WHAT HAVE THEY SEEN IN THINE HOUSE?
Notes
Transcript
INTRODUCTION
Rearing children to love the Lord
Rearing children to love the Lord
What an awesome responsibility
What a wonderful privilege
What a fabulous journey
As we consider these thing go with me in your minds to...
In 2 Kings 18:1, a man by the name of Hezekiah became the 13th king of Judah.
In 2 Kings 18:1, a man by the name of Hezekiah became the 13th king of Judah.
Of his reign we are told...
And he did that which was right in the eyes of Jehovah, according to all that David his father had done.
In those days was Hezekiah sick unto death. And Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz came to him, and said unto him, Thus saith Jehovah, Set thy house in order: for thou shalt die, and not live. Then he turned his face to the wall, and prayed unto Jehovah, saying, Remember now, O Jehovah, I beseech thee, how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in thy sight. And Hezekiah wept sore. And it came to pass, before Isaiah was gone out into the middle part of the city, that the word of Jehovah came to him, saying, Turn back, and say to Hezekiah the prince of my people, Thus saith Jehovah, the God of David thy father, I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears: behold, I will heal thee; on the third day thou shalt go up unto the house of Jehovah. And I will add unto thy days fifteen years; and I will deliver thee and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria; and I will defend this city for mine own sake, and for my servant David’s sake. And Isaiah said, Take a cake of figs. And they took and laid it on the boil, and he recovered.
Hezekiah was a great king, but he displayed weakness of character when the king of Babylon sent messengers...
Hezekiah was a great king, but he displayed weakness of character when the king of Babylon sent messengers...
These messengers came to congratulate Hezekiah upon his recovery from a very serious illness.
Hezekiah seems to have the idea that he must convince the king of Babylon, through his messengers, that he was indeed a mighty king.
Therefore...
And Hezekiah hearkened unto them, and showed them all the house of his precious things, the silver, and the gold, and the spices, and the precious oil, and the house of his armor, and all that was found in his treasures: there was nothing in his house, nor in all his dominion, that Hezekiah showed them not.
The Lord was carefully observing all that transpired and sends Isaiah to ask Hezekiah a few questions... Isaiah 39:3-4
God through the prophet Isaiah asked Hezekiah, “What have they seen in thine house?”
God through the prophet Isaiah asked Hezekiah, “What have they seen in thine house?”
This is the question that I want to ask you today
“What have they seen thine house?”
Why? Because what our children see in our house will be the deciding factor on whether they truly love the Lord or not
But first consider that...
DISCUSSION
GOD SEES IN OUR HOUSE
GOD SEES IN OUR HOUSE
Just as the Lord was carefully observing Hezekiah's house - so He observes our house....
Just as the Lord was carefully observing Hezekiah's house - so He observes our house....
Psalm 139:1-12
This is mind boggling to me
It is humbling to realize that...
God knows our thoughts
God knows our thoughts
and again, The Lord knoweth the reasonings of the wise, that they are vain.
It takes time for a man's life to reveal how he thinks
But God already knows
Wicked thoughts destroyed the world in Noah's day (Gen. 9:5-6)
Sin can be committed in the mind
but I say unto you, that every one that looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.
... adultery in the heart
Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.
... hating a brother
It is a very sobering thought to know that “Jevovah knoweth the thoughts of man” (Psa. 94:11)
The Lord knows what we think of Him…
The Lord knows what we think of others…
1 My brethren, hold not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons. 2 For if there come into your synagogue a man with a gold ring, in fine clothing, and there come in also a poor man in vile clothing; 3 and ye have regard to him that weareth the fine clothing, and say, Sit thou here in a good place; and ye say to the poor man, Stand thou there, or sit under my footstool; 4 do ye not make distinctions among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts?
… prejudice...hatred... jealousy
The Lord knows when we think too highly of ourselves…
3 For I say, through the grace that was given me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but so to think as to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to each man a measure of faith.
The Lord knows what we think of our families - whether we have a Christian attitude toward our wives, husbands, children, parents
Is this not a scary thought? ...and remember... "As a man thinketh in his heart so is he" (Pro. 23:7)
It is humbling to remember that...
God is perfectly aware of our words
God is perfectly aware of our words
36 And I say unto you, that every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.
13 This is the end of the matter; all hath been heard: Fear God, and keep his commandments; for this is the whole duty of man. 14 For God will bring every work into judgment, with every hidden thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.
How do you speak to your spouse?
How do you speak to your children
What you teach your children
It is humbling to remember that...
God knows, sees, and will judge our actions
God knows, sees, and will judge our actions
To go to heaven we must DO for the Lord
46 And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?
21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father who is in heaven.
4 And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but nurture them in the chastening and admonition of the Lord.
What has God seen us do in regard to our family's spiritual welfare?
Are we all mouth and no action?
Are we working, endeavoring, striving to DO for the Lord???
Are we putting forth our best effort in the raising of our children?
What has God seen in your house?
What has God seen in your house?
WHAT HAVE OUR CHILDREN SEEN IN OUR HOUSE?
WHAT HAVE OUR CHILDREN SEEN IN OUR HOUSE?
Children are quick to pick up hypocrisy!
Children are quick to pick up hypocrisy!
We may say that the church is the most important institution to us in the world
Yet, when we miss worship regularly - attend Bible Study seldom - come late to worship services - fail to study our Bibles - What are we saying?
Ridiculing the elders, preacher, song leader...
What do they see in your reaction to difficulties?
What have your children seen in your house?
Children at a very early life learn what our priorities are
We MUST put God first; in fact, with God its first place or no place!
The home is the BEST place for priorities to be branded in the minds of our children
For this to occur, parents MUST listen to Jesus
29 Jesus answered, The first is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God, the Lord is one: 30 and thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength.
33 But seek ye first his kingdom, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
Our children must see us put God FIRST!
What do our children see in our house when:
They are not permitted to miss school, but are permitted to miss Bible Study and worship?
We make them do their homework, but never see to it that they have time for Bible Study
Do they see us study our Bibles?
So many parents have wasted their years - they have not taken time enough for God, the Bible, the church, their children, their spouse, nor the Christian life.
So many parents have wasted their years - they have not taken time enough for God, the Bible, the church, their children, their spouse, nor the Christian life.
We can't put off until tomorrow being a good Christian parent or a faithful Christian.
POEM:
I took a piece of plastic clay
And gently fashioned it one day:
And as my fingers pressed it still
It moved and yielded to my will.
I came again when days were past;
The bit of clay was hard at last.
The form I gave it still it bore.
But I could change that form no more.
I took a piece of living clay,
And gently formed it day by day,
And molded with my power and art,
A young child’s soft and yielding heart
I came again when days were gone,
It was a man I looked upon.
He still that early impression wore.
And I could change it never more.
Do our children see a difference between their family and the families in the world?
Do our children see a difference between their family and the families in the world?
Is there any difference between our's and their's.
Sadly, in too many cases, there seems to be little difference between many Christian homes and homes of the world
14 Be not unequally yoked with unbelievers: for what fellowship have righteousness and iniquity? or what communion hath light with darkness? 15 And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what portion hath a believer with an unbeliever? 16 And what agreement hath a temple of God with idols? for we are a temple of the living God; even as God said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 17 Wherefore Come ye out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, And touch no unclean thing; And I will receive you, 18 And will be to you a Father, And ye shall be to me sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.
Different from worldly parents
Different from spouses of the world
2 Ye are our epistle, written in our hearts, known and read of all men;
Our lives are an open book - we are an "epistle"
We should think of our lives in this fashion:
The seconds of our lives are as words
The minutes of our lives are as lines
The hours of our lives are as paragraphs
The days of our lives are as pages
The weeks of our lives are as chapters
The months of our lives are as sections
The years of our lives are as volumes
Our life is an open book!
What do our children see in our house?
WHAT SHOULD OUR CHILDREN SEE IN OUR HOUSE?
WHAT SHOULD OUR CHILDREN SEE IN OUR HOUSE?
A husband who is the head of the wife…
A husband who is the head of the wife…
23 For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church, being himself the saviour of the body.
Husbands who love their wives
Husbands who love their wives
25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself up for it;
19 Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them.
Wives who are submissive to their husbands…
Wives who are submissive to their husbands…
24 But as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives also be to their husbands in everything.
Wives who respect and love their husbands…
Wives who respect and love their husbands…
33 Nevertheless do ye also severally love each one his own wife even as himself; and let the wife see that she fear her husband.
Parents who are training their children in the Scriptures…
Parents who are training their children in the Scriptures…
6 Train up a child in the way he should go, And even when he is old he will not depart from it.
Parents who discipline and spank their children…
Parents who discipline and spank their children…
24 He that spareth his rod hateth his son; But he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes.
18 Chasten thy son, seeing there is hope; And set not thy heart on his destruction.
15 Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child; But the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.
13 Withhold not correction from the child; For if thou beat him with the rod, he will not die. 14 Thou shalt beat him with the rod, And shalt deliver his soul from Sheol.
15 The rod and reproof give wisdom; But a child left to himself causeth shame to his mother.
Houses fill with spirituality...
Houses fill with spirituality...
4 Hear, O Israel: Jehovah our God is one Jehovah: 5 and thou shalt love Jehovah thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. 6 And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be upon thy heart; 7 and thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thy house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. 8 And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thy hand, and they shall be for frontlets between thine eyes. 9 And thou shalt write them upon the door-posts of thy house, and upon thy gates.
Parents who teach their children to obey…
Parents who teach their children to obey…
1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right.
Children who see their parents praying, studying and being faithful to the word of God.
Children who see their parents praying, studying and being faithful to the word of God.
CONCLUSION
What have they seen in thine house?
What have they seen in thine house?
What has God seen?
What have your children seen?
But most importantly, after this time of study, “WHAT WILL THEY SEE IN YOUR HOUSE?”
But most importantly, after this time of study, “WHAT WILL THEY SEE IN YOUR HOUSE?”