00:00Today our son Josiah turns one year old and I want to share with you all some lessons of life,
00:10five life lessons from the wonderful journey of becoming a father. Number one,
00:18life is short so make it count. Time will wait for no one but time can waste for everyone so
00:37make each
00:39moment count. I have observed there are two things that often rob us from cherishing
00:55the blessings of each day. Number one, pain of the past. Number two, fear of the future.
01:05Please don't let the stress, the pressure, the tension that life can bring overshadow the value
01:22for the gift of life and the opportunities each day brings.
01:31Number two, raising a child is fulfilling because it is a divine assignment. Genesis chapter one,
01:43verse 28. I want you to consider this, the joy you experience when you hear a baby laugh, that
01:56innocent laughter of a baby. That is something no amount of money can buy. Money may buy you
02:07enjoyments. It cannot buy you fulfillments. There is a difference, a big difference.
02:14Enjoyment tends to leave us empty. Fulfillment keeps us full because it is connected to our purpose
02:24in life. If you are watching this and you have ever questioned God, queried God, doubted God,
02:37sometimes the answer is just in front of you. Look at the developments of a baby.
02:49There is no clearer evidence of God than the developments of a baby. You see, in real time, the intricate
03:00work of the divine designer.
03:05So, there is no better way to praise the Lord than to raise a child in His ways. Thank you,
03:20Jesus.
03:22Number three,
03:28Number three, that something is hard for you does not mean it is bad for you. That something is painful
03:38does not mean it is harmful. Look,
03:42raising a child is difficult. It's tough. But the satisfaction cannot be untethered from the sacrifice.
03:58Think about this, people of God.
04:03Nothing that this world devises can ever bypass divine process.
04:11Think about this. Because that responsibility is a weight that anchors you to reality.
04:20And I want you to consider this.
04:27Often times, the road to your destiny lies outside the confines of your comfort zone.
04:38Comfort too often is a breeding ground for complacency and compromise.
04:47So, never let the fear of the unknown stop you from stepping out in faith.
05:00Number four, unrealistic expectations cause us to compare rather than to cherish.
05:17Sadly, many people's expectations regarding raising a child, raising children,
05:28is fueled by fantasy.
05:33Fanned by comparison, which is why they end in frustration.
05:39You are only let down to the extent your expectations hold you up.
05:51So, expect progress as you respect process.
05:59That is a word of wisdom for everyone.
06:04Finally, number five.
06:08Parents, your roles in raising children are complementary, not competitive.
06:18You are working together on the same team.
06:29You are partners in purpose.
06:34Yes, there are differences in divine roles, but you share the same sacred responsibility.
06:47There is nothing more dangerous than using a child as a bargaining chip
06:56to pursue your desires in marriage, or to see a child as a tool to settle scores in marriage.
07:08There is simply no substitute for selflessness.
07:19As a wise man once said,
07:22humility is not thinking less of yourself.
07:27It is thinking of yourself less.
07:31Because the beauty of life does not depend on how happy you are, but on how happy others can be
07:41because of you.
07:42There is no greater example of this than raising children.
07:49Finally, parents, remember this.
07:53Your value is not tied to being needed or feeling useful.
08:02It lies in freely giving that love you have freely received from above.
08:15So, Josiah, happy first birthday.
08:21Let me pray for you right now.
08:24As you grow from strength to strength,
08:29I pray you would discover
08:38the direction of God's calling for your life
08:43and pursue it with all of your hearts.
08:48In Jesus' mighty name.
08:54Amen, amen, amen, amen.
08:58Thank you, Jesus.
09:00Thank you for joining us for this special message, people of God.
09:04If you are a parent and you would love to share your own lesson of life from that wonderful spiritual
09:11journey,
09:12please share that lesson in the comments below.
09:15God bless you all and continue to seek God's heart to see life clearly in Jesus' name.
09:30God bless you all and continue to seek God's heart to see life.
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