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Blessed Is the Man (Psalm 127)
1 Plays3 seconds ago
Sunday Message recorded 21 June 2026
by Senior Pastor Victor Morrison
First Baptist Church - Columbus, TX, USA
1700 Milam St.
Columbus, TX, USA 78934
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Transcript
Introduction and Father's Day Greetings
00:00:06
Speaker
Well, good morning. It's been such a good morning already. i don't want to mess it up. Would you turn with me to Psalm 127? Best way I know not to mess it up is to get right to God's Word. I'm so glad you're here. you're a father, we want to say happy Father's Day to you. Thank you so much for your work.
00:00:23
Speaker
Thank you for your leadership. Thank you for your provisions for your family. Thank you for the wisdom. you know, I would go to my dad a lot of times and ask him, what do you think? What should I do, dad?
00:00:35
Speaker
Thank you for your example that you live. And so, so many things we could
Gratitude for Parents and Community
00:00:40
Speaker
say. It was a pleasure to work with the children this week. I'm telling you, they were so attentive.
00:00:47
Speaker
They were eager to learn. And I was amazed at how many ah Bible verses or Bible truths they already knew. We would ask something and there'd be like 10 hands, you know, saying, I know, I know. And then when they would say it, it would be right on. So anyway, you're doing a great job to parents out there.
00:01:07
Speaker
Also Sunday school teachers, I thank the Lord so much for you and for what you do. I know there's a WANA leaders in here and you're constantly putting God's word down in their hearts.
00:01:18
Speaker
I appreciate so much those who serve in our kid ministry. appreciate Trudy, her leadership. appreciate other volunteers. i don't know if you caught that, but we had students who actually said, i will give a week of my summer to come and help with Vacation Bible School. I really appreciated seeing so many students, so many adults. Trudy told us earlier, it was 65.
Exploring Psalm 127 and the Blessed Man
00:01:42
Speaker
So I'm so thankful for that. But, you know, all of these things remind us that they come from God. Our children are a gift from God. How would you describe a blessed man?
00:01:54
Speaker
You know, the title of the message today is blessed is the man. It's gonna be found in our passage we'll look at in Psalm 127. But I thought about, you know, I've seen that term blessed is the man before in some other verses besides the one we're gonna see.
00:02:12
Speaker
And so I thought, well, there's seven right there it just in Psalms. For example, Psalm 11 says, blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers,
00:02:27
Speaker
This was is definitely good because of what Trudy was saying. None of us are perfect, and I would definitely raise my hand and say, certainly not me, but you know what? I'm forgiven, and you can be forgiven if you've never learned that about the Lord Jesus Christ. That's why Psalm 32, 2 says, blessed is the man against whom the Lord counts no iniquity.
00:02:53
Speaker
Wouldn't it be great, all the mistakes that we have made as fathers, as men, to have some way that it could be cleansed and all wiped away. That would be so fantastic. Psalm 34, 8 says, blessed is the man who takes refuge in the Lord.
00:03:10
Speaker
Sometimes there are things that we as individual men, we cannot control. And so we need a place that we can say to our family, Right there is the refuge. You go to Christ.
00:03:22
Speaker
That's the safest place that you can go. Psalm 40 verse four says, blessed is the man who makes the Lord his trust. What are you trusting in? Are you trusting in your physical ability? Are you trusting in your money?
00:03:37
Speaker
You're trusting in your
Joys and Metaphors of Parenting
00:03:38
Speaker
position at work? What do we trust in? I would say the best place that you can place your trust is to place it in Christ. You know, Psalm 94, 12 says, blessed is the man whom you discipline, O Lord.
00:03:52
Speaker
Has Lord ever worked on you? He's worked on me before. And let me tell you you, know, it's not a pleasant experience, but you know what it says? God says, I love you so much.
00:04:03
Speaker
I've got something better than that for you. And so he tries to help us to know we're out of alignment with his word. Psalm 112 verse 1 says, blessed is the man who fears the Lord, who greatly delights in his commandments.
00:04:18
Speaker
Today we're going to see Psalm 127 verse 5 says, blessed is the man who fills his quiver with children. He shall not be put to shame when he speaks with his enemies in the gate.
00:04:32
Speaker
I think you're going to like Psalm 127. you know, there's so many things we can do with our kids that we just enjoy, right? and and And every time we're with them, it's like it recalibrates all of life.
00:04:44
Speaker
And suddenly you think, you know what? Life's not so bad. I got them. I've got them in my corner. I've got them in my arms. I have them in my house. I am a blessed man.
00:04:55
Speaker
I mean, it doesn't matter if you're going to pray with your kids, if you're going to play with your kids, if you're going to take them to the beach, If you're going to go to church together, if you're going to attend ball games, if you're going to hug them, or you're going to work together on something.
00:05:08
Speaker
The other day I was talking to somebody about how I used to hold the light from my dad when he would be working on the car. And he would say, not over there, son, over here. And he'd direct, you know, and so anyway, we would work together doing lots of different things, but also you could lift them up.
00:05:23
Speaker
You could lift them up and encourage them. Sometimes they need correction. So yes, we should give them correction. But do they ever hear affirmation? Do they ever hear us say, you know what?
00:05:35
Speaker
I am just so thankful for who you're becoming. I think it could be priceless to them to hear that from their dad. When my girls were younger, I would carry them on my shoulders.
00:05:47
Speaker
I'm not gonna try that right now at my age. But anyway, I remember I used to do that and it was so fun. I felt like I was a king. I was like the king of the world when I'd have my girls on my shoulders.
00:05:59
Speaker
I remember my dad would take me fishing. he would take me hunting. But you can sit with them and watch TV. There's so many different things he could do. But one of the things that's priceless for a father is whenever your child falls asleep.
00:06:13
Speaker
You remember putting them down at night? You hold them in your arms and you lay them in their bed. It's priceless, I'm telling you. Elizabeth Spires wrote a brief poem. It doesn't even rhyme, but it's classified as a poem. But she wrote this poem about her dad and what it felt like. And here's what she said.
00:06:34
Speaker
He carried me a child asleep as though I were the world to him. His arms a place of perfect rest. Yeah, that's how that's how your kids look at you, dad.
00:06:45
Speaker
They know that you are where rest is found and they know that you're where safety is found. And we want to celebrate who you are. We want to celebrate what you do.
00:06:56
Speaker
You take care of your kids, and we appreciate it so much. You know, there's something significant that happens along the way. We don't realize it. But a pastor from the past named Dr.
Parenting and Faith Guidance
00:07:08
Speaker
Austin L. Sorenson once said, a child is not likely to find a father in God unless he finds something of God in his father." I realized that we are like an imperfect set of eyeglasses or lens.
00:07:26
Speaker
And so our kids are never going to see God perfectly through us. But do they ever just get that brief glimpse? That's what God's like. That's what the heavenly father is like.
00:07:37
Speaker
I think that's what parenting is all about. You know, David was not a perfect father. But he raised one of his sons, a son named Solomon. And Solomon saw glimpses of God, I believe, in his father. And so he wrote this psalm, Psalm 127. This psalm is a part of 15 psalms that are called the Psalms of Ascent, as though you were ascending. Do you know that your life, your teaching, your instruction, your example can help your kids to ascend in their faith rather than descend?
00:08:12
Speaker
like the world wants them to. You know, these 15 Psalms of Ascent have this recurring theme. It's like one Psalm will be followed by another Psalm, which will be followed by another Psalm.
00:08:26
Speaker
Five times the same themes are represented. One Psalm will be a Psalm of trouble. The very next one will be a Psalm of trust.
00:08:37
Speaker
And that will be followed by a psalm of triumph. Every father wants to win. i think we just need to remember who helps us win when it comes to relationships.
00:08:49
Speaker
Who helps us to win when it comes to fathering and loving and encouraging and instructing and correcting and so forth. Well, you know, this psalm.
00:09:00
Speaker
is used today whenever a baby is born in Hebrew families. In Jewish families, they read this song and they celebrate together. You know what? Our kids are gift to us from the Lord.
00:09:14
Speaker
And so I'd like for us to read Psalm 127. Would you stand in honor of God's word? It's only five verses long. Some of you are thinking, good, we're gonna get out here early. Psalm 127, verses one through five.
00:09:26
Speaker
Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain.
00:09:39
Speaker
It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil, for he gives to his beloved sleep.
00:09:52
Speaker
Behold, children, are a heritage from the Lord. The fruit of the womb, a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one's youth.
00:10:05
Speaker
Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them. He shall not be put to shame when he speaks with his enemies in the gate. Let's go to the Father in prayer.
Role of Fathers in Building Families
00:10:16
Speaker
Lord, I thank you for all the men in this room. I thank you for their influence, for their impact. I thank you for their leadership, I thank you for everything that they are. Whether they realize it or not, they're inspiring these young people.
00:10:29
Speaker
We had 165 of them for all week long, and we saw some incredible good behavior. We saw them listen with respect.
00:10:41
Speaker
That doesn't come naturally. Lord, naturally, we as mankind, we're so rebellious, but someone is standing in the gap, and I believe that someone is a mom and a dad in this building.
00:10:56
Speaker
Thank you for them. Thank you for them. Encourage them through this message. Correct them through this message. Lead them. Give them vision. Help them know what fatherhood is all about.
00:11:08
Speaker
Perhaps no one's ever really explained it to them. And so, Lord, as we look into your word, help us understand what is our role What are you calling us to do?
00:11:20
Speaker
Who are you calling us to be? And may we listen and may we obey and may we honor Christ in all that we do in Jesus name. Amen. Thank you you. may be seated. I just want to summarize a few things from this passage.
00:11:35
Speaker
You know, verse one, the first part, I believe that God is calling every father in this room to be a builder, to be a builder of a castle. And yes, it's your castle,
00:11:47
Speaker
But if you remember correctly, those children came from God. Your wife came from God. Your health came from God. Your oxygen comes from God. Your water comes from God. All the opportunities you've had in your life behind the scenes, it's been a heavenly father setting you up.
00:12:06
Speaker
So you could say, this is my castle. Or you could say, this is the king's castle. This is the Lord's castle. And so I want to build it carefully.
00:12:17
Speaker
And that's what it's talking about here. God calls every man to the blessing of joining him in building a house, a family, a home.
00:12:28
Speaker
there's There's a group of people in this world that are never going to be the same because of you. You're going to leave your imprint on these kids. You're building them and making them.
00:12:40
Speaker
You know, it's almost like I could say you're a partner with God, but that's going too far maybe. Maybe I should say you and i we have a stewardship with our kids. A stewardship that God says, I'm going to entrust them to you.
00:12:54
Speaker
And let's see what you and I can build together. what we can make together with them. You know, I want you to notice that it is possible for you as a man to say to God, okay, Lord, ah can't build by myself.
00:13:12
Speaker
So here's what I'm going to do, Lord. I'm going to ask you to help me build. I need blueprints for how I'm supposed to build. I've never done that part of building. Would you show me how to do that part of building?
00:13:24
Speaker
And so God will help us to know how to build like that. But there are people who say, you know what? I don't need God. I've got this all by myself. I don't think we're wired to do this all by ourselves.
00:13:36
Speaker
I think that God wants us to invite him. I need your help to humble ourselves before him and say, Lord, you know what? The older my child gets, the less I feel like I know what to say.
00:13:50
Speaker
Go to God. He wants to help you build. your family, so that it's like a castle in God's kingdom. And if you're looking for the best kind of builder, I would point you to Hebrews chapter three, verses one through six.
00:14:06
Speaker
We don't have time to look at it today, but if you'll write it down, Hebrews chapter three, verses one through six, it'll tell you who the best builder is The best builder is the son of God. The kids sang about him, the son of God.
00:14:19
Speaker
He knows exactly how to build. In the Hebrews chapter three, verses one through six, it celebrates it. It's like he knows what he's doing. He can help us to build so that we're not ashamed later.
00:14:33
Speaker
But if you're wondering, why does everything I try to build fall apart? Haggai chapter two, oh, Haggai chapter one in the Old Testament Verses two through six was a period of time when the nation of Israel said, you know what? We don't need God.
00:14:49
Speaker
We know what we're doing. We're back from our exile now. We know how to do this. And so they were all over the place and they were neglecting God. And God said, you know what? People are neglecting me.
00:15:01
Speaker
And so he said, why is it you keep putting stuff in a purse, a bag that has holes in it? You can't get ahead because you're not asking me to help you build.
00:15:13
Speaker
So we should say to God every day, Lord, I'm going to start Monday and I want you to help me on Monday. And I'm going to ask you again on Tuesday and on Wednesday, I'm going ask you to help me build this family the way I should every single day. But that's not all because the rest of verse one calls us to something else as a dad.
00:15:35
Speaker
Also, not just a builder, but a defender, a defender. And notice that it moves from talking about building a house, right? To something else, watching over the city.
00:15:49
Speaker
watching over the city. I believe that God calls the men of Columbus, let's the men of Colorado County, let's say, the men of Texas, let's say, to join together to say, you know what? We will defend our city.
00:16:05
Speaker
We will defend our county. We will defend our church. We will work together so that together we can hedge out those who want to destroy families, those who want to destroy our kids.
00:16:19
Speaker
And so it's powerful whenever men take this role seriously and they say, you know what? I'm going to do that. You know the word there watch or the word watchman?
00:16:32
Speaker
That word actually in the Hebrew was like a hedge of thorns. hedge of thorns. When I was in Ethiopia, we were driving through the countryside and I looked over there and I saw a little house and there was like this incredible hedgerow all around the house except for one entrance, one entrance that was wide open.
00:16:52
Speaker
And I said to the van driver who knew English, I said, why is it that every house has these really long, I mean, long thorns that are around and they're really thick.
00:17:03
Speaker
He said, oh, it's the predators. The predators want to take away our babies. And so he said, you know what we do? We plant hedgerows all around it with these thorns because the hyenas, they won't come through the hedges. They don't want to fight through there.
00:17:20
Speaker
You're the hedge. We are the hedge. We're the wall. And we should say, God, no one will touch my family. No one will hurt my kids because you called me to be a defender of this little house, this little city, this little place. And if you don't know how to fight, Ephesians 6 tells you how to fight spiritually.
00:17:43
Speaker
It tells us there's there's armor for fighting. There's strength for fighting. So we should say, God, help me. You know, Ephesians presents the church... as like a, well, a spiritual citadel.
00:17:56
Speaker
And that spiritual citadel has invaders that want to come against it. And those invaders are the world, the flesh, and the devil. You can read about in Ephesians 2, verses 2 and 3.
00:18:10
Speaker
So you are called, I'm called, we are called to be defenders We're also called to be builders. And we're thirdly called to be providers.
Father's Responsibilities and Seeking God's Help
00:18:20
Speaker
Providers for our crew.
00:18:22
Speaker
The third call to a man is the call to provide for his crew. And notice that he works hard. Because did you see the word that's used in verse 2? Anxious toil.
00:18:34
Speaker
Toil means you work hard. And I know that in this room there are men. If you're not working hard currently, you have worked hard. You've built a family. Some of you are already in your retirement years and you spent so many years building and taking care, providing, defending your family.
00:18:54
Speaker
And I just want to say thanks. That's it. That's that's my only angle. i just want to i want to say thank you. I want you to know that there's somebody in this world that appreciates what you're doing. Right now, I know there are some who you drive into Houston or you have to be gone through the week.
00:19:10
Speaker
Thank you for what you do. First Timothy 5, 8 says that authentic discipleship, somebody really following the Lord Jesus Christ, you know what it says they do?
00:19:21
Speaker
They provide for their family. And if they don't provide for their family, it says, you know what? This guy is just like an unbeliever because God's put it within the DNA of every man to provide for his family.
00:19:37
Speaker
But don't miss the word of comfort in verse 2. You know, he says, God is wanting to help you with that heavy load. He says, it's vain that you rise up early and go to late rest, eating the bread of anxious toil. Have you ever seen anybody, a man that's just driven?
00:19:56
Speaker
And it's like, no, I've got to, I've got to, I have to, I have to, have to. And so it's like, He forgets what it's all about. Wait, why are you putting all these hours in? Notice what God says he will do.
00:20:09
Speaker
When you lay your head down in your home beside your wife, when you lay your head on your pillow, God says, all right. You go to rest. You go to sleep.
00:20:21
Speaker
I'm going to take charge now. And I'm going to keep on setting you up with other opportunities that you wouldn't have got. But you're looking to me to be the provider for the home. I just want to give you some some verses. First Peter 5 7 says, you know what you ought to do, dad, if you feel stressed.
00:20:40
Speaker
Cast all your anxiety upon him. But don't don't forget the rest of the verse. 1 Peter 5, 7 says, cast all your anxiety upon him because he cares for you.
00:20:53
Speaker
I know you're caring for everyone. It is tough on caregivers. If you've never seen anybody who's a real caregiver, boy, when you meet one, you see how much they do and the burdens they carry.
00:21:06
Speaker
But let me tell you something, men are like that. And so all I'm saying, guys, is you can feel safe in casting your burden down upon the Lord because he cares for you.
00:21:17
Speaker
He cares for your family too, but he cares about your soul, cares about your life, your heart. He cares about all you're going through. Well, there's another verse in addition to 1 Peter 5, 7. It's Psalm 55, 22.
00:21:32
Speaker
And if we don't do this, then we may not make it. Here's what he says, though. He promises in Psalm 55, 22, cast your burden on the Lord. Here comes the partnership. Here comes the stewardship.
00:21:46
Speaker
And he will sustain you. He'll help you with all the loads and the pressures involved. You don't have to come home and kick the dog at night. Let me tell you God will say, I got this, man. You just leave it to me and watch what I can do.
00:22:03
Speaker
He will never permit the righteous to be moved is the way. Psalm 55, 22 ends. But also, why don't we just say it big bold, you know, the fourth calling.
Family Foundation and Emotional Stability
00:22:13
Speaker
We're called to be a dad, called to be a father.
00:22:16
Speaker
You know, I think it's possible to become so focused upon or so overwhelmed by a career that sometimes we overlook.
00:22:27
Speaker
We overlook our kids. I'm saying that as a pastor. You can be so busy, even in the work of the Lord. You can be so busy in life and trying to provide and trying to, to you know, get ahead in your career.
00:22:42
Speaker
And you can forget what it's really all about. It's all about those kids around the table. It's all about those who look up to you with those eyes. And it's all about you making a difference in their life.
00:22:55
Speaker
You know, it says, behold, children are a heritage from the Lord. The word there in Hebrew is nakala. It means an inherited property. It means a possession or a portion.
00:23:06
Speaker
What it's talking about is it wasn't yours. And someone entrusted it to you. Someone said, I will give you this out of grace. I will give this out of grace.
00:23:18
Speaker
If you have a kid, if you have a child, you know what? There's a lot of people who stand in long lines to be able to adopt children, to be able to raise children. And God gave you a child, ah son a son, daughter. You should say, thank you, God, for the sons, the daughters that you've entrusted to me.
00:23:40
Speaker
God specifically calls out fathers in Ephesians 6, 4. It says, fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.
00:23:52
Speaker
That's what we're responsible for. There's a fifth thing though, and this one can really get left behind. And where you notice it the most is when the nest suddenly becomes empty.
00:24:05
Speaker
They go to college, they go into their adult world, and now it's like... And who are you? You look at your wife and you say, wait a minute. Don't forget, dad.
00:24:17
Speaker
You're also called to be a lover of your wife, your companion, who stood with you all through this time. You know, there's a reference to the beauty of a man's private, intimate relationship with his wife when it talks about the fruit of the womb, a reward.
00:24:36
Speaker
I want you to listen real closely because I mean this with all heart. Loving your wife well is the best way to love your kids.
00:24:47
Speaker
Because when you love your wife well, you know what it gives your kids? Emotional stability, emotional security. That's the best gift that you will ever give them.
00:25:00
Speaker
When you prioritize your marriage, you regulate the whole family's nervous system. You know, you reduce your children's stress hormones and you draw out, you sketch out for your kids the blueprint.
00:25:16
Speaker
The blueprint for how your kids will form relationships and view themselves in the adult world.
Fathers as Warriors and Guides
00:25:23
Speaker
So dad, love her well. Don't forget your bride.
00:25:28
Speaker
Say to her every day, I love you. Show her how much you love her. Well, let me close with one last calling, and that is the call to be a warrior. The call to be a warrior.
00:25:41
Speaker
When you see verses four and five, you realize, oh my goodness, this is kind of like in the context of a battle. He's talking about errors. He's talking about a warrior. He's talking about shame and enemies and a gate and so forth.
00:25:55
Speaker
When he speaks with his enemies outside the gate, Well, that's the foreign that's the foreign people that are going to come and attack, right?
00:26:06
Speaker
From the outside. But when he says, when he speaks with his enemies in the gate, he's not talking about foreign enemies. He's talking about domestic adversaries.
00:26:19
Speaker
He's talking about those who want to infiltrate decision-making structures. And they're going to make decisions that are going to impact your kids and my kids.
00:26:30
Speaker
their future, and we should say, hold it. You know what? I will stand in the gate, and guess who's gonna have your back? Those kids, those kids that you're raising.
00:26:42
Speaker
You know, it's interesting he compares to arrows. I have to watch the way I say it, or I'll say arrows, you know, but arrows. I was raised in Tennessee. But you know, when when I was in Alberta, I was in the bow club, and so we would we would practice shooting at these targets,
00:26:59
Speaker
And I thought, you know, arrows provide assistance because they cover distance that probably if you're hunting deer, you're not going to get that close.
00:27:10
Speaker
So you use an arrow and it goes where you're not going to be able to just go sneak up on the deer. They can wind you and they know right away you're coming. You know, most likely your kids are going to outlive you.
00:27:26
Speaker
They're going to outlive me. And so when I shoot an arrow and I shoot it for truth, I shoot it for goodness and wholesomeness and godly themes. You know what? It goes beyond where I'm going to ever see.
00:27:41
Speaker
And it's going to go to places I'll never go to. That's the advantage of the arrows. They provide assistance. But what about the archer? What about the bowman? The man holding the bow.
00:27:54
Speaker
You know what he provides? Aim. He says, I want you to aim at that target right there. And so you teach your kids the right direction in life, the right place to aim their life.
00:28:09
Speaker
You seek to obey God's word. You seek to honor Jesus Christ with your life. You tell them, clarify for them. There's a lot of targets. You tell them, shoot for that target right there.
00:28:23
Speaker
But also I thought there's something here when he says, Like arrows in the hand of a warrior and the children of one's youth, I thought, you know, there's also the arms.
00:28:37
Speaker
Because I'm not sure if I was in the bow club today, I could pull a 65-pound test, you know, bow string back. I don't know. Maybe I could. But you know what? You know why kids are entrusted to young adults?
00:28:51
Speaker
Because you're strong. That strength came from God. Use that strength.
Historical Context and Faith Leadership
00:28:57
Speaker
Use that strength because when you pull it back, your strength provides acceleration.
00:29:04
Speaker
Don't be a passive dad who's disengaged. You pull that arrow back in parenting and you let it fly because God's going to use your influence, your strength to make a huge difference in your child's worldview, your child's belief system.
00:29:22
Speaker
your child's standards and values and so forth. And so just ask God, Lord, help me to do what I can to raise a generation whose hearts are loyal to biblical truth, biblical values, biblical morals.
00:29:38
Speaker
And if you'll do that, then he says, you're not going to be ashamed. You're not going to be ashamed when you stand in the gate and you have to talk it out with the enemies.
00:29:51
Speaker
The first inauguration of President Dwight D. Eisenhower took place on January 20th, 1953. nineteen fifty three He chose to make his oath of office by placing his hand, not upon a Bible, upon two Bibles.
00:30:06
Speaker
Not just upon a Bible closed, but upon a Bible opened. Two Bibles opened. One Bible that he placed his hand upon, his left hand as he raised his right hand to give the oath,
00:30:20
Speaker
was the George Washington Bible. It's the same Bible George Washington placed his hand upon in April 30th, 1789. And where did he open his Bible?
00:30:32
Speaker
Dwight D. Eisenhower said, you know what, I'm opening my Bible psalm one hundred and twenty seven so he opened it to this exact placed his hand right there. Underneath that Bible was a Bible he received when he graduated from West Point, the U.S. Military Academy in 1915.
00:30:52
Speaker
Normally that Bible now is always open to Psalm 33, 12, blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord. But on that day, he said, no, I want this Bible to be open to 2 Chronicles 7, 14.
00:31:05
Speaker
It tells us how to experience revival. But I wonder as we close this message. It may be today, maybe sometime, dad, you should stand before your family and open up the book, whichever verse really calls you.
00:31:25
Speaker
And you should say, you know what? I want to stand before my family. And I want to say, I want to lead according to this book. I want to honor my King, the Lord Jesus Christ.
00:31:38
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You tell your family something like that. They'll never forget that moment. They'll stand in awe of the of the stillness and the significance of that moment when that took place.
00:31:51
Speaker
You know, I close with one last thing. Steve and Annie Chapman issued a challenge to their kids. And they said, we want y'all to each make a list of what you've heard mom and dad say the most as you were growing up.
00:32:06
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Some of you are getting real uncomfortable. So did I. And so my daughter's sitting up here in that tech room up there. So anyway, you got to be careful with this stuff.
00:32:18
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But they said, we really want to know what did you hear the most from us? And it's kind of amusing, you know. Here's what they wrote down. I'm not talking just to hear my jaws flap.
00:32:31
Speaker
It'll be good for you. You just ain't. Not another word. Don't look at me like that. Where were you born in a barn?
00:32:42
Speaker
Ask your mother. Ask your father. You know, it's like, whoa, wait minute. Do you want to live to see your next birthday? Golly. Man, if you pick at it, it won't heal.
00:32:55
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Golly. Too much information right there. Hey, but what I'm saying is, wouldn't it be great if at the end of your life, Your kids are looking looking with reflection upon your example.
00:33:11
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And they said things like this. You know, my dad, he built our home with faithfulness. You know, my dad taught me not to be afraid to trust the Lord. My dad said, don't be afraid, trust the Lord.
00:33:24
Speaker
He's here and I'm here as long as I have life and breath. Thirdly, what about if they heard you say, you know what? It's my joy to give you this. What if they heard us say, let's go have some fun together today?
00:33:40
Speaker
What if they heard you say to your wife, I love you, sweetheart. What if they heard you say, trust in the Lord with all your heart and don't lean on your own understanding.
00:33:52
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In all your ways, acknowledge him and he will direct your paths. I think it would be a great time on a Father's Day to say, here's what I want to hear you say about me.
00:34:03
Speaker
when you get older, because this is what's real in my heart. Would you stand? I want us to have a time of response and invitation. I know i went a little bit longer today, but you know what?
00:34:18
Speaker
I want to give an opportunity in case somebody wants to make a decision today that we could respond. But the main decision you need to make is not in front of other people. It's to God.
00:34:28
Speaker
It's to God. Maybe the place to go today is to say, God, thank you Thank you for making me a father. Let's pray. Lord, I thank you so much for blessing us with children. Thank you. we We saw some of those children standing on this platform today singing praises to you.
00:34:48
Speaker
That's priceless. Silver and gold cannot buy that. That's just priceless. Thank you, Lord, for how precious each one of those little souls are. Guide each one.
00:35:00
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Thank you for the men in this room. They're not perfect men. Not one man came today saying he was perfect. We all come because we need grace. We all come because we need wisdom. We need mercy. We need direction.
00:35:15
Speaker
And so God, please bless them. Lord, thank you for what a good job they're doing. I see it. I see the fruit of it. It's all around me like I've never seen it before. You're raising up a new generation of young adults.
00:35:29
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And I'm really thankful for what I see in our midst. So bless us, oh Lord, as we close this time by giving anyone that's here an opportunity to trust Christ.
00:35:40
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It's in Jesus' name we pray. Amen.
00:35:48
Speaker
This is a ministry of First Baptist Church located at 1700 Milam Street, Columbus, Texas.