YOUR CHILD - - - PRECIOUS TO GOD
Isaiah 43:4; Psalm 139: 13-17; Selected
Successful parenting depends on attitude not aptitude.
Nowhere in the Bible does God tell us that we need a certain educational level, or a certain IQ level, or even a certain income level to have and raise children successfully. Its not there.
But many times in the Bible God tells us or shows us that we need the right attitude about children in order to raise children successfully.
Successful parenting depends on attitude not aptitude.
A Classic Scripture on living the Christian life successfully: Philippians 2:5
Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus¡K
Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus¡K
In order to live like Christ, we must think like Christ¡K
In order to parent correctly we must think correctly about our children¡K
QUESTION: How does that happen?
How do we get and keep the right attitude about our children?
ANSWER: We Must See Our Children As God Sees Our Children.
TRANS: Present Five Ways God Sees Our Children
Five Statements: Each Will Begin With the Words: ¡§Gods Sees My Child As¡K¡¨
1. GOD SEES MY CHILD AS PRECIOUS
Precious defined: Dictionary„³ great worth, valuable, cherished, one who is beloved
Dear, treasured, priceless (can¡¦t put a price on it)
His children: Isaiah 43:4 ¡§¡Kyou are precious in my sight, and honored, and I love you¡K¡¨
1 Pet 2:4 ¡§¡K precious in God’s sight¡K¡¨
Same word used by Peter: ¡§¡Kthe precious blood of Christ¡K¡¨
(sacred blood & life of Jesus the Son of God)
A term of comparison to set something apart or set above something else¡K
God sees your child as precious (great worth, valuable, cherished, one who is beloved
Dear, treasured, priceless¡K
ILL: A family had a very beautiful vase that was a family heirloom. Their little girl had been told that "it is our family treasure¡K precious." One day there was a loud crash. The little girl began to wail. Her mother ran into the room and found her daughter crying and the vase broken. She asked her daughter, "what is wrong?" "I broke the family treasure", she cried. Her mother picked her up and said, "Yes, but you are all right." Later in life the girl now grown related that, "I found out that day that I was the real family treasure¡Kprecious in their sight."
Personal: On more than one occasion ¡§You are more important to me than the car.¡¨
God sees my child as precious¡K
2. GOD SEES MY CHILD HIS PRECIOUS CREATION
Look at Psalm 139:13-17
David was marveling at the power of God to protect him in the darkest of situations and so he reflects back on his own creation in the darkness of the womb and how God was there active in his conception, creating him, designing him, fashioning him into a precious creation of God¡K
Psa 139:13 For You formed my inward parts (innermost being/soul); You wove me in my mother’s womb (His handiwork/craftsmanship). 14 I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Wonderful are Your works, And my soul knows it very well. 15 My frame (bones/skeleton) was not hidden from You, When I was made in secret, And skillfully wrought in the depths of the earth (womb);16 Your eyes have seen my unformed substance (embryo); And in Your book were all written The days that were ordained for me, When as yet there was not one of them. (even from the moment of fertilization we are under the watch care of God..plan for his life)17 How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How vast is the sum of them!
APPLY THIS TO YOUR CHILD & SELF¡K fearfully and wonderfully made¡K
ć Fearfully = awe inspiring work of power
ć Wonderfully = unique/ full of wonder
ƒá Awesomely wonderful¡K a work of wonder by God Himself¡K (miracle¡K can only be explained by the power of God)
From the moment of conception your child had a soul¡K
From the moment of conception your child was being fashioned by God¡K
From the moment of conception your child was involved with the hand of God¡K
From the moment of conception God had a plan for your child¡K
From the moment of conception your child has been an awe inspiring work of wonder
ILL: Fashioned by Debby tag¡K cross stitch or dresses for grand daughters; now clothes for little
guys. Special creations, fashioned in love: Fashioned by Debby tag
Your child ¡K Fashioned by God (not a mistake, not a bother, not an inconvenience, not defective
not something to endure¡K a special creation of God¡K a work of wonder¡Kfearfully and wonderfully made¡K (that includes the so called terrible twos and teenage years¡K
God sees your child as His precious creation¡K
3. GOD SEES MY CHILD AS HIS PRECIOUS CREATION IN HIS IMAGE
Nothing in all the universe is created in the image of God except people.
We are not different from animal kingdom by degree, just a little higher on the scale as many are taught in our schools and in media. We differ from the animal kingdom in kind: We are, your child is the crowning jewel of creation, for we alone are in the image of God.
Genesis 1:25-27 ¡§God made the beasts of the earth after their kind, and the cattle after their kind, and everything that creeps on the ground after its kind; and God saw that it was good. {26} Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth." {27} God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.¡¦ ¡¨
Psalm 8:5,6 Yet You have made him a little lower than God (not angels), And You crown him with glory and majesty! (there¡¦s the image¡K glory and majesty: spiritual, moral, intellectual and emotional likeness of our Creator. The ability to personally relate to God¡K) 6 You make him to rule over the works of Your hands; You have put all things under his feet¡K
Did You Know That is Why human life, even in the womb is Protected by moral law of God:
(Gen 9:6) "Whoever sheds man’s blood (innocent), By man his blood shall be shed, For in the image of God He made man.¡¨ Human life is sacred to God because it alone is in the image of God.
Exodus 21..unborn child (manslaughter or murder)
IN WOMB: Exodus 21:22 "If men fight, and hurt a woman with child, so that she gives birth prematurely, yet no harm follows, he shall surely be punished accordingly as the woman’s husband imposes on him; and he shall pay as the judges determine. 23 "But if any harm follows, then you shall give life for life, 24 "eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot,25 "burn for burn, wound for wound, stripe for stripe.
Hebrew word: YATSAH = ¡§her children come out¡¨¡KNormal use is of premature live births
Unborn protected by God¡¦s Law: Why? IN HIS IMAGE!!!!!
You & your child are precious to God!....... of great worth because you are in the image of God.
YOU ARE NOT A MISTAKE. YOU ARE NOT AN ACCIDENT. YOU ARE NOT DEFECTIVE.
YOUR CHILD IS NOT A MISTAKE¡K ACCIDENT¡K
(John 9:1-5) As He passed by, He saw a man blind from birth. {2} And His disciples asked Him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he would be born blind?" {3} Jesus answered, "It was neither that this man sinned, nor his parents; but it was so that the works of God might be displayed in him. {4} "We must work the works of Him who sent Me as long as it is day; night is coming when no one can work. {5} "While I am in the world, I am the Light of the world." {¡Khealed his blindness}¡K
Listen: Whatever your past, Whatever your problems, handicaps, ¡K. it is not because you were defective or a mistake¡K YOU ARE IN THE IMAGE OF GOD AND HE WANTS TO DISPLAY HIS WORKS IN YOU THROUGH JESUS CHRIST¡K GREATEST WORK OF ALL IS REDEMPTION¡K Taking that which was broken through sin, applying the cleansing power of the cross of Jesus and giving you new life.. a new start.. a new hope¡K new destiny¡K
GOD SEES YOUR CHILD AS PRECIOUS
GOD SEES YOUR CHILD AS HIS PRECIOUS CREATION
GOD SEES YOUR CHILD AS HIS PRECIOUS CREATION IN HIS IMAGE
4. GOD SEES YOUR CHILD AS HIS PRECIOUS CREATION IN HIS IMAGE
BUT TARNISHED BY SIN (stained).
His or her capacity to relate to God was damaged by the entrance of sin into the world¡K
A sinful nature (flesh) was transmitted to him at conception¡K bent toward sin or misbehavior¡K
Psalm 51:5,6: Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me.
(NIV) Surely you desire truth in the inner parts ; you teach me wisdom in the inmost place.
Verse 5: sinful nature: bent toward sinful behavior from the very beginning
Verse 6: moral nature to us capacity for good from conception¡K
You don¡¦t believe me? Then you¡¦ve probably never had children or been one.
Earliest memory of getting in trouble? (exploring¡K preschool.. sneaking out and wandering off on purpose (bell, clothes line).
ILL: Nursery¡K Toddlers¡K bent toward good and a bent toward sin (rebellion).
Those bents are not learned, but are inborn¡K.
Which side of the family did that come from? (Answer is both ¡V goes back to Adam)
We don¡¦t have to learn selfishness, stubbornness, and rebelliousness (born with them). That¡¦s why Jesus said¡K John 3:7 ¡§¡Kyou must be born again (from above/of the Spirit)¡K¡¨
5. GOD SEES YOUR CHILD AS HIS PRECIOUS CREATION IN HIS IMAGE,
TARNISHED BY SIN BUT WONDERFULLY LOVED AND REDEEMED BY GOD.
Romans 5:8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us,
in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. (your child)
Your child is so precious to God that He sent His own son to die for your child¡K to pay the penalty for your child¡¦s sin. Christ died for your child. And God has entrusted that child to you to raise and be led to Jesus Christ. Your Mission: to love, pray for, care for, train, teach, bring to church, model authentic Christianity¡K and hopefully lead him or her to trust in Christ as his or her Savior¡K
Before God ever created the first human being He knew we would sin and need a Savior to redeem us. He knew that apart from Jesus Christ dying on the cross in our place we would be helpless and hopelessly lost¡K victims of sins penalty and power to destroy lives: DIED FOR US.
Before God ever gave you a child he knew that child would need you to teach him or her about Jesus. (Pray for, care for¡K)
Ephesians 6:4 ¡§Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger,
but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.¡¨
Did you know: Nearly 100% success rate¡K Christian parents leading children to Christ?
Do you know what that means for your child¡K when he or she comes to Christ?
2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation;
old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
MY CHILD IN CHRIST IS¡K.
¡Kthe salt of the earth (Matt 5:13)
¡Kthe light of the world (Matt 5:14)
¡K a child of God (John 1:12
¡K part of the true vine, a channel of Christ¡¦s life (John 15:1,5)
¡KChrist¡¦s friend (John 15:15)
¡Kchosen and appointed by Christ to bear fruit (John 15:16)
¡K a servant of God (Romans 6:22)
¡K a joint heir with Jesus, sharing His inheritance and His hope (Romans 8:17)
¡K a temple or dwelling place of God (1 Cor 3:16;6:19)
¡K a member of Christ¡¦s body ¡K the church (1 Cor 12:27; Eph 5:30)
¡Ka new creation with a new life, a new hope, new future, new power¡K (2 Cor 5:17)
¡Kis reconciled to God and called to be a minister of reconciliation (2 Cor 5:18,19)
¡K a saint (Eph 1:1; 1 Cor 1:2; Phil 1:1; Col 1:2)
¡K God¡¦s workmanship ¡V His handiwork ¡V born a new to do good works (Eph 2:10)
¡K a citizen of heaven and part of God¡¦s family (Phil 3:20; Eph 2:19)
¡K hidden with Christ in God and seated with Christ in heavenly places (Col 3:3)
¡K chosen of God, holy and dearly loved and protected by God (Col 3:12; 1 Thess 5:5)
¡K a holy partaker of a heavenly calling (Heb 3:1)
¡K is one of God¡¦s living stones, being built up in Christ as a spiritual house (1 Pet 2:5)
¡K a member of God¡¦s chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, part of a people for God¡¦s own possession (1 Pet 2:9,10)
¡K an alien and a stranger to this world in which we briefly live (1 Pet 2:11)
¡K an enemy of the Devil, but a friend of God ((1 Pet 5:8)
¡K is born of God and the evil one cannot touch him or her¡K (1 john 5:18)
¡K is a living treasure, a serious trust and a blessing beyond all measure (Psalm 127)
¡K is precious in God¡¦s sight, honored by God, loved by God, His precious creation in His Image, tarnished by sin but redeemed and reclaimed by Jesus with His own life¡K and entrusted to you by God to raise the child for God¡Kgodly offspring. (Isa 43:4; Mal 2:15)
Successful parenting depends on attitude not aptitude.
QUESTION: How do we get and keep the right attitude about our children?
ANSWER: We Must See Our Children As God Sees Our Children.
GOD SEES MY / YOUR CHILD AS PRECIOUS ¡K
GOD SEES OUR CHILDREN AS HIS PRECIOUS CREATION IN HIS IMAGE,
TARNISHED BY SIN BUT WONDERFULLY LOVED AND REDEEMED BY GOD.
APPLICATION:
How Should This Effect and Help My Parenting? My relationship with my child?
ANSWER: How do you treat something or someone you see as precious of great worth?
With Honor¡K¡K¡K¡K¡K¡K!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
His children: Isaiah 43:4 ¡§¡Kyou are precious in my sight, and honored, and I love you¡K¡¨
Love describes his feelings.. affection (ahab)¡K God¡¦s affection for his people (beautiful word for love)
HONOR describes His actions¡K. Something He chose to do because He sees us as precious¡K
See Gary Smally Bound WIth Honor...
¡§Honor simply means deciding to place high value, worth and importance on another person by viewing him or her as a priceless gift and granting him or her a position in our lives worthy of great respect. ¡K Honor is a gift we give to others. It isn¡¦t purchased by actions or contingent on our emotions. ... It is a decision we make daily toward someone who is special (precious) and valuable to us.¡¨ (Gary Smalley)¡K
A choice we make and it does not depend on the other person or in this case your child.
What is the opposite of honor?
Answer: Dishonor¡K treating a child, a teenager either consciously or unknowingly as if he or she has little value --- as less important than something else. Can lead to a life time of damage.
I.e. Anger, unjust criticism, unhealthy comparisons (just like your father/mother), favoritism, inconsistency, jealously, selfishness, envy, name calling ( your bad! Stupid, jerk, loser, no good, slut, and worse); raging in the home; shutting them out¡K ITS NOT TRUE --- but if you tell them long enough they¡¦ll believe you and live up to your low expectations!!), ¡K Yelling; Hitting; Shaming Or maybe its just showing them that work is more important to you than they are¡K
Your hobbies and desires are more important to you than they are¡K TIME, list could go on¡K
Anger: Hurt, frustration or fear (essence of sin is selfishness)
Increase Honor --- decrease Anger
(Survey/Smalley)What is the least popular thing you received from your parents? Answer: Criticism
ANSWER: How do you treat something or someone you see as precious of great worth?
With Honor¡K¡K¡K¡K¡K¡K!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
His children: Isaiah 43:4 ¡§¡Kyou are precious in my sight, and honored, and I love you¡K¡¨
(disciplined ---yes; instructed --- yes; trained ¡V yes; held accountable--- yes; but always with honor and love ¡K)¡K
Some of us are doing well (adjustments) Some of us are slipping here¡K.
The issue at hand is not your child, even though you may have been entrusted with a problem child.
The issue at hand is your own relationship with God and whether you believe what He says about your child is true or not.
NEXT RIGHT STEPS:
ƒá All of us can improve in this area can¡¦t we¡K?
ƒá Ask God to show you how to increase honor in your home¡K
ƒá Ask each other¡K your children how you can better treat each other as precious¡K
ƒá Some need to do this: Get alone with God, then get right with God¡K for some have greatly hurt and damaged that which is precious in God¡¦s sight¡K confess to God (accept His forgiveness); Confess to your spouse and to your children (Asking for their forgiveness).
ć See yourself as precious in His sight, believe God for who He says you are and live that way.
ƒá Mom & Dads the best way to teach your children how to honor others is to let them see you honoring each other¡K
PUBLIC INVITATION: Get right with God right now¡K
