1 00:00:01,800 --> 00:00:05,100 Once again, we express our appreciation to the presence of 2 00:00:05,100 --> 00:00:09,200 everyone who has come and as I previously announced tonight, 3 00:00:09,200 --> 00:00:13,400 we're going to talk a little bit about being a dad and we're 4 00:00:13,400 --> 00:00:17,200 going to draw our outline and our study from Psalm 128, we're 5 00:00:17,200 --> 00:00:21,900 going to read from this text and then we'll view the verses and 6 00:00:21,900 --> 00:00:26,200 the points of interest. You know, when you read this 7 00:00:26,300 --> 00:00:29,700 Psalm at a glance you don't realize that he's actually 8 00:00:30,000 --> 00:00:36,200 Talking to fathers because he mentions in the context a man in 9 00:00:36,200 --> 00:00:40,600 general but as you read through the text you realize it's a man 10 00:00:40,600 --> 00:00:44,800 with a wife and children and so he's riding the father's let's 11 00:00:44,800 --> 00:00:49,300 read now Psalm chapter 1 28 verse 1 blessed, is everyone, 12 00:00:49,300 --> 00:00:53,400 who fears? The Lord who walks in his ways. 13 00:00:53,900 --> 00:00:57,800 When you eat the labor of your hands, you shall be happy and it 14 00:00:57,800 --> 00:01:01,000 shall be well with you. Your wife shall be like a 15 00:01:01,000 --> 00:01:04,599 fruitful Vine in the very heart of your house. 16 00:01:04,900 --> 00:01:09,100 Your children like, Olive plants, all around your table, 17 00:01:09,300 --> 00:01:12,200 behold. Thus, shall the man be blessed. 18 00:01:12,400 --> 00:01:16,200 Who fears the Lord? The Lord bless you out of Zion. 19 00:01:16,500 --> 00:01:21,400 And may you see the good of Jerusalem all the days of your 20 00:01:21,400 --> 00:01:22,400 life? Yes. 21 00:01:22,800 --> 00:01:25,200 May you see your children's children? 22 00:01:25,500 --> 00:01:39,800 Peace be upon Israel. Being a parent is one of the 23 00:01:39,800 --> 00:01:43,400 most difficult things that any person can undertake. 24 00:01:44,400 --> 00:01:46,800 In fact, there are several things about being a parent that 25 00:01:46,800 --> 00:01:48,500 are different than anything else. 26 00:01:49,100 --> 00:01:54,600 You know, you can change your career, you can choose to change 27 00:01:54,600 --> 00:01:57,800 where you live. You can do lots of things to 28 00:01:57,800 --> 00:02:01,400 change your life, but once you become a dad or a mom, then 29 00:02:01,400 --> 00:02:03,400 you're a dad or a mom, as long as you live. 30 00:02:04,300 --> 00:02:08,100 Even if your child doesn't live, you become a parent. 31 00:02:09,000 --> 00:02:11,700 And you can't quit. There's no there's no stopping 32 00:02:11,700 --> 00:02:15,700 point. You know, there's it's 33 00:02:15,700 --> 00:02:20,200 on-the-job training. There's no really class that can 34 00:02:20,200 --> 00:02:22,500 teach you to be the kind of parent you need to be. 35 00:02:22,700 --> 00:02:26,800 Now we can learn some principles. but and the Bible 36 00:02:26,800 --> 00:02:32,900 guides us, but really, you're going to make lots of mistakes, 37 00:02:33,200 --> 00:02:38,100 and you have to realize that One thing that most people, I guess 38 00:02:38,100 --> 00:02:42,300 don't realize is that while the children are small, sometimes 39 00:02:42,300 --> 00:02:46,100 they may bruise your toe, but when they grow up, there will be 40 00:02:46,100 --> 00:02:47,900 occasions when they Bruise Your Heart. 41 00:02:49,200 --> 00:02:51,100 And that from that you never recovered. 42 00:02:53,000 --> 00:02:57,000 It's a wonderful thing to be a parent Their Blessings Beyond 43 00:02:57,000 --> 00:03:00,600 Compare. And if you give your whole heart 44 00:03:00,600 --> 00:03:04,700 and Life to being the kind of parent that God wants you to be, 45 00:03:05,800 --> 00:03:09,300 there can be blessings in your life even in the age that is to 46 00:03:09,300 --> 00:03:12,500 come. Now, David tells us in this 47 00:03:12,500 --> 00:03:15,000 Psalm what it takes to be a real dad. 48 00:03:16,300 --> 00:03:18,400 Now this word blessed is interesting. 49 00:03:19,300 --> 00:03:22,400 It is only used in The Book of Psalms and in this particular 50 00:03:22,400 --> 00:03:28,500 chapter, the word is plural. And, of course, it means happy 51 00:03:29,100 --> 00:03:33,300 and being plural means happy happy or Double Happiness. 52 00:03:33,800 --> 00:03:36,000 If you're the kind of parent that you ought to be. 53 00:03:36,000 --> 00:03:40,000 If you're the dad that the Bible teaches you you ought to be, 54 00:03:40,300 --> 00:03:43,800 then you are going to bring into your life Double Happiness, but 55 00:03:43,800 --> 00:03:48,100 there is an opposite end of that call. coin, you see for every 56 00:03:48,100 --> 00:03:52,100 positive, there's always a negative and if you're not 57 00:03:52,100 --> 00:03:56,500 careful, if you're not very cautious than you're headed for 58 00:03:56,500 --> 00:04:02,700 Double Trouble, Not only can being a parent, give you great 59 00:04:03,000 --> 00:04:08,300 satisfaction and great contentment and love. 60 00:04:08,300 --> 00:04:14,000 That is unbelievable. But if you're not, if you don't 61 00:04:14,000 --> 00:04:17,800 pay attention to the life that you have, you only get one shot. 62 00:04:17,800 --> 00:04:24,800 But And that shot comes so fast. you know, we think we think when 63 00:04:24,800 --> 00:04:28,100 we're young, we have the World by the tail, but while we're 64 00:04:28,100 --> 00:04:32,100 thinking that our life grows old, And it's over. 65 00:04:33,800 --> 00:04:36,400 And we realize we really didn't have anything but the tail. 66 00:04:38,100 --> 00:04:41,300 Your children grow up so fast that little boy right there, 67 00:04:42,300 --> 00:04:44,700 he's going to be graduating from high school at little girl, 68 00:04:44,700 --> 00:04:45,900 right there is going to be getting married. 69 00:04:45,900 --> 00:04:49,500 One of these days and you'll think how did it happen? 70 00:04:51,300 --> 00:04:54,100 And so right now you have to count the cost. 71 00:04:55,500 --> 00:04:59,300 David says, in the preceding Psalm, unless the Lord builds 72 00:04:59,300 --> 00:05:01,900 the house, they labor in vain who build it. 73 00:05:01,900 --> 00:05:05,200 Unless the Lord guards, the city, The Watchman stays awake 74 00:05:05,200 --> 00:05:07,700 in vain. Now, we often quote this verse 75 00:05:07,700 --> 00:05:11,100 in reference to the church and there's nothing wrong with 76 00:05:11,100 --> 00:05:13,600 quoting it in reference to the church, I don't suppose. 77 00:05:13,700 --> 00:05:17,200 But if you look at the context the succeeding versus are 78 00:05:17,200 --> 00:05:20,700 talking about having children and having your quiver, full of 79 00:05:20,700 --> 00:05:23,900 children will read those just a little later in our study. 80 00:05:24,100 --> 00:05:27,200 And so No, we might apply to the church. 81 00:05:27,200 --> 00:05:29,500 He's also talking about the home. 82 00:05:30,000 --> 00:05:33,500 In fact, first, I believe it must apply to the home. 83 00:05:33,500 --> 00:05:38,500 Now, listen to me if you move away from the standard that God 84 00:05:38,500 --> 00:05:41,100 has given for the home that you're going to get yourself in 85 00:05:41,100 --> 00:05:43,700 trouble. Now the does it take a brain 86 00:05:43,700 --> 00:05:46,900 surgeon or a rocket scientist to figure out how far away we've 87 00:05:46,900 --> 00:05:49,600 moved from the original standard. 88 00:05:51,300 --> 00:05:55,900 Divorce is so high that hardly any family. 89 00:05:56,400 --> 00:06:00,100 In fact, probably know family is not touched in some way by 90 00:06:00,100 --> 00:06:03,200 divorce. Preacher told me that when I was 91 00:06:03,200 --> 00:06:06,100 just a young boy preacher thinking about wanting to be a 92 00:06:06,108 --> 00:06:09,800 preacher, he said everybody's family is going to be touched by 93 00:06:09,800 --> 00:06:13,000 divorce, even your family that is that made me angry. 94 00:06:14,200 --> 00:06:16,500 And it wasn't all that many years until there was divorced 95 00:06:16,500 --> 00:06:22,200 in our family. You know what happens? 96 00:06:23,700 --> 00:06:25,800 You get into the honeymoon and it's ideal. 97 00:06:26,700 --> 00:06:30,000 Then he started having problems and ordeal develops. 98 00:06:30,500 --> 00:06:32,200 And then people look for a new deal. 99 00:06:33,400 --> 00:06:36,600 But that's not the way you can have a good marriage. 100 00:06:36,700 --> 00:06:40,200 That's not what it takes to be really genuinely happy. 101 00:06:40,200 --> 00:06:44,500 See marriage and the home was designed for happiness. 102 00:06:45,500 --> 00:06:49,000 It was designed for the greatest amount of happiness that can be 103 00:06:49,000 --> 00:06:52,400 attained in this world. And yet sometimes in the home, 104 00:06:52,400 --> 00:06:56,700 we have War zones. We have homes with Mom and Dad 105 00:06:56,700 --> 00:07:00,300 are enemies where the children are allowed to do, whatever they 106 00:07:00,300 --> 00:07:03,300 please. I'm telling you, there is a 107 00:07:03,300 --> 00:07:07,800 pattern and there is a way to have a home that will work and 108 00:07:07,800 --> 00:07:12,400 that will be successful and it of course it is the Lord's way. 109 00:07:12,600 --> 00:07:16,400 Well, this Psalm Psalm 128, gives us at least five 110 00:07:16,400 --> 00:07:20,100 principles that will help us to qualify. 111 00:07:20,100 --> 00:07:25,100 Our parenting skill to look at our lives and to better assess 112 00:07:25,200 --> 00:07:29,700 the kind of parent that we ought to be number one, the number one 113 00:07:29,700 --> 00:07:34,000 principle that I believe every Father needs to recognize is the 114 00:07:34,000 --> 00:07:38,100 character that you live listen to what he says. 115 00:07:38,400 --> 00:07:42,300 So I'm 128 verse 1. Blessed is everyone who fears 116 00:07:42,300 --> 00:07:47,500 the Lord, who walks in his way. What he's talking about here is 117 00:07:47,500 --> 00:07:51,300 genuine character, he's talking about the kind of character that 118 00:07:51,300 --> 00:07:56,000 it takes to be a good father, to be the kind of father that the 119 00:07:56,000 --> 00:07:59,400 Lord wants that, the children will be blessed by that will 120 00:07:59,400 --> 00:08:01,800 cause you to be a blessed individual. 121 00:08:01,900 --> 00:08:05,800 My brother's ask yourself this question, what kind of character 122 00:08:05,800 --> 00:08:09,300 do you have? Is it stable? 123 00:08:11,900 --> 00:08:16,600 Is it honest? You see the way you live 124 00:08:17,300 --> 00:08:21,400 demonstrates. The character you have Now, you 125 00:08:21,400 --> 00:08:24,600 think about this David is talking about a prescription for 126 00:08:24,600 --> 00:08:27,200 happiness in the home and the first thing he says you got to 127 00:08:27,200 --> 00:08:29,700 do is you got to fear God, you got fear. 128 00:08:30,800 --> 00:08:33,600 Now, have you ever gone and looked at self-help books and 129 00:08:34,100 --> 00:08:36,100 and and found one? You wanted that told you, the 130 00:08:36,100 --> 00:08:38,299 first thing you got to do is fear. 131 00:08:40,799 --> 00:08:43,500 Now, see, we're not, we're not looking at it from a 132 00:08:43,500 --> 00:08:47,200 psychological point of view, we're not looking at it from a 133 00:08:47,200 --> 00:08:51,700 humanistic point of view, you know, often marriages will end 134 00:08:51,700 --> 00:08:54,100 because somebody says I'm not happy. 135 00:08:55,200 --> 00:09:03,300 So what That doesn't give you a reason not to stay married. 136 00:09:04,600 --> 00:09:10,500 Happiness is a state of mind and happiness comes from within side 137 00:09:10,500 --> 00:09:13,500 in US. Listen to me if you're not 138 00:09:13,500 --> 00:09:16,200 contented, there's something wrong in here. 139 00:09:17,500 --> 00:09:20,200 It's not everybody else, it's you. 140 00:09:21,400 --> 00:09:25,300 If I have a problem with being contented and happy, it's my 141 00:09:25,300 --> 00:09:27,200 issue and I need to make some self-examination. 142 00:09:29,500 --> 00:09:34,100 David says, if you want to be double happy then, fear the 143 00:09:34,100 --> 00:09:36,100 lord. Now what does he mean by that? 144 00:09:36,200 --> 00:09:40,600 Does he mean that God is some monster that is lurking in the 145 00:09:40,600 --> 00:09:46,000 Darkness ready to stop us out. You'll sort people sing like 146 00:09:46,000 --> 00:09:48,200 that. They they think that's the kind 147 00:09:48,200 --> 00:09:54,100 of God we serve Now it's true that God does not mess with us. 148 00:09:54,700 --> 00:09:58,200 It's true. That God will punish the wicked 149 00:09:58,600 --> 00:10:04,800 but listen to me. God is the creator. and the 150 00:10:04,808 --> 00:10:11,100 Bible says that the Creator, Prepared everything on the 151 00:10:11,100 --> 00:10:15,800 earth, perfect. And then he created, man. 152 00:10:18,300 --> 00:10:24,100 He loves us. In the midst of the garden, the 153 00:10:24,100 --> 00:10:29,900 Creator provided a tree. And God said, when you eat some 154 00:10:29,900 --> 00:10:32,300 that tree, Adam, you'll live forever. 155 00:10:34,500 --> 00:10:36,700 He put him in a sinless world. Think about it. 156 00:10:36,700 --> 00:10:40,300 Where there was no child abuse. There was no drunkenness. 157 00:10:41,000 --> 00:10:43,900 There were no divorces. There was no death. 158 00:10:44,300 --> 00:10:46,900 There was no disease. There was no pain. 159 00:10:48,800 --> 00:10:54,700 Angelique, the tree of life and his body was perfect forever. 160 00:10:56,100 --> 00:11:01,900 God loved, man. But he told, man. that if you 161 00:11:01,900 --> 00:11:05,300 eat of that other tree, whatever that tree was. 162 00:11:06,400 --> 00:11:08,400 We don't know what kind of fruit is on that tree. 163 00:11:10,500 --> 00:11:13,800 But whatever that tree was. God said, if you eat from that 164 00:11:13,800 --> 00:11:18,000 tree, you're going to die. and we know that when man ate the 165 00:11:18,000 --> 00:11:23,100 fruit, he died that day, Now, it's interesting because in 166 00:11:23,100 --> 00:11:27,100 first Timothy Chapter 2, the Bible tells us something about 167 00:11:27,100 --> 00:11:32,400 what happened in the garden. It says the woman was deceived 168 00:11:32,900 --> 00:11:39,200 being in the transgression. When God came to Adam, he told 169 00:11:39,200 --> 00:11:41,400 him Adam. It's for your sake. 170 00:11:41,400 --> 00:11:48,000 That the ground is cursed. and it was that Student First, But 171 00:11:48,000 --> 00:11:52,400 you think about that, he says that the woman to see what we're 172 00:11:52,500 --> 00:11:56,200 seeing because she was deceived the devil lied to her and he 173 00:11:56,200 --> 00:12:00,900 deceived her. But the Bible implies the man 174 00:12:00,900 --> 00:12:03,500 knew what he was doing. God had told him not to eat the 175 00:12:03,500 --> 00:12:05,000 fruit. He knew he shouldn't. 176 00:12:05,000 --> 00:12:09,500 And he did anyway. There's a big difference. 177 00:12:11,500 --> 00:12:15,400 There's a big difference. And you seed man was 178 00:12:15,400 --> 00:12:19,900 responsible. My wife, I've mentioned this 179 00:12:19,900 --> 00:12:22,600 before, you know, I'm just like everybody else. 180 00:12:22,600 --> 00:12:26,700 I like to blame somebody else. And sometimes I try to blame my 181 00:12:26,700 --> 00:12:30,700 wife and one day I was blaming her and she got tired of it and 182 00:12:30,700 --> 00:12:34,100 she said Dwayne, Adam tried to blame Eve. 183 00:12:34,100 --> 00:12:43,100 Did it get him anywhere? You see, the problem was, Adam 184 00:12:43,100 --> 00:12:46,100 was supposed to be the spiritual leader, he was the leader of the 185 00:12:46,100 --> 00:12:50,500 family. He was the first leader that God 186 00:12:50,500 --> 00:12:53,200 organized and he dropped the ball. 187 00:12:54,700 --> 00:12:56,800 He probably was standing right there. 188 00:12:56,800 --> 00:13:02,600 When Satan said, You shall not surely die, he had the perfect 189 00:13:02,600 --> 00:13:06,500 opportunity to say, listen, we've get away from here, but 190 00:13:06,500 --> 00:13:11,000 you'd only did he stood there and watched And then when she 191 00:13:11,000 --> 00:13:13,600 ate and he gave her, she gave him the fruit. 192 00:13:13,600 --> 00:13:17,800 He ate with her. Now, listen to me friends, if 193 00:13:17,800 --> 00:13:22,700 there is trouble in the home, if you have problems in your family 194 00:13:22,900 --> 00:13:25,400 this evening, I'm telling you Brethren. 195 00:13:25,400 --> 00:13:28,200 You better look at yourself because most of the time, the 196 00:13:28,200 --> 00:13:32,600 problems in the home are caused by the fault of the man. 197 00:13:33,600 --> 00:13:36,900 Now, don't misunderstand me. I know there are a few Jezebel's 198 00:13:36,900 --> 00:13:41,200 left. But most of our sisters, all of 199 00:13:41,200 --> 00:13:44,200 our sisters in this assembly, do not none of them are Jezebel's. 200 00:13:46,400 --> 00:13:50,500 Most of the time, it's the man causing the problem because he's 201 00:13:50,500 --> 00:13:53,600 not what he ought to be. He's not fulfilling his 202 00:13:53,600 --> 00:13:56,300 responsibility that he ought to be. 203 00:13:56,500 --> 00:13:59,500 God says if you want to be happy, you need to fear God. 204 00:13:59,500 --> 00:14:02,100 In other words, you need to show God. 205 00:14:02,100 --> 00:14:04,200 Reverence you need to recognize who he is. 206 00:14:04,300 --> 00:14:07,600 He's the Creator. He made us. 207 00:14:08,400 --> 00:14:11,300 He's so much higher than anything that we know or 208 00:14:11,300 --> 00:14:15,300 understand. He's God, he's outside of time. 209 00:14:15,300 --> 00:14:17,700 We lived in a clue. closed system where everything is 210 00:14:17,700 --> 00:14:24,600 measured by time, but God is eternal and yet He put us on the 211 00:14:24,600 --> 00:14:27,700 Earth. His creation. 212 00:14:28,900 --> 00:14:31,700 And made us King of the earth, and we blew it. 213 00:14:32,900 --> 00:14:38,200 We see him. And he gave us a second chance. 214 00:14:39,900 --> 00:14:44,200 He sent his son Jesus to die on the cross of Calvary so that we 215 00:14:44,200 --> 00:14:47,800 can live eternally. In fact, I don't remember if 216 00:14:47,800 --> 00:14:50,400 I've mentioned it already and this meeting but you know, back 217 00:14:50,400 --> 00:14:53,400 younger Genesis chapter 3 and verse 21. 218 00:14:53,500 --> 00:14:58,000 The Bible says that these individuals in the beginning, 219 00:14:58,000 --> 00:15:03,000 Adam and Eve were clothed. And that word clothes comes from 220 00:15:03,000 --> 00:15:08,800 a Greek word, which means cover And they were close with tunics 221 00:15:09,100 --> 00:15:16,000 of skin or coats of skin and of course, the word closed later. 222 00:15:16,000 --> 00:15:20,400 He's used that is the route the Hebrew word, by which your from 223 00:15:20,400 --> 00:15:22,600 which the word clothes is translated. 224 00:15:22,600 --> 00:15:28,000 Later is translated atonement and it has to do of course with 225 00:15:28,200 --> 00:15:33,100 the Forgiveness of sins. Now, Adam and Eve were closed by 226 00:15:33,100 --> 00:15:36,900 God with those animal skins and of course in order for animal 227 00:15:36,900 --> 00:15:41,700 skins to cover the their body's blood had to be shed. 228 00:15:43,000 --> 00:15:47,300 Blood had to be shed. and the point is death, was brought to 229 00:15:47,300 --> 00:15:51,000 the world because of sin, and that was the first death when 230 00:15:51,000 --> 00:15:56,200 that animal died and Adam and Eve knew that I'll think about 231 00:15:56,200 --> 00:16:00,100 it. God, devised a plan. 232 00:16:01,500 --> 00:16:04,800 When man sinned, when man wronged him. 233 00:16:06,400 --> 00:16:12,100 To send his son to die. And he beginning a series of 234 00:16:12,400 --> 00:16:17,400 love. Substitution sacrifice. 235 00:16:18,600 --> 00:16:23,900 That pointed forward in time. God, of course, courtrooms 236 00:16:23,900 --> 00:16:26,600 chapter 3, as I have stated in the past. 237 00:16:27,900 --> 00:16:31,000 Did not give remission of sins with this Blood. 238 00:16:32,200 --> 00:16:36,000 But it was rather he passed over the sins because of this blood 239 00:16:37,000 --> 00:16:40,400 and he passed over the sin. Finally, until Jesus died on the 240 00:16:40,400 --> 00:16:48,300 cross, for your sin and mine, and our sins are nailed to the 241 00:16:48,300 --> 00:16:49,600 cross. Think about it. 242 00:16:50,600 --> 00:16:53,500 We should serve God because he loves us. 243 00:16:53,800 --> 00:16:55,600 No wonder. Paul said in Romans chapter 2 244 00:16:55,600 --> 00:16:59,500 verse 5, the goodness of God leads us to repentance. 245 00:17:00,600 --> 00:17:02,500 We should be ashamed of ourselves. 246 00:17:02,500 --> 00:17:06,099 When we fall short, we should be ashamed of ourselves. 247 00:17:06,099 --> 00:17:08,900 When we are not, the kind of father, we ought to be. 248 00:17:09,700 --> 00:17:11,800 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter. 249 00:17:11,800 --> 00:17:14,000 Fear, God, and keep his Commandments. 250 00:17:14,200 --> 00:17:18,900 For this is man's, all for God, will bring every work into 251 00:17:18,900 --> 00:17:21,700 judgment including every secret thing. 252 00:17:21,800 --> 00:17:24,099 Whether good or bad, listen, brother. 253 00:17:24,500 --> 00:17:28,000 If you're the kind of dad that your son needs to see if you're 254 00:17:28,000 --> 00:17:29,700 walking away that God wants you to walk. 255 00:17:29,800 --> 00:17:33,100 Look, he needs to hear you pray. When's the last time you prayed 256 00:17:33,100 --> 00:17:38,700 with your son? Some of you have sons that are 257 00:17:38,708 --> 00:17:42,000 grown, I hope you still pray with them sometimes. 258 00:17:44,300 --> 00:17:46,000 When was the last time you heard you pray? 259 00:17:47,500 --> 00:17:50,000 When was the last time that you listen to them, pray. 260 00:17:51,900 --> 00:17:54,700 What a perfect opportunity, Terry, you work with your son. 261 00:17:57,000 --> 00:18:01,000 Think about it brevet. We need to pray together with 262 00:18:01,000 --> 00:18:06,200 our children. They need to hear us praying to 263 00:18:06,200 --> 00:18:08,900 God, because we realize we've been wrong. 264 00:18:09,700 --> 00:18:12,300 They need to know that we feel accountable to God. 265 00:18:12,400 --> 00:18:15,200 They need to understand that we're responsible to him. 266 00:18:15,300 --> 00:18:18,300 They may be responsible to us why they're small, but they need 267 00:18:18,300 --> 00:18:21,900 to realize that the same time. One of the main causes of our 268 00:18:21,900 --> 00:18:24,300 discipline. One of the main causes of our 269 00:18:24,500 --> 00:18:28,600 sharp words sometimes of because we're under God's sight and 270 00:18:28,600 --> 00:18:34,100 we're subjecting them And when we make a mistake, they need to 271 00:18:34,100 --> 00:18:37,300 know that we're seeking his forgiveness. 272 00:18:38,000 --> 00:18:39,800 They need to see you reading Bible. 273 00:18:42,600 --> 00:18:44,000 Do the see you reading the Bible? 274 00:18:46,100 --> 00:18:47,500 You got some decent Saint Matthews. 275 00:18:47,500 --> 00:18:48,800 They ever see you reading the Bible. 276 00:18:50,800 --> 00:18:54,700 You see that's important. I got it mean when you see him 277 00:18:54,700 --> 00:18:57,800 running up in the yard, you pick your Bible up but I mean because 278 00:18:57,800 --> 00:19:01,300 you're reading it so much they sometimes catch you reading it. 279 00:19:03,800 --> 00:19:05,400 Because they can see through the fake. 280 00:19:06,700 --> 00:19:08,600 We think we're fooling them, but we're not. 281 00:19:10,400 --> 00:19:12,500 They need to hear you singing in the assembly. 282 00:19:14,700 --> 00:19:17,400 They need to know that when you're saying those words, you 283 00:19:17,400 --> 00:19:22,900 really mean what you're saying, they need to know that when you 284 00:19:22,900 --> 00:19:25,300 see what a friend I have in Jesus. 285 00:19:26,700 --> 00:19:29,400 That you're not spending all your nights Sleepless. 286 00:19:30,700 --> 00:19:32,400 Because you haven't been living right? 287 00:19:33,200 --> 00:19:36,300 Or maybe because you have problems that you have in cast 288 00:19:36,300 --> 00:19:40,100 on the Lord, they need to see that you're vulnerable and that 289 00:19:40,100 --> 00:19:43,300 you need God and that you look to God for help. 290 00:19:44,800 --> 00:19:46,800 We'll talk about that again some more tomorrow night, but I want 291 00:19:46,800 --> 00:19:49,500 to tell you something, what you have to do with your children, 292 00:19:50,500 --> 00:19:53,000 you have to convince them to do what you want them to do, 293 00:19:53,100 --> 00:19:54,600 because they think they need to do it. 294 00:19:54,600 --> 00:19:58,400 And when they get to the age, That they're going to leave the 295 00:19:58,400 --> 00:20:03,700 nest, they'll be ready. To live under God's Rule. 296 00:20:05,100 --> 00:20:08,500 Now I'm not talking to somebody tonight who has grown children. 297 00:20:08,500 --> 00:20:11,600 We can't go back and change. What we're what we were. 298 00:20:13,300 --> 00:20:16,800 And we can change what we are and it doesn't matter if your 299 00:20:16,800 --> 00:20:18,900 children are grown or not. If you're alive, there's still 300 00:20:18,900 --> 00:20:20,600 hope. But the point I want to make 301 00:20:20,600 --> 00:20:24,300 tonight is we need to all evaluate our fatherly 302 00:20:24,300 --> 00:20:28,400 characteristics because our children can see whether or not 303 00:20:28,400 --> 00:20:32,500 we really love God or not, do your children that they have. 304 00:20:32,500 --> 00:20:35,700 They seen how they learn how you listen to God's word. 305 00:20:37,400 --> 00:20:38,800 Do they hear you say? I'm sorry. 306 00:20:40,700 --> 00:20:43,000 Not easy for so many say, they're sorry. 307 00:20:44,200 --> 00:20:46,300 But you know, what's so bad with that? 308 00:20:47,900 --> 00:20:50,400 It's sometimes we all have need to say we're sorry. 309 00:20:52,200 --> 00:20:54,900 And when we can't admit it when we can't say, we're sorry, all 310 00:20:54,900 --> 00:20:57,600 were doing is fooling ourselves because the children know we 311 00:20:57,600 --> 00:21:03,300 need to say we're sorry. They need to hear say that they 312 00:21:03,300 --> 00:21:07,000 need to see a serve others. You need to take him up to the 313 00:21:07,000 --> 00:21:09,100 hospital and someone sick to visit. 314 00:21:10,000 --> 00:21:13,200 You need to take a to some widows home and clean the yard 315 00:21:13,200 --> 00:21:16,200 up with them. You see, they need to see you 316 00:21:16,200 --> 00:21:20,100 serving others, you need to teach them how to serve others. 317 00:21:20,300 --> 00:21:25,000 Well the character that he lives the contentment that he learns. 318 00:21:25,200 --> 00:21:27,800 Now we're living in a day and time when a man sometimes will 319 00:21:27,800 --> 00:21:30,700 take a wife and he has no concept of what it means to 320 00:21:30,700 --> 00:21:34,800 work. I'm going to tell you something, 321 00:21:35,800 --> 00:21:39,200 if you're a young man, contemplating marriage and 322 00:21:39,200 --> 00:21:43,400 you're not ready to work, Then you better stay out of marriage 323 00:21:44,200 --> 00:21:47,300 because it's your job to work and make a living for your 324 00:21:47,300 --> 00:21:50,600 family. That's your responsibility. 325 00:21:50,600 --> 00:21:53,800 It's given to you by God. Listen to what David says. 326 00:21:54,000 --> 00:21:57,300 When you eat the labor of your hands you shall be happy and it 327 00:21:57,300 --> 00:22:00,800 shall be well with you. There's nothing like going out 328 00:22:00,900 --> 00:22:03,500 and laboring hard through the day. 329 00:22:03,500 --> 00:22:07,000 That isn't mean necessarily physical labor but laboring hard 330 00:22:07,000 --> 00:22:10,000 through the day and when you know you've done all you could 331 00:22:10,000 --> 00:22:14,400 to accomplish the purpose that you live for that day coming 332 00:22:14,400 --> 00:22:17,700 home at night to a good meal. And to the family. 333 00:22:19,100 --> 00:22:23,600 A family that welcomes, you knowing that you have sacrificed 334 00:22:23,600 --> 00:22:26,700 for them, that you're laboring for them. 335 00:22:27,300 --> 00:22:31,600 He Genesis 3:19 in the sweat of your face, you shall eat bread. 336 00:22:31,600 --> 00:22:33,700 Tell you, return to the ground for out of it. 337 00:22:33,700 --> 00:22:38,000 You were taken for dust, you are and to dust you shall return. 338 00:22:38,100 --> 00:22:41,400 A man must work hard, but listen to me, brother. 339 00:22:42,400 --> 00:22:45,700 Don't carry it to an unwholesome evil. 340 00:22:49,800 --> 00:22:54,200 Because if you spend all your time away from home, you spend 341 00:22:54,200 --> 00:22:57,200 all your time, bringing home the bacon. 342 00:23:00,000 --> 00:23:02,900 Didn't you go to lose the most prized possession in your life? 343 00:23:02,900 --> 00:23:09,200 Your children? You know, one of the problems 344 00:23:09,200 --> 00:23:12,100 that we face today is both the man and woman have gone to the 345 00:23:12,100 --> 00:23:15,500 workplace and the workplace is not a place where you can take 346 00:23:15,500 --> 00:23:19,400 your children generally. You know, I was blessed by mom 347 00:23:19,400 --> 00:23:23,000 didn't work and my dad had his own business, so I could go to 348 00:23:23,000 --> 00:23:26,900 work with you. And it was an environment where 349 00:23:26,900 --> 00:23:31,400 I could labor and I could learn my sister wasn't so fortunate 350 00:23:31,400 --> 00:23:33,400 wasn't so blessed. She didn't get to go with my 351 00:23:33,400 --> 00:23:39,500 dad. But your children need to spend 352 00:23:39,500 --> 00:23:42,300 time with you, even when you working. 353 00:23:42,800 --> 00:23:45,700 Now, I know you can't take him on the job, I understand that 354 00:23:45,700 --> 00:23:50,500 generally But listen to me dad. You're the one that's to teach 355 00:23:50,500 --> 00:23:54,000 your little boys and your little girls how to work. 356 00:23:55,800 --> 00:23:58,800 We're living in a day and time when young people don't know how 357 00:23:58,800 --> 00:24:00,600 to work. When one of the biggest problems 358 00:24:00,600 --> 00:24:04,200 is when you have a place where you need to employ, people is 359 00:24:04,200 --> 00:24:06,600 getting somebody to have come to work on fine. 360 00:24:09,300 --> 00:24:13,000 Isn't that amazing? All this other employment, all 361 00:24:13,000 --> 00:24:16,600 these people out of work and when they get an opportunity for 362 00:24:16,600 --> 00:24:20,400 a interview or or for a job, they show up late. 363 00:24:25,600 --> 00:24:29,200 Every man needs to learn and know how to work hard. 364 00:24:29,300 --> 00:24:33,100 In fact, Paul says that if you did not provide for your family 365 00:24:33,200 --> 00:24:35,100 that you're worse than an Infidel. 366 00:24:35,200 --> 00:24:37,000 Now how you get worse than an Infidel? 367 00:24:37,000 --> 00:24:41,800 I haven't figured that out yet. But that's what the Bible says. 368 00:24:43,200 --> 00:24:46,600 That when you want work and provide for your family, you're 369 00:24:46,600 --> 00:24:50,500 worse than an unbeliever. There's something about working 370 00:24:50,500 --> 00:24:53,500 hard. That brings satisfaction, you 371 00:24:53,500 --> 00:24:56,000 know, you need to teach your children to stick to things. 372 00:24:56,200 --> 00:24:58,900 They need to see you getting up and going to work. 373 00:24:59,000 --> 00:25:03,900 Even when you don't feel like going to work, they need to see 374 00:25:03,900 --> 00:25:06,500 you getting up and doing what you need to do. 375 00:25:06,500 --> 00:25:10,100 Even when you don't feel like doing what you need to do. 376 00:25:11,600 --> 00:25:16,100 They need to see you on a day-to-day grind, being the kind 377 00:25:16,100 --> 00:25:20,700 of person that you ought to be. And that'll stick to them the 378 00:25:20,700 --> 00:25:23,500 rest of their lives. Listen to this little poem. 379 00:25:23,500 --> 00:25:26,500 We've all heard it. I guess a little fellow follows 380 00:25:26,500 --> 00:25:31,000 me a careful man. I ought to be a little fellow 381 00:25:31,000 --> 00:25:35,000 follows me. I dare not go astray for fear. 382 00:25:35,000 --> 00:25:40,000 He'll go the self same way I cannot wants Escape his eyes. 383 00:25:40,000 --> 00:25:41,000 Whatever. He sees me. 384 00:25:41,000 --> 00:25:45,400 Do he tries like me? He says he's going to be that 385 00:25:45,400 --> 00:25:53,000 little chap who follows me. He thinks that I am good and 386 00:25:53,000 --> 00:25:56,700 fine believes every word of mine. 387 00:25:57,200 --> 00:26:02,300 The base of me, he must not see. That little chap who follows me 388 00:26:02,900 --> 00:26:06,700 I must remember as I go through Summer, Sun and winter snow. 389 00:26:07,200 --> 00:26:12,700 I'm building for the years to be in the little chap who follows 390 00:26:12,700 --> 00:26:17,600 me my little, my youngest, well he is my youngest grandson 391 00:26:17,600 --> 00:26:20,900 anymore. But he's going to be three just 392 00:26:20,900 --> 00:26:23,700 a few days. We went to the parts store. 393 00:26:23,700 --> 00:26:26,800 One day, and we were waiting for some help. 394 00:26:27,200 --> 00:26:29,900 And we were standing outside and I put my hands in my pocket. 395 00:26:29,900 --> 00:26:34,100 I put my foot up on the wall and I looked down and Isaiah had his 396 00:26:34,100 --> 00:26:37,700 foot on the wall. Sometimes he tries to wear his 397 00:26:37,700 --> 00:26:43,000 Daddy's Shoes. I'm telling you The Greatest 398 00:26:43,000 --> 00:26:47,800 Prize that you have in your life is not what you get, not your 399 00:26:47,800 --> 00:26:53,600 money, not your possessions, not your job, your business, it's 400 00:26:53,600 --> 00:26:59,000 your family. and if you let your family slip, through your hands, 401 00:27:00,400 --> 00:27:02,800 You'll have nothing but regret. Did you girl? 402 00:27:04,100 --> 00:27:08,600 And how sad will that be the character that he lives the 403 00:27:08,600 --> 00:27:14,200 contentment in his life and the companion that he loves listen 404 00:27:14,200 --> 00:27:18,700 to me Chris if you want your children to have the greatest 405 00:27:19,000 --> 00:27:22,400 value in their life that you need to learn to love their mama 406 00:27:22,500 --> 00:27:25,200 more than you love anything else in this world. 407 00:27:26,100 --> 00:27:30,400 If you want your children to understand what God and how God 408 00:27:30,400 --> 00:27:33,800 loves them, then you need to love their mom with your word. 409 00:27:33,900 --> 00:27:36,300 Words, you need to love their mom with your actions. 410 00:27:36,300 --> 00:27:39,100 You need to love their mom with your life. 411 00:27:40,600 --> 00:27:45,200 You see God designed it so that children can see God and us. 412 00:27:47,100 --> 00:27:51,600 The companion that he loves listen for hymns, to be the kind 413 00:27:51,600 --> 00:27:54,200 of father, we need to be, we need to love our wives. 414 00:27:54,200 --> 00:27:57,500 We need to love our spouses with everything that we have. 415 00:27:57,500 --> 00:28:02,200 Got your wife shall be like a fruitful Vine in the very heart 416 00:28:02,300 --> 00:28:05,400 of your house. What you talking about now, 417 00:28:06,000 --> 00:28:10,000 Doyle, you got some Tomatoes, but I had no, that you never 418 00:28:10,000 --> 00:28:12,400 went out there and started walking on those tomatoes. 419 00:28:13,700 --> 00:28:15,900 They look pretty good. He's got some, you know, he's 420 00:28:15,900 --> 00:28:19,300 got some, but I want to tell you something, he's not as good at 421 00:28:19,300 --> 00:28:22,400 raising Tomatoes is my dad. As my dad's got about 1,000 more 422 00:28:22,400 --> 00:28:24,200 tomatoes on his Vine that he does. 423 00:28:26,200 --> 00:28:30,200 But you know what happens? I've hit you to say if you were 424 00:28:30,200 --> 00:28:33,700 a fly on the fence out there, you'd hear Doyle talking those 425 00:28:33,700 --> 00:28:36,500 plants. He wouldn't be yelling out of 426 00:28:36,500 --> 00:28:39,300 neither, he'd be talking soft to him. 427 00:28:40,300 --> 00:28:44,800 I venture to say you might see him nurturing those plants who 428 00:28:44,800 --> 00:28:48,200 looking for maybe some worms and getting those worms off of 429 00:28:48,208 --> 00:28:51,000 there. He's taking he's fertilizing. 430 00:28:51,100 --> 00:28:55,200 He's cultivating them. He's caring for him because he 431 00:28:55,200 --> 00:28:56,900 wants them to grow and make tomatoes. 432 00:28:58,100 --> 00:29:01,700 Now, if you ever seen an old woman, With wrinkles all over 433 00:29:01,700 --> 00:29:05,100 her face because she's had to deal with so much stress in her 434 00:29:05,100 --> 00:29:07,800 life. I'm not talking about the 435 00:29:07,800 --> 00:29:12,000 crinkles around her eyebrows and maybe on her cheekbone from 436 00:29:12,000 --> 00:29:15,600 laughing so much. But I'm talking about somebody 437 00:29:15,600 --> 00:29:20,300 that's had a hard life. You see, Dad, it's your job to 438 00:29:20,300 --> 00:29:25,800 make your wife's life better. Now, I want you to be honest 439 00:29:25,800 --> 00:29:29,100 with yourself. Paul says, examine yourselves. 440 00:29:29,100 --> 00:29:31,700 Whether ye be in the faith, Jack you need to ask yourself. 441 00:29:31,700 --> 00:29:35,400 The question is Betty a better person today than she was 40 442 00:29:35,400 --> 00:29:39,800 years ago? You need to think about that 443 00:29:40,200 --> 00:29:43,900 because when you take a wife, it's your responsibility to make 444 00:29:43,900 --> 00:29:46,400 that woman better than she would have ever been. 445 00:29:47,700 --> 00:29:52,300 That's your job. The companion that he loves. 446 00:29:52,500 --> 00:29:57,500 Now, what does a vine do? Think about it of buying Cleaves 447 00:29:57,500 --> 00:30:01,200 to a wall? What the vine needs is a steady 448 00:30:02,100 --> 00:30:04,600 wall. That is a help to that vine. 449 00:30:04,800 --> 00:30:06,800 Now, listen to me, I've stated this already. 450 00:30:06,900 --> 00:30:11,500 If there is trouble in the home, most of the time, the trouble Is 451 00:30:11,500 --> 00:30:14,400 Man's fault. Now we're talking about this 452 00:30:14,400 --> 00:30:17,000 idea of Love. Did you ever notice that the 453 00:30:17,008 --> 00:30:19,100 Bible doesn't tell the woman who loved her husband? 454 00:30:22,600 --> 00:30:26,200 There is no place that directly commands the woman to love her 455 00:30:26,200 --> 00:30:29,100 husband. Have you ever wondered why? 456 00:30:31,700 --> 00:30:35,900 now, God made us He knows who we are. 457 00:30:36,000 --> 00:30:38,100 He knows the potential that we have. 458 00:30:38,100 --> 00:30:41,600 Why does he command the man to love his wife? 459 00:30:41,700 --> 00:30:43,300 But not the woman to love her husband. 460 00:30:45,000 --> 00:30:49,900 Well, I believe it's creational and I'm convinced that if a man 461 00:30:49,900 --> 00:30:53,200 loves his wife, as the Bible teaches him to love his wife, 462 00:30:53,400 --> 00:30:56,000 then he will have to shift. His wife won't have to be told 463 00:30:56,000 --> 00:30:57,700 to love him because she'll love it. 464 00:31:02,200 --> 00:31:06,100 If you really love your wife as the Bible teaches you to love 465 00:31:06,100 --> 00:31:08,800 your wife, then that love is going to be requited. 466 00:31:09,800 --> 00:31:13,300 There is no doubt about that. The command companion, that he 467 00:31:13,300 --> 00:31:16,500 loves the kind of love were talking about is Selfless Love. 468 00:31:18,500 --> 00:31:21,100 Now, what how do you demonstrate your love to your wife? 469 00:31:25,300 --> 00:31:27,800 Well, most of us don't think about relationships. 470 00:31:29,900 --> 00:31:36,100 You know, if your wife says she needs a relationship, You know, 471 00:31:36,100 --> 00:31:38,500 we think what we got a refrigerator in a dog? 472 00:31:38,500 --> 00:31:45,300 What else do you need? In fact, most of us, probably 473 00:31:45,500 --> 00:31:48,700 talk more work than we like to talk anyway and we get home. 474 00:31:48,700 --> 00:31:52,700 We don't want to talk anymore. But the truth of the matter is, 475 00:31:53,400 --> 00:31:58,000 I'm supposed to love this woman more than I love anything else 476 00:31:58,000 --> 00:31:59,500 in this world. You think about that? 477 00:32:03,000 --> 00:32:07,700 I'm supposed to love my wife with a sacrificial love. 478 00:32:07,800 --> 00:32:10,300 In fact, I want you to listen to this statement. 479 00:32:10,700 --> 00:32:15,500 Well, the husband is head of the wife as also Christ is head of 480 00:32:15,500 --> 00:32:21,300 the church and he is the savior of the body, think about this. 481 00:32:21,900 --> 00:32:27,200 Jesus did not become head of the church before he was savior of 482 00:32:27,200 --> 00:32:33,800 the church. Now if you spend your time brow 483 00:32:33,800 --> 00:32:37,700 beating your wife over the head, with the idea that you're the 484 00:32:37,700 --> 00:32:41,400 boss, you're the boss. I'm the boss need to listen to 485 00:32:41,400 --> 00:32:45,600 what I'm saying. Then you're making a terrible 486 00:32:45,600 --> 00:32:49,700 mistake. In fact. 487 00:32:51,400 --> 00:32:55,500 In the marriage, there are roles that are given by God. 488 00:32:58,900 --> 00:33:02,200 And there's a role for the man, there's a role for the woman. 489 00:33:03,700 --> 00:33:07,100 But the roll. It's not. 490 00:33:08,700 --> 00:33:13,300 So much like this. And like this. 491 00:33:19,000 --> 00:33:26,100 It's more like this. Now it's true. 492 00:33:27,200 --> 00:33:28,700 That the man is the head of the home. 493 00:33:30,000 --> 00:33:33,100 But over there in first, Timothy Chapter 5 and verse 14. 494 00:33:33,400 --> 00:33:37,000 The Bible says, the wife is to manage the home. 495 00:33:37,000 --> 00:33:40,700 Now that word managed is from a Greek word that's translated in 496 00:33:40,700 --> 00:33:44,100 other places Rule. Now, don't misunderstand me 497 00:33:44,100 --> 00:33:45,200 here. Listen to this. 498 00:33:46,000 --> 00:33:48,900 What's he talking about manage or rule of home? 499 00:33:49,900 --> 00:33:53,700 Now, Jesus is head of the church but who rules the church? 500 00:33:55,200 --> 00:33:58,100 It's the elders. You see the point? 501 00:33:59,400 --> 00:34:03,800 the umbrella of leadership the headship is the man's, but under 502 00:34:03,800 --> 00:34:09,600 that umbrella of authority, the wife has some authority to She's 503 00:34:09,600 --> 00:34:12,800 knocked the she's not the slave to the family. 504 00:34:14,500 --> 00:34:19,100 She's not. And we have to always remember 505 00:34:19,100 --> 00:34:21,000 that. The Bible says, for the husband 506 00:34:21,100 --> 00:34:24,900 is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church and 507 00:34:24,900 --> 00:34:29,900 he is the savior of the body therefore just as the church is 508 00:34:29,900 --> 00:34:33,000 subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husband's 509 00:34:33,199 --> 00:34:36,199 in everything. Husbands love your wives just as 510 00:34:36,199 --> 00:34:38,400 Christ. Also loved the church and gave 511 00:34:38,400 --> 00:34:42,199 himself for her. Now, let me ask you, do you love 512 00:34:42,199 --> 00:34:44,600 your wife, brother? Like Jesus loves the church. 513 00:34:48,500 --> 00:34:52,400 Now, do you think if Jesus were you, she'd come he'd come and 514 00:34:52,400 --> 00:34:55,600 sit in his easy chair and tell his bride to bring me a glass of 515 00:34:55,600 --> 00:35:01,800 tea after she's worked all day. How about it? 516 00:35:03,000 --> 00:35:05,400 Now, is it wrong for your wife to bring you a glass of tea? 517 00:35:06,700 --> 00:35:14,800 Oh, that's a good dude. but the point is, She needs to know that 518 00:35:14,800 --> 00:35:17,500 you love her and then she'll bring you a glass of tea without 519 00:35:17,500 --> 00:35:21,800 you asking me. But you have to demonstrate 520 00:35:21,800 --> 00:35:26,200 that. By the way you treat her, by the 521 00:35:26,200 --> 00:35:30,400 way that you live, you need to take your wife on dates. 522 00:35:31,500 --> 00:35:34,900 You know what happens, a man romances his wife and he 523 00:35:34,900 --> 00:35:39,500 romances her takes her on dates and brings her flowers or brings 524 00:35:39,500 --> 00:35:42,400 your candy or whatever. Anything she likes. 525 00:35:42,400 --> 00:35:44,200 He tries to figure it out. I'm going to get you to the 526 00:35:44,800 --> 00:35:49,700 marriage altar, it all stops and after a few weeks, the wife gets 527 00:35:49,700 --> 00:35:51,700 a little bit disgusted about it and then she doesn't say 528 00:35:51,700 --> 00:35:54,400 anything yet. She just thinks he's busy. 529 00:35:54,400 --> 00:35:56,500 You know? He's starting a new life but 530 00:35:56,500 --> 00:35:59,400 pretty soon she blows up and she wants to know what's wrong. 531 00:35:59,800 --> 00:36:02,300 You see a man is go. Goal oriented. 532 00:36:02,800 --> 00:36:07,100 His goal was just to get married and after he gets married, he's 533 00:36:07,100 --> 00:36:09,000 reached his goal. So we don't have to romance 534 00:36:09,000 --> 00:36:12,000 anymore, but you see, God don't want it to be that way. 535 00:36:13,300 --> 00:36:16,000 We need to stop and think about it and we need to continue to 536 00:36:16,000 --> 00:36:19,000 romance. Our wives, we need to continue 537 00:36:19,000 --> 00:36:22,700 to take them on dates. We need intent, continue to 538 00:36:22,700 --> 00:36:27,700 spend time with our spouses, we need to do things with them, and 539 00:36:28,400 --> 00:36:32,800 show them how much we love them. Listen to this. 540 00:36:34,400 --> 00:36:39,300 Bought a beautiful diamond ring, offered it to the sweetest 541 00:36:39,300 --> 00:36:40,400 thing. I know. 542 00:36:41,900 --> 00:36:47,600 And she said she would take it. Started making some wedding 543 00:36:47,600 --> 00:36:53,300 plans, she looked at me and she took my hand and said, are you 544 00:36:53,300 --> 00:36:59,100 sure we can make it? I said my grand dad, still loves 545 00:36:59,400 --> 00:37:02,600 my grandma, he's still in love with my Grandma. 546 00:37:03,200 --> 00:37:07,100 I said, my dad still thinks my mom's the sweetest thing he ever 547 00:37:07,100 --> 00:37:12,500 saw. I come from a long line of love. 548 00:37:13,400 --> 00:37:16,200 When the times get hard, we don't give up. 549 00:37:17,600 --> 00:37:22,900 Forever is in my heart and in my blood, you see I come from a 550 00:37:22,900 --> 00:37:28,600 long line of Love years went by. And we had a son. 551 00:37:29,200 --> 00:37:34,200 Now he thinks that he's found someone for him and they're 552 00:37:34,200 --> 00:37:38,100 planning a wedding. He called me up on the phone 553 00:37:38,100 --> 00:37:42,400 today, just to see what I had to say to him. 554 00:37:43,400 --> 00:37:47,400 Did I think he was ready? I said what his grandfather used 555 00:37:47,400 --> 00:37:50,900 to say to me? It's been handed down for ages. 556 00:37:50,900 --> 00:37:55,300 It runs in the family. You come from a long line of 557 00:37:55,300 --> 00:37:58,600 love. When times get hard, you won't 558 00:37:58,600 --> 00:38:04,700 give up for Evers in your heart and in your blood you come from 559 00:38:04,700 --> 00:38:14,000 a long line of love. The children that he leads when 560 00:38:14,000 --> 00:38:18,200 someone 28 verse 3 of children like Olive plants, all around 561 00:38:18,300 --> 00:38:22,700 your table, all of us were a symbol of righteousness, but I 562 00:38:22,700 --> 00:38:26,200 am like a green olive tree in the house of God, I trust in the 563 00:38:26,200 --> 00:38:29,800 mercy of God forever and ever. Now, look at this. 564 00:38:29,800 --> 00:38:34,500 He says our wife has to be like a Vine and our children are to 565 00:38:34,500 --> 00:38:39,200 be like Olive plants. Planets and Vines. 566 00:38:40,800 --> 00:38:44,300 That means that there's some cultivating that has to go on. 567 00:38:45,600 --> 00:38:49,500 There's some time that has to be spent, you see people in our day 568 00:38:49,500 --> 00:38:58,900 and time talk about Time in the wrong sense. you know, quality 569 00:38:58,900 --> 00:39:05,000 time they call it But you don't say that tomorrow at 5:00, we're 570 00:39:05,000 --> 00:39:09,400 going to have some quality time. They didn't way it happens. 571 00:39:11,300 --> 00:39:19,200 What you do is you spend day after day time together. and you 572 00:39:19,200 --> 00:39:24,200 spend time and more time and more time and then all of a 573 00:39:24,200 --> 00:39:28,700 sudden, because you spent a lot of time together You have some 574 00:39:28,700 --> 00:39:32,600 quality time. Have you ever wondered why these 575 00:39:32,600 --> 00:39:34,700 big organizations have ball clubs? 576 00:39:38,400 --> 00:39:40,500 You know why they do that? Because people break their legs 577 00:39:40,500 --> 00:39:45,300 and break their arms. Yeah, that's why they do that. 578 00:39:46,800 --> 00:39:48,700 Now, do they want people to break their legs and break their 579 00:39:48,700 --> 00:39:51,500 arms? No, that's not the idea. 580 00:39:52,800 --> 00:39:54,800 But you know what happens, when somebody breaks her leg, when 581 00:39:54,800 --> 00:39:56,700 they're playing together when they're together. 582 00:39:58,200 --> 00:40:04,200 Everybody comes to the rescue. Any short-tempered experience 583 00:40:04,200 --> 00:40:06,200 that happened. Last week is forgotten. 584 00:40:07,500 --> 00:40:11,400 And you touch each other's heart and you know what happens when 585 00:40:11,400 --> 00:40:14,400 that leg men's and there stood the working out there together, 586 00:40:14,500 --> 00:40:17,200 they become a team. And they begin to love each 587 00:40:17,200 --> 00:40:22,000 other because they bombed, Gary Smalley says that every family 588 00:40:22,000 --> 00:40:26,100 ought to go camping. because there's a lot of experiences 589 00:40:26,100 --> 00:40:32,600 when you go camping that are bonds, you Now, it's not it's 590 00:40:32,600 --> 00:40:36,100 not good for the experience. The experience is not something 591 00:40:36,100 --> 00:40:40,700 you wish on anybody, but when you do things together that are 592 00:40:40,700 --> 00:40:44,400 little bit risky, something happens, maybe Emma. 593 00:40:44,400 --> 00:40:47,900 I'll get her finger stuck in the door and and it'll get smashed. 594 00:40:47,900 --> 00:40:49,500 I hope that doesn't happen, dear. 595 00:40:50,300 --> 00:40:54,100 But that happened to one of our kids one time, and it's amazing 596 00:40:54,700 --> 00:40:58,400 how much we can laugh. Now when we talk about that day, 597 00:40:58,500 --> 00:41:00,300 that Phillip smashed his finger in the dike. 598 00:41:00,400 --> 00:41:02,400 Door now he wasn't laughing that day. 599 00:41:03,600 --> 00:41:08,000 But today we can laugh about it. And that's how you raise a 600 00:41:08,008 --> 00:41:10,800 family and that's how you cultivate your family. 601 00:41:10,800 --> 00:41:16,100 You spend lots of time with them and you Bond the Bible says, and 602 00:41:16,100 --> 00:41:18,800 you fathers do not provoke your children to wrath but bring them 603 00:41:18,800 --> 00:41:22,300 up in the nurture or in the training and admonition of the 604 00:41:22,300 --> 00:41:24,400 lord. Well, the last point, I want to 605 00:41:24,408 --> 00:41:26,800 make is because our normal times already gone, is the 606 00:41:26,800 --> 00:41:34,000 contribution that he leaves. This is the most important 607 00:41:34,000 --> 00:41:37,400 point. But you can't have this point 608 00:41:38,200 --> 00:41:42,500 unless you keep the others. so, you got to take your kids to 609 00:41:42,500 --> 00:41:46,900 church, You don't send them to church with Dad, you don't send 610 00:41:46,900 --> 00:41:50,900 to church with Mom. You go to church together. 611 00:41:52,500 --> 00:41:57,200 You read the Bible together. You do lots of things together. 612 00:41:57,200 --> 00:42:01,700 Maybe grocery shop together or I hate to shop, but sometimes I 613 00:42:01,700 --> 00:42:05,800 grocery shop with my wife, Because I look for any 614 00:42:05,800 --> 00:42:07,600 opportunity to spend time with her. 615 00:42:12,200 --> 00:42:14,500 And when that is all put together at the end of your 616 00:42:14,500 --> 00:42:17,700 life. The greatest tribute will be the 617 00:42:17,700 --> 00:42:22,400 contribution that you leave. Our greatest asset in the church 618 00:42:22,600 --> 00:42:24,400 is our families. You think about it? 619 00:42:25,700 --> 00:42:31,400 if we all saved our families, the church would be Giant. 620 00:42:33,200 --> 00:42:35,300 It would grow incredible, you know, that's one of the reasons 621 00:42:35,300 --> 00:42:39,900 why Fremont got so big so fast. It's because that generation the 622 00:42:39,900 --> 00:42:43,500 last generation after me. They saved all their children. 623 00:42:45,300 --> 00:42:47,600 And their children married people and they all stayed at 624 00:42:47,600 --> 00:42:52,600 Fremont. And the church grew tremendously 625 00:42:52,600 --> 00:42:54,400 because of that. That's not the only reason. 626 00:42:56,300 --> 00:42:58,900 But that's one of the reasons you want the church here too. 627 00:43:00,300 --> 00:43:04,500 Be shot into the future. Then you need to teach and train 628 00:43:04,700 --> 00:43:08,400 your children. It is vain to rise up early to 629 00:43:08,400 --> 00:43:12,000 sit up late to eat the bread of Sorrows or so, he gives his 630 00:43:12,000 --> 00:43:13,600 beloved sleep. Listen to this behold. 631 00:43:13,600 --> 00:43:16,300 Children are a Heritage from the Lord. 632 00:43:16,300 --> 00:43:20,100 The fruit of the womb is a reward, like arrows in the hand 633 00:43:20,100 --> 00:43:22,600 of a warrior. So are the children of one's 634 00:43:22,700 --> 00:43:25,500 youth. Happy is the man who has a his 635 00:43:25,500 --> 00:43:29,900 quiver full of them. They shall not be ashamed, but 636 00:43:29,900 --> 00:43:32,700 speak but shall speak with their enemies. 637 00:43:32,800 --> 00:43:38,600 He's in the gate, the character that he lives, the contentment 638 00:43:38,600 --> 00:43:41,800 that he learns the companion, that he loves the children that 639 00:43:41,800 --> 00:43:46,200 he leads, and finally, the contribution that he leaves. 640 00:43:46,900 --> 00:43:50,700 You want to be happy tonight. You want to grow old. 641 00:43:52,900 --> 00:43:58,400 Then be this kind of father. And you'll have memories, and 642 00:43:58,400 --> 00:44:00,500 you'll have Pleasures that are Untold. 643 00:44:02,400 --> 00:44:06,000 Now, I don't know the minds of people who are here tonight, but 644 00:44:06,000 --> 00:44:08,700 I'm going to tell you, you can't be blessed like you can be 645 00:44:09,100 --> 00:44:12,300 unless you're a Christian and if you're here tonight and you're 646 00:44:12,300 --> 00:44:16,500 not a Christian, then the best time to start being the kind of 647 00:44:16,500 --> 00:44:19,400 dad, you ought to be as right now, show your children. 648 00:44:19,500 --> 00:44:22,000 What it means to give your life to God? 649 00:44:23,300 --> 00:44:29,400 The Bible says in Hebrews 11:6, but without faith, it is 650 00:44:29,400 --> 00:44:33,200 impossible to please him. For he, that cometh to God must 651 00:44:33,300 --> 00:44:36,600 believe that he is, and that he is, the rewarder of those who 652 00:44:36,600 --> 00:44:39,600 diligently seek Him. Are you ready to diligently seek 653 00:44:39,600 --> 00:44:44,000 after the Lord, then pronounce your faith in him, decide in 654 00:44:44,000 --> 00:44:46,900 your heart, that you're no longer going to serve the wages 655 00:44:46,900 --> 00:44:49,900 of sin turn about face and that's repentance. 656 00:44:50,400 --> 00:44:53,800 And I asked the third chapter verse 19, the Bible says, repent 657 00:44:53,800 --> 00:44:56,600 and be converted that your sins may be blotted out. 658 00:44:56,600 --> 00:44:59,100 Are you ready to be converted? Do you believe in Jesus with all 659 00:44:59,100 --> 00:45:00,900 of your heart? Have you repented in your heart 660 00:45:00,900 --> 00:45:02,700 confess you before this audience? 661 00:45:03,000 --> 00:45:06,800 And Jesus makes a promise. He says, I'll confess you before 662 00:45:06,800 --> 00:45:11,600 God. Be like the eunuch. 663 00:45:12,700 --> 00:45:17,800 Who said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. 664 00:45:18,000 --> 00:45:21,000 And the Bible says that when the eunuch made that confession, 665 00:45:21,700 --> 00:45:24,500 that the preacher commanded the Chariot to stop. 666 00:45:25,100 --> 00:45:29,200 And they both went down into the water and he baptized him. 667 00:45:30,400 --> 00:45:34,000 Why did you do that? The like figure whereunto does 668 00:45:34,000 --> 00:45:37,000 even baptism. Now, also save us. 669 00:45:38,100 --> 00:45:41,000 He believed he repented he confessed and then he was 670 00:45:41,000 --> 00:45:46,000 baptized because baptism is the final step that saves us. 671 00:45:47,200 --> 00:45:49,600 You want to be happy, give your life to God tonight. 672 00:45:50,400 --> 00:45:53,100 Make up your mind. You're going to serve him from 673 00:45:53,100 --> 00:45:54,400 this day forward. You're going to give him 674 00:45:54,400 --> 00:46:00,200 everything and he'll bless you. Wherefore my beloved Brethren be 675 00:46:00,200 --> 00:46:07,400 ye stedfast unmoveable always abounding in the work of the 676 00:46:07,400 --> 00:46:15,200 Lord Inasmuch, as you know that your labor is not in vain. 677 00:46:16,500 --> 00:46:19,500 In the Lord. We thank you for listening to 678 00:46:19,500 --> 00:46:24,300 our podcast, put on by the Church of Christ at 22:15 plans. 679 00:46:24,300 --> 00:46:27,900 Road in Bakersfield, if you would, like any additional 680 00:46:27,900 --> 00:46:31,200 information, or you would like to receive a free Bible 681 00:46:31,200 --> 00:46:36,600 correspondence, course by mail. Please email us at info at her 682 00:46:36,600 --> 00:46:39,100 Church of Christ Bakersfield.com. 683 00:46:39,700 --> 00:46:45,000 Our service times are Sundays at 10:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. and 684 00:46:45,000 --> 00:46:49,400 Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m. Please make plans to join us. 685 00:46:49,900 --> 00:46:52,100 We would love for you to be our honored guest.