How To Protect Our Sons & Daughters

Nehemiah 4:14 And I looked, and rose up, and said unto the nobles, and to the rulers, and to the rest of the people, Be not ye afraid of them: remember the Lord, which is great and terrible, and fight for your brethren, your sons, and your daughters, your wives, and your houses. [15] And it came to pass, when our enemies heard that it was known unto us, and God had brought their counsel to nought, that we returned all of us to the wall, every one unto his work.

Deuteronomy 6:5 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. [6] And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: [7] And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. [8] And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes. [9] And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates.

As a parent, you are the spiritual “umbrella” over your children. If you allow failure in your moral life, you will open a leak in your protection through which Satan can bring destructive temptations to your children.

1. DEDICATE YOURSELF TO THE LORD.

Joshua 24:15 Choose you this day whom ye will serve;…but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.

2. DEDICATE EACH CHILD TO THE LORD.

Psalms 127:3 Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward.

By doing this you acknowledge the true ownership of your child is God.

By doing this you acknowledge your stewardship before Him.

3. LEAD YOUR CHILD TO RECEIVE CHRIST AS SAVIOUR.

Luke 18:16 Jesus called them unto him, and said, Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.

Never take the salvation of your children for granted.

Make sure that each child personally accepts Christ as their own Saviour.

4. TEACH YOUR CHILD THE MEANING OF “THE FEAR OF THE LORD.”

Proverbs 16:6 By mercy and truth iniquity is purged: and by the fear of the LORD men depart from evil.

The Fear of the Lord is,.. the continual awareness that I am in the presence of a Holy, Righteous, and Just God; and the every thought, word, action, and deed is open before Him and is being judged by Him.

5. TEACH YOUR CHILD HOW TO RECOGNIZE & RESIST EVIL.

James 4:6-10 God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. [7] Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. [8] Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you… [10] Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.

6. TEACH YOUR CHILD ABOUT DANGEROUS ASSOCIATIONS.

2 Corinthians 6:14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteous-ness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?

7. TEACH YOUR CHILD TO RESPECT AND HONOR AUTHORITY.

1 Samuel 15:23 For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king.

8. TEACH YOUR CHILDREN HOW TO RECEIVE ANSWERS TO PRAY.

Psalm 107:6 They cried unto the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them out of their distresses.

9. PRAY DAILY FOR YOUR CHILDS PROTECTION.

Job 1:10 Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side?

2 Corinthians 10:4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds.

THERE IS HOPE!

Psalm 56:1-4

“Be merciful unto me, O God: for man would swallow me up; he fighting daily oppresseth me. ² Mine enemies would daily swallow me up: for they be many that fight against me, O thou most High. ³ What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee. ⁴ In God I will praise his word, in God I have put my trust; I will not fear what flesh can do unto me.”

Some events in human history impact us so greatly, that we will remember forever the circumstance surrounding where we were when we heard the news.

I’ll never forget (Nov 22, 1963) sitting in sitting in my living room in Pottsboro, Texas and hearing the reports of Kennedy’s assassination as my mother wept.

I’ll never forget (Jan 28, 1986) standing in the office complex of Eastland Baptist Church and watching the news as Christa McAuliffe began her journey to be the first teacher in space, only to have it end so tragically.

I’ll never forget as I watched the smoke billowing up from the North Tower of the World Trade Center and seeing the second plane crash into the South Tower.

These images are forever embedded in my memory. You probably remember exactly where you were and what you were doing when you first heard the news.

On Tuesday, Sept 11, 2001, our nation was horrified and shocked by the most unexpected and awful sight our eyes have ever seen. On that day I witnessed the murder of more than 2,800 people; I saw thousands injured and millions terrorized by the fanatical acts of Islamic terrorist.

Since that time we have been asked many questions and have asked many questions as we viewed the scenes on television and in the newspapers…

Why did this happen? What should we do? Where should we turn?

Great men of the Bible have cried out in the darkness for answers to questions that seemingly where unanswerable. They found that God was close by and ready to render aid.

The Bible has the answers for our urgent cries.

I want to address a number of questions that people have asked in the wake of great trials and tragedy. Whether we are talking of a terrorist attack, a natural disaster, or the death of a loved one – God is close by with comfort and compassion.

1. Where was God? He was in the stairwell, the plane, the ER, etc…

Psalm 139:8-10 “If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.”

2. What should I do with my frustration and fear? Give it to Jesus!

1 Peter 5:7 “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.”

Psalm 23:4 “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.”

3. Has God abandoned us? No – Even if we have abandoned Him!

Jeremiah 29:11-13 “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.”

4. Is God really in control? Control implies existence of a struggle.

Psalm 66:7 “He ruleth by his power for ever; his eyes behold the nations: let not the rebellious exalt themselves. Selah.” [103:19] “The LORD hath prepared his throne in the heavens; and his kingdom ruleth over all.”

5. Why did God allow this to happen? Why did we?

Isaiah 55:8-9 “My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.”

Psalm 34:19 “Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all.”

Psalm 18:30 “As for God, his way is perfect: the word of the LORD is tried: he is a buckler to all those that trust in him.”

Psalm 119:71 “It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes.”

6. How should I respond to what has happened? Trust & Obey!

Job 1:20-22 “Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped, And said, Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD. In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly.”

7. Can something good come from this tragedy? Yes!

Romans 8:28 “All things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”

Only One Life

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 “To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: ² A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; ³ A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; ⁴ A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; ⁵ A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; ⁶ A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; ⁷ A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; ⁸ A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.”

This passage shows life and the different chapters of it.

 

Years ago I heard a simple axiom that reminds us of life; how short it really is and the importance of living for the Lord. 

Only one life, t'will soon be past;

Only what's done for Christ will last!

I want to present you three thoughts to challenge you to make the most of the time that God gives you, whether it is times of sowing or reaping; breaking down or building up; weeping or laughing; receiving or giving; speaking or being silent.

1.    ONLY ONE LIFE: Life is SINGULAR! You have just one life – live it well!

• Surrender it to Christ: Romans 12:1-2 “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”
• Saturate it with Christ: Acts 4:13 “Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.”
• Satisfy it with Christ: Philippians 4:18 “I have all, and abound: I am full, having received of Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you, an odour of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, well pleasing to God.”
• Secure it in Christ: Matthew 25:21 “His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.”

2.    T’WILL SOON BE PAST: This life is SHORT! 

Psalm 90:10 “The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away.”

• Life is a vapor: James 4:14 “Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.”
• Life is like the wind: Job 7:7 “O remember that my life is wind:..”
• Life is like smoke: Psalm 102:3 “For my days are consumed like smoke, and my bones are burned as an hearth.”
• Life is as grass: 1 Peter 1:24-25 “For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away. ²⁵ But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.”

3.    ONLY WHAT'S DONE FOR CHRIST WILL LAST: Life is SERIOUS.

Hebrews 9:27 “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment”

2 Corinthians 5:10 “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.”

• Our WORDS are important; chose them wisely.  Colossians 4:6 “Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.”
• Our WORKS are important; do so honestly.  1 Corinthians 10:31 “Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.”
• Our WARFARE is important; fight honorably.  2 Timothy 4:7 “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith”
• Our WALK is important; walk carefully.  Ephesians 5:15-16 “See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.”

CONCLUSION:  ONLY ONE LIFE By C. T. Studd, Missionary to China (15), India (6), Africa (25)

Two little lines I heard one day, traveling along life's busy way;

Bringing conviction to my heart, and from my mind would not depart;

Only one life, 'twill soon be past, Only what's done for Christ will last.

Only one life, yes only one, soon will its fleeting hours be done;

Then, in 'that day' my Lord to meet, and stand before His Judgment seat;

Only one life,' twill soon be past, Only what's done for Christ will last.

Only one life, the still small voice, gently pleads for a better choice

Bidding me selfish aims to leave, and to God's holy will to cleave;

Only one life, 'twill soon be past, Only what's done for Christ will last.

Only one life, a few brief years, each with its burdens, hopes, and fears;

Each with its days I must fulfill, living for self – or in His will;

Only one life, 'twill soon be past, Only what's done for Christ will last.

When this world would tempt me sore; When Satan would a victory score;

When self would seek to have its way, then help me Lord with joy to say;

Only one life, 'twill soon be past, Only what's done for Christ will last.

Give me Father, a purpose deep, in joy or sorrow Thy word to keep;

Faithful and true what e'er the strife, pleasing Thee in my daily life;

Only one life, 'twill soon be past, Only what's done for Christ will last.

Oh let my love with fervor burn, and from the world now let me turn;

Living for Thee, and Thee alone, bringing Thee pleasure on Thy throne;

Only one life, “twill soon be past, Only what's done for Christ will last.

Only one life, yes only one – Now let me say, “Thy will be done”;

And when at last I'll hear Thy call, I know I'll say 'twas worth it all”;

Only one life,' twill soon be past, Only what's done for Christ will last.