Disciplining With Love

Take your problems this morning, turn over to Hebrews chapter 5, Hebrews chapter 5 this morning,! Parenting with Patience.

And part of parenting, and Father's Day I think is important because the Bible tells us that the father sets the tone in the home. You know, as a father you are a guide, a direction, you set a direction for the home.

That's the biblical reality that we are to live under, that the father has that influence and that direction. You know, and we understand the picture that is there.

And we're going to look today at a very important dynamic because unless the Lord is part of your household, the Bible tells us that you build it in vain.

Unless the Lord gives and guides and directs, and as believers we ought to desire to listen to what God says and not what a so-called expert might say.

Because you know what, I've learned one thing over the years, usually the designer is the best expert on something. If they designed it, they understand every parameter around it.

How it's to function, what it's to do, all the nuances and details of things about it. And so this morning we're going to be looking at a very important topic when it comes to dads and even moms.

Because it has to do with families and that's raising of our children. But to discipline with love. To discipline with love.

You know, that's an important element because discipline is that, because you think about what's the purpose of discipline? What's the purpose of disciplining a child?

That's something that every parent, everybody that works with kids needs to understand and get a picture of what is the purpose. What is the objective?

What did God design how for this to work? Because some people get the idea that discipline is to punish a child for what they've done. But it's also, when you consider biblically, it's to prepare them for who they are to become.

Punishment for just the moment is in the moment. Now we're going to look at those things because punishment is a means of character building.

Used appropriately can be beneficial. Because certain things need dealt with in the moment. But when you deal with those things, we're going to see here this morning from the Word of God that you need to understand the why are you doing it.

Are you doing it for the moment? Are you doing it for what you want them to become? Because what they are to become is what God designed the family to do.

Because remember, you're not raising children. You ought to be raising mature adults. Adults who understand and have grown and matured to do what they ought to do, and especially in following the Lord.

And so today we're going to be looking on this Father's Day at Hebrews 12 here, and it gives us really a parenting model. And the model we have is God to his children.

But you know what? The same model applies for parents today to our children. And this is important because whether you're a parent or a grandparent, no matter what you did or what backgrounds you came from or how things used to operate, I want you to grab a hold of today, we need to do things God's way, and not the world's way or some expert's way.

You know, it's always amazed me as over the years as I've looked and seen how many experts write books about children who have never had kids. You know? It's like, why would you want to listen to somebody who has no experience?

Because dealing with children and disciplining them and directing them in the direction they ought to go is a very complex thing.

It's complex in many ways. But let's look this morning. If you found Hebrews chapter 12, I encourage you to stand here together with me as we look together in God's Word. And we'll read a few verses here, then we'll pray, and then we'll get in to the message here this morning.

But look what the Word of God tells us. And it says, And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children. My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him.

For whom the Lord loveth, he chasteneth, and scourges every son whom he receiveth. If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons.

For what son is he whom the Father chasteneth not? But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards and not sons.

Furthermore, we have had fathers of our flesh, which corrected us, and we gave them reverence. Shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits and live?

For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure. But he for our profit that we might be partakers of his holiness. Now, no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous.

Nevertheless, afterward, it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.

Let's pray. Heavenly Fathers, we come before you this morning. Lord, as we take a few moments to look into your word here, this principle of chastisement or correction.

Lord, that we find here of the example that you give to us. And that, Lord, is an example of your love for us. Lord, that you chastise your children.

Lord, you don't treat us evil or against what is for our benefit. But, Lord, as we look at these things today, Lord, help us to grab a hold of those things in a mighty way of just the principles of your word, that that might be the driving factor in all that we do.

And, Lord, we ask it all in your precious name. Amen. You may be seated. As we look today, when it comes to discipline and disciplining children, there's a lot of different ideas out there today.

And I think oftentimes parents are oftentimes afraid to discipline. We live in a culture where parents are sometimes afraid to discipline their children.

Sometimes laziness may be an element for some, but a lot of times I think parents are just afraid. They don't know what to do or how to do it to make sure that it's accomplished in the right way.

And sometimes that's because of the direction and the information they've been given. They're afraid because they've been told over and over that, well, if you correct them, you're going to hurt little Johnny's feelings.

Or, you know, you're going to warp them in some ideology of a mental capacity of some kind.

And we find here that culture has pushed that direction. You know, we find for decades the culture around us has prized a child's comfort over a child's character.

You know, the objective of raising up children is to give them character. Now, they may be a character, but they need to have character.

There's a difference. Okay? Now, when we look at that reality of character, until the very word discipline sometimes gets twisted around, because oftentimes when people hear discipline, they hear cruelty.

That's the mindset. And there are some cases of that that take place. That's very real. And we understand that dynamic of physical correction.

Some people automatically connect any type of physical correction with abuse. I want you to understand there's a difference. There's a distinct difference.

And we need to understand what that difference is and how it's different when it comes to discipline. Because we can oftentimes get caught up in that idea or imagery, and we're worried about those things.

You know, we find parents today are afraid of corporal punishment because they're afraid somebody might turn them in. Now, I want you to understand that while that may be a legitimate thing, it doesn't remove your responsibility before God to deal with your children correctly.

To understand that what God has instructed us is more important than anything else. Because when a mother or a father who gives even measured loving correction, you know, I'm a firm believer in corporal punishment, but it ought not to be administered in anger, it ought to be administered in patience with direction.

Because we're going to look here today that sometimes a little bit of pain goes a long ways in the moment to deal with the thought process. And it's a means of communicating the right thing that's short-lived in a sense that it's not causing them a harm, but it's getting their attention to understand that choices have consequences.

And we have to balance those things because when we understand that God's Word does not blur the line between discipline and abuse, because correction given in anger or rage is sin.

I want you to understand that has to do with the heart of the person administering. What's your purpose? You know, for years we've had a lot of that where people disciplined out of their own anger instead of looking to say, how is this benefiting to build the character of the child?

What's the purpose behind it? How does that play out? And we're going to look at some of these things here this morning that this generation that we live in has quietly set loving correction down and picked up negotiation, explanation, and distraction in its place.

We're going to find here in Hebrews chapter 12, here we're going to find here, it answers that fear head on. The Bible makes it very clear that God disciplines those that He loves.

So in other words, discipline and love are connected. And we need to understand how those are connected by the image and the representation of how God deals with us.

Because I want you to understand as parents, that Word of God gives you permission to discipline your children without guilt. Whatever fear has hindered you from doing what you ought to do, you need to understand that the truth of God's Word ought to set you free of those things.

To correct your child in love is not harm, it's the very thing your Heavenly Father does for you. You know, we need to realize when you're training a child, it's helping them understand even how God corrects them.

And God will correct you if you're His child. You say, preacher, why would He do that? Because He loves you. He understands that there's parameters, there's things that set dynamics around you, there's a fence that protects you.

You know, isn't that the reason we have fences? It's for protection. Keep certain things in and other things out. God's Word gives us the placement of that fence in our life.

We need to teach our children that God does the same thing and allow them to see that by building those things into their life. And to understand there's no better day than Father's Day to say, no matter what was in my past, I want to move forward in the truth of God's Word.

Whether it's giving advice to people or helping people or being a parent yourself and saying, how do I do this properly? Because, you know, that's the best thing you can do for your children is to raise them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, correcting them and guiding them into what God would have.

And so we need to grab a hold of that reality. You know, the Bible tells us in John 15, the Word of God tells us this. I want you to understand, notice what it tells us here in John 15.

It says, I am the true vine, and the Father is the husbandman. And every branch in me that beareth not fruit, he taketh away. And every branch that beareth fruit, he purges it that it may bring forth more fruit.

You know what? John chapter 15, Jesus is talking to his disciples. He's talking to them as a father to a child dynamic, but he's using an analogy of a husbandman who has vines and says, these vines need to be guided, directed, they need to be purged.

Purging is that same dynamic of correction, that dynamic of cutting off. There is some dynamic, you might say, of pain implied, discomfort implied, not out of cruelty, but out of benefit.

To say there's a purpose behind it, so it might bring forth more fruit because of the guidance of those things. It's the father who holds the pruning knife, and notice which branch he cuts.

He's not talking about the dead one, but the branch he cuts is the one that's bearing fruit, that it will still bear more fruit. Nobody thinks about pruning a bush as hurting the bush.

We understand that when you prune correctly, what's it do? It helps it multiply, helps it to grow. The same thing is with your children. We need to look at it, is how am I helping through this to help them to grow?

Help them to mature, to become who God wants them to be. Because the God who is our perfect father shows us what loving discipline looks like.

Not in theory, but in his own dealings with us. You know, I want you to understand this morning, if you've never been chastised by God, you need to check your salvation. That one I will say.

Because you know what? The Bible makes it very clear that God chastises those that are his because he wants them to be sanctified. He wants them to mature and grow in the Lord. There's going to be correction, because we're going to need course correction during life.

But I want you to understand, first thing here this morning, is look here in Hebrews chapter 12, verse 6. Notice what it says, For whom the Lord loveth, he chasteneth and scourges every son whom he receiveth.

Point number one this morning is this, discipline is an expression of love, not anger. You know what gets discipline in trouble with parents? Is anger. When you react with anger instead of control, with patience, we talked about that last week, it's an important dynamic to grab a hold of that the Lord loves us and he chastens us.

You know, love and discipline are not opposites. Matter of fact, I want you to understand, love and discipline are inseparable. Because if you don't discipline your children, you don't love them.

Parents today let their kids just do whatever they want to do. You know what? That's not love. That's actually the opposite. Because you're allowing them to go and to do and to act in ways that are contrary to them being able to grow up and mature into the adults that God wants them to be.

Because a father who refuses to discipline his child does not love him more, he loves him less. You know, take a look over to Proverbs chapter 13.

Proverbs chapter 13 and verse 24. The Bible makes it very clear. It says, He that spareth his rod does what? Hateth his son.

But he that loveth him chases him betimes. In other words, diligently, he chastens them appropriately. He chases them when the moment and the direction is correct.

The discipline of love is motivated by care for this child's future, not frustration over the child's present. You know, oftentimes we discipline in the present but lose sight of the distance.

Where's this taking them to the future? With that in mind, it'll change what you do. It'll change how you react. It'll change what's guiding you.

That you might do that in the right dynamic with love. You know, think for a moment. Very familiar story. And it's kind of good this morning as we're looking at a nice ocean scene and all the things that are going on here.

But you know, the book of Jonah. Jonah. God disciplined Jonah. Jonah went a direction opposite of what God instructed him.

God told, came to Jonah and said, Jonah, you're to go to Nineveh and preach that destruction's gonna come to the city if they don't repent. What did Jonah do?

He ran. He ran fast. He tried to run far. Matter of fact, I think he made himself thinking he got the escape.

Because it's kind of funny that he was asleep in the ship when the rest of the ship's waving around like he's comfortable with where he's at. Do an opposite of what God instructed him to do.

And we find out as we go through that account, we won't take time to read it all this morning. But we know the Bible says a great fish took up Jonah when they threw him overboard.

Now let me ask you a question. What was God's purpose in that fish? Was it punishment or was it rescuing him? I want you to understand when God disciplines his children, the goal is always restoration, not condemnation.

What was God doing with Jonah through that? He wanted to get Jonah back on track. Now I want you to understand that sometimes correction's not comfortable. If correction was comfortable, would it have any effect upon you?

Think about it for a moment. As human beings, where do we react or change? Do we react in comfort to change? Do we change when things are comfortable?

No, we don't, do we? We're perfectly content to stay comfortable. But when things are uncomfortable is when we start contemplating, considering when change needs to happen.

And we see that God does that. So when you think about when you discipline your child, what's the goal? Ask yourself before you act, am I responding to my frustration or am I responding to my child's need?

You know, I'll be honest with you this morning. As a dad, there were some times that it was out of frustration instead of my children. You know why? As a dad sometimes, I want you to understand as an earthly dad, sometimes we don't do what we ought to do.

The important thing is you recognize that and you take correction. Because we're going to look here a little bit that God even points that out a little later here as we read earlier about a earthly father who corrects us because sometimes an earthly father corrects because of what they want instead of what's best for the child and understanding those things.

You know, I want to encourage you this morning because discipline rooted in love can sometimes wait a minute to make sure it's love that's speaking. You know, as a parent, I encourage you to slow down and ask yourself that question.

When your child needs correction, what, why, and how am I doing this? Is it being done from my frustration or because I want to direct them in a direction that's going to benefit their future?

Do you think it would change a generation if all the parents followed that? It would change an entire generation. But we see here, number two, here this morning, look down at verse 11 and he tells us this.

He says, Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous. Nevertheless, afterwards, it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them that are exercised thereby.

You know, here's an honest verse for sure. There's no question about it when God tells us this, that chastening correction is not joyous, but grievous.

Correction always involves something that's going to make you uncomfortable. It may even include pain. Because you know what? Those are the things that get our attention.

But notice what it says. It may hurt in the moment, but afterwards, it bears the peaceable fruit of what? Righteousness. That's the goal. When we understand the purpose of discipline is not only immediate compliance, but long-term character.

You know, we want to look for things long-term. You know, when we know and understand that it's not just about, we want to build in our children self-control and accountability and the ability to live under authority.

You know, we live in a generation that has been told something that's very destructive. When a child gets told the authority is themselves and then you match it with another philosophy, follow your heart.

You know, those two things sound like they work out well. Not by a chance, do they? Instead of what sounds like for their benefit becomes their destruction. Because what are they following?

They're following something that's counter to what's going to benefit them. to live under authority. You know, we need to understand the dynamic of authority and maybe we'll have to talk about this a little later because I don't have time to get into it this morning.

But for your children to understand how authority works and what's appropriate authority is important. Because you know what the opposite of living under authority is?

Rebellion. You know, I've yet to see a parent that says, I want to raise my kids to be rebellious. But oftentimes, the very choices they make, that's what they're promoting. And then they're upset that they got rebellious children.

It wasn't that your child in itself was bad. Sometimes it has to do with the parenting. Because as you understand this morning, we talked last week a little bit about gentle parenting.

And how sometimes even the dynamic of this pendulum that we see in society, society never seems to land on the right direction. You know, we saw, we talked last week about where we had a very dynamic where people almost promoted abuse to a pendulum swing the other way where, just talk to Johnny, it'll be fine.

I want you to understand both of those are counter to what God wants. God doesn't, God's word doesn't swing a pendulum, it gives you the pointed truth. it gives you a direction to go.

And we understand that this gentle parenting mindset prizes warmth and connection and even wants what scripture wants in a way because it wants to form a formed heart in your child not merely out of outward compliance, but we understand there is where we part ways is over the kind of correction it calls for.

You know, we want to have a connection with our kids we need to know that they need to know that you love them. But passive correction will not get them the direction and understanding of security and love that they need.

Direct correction is what's needed. Sometimes you need to address the point pointedly. Don't beat around the bush. You know, sometimes we even do that with adults and sometimes it gets us in trouble because we don't want to actually just call it out.

You know, we want to have all sorts of sort of euthanisms and everything else that we have to try to say this is this or that's that and they're just saying this is what it is.

You know, there's an account in the Old Testament with King David and a man by the name of Nathan. That account can give us a good dynamic because I want you to see what Nathan did.

If you remember that story, Nathan came and told David about an account of an individual who was taking abuse of somebody who didn't have as much as them and he goes through this whole spill about how all these things come together because what he did is he played it out to the fact that David would understand because David got upset.

You know, he says, where's this guy? This needs to be corrected. But that's where it gets direct because what did Nathan do? Thou art the man. That's direct correction to say, hey, it's you and you need to deal with it.

You know, you can't pass the buck. It's not somebody else's fault. The motive behind a gentler correction is empathy. They want, you want to feel what your child feels and spare them the hurt.

But I want you to understand this. Empathy cannot do the hard thing and it's not compassion. There's a difference between compassion and empathy. Compassion is built out of love doing what's needful and not just what feels good.

We need people of compassion not of empathy. I've talked about that before. We live in a generation that lives by empathy. Empathy is not a good word. It sounds good but it really isn't doing what it says it does.

Compassion means I have a loving care for the outcome and I will do what's needed to help them that they might get accomplished and go to the direction that they need to go.

Compassion says I want a solution to the problem and not wather with them in the problem. Empathy says let's wather together in the mud.

compassion says let me help you out of the mud and clean you up. I'm glad God has compassion. I'm glad God doesn't have empathy.

He doesn't want to come wather in the mud with us. He doesn't want to come wather in sin. He says I want to lift you up out of that. that. That's the same dynamic because compassion cares enough to do what is right even when it grieves the individual empathy.

The other problem you have with that in today's world is that the child will never learn that actions have consequences, that boundaries are real, and that character is built through difficulty and not around it.

Notice what it tells us here in our text. Look back in verse 11. It says this, it says nevertheless afterwards it yielded the peaceable fruit of what?

Righteousness. That which is right. You know today we have a lot of parents who want to remove consequences. You know what the problem is with our kids and our schools?

Is we don't have parents that want to hold their kids accountable. They don't want to live under authority. And understand that person is there, that teacher is there to give them something that they need to be prepared for life.

When a kid doesn't get an A, it's probably because they didn't earn it. Let me give you another clue. Even if they earned it and the teacher didn't give it, I want you to understand it's going to build character in them because you can do everything right and still not get the right outcome.

you're teaching them some lessons in life. That's the goal of parenting. Parenting isn't to coddle, it's to correct and to guide.

Disciplining in love says I want to, I'm looking long term. You know what God does in your life when he corrects you? He's looking long term. He's looking in your spiritual, mental, physical development that you might become more like him.

That's called the process of sanctification. You know today as parents are you disciplined towards character? Thinking about who your child is becoming?

Or only compliance? Because the long view changes the method and the tone. Here's the test in the next hard moment.

Did your child pass through a real consequence or did you rescue him from it? Because understand, look back up in verse 10 as we look here in our text in Hebrews chapter 12.

Notice what it says, for verily for a few days chastening us after their own pleasure but for our profit that we might be partakers of his holiness.

Let's understand, effective discipline requires consistency and grace. Here this verse contrasts human discipline which sometimes is inconsistent and self-serving.

You know as a parent sometimes you can be inconsistent. Sometimes you'll do things because it's self-serving it's what benefits me but you know the good part is?

Is when God disciplines you it's not about him, it's about you. Why? Because nobody loves you like God loves you. We need to understand the picture.

God's discipline is always purposeful and aimed for our profit or benefit making us partakers of his holiness. You know as a human father you might discipline imperfectly but we need to understand that we still need to discipline with as much intentionality and consistency as grace allows.

Because you know what happens? Oftentimes this is another dynamic is you have an inconsistency in the household. You know pretty much I would say you could talk to April too but I think April and I did a pretty good job at this and that was always being on the same page.

Because you know what kids love to do? Have you ever noticed this? You don't even have to teach them? Mom tells them no. Where do they go next? Sometimes grandma needs a spanking. They go to the other parent.

What are they looking for? Inconsistencies. That's the reason as a parent you need to be on the same page. Because inconsistency causes a problem.

Permissive parenting is nothing new but it's become a cultural default for our generation. You know what happens when you're inconsistent? It's whatever the moment calls for will allow.

Instead of saying no this is the boundaries. When we understand that it's not the path of least resistance because when you do that you avoid hard conversations.

You soften the consequence and you prize your child's happiness today over what they ought to become. You know take a look over into Proverbs chapter 29. Proverbs 29 and verse 15.

Notice what it tells us here. The rod and reproof give wisdom but a child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame. Boy there's a lot of truth to that.

You know what it's telling me? There was an inconsistency. You know consistent discipline asks of you something that our culture doesn't value. The willingness to be a parent not a friend.

You know I want you to understand your job as a parent is not to be your kid's friend. There's a lot of messed up relationships because people want their kids to be their friends instead of you being their parent.

I want you to understand a parent-child relationship is a distinct relationship from a friendship because you are not peers. There's a distinct established relationship that's there.

Now I want you to understand when your kids get to be adults you'll have to enjoy time together. I'm not saying you can't do that but there's always got to understand there is a distinct dynamic that takes place. Your mom or dad is not your buddy.

I want you to understand if mom or dad is their buddy you know what they do? They look at God like their buddy. God is not your buddy.

He's your loving heavenly father who came and died for your sin. He loved you enough to step outside of his comfort for your benefit.

When we understand that need of consistency. You know we talked last week about Eli. The Bible tells us that his sons made themselves vile and he restrained them not.

You know that's a great picture of what Eli did wrong. It's not that he didn't try to correct them but he didn't continue to guide them. He didn't hold them to account. Because discipline is more than setting the standard.

It's enforcing the standard. Establishing those things. You know let me ask the parents in here this morning what are two or three non negotiable standards in your home?

You know you think about that for a moment. Do you have and do your kids know? Better yet if I went downstairs and asked your kids what are some things your parents absolutely hold to?

Because if you have non-negotiable standards in your household your kids will know them. You know how I know because that's what they're listening to all the time. That's the direction.

That's the guidance. When we understand are they enforced consistently? You know one thing I want to encourage you is ask your spouse to hold you accountable because discipline works best when both parents are aligned.

There's a lot of challenges in that today with the type of family dynamics that many kids grow up in. You know one of the results we see in society today is because of divorce.

And the sad thing I see with a lot of divorce couples is they're not even on the same page of raising their children. Well I get to do this at dad's and mom doesn't let me do this and mom lets me do this and dad doesn't do that.

You know what that does? That destroys children. That's the destructiveness. You know even if two parents can't see fit to reconcile you know what ought to unite them and their children. To say I want them to have something better than what I have.

I want to be consistent. Not because I don't want to get even with my spouse or something else. I want to be what's best for my children. That'd make a big change in society.

When we understand the picture of what God has for us. Because understand this morning you know because when it talks about God being our heavenly father God's not everybody's father.

Jesus said to many you of your father the devil. Why did he say that? Because we are born with a sin nature that's counter to the things of God.

God becomes your heavenly father the moment you call upon Jesus Christ the only begotten son of God that died on the cross of Calvary for you.

The Bible says Jesus when he was talking to Nicodemus used that term you must be what? Born again. What's he talking about? Being born into God's family. You're born into God's family at the moment you recognize you're a sinner and need a savior and call upon him.

You're now a member of God's family. You're part of the family. He is now your heavenly father. But I want you to understand God loved you enough even before he was your heavenly father to say I'm going to provide a way for you to become my child.

You know what it's called when a father accepts a child that wasn't his naturally. You're adopted. You know the Bible says you're adopted in at the moment of salvation. What a powerful picture.

If you've never understood the reality of salvation I encourage you today to call upon him because he is the one. He didn't come to condemn you.

He came to set you free. That he might be your loving heavenly father. father. But this morning I want to challenge fathers here on Father's Day but also just parents.

I want you to understand that don't take this discouragingly but just a reality. You will not parent perfectly. We are not God. You may not parent perfectly but I encourage you to parent faithfully.

to be faithful to the things of God. Because God does not require your perfection. He requires your presence, your consistency, and your love.

You know Psalm 103 says this, As a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him. So trust the process that God has laid out.

But I want you also to let this free you. Even the perfect father's discipline yields its fruit only, notice back in verse 11, to them that are exercised thereby.

As a parent your charge is faithfulness. But I'm going to tell you something very clearly. Your child's choice is their own. You know sometimes as parents when our kids don't do what we think we raised them to do, we start asking all sorts of weird questions.

But the only question you ought to ask, did I do what I should have done the right way? Because you know what the Bible tells us? That child has a choice.

The prodigal son, the father understood the child had a choice. And sometimes you got to allow them to make their choice. But it ought not to change who you are or what you do.

You need to be consistent. You can hold the line with love, but your son or daughter must still choose to submit to the things of God.

If you've been faithful and those things that harvest of that, you know, that if we're faithful to those things, has not yet come, I want to encourage you, don't carry guilt that belongs to a choice only your child can make.

Keep sowing, keep loving, keep believing, keep trusting God and following the truth of His Word.

As heads are bowed and eyes are closed this morning, maybe God spoke to your heart this morning. Maybe as a parent there's some things that you say, Lord, I need your forgiveness.

Maybe it's even you have to go maybe a little later today you need to go and talk to your kids and say, hey, I was wrong. Maybe you seem to spend some time with the Lord.

Maybe that child that's way where you just need to take some time and say, Lord, spark those things they've been taught. Lord, help me, though, to be consistent.

This morning, whatever the need might be, whether it's to come to the Father that loves you and cares for you, that wants you to be His child. Or if you're His child and you're struggling with those other things, maybe you're struggling with kids today, whether they're little ones, whether they're two or 40.

Will you turn that over to the Lord and say, Lord, help me to do my part. Heavenly Fathers, we just come to you this morning once again, Lord, knowing the truth of your Word.

Lord, your Word is what sets us free as we guide and are guided and directed by the truth of your Word. Lord, we pray just be with each one here today. Lord, you know each situation.

You know the details that nobody else knows. But Lord, I pray that you would encourage and challenge and even convict, Lord, because your chastening is for a reason.

Lord, I pray that you just work mightily in an opportunity for each one here today to come to you, humbly just seeking your direction and your guidance.

Lord, if there's one here today that doesn't understand what it means to be truly your child, that they might get that settled in their heart today, that we might not leave and go out those doors the same way we came in.

And Lord, we ask it all in your precious name. Amen. As piano plays, what about you today? Amen. Amen.