Duane Sheriff Ministries

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Children in the Hands of Warriors

Children in the Hands of Warriors | Part 1

May 12, 2024 • Duane Sheriff • Proverbs 1:8, Luke 15, Psalm 127, Proverbs 22:6

This message speaks to the importance of raising children according to biblical principles and the challenges parents face in a culture that is increasingly hostile towards Biblical values. Children are a gift from God, and the Bible compares them to arrows in the hands of a warrior (Psalm 127:3-5), suggesting that parents are warriors engaged in a spiritual battle for their children. This message outlines three stages of parenting: the training stage (0-10 years), the teaching stage (10-20 years), and the transition stage (20+ years), and how parents are meant to relate to their children during each of these phases of life. Using the parables of the lost coin, the lost sheep, and the prodigal son from Luke 15, Duane encourages parents to remain steadfast in their faith and values, even when their children go astray. The father in the parable of the prodigal son stayed true to his principles while waiting for his son to "come to his senses" (Luke 15:17). Some of our children may rebel against their upbringing, but there is hope that they will eventually return to the truth, as the prodigal son did. Duane encourages parents to pray for their children, trust God, and not compromise the truth of God's word. It is crucial that we learn what Scripture teaches us about parenting, discipline, and remaining faithful to God, even when our children go astray. It offers encouragement to parents struggling with rebellious children, reminding them of God's love and the hope that their children will return home, just as the prodigal son did.

Children in the Hands of Warriors | Part 2

May 19, 2024 • Duane Sheriff • James 1:19, Matthew 9:38, Psalm 127:3–4, Genesis 18:17–19, Judges 2:10–11

The message speaks to the importance of raising children in a way that prepares them to thrive in adulthood. Duane uses a scriptural analogy from Psalm 127:3-5, comparing children to arrows in the hands of a warrior. Just as an arrow has different components (feathers, shaft, and arrowhead), Duane highlights three stages of parenting and their significance. The feathers (ages 0-10) represent laying the foundational principles of life, such as moral clarity, absolute truth in Jesus, and faith (Psalm 127:4). The shaft (ages 10-20) is the time for teaching wisdom and preparing them for marriage, careers, and handling responsibilities (Proverbs 1:8, Ephesians 6:4). The arrowhead represents the target or purpose of raising children, which is to love God and love others (Matthew 22:37-39). Using the example of Abraham (Genesis 18:17-19), Duane emphasizes the need to command children to keep the ways of the Lord, do righteousness and justice, and pass down God's promises generationally. The speaker warns against the danger of failing to pass down the knowledge and works of God, which can lead to paganism in just one generation (Judges 2:10-12). Duane also provides practical advice for relating to your children once they become adults, such as showing interest in their lives, asking questions (as Jesus did with his disciples), giving advice (only when asked), listening well (James 1:19), praying for laborers (Matthew 9:38), being a laborer to someone else's prayers, and more.