God’s Plan for Children

“God’s Plan for Children”
Ephesians 6:1-3

Introduction

Ephesians 6:1…Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. 2) Honour thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise;) 3) That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth.
Today’s children do not have it easy at school, easy in the home, easy with their friends, and etc.
I want to read this letter that was written by a teenager to the U.S. News and World report…

“The economy is shot. The family unit is in trouble. Respect for authority is a joke. For the right price you can buy yourself a senator or a judge, or he is out buying himself a 16year-old to use for a couple of hours. Money is worthless and you’re worthless without it. Stop worrying about why your son needs a drink before he can face his morning classes, or why your daughter went out and got pregnant. Just help them cope with the reality of life. Before throwing us into categories, just remember that we have to run this joint in thirty years when you die off or retire or starve on your Social Security. I leave it up to you, either give us a little help and understanding, or put the world out of its misery and send up the missiles and hope Mother Nature has better luck with the next thing that crawls up out of the slime.”

How sad that a teenager can see the ruination of our country and the adults that are supposed to be the teachers and examples are blind to the facts.
An old Chinese proverb says, “One generation plants the trees, and another gets the shade.”
We in this generation are still living in a little bit of shade. Our grandparents have created a world today that makes it easy to rest once in a while in the some of the absolutes that we still have.
Today’s children are not “planting trees.” The term “planting trees” means that you are establishing moral values and substantial laws that create a positive outcome in self and society as a whole.
The reason is that today’s parents have forsaken the laws of God. They have forsaken the need to worship, they have forsaken the call to be fruitful and multiply.
This generation must plant some trees for the future to provide shade (comfort, rest) for the next generation or they will burn up and die off.

I. How Can We Plant Trees?

A) Give shade to our children

The term here “plant trees” means to plant something, instill or establish something in your children that will have a positive result that leads to security and comfort for your children.
How do we plant these trees? Take a trip back to the standards that are taught in your Bible (God’s Word).
The world will disagree. The world says that the Bible is too old to make applications to our world’s events and happenings. Phooey!
The Bible is the only source of education to our children that provide the hope and security that they need.
Our children are taught to think that sex is the answer to everything. They are taught that if they don’t like their bodies to change them. They are taught that if you are not getting the attention that you need, tell people you are gay and give them a sob story of how your Christian parents just don’t understand your choice of being gay. What a bunch of ninnies!

B) Teach Them God’s Word

Look at Deuteronomy 6:6…And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: 7) And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.
Did you see that? God tells His people (Israel then, us today) that we are to teach our children all His commandments and then God tells Israel of the four times a day we are to do that…

when thou sittest in thine house – when you are sitting in your house (at the table for dinner, relaxing in the easy chair, having bible study)
when thou walkest by the way, – When you are outside the house taking your children to school, to work, to the doctor’s office, to the store teaching them manners, and minding the parents, and etc.
when thou liest down, – Remind the children of God’s laws before they go to sleep.
when thou risest up. – Remind them again of God’s laws before they start the day.

Parents, God does not mean that you have to read them the 10 commandments every day. And remind them of the new laws that Christ ushered in to the New Testament and church age.
I believe that God is telling us that we need to discuss the matters of the day and remind one another of what God says about it and how to handle it.
When you are a teenager and sometimes before that, you think you’re your parents are just making up the rules as they go along just to make you miserable.
Many times grownups think the same thing about their heavenly father and all His commandments. It just isn’t true.
God ‘s desire and I believe that most parents desire is described in Deuteronomy 5:29…O that there were such an heart in them, that they would fear me, and keep all my commandments always, that it might be well with them, and with their children forever!
Note first that God’s desire is for us to have a desire in our heart to “fear Him,” and “keep all my commandments.”
WHY? So that “…it might be well with them, and with their children forever!” In other words, fear what God will do if we do not obey His commandments. And it is that fear that keeps us from wanting to do wrong and will help us to plant trees for our children that will provide shade in their future.
You want blessings from God? Do you want your children to live happily ever after… “Fear God and keep His commandments.”

C) Make your decision for God

Joshua 24:15…And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.
Let us be careful not to misunderstand God’s word here… When we look at the verse in the beginning “And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD,” we are not stupid enough to think that serving the LORD (God) is evil.
What it means here is that people “make light of” (don’t take God seriously, as did the Amorites in Joshua 24 when they served other gods and put all kinds of things first and God last.)
Do you want to plant a tree that will provide shade for your family’s future? Then you should be a s Joshua… Telling other Christians, friends and family “…you this day whom ye will serve; but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.”
In other words… “You folks do what you want to on Sunday and through the week, but as for me and those who live under my roof, we will put God first.”
By the way, Joshua was a parent making this decision. He let his children know right off the bat what the Law of their household was. Joshua planted a tree to provide shade (comfort and protection) for his children.

D) Planting a tree for God brings rewards

When you do anything for God, in the name of God and give Him the glory… there is a reward that awaits you.
Last Sunday we had celebrated our 50^th church anniversary of SBBC. There were quite a few people who helped make the day a success and fun for the 67+ deaf that showed up to worship with us.
So this Sunday, we want to thank them and reward them for their efforts and willingness to serve the Lord with a servant’s heart by taking them out to eat after the services and paying for their meals.
All of God’s commandments come with a reward. Our final reward is heaven for eternity, married to Jesus Christ.
The world is not looking out for your future. The doctors do not have your best interest at heart. The teachers do not care if you learn about God. Your friends are not interested in you as much as you think they are. Wait to see what happens when your world takes a nose dive, and then you will see who your real friends are (If you have any).

II. God Gives Children Responsibility

A) What we know already about parents

We have learned from God’s word and already know that God’s plan for the wife is to humbly subject herself in love to her own husband. God also commands the wife to have God, her husband and their children as her center focus (and in that order).
God’s plan for the husband is to love his wife as Christ loves the church. The husband (like Christ) is to be head of the home by lovingly care for them, provide for them, sacrifices for them, protects them, and purifies them.
Now we come to the children’s responsibility…Look at
Ephesians 6:1…Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. 2) Honour thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise;) 3) That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth.
There are two responsibilities of the children…

Obey your parents – Do what your parents command you to do. The reason for that is that it teaches them to be obedient to all laws and their elders.
Honor thy father and mother – This command comes with a promise from God that if you honor your parents, you will live long. To “honor” means to respect; give glory to them (make them look good); not to talk bad about them or not make them look bad.

Parents, the Bible tells us in Proverbs 22:6…Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.
Parents teach their children to obey by showing their own obedience to God, their own parents, their pastor, their government, their boss, etc.
Parents teach their children to honor them by honoring their own parents. You cannot receive what you do not give.
If you as a parent want respect and obedience and honor from your children…you must practice it.

III. It’s Not an Easy Road to Travel

A) It’s not easy for a wife

It is not easy for the wife to submit to her husband
It’s not easy for the wife or mother to raise the children and discipline them and teach them to be obedient and honor their elders or those in authority.

B) It’s not easy for a husband

It’s not easy for the husband to keep all of his family in line and in the will of God. It’s not easy for the husband or father to protect his family, provide for his family, lead his family…it’s not an easy road to travel down.

C) It’s not easy for the children

It’s not easy for the children to be obedient, and to honor their parents. It’s not easy for them to follow the strict order of God and to understand why.
In our world today it is double hard to be a Christian because the world’s (Satan’s) influence is so strong and easy to get hooked so many ways than before.

IV. Why Is It Not Easy To Be Obedient /Honor

A) The curse inside them

Our world today has the wrong perspective on children. They believe them to be little angels. They believe their children are innocent.
The truth is that they are born sinners with the curse of Adam upon them.
Babies are self centered, rebellious, and selfish little devils.
Babies are as ob says in Job 14:1…Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble. (This does not mean” men” only, it means mankind)
Babies have no sympathy, no interest in world affairs, no interest in the family, they do not share the pain of those around them, they make no effort to help anyone, and they sin daily. Their only focus is on themselves.
Have you noticed how many times you have to tell a baby “NO?” Why do you spend more time telling them “NO?” Because they are innocent little devils. They do not know and must be taught.
You do not have to teach a baby or child to be disobedient, selfish or self centered. “Like Prego, it’s in there.” They already have that curse in them.
Some children require more hard lessons of discipline while others may take much less discipline.
Some children are quick learners and are very obedient after one spanking or hand swatting.
David said in Psalms 51:5…Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me. David says that he was sinful at conception. The curse was already there.
No parent can instruct their child while in the womb. The mother does not poke her stomach and say… “Now when you come out I want you to be a good little girl and mind your mother and father and honor us.”
It’s useless to even attempt that until they understand English. But the child can learn by the action of discipline taken by the parent to teach them to obey and honor.
There are some parents who set their child in front of the T.V. and let the television babysit them. Some children are influenced by everyone except their parents.
Let me tell you parents something. You have to plant the tree. You have to be the one who disciplines, nurtures, and provides love and food and care and all that pertains to the needs of your child. YOU have to do it.
If you let the world and society raise your child, you will have a rebel on your hands with no fear of God in their heart.
One 12-year-old told his dad…I quote from a letter, “Look, Dad, I’ve done it all, drugs, booze, sex, there’s nothing left I don’t know about, so don’t make a big deal out of it.”

B) You have the “System” outside them

The “system” s the world’s system. The pressures of the world that keep children growing too fast and unbiblical.
When a child starts to enter the school system or get out into the world to play with their friends, teach them Romans 12:2…And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
In America today, we spend more money on toys for our children than any 60 nations in the world.
If they watch T.V. they will see over 200 hours of advertizing in a year. That means 22,000 commercials trying to make your children not satisfied with what they have and desire what the world wants to sell them.
Children are taught rebellion against authority, self esteem, and getting what they want their own way.
Children are influenced by the world now through television, I-pads, I-pods, friendships, schools, neighbors, phones, bad parenting, and false churches.
I found an interesting article on line today at technocrazed.com…

10 Negative Effects of Social Media on Children and Teens

1. Hate Speech

The kids using Facebook or other social media sites are at a greater risk of suffering from the hate speech. This problem can be more serious for the girls and the children belonging to the minorities and communities that are discriminated against. In online interactions, people with unknown identities may easily indulge in the hate speech or disrespectful behavior. While during a face to face interaction an individual may think twice before passing any such remark.

2. Social Distrust

As mentioned that unknown online users may indulge in aggressive or offensive behavior. Kids may think if such aggression or offensive is committed in real life situation. This may result in social distrust towards the unknown others.

3. Cyber Bullying

One of the often cited dangers of social media is cyber bullying. It occurs when a person uses sites like Facebook to adopt a threatening behavior towards someone during a discussion or sends threatening messages.

4. Identity theft

One of the big problems with social media sites is that the children often do not fully read or understand the privacy settings of their accounts. They are unaware of the risks of disclosing unnecessary personal information. According to a recent survey, 20% of the youth think it to be perfectly safe to post their personal information and photos online. Such kids may easily become victim of the identity theft.

5. Cyber-stalking:

Stalking is defined as the obsessive monitoring or attention towards the victim that may harass him or her. Cyber-stalking can be done in many different ways using social media. Sometimes, an ex-boyfriend or spouse may get angry at the breakup of a relation and use social media to pursue the victim. In another case, a relationship that was developed online gets sour and the personal information shared can be used by the stalker. Or, someone may also fall victim to a random cyber stalking attack.

6. Explicit Or Violent Imagery

Spending a lot of time on the social media sites like facebook can be dangerous, as often as a result of political events around the world, explicit and violent imagery get shown on the discussion threads. Often it is very difficult to moderate such content due to its viral nature. This may have a negative effect on the minds of the children, leading them to have a sadistic and defeatist view of the world.

7. Sharing too much

Everyone of us has its own set of beliefs and ideas that we try to live upto. In our daily life we have an interaction with limited circle of friends. However, sharing such ideas over websites like Facebook may result in dissemination of this information with people that we would not want normal life. This may even prove fatal for our relationship with those people.

8. Online grooming

One of the most distressing aspects of the social media is the growing evidence that paedophiles may use fake accounts on the social media to make friendships with young children and teenagers. They pretend to be of the same age to win children’s confidence. They can then gain vital personal information like their schools and the places where they hang out. They can then use that information to bully and make sexual contact with their victims or exposing them to explicit imagery or content.

9. Emotional Implications:

Psychological experts warn that social media sites can have emotional implications for kids who are already suffering from low self-esteem or confidence. Such children may judge their success by the number of friends they have on the facebook or if they are included in a specific group of people. This may lead to further diminshing of their confidence.

10. Lack Of Interpersonal Skills:

Children spending too much time online may consider a virtual relation substitute for a real one. By spending more time online they often ignore the importance and the appropriate behavior related to face-to-face contact. Hence, the set of interpersonal skills that are necessary for the success in the real life may not develop properly

All that social media is pumping out to your children is an anti-God life style and will lead to the destruction of your child.
Look parents, Satan is a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Don’t let it be your children.

V. What Comes Upon Your Children
A) Perilous times

Do you want to know what is going to come upon your children? Do you have any idea what the future of your children is?
Look at II Timothy 3:1…This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. 2) For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3) Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, 4) Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; 5) Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
These are sins that have always been in the world since the fall of Adam. These are the curses inside of man until Salvation through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
But since the flood, these sins have slowly crept back into society until today these sins are rampant and increasing more quickly upon our children.