May 8 2016 Coping With The Fears Of Raising Children

COPING WITH THE FEARS OF RAISING CHILDREN

Matthew 5:48- Be perfect as your Heavenly Father is perfect.

1. I must understand my children.

Psalm 103:13 – As a Father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear Him.  For He knows how we are formed.

Proverbs 24:3 – Homes are built on the foundation of wisdom and understanding.

Proverbs 22:6 – Train a child in the way he should go, and then when he is old he will not turn from it.

Proverbs 14:29 – A patient man has great understanding.

2. I must accept my children.

Psalm 145:8 – The Lord is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love.

Romans 15:7 – Accept one another.

Psalm 127:3 –Children are a gift from God, they are His reward.

3. I must communicate with my children.

HOW

• By starting early.

The Bible says a child left to itself disgraces it’s mother.

• Start early.

Isaiah 28:9 – Who is He trying to teach?  To whom is He explaining His message?  To children weaned from their milk.

• Begin with small pieces.

Isaiah 28:10 – For it is do and do, do and do, rule on rule, rule on rule, a little here a little there.

• Communicate creatively.

Deuteronomy 6:6 -7 – These commandments, impress them upon children, talk about them when you sit at home, and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.

4. I must discipline my children.

Hebrews 12:6-The Lord disciplines those whom He loves.

Proverbs 13:24 – If you refuse to discipline your son, it proves you don’t love him.

Proverbs 19:18 – Discipline your children while they are young enough to learn.  If you don’t you are helping them destroy themselves.

1 John 4:18 – There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out all fear, because fear has to do with punishment.

HOW TO DISCIPLINE

• Discipline calmly.

Proverbs 29:11 – A fool gives full vent to his anger.

• Don’t be a nagger.

Ephesians 6:4 – Don’t keep scolding and nagging your children, making them angry and resentful, use loving discipline.

• Discipline quickly.
• Discipline sparingly.

5. I must express love to my children.

• Through affection.

Psalm 145:9 – The Lord is good and has compassion on all He has made.

• Affirmation.

Psalm 145:14 – The Lord upholds all those who fall and lifts up all who are bowed down.

• Attention.

Psalm 145:18 – The Lord is near to all who call on Him.

6. I must be consistent with my children.

Psalm 145:7 – The Lord is righteous in all His ways.

Proverbs 20:17 – It is a wonderful heritage to have an honest father.

• Don’t imply perfection.
• Keep your promises.

Psalm 145:13 – The Lord is faithful to all His promises.

June 21 2015 Freedom From Anger

FREEDOM FROM ANGER

Proverbs 11:29: The fool who provokes his family to anger and resentment will finally have nothing left.

Three Phases Of Argument:

1. Recognition
2. Reaction
3. Resolution

Four Ways To Manage Anger From The Bible:

1. You need to admit your anger.

Ephesians 4:25-26 – Stop lying to each other, tell the truth.  When we lie to each other, we are hurting ourselves.  If you are angry, don’t sin by nursing your grudge.

Anger means that you care very deeply about some things.

2. I need to understand my anger.

Proverbs 19:11 – A man’s wisdom gives him patience.
    
Four Root Causes Of Anger:

• I feel unaccepted.
• I feel unappreciated.
• I feel unsupported.
• I feel uncertain.

3. You need to deal immediately with anger.

Ephesians 4: 26-27 – Don’t let the sun go down with you still angry, get over it quickly.  For when you are angry, you give a mighty foothold to the devil.

Job 18:4 – You are only hurting yourself.

4. You need to control your anger.

Proverbs 29:11 – A fool gives full vent to his anger, but a wise man keeps himself under control.

Three Suggestions On Controlling Anger:

• Be quick to listen.

James 1:19 – Be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry.

• Give a gentle answer.

Proverbs 15:1 – A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.

1. Be brief.
2. Be humble.

Proverbs 13:10 – Pride only breeds quarrels.

• Don’t use bad language.

Ephesians 4:29 – Don’t use bad language.  Say only what is good and helpful to those you are talking to and what will give them a blessing.

Seven Rules:

1. Never compare.
2. Never condemn.
3. Never command.
4. Don’t challenge.
5. Never condescend.
6. Never contradict.
7. Never confuse.

October 13 2013 Building A Life Of Faith

BUILDING A LIFE OF FAITH

Heb. 11:6 – Without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.

FAITH IS...

1.  Believing when I don't see it.
Heb. 11:1 – Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.

2.  Obeyingwhen I don't understand it.
Heb. 11:7 – It was by faith that Noah built an ark to save his family from the flood.  He obeyed God, who warned him about something that had never happened before.

Heb. 11-8 – It was faith that made Abraham obey when God called him and go out to a country God had promised to him.  He left his own country without knowing where he was going.

3.  Giving when I don't have it.
Heb. 11:4 – It was faith that made Abel's offering to God a better sacrifice than Cain's.  Through his faith God approved of his giving.

II Cor. 8:2-3 – Because of their great joy, they gave even more than they could afford.

II Cor. 4:6 & 8 – Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, but whoever sows generously will reap generously.  And God will generously provide all you need.  Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others.

4.  Persisting when I don't feel like it.
Heb. 11:27 – It was by faith that Moses left Egypt and was not afraid of the King's anger.  He held to his purpose like a man who could see the invisible.

5. Thanking God before I receive it.
Heb. 11:30 – By faith the walls of Jericho fell, after the people had marched around them for seven days.

Mark 11:24 – When you pray and ask for something, believe that you have received it and you will be given what you ask for.

6. Trusting if I don't get it.
Heb. 11: 39-40 – They were all commended for their faith yet none of them received what had been promised.  God had planned something better.

HOW GOD BUILDS MY FAITH

Rom. 10:17 – Faith comes from hearing the Word of God.

I Peter 1:7 – These trials are only to test your faith, and your faith is far more precious to God than mere gold, it will bring you much praise and honor on the day of His return.

November 6 2011 Love As A Lifestyle

Love As A Lifestyle

Gal. 5:22 – The Fruit of the Spirit is Love.
Without love, nothing else matters. (I Cor. 13:1-2)
Love shows we really know God. (I John 4:7-21)
To love is our #1 responsibility. (Matthew 22:36-40)
I Cor. 13:5 -Love is not rude, love does not demand it’s own way, love is not irritable and love keeps no record of when it has be wronged. 

I. How to develop a loving lifestyle or mindset.

1. Accept others unconditionally.
Romans 15:7 – Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.
Romans 12:18 – If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.

2. Commit yourself personally.
Romans 12:10 – Be devoted to one another in brotherly love.
Romans 12:5 – In Christ, we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. 

3. Encourage others continually.
I Thess. 5:11 – Therefore, encourage one another and build each other up just as in fact, you are doing.
I Cor. 13:7 – If you love someone, you always believe in him and always expect the best of him.

4. Serve people cheerfully.
I Peter 4:10 – Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms.
Romans 12:13 – Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality.

5. Forgive others freely.
Col 3:13 – Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.

6. Decide to expand the Kingdom.
Matthew 28:19 - Go and make disciples of all nations.
II Cor. 5:14 - For Christ’s love compels us.

II. The practical application for dealing with draining people.

1. Difficult people: I must be tactful, not just truthful.
I Cor. 13:5 - Love is not rude.
Prov. 16:21 A wise mature person is known for his understanding. The more pleasant his words the more persuasive he is.

2. Demanding people: I must be understand and not be demanding.
I Cor. 13:5 -Love does not demand it’s own way.
Titus 3:2 -Believers shouldn’t curse anyone or be quarrelsome, but they should be gentle and show courtesy to everyone.

3. Disappointing people: I must be gentle not judgmental.
I Cor. 13:5 -Love is not irritable.
Prov. 15:4 - Gentle words bring life and health.

4. Destructive people: Don’t repeat it, just delete it.
I Cor. 13:5 - And love keeps no record of when it has been wronged.
Prov. 19:11 - When someone wrongs you it is a great virtue to ignore it.

CONCLUSION: Eph. 3:17-18 – I pray that Christ will be more at home in your heart, living within you as you trust Him. May your roots go deep into the soil of God's Marvelous love, and may you be able to feel and understand how long, wide, deep and high His love really is, and experience this love for yourselves.