Two Types of Home Builders

Two Types of Home Builders

2005019

Topic # 2562

Introduction:

A. Arlington, TX. 2 homes built overlooking Trinity River lost their back yard after days of rain caused them to slide into the river.

1. Flooding had occurred in low areas.

2. People living on a cliff felt secure from flood – but they had not counted on the silent erosion of their entire backyards.

3. Imagine their thoughts as all the work invested in their property started to slide down into the river.

4. Forced to leave their homes in fear that their entire homes would be lost in the raging river bottom.

B. Mt. 7:24-29 – Jesus warned of the importance of building a good foundation.

1. He also states the reality of life’s storms beating against our spiritual and physical lives.

C. Many things today, often unforeseen ones, eat away at the foundations of our families.

1. Factors are many – but their devastation is easy to see.

D. Because of neglect – the homes of Christians are suffering today.

1. Many have not been careful as to how they build.

2. Some never started building as they should.

3. Others stand on the other side, having weathered needless heartache – trying to convince young families who seem oblivious to the need for diligence in building a godly home.

E. Building a home just doesn’t happen. Anything worthwhile takes sacrifice/dedication/and work.

1. It is not always glamorous work.

2. The difference is made in how we handle everyday events & seemingly insignificant decisions.

3. How diligent are we in building our home?

4. The end result is worth it! Godly homes give us just a taste of heaven and the opportunity to enjoy some of life’s greatest blessings.

F. This lesson not just for young families – but for everyone.

1. Don’t feel hopeless if you’ve been at it awhile and look back on a bunch of glaring mistakes.

2. Through the grace/mercy of God – there’s still opportunity to make course corrections and get things on track.

3. No time like the present to start building for the future.

I. God’s word teaches us how to build relationships within the family.

A. Many families are hurting today because of struggling relationships; and in some cases – failed relationships.

1. How many families torn apart by selfishness/greed/grudges/hurtful words.

B. Families must build on God’s principles of forgiveness.

1. Col. 3:12-13 - Make allowances for each others faults. Understand that people are not perfect.

a) Parents; spouse; child are not perfect.

b) Need to get to the point that we’re OK w/that.

2. Mt. 6:14-15 – the power behind our forgiveness is the fact that God has forgiven us.

3. We’ll never forgive someone more than God has forgiven us!

4. Until we come to enjoy the forgiveness of God, we’ll never be able to forgive others.

5. Learn to practice it now! How?

a) Remember forgiveness is a choice of your will.

b) Make the choice – regardless if you don’t feel like it. Make the choice and the emotions will follow.

c) Do it again & again, as much as necessary. It’s a choice & a process.

B. Families must build on God’s principles of love.

1. 1 Cor 13:4-7.

2. Have we put these principles into practice?

C. Each family member must live to please God. Gal. 1:10

D. Instead of worrying w/others – why not worry about what God thinks?

1. 2 Cor. 5:9 – is this our aim?

a) What if our # 1 aim in life is to please God above everything else?

b) How would that change things?

c) It’s knowing that we’ve pleased the one who made us! That’s where our power comes from!

II. Parents have a special role in building a home.

A. How many parents today fail to play a significant role in the lives of their children?

1. Parents can be bombarded by career; recreation; life in general.

2. Parents realize just how important you are; how serious your role is.

B. Fathers – realize – that you are the spiritual leader of the family.

1. Scriptures are brutally honest in documenting how some of God’s greatest servants did not succeed in influencing their children in following God.

2. Consider David.

a) No other king as much a godly force in Israel than him. A man after God’s own heart.

b) But he is a case study in what happens in a fatherless family.

c) Numerous wives/concubines. Many children.

d) Numerous things distracting him – wars; commerce; building projects; treat negotiations; entertaining; judging.

e) At the end of the day – not involved w/family or kids.

3. Look at how his children turned out.

a) 2 Sam. 13 – David’s son Amnon raped ½ sister Tamar.

b) 13:21 – David very angry. Passive? Head somewhere else?

c) Could David be accused of letting his kids raise themselves? On their own?

d) Is 13:21 any demonstration of parental authority/discipline?

4. Consider what David provided for his family physically.

a) Immaculate palace; everything money could buy.

b) THINGS couldn’t solve the relationships of that home.

5. Story only worsens with Absalom. 2 Sam. 15-18.

C. Glenn T Stanton calls many kids growing up in today’s society orphans. Describes them this way:

D. They have biologically connected material-providers, but they don’t have emotionally connected parents.

E. They don’t have mothers and fathers who make them feel like they matter.

F. They don’t have parents who set protective boundaries or ennobling expectations.

G. They don’t have parents who are emotionally nurturing or behaviorally directive.

H. They don’t have parents who strive to richly stock the wardrobe of the moral imaginations or deliberately work to develop the architecture of their characters.

I. They don’t have parents who love them with time and intimacy, rather than merely with stuff.

J. They don’t have parents who parent, for these are the primary deeds of parents.

K. BETH ROSS, Dir. Counseling, and Rockdale County, GA Schools: I think there are a lot of children who are running their own lives, who really are testing limits or don't know what the limits are. They're like a balloon, out there floating around in the sky with little direction. And to run into a power line or to a tree and just burst is something that they're very unaware that could happen. They don't know what's down the road.

L. Too many parents are acting as nonparents. The consequences are being seen all over the country – and right here in our community.

1. How much time are we investing in our children?

2. Do we have real/meaningful relationships with our children?

3. Are we so wrapped up in managing our 401K’s that we’ve neglected to nurture our children?

III. Successful home builders have meaningful relationships with God.

A. Has your family made the determination to serve God?

1. Josh 24:14-24; esp. 14-15

2. We need fathers/husbands who will stand up & make that the goal of every family & mean it.

3. We need mothers/wives who will back up the father in these decisions.

4. After the direction is set, every decision, every action needs to be in line with the overall goal/task.

B. There are no excuses.

1. God will not accept excuse making for not fulfilling His plan in your life/your family.

2. God demands that everyone in the family take responsibility for their manner of life.

3. He demands that families dedicate themselves to his purposes for His glory.

a) Are you dedicated to God’s cause? Gal. 2:20

b) Is your family loyal to God no matter what?

C. Godly families have decisively dedicated themselves to building their lives on these principles.

1. Seek God first. Mt. 6:33

a) Is this dedication seen in our anticipation of worship? Study? Spiritual things?

2. LEARN the word of God – PSA 119:9-10

3. LOVING the word of God – PSA 119:11, 47, 97, 140

4. LIVING the word of God – PSA 119:17

D. Take out the relationship with God – one’s family life is lost w/o direction.

1. God gives life meaning & purpose – He is our compass – always leading us toward truth; toward him.

2. Some build w/o God – and while they ay experience pleasure for awhile – they eventually reap the whirlwind.

3. Families plagued w/divorce; physical; mental; and sexual abuse; shattered relationships; depression; anxiety; the endless pursuit of happiness in physical things.

Conclusion:

A. 1 Cor. 3:11-12

B. The fire (storm) will test the quality of each man’s work. See again Mt. 7:24-27

C. How well are you building? Are you busy now working for God?

D. Eph. 5:15-16

E. I N V I T A T I O N



Two Types of Home Builders 2005019 Topic # 2562 Introduction: A. Arlington, TX. 2 homes built overlooking Trinity River lost their back yard after days of rain caused them to slide into the river. 1. Flooding had occurred in low areas. 2. People living on a cliff felt secure from flood – but they had not counted on the silent erosion of their entire backyards. 3. Imagine their thoughts as all the work invested in their property started to slide down into the river. 4. Forced to leave their homes in fear that their entire homes would be lost in the raging river bottom. B. Mt. 7:24-29 – Jesus warned of the importance of building a good foundation. 1. He also states the reality of life’s storms beating against our spiritual and physical lives. C. Many things today, often unforeseen ones, eat away at the foundations of our families. 1. Factors are many – but their devastation is easy to see. D. Because of neglect – the homes of Christians are suffering today. 1. Many have not been careful as to how they build. 2. Some never started building as they should. 3. Others stand on the other side, having weathered needless heartache – trying to convince young families who seem oblivious to the need for diligence in building a godly home. E. Building a home just doesn’t happen. Anything worthwhile takes sacrifice/dedication/and work. 1. It is not always glamorous work. 2. The difference is made in how we handle everyday events & seemingly insignificant decisions. 3. How diligent are we in building our home? 4. The end result is worth it! Godly homes give us just a taste of heaven and the opportunity to enjoy some of life’s greatest blessings. F. This lesson not just for young families – but for everyone. 1. Don’t feel hopeless if you’ve been at it awhile and look back on a bunch of glaring mistakes. 2. Through the grace/mercy of God – there’s still opportunity to make course corrections and get things on track. 3. No time like the present to start building for the future. I. God’s word teaches us how to build relationships within the family. A. Many families are hurting today because of struggling relationships; and in some cases – failed relationships. 1. How many families torn apart by selfishness/greed/grudges/hurtful words. B. Families must build on God’s principles of forgiveness. 1. Col. 3:12-13 - Make allowances for each others faults. Understand that people are not perfect. a) Parents; spouse; child are not perfect. b) Need to get to the point that we’re OK w/that. 2. Mt. 6:14-15 – the power behind our forgiveness is the fact that God has forgiven us. 3. We’ll never forgive someone more than God has forgiven us! 4. Until we come to enjoy the forgiveness of God, we’ll never be able to forgive others. 5. Learn to practice it now! How? a) Remember forgiveness is a choice of your will. b) Make the choice – regardless if you don’t feel like it. Make the choice and the emotions will follow. c) Do it again & again, as much as necessary. It’s a choice & a process. B. Families must build on God’s principles of love. 1. 1 Cor 13:4-7. 2. Have we put these principles into practice? C. Each family member must live to please God. Gal. 1:10 D. Instead of worrying w/others – why not worry about what God thinks? 1. 2 Cor. 5:9 – is this our aim? a) What if our # 1 aim in life is to please God above everything else? b) How would that change things? c) It’s knowing that we’ve pleased the one who made us! That’s where our power comes from! II. Parents have a special role in building a home. A. How many parents today fail to play a significant role in the lives of their children? 1. Parents can be bombarded by career; recreation; life in general. 2. Parents realize just how important you are; how serious your role is. B. Fathers – realize – that you are the spiritual leader of the family. 1. Scriptures are brutally honest in documenting how some of God’s greatest servants did not succeed in influencing their children in following God. 2. Consider David. a) No other king as much a godly force in Israel than him. A man after God’s own heart. b) But he is a case study in what happens in a fatherless family. c) Numerous wives/concubines. Many children. d) Numerous things distracting him – wars; commerce; building projects; treat negotiations; entertaining; judging. e) At the end of the day – not involved w/family or kids. 3. Look at how his children turned out. a) 2 Sam. 13 – David’s son Amnon raped ½ sister Tamar. b) 13:21 – David very angry. Passive? Head somewhere else? c) Could David be accused of letting his kids raise themselves? On their own? d) Is 13:21 any demonstration of parental authority/discipline? 4. Consider what David provided for his family physically. a) Immaculate palace; everything money could buy. b) THINGS couldn’t solve the relationships of that home. 5. Story only worsens with Absalom. 2 Sam. 15-18. C. Glenn T Stanton calls many kids growing up in today’s society orphans. Describes them this way: D. They have biologically connected material-providers, but they don’t have emotionally connected parents. E. They don’t have mothers and fathers who make them feel like they matter. F. They don’t have parents who set protective boundaries or ennobling expectations. G. They don’t have parents who are emotionally nurturing or behaviorally directive. H. They don’t have parents who strive to richly stock the wardrobe of the moral imaginations or deliberately work to develop the architecture of their characters. I. They don’t have parents who love them with time and intimacy, rather than merely with stuff. J. They don’t have parents who parent, for these are the primary deeds of parents. K. BETH ROSS, Dir. Counseling, and Rockdale County, GA Schools: I think there are a lot of children who are running their own lives, who really are testing limits or don't know what the limits are. They're like a balloon, out there floating around in the sky with little direction. And to run into a power line or to a tree and just burst is something that they're very unaware that could happen. They don't know what's down the road. L. Too many parents are acting as nonparents. The consequences are being seen all over the country – and right here in our community. 1. How much time are we investing in our children? 2. Do we have real/meaningful relationships with our children? 3. Are we so wrapped up in managing our 401K’s that we’ve neglected to nurture our children? III. Successful home builders have meaningful relationships with God. A. Has your family made the determination to serve God? 1. Josh 24:14-24; esp. 14-15 2. We need fathers/husbands who will stand up & make that the goal of every family & mean it. 3. We need mothers/wives who will back up the father in these decisions. 4. After the direction is set, every decision, every action needs to be in line with the overall goal/task. B. There are no excuses. 1. God will not accept excuse making for not fulfilling His plan in your life/your family. 2. God demands that everyone in the family take responsibility for their manner of life. 3. He demands that families dedicate themselves to his purposes for His glory. a) Are you dedicated to God’s cause? Gal. 2:20 b) Is your family loyal to God no matter what? C. Godly families have decisively dedicated themselves to building their lives on these principles. 1. Seek God first. Mt. 6:33 a) Is this dedication seen in our anticipation of worship? Study? Spiritual things? 2. LEARN the word of God – PSA 119:9-10 3. LOVING the word of God – PSA 119:11, 47, 97, 140 4. LIVING the word of God – PSA 119:17 D. Take out the relationship with God – one’s family life is lost w/o direction. 1. God gives life meaning & purpose – He is our compass – always leading us toward truth; toward him. 2. Some build w/o God – and while they ay experience pleasure for awhile – they eventually reap the whirlwind. 3. Families plagued w/divorce; physical; mental; and sexual abuse; shattered relationships; depression; anxiety; the endless pursuit of happiness in physical things. Conclusion: A. 1 Cor. 3:11-12 B. The fire (storm) will test the quality of each man’s work. See again Mt. 7:24-27 C. How well are you building? Are you busy now working for God? D. Eph. 5:15-16 E. I N V I T A T I O N