WEBVTT 00:00:25.859 --> 00:00:29.380 It's good to see all of you seeing with you. 00:00:29.620 --> 00:00:35.859 Um, it is honestly, um, I was just um talking with Tony right there about this earlier. 00:00:36.100 --> 00:00:38.980 For me, this is the pinnacle of my week. 00:00:39.140 --> 00:00:43.780 You know, we get to gather and we get to study God's word and fellowship and encourage. 00:00:43.939 --> 00:00:47.299 I'm glad you're here if you're joining um on the app online. 00:00:47.780 --> 00:00:49.140 Thank you for being here as well. 00:00:49.299 --> 00:00:50.820 And let's do this, church. 00:00:50.900 --> 00:00:56.019 At this time, I would invite you to get out your Bibles, and I want you to go to the we're gonna be in the Old Testament today. 00:00:56.179 --> 00:00:58.100 We're gonna be in the book of Psalms. 00:00:58.259 --> 00:00:59.780 Psalms has a lot of chapters. 00:00:59.939 --> 00:01:03.300 I want you to go to chapter 127, verse 3. 00:01:03.460 --> 00:01:06.740 We're going to be looking, we're really just at three verses. 00:01:06.900 --> 00:01:10.180 You can follow along in your Bible, your worship guide as well. 00:01:10.340 --> 00:01:17.939 But um, we've been in this um short kind of series entitled Turn Your Heart Towards Home. 00:01:18.180 --> 00:01:21.379 Um the first week we we honored mothers. 00:01:21.539 --> 00:01:34.820 Last week we looked at the foundation of a family, and today, our final, our final week in this series, um, we're gonna we're gonna cover um, I don't know, it's a it's a complex kind of subject. 00:01:34.980 --> 00:01:37.460 We're gonna, we're gonna, it's not easy really. 00:01:37.540 --> 00:01:40.019 It's we're gonna talk about parenting, alright? 00:01:40.260 --> 00:01:42.659 Alright, so I'll say talking about parenting. 00:01:42.820 --> 00:01:51.379 Now, having said that, I want you to know I got um I got some good news for you, and I got some uh not so good news for you, all right. 00:01:51.700 --> 00:01:52.659 Here's the good news. 00:01:52.739 --> 00:01:54.420 I don't even know if the good news is that good. 00:01:54.659 --> 00:01:56.980 Good news is I I I am a parent, alright? 00:01:57.140 --> 00:02:03.780 So um I got two children, 16 and 18, so I have you know some insight on this. 00:02:03.939 --> 00:02:07.780 Here's the not so um, you know, good information. 00:02:07.939 --> 00:02:10.500 Um I still don't know what I'm doing, you know? 00:02:10.659 --> 00:02:11.300 I don't. 00:02:11.540 --> 00:02:12.180 I don't. 00:02:12.340 --> 00:02:19.219 And um when it comes to parenting, I got, man, you would think 18 years in that that I would I I don't know. 00:02:19.300 --> 00:02:20.659 I got lots of questions. 00:02:21.139 --> 00:02:22.019 Maybe you do too. 00:02:22.340 --> 00:02:24.259 Got lots of questions about parenting. 00:02:24.340 --> 00:02:26.019 There's a lot of questions, okay? 00:02:26.180 --> 00:02:30.180 Um I wrote down some of the questions I have accumulated over the years. 00:02:30.259 --> 00:02:31.300 And I was thinking about this. 00:02:31.379 --> 00:02:35.060 And it's like every single year, as they're growing, you get you get new. 00:02:35.300 --> 00:02:37.379 These are the mysteries of the universe, man. 00:02:37.539 --> 00:02:39.860 Like, for example, when they're littles, they're littles. 00:02:40.020 --> 00:02:48.180 Here's a question that I had is this how can a child want, you know, snacks after they done said they didn't want the food. 00:02:48.259 --> 00:02:49.460 They done ate, you know? 00:02:49.539 --> 00:02:52.419 It's it's it's it's it's it's it's a missed mystery. 00:02:52.979 --> 00:02:55.060 Other, okay, another mystery. 00:02:55.300 --> 00:02:56.020 Why come? 00:02:56.099 --> 00:02:56.580 Why is it? 00:02:56.659 --> 00:02:57.219 Why is this? 00:02:57.379 --> 00:03:01.300 When it's time to leave, ain't nobody able to find a shoe. 00:03:01.539 --> 00:03:03.219 It's a great mystery. 00:03:03.460 --> 00:03:04.419 It's true. 00:03:04.659 --> 00:03:08.340 Here's a mystery that's really come to my mind recently. 00:03:08.500 --> 00:03:09.219 It was this. 00:03:09.460 --> 00:03:13.620 When did my automobile become kind of like the lost and found? 00:03:13.699 --> 00:03:14.180 You know? 00:03:14.340 --> 00:03:16.419 It's maybe you've experienced it, right? 00:03:16.580 --> 00:03:18.819 At your house, you know, you can't find something. 00:03:19.060 --> 00:03:24.900 Can't find something at my house sooner or later, someone's going to say, Did you check out dad's car? 00:03:25.140 --> 00:03:25.460 Right? 00:03:25.620 --> 00:03:26.500 And we'll go look. 00:03:26.580 --> 00:03:33.300 And it's usually my my my my car's kind of like, you know, this Museum of Jones family history, right? 00:03:33.539 --> 00:03:35.699 You got you got snacks in there. 00:03:35.939 --> 00:03:36.659 I didn't need them. 00:03:36.740 --> 00:03:38.419 You got some snacks, you got crumbs. 00:03:38.580 --> 00:03:44.500 There's there's a water bottle usually somewhere in my car, and apparently don't belong to nobody. 00:03:44.659 --> 00:03:45.780 I I don't know, man. 00:03:45.939 --> 00:03:49.140 Trash, I didn't do, you know, and man, I got a lot more questions. 00:03:49.219 --> 00:03:50.819 And we, I could, I could ask you. 00:03:50.979 --> 00:03:53.620 I could ask you, parents here, what questions you got? 00:03:53.780 --> 00:03:55.860 Because they're they're they're they're mysterious. 00:03:56.020 --> 00:03:58.020 You know, we're still trying to figure this stuff out. 00:03:58.180 --> 00:03:59.939 Committees are still out there. 00:04:00.180 --> 00:04:01.699 But I was thinking about this. 00:04:01.860 --> 00:04:05.379 We all got all these questions, but I was thinking about this. 00:04:05.620 --> 00:04:11.460 There is one question that I think rises above all questions. 00:04:11.699 --> 00:04:16.259 It supersedes all of these mountains of questions that I currently have. 00:04:16.419 --> 00:04:17.620 Because here's what I think. 00:04:17.860 --> 00:04:27.139 I think if we can answer this one question, it will help us answer all these other mysterious questions. 00:04:27.300 --> 00:04:31.620 And that's the question that I set about trying to answer today. 00:04:31.779 --> 00:04:32.580 Here's the question. 00:04:32.740 --> 00:04:33.379 We've got to answer this. 00:04:33.779 --> 00:04:34.899 I've got to answer this question. 00:04:35.060 --> 00:04:36.899 We need to answer this question. 00:04:37.539 --> 00:04:40.899 What is the goal of parenting? 00:04:41.539 --> 00:04:44.100 Like, like, like what are we aiming for? 00:04:44.659 --> 00:04:48.659 If we're just trying to raise children to behave, is that it? 00:04:49.379 --> 00:04:50.980 Is that what I've been doing for 18 years? 00:04:51.139 --> 00:04:56.259 Have I, for 18 years, just be trying to raise some kids who will behave, you know? 00:04:56.500 --> 00:04:59.700 Or am I just trying to get my son just graduated? 00:04:59.779 --> 00:05:00.740 Is that the goal? 00:05:00.899 --> 00:05:04.340 He graduated and now, you know, you know, everything's good. 00:05:04.500 --> 00:05:05.299 I don't know. 00:05:05.620 --> 00:05:09.379 Or is there something deeper? 00:05:09.620 --> 00:05:10.259 Is there something? 00:05:10.899 --> 00:05:12.259 Am I to be aiming? 00:05:12.340 --> 00:05:13.700 Is the goal of my parents? 00:05:14.100 --> 00:05:15.299 I know, man, I know. 00:05:15.460 --> 00:05:17.700 Listen, I ain't never gonna find that extra sock. 00:05:17.779 --> 00:05:19.220 I done figured that out, dude. 00:05:19.379 --> 00:05:22.500 We lost some keys when my little girl was like two years old. 00:05:22.740 --> 00:05:23.620 Lost the keys. 00:05:23.700 --> 00:05:24.980 I don't know where they're at, man. 00:05:25.139 --> 00:05:27.700 One of my cars only has one key because we lost. 00:05:28.259 --> 00:05:29.539 I don't know where it's at, man. 00:05:29.620 --> 00:05:30.419 I don't know. 00:05:30.580 --> 00:05:37.779 But I'm telling you this: if we can answer this, all those other questions are small potatoes, man. 00:05:37.940 --> 00:05:39.059 What am I aiming for? 00:05:39.220 --> 00:05:39.940 What is my goal? 00:05:40.179 --> 00:05:48.419 Psalms 127 gives us, tells us that there is, in fact, a purpose for parenting. 00:05:48.500 --> 00:05:50.259 And that is what I want us to look at. 00:05:50.340 --> 00:05:55.059 This is what I thought would be most helpful to me, and I hope it's helpful to you. 00:05:55.220 --> 00:06:04.980 So we're gonna go about, we're just gonna walk through three verses, and I believe in these three verses we can determine, dude, what do we what are we aiming for? 00:06:05.139 --> 00:06:05.940 What's the goal? 00:06:06.100 --> 00:06:09.779 All right, we're gonna start Psalm 127, verse 3. 00:06:09.940 --> 00:06:15.539 The first thing we'll see is this receive children as God's gift. 00:06:15.700 --> 00:06:17.860 Here's what the word of God says. 00:06:18.179 --> 00:06:20.740 Behold, this is so informative. 00:06:21.139 --> 00:06:23.779 Man, before I even get into it, you're gonna see this over and over again. 00:06:23.940 --> 00:06:29.059 The word of God is going to tell us something contradictory to what a lot of this world says. 00:06:29.379 --> 00:06:36.740 Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb, a reward. 00:06:37.059 --> 00:06:38.340 All right, let's stop here. 00:06:38.580 --> 00:06:41.299 It begins with this word, behold. 00:06:41.700 --> 00:06:46.500 That's God's way of saying you need to stop and you need to look at this. 00:06:46.740 --> 00:06:52.980 Before God tells us what children are like, he's telling us how you and I should see them. 00:06:53.539 --> 00:06:55.220 How should we see them? 00:06:55.379 --> 00:07:06.419 Because if you listen, if you see children, you know, if you see them as a as interruptions, if that's why you see children, then you're gonna parent with irritation. 00:07:06.899 --> 00:07:12.580 If you see children as inconveniences, then you may parent with resentment. 00:07:12.740 --> 00:07:14.179 God says, no, you gotta get a law. 00:07:14.500 --> 00:07:15.700 My people need to know this. 00:07:15.860 --> 00:07:17.139 You gotta understand this. 00:07:17.460 --> 00:07:20.019 Behold, this is what children are. 00:07:20.179 --> 00:07:23.139 They are a heritage from the Lord. 00:07:23.299 --> 00:07:24.259 What does that mean? 00:07:24.500 --> 00:07:36.500 It means they're not an accident, it means they're not burdens, it means they're not possessions, it means they are gifts, gift entrusted to you and I by the living God. 00:07:36.820 --> 00:07:38.259 That is how they're to be seen. 00:07:38.500 --> 00:07:40.740 Every child you see, that's how they're to be. 00:07:41.139 --> 00:07:45.539 God says, Behold, this is how you are to see children, right? 00:07:46.659 --> 00:07:48.659 And I read that and I think, well, you know what? 00:07:48.740 --> 00:07:49.860 I get it, I get it. 00:07:50.019 --> 00:07:55.299 But oftentimes in my life, parenting, you know, it doesn't always feel like a gift, man. 00:07:55.460 --> 00:07:59.379 It doesn't, you know, sometimes, I mean, I love I love I love my children. 00:07:59.539 --> 00:08:07.779 I love my children, but for real, children can test every fruit of the spirit in me before 7 a.m. 00:08:08.179 --> 00:08:09.460 in the morning. 00:08:09.860 --> 00:08:13.779 You think you love, joy, peace, patience? 00:08:14.019 --> 00:08:15.299 Oh my goodness. 00:08:15.460 --> 00:08:17.059 You know, that's a man. 00:08:17.620 --> 00:08:24.100 They all on the exam before 7 a.m., before I done had my coffee, man. 00:08:24.419 --> 00:08:36.659 Look, how are how am I to respond to my children like Jesus before I even got a drinky drink of the coffee coffee, man? 00:08:37.620 --> 00:08:39.379 But God says they're a gift. 00:08:40.019 --> 00:08:42.340 They're a gift, they're a sanctifying gift. 00:08:42.500 --> 00:08:43.539 They are a gift. 00:08:43.860 --> 00:08:51.460 God uses children not only for us to shape them, but they shape you and I. 00:08:51.620 --> 00:08:53.860 The word used there is a heritage. 00:08:54.740 --> 00:08:55.700 That's a big word. 00:08:55.860 --> 00:08:57.460 That's an important word, right? 00:08:57.860 --> 00:09:00.740 A heritage is something that you receive. 00:09:02.980 --> 00:09:05.539 It's been entrusted to you, man. 00:09:05.699 --> 00:09:08.019 It's been entrusted to me by God. 00:09:08.179 --> 00:09:09.779 It's been passed down. 00:09:10.019 --> 00:09:11.779 He is the one giving it. 00:09:11.939 --> 00:09:14.899 It means, it means, means I don't own my kids. 00:09:15.059 --> 00:09:16.019 I don't owe them. 00:09:16.259 --> 00:09:17.059 Own them. 00:09:17.379 --> 00:09:22.740 God has entrusted them to me to steward them. 00:09:24.019 --> 00:09:28.339 Children belong to God before they belong to you and I, you know. 00:09:28.579 --> 00:09:30.339 That'll change how you parent. 00:09:30.740 --> 00:09:31.939 Change how you parent, man. 00:09:32.019 --> 00:09:41.059 If I think my child, and if I think my child belongs to me, I might, you know, uh try to try to control them, you know, maybe for your purposes, right? 00:09:41.539 --> 00:09:52.259 But if I understand that my children are a gift from God, the sovereign God chose my children put in my life, they belong to him. 00:09:52.659 --> 00:09:58.740 I am going to parent them in such a way to shepherd them for his glory. 00:10:00.259 --> 00:10:05.379 That means parenting is not about producing a child that makes me, I don't know, look good. 00:10:05.620 --> 00:10:09.379 It's about raising children who know who God is. 00:10:09.779 --> 00:10:13.699 Now, I say all of that once again, in all of these things. 00:10:13.860 --> 00:10:18.339 You need to understand that I have not always done well in this, you know. 00:10:18.659 --> 00:10:20.579 I can understand this, man. 00:10:21.379 --> 00:10:32.500 But it's gonna be more difficult, man, because sometimes we have to surrender our expectations that we may have placed on our children. 00:10:32.819 --> 00:10:37.059 Okay, because God gave him to me to shape him for his glory, man. 00:10:37.779 --> 00:10:39.939 I've had lots of delusions in my life. 00:10:40.100 --> 00:10:41.539 I don't think they're lame. 00:10:41.699 --> 00:10:44.899 I like to say I'm the mayor of lame city, man. 00:10:45.299 --> 00:10:53.779 I had a listen, listen, I had a delusion that my children would automatically like the things that I like, man, right? 00:10:54.339 --> 00:10:56.899 Surely they would like the things that I like. 00:10:56.980 --> 00:10:58.419 And I thought about this, man. 00:10:58.579 --> 00:11:00.179 Like I liked a skateboard. 00:11:00.259 --> 00:11:04.740 And I thought, surely my kids will enjoy doing that. 00:11:04.899 --> 00:11:07.139 You know, I'm gonna sell you on the vision. 00:11:07.299 --> 00:11:08.179 Okay, look, look. 00:11:08.500 --> 00:11:09.459 Is it not cool? 00:11:09.699 --> 00:11:14.500 Me and my kids, you know, shredding down the road together? 00:11:14.659 --> 00:11:15.379 That was the vision. 00:11:15.539 --> 00:11:16.100 You catch it? 00:11:16.259 --> 00:11:17.779 Okay, that's the vision. 00:11:18.740 --> 00:11:29.059 My son, he was a young, he was a young little guy, and I was like, you know, I gotta buy, I'm gonna buy him a skateboard, I got him a camouflage skateboard, and I and I gave it to him, and he liked it. 00:11:29.220 --> 00:11:32.259 He did like it, but he didn't, he didn't love it. 00:11:32.500 --> 00:11:35.139 And I went, I was looking at these pictures on my phone, man. 00:11:35.220 --> 00:11:36.579 I got all these, I got all these pictures. 00:11:36.740 --> 00:11:46.740 I got all these pictures of me and a skateboard and my son and my daughter, and and if you can zoom in, you know, on my eyes, and you can see the hope and expectation in my eyes. 00:11:46.819 --> 00:11:51.379 I'm like, I'm trying to sell them on this, man, the dream, man. 00:11:52.659 --> 00:11:54.419 But it was not to be. 00:11:55.299 --> 00:11:57.699 So I had to shift gears. 00:11:58.259 --> 00:12:01.220 I had to learn what they loved. 00:12:01.379 --> 00:12:06.419 It's not as easy as you think, because sometimes they're gonna enjoy things maybe you you don't you don't enjoy. 00:12:06.579 --> 00:12:10.819 I mean, okay, so my dude, this is man, parenting. 00:12:10.980 --> 00:12:12.259 Parenting's so complicated. 00:12:12.419 --> 00:12:13.699 It's so complicated. 00:12:14.019 --> 00:12:16.740 My son enjoys rock climbing. 00:12:16.899 --> 00:12:17.699 That's great. 00:12:17.860 --> 00:12:19.139 Here's the kicker, man. 00:12:19.299 --> 00:12:20.500 The kicker is this. 00:12:21.059 --> 00:12:28.419 I had an accident on my skateboard years ago, and I messed my shoulder up, so I really can't rock climb. 00:12:28.579 --> 00:12:30.500 So, no, this is so ironic. 00:12:30.659 --> 00:12:36.019 The thing that I love kind of prevents me from fully enjoying the thing that he loves. 00:12:36.579 --> 00:12:37.860 That's parenting. 00:12:38.019 --> 00:12:40.500 You know, you gotta figure it out, man. 00:12:40.740 --> 00:12:48.899 But God, heritage gave you a child for his glory, and we've got to learn what they love. 00:12:49.059 --> 00:12:50.659 How has God shaped them? 00:12:50.819 --> 00:12:52.819 How has God got plans for them? 00:12:52.980 --> 00:12:57.299 And then you help shape them in that way. 00:12:57.620 --> 00:13:02.019 It's the first thing we see, but there's a second part of that verse, and this one I want to be sensitive on. 00:13:02.100 --> 00:13:07.459 And all of this I always try to be sensitive, but it says, the fruit of the womb, a reward. 00:13:07.699 --> 00:13:08.259 All right. 00:13:09.379 --> 00:13:14.980 This does not mean that our family stories are all simple. 00:13:15.620 --> 00:13:16.179 You know? 00:13:16.339 --> 00:13:18.419 Um, we're gonna be careful here. 00:13:18.740 --> 00:13:21.939 The Bible's really honest when it comes to family. 00:13:22.179 --> 00:13:25.699 The Bible talks about struggles with barrenness, right? 00:13:26.259 --> 00:13:33.379 The Bible has these stories of longing and loss and adoption and blended families and broken families and painful situations. 00:13:33.539 --> 00:13:35.459 The Bible's all through of that, man. 00:13:35.539 --> 00:13:44.819 Many faithful people have walked very heavy roads in this area, but it doesn't negate God's declaration. 00:13:45.059 --> 00:13:50.019 Children are to be treasured, children are not to be despised. 00:13:50.259 --> 00:13:52.579 You can contrast that with our culture. 00:13:53.139 --> 00:13:54.740 It's not hard to find this. 00:13:54.819 --> 00:13:59.299 You can hear it all the time, but people talk as though children are obstacles. 00:13:59.539 --> 00:14:01.939 Children are obstacles to my freedom. 00:14:02.179 --> 00:14:07.059 Children will drain my finances, children are interruptions, they're limitation. 00:14:07.379 --> 00:14:10.980 God says, No, behold this. 00:14:11.459 --> 00:14:16.339 They are a reward, they are a heritage given to you. 00:14:16.500 --> 00:14:18.819 Receive them as such. 00:14:19.059 --> 00:14:20.100 All right, I get that. 00:14:20.179 --> 00:14:20.980 I hear you. 00:14:21.220 --> 00:14:21.939 I hear you. 00:14:22.100 --> 00:14:26.740 Not saying all this is easy, but once again, that's God's word, and it's true. 00:14:26.819 --> 00:14:28.740 And I want to align my life to that. 00:14:28.899 --> 00:14:30.419 I want to get to verse four. 00:14:30.579 --> 00:14:33.779 We'll see this shape children for God's purpose. 00:14:33.939 --> 00:14:34.819 Look at this. 00:14:35.459 --> 00:14:36.339 Yeah, this is good. 00:14:36.419 --> 00:14:37.620 Look, okay. 00:14:38.579 --> 00:14:45.860 Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one's youth. 00:14:46.019 --> 00:14:46.419 All right. 00:14:46.500 --> 00:14:51.299 So you get verse three, and we're told, behold, take note, this is true. 00:14:51.459 --> 00:14:52.980 This is a declaration of God. 00:14:53.220 --> 00:14:55.779 Children are a heritage, they are a reward. 00:14:55.939 --> 00:14:59.620 And now he says, not only that, in addition, they are arrows. 00:14:59.860 --> 00:15:04.259 Arrows like arrows in the hand of a warrior, man. 00:15:04.659 --> 00:15:07.379 There's a lot of imagery going on here, right? 00:15:07.620 --> 00:15:19.139 Means children are to be shaped, children are to be aimed, and they are eventually to be released for God's purpose, man. 00:15:20.100 --> 00:15:22.419 Arrows, arrows aren't to be decorative. 00:15:22.659 --> 00:15:24.100 Arrows have a purpose. 00:15:24.179 --> 00:15:26.179 They're designed to fly. 00:15:26.579 --> 00:15:27.539 We got to understand that. 00:15:27.699 --> 00:15:28.500 I got to understand that. 00:15:28.659 --> 00:15:30.659 My kids, they're designed to be sent. 00:15:30.980 --> 00:15:34.019 They're designed to hit a target. 00:15:34.899 --> 00:15:38.579 So if children are arrows, then parenting is what? 00:15:38.819 --> 00:15:40.500 It's about preparing them. 00:15:40.740 --> 00:15:45.620 Preparing them to be sent, not for my glory, for God Almighty's glory. 00:15:45.779 --> 00:15:49.139 Once again, I, you know, can fail many times. 00:15:49.299 --> 00:15:51.699 This is more difficult than you might think as well. 00:15:51.779 --> 00:15:55.539 I know I can say, I'm supposed to, you know, I'm going to shoot my kids out, man. 00:15:55.779 --> 00:15:57.220 It's going to be easy to do. 00:15:57.939 --> 00:15:58.579 Yeah. 00:16:01.459 --> 00:16:02.100 Look at this. 00:16:02.339 --> 00:16:03.299 And I thought about this. 00:16:03.379 --> 00:16:10.019 When my kids were small, so much of parenting, it was about protecting them, right? 00:16:10.899 --> 00:16:13.620 I'm going to hold when they're small, I'm going to hold them close. 00:16:14.100 --> 00:16:16.819 And you hold their hands when they cross the street. 00:16:16.980 --> 00:16:19.779 Man, you just have buckle them up every time you put them in the car seat. 00:16:19.860 --> 00:16:22.419 You got to tell them not to touch the hot stove. 00:16:22.579 --> 00:16:24.659 You got to tell them, you got to tell them things like this. 00:16:24.819 --> 00:16:28.019 Hey, you can't lick the handle on the shopping cart, you know? 00:16:28.179 --> 00:16:29.220 You got to tell them these things. 00:16:29.299 --> 00:16:29.860 They don't know. 00:16:30.019 --> 00:16:31.620 They'd be licking the floor, man. 00:16:31.699 --> 00:16:33.620 You got to do this stuff, man. 00:16:34.579 --> 00:16:41.620 But if protection and holding them close is the whole goal, we forget the purpose. 00:16:41.860 --> 00:16:45.220 The purpose of an arrow is to be sent. 00:16:46.179 --> 00:16:49.220 And hopefully, when it's sent, it won't lick the floor anymore, you know? 00:16:49.379 --> 00:17:03.860 But at some point, you gotta understand the goal, gifted to me an heritage, a reward, so that I can shape and I can prepare, and then we as a church can also, we're building these children and and we send them on a mission. 00:17:04.100 --> 00:17:05.539 And I love that last part. 00:17:06.100 --> 00:17:07.380 It's like, look, look, check this out. 00:17:07.460 --> 00:17:08.180 You know this is true. 00:17:08.420 --> 00:17:10.980 Like a hand in the hands of a warrior. 00:17:11.299 --> 00:17:11.940 Parents. 00:17:12.660 --> 00:17:14.100 You're warriors, man. 00:17:14.259 --> 00:17:15.700 That's a good language, dude. 00:17:15.860 --> 00:17:16.420 Warriors. 00:17:16.660 --> 00:17:17.380 Warriors. 00:17:17.539 --> 00:17:18.740 It's appropriate. 00:17:18.980 --> 00:17:29.700 I mean, look, seriously, it takes a warrior to get children in a minivan and get them to church on time. 00:17:29.859 --> 00:17:32.740 That is that's that's warrior level, man. 00:17:33.379 --> 00:17:33.859 For real. 00:17:34.019 --> 00:17:35.539 I mean, I know about growing. 00:17:35.700 --> 00:17:37.220 Well now my kids were younger, man. 00:17:37.379 --> 00:17:46.019 If we got our littles, you know, in the minivan and we got to church, and you only miss the first worship song, you on time. 00:17:46.180 --> 00:17:47.220 You know what I'm saying? 00:17:47.940 --> 00:17:48.579 That's true. 00:17:48.660 --> 00:17:49.220 It's true. 00:17:49.299 --> 00:17:51.940 It's elite, that's elite level parenting. 00:17:52.259 --> 00:17:54.740 You are a warrior, man. 00:17:55.299 --> 00:17:56.500 You gotta be a warrior. 00:17:56.819 --> 00:17:58.019 Warrior, man. 00:18:01.059 --> 00:18:03.059 The warfare is real, you know? 00:18:03.940 --> 00:18:04.579 It is. 00:18:05.619 --> 00:18:07.379 We don't war against our children. 00:18:07.779 --> 00:18:11.220 I mean, they're not the enemy, they're arrows against the enemy. 00:18:12.819 --> 00:18:18.740 But we know this, but it's worth saying here right now the enemy wants your children. 00:18:19.700 --> 00:18:22.099 The enemy wants the children of our church. 00:18:22.660 --> 00:18:27.220 The world is warring for the attention of your children. 00:18:27.779 --> 00:18:29.460 Sin wants their heart. 00:18:29.700 --> 00:18:32.500 The culture, the listen, listen. 00:18:32.660 --> 00:18:35.379 The culture wants to shape their identity. 00:18:35.940 --> 00:18:38.339 Technology wants to disciple them. 00:18:38.980 --> 00:18:40.180 You gotta be a warrior. 00:18:40.740 --> 00:18:42.019 You gotta be a warrior. 00:18:42.660 --> 00:18:44.420 You can't raise them casually. 00:18:45.220 --> 00:18:49.460 A warrior doesn't casually handle his arrows, man. 00:18:50.259 --> 00:18:57.139 Warriors know the stakes, and that means I know, man, you get tired and dude, yeah, man. 00:18:57.220 --> 00:18:58.660 I'm telling you, I get it, dude. 00:18:58.740 --> 00:19:01.139 When the kids are little, you get so sleepy. 00:19:01.379 --> 00:19:06.579 You get so sleepy, and you're sleepy, they're not sleepy, so that means you ain't sleeping. 00:19:06.819 --> 00:19:08.660 You know, it's hard. 00:19:08.980 --> 00:19:11.139 It's real, and it's hard. 00:19:11.460 --> 00:19:14.660 The question is not, are my children being shaped? 00:19:14.740 --> 00:19:17.379 Your children are being shaped, my children are being shaped. 00:19:17.539 --> 00:19:19.220 The question is what's shaping them? 00:19:19.460 --> 00:19:22.899 Nobody accidentally aims an arrow. 00:19:23.299 --> 00:19:24.099 Try it. 00:19:24.660 --> 00:19:33.619 You cannot close your eyes, pull back an arrow, release it, and then be shocked when the arrow does not hit the target. 00:19:33.940 --> 00:19:37.539 It requires focus and purpose. 00:19:38.259 --> 00:19:43.299 If God has placed an arrow in your hand, you've been called to aim it to his glory. 00:19:44.019 --> 00:19:45.779 Now we're gonna get to verse 5. 00:19:46.259 --> 00:19:50.099 I'm gonna break this in two parts, but the next thing, see this. 00:19:50.259 --> 00:19:53.460 CSC children as God's blessing. 00:19:53.940 --> 00:19:54.500 All right. 00:19:55.299 --> 00:19:56.740 It's beautiful words here. 00:19:57.139 --> 00:20:04.259 And as I'm studying this, it's just I need, guys, I need the Bible. 00:20:04.500 --> 00:20:05.139 I need it. 00:20:05.379 --> 00:20:06.019 I need it. 00:20:06.180 --> 00:20:06.740 I need it. 00:20:06.899 --> 00:20:08.420 It helps me think right. 00:20:08.819 --> 00:20:11.700 Every day I go out there, every day I'm walking, just like you. 00:20:15.299 --> 00:20:18.500 Lying to us, and I will eat that up if I'm not in the word of God. 00:20:18.579 --> 00:20:20.899 And I will sit there and I read this and it helps clarify. 00:20:21.059 --> 00:20:22.180 Check beautiful words here. 00:20:22.339 --> 00:20:23.460 Beautiful words here. 00:20:23.700 --> 00:20:32.420 The first part blessed is the man, or you could say the household, who fills his quiver with them, fills them with children. 00:20:32.579 --> 00:20:41.460 All right, verse 3, heritage, verse 4, arrows in the hand of a warrior, verse 5, right off the bat, they're a blessing. 00:20:41.700 --> 00:20:42.420 They're a blessing. 00:20:42.579 --> 00:20:45.139 Children are a blessing, okay? 00:20:45.379 --> 00:20:48.339 I mean, this is interesting. 00:20:48.819 --> 00:20:51.460 We all want to be blessed. 00:20:51.779 --> 00:20:53.460 I pray for God to bless me. 00:20:53.619 --> 00:20:57.139 I pray for God, you know, we sing about blessing. 00:20:57.460 --> 00:21:05.059 God says here, it's you're blessed if you got a family and your whole house filled up with children. 00:21:05.220 --> 00:21:05.859 That's a blessing. 00:21:05.940 --> 00:21:07.299 That's what God says. 00:21:07.539 --> 00:21:09.700 That's what hear that. 00:21:09.779 --> 00:21:11.220 That's what God says. 00:21:11.539 --> 00:21:12.339 You're blessed. 00:21:12.500 --> 00:21:13.299 You're blessed. 00:21:13.539 --> 00:21:15.059 That's not what the culture says. 00:21:15.220 --> 00:21:16.899 That is not what the culture says. 00:21:17.139 --> 00:21:24.019 Culture says kids are expensive, kids are exhausting, kids are limiting, kids are inconvenient. 00:21:24.180 --> 00:21:29.700 Once again, God says, no, no, they are a blessing. 00:21:29.940 --> 00:21:33.700 They are worth far more than they cost. 00:21:35.059 --> 00:21:35.940 Blessed. 00:21:36.180 --> 00:21:38.660 You're enriched, you're strengthened, right? 00:21:38.899 --> 00:21:42.819 Now, he doesn't say it's easy. 00:21:42.980 --> 00:21:44.740 That's not what he's saying there. 00:21:45.220 --> 00:21:49.619 It doesn't mean your life is quieter, doesn't mean you go check my car out. 00:21:49.779 --> 00:21:53.700 Don't mean your car is cleaner, don't mean your house is quieter, man. 00:21:53.779 --> 00:21:54.899 That's not what it means. 00:21:55.379 --> 00:21:56.259 Look at the word. 00:21:56.420 --> 00:21:58.019 Look, it's in the text. 00:21:58.180 --> 00:21:59.379 Look at that word full. 00:21:59.539 --> 00:22:00.259 That word full. 00:22:00.339 --> 00:22:01.220 That's a beautiful word. 00:22:01.299 --> 00:22:02.180 It's full. 00:22:02.339 --> 00:22:03.619 What does full mean? 00:22:03.779 --> 00:22:05.299 It means occupied. 00:22:05.539 --> 00:22:06.740 Full means loud. 00:22:06.980 --> 00:22:08.180 Full means busy. 00:22:08.339 --> 00:22:10.180 Full means messy. 00:22:10.420 --> 00:22:13.619 God says that is blessed once again. 00:22:14.899 --> 00:22:15.460 Come to my life. 00:22:15.539 --> 00:22:16.099 Let me tell you something. 00:22:16.180 --> 00:22:17.299 And you're all welcome to this. 00:22:17.539 --> 00:22:20.019 You come to my house, and you're all welcome to my house. 00:22:20.180 --> 00:22:21.460 You know, you you know. 00:22:21.940 --> 00:22:25.299 Text first because people ring that doorbell, we all get quiet. 00:22:25.859 --> 00:22:28.899 You know, but uh because you you don't know, you don't know, you don't know. 00:22:28.980 --> 00:22:29.940 People try to sell you stuff. 00:22:30.019 --> 00:22:32.980 You but anyway, but you're welcome to my house. 00:22:33.139 --> 00:22:37.940 If you come to my house and you walk upstairs, that's where my my children reside, man. 00:22:38.180 --> 00:22:45.700 And you go up the stairs, true story, you go up the stairs, and you're going to notice, you know, there's two shades of paint on the wall. 00:22:45.859 --> 00:22:48.420 I mean, well, it's it's it's it's it's darker. 00:22:48.579 --> 00:22:56.099 Three three feet up, it's as, you know, kind of dark and grubby, and then it kind of fades back into a color you would recognize, okay? 00:22:56.259 --> 00:23:04.259 Now you may sit there and you go, look at Travis, he's got some sort of new strange, I don't know, HGTV kind of theme going on here. 00:23:04.339 --> 00:23:05.539 I said, no, it's not it. 00:23:05.700 --> 00:23:06.420 It's not it. 00:23:06.660 --> 00:23:14.660 The reason why my walls got two different colors is because when my kids were toddlers, about three feet tall, they just they touched the walls, you know. 00:23:14.740 --> 00:23:16.899 And you're gonna, you know what you're gonna, you know what you're gonna find there? 00:23:17.059 --> 00:23:20.019 You're gonna find some peanut butter and jelly stains. 00:23:20.500 --> 00:23:23.539 You're gonna find where dirty hands went down there. 00:23:23.779 --> 00:23:26.099 Man, these are marks from real life. 00:23:26.259 --> 00:23:33.940 And to me, when I go upstairs and I see the dirty walls, it reminds me I am a blessed man. 00:23:34.740 --> 00:23:36.099 I know I'm blessed. 00:23:36.180 --> 00:23:37.220 That is a sign. 00:23:37.460 --> 00:23:43.059 I have been blessed, man, because man, I got dirty walls, you know? 00:23:43.220 --> 00:23:50.099 And oh, in addition, if you come to my house and you want a peanut butter and jelly, ain't got no jelly, I'm gonna give you bread. 00:23:50.180 --> 00:23:51.940 You just go rub the wall, you're good. 00:23:52.019 --> 00:23:53.059 All right, you're good. 00:23:53.220 --> 00:23:55.379 Don't worry about it, don't worry about it, man. 00:23:55.539 --> 00:23:57.619 But it's true, it's true. 00:23:57.779 --> 00:23:59.859 It's a blessing, man. 00:24:01.539 --> 00:24:05.460 Blessings don't always reduce the weight of life, and that's what we think. 00:24:05.779 --> 00:24:13.379 Sometimes blessings give your life a holy weight, and we need that. 00:24:14.099 --> 00:24:15.220 We need that. 00:24:15.700 --> 00:24:18.740 Children, they can't add this holy weight. 00:24:19.700 --> 00:24:20.339 You know? 00:24:22.420 --> 00:24:23.940 And responsibility. 00:24:25.059 --> 00:24:25.700 That's good. 00:24:25.859 --> 00:24:26.500 I need it. 00:24:26.899 --> 00:24:27.619 I need it. 00:24:27.779 --> 00:24:28.660 I need that. 00:24:29.539 --> 00:24:31.379 They're gonna stretch your schedule. 00:24:31.859 --> 00:24:33.460 Yeah, they stretch your budget. 00:24:34.899 --> 00:24:37.539 Um, dude, you know, yeah. 00:24:37.940 --> 00:24:41.220 Who knows how many skateboards I'd have right now if I didn't have kids? 00:24:41.619 --> 00:24:42.660 You know what I'm saying? 00:24:43.220 --> 00:24:46.099 Or how many more broken bones I'd have, man. 00:24:46.660 --> 00:24:48.660 They stretch your patience, man. 00:24:49.779 --> 00:24:51.940 But please hear what the text says. 00:24:52.579 --> 00:24:55.539 God says that's a blessing. 00:24:56.259 --> 00:24:57.220 It's a blessing. 00:24:57.859 --> 00:25:00.099 I needed my time stretched. 00:25:00.339 --> 00:25:04.339 I needed my budget stretched, I needed my schedule stretched. 00:25:04.420 --> 00:25:07.139 I am a better man because of it. 00:25:07.700 --> 00:25:17.779 So that means we view our children, we view our children in light of scripture more than we view it in light of culture. 00:25:18.099 --> 00:25:20.019 And I'm gonna tell you this too. 00:25:20.259 --> 00:25:23.460 That means the church has to see it that way too. 00:25:24.099 --> 00:25:29.940 Children are not distractions from worship, they are future worshipers. 00:25:30.180 --> 00:25:31.859 You gotta view them like that. 00:25:32.099 --> 00:25:37.139 Children are not a noise problem, they are disciples in formation. 00:25:37.539 --> 00:25:43.460 Children are evidence that God has entrusted this church with a future. 00:25:43.779 --> 00:25:45.619 There's even a deeper truth. 00:25:45.940 --> 00:25:50.339 Children remind us the kind of father our God is. 00:25:51.539 --> 00:26:04.660 Listen, God is not bothered by his children, he's not annoyed with us, he loves us, he's not irritated in my weakness. 00:26:04.980 --> 00:26:09.859 He loves his children, he welcomes his children, he blesses his children. 00:26:10.019 --> 00:26:16.099 So when God places children among us, we get a living picture of grace. 00:26:16.420 --> 00:26:17.700 See them that way. 00:26:18.099 --> 00:26:20.500 When they're loud or messy. 00:26:21.619 --> 00:26:25.139 Dude, three weeks ago, man, my son's 18 years old. 00:26:25.299 --> 00:26:28.259 Three weeks ago, dude, I pulled up the seat in my back of my car. 00:26:28.339 --> 00:26:31.859 There's a Lego man, you know, from 10 years ago. 00:26:33.460 --> 00:26:34.980 I'm blessed. 00:26:35.299 --> 00:26:36.740 We're blessed. 00:26:37.059 --> 00:26:38.500 Children are a blessing. 00:26:38.740 --> 00:26:41.059 Let's get to the last part of verse 5. 00:26:41.619 --> 00:26:44.019 Stand with godly confidence. 00:26:44.500 --> 00:26:47.779 He shall not be put to shame. 00:26:47.940 --> 00:26:52.019 That's the parent, when he speaks with his enemies in the gate. 00:26:52.180 --> 00:26:55.940 Now there's some imagery going on here, but here's what's happening. 00:26:56.099 --> 00:26:59.700 We're moving from the private to the public, all right? 00:26:59.859 --> 00:27:02.099 The gate was a place of public life. 00:27:02.259 --> 00:27:06.420 That's where the leaders gathered, that's where decisions were made, disputes were settled. 00:27:06.579 --> 00:27:10.579 The gate, so we're moving from private to public, all right? 00:27:10.819 --> 00:27:19.379 And God says the parent who aims that arrow faithfully will not be ashamed at the gate in public, right? 00:27:19.779 --> 00:27:24.899 Now, please understand that doesn't mean that parenting's never embarrassing. 00:27:25.139 --> 00:27:26.980 You know that's not true, right? 00:27:27.539 --> 00:27:34.099 There are days when parenting feels, I don't know, man, you don't have a lot of confidence, man. 00:27:34.339 --> 00:27:42.740 There are so, you every parent here could give me a story of how they have been publicly humiliated by their child, man. 00:27:42.980 --> 00:27:50.099 Children have a supernatural, look, children got this supernatural ability, I don't know, to act out in public settings. 00:27:50.180 --> 00:27:50.980 I get that, man. 00:27:51.139 --> 00:27:55.779 Your kid, your kid, dude, if you got littles, man, they may be an angel at home. 00:27:55.859 --> 00:27:56.500 Here's the test. 00:27:56.660 --> 00:27:58.019 Take them to Target, dude. 00:27:58.180 --> 00:27:59.139 Take them to Target. 00:27:59.220 --> 00:28:00.420 You're gonna get embarrassed, man. 00:28:00.500 --> 00:28:01.859 It just happens, man. 00:28:02.099 --> 00:28:03.940 But he says, it's bigger than that. 00:28:04.099 --> 00:28:08.099 He's not talking about these little embarrassments we have raising them. 00:28:08.259 --> 00:28:10.980 He says, he says, we'll not be put to shame. 00:28:11.139 --> 00:28:12.740 He's not saying we're always polished. 00:28:12.819 --> 00:28:14.339 He's saying, he's talking about this. 00:28:14.500 --> 00:28:16.660 We're going for the long game. 00:28:16.819 --> 00:28:19.059 That's what we're with the long game, right? 00:28:19.460 --> 00:28:31.299 Confidence comes when the parents have been aiming for glory for Jesus Christ, they understand that they are not to, they're not the, they're not, that the kid's not living for their glory. 00:28:31.379 --> 00:28:35.619 You're not shaping them for your purpose, you're shaping them for the mission. 00:28:35.859 --> 00:28:46.420 And when you do that, even though there's gonna be instances throughout this whole process where you're gonna get a little bit embarrassed by things, it happens, we're going for the long game, right? 00:28:46.819 --> 00:28:48.339 That's what he's talking about. 00:28:48.660 --> 00:28:51.379 Well, children, children, because here's the deal. 00:28:51.539 --> 00:28:52.899 I'm aware of this, man. 00:28:53.059 --> 00:28:57.539 The children you raise in your home, right, they're gonna grow up. 00:28:57.859 --> 00:29:02.740 And they're gonna walk into classrooms, they're gonna have friendships. 00:29:03.379 --> 00:29:08.660 My children will be church members, and they're gonna have families, man. 00:29:08.899 --> 00:29:11.700 They're gonna have a husband, they're gonna have a wife. 00:29:11.940 --> 00:29:16.019 And that's why how I aim them now, that's why it matters. 00:29:16.180 --> 00:29:18.019 I'm going for the long game. 00:29:18.259 --> 00:29:20.740 I'm not going just simply, you know, for clean walls. 00:29:20.819 --> 00:29:22.339 I'm going the long game, man. 00:29:22.500 --> 00:29:38.660 And he says, you will have confidence if you spend your time now walking by God's grace for God's glory, aiming your kids for his glory when they get older, when they go out, you're not gonna be put to shame. 00:29:39.379 --> 00:29:40.579 They're gonna love the Lord. 00:29:40.660 --> 00:29:42.339 That's what we pray for, right? 00:29:43.460 --> 00:29:45.139 Because you're faithful. 00:29:46.980 --> 00:29:48.579 Plot of information in three verses. 00:29:48.660 --> 00:29:50.819 I could speak much longer on this. 00:29:53.940 --> 00:29:56.899 So, yeah, man, I still got those questions. 00:29:57.379 --> 00:29:59.539 I do, I got lots of questions. 00:30:00.339 --> 00:30:04.420 They're funny, some of them, some of them are serious, you know. 00:30:04.740 --> 00:30:08.660 Once again, I still don't know where those socks go, dude. 00:30:08.819 --> 00:30:09.619 You know what I'm saying? 00:30:09.940 --> 00:30:11.619 Like, is there a black market somewhere? 00:30:11.779 --> 00:30:12.500 I don't know. 00:30:15.859 --> 00:30:17.859 But I know the answer to this question. 00:30:18.740 --> 00:30:26.899 Psalm 127 is tell me, told me, the most important question that can be answered is what is the goal? 00:30:27.539 --> 00:30:28.980 What are we aiming for? 00:30:30.579 --> 00:30:33.619 And I'm just aiming that my kids behave. 00:30:35.059 --> 00:30:37.379 I want my kids to love Jesus. 00:30:38.980 --> 00:30:43.460 I want the next generation to chase after Jesus, man. 00:30:43.700 --> 00:30:52.339 For his glory, to know Jesus, to love Jesus, to follow Jesus, to serve Jesus, and live their life for Jesus. 00:30:52.660 --> 00:30:54.339 That is the aim. 00:30:54.579 --> 00:30:56.180 That is the goal. 00:30:56.420 --> 00:31:01.139 So let's church come on. 00:31:02.500 --> 00:31:07.539 Let's parent in such a way that we aim our children for his glory. 00:31:08.420 --> 00:31:09.940 We're going for the long game. 00:31:10.099 --> 00:31:25.779 I know some days are better than others, some seasons are easier than others, but according to this, my uh assignment, my blessing from God, I was gifted children to aim. 00:31:26.420 --> 00:31:31.220 This church has children gifted to aim. 00:31:31.460 --> 00:31:41.779 So we will pray for our families, we will encourage our families, and together we'll grow men and women up for the future generation. 00:31:42.259 --> 00:31:43.299 Let's pray. 00:31:44.259 --> 00:31:47.379 Father God in heaven, thank you for these three verses. 00:31:47.460 --> 00:31:52.500 They are so helpful in a world that teaches us, tells us opposite. 00:31:53.139 --> 00:31:57.299 Father, I pray for the children of this church and in these families. 00:31:57.539 --> 00:32:01.379 I pray that you would give each one of us wisdom. 00:32:01.700 --> 00:32:03.619 Oh, Father, we need patience. 00:32:03.940 --> 00:32:08.980 Father, I pray that we would be people who aim our children for your glory. 00:32:09.220 --> 00:32:13.700 I pray that we would be a church that values our children, that we know that they are a blessing. 00:32:13.859 --> 00:32:18.180 Thank you for blessing this church and this service with children. 00:32:18.500 --> 00:32:25.059 We continue to pray that you use all of this for your glory and for our joy and for the good of the nations. 00:32:25.139 --> 00:32:27.779 And we ask this in Christ's name, our Savior. 00:32:28.180 --> 00:32:28.819 Amen.