THE LIVING WORD TRANSCRIPT<br> <br>

PROGRAM AIR DATE – 2-5-17<br> <br>



LESSON TITLE: “PARENTS IN THE HOME”<br> <br>



WELCOME<br> <br>

      TODAY WE ARE BLESSED WITH A WONDERFUL GIFT FROM GOD, THE BIBLE. THIS BOOK IS GOD'S LIVING WORD. IN ITS PAGES WE ARE TOLD “FOR THE WORD OF GOD IS LIVING AND POWERFUL AND SHARPER THAN ANY TWO-EDGED SWORD.” IT IS IN THIS BOOK OF BOOKS THAT WE FIND THE ANSWERS TO ALL OF MAN'S QUESTIONS AND NEEDS. THIS MORNING YOUR AREA CHURCHES OF CHRIST WELCOME YOU TO A PROGRAM COMMITTED TO THAT PERFECT LAW OF LIBERTY. AS WE PRESENT THE LIVING WORD. NOW HERE IS YOUR HOST RAY SULLINS.<br> <br>



      LET ME WELCOME EACH OF YOU TO OUR PROGRAM THIS MORNING!  HOW WONDERFUL IT IS TO HAVE YOU WITH US THIS LORD’S DAY, AS WE COMMIT THIS TIME TO OUR MASTER.  IT WILL BE OUR PRIVILEGE THIS MORNING TO AGAIN PARTICIPATE IN THE THINGS OF GOD AS WE SING PRAISES TO HIS NAME AND AS WE STUDY FROM HIS MATCHLESS WORD.  NOW LET’S APPROACH THE FATHERS THRONE TOGETHER IN PRAYER.<br> <br>

      PRAYER: OUR GOD AND FATHER IN HEAVEN, WE THANK YOU FOR THIS DAY - WE THANK YOU FOR THE GIFT OF LIFE AND WE THANK YOU FOR THE GREAT BLESSINGS THAT YOU GIVE US. AND FATHER, WE ASK THAT THIS DAY THAT WE MIGHT OFFER THESE SACRIFICES BEFORE YOUR THRONE, THAT THEY MIGHT BE FOUND ACCEPTABLE AS WE DO THOSE THINGS IN SPIRIT AND TRUTH THAT YOU HAVE COMMANDED. AND FATHER, HELP US TO LIVE THIS DAY AND EVERY DAY KNOWING THAT, NOT ONLY WILL WE BE BLESSED IN THIS LIFE, BUT KNOWING THAT THERE IS A GREATER BLESSING AWAITING ALL OF US WHO ARE FAITHFUL IN THE LIFE TO COME. WE THANK YOU FOR THE GREAT GIFT OF JESUS WHICH MAKES ALL THINGS POSSIBLE. IN HIS NAME WE PRAY, AMEN. <br> <br>

      NOW WE WANT TO JOIN IN OUR FIRST SONG TOGETHER OF THE MORNING.  WON’T YOU RAISE YOUR VOICE TO GOD AT THIS TIME AS WE TOGETHER SING, “SEND THE LIGHT.” <br> <br>



DEVOTIONAL THOUGTHS<br> <br>

      ONE OF THE SADDEST THINGS IN LIFE IS TO LOOK AROUND US AND TO FIND SO MANY WHO REJECT GOD.  WE DON’T ALWAYS SEE THIS REJECTION IN THE FORM OF WORDS, BUT NONETHELESS WE SEE IT IN THE WAY PEOPLE LIVE.  THE BIBLE TELLS US THAT JUST SAYING LORD, LORD ISN’T ENOUGH.  JUST BECAUSE I KNOW WHO GOD IS DOES NOT MEAN THAT I AM JUSTIFIED IN HIS SIGHT. <br> <br>

      HOW MANY TIMES A DAY OR WEEK DO YOU SEE SOMEONE SAYING WORDS OR DOING THINGS THAT REALLY PROVE THEY ARE NOT INTERESTED IN THE THINGS OF GOD?  OR HOW MANY TIMES DO YOU FIND SOMEONE WHO CLAIMS TO LOVE GOD DO THE VERY SAME THING?  AGAIN, THE PROOF IS IN OUR ACTIONS.  WE ARE KNOWN AS RIGHTEOUS OR WICKED ACCORDING TO THE THINGS THAT WE DO OR SAY ON A DAILY BASIS.  <br> <br>

      I OFTEN WONDER IF THOSE WHO REJECT CHRIST, IN WORD AND DEED, REALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY ARE DOING.  THE PSALMIST DAVID SAID, “FOR THE LORD KNOWS THE WAY OF THE RIGHTEOUS, BUT THE WAY OF THE UNGODLY SHALL PERISH,” PSALMS 1:6.   AGAIN IN CHAPTER 53 AND VERSE 1, DAVID ADDED, “THE FOOL HAS SAID IN HIS HEART, "THERE IS NO GOD." THEY ARE CORRUPT, AND HAVE DONE ABOMINABLE INIQUITY; THERE IS NONE WHO DOES GOOD.”  YOU SEE THE FACT IS WHEN ONE REJECTS GOD BY THEIR ACTIONS OR WORDS, THEN THEY ARE LOST, ALONE, AND WITHOUT THE ONLY THING THAT CAN OFFER THEM A WONDROUS AND PEACEABLE ETERNAL LIFE.  <br> <br>

      ON THE OTHER HAND, CONSIDER THE PRIMARY STATEMENT MADE IN THE FIRST VERSE WE READ A MOMENT AGO, WHERE DAVID SAID, “FOR THE LORD KNOWS THE WAY OF THE RIGHTEOUS.”  GOD TRULY KNOWS AND SEES THE FAITH OF THE RIGHTEOUS BEFORE HIM.  AND THE BLESSED PART OF IT, IS THAT THE RIGHTEOUS WILL NOT PERISH.  ISN’T IT THE OLD BELOVED VERSE FOUND IN JOHN 3:16, THAT SAYS, “FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD THAT HE GAVE HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON, THAT WHOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM SHOULD NOT PERISH BUT HAVE EVERLASTING LIFE.”  NOTICE THE SAME TERMINOLOGY IS USED HERE, BY SAYING, “THE BELIEVERS WILL NOT PERISH,” BUT HAVE “EVERLASTING LIFE.”  IN THIS VERSE WE SEE THAT JESUS HIMSELF TAUGHT THE GREAT PROMISE OF ETERNAL LIFE FOR THOSE WHO ARE FAITHFUL.  BUT AGAIN, EVEN CHRIST, A FEW VERSES DOWN, REMINDS US THAT, “THOSE WHO DO NOT BELIEVE ARE CONDEMNED,” VERSE 18.  AND FURTHERMORE, IN VERSE 19, WE ARE TOLD WHY THEY PERISH, BECAUSE THEIR “DEEDS ARE EVIL.”  <br> <br>

      AS THOSE WHO LOVE GOD AND HIS WILL, LET’S MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE LIVING AS RIGHTEOUS PEOPLE IN THIS WORLD OF WICKEDNESS.  HOWEVER, LET’S ALSO REMEMBER THE GREAT RESPONSIBILITY AND DUTY WE HAVE TO HELP THOSE WHO ARE NOT IN THE LIGHT, TO FIND THE LIGHT, AND FOLLOW THE WILL OF THE SAVIOR.<br> <br>

      THIS MORNING, WE ARE CONTINUING OUR STUDY ENTITLED, “AND THEY SHALL BECOME ONE FLESH!” TODAY OUR SPECIFIC LESSON WILL BE “PARENTS IN THE HOME.”  AFTER OUR NEXT SONG TOGETHER, I WILL BE BACK TO LEAD THIS STUDY FROM GOD’S WORD.  NOW, WON’T YOU JOIN IN WITH THE CONGREGATION AS WE SING, “SING TO ME OF HEAVEN.” <br> <br>

      

      LESSON<br> <br>

      BY RAY SULLINS<br> <br>

      THANK YOU SO MUCH AS YOU'VE CONTINUED WITH US THIS DAY. WE ARE SO THANKFUL AS WE NOW GO TO GOD'S WORD AND WE LOOK AT ANOTHER LESSON IN RELATIONSHIP TO THE CHRISTIAN HOME. WE'VE BEEN LOOKING TOGETHER AT THE IDEA OF, NOT ONLY WHAT THE HOME IS AS GOD'S PLAN OR DESIGN GIVES IT, BUT ALSO WE'VE LOOKED AT MARRIAGE - WE'VE LOOKED AT THE CONCEPT OF PROPER MEN AND HUSBANDS AS WELL AS PROPER WOMEN AND WIVES IN THE HOME. AND SO TODAY WE'D LIKE TO LOOK AT THE NEXT STEP IN RELATIONSHIP TO THE HOME. A STEP THAT IS CLEARLY IDENTIFIED FOR US EVEN BACK IN THE BOOK OF GENESIS. BECAUSE THERE IN GENESIS CHAPTER 1 IN VERSE 28 WE FIRST SEE THIS COMMAND - BE FRUITFUL AND MULTIPY AND FILL THE EARTH AND SUBDUE IT. YOU SEE, GOD COMMANDED MAN AND WOMAN - THE ONES HE JUST CREATED IN HIS IMAGE IN VERSE 26 AND 27 TO BE FRUITFUL AND MULTIPLY, TO HAVE CHILDREN. AND THEN WE GO TO CHAPTER 4 AND WHAT DO WE FIND? WELL, ADAM KNEW EVE AND SHE CONCEIVED AND SHE HAD CAIN. AND IT'S NOT LONG AFTER THAT THAT SHE ALSO CONCEIVES AGAIN AFTER ADAM KNOWS HER THE SECOND TIME AND SHE HAS ABEL. AND WE CAN ACTUALLY TURN ON INTO THE LATTER PART OF THAT CHAPTER AND ON INTO CHAPTER 5 AND WE CAN SEE THAT THEY HAD OTHER CHILDREN AS WELL. THAT GOD BLESSED THEM WITH MORE CHILDREN AS TIME WENT ON. INCLUDING THE SON SETH. THAT IS USUALLY VERY FAMILIAR TO MANY OF US WHO STUDY THE SCRIPTURES. <br> <br>

      NOW, AS WE THINK ABOUT ALL THAT IT IS SIGNIFICANT BECAUSE WHAT WE NOW HAVE IS A HOME WHERE A MAN HAS LEFT HIS ORIGINAL HOME OF BIRTH - LEAVING HIS FATHER AND MOTHER. THE WOMAN HAS LEFT HER ORIGINAL HOME OF HER BIRTH - LEAVING HER FATHER AND MOTHER AND THOSE TWO HAVE COME TOGETHER TO DO WHAT? TO MAKE ONE FLESH OUT OF THE TWO - ONE THAT SHOULD NOT BE SEPARATED - A UNION FOR LIFE IN THE SIGHT OF GOD EXCEPT FOR THE FACT OF DEATH ON ONE OF THE PARTS OF THE MATES OR IN THE RELATIONSHIP OF MATTHEW 19:9 - IF THERE IS SEXUAL IMMMORALITY THAT IS COMMITTED IN A LITERAL SENSE ON THE MAN OR THE WOMAN'S SIDE THEN THE OTHER ONE WOULD BE ABLE TO DIVORCE AND THEN FREELY REMARRY ACCORDING TO THE COVENANT THAT JESUS GAVE IN MATTHEW 19. BUT NOW AS WE LOOK AT THE IDEA OF THAT HOME FOR LIFE. WE NOW SEE THAT THEY HAVE WHAT?  THE RESPONSIBILITY OF NOT JUST BEING HUSBANDS-AND-WIVES BUT PARENTS. <br> <br>

      AND SO NOW WE WANT TO LOOK AT THE CONCEPT OF PARENTS IN THE HOME AND CONSIDER REALLY WHAT IS IT TO BE A PROPER FATHER OR DAD AND WHAT IS IT TO BE A PROPER MOTHER OR MOM IN THE HOME. AND SO WE CAN GO TO THE SCRIPTURES AND CERTAINLY SEE WHAT THE BIBLE TEACHES US ABOUT THIS. ONE PASSAGE THAT HELPS US A LOT, AND BY THE WAY THERE ARE MANY IN THE OLD TESTAMENT AND NEW TESTAMENT, STANDARDS THAT ARE SET TO MAKE SURE THAT WE UNDERSTAND THAT WE ARE TO BE THOSE EXAMPLES FOR OUR CHILDREN AND THAT WE ARE TO TRAIN THEM UP IN THE WAY OF THE LORD - THAT WE ARE TO BE THOSE WHO DISCIPLINE THEM AND IF WE SPARE THE ROD WE SPARE THE CHILD. BUT INTO THE NEW TESTAMENT AS WE GO - IN EPHESIANS CHAPTER 6 WE BEGIN TO LEARN THAT PARENTS ARE GIVEN A COMMAND BY GOD. AND HE STARTS OUT BY ADDRESSING CHILDREN THERE, “CHILDREN OBEY YOUR PARENTS,” IN CHAPTER 6 VERSE ONE. BUT THEN HE SAYS AFTER HE SPEAKS TO THE CHILDREN, HE SAYS, “FATHERS DO NOT PROVOKE YOUR CHILDREN TO WRATH,” IN VERSE FOUR. YOU SEE, HE'S TALKING TO PARENTS AND HE SAID TO PARENTS YOU HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY AS PARENTS THEN - BECAUSE YOU HAVE CHILDREN WHO MUST OBEY AND HONOR YOU. YOU MUST THEN BE THE PARENTS THAT ARE WORTHY OF HONOR AND OBEDIENCE. IN THE SAME WAY, THE WIFE WOULD SUBMIT TO THE MAN AND THERE WOULD BE EVEN MUTUAL SUBMISSION BETWEEN THE MAN AND THE WOMAN BECAUSE OF RESPECT AND LOVE AND HONOR. IT'S THE SAME WITH THE CHILDREN - THEY'RE GOING TO BE TAUGHT THAT BY OUR EXAMPLES - BY THE LESSONS THAT WE GIVE THEM - BY THE THINGS THAT WE CHALLENGE THEM WITH TO KNOW FROM GOD AND THE WORD OF GOD. AND SO FATHERS - IT SAYS HERE OR PARENTS - DON'T PROVOKE YOUR CHILDREN TO WRATH. WHY DOES IT FIRST MENTION THE FATHERS AND NOT GENERALLY PARENTS? BECAUSE WHO BEARS THE GREAT RESPONSIBILITY? FATHERS. AGAIN LADIES, I'VE BEEN TRYING TO EXPLAIN TO YOU - THAT THE MAN WILL FIRST ANSWER FOR THE SOULS OF HIS CHILDREN. THE MAN WILL FIRST ANSWER FOR THE SOUL OF HIS WIFE BECAUSE IT IS THE MAN'S RESPONSIBILITY AS HEAD OF THE HOUSEHOLD TO MAKE SURE THAT HIS HOUSEHOLD IS A HOUSEHOLD OF GOD. YOU KNOW LADIES, THAT DOESN'T SOUND SO BAD NOW DOES IT? BECAUSE I'M TELLING YOU - THE RESPONSIBILITY AND THE WEIGHT OF THE MATTER THAT HAS BEEN PLACED ON THE MAN. I'M NOT SURE A LOT OF CHRISTIAN MEN UNDERSTAND THAT. THAT THEY WILL ANSWER TO GOD AS TO WHETHER THEY WERE PROPER HEADS OF THE HOME - WHO LOVED AND SET THE STANDARD WITHIN THE HOME. BUT AS WE READ HERE FATHERS DON'T PROVOKE. WELL, OBVIOUSLY IT WOULDN'T BE RIGHT FOR A MOTHER TO PROVOKE THEIR CHILD EITHER. BUT ESPECIALLY A FATHER BECAUSE THE FATHER IS SUPPOSED TO BE THE WHAT? THE STANDARD. <br> <br>

      ANOTHER THING THAT ALWAYS COMES TO MY MIND I CAN REMEMBER WHEN MY WIFE OR EVEN WHEN I WAS A CHILD WHEN MY MOTHER WOULD SAY, “WAIT TILL YOUR DAD GETS HOME!” WELL SEE, SOMETIMES THE FATHER DOES BEAR THAT GREATER RESPONSIBILITY IN THAT DISCIPLINE BECAUSE SOMETIMES THEY'RE ABLE TO BE A GREATER DISCIPLINARIAN AND SOMETIMES FRANKLY THEIR SPANKINGS HURT A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN MOM'S - DON'T THEY? SO WE CAN THINK ABOUT MANY THINGS LIKE THAT BUT IT SHOWS US THE NEED THEN TO DISCIPLINE AS PARENTS. SO DISCIPLINE IS IMPORTANT. AND IF WE DON'T DISCIPLINE WHY SHOULD WE BE SO SURPRISED IF WE DON'T MAKE OUR CHILDREN RESPECT US THAT THEY GO OUT INTO THE WORLD AND THEY DON'T RESPECT PEOPLE AT DAYCARE, AND THEY DON'T RESPECT PEOPLE IN THE CLASSROOM AT SCHOOL, THEY DON'T RESPECT PEOPLE AT CHURCH BECAUSE WE'VE NOT TAUGHT THEM TO RESPECT AND WHAT THEY'VE LEARNED AT HOME IS THAT WE OURSELVES AS MOMS AND DADS ARE EVEN DISRESPECTFUL TO EACH OTHER. WELL YOU SEE, THAT'S WHERE KIDS LEARN IT. ARE WE PROPER FATHERS AND MOTHERS, HUSBAND-AND-WIVES? THAT'S WHY OUR ROLE AS THE WHOLE PACKAGE IS SO IMPORTANT - WHETHER WE ARE MEN OR WHETHER WE ARE WOMEN. <br> <br>

      HE ALSO SAYS BRING THEM UP IN THE TRAINING AND ADMONITION OF THE LORD. WELL, WE COULD GO TO MANY BIBLICAL EXAMPLES OF MEN AND WOMEN AND SEE WHERE MEN WOULD TRAIN AND TEACH THEIR CHILDREN. AND WOMEN AGAIN WOULD ALSO TRAIN AND TEACH THEIR CHILDREN THE THINGS OF GOD. MANY OF THEM GIVING THEIR CHILDREN TO GOD EVEN. WELL, YOU SEE THAT'S THE RESPONSIBILITY - TO NOT ONLY LOVE AND NURTURE AND TO PROVIDE AND CARE FOR - WHETHER YOU'RE A MAN OR A WOMAN - THE MAN AGAIN BEARING THE GREATER RESPONSIBILITY AS FAR AS THAT WHICH WILL BE ANSWERABLE BEFORE GOD. BUT AS WE ARE TO DO THOSE THINGS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE PROVIDING FOR AND CARING FOR AND DISCIPLINING BUT NOT WITH PROVOKING OR WRATH. YOU KNOW, HAVE YOU EVER HEARD THAT PARENT THAT JUST ALL THE TIME IS JUST SPANKING THEIR CHILD OR YELLING? THEY NEVER HAVE A GOOD THING TO SAY! WELL, AT SOME POINT A CHILD MIGHT BECOME BITTER. MIGHT BECOME EVEN WRATHFUL OR SO ANGRY BECAUSE ALL THEY EVER HEAR IS NEGATIVE AND ANGER. BRETHERN, WE'VE GOT TO MAKE SURE - THAT AGAIN, IF WE LOVE...IS LOVE ALWAYS BITTER AND ANGRY AND MEAN AND YELLING? NO. BUT LOVE HAS ALL FACETS. THEY NEED TO SEE THE LOVE OF MOM AND DAD TO DISCIPLINE. BUT THEY NEED TO SEE THE LOVE OF MOM AND DAD TO HUG THEM, TO SIT WITH THEM AND SMILE AND LAUGH AND TO PLAY GAMES AND READ BOOKS. THEY NEED TO SEE BOTH SIDES BECAUSE THAT'S LOVE. YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES AS HUSBAND-AND-WIVES WE DISAGREE. BUT A LOT OF TIMES WE HAVE GOOD DAYS TOO DON'T WE? WE'RE ABLE TO SMILE AT EACH OTHER AND LOVE EACH OTHER AND EMBRACE AND KISS EACH OTHER. WE HAVE THOSE GOOD TIMES TOO. SO YOU'VE GOT TO HAVE THE GOOD WITH THE BAD - AND WHEN THE BAD COMES, IF YOU'VE DONE WELL IN THE GOOD TIMES, BRETHERN AND FRIENDS - THAT HELPS YOU DEAL WITH THE BAD TIMES AND THE BAD SITUATIONS. BUT MAKING SURE THAT THEY ARE TRAINED UP IN THE LORD THAT THEY MIGHT BE WHAT? ENCOURAGED. ENCOURAGED TO KNOW NOT ONLY WHO GOD IS BUT ENCOURAGED TO KNOW THE RESPONSIBILITY THAT THEY HAVE BEEN GIVEN BY GOD ALMIGHTY.<br> <br> BUT 

      NOW WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO DO WITH OUR REMAINING TIME IS TO LOOK AT SOME SPECIFIC VERSES THAT HELP US TO SEE THAT THE MAN HAS A ROLE AND THE WOMAN HAS A ROLE. WE'VE ALREADY SEEN SOME OF THOSE THINGS COLLECTIVELY BUT WHAT ABOUT IN RELATIONSHIP TO PROVIDING FOR THE FAMILY? I LIKE THE WAY THAT PAUL ACTUALLY ADDRESSES THIS TO THE EVANGELIST TIMOTHY IN FIRST TIMOTHY CHAPTER 5 AND VERSE EIGHT WHEN HE SAID THIS, “BUT IF ANYONE DOES NOT PROVIDE FOR HIS OWN, ESPECIALLY HIS OWN HOUSEHOLD, HE HAS DENIED THE FAITH AND IS WORSE THAN AN UNBELIEVER.” HOW IMPORTANT IS IT FOR A MAN TO PROVIDE FOR HIS OWN, ESPECIALLY HIS FAMILY? OF THE UTMOST IMPORTANCE! BRETHERN, LET ME ENCOURAGE YOU TO UNDERSTAND - IT'S NOT THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE CHILDREN TO TAKE CARE OF THE PARENTS. IT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE PARENTS TO TAKE CARE OF THE CHILDREN, AND THAT'S IN THE SENSE OF THE TERM - THE CHILD, THE ONE WHO LIVES WITHIN THE HOME, THEREFORE, CARED BY THE PARENTS. SOMETIMES YOU ALMOST GET THE IDEA THAT PARENTS ARE EXPECTING EVEN THEIR YOUNG CHILDREN TO GO OUT AND SUPPORT THEM WHEN THAT'S NOT THEIR ROLE. IT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE MAN AND THE WOMAN TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE ARE THE NEEDED THINGS WITHIN THAT HOUSEHOLD. SO THE MAN HAS TO BE THE PROVIDER. THE MAN HAS TO BE THE PROTECTOR, AS WE READ IN EPHESIANS 5 - THE SAVIOR OF THE FAMILY. THE ONE WHO WOULD BE WILLING TO WHAT? TO DIE EVEN FOR THOSE WHOM HE LOVES. THE SAME WAY THAT JESUS WAS WILLING TO DO THAT FOR US. IT MAKES ME THINK OF GOD HIMSELF. IS IT NOT GOD THAT IS OFTEN REFERRED TO AS THE FATHER? AND HOW THAT HE IS THE SHEPHERD? ALL OF THESE TERMS ARE BEAUTIFUL TERMS THAT SHOW US AS FATHER, NOT JUST AS HUSBAND BUT AS FATHERS, HOW DO FATHERS TREAT THEIR CHILDREN? WELL, THEY LOVE, THEY PROVIDE FOR, THEY CARE, THEY PROTECT. YOU SEE, GOD IS OUR FATHER AND WHAT GREATER STANDARD AND WHAT GREATER EXAMPLE COULD WE HAVE? MEN - THEN TRYING TO BE FATHERS IN THE SENSE THAT GOD IS OUR FATHER. <br> <br>

      BUT THEN, WHAT ABOUT WOMEN? WOMEN ALSO HAVE THAT ROLE BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT WOMEN NEED TO BE WHAT THEY SHOULD BE BEFORE GOD AS WELL. AND AS MOTHERS IN THE HOME THAT THEY ACCOMPLISH THAT TASK. LAST WEEK WE LOOKED AT THERE THE GREAT EXAMPLE OF THE VIRTUOUS WOMAN IN PROVERBS CHAPTER 31. AND HOW INTERESTING THERE WITHIN PROVERBS 31 THAT WE SEE SHE WAS VIRTUOUS OR MORALLY EXCELLENT, NOT ONLY BECAUSE THE WORLD KNEW THAT BUT GOD KNEW THAT. GOD SAW THAT AND SHE PROVIDED FOR HER FAMILY, SHE WORKED FOR HER FAMILY, SHE CLOTHED HER FAMILY, SHE FED HER FAMILY. OH WOW! WHAT A GREAT RESPONSIBILITY - BECAUSE SHE LOVED GOD - BECAUSE SHE FEARED GOD - SHE WAS A STANDARD OF WHAT WOMEN SHOULD BE. WELL, THE BIBLE CONTINUES TO TALK ABOUT HOW BEAUTIFUL A STANDARD THAT IS. IN FACT WE MIGHT LOOK TOGETHER THERE IN FIRST THESSALONIANS AND CONSIDER WHAT PAUL SAID TO THAT CHURCH IN CHAPTER 2 AND VERSE SEVEN. NOTICE CONCERNING WOMEN HE SAYS, “BUT WE WERE GENTLE AMONG YOU JUST AS A NURSING MOTHER CHERISHES HER OWN CHILD.” HAVE YOU EVER SEEN ANYTHING MORE BEAUTIFUL THAN A MOTHER'S CARE FOR A CHILD? THE EMBRACE OF THAT NEW BABY? BUT NOT ONLY THAT NEW BABY BUT AS THAT CHILD GROWS AND SITS ON THE LAP....OH MY! HOW MOM'S LOVE THEIR CHILDREN. I'M ALWAYS KIND OF TICKLED SOMETIMES - YOU WATCH ALL THESE SPORTS BROADCASTS AND YOU'LL SEE SOMEONE INTERVIEWED AND WHO DO THEY USUALLY SAY SOMETHING TO? THEY SAY HI MOM NOT HI DAD. BECAUSE SOMETIMES WE ARE SO TIED TO OUR MOMS. MOMS ARE NURTURERS AND CHERISHERS. AND THEY JUST DRAW US TO THEM AND WE LOVE THEM - AND NO MATTER HOW OLD WE GET - WE SURE LOVE OUR MOMS. WE LOVE OUR DADS. BUT WE SURE LOVE OUR MOMS - THE ONE WHO CARRIED US IN THEIR WOMBS. YOU SEE THE TYPE OF NURTURING THAT A MOTHER HAS? THE CARE THAT A MOTHER HAS? WHAT WOULD A MOTHER DO FOR HER CHILD? ANYTHING. WOULD A MOTHER DIE FOR ANYTHING? A MOTHER WOULD DO ANYTHING BECAUSE SHE LOVES THE CHILD. THAT CHILD IS A LITERAL, FLESHLY PART OF HER HAVING COME FROM HER BODY. SO I THINK WE UNDERSTAND JUST HOW SPECIAL - JUST HOW PRECIOUS MOTHERS ARE. BUT WE ALSO SEE THE ROLE OF MOTHERS IN TITUS. BECAUSE THERE IN TITUS CHAPTER 2 WE FIND A CLEAR EXAMPLE BEING GIVEN THAT WOMEN SHOULD DO WHAT? WOMEN SHOULD TEACH THEIR CHILDREN AT HOME. THEY SHOULD BE ONE IT SAYS THERE IN VERSE FOUR. AND REALLY LOVE THEIR HUSBANDS AND LOVE THEIR CHILDREN. AND THERE ARE SOME OTHER THINGS THERE IN TITUS CHAPTER 2. I'D READ VERSES 1 THRU 5 IF YOU HAVE SOME TIME LATER. WHAT A BEAUTIFUL THING AGAIN! HOW EXCITING TO SEE AGAIN THIS EXAMPLE OF A GODLY WOMAN WHO TRAINS THEM IN THE THINGS OF GOD, WHO CARES FOR THEM AND WHO HERSELF WOULD GIVE HER LIFE FOR THEM. <br> <br>

      AS WE CONTINUE TO THINK ABOUT ALL THOSE THINGS I'M ALWAYS AMAZED AND EXCITED ABOUT WHAT I READ THAT PAUL WROTE TO TIMOTHY IN SECOND TIMOTHY CHAPTER 1. HE OFTEN TALKED ABOUT THE FAITH OF TIMOTHY. IN FACT, IN THE BOOK OF SECOND TIMOTHY 3:15 HE TALKED ABOUT HOW THAT HE HAD LEARNED THE HOLY SCRIPTURES FROM CHILDHOOD. BUT IN SECOND TIMOTHY CHAPTER 1 AND VERSE FIVE PAUL SAYS, “WHEN I CALL TO REMEMBRANCE THE GENUINE FAITH THAT IT IS IN YOU WHICH DWELT FIRST IN YOUR GRANDMOTHER LOIS AND IN YOUR MOTHER EUNICE AND I'M PERSUADED THAT'S IT'S IN YOU ALSO. ISN'T THAT BEAUTIFUL? THE EXAMPLE OF A MOM WHO BROUGHT A YOUNG MAN UP BEFORE GOD IN THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD IN THE WAY OF GOD. SO THAT WHEN HE MET PAUL, HE NOT ONLY BECAME A CHILD OF GOD, A CHILD OF THE FAITH. BUT HE WANTED TO WORK FOR GOD, AND EVANGELIZE FOR GOD. ISN'T THAT AN EXCITING THING TO THINK ABOUT? THE INFLUENCE, THE EXAMPLE THAT MOTHERS CAN BE? SO LET ME ENCOURAGE US AS MOMS AND DADS - AS FATHERS AND MOTHERS - THAT WE BE WHAT GOD WANTS. THAT WE FULFILL THE ROLE BY LOVING OUR CHILDREN, NOT ONLY IN SOME WAYS - NOT THINKING THAT WE'VE ALWAYS GOTTA JUST GIVE THEM TREATS AND DO GOOD - BUT LOVING THEM IN THE WAY OF THE WHOLE PACKAGE. SO THAT THEY WILL GROW UP IN THE LORD AND BE ENCOURAGED TO ALWAYS DO HIS WILL. SO THAT THEY MIGHT FIND SALVATION! COULD ANYTHING BE GREATER THAN THAT?<br> <br>



CLOSING COMMENTS<br> <br>

      WHAT A BLESSING IT HAS BEEN THIS MORNING, TO GIVE THIS TIME TO GOD.  IT IS OUR HOPE AND PRAYER THAT YOU WILL JOIN US EVERY SUNDAY MORNING AT 7:30, AS WE COMMIT OURSELVES TO DOING THE THINGS OF GOD ACCORDING TO HIS WORD!  <br> <br>

      NOW, LET ME ASK YOU IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ABOUT TODAY’S LESSON?  MAYBE, YOU WOULD LIKE A FREE TRANSCRIPT OR CASSETTE TAPE OF THIS PROGRAM?  POSSIBLY, WE COULD ASSIST YOU WITH FREE BIBLE MATERIALS OR CORRESPONDENCE COURSES?  NO MATTER WHAT YOUR NEED IS, PLEASE CONTACT US AT THE FOLLOWING ADDRESS:  

<br> <br>

The Living Word

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      LET ME CHALLENGE US ALL AS MOM’S AND DAD’S TO BE THE PROPER PARENTS THAT GOD REQUIRES.   THERE ARE FEW THINGS AS IMPORTANT AS BEING GOOD EXAMPLES AND CAREGIVERS FOR OUR CHILDREN.  REMEMBER, GOD ALWAYS BLESSES THE FAITHFUL!

<br> <br>