Help Me Find My Wings

 “They shall mount up with wings as eagles…” Isaiah 40:31

Wrapped around an angels’ celestial form, fluttering with bright yellow swathes through the air or spread out in the predator hawk’s formation, everyone loves wings. They radiate the beauty of fluid and graceful motion. While appearing to work effortlessly, they produce powerful exertions on the air. With wings, the eagle soars, flies, mounts, rises, glides, sails, floats and climbs. With wings, he flies high enough to reach his goal and dwell in high places.

Wings are amazing movable appendages. No only do they make it possible to fly, they do may other things as well. They help some birds to dive and swim; they shield eggs or newborns from the elements and they even act as weapons.

God wants us to have wings. “They shall mount up with wings as eagles…” Isaiah 40:31. But, too many of us track around in the dirt of troubles and frustrations, trying to survive. Sometimes we scratch among the rocks and barren soil for food. Spiritual enemies often send us squawking, feathers ruffled, running for cover. We need the gift of wings.

Look what we can do with wings:

Wings enable a bird to overcome the force of gravity. Some people wait for God to change their circumstances in life altogether, but God planned for us to use our wings. As the eagle, we live within the reach of sin’s gravity, yet we may be resistant to the will of gravity.

Wings allow the eagle to thrust up and forward in flight; gliding and riding thermal currents; hovering and landing. Likewise, God equips his people to survive in every situation, to defeat any enemy, and to live for Him regardless of the pressures against them.

Wings change the range of the environment to 3D. God gives us wings so we can see the world better. Crawling is good, walking is better, running is great, but flying is best! Wings mean seeing life from a top down perspective.

Wings enable us to “mount up” as eagles. When we mount up, we get above the sin and evil, the frustrations and aggravations, the sniping and griping, the hatred and attacks prevalent in this world.

Wings mean that we really can live above the world. Look at the abundance of “above” scriptures! “…and fowl that may fly above the earth…” Genesis 1:20 “The way of life is above to the wise, that he may depart from hell beneath.” Proverbs 15:24 “Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.” Colossians 3:2. Wing strength is the key to living above the world.

Moms and Dads, help your little sons and daughters to get their wings.

Wings always come in pairs. This gives balance to life. I think that means worshipping God in Spirit and truth. John 4:24. The wing of the Spirit must be balanced by the wing of truth. Together, they provide balanced flight.

Most wings consist of feathers. Each feather is light, but strong. How do you give your child wings? One feather at a time. One time in church won’t do. Praying a prayer every so often isn’t enough. Every day, you need to put a feather somewhere. You have 1825 days from birth until your child turns five; that’s 260 weeks, 60 months, 43,800 hours, 2, 628,000 minutes. Believe me, that time will fly by faster than you could ever imagine. Here are some feathers to put in place:

• I love you.
• God loves you.
• I am so glad God gave you to us.
• You are a gift of God.
• Let’s pray.
• Let’s read the Bible together.
• Let’s say this verse until we know it by heart.
• Let’s say, “Thank you, Jesus!”
• What did you learn in Sunday School today?

No, they’re not going to fly high today, if they fly at all. But you’re not doing it for today. The Bible say to train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old, he will not depart from it.

If you help them find their wings…

…they will rise above the hurts and pains.

…they will rise above the mistakes and failures.

…they will rise above the temptations.

…they will rise above the peer pressure.

…they will rise high enough to know God.

But, what if you do everything you know to do and they still need more? What will you do when everything seems to fail?

Psalm 91

1 He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. 2 I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust. 3 Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence. 4 He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler. 5 Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day; 6 Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday. 7 A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee. 8 Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked. 9 Because thou hast made the LORD, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation; 10 There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling. 11 For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. 12 They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone. 13 Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet. 14 Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name. 15 He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him. 16 With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation.

When our wings fail us, God has wings that will never fail.

Jesus Loves the Little Children

15 And they brought unto him also infants, that he would touch them: but when his disciples saw it, they rebuked them. 16 But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God . 17 Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child shall in no wise enter therein. Luke 18:15-17

Jesus loves the little children,

All the children of the world,

Red and yellow, black and white,

They are precious in his sight.

Jesus loves the little children of the world.

I. Everyone loves children.

• A. Unpredictable. You never know what they will say.
• B. They have a wide-eyed curiosity about life.
• C. But some people love children for the wrong reason.
• 1. Possessions.
• 2. Control of children make them feel important.
• 3. Some worship their children.
• D. But Jesus loved the children because he saw the purity of their faith.

II. Can little children be saved?

• A. Jesus included little children in his ministry.
• B. The Bible says much about the responsibility of parenthood.
• (Parenting wouldn’t be important if children weren’t important.)
• C. I was baptized as a child, received the Holy Ghost at eleven.)
• D. The Holy Ghost has fallen on many children in our Sunday School.

III. Are children important to the church?

• A. Much of our ministry centers around children.
• B. One reason for the strength of the church is people saved when they were children.

IV. Four keys to preserving the faith your children were born with.

• A. Pray with them and for them.
• B. Bring them to Sunday School and church.
• C. Make the Bible important in their lives.
• D. Give them the right example to follow.

V. You are the most important key!

• A. Have you repented of your sins?
• B. Have you been baptized in Jesus’ name?
• C. Have you received the gift of the Holy Ghost?
• D. Are you faithfully serving Jesus?

New Millennium Children

Introduction: I have heard it said many times, “I’m sure glad I’m not raising any kids the way the world is today. Or, “I wouldn’t bring any children into the world today for a million dollars.”

But here they are. A brand new crop of beautiful babies. Soft, cuddly, powdered, lotioned and diapered. We can’t send them back. We have no choice but to raise them the best way we can.

We do have a reason and right to be concerned with our new millennium generation. Much of it has to do with the “culture wars” that have been raging for forty years, claiming the innocence of our young people and children, and smearing our nation with corruption and moral chaos.

Hollywood, America’s babysitter, nanny, mentor and teacher has succeeded in thoroughly turning our culture inside out. Profanity, overt sexuality, perversion, occult practices, hostility against Christianity, paganism, violence, rebellion, terror, sympathy toward socialism, dismantling of the tradition home, and switching, criss-crossing and confusing gender identities—-all these and more have given America a culture transplant.

More and more, the state in encroaching into the domain of the homes of America. (Read Robert Holland, Richmond Times-Dispatch, 9-99)

And what is the state going to teach our children? More of the same set of values that allowed the breakdown to occur in the first place. Our Day Care staff attended a required training session this past week in which the same secular idiocy was spoon-fed to day care workers all over the area. “Don’t let your children play with crayons and scissors, because not every child can afford to have these things at home and we don’t want anyone to feel bad or deprived.”

(Other examples)

Job 27:14 If his (the wicked man’s) children be multiplied, it is for the sword: and his offspring shall not be satisfied with bread.

If you raise your children according to the philosophy of this world, you are raising them for the sword.

We do have a culture to transfer to the new millennium generation. If they are going to learn the truth, they will have to learn it from us.

Ps 78:1-4 Give ear, O my people, to my law: incline your ears to the words of my mouth. 2 I will open my mouth in a parable: I will utter dark sayings of old: 3 Which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us. 4 We will not hide them from their children, shewing to the generation to come the praises of the LORD, and his strength, and his wonderful works that he hath done. 5 For he established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children: 6 That the generation to come might know them, even the children which should be born; who should arise and declare them to their children: 7 That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments:  8 And might not be as their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation; a generation that set not their heart aright, and whose spirit was not stedfast with God.

The children who sat in the lap of Jesus were brought there by their parents.

Matt 19:13 Then were there brought unto him little children, that he should put his hands on them, and pray: and the disciples rebuked them.

You must not allow these precious truths to accidently, occasionally or randomly strike your children. They cannot see Jesus unless you bring them. They cannot experience the presence of God unless you provide them with the opportunity.

A popular book was recently written by a popular person entitled, “It Takes A Village.” In other words, parents can’t do this without the community and the state to show the way.

It doesn’t take a village.

It takes a Bible.

It takes a loving and faithful Mom and Dad.

It takes a godly home.

It takes a good church.

Shocking Discoveries While Raising a Child

Deuteronomy 6:1-7   Now these are the commandments, the statutes, and the judgments, which the LORD your God commanded to teach you, that ye might do them in the land whither ye go to possess it:  2 That thou mightest fear the LORD thy God, to keep all his statutes and his commandments, which I command thee, thou, and thy son, and thy son’s son, all the days of thy life; and that thy days may be prolonged.  3 Hear therefore, O Israel, and observe to do it; that it may be well with thee, and that ye may increase mightily, as the LORD God of thy fathers hath promised thee, in the land that floweth with milk and honey.  4 Hear, O Israel : The LORD our God is one LORD:   5 And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.  6 And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart:  7 And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.

Our world today knows a lot more about baby-making than they do about people-making. Anyone who eats in restaurants or shops in stores has seen unbelievable things: children allowed to run wild; kids using four-letter words; young adolescents and teens dressing like rock stars; and, kids who have no respect for others, especially adults.  It is as though, in one or two generations, we have trashed everything we ever knew about kids.

Let’s examine some old truths that now seem to be shocking results of parenting:

You are making a lasting impression.  Remember the plaster of Paris molds? You can make anything you want to, until it sets up. Then, it conforms to the last thing you impressed upon it in the critical moment.

Unless you are God, don’t experiment.  Children are not “baby-dolls”, expendable possessions, tax-deductions, or mindless creatures who don’t have a clue.

Children actually do need someone to tell them what to do. The hand of God can rest upon children. Acts 2:38-39.  Genuine love looks out for the spiritual welfare first.

Parents are responsible.  You only get one chance per child.

The World Has Changed

Daniel 3:1-2

Introduction: Daniel and the three Hebrew young men had been exiled from Jerusalem to Babylon after the invasion of Nebuchadnezzar. Their surroundings had been changed so much that they were now strangers to everything around them. New clothes, new food, new culture, and now a new religion was about to be forced upon them.

In the twentieth century, America wasn’t invaded by a foreign enemy. We were invaded by new-fashioned ideas and philosophies that transformed our national landscape. The foundations upon which this country was built have shifted to a precarious position.

A news reporter asked a pedestrian once, “Do you know what the two greatest problems in America are?” The man said, “I don’t know and I don’t care!” The reporter said, “Right on both counts!”

Erwin Lutzer wrote a piece several years ago entitled “The Myths That Could Destroy America.” Here they are:

• 1. The battle between truth and falsehood isn’t real.
• 2. Life began with blind chance.
• 3. We can have morality without religion.
• 4. Whatever is legal is moral.
• 5. Morality cannot be legislated.
• 6. The role of men and women is interchangeable.
• 7. A fetus is not human.
• 8. We can ignore totalitarian governments.
• 9. Pornography is a harmless adult pleasure.
• 10. The church should have no voice in government.

We have learned to live with these destructive agents. But maybe things will be different from this week on.

1. Before September 11, we knew how to dedicate children. We knew how to pray for them and what to say to their parents. I fear that many of the things that were said were so predictable, so routine, that they did not have much of an impact. But now, the horizon of the future has been so dramatically changed, that we must find our way once again, even in things we have learned to do so well.

2. Before September 11, we could come and go in a free society. We paid scant attention to the people around us, whether they had evil intent or could carry out terrible crimes against us. We bought and sold, built and planted, worked and played with a freedom that the world knew little of until the United States of America came into existence. Now, we are left with only the memories of the way it used to be.

3. They say that transportation, especially air travel, has changed forever. They say that the economy has changed. They say that even the world of sports has changed. I suppose it has. I don’t know how much of that matters. What does matter, though, is how we raise our children in a world where fear and terror grips our everyday life.

4. There are some things that must not change.

a. We cannot allow fear to monopolize our lives.

“God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, love,…”

Ps 27:1-3 The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?  2 When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell.  3 Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident.

b. We cannot lose our faith and trust in God.

Ps 18:2-3 The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.  3 I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies. 

c. We cannot lose our sense of mission to the world.

“Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel…”

5. There are some things that have needed to be changed for a long time.

a. Our relationship with people. (The tragedy has taught love…)

b. Our appreciation of freedom.

c. Our seriousness in serving God.

d. Our personal priority list.

e. Our state of personal preparedness.

6. What kind of world is it in which we will raise our children?

a. It probably will not get better in a spiritual sense.

b. The world that the parents create.

These age-old principles still work!

Prayer

Love

The Bible

Spiritual disciplines.