In Deuteronomy 6, he’s talking about our wisdom, and our strength and our power, and it’ll be well with us, and we’ll increase mightily, the Scripture says, and we’ll inherit a land.  “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all of your might.  And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in your heart.”  And verse 7 picks up where I was sharing with you men, listen, “And thou shalt teach them diligently unto your children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in your house, (well, you have to be home) and when you walk in the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise up.” So, it seems like there has to be, not only a consistency, but a constant purposing to train our children.  Dads, it your job.  He’s speaking to men.  He chose Abraham because he would be diligent to train his children and his children’s children; amen?  It’s more important than your position, it’s more important than your raise, it’s more important than the new house, it’s more important than the third car, it’s more important.  What is more important than perpetuating the church of Jesus Christ, in raising up disciples, a bringing forth a godly seed?  You say, “Well, I’ve made provisions for all of that.”  No, the greatest instruction to your children is to watch you do it.  To watch you deny yourself and serve the others in the community, to watch you fast from things that are your delight.  You can fast, and it not be food.

I shared this about eight years ago, I think, where we had had that house available to us on Trump’s golf course.  We had discussed it, we looked at it, we literally were within 48 hours from signing the papers to buy the thing.  And I was in prayer, and the Lord just spoke as clearly to me as He could, He said, “Why don’t you just say no to yourself?” And I just said, “Okay.”  “I mean, was that hard?  That was a fabulous home, it was just amazing.”  No, it wasn’t hard.  God said, “Say no,” and so, you say no.  Leave that as a heritage to your kids.  However, it may work in your life.  But it’s not just those large things.  It’s obvious that this teaching that He told us when you rise up, when you lie down, when you walk in the way.  It’s consistently across the board, the small decisions, what’s best for the kingdom?  What’ll bring more glory to God?  What will make my children more trusting in Jesus than I’ve been?  Don’t you want to leave your kids with greater faith than you have?  That’s the role of the husband the Scripture tells us.

Father, we thank You for Your Word, and we just ask that You would continue to open our eyes, that You would give us sufficient grace.  We war daily with this old man and know that he’s to be crucified on a daily basis.  Help us, Father.  It’s not so hard to die, it’s just so hard to stay dead.  And we need your help, and this is our first responsibility as fathers and wives.  To train up our children, to wash our wives with the water of the Word.  Help us with our priorities.  Awaken our hearts with the hour that we’re living in, and we’ll give You all the praise, Father, in Jesus’ name, amen.