TEXT:
John 15:5,1 Cor 3:11-15, Mark10:29&30
INTRODUCTION:
The question was asked “Am I dishonoring my parents if I follow God’s directive contrary to theirs”
There are 2 schools of thoughts
- Control and make the kids do your bidding
- Leave children to do whatever they like however they like
- Both are equally erroneous as scriptures say children are like arrows in the hands of an archer. The archer/warrior is to point the arrow towards a mark. Children in the hands of a parent are like arrows in the archers’ hands ps127:4. The scriptures also tie longevity to honoring our parents. Ex 20:12
The parent knows the child longer than the child knew themselves, but even better God knew that child before the parent. Thus the right perspective is for the parent to guide and point the child toward their God-given purpose and destiny, not just leave them to their vices.
DISCUSSION:
God made every one of us to fulfill a specific purpose according to His plan, not our plan and purpose, but there are various levels of existence:
Survival – barely getting by bet a job, paying bills, and making bills accumulating things that will in time turn to trash. Vanity upon vanity all is vanity. Time trashes every earthly treasure. Some built houses and in 100 yrs no one can live in it, it is dilapidated. In 100yrs no one will care about the house you lived in what you wore or what you drove. James Dobson talked of a trophy he earned after hard work in sports in high school and was in his day displayed in school someone found his trophy in the trash and mailed it to him.
Success– accomplish what I want how I want. Many have climbed the ladder of success in various areas only to find their ladder was leaned on the wrong wall. Ambition is doing what I want to do, not necessarily what God wants me to do.
Significance – doing what matters and what counts. It is about vision doing the assignment God has for me not what I want for me; be a contributor not just a consumer.
The greatest treasure we have is not what we can feel with our hands, but what we can feel in our hearts. Parents go to great extent so they can leave something in their Children’s hands and leave nothing in their hearts.
- We are not made to live for nothing, nor just for self, but we are made to do that which brings profit and glory to God and for the good of humanity.
- Good is the enemy of better, better the enemy of best if I can be at my best why stay at good.
- The devil specializes in making us busy doing nothing especially if he can not keep you doing nothing for the cause of God’s kingdom. Like running on a thread mill, motion no progress. When you are about your assignment you will progressed towards your purpose. You can then leave a legacy, a work that out lasts you.
WORK THAT LASTS
1 Cor 3:11-15 works that are poor material quality like wood burns will burn in fire. God will test our works. Works that count and last, like gold will be purified and made better when tested by fire.
Why make it to heaven and suffer loss.
Prayer
Dear father help me to fulfill your purpose. To use my days profitably for your glory