How Can I Help My Family - Part 2

Are you doing tonight is increasing verbally with written physical you do anything to go to the same to shield them from spiritual health. Throughout the report. Loved your mother to a closer look at the hundred and 27 so with wisdom on fortifying your family with prayer to introduce the conclusion of his message, help my family is having a great time during the month of September answering questions that people have been asking and call the series.

God I need some answers and we talk about things like OMI and why am I here what is my self-worth.

How can I be happy how I face my fears. And yesterday we talked about how can I help my family were going to finish that up today. Tomorrow were going to talk about why good things happen to bad people. The question I hear a lot. If you have your Bibles. You may want to find your place in the 127 Tsongas, were camping over this up with this particular message and will get to that in a moment couple reminders. We have a study guide and a set of CD recordings for this series.

You can find out about that@davidjeremiah.org. There you can find the study guide. You can get a hold of all of the audio resources and you'll be set up to not only review this yourself but the shirt with others and we encourage you to do that one of the reasons we put these resources together. The way we do. For instance, our study guide has a has places for small-group information and questions to be answered in all of that so take advantage of the work we do to share the word of God with other people in a small group leader facilitated discussion about the word of God. You said in your Sunday school class at home with your family. Make sure you take advantage of the teaching of the word of God to share it with others.

That's what God has called us to do and during this month when you send your gift a Turning Point.

We have a special resource to send to you. It's our 2021 Turning Point calendar colors of creation.

More about that at the end of the program, but right now let's finish up what we started yesterday. How can I help my family.

I remember going away getting some time alone with the Lord and really sitting down and I live some years back.

Okay Jeremiah, what are your priorities, so let me tell you what they are number one on the person and I better take care of my personal relationship with God. Secondly, partner and I've got a wife. God is first got a second. Thirdly, I'm a parent and children. The only thing I have them is God and Donna. I had tested when I was invited to speak at a convention up at arrowhead Springs. I was asked to speak to a group of 450 women at a women's Bible study. We agreed that was an opportunity that I should take the one to teach the life of David and I had just break the life of David so we went this thing all scheduled our way out in the future. I knew the basketball season was over I don't schedule anything during basketball season conflicts with the ballgames. If I can help it. Anything during football season so I was so excited. You know this thing is out here in March will then our wonderful basketball team got good about halfway through the year and they start getting better and better. They started when they want and they want and the one they got in the playoffs and they Went and I kept looking at this date that was over here and we kept getting closer and closer to the date and would you believe I was scheduled to be at arrowhead Springs from Thursday through Saturday, and our guys want all their games and were supposed to play for the civil championship on Saturday morning at 10 o'clock in the sports arena and I'm supposed to be at arrowhead Springs. You got begin. Well, I got up arrowhead Springs and we told him that we speak anytime they wanted us on Thursday. How many times he wants on Friday, but we're coming home on Saturday, never forget this. We got there and Springs wanted a beautiful hotel up there, which is the campus Crusade headquarters and there was a lady who came to the lobby and she said are you Dr. Jeremiah and I said yes.

All she said were so glad you're here. And she said, let me just tell you right up front were so glad you're not stand for Saturday.

I thought this poorly heard me speak, yet she's already made up her mind and then she said something I will never forget.

She said what you don't understand. She smiled is that we are all lives of executive husbands. They fund this ministry so that we can do what we do with Bible study and she said it's just so incredibly encouraging to see somebody in a position of leadership. Make a decision over their family during the afternoon. I'll never forget this was one of the last sessions at a lady got up and she ran out of the building. She had tears coming down her face that happen. I went to the director of the conference. I mentioned this lady who left a message. Could you please see if I might've said something that offended her. She came back to me later. She said Pastor don't worry about you and offender. She had heard about what you are doing because we had to announce that you want to be here on Saturday and you were even talking about it while she was seated in the meeting. It really became a matter of great concern to her daughter was playing for the state championship in Denver Colorado on Saturday and she got under such conviction. She got up out of the meeting will impact our dads got on the next plane and went home talking about were talking about putting our children in a place once in a while they understand that there are important making parenting a priority to try something if we didn't do anything else with our life. Making parenting a priority is pretty much full-time task number three.

Keep reading in your Bibles principle number three is protect your family from destructive influences first to change his metaphor just a bit. It says the watchman stays awake in vain is vain for you to rise up early to sit up late unless the Lord guards the city watchman stays awake in vain.

We been in the family building business. We've seen the family built like you build a house. Now we have a picture of the city as a protection for its people and the writer of the Psalms changes the picture and he says unless the Lord keeps the city the people who try to keep it are doing it in vain and that he still talking about the family that's evident what he's talking about is the fact that while it is important for us to come to God and let him be the builder of our families when our families are built we have to come back to God and ask him to help us be watch over our families and it's a picture of a parent looking over his family and protecting it and watching out for what if there's ever been a day when we needed to do that. This is the day. Now the interesting thing here is that the Psalmist once again puts us in partnership with God. Just as there's one builder and two laborers and were working together on the same project. There is one who is the watchman but were to be watchman with him. You see it unless the watchman was the Lord is working. Then we who are also watching understand it. So what the psalmist is saying is working in partnership with God in building our homes and were in partnership with God in protecting our whole are you with me. There's a man who has written a great deal about the family and I come to love his writings name is Steve forearm maybe seen some of his books he said rather delicately. I don't let my children watch network TV for the same reason I don't let them drink out of the toilet and I probably would've said that a little differently than he said. His point across. Right now, I understand the necessity of work, and God knows if that's something you have to do to make ends meet. That's one thing but if you're doing it to live.

Another standard of living. It's a foolish decision because you're given up your children for more toys want to trade what God is trying to help us understand is this that we not only have to build our homes once we build them.

We have to stand over them and be protecting them care about. I want to share this with you because I think it's a very practical hands-on sort of thing.

If you're in partnership with God in protecting your family. How do you do it will how you do anything in partnership with God. It ultimately involves prayer read an article written by Suzanne Fields in which he talked about this whole matter of praying how important it is for couples to pray for the children right after that I had been given a book by Patrick Morley's goal man in the mirror. It's got articles about the kinds of things that we struggle with his men articles about children about our relationship with our life and how we deal with our jobs and how we do with our money and all the temptations that come as a part of our maleness Patrick Morley in his book talk about seven couples who were all new Christians who started to meet the prayer group and the result of their prayers are so dramatic that he said I verified their story personally.

Please couples were naïve, new Christians, and they discovered when they met for the first time that they all had something in common that is that they all had children who were not saved.

In fact, a total of 23 of them.

Someone brought up first to the first Bible study that said this, believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved and your household.

Act 1633 they took it as a promise from God. But God was going to save all their kids and they started to meet together, all of them and they began to pray for the 23 children who God had given them, who were outside of Christ in each week as they faithfully pray for these children.

Over the course of two years. All 23 kids committed their lives to Christ in the Denver crusade. Dr. Billy Graham spoke about this verse of Scripture and ask and he said that they had learned their own study that in homes where the father came to faith in Christ first, the entire family came to faith in 60% of the situations where the wife came first, it was 40 to 50 where the children came first, 25% of them saw the entire family become Christians know what is that say if you want the families of America to be changed.

You've got to change the father's because they have the greatest influence in the home and bringing others to faith the way that this is all going to change in our families and our partnership with God in the protection of our home is through prayer. Some months ago. This really became apparent to Donna and to me and I don't know if you struggle with that sometimes we struggle with praying together breaking for the things that are part we pray, but it's not always been as focused as we had wanted to be in one of the things that gets focused real quick when you end up with a bunch of teenagers in your home.

Boy do you begin to sense the need for prayer in your life.

Amen. So we began to realize the kinds of challenges that were out there for young people in one of things we started doing this is just sort of stumble out of bed and get there to the place where we walk will say very much for the first few steps we can't get away on halfway around the tour, I began to pray.

We know same thing about it I just start out and then when I'm finished. Pray not appraised in its incredible time of oneness together because were the only two laborers building this house because the builder but were the laborers. It's a bonding time for us.

I think it's a wonderful thing to see how God answers prayers try something else. It's a wonderful type of communication I learned a lot about my kids that I didn't know when I hear their mother pray for them. You may not hear anything else I say today mom and dad's.

I wanted to. There's never been a time when we needed to pray for kids more than we do now their fighting battles. Most of you don't have a clue about that are in intense battles and they need to know that mom and dad are standing with praying with them and you say will boy you know I came here today to get some help for my family. Now you got me on this guilt trip pastor and I'm feeling and I got a home in talk to my wife about this and I know this is not going to be fun.

Let me just tell you.

God wants to take you wherever you are and if this is been a struggle for you. Let me tell you it's been a struggle for us is not something we come to easily but were glad now that we've got a few movies under our belt and under our experience and were learning how to do it better. I was really intrigued by Catholic Morley gave us a list of some things we could pray for for kids. Listen to this. Pray for saving faith.

If they don't know the Lord. Pray for a growing faith if their immature pray for an independent faith as they get older.

Isn't that a good thought. Pray that they will be strong and healthy in mind and body and spirit.

Pray for a sense of purpose and destiny in their life. Pray for a desire within them that they will have integrity pray for a call to excellence, pray to understand the ministry God has for them. Pray that they will set aside times to spend with God. Pray that they will acquire wisdom pray protection against drugs and alcohol and premarital sex. Pray that God will bring them the mate that he wants them to have, and begin praying for that person already because you know your kids and they need prayer and there's a whole list of stuff to pray for your children. What an incredible thing.

That's how you build a house and that's how you protect your children in one of the things that happens is your kids grow older you become aware of this wonderful thought that you have lost control.

Are you with me little by little. Isn't that what parenting is all about. It's the gradual losing of control.

Some you kids think hereunder, all kinds of oppression right now. Let me just tell you it's going to change its inevitable you get more and more control of your life and that's the real scary thing about being a parent because you know why that's when we get our grade card.

That's when we find out how well we've done and ultimately within the say goodbye to them.

And the thing was so incredible is one way you can still be in touch with your kids is through prayer. Let me tell you something, God hears and really does. One last thing. Number four.

We need to get to the place where we praise God openly for our kids read with me verses three and following. Isn't this a wonderful passage behold, children are an heritage from the Lord. The Fruit of the Loom is a reward, like arrows in the hand of a lawyer, so are the children of one's youth. Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them. They shall not be ashamed, but shall speak with their enemies in the gate. The best thing that Solomon could say in his language about parenting. What he said is positive about being in the family. Be positive about your children realize God gave them to you as a gift. Realize that there are an heritage for the Lord that God's reward to you and say night I hope I don't get rewarded too much more I know how some of you think what I want to tell you the truth. Children are God's blessing to us and the psalmist uses this metaphor class he says there like arrows. What is an arrow due an arrow goes to a place where you can go to accomplish a purpose. You can accomplish is an incredible to see how God raises up our children and he thrusts them out and do you ever stop and think about the fact that whatever good your children are doing out there, wherever they are right now. If they left home. There's a part of you that's doing whatever they're doing because you're in them not only physically but your life is been built into their life and their and Carol that's going out from your ball to do good for God. And then it says here that when your children are grown, but you will not be ashamed. It says they shall speak with you in the gate and this is a wonderful picture here. It's a picture of what happened in Solomon's day all the business was transacted at the gate of the city are you with me and all of the major disputes were decided at the gate of the city and what Solomon's talking about here is this if you grow up good children and when you get older you get in trouble they come and stand with you and help you speak for you in their part of helping you. You know you might not think that's important. But as you get older and older. It's good to know you got some kids out there, and stand with you and encourage you and some of us who are children still are in that process right now with our parents, our way, and one of the reasons were doing that is because God has raised us up in a good family. Now we can come and stand with our parents at the time when they really need for us to stand with them or let me tell you something friends. God has a good plan for building good homes. He tells us if we put God at the center of our home.

That's the first thing if we put parenting at the top of the list. That's the second thing if we determined to protect our kids as a watchman watching over a besieged city. That's the third thing and if we bring praise to God and have a positive attitude toward our children that God is given them to us as a gift. What an incredible thing that can be the salmon nearly leapt off their hooks. That was a far cry from the day before when the four anglers couldn't even seem to catch an old boat disappointed, but not discourage. They had climbed aboard their small seaplane and skimmed over the Alaskan mountains to a pristine secluded bay where the fish were sure to bite. They park their aircraft and waited upstream where the water team with ready to catch salmon. Later that afternoon when they returned to their camp.

They were surprised to find the seaplane high and dry. The tides fluctuated 23 feet in that particular bay and the pontoons rested on a bed of gravel since they couldn't fly out till morning. They settled in for the night and enjoyed some of their catch for dinner then slept in the plane in the morning. The seaplane was adrift, so they probably crank the engine and started to take off too late.

They discovered one of the pontoons had been punctured and was filled with water. The extra weight through the plane into a circular pattern, and within moments from liftoff. The seaplane careened into the sea and capsized Dr. Phil little Ford determined that everyone was alive including his 12-year-old son Mark.

He suggested they prey which the other two men quickly endorsed no safety equipment could be found on board. No life vests no flares, nothing. The plane gurgled and submerged in the blackness of the icing morning. See fortunately they all have waiters which they inflated the fridge, Alaskan water, chilled her breath.

They all begin to swim, for sure, but the riptide countered every stroke. Two men alongside Phil and Mark were strong swimmers and they both made sure one just catching the tip of land as the tides pulled them out toward see their two companions last saw Phil and Mark is a disappearing dog on the horizon, swept arm in arm out to see the Coast Guard reported they probably lasted no more than an hour in the freezing waters. Hypothermia would chill the body functions and they would go to sleep Mark with the smaller body mass would fall asleep first in his father's arms. Phil could've made the shoreline to but that would've meant abandoning his son. Their bodies never were found and then the writer asks what father wouldn't be willing to die for his son tell you what the best I know, I think I would do that. I think I'm done for myself if it came to and for my daughter's I think if somebody came after my family and it was me or them. I think I put myself in harm's way to protect them. I hope I have that kind of courage. Let me ask you something. Men, women, if we and I assume that most of us would agree to that. If we are willing to go so far as to die for our children. Why is it that it seems so hard for many of us to live for them.

That's the issue because you see, tragedy is no less painful if it's by this sudden stroke of a storm or a drowning than it is if it's the long protracted hurt of a disenfranchised child who is been swept away in the world is lost all hope of ever recovering and I want you to understand that while we can always be the ones to stand in harm's way. God has put us as parents in this world to stand in harm's way for our kids by the grace of God I want to join hands with all of you a spell appearance and say, to give that the best shot. I have until it's no longer necessary and you know I recorded this message earlier in looking back over my shoulder and I see what I pledge to do. I have done and I don't need to say more than that there been moments when had to stand in harm's way and I gladly got honors that I want you all tomorrow.

As I mentioned when you talk about why do good things happen to bad people before we say our final goodbye. However, I want to remind you that our resource for the month of September is the beautiful calendar colors of creation. This calendar is a 14 month calendar that begins in November of this year and extends through the entire 2021 year beginning in January 2021. There's a link to the Bible schedule that will take you through the Scripture and one here, if you follow every day. You can check it off as you go there's a place for him to write in your appointments and every single day of the year. Beautiful photography of colors all kinds of other good spiritual information to bless you and encourage you enhance your home and hopefully encourage your life when you send your gift a Turning Point during the month of September. Ask for your copy of the 2021 calendar and I promise you he will have it by Christmas and will have it before the new year starts and that's saying something with what we struggle with with the mail delivery. These days will have that to him plenty of time so you can begin working on it in November already full year. Thank you so much for joining us today. Be sure and join us tomorrow right here. Good station because we answer the question why do good things happen to bad guys message originated from shadow Mountain Trinity Church and see me a path that don't fit either.

Jeremiah would love to have 10 employees impacted your life and tell us if you, San Diego, CA 92163 or visit our website at davidjeremiah.org/radio copy of their 14 month 2021 calendar colors of creation, highlighting the breathtaking gift of any amount which is the Jeremiah study standard and international versions and standalone Sprint and the new King James notes from over 40 years of study. Jeremiah visited Jeremiah.I'm very tomorrow as we continue God, I need some time to listen to the families and