IMPRESSIONS WE LEAVE ON OUR CHILDREN

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IMPRESSIONS WE LEAVE ON OUR CHILDREN

• Jay Graham

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The impressions we leave on our children are the
single most important things that will mold our
childrens lives
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• These impressions come in many forms
• The same principles are how we influence the
  world
• This principle applies even more so when it
  pertains to influencing our children

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Parents are childrens first impressions of God

• This applies to both Good Bad
• This is a direct principle of a childs early
  view of authority
• This is one of the very early impressions parents
  make upon their children
• With this thought, what a heavy responsibility
  parents have toward their children - especially
  Christian parents

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Good impressions require time and repetitiveness

• It is for this reason it takes many years to
  properly impress a child into adulthood
• It is also for this reason the Lord created
  children extremely resilient
• Because of the nature of sin, sometimes a single
  serious error can adversely affect a child
• But as a rule single mistakes can be overcome by
  good choices and decisions over time

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CONSIDER SPECIFIC IMPRESSIONSWE LEAVE ON
OUR CHILDREN
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The Prodigal Son - Lk 1511-32

• The son knew the father was fair -How?
• The father allowed the son to make his choice -
  even a bad one
• He knew of the fathers generosity
• He knew the father was a very good employer
• He knew the father was merciful

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• Luke 1518-21 - 'I will arise and go to my
  father, and will say to him, "Father, I have
  sinned against heaven and before you, and I am
  no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me
  like one of your hired servants. And he arose
  and came to his father. But when he was still a
  great way off, his father saw him and had
  compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and
  kissed him. And the son said to him, 'Father, I
  have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and
  am no longer worthy to be called your son.'

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The Prodigal Son - Lk 1511-32

• His father influenced the son to think on God as
  mentioned in vs 18-21
• The father had impressed his son with standards
• The sons perceptions were accurate

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2 Tim 15

• Timothys grandmother and mother had impressed
  him with Genuine Faith
• What an impression!
• What a legacy!

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Abraham - Gen 221-14

• A willingness to perform a seemingly difficult
  spiritual task-
• A strong faith in God
• Isaac must have had a certain measure of faith in
  the lord, but he at least had a measure of faith
  in his father
• Abraham must have impressed his son with his
  steadfastness
• He must have noted his father was right

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Pro 207

• The righteous man walks in his integrity his
  children are blessed after him.
• What are his children blessed?

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Josh 2414-15

• "Now therefore, fear the LORD, serve Him in
  sincerity and in truth, and put away the gods
  which your fathers served on the other side of
  the River and in Egypt. Serve the LORD! And if
  it seems evil to you to serve the LORD, choose
  for yourselves this day whom you will serve,
  whether the gods which your fathers served that
  were on the other side of the River, or the gods
  of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as
  for me and my house, we will serve the LORD."

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• In the middle of this present perverse generation
  what an example to see parents stand up for what
  is right
• What better impression can a parent give?