{"id":301288,"date":"2007-01-24T12:00:00","date_gmt":"2007-01-24T17:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/podcast\/%series%\/blessed-is-the-man\/"},"modified":"2024-10-07T22:42:35","modified_gmt":"2024-10-08T02:42:35","slug":"blessed-is-the-man","status":"publish","type":"podcast","link":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/podcast\/familylife-today\/blessed-is-the-man\/","title":{"rendered":"Blessed is the Man &#8230;"},"content":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Today on the broadcast, Crawford Loritts, pastor of Fellowship Bible Church in Roswell, Georgia, explains four characteristics of excellent leaders.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":91,"featured_media":294104,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","inline_featured_image":false,"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","episode_type":"","audio_file":"https:\/\/web.familylifetoday.com\/fl2007-01-24.mp3","podmotor_file_id":"","podmotor_episode_id":"","cover_image":"","cover_image_id":"","duration":"00:","filesize":"12.24M","filesize_raw":"12834430","date_recorded":"","explicit":"","block":""},"categories":[2833],"tags":[4276],"podcast_series":[7502],"cwp_profile":[],"series":[2101],"class_list":["post-301288","podcast","type-podcast","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-godly-legacy","tag-legacy","podcast_series-living-your-legacy","series-familylife-today"],"acf":[],"episode_featured_image":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1001\/2024\/09\/FLT-Podcast-Cover-2-508x508-3.jpg?w=508","episode_player_image":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1001\/2023\/02\/image-scaled.jpg","download_link":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/podcast-download\/301288\/blessed-is-the-man","player_link":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/podcast-player\/301288\/blessed-is-the-man","audio_player":null,"episode_data":{"playerMode":"light","subscribeUrls":{"apple_podcasts":{"key":"apple_podcasts","url":"https:\/\/podcasts.apple.com\/us\/podcast\/familylife-today\/id212174303?mt=2&app=podcast","label":"Apple Podcasts","class":"apple_podcasts","icon":"apple-podcasts.png"},"google_podcasts":{"key":"google_podcasts","url":"","label":"Google Podcasts","class":"google_podcasts","icon":"google-podcasts.png"},"spotify":{"key":"spotify","url":"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/show\/0j5UaKdQOHQCuo1bt0ebEm","label":"Spotify","class":"spotify","icon":"spotify.png"},"youtube":{"key":"youtube","url":"","label":"YouTube","class":"youtube","icon":"youtube.png"}},"rssFeedUrl":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/feed\/podcast\/familylife-today","embedCode":"<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"dTbJNvAFiQ\"><a href=\"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/podcast\/familylife-today\/blessed-is-the-man\/\">Blessed is the Man &#8230;<\/a><\/blockquote><iframe sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" src=\"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/podcast\/familylife-today\/blessed-is-the-man\/embed\/#?secret=dTbJNvAFiQ\" width=\"500\" height=\"350\" title=\"&#8220;Blessed is the Man &#8230;&#8221; &#8212; FamilyLife\u00ae - A Cru Ministry\" data-secret=\"dTbJNvAFiQ\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" class=\"wp-embedded-content\"><\/iframe><script>\n\/*! This file is auto-generated *\/\n!function(d,l){\"use strict\";l.querySelector&&d.addEventListener&&\"undefined\"!=typeof URL&&(d.wp=d.wp||{},d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage||(d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage=function(e){var t=e.data;if((t||t.secret||t.message||t.value)&&!\/[^a-zA-Z0-9]\/.test(t.secret)){for(var s,r,n,a=l.querySelectorAll('iframe[data-secret=\"'+t.secret+'\"]'),o=l.querySelectorAll('blockquote[data-secret=\"'+t.secret+'\"]'),c=new RegExp(\"^https?:$\",\"i\"),i=0;i<o.length;i++)o[i].style.display=\"none\";for(i=0;i<a.length;i++)s=a[i],e.source===s.contentWindow&&(s.removeAttribute(\"style\"),\"height\"===t.message?(1e3<(r=parseInt(t.value,10))?r=1e3:~~r<200&&(r=200),s.height=r):\"link\"===t.message&&(r=new URL(s.getAttribute(\"src\")),n=new URL(t.value),c.test(n.protocol))&&n.host===r.host&&l.activeElement===s&&(d.top.location.href=t.value))}},d.addEventListener(\"message\",d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage,!1),l.addEventListener(\"DOMContentLoaded\",function(){for(var e,t,s=l.querySelectorAll(\"iframe.wp-embedded-content\"),r=0;r<s.length;r++)(t=(e=s[r]).getAttribute(\"data-secret\"))||(t=Math.random().toString(36).substring(2,12),e.src+=\"#?secret=\"+t,e.setAttribute(\"data-secret\",t)),e.contentWindow.postMessage({message:\"ready\",secret:t},\"*\")},!1)))}(window,document);\n\/\/# sourceURL=https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-includes\/js\/wp-embed.min.js\n<\/script>\n"},"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1001\/2024\/09\/FLT-Podcast-Cover-2-508x508-3.jpg",508,508,false]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"kfairris@familylife.com","author_link":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/author\/kfairrisfamilylife-com\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"Today on the broadcast, Crawford Loritts, pastor of Fellowship Bible Church in Roswell, Georgia, explains four characteristics of excellent leaders.","meta_box":{"show_notes":"","transcript_url":"https:\/\/transcript.familylifetoday.com\/fl2007-01-24.pdf","transcript_content":"<p>\n\t\t\t\tBob:\u00a0Do Christian parents understand what parenting is all about?\u00a0 Here is Dr. Crawford Loritts.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tCrawford:\u00a0We are on the threshold of a mighty outpouring of the Spirit of God.\u00a0 I don't think we're there yet, but we're on the threshold.\u00a0 God is doing something in calling His people back to authentic Christianity.\u00a0 And what you're giving your kids is not just how-tos, you are giving them who you are.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tBob:\u00a0This is FamilyLife Today for Wednesday, January 24th.\u00a0 Our host is the president of FamilyLife, Dennis Rainey, and I'm Bob Lepine.\u00a0 Today we'll hear about our most important priority as parents from our friend, Dr. Crawford Loritts.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t\u00a0And welcome to FamilyLife Today, thanks for joining us on the Wednesday edition.\u00a0 You know, whenever I hear a message like the one we're going to hear this week from Dr. Crawford Loritts, it's just a good reminder for me of how far short we all fall as parents.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tDennis:\u00a0And, you know, unfortunately, Bob, that guilt is a lot of what people feel when it comes to being a parent, and that's not the purpose of what we're doing on today's broadcast.\u00a0 We want to kind of lift the sights of parents and have parents look out to the finish line and think about the legacy that they are going to leave to the next generation.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t\u00a0One of the most profound questions that I have ever been asked by another person was the following question \u2013 if you died right now, what kind of legacy would you have left to the next generation?\u00a0 Now, that's worth thinking about.\u00a0 Why?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t\u00a0Because how we live, what we model, who we are, is impacting someone either for good or for evil.\u00a0 Psalm 45:17 reads \u2013 \"I will cause thy name to be remember in all generations.\u00a0 Therefore, the peoples will give thanks forever and ever.\"\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t\u00a0And I think our assignment is to be a part of a relay race of truth \u2013 passing truth on through our lives to the next generation, and the way we do that is through the power of being a model to other people.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tBob:\u00a0That's at the core of a message that we're going to hear on the broadcast today from someone who I think has that kind of vision when it comes to parenting.\u00a0 He has the long-term view of what it takes to be a godly parent.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tDennis:\u00a0That's right, and he's a good model, too.\u00a0 I've played golf with him, and I've watched him several bad shots, and he's not here to defend himself.\u00a0 Some of his friends will hear this, though, and tell him that I was raggin' on him about his golf game.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t\u00a0But Crawford Loritts is a good friend, and he's endured many an insult from me.\u00a0 In fact, he was playing golf with my son, and I was on the other team, and we were playing him, and my son turned to him and said, \"We've got to beat my dad.\u00a0 We've got to beat him.\"\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t\u00a0And Crawford Loritts is a true spokesman for Christ.\u00a0 He does play golf, yes, but he is, more importantly, a preacher of the truth and one who lives the truth, and he is about to share with us the powerful principle of being a model for righteousness.\u00a0 Crawford and his wife, Karen, live in Atlanta, Georgia.\u00a0 They speak at our FamilyLife Marriage Conferences all around the country.\u00a0 In fact, Karen called Crawford just the other day \u2013 Crawford told me this \u2013 and said, \"I want you to schedule us for more conferences next year.\"\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tBob:\u00a0Really?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tDennis:\u00a0Yeah, and this is going to be fun \u2013 to allow him to speak to us today.\u00a0 He's spoken at Promise Keepers events all around the country, and I think you'll sense the favor of God and God's pleasure as Crawford speaks to us about the power of being a model.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tCrawford:\u00a0(From audiotape.) On February 20th, in January, I bought a new car.\u00a0 It was a nice car, and on January the 20th, when I'm at home, I take my kids to school, the two younger ones.\u00a0 We go through this little ritual, and I drop them off.\u00a0 Brendan's at the high school, and Holly's at the middle school, and they're right close together.\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t\u00a0And then I usually I go on from there to the office.\u00a0 So out where we live, they're doing some construction.\u00a0 There's this two-lane highway, but it's very, very crowded.\u00a0 It's grown like crazy out in our part of town there, and there is only one way around \u2013 between 7:45 and 8:15 it is just congested because it's one way into the high school and the middle school off that one road.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t\u00a0They were widening it, and so they have temporary turning lanes, and it's kind of like bumper-car action out there.\u00a0 It's just really, really bad.\u00a0 There is an obscure back way to the high school if you get impatient.\u00a0 Well, I came to the stop sign there, and it was crowded, and there was a line of cars waiting to turn in.\u00a0 I looked, and I pulled out.\u00a0 Well, evidently, this guy in his Jeep Grand Cherokee must have been at the very end of the line and decided to whip out right at that time.\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t\u00a0Well, he couldn't see me, and I couldn't see him, so when I came out, he's going right at about 60 miles per hour, and he hits the car, just tears it up.\u00a0 I mean, just tears it up.\u00a0 The emergency people said if he had hit me this much further back that I probably would be dead or the left side of my body just mangled and just hit me at the right spot.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t\u00a0Well, airbags, everything else goes on, and I luckily \u2013 I mean \u2013 luckily, it was more than luck it was the sovereignty of God and His grace.\u00a0 I get out of the car, and the only thing I had was a slight friction burn on my left hand from the airbag, and later on I had a little bruise here.\u00a0 The airbag must have pushed my head over to the poles, and I had a little bruise on the top of my head but nothing really serious.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t\u00a0It hit me so hard that it knocked \u2013 get this \u2013 it knocked the cell phone off the cradle onto the seat, and so I'm crawling out of the car with this cell phone, and this guy that hits me \u2013 now, he hit my car \u2013 he hit my car \u2013 I just wanted you to know that \u2013 and as I get out of the car, the guy starts screaming at me.\u00a0 He's yelling at me.\u00a0 He says, \"I hope you die.\u00a0 I hope you die.\u00a0 I hope you die.\" \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t\u00a0I said, \"Wait, wait, wait.\u00a0 This is a piece of metal, buddy.\u00a0 It's a car \u2013 c-a-r.\u00a0 That's exactly what I said.\u00a0 This is a car.\u00a0 You're standing, and I'm standing.\u00a0 We're not dead.\u00a0 And then he said these words to me \u2013 he said, \"This is white folks' country, nigger.\"\u00a0 And \u2013 not a good thing to say to me.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t[laughter] \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t\u00a0You know, at first I just \u2013 it's like, I don't believe this guy said this.\u00a0 And I want to tell you the truth, I started walking toward him.\u00a0 What got me was not the infamous \"N\" word.\u00a0 That didn't \u2013 really, what got me was him hoping that I would die and this \u2013 putting all of this together, you know, and I start walking toward him, and I wish I could tell you that I had godly thoughts.\u00a0 I didn't.\u00a0 I was going to bury that cell phone right upside his head.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t\u00a0And as I started walking toward him \u2013 now, I'll let you draw your own conclusions about angels and what have you, but I don't know where this woman came from, this woman came to me, grabbed me on my arm and said this to me \u2013 she said, \"Sir, you are not to go over there.\"\u00a0 And just that quickly I came to my senses, and I just backed up and stared at him, and by this time we were right down the road from the police place, and the cops and all that stuff were there, and I turned around.\u00a0 The lady was gone.\u00a0 I don't know where she went to.\u00a0 I don't know where she came from; I don't know where she went to.\u00a0 You draw your own conclusion.\u00a0 I've never had an experience like that before in my life.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t\u00a0Well, you know, the emergency people came; it's a long story.\u00a0 They towed the \u2013 got the cars and were towing them away.\u00a0 Karen came, and she was there, and I was getting ready to get into her car.\u00a0 The guy is standing there waiting for somebody to come and pick him up, and people were dissipated now, and as I got ready to get in the car, something said \u2013 not audibly but an incredibly clear impression \u2013 \"Crawford, go over there and shake that man's hand.\"\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t\u00a0I audibly said, as I was getting in the car, \"Not in this life.\"\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t[laughter] \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t\u00a0And \u2013 no, it ain't happenin' here, brother.\u00a0 That can't be God.\u00a0 That's just a bad taco I had last night.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t[laughter] \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t\u00a0No, no, no, no, no.\u00a0 And it was, like \u2013 when I said that, Karen said, \"What did you say?\"\u00a0 She thought I was talking to her.\u00a0 I said \u2013 and as I got ready again, and I was closing the door, and as if I got scared that if I didn't go over there I would be disobeying God.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t\u00a0I got out of the car, and I walked toward him.\u00a0 This is kind of funny, though.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t[laughter] \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t\u00a0Now, everybody's gone now, and so homeboy, he sees me coming, and he's backing up now.\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t[laughter] \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t\u00a0You ain't so bad now.\u00a0 Something said, \"Just clock him,\" you know, that's it.\u00a0 I know, I know.\u00a0 So as he's backing up, I grabbed him and said, \"Hey, come here, man.\"\u00a0 I just looked him dead in the eye.\u00a0 I said, \"Buddy, I'm sorry this happened.\u00a0 I'm really sorry.\"\u00a0 I said, \"Are you all right?\"\u00a0 And I stuck my hand out.\u00a0 And the guy lowered his head.\u00a0 He melted.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t\u00a0I wish I could say I shared the Gospel, but I didn't.\u00a0 To be honest with you, I was still ticked.\u00a0 I was still angry.\u00a0 I shook his hand, and I had to walk away, because, you know \u2013 but I did share the Gospel with him later on, and I came back home and told our kids the story and how important it was to live out what we say we are.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t\u00a0And so my son, Brendan, said, \"Yeah, but, Dad, man, you know, he said that stuff to you.\u00a0 You would have liked to bust him one.\"\u00a0 I said, \"Brendan, listen, man, my testimony, all these people around there, what would that say about the God that I represent?\u00a0 Does him calling me a nigger make me a nigger?\"\u00a0 That's exactly what I said to my son.\u00a0 \"Does that make me one?\"\u00a0 God loves him, son, God loves him.\"\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t\u00a0A couple of months he was due into Congress.\u00a0 Brendan was driving his mother's car to a baseball game during the Congress, and mm, mm, mm.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t[laughter]\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t\u00a0Yeah, my brother, tore up his mother's car, and he told \u2013 actually, actually, he hit this other guy with just about \u2013 the fault's on both sides, I mean, that's irrelevant.\u00a0 Hit the car \u2013 tore up his mother's car \u2013 $4,000 worth of damage on the car, and he said to me, though, after it was over.\u00a0 He said, \"Dad, I was really angry at that guy,\" because they both were going through the yellow light.\u00a0 This guy was coming this way, and he turned just like this, right at that time he clipped him.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t\u00a0And he said, \"But I remembered what you did, and I went over to him, and I said, 'Sir, I'm sorry,' and I shook his hand.\"\u00a0 The eloquence of modeling, like it or not, we are establishing a legacy, and we're sending people out of these homes that we have into the next generation.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t\u00a0What gives them spiritual fervor and passion?\u00a0 Let me tell you the essence of what I really believe.\u00a0 Our kids are growing up, Brian is in graduate school now.\u00a0 He's a preacher of the Word, and the anointing and touch of God is on that young man, and pray for him.\u00a0 God is using him in a great way.\u00a0 I was just with him in Pittsburgh.\u00a0 He came with me to a Promise Keepers event, and I remind him all the time, \"Son, don't operate out of your gifts.\u00a0 Please, don't operate out of your gifts, operate out of brokenness.\u00a0 God's hand is on you, but if you glorify that gift, it will get off of you pretty quick.\"\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t\u00a0And God's using and Heather loves the Lord Jesus.\u00a0 She's wrestling with what God wants her to do.\u00a0 She's 20 years old.\u00a0 Brendan loves the Lord and is walking with Him, so far.\u00a0 He's 16, though, and Ollie loves Jesus, and she's 13, and there's a lot of things that they can do wrong. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t\u00a0One of the big problems that we have, however, in ministries where we're helping people to learn how to do things is that we think that the how-to is the ultimate solution.\u00a0 The how-to is not necessarily the solution to who-to and who we are really is.\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t\u00a0My dad, he's never sat down and told me how to do anything when it came to a lot of character stuff.\u00a0 Oh, yeah, he told me not to lie and all that kind of stuff, but it was eloquence of his life that gave me a heart connection to him and what his values really were.\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t\u00a0So as we talk about looking into the future and launching arrows, doing what Dennis and Barbara just painfully did a few moments ago, and the saying of \"I do,\" and watching some guy, no matter how godly he is, marry your daughter \u2013 that is tough.\u00a0 The essence of what we're all about and what we want to see take place has to take place here with us.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t\u00a0You see, that's the reason why we've got to be real about our own walk and about our own lives.\u00a0 I asked my mother this some time ago, several years ago I asked her this \u2013 I said, \"Mom, you know, how come you've always treated people, even those who have been 'nasty' to you,\" and only a few have been nasty to my mother through her life.\u00a0 My mother is the sweetest, gentlest, kindest, most merciful godly woman you ever want to meet in your life.\u00a0 I can't imagine anybody being upset with Sylvia.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t\u00a0But Mom said this to me, she said, \"Son, you know what?\u00a0 I believe in the law of sowing and reaping, and I never wanted anybody to mistreat my children.\u00a0 So I sought to treat others the way in which I'd want them to treat my children.\u00a0 I live that way.\"\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t\u00a0That's the reason why I'm so thrilled with the emphasis of this weekend, and that's the reason why I really believe the emphasis on family reformation is so right.\u00a0 Something is happening broader than just family life.\u00a0 There is revival and awakening in the air.\u00a0 We are on the threshold of a mighty outpouring of the Spirit of God.\u00a0 I don't think we're there yet, but we're on the threshold.\u00a0 God's doing something and calling His people back to authentic Christianity where there's a reality that's there.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t\u00a0And what you're giving your kids is not just how-tos, you're giving them who you are.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tBob:\u00a0Well, we've been listening together to Dr. Crawford Loritts as he shares the powerful principle that parents must first be models of God's truth in the life of our children.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tDennis:\u00a0You know, Paul talked about that over in 1 Thessalonians, chapter 2, Bob.\u00a0 He talked about how when they imparted the Gospel, they didn't do that just in word only, but they did it by imparting their lives, and they proved to be examples among them as they ministered to them in chapter 2, verse 7.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t\u00a0And I think we, as parents, have a tremendous privilege to be a model, to be a hero to our kids, and to represent the truth to them day in and day out.\u00a0 I couldn't help but think, as Crawford was speaking, of a pro basketball player who reportedly said in the newspaper that he didn't want to be considered a model or a hero for kids.\u00a0 He didn't want his life to be emulated by kids because of the way he lived.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t\u00a0And, as parents, we've got to realize we may never have the cultural stardom that a pro basketball player or a baseball or a football player may have, but God has placed us in our families strategically to be the most powerful model our children will ever see, whether we are a single parent; whether we a grandparents; a dad; a mom \u2013 we are strategically placed to be a model and pass on a legacy of godliness to our kids.\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t\u00a0And just a couple of points I'd want our listeners to know as they think about being a model to their kids.\u00a0 First of all, you don't have to be perfect to be a model.\u00a0 You can just stand strong and represent the truth and hang in there and finish.\u00a0 And when you do make a mistake, you get back up, and you repent, and you allow your kids to see you asking for forgiveness, and you keep on keeping on. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tBob:\u00a0That's a part of what you need to model for your kids, isn't it?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tDennis:\u00a0You do, and then a second thing of a model is maintaining a sense of openness with others who can call you to accountability and sharpen your life and help you be all that God intended.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t\u00a0Last night I was on the phone with a businessman, and this is what we were talking about \u2013 being all that God intended us to be and leaving a legacy to the next generation.\u00a0 And this guy said, \"I want to give you permission to intrude into my life and call me to account and call me to spiritual growth and call me to be great for Jesus Christ.\"\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t\u00a0And I said, \"Okay.\u00a0 I've got something I'd like to intrude into your life about then.\u00a0 May I challenge you to watch what you say?\u00a0 Watch your vocabulary,\" which occasionally \u2013 and not very often, Bob, but this particular guy, his vocabulary is salted with a word that he could do without using, and I don't know if he uses them around his kids, but I do know that he, as a Christian businessman, is a statesman.\u00a0 He is a representative, he is a model for many, and I said to him over the phone, I said, \"People are looking at you.\u00a0 They are watching you, and they're listening to every casual word you say.\"\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t\u00a0And there was silence for a few moments back over the phone, and he said, \"You know, you're right.\"\u00a0 He said, \"I have covered to much ground with Jesus Christ to not finish going the last 100 yards with my language.\"\u00a0 And, you know, I said, \"Yes, let it go.\"\u00a0 And, you know, there's areas in all of our lives like that, Bob.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tBob:\u00a0That's right.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tDennis:\u00a0I only use that as an illustration with him because it just happened, and it illustrates so much of how we can be a model if we're willing to allow other people access to our lives to sharpen us and to call us to be all that God intended.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t\u00a0I want to tell you, the spiritual awakening that Crawford was speaking about in his message, I think it's occurring, and it's occurring on a grassroots level, and where authentic Christianity needs to be modeled first and foremost is not from the pulpit.\u00a0 It's not in church on Sunday.\u00a0 It's seven days a week, seven nights a week in your family and mine.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t\u00a0We're talking about building godly family values in your home and in mine at a grassroots level.\u00a0 We do that.\u00a0 I'm going to tell you something \u2013 all of Hollywood, all of Washington, all of Wall Street can't stop the spiritual awakening that is begging to occur.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tBob:\u00a0And, as a dad, I have to keep in mind that that's going to happen with my kids, too, for good or for ill, they are going to be marked by my influence one way or another, and that's why a book like \"Never Walk Away\" becomes a resource for all of us as dads to make sure that we're being intentional; that we're living life on purpose, and that we are parenting on purpose and helping to shape and mold and direct the hearts and the minds of our children.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t\u00a0We've got copies of Crawford's book in our FamilyLife Resource Center.\u00a0 \"Never Walk Away,\" is the title \u2013 \"Lessons on Integrity from a Father Who Lived It.\"\u00a0 You can go to our website, FamilyLife.com, and in the middle of the home page, you'll see a red button that says \"Go,\" and if you click that red button, it will take you to a page where there is more information about Crawford's book.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t\u00a0There's also information about a book you've written, Dennis, called \"One Home at a Time,\" a book that maps out for us the core issues we need to be dealing with as a family in order to have a distinctively Christian family.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t\u00a0Any of our listeners who would like to get a copy of both of these books, we will send along at no additional cost the CD audio of the message that we're listening to this week from Dr. Crawford Loritts.\u00a0 Again, our website is FamilyLife.com, and if you click the red button that says \"Go\" in the middle of the home page, it will take you right where you need to go so that you can order copies of both of these books or any of these resources.\u00a0 Or call us at 1-800-FLTODAY, it's 1-800-F-as-in-family, L-as-in-life, and then the word TODAY, and someone on our team will let you know how you can get any of these resources sent to you.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t\u00a0Now, our team may be busy when you call today, and part of the reason for that is because we've had a number of listeners from across the country who have been joining us this week saying \"We want to be Legacy Partners with FamilyLife Today.\"\u00a0 Legacy Partners are folks who make a donation to FamilyLife each month, and this week, in particular, we have been encouraging folks to consider becoming a Legacy Partner.\u00a0 We're hoping to recruit hundreds of new families all across the country to join us as Legacy Partners, and we want to ask you to consider becoming a Legacy Partner.\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t\u00a0There is information available on our website about the benefits that are available if you sign up as a Legacy Partner.\u00a0 But beyond the benefits, what you'll be doing is helping to make sure that FamilyLife Today continues to be heard in this city and in other cities all across the country.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t\u00a0So if you'd like more information about becoming a Legacy Partner, find it online at FamilyLife.com or call us at 1-800-F-as-in-family, L-as-in-life, and then the word TODAY, and let me say thanks in advance for your support of this ministry.\u00a0 We appreciate your partnership with us.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t\u00a0Well, tomorrow we're going to hear from Dr. Crawford Loritts about what it means to be a Psalm 1 parent \u2013 a parent who seeks God's wisdom and who points our children in that direction.\u00a0 I hope you can be with us for that.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t\u00a0I want to thank our engineer today, Keith Lynch, and our entire broadcast production team.\u00a0 On behalf of our host, Dennis Rainey, I'm Bob Lepine.\u00a0 We'll see you back next time for another edition of FamilyLife Today. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t\u00a0FamilyLife Today is a production of FamilyLife of Little Rock, Arkansas, a ministry of Campus Crusade for Christ. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t_______________________________________________________________\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tWe are so happy to provide these transcripts for you. However, there is a cost to transcribe, create, and produce them for our website. If you've benefited from the broadcast transcripts, would you consider <a href=\"http:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/donate\">donating today<\/a> to help defray the costs?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tCopyright \u00a9 FamilyLife. All rights reserved.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>www.FamilyLife.com<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>","theme_header_position":"","post_header_is_sticky":"","is_header_overlay":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/podcast\/301288","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/podcast"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/podcast"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/91"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=301288"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/294104"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=301288"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=301288"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=301288"},{"taxonomy":"podcast_series","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/podcast_series?post=301288"},{"taxonomy":"cwp_profile","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/cwp_profile?post=301288"},{"taxonomy":"series","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/series?post=301288"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}