which went on quite a few years. He always knew I loved him. He always knew I cared and I kept communication open. Even if you didn't communicate with me.

I communicated with him and said let's get together for lunch.

Let's do this. Let's do that.

My son Christopher told Levi Lesko his friend. You know I Kenneth can measure my relationship with God. Based on my relationship with my father speaking to be said when I'm right with God. I'm right with my dad when I'm not right with God. There's tension between my dad and myself. But then he also told Levi the thing that brought me back to Christ was knowing that my father love me unconditionally and I could always go home and he did. And now he's home and have because I was I to know that one day would be his last day, but I'm just so thankful that he was right with God and walking with God and as David said he cannot come to me, but I will go to him.

Some of you moms today. That's to have a child that's gone on to be with the Lord. And so this is a hard day a hard day for you. But just remember you left that legacy with them and if they trusted in Christ you will see them again guy had a prodigal son. He wanted all of the crazy thing. In closing I had a prodigal mother to see my mom was raised in the church he went to little Baptist Church with her family. The McDaniel plan and friendship Arkansas every Sunday morning.

Every Sunday night every Wednesday night.

My mom had a serious drug problem. They drug her to church in the morning, drug her to church at night and a drug addict church midweek and so she rebel and she ran away from her fate and lived there crazy line and I went along for Charlene's wild ride that was her name and then of course the last thing she ever thought would happen her own son became a Christian, and worse yet a preacher, but it was always hard to have that conversation with my mom about spiritual things.

Whenever I raise the issue should take want to talk about that I don't talk about that. So one day I was on my way to church and I felt really led by the Lord to go talk with my mother about her soul.

She 70 now.

She honestly looks like she's 90.

The effects of her lifestyle choices are caught up with her all the drinking and smoking had ravaged her body and she was on dialysis three times a week and I felt very strongly. I should talk to her so I over door over to her house.

She was alone. I sat down is mom want to talk to you about your soul. She said I want to talk about it. I said today were going to talk about it and I conversation resulted in her recommitting her life to the Lord. Now she's in heaven she's in heaven and I know I'll see her again. Is it possible we have some prodigal mother or prodigal son. We will have never met Christ.

That's the bottom line. I'm just talking everybody your mother or father son or daughter pretty much covers it doesn't leave anybody out your one of those things where you are. You need Jesus because you're separated from God by your sin, but 2000 years ago Jesus Christ died on the cross for you and rose again from the dead and always here with us in this place, knocking at the door of your life insane if you hear his voice and open the door to come in maybe moms you came to church today with your kids because that's what they wanted you to do that maybe you came along. You don't usually come to church but here you are hoping IN this sermon soon and I will maybe or just the kidney come with your mom and dad to church and you're kinda young and you don't understand all the things I'm saying. But maybe you'll understand this, God loves you.

God wants to forgive you of your sin he wants to live inside of your heart, and he is a plan for your life. They want you to know that one day you can have the hope and assurance that you go to heaven but for that to happen.

You need to ask Jesus Christ to come into your life. Have you done that yet. If not, I want to give you an opportunity to ask Christ to come in forever your rat will forgive you but you must come, let's bow our heads down everybody praying father, thank you for your word to us. Thank you for loving us and I pray for any here now are those that are watching that do not yet know Jesus, help them see their need for you help them to come to you and be forgiven of all there's Jesus name I pray, amen, Greg Lord important prayer about coming to the Lord to find forgiveness of sins, and if you'd like to do that. Pastor Greg will help you in just a moment.

So please stay tuned. And then we want to make available an important new book for those challenging times of Lawson crisis and tragedy.

Pastor Greg when tragedy strikes, of course, the first word that comes to mind is why you know, yeah. Is it appropriate to ask God why I think it's appropriate to ask God why even Jesus asked why when he hung on the cross and said that the father my God my God why have you forsaken me, but I would add this, go ahead and ask why just don't necessarily expect an answer and to the point if God were to tell us why every let's just say, the Lord set a standard said alright I'm going to explain. Do you know why every bad thing that happened in your life happened. Are you ready, would we be satisfied. I wonder if we would you know we don't live on explanations. We live on promises and I think we need to understand that there won't always be an answer to the why questions of life, so that brings us to the what and the who.

So first of all, what should we do what we should do is turn to God in the who of course is the Lord turn to him and your times of suffering and pain and speaking of that, we have an amazing book to offer you this month. It's written by my friend Tony Evans along with his family members, Crystal Priscilla Anthony and Jonathan, and it's called the buying disruption. This is a book where they all contributed and talked a lot about the loss of their wonderful matriarch.

Mother Lois Evans who went to be with the Lord.

This is an honest book. This is a hopeful book. This is a biblical book and this is a book that's going to help you as you're going through times of difficulty in here. Some of the questions that are answered in this book.

Why bad things happen despite a good and powerful God how to persevere in difficult times, and experience the peace of God, and what can cause distress in your life and how to move past.

That's good information. We all need to hear Dave because I know there's someone listening right now it has recently lost a loved one, there's someone else listening right now who's very ill. Maybe they're even at death's door. There's another person listening with another problem or challenge you need to get a copy of this book that is called the buying disruption and will rush it to you for your gift of any size or whatever you send this gift will be used. To continue to bring a message of hope to you and others who are listening in our radio broadcasts that we call a new beginning. That's right, we really want to place a copy of this in your hands is our thank you gift those who can partner with us. So these daily studies can continue a new beginning as a listener supported outreach and were so thankful for our partners who believe in this ministry and want to see these studies continue. So go online today for your copy of divine disruption. Our web address is simply harvest.org or call 1-800-821-3300. We can take your call anytime around the clock again at 1-800-821-3300 Pastor Greg you put it out the importance of asking Jesus to forgive our sins. A few moments ago. Yes, could you help those who want to do that very thing right now. Yeah, you know, the Bible tells us that Jesus Christ stands at the door of our life and he knocks and if any man will hear his voice and open the door he will come in maybe. As you've heard me speak today while you've heard another voice speaking to you. It's a voice of God and you realize you need Christ in your life you need your sins forgiven you want the assurance that you will go to heaven when you die when here's what you need to do. You need to pray and I would like to lead you in a prayer right now or you will be seeing the Jesus Lord come in the my life. I choose to follow you. So let's pray Lord Jesus, I know that I'm a sinner but I think you for dying on the cross for my sin. I turned from that sin. Now and I put my faith in you be my Lord, my Savior and my God, my friend. I choose to follow you, Jesus. From this moment forward.

Thank you for loving me and calling me and accepting me in Jesus name I pray, amen.

Listen if you just pray that prayer I want you to know on the authority of Scripture that Christ himself is coming to your life. The Bible says these things we write to you that believe on the name of the son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life. If you just pray that prayer and minute you can know today you have eternal life MEI be the first to see the you welcome to the family of God and we want to help you grow as a believer. So let us send you our new believers growth packet will send it free of charge if you prayed with Pastor Greg today. Just call 1-800-821-3300. That's 1-800-821-3300 or go to harvest.org and click on know God when next I Pastor Greg brings important insight in a message called how to divorce proof your marriage more from a series home sweet home. Join us here on a new beginning. Pastor and Bible teacher.

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