Lord’s Day Message
Topics: To bring up children in God’s will
Bible Verses:
“Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD, the fruit of the womb a reward.” (Psa. 127:3, ESV)
“Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. “Honor your father and mother” (this is the first commandment with a promise), “that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.” Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.” (Eph. 6:1~4)
“Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord. Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged.” (Col. 3:20~21)
Message Outline:
- Children are a heritance from God (Psa.127:3)
- Children are given by God. They belong to God and we need to raise them up according to God’s will.
- Children are a heritance which we should labour upon.
We are responsible to bring up our children. If they have shortcomings, the parent bears the most responsibility. Do not blame others. They are the heritance which we should labour upon. Other’s example can only be our reference, and it is ourselves who should seek the best way and put the effort to raise them.
2. The teaching in the New Testament (Eph. 6: 4, Col. 3:21)
- Do not provoke your children
If we discipline the children by flesh (such as burst out the anger), then the children will react in flesh.
- Bring the children up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord
The discipline and instruction of the Lord is related to how a person behaves and live a life to testify God with the true value.
3. Some reminding for parents
- Children are a copy of parent. Our example to them is most important.
- In disciplining, father and mother must learn to be in one accord
This is to teach children that there are no double standards and no excuses.
- Love and discipline should be together
To discipline our children, we need to love them even more. Love is not to spoil, but to protect and to perfect them.
- Pray for your children
God is the one can really transform people with His life. We should pray for the children that God can perfect them.
Next Topics: 1 Thess. 1
Church Meetings/Time/Place
Bible Lesson/OT Characters：Noah
3/3 Lord’s Day 1:15-2:30pm, Meeting hall
Home Meeting：
4/3 Monday 7:30pm, Richard Cui’s, John 1
Sisters Meeting：
6/3 Wednesday 10:00PM，Anne’s
Prayer Meeting：
6/3 Wednesday 7:30PM，Meeting Hall
Home Meeting in South District：
8/3 Friday 6:00PM，ShanWon Chow’s
Young People Meeting/Pursuing for Adults：
9/3 Sat. 7:00-9:00 PM, Thomas Wu’s
Announcements：
- Today after meeting there will be baptism for Brother Changchun Ma and Sister Danan Lu (parent of Chuan Ma), please come to support them.
- Today the Bible lesson will teach the character of Noah. Please come to pursue the rich words of God.
- 10/3 after Lord’s Day meeting there will be an outing to attend “Autumn Vib” at Sydney Botanic Garden. All are welcome to participate. Please ask Brother Richard Chen and Sister Lamee for details.
Intercession：
- Pray for every family in the church life that there is abundant grace for the marriage and rearing up children.
- May the Lord give every brother and sister a spirit of preaching gospel and open the hearts of all friends that they can receive the salvation of our Lord Jesus Christ.
- Pray that the Lord will give every brother and sister healthiness, peace and joy in our daily living. Also pray for those (the saints or the relatives) who have sicknesses. May the Lord heal the sick according to His will as well as comfort and strengthen the saints.
Serving：
- Breaking the Bread: Brother Richard Chen and Patrick
Serving Bread and Cup: Brother Jack and Richard Cui
- Pianist: Hannah Cui
- Cleaning: Richard & Flora Family, Joyce, Peter Gao
Further Reading Materials
The day your son is born is the day you should consecrate yourself. You must set a standard for yourself in morality, in conduct at home, and in all moral judgments regarding right and wrong. You must set a high standard for what is ideal, and you must also set a standard for yourself in spiritual matters. You must act strictly according to these standards. Otherwise, you will have problems for yourself, and you will spoil your children. Many children are ruined by their own parents, not by outsiders. If parents are lacking in ethical, moral, and spiritual standards, they will ruin their children.
A young person makes decisions and judgments in his future life according to the training he received during his early years with his parents. A child may remember or forget what you say, but what he sees surely will remain in him forever. He develops his sense of judgment from you, and he also develops his system of values from you.
Every parent must remember that his actions will be repeated in his children; his actions will not stop with him. When you do not have children, you can do whatever you like when you are happy and give up and forget about everything when you are unhappy. But once you have children, you have to restrict yourself. You have to act according to the highest standard of conduct whether you like it or not. The whole life of Christian children depends on the behavior of their parents.
I remember a brother who said something when his son got into trouble. He said, “He is just a replica of me and I am just he.” When a parent sees something in his children, he must realize that he is seeing himself. He must see that they are his very reflection. They are just reflecting him. Through them he can see himself.
This is why every couple should consecrate themselves anew to God as soon as they have a child. They should come to the Lord and consecrate themselves to Him again. From that time forward, the Lord has committed a human being, with his entire spirit, soul, life, and future, into their hands. From that day forward, they have to be faithful to the Lord’s commitment. Some people are committed to a work for one or two years when they sign a contract. But this work lasts for their entire life; there is no limit to the term of this commitment. (Watchman Nee, New Believers’ Lessons (2), Chapter 33)
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