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GIVING YOUR CHILDREN BACK TO GOD April 21, 2004 1st. Samuel 1: 27-28 INTRODUCTION: 1- Have you ever given your children back to God? 2- Some of you have probably thought you’d like to give them back! 3- But I thought He had a “No Return” policy on kids. 4- And besides, “I lost the receipt”! 5- No, No, “Just funning” but to all of us time allows such a thought to cross our minds.
THE QUESTION BEFORE US TODAY IS: 1- Have you ever realized your children as precious gifts from the Lord? 2- And do you realize that they ultimately belong to God first; not to you! 3- And by that we understand that we release ownership to Him. 4- God is responsible for their design and He already knows the plan for their future.
BUT THE PART OF THE PARENTS IS TO: 1- Realize that God has left it up to you to show them His way. 2- Have you noticed lately that God has been asking all of us to put some things on the Altar? 3- And today; He is asking every parent in this room to “Bring our children and put them on the Altar”.
THE BIBLE GIVES US MANY EXAMPLES OF PARENTS GIVING THEIR CHILDREN BACK TO GOD: 1- And the classic example would be that of Hannah bringing her son Samuel the priest. 2- Samuel was the son for whom she had prayed. 3- She presented him to God, and handed the child over to Eli the priest. 1Sam. 1: 27-28 “For this child I prayed; and the Lord hath given me my petition which I asked of him”. Therefore also I have lent him to the Lord; as long as he liveth he shall be lent to the Lord.
AND WE REMEMBER JOSEPH & MARY BROUGHT JESUS TO THE TEMPLE: 1- Luke tells us that after circumcision at 8 days old they brought Jesus to present Him to the Lord. Luke 2:22
BUT WE HAVE ALSO THE STORY OF ABRAHAM OFFERING ISAAC ON MT. MORIAH: Gen. 22 1- Abraham loved Isaac but God said to him. 2- “Take your son, your only son, whom you love, and sacrifice him”…! Gen. 22:2 3- Isaac had been a Miracle baby! 4- He was born when Sarah was 90 and Abraham was 100 years old. 5- Isaac was as special to Abraham & Sarah as your children are to you today! Amen?
PUT YOURSELVES IN ABRAHAM’S PLACE: 1- Let’s see you strap your son on an altar & a stack of wood. 2- Raise the knife to slash open your son’s chest and throat. 3- Build the fire to cremate the body and sit by and smell the stench of burning flesh. 4- And watch that child disintegrate into a pile of ashes! 5- Could you do it? Could you do it?
AND YET THE BEST THING ABRAHAM EVER DID WAS TYING HIS SON TO THE ALTAR: 1- And surrender him back to God! 2- If Abraham had refused to give Isaac back to God. 3- Isaac would have lived as a “NOMAD” and a “NOBODY”.
BUT BECAUSE ABRAHAM OBEYED GOD: 1- Isaac received the fullness of God’s best plan and promises for his life. 2- Isaac became a wealthy man. 3- Isaac became the forefather of God’s own Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. 4- Isaac’s life is still impacting and blessing world-wide. “HOW YOU ASK?” 5- Through his offspring; Jesus God’s Son!
WE CAN LEARN FROM ABRAHAM TODAY: 1- Had Abraham refused to give back Isaac to the Lord. 2- He’s have forfeited God’s best plan for his life. 3- Entrust the Lord with your children, beloved! 4- And secure for them the covenant of God’s best plan! Amen?
HERE ARE FOUR ELEMENTS OF GIVING YOUR CHILD BACK TO GOD: 1- First of all giving your child back to God is a confirmation of your love to the Lord. 2- I love the Lord even more than I love my child. 3- And I’ll promise to do whatever it takes to rear my child in the way they should go. 4- Children are a prized possession; but don’t allow them to take the place of God! 5- We should love our children so much that I want the best for them. 6- And by that I mean if it takes spanking or giving limitations (holding the reigns). 7- If it means changing my life for the child’s benefit; I’ll do whatever it takes! 8- Abraham loved God above the most prized treasure of his life…his only son Isaac!
JESUS SAID: Mt. 10: 37-38 He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.
BELOVED; GIVING YOUR CHILDREN TO GOD IS ALSO A CLARIFICATION: 1- Out of the very act of giving children back to God we clarify ownership. 2- This child is a gift from God! 3- God has given us the privilege to reach, teach and train this child. 4- But the child belongs first of all to God! 5- Abraham was saying as he laid Isaac on the altar. 6- “Lord you do with him as you please! He’s yours”! 7- Children are a precious gift from God, on loan to all who have children! Amen? DAVID SAID: Psalm 127:3 “Lo, children are an heritage of the Lord: and the fruit of the womb is his reward.”
AND WE’D BEST BE CAREFUL HOW WE TAKE CARE OF GOD’S PROPERTY: 1- I don’t mean to be critical here; but to make a point only! 2- God didn’t authorize the State to raise children. 3- And God didn’t authorize day care centers to raise Kids. 4- God authorized Mommies and Daddies to raise Kids. 5- It doesn’t take a village to raise children; 6- But it does take a Mom & Dad!
WHEN WE GIVE OUR CHILDREN BACK TO GOD WE CONFIRM OUR LOVE FOR GOD: 1- And secondly we CLARIFY ownership! 2- And in giving our children back to God is a COMMITMENT on our part to: 3- Be a Godly parent; parents have a need to be right with God! Amen? 4- We commit to teach this child of Christ; (they will need to be saved). 5- We commit to keep this child in church; 6- “Don’t send them but rather bring them!” 7- We commit to love this child; pray for this child; and train up this child! Amen? 8- Commit to making the home a holy place!
JOSHUA SAID: Joshua 24: And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve…but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.
I WANT MY FAMILY TO TURN OUT RIGHT: 1- So as a parent, I’m going to begin to lead them right! Amen?
BUT IN GIVING CHILDREN BACK TO GOD: 1- We’re also “CLAIMING” God’s plan and purpose for their lives. 2- Isaac inherited the blessing!
GOD INSTRUCTED US TO: “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it”. Pr. 26:6
SO TODAY WE GIVE OUR CHILDREN BACK TO GOD: 1- We CONFIRM our love in a Supreme God! 2- We CLARIFY ownership; Lord our child belongs to you. 3- We COMMIT to raising or child under your leadership, O’ Lord. 4- Lord; We CLAIM your best for my child’s sake.
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