How Can I Help My Family - 19

Yelling tonight Christian walk of the fourth weekend edition with your family revising physical how you do anything to predict what would you do decide to prevent spiritual Jeremiah offers tips on fortifying your family with prayer is that which is how can I help my family. Welcome to the weekend edition of Turning Point we are studying some questions and most of all the answers to those questions from the Bible. Today were going to look at two Psalms that her back to back some hundred and 2728 and were going to talk about how we can help our families is kind of interesting to jump back then. Psalm 127 and look at the last verses of Psalm 126 because here's an overarching principle that really does affect the family says so in tears shall reap in joy, he will continually goes forth weeping, bearing seed for sowing, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing sheaves with him.

It's a reminder to us that in all of life.

The principle of sowing and reaping is in Bogan and our families. That's true isn't it. What happens in our family has a lot to do with what input we give unfortunately many of us try every modern approach to family life, only to discover that while it may fix one part of the family.

It ends up messing up all the rest of the family will God has a better idea in case you're a little bit skeptical about listening to something from the Bible on the family that I remind you that the family is God's idea, in fact it's God's primary idea.

The church was God's idea to but the family was God's idea, long before the church civil government that came from the mind of God to but long before there was civil government. God thought of the family. In fact, if you go by its place in the word of God. Apart from human life itself. The family is one of God's first great ideas for us in this universe.

In the very beginning of the Bible, God looked at man alone and he said it is not good that man should be alone and he brought a woman to him and family began. So if God had the idea about the family doesn't make a little bit of sense to you but maybe you might have something to say about how we could make it work, how it should work. And I'll tell you what, not only here in the Psalms, but throughout all of the Bible, God has some incredible truth for those who are willing to dig for it to help us build families that will bring honor and glory to his name.

Other four principles that I want you to see in Psalm 127. We will barely get Psalm 128 but there connected. I want to show you some things thereby have time. The first thing I want you to know about building your family and helping your family. Principle number one is that if you're going to be successful you have to place God at the head of your home. Notice what the psalmist says, unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it.

This Psalm begins with the most important truth in building a home and says unless the Lord builds it, it isn't going to work is a truth that is so simple and saying, but so challenging in doing this verse is teaching us that there is only one builder in the home and that builder is God. There is only one architect for the whole God, who had the idea of the home is the one who wants to be at the head of the whole, and many women until you put God at the center of your home. All of your attempts to try to make family life, what you wanted to be will be attempts in frustration and that's what the Psalm says, unless you let him build a home. You're going to do it in vain. Which means you're going to go through a lot of frustration and experience a lot of emptiness and get down the road and think this is it only discovered many people do you know the thought that if they could just get all the things that their family wanted that their family then would be a good strong family and everything would be together. How many kids do you know maybe some hang out with you some of her at your place trying to get in on the family life you have, because they've got so many things, but they got no family. There's no one there and that's not God's plan. You see God's plan was that family life was how much stuff you had that very few of us would even be candidates would be. We would be stuck where we are know God has a better plan.

God says that he wants to be the head of your home, take just a moment and debunk that.

If I might because some of you are saying you know there's no way I'm going to install halos on my kids, they would look right. They wouldn't fit snug in a work were not to say Bible verses like Montrose around home.

We don't have plaques up in every room that says God is the head of this house and we verses we don't have a promised box at the breakfast table. Is that what it means to put God ahead of your home. Isn't it interesting how we get stuck on all the externals we focus on all the little trinkets of the family. I just like to give you testimony of my family growing up days. I knew that God was central in the home. I grew up in, but I gotta tell you something, it wasn't because of a lot of things that we might focus on you know when I think back on my growing up days. I didn't know God was at the head of my home because we read the Bible, after dinner at night. In fact, I gotta tell you a lot of those times were very forgettable, very forgettable that is obtained is not important to do that. It just means that that's not the issue, it wasn't even the fact that my parents were involved in institutional ministry. The thing is I look back on it that's very incredibly clear to me is this. It's a very simple thought, that is, that God was very important to my parents that God was very important to that somehow it all the stuff we did and everything were involved in. He always was there as a part of the picture. Most of the time he was the centerpiece, but wherever he was. He was a part of our family and as I grew up I couldn't escape that it wasn't that my mom and dad preached at me all the time but it was the sense that I had been in our family life. God was important is God important in your home is a sort of a matter of convenience. Maybe you see we communicate our values were they really are.

You can't fake it with kids. Can I get a witness. You can't fake it with kids.

They know you can try to make them believe that God important but is not going to get through unless he really is.

So maybe the best thing we could do before we installed God at the head of our home is installed at the head of our life and then ask him to live that out little by little in our families. Enough said about that. I think we know that to be true. Family is a good work in less God is at the head of the home, but I want you to notice this next principle which is pretty incredible in my way of thinking because it's so contemporary rentable number two says that if you're going to have a home that really makes a difference.

You have to put parenting at the top of your priority list. Now notice what the psalmist says, unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it first thing I wrote down in my notes is that God agrees with what I've always suspected that is that being a parent is labor and I get a witness to that ladies you thought it started at the beginning of labor pains and stop when the child was born know it continues throughout all of life and it isn't very nice of you to include us in either we thought we were free from all of this being a parent is labor say it being a parent is labor.

It's hard work. It's such an incredibly simple concept but it is losing its value in our culture today because parenting is being pushed over on the edge while moms and dads pursue their professional goals and purposes in life and parenting is getting a lick and a promise and we can't figure out what's gone wrong in our families. I want to tell you something that unless you are willing to work at being a parent, God's, the architect, but he needs laborers and their two laborers in most homes and some homes are just one labor. There's a single parent listening to me right now. Was thinking what you think it's worth trying to do it with two of you.

You want to try doing that which is one but God is saying to us that while he's given us the plan. He's the architect is the builder where the laborers and we've got to put in the time and they parenting important. Or it won't work wherever I go to speaker especially fun with pastors. We have a question and answer time one of the first questions that always ask, and I just got prepared for. So I thought I better get an answer is, can you tell us a little bit about your priorities. You know priorities are important because they govern your life is one thing to talk about your priorities. It's another thing to put your priorities in the perspective and put them in operation and then live by. I remember going away getting some time alone with the Lord and really sitting down and trying to crystallize some years back. Okay Jeremiah, what are your priorities as I was one of the most important times I've ever spent my life because I believe that with what God has done here in this place apart from a clear understanding in my mind, and yet I struggle with these all the time, but a clear understanding of what my priorities are. I would be making a lot of really bad decisions right now so let me tell you what they are they on this early have to be yours. But most of us are to fall into the pattern of these priorities.

Number one on the person and I better take care of my personal relationship with God. God's number one. In fact, he says he must be number one. He's a jealous God. He doesn't want anybody in between me and him he's number one in my life and so I have to cultivate that relationship. I have to spend time with God.

I have to make God number one. Secondly, partner and I've got a wife, a wonderfully wonderfully good wife. God is first Donna second. Thirdly, I'm a parent and the children. Four of them and their the most important thing in my life outside of God, and Donna and every day of my life. I have to fight to preserve that priority because you see when I'm at a football game on not it three or four other places where people think I should be or if I'm at a dinner some time. I've said no to other things and you know there's an awful lot of pressure and a lot of expectations about what you should be doing with your life, but I will tell you as best as I know how to tell you that my children are third in my life. The only thing ahead of them is God and Donna.

Principle number three is protect your family from destructive influences first two changes the 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 that is 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 the watchman over our families and it's a picture of a parent looking out over his family and protecting it and watching out for it, but 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 were to be watchman with him. You see it unless the watchman who is the Lord is working. Then we who are also watching and understand it.

So what the psalmist is saying is more 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 them using 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 probably would've said that a little differently.

Then he said, buddy got his point across. Right.

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 giving up your children for more toys when a trade what God is trying to help us understand is this that we not only have to build our homes once we bill 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 honey 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 the story personally. These 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 a verse 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. 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 report, we pray, but it's not always been as focused as we had wanted to be 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 and then so we began to realize the kinds of challenges that were out there for young people. One of things we started doing this is just sort of stumble out of bed and get there to the place where we walked will say very much for the first few steps will gotta get awake but halfway around the tour, I began to pray we don't say thing about it I just start out and then when I'm finished. Pray not appraised in its incredible time of oneness together as 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 onto something else. It's a wonderful time of communication I learned a lot about my kids, but I didn't know when I hear their mother pray for them. You may not hear anything else I say today. Moms and dads, Natalia is 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 them and print with.

I was really intrigued by Patrick 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.

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 moving to say goodbye to them. And the thing was so incredible is the one way you can still be in touch with your kids is through prayer meeting something God hears and relate us one last thing. Number four. We need to get to the place where we praise God openly for our kids read with me versus 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's 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. Isn't it 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 bow to do good for God.

And then it says here that when your children are grown, that you will not be ashamed and it says they shall speak with you in the gate and this is a wonderful picture here is 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 what reasons were doing that is because God has raised us up in a good family. Now we can come and stand with our parents and the time when they really need for us to stand with them or let me try some conference, 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 of the scene 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 to us as a gift. What an incredible thing that can be 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 root 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 return 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 can 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 die for my son if it came to and from 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 and women. If we cannot 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 the 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 say I'm willing to let Sean I have until it's no longer necessary. We hope you enjoyed today's Turning Point, weekend edition with Dr. David Jeremiah. You can hear this and other programs and get more information the better ministry by downloading the free Turning Point by developing smart phone or tablet or by visiting our website at davidjeremiah.org/radio davidjeremiah.org/radio. You can also Turning Point television on previous channel 7 thing Sunday morning tonight.

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We invite you to join us again next weekend is Dr. David Jeremiah. She is another powerful message from God's word on Turning Point Weekend Edition thanks for taking time to listen to find a nice trim piece. Interestingly, the guy says he sends all