(If you would like to receive Pastor Harris’ weekly sermons via e-mail, Click Here)
(If you would like to download the PowerPoint presentation for this sermon, Click here)
Pastor Scott L. Harris
Grace Bible Church, NY
June 17, 2012
A Father’s Instruction
Selected Proverbs
Introduction
Proverbs 1:2-6 give a clear explanation of the purpose of the book – “To know wisdom and instruction, To discern the sayings of understanding, 3 To receive instruction in wise behavior, Righteousness, justice and equity; 4 To give prudence to the naive, To the youth knowledge and discretion, 5 A wise man will hear and increase in learning, And a man of understanding will acquire wise counsel, 6 To understand a proverb and a figure, The words of the wise and their riddles.” The theme of the book is given in the very next verse – “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; Fools despise wisdom and instruction.” The rest of the book endeavors to fulfill those purposes according to that theme.
J. Sidlow Baxter called Proverbs “pointed precepts for practical prudence.” As we have been studying it the last few months, we have seen that it is a book with clear application. (See: Sermons on Proverbs) This morning, in honor of Father’s day, we are going to look at what Proverbs has to say to dads, and specifically, what it says to dads about what they are to teach their children. In a very real sense, everything in the book has something to say to a dad and something every dad should want to teach his children. But there are also large portions of the book that are specifically the instructions of a father to his son, with the phrase “my son” occurring 23 times in the NASB. In other words, there were certain subjects Solomon and others stressed. I will be emphasizing those this morning as the framework upon which all the other life lessons should be hung.
This emphasis on a father’s instruction to his son does not in anyway diminish the importance of a mother’s teaching. Proverb 1:8 demonstrates this. “Hear, my son, your father’s instruction, And do not forsake your mother’s teaching; 9 Indeed, they are a graceful wreath to your head, And ornaments about your neck.” While God is gracious and there are many examples in which He has enabled one parent to raise the children when one parent is absent, it is always ideal to have both parents actively involved in child rearing. In addition, while there will be some teachings that will be specific to sons, most things and the principles contained in them will apply to the daughters as well. I must also point out that while the parents have the responsibility to instruct and teach, you sons and daughters have the responsibility to hear and heed. You are to actively learn from your parents and not to forsake those lessons. So while I am going to be placing the emphasis on you dads because these things are your God given responsibilities, this message has application to everyone.
Parental Responsibility
God has given to the parents the responsibility to teach the next generation about Himself and the manner in which life should be lived. We live in a society in which those responsibilities are increasingly given to something other than parents, and parents often very willingly agree. I would not be surprised if a majority of parents now believe that churches are to teach their children about God, schools are to teach them academics and social skills, government is to provide and social workers are to ensure children are cared for. However, all those responsibilities belong to the parents. Those outside the family can assist, but God will hold the parents responsible for the rearing of their children.
Deuteronomy 6:4-9 is one of the most direct commands concerning this. “Hear, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord is one! 5 “And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. 6 “And these words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart; 7 and you shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up. 8 “And you shall bind them as a sign on your hand and they shall be as frontals on your forehead. 9 “And you shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.” Ephesians 6:4 points Christians back to the same truth. We are to bring our children up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.
The church can help your children learn about God, but you have to teach them about Him and what He requires of them in all the situations of everyday life. A school can help teach your children academics, but it is up to you to make sure they understand their lessons, and more importantly, what is true, what is false and the application of their increased knowledge to life. It is up to you, not the government, to provide for your children. If you need and receive help, then understand it is charity regardless of its source whether private or government. Accept it with humility and gratitude and use those resources wisely while striving to stand on your own two feet again. Law enforcement, including social workers, are needed to control the sinfulness of man, but remember, God sets the standards for belief and behavior, not man.
Parents are responsible for every aspect of the rearing of their children. Understandably, every parent will have various limitations due to various factors. In those areas they should get help to overcome those limitations, but even in those things, they are still to oversee and direct what their children are learning. Why? Because the most important responsibility of a parent toward their child is character development and everything has an effect on that. That is why parents are to teach their children about God and His commands in every situation of life. From the time you get up till you go to bed, whether in your house or walking along the way, you are to be diligent to teach your children to love God and follow His commands. The book of Proverbs gives very practical help toward that endeavor.
Children: A Blessing or a Curse?
Psalm 127:3 states, “Behold, children are a gift of the Lord; The fruit of the womb is a reward.” Psalm 128:4 refers to them as a blessing to the man who fears the Lord. However, whether they are a blessing or a curse will depend on whether the child becomes wise or becomes solidified in his foolishness. Proverbs 10:1, “A wise son makes a father glad, But a foolish son is a grief to his mother.” Proverbs 17:25, “A foolish son is a grief to his father, And bitterness to her who bore him.”
The problem for us as parents is that every child we bring into our homes was born a sinner with foolishness bound up in his heart (Proverbs 22:15). What David said of himself in Psalm 51:5 is true of all of us, “Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, And in sin my mother conceived me.” As Paul explained in Ephesians 2:3, we were “by nature children of wrath.” If parents are not diligent in training their children properly according to God’s commands, then that foolishness will only increase so that childish foolishness becomes teenage rebellion solidifies into foolish adults and ends life as an old fool if they live that long, and will then be a fool
for eternity when they die. Proverbs gives strong warning about adult fools.
Proverbs 20:20, “He who curses his father or his mother, His lamp will go out in time of darkness.” How many of you have heard even young children cursing and cussing their parents in public? As they get older, it can get worse. Proverbs 19:26, “He who assaults [his] father [and] drives [his] mother away Is a shameful and disgraceful son.” Verbal assaults become physical as the children get older. It is not hard to find parents that are physically afraid of their children. Proverbs 28:24, “He who robs his father or his mother, And says, It is not a transgression,’ Is the companion of a man who destroys.” This is not pilfering cookies from the cookie jar, but robbing the parents without a conscience. Some of you have had siblings do that to your parents, sometimes despite your objections. Then there is Proverbs 30: 17, “The eye that mocks a father, And scorns a mother, The ravens of the valley will pick it out, And the young eagles will eat it.” That is not the end that any of us would wish for our children, but as Proverbs 30:11 states, “There is a kind of [man] who curses his father, And does not bless his mother.” The Mosaic Law required such a person to be put to death (Exodus 21:17; Leviticus 20:9).
Necessity of Discipline
If you want your children to bless you instead of curse you, then you must be diligent in rearing them to love God and God’s ways. You must be diligent in your discipline of them. That discipline includes teaching, reproof, correction and instruction. You explain to them what they need to know and how to do it. You praise them when they do it right and admonish them when they do it wrong. If they do it wrong, you show them how to do it right again and then train them how to keep from doing it wrong in the future.
Children need a father’s discipline. Blessings will come when they heed it, and tragedy will follow if they do not. Proverbs 13:1, “A wise son [accepts his] father’s discipline, But a scoffer does not listen to rebuke.” Proverbs 15:5, “A fool rejects his father’s discipline, But he who regards reproof is prudent.” Proverbs 19:27, “Cease listening, my son, to discipline, [And you will] stray from the words of knowledge.” In teaching your children to obey you, you are also training them to become obedient to God which will allow them to receive all the subsequent blessings of that. If you do not, then they will continue in disobedience to you and to God and will have to bear the curses that come with that. That is the reason for such strong warnings such as Proverbs 19:18, “Discipline your son while there is hope, And do not desire his death.” While proper discipline is mostly positive in teaching, instructing and training, discipline may also require physical chastisement, but done correctly, it is an act of love – Proverbs 13:24, “He who spares his rod hates his son, But he who loves him disciplines him diligently.” We will talk about that more in the future when I preach on principles of parenting from Proverbs, but for now, please just understand the critical nature of being diligent to discipline your children.
A child who is wise or at least desires to become wise will accept and learn from the discipline of his parents. This is part of the lesson in learning from your errors. Proverbs 3:11 “My son, do not reject the discipline of the Lord, Or loathe His reproof, 12 For whom the Lord loves He reproves, Even as a father, the son in whom he delights.” The wise dad will discipline diligently and properly for it reflects God’s own love for us.
Avoid Sinners
The first specific instruction of a father to a son in Proverbs is 1:10, “My son, if sinners entice you, Do not consent.” The passage then goes on to describe some of the specific activities such sinners wanted to do with Proverbs 1:15 then adding, “My son, do not walk in the way with them. Keep your feet from their path.” It may surprise some dads to learn that not only do you have the right to be involved in whom your children choose as friends, but you have the responsibility to be involved. The end of that passage in 1:19 warns that those that do walk in the way with such sinners risk their life.
When your children grow up and move out to live on their own, your influence on whom they choose as friends will diminish, but that does not mean it will not have an affect you or that you should not still warn them. If they choose well, you get blessed. If they choose poorly, it will cause you grief. Proverbs 28:7, “He who keeps the law is a discerning son, But he who is a companion of gluttons humiliates his father.” Proverbs 23:15-21 gives a more detailed explanation. Proverbs 23:15 “My son, if your heart is wise, My own heart also will be glad; 16 And my inmost being will rejoice, When your lips speak what is right. 17 Do not let your heart envy sinners, But [live] in the fear of the Lord always. 18 Surely there is a future, And your hope will not be cut off. 19 Listen, my son, and be wise, And direct your heart in the way. 20 Do not be with heavy drinkers of wine, [Or] with gluttonous eaters of meat; 21 For the heavy drinker and the glutton will come to poverty, And drowsiness will clothe [a man] with rags.”
In a similar way, Proverbs 29:3 warns that “. . . he who keeps company with harlots wastes [his] wealth.” Proverbs 5, 6 and 7 give strong warnings about the multiple dangers of the seductress, the harlot and the adulteress. (We will be examining those chapters in more detail in a future sermon, so today I am only giving a simple warning that they all belong to the category of sinners to avoid). Proverbs 24:21 even warns about fickle people. “My son, fear the Lord and the king; Do not associate with those who are given to change; 22 For their calamity will rise suddenly, And who knows the ruin [that comes] from both of them?”
Dads, you have a responsibility to help direct your children in choosing their friends. All the things I talked about in the earlier sermons on Proverbs on Friendship apply to your children as well as you (See: Proverbs on Friendship, Part 1, Part 2,Part 3, Part 4). Encourage the development of their friendships with the godly people that will help them walk in wisdom. And while you want them to learn to be generous and reach out with God’s love to sinners, you must at the same time discourage them from developing close friendships with such people. It is not always an easy balance, but it is a necessary one. If they are still in your home, you can forbid the continuing development of such friendships. If they are out of your home, you can still give strong warnings about them and the dangers into which they are falling.
Seek Wisdom
The second instruction in Proverbs from a father to his son is for him to seek out, listen to and heed wisdom. Proverbs 2, 3 and 4 all focus on this and the blessings that come with walking with wisdom. Proverbs 2:1-5 “My son, if you will receive my sayings, And treasure my commandments within you, 2 Make your ear attentive to wisdom, Incline your heart to understanding; 3 For if you cry for discernment, Lift your voice for understanding; 4 If you seek her as silver, And search for her as for hidden treasures; 5 Then you will discern the fear of the Lord, And discover the knowledge of God.” The rest of this chapter goes on to explain the blessings of the discerning the fear of the Lord. Remember that the theme of Proverbs is “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; Fools despise wisdom and instruction.” Dads, you have the responsibility to teach your children the fear of the Lord so that they will receive those b
lessings. How do you do that? It begins with loving the Lord yourself and then continues on as you teach them about God and His commandments as Deuteronomy 6:4-9 instructs. Learn the Scriptures, teach them the scriptures and their application in every aspect of daily life.
Proverbs 3 continues to explain some of the specific blessings of walking in wisdom in the ways of the Lord, the first being a long a peaceful life. Proverbs 3:1 “My son, do not forget my teaching, But let your heart keep my commandments; 2 For length of days and years of life, And peace they will add to you.” Other blessings include: “find favor and good repute in the sight of God and man” (3:4), God making your paths straight (3:6), “healing to your body and refreshment to your bones” (3:8), prosperity (3:10) and security (3:23-26).
Proverbs 4 continues with the same theme beginning, “Hear, [O] sons, the instruction of a father , And give attention that you may gain understanding, 2 For I give you sound teaching; Do not abandon my instruction . 3 When I was a son to my father , Tender and the only son in the sight of my mother, 4 Then he taught me and said to me, “Let your heart hold fast my words; Keep my commandments and live; 5 Acquire wisdom! Acquire understanding! Do not forget, nor turn away from the words of my mouth. 6 “Do not forsake her, and she will guard you; Love her, and she will watch over you.” It is easy to see from this passage the importance and sense of and urgency in teaching your children to walk in wisdom.
Perhaps someone might object that they cannot teach their children such wisdom for they are not wise yet themselves. A valid objection but a terrible excuse. Yes, wisdom must be in your own heart first, but if it is not there, then why are you not acquiring it for yourself? Wisdom shouts, calls and invites (See: Wisdom’s Call). Heed her and then lead your children. In order to lead someone, you only have to be ahead of them. You may not have all the answers or have it all together, in fact, I can guarantee that you do not have either of those since you still sin and you will not reach perfection this side of glory, but that is not an excuse for not being out in front of your children and leading the way. When you stumble, be honest about it, seek forgiveness from the Lord and those harmed and then press on. That perseverance is part of the nature of wisdom that you want to pass on to your kids. Don’t be a quitter before you even start and never quit after you start. Press on to be among those who can say along with Proverbs 4:20-23, “My son, give attention to my words; Incline your ear to my sayings. 21 Do not let them depart from your sight; Keep them in the midst of your heart. 22 For they are life to those who find them, And health to all their whole body. 23 Watch over your heart with all diligence, For from it [flow] the springs of life.” You may be learning the lessons only one step in front of them, but if you are diligent and faithful in teaching your children what you have learned, you will be able to say along with Proverbs 4:10-11, “Hear, my son, and accept my sayings, And the years of your life will be many. 11 I have directed you in the way of wisdom; I have led you in upright paths.”
Over the last couple of decades I have seen a very foolish mindset develop among parents in which they believe that if they have failed in some area of life they are disqualified from teaching their children and holding them accountable in that area. The most common two areas have been concerning drugs and fornication. Let me be point blank about this idea. It is idiotic and one of the more stupid ideas that has ever been advocated in parenting. Logically you should be even more strong in that area to teach and warn your children because you have first hand experience in the harm caused by it. You just have to be humble and honest about it, but perhaps that where the problem lies. People want to hang onto their pride so they will not admit their failures to their children. Or, they hold onto their perverted world view so that they either do not recognize or refuse to admit the harm that came to them because of their sin. As Christians, our understanding of the purpose and manner of life must come from God’s revelation to us in the Scriptures and not from either our personal experiences or those of others.
Dads, be diligent to lead your children in God’s wisdom and not the false wisdom of the world. Let Proverbs 23:22-25 be the instructions and call to your children. “Listen to your father who begot you, And do not despise your mother when she is old. 23 Buy truth, and do not sell [it,] [Get] wisdom and instruction and understanding. 24 The father of the righteous will greatly rejoice, And he who begets a wise son will be glad in him. 25 Let your father and your mother be glad, And let her rejoice who gave birth to you.”
Specific Warnings & Advocations
Avoiding sinners and foolishness and seeking wisdom are the general areas of instruction a father is to give to his children. I have pointed out some of the specific areas and ways to do this from within the passages already cited. Proverbs is filled with many specifics over a wide range of subjects in advocating walking in wisdom and warning about foolishness and its consequences. All of those things are areas in which a father has a responsibility to teach his children. There are a few more passages in Proverbs in which a father specifically addresses his son about a subject that I want to point out before I conclude this sermon.
I have already pointed out that Proverbs 5, 6 and 7 give pointed instructions by a father in warning his son about the seductress, the harlot and the adulteress. We will cover this in detail in a future sermon on those chapters.
Proverbs 23:15-20 and 31:2-5 warn about the dangers of drinking and having drinking friends. I will be covering this vice in more detail in a future sermon as well, but I do want to address these two passages briefly here this morning. I already cited Proverbs 23:15-21 in a father’s responsibility to warn about being friends with sinners. Verse 20-21 gives the specific warning about having drinking friends. 20 “Do not be with heavy drinkers of wine, [Or] with gluttonous eaters of meat; 21 For the heavy drinker and the glutton will come to poverty, And drowsiness will clothe [a man] with rags.”
Since we tend to get involved with whatever our close friends do, there is a significant danger in having such friends. There is great danger in becoming a drinker with them, in fact, the two normal pathways to becoming a drinker are family example and friends. And while it is not a sin to have a glass of wine, there is a real danger there that you as a parent must take seriously in what you teach your children. Proverbs 20:1 warns, “Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler, And whoever is intoxicated by it is not wise.” Do not take it lightly, it is a mocker that easily leads to foolishness.
Proverbs 31:2-5 gives an additional warning. The passage is a section in which a mother gives advice to her son who is king. “What, O my son? And what, O son of my womb? And what, O son of my vows? 3 Do not give your strength to women, Or your ways to that which destroys kings. 4 It is not for kings, O Lemuel, It is not for kings to drink wine, Or for rulers to desire strong drink, 5 Lest they drink and forget what is decreed, And pervert the rights of all the afflicted.” The king was to avoid wine and strong drink lest they pervert his ability to think and render proper judgment. This was serious because if could have such damaging consequences to others. The same is actually true for all of us. You may not be a king with such serious responsibilities, but you do have responsibility for your own decisions and actions and those things will have some affect on others. None of us live in isolation. So again, dads, be
very careful about what you teach your children regarding alcohol lest you lead them in the way of foolishness instead of wisdom.
Finances are another area in which Proverbs gives lots of advice. I will addresses that topic in some detail in a future sermon as well. Proverbs 6:1-5 records a father’s specific instruction to a son concerning surety. This is taking responsibility to guarantee someone else’s debt. This is most often seen in our society as co-signing for a loan or debt. “My son, if you have become surety for your neighbor, Have given a pledge for a stranger, 2 [If] you have been snared with the words of your mouth, Have been caught with the words of your mouth, 3 Do this then, my son, and deliver yourself; Since you have come into the hand of your neighbor, Go, humble yourself, and importune your neighbor. 4 Do not give sleep to your eyes, Nor slumber to your eyelids; 5 Deliver yourself like a gazelle from [the hunter’s] hand, And like a bird from the hand of the fowler.
This is strong admonition to avoid becoming surety and strong advice to get out of it if you have. We will talk about all the reasons for this in the future sermon on finances, but here just take note dads that you have a responsibility to teach your children about being financially wise. If you are not financially wise, then take a crash course in it and become wise and teach your children to handle money in a God honoring way. That is no easy task in a hedonistic and materialistic society, so it is one that takes even more diligence.
And finally, I want to quickly mention two additional Proverbs which advocate generational faithfulness to friends and promises. The first part of Provers 27:10 states, “Do not forsake your own friend or your father’s friend.” Dads, as your children grow up, teach them to be friends with your friends and that there is a generational responsibility here. As you get older, it is important to have friendships with those who are younger both for their benefit in gaining from your wisdom and for your benefit in gaining their help with things you cannot do anymore. Family friends should be multi-generational. It is pleases me as a father to see my sons take an interest in my generation and those older than me. They have received great blessing and wisdom from those relationships as they have grown up, and now that they are adults, they are quick to be helpful with tasks that are proving to be strenuous to those of us with grey hair.
Then Proverbs 22:28 states, “Do not move the ancient boundary Which your fathers have set.” This is faithfulness to a promise made between previous generations. Dads, teach your children the importance of not only keeping their word, but also holding fast to the promises that you have made too. This is part of passing down a heritage of having character of high integrity and honor. Remember dads, while each of your children will have their own individual personality along with its strengths and weaknesses, you are responsible for training their character. This is just one more area in that training.
Conclusion
A sermon going over all these responsibilities can be intimidating or exhilarating depending how you are up for the challenge. My hope is that you will be spurred onto the challenge God has set before you. While there is room for proper fear and trepidation in fulfilling these responsibilities, at the same time it is a wonderful privilege to be used by God to shape the lives of your children. Praise the Lord it is not a task left to you alone, but God will work through you to accomplish all of it as you walk with Him.
If you are feeling intimidated, then remember that you also have plenty of Christian brothers here to advise and help. God has not left you on your own. We rely on one another to encourage and help in our areas of weakness. Get involved with the other men in our church. Our men’s group every other Tuesday is a great place to find the needed godly friendships. Or talk with myself or any of our church leaders and we can advise you and give you specific direction in learning to walk with God and his people.
KIDS CORNER
Parents, you are responsible to apply God’s Word to your children’s lives. Here is some help. Young Children – draw a picture about something you hear during the sermon. Explain your picture(s) to your parents at lunch. Older Children – Do one or more of the following: 1) Count how many times the word “father” is mentioned 2) Talk with your dad and tell him what you appreciate about him.
THINK ABOUT IT!
Questions to consider in discussing the sermon with others. What is the purpose and theme of the book of Proverbs? How can Proverbs be used by parents to give practical instruction to their children? Does the statements in Proverbs in which a father is instructing his son exclude mother’s teaching or application to daughters? Why or why not? What responsibilities belong to parents regarding their children? What responsibilities concerning children belong to the church? Schools? Government? Explain. What is the most important responsibility parents have toward their children’s development? What makes the difference between a child bringing a blessing and bringing a curse? What is the nature of a child at birth? Explain. What warnings does Proverbs give about foolish children? What is Biblical discipline? Explain. What is the role of discipline in removing foolishness from a child? Explain. What role do parents have in their children’s friendships? How are parents effected by the children’s friends? What types of friends should be excluded or strongly discouraged? How can parents teach their children wisdom? What are some of the benefits to a child that learns to be wise? What are the benefits to the parents? What must parents do if they are not already wise? Can a parent legitimately correct their child if they have done the same thing in the past? Why or why not? What warnings are given to sons in Proverbs 5, 6 & 7? How would this apply to daughters? What are the dangers of drinking and having friends that drink? What are some of the lessons you should teach your children concerning finances? What if you do not handle money well yourself? What is a son’s / daughter’s responsibility toward their parent’s friends? Toward promises made to others by their parents? How does God help parents fulfill their responsibilities?
Sermon Notes – 6/10/2012
Proverbs on Family, Part 6: A Father’s Instruction
Introduction
Proverbs 1:2-6 – the purpose of Proverbs __________________________________________________
Proverbs 1:7 – the theme of Proverbs ______________________________________________________
Dads need to teach _____of Proverbs, but there are specific passages of instruction from a father to a son
Proverbs 1:8- the ____________ is also a teacher and the principles also apply to ________________
Parental Responsibility
Other institutions can help, but the responsibility belongs to the _______________
Deuteronomy 6:4-9 ___________________________________________________________________
Accept help with humility and _________while striving to better your ability and fulfill God’s standards
The most important responsibility a parent has toward their child is ____________ development
Children: A Blessing or a Curse?
Psalm 127:3; 128:4 ___________________________________________________________________
Wisdom or foolishness determines whether a blessing or a ___________ – Proverbs 10:1, 17:25
Children are born as __________with foolishness in their hearts – Proverbs 22:15, Psalm 51:5; Eph. 2:3
Young fools can become _______fools with increasing tragedy – Prov. 20:20; 19:26; 28:24; 30:17; 30:11
Necessity of Discipline
Discipline is necessary raise a _________child and includes teaching, reproof, correction and instruction
Discipline ____________ brings blessing, rejected brings curses – Proverbs 13:1; 15:5; 19:27; 19:18;
Proper discipline, including physical chastisement, is an act of ___________ – Proverbs 13:24
Proper discipline is following the ____________ example and brings blessing – Proverbs 3:11-12
Avoid Sinners
Fathers must be involved in directing their children’s ______________ – Proverbs 1:10-19
Your children’s friends will have an __________ on you – Proverbs 28:7; 23:15-21;
Encourage or warn your _________ children too – Proverbs 29:3; Proverbs 5, 6 & 7; Proverbs 24:21-22
Encourage development of godly friendships, discourage close friendships with the ____________
Seek Wisdom
Proverbs 2, 3 and 4 focus on a father instructing his son to seek out, listen to and heed ____________
Proverbs 2 – the blessings of discerning the _________ of the Lord
You teach the fear of the Lord by loving the Lord yourself, teaching about Him and His _____________
Proverbs 3 – specific blessings of _____________ in wisdom in the ways of the Lord
Proverbs 4 – continues the same theme with a sense of _____________
In order to lead, you only have to be in front, so heed wisdom’s call, ___________ and lead
Press on to fulfill Prov. 4:20-23 and be like those in Prov. 4:10-11 that _____directed in wisdom’s ways
If you have failed in an area, be ________and honest and even stronger in your warnings about that area
Be _________to lead your children in God’s wisdom and fulfill Proverbs 23: 22-25 and gain its blessing
Specific Warnings & Advocations
Proverbs is filled with many specific warnings and advocations on a ___________ range of subjects
Proverbs 5, 6 & 7 are pointed _____________ about the seductress, the harlot and the adulteress
Proverbs 23:15-20 and 31:2-5 warn about ____________ and friendship with drinkers
Take seriously the warning in Proverbs 20:1 about the _____________ of drinking
Proverbs 31:2-5 – be careful not let your ability to think, discern and judge be _______________by drink
Teach your children about the proper handling of _____________ – Proverbs 6:1-5
If you do not handle money well, then _________ and teach your children to avoid your past mistakes
Proverbs 27:10 – teach your children to be to multi-generational _____________
Proverbs 22:28 – teach your children to be faithful to multi-generational ________________
You are not alone, but the Lord is faithful to work through you and has ____________other men to help
(If you would like to receive Pastor Harris’ weekly sermons via e-mail, Click Here)
Grace Bible Church Home Page || Sermon Archives
For comments, please e-mail Church office