May 6-7, 2006, Selected

HOME SECURITY!
PERIMETER SECURITY!

ANYONE WHO IS A PARENT KNOWS THERE IS A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE IDEAL AND THE REAL!

TO BUILD PERIMETER SECURITY FOR OUR HOME, EVERY PARENT MUST DETERMINE:

1. THE BIBLE IS OUR GUIDE FOR PARENTING!

*** 1Cor. 1:18 "For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God." [New International Version]

*** Is. 5:20-21 "Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter. Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes and clever in their own sight." [NIV]

*** Proverbs 6:23 "For these commands are a lamp, this teaching is a light, and the corrections of discipline are the way to life..." [NIV]

*** Psalm 119:9 "How can a young person stay pure? By obeying your word and following its rules." [New Living Translation]

*** Ro.1:21-22 "They knew God but did not praise and thank him for being God. Instead, their thoughts were pointless, and their misguided minds were plunged into darkness. While claiming to be wise, they became fools." [God’s Word to the Nations]
*** Eph.. 6:1 "Children, obey your parents as the Lord wants, because this is the right thing to do." [New Century Version]

*** Eph. 6:4 "Parents...raise them with Christian discipline and instruction." [Today’s English Version]

*** Gen. 1:27 "So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them." [NIV]

*** Pr. 13:24 "He who spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is careful to discipline him." [NIV]

*** Proverbs 23:13-14 "Don't be afraid to correct your young ones; a spanking won't kill them. A good spanking, in fact, might save them from something worse than death." [Message Bible]

*** Col. 2:8 "Don't let anyone lead you astray with empty philosophy and high-sounding nonsense that come from human thinking and from the evil powers of this world, and not from Christ." [NLT]

2. THE HOME IS TO BE MARRIAGE CENTERED AND NOT CHILD CENTERED!

THERE ARE TWO EXTREME MISTAKES PARENTS CAN MAKE:
NEGLECTING THEIR CHILDREN! OR DOTING ON THEIR CHILDREN!

*** Gen. 1:31 "God saw all that he had made, and it was very good." [NIV]

IF YOU MAKE YOUR CHILD THE CENTER OF YOUR HOME:

- YOU WILL RAISE A SELF-CENTERED CHILD!
- YOU WILL GUARANTEE THE UNHAPPINESS OF YOUR CHILD!
- YOU WILL PROBABLY DESTROY YOUR MARRIAGE!
THE BEST THING YOU CAN DO FOR YOUR CHILDREN IS TO BUILD A STRONG MARRIAGE!

*** Hebrews 13:4a "Give honor to marriage, and remain faithful to one another in marriage." [NLT]

- "But I'm a single parent:"

- But I'm in a "Blended Family:"

SIMPLE STEPS TO SHOW YOUR MARRIAGE IS FIRST:

3. THE ROLE OF THE PARENT IS TO TRAIN CHILDREN TO BE OBEDIENT TO GOD!
*** Eph. 6:4 "Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord." [NIV]

*** Deut. 6:5-7 "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your 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." [NIV]

*** Proverbs 22:6 "Teach your children to choose the right path, and when they are older, they will remain upon it." [NLT]

"Our job as a parent is to help our children get out of our lives!"

OUR JOB AS CHRISTIAN PARENTS IS TO TRAIN OUR CHILDREN TO BE OBEDIENT TO GOD EVEN WHEN WE'RE NOT WITH THEM!

*** Deut. 32:11,12 "...like an eagle building its nest that flutters over its young. It spreads its wings to catch them and carries them on its feathers, the Lord alone led them..." [NCV]

"Children are a gift from God...!"

- Psalm 127:3 [Living Bible]