1. I love opportunities to speak on the importance of having children, rearing children, leading children to Christ, training them, etc.
2. The great Charles Haddon Spurgeon gave four "spiritual uses of children":

1. When they die in infancy, awakening parents.
2. When they go home from Sunday school carrying holy influences.
3. When they become converted.
4. When they grow up and become useful men and women.

3. The Bible has much to say about raising children. We have a tremendous responsibility to know what the Word of God says about the right way and the wrong way to raise children.
4. Meanwhile, the world – under the control of the devil (cf. John 14:30; 16:11; Eph.2:1-3) – has a lot to say about raising children and it is wrong, contrary to Scripture, and very dangerous.
5. For example, listen to some of the foolishness that worldly people are now advocating:

1. "It takes a village (a euphemism for the government) to raise a child."
2. Abortion is justifiable, and in some cases even desirous. Double-talk is employed to confuse people (pro-choice, a woman’s right to choose, reproductive freedom, terminating a pregnancy, etc.). Those who oppose this barbaric and satanic practice are maligned as extremists, right-wing kooks, religious fanatics, "anti-choice," etc.
3. Children have rights, can sue their parents, etc.
4. Children should not be taught religion but should be taught to make their own choices (this is the way it is done in communist countries).

6. In opposition to this satanic confusion, we have the clear teachings of the Word of God.

I. LET THE LORD BUILD YOUR HOUSE (Ps. 127:1).

1. Many people are experiencing great difficulties because God is not an integral part of their lives.
2. Unless our actions are ordered by the Lord, it is a waste of time and energy. This is true whether one is building a house, planting a church, or starting a Christian school.

II. CHILDREN ARE A GIFT FROM GOD (Ps. 127:3).

1. Children are a precious gift from God (Gen.33:5; 48:9).
2. Ultimately our children belong to God and He has entrusted them to us. As good stewards, we must be careful to bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.
3. Today, too many people see children as a burden rather than a blessing. "The great Napoleon, with all his sinful care on this point, could not create a dynasty. Hundreds of wealthy persons would give half their estates if they could hear the cry of a babe born of their own bodies. Children are a heritage which Jehovah himself must give, or a man will die childless, and thus his house will be unbuilt" (C.H.S).

III. CHILDREN BRING JOY INTO A HOME (Ps. 127:4,5).

1. When parents grow old, they can depend on their children to help them, and look out for them, and take care of them.
2. Despite all the liberal, socialistic, ungodly propaganda being put out against large families, God has pronounced a blessing on the man who has "his quiver full of them" (vs. 5; cf. Gen.1:28; 9:1).
3. Of course, the psalmist is speaking here of godly parents bringing up godly children. Ungodly, rebellious, worldly children can be an enormous heartache rather than a blessing – we need to be very careful.
4. "When sons and daughters are arrows, it is well to have a quiver full of them; but if they are only sticks, knotty and useless, the fewer of them the better" (C.H.S.).
5. As Christians, we must categorically reject the anti-family, anti-God, anti-Bible, and antichrist philosophy being shoved down our throats by the world.
6. We must pray and work to have large families in order to multiply our Christian ministry and witness (cf. Mal.2:14,15).

CONCLUSION:

1. In the future, Lord willing, I will be speaking on the subject of regeneration. All of these wonderful blessings apply to physical children but they also apply to spiritual children as well (cf. I Cor.4:15).
2. Whether or not God chooses to bless one of His children with a mate and family, every Christian has the privilege of sowing the seed of the Word of God and thereby producing spiritual children (cf. Ps.126:5,6; III John 4).
3. Happy, indeed, is the Christian whose quiver is full of spiritual children.