Our Children — Keith Daniel

I hope you can hear me, because you're all sitting far back there. At least I think there are people back there, but there's no one in the front. But that's okay. Who is doing this sound? Could you put your hand up, or let us all see who you are?

Oh, is the sound in front of you? The back. Brother, I think you ought to put this louder. I'm from another country with a strange accent. That's going to be something, but they'll have to lip-read. I need it louder.

I tell you what, I like to see people frightened by the sound. And one good thing is that no one is going to fall asleep. And also, even if they get angry, at least something happens through the sound, you see?

So thank you. If you put it up, I would be grateful. Until everybody starts trying to sit further back to get away from the sound, until then keep putting it up, brother. There you are. At least we know you will listen now.

Please don't put it down again, brother. It will be good if they all sit there, wondering how they're going to survive this message through the sound, okay? Sorry I've done that. But I hope you can all hear now clearly.

Is that right? Anyone who can't hear, you can't really put your hands up, I suppose, if you can't hear. But if anybody struggles, just put your hand up and I'll speak louder. Okay? Thank you, good brother.

Forgive me doing something like that. I am very grateful to God to be here. And I am truly honored. The little I know of your pastor and his wife and their daughter, Vonda, who came to the airport and on the way back took me to Cracker Barrel.

Cracker Barrel, okay? Oh, it was lovely. It was exciting. It was worth coming all the way here to the Cracker Barrel. But on the other side, their love for Christ, their devotion, their humility, integrity.

I am deeply grateful to be here. I said to them when they weren't sure how many would come tonight, it doesn't matter. If it's just them, I'm excited. So I bless God to be here. Thank you for the message and song.

You really must put this louder from now onward, brother. Do you understand? I better not get too strict. I try and make people listen. Even when your good mother-in-law was singing, I thought they must have this louder.

Because that's an amazing song and an amazing voice. So thank you sincerely for all of you that came. I'm very grateful. Is there anyone that is here that isn't from this church? There you are. One, two, three, four, and someone in the back.

Good. Did you come from far or how far are you from? New Jersey. It says New York. New Jersey. Yes, it's right next to New York. I know New Jersey simply because of your history. That's where George Whitefield had a mighty revival at New Jersey.

But we mustn't divert. Because if I start on George Whitefield and what happened in New Jersey alone, I gave lectures on revival and different seminars, theologicals, and they put it all into one sermon one day and that's gone all over the world.

Oh, New Jersey, what happened there? Brother. Well, I suppose it's different to what it is back then when George Whitefield was here. But thank you for coming from New Jersey. How many hours would that be or how far?

Half an hour, two hours, ten hours? Good. I'm so glad you came. And the lady in the back, where are you from? Baltimore. Okay. And how far is Baltimore from here? Oh, that's lovely. And then there was someone over there.

Who was that? How far are you? Pardon? Springs. Now, I don't know. Where would Springs be? That's not so. Wonderful. Maryland. Okay. Thank you so much for being here. I'm very grateful that you came all this way also.

Prayer for Cleansing and the Living Word

Can we have a short prayer, please, just before I bring God's word? Father, come now in mercy on me. I ask for cleansing in the blood of God. God the creator. God the savior. God the coming judge. God the son.

Cleanse me, my father, in thy mercy and grace afresh. That I might be a vessel, meat for the master's use. Outside of cleansing in the blood. That is impossible. So I, with everyone, look carefully for cleansing.

Should there have been the smallest reaction, thought, or word that was not utterly Christlike in my life. Unforgiven. Uncleansed. Cleanse me now. Fill me with the Holy Spirit. Anoint. Unctionize. And as Jeremiah prayed, let me be the mouthpiece of God through which thy voice can be heard.

Please come and visit every heart. No man can do that. Without thee we can do nothing on a spiritual level with eternal value. Come therefore thou, our father, by the work of the Holy Spirit, through thy holy word.

Protect us from our enemy Satan and his demons. All those fallen angels. Those who a third of the stars of heaven swept with his tail upon this earth. And they are now desperate demons and we ask for protection.

And that thou thyself by the risen resurrected power of Christ will rebuke them. And root over us and let there be a hedge around us with the angels of God drawing swords to do battle with the powers of darkness.

Come by the Holy Ghost. Protect us. Come by the Holy Ghost. Come and make thy word living. And visit every single heart in thy mercy. In Jesus the Christ's sacred name. Amen. Deuteronomy 6 verse 2. That thou mightest fear.

That thou mightest fear the Lord thy God. To keep all his commandments. Thou and thy son. Thou and thy son. And thy son's son. All the days of thy life. And these words verse 6. Which I command thee this day shall be in thine heart.

And thou shalt teach them diligently. Diligently. Unto thy children. Thou shalt teach them diligently. Unto thy children. Psalm 127 verse 3. Children. Children are inheritance of the Lord. Children are inheritance.

That is they are entrusted to thee by God. They are entrusted to thee by God. Now the title of this sermon tonight. The title of my sermon tonight is simply. Our children. The first children born to mankind were Cain and Abel.

Cain, Abel, and the Moral Character of Children

The first children born to mankind were Cain and Abel. And we read in Genesis 4 verse 4. That the Lord had respect unto Abel. Verse 5. But unto Cain he had not respect. He had no respect. The first children.

Verse 8 and Cain. Cain rose up against Abel. His brother and slew him. Hebrews 11 verse 4 records. That by faith Abel offered unto God. A more excellent sacrifice than Cain. By which he obtained witness that he was righteous.

He was righteous. But Cain. 1 John 3 verse 12 says. Was of that wicked one. The first children. Born to man. Cain. 1 John 3 verse 12 says. Was of that wicked one. And slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him.

Because. His own works were evil. And his brothers righteous. In the New Testament in Jude verse 11. God condemns the wicked. Who have gone the way of Cain. Who have gone the way. Of Cain. In Proverbs 20.

Verse 11 we read. Even a child is known by his doings. Whether his work be pure. Even a child is known by his doings. Whether his work be pure. Whether it be right. Proverbs 23 verse 24. The father of the righteous.

The father of the righteous shall greatly rejoice. God says. He that begetteth a wise child. Shall have joy of him. Thy father and thy mother shall be glad. She that bare thee shall rejoice. But. A foolish son.

Is a grief to his father. Bitterness. To her that bare him. Proverbs 17 verse 25 says. A foolish son. Is the heaviness. Of his mother. Proverbs 10 verse 1 says. That word in the Hebrew. The same. The grief.

The sorrow. A foolish son is the heaviness. The same. The sorrow. The grief of his mother. Proverbs 10 verse 1. A foolish son is the calamity. Of his father. The calamity. Proverbs 19 verse 13 says. That word calamity in the Hebrew is.

The destruction. The ruin. The devastation. Destruction and ruin. Of his father. God says. God says. But let us look for a moment. At God's instructions. To a God fearing father and mother. Let us look for a moment at God's instructions.

Training and Correcting Children

To a God fearing father and mother. Train up. A child. In the way he should go. And when he is old. When he is old. He will not depart from it. Proverbs 22 verse 6 says. The rod and reproof. That is correction.

Give wisdom. But a child. Left to himself. A child left to himself. But bringeth his mother to shame. Proverbs 29 verse 15. Foolishness is bound. In the heart of a child. But the rod. Of correction. Shall drive it.

Far from him. Proverbs 22 verse 15. He that spareth the rod. Hateth. His son. God says. He that spareth the rod. Hateth. Hateth. His son. In God's eyes. But he that loveth him. Chasteneth. That disciplines him betimes.

Proverbs 13 verse 24. God condemned. God condemned Eli the high priest. In 1 Samuel 3 verse 13. Because his sons. Made themselves vile. And he refrained them not. His sons made themselves vile. Filthy.

And he refrained them not. Proverbs 13 verse 24. Correct thy son. And he shall give thee rest. Yea he shall give delight unto thy soul. Proverbs 29 verse 17. Chasten thy son. That's discipline. While there is hope.

God says. While there is hope. Proverbs 19 verse 18. And thou shalt deliver his soul from hell. Thou shalt deliver his soul. From hell. Proverbs 23 verse 14. Hebrews 12 verse 7 asks. What son is he. Whom a father chasteneth not.

That is doesn't discipline. Or correct. What son is he. Whom a father chasteneth not. Verse 9. We have had fathers of our flesh. Which corrected us. And we gave them reverence. That's respect. Verse 10.

They verily for a few days. That's all we've got. Mother and father. For a brief time. That's all we've got. They for a few days. Chastened us. That's discipline. Corrected and instructed us. After their own pleasure.

That is. Has seemed good to them. Has seemed best to them. They did their best. But. What if we didn't revere or respect them. As God has commanded of us. We gave them reverence. As they chastened us.

Hebrews 12 verse 9. But what if. We didn't revere or respect them. As God commanded us. Ephesians 6 verse 1. Children. Obey your parents. Obey your parents in the Lord. For this is right. This is right.

Children. Obey your parents in all things. For this. Is well pleasing unto God. Colossians 3 verse 20. Ye shall revere. Ye shall fear. That is revere. Every man his mother. And his father. Ye shall fear.

That is revere. Every man his mother and his father. Leviticus 19 verse 3. Honor thy father. God says. And thy mother. Honor thy father and thy mother. As the Lord thy God has commanded thee. That it may go well with thee.

God says. Deuteronomy 5 verse 16. Honor thy father. Honor thy father and thy mother. That thy days. May be long. God says. Exodus 20 verse 12. Don't play the fool with God. Young man. Don't play the fool with God.

Young woman. Be careful. Samuel. Samuel. Was a godly man. But Samuel's sons walked not in his ways. 1 Samuel 8 verse 3. Just because your father loves God doesn't mean you go into a young man, young girl.

Samuel was godly. But Samuel's sons walked not in his ways. 1 Samuel 8 verse 3. In 1 Samuel 2 verse 22 we read of how Eli, the high priest eventually confronted his sons for their wickedness. Verse 25.

Notwithstanding they hearkened not to the voice of their father. They hearkened not to the voice of their father. Oh, hearken unto thy father that begat thee. Proverbs 23 verse 22. Poverty and shame shall be to him that refuseth instruction.

Proverbs 13 verse 18. He that refuseth instruction despiseth his own soul. You're your own worst enemy. Proverbs 15 verse 32. He that being often reproved hardeneth his neck shall suddenly be destroyed.

And that without remedy God's word says. Proverbs 29 verse 1. Proverbs 20 verse 17 speaks of the eye that mocketh at his father and despiseth to obey his mother. A foolish man despiseth his mother, God says.

Proverbs 15 verse 20. He that wasteth his father and chasteth away his mother is a son that causeth shame and bringeth reproach. Proverbs 19 verse 26. He that wasteth his father. What does that mean? Physically it's them.

The Destructive Consequences of Rebellion

Is that possible? I have preached for 48 years to many hundreds of thousands of people. I have been in the godliest of homes in most of the situations I've gone nation upon nation. And I have been stunned.

It is uncomprehendable what I've witnessed of children who've beaten up their godly father. I have seen a woman covered in blood of a pastor's wife. Why? Because she tried to stop her wicked son from sin.

He did that. I've seen one of the godliest men of your nation. No one ever, as those children grew up, he had to push his son out the door screaming, weeping. Never, ever come back to this house. I beg you.

And you saw what he did to his mother and sisters. Why? Because they confronted him about sin. You say you'll never do that. Oh, be careful. It's uncomprehendable what a person can do when they go against the conscience God gave them and the word of God.

It is uncomprehendable. You won't believe what you're capable. Be careful what you do with your conscience as you embrace sin. You won't know what you're capable of. I have seen it again and again and again.

And I'm talking about godly homes. He that wasteth physically attacks his father and chases away his mother, is a son that causeth shame and bringeth reproach. Proverbs 19, verse 26 Absalom hated his father David.

That's staggering. David was a man after God's own heart and he had a son that hated him. He was so wicked. 2 Samuel 16 verse 11, Absalom hated his father David. And David said to Abishel and to all his servants, Behold my son which came from my bow, seeketh my life.

He sought his father's death. He was so wicked. Though his father was a man after God's own heart. And yet, the Bible declares that the glory of children is their father's. Proverbs 17, verse 6. The glory of children are their father's.

You want me to show you a man that is truly a tragedy in this world? Take me to a father who is not the glory of his children. I'll show you a man, no matter how he smiles and whatever front he's putting on, he's a tragedy in life.

His life is a tragedy. I guarantee you that. He's not the glory of his children as God said it should be. The glory of children are their father's. Proverbs 17, verse 6. And a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised, God said.

Proverbs 31, verse 30. For children rise up and call her blessed. Blessed. Proverbs 31, verse 28. Oh, you want to see my children? I don't know if there's a day in my children's lives I would be stunned that they don't go on their knees and worship God from their souls for the Mother God came and publicly without any soul or any sense of responsibility.

It is almost unbelievable how those boys of mine will stand up when their mother is ever disgusted and they simply bubble over with joy and gratitude for their mother that God gave them. I listen to them, I watch them, I get stunned sometimes when they do it and I know it's not for show.

It's from their souls. Her children, a woman that feareth the Lord shall be praised. Her children will rise up and call her blessed from their souls. Oh, I'm blessed by God for this gift of a mother. But but there is a generation that curses their father and doth not bless their mother.

Proverbs 30 verse 11. I've often wondered whether it's this generation God had in mind particularly. Who so curseth his father or his mother his lamp shall be put out in obscure darkness. Proverbs 20 verse 20.

You don't want to experience that? Touch me. Now Enoch Enoch's great grandson was Noah who Genesis 6 verse 9 records walked with God. He also like his great grandfather he walked with God the Bible says.

Noah's children were named Shem, Ham and Japheth. Genesis 5 verse 32. But tragically his second son Ham was wicked and committed shameful sin which so shocked and grieved his father that he eventually cursed him.

He cursed him. Genesis 9 verse 25. I was once in New York in a very large congregation masses and masses of people numbers of pastors and I was staying with one pastor who had a big tribe of kids about 10 children and we would drive from his home where I was staying about half an hours drive out of the town out of the area where this big church was and we would drive from where I'm staying with him as a family through to the church each night for about 4 or 5 nights.

Nonetheless his children all sitting in the back of this big vehicle were all singing praises unto God and so beautifully harmonizing so beautifully as a choir that should tour the world. It was amazing.

So we're driving and listening to this wonderful singing and there was a bit of a gap and I said brother I said to this pastor you're very blessed to have children like this singing all the way to church no argument about they're excited about going to the house of God and singing together oh brother, not every pastor's children sing all the way to church and harmonize and enjoy each other like this and want to go get excited about going to the house of God for special meetings.

I know many homes that children serve the devil. You know that father looked at me the children had heard what I said and he suddenly began to wail in a way that his children had never heard him before.

He didn't just cry he began to wail as he looked at me at what I'd said and tears coming down he said with a loud voice oh brother Daniel and he's driving oh please no and he's crying and he shouts God oh God please let me die please let me die than to live to ever witness any of my children serving the devil please God let me die I beg thee than to live to witness any child of mine going to the devil's houses to feed from the devil's table the sin and evil.

The devil's children go and want to be fulfilled. Oh God let me die. And he weeps. You know the children never heard that and I don't think they ever had expected their father to do that. There was such a stunned deathly silence in that car.

I didn't want to turn around and look at those children but the silence. I don't know if they were able to breathe at what they heard their godly father do weeping at the thought of that happening to him as other pastors children had done let me die please God.

Enoch and the Spiritual Responsibility of Parenthood

We read in Genesis 5 verse 21. Enoch lived sixty and five years and begat Methuselah. And Enoch walked with God after he begat Methuselah. Now I have researched in every aspect I could find in every godly commentary and every godly writing this is saying literally from the time of and as a result of the birth of that child.

From the moment from the time of that birth and as a result of watching the birth of that child Enoch sought grace to walk with God in an extraordinary way. The privilege the joy the gratitude the sense of responsibility to God who had entrusted him not only with a life but an eternal soul beloved.

The birth of a child can and should draw us into a relationship and a dependence upon God equal to that that Enoch experienced from the time of that child's birth. And as a result of that child's birth.

There's nothing in the Old Testament that's history. History? The academic unregenerate theologians oh it's all history. No it isn't so much of what was evangelical says. It's all history. It's not applicable.

Let me tell you something. Don't you tell me two thirds of the word of God. It's just history. It's God's heart. It's as vital and living as every word in the New Testament. You're in poverty if you don't have the Old Testament and you won't understand what the New Testament is speaking about or the significance in about 70 you know that just under 80 of the New Testament is the Old Testament almost word perfect.

Only the side of Calvary we need now beloved. These things were not written just for historical interest of God's dealing with individuals or his people. No these things were written for you and me for us as warnings and medicines Paul says of I don't doubt this is God's living vital word.

There's nothing here that you must just open and read for interest. It's for God to put his heart into your heart to express God's heart for you for your safety your warnings those warnings for us those encouragements for us.

The admins don't doubt these things wouldn't be there if it isn't for you and me to survive in this wicked world. Enoch walked with God as a result. Brother sister that's not interesting. That's God speaking to you and me.

When it comes to a child entrusted to us we should be so conscious that this is something entrusted an eternal soul to you by God that we will walk with God in an unusual way out of a sense of responsibility to God first and to that child as we seek his grace.

Oh I was once in a place called Wyoming last year I walked in a park with this very this big hole in the center of this town and there were these plocks all over the place that were very interesting. One of the plocks said this the value of marriage is not that adults produce children but that children produce adults.

I don't know if the man saved Peter the priest but there's something there if you have any conscience that's intact and especially if it's quickened by the Holy Ghost that makes you see God in a way that will stagger the powers of hell and everyone that sees you especially your children as you raise them with such a godly father as Enoch.

It's no wonder Methuselah served God with all his heart. It's no wonder I mean to have a father like Enoch seeking grace to walk with God in a way that to this day stuns all mankind that ever hears it.

But God singled him out to the degree he did because of his commitment and responsibility to God and his son from the birth of his child. Oh that boy walked with God because he had such a father. I was last year.

No sorry. This year I was touring some part of Africa and there was a crowd. But there was these young fellows giving testimonies before I had preached. They gave them two minutes or five minutes. I don't know.

One boy had two minutes and he spent half an hour up there. Hmm. Well we won't go into that. But he was a lovely boy. I didn't get angry. I should have made an appeal. What's the point of preaching after such a testimony.

Anyway now in that meet those two meet those couple of meetings. There were two boys. The one stood up. Now I had known him since he was a little boy the homeschooling with my children and oh well now this boy young mustard.

They are so good to my wife when I've left her and the children so often to go and preach around the world and they couldn't come. But they've been so good to her. But now he's grown up and he's a missionary and he went through theological seminar to become a preacher and otherwise most missions will not accept you.

But it was put to him and he gave a testimony that one of the things in the examinations after all these academics of theology given to them. Now they got a right exam. And one of the questions were define holiness.

Now what would you say. Holiness is oh separation from the world. The way you dress music you listen to. Oh it could go on every single aspect of something that could really make people realize it's holiness here.

No you could give John Wesley's definition of holiness. Oh that's marvelous. And Spurgeon. Thrilling. There you are. Extreme Calvinist and extreme Wesleyan. But truth. Oh now this boy answered the question in a way that startled the examiner.

He didn't know how to mark him. He said when I think of holiness the word holiness all I can think of is my father. I don't know how that examiner marked the exam paper by the way. But that was more of a blessing.

I believe to my heart and to him than if he had given every definition from every great theologian. Does your son will he say that of you. I mean we've got a search of hearts. That's possible. And this boy is godly.

I watched him growing up. He never gave one trouble. Not one just pursuing God. Another boy the next night his name was Daniel Murray. I saw that family walk into a church one day. So where was that this big tribe.

Six girls and a couple of boys saw them walk in and you know the whole atmosphere of that building just changed by the countenances and the way they dressed the shining faces of those little ones all walking in their dress so godly so modestly.

It was so beautiful to see their countenances and to see that godly father and mother and to realize well those children don't look unhappy. They were becoming missionaries. A couple of them already. But their son Daniel he gave a testimony of salvation.

They asked him before I preached this short testimony. The boy stood there in a humility that really is unnerving. That boy's got as young as he is a loud voice but a humility. And he said when I was a little boy I passed my father room where he spent time with God the Bible on his bed and on his knees and he was praying.

And the door was slightly open. But I heard my father weeping and I got scared. I was little and I pushed the door a little bit and looked in why is daddy weeping. And I heard him weeping for me. He was groaning.

He was weeping for God to get hold of my life to save me to keep me from sin. And he went on crying as if in agony. I tremble as a little boy and the years went by and as I grew I was scared. But there were times as I passed that door at that particular time and I knew he'd be on his knees.

But you know almost every time that I particularly passed there I don't know how God did this. He said there he was weeping for me crying to God but weeping he said I had to seek God. I'm a little boy I had to seek God and stay away from sin and choose my faith because of my father's prayers.

I had to seek God with all my heart. He said your son seek God because of that in your life because of his daddy I said. There was a wonderful testimony Abraham. Abraham was called the friend of God. That's a remarkable James 2 23.

That's a remarkable statement. I remember reading it the first time and saying God I'm called a Christian but Lord before I die I don't care what it costs or what you have to do do anything that my life could just come to a place where once thou art able to say this of me before I die that I am thy friend not just a Christian born again.

No there's a difference. Abraham was called the friend of God in James 2 23. And God said these staggering words about him in Genesis 18 verse 19. I know him that he will command his children and his household after him and they shall keep the way of the Lord to do justice said in the Hebrews righteousness to be righteous.

Why. Because of this man. I know him that he will command his children. He'll raise them up and his household his family they shall keep the way of the Lord to do. Righteousness to be righteous because of that man God said.

Christian Fathers Must Not Provoke Their Children

But Ephesians 6 verse 4 cautions us ye fathers provoke not your children to wrath. Now he's writing to Christians. That means you can. He's not writing to unsaved bring them up in the nurture and the admonition of the Lord.

Literally. Wesley says let God bring them up through you by his spirit. Because to the degree you yielded to God to that degree he controls you. And the fruit of the spirit is spontaneous. It's never ever forced.

It's because of the yielding to Christ. To that degree Christ is seen in you in your reactions not your physical appearance no matter how trying the circumstances. Or bring them up in the nurture and admonition to let God bring them up through you.

The great theologians of our faith believe that's what God was saying here. Ye fathers provoke not your children to wrath through your failure through wrong discipline wrong training you. Now he's speaking to Christians.

That's possible. Colossians 321. Fathers provoke not your children to anger. You can Christian. We wouldn't say lest they be discouraged. Now that word if you go into the Hebrew literally in every aspect of it don't cross their spirit.

Be careful that they don't become angry through your failure in the way you raising them up. That isn't what God wants. Don't cross them. Don't cross their spirit. When I was a little boy very little I was holding my daddy's hand on the veranda on the stoop of the home.

He had built us in this new neighborhood and we were small. Daddy was poor. He got wealth later on. But he struggled to build us that home every weekend he'd go with a few more bricks and two. A few years after the war daddy had a home for us.

We loved him. Here we are now in our home. And there are other new houses with young mothers and fathers with young children all in that area building as people picked up the pieces after war to try and get a home for their family.

Well we were standing there on the veranda looking in the garden. And a man passed our front gate on the road in this urban area of the city. And he had been a child with my daddy used to kick ball together.

He had been a friend of my daddy through schooling and from little ones my age. And then he had a son. He's standing there. This man now grown up with a son also who's holding his daddy's hand. And looking down at my daddy he says hello says to my father and my mother.

And we're standing there looking over the gardens. How are you doing. There's his son holding his hand and here's me. And then somehow something came up in the lightness of speaking about naughty children who misbehave or don't listen.

I don't think I'll forget for eternity how that man's countenance changed. And he said in a loud voice with an anger that was so cruel that even I trembled. He looked at his son and he shouted he knows don't you.

You obey your father or I punch. I will beat him. And I don't stop until he tries to climb the wall screaming. Then I stop. He knows not to play the fool with his father. I just looked at this man the countenance the way his voice became so cruel.

I looked at his little boy who I used to ride bicycle with and he looked up with his fear at this man. He looked at him. He walked down. My daddy started to cry. And my daddy I never saw him cry until he was saved.

But my daddy started to cry. I looked at him and he said to my mother Maury oh Maury something terrible is going to happen to that child. You know three days later that child committed suicide rather than to live with such a father.

That man by the way he went through hell a taste of hell till he died. He crawled with brokenness. He didn't look. He passed home to get it off. He just aged black rings. That's an unsaved man. But God speaks to save people here.