"THE WALK HARMONY"
HOME & WORK
TEXT: EPH 5:33-6:9
INTRODUCTION
HARMONY IS DEFINED IN WEBSTER DICTIONARY AS; A TUNEFUL SOUND, THE COMBINATION OF SIMULTANEOUS NOTES IN A CHORD, A PLEASING OR CONGRUENT ARRANGEMENT OF PARTS, ACCORD (IE LIVING IN HARMONY WITH ONES NEIGHBOR), INTERNAL CALM; TRANQUILITY....
HARMONY IS WHEN THINGS ARE RUNNING SMOOTH, WHEN THINGS ARE WORKING THE WAY THEY WERE DESIGNED TO WORK...
IN THE SECOND HALF OF EPHESIANS WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT HOW WE ARE TO WALK IN A MANNER WORTHY OF THE LORD... AND TO DO THAT:
WE ARE TO WALK IN UNITY
WE ARE TO WALK IN PURITY
(THERE ARE ACTIONS AND ATTITUDES WE ARE TO TAKE OFF BECAUSE THEY ARE INCAPABLE WITH CHRISTIANITY, AND THERE ARE ACTIONS AND ATTITUDES WE ARE TO PUT ON) -- THERE ARE GRAVE CLOTHES TO REMOVE AND CHRIST’S CHARACTER TO PUT ON...
WE ARE ALSO TO WALK IN HARMONY....
GOD DESIRES THAT THERE BE HARMONY THAT THINGS RUN SMOOTH, THAT THEY WORK THE WAY HE DESIGNED THEM TO WORK -- AND GOD ESPECIALLY DESIRES THAT THERE BE HARMONY IN THE 4 MAJOR RELATIONSHIPS THAT WE FIND OURSELVES IN:
GOD DESIRES THERE BE HARMONY BETWEEN BROTHERS IN CHRIST -- WE TALKED ABOUT THIS HARMONY IN A MESSAGE CALLED "HARMONY IN THE CHURCH, WHEN CHRISTIANS DISAGREE...
GOD ALSO DESIRES THAT THERE BE HARMONY IN THE HOME; AND THIS HARMONY IS ESTABLISH AND TAKES ROOT WHEN THERE IS HARMONY BETWEEN HUSBAND AND WIFE
AND GOD HAS DESIGNED A WAY THAT WILL ENSURE THAT THERE IS HARMONY IN THE MARRIAGE RELATIONSHIP....
AND IN THIS MARRIAGE RELATIONSHIP AS WITH OTHER THINGS, WE FIND THAT THINGS WORK OUT MUCH BETTER WHEN WE FOLLOW THE DESIGNERS INSTRUCTIONS - WHEN WE WASH AND DRY CLOTHES IN THE PROPER TEMP, WHEN WE MAINTAIN THE PROPER LEVEL OF OIL.... AND WHEN WE FOLLOW GOD’S DESIGN
AND GOD HAS DESIGNED MARRIAGE TO BE:
A PARTNERSHIP; (WHERE BOTH H & W KNOWS AND PERFORM THEIR DESIGN FUNCTION)- W > SUB & RESP H > LOVE AS CHRIST...
PERMANENT; TILL DEATH DO US PART -- WHAT GOD HAS JOINED TOGETHER...
PURE; NOTHING IS TO CONTAMINATE AND DESTROY THE PURITY OF THE MARRIAGE RELATIONSHIP
AND IF BOTH HUSBAND AND WIFE WILL BUT FOLLOW GOD’S DESIGN THEY WILL DISCOVER THAT THE PATH OF HARMONY IS MUCH EASIER TO FIND AND MORE PLEASANT TO WALK UPON.....
NOW UNDERSTAND, THAT THIS DOES NOT MEAN 100% PERFECTION --- WE WON’T EXPERIENCE TRUE PERFECTION IN ANY OF OUR RELATIONSHIPS UNTIL HEAVEN, BUT STRIVING TO FOLLOW GOD’S DESIGN WILL MOST OF THE TIME MAKE OUR RELATIONSHIPS MUCH BETTER....
BUT THE CHOICE IS OURS TO MAKE -- WE CAN EITHER LISTEN TO, AND OBEY GOD -- DO IT HIS WAY OR CHOOSE TO DO THINGS OUR WAY.... BUT WE MUST UNDERSTAND THAT OUR CHOICES DO HAVE CONSEQUENCES... GOD HAS ALWAYS GIVEN PEOPLE THE POWER TO RESPOND TO HIM WITH OBEDIENCE OR DISOBEDIENCE... AND RESULTS OR CONSEQUENCES ARE ATTACHED WITH EACH RESPONSE
WE SEE THIS CLEARLY ILLUSTRATED AS FAR BACK AS DEUTERONOMY 30:11-20;
DT 30:11-20
ISRAEL WAS GIVEN A CLEAR CHOICE THAT THEY COULD UNDERSTAND -- IT WAS NOT OUT OF REACH TO THEM, BUT RATHER IT WAS IN THEIR MOUNTS AND IN THEIR HEARTS. THEY COULD CHOOSE TO FOLLOW GOD, OR NOT FOLLOW GOD -- OBEY HIS COMMANDS OR DISOBEY THEM...
THERE WOULD BE BLESSINGS ASSOCIATED WITH THEIR OBEDIENCE AND PUNISHMENT CONNECTED WITH THEIR DISOBEDIENCE.
ISRAEL CHOSE TO GO THEIR OWN WAY -- LEAVE GOD OUT AND DO THINGS THE WAY THEY SAW FIT... -- THEIR NATION CRUMBLED, AND THE SMOLDERING RUINS OF JERUSALEM IN 587 BC WERE A TESTIMONY TO THE FACT THAT TO CHOOSE OTHER THAN GOD WAS TO CHOOSE UNWISELY,
IN LIKE MANNER, WE HAVE BEEN GIVEN A CHOICE -- A CLEAR CHOICE THAT WE CAN UNDERSTAND, AN ANSWER THAT IS NOT FAR FROM EACH OF US, THAT IS NOT OUT OF OUR REACH -- BUT RATHER IS AVAILABLE TO US IN THE WORD OF GOD.
AND WHEN HOMES/WHEN FAMILIES -- WHEN HUSBANDS, WIVES, PARENTS, CHILDREN, DISREGARD WHAT GOD HAS TO SAY -- WHEN THEY DISREGARD AND DO NOT MAKE GOD AND HIS WORD THE CENTER OF THEIR HOMES AND LIVES... WHEN THEY GO THEIR OWN WAY (WHEN THEY THINK THAT THEY KNOW MORE ABOUT HOW TO RUN A HOME THEN THE ONE WHO CREATED THE HOME), THEY TOO WILL SUFFER THE CONSEQUENCES, AND THE SMOLDERING RUINS OF THE AMERICAN FAMILY (THE DIVORCE RATE, THE ABUSE, THE DRUGS PROBLEM, THE CRIME PROBLEM, THE REBELLION AMONG YOUTH, THE DYSFUNCTION, THE HAPPINESS AND MISERY) ARE TESTIMONIES THAT MANY HAVE MADE THE WRONG CHOICE, BY LEAVING GOD OUT OF THEIR HOMES. THEY LIKE THE ISRAELITES HAVE CHOSEN UNWISELY...
TODAY, I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE FINAL 2 RELATIONSHIPS WHERE GOD DESIRES THERE TO BE HARMONY -- FIRST WE’LL TALK ABOUT THE PARENT CHILD RELATIONSHIP THE SECOND RELATIONSHIP IN THE HOME -- AND ANOTHER RELATIONSHIP WHERE IN MANY HOMES THERE IS NO SIGN OF HARMONY...
AND THEN WE WILL TALK ABOUT HARMONY AT WORK.... HARMONY BETWEEN THE EMPLOYER AND EMPLOYEE...
AND FOR BOTH OF THESE RELATIONSHIPS TO WORK BOTH PARTIES MUST KNOW AND PERFORM THEIR MUTUAL RESPONSIBILITIES.... THEY MUST DO THEIR PART, THEY MUST FOLLOW GOD’S DESIGN. AND IN EPHESIANS 6:1-9, GOD REVEALS TO US THAT DESIGN...
1. HARMONY AT HOME
THE CHILD’S RESPONSIBILITY
First let’s talk about the child’s responsibility in the parent child relationship... The responsibility of the Child is to obey their parents -- God says in our text:,
“CHILDREN OBEY YOUR PARENTS IN THE LORD, FOR THIS IS RIGHT. HONOR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER -- WHICH IS THE FIRST COMMAND WITH A PROMISE, THAT IT MAY GO WELL WITH YOU AND THAT YOU MAY ENJOY LONG LIFE ON THE EARTH.."
AND IN COLOSSIANS THE SISTER LETTER TO THE LETTER OF EPHESIANS WE READ;
"CHILDREN OBEY YOUR PARENTS IN EVERYTHING, FOR THIS PLEASE THE LORD..."
That is what God says -- and it doesn’t matter what the schools, media or anyone else says... Teens and children if you want to be a Christian you do what God says (period). And if you choose to disregard God you are choosing not to be living like a Christian/you are choosing to sin .... God can save you from judgment, from hell -- the schools, your peers, and the media can’t -- BUT It’s your choice.
Yes children have rights, but they also have responsibility; And again, there foremost responsibility is to obey. And they are to obey in all things and not simply the things that please them...
NOTICE THAT THERE ARE 2 QUALIFIERS TO THIS COMMAND...
FIRST; IT IS GIVEN TO CHILDREN. WHILE CHILDREN ARE UNDER THE PARENTS ROOF AND SUPPORTED BY THEM THEY ARE COMMANDED TO OBEY..
BUT JESUS SAID THE TIME WILL COME WHEN A PERSON WILL LEAVE FATHER AND MOTHER. AT TIME WHEN THEY WILL BE ON THEIR OWN >>> AT THIS TIME THE OBLIGATION TO OBEY DOES NOT APPLY -- THEY ARE NOT UNDER THE PARENTS AUTHORITY.. BUT WHILE IN THE HOME THEY ARE UNDER AUTHORITY...
NOW SOME THINGS THAT MUDDY THE WATER HERE ARE WHEN GROWN CHILDREN STILL WANT THEIR PARENTS TO SUPPORT THEM JUST LIKE THEY DID WHEN THEY WERE CHILDREN... BUT THEY DO NOT WANT THEN TO TELL THEM WHAT TO DO... they want their parents money, their help, they want them to bail them out in a crisis -- but they do not want their PARENT’S advise or suggestions... "DON’T TELL ME HOW TO RUN MY LIFE JUST SUPPORT IT.." AND WHEN A PARENT -- GROWN CHILD RELATIONSHIP IS LIKE THIS -- IT USUALLY SPELLS TROUBLE AND
HEART- ACHE...
THE SECOND QUALIFIER IS "IN THE LORD." IN OTHER WORDS THE CHILD IS OBLIGATED TO OBEY AS LONG AS THAT OBEDIENCE WILL NOT CAUSE THE CHILD TO VIOLATE THE TEACHINGS OF GOD... IF A PARENT TELLS A CHILD TO LIE, STEAL OR CHEAT THE CHILD HAS THE RIGHT TO RESIST...
THE CHILD’S RESPONSIBILITY IN THE PARENT CHILD RELATIONSHIP IS TO OBEY.... AND AS CHILDREN THAT IS HOW THEY HONOR THEIR PARENTS THROUGH OBEDIENCE (NOT THROUGH A GIFT AND A CARD FULL OF WORDS THEY DON’T MEAN OR LIVE ON FATHER’S DAY AND MOTHER’S DAY)...
AND AS THE CHILD GROWS TO ADULTHOOD, THEY ARE STILL COMMANDED TO HONOR THEIR PARENTS, BUT THAT HONOR IS NOW DEMONSTRATED NOT BY OBEDIENCE BUT BY APPRECIATION, RESPECT AND CARING FOR THEM...
THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE CHILD IN THE PARENT CHILD RELATION IS TO OBEY....
THE PARENTS RESPONSIBILITY
NOW LET’S TALK ABOUT THE PARENTS RESPONSIBILITY IN THE PARENT-CHILD RELATIONSHIP. YOU KNOW, MANY TIMES, PROBABLY MOST TIMES WHEN CHILDREN ARE DISOBEDIENT IT IS BECAUSE PARENTS HAVE FAILED TO FULFILL THEIR END OF THE BARGAIN, THEY FAILED TO FULFILL THEIR GOD GIVEN RESPONSIBILITY IN THE PARENT-CHILD RELATIONSHIP.
JUST AS A WIFE FINDS IT MUCH EASIER TO RESPECT AND SUBMIT TO HER HUSBAND WHEN HE LOVES HER AS CHRIST LOVES THE CHURCH...
A CHILD ALSO WILL FIND IT MUCH EASIER TO FULFILL HIS OR RESPONSIBILITY IN THE PARENT CHILD RELATIONSHIP -- HE WILL FIND IT MUCH EASIER TO OBEY WHEN THAT PARENT HAS FULFILLED THEIR GOD GIVEN RESPONSIBILITY TO THEM...
YES SOME CHILDREN AND SOME WIVES WILL BE REBELLIOUS NO MATTER WHAT -- BUT THE CHANCES OF A PERSON IN THE RELATIONSHIP SUBMITTING TO THE AUTHORITY/TO THE LEADERSHIP OF A HUSBAND OR PARENT IS MUCH GREATER WHEN THAT PERSON IN THE POSITION OF AUTHORITY RECOGNIZES THAT HE TOO IS UNDER AUTHORITY AND THEREFORE SUBMITS TO GOD’S DESIGN FOR HIM... IN THOSE CASES RATHER THAN A PERSON BEING FORCED TO SUBMIT THEY ARE DRAWN TO SUBMIT -- DO YOU SEE THE DIFFERENCE AM I MAKING ANY SENSE HERE...?
THE PROHIBITION
NOW, THE FIRST PARENTAL RESPONSIBILITY IS A DO NOT;
"FATHERS (PARENTS) DO NOT EXASPERATE YOUR CHILDREN"
THE WORD EXASPERATE IS A TRANSLATION OF A GREEK WORD THAT MEANS "TO MAKE ANGRY"...
AND THE WORD EXASPERATE IS A GOOD TRANSLATION BECAUSE IT MEANS "TO EXCITE OR ENFLAME TO ANGER", "TO CAUSE IRRITATION OR ANNOYANCE"....
AND PARENTS ARE NOT TO DO THIS....
WHAT ARE SOME WAYS THAT PARENTS PROVOKE THEIR CHILDREN TO ANGER:
1. BY BEING HARSH, UNFORGIVING, UNFAIR AND MEAN SPIRITED
2. BY NEVER LISTENING
3. BY NEVER SPENDING "REAL" TIME WITH THEM
4. BY USING SHAME AND RIDICULE TO GET THEIR CHILD TO OBEY
5. BY BEING UNWILLING TO ADMIT MISTAKES,
BY NEVER SAYING "I’M SORRY"
6. BY BEING A UNYIELDING, UNBENDING, UNREASONABLE DICTATOR
7. BY BEING INCONSISTENT IN THEIR LIFESTYLE
"DO AS I SAY NOT AS I DO" PHILOSOPHY.......
8. BY PLACING UNATTAINABLE EXPECTATIONS ON THEIR CHILD
9. BY NOT ENSURING THEIR CHILD KNOWS THEY ARE LOVED UNCONDITIONALLY......
10. BY ALWAYS SAYING NO TO EVERYTHING.....
WHEN PARENT DO THIS THEY ARE "EXASPERATING " THEIR CHILDREN -- AND GOD SAYS DON’T DO THAT!!!
THE EXHORTATION
BUT NOT ONLY DID PAUL GIVE US A PROHIBITION HE ALSO GIVES US AN EXHORTATION.... "INSTEAD STEAD OF EXASPERATING THEM), BRING THEM UP IN THE TRAINING AND INSTRUCTION OF THE LORD...."
AND IF PARENTS FOLLOW THIS EXHORTATION -- THIS POSITIVE COMMAND -- THEY WILL FIND THAT THE PROHIBITION WILL AUTOMATICALLY BE TAKEN CARE OF...THEY WON’T BE EXASPERATING THEIR CHILDREN.
INSTRUCTION ("THE FACTS")
PARENTS HAVE THE RESPONSIBILITY TO TEACH THEIR CHILDREN ABOUT THE LORD -- TO BRING THEM UP IN THE INSTRUCTION OF THE LORD...TO TEACH THEM THE FACTS ABOUT THE LORD...
THE WORD "INSTRUCTION" MEANS; "TO IMPART UNDERSTANDING" "TO SET RIGHT" "TO LAY ON THE HEART." THE STRESS IS ON INFLUENCING NOT MERELY THE INTELLECT BUT THE WILL AND DISPOSITION. THE WORD THUS ACQUIRES SUCH SENSES AS "TO ADMONISH" "TO WARN" "TO REMIND" AND TO "CORRECT." AND NOT ONLY DO WE SEE THIS RESPONSIBILITY TO INSTRUCT OUR CHILDREN COMMANDED HERE - BUT IN OTHERS PASSAGES THROUGHOUT THE BIBLE AS WELL....
DT 4:9; 6:4-7; PS 78:3-7
THE ULTIMATE RESPONSIBILITY FOR INSTRUCTING CHILDREN IN THE LORD FOR TEACHING THEM THE FACTS ABOUT GOD -- DOES NOT BELONG, PAUL SAYS TO THE S/S TEACHERS OR THE JUNIOR CHURCH TEACHERS -- IT BELONGS TO THE PARENTS...
AND THERE IS AN OBVIOUS PREREQUISITES FOR TEACHING "THE FACTS" TO OUR CHILDREN -- WE MUST KNOW THE FACTS OURSELVES.... SADLY MANY PARENTS DON’T....
WHAT FACTS ARE WE TO TEACH ARE CHILDREN?
WHO GOD IS... HOLY, JUST, ALL POWERFUL, KNOWING, PRESENT
WHAT JESUS CHRIST DID....
HOW MUCH GOD LOVES THEM....
WHAT GOD EXPECTS FROM THEM... TO LOVE AND SERVE WITH ALL OF THEIR HEART, MIND AND STRENGTH... AND TO LOVE THEIR NEIGHBOR AS THEMSELVES...
ABOUT GOD’S MERCY, GRACE, LOVE AND WRATH...
THAT THE BIBLE IS THE STANDARD FOR THEIR LIVES....
THESE ARE SOME OF THE FACTS WE ARE TO TEACH OUR CHILDREN...
TRAINING (THE EXAMPLE)
BUT TO KNOW THE FACTS ABOUT GOD IS ONLY 1/2 OF THE EQUATION FOR BRINGING OUR CHILDREN UP IN THE LORD.... NOT ONLY DO WE NEED TO INSTRUCT THEM IN THE FACTS -- BUT WE ALSO NEED TO TEACH AND TRAIN THEM BY OUR EXAMPLE....
AND OUR EXAMPLE DOES 2 THINGS:
1ST IT GIVES THEM A PICTURE OF GOD...
WHETHER PARENTS ARE WILLING TO ACCEPT IT OR NOT -- THE TRUTH IS THAT HOW WE ARE AS PARENTS IN A GREAT WAY EFFECTS THE WAY OUR CHILDREN WILL SEE GOD....
IF PARENTS ARE HARSH AND UNFORGIVING THEY WILL HAVE A HARD TIME UNDERSTANDING GOD’S GRACE AND THAT GOD LOVES THEM AND FORGIVES THEM..
IF PARENTS HAVE SET STANDARDS THERE CHILDREN CAN NEVER LIVE UP TO -- IF THEIR CHILD NEVER FEELS ACCEPTED FOR WHO THEY ARE WARTS AND ALL -- THEY WILL HAVE A HARD TIME BELIEVING THAT GOD CAN "REALLY" ACCEPT THEM....
IF PARENTS ARE A PUSH OVER -- WHO NEVER DISCIPLINES YOUR CHILD OR HOLDS HIM ACCOUNTABLE, YOUR CHILD WILL THINK THAT HE OR SHE, CAN PUSH GOD AROUND, SLIP THINGS BY HIM AND GET AWAY WITH IT -- "NO BIG DEAL"...
NOT ONLY DOES OUR EXAMPLE GIVE OUR KIDS A PICTURE OF GOD --
IT ALSO GIVE THEM AN EXAMPLE, TO FOLLOW
WE NEED TO BRING OUR CHILDREN UP IN THE LORD -- AND PARENTS OUR KIDS GO BY MORE WHAT WE DO THEM WHAT WE SAY -- OFTEN TIMES MORE IS CAUGHT THEN TAUGHT...
PARENTS YOUR CHILDREN ARE MORE LIKELY TO FOLLOW YOUR EXAMPLE THEN YOUR LECTURES...
WE ARE CALLED NOT ONLY TO INSTRUCT BUT TO TRAIN -- AND WE TRAIN BY SETTING AN EXAMPLE...
HOW DO WE TRAIN OUR CHILD, WHAT KIND OF EXAMPLES ARE WE TO SET....?>
1. WE TRAIN OUR CHILD BY DEMONSTRATING THAT GOD IS #1
IF WE TELL THEM HOW IMPORTANT CHURCH AND GOD IS BUT DON’T DEMONSTRATE IT IN OUR LIVES THEY’LL BLOW OFF WHAT WE SAY AND PRACTICE WHAT WE DO..
FOR EXAMPLE; IF WE TELL OUR CHILD THAT CHURCH IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING.... BUT WE ARRIVE 20 MINUTES EARLY FOR A MOVIE AND 10 MINUTES LATE FOR CHURCH.... WHAT ARE WE DEMONSTRATING....
OUR CHILDREN NEED TO SEE IN OUR LIVES NOT MERELY HEAR ON OUR LIPS THAT GOD IS #1...
2. WE TRAIN OUR CHILD BY DEMONSTRATING THAT WALK IS JUST IMPORTANT AS TALK...
WE JUST DON’T TALK ABOUT PRAYER -- WE PRAY
SERVING -- WE SERVE
STUDYING THE WORD -- WE STUDY
LOVING OTHERS WE --- WE LOVE THEM (DON’T HAVE CHURCH MEMBERS FOR SUPPER)
GIVING -- WE GIVE.....
TRUTH
3. WE TRAIN OUR CHILD BY PLACING THEM UNDER OUR AUTHORITY...
THOUGH IN SOME HOMES -- IT IS HARD TO TELL WHO IS IN CHARGE -- THE TRUTH IS GOD HAS PLACED THE PARENTS IN A POSITION OF AUTHORITY..
AND THE CHILD WHO DOES NOT LEARN TO OBEY HIS PARENTS IS LIKELY TO GROW UP NOT OBEYING ANY AUTHORITY.. HE WILL DEFY HIS TEACHERS (AND WHEN CHILDREN DO THIS AT AN EARLY AGE -- WE NEED TO NIP IT IN THE BUD -- IT IS NOT CUTE -- IT IS DISRESPECT FOR AUTHORITY) A CHILD WHO WILL NOT OBEY AT HOME -- WILL DEFY THE POLICE, HIS EMPLOYERS AND ANYONE ELSE WHO TRIES TO EXERCISE AUTHORITY OVER HIM... THE BREAKDOWN OF AUTHORITY IN OUR SOCIETY REFLECTS THE BREAKDOWN OF AUTHORITY IN THE HOME.. ONE WRITER SAYS THE FOLLOWING...
"FOR THE MOST PART CHILDREN DO NOT CREATE PROBLEMS THEY REVEAL THEM. PARENTS WHO CAN NOT DISCIPLINE THEMSELVES CANNOT DISCIPLINE THEIR CHILDREN. IF A FATHER AND MOTHER ARE NOT UNDER AUTHORITY THEMSELVES THEY CAN NOT EXERCISE AUTHORITY OVER OTHERS.. IT IS ONLY AS THEY SUBMIT TO THE LORD THAT THEY CAN EXERCISE PROPER SPIRITUAL AND PHYSICAL AUTHORITY OVER THEIR CHILDREN.."
4. WE TRAIN OUR CHILD BY DISCIPILING THEM...
I SAW A SIGN ONCE that said, DISCIPLINE BEGINS IN THE PLAY PEN NOT THE STATE PEN.... WE’D HAVE TO BE BLIND AND STUPID TO NOT SEE THE GENERAL LACK OF DISCIPLINE AND RESPECT FOR AUTHORITY AMONG KIDS TODAY... LET’S TEACH OUR KIDS RIGHT -- SO THEY CAN BE A LIGHT.
PARENTS READ THE FOLLOWING TEXTS TOGETHER THIS WEEK AND SEE WHAT YOUR GOD SAYS ABOUT DISCIPLINE
"HE WHO SPARES THE ROD HATES HIS SON, BUT HE WHO LOVES HIM IS CAREFUL TO DISCIPLE THEM."
(PROV 6:23, 13:18,24 19:18, 23:13,14 29:17 HEB 12:11)
5. WE TRAIN OUR CHILD BY TEACHING THEM THE PRINCIPLE OF SOWING AND REAPING....
"DO NOT BE DECEIVED; GOD CANNOT BE MOCKED, A MAN REAPS WHAT HE SOWS.." GAL 6:7
WE MUST ALLOW OUR CHILDREN TO SUFFER THE CONSEQUENCES FOR THEIR OWN MISTAKES.... SOME PARENTS IN A MISGUIDED EFFORT TO LOVE THEIR CHILDREN DON’T ALLOW THEM TO SUFFER THE CONSEQUENCES FOR THEIR MISTAKES.. THEY ARE ALWAYS RUSHING IN TO BAIL THEM OUT.... THE MAKE EXCUSE -- THEY COVER FOR THEM -- THEY DO THE WORK FOR THEM... SO THEIR CHILD WILL NOT HAVE TO EXPERIENCE ANY PAIN OR DISCOMFORT FOR THEIR WRONG ACTIONS... (EVEN WAY UP INTO ADULTHOOD)
AND THEN THESE SAME PARENTS WONDER WHY THEIR CHILDREN ALWAYS SEEM TO DO THE SAME STUPID MISTAKES AND NEVER LEARN TO DO RIGHT AND MAKE RIGHT CHOICES......
BECAUSE THEY NEVER ALLOWED THEM TO LEARN BY EXPERIENCING LIVE’S CONSEQUENCES... NO PAIN NO GAIN -- NO LESSON LEARNED...
6. WE TRAIN BY OUR CHILDREN PATENTING BY DISCIPLESHIP....
READ PAGE 56-58 FIND US FAITHFUL
"IF A HOME IS TRULY A CHRISTIAN HOME, IT IS A PLACE OF ENCOURAGEMENT. IN SUCH A HOME, THE CHILD FINDS REFUGE FROM THE BATTLES, AND YET STRENGTH TO FIGHT THE BATTLES AND CARRY THE BURDEN OF GROWING TO MATURITY. HE FINDS A LOVING HEART, A WATCHING EYE, A LISTENING EAR, A HELPING HAND. THEREFORE HE DOES NOT WANT ANY OTHER PLACE BECAUSE HOME MEETS HIS NEEDS...... HOME IS A SHELTER FROM THE STORMS OF LIFE.."
THE WAY TO RESTORE OUR FAMILIES IS TO GET BACK TO GOD... IN A REAL WAY... SUBMIT TO HIM... AND ACCEPT OUR RESPONSIBILITY IN THESE RELATIONSHIPS HUSBAND-WIFE
PARENT-CHILD
IT WILL NOT BE EASY AND WE HAVE A WORLD AGAINST US...
BUT as a body we can work together....
2. HARMONY AT WORK.....
NOW LET’S BRIEFLY TALK ABOUT HARMONY IN THE WORK PLACE -- A PLACE WHERE WE SPEND 4O+ HOURS A WEEK; 2000+ HOURS A YEAR...
EPH 6: 5-9
PRINCIPLES FOR HARMONY AT WORK.....
(RUN SMOOTH/WAY GOD DESIGNED)
1. YOU ARE TO SEE YOURSELF AS A SERVANT TO CO-WORKERS, EMPLOYER AND CUSTOMERS....
"FOR EVEN THE SON, DID NOT COME TO BE SERVED BUT TO SERVE, AND TO GIVE HIS LIFE AS A RANSOM FOR MANY....."
SOMETIMES BEING A SERVANT CAN BE HUMBLING -- "GET YOUR OWN COFFEE..."
DO YOU THINK IT WAS HUMBLING FOR JESUS TO KNEE DOWN BEFORE 24 FEET AND WASH THE DIRT AND FILTH OFF OF THEM... TO WASH EVEN THE FEET OF THE ONE WHO WOULD SOON WALK OUT AND BETRAY HIM....?
DID ANYONE WASH JESUS FEET....THAT NIGHT?
(REPEAT THE VERSE)
2. YOU ARE TO WORK WITH A MOTIVE OF SERVING CHRIST, NOT MEN. YOUR WORK IS AN ACT OF WORSHIP!
"SLAVES OBEY YOUR EARTHLY MASTER WITH RESPECT AND FEAR, AND ITH SINCERITY OF HEART, JUST AS YOU WOULD OBEY CHRIST. OBEY THEM NOT ONLY TO WIN THEIR FAVOR WHEN THEIR EYE IS ON YOU, BUT AS SLAVES OF CHRIST, DOING THE WILL OF GOD FROM THE HEART. SERVE WHOLEHEARTEDLY, AS IF YOU WERE SERVING THE LORD NOT MEN." BECAUSE YOU KNOW THAT THE LORD WILL REWARD EVERYONE FOR WHATEVER GOOD HE DOES WHETHER SLAVE OR FREE..."
-- EPH 6:5-7
CHRISTIANITY IS NOT A RELIGION CONFINED TO WHAT TAKES PLACE 1 HR EACH WEEK IN A BUILDING...
CHRISTIANITY IS A 24 HR A DAY RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS CHRIST... OUR ENTIRE LIVES ARE LIVING SACRIFICES, AN ACT OF WORSHIP....
WHEN YOU GO TO WORK YOU ARE GOING TO WORSHIP GOD
3. YOU ARE TO HAVE A HEALTHY BALANCE OF WORK AND LEISURE -- NOT BEING LAZY AND NOT BEING A WORKAHOLIC.
"THE FOOL FOLD HIS HANDS AND CONSUMES HIS OWN FLESH....ON HAND FULL OF REST IS BETTER THAN 2 FISTS FULL OF LABOR AND STRIVING AFTER THE WIND.... -- ECCL 4:5,6
4. YOU ARE TO MAINTAIN A HIGH LEVEL OF ETHICAL DISTINCTION IN YOUR ATTITUDES AND ACTIONS ON THE JOB. YOUR CHARACTER, YOUR VALUES, YOUR ATTITUDES SHOULD BE SO UNIQUE, SO CHRIST-LIKE, THAT CO-WORKERS SHOULD STAND AMAZED.
"DO EVERYTHING WITHOUT COMPLAINING OR ARGUING, SO THAT YOU MAY BECOME BLAMELESS AND PURE CHILDREN OF GOD, WITHOUT FAULT IN A CROOKED AND DEPRAVED GENERATION, IN WHICH YOU SHINE LIKE STARS IN THE UNIVERSE AS YOU HOLD OUT THE WORD OF LIFE....."
-- PHIL 2:14-16
UNFORTUNATELY MANY CHRISTIANS TODAY ARE NOT A VERY GOOD LIGHT... GALLUP SURVEY SEVERAL YEARS BACK...
5. YOU ARE TO SUBMIT TO YOUR BOSS AND TO THE RULES OF YOUR COMPANY WITH A GOOD ATTITUDE.
"TEACH SLAVES TO BE SUBJECT TO THEIR MASTERS IN EVERYTHING, TO TRY TO PLEASE THEM, NOT TO TALK BACK TO THEM, AND NOT TO STEAL FROM THEM, BUT TO SHOW THAT THEY CAN BE FULLY TRUSTED, SO THAT IN EVERY WAY THEY WILL MAKE THE TEACHING OF CHRIST ATTRACTIVE." -- TITUS 2:9,10
"SLAVE SUBMIT YOURSELVES TO YOUR MASTERS WITH ALL RESPECT, NOT ONLY TO THOSE WHO ARE GOOD AND CONSIDERATE, BUT ALSO TO THOSE WHO ARE HARSH..." --- 1 PETER 2:18
"ALL WHO ARE UNDER THE YOKE OF SLAVERY SHOULD CONSIDER THEIR MASTERS WORTHY OF FULL RESPECT, SO THAT GOD’S NAME AND OUR TEACHING MAY NOT BE SLANDERED. THOSE WHO HAVE BELIEVING MASTERS ARE NOT TO SHOW LESS RESPECT FOR THEM BECAUSE THEY ARE BROTHERS, INSTEAD THEY ARE TO SERVE THEM EVEN BETTER, BECAUSE THOSE WHO BENEFIT FORM THEIR SERVICE ARE BELIEVERS, AND DEAR TO THEM...." -- 1 TIM 6:1,2
