Building Your House in the Lord | Psalms 127-128 Week 27

We are in Psalms 127. So go ahead and turn over to there. We're finishing this up uh from week before. The teens are with us tonight because Pastor Enner is sick and uh and so it was wasn't able to arrange somebody else to go out of class. So teens, you're stuck with me. Uh but I hope you'll follow along in Psalms 127 as well. And um so the Psalms 127, except the Lord build a house, they labor in vain that build it. Except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain. It is vain for you to rise up early to sit up late to eat the bread of sorrows. For he giveth his beloved sleep. If though the children are inheritance of the Lord, the fruit of the womb is his reward.

As arrows are in the hands of a mighty man, so are the children of youth. Happy is a man that hath the quiver full of them. They shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gates. So he's saying, listen, if you're going to build your house, you've got to do it in the Lord. Otherwise, all of your effort, all of your work is for nothing. It's got to be in the Lord. And the Lord's the one got to build the house. And in verse two, he talks about it's vain for you to uh rise up early, sip late, eat the bread of sorrows. Uh it just is, you know, worrying doesn't accomplish anything.

Um instead of worrying, pray. You know, prayer is just uh worry put into action to change things. And so, um, we need to worry less and pray more and really turn to trust in the Lord. And that's not easy to do when you're facing something like a health scare like Mike Borton or this this family with the little baby. Uh, that it's hard not to worry. It when you're facing financial challenges, it's hard not to worry when you're dealing with issues in your family. It's hard not to worry. But we got to we got to realize that it's it's it's not it's God that's going to make the difference. And we really need to seek the Lord in that process.

And so we're on we number one we talked about builders and you got to find you got to build your house and you got to uh keep what you build and and be a watchman as well. And then we talk number two, we talk about farmers that uh that uh is children are the fruit of the womb. Uh and they're and going on later talking about them in Psalms 128 and that um that uh they're like a vine, a fruitful vine as well and olive plants growing around about your table. And so we already looked at letter A. Uh what do the children inherit from us? And and in verse number three, it says, "Lord, children are the heritage of the Lord, and our childrens inherit a godly heritage that we can pass that on to them."

By the way, a godly heritage is something that has to be passed on through your actions. It's not just something you tell your kids. It's something that they experience. It's something that they see. It's something that that that you are making a part of their life as well. And and that's so important. And we we're teaching a child clean training class in Sunday school in Sunday morning and we talk a lot about that in there. And then you know worrying doesn't accomplish anything. So we don't want to worry. We want to trust in the Lord. And uh and and so um but look at the farmer. What do we want our children to heard from us?

Godly heritage, a heritage or heritage of iniquity. Uh they're either going to get a godly heritage or they're going to inherit your weaknesses, your failures. and and the next generation is going to continue right down the line. And so, you have to determine this is where it stops. This is where it changes. Uh I'm going to make sure that it's going to change in my life so my children don't have to struggle with the same things that I've struggled with so they can have the victories that maybe I didn't have when I was younger, but God has given me now. And I want to change that for the next generation.

And then uh number B there, do your children call you blessed? In Psalms 128:1 it says, blessed is everyone that fearth the Lord that walketh his way. And uh do your children call you blessed? Look at Proverbs chapter 31 and verse number 28. Proverbs chapter 31 and verse number 28 says her children rise up and call her blessed her husband also and he praises her. So, do your children call you blessed? Now, what does blessed mean? In Matthew chapter 5, uh if you turn over there, Matthew chapter 5, uh we call this the sermon on the mount. And in this sermon, he talks about the blessed man. And beginning with verse number three down through verse 11.

It said, "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are they that uh mourn, for they shall be comforted. Blessed are they that the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteous, for they shall be filled. Blessed and merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God. Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye when men shall revile you and persecute you and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely for my sake.

So the blessed person is a person that despitees problems, despite persecution, despite what's going on around them, stays faithful to the Lord and trusting God and uh and and through these things, you know, and and so when when they're they're they're comforted, they find comfort in the Lord during times of difficulty, uh they they are hunger and thirst after righteousness. It is this is the blessed person. The word blessed literally can be also translated the idea of happy. Happy is the man. Now when I read Matthew 5:es 3-11, those don't sound like happy things. Uh I'm not happy when I'm hungry and thirsty.

I'm not happy when I'm persecuted. I'm not happy when uh I'm in mourning. You know, uh these things are not happy sounding things. Um but what we have to realize is happiness is based upon what happens to us. That's where the word comes from. Happiness is that if everything happening in my life is good, then I'm happy. But if things are not happening good, I'm not happy. Uh but the blessed man is one that chooses to be happy even when things are not going well. And this is what our kids need to see in us. This is what they need to see us exemplify in in our lives as well. And then uh he talks about back in in Psalms uh chapter 127 again.

Psalms 127. Let me put a marker there so it's easier to go back. Um he says he says that um fear the Lord, you know that we need to fear the Lord is is part of the process of that. Um blessed is Psalms 128 verse one. Blessed everyone that fearth the Lord that walketh in his way. So what does it mean to fear the Lord? Let's look at um verse number four also. Psalms 128. Behold that thus shall the man be blessed that fearth the Lord. And then Proverbs chapter 1 and verse number seven. The fear of the Lord is be given knowledge but fools despise wisdom and instruction. And then chapter 3, Proverbs chapter 3 and verses 4-7.

So shalt thou find favor and good understanding in the sight of God and man. Trust the Lord with all thine heart. Lead not unto understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him and he shall direct thy paths. be not wise in thine own eyes, but uh fear the Lord and depart from evil. And so it's it's it's trusting God. It's not being afraid of my circumstances. It's having a fear, a respect of God, a fear not of God's judgment that he's going to come down hard. We ought to have that. We ought to God, the Bible warns us about the chastisement of God and the judgment of God. And you and I will both receive judgment in his life.

When you do wrong, there are consequences to that. And uh we also will see judgment in the life to come. Even though we're saved, we will stand still stand before the bema seat of Christ, the judgment seat of Christ to receive loss or reward for what we've done in this life. And so we're going to face that judgment. We ought to be afraid of that. Um you know, the fear is a good motivator. uh when I was uh much younger back before we came to Hawaii, when we first came to Hawaii is uh they didn't have seat belt belt laws back then and um and and very few people actually buckled their seat belt and then they passed a law which said that you have to buckle your seat belt but there was no penalties.

If you got stopped you could get a warning ticket but there was no penalties to it. Guess what? people still didn't buckle their seatelt, but then they passed a law and said if you don't buckle your seat belt, you get a big fine. I think now it's hundred and some dollars. I think back then it was like $90 or something like that. And you know what? People started buckling your seat belt. Uh because why? Because they they have that fear of that ticket and and fear is a good motivator. And fear is a something that can motivate you and I. Uh I'm afraid of uh do certain doing certain things because I'm afraid of being caught afraid of you know being in in trouble for that or I'm afraid because I know if something happens I can pay a price for that.

Uh that there's a fear from that aspect. But I'm thankful that our God is not uh a judgmental God but is a God of grace is God of mercy. And I'm thankful for that. Now, there comes a point where his grace and mercy, he he says, "No more. You need you need this because you are taking advantage of that grace and that mercy." And there's a point where God will judge us. But I'm thankful that he starts with grace. He starts with mercy. And and that fear that we have with the Lord is a fear of disappointing him. It's a fear of of him seeing me failing. Uh again in my life uh some of the things that I do and don't do is based upon a fear of my wife.

Now I I am afraid of her because she told me when we were first married that she does not believe in divorce, but she does believe in murder. And so um I I'm afraid of her because I think one day she might decide to do that. Uh but seriously, what I'm more afraid of is seeing that disappointment in her eyes. to see the disappointment with what I did and how that's hurt her and disappointed her. That's the fear that we ought to have with the Lord that we don't want to disappoint him. We don't want to fail him. We don't want to have that happen. And so the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.

And and it's learning to trust in God and not in ourselves, not lean into our own understanding, to acknowledge him. He's direct our paths. We're doing this one-on-one Bible study and I've had more than one of the people I'm doing the Bible study with where part of the Bible study is accountability for areas we struggle with. And I've had more than one say to me, you know, as we talked about it and said, "How are you doing in this area?" They they've said this. They said, "You know what? It's not been a problem. And it's not because I've been working really hard not to do it, but it's because I've been so much more into the word of God and so much more in prayer and my walk with the Lord.

It's like I'm not interested in doing it. And it's changed them in that way. And and so it's the positive that will change us more than negative. You still need the negative. Uh to have flow of electricity, you got to have the positive and negative. And you got to have the negative that thou shalt not. But more importantly, thou shalt. And and and that's what we have to start with. So uh going back to Psalms 128 there, it ends verse one by saying that walketh in his ways. And so look at Proverbs chapter 4 and verses 10-14. Proverbs chapter 4 and verses 10-14. Hear, oh my son, and receive my sayings.

In the years, thy life shall be many. I've taught thee in the way of wisdom. I have led thee in the right paths. When thou goest as thy step shall not be shall be not be straightened, and when thou uh run as thou shalt not stumble. Take fast hold of instruction, let her not go, keep her, for she is thy life. And uh enter not the path of the wicked and and go not the way of evil men. And and so the the father is trying to say, "Son, listen. I want you to as you go through the path of life, I I don't want you stumble. I don't want you to fall and I want you to be able to get through there and and and get to the goals that you have."

And um it's interesting when you study out this passage, there's different words that are used and and the idea of a of a pathway uh one word is the idea of a a broad way. Another one is more of a narrow way. But one of the words is also talking about a rut, you know, and and and and there are good ruts and bad ruts. Uh the bad ruts are bad habits that we get in the habit of doing that are not beneficial. Whether it's um the habit of of leaving your dirty laundry laying on the floor, it's the habit of walking house and the first thing you do is turn on TV or the habit of, you know, going to the refrigerator every night and getting ice cream out of the freezer.

Um those are bad habits that you want to change. But more importantly, you want to establish good habits. I have a habit of reading my Bible. I have a habit of going to church. I have a habit of of praying and establishing those good habits in our lives. And so, uh, as we walk in his ways, we want to establish ruts, but they're good ruts. They're things that are just kind of automatic. It's it's like when you drive the same place every day. The other day I was uh I was going somewhere and uh before I realized that I was on my way to church because I was so in much the habit of going there I had to stop and think wait a minute I'm not going to church and um and just make that a habit in your life and and doing that and and that's important.

And as as a parent is to help them not stumble. Now, we can't, you know, it's kind of like when your kids first start riding their bike, you're running along beside them, which um if you watch America's Home Funny's Home videos, more often than not, when you're running beside your kid riding the bike, you're the disaster way dab, not your kid. Uh you're going to make them make it worse for them. Uh you got to let them go, let them take off. But you want to put those training wheels on. You want to make sure you're right there in case they're going to fall. You want to do everything you can, but at some point you got they've got to get out there and and do it without the training wheels.

They've got to do get out there and do it without you. And and so what do you do to prepare for that? Well, one is you teach him how to ride the bike and then and how to handle the brakes as well. My son Caleb, one year for Christmas, he got a brand new bike. And uh this was his first bike with handbrekes. And so he was uh wanting to ride it and he we across the street there was a community center with a big parking lot and uh and it was kind of slowed down towards the community center and he says guy go ride it over there. He says okay. And so he went out there he's riding the bike and as he was coming down he got faster and faster and as he got closer to the building he panicked and he was trying to stop by the pedal brakes and they weren't working.

He forgot the handbrekes and so he didn't stop the bike. the building stopped the bike and he got thrown off the bike. Uh we didn't know what happened, but my uh one of my daughters was out there older older than him and she saw it happen and she ran over and picked him up and carried him back to the house. He was screaming bloody murder. About halfway to the house, he stopped screaming, looks at his sister, says, "You're giving me a wedgie." And then started screaming again, you know, because that way she was carrying him. Um but at some point, your kids are going to have to get out there. But how do you prepare them?

You teach them how to ride the bike. You might start them out with training wheels, but you at some point take those off. You give them a helmet, you know, take care of We had another one of our kids got a helmet for his birthday and uh he was out riding and fell without the helmet on. And we said we said to him, "You should have had the helmet on." He says, "Well, I'm glad I didn't have the helmet on because it would have scratched up the helmet." wasn't the smartest kid around but uh you know you you you do all you can to help them on there and on the path of life we want to do all we can one is by establishing that path so it's very clear so they can see this is the way my mom this is way

my dad went and this is the right way to follow and the path is well marked and well wororn down the habit if you don't have the habit of devotions don't expect your kids to if you don't have the habit of prayer don't expect your kids to you don't have the habit going to church, don't expect from your children. You got to wear that path and build a rut for them and establish that. And then you got to as you go along that path, you want to watch for any pitfalls that you can deal with. I read a story about a man that was um building a a bridge over the creek. And uh somebody came along and says, "Why are you building that bridge?

You don't ever go that way anymore." And he says, "Yeah, but my kids are going to this I'm building it for them." you know, building that bridge for the next generation, preparing that and then to help help them learn to light the way. The best way to handle a path in the woods with a lot of tree branches and rocks on it is to carry your light. Have your lamp and your light. Thy word is a lamp under my feet and a light under my path and helping them to have that light. So, we want to walk in his ways and establish that. So, what kind of fruit are we producing? Going back to Psalms 127 and verse number three, it says, "Lo, children are heritage of the Lord, and the fruit of the womb is his reward."

Psalms 128:3, "Thy wife shall be as a fruitful vine by the size of thine house. Thy children like olive plants round about thy table." And then turn over to Matthew 7. Matthew chapter 7 and verses 16- 18. You should know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns or figs of thistles? Even so, every good tree bringeth forth good fruit, but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. And and so, what kind of fruit are you producing in your life? And uh and and that fruit is important for your children.

You know, the Bible talks about um first of all in Proverbs 11:30, turn over there. Proverbsap 11 and verse number 30. The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he that win souls is wise. So, one of the fruits the Bible talks about is the is is fruit of uh souls being saved. Now, that starts with you. You've got to have a clear testimony of salvation to pass it on to your children so that they can have that clear testimony salvation as well. And it's and it's also when you're dealing with your children, make sure you're very clear on that. You if you listen to the testimonies on Sunday night of the folks that joined the church, a number of them said, "Well, I got saved when I was three, four, five, or six, but I got then I got saved again later on because I got assurance of my salvation."

and and and I believe children can get saved at young ages. The but I I would say probably three, four, five years old is is a little young for most children to understand and truly understand salvation. And I'd rather see them be six or above before they make that decision. Um but I'm not going to discourage it, but I'm not going to encourage it in in ways as well. When my kids were little, they'd talk to me about, "Well, daddy, I want to get saved." I and I'd say, "Well, what does that mean?" And they they would come up with some off-the-wall. We had a vacation Bible school we did in one place and and uh the kids, you know, told them if they wanted to get saved, they could come forward.

And uh and so they they came forward. One little boy came up and said, I said, "Why'd you come?" Because I always ask him, "Why did they come? I want to hear it out of their mouth." And why'd you come? He said, "Because I have to go to the bathroom." Um kids don't always understand what they're coming for. They don't understand what does it mean to be saved. what does it mean to trust Christ? Uh you got to be very careful of that. So you you you don't want to discourage them, but you want to be sure that you're not encouraging them to do something they're not ready to do. And as parents is important we balance those two things out.

I want my kids to get saved as soon as possible, but I want them to be sure of their salvation for the rest of their life as well and not to have doubts. And so it's always better to do that. And then and they say, "Well, you know," and if if your kids come to you and say, "Well, when did I get saved?" Um, you know, I always want to know, "Well, what do you mean by that?" Well, what was the date I got saved? Okay, that's one thing. You well, you told me you got saved on this date. But if they can't remember when they got saved, then they're not saved. They got to keep in memory. They got to have that.

That's something you should not forget. I'll never forget the day I joined the military. I'll never forget the day I said I'd do to my wife. And I'll never forget the day I got saved. I I can't tell you the date all the time. I right now I couldn't tell you the actual date I joined the military. I could probably look it up, but I couldn't tell you. I can tell you the date I got married, March 25th, 1978. Uh but I, you know, but I can't tell you the date I got saved, but I remember doing it. And that's what you want for your children. So, make sure it's their decision, not your decision. Make sure they're ready to make that decision and that they understand that decision in doing that.

And then as they grow older, don't ever tell them, "Oh, you were saved when?" No, they need to make sure that they remember, "Yeah, I was saved when." And they remember that, remember doing that. And so, it's important that we have that foundation with our children because they're the most important fruit of salvation that we can have as parents is knowing that our kids are saved and going to heaven. It's not automatic. And I and a lot of Christian homes kids are think they're saved because they grew up in a Christian home. They went to church and all the other things, but they're not truly saved.

So I want that fruit of righteousness. I want that fruit of salvation. And so I want children that are saved. And then number two, children that are spiritfilled. Galatians 5:es 22-2. But the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance. Against such there is no law. and they that are Christ have crucified the flesh with the affections of the lust. If we live in the spirit, let's also walk in the spirit. And and that needs to be happen in your home. It's so sad that one of the places we are least likely to practice the fruit of the spirit is in our homes.

We're nicer to strangers than we are to our own family. And and we need to practice that as part of our family. And and and I would encourage you as parents is not only uh teach your kids Galatians 5 and have them memorize it. When my granddaughter um Kena was here, we worked on this summer memorizing the fruit of the spirit. We made it a fun thing, but the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, and we put a little um a piece like this. Gentleness, you know, and being very careful. we put actions to it to make it fun, but and so I wanted her to memorize it, but more than that, I wanted her to practice it and and and so showing that by example that you have joy.

Some of you are very sour puss at home and you're always negative and always uh always talking about things that are bad and you don't have that joy. Uh you don't have that peace. you know, you have to practice the home and then teaching your children how to practice as well. And again, make it something that's not just a you are going to have joy, you know, uh that's not the way to do it. It's it's making it joyful. It is it's is making it doing it the right way. So, we want children to be spiritfilled and have the fruit of the spirit. And then children that are filled with knowledge, turn to Philippians chapter 1.

Philippians chapter 1 verses 9-11. Philippians 1 9-11. And this I pray that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and all judgment that you may approve things are excellent that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ unto the glory and the praise of God. And so that fruit of righteousness comes from the the the knowledge and understanding is so important in that process. And so we want to have knowledge and understanding. And so we want our kids to be filled with knowledge. Teaching your children um the word of God.

Thy word have I hid in my heart that might not see. You know in in one of the Bible says I've done we we're talking about anger. And so uh the assignment was to memorize five verses that deal with anger. Because when you are angry the Lord can bring into your heart and your mind verses like the wrath of man workketh not the righteousness of God or let not the sun go down upon thy wrath or or other Bible verses as well. There's many great ones in there. A soft answer turneth away wrath. Um and these are verses we want to memorize. We want to teach our kids these so they have that foundation. So often with the memory verses that we we get our kids doing, it's it's more for the wrong reasons.

And there's great there's there's tons of great memory verses in the Bible. And uh but the ones we want to memorize first is uh children obey your parents in the Lord. That's the first one. That's the most important one, right? But we we we don't get to the things that are really dealing with where they're at and and getting them to the word of God. Folks, if your kids are not having daily devotions, that's your failure. And you need to establish that. It's one of the reasons I believe it's so important for the kids to come to Patch Spir Club on Sunday night is because they have a daily devotion book that they get as part of that and they get rewarded for doing that.

Now, again, if your kids are doing that, don't let them do all five on Sunday afternoon. They learn to do it daily to be in the word of God. But you know what? They're not going to learn to do what you're not doing individually as their parent in your own life and together as a family as well. And and so you need to get into the word of God. Uh I'm going to start a series of sermons the Sunday after anniversary Sunday. And the title of the series called Bible stories you thought you knew. And uh we have raised a generation of kids that know all the Bible stories about Adam and Eve and knowing the ark and Daniel, Lion's Den, but they don't know what those stories are teaching.

They don't know the truths behind them. And and you want to make sure your kids are understanding the truth of God's word and and how to apply that truth in their life. And and and so again, with with the fruit of the spirit, you know, if if you're a parent, let me challenge you. I I wrote a book on the fruit of the spirit. do that as a family devotion. Just go through there and talk about it. Take, you know, get the fruit for the fruit of joy. I use a lemon and buy a lemon. Bring it in there. Talk about how a limit represents joy. Go through the book on your own. Then take the best parts out of it and the illustrations and do it with your family.

And then all that you guys do, you know, do everything lemon that day. You're going to have lemonade. You're going to have lemon drops. you're going to have, you know, everything you can find lemon is going to be that day that, you know, having that have a lemon eating contest. Uh, make it fun, but also make it where they're learning what is joy. What is joy? And and to understand that and and so parents all the time tell me, I don't know what to do for devotions. Um, if your kids are at least four or five years old or older, uh, and especially older than five, you could do something like the fruit of the spirit.

Just you you got to work at a little bit to to fit it to your family. But a great way to teach, a great way to make every week we're going to go over one of the fruit of the spirit that week. And we're going to look up the Bible verses about joy. Every day we're going to look up a different Bible verse about joy and uh talk about that and just make it a whole week on joy and then a whole week on peace and and just write on down the line and and and and doing that. But you want to have them filled with knowledge and then make sure your children are filled with praise. Look at Hebrews chapter 13 and verses 15 and 16.

In Hebrews chapter 13 15- 16 by him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually that is the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name but to do good and to communicate forget not for which such sacrifices God is well pleased. And so teaching your kids how to praise God and how to be thankful. Um I I know one family what they did is every night at dinner they would have their praise and thanksgiving time and everybody would have to come to the table with a praise and with a thanksgiving. Now praise is is praising God for who he is. Thanksgiving is thanking God for what he does.

And so they're two separate things. And they would have to come with that and they would share that. And and by the way, uh I read a story today, uh somebody a friend of mine put on Facebook and and uh and she was talking about how their they had a family that their three-year-old would was every starting at three years old, every one of their kids from the time they could talk, so around two or three, they would have dinner every night, they would have a certain amount of time, shorter when they were younger and a little bit longer, and they would stand up and just kind of present um you know, this is what my day has been like or this is what I'm thankful for.

This is what I'm praising God for. And it said what it did is it taught them how to articulate themselves. It taught them how to praise. It taught them how to speak up. Uh they would stand in front everybody. It was they would get claps, you know, applause at the end and and everything. You know, you ever asked your kids, "How was school today?" Okay? Because you haven't taught them how to talk about school. You haven't taught them how to talk about life. And you need to teach that to teach them how to praise God, how to be thankful. What are you thankful for today? What are you praising God for today?

And and and you could make it fun. You could have some reward for the best answer or something on that line. But this is what you're trying to trying to develop in your lives. And then um going back to Psalms 128 verse number three, it says, "The wife shall be as a fruitful vine by the sides of thine house, thy children like olive plants round about thy table." Uh so the wife must be nurtured to be a fruitful fruitful vine. Look at Ephesians chapter 5. I don't believe he's talking here about how many kids she's going to have. I think it's talking about what you produce um as a family. In Ephesians 5 28 29 the Bible says, "So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies.

He that loveth his wife loveth himself. For no man ever yet hateth his own flesh, but nourish and cherish it even as the Lord the church." You got to nourish and cherish your relationship as mom and dad. if you want to have fruitful kids, if you want to see God bless in your family and and that's so important. So these are the things that we need to do as the farmer of the family. And then number three, there is the illustration of a hunter back in Psalms 127:es 4 and 5. As arrows are in the hands of a mighty man, so are the children of youth. Happy is the man that hath quiver full of them. They shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate.

So an arrow whenever God gives you a physical object to illustrate an abstract truth then you need to stop and really think about that physical object. So when you think about a bow and arrow there's certain things that should come in mind. The first one is uh is is an arrow pictures a target or a goal to aim at. Go to Proverbs chapter 29 and verses 17 and 18. Proverbs chapter 29 17-18. Proverbs 29:17 18. The Bible says, "Correct thy son, and he shall give thee rest. Yay, he shall give delight unto thy soul. Where there's no vision, the people perish, but he that keepeth the law, happy is he." I don't know if you remember that poem from when you were a kid.

I shot an arrow in the air. Where it landed, I know not where. That's the way most people raise their children. They've got no goals academically. They've got no goals physically. They've got no spiritual goals. They've got no goals for what kind of man or woman they're going to be, for what kind of husband or wife they're going to be in the future. You you've got to sit down and say, "What are our goals for our kids?" And and and set some goals. Set a target you're aiming towards. Uh is so important in that way. And and and and doing that. Uh now when you set those goals you have to realize that um each child is unique.

Bible says train up a child in the way he should go and when he's old he'll not depart from it. And and that idea that word train is kind of like with when you have bonsai trees. You ever seen those you know first of all there's they don't do big cuts. They're they're constant little snips and and direction going on little by little every day and sometimes more than once a day. And that's the way it's got to be your children. It's not the big things that are going to matter in your life. It's the little daily things that are happening that are going to make the difference. But every bonsai tree has a bend and you can't fight it.

You can't make it go the other way. You can't you got to work with that bend instead of against it. And so it's important for you as parents as you're setting goals for your children that you you understand that ch child's personality, you understand their abilities, you understand who they are and uh and help shape that and and that goal may change as you work through life with them as you as they grow up. There's certain goals that I want all my kids. I want them all to get saved. You know, there's certain goals we want to have, but there's other ones that are unique to that child. Whereas one child they the goal may be a four-year degree with possibly uh graduate school after that and the other child is is going to tech school.

Uh you know it's it's just looking for what's right for that child. And then uh strength to shoot the the bowman needs to have strength in Genesis chapter 49 and verse number 24. Genesis chapter 49 and verse number 24 it says but his bow abode his strength and the arms of his hands were made strong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob from then to the shepherd the stone of Israel and so you you know the stronger the bowman the farther the arrow is going to go and so it's how strong are you in the Lord is is how far your kids are going to go in their life and so it's important to you to be strong and with that strength you you then you also the boatman has to set the direction uh to go you

know trait in the way he should go so set that direction set that target and when you let go of that arrow you've lost all control of it you no longer have to control so you got to make sure it's aimed right and you want to give it as much momentum as possible stronger you are the more momentum that arrow is going to have to keep going in the right direction. And and and that's what you want. You know, if you're if you're weak in the Lord, you shoot that arrow, goes zoop, plop, you know, and doesn't go anywhere. It's it's is if you when you let your kids go at 18 years old or whatever age it is, you want to make sure they're going the right way, and you want to make sure you give them every momentum you can to keep them going that way.

Because an arrow doesn't turn, it keeps going. And that's the picture God's given us. And then you're to fill your quiver until your quiver. Genesis 1 says, "Be fruitful and multiply." And uh and and and so people often ask me, "What about birth control?" And how many kids should I have? And that's really, I think, something you have to pray about and seek the Lord. I don't think it's wrong to do birth control for the right reasons. It is wrong for the wrong reasons and the wrong kind of birth control like abortion. But um but you want to fill your quiver until you quiver. What what are we handling?

I think I think most couples uh that are married couples that God wants you to have children. There are some that cannot and that's that's a challenge. Um but uh you know I think at least one I think in most cases at least two. So you got a brother and sister and uh you can go as high as you want. We have one family that had 11 kids uh when they were in our church. when they left we really dropped in in attendance you know on that day. Um so you have that aspect of it. In 1 Corinthians 10:13 it says that there is no uh let's see 1 Corinthians 10:13 that's the right one. Um yeah I don't think that's the verse I wanted.

I I'll look up the right one for that. But but um you know it tells us back in Psalms uh it it's talking about you know that to fill your quiver. It says happy is a man has quiver full of them. They shall not be ashamed but they shall speak with the enemies in the gates. So why would a father be ashamed? Look at Proverbs chapter 19. Proverbs 19 and verse number 26. Proverbs 19 and verse number 26. He that wastes his father and chases away his mother is a son that causes shame and bringeth reproach. Listen, when you when your kids grow up, what you've done those first 18 years going to make all the difference one way or the another in their life.

You're going to be proud or you're going to be ashamed. And the pride and the shame is really not the kids. It's not that they're not the ultimately the ones. It's we that have failed them. And we have to realize that. And what does it mean to speak to the enemies in the gates? It says that uh that happy is a man that has qu them. They shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate. It means you have that you have that defense. The gate is defensive against the enemies. And you need to build your home as a bastion of defense. It needs to be a place of refuge, a place that your kids can come out of the world and don't let the world come in your home through TV and internet. You you got to make your home, your family, a place where they can come and feel safe, where they can come and be protected, and they can come and be be out of the the enemy's way. And and so being safe there in that way that they got to get to their children through