Watch “God’s Perspective on Parenting” Jentezen Franklin, host of Kingdom Connection & Pastor of Free Chapel.
the following program is sponsored by
friends and partners of Kingdom
connection
I want to preach today on God’s
perspective
apparentiy did you know that insanity is
hereditary hereditary you can actually
catch it from your children a science
teacher was introducing her class to the
subject of magnet and magnetic power and
she said I want you to guess what we’re
going to study next she said the subject
starts with an M and it picks up things
what am i and a teenager spoke up and
said a mother the definition of a father
is a man who carries photographs where
his money used to be you know your
children are growing up when they stop
asking where they came from and they
refuse to tell you where they’re going I
love this this is a great quote the
advice we rejected from our parents we
are now giving to our children and the
fifth commandment the fifth commandment
is honor thy father and thy mother we
must remember that this is one of God’s
top 10 when parents begin to decline in
health and require more help from us we
are to honor them it is a commandment
and a big deal to God how do you honor
your parents
number one you honor your parents by
accepting them proverbs said listen to
your father who gave you your life and
don’t despise your mother and her
experience when she’s old one
translation said don’t tune them out
they’re not perfect but you are to honor
them by accepting them in court when you
address the judge you address him as
your honor it has nothing to do with
this personality you don’t even know him
but you’re respecting the position and
that’s the theme and that’s the point is
we are to accept them and honor them
because of the position that they hold I
accept you in spite of your negatives
and I honor you
the second way that we honor our parents
is by appreciating them I appreciate the
positives I look and realize that it’s
costly to raise children it’s expensive
it’s it’s a grueling energy taking
experience to be a parent and raise your
children a little boy presented his
mother with a deal
he wrote the bill up handwritten with a
crayon I took out the garbage you owe me
one dollar I cleaned up my room you owe
me two dollars I feed the dog every day
that’ll be two dollars a day and then he
put the final bill final bill ten
dollars you owe me so then the mom
decided she would write the sunna bill
I’ve washed and ironed your dirty
clothes for ten years you owe me ten
thousand dollars I’ve been buying and
preparing your meals for ten years
you owe me twenty thousand dollars I
have been I have been your nurse and
your doctor nourishing you back to help
for over ten years every time you got
sick another ten thousand dollars total
bill I love you any mother any mother in
this room could perform the job of air
traffic controller with ease let’s
appreciate our parents let’s appreciate
their effort let’s appreciate their
sacrifice honor your father and your
mother and you are to do it because the
Bible says to do it
two fathers were discussing the cost of
raising children one of the dads said I
know the cost is great but it’s worth it
to me just to have someone at the house
who knows how to work a computer and
work the DVD player so there are
benefits except them is how you honor
them appreciate them honor your parents
thirdly by affirming them you know the
Bible said do not withhold good from
those who deserve it
when it is in your power to help them
acknowledge the good that they do mom
that was an awesome meal thank you Dad
thank you for taking me to that ballgame
I enjoy to acknowledge
we’re human beings to acknowledge it
you’ll get a whole lot more out of your
parents if you’ll praise them instead of
give them your attitude you’ll be amazed
and after after they faint and recover
they’ll deeply appreciate it when they
hear you actually thanking them for what
they do for you you have to understand
that it’s tragic that some people only
give honor to their parents at the
funeral when it’s too late no degree of
an expense at a funeral is equal to a
thank-you a visit a letter a phone call
while they are alive and you still have
the opportunity number four honor your
parents by not abandoning them you have
to learn as your parents are getting
older that you must juggle your own
responsibilities with the complex issues
sometimes families face as the parents
are getting older this is a character
thing this is a big thing to God how we
treat our parents and we don’t abandon
them as they get older we honor our
parents in their old age by not
abandoning them by assisting them in
practical ways we offer support
financially we offer assistance in their
old age if your wife or your husband
likes it or not that is what you are
required to do and you should do it and
God will bless you for it in amazing
ways I want to speak a word to the
children particularly the teenagers that
are here you know the Bible says honor
your father and your mother
and when you’re with your teenage
friends and they tick you off your
parents do and you walk off and under
your breath you say I hate my parents I
want to I want to clue you in on
something we don’t like you much
sometimes – if you ever walk into the
kitchen and your parents were talking
and they stop talking as a teenager when
you walk in it means they were talking
about you
and so this thing goes two ways and
don’t don’t ever forget it
a mother commented about her teenage
daughter she’s very independent she
lives alone at our house
remember parents are people with
feelings – so honor them when you walk
around the furniture so you don’t have
to hug them or kiss them that’s not good
a father said to a teenage daughter I
want you home from your date no later
than 11:00 p.m. the teenage girl replied
but Dad I’m not a child anymore and the
father said exactly that’s why I want
you home at 11:00 p.m. we’re not stupid
I know you think we’re stupid but
parents are not stupid teenagers say I
hate it when my parents repeat things
what if you would listen the first time
we wouldn’t have to say it over and over
and over again women if your parents
tell you to do something acknowledge it
yes ma’am yes sir because if you sit
there and get a day’s look in your eye
we will assume your own drugs we would
we don’t trust you and we know that
that’s what we children obey your
parents this is right this is the right
thing to do in the eyes of the Lord
that’s a Scripture teenagers get along
with your family don’t be selfish
address your parents with respect it’s
amazing how teenagers become experts in
statistics any time you tell them no
their first response is everyone else is
allowed to and it’s usually based on a
survey of one
mark twain i love this quote mark twain
said when i was 14 my father was so
ignorant i could hardly bear him but by
the time I was 21 I was amazed to see
how much he had learned over the seven
years it seldom dawns on teenagers
someday when they grow up they will know
as little as their parents know Jesus
was the only teenager who knew more than
his parents knew and yet he submitted to
his parents and the Bible said he was
obedient unto them the best reason for
honoring our parents is because God
tells us to do it
honoring your parents not only impacts
them it impacts you it is the recipe for
blessing and prosperity and long life
according to the scripture and when you
don’t honor them God will not honor you
children have a duty to honor the
parents and parents have a duty to be
honorable parents must live a life
worthy of honor there were some children
who was screaming and shouting in their
bedroom and the mother went back and
opened the door and said why are you
children screaming and they said we’re
not screaming mom we’re playing daddy
and mommy one of the best ways to
correct children is to correct the
example that you’re setting for them
here’s here’s a simple test how’s your
language around your children how’s your
behavior around your children how do you
match up to your own rules
who is our role model for parenting our
role model as our Heavenly Father God
how does God treat his children
well the Bible said God is close to all
who call on him for he hears them God
listens to us and we are to listen to
our children our one teenager said home
is the place where you can say anything
you want to because nobody’s listening
anyhow
listen to your children listen to what
they say secondly God understands us the
Bible said that homes are built on a
foundation of wisdom and understanding
of one another the proof we understand
our children is that we’re patient with
them one exasperated father said to his
son in aggravation Winston Churchill
when he was your age
worked a hard full-time job all day and
studied his work his books at night and
the teenage son snapped back yes and
when he was your age he was Prime
Minister of England so two of the best
things that we can give our children are
roots and wings
give them roots that they’re founded and
connected and their roots to God’s house
and roots to Christian heritage and take
them to church and doing what you’re
doing here today there is no price tag
you can put on it it may not seem like
it’s in it’s even mattering but it
matters when you take your church your
church your family to church Sunday
after Sunday after Sunday it is a
priority it’s not a hit skip and miss
thing it’s huge you are shaping their
life for generation you’re giving them
roots and then give them wings and let
them dream and let them fly and let them
do amazing things grace says we are
loved and we are accepted even when we
fail give your children grace love them
and accept them even when they fail one
man said his mom was a travel agent for
guilt trips admit it when you got it
wrong if you’re a parent admit it when
you have done something and it’s not
correct admit it
keep your promises it’s tough but keep
your promises if you say you’ll do it do
it if you say you won’t do it then don’t
do it even if it’s difficult keep your
promises God loves us and how does God
love that express that love
to us through affection through
affirmation through attention affection
is how how we are to love our children
affection means touch hug kiss touch hug
kiss do you touch do you hug do your
kids affirmation is praise do you speak
well do you compliment do you say I’m
proud do you say you’re great do you say
you’re incredible I appreciate you speak
that way to your children and then
attention listen with your eyes listen
with your ears give them your attention
God
fourthly disciplines his children and if
we’re going to be good parents we have
to discipline our children the Bible
said that in Hebrews whom the Lord loves
he disciplines whom the Lord loves he
disciplines in other words if you as a
parent do not discipline your children
you do not love your children you want
to be their buddy your wanting to be
their friend and what they really need
is a parent who will discipline them so
that they will be all that God knows
they can be and discipline is important
it’s a sign of love to give discipline
there are too many parents who tie up
their dog at night and let their kids
run loose some families can trace the
roots and ancestors for 300 years but
they can’t tell you where their teenager
was last night it is our job as parents
to discipline our children not let them
run wild and go wherever they want to go
with whoever they want to go and report
nothing to nobody
it is your job as a parent to be all
into that the Bible said if you refuse
discipline to your children it proves
that you don’t love them don’t lay down
any rules as a parent you’re not
prepared to enforce now there are three
things that were to give our children
number one we’re to give them life
number two we’re to give them love and
number three were to give them laughter
and so many parents need to chill out so
many parents need to have fun again in
family three rules that should be in
every home number one be fair number two
be firm number three be fun everybody
say that with me be fair be firm be fun
say it again
be fair be firm and be fun you want a
happy marriage you want a happy family
you want a happy sometimes you can’t be
there little buddy buddy there are times
when I know when I say no that I’m gonna
have an atmosphere in my home for the
next few days there’s going to be an
issue that’s part of what a parent does
they don’t understand it now but one day
they’ll be the parent and you’re
training them how to raise their
children and everybody thinks when I’m a
parent I’ll let them do whatever okay
you have brain damage done to your 21 by
the way your brain is still growing
that’s a that’s a medical fact and you
don’t even have all your brains until
you’re 21 how about that tell somebody
be fair be firm be fun
even if my father and my mother
abandoned me God will hold me close the
scripture said in songs if you’ve been
abandoned God says I want to hold you
close jesus said I’ll never abandon you
I’ll never leave you I’ll never forsake
you Unzen resolved resentment is what
destroys families more than anything
else we must learn to forgive one
definition of forgive means to give up
anger and need for revenge to give up
anger and need for revenge if you if you
still have anger and a need for revenge
you have not forgiven another
translation of the word forgive means to
show mercy and grace to give up anger
and need for revenge to show mercy and
grace the book of Romans puts it this
way do your part to live in peace with
everyone as much as possible that means
I’ve got to do my part
forgive your parents receive forgiveness
from God forgive yourself if you don’t
forgive your parents you break the
bridge over which you must pass to
forgiveness with God God loves each of
each of us as if there was only one of
us and in the story of the prodigal son
the son was lost and he went away and he
took all that he had and noticed the key
to that story
he had to return to be restored and we
can only restore those who returned and
there are two kinds of people that are
in this room are listening to me and
there and winnette those who are
produções those who are running from the
Father those who are running from God
those who may have run from your own
parents and home and you’re and you’re
out doing your own thing
there’s the prodigal Xand there’s those
of us who were prodigal that’s the only
two kinds of people there are and you
know I thought about the scripture and
how the enemy wants to to divide our
families and I want you to listen to the
scripture in Ecclesiastes chapter 4 and
verse 9 it says two are better than one
because they have good reward for their
labor for if they fall one will lift up
his companion but woe unto him who is
alone when he falls for he has no one to
help him and then there’s one other
quick scripture I want to give you
before I give you an illustration and we
pray over our families and it’s out of
the book of Hebrews where it says do not
forsake the assembling of yourselves
together for such is the manner of some
but listen to this but so much more you
should assemble together as you see the
Day approaching now look up here at me
he said the more you see evil and you
see the coming of the Lord and you see
trouble in the world and trouble and
Families is don’t fail to
Simbel we’re better together the enemy
does not want us to get together the
more stuff going on out there come in
and get together with your family and
with your church he didn’t say do it
less people are going to church it’s a
it’s a fact they’re going to church less
now than they’ve ever gone in history
they’re not doing it more they’re doing
it less and the enemy is beating our
brains out and destroying our families
he said when it gets bad out there and
you see the stuff happening out there
assemble together assemble together I
read in the Atlanta Constitution about a
year ago Andy Stanley wrote a great book
and he shared very openly about how he
and his father dr. Charles Stanley who
is an amazing minister both of those
guys are amazing ministers and yet the
enemy got in and divided their home and
divided father against son through a
terrible situation and the divorce that
happened and and and and Andy and his
father were just really there’s they
were shattered in their relationship but
he said his father did something that
was bred he said his father would call
him every week and he said sometimes we
were so mad at each other
we couldn’t even speak he said sometimes
we were so upset with one another I
didn’t want to be around him but he said
my father had a Mexican restaurant that
he would make me meet him at for lunch
once a week and he said there were times
when we went in and we were dipping
chips and hot sauce and we couldn’t
hardly stand each other but every week
after week after week after week we kept
coming together the colder it gets the
more you get together the coat the enemy
says the colder it gets just go your
separate ways and let the cold kill you
but the way you hold it together I don’t
care what’s happening in your family
don’t you let the enemy divide you from
your own flesh and blood I’m going to be
in your life I’m good I’m gonna love you
I’m gonna call you I’m gonna I’m getting
in your arms coming back and sometimes
we don’t even like to be around each
other but we’re gonna be around each
other cuz we’re a family and what’s
amazing is they kept doing
and little by little the walls started
falling and little by little they
started reaching out and little by
little now they’re totally healed and
God is doing amazing things in both
their lives and it’s all because they
decided we’re going to assemble instead
of let the enemy divide and conquer and
you have to make that choice with your
family you have to decide I want
everybody in this room who would love
for a spirit of unity a spirit of
connectivity everybody right now put
your arm around somebody around you part
of your family hopefully there’s no body
heat going on if that’s not your wife
come on let’s just leave that there
where it is but say I’m not going to let
you go we’re better together come on say
it I’m not going to let you go we’re
better together we’re a family and we
stand together I forgive you forgive me
I love you love me and in the name of
Jesus no weapon formed against our home
we’re prospered and as for me and my
house we will serve the Lord
we will assemble together we will stay
together we will make it through I don’t
care how cold it gets we’re going to run
to each other and run to God and run to
his house and there’s stuff going on
that I don’t like not only prove out but
you know what we’re family and I won’t
let you go I won’t let you go you can
never get rid of me tell somebody that
you can never get rid of me
never never I’m always gonna be in your
business always in Jesus name
now everybody pray this prayer and we’re
gonna let you go say Lord Jesus you’re
the god of families you told Abraham
I am the God of all families family is
your idea so you know how to make our
family work we need your help especially
in our family so bless my family keep my
family unite my family connect my family
help us to let go of the past
help us to forgive one another and help
us to have life and love and fun and joy
in our relationships we’re better
together and we will not be separated in
Jesus name for where two or three are
gathered in his name he is in the mist
say he’s in my home he’s in my marriage
he’s in my family because we gather we
assemble in his name we are blessed my
family is blessed my children are
blessed my grandchildren are blessed in
Jesus name if you love somebody look at
them and say lean on me at Kingdom
Connection we believe that God has
enormous potential for the children and
people of Haiti and over the years
Jensen Franklin and partners just like
you have built homes provided 270,000
meals a month and created jobs that are
helping mothers and fathers provide for
their families but there is still a food
crisis in Haiti many of the orphanages
depend almost solely on donated food to
feed the children that are in their care
and so many Haitian families find
themselves unable to care for their
children’s basic needs but you can help
these families build a future for their
children when you do we want to equip
you to protect the future of your own
family by sending you Jenson Franklin’s
new help I’m a parent series the enemy
wants nothing more than to rob your
marriage and your children of their
potential we have to fight for our
families fight for what’s worth
protecting through this three message
series
and Franklin will help you prepare for
the attacks of the enemy that are coming
your way and it will give you insight on
how to raise your children under the
shelter of our mighty God this powerful
series is our gift to you when you give
30 dollars or more this month God has an
extraordinary future plan for the
families of Haiti and for you call now
with your best gift and request your
copy of help I’m a parent today Kingdom
connection is a soul-winning ministry
that is reaching the world through
broadcasting expansion into new church
campuses and global acts of compassion
by using the technology of today to
fulfill the Great Commission we are able
to connect with countless people and
reach hundreds of thousands of lives our
broadcast connect with people all around
the world who say that the messages
speak directly to them our ministry
exists to help build a connection for
strengthening your faith and living out
your god-given purpose and our missions
and relief work helps connect you to
desperate situations showing the love of
Christ through global acts of compassion
we feel the time is right and God is
leading us to grow and that only happens
when you partner with us through
connection partnership for as little as
a dollar a day you’ll be helping us
reach further than we ever have before
for more information on how you can be a
part of the ministry and enjoy exclusive
partner benefits go online or call eight
eight eight three three nine zero zero
four nine for more information we can’t
do everything but together we can do
something amazing
this program has been brought to you by
the friends and partners of Jenson
franklin media ministries for more
information on this broadcast or for
additional resources go online at
Jentezen Franklin dot o-r-g
you