Introduction

• Proverbs 19:3
• We make foolish decisions, then rage against the Lord!
• Bad things do happen to good people, but when we stray from God’s plan, we invite difficulties.

Make a lot of assumptions!

• Job 4:7-8 – Job’s friends assumed he had sinned.
• Job 8:3-4
• Job 11:13-20
• Job 42:7-9
• Acts 21:27-32 – They almost murdered Paul because of an assumption.
• John 5:8-9, 16
• John 7:21-23 – They assumed Jesus was breaking the Sabbath with His miracles.
• Do we assume there are problems when there are not? Our imaginations can lead us down dark alleys. We have to be comfortable with, “I don’t know.”

Focus mainly on self.

• II Timothy 3:1-2
• I Corinthians 8:8-13; 10:24 – Be willing to set your liberty aside for the sake of offending your brother.
• James 3:13-16 – If you want trouble, have selfish ambition.
• A self-centered life is a small life full of misery.
• Luke 9:23

Keep a running list of wrongs.

• I Kings 21:1-4, 8-10, 15-16 – Jezebel killed Naboth because he “wronged” Ahab.
• Esther 5:11-13 – Haman could not let go of being “wronged” by Mordecai.
• Ephesians 4:31-32

React quickly no matter what.

• Matthew 16:21-23 – Early on, Peter moved much too quickly. Despite good intentions, he was working against God’s plan.
• John 18:10-11
• Proverbs 18:13
• James 1:19 – Be swift to hear, slow to speak.

Introduction

• Matthew 22:36-40

Us – what kind of people do we want to be?

• Psalms 128:1-6 – A beautiful picture of a family that fears the Lord.
• Maybe we are Christians that love to travel or love animals or love to be social or …

Our legacy – What values do we want to pass on to our children / grandchildren?

Our goal – In the end, what will make us feel like we had a successful life?

• Matthew 25:34 – This is the ultimate goal.
• II Timothy 4:6-8 – When we get to the end, can we say we have kept the faith and fought a good fight?
• If we share the end goal, we should be able to share the path to that goal.
• Proverbs 15:16-17

Introduction

• Judges 2:10
• What can we do to prepare our children to know God?

Read and discuss the Bible regularly at home.

• Romans 10:17
• Proverbs 1:7 – We must be humble enough to hear God’s wisdom.
• II Timothy 3:1-2
• James 4:4 – Teach children it is not their job to always fit in.
• It is your job to teach your children these important truths.
• Take the lead in setting aside time and making this a priority in your family.

Joyfully put God first in our lives and schedules.

• Mark 4:18-19
• What are we teaching kids if everyone’s lives revolve around the kids’ activities?
• II Timothy 4:10 – Demas loved the present world and deserted Paul. Will our children desert the Lord one day?
• II Timothy 3:10
• Psalms 95:6-7

SHOW them what it looks like to serve God.

• I Corinthians 4:14-17 – They saw Paul’s example. That was a big part of his teaching.
• James 5:16 – Do I confess my wrongs? Do I apologize?
• Ephesians 6:1-3 – Don’t let modern culture convince you the word “no” is wrong.
• Mark 10:21 – Why did Jesus make this man sad? Because He loved him and told the man what he needed to hear, even though it made him sad.
• Proverbs 3:21
• We need to call on our kids when they are in the wrong.
• We need to love them enough to be firm!
• Colossians 3:15-16 – Christians are to be thankful people. Are we teaching our kids to be grumpy, grouchy people?

Luke 12

How to study

• Context
• Word definitions
  • Dictionaries
  • Textual
• Study with an open mind, objective thinking

Hostility

• Jesus didn’t avoid it. See Matthew 23; John 10.
• Sometimes it is appropriate to argue in an environment where people are getting hostile.

Luke 12:1 – Leaven of hypocrisy

• Hypocrisy, like leaven, spreads – Galatians 2:13

Luke 12:4-7 – Fear, stand in awe of – priorities

• We must have our priorities right and fear God rather than man.

Luke 12:8-9 – Confess – not pre-baptism confession

• Confession is not a one-time act – it is a continuous lifestyle.
• Confession means speaking the same thing as someone else.

Luke 12:10 – The unforgivable sin

• See Matthew 12:32; Mark 3:28-30.
• Blasphemy means to speak against someone.
• In the first century, blasphemy against the Holy Spirit meant seeing Jesus work a miracle, admitting He did it, then saying He did it because He had a demon.
• See I Timothy 1:13; II Peter 3:9; I John 5:16-17.
• Any sin I am unwilling to repent of will not be forgiven.

Introduction

• “Dealing with Babes” – Greg Gwin
• I Corinthians 3:1-2

Deepen your love for God and others.

• Matthew 22:36-40
• John 21:15-17 – Jesus asks Peter three times if he loves Him. Love is important!
• I John 4:19 – God loved us first.
• Hopefully, our love for our spouse continues to grow after the wedding day.
• Our love for God helps us be more like Him.
  • Luke 10:33
• We don’t want to stay a spiritual baby forever. We must continue to grow.
• I Thessalonians 4:9-10

Become more fluent in God’s Word.

• I Peter 2:2-3
• The Bible grows with us as we mature.
• If we don’t keep up with our Bible study, we get rusty.
• Hebrews 5:12-14
• Colossians 3:16 – “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly.”

Continue to repent and grow.

• Acts 17:1-3
• I Thessalonians 1:3-10; 3:2
• II Thessalonians 1:3-4 – They started from scratch, but months later, they were growing!
• I John 2:1-2
• Philippians 1:9 – Don’t stand still. Keep growing!
• II Peter 3:18
• II Peter 1:5-7