“Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the sons born in one’s youth.” Psalm 127:4 (HCSB)
The late Dr. Adrian Rogers (former paster of Bellvue Baptist Church in Memphis, TN) gave a sermon series entitled “Treasuring Family Values”. The synopsis of the series from www.lwf.org is found at the end of this post.
After preaching about Millionaire Marriages, God’s Plan for the Man, The Wonders of Womanhood, Treasuring Marital Fidelity, and Honoring Father and Mother, Dr Rogers preached a message entitled “Dads Who Shoot Straight”. He preached from Psalm 127 subtitled in the NASB as “Prosperity Comes from the Lord” and noted as “A Song of Ascents, of Solomon”.
Right from the start, this five-verse psalm sets the record straight. In verse one Solomon writes “Unless the LORD builds the house, they labor in vain who build it; Unless the LORD guards the city, the watchman keeps awake in vain.” Without God as the foundation of your marriage and your family, all your efforts to lead your family towards the greatest of successes will be for naught. You will miss the mark of true success: a family of which each member has trusted in Jesus Christ for eternal life and is constantly pressing “on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:14).
Rather than give a full commentary, I recommend you acquire a copy of this series and listen intently to all 6 messages. My point to this post is that until 2 years ago, I had no arrows in my quiver. Now that I have one arrow and one on the way, I want to ask God to make make me a warrior (v 4) and to give me a bow of powerful prayers so that I might be ready to send out straight arrows conditioned from the precious, crooked little twigs that God entrusts to me. I know that God will bless me with godly children if I follow his lead to straighten my twigs, condition them as straight arrows, pull back the bowstring with prayers, and let them fly through the air toward their enemies, the enemies of Almighty God. I know He will be with them just as sure as He was with the young shepherd boy David as he faced his enemy, the giant Goliath.
So dads, get into God’s word (through the teaching of your local Bible-believing church and possibly with the help of a ministry like Dr. Rogers’ in addition) and learn how to straighten those arrows He has given you. Let them fly toward our enemy for God’s glory and your blessing.
Thunder Son
Synopsis of the CD Album “Treasuring Family Values“
“How do you set an example of godliness in your home when society knows the price of everything, and the value of nothing? It’s hard, but you can with the Word of God as your guidebook and the Holy Spirit as your teacher and helper. Join Adrian Rogers in this six message series, as he opens the Word of God and provides victorious insights for those critical issues facing your family today.”
Messages included:
1781 Millionaire Marriages
1782 God’s Plan For The Man
1784 The Wonders Of Womanhood
1785 Treasuring Marital Fidelity
1787 Honoring Father And Mother
2157 Dads Who Shoot Straight
2 Comments
May 3, 2008 at 10:28 am
I always loved it when Adrian Rogers came to preach in chapel when I was a seminary student. I love to listen to him on the radio and TV still. I miss him and his wisdom. He could preach the Bible like no other man I ever heard. This is a great post. Thanks for doing the research in finding these resources.
May 5, 2008 at 5:38 pm
I love the new frog eyes header!