Fight for your Family
Nehemiah 4:14 (NIV - New International Version)
14 After I looked things over, I stood up and said to the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people, “Don’t be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your families, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your homes.”
We are losing a GENERATION!!
Generation Z: Born 1995-2015:
Currently age 7-27
74 MILLION IN AMERICA
THIS GENERATION
I wish my parents knew …
- “Even though my actions don’t always show it I desperately want to please them.”
- “How much I love you even though I don’t always say it.”
- “How much I treasured their advice even when I acted like I could care less.”
- “My dad knew how much I loved holding his hand even when I would act like it embarrassed me in front of my friends.”
- “When they wouldn’t let me date a guy and I acted mad I was really thankful they were fighting for me.”
- “Instead of threatening to punish me I need them to do it.”
- “When I saw them fight all the time it really messed me up.”
- “Their words impact me more than any others. Things they don’t remember saying have changed my life.”
- “I wish I could be open with them about my mistakes.”
- “The evils I face every day.”
- “The fear I hide behind my rebellion.”
- “How hard it is to stay pure.”
Our Strategy
1.
Pray for them to
Psalm 34:11 (NIV) “Come, my children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the LORD.”
Pray for them to be
Psalm 5:12 (NIV) Surely, LORD, you bless the righteous; you surround them with your favor as with a shield.
Pray for God to bring them Godly
Proverbs 27:17 (NLT) As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend.
2.
Luke 4:16 (NIV) He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom.
Hebrews 10:23-25 (NIV) Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
3.
2 Timothy 3:14 (NIV) But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it.
Be an
Titus 2:6-7 (NIV) Similarly, encourage the young men to be self-controlled. In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness
Be
Psalm 90:12 (LB) Teach us to number our days and recognize how few they are; help us to spend them as we should.
Be
Romans 4:17 (NIV) (Abraham) is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed–the God who gives life to the dead and calls things that are not as though they were.
SUGGESTIONS
- Planned Family Dinners each week. Planned family time regularly. Planned family time at and with our church family!
- Conversations Starters at the dinner table. (TableTopics, Talking Point, etc...)
- Get "Covenant Eyes" or another filtering/protective assistant with accountability! (Good for kids, and adults to have accountability!)
- Screen Time (Limits) at least try it for the next 21 days of prayer...see if it makes a difference in attitudes and demeanor.
- Little or No Social Media (try this for 21 days of prayer). You can set it up on their devices, if you need help - ask us, and we will get someone to walk you through it. But Pastor, what if they fight me on this? They want you to fight for them. Do they know what is best for them, or do you know better?
- Maybe even delete the social media app(s) from their mobile phones (at least for a while).
- Check up on their communications. Do you know about their contacts, private messaging, social media accounts, etc...? Sit down with them and have a serious conversation. It will be awkward, but this is what GOOD PARENTS do!
PRAY, PRIORITIZE & PARTICIPATE!
Let’s not lose this generation - Let’s FIGHT FOR OUR FAMILY!