Family and Children

AUGUST 28, 2022 STUDY NOTES FAMILY AND CHILDREN BIBLE TEACHER: CLIFTON JONES INTRODUCTION The family is the institution of God, God created the first man and woman He then united them into the family relationship Many reasons have been given for the present state of immorality in America Removing prayer from our public schools and public meetings Removing the Ten Commandments from government buildings Allowing abortions to be promoted and legal And now not only legal but the promotion of same sex marriage And there are many other government actions that could be added to the list But the one thing that has done more to downgrade the America lifestyle more than any other That which opened the door for all-of the ungodly deeds now found in American society That which is destroying America more than any other one thing is the downfall of the family The average American family is far away from what the Bible presents as a Family Relationship There is little that can be called a “Godly Family Relationship” among many families today Families plan monthly or annual quality time and expect to have a good “Family Relationship” Family time must be an everyday relationship, families spending time together day after day How many families today don’t even have daily meals together? Watch families when they come together, see how many have a cell phone in their hand Not just the parents, but also the children, their interest is in a cell phone or I-Pad and not family They don’t even look at each other, they certainly don’t talk to one another, they will text It is not very smart to allow “smart phones” to divide and separate your family Friends and neighbors don’t even communicate with one another anymore “face to face” Face Book communication cannot fulfill the God-given eye to eye “Family Relationship” We are fast approaching a world that will no longer be able to face one another and communicate THE MARRIAGE RELATIONSHIP Satan has strongly attacked the “Family Foundation” in America For years churches have faced the question of divorce Which is not the number one issue of today concerning the family The divorce rate is going to decrease because couples are not getting married today A family begins with the “Marriage Relationship,” marriage is the beginning of a family God ordained marriage is the uniting of a male and a female!!! Jesus spoke to the Pharisees about the marriage relationship, Mat 19:4 And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female, (God instructed the relationship between a man and a woman in the very beginning) The human-race had its beginning with a male and a female, Gen 1:27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. God joins man and woman together in a one-flesh relationship, Gen 1:28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. The God given authority of family relationship over God’s created order, what has happened? There was no change in Jesus’ day, Mat 19:5 And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh? Page 1 of 5 It is still the same today, God has not changed the marriage or family relationship Humanities relationship with God has changed, especially in America, where is the family? CHILDREN ARE A BLESSING We have already looked at God’s beginning of a “Family Relationship” A man and a woman united together in a marriage relationship From that uniting of “one flesh” children are born (only way possible) God says to a man and woman, get married and have children Have a family according to God’s plan of a “Family Relationship” The family is an illustration of how God is willing to bless the earth Illustrating how many other blessings come from God through the family Scripture presents children as a special gift of God’s grace In the beginning of Deuteronomy 28 we have a list of blessings promised to Israel God would bless them in many ways if they would keep their commitment to Him God would bless their home with children, Deu 28:4 Blessed shall be the fruit of thy body, (children) and the fruit of thy ground, and the fruit of thy cattle, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep. (The blessing of children is first on the list) Children are a heritage of the Lord, Psa 127:3 Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward. (Children are a gift from God, a reward to His people) Children are precious and make the home a wonderful place, Godly children in a Godly home They are to be raised to know and love the truth of life, God-given life They are like seeds that are planted and will bring forth fruit in due time Children who are raised according to the will of God are an investment for the future Psalm 128 speaks of the blessings of a Godly man who walks in the way of the Lord, Psa 128:1 Blessed is every one that feareth the LORD; that walketh in his ways. One of those great blessings is the joy of his family sitting around the table, Psa 128:3 Thy wife shall be as a fruitful vine by the sides of thine house: thy children like olive plants round about thy table. A husband’s love for his wife is illustrated by the vine and the olive tree The picture is a faithful wife who is happy caring for her children that she dearly loves Notice “about thy table,” an ancient family would be shocked to see American tables of today Too many families not sitting together to eat a leisure meal and enjoying a time of fellowship Satan knows what he is doing when he disrupts the family dinner table David praised God for children that would grow up and become what God wanted them to be, Psa 144:12 That our sons may be as plants grown up in their youth; that our daughters may be as corner stones, polished after the similitude of a palace: David spoke of the nation being blessed with the fields and flocks but spoke of the family first There is an old saying that is still good, “As goes the home, so goes the nation” Satan is destroying our nation from within, through his destruction of the family at home Parents are blessed when their children are blessed with children, Pro 17:6 Children's children are the crown of old men; and the glory of children are their fathers. Children are good, but grandchildren are properly named, they are “grand” The question has often been asked, why didn’t God let us have the grandchildren first? My answer is young adults cannot afford the expense of grandchildren As you grow older it even gets better, you have grandchildren that are “great” grandchildren If you live to be older than old, you can be blessed with “great, great” grandchildren GOD PLANS TO BLESS HIS PEOPLE There are many blessings found in the O.T. that will be fulfilled in the “Coming Kingdom” God will bless His people in the “Millennial Kingdom” when Jesus returns to the earth And many of those future blessings are identified in the God-given “Family Relationship” Page 2 of 5 God reveals there can be a foretaste of Millennial blessings today through obedience to God If Americans was living according to the Word and the Will of God for the family From the table of Godly families, blessings would flow into the streets of America The streets of America would be a different place, Zec 8:4 Thus saith the LORD of hosts; There shall yet old men and old women dwell in the streets of Jerusalem, and every man with his staff in his hand for very age. The elderly could sit in the streets and talk and enjoy their leisure That is not happening in America today because of the downfall of the American family Zechariah said that a city that is filled with boys and girls playing in the streets is a symbol of peace and God’s blessings, Zec 8:5 And the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in the streets thereof. Can children play in the streets of America today without being in danger? WHERE DID WE FAIL? We can go back to the O.T. and find the answer Back to God instructing the “Family Relationship” Families were instructed to gather-together and worship the One and only True God, Deu 6:4 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD: Families were to be totally devoted to God, Deu 6:5 And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. The Word of God was to be continually within the heart, Deu 6:6 And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: Parents were instructed to teach their children the Word of God, Deu 6:7 And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. Parents of today must have the Word of God within their heart in order to teach their children Parents are responsible for sharing the Word of God with their children Notice, “talk of them when thou sittest in thine house,” there must be family time God’s Word must be a normal subject of conversation in the home (even with neighbors) The Bible should be a general and familiar conversation in the home (we need it today) Children need to learn from parents to get up with the Word of God in the morning Walk with the Word of God throughout the day Go to bed with the Word of God on your mind and in your heart The Word of God must be ever before you, Deu 6:8 And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes. Meditate upon the Word of God and allow it to direct every step of your life, Deu 6:9 And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates. Fathers and mothers must influence their children by living the Word of God before them INFLUENCE OF A FATHER “FATHERS” be a good example before your children (Also applies to Grandfathers) Children today need to learn how to work for an honest living Children today need to learn respect for authority and need a sense of responsibility Fathers are to be an example of those things, God said, “Work and provide for your family,” 1Ti 5:8 But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel. To “provide” means to think ahead, to give-consideration to the future needs of the family The point is that even non-Christians understand their family responsibilities and fulfill them If a Christian father fails to provide for his family, he is denying and defying his faith in God Page 3 of 5 And he is acting like a heathen, he is denying his family responsibility INFLUENCE OF A MOTHER Proverbs 31 begins with a Godly mother and closes by praising a Godly wife and mother, Pro 31:31 Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates. The words of a king were the words that his mother had taught him, Pro 31:1 The words of king Lemuel, the prophecy that his mother taught him. Then a detailed description of a faithful wife and mother (Proverbs 31:10-30) The conclusion is, Pro 31:28 Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her. (The testimony of a Godly family, a blessed family who is a blessing to others) Paul praised God for the faith of Timothy, he was amazed at such faith in such a young man Paul identified why this young man’s faith was so strong It was the kind of faith that he had learned from his grandmother and his mother, 2Ti 1:5 When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in thee also. (Begins with Godly Grandmothers) Timothy came to know Christ as his savior through the teaching of his mother and grandmother That teaching may have begun as early as the time that he was still in the womb of his mother, 2Ti 3:15 And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. I believe a mother can communicate with the child in her womb by talking or singing to them Read the account of Mary, the mother of Jesus, visiting Elizabeth, the mother of John the Baptist, Luk 1:41 And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost: (Mothers, be filled with the Spirit) RESPONSIBILITES OF PARENTS The “Family” is the God given form of society it is the guide for all other relationships God depends upon the parents to learn how life is to be lived upon this earth Then they are to teach their children how to live in a right relationship with others That covers a long list: love; faith; trust; commitment; honesty; obedience; obligations; work We find instructions concerning THE RIGHT PARENT-CHILD RELATIONSHIP in Ephesians Obedience, Eph 6:1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. Too many parents are disobeying God and then expect their children to obey them Obedience “in the Lord” begins with the parents and then influences the children “For this is right” means that God designed it, and since God designed it, “it is right” Therefore, it is that which is right for the family and right for society, America needs it today Honor, love, and respect God if you want your children to honor, love, and respect you, Eph 6:2 Honour thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise; Which is a specific promise containing a two-fold promise The only one of the 10 commandments that relates directly to the family If it is obeyed, it is the only one necessary, it will secure the purpose of the family The will of God for the family could be fulfilled through obedience to this command That is confirmed by the next verse, Eph 6:3 That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth. “Well with the child” begins with “well with the parents,” all is not well in many homes today There are many children in America today who have a full toy box, a full clothes closet Most children today have a full stomach, but there are many who have an empty heart They need a loving hug, and then they need another hug, hugs will prepare them for tomorrow Loving hugs from parents will last longer than toys or electronic games Loving hugs do not need batteries, hugs are self-charged through a powerful loving heart Page 4 of 5 It is estimated that obedient, disciplined children stand 4 times the chance of recovery in a crisis The emphasis upon “Thou mayest live long on the earth” is not upon time but upon life It is not the days of life but the life of their days, living a lifetime of happiness in a short time Their days of growing up in their parents and grandparent’s home, (What will they remember?) Parents must educate the children, Eph 6:4 And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. “Bring them up” physically, mentally, emotionally, socially, most important of all spiritually “Admonition,” warn, advise, counsel, correct, and encourage them through the Word of God “Of the Lord,” the center of all teaching, the Lord being the foundation of all commands Sound parental teaching which should be strictly followed and is a safeguard against evil, Pro 6:20 My son, keep thy father’s commandment, and forsake not the law of thy mother: THE GREATEST FAMILY OF ALL--THE CHILDREN OF GOD Joh 1:12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Those who believe in Him are those who receive Him To receive Him is to accept the truth of who He is, “His name” identifies “Who He Is” He is God in the flesh who came in the flesh to go to the cross and die for your sins By the grace of God, God gives you the authority to become a child of God You can claim full rights to being a member of the Family of God, Rom 8:17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. God willed salvation, Joh 1:13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. The spiritual birth does not come by natural descent, it is a supernatural birth, Joh 3:3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. To be “born again” is to be born from above, a spiritual birth just as real as the physical birth In physical birth you receive a physical life, in spiritual birth you receive a spiritual life You are not physically born with the spiritual life, Joh 3:7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. A “spiritual life” makes a world of difference, which is what God had in mind for the world, Joh 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. We have a world of children that need to come to Jesus Parents and grandparents need to lead them to Jesus, Jesus said, “do not hinder them,” Mat 19:14 But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven. How many homes are more of a hindrance unto Jesus than a learning of “Jesus”? How many “family lifestyles” are hindering the children in their spiritual relationship with Jesus? We need to learn of, know about, and put into practice the family that God planned The family that the children of today need The family that America needs so desperately today The family that you need, a Godly father, mother, children, and grandparents, all living for God America needs Christian homes Page 5 of 5