When Kids Attack

REAL TALK – 4

When Kids Attack

 

Joshua 24:14 (NIV) But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”

 

KID FACTS (Screen only)

Fact: Fathers tend to determine their height. Mothers tend to determine their weight.

Fact: A three-year-old voice is louder than 200 people at a restaurant.

Fact: The cost of raising a child is $245,340.

 

• Kids are a GIFT.

Psalm 127:3 (NLT) Children are a gift from the Lord; they are a reward from him.

• Kids are a BLESSING.

Psalm 127:3 (GNT) Children are a gift from the Lord; they are a real blessing.

• Kids are WORK.

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

 

1.  We make them more important than GOD.

Matthew 6:33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

 

What determines FIRST? (screen)

Descartes: “I think therefore I am.”  I am what I think. (screen)

    Jesus: “I love therefore I am.” You are what you love. (screen)

 

Matthew 22:37 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. (screen)

1 John 2:15-17 Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father[a] is not in them. 16 For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. 17 The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever. (screen)

 

• What you easily ASSUME they don’t need when they are little they will need as teens and adults.
• You are teaching them that God is SECONDARY to everything else.

 

2.  We make them more important than our MARRIAGE.

Ephesians 5:31-32 “For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” 32 This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church.

·      We allow the kids to be our best friend instead of our MATE.

·      We take sides AGAINST each other.

·      We PERMIT them to use the “back door” approach to get what they want.

·      We never have TIME ALONE.

 

3.  We make them more important than our BUDGET.

Proverbs 21:20 There is desirable treasure, and oil in the dwelling of the wise, but a foolish man squanders it.

·      They get whatever THEY want. They see you get whatever YOU want.

·      They get whatever OTHERS want. It’s a trap of COMPETITIVE parenting.

 

Deuteronomy 6:1-3 These are the commands, decrees and laws the Lord your God directed me to teach you to observe in the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess, 2 so that you, your children and their children after them may fear the Lord your God as long as you live by keeping all his decrees and commands that I give you, and so that you may enjoy long life.3 Hear, Israel, and be careful to obey so that it may go well with you and that you may increase greatly in a land flowing with milk and honey, just as the Lord, the God of your ancestors, promised you. (screen)

 

3 SOURCES OF AUTHORITY IN SOCIETY:

EXTERNAL: “Everyone says…”

Romans 12:2 “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world …” 

 

INTERNAL: “My feelings say…”

 Isaiah 55:8 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,’ declares the Lord 

 

ETERNAL: “God’s Word says…”

 

2 Timothy 3:16 “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.”