1 Corinthians 4:15 For though ye have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel.
God places people in our life for seasons.
some stay / some go
We learn from everyone around us if we just pay attention
teachers, Pastor, even the youth can teach us a thing or 2 at times
There have been 4 people to shape my life
Keith Woods
A.t. Lowery
Sis Joni Freeman
MY WIFE
Psalm 127:1,2 Unless the Lord builds the house,
They labor in vain who build it; Unless the Lord guards the city,
The watchman stays awake in vain. It is vain for you to rise up early, To sit up late, To eat the bread of sorrows;
Here we see man worried about his future so much that he cant even sleep
who will protect what I have built
It only takes 1 generation to destroy what took many years to build
You are always 1 leadership change away from destruction or advancement
Thats why we worry so much about things,
holiness traditions
style of worship
doctrines being corrupted
bible versions
how the service is conducted
But we forget, Unless the Lord guards the city, Its all in vain. we find the solution in
Psalm127:3-5 Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord,
The fruit of the womb is a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, 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.
Kids pass on your beliefs! They are like little versions of ourselves
Thats why we do what we do to keep them here and keep them out of the world!
One bow….but many arrows secure the future
Bow represents the older generation and the arrows the younger
how many arrows are you guiding?
Most new ministries, and ministry ideas as well as church plants are by young ministers.
If these arrows have been released from a good bow, they will hit their target and be successful. But how do we know the bow is good?
it has been tested
well oiled (Holy Spirit)
its durable, built from good material (strong doctrine)
they have the ability to send many arrows on their destination
What about the arrow?
made for speed
designed to held back till in position, then released
cutting edge, sharp
One without the other is no good
neither is a defense weapon on it’s own
If you try to use one without the other, the enemy has already made it through the gate and is in your home
But working together, you can destroy him before he reaches the gate
together they are dangerous
God always did great things with two generations
the arrows need you
they need to worship with you
come to revival
visit sick, mission work
dont let them color or be on a phone in church
they learn by experience
The value of a bow is in its flexibility
the willingness to bend
Some old bows refuse to bend
they cant shoot arrows
hurt more people than they help
can't lead because their attitude cost them their credibility
Bows with no arrows are worthless
stories of what used to be
unwilling to connect with the younger generation
Arrows find their purpose
when they are projected by the bow
their value comes from their ability to let the bow guide them
unfortunately there are crooked arrows sometimes..
A young person who thinks they know it all or feels entitled
They may think google has all the answers but,
-it only has information, not wisdom
-you need wisdom from successful bows
Bow and arrows don't work without tension
-music
-media
-clothes
-hairstyles
Technology IS SHUNNED BY THE BOWS, BUT WITHOUT IT YOU WILL NEVER REACH MORE ARROWS
WE NEED!! few bows..but man ARROWS
John 20- Ressurection
Peter is old- slow but wise
John is a teenager - ran fast, didn't know what to do
2 generations together
The younger carried the gospel out the quickest!
cant have technology without theology
Psalm 71:17
O God, You have taught me from my youth;
And to this day I declare Your wondrous works.
David was dying, but gave Solomon the money to build a temple
a harvest he would never see
securing the gospel for another generation
thats why we support our youth ministries
but look at Hezekiah 2 Kings 20
? 2 Kings 20 ?
1In those days Hezekiah became ill and was at the point of death. The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz went to him and said, “This is what the Lord says: Put your house in order, because you are going to die; you will not recover.”
2Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord, 3“Remember, Lord, how I have walked before you faithfully and with wholehearted devotion and have done what is good in your eyes.” And Hezekiah wept bitterly.
4Before Isaiah had left the middle court, the word of the Lord came to him: 5“Go back and tell Hezekiah, the ruler of my people, ‘This is what the Lord, the God of your father David, says: I have heard your prayer and seen your tears; I will heal you. On the third day from now you will go up to the temple of the Lord. 6I will add fifteen years to your life. And I will deliver you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria. I will defend this city for my sake and for the sake of my servant David.’?”
7Then Isaiah said, “Prepare a poultice of figs.” They did so and applied it to the boil, and he recovered.
8Hezekiah had asked Isaiah, “What will be the sign that the Lord will heal me and that I will go up to the temple of the Lord on the third day from now?”
9Isaiah answered, “This is the Lord’s sign to you that the Lord will do what he has promised: Shall the shadow go forward ten steps, or shall it go back ten steps?”
10“It is a simple matter for the shadow to go forward ten steps,” said Hezekiah. “Rather, have it go back ten steps.”
11Then the prophet Isaiah called on the Lord, and the Lord made the shadow go back the ten steps it had gone down on the stairway of Ahaz.
Envoys From Babylon
12At that time Marduk-Baladan son of Baladan king of Babylon sent Hezekiah letters and a gift, because he had heard of Hezekiah’s illness. 13Hezekiah received the envoys and showed them all that was in his storehouses—the silver, the gold, the spices and the fine olive oil—his armory and everything found among his treasures. There was nothing in his palace or in all his kingdom that Hezekiah did not show them.
14Then Isaiah the prophet went to King Hezekiah and asked, “What did those men say, and where did they come from?”
“From a distant land,” Hezekiah replied. “They came from Babylon.”
15The prophet asked, “What did they see in your palace?”
“They saw everything in my palace,” Hezekiah said. “There is nothing among my treasures that I did not show them.”
16Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, “Hear the word of the Lord: 17The time will surely come when everything in your palace, and all that your predecessors have stored up until this day, will be carried off to Babylon. Nothing will be left, says the Lord. 18And some of your descendants, your own flesh and blood who will be born to you, will be taken away, and they will become eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.”
19“The word of the Lord you have spoken is good,” Hezekiah replied. For he thought, “Will there not be peace and security in my lifetime?”
20As for the other events of Hezekiah’s reign, all his achievements and how he made the pool and the tunnel by which he brought water into the city, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Judah? 21Hezekiah rested with his ancestors. And Manasseh his son succeeded him as king.
Manasseh was 12 ..lost the kingdom
Joel 2:28-29
“And it shall come to pass afterward
That I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh;
Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
Your old men shall dream dreams,
Your young men shall see visions.
29
And also on My menservants and on My maidservants
I will pour out My Spirit in those days.
5 references to young 1 to old
Old has had their revival, music, now let the youth have theirs
after that REVIVAL, JESUS COMES!!!
Its time to release the arrows!
Jesus cleansed the temple 2 times, once all the animals, money changers… then He did it again but He released only the doves
they were being recycled and offered as guilt offerings
He Then chose to ride a colt that was beside his mother…
when he came through the streets the it was the children who cried HOSANNA!
SAVE US LORD!
