Matthew 7:24-27

I. Be A Wise Builder. (vs. 24,26)

“Train up a child” means to lay the basic foundation. This is to be done at the beginning.

Give your child great love and definite limits.

Set limits and enforce them in an atmosphere of love.

A wise parent prepares now for later.

II. Build With The Right Material.

Building on the rock, as opposed to the sand, will take more time and be more laborious.

There’s a lot of shifting sands available in parenting books.

Take the Bible and apply it not using a full-court press approach, or a cafeteria approach but a wisdom approach: take advantage of teachable moments.

III. Release Them For The Blast.

The storms always come, and they test your training.

The storms swirl around the foundation. Those built on the sand cannot stand.

Children with a strong spiritual foundation are better equipped to handle the storms of life.

CONCULSION:

Children with a strong spiritual foundation

are better equipped to handle the storms of life.

                                                                                                                Revelation 1:9-20

I. Realize We Can Never Be In A Place Where The Spirit Can’t Lift Us.

(vs. 9-11)

Patmos was a horrible place. It was a Roman penal colony where Rome sent troublemakers.

John was likely lonely, malnourished and suffering. He was separated from his family, friends and church. Yet he worshipped.

No matter where a man is, the Spirit of God can lift him up.

II. Recognize Jesus Is Closer Than We Think. (vs. 12-17)

In this place of desolation John learned that the Risen Lord was present.

John also was reminded how much more powerful the Lord was, and how insignificant Rome was.

 2 Timothy 1:12 KJV

All we ever need is “Him”.

III. Remember We Can Never Face Anything God’s Power Cannot Take Us Through. (vs. 17b-20)

Jesus said to John, “I am the first and the last”. This means Jesus was here before us. He is always with us now and they’ll never be a time in the future He is not with us.

Keys allow you to control who enters and who is refused entrance.

John “kept on” and the result was the church outlived the Roman Empire.

CONCULSION: Keep On – Help is on the way!

Matthew 11:28-30

I. Come To Jesus If You Desire To Know God.

During Jesus’ earthly ministry, religion was a thing of endless rules. It was binding, restricting and burdensome.

True salvation is in a person. Jesus is that person.

If you want to please God and know God, then come to Jesus.

II. Come To Jesus To Receive A Mentor For Life.

“Take my yoke” is also a way of saying become a disciple of mine. It pictures a connection, direction and cooperation.

The life Jesus offers is not burdensome. What Jesus offers is for us to keep company with Him and watch how He does it.

III. Come To Jesus To Experience Ultimate Rest.

What we usually desire is “rest” from all the troubles and trials. Jesus offers “rest” in the troubles and trials and ultimately rest from.

Don’t let the devil cheat you out of real rest.

CONCULSION:

If you want something real, satisfying, authentic

and lasting – Come to Jesus!

                                                                                                                  Genesis 2:24-25

I. It Takes Leaving. (vs. 24a)

Leaving is more than moving out to a new house or apartment. You must re-arrange emotional ties.

Children are a gift God entrusts to parents to care for, provide for, and prepare them to take the next step.

The primary relationship in the home is between the husband and wife.

II. It Takes Cleaving. (vs. 24b)

To cleave means to cement together, to weld together. It describes a union of the firmest kind. To super glue.

God’s plan is for a connection that cannot be broken. This relationship becomes the primary relationship of your life. Don’t cleave to children, hobbies, habits, friends or anything else.

III. It Takes Achieving Oneness. (vs. 24c-25)

The obvious oneness referred to here is of a physical union. Men and women are made to fit together as one.

There are biblical boundaries in marriage. It’s to be monogamous, heterosexual – one man, one woman, one lifetime.

Marriage is more than physical oneness though. Marriage is about the weaving together of two people physically, emotionally and spiritually until they are like one.

The greatest friend to any home or marriage is Jesus.

                                                                                                         Matthew 20:1-16

I. Be Thankful For The Opportunity To Work In God’s Kingdom. (vs. 1-7)

There is nothing more tragic than for a man to want to work but not be able to find work.

We are sinners. None of us could ever justify God choosing us to work in His kingdom.

II. Be GratefulFor His Generous Rewards. (8-12)

Note two things:

1) The landowner paid everyone what was previously agreed on.

2) The landowner paid everyone the same regardless of the time they worked.

It’s not the amount of service given but the attitude in which its given.

The most noble motivation for service is gratitude.

III. Be RespectfulOf The Sovereignty Of God. (vs. 13-16)

Remember the landowner owns the land. It’s his land. His money. He can hire and fire how he wants. He can pay as he wants.

Too many Christians spend too much time looking at how others are rewarded or blessed.

Matthew 10:16-20

I. We Need The Shrewdness Of The Snake.

II. We Need The Sincerity Of The Dove.

III. We Need The Seasoning Of The Holy Spirit.

Joshua 7:1-12

I. Look For The Presence Of Sin.

There are three ways sin showed itself:

1) It halted the progress of God’s people – sin always halts the progress of a person, church or community.

2) It hinders our prayer life – Israel tried to force God to do something.

3) It hurts the people around us – sin destroys fellowship with God.

II. Observe The Progression Of Sin. (vs. 20-21)

Sin started in the head, moved to the heart, settled in the hand, then hid.

The only thing that covers sin is the blood of Jesus.

III. Note The Punishment Of Sin. (vs. 24-26)

Israel named the place of Achan’s burial site, “the valley of trouble”. It served as a reminder of the consequences of breaking the covenant of God.

Sin is nothing to play with. It could cost you everything.

CONCULSION:

Don’t let sin take you over the edge!