Can your children say this of you?
I Kings 3:5-7
Introduction: We have been going through a series in our Sunday School class regarding the home, specifically on how we train our children by the things that we do as parents. In other words, our children are always watching what we do, and they pick up the things we do and even become those things.
Because our children know if the faith of their parents is genuine, the children pick up those good attributes, and become those things. Children know if the faith of their parents is only in church, or if it’s lived out everywhere else. Solomon saw God real in their home, Solomon saw that his father was true to his faith. Verse 6 shows us Solomon’s testimony regarding his father David. Can your children, grandchildren, nephews, nieces, say these things about you?
Can your children say that YOU:
I. Walk before God in Truth- I Kings 3:6 “according as he walked before thee in truth”.
– I Kings 2:1-4- This is what David told Salomon near the end of his life. David had already experienced the prosperity and blessings of God in his life, and it was because he walked in the ways of God and kept the statutes, commandments, and judgments of God. David knew that walking in truth before God was the best thing to do.
– As parents, we shouldn’t be telling our children, “Do as I say, not as I do”. Our children should see that we get to experience the blessings of God because we walk in Truth before God. This will hopefully translate to their own life.
– Where does God desire truth? Psalm 51:6- “Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts”. In the inside dwells the real you. “Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks”
– Who guides you into truth? John 14:16-17
John 16:12-13 “he will guide you into all truth”.
– Lastly, you have the option to Walk in truth- 3 John 1:3- “of the truth that is in thee”
– Like David said, truth is something that should dwell on the inside of a person. When truth is in you, it will guide you, then you have the option to walk in truth or not. David did.
-Example- II Kings 20:1-6- another example of how God blesses a man that walks before Him in Truth.
II. Walk before God in Righteousness- I Kings 3:6 “and in righteousness”
-I Kings 15:5 “Because David did that which was right in the eyes of the LORD, and turned not aside from anything that he commanded him all the days of his life, save only in the matter of Uriah the Hittite”. Solomon saw his father David walking before God in Righteousness. Can our children see this in us?
– Why should we live righteously like David-
– Philippians 1:9-11 “Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God”. We do it to bring glory and praise to God.
– Titus 2:11-14- God wants us to deny ungodliness and worldly lust and to live righteously in this present world. This brings glory and praise to God.
– II Timothy 2:20-22 “but follow righteousness”. In following righteousness, there is life and blessing.
– There’s life- Proverbs 12:28 “In the way of righteousness is life”
– There’s blessing- Psalm 106:3 “Blessed are they that keep judgment, and he that doeth righteousness at all times.”
III. Walk before God in Uprightness- I Kings 3:6 “and in uprightness of heart”
– (Good, ethical, just, honest, moral)
– Psalm 18:20-24- David walked uprightly according to what God SAW in him.
– Psalm 15:1-2- “LORD, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? Who shall dwell in thy holy hill? He that walketh uprightly and worketh righteousness”
– Psalm 84:11- “the LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly”.
– Not only is God pleased with us walking in uprightness, but according to this verse, God doesn’t withhold any good thing from those that walk uprightly.
IV. Walk in Integrity of Heart- I Kings 9:1-4 “in integrity of heart”
– God told Solomon that his father David walked in integrity of heart. Solomon didn’t deny it or correct God. In other words, Solomon was agreeing with God about it. Solomon saw that David his father walked in the integrity of his heart.
– Solomon was blessed because of David- I Kings 3:6 “and thou hast kept for him this great kindness, and thou hast given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is this day.” Because David walked in integrity of heart, his son was blessed by God.
– U.S. Air Force 3 Core Values- Integrity First, Service before self, excellence in all we do. Integrity is “doing the right thing when no one is watching”.
– (Purity; Incorruptness; Uprightness; Honesty).
– When a person does something that’s wrong when no one is watching, that’s a lack of integrity.
– Proverbs 1:1 “The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel”.
– Proverbs 20:7 “The just man walketh in his integrity: his children are blessed after him”. Solomon experienced the blessings of God because of his father David.
– – Like David, when we walk in Integrity, our children are blessed. I want my children to be blessed. Do You?
Conclusion: These are the things that Solomon saw in his father David. If your children cannot say these things of you as a parent, be encouraged to make the change in your life.
What do you children say of you? Is it going to be the way it used to be or the way it’s always been? Or is it going to be God’s way. Choose God’s way, and you will be training your children to be and to do what God says. It’s possible and necessary that we walk in the ways of God.