I'd like to welcome you to our service if you'd like to find your place in Psalms chapter 78. Psalms chapter 78, the title of the message is Hope in God. As a parent, one of our greatest duties, one of our greatest responsibilities to our children is to give them hope. It's not just providing for them physically and materialistically speaking, which that's very important. We ought to provide for our family. But our God-given duty, our God-given responsibility to our children is to give them hope. I'm not talking about the type of hope that the world offers which is only temporal. People come to this church many times and come knocking on the door and ringing the doorbell and they're hoping for something temporal. They come here and they're not looking for anything spiritual, they're just looking for materialistic help or physical help, and a lot of people say, hey, could you give me $10, could you give me $20, or could you pay my power bill, or could you pay my rent, or help me pay my rent, and things like that, but they're not interested in eternal hope, or they're not even interested in generational hope, they're not even interested in hope for the next week or two weeks or three weeks, and they're just trying to meet an immediate need in their life, and they're looking for something that's so temporary. But the problem is, if you meet that need, what's gonna happen next month and the month after? Because there's no hope beyond that time. Today is Parents' Day. And I was reading my Bible here recently and I read Psalms chapter 78 and God impressed on my heart to preach from this passage on hope in God. God clearly tells us in this passage of our responsibility, of our duty to our children, to teach them, to instruct them, to even command them, to keep God's commandments. In verse one it says, give ear, O my people, to my law. Incline your ears to the words of my mouth. I will open my mouth in a parable. I will utter dark sayings of old, which we have heard and known and our fathers have told us. We will not hide them from their children, showing to the generation to come the praises of the Lord and his strength and his wonderful works that he hath done. For he established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children, that the generation to come might know them, even the children which should be born, who should arise and declare them to their children. Why is all this necessary? Why does God give us this command to do this? Right here's the answer in verse seven. That they might set their hope, God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments, and might not be as their fathers a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation that set not their heart aright, and whose spirit was not steadfast with God." Why is it so important according to the Scriptures, according to God's Word for us as parents to raise our children in the nurture and the admonition of the Lord? And so our children may have hope and not some temporal hope, not some get-by hope, but they might set their hope in God. Verse seven, it says that they might set their hope in God and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments. There's hope in God. There's hope in what God has done and what God'll do today and what God'll do tomorrow. There's hope in keeping God's commandments. Our children will not set their hope in God if you and I as parents We don't teach them. We don't instruct them. We don't guide them in the way of truth. Our children will never set their hope in God unless parents are living what they're teaching, practicing what they say in front of their children. I've seen this many a time over, and so have you. A home where drugs are being used by the parents They're not giving their children much hope at a better future. What they do in moderation, even if they think, oh, it's just moderate, it's just for recreational use, their children will take it even further. What parents do in moderation or allow in moderation, their children will do in excess. If you drink alcohol in your home, and even if you tell your children, look, you can't do this, You know, this is not for you, but you just wait until they turn of age where they think they can. They'll have nothing restraining them from doing that. If you curse in your home and your children hear you curse and hear you swear, don't get upset with them when they do it. If you leave your children with unrestricted access to the internet, I promise you, you're going to reap what you sow. You see, none of these things should happen in a Christian setting, in a Christian home. But what can happen in a Christian home? What are some things that can happen in a Christian home that can influence their children for wrong? If Christian parents are not involved in church, you can't expect your children to be involved. Children are followers. They have a natural trust for their parents. No matter what home they grow up in, there's a natural trust to trust your parents. But if you're not involved, don't expect your children to be involved. If they don't see you tithe, don't expect them to tithe. If you complain and you talk negative about the things of God, the things of the church, Then don't expect your children to have any respect for the things of God either. The Bible is clear, you reap what you sow and you always reap more than you sowed. Children are going to grow up and when they reach that age where they make their own choices, if they're out of the house and they make their own choices, If they choose not to obey God, if they choose not to live for God, it shouldn't be because they were not instructed to do so or to stay in the right way while they were at home. This passage here is for the home. I'm preaching to parents today. I'm preaching to future parents today. I'm preaching to people that have influence over children or with children. Maybe you don't have children of your own, but yet you may have nieces and nephews. You may work in the Sunday school class. You may work in a bus ministry Sunday school class or something like that. But you have influence over children. It's our duty. It's our God-given responsibility. to train up a child in the way that he should go. It's our duty, according to Psalm 78, to instruct our children so that they might have hope in God. If they don't know nothing of God, if they don't know nothing of what God can do, how are they going to have hope? Who are they going to turn to? What are they going to look for when they're in trouble? when they go through difficulties and trials and they need help, or they need to know that they can turn to a loving God that will reach out and help them. God has given us a duty to train up the next generation. Why? And for them to do the same. Not something else, but do the same thing. They should pass along the same message. They should pass along the same truths. They ought to use the same Bible with their children. Why is it so important to raise our children in the nurture and the admonition of the Lord? Oh my, it's so important. God says that they might set their hope in God. But it's not enough for them just to hear it. They need to see it in our parents. Why? So that they can set their hope in Him. Oh, what God did for Mama and Papa, what God did for Mom and Dad, He can do for little Bubba and little Sissy as well. But here's the key. Someone's got to pass this along. Boy, as a parent, it is dangerous and unbiblical to not teach your children the right way. and to tell them what God says in the Bible. It's unbiblical to train up a child in the way that he should go and not live it in front of them. I tell you, we got to practice what we preach. The Bible says in Proverbs 22, 6, it says, train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it. If it's the right way for you, I promise you it's the right way for your children. To allow your children to do whatever they want and believe whatever they want, that's not biblical. The Bible says that children are to obey their parents, for this is right. God says it's right for children to obey their parents. It also says, and ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath, but bring them up in the nurture and the admonition of the Lord. And what that means, and ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath, that means don't put expectations on your children that are not appropriate. As a parent, especially as a father, We've got a God-given duty to introduce our children to God. It's our duty to instruct them in what God has done for them and what God expects from them. I've heard parents say before, and I'm sure they're well-meaning, but they said, I'm not going to force anything on my child. I'm going to let them make their own decisions. Well, that's interesting because most of the time, those same people that say that, they don't give their children an option as to whether they're going to go to school or not. But yet they say, I'm not gonna force them to believe what I believe. But yet you believe that it's right for them to go to school. It's right for them to get an education and do their homework and make good grades. And you'll expect that of them. But yet, when it comes to the Bible and the standards that God wants and expects from our children, we leave that alone. We don't touch that. You know, they don't give their children an option as to whether or not they're going to take a shower or not, and whether or not they're going to be clean and take care of their hygiene. We don't give them that option, but yeah, we don't want to force our beliefs on them. We don't give an option whether or not they're going to brush their teeth. They don't give their children an option as to whether they're going to take medicine when they're sick. Even if it doesn't taste good, they give them the medicine. Why? Because it's going to make them better. You see, that's a double standard. That's being double-minded. And James warns us of that, to not be double-minded. You know, if a parent follows the course of this world and their approach to raising their children, all they can do is expect their children to turn out like the world, to turn out the way they were raised. If there's no boundaries or no expectations in the child, I mean, all he's going to do is what appeals to him. And even worse, if a parent does not influence their child like God commands us to do here in Psalm 78, I promise you someone else will. If we don't influence our children, there's others that are right and ready. They're ready. There's an adversary that's a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour. And then one day we're going to ask ourselves, what happened? What happened to little Johnny? And the answer's gonna be nothing happened. We failed to train up our child in the way that he should go. We failed to raise them in such a way that they would set their hope in God. Oh, in Psalm 78, God reminds us of the duty that we have as parents in raising a godly seed. We got to understand here that if you and I don't raise our children the right way, in the Word of God, expecting them to follow God's Word, just like it's told here, then we will reap the consequences. In Galatians 6 and verse 7 it says, Be not deceived. God is not mocked, for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption, but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. Oh, but it says, let us not be weary in well-doing, for in due season we shall reap if we faint not. I'm afraid many Christian parents have given up. They don't feel like it's still their responsibility, or they've went so far in a certain direction, they say, well, I can't change now. No, yes you can. Matter of fact, now's the high time to change and get right with God and raise our children in a right way. It's all right to say no. In Psalm 78, there's never a time where it says that you can quit passing along the truths of God's word. Boy, you better be careful falling for this ecumenical mindset, allowing your children to rub shoulders with just anybody. I mean, people that don't even believe like you do, and they don't even believe in the same God. You better be careful. God only has one word, and that word's the same for everybody. Look what he says in verse one. It says, give ear, O my people, to what? It says, my law. My law. There's no options here. It's God's way. Incline your ears to what? The words of my mouth. Whose mouth? God's mouth. I will open my mouth in a parable. I will utter dark sayings of old. Who's that talking about? Who is that prophetic of? It's talking of Jesus. In John 1.1 it says, In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He said he opened up his mouth in a parable. Or verse 3, look what it says, which we have heard and known and our fathers have told us. Somebody invested in you. Somebody wanted you to do right. It says, we will not hide them from their children, showing to the generation to come the praises of the Lord and his strength and his wonderful works that he hath done. For he established a testimony in Jacob, not two, not three, not four, one testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel. That's one law, one way, not two, three, four, five, no, one way. The Bible says, which he commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children. Boy, there's nowhere in the Bible where this approach of, well, I'll just let my children make up their own minds. I don't want to break their spirit and I don't want them to believe something just because I believe it. That's hogwash. You show me from the Bible where that approach is biblical. Second Timothy. 2 Timothy chapter 3. 2 Timothy chapter 3 and verse 14 it says, but continue thou, this is Paul talking to Timothy. He says, but continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them. And get this verse, and that from a child. When are we supposed to talk to our children and expect our children to learn the word of God, apply the word of God, live by the word of God? Then that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. Why is it so important for our children to learn the word of God, apply the word of God, live by the word of God? Right here's why. Because it says, all Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable. Do you want something profitable for your children? I do. Profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness. Why? Why is all this so important? Because between verse 15 and verse 17, that child grows up. That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto good works. Boy, it's so interesting how some parents will compromise. When it comes to teaching their children, they won't compromise. I mean, they will not compromise when it comes to teaching their children about salvation. I mean, they'll be after them. They'll be giving them the verses, telling them about Jesus and how much he loves them, and they won't compromise. Matter of fact, they'll put a lot of effort in making sure their children understand that they're a sinner, that God loves them, and Jesus died for them so that they could be saved. Oh, but my goodness, when it comes to other truths in the Bible, oh, they tend to compromise and fail to train their children in the right way. Some parents will not take a stand and say, this is the way, and walk ye in it, even though God clearly teaches that it's good for them. It's good for them, it's good for their children, it's good for their children's children. Why? So that they'll turn out the way God wants them to be and be able to teach their children the same thing. If you leave it up to your child to make up their minds without them seeing you live it and teach it in the home, you are setting them up for spiritual failure. And not just them, but their children and their children's children. Or you go back to Psalms. Psalms chapter 78. Psalms chapter 78. Oh, in verse seven it says that they might set their hope in God. Yes, you cannot force your children, but you have to give them every opportunity to set their hope in God. And then it goes on and says, and not forget the works of God. Oh, if it's not taught, if it's not put into practice in the home, I promise you they'll soon forget it. They'll forget anything that they hear. If all they hear is on Sunday, and all they hear is for 30 minutes in Sunday school, 30 minutes in the preaching, I promise you they'll soon forget it if it's not put into practice at home. I don't know any parent that does not want their children to keep God's commandments. But right here's the problem. If we fail as parents to raise our children according to the Bible, then we'll watch our children not keep His commandments. Oh, in verse 8 we find another reason why we ought to raise our children according to God's Word. In verse 8 it says, "...and might not be as their fathers." A stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation that set not their heart aright and whose spirit was not steadfast with God. Boy, as a parent, we have a God-given responsibility to set our children up to succeed spiritually, to be a success in the eyes of God, because if we fail our children in this area, then we're also failing their children and our grandchildren and our great-grandchildren. Let me finish with verse 9. In verse 9, it says, The children of Ephraim, being armed and carrying bows, turned back in the day of battle. Well, Ephraim had great influences. Ephraim came from Joseph. Joshua, the great leader of Israel, was from Ephraim. Joshua was known for saying, but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. He took the time to command his children to write, and he didn't give them the option how they were going to live. He said, this is the way we're going to live. This is the way me and my family, we're gonna serve the Lord. Ephraim had good influences in their past, but here comes a point where our children will have to take a stand for themselves. There comes a point when they turn maybe 18 or 20 or 21, but not when they're 14, not when they're 15, not when they're 16 or 17. They're still living at home, and they have no responsibilities but just work a part-time job or even a full-time job and just make money. Let me tell you something, they're not an adult. They're not living on their own. They're not ready to make their own decisions. I know that's not popular, but it's the truth of the matter. We can't use this hands-off type, you know, raising of children. We need to be involved in our children's lives. We need to influence them with the things of God. Ephraim had good influences. But right now we see in this verse that they'll forever be remembered as the ones who turned back in the day of battle. They were armed, they were carrying bows, but they decided not to go to battle. They decided not to take a stand. Well, can I ask you, how do you as a parent want to be remembered? Has someone who followed God's Word and raised your children according to God's Word? Or do you want to be known as one who is remembered of having all the right tools, having all the right influences in your life, but you failed to go to battle? You failed to give your children a fighting chance. Your child, when he grows up, he may not choose to follow the Lord. That's very possible. But you shouldn't be the reason why they didn't do it. Outside of the ways of God, there's only stubbornness. There's only rebellion. And a generation that set not their heart aright. I understand at some point our children grow up and they make their own choices, but if they choose to not follow the Lord, if they choose not to follow God's Word, if they choose to go down a wrong path, they should have to climb over years of being taught the Word of God. Can I just remind you that every child deserves a home where their parents believe God's Word, and not just believe it, but they instruct it. They instruct it. They inspect what they expect. They require their children to walk according to the Bible, to follow God's ways, to live God's Word. Every child deserves a home where mom and daddy love God so much. that they will not fail their children in giving them every opportunity to set their hope in God.