SPEAKER_03: Look at Romans chapter 8, if you would, and Romans chapter 8.
SPEAKER_03: And notice uh, if you would, verse 15.
SPEAKER_03: Verse 15 says this for ye have not received the spirit of what?
SPEAKER_03: Bondage.
SPEAKER_03: Again to fear, but ye have received the spirit of what?
SPEAKER_03: Adoption.
SPEAKER_03: Whereby we cry, say it, Abba, Father.
SPEAKER_03: Now turn this down just to pinch up there, if you would.
SPEAKER_03: So the idea is then is uh as a member of this family, in fact it's the greatest family that there ever was, or ever will be, with the greatest father, if you would.
SPEAKER_03: We who have been adopted into this family, it's not a spirit of bondage that we have.
SPEAKER_03: Now, it's interesting because if you look at verse 16, it says, the spirit itself bears witness with our spirit that we are the what?
SPEAKER_03: The children of God.
SPEAKER_03: And if children, then heirs, heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ.
SPEAKER_03: That means everything that He has, we get a part of.
SPEAKER_03: If so be that we suffer with Him, that we may also be what?
SPEAKER_03: Glorified together.
SPEAKER_03: I don't know about you this morning, but if you'll think with me just for a moment, it's nice to be part of God's family.
SPEAKER_03: It's nice to be part and be able to get on your knees or be able to look up or be able to walk along or drive along and be able to say Abba, Father, and know who you're talking to.
SPEAKER_03: When you start thinking about this family, the great thing about this family is there's only one begotten son.
SPEAKER_03: Only one that's ever been begotten into this family.
SPEAKER_03: Now, as Gentiles, the rest of us are what?
SPEAKER_03: Adopted.
SPEAKER_03: Now, you know the greatest thing about adopted is you don't earn it.
SPEAKER_03: You don't earn adoption, you receive it.
SPEAKER_03: Nobody earned the right to be adopted by God the Father.
SPEAKER_03: All we had to do was what?
SPEAKER_03: Receive it.
SPEAKER_03: And God is no respecter of persons.
SPEAKER_03: You see, he'll adopt anybody, anywhere, any place into the family if they'll just, in a humble manner, if you would, come to him and receive the work that's already been done.
SPEAKER_03: Look at Galatians chapter 4, stay with me.
SPEAKER_03: Galatians chapter 4.
SPEAKER_03: In Galatians chapter 4, it talks about this adoption again.
SPEAKER_03: And look what it says in Galatians chapter 4, in verse 6.
SPEAKER_03: And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his sons into your hearts, crying what?
SPEAKER_03: Abba Father.
SPEAKER_03: You know, the only way somebody can really cry, Abba Father, is with the Holy Spirit inside saying, Cry this.
SPEAKER_03: Cry this and say this with the understanding.
SPEAKER_03: You know what?
SPEAKER_03: For years, I ever once in a while when I was in trouble, I'd say, God, you've got to help me.
SPEAKER_03: But I didn't say Father.
SPEAKER_03: Because I didn't know who the Father was.
SPEAKER_03: I mean, I'd get in trouble and you know something would be going on, or I'd be, man, you ever get that shockwave that comes on you when you think you're in big trouble or something?
SPEAKER_03: And you say, Oh God.
SPEAKER_03: If there is a God, help me right now.
SPEAKER_03: You know what I'm talking about?
SPEAKER_03: It's so nice now, even when you're not in trouble, to look up to heaven or bow your head, if you would, and to say, Father, I just want to thank you for what you've done for me.
SPEAKER_03: I just want to thank you for letting me be a part of your family.
SPEAKER_03: And look at verse 7, it says this wherefore thou art no more a servant.
SPEAKER_03: But a what?
SPEAKER_03: A son.
SPEAKER_03: And by the way, ladies, I think this would apply as a daughter also.
SPEAKER_03: And if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.
SPEAKER_03: You say, now wait a minute.
SPEAKER_03: I thought we were supposed to be servants.
SPEAKER_03: Well, in John 15 and 15, it says this that the servant doesn't know what his Lord doeth.
SPEAKER_03: So the context here is this: we're not a servant in that we don't know what our father is doing.
SPEAKER_03: In fact, we know what our father is doing because he left us a book.
SPEAKER_03: And then he left us a spirit to explain the book.
SPEAKER_03: And you know what we do?
SPEAKER_03: We have family meetings.
SPEAKER_03: You're in one of our family meetings right now.
SPEAKER_03: Whether you're part of God's family or not, welcome to a family meeting.
SPEAKER_03: It's called church.
SPEAKER_03: And we get together in our family meetings.
SPEAKER_03: We get together Sunday at 10 o'clock in the morning, uh, Sunday at 11 o'clock, Sunday night at 6 o'clock, and Wednesday night at uh what time?
SPEAKER_03: 7 o'clock.
SPEAKER_03: And then we have other family outings all through the week.
SPEAKER_03: All kinds of things going on.
SPEAKER_03: But it's a family.
SPEAKER_03: Are you listening to me?
SPEAKER_03: Uh by the way, uh, you say, now wait, I don't understand this concept of family.
SPEAKER_03: Well, as a family, when the Holy Spirit is sent into us, in our hearts we can actually cry, Abba, Father.
SPEAKER_03: And it's not so much, well, I wonder what God's doing.
SPEAKER_03: Man, it's all revealed here.
SPEAKER_03: And it says that uh I hath not hear, nor ear heard, or I have not seen, nor ear heard.
SPEAKER_03: But you know what it says?
SPEAKER_03: That the Spirit reveals to us what the Father wants of us.
SPEAKER_03: Hey, you know what?
SPEAKER_03: I know what the family purpose is.
SPEAKER_03: I know what the Father's purpose is.
SPEAKER_03: To reach a lost world for Christ and to expand the family.
SPEAKER_03: That's not hidden.
SPEAKER_03: Amen?
SPEAKER_03: I mean, I'm glad when I wake up, I know what the family purpose is, and I know this.
SPEAKER_03: One of the family purposes is to be in church at the family meeting.
SPEAKER_03: There was no question this morning when I woke up if I was going to come to the family meeting.
SPEAKER_03: You'd say, Well, you're the preacher.
SPEAKER_03: Yeah, but there was no question years ago after I got saved.
SPEAKER_03: The family's going to get together, the family's going to meet, and we're going to talk about what the father wants.
SPEAKER_03: Amen?
SPEAKER_03: Now, if you would look with me a little bit more, and let me show you some things about this family.
SPEAKER_03: Look at Ephesians 2.
SPEAKER_03: Now, I know you know this, but I want to show you something about our family.
SPEAKER_03: Ephesians chapter 2, and by the way, it's the best family there ever was, there ever will be, because we have the best father.
SPEAKER_03: Ephesians chapter 2.
SPEAKER_03: Ephesians chapter 2, I want to show you something unique about this family.
SPEAKER_03: Uh, you know these scriptures.
SPEAKER_03: Look at verse 8.
SPEAKER_03: For by what?
SPEAKER_03: Come on, say it.
SPEAKER_03: For by what?
SPEAKER_03: Grace.
SPEAKER_03: Are you saved?
SPEAKER_03: And by the way, you have to be saved.
SPEAKER_03: You have to have your sins forgiven to be part of this family.
SPEAKER_03: You can't work your way in, you just receive the forgiveness of sins by the action of confessing with your mouth.
SPEAKER_03: For that by grace are you saved through faith.
SPEAKER_03: And that not of yourselves, it is the what?
SPEAKER_03: It's a gift of God.
SPEAKER_03: Not of works, lest any man should what?
SPEAKER_03: Now, I want to show you something in verse 9.
SPEAKER_03: One of the things that is never promoted in our family is to boast of ourselves.
SPEAKER_03: Bragging about ourselves in this family is not allowed.
SPEAKER_03: Let me say that again.
SPEAKER_03: God never promotes bragging about ourselves.
SPEAKER_03: Amen?
SPEAKER_03: Well, you say why?
SPEAKER_03: Because bragging or boasting stems from pride.
SPEAKER_03: And our Father always resisteth the proud.
SPEAKER_03: And giveth grace to the who?
SPEAKER_03: In fact, you've got to be humble to be a part of this family.
SPEAKER_03: Is that right?
SPEAKER_03: I mean, humility is required for salvation.
SPEAKER_03: Wouldn't you agree?
SPEAKER_03: Because only through repentance, only through humility comes repentance.
SPEAKER_03: Now, I don't know about you, but when you think about it, every once in a while, uh the Father corrects me.
SPEAKER_03: You ever boast about yourself?
SPEAKER_03: Did you ever boast about yourself?
SPEAKER_03: How many ever have?
SPEAKER_03: The rest of you?
SPEAKER_03: God doesn't like lying either, amen.
SPEAKER_03: No lying in this family.
SPEAKER_03: Now, the idea though is simply this.
SPEAKER_03: In our family, as a father, if you would, in our family, he doesn't allow bragging.
SPEAKER_03: He doesn't allow boasting.
SPEAKER_03: Hey, you know, when we get finally to our heavenly home that the Father is preparing right now, nobody's bragging up there.
SPEAKER_03: Nobody's boasting up there.
SPEAKER_03: You see, we don't get in through working our own works, but I want to show you something else about this family.
SPEAKER_03: Look at verse 10.
SPEAKER_03: For we are his what?
SPEAKER_03: Workmanship, say it, created in Christ Jesus unto what?
SPEAKER_03: Good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
SPEAKER_03: One of the things the Father likes about our family and wants us to do, if you're part of the family, is to work.
SPEAKER_03: He doesn't want us to boast about ourselves, but brethren, you know what?
SPEAKER_03: He expects the men and the women of his family, the sons and the daughters, to what?
SPEAKER_03: To work.
SPEAKER_03: Now, may I say this and listen to me very carefully.
SPEAKER_03: We're not working for our salvation, and we're not working to maintain our salvation.
SPEAKER_03: Let me say it in a different way.
SPEAKER_03: We didn't work to become part of this family, we were adopted.
SPEAKER_03: And we don't work to stay a part of this family.
SPEAKER_03: It's grace and grace alone.
SPEAKER_03: Look, if you would with me, and look at Romans chapter 4.
SPEAKER_03: Let me give you a little doctrine here.
SPEAKER_03: Romans 4 and Luke chapter 18.
SPEAKER_03: Romans 4 and Luke 18.
SPEAKER_03: Shouldn't we know about our family?
SPEAKER_03: He doesn't want us to brag about ourselves, but he wants us to work.
SPEAKER_03: And while you're turning to Romans 4 and Luke 18, let me remind you something.
SPEAKER_03: Everybody in this family is supposed to be peculiar.
SPEAKER_03: Now we qualify, many of us do, amen?
SPEAKER_03: Glad you're here, Brother Palmer.
SPEAKER_03: Me and you, we qualify for this thing.
SPEAKER_03: Peculiar.
SPEAKER_03: You say, well, what's what's the word peculiar delineate?
SPEAKER_03: It says that we're supposed to be peculiar, zealous of good works.
SPEAKER_03: You see, God will allow, if you would, disobedience, and once you're part of the family, you you never kicked out.
SPEAKER_03: Come on, look at me.
SPEAKER_03: Once you're part of this family, you don't, he doesn't uh he doesn't disown you.
SPEAKER_03: He doesn't, I don't know how you would say, uh, once he adopts you, he he never ring eggs on that.
SPEAKER_03: Once you're adopted and you're in, you're you're part of the family.
SPEAKER_03: But there are family members that are obedient, and there are family members that are disobedient.
SPEAKER_03: There are family members that abide, and there are family members who are prodigal.
SPEAKER_03: But even as a prodigal, you're still part of the family.
SPEAKER_03: Is that right?
SPEAKER_03: He's just waiting on you.
SPEAKER_03: Now, the idea is this to be peculiar and zealous of good works, it's not so much that we're working totally for ourselves, it's that we're working for our father.
SPEAKER_03: And that gives him pleasure.
SPEAKER_03: Huh.
SPEAKER_03: Look, if you would at uh Romans chapter 4, notice something here.
SPEAKER_03: This is an attitude that's becoming prevalent in our country and almost we have to be careful in our homes.
SPEAKER_03: Look at Romans chapter 4, verse 1.
SPEAKER_03: What shall we say, then, that Abraham our father has pertaining to the flesh have found?
SPEAKER_03: For if Abraham were justified by what?
SPEAKER_03: Say it, works, he hath whereof to do what?
SPEAKER_03: You know what it says there?
SPEAKER_03: If Abraham earned his way in, he could boast about it.
SPEAKER_03: Is that what it says?
SPEAKER_03: Come on, yes or no?
SPEAKER_03: He's got where of the glory, but not before God.
SPEAKER_03: For what saith the scripture?
SPEAKER_03: Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for what?
SPEAKER_03: Righteousness.
SPEAKER_03: Now look at verse 4.
SPEAKER_03: Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of what?
SPEAKER_03: You know, if someone thinks they've worked their way into this family, they almost got this idea that God owes them.
SPEAKER_03: They all have this idea that the Father owes them.
SPEAKER_03: And you know what's prevalent more and more in our society today?
SPEAKER_03: It's almost like the children feel that the parents owe them.
SPEAKER_03: You know, in this family it's different.
SPEAKER_03: God owes us as children absolutely nothing.
SPEAKER_03: He is not a debtor to us.
SPEAKER_03: We are a debtor to him.
SPEAKER_03: As the children of God, he doesn't owe us a thing.
SPEAKER_03: But we owe him so much.
SPEAKER_03: It's not like this thing, and and would you understand this in America today, and Brother Palmer working with the Girls' Academy.
SPEAKER_03: Is that the way you're calling it?
SPEAKER_03: That all changes so often.
SPEAKER_03: Depending on the legality, is what the term is.
SPEAKER_03: You see this so much.
SPEAKER_03: It's almost like young men and young ladies, they demand of their parents certain things.
SPEAKER_03: Well, you're my parent and you owe me this.
SPEAKER_03: That's not the way it is in God's family.
SPEAKER_03: In God's family, we're thankful that we're born again and eternally alive, and we look at that thing and say, you know what?
SPEAKER_03: Whatever we have, we owe God everything for.
SPEAKER_03: And he asks that we give him our life.
SPEAKER_03: Everything.
SPEAKER_03: Locked, stock, bare.
SPEAKER_03: You know what he says?
SPEAKER_03: It's not yours that I'm after, it's you.
SPEAKER_03: It's not what you have that I want, he says, it's it's you that I want.
SPEAKER_03: Because he knows this.
SPEAKER_03: When he has us, he has everything that we supposedly have.
SPEAKER_03: And someone says, Well, I don't know if that's fair.
SPEAKER_03: God is always good.
SPEAKER_03: And God is always fair.
SPEAKER_03: And the very fact that we have life and eternal life, we owe him everything.
SPEAKER_03: We are not debtors to him.
SPEAKER_03: Or we are not, he is not a debtor to us.
SPEAKER_03: We are a debtor to him.
SPEAKER_03: Now, now, by the way, sometimes uh the children that we have try to put guilt chips on us.
SPEAKER_03: Ladies?
SPEAKER_03: Men?
SPEAKER_03: It's almost like, well, you know, I did this for you, so you owe me.
SPEAKER_03: You can't do that with God.
SPEAKER_03: Let me show you something.
SPEAKER_03: Look at Luke 18.
SPEAKER_03: Oh, you hold your place there in Romans.
SPEAKER_03: Look at Luke 18.
SPEAKER_03: Are you with me so far?
SPEAKER_03: Luke 18, and you're holding your place in Romans.
SPEAKER_03: Look at this attitude.
SPEAKER_03: This attitude is not prevalent in our family.
SPEAKER_03: Luke 18, look at this thing.
SPEAKER_03: Uh two men, verse 10.
SPEAKER_03: Luke 18, verse 10.
SPEAKER_03: Two men, I turn this up just a little bit, guys, in case I lose my voice.
SPEAKER_03: Two men went up into the temple to pray.
SPEAKER_03: The one a what?
SPEAKER_03: Talk to me.
SPEAKER_03: A Pharisee.
SPEAKER_03: And the other a what?
SPEAKER_03: Now notice the Pharisee's attitude.
SPEAKER_03: This is not the attitude that our family allows.
SPEAKER_03: The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with who?
SPEAKER_03: So you know he's boasting to himself.
SPEAKER_03: He's bragging to himself.
SPEAKER_03: Do you ever do that?
SPEAKER_03: Look up here just for a minute.
SPEAKER_03: Do you ever boast to yourself?
SPEAKER_03: Okay, good.
SPEAKER_03: The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself.
SPEAKER_03: God.
SPEAKER_03: Now he wasn't talking to God.
SPEAKER_03: He was talking to himself.
SPEAKER_03: But he's going through the motion.
SPEAKER_03: God, I thank thee.
SPEAKER_03: That I am not as other men are.
SPEAKER_03: Extortioners.
SPEAKER_03: Unjust.
SPEAKER_03: Adulterous.
SPEAKER_03: Or even as this Republican.
SPEAKER_03: I fast twice in the week.
SPEAKER_03: Now who's he telling that to?
SPEAKER_03: Himself.
SPEAKER_03: Is that right?
SPEAKER_03: You know what he's saying?
SPEAKER_03: Good, good boy.
SPEAKER_03: You fast twice in a week.
SPEAKER_03: I give tithes of all that I possess.
SPEAKER_03: You see him boasting and bragging to himself?
SPEAKER_03: That attitude isn't allowed in our family.
SPEAKER_03: This kind of attitude leads to destruction.
SPEAKER_03: Verse 13.
SPEAKER_03: And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven.
SPEAKER_03: But smote upon his breast.
SPEAKER_03: You see, there's humility here, saying, God, be merciful to me, a what?
SPEAKER_03: A sinner.
SPEAKER_03: You see, it's not works that get you saved, because look at verse 14.
SPEAKER_03: I tell you, this man went down to his house what?
SPEAKER_03: Justified.
SPEAKER_03: The only way you get justified is by humility.
SPEAKER_03: Amen.
SPEAKER_03: The one man said, I fast twice in the week.
SPEAKER_03: I give tithes of all that I possess.
SPEAKER_03: And I'm not an extortioner, and I'm not unjust.
SPEAKER_03: I'm not an adulterer.
SPEAKER_03: Like uh, I'm not like this publican.
SPEAKER_03: Brethren, verse 14.
SPEAKER_03: For every one that exalteth himself shall be what?
SPEAKER_03: A based.
SPEAKER_03: And he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.
SPEAKER_03: In our family, the reason this family is so, this is the best family with the best father, is that humility reigns.
SPEAKER_03: As a church, wouldn't you agree that what we should be as a church is a, yes, I'll use the word, a microcosm of the whole kingdom?
SPEAKER_03: What I'm saying is, if God has this family that he's going to join together one day, shouldn't we as a church exemplify those attitudes that are prevalent in the family?
SPEAKER_03: Yes or no?
SPEAKER_03: Talk to me.
SPEAKER_03: Well, the only way the church can exemplify those attitudes is that we exemplify those attitudes in our home.
SPEAKER_03: If in my home I'm saying, you know what, I thank God that I'm not like that other family in our church.
SPEAKER_03: I mean, uh, I we we give of all the tithes.
SPEAKER_03: We we we don't do what they're doing.
SPEAKER_03: We do do the right things.
SPEAKER_03: You know, in the family, brethren, there's no room for that attitude.
SPEAKER_03: Comparing ourselves or among ourselves is not what?
SPEAKER_03: Say it.
SPEAKER_03: Why?
SPEAKER_03: And for a for a father to look at his family and say, oh no, look, my family.
SPEAKER_03: Look, compare to that family.
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, we're uh we're kind of we're kind of proud of our children.
SPEAKER_03: You know, I'm thankful for my children.
SPEAKER_03: But I know this, if they've learned anything, they've learned it from God.
SPEAKER_03: In fact, most of the things that they learn that they shouldn't be learning, that's what they get from me.
SPEAKER_03: You know, if my oldest boy sometimes gets a little loud with one of the other boys, I think, you know where he got that from?
SPEAKER_03: His mom.
SPEAKER_03: Now you better laugh.
SPEAKER_03: And I hope she's laughing.
SPEAKER_03: But there's there's not this attitude, if you would, of you see, what the Pharisee was in competition and comparing himself to the publican, and the Bible says that if we compare ourselves among ourselves, it's not wise.
SPEAKER_03: In fact, we're supposed to, by love, serve each other.
SPEAKER_03: Now, if you would look back at Romans chapter 11.
SPEAKER_03: You held your place in Romans.
SPEAKER_03: Look at Romans chapter 11.
SPEAKER_03: And what we should be doing this morning, dads, is examining a little bit of what the father's characteristics are about his family, and look a little bit about what's going on in our families.
SPEAKER_03: But you don't have to be a father to do that.
SPEAKER_03: In fact, you can just examine a little bit what's going on in our lives.
SPEAKER_03: Romans chapter 11.
SPEAKER_03: Look what he says, uh, this idea and this concept about the Pharisees saying, Well, I thank God that I'm not like this guy.
SPEAKER_03: He's trying to justify himself.
SPEAKER_03: And I uh I uh I uh pay tithes and I fast.
SPEAKER_03: He's trying to work his way in.
SPEAKER_03: Look at verse 6 of Romans chapter 11.
SPEAKER_03: And if by grace, then it is no more of what?
SPEAKER_03: Say it.
SPEAKER_03: Works.
SPEAKER_03: You see, that Pharisee was trying to justify his entrance into his religious standing with God.
SPEAKER_03: Otherwise, grace is no more grace.
SPEAKER_03: But if it be of works, then it is no more grace.
SPEAKER_03: Otherwise, work is no more work.
SPEAKER_03: You know what that scripture says?
SPEAKER_03: Please look up here.
SPEAKER_03: It's either grace or it's works, and you can't combine the two.
SPEAKER_03: Come on, yes or no?
SPEAKER_03: It's either we got there by God's forgiveness and by God's grace, or we worked our way there.
SPEAKER_03: So as soon as we get in our idea and our mindset that you know what, it's just a privilege to be a part of this family.
SPEAKER_03: The only reason I'm in it is because of grace.
SPEAKER_03: I didn't work my way in, I didn't work my way in to maintain it, I didn't work my way to keep it or anything like that.
SPEAKER_03: It's just God's grace that allows me in, and a God's grace that allows me to stay in.
SPEAKER_03: You know what that means?
SPEAKER_03: That means our father is good.
SPEAKER_03: That means our father is merciful.
SPEAKER_03: That means our father has to overlook a lot.
SPEAKER_03: That means our father has to forbear a lot.
SPEAKER_03: That means if I'm practicing what my father is doing, I need to forbear a little bit more.
SPEAKER_03: With my children.
SPEAKER_03: Hello?
SPEAKER_03: You know, I was thinking about it this week.
SPEAKER_03: He's not giving us the spirit of bondage to fear.
SPEAKER_03: I started looking outside and thinking, you know what?
SPEAKER_03: I wonder if there's a spirit of bondage in my house.
SPEAKER_03: Now you gotta understand something.
SPEAKER_03: My my wife would not be one to incorporate the spirit of bondage in our home.
SPEAKER_03: In fact, my wife's personality would allow for some liberty.
SPEAKER_03: You know who'd be the one in my home to promote a spirit of bondage and fear?
SPEAKER_03: What are you looking at?
SPEAKER_03: They're saying, no, wait a minute, I don't understand what you're talking about, bondage.
SPEAKER_03: Shouldn't they reverently respect you?
SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
SPEAKER_03: But I I think there's a difference between the idea of respect and the idea of bondage.
SPEAKER_03: I mean, when they walk in, I know they're gonna things will change a little bit when I walk in.
SPEAKER_03: But you know what?
SPEAKER_03: When I walk in the door, I don't want them coming to attention.
SPEAKER_03: And standing there in fear.
SPEAKER_03: Because they know I'm gonna point out what they've been doing wrong.
SPEAKER_03: You know, dads, it's good every once in a while to tell them they're do something right.
SPEAKER_03: You say, Well, I can't find anything they're doing right.
SPEAKER_03: you're not looking.
SPEAKER_03: I just uh I just spent a week with my oldest son out in the sticks, out in the weeds, the bush.
SPEAKER_03: And uh I uh I made sure that I spent some time reflecting on not so much him as a son but me as a dad.
SPEAKER_03: It was good uh all through the week he's real clingy to me he'd come up and I'd be standing there and man he'd put his arms around me and start you know scratching my back and hugging me and all that kind of stuff and I thought man I'm glad he's still doing that and I'm glad he was unashamed of it now if he didn't do something like that once in a while I'd I'd say why doesn't he do that?
SPEAKER_03: Well it's just not my son's nature.
SPEAKER_03: Oh no no it's a reflection of us now moms hug all the time but dad I I see nothing wrong with uh a 22 year old son hugging a a 50 year old dad do your children know they can hug you i i'm not talking about just when they're young two three oh yeah they're gonna hug you and I'm not talking about when they're 13 and 14 they hug you for money come on I know how that works dad you're the greatest dad there ever is and I think what do you want it's nice when they don't want nothing but to express their love and affection but I realize something that if we don't give them room to do that.
SPEAKER_03: What do you mean room?
SPEAKER_03: I mean that they know they're not going to get scolded for it.
SPEAKER_03: Now I may not be talking to many dads in here but I'll guarantee you as your children grow up some of you dads in here they're gonna wonder whether it's okay to hug you look at Galatians chapter 2 Galatians chapter 2 we doing okay this morning it's good to be part of the best family Galatians chapter 2 and let's understand something real clearly here Galatians chapter 2 It's a privilege to be part of this heavenly family.
SPEAKER_03: By the way are you now if you're unsure and you say well you know I I think I kind of relate to that guy who said God and talked to himself then I want to tell you something it doesn't have to be that way.
SPEAKER_03: I want to tell you right now that if you receive Christ as Savior the Spirit of God will come in you and you will be able to actually cry Abba Father and mean it.
SPEAKER_03: And when you say God it won't just be some word it won't be just some being that you have imaginations that have you know eyeballs coming out his head and and antennas and and you know because you've been watching too many movies.
SPEAKER_03: I mean when you say God after you know who he is it's so good to know about his personality and you say do you have a picture in your mind of God no I know what his throne looks like I know what his seating I think I know more about his characteristics than what he actually looks like how can you love someone you don't even know what they look like is it hard to love love?
SPEAKER_03: Is it hard to love grace?
SPEAKER_03: Is it hard to love mercy?
SPEAKER_03: Is it hard to love forbearance?
SPEAKER_03: Is it hard to love tenderness?
SPEAKER_03: Is it hard to love hugs?
SPEAKER_03: Is it hard to love someone that we know cares about us?
SPEAKER_03: I don't need a picture I don't need a face that song that the choir sang that he loved us before we loved him I thought we needed nothing in Galatians chapter 2 follow with me a little bit doctrinally here.
SPEAKER_03: Verse 16 look at it knowing that a man is not justified by the what?
SPEAKER_03: Say it works of the law.
SPEAKER_03: But by the what?
SPEAKER_03: Say it faith of Jesus Christ.
SPEAKER_03: Even we have believed in Jesus Christ that what meet we might be say it justified by the faith of Christ and not by the works of the law.
SPEAKER_03: You say why are you going back to that again?
SPEAKER_03: For by the works of law shall no flesh be justified it's because of this some people have this idea in their mind and I had to work this thing too in my mind that if I'm not good well maybe God wouldn't love me.
SPEAKER_03: Now I understand working for him is something that he wants but I believe God loves us whether we're good or not and it's bondage to wake up and say oh I'm a terrible person and God doesn't love me.
SPEAKER_03: It's liberty to wake up and say Lord I did wrong yesterday but thank God you still love me.
SPEAKER_03: That's liberty.
SPEAKER_03: Oh yeah there's times when he chastises but he does that out of love too for whom the Lord loveth he what?
SPEAKER_03: Chasteneth look at Galatians chapter 3 right there stay with me Galatians 3 and by the way you don't know it but you're getting some doctrine Galatians 3 look at verse 11 but that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God is evident.
SPEAKER_03: For the just shall live by what?
SPEAKER_03: Faith.
SPEAKER_03: And the law is not of faith.
SPEAKER_03: You see brethren we didn't work our way into this family and we didn't work our way to stay in this family.
SPEAKER_03: We received it yes I understand the actions of confession but it was the work of Christ upon the cross that allowed us in and it's the work of Christ on the cross that keeps us in I didn't wake up this morning and say wow let's see did I did I did I lose my salvation yesterday you know what that's confusion.
SPEAKER_03: God's not the author of confusion he wants his children secure now wait a minute hold it hold it stop right there does God want his children secure well then as a father I should reflect on that what is it that makes me secure in the Father well that I know he's never going to leave me going to forsake me.
SPEAKER_03: So as a father with my children I should make them secure that I'm never going to leave them come on yes or no I I don't want you to be offended by this but my wife and I have never even joked about splitting up and if you're in here today and you've gone through some type of divorce I'm not putting you down but you got to preach truth even if I were divorced I'd still have to preach truth because it's in the book is there grace there's grace but my wife and I don't even joke about leaving each other you know like hey well honey if I'm around next year and we're still together you know my children hear that what does daddy mean by that oh daddy was just joking I think no no my our our we are secure knowing that the father is committed to us and dads our families ought to be secure because we're committed Galatians four and notice this allegory here because it leads us to where I want to get to Galatians four.
SPEAKER_03: By the way look up here just for a minute you doing okay I didn't I didn't offend anybody did I hey you can't offend by by talking truth and by the way you say well I didn't like what he said about you know the thing about divorce you know someone's in there and I had them as a visitor and you know they might have got hurt hey listen you can't water down the word because what's happened to somebody truth is still truth and if I somewhere along the line had a situation that it wasn't ideal and it wasn't perfect it doesn't change the truth I didn't mean to offend anybody but you would understand one of the problems in our country is divorce I feel so terrible I I I I I I went through that.
SPEAKER_02: Well if you've been through it then even more so you don't want your children to ever go through it.
SPEAKER_03: And by the way may I say this it doesn't make you a second class citizen in our church because if God as a family is no respecter of persons and takes all he took Moses and Moses killed a man.
SPEAKER_03: He made Paul an apostle to the Gentiles after he killed Christians so don't think what that church there against everybody who's has blemishes.
SPEAKER_03: Man you're looking at a church that's full of blemishes you're looking at a church that's full of people that had all kinds of situations in their homes in their lives and you're welcome here's kind of like city of refuge it's kind of like if you know anything about the Old Testament the cave Adulum or adjulum where everybody that was in debt distressed and discontented joined up with David and David said listen if you're here to help me come if you're here to hinder me don't but he didn't look at the person he just took them in so please don't walk out and say well that preacher you know he just seems like he walks on water didn't I tell you about this moat we all got him look at Galatians 4 brethren look at verse 22 for it is written that Abraham had two sons who were Abraham's two sons Ishmael and who?
SPEAKER_03: Isaac and Ishmael is the one he got ahead on and the one that that was in the flesh is that right and Isaac was the promise so this is what he that he talks about for it's written that Abraham had two sons the one by a bondmaid that's Hagar Ishmael the other by a free woman that's Sarah Isaac but he who was of the bond woman that's Ishmael was born after the flesh well how do we know that because Abraham got ahead of God but he of the free woman was by the what?
SPEAKER_03: By promise.
SPEAKER_03: Which things are an allegory for these are the two covenants here's the two agreements uh the one from the Mount Sinai which gendereth to what?
SPEAKER_03: Say it bondage.
SPEAKER_03: You know people that are trying to work their way into heaven got themselves under bondage.
SPEAKER_03: Verse 25 for this agar in Mount Sinai is Arabia and answers to Jerusalem which is now is and is the bondage with their children but look at the other in Isaac verse 26 but Jerusalem which is above is what?
SPEAKER_03: Free which is the mother of us all it goes on down to say in this verse 28 now we brethren as Isaac Galatians 4 28 was are the children of what?
SPEAKER_03: Say it promise.
SPEAKER_03: What does that mean?
SPEAKER_03: It means we're not under bondage it means we're in liberty verse 31 so then brethren we are not children of the bondwoman but of the what?
SPEAKER_03: Say it free.
SPEAKER_03: Now you say why is that important?
SPEAKER_03: Look at Galatians 5.
SPEAKER_03: This is why it's important Galatians 5.
SPEAKER_03: Look at verse 13 don't miss it.
SPEAKER_03: For brethren ye have not or ye have been called unto what?
SPEAKER_03: Liberty.
SPEAKER_03: Please look up here in this family that the Father is the head of he allows for liberty.
SPEAKER_03: But look what he says in verse 13 only use not liberty fornication to the flesh.
SPEAKER_03: But by love serve one another there's another characteristic of our family by love we're supposed to serve one another.
SPEAKER_03: Verse 14 for all the law is fulfilled in one word even this thou shalt love thy neighbor as who?
SPEAKER_03: Talk to me thyself but if ye bite and devour one another take heed that you be not consumed one of another you know what God does not like it when his family members when his children bite and devour one another I have to say this as a dad uh we have seven children I don't like it when they argue I don't like it when they're ugly to each other come on yes or no I don't like it when the girls pull each other's hair you mean your family the girls do that I thought you and the pastor those are the pastor's kids well we're human I've seen them get into once or twice or maybe more but see they don't usually get into it around me they're not really getting to their head but I've you know oh you know two girls down in the little room you know and they got mad at each other grabbed each other and started pulling each other's head you know as a dad I don't like that wouldn't you agree?
SPEAKER_03: I mean it is it would be just totally taboo for my son any of them to hit one of the girls totally what do you think God thinks about his child and some of them might say well we're married son daughter married doesn't give us the right to fight we're still part of the heavenly family you know my wife and I stand up for a minute Patty she hates it's my wife Patty please look up here she's a daughter of God I'm a son of God God joined us together we're still part of the family of God and God doesn't like it when his children fight than so stop pulling my hair loud right up here she's been you see there's liberty there's forbearance God doesn't want us consuming one another let me just say this we as a church family we as a family of God we're not in competition against each other let me say that again we're not in competition against each other as a church we're not in a competition against any other church in town hey at best we run the race side by side to encourage one another I don't mind running a race beside a man and say hey let's let's run a little faster together to encourage each other to do a little bit more but it's not against each other.
SPEAKER_03: It's not oh I won and you didn't won't work that way not supposed to compare ourselves or you remember uh on the road one day the the apostles were talking about who would be the greatest Jesus didn't like that he said what do you guys talk about along the road huh nothing he said listen uh you're talking about who would be greatest and let me just explain something to you the greatest in our family will be the least the greatest will be the servant of all got it's not logical put it with you if you would at John 8 John chapter 8 Thank you for turning there John chapter 8 John 8 Matthew 23 Thank you for turning there all we're talking about this morning is some of the characteristics of the family but we're also reflecting upon our families and our attitudes John chapter 8 that's not meant to be any kind of fool you're turning there if you're finished look right up here I don't want you to go out of here saying wow that that hurt me and and and I'm hurt and and I never want to go back there again because it hurts me and I don't go to church to be hurt guilt sometimes hurts but God doesn't bring guilt to to oppress us God brings guilt to make us better so a church now listen you can find a lot of churches that are user friendly you know what I'm talking about we'll make it to be what you want it to be and it'll be user friendly and and and we'll just all talk about the things that we do right.
SPEAKER_03: Tickle the ears a little bit and everybody's understanding but you know this Bible when you study it and read it and teach it and preach it it does bring about some guilt and it does bring about change not for the worse for the better and shouldn't that be what church is hey you know once we have we have a family meeting and uh in my home and we'll all be around the table the big table and I'll say uh everybody I don't like the attitude going on right now I don't like I don't like like what I'm seeing.
SPEAKER_03: I don't like the way you treat mom.
SPEAKER_03: I want to change it right now.
SPEAKER_02: And they're all sitting there like this.
SPEAKER_03: But every once in a while one of them will go You know why?
SPEAKER_03: The other one across from the table is looking at him And I have to say something like it's not funny Do you think it's funny?
SPEAKER_03: And it's usually when there's a silent pause My life my wife will look at me sometime and go.
SPEAKER_03: Thanks for your support, dear.
SPEAKER_03: And you know what?
SPEAKER_03: I don't feel like I failed.
SPEAKER_03: I got the picture.
SPEAKER_03: But there ought to be some liberty.
SPEAKER_03: In church, even even though we're we're talking about some things that somebody may say, man, there ought to be some laughter.
SPEAKER_03: There'll be some joy.
SPEAKER_03: We should not all walk out.
SPEAKER_01: Brother, we must die.
SPEAKER_01: And he says, yes, brother, we must die.
SPEAKER_03: That's not the way God intended for his family to live down here.
SPEAKER_01: Brother, after we die, we must face God.
SPEAKER_03: Now we do.
SPEAKER_03: And we have to.
SPEAKER_03: And it's a fearful thing to fall in the hands of a living God and judgment begins about the house of God.
SPEAKER_03: I know all that.
SPEAKER_03: And I believe all that.
SPEAKER_03: Well, I don't think he wants our family down here as a church or as an individual family to live in bondage.
SPEAKER_03: Now that doesn't mean we do whatever we want.
SPEAKER_03: He said, use not your liberty.
SPEAKER_03: And there's an attitude that we have to be careful of.
SPEAKER_03: Look at John chapter 8.
SPEAKER_03: Stay with me.
SPEAKER_03: We're almost finished.
SPEAKER_03: John chapter 8.
SPEAKER_03: And look, if you would at this attitude in verse 33.
SPEAKER_03: They answered him.
SPEAKER_03: Here's this proud, boastful, arrogance.
SPEAKER_03: They answered him, we be Abraham's seed.
SPEAKER_03: And we're never in bondage to any man.
SPEAKER_03: Look what he says in verse 39.
SPEAKER_03: They answered and said unto him, Abraham is our father.
SPEAKER_03: You see, there's almost a proud, arrogant type of attitude.
SPEAKER_03: Look over John 9.
SPEAKER_03: John 9.
SPEAKER_03: Verse 28.
SPEAKER_03: Then they reviled him and said, Thou art his disciple, verse 28 of John 9.
SPEAKER_03: But we are who?
SPEAKER_03: Moses' disciple.
SPEAKER_03: You know, we've got to be careful about this attitude of comparisons.
SPEAKER_03: Now we teach truth and we preach truth.
SPEAKER_03: But you know what?
SPEAKER_03: We aren't the only one that has it right.
SPEAKER_03: And there's some things we're still working on to get right.
SPEAKER_03: Every once in a while I look at my family, and I and when I look at them, my wife will say something, oh man, we got to work on them.
SPEAKER_03: You know what?
SPEAKER_03: I know we got to work on them, and I agree we've got to work on them.
SPEAKER_03: But the greatest thing about being a family, as the father responsible for this thing, I don't have to compare them to another family.
SPEAKER_03: All I have to do is look at them and say, are we working on reaching their potential?
SPEAKER_03: It's not them compared to this family or them compared to that family.
SPEAKER_03: Hey, there's some families in our church that have musical talent and their children learning music, and our children are losing learning music.
SPEAKER_03: You know the difference?
SPEAKER_03: Patty and I don't have much musical talent.
SPEAKER_01: Good thing you didn't say amen.
SPEAKER_03: Patty has more musical talent than I do.
SPEAKER_03: So our children may not learn to sing as well as some of the others, but you know what?
SPEAKER_03: Are they learning what they're supposed to learn and are they given the foundation to be what they're supposed to be, not what someone else is?
SPEAKER_03: Are they reaching their potential?
SPEAKER_03: I don't want my children growing up smooty.
SPEAKER_03: That's a theological term.
SPEAKER_03: I don't want them growing up.
SPEAKER_03: We're independent fundamental Bible-believing Baptists, and you are not.
SPEAKER_03: And snooty about it.
SPEAKER_03: I want them to have confidence that they have truth.
SPEAKER_03: I want them to know God.
SPEAKER_03: But the more you get to know God, the more you find out what you don't know.
SPEAKER_01: Look at Matthew 23.
SPEAKER_03: You with me, Dad?
SPEAKER_01: Just a little reflection.
SPEAKER_01: Matthew 23.
SPEAKER_03: It's a wrong attitude.
SPEAKER_03: Our family as a church shouldn't have this.
SPEAKER_03: The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat, verse 2.
SPEAKER_03: And look what he says in verse 4.
SPEAKER_03: For they bind heavy burdens and grievous, verse 4 of Matthew 23, to be born.
SPEAKER_03: And lay them on men's shoulders, but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.
SPEAKER_03: You know, it's interesting the contrast to that.
SPEAKER_03: They're binding heavy burdens and putting their followers under bondage.
SPEAKER_03: Where the other side of it, father says, Oh, you're under bondage?
SPEAKER_03: You're under a heavy burden?
SPEAKER_03: Here, yoke up with me, I'll take care of it.
SPEAKER_03: Totally different.
SPEAKER_03: You know, as a father, I know this.
SPEAKER_03: Even though I give my children work to do, if they ever ask for my help, for example, when we were out uh last week, we were on a little bit of a trip, my son and I, and and you know, there were some times where he couldn't carry what his load was.
SPEAKER_03: And uh, you know, at that point in time, you know what my job was to do?
SPEAKER_00: Say, here son, you carry this and I'll carry that.
SPEAKER_00: And that you say, well, what's the big deal about that?
SPEAKER_03: It's the same thing as they grow up.
SPEAKER_03: You know, once a mother, always a mother?
SPEAKER_03: I mean, like you guys in on secret, once a dad, always a dad?
SPEAKER_03: He goes on to say this, verse 5, for all but all their works they do for to be seen of men.
SPEAKER_03: They make broad their phylacteries and large the borders of their garments, love the uppermost rooms at feasts, chief seats in the synagogues and greetings in the market, and to be called of men rabbi.
SPEAKER_03: Rabbi.
SPEAKER_03: You know what Jesus said?
SPEAKER_03: Go thy way, tell no man.
SPEAKER_03: You see the contrasting here.
SPEAKER_03: He said, He said, hey, Jesus made himself of no reputation.
SPEAKER_03: The idea here, brethren, is if we're not careful, this idea of binding heavy burdens or or wanting to be seen or something like that, you know, as a family member.
SPEAKER_03: Sometimes God just wants us to get into work and get the work done and realize this: we're unprofitable servants.
SPEAKER_03: We've done that which was our what?
SPEAKER_03: Say it, duty to do.
SPEAKER_03: Now, as a church, our attitude should reflect the attitude of the family of God.
SPEAKER_03: You say, well, Pastor, as a pastor of the church, do you think your church perfectly reflects the attitude of a family of God?
SPEAKER_03: I think this.
SPEAKER_03: If it's going to perfectly reflect, if this church is going to perfectly reflect the perfect attitude of what God wants for his family, I got to leave the church.
SPEAKER_00: Because I mess it up.
SPEAKER_03: Because once in a while I I don't reflect what I shit.
SPEAKER_03: But we're working on it.
SPEAKER_03: No, our church is going to live in reality.
SPEAKER_03: Our church family is not going to think of themselves more highly than we ought to think.
SPEAKER_03: We're going to think sober-minded and say, we're not there yet.
SPEAKER_03: Just when we get one area, it seems like there's another area.
SPEAKER_03: That's what makes it to be where we want to stay close to God as a church family and work on reflecting these attitudes.
SPEAKER_03: Well, brother, do you hear any times where some of these attitudes wouldn't be reflected in their church?
SPEAKER_03: I didn't last week.
SPEAKER_03: But I wasn't your phone.
SPEAKER_02: I didn't hear of anything going on.
SPEAKER_02: But I suspect there were probably a few things that happened.
SPEAKER_03: But then I think of this.
SPEAKER_01: But God has grace and mercy and long-suffering and gentleness and kindness and forbearance.
SPEAKER_02: We didn't work to get in there anyway.
SPEAKER_02: We're not working to keep it in there.
SPEAKER_02: Huh.
SPEAKER_02: Therefore, it's hinging on his grace and his mercy.
SPEAKER_03: And his love.
SPEAKER_03: Oh, should we work?
SPEAKER_03: Oh yeah, he likes us to work.
SPEAKER_03: Should we boast about it and brag about it?
SPEAKER_03: No, he doesn't like that.
SPEAKER_03: Well, what is the purpose?
SPEAKER_03: To lift up the sun and to give glory to him for everything that's done in us.
SPEAKER_03: And if we are anything, please look up here, if we are anything for God, it's because he made us that way.
SPEAKER_03: And if anything we've accomplished that we would consider successful, it's because he's allowed the success.
SPEAKER_03: You see, we're not humanistic.
SPEAKER_03: We don't believe that everything centers around men.
SPEAKER_03: We believe everything centers around God.
SPEAKER_04: To be part of God's.
SPEAKER_03: Better.
SPEAKER_03: Thank you for giving me.
SPEAKER_03: Our Father which art in heaven.
SPEAKER_03: What's the next praise?
SPEAKER_00: Hallowed.
SPEAKER_00: That's a model prayer.
SPEAKER_00: Halloween be thy name.
SPEAKER_00: You know what Jesus the Son is saying to the Father?
SPEAKER_00: I'm giving you some praise back.
SPEAKER_03: Some of us might want to do it right where we're at, but we have an altar call just today.
SPEAKER_03: You say, what's an altar call?
SPEAKER_03: Where the family gets together and talks to the Father.
SPEAKER_03: I'm not trying to get just a bunch of people down your knees, but look up here just for a moment.
SPEAKER_03: When's the last time you gave God some worship?
SPEAKER_03: I know you did while you were singing, didn't you?
SPEAKER_03: I know you have while you were listening today to the to the word of God being preached.
SPEAKER_03: But please look at me.
SPEAKER_03: Every once in a while, it's good in humility to, if you can physically, to get on your knees or or just have a time where you would get down as a family, if you would, as a son or as a daughter, and say, God, I just want to take some time here to thank you on Father's Day down here.
SPEAKER_03: It's earthly Father's Day in America, but I want to tell you, I want it to be more Heavenly Father's Day, not just today, but tomorrow, and the next day, and the next day, and the next day.
SPEAKER_03: And I want to give you some praise and some worship.
SPEAKER_03: And it shouldn't just be women.
SPEAKER_03: Men.
SPEAKER_03: Let me say it again.
SPEAKER_03: It shouldn't just be women.
SPEAKER_02: Men.
SPEAKER_00: If you don't come down to the altar, it doesn't mean you're unfreated.
SPEAKER_00: Or not contest.
SPEAKER_00: But the altar's open.
SPEAKER_03: I already know what they're doing in heaven today.
SPEAKER_03: There's some cherubims and some seraphims saying, holy, holy, holy.
SPEAKER_03: Lord God omnipotent.
SPEAKER_03: Holy, holy, holy.
SPEAKER_03: And then they're singing, and there's an angelic chorus going on, and they're worshiping around his drum.
SPEAKER_03: That's what's going on in heaven.
SPEAKER_03: That's what's going on in that part of the family.
SPEAKER_03: And that's what I'm gonna go down on down here in this part of the family, in this little location, in this time, in this day, by his child.
SPEAKER_03: If you've never received Christ as Savior, you really can't say I'll be Father.
SPEAKER_03: The way someone who saved can.
SPEAKER_03: But God is no respecter of person and he loves to forgive you of your sins today.
SPEAKER_03: Let us take a Bible and show you how.
SPEAKER_03: So you can walk out and not say, God, it'll change to Father.
SPEAKER_03: And you'll know who He is.
SPEAKER_03: And it won't be some canned prayer.
SPEAKER_01: God, now I lay me down to sleep.
SPEAKER_02: Pray the Lord, my soul is key.
SPEAKER_01: I should die before I wake.
SPEAKER_03: I pray the Lord.
SPEAKER_03: I sold it.
SPEAKER_00: It'll be.
SPEAKER_00: Thank you for your breath.
SPEAKER_02: Thank you for your mushroom.
SPEAKER_02: And you'll talk about the bad.
SPEAKER_01: You've been sitting for a while.
SPEAKER_01: I've spoken about five to ten minutes over what I normally do.
SPEAKER_01: With your heads bowed and your eyes closed.