1 Kings 2:3, And keep the charge of the Lord your God, to walk in His ways, to keep His statutes, His commandments, His ordinances, and His testimonies, according to what is written in the law of Moses, that you may succeed in all that you do and wherever you turn
	We are deep into our deliberation on the encouragement that a godly parent will offer to a son or daughter with the intent that the child would grow strong in the depth and breadth of a living relationship with The Lord God Almighty. There is that parental influence that needs to be honed and manifested within the entire family structure of the love for God and for all His precepts. The words of the parent are meaningless if it is not the full measure of how this reality is modeled day in and day out within the family structure. 
	As difficulties arise, and they surely will, as illness strikes, as money ceases, as neighbors grow more and more obstinate and difficult, as hormones rage, and as other influences rear their ugly heads, how does the family, parents and children together, respond? Is there an establishment in the Word of God that will show the manner of God’s great work and promises for those who so love and obey Him? Is there that time of family devotion and prayer and teaching in the Word and the manifested joy and appreciation for all that God has so fully detailed? 
Do each of the members have that prayer relationship, wherein it is evident that God is close and fully honored with the offering of each heart? Do the parents pray together and with the rest of the family when there is any type of problem - asking, beseeching, crying out to The Lord to deal effectively with each heart involved in the crisis? Does the family cherish the every opportunity to be in fellowship with other saints, being joined in worship and in any time of corporate praise and prayer and obedient service before God for the sake of others who are in need? 
These are some of those elements of daily life which will make the impression upon the young of the household. It is the fact that what is encouraged is the very basis of how the parents actually live their lives that will cause the children to reflect upon the great measure of how God is valued and His Word is cherished and His people are the priorities of the walk that we have been given on this earth.
We join the Psalmist at this point with his great encouragement to so love the manifested Word of God with all our heart and with all our soul and with all our might. Please open to Ps 19:7-11.
Ps 19:7-11, The law of the Lord is perfect, restoring the soul; The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. The precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; The judgments of the Lord are true; they are righteous altogether. They are more desirable than gold, yes, than much fine gold; Sweeter also than honey and the drippings of the honeycomb. Moreover, by them Thy servant is warned; In keeping them there is great reward. 
There is such joy and thankfulness expressed by the Psalmist in the manner in which the Lord uses the gift of His living Word to manifestly meet the every need of those who will spend the time and show the commitment to fully and absolutely delightfully obey the every teaching and directive that detail how we are to live before God on this earth. It builds that stand of awe and amazement in the manner in which The Lord shows forth His righteousness and His truth in the midst of the times of greatest need and earnest desire. 
Next, please open to Ps 119, initially beginning with the very first verse and reading through verse 7. There is a bedrock truth that is part of this encouragement to study, to cherish, to obey, and to walk in accordance with all that Jehovah has set before us in His Word. 
Ps 119:1-7, How blessed are those whose way is blameless, Who walk in the law of the Lord. How blessed are those who observe His testimonies, Who seek Him with all their heart. They also do no unrighteousness; They walk in His ways. Thou hast ordained Thy precepts, That we should keep them diligently. Oh that my ways may be established To keep Thy statutes! Then I shall not be ashamed When I look upon all Thy commandments. I shall give thanks to Thee with uprightness of heart, When I learn Thy righteous judgments. 
Parents need to let the children see how they are taught by the Word, just as the children are taught by the parents. There is a learning that takes place as the Word is read, as it is discussed, as it is applied, and as it is reverenced as the most wondrous and amazing and special gift of God to His children in Jesus Christ. This is the manner in which it becomes evident that there are no grandchildren in the family of The Lord. All are treated as most beloved children and all are taught and instructed with the discipline of God’s great love. 
As well, it should be evident to all the family that there is joy in the reading, the study, the obedience to, and the cherishing of the Word of God. It should be a special time that is set aside in the daily order of priorities and dealings. His Word should be approached with the awe that God would so offer it freely and fully through the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit. It should be referenced in the manner in which we speak and make decisions and memorize and hold near and dear the every opportunity to discuss and excite ourselves in the discovery of that which is opened unto and into us by the Holy Spirit. There should be a delight on the tips of our tongues to sing those praises and those hymns which declare the goodness and the grace and the loving kindness of God as His Word flows forth from our lips to our ears.
This is the delightful manner that was described by the Psalmist as in Ps 119:111+112. It is what flavors our every day with the gladness and the amazement in The Lord. Our hearts should evidence that enjoyment in Jehovah to our families, especially so that our children see and recognize that our being a blessing to God is the core essence of the lives that we live.
Ps 119:111+112, I have inherited Thy testimonies forever, For they are the joy of my heart. I have inclined my heart to perform Thy statutes Forever, even to the end. 
The Palmist then continues, in verses 138-144 of this same Psalm, with the reality that the focal point of our lives is God. His will is to be the manner by which all that is the course of our walk on this earth is brought forth and flavored by the conduct and the means of honoring obedience and praise and adoration and consideration of Who Jehovah is and how majestic is He to receive all our worship and dedication as His Children.
Ps 119:138-144, Thou hast commanded Thy testimonies in righteousness And exceeding faithfulness. My zeal has consumed me, Because my adversaries have forgotten Thy words. Thy word is very pure, Therefore Thy servant loves it. I am small and despised, Yet I do not forget Thy precepts. Thy righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, And Thy law is truth. Trouble and anguish have come upon me; Yet Thy commandments are my delight. Thy testimonies are righteous forever; Give me understanding that I may live. 
The Prophet Zechariah was given a vision which is shared in Zech 3:1-10. This is the viewpoint that needs to be established in the hearts and minds of those who want to be of full and resolute service to The Lord. We need to keep in our hearts the testimony that we present to others, especially our children and friends and neighbors. There is very much expected of those who are absolutely invested into the life that is honoring to God and pleasing in His sight. 
What we often seem to forget, and it is part of the residue of that old nature that the Holy Spirit is cleansing from within us, is that we are never able to do this with our own power and human endeavor and resolution and determination. It is the mighty work of God to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. He is also The One Who deals with those who accuse us of our sinfulness and failures and lack of obedience in times of those desert experiences in our walk on this earth. God clothes His people in the robes of Christ’s righteousness and holiness. This is not something that we can achieve. It is the freely offered gift of the work of God from beginning to end. Our part is to honor God and live under the guidance of the Holy Spirit in full line with His Word for the testimony to shine forth to the glory and the majesty of God, Alone!
Zech 3:1-10, Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right hand to accuse him. And the Lord said to Satan, "The Lord rebuke you, Satan! Indeed, the Lord who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! Is this not a brand plucked from the fire?" Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments and standing before the angel. And he spoke and said to those who were standing before him saying, "Remove the filthy garments from him." Again he said to him, "See, I have taken your iniquity away from you and will clothe you with festal robes." Then I said, "Let them put a clean turban on his head." So they put a clean turban on his head and clothed him with garments, while the angel of the Lord was standing by. And the angel of the Lord admonished Joshua saying, "Thus says the Lord of hosts, 'If you will walk in My ways, and if you will perform My service, then you will also govern My house and also have charge of My courts, and I will grant you free access among these who are standing here. 'Now listen, Joshua the high priest, you and your friends who are sitting in front of you — indeed they are men who are a symbol, for behold, I am going to bring in My servant the Branch. 'For behold, the stone that I have set before Joshua; on one stone are seven eyes. Behold, I will engrave an inscription on it,' declares the Lord of hosts,' and I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day. 'In that day,' declares the Lord of hosts,' every one of you will invite his neighbor to sit under his vine and under his fig tree.'" 
We will bring this consideration to a close in a manner that, Lord willing, shows all of us the joy of the Word of God that is the focus of what has been before us in this time together. It is so very appropriate to read from the letter that the Apostle Peter wrote to the early believers. His encouragement and his exhortation, as directed and inspired by the Holy Spirit, is very much the summary of what is to take place within each of us. Yes, we are an older generation of believers, but there is so much influence of God that is being shared with those in need around us especially with our families. What was written then is still a most vital word to each one of us, gathered here today. We need to hear, to pray, and to obey as The Lord reveals that which must be part of the lives that we live before Him and before each other and before those with whom God shows forth His witness in us. It is never too late to learn to cherish, trust, and obey the Word of The Lord for His glory and for His Honor!
Please open to 2 Peter 1 and read along with me, seeing and knowing the joy of the presence of God as He directs His church, you and me, in the matter of our more defined and appropriate approach of dealing with one another. We should find our hearts filled with the joy of the Lord in the Word which He so manifestly works into the depths of our beings.
2 Peter 1, Simon Peter, a bond-servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who have received a faith of the same kind as ours, by the righteousness of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ: Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord; seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, in order that by them you might become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust. Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge; and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness; and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For he who lacks these qualities is blind or short-sighted, having forgotten his purification from his former sins. Therefore, brethren, be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and choosing you; for as long as you practice these things, you will never stumble; for in this way the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be abundantly supplied to you. Therefore, I shall always be ready to remind you of these things, even though you already know them, and have been established in the truth which is present with you. And I consider it right, as long as I am in this earthly dwelling, to stir you up by way of reminder, knowing that the laying aside of my earthly dwelling is imminent, as also our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me. And I will also be diligent that at any time after my departure you may be able to call these things to mind. For we did not follow cleverly devised tales when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of His majesty. For when He received honor and glory from God the Father, such an utterance as this was made to Him by the Majestic Glory, "This is My beloved Son with whom I am well-pleased" — and we ourselves heard this utterance made from heaven when we were with Him on the holy mountain. And so we have the prophetic word made more sure, to which you do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star arises in your hearts. But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one's own interpretation, for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.
So be it and amen. 
And keep the charge of the Lord your God, to walk in His ways, to keep His statutes, His commandments, His ordinances, and His testimonies, according to what is written in the law of Moses, that you may succeed in all that you do and wherever you turn… Amen.

	This morning’s benediction is Rom 14:16+17, Therefore do not let what is for you a good thing be spoken of as evil; for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. Amen.