Ready to Launch, Part 2

Question needs an answer. You got asked. Listen, this is a sober question why the guy did you not given to you for you they are not yours, and I would strongly caution you about ever taking possession something belongs to God. They were given to you to prepare for the mission to prepare them and to launch them out, and to accomplish that you get your hands off of because an arrow will never fly into your beliefs.

Every year they come out with a new study that really flips everything you knew about raising A little overwhelming today on Senate life pastor JD Greer is helping raining our focus, reminding us of our most important task is appearance responsibility the heart outweighs everything else as part of our series called God and the rest of the pastor.

JD titled today's message ready timelines to grab your Bible and let's join him right now.

Someone 27 years of the Psalm reads unless the Lord builds the house as you build it labor in vain unless the Lord watches over the city. Watchman stays awake in vain. It is in vain that you rise up early and go lay to rest eating the bread of anxious toil he gives to his beloved sleep. Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord. By the way the word children in Hebrew is very similar to the work for builder in verse one. So what you're seeing is a direct correlation between the builders of the city and the children that God is giving to the nation. Children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb of reward like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one's youth. Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them. Look first at the first phrase of verse one unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain in order for a house to endure any house to endure. God has to be the one who builds it so that leads me to our first principle 1 love is not enough love is not enough. Many parents have what I would call the Beatles philosophy of parenting. All you need is love that song all you need is love. The general idea is if you love people you love your kids hate everything's going to turn out just fine.

That's definitely the accepted wisdom today. But the problem is I know parents who love their kids off the charts, but they are terrible parents and their kids end up reflecting that joy got just one question for you based on this insight, you honestly taking this seriously.

Had you set about to learn God's ways and rearing, but not a child of the next generation number two are primary responsibilities teach the next generation. The gospel children. Solomon says are a heritage some your translations might say inheritance heritage or an inheritance from the Lord.

Inheritance is a big word in Hebrew is one of their favorite words because it pointed to the eternal kingdom that God was giving to them nation, the people of God. The children of this church lesson are the first ones that we are going to win that will make up eternal inheritance that God is giving to us because that's what the inheritance is parents the most important task you have is to teach your kids the gospel number three children are being raised in the larger community of faith to whom is Psalm 127 written obviously the parents by Jewish practice was to read this after the birth of any child that will ceremony with the song but did you see in the beginning Rob pointed out a Psalm of Solomon. A song of a sentence that means it means that the song was sung by pilgrims as they approached original drizzle was on top of a hill and so is pilgrims would come purely for their pilgrimage to get to the bottom of the hills pretty long one, they would begin to sing together the Psalms of Ascent is like five or six of them as they were going up the hill, they would sing through these and it was Elizabeth the entire community to sing the song. It would just like you know that at that point they'll something in the Psalms, like okay everybody drop out just the parents a cappella on this verse you go to someone. 27.

They also want talk someone 127 why because the next generation was the responsibility of all of them. The parenting passages in the Bible are written to communities, not just the parents. Deuteronomy 6. At no point did Moses say okay you know that the laws now will break out seminar for the parents. Parents was not nuts. It's for the whole community is a God has two gardens in which he grows a child. Two gardens that are essential. Both of the home and the church. It takes more than just the unconditional love of a family picture tribe to give identity number four. We must therefore prioritize relationships in the George Robert 1320 listen that he that walks with wise men will be wise, but a companion of fools will be destroyed average going to solicit show me your friends and I'll show you your future you parents listen your kids listen will be a visitor somewhere in the finder community somewhere. I would prioritize the community of the people of God and that is a matter of calendar does not a matter of intention. It is a matter of calendar is success as a parent getting them in the college going on a basketball scholarship a football scholarship or is it becoming men and women who love Jesus and serve the mission. Not that those things are at odds but I you're going to place value on one of them ended in a place priority on that thing you see when they quit following God in college that doesn't happen when the refreshment happens when they're in sixth grade by the priorities you set for them. The community you choose for them. So don't complain when our freshmen in the walk away from God. If you prioritize everything but the kingdom of God in their middle school and high school years.

Number five, God gives us our kids so that we can prepare them for his mission like arrows.

He says in the hand of a warrior are the children of one's youth. Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them was the purpose of narrow Jim Elliott, who left a very promising career in the United States to serve as a missionary in South America and not be martyred on the beaches of Ecuador said to his parents when he made the decision to drop out of business school and go into missionary work said this.

Listen, I do not wonder mom and dad that you were saddened at the word of my going to South America. But do you remember how the psalmist described children. He said they were as a heritage from the Lord, and every man should be happy you had his quiver full of them and what is a quiver full of but arrows and water arrows for, but to shoot. So with the strong arms of prayer mom and dad draw the bowstring back and let the arrows fly all of them straight at the enemy's house. You got asked. Listen, this is a sober question why the guy giving these kids. He did not given to you for you they are not yours, and I would strongly caution you about ever taking possession of something that belongs to God.

They were given to you to prepare for the mission to prepare them and to launch them out, and to accomplish that. You gotta take your hands off of because an arrow will never fly until you release it you cannot hang onto an arrow and instead continue to function as an arrow. You see, if you want to capture their hearts if they were designed to be arrows and you treat him like a piece of furniture that this was to be in your house because they belong to you. Not only are you discouraging development. You are actually shutting down the hearts that God created to be his because he created it for the adventure of faith when there is nothing challenging or adventurous about your style of faith, you begin to drift toward other things that seem more interesting and meaningful.

Which is why offensive.

I get so passionate and usually I'm yelling you about you.

You treat the church like your consumer. You understand that behind that yelling you is actually a greater concern parents for your kids disappear. The time it shows up like the church leaves early. This is all you do worse to come at all.

For them because you're teaching them that it seems like this is what Christianity is and it's not is an adventure where you pour out you live for something greater than yourself. That's all I'm saying is going to be a part of, and to fully involve listen is a lot of things will be right at our church. Women we try to do is give you opportunities all on the way to get your family family involved in mission serve RTE project that we do want to get your family involved in the family mission trip.

Let your kids we see the stopper stand on our families adopted a compassion child December church or to somebody overseas that we are engaged with them report out on resources to my kids are writing letters we think about it with our babysitters dipping our babysitter list report like a Who's Who list of people in our church that a sacrifice for the mission field. I think if you're crazy college girl who almost dies on the mission field. I can guarantee you I will be calling you up and you can babysit my kids.

Why did I want to see them. I want them to see that kind of life.

What I plan to have my kids lead in the student ministry Lord willing under middle school so they can be working with younger kids when in high school, ministering to middle school kids. The adventure of the principal preparing arrows and sending them out all the supplies beyond international missions, but I do want to make sure I bring this point back to that because that's the ultimate vision of this passage is the dream of our church. Are you willing and eager to send out your kids wherever God calls and because in order to let the arrow fly. You gotta let it go. I know so many college students at our church to come from somewhere else when God calls in the mission field and their parents for minute every time I hear on the stories of say God made that would never be true of the kid who grows up here made their parents say yes. I don't want you to go I will confess that, but you are in error. The God gave to me and I will take my hands off of you because Summit God gave us our kids for the great commission, like arrows in the hand of a mighty warrior. That's how your kids are you and you gotta let him go. That's what he gave to us. That's why he gave them to us last. Come on this Friday at our final point.

Blessed is the man who has his quiver full of them.

It is very clearly pay very close attention. Do not misinterpret on Wednesday. There is no right number for size of family that pleases God. There is different circumstances. Each of us are in. We had to depend on the leadership of the Holy Spirit in this area so I would never set myself up as your judge.

We don't looking smile upon families are larger or smaller. There's no right number that we thought that I'm not your judge and you should not let anybody else ever judge you on this either. Okay, but I do want to say humbly but accurately that we have a culture that increasingly sees children as a burden and as an encumbrance to the American dream. Financially they are a burden there a burden on your travel desires.

You can go to movies at night you got kids right to the wisdom of the day is know how many kids if you have any don't have many because there you mess up your life and I know a lot of couples who wait years before having kids because I don't want the child to get in the way of their yuppie lifestyle never was a well enjoy my wife or my husband for a while for a few dozen years ago we we have kids comfortably do that nonsense really quickly. Okay, I know so much more of my wife.

Now, after we had kids and I did before because it was just part of her that just came alive when we had kids that weren't there with just the two of us. Second, the primary purpose of kids is not to accessorize your life God gives your kids to you for omission purpose. If you're a disciple of Jesus your whole life is not about you it's about Jesus magic and that certainly applies to your family think that way. What went with my wife and I just maybe a little too personal, but you know what I will tell you what the him when my wife and I had our will. We have three kids were decided we should have a more and a microphone for middle and at no point wheat was alike anymore kids come out to see that you have another way to seven. I know that everything that I was at my quiver full. I'm unsatisfied but my wife and I also know that having and raising godly children when the greatest ministries you can have slightly we should have one more for and so on. So we set a day to pray and fast. April 27, 2009 we prayed and fasted all day. Three. Three options 73 was my vote have another kid in order pursue international adoption at the end of the day of prayer and fasting. We talk right about midnight, will I come to what he thought with them. So, I cannot believe what international.went to bed. Woke up the next morning my wife felt sick. She goes to the bathroom is a thing in microseconds. I'm pregnant.

Now we're doing all the things you're supposed to do not get pregnant and I was like I've never had a prayer answered that definitively that quickly and then so December 25, 2009 adding our son was born. Miraculously, right, born December 25 is a pastor's kid injures a birthday with Jesus right so that's you know the story, but one trend in recent share that with you is is a mentality shift that you gotta have a say it's not how many kids do I want. It's how many kids how do I leverage my family for the kingdom of God is and what can happen.

I can have kids, I'm single. Or maybe were married we can have them you could consider adoption, fostering foster the kids are all in Raleigh-Durham. Also, would be for the summer church for that to be our gift to our city that we take care of every foster kid in the county difference without making the future as her last appointment.

I got a really good conclusions of the ready. God knows you need his help, got initiatives help unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain unless the Lord watches over the city. Watchman stays awake. Inmate is in vain that you rise up early and go lay to rest eating the bread of anxious toil, for he gives to his beloved sword church. My second one was Lord sleep.

What is the sign in this verse that you are walking with and beloved by God. What is it sleep until some of you are beloved and walking with God. Right at this very moment you say you say wait a minute, but if she hears the question, if you're sleeping is watching over the city. If you're sleeping who's growing the crops and the answer is God is in the principle that is being taught. What's this is you do your job, your faithful with your job and at the end of the day you put your head on your pillow knowing that God is the one who watches the city. God is the one who grows the crops and he never put that burden on you. That principle applies to a lot of different spheres of our life, but I love the fact that he brought it up in the common set of parenting. Why because we can always tell a new parent by sleeplessness, not we can tell you our bags in your eyes, your makeup on your teeth like I got sweaters on underwear and sweatpants for like three months we get that okay sleeplessness is the sign of the new parent is to watches there's two kinds of sleeplessness there's a kind of sleeplessness to come from a late night feeding right can avoid that. But then there's a sleeplessness that comes from carrying the strain of the family.

You see the principle that is being taught. What's this is a God ultimately is the one who is responsible for the family and God says I never count on you to get everything right.

I just want you to do your job and trust that I care more about your kids turning out the way to their first meeting. You do what an awesome thought because she feels overwhelmed sometime my inabilities up and brought you to.

I know mom to feel completely overwhelmed with this, you thought you doing such a bad job.

God knows you're a sinner that's not a surprise. The empty says do your job, your best and you trust at the end of the day you put your head on your pillow, and know that on the one who watches the city on the one who grows across, I'm the one on the data she that means to a mom sitting here right now mom is like I don't have a husband here and all that stuff you said about good that my kids don't have a dad to be a better father than that man could ever be in God is the father to the fatherless and goddesses on buildings and faith is the greatest thing that you can exercise in parenting when you trust them to that heavenly parent who gives more grace than your parenting techniques illicitly Fitzpatrick one my favorite parenting offers comparable God-given grace in the book, she said, she said, Christian parenting books have you read was the Christian very much of you read that basically saved you do these three things right. Kids are guaranteed to turn out fine. She said here's a problem without God. It was a perfect father and 1/3 of the needles rebelled against him and the only two humans that he created also rebelled against them. So you look like you're in out technique God is like if God would've gotten up our right and everything would've been fine. No it is not good parenting techniques that guarantee the success in the future of the child. She said the real tragedy with that mentality is that it keeps you from the one thing you desperately need. As a parent and that is the mercy of God, or you come to the end of the day you say I am unable, but you are able and you say God what they need is you what they need is your working in their lives and their hearts, to pray for them and I got a prayer was for my kids and I go through and oh my God I need this I can do this. God is building my city is growing my family right well that you have the crops in the morning on the watchman would be in the safe was watching the city when the watchman is asleep is grown across from the watch window when the farmer is not merely answer is God is God's now.

Last thing I want to say this is me blaming the blame on the top one last time you parents, especially fathers, because maybe you're here this year against her will. Your wife's New Year's resolution was to get you back in church and you're here one time. Okay this is it doesn't. There is nothing that will make you think about your relationship with God more than when you begin to think about your children right because you're responsible for their souls and God made us men to be protectors and guardians. That's how he made us, and that's a gift he gave.which we sometimes we think about the safety of others more than we think about our own safety menu are leading your kids into eternity. This sounds harsh, but I'm to try to make it as real as I possibly can for your kids and go to hell because you are your kids can go to hell because of you. Are you leading them to destruction. What you say on Judgment Day pilot you that your priorities is mine, that he followed you into your idolatry followed you in your apathy.

God never became important to me is 140 you. I never read my Bible because I never really saw you reading yours now daddy I follow you into hell of a lot of reason to obey God. But until you as a dad I know that one of the things against me up in the morning and gets me going on this as I do for school souls that I'm responsible for and I'm trying to protect them and guard them and there is no safety is important is eternal safety safety that is found in the blood of Jesus. God help me. That's where I want to lead our kids as well. When you lead your kids where I want this tersely to its next generation. One shot at this is this is that this is our inheritance to be a better parent will be better but want you to know the love of God in the gospel. You see, here's the secret. The deeper you go with the gospel, the more fruitful you become is apparent more. This relationship vertically is set this relationship horizontally takes care of itself. God doesn't love and accept you because you're a perfect parent who loves and accepts you as a gift to get your steadfast love. In the gospel when you come to understand that you can't you just receive that not your doctrine under it anymore. That makes you more steadfast with your kids the grace of the gospel produces the love for your kids were talking about so I don't want to get overwhelmed at. You're not a perfect parent. God knows that I want you catch yourself in the mercy of God and receive his gift of righteousness, to be filled his power for gotta make you 10 times better parent filament all the techniques in the world ever could see the gospel is the beginning and the end of everything to God's purpose is first in your life. Kids lives pursue a relationship with your children. Another encouraging message from Pastor JD Greer on the Senate life series titled God and the rest of the week. If you have a friend you might enjoy this study you can share with them free of charge.

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