{"id":303868,"date":"2016-02-11T12:00:00","date_gmt":"2016-02-11T17:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/podcast\/%series%\/how-do-we-praise-god\/"},"modified":"2016-02-11T12:00:00","modified_gmt":"2016-02-11T17:00:00","slug":"how-do-we-praise-god","status":"publish","type":"podcast","link":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/podcast\/familylife-today\/how-do-we-praise-god\/","title":{"rendered":"How Do We Praise God?"},"content":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Pastor John Piper talks to Dennis Rainey about the meaning and practice of praise. John considers what it means to worship God instead of focusing on ourselves.<\/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\/fl2016-02-11.mp3","podmotor_file_id":"","podmotor_episode_id":"","cover_image":"","cover_image_id":"","duration":"00:","filesize":"26.84M","filesize_raw":"28143143","date_recorded":"","explicit":"","block":""},"categories":[2822,2827],"tags":[4213,5955,5954,5956],"podcast_series":[8126],"cwp_profile":[8883],"series":[2101],"class_list":["post-303868","podcast","type-podcast","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-growing-in-your-faith","category-repentance","tag-love","tag-love-is","tag-what-is-love","tag-what-love-means","podcast_series-marriage-and-family-for-gods-glory","cwp_profile-john-piper","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\/303868\/how-do-we-praise-god","player_link":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/podcast-player\/303868\/how-do-we-praise-god","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=\"QFdYBY8yuQ\"><a href=\"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/podcast\/familylife-today\/how-do-we-praise-god\/\">How Do We Praise God?<\/a><\/blockquote><iframe sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" src=\"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/podcast\/familylife-today\/how-do-we-praise-god\/embed\/#?secret=QFdYBY8yuQ\" width=\"500\" height=\"350\" title=\"&#8220;How Do We Praise God?&#8221; &#8212; FamilyLife\u00ae - A Cru Ministry\" data-secret=\"QFdYBY8yuQ\" 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":"Pastor John Piper talks to Dennis Rainey about the meaning and practice of praise. John considers what it means to worship God instead of focusing on ourselves.","meta_box":{"show_notes":"","transcript_url":"https:\/\/transcript.familylifetoday.com\/fl2016-02-11.pdf","transcript_content":"<strong>Bob: <\/strong>God is not simply pleased when we do the right thing\u2014God\u2019s pleased when we do the right thing with the right motive. God wants our focus to be on <em>His<\/em> glory. Here\u2019s an illustration from Dr. John Piper. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<br><strong>John: <\/strong>There is a bad way to compliment people\u2014it\u2019s called flattery. What\u2019s the opposite?\u00a0 I think the opposite of flattery is spontaneous enjoyment of everything good you see in your child\u2014makes her first little tree \/ round with a stick at the bottom\u2014\u201cThat\u2019s beautiful!\u201d\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob: <\/strong>This is <em>FamilyLife Today<\/em> for Thursday, February 11<sup>th<\/sup>. Our host is the President of FamilyLife<sup>\u00ae<\/sup>, Dennis Rainey, and I\u2019m Bob Lepine. When our lives are focused on and consumed with God being glorified, there\u2019s a lot that changes in how we relate to one another in marriage and in family. John Piper expands on that theme today. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>1:00<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tStay with us. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tAnd welcome to <em>FamilyLife Today<\/em>. Thanks for joining us on the Thursday edition. You know, you stop and think about what it is Jesus prayed for on the night before He was crucified\u2014and when I read John, Chapter 17, and read what it is Jesus was praying for, I think, \u201cI don\u2019t think that\u2019s what I\u2019d have been praying for if I knew what was coming for me the next day.\u201d\u00a0 I think I\u2019d have been praying for: \u201cGet me out of here,\u201d or\u2014\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis: <\/strong>Yes. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob: <\/strong>\u2014\u201cI don\u2019t want it to hurt,\u201d or there would be all kinds of self-oriented kinds of things. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis: <\/strong>But Jesus prayed that the Father would glorify Him and that, in return, Jesus said, \u201cI\u2019m going to glorify You.\u201d\u00a0 Now, think about that. How much do you, as a person, miss that?\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob: <\/strong>Yes. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<br><strong>Dennis: <\/strong>How much are you thinking about what the Father \/ your Heavenly Father would want you to say, want you to do, want you to be about, 60 seconds ago, before we started this conversation?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>2:00<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob: <\/strong>And there is a reason why we\u2019re talking today about what Jesus was praying for on the night before He was crucified on <em>FamilyLife Today<\/em>. One reason is because we are about to hear Part Two of a message from Dr. John Piper on the subject of how we glorify God and how God\u2019s glory should be at the center of our thinking; but the second reason is because we face choices and decisions every day\u2014we are praying for things in our marriage and our family every day. It\u2019s good for us to have as our number one objective that God would be honored and glorified by what happens in our day. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis: <\/strong>Every marriage is going to face some challenging moments. What would happen if, when you started to enter into one of those moments, you said: \u201cHold it, Sweetheart\u2014let me just take your hand. I want to pray,\u201d and then you prayed for your wife and said: \u201cGod, help me to love her, help me to understand her, help us to work through this difficulty. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>3:00<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t\u201cAs we do that, may how we work it through and may the end result of what we work through honor You \/ reflect You.\u201d\u00a0 You\u2019re probably least excited about showing God off at that moment. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob: <\/strong>Right. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<br><strong>Dennis: <\/strong>You want to be <em>right<\/em> \/ you want to win the argument. We\u2019re very selfish people. Yet, this was the message of Jesus Christ and what He modeled when He came to planet earth and we beheld His glory. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob: <\/strong>And today, we\u2019re going to hear reflections on that from Dr. John Piper, who, for years, was the pastor at Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minneapolis\u2014well-known author and speaker. He spoke to our staff\u2014this was more than a decade ago. We thought this message was just too good to stay on the shelf. So, we have brought it out here so that, together, we can consider Dr. Piper\u2019s words. He\u2019s going to take us to John, Chapter 17, and to what Jesus was praying for on the night before His crucifixion. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>4:00<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tHere is Dr. John Piper. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t[Previously Recorded Message]\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>John: <\/strong>I assume that the high priestly prayer of Jesus is a loving prayer. I\u2019m just going to assume that\u2014not a hateful prayer \/ not a resentful prayer\u2014but a loving prayer. Now, listen, in the first five verses, how Jesus starts a loving prayer. Chapter 17 of John\u2014I\u2019ll start half way through the first verse: \u201c\u2019\u2026Father, the hour has come; glorify Your Son that the Son may glorify You\u2026.\u2019\u201d\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tWhat an odd way to start a prayer for the disciples\u2014if it is loving. And that\u2019s exactly what Jesus\u2014He just stands in front of the crowd and says, \u201cNow, Father, glorify Me, and I, in turn, will glorify You. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>5:00<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t\u201cAnd We\u2019ll have this conspiracy to get glory for each other.\u201d\u00a0 [Laughter]\u00a0 It just takes your breath away: \u201cHow can that be loving?\u201d\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tLet\u2019s keep reading. He does this for five verses: \u201c\u2019\u2026since You have given Him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom You have given to Him. This is eternal life, that they know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. I glorified You on the earth, having accomplished the work You gave Me to do. And now, Father, glorify Me in Your own presence with the glory that I had with You before the world existed.\u2019\u201d\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tSo, the first five verses of this high priestly prayer, on behalf of His disciples, as He gets ready to leave them is: \u201cGlorify Me,\u201d \u201cGlorify Me,\u201d \u201cShow Me to be great,\u201d \u201cMake much of Me,\u201d \u201cMagnify Me,\u201d \u201cDisplay My excellencies.\u201d\u00a0 How can that be loving?\u00a0 Look at verse 24: \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>6:00<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t\u201c\u2019Father, I desire that they also, whom You have given Me, may be with Me where I am, to see My glory,\u201d\u2014that\u2019s why it\u2019s loving. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tWhat is the most loving prayer request that Christ could make for you?\u00a0 Answer: \u201cFather, let them see My glory.\u201d\u00a0 If that\u2019s the most loving request He could make, then, that He be glorious is essential to love\u2014that He be displayed as glorious is essential to an act of love because if, we didn\u2019t have Him to look at\u2014if He was somehow clouded \/ not on display\u2014we would be the losers!\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tSo, He begins his prayer: \u201cBe sure, Father, that I come through this shining like gold. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>7:00<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t\u201cDon\u2019t let Me fail on the cross. Let Me be full and overflowing with faith and love so that when I die, it will have been done\u2014I rise as a respected, honored, praised, admired Savior and Lord. Yes, Lord, glorify Me,\u201d\u2014then, at the end\u2014\u201cNow, gather for Me all of My people from the four corners and let them behold the glory that You have preserved through the cross and resurrection. That will be their satisfaction forever. To love is to do whatever You must do\u2014even at the cost of Your Son\u2019s life\u2014in order to enthrall others with what will satisfy them infinitely\u2014namely, the glory of God in Christ.\u201d\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tOkay, I want to think about relating this to family and children\u2014marriage. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>8:00<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tMy aim with Talitha, who is eight, and my four sons is <em>not<\/em> their self-esteem\u2014my aim is God-esteem. My aim is not that they find most pleasure in being praised but that they find most pleasure in praising God. How do you do that?\u2014because, pretty much, I think, you read books on child rearing and what not\u2014it\u2019ll just be constantly oriented on how to make your child feel like somebody. I just think that\u2019s a mis-emphasis. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tSo how do we help <em>enthrall<\/em> our wives and husbands?\u00a0 Me: \u201cHow do I help No\u00ebl be enthralled with Christ?\u201d and \u201cHow do I help my daughter Talitha be <em>enthralled<\/em> with Christ?\u201d\u00a0 That\u2019s my goal. I wrote down three words\u2014pray, speak, and show. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tPray. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>9:00<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tMy little girl is a sinner. She is dead in trespasses and sins unless she\u2019s born again. I don\u2019t know yet whether she is born again at eight years old. I see some evidences, but I see evidences to the contrary. So, my prayer is that God would awaken her from the dead and incline her heart to Christ: \u201c<strong>I<\/strong>ncline us to Your Word, O God,\u201d \u201c<strong>O<\/strong>pen our eyes to see wonderful things out of Your law,\u201d \u201c<strong>U<\/strong>nite our hearts to fear Your name,\u201d \u201c<strong>S<\/strong>atisfy us in the morning with Your steadfast love,\u201d\u2014those four prayers\u2014<strong>I.O.U.S<\/strong>. I pray those for myself every day, and I pray them for my little girl. Only a supernatural work can make her be happy in God more than me and her mother\u2014that\u2019s what conversion will mean. That is highly unnatural and, therefore, a miracle\u2014and therefore, to be prayed for. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tWith regard to speaking\u2014oh my, the tongue\u2014\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>10:00<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t\u2014oh, the <em>power<\/em> of the tongue in marriage and child rearing\u2014[in the Book of] James\u2014the power of the tongue for evil and the power of the tongue for good\u2014oh my! Let me just give you a few bullets here of the tongue\u2014maybe, I\u2019ll leave the \u201cshow\u201d for later\u2014pray, speak, show. Exult\u2014around your wife \/ your spouse and your children\u2014spontaneously in all the glories and gifts of Christ. How few homes have exulting parents. Do you know what exult means?\u00a0 \u201cIsn\u2019t it a beautiful day, Talitha?\u00a0 God gave us a <em>beautiful<\/em> day,\u201d\u2014so exult in the gifts of God and the glories of God. Now, you\u2019ve got to pray like crazy to be that kind of person. This is not artificial. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tI asked No\u00ebl this morning, \u201cWhat\u2019s the opposite of flattery?\u201d because I think a lot of parents use flattery to make their kids feel loved. I mean the word, \u201cflattery,\u201d exists in the English language because there is this reality that is bad\u2014 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>11:00<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t\u2014it\u2019s the use of language and compliment that\u2019s bad. There\u2019s a bad way to compliment people\u2014it\u2019s called flattery. What\u2019s the opposite?\u00a0 There are several opposites, as No\u00ebl pointed out this morning, but the one I\u2019m most interested in is\u2014I think the opposite of flattery is spontaneous enjoyment of <em>everything<\/em> good you see in your child. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t[She] makes her first little tree\u2014round with a stick at the bottom: \u201cThat\u2019s beautiful!\u201d\u00a0 Now, I could either be a manipulative, self-esteem builder at this point, thinking: \u201cOkay, now. See, good parenting involves making her feel like a good artist. This is really not good art, but I will do what parents are supposed to do and make her feel good about her lousy art.\u201d [Laughter] \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>12:00<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tNow, that would be flattery or manipulative\u2014artificial use of language to build a feeling into your child. Wouldn\u2019t it be better if you were the kind of person who looked at that and said: \u201cAwesome!\u00a0 I feel so happy about this tree!\u201d\u00a0 Now, you wouldn\u2019t have to use any words like, \u201cYou\u2019re a great artist,\u201d which would be a lie. You don\u2019t have to use that because she <em>feels<\/em> your joy\u2014that\u2019s what we need to <em>be<\/em>. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tWe need to be people who are so free from ourselves and so spontaneously delighting in every good and perfect gift from the Father that every little thing she does that has any speck of virtue in it at all causes us to brim with gladness\u2014she\u2019ll feel that. Now, in her sinful nature, she might take it to puff up her pride; but if God grants her a new nature, she will simply know: \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>13:00<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t\u201cMy daddy delights in all that is right and good. So, I should delight in all that is right and good; and God is ultimately right and good.\u201d\u00a0 So, exulting is one. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tGiving blessings is another way to use your mouth. When I put Talitha to bed at night, we have the absolutely same tradition every night. I put her to bed almost every night\u2014it\u2019s a privilege. I want you to know, sometimes, I\u2019m dog-tired. I want to just sit on the couch\u2014and no, she wants Daddy to get her on his back\u2014still, at eight years old, on my back\u2014up the steps, down to the stirrups, up to the top bunk, and then, tuck her in: \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tThe Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make His face to shine upon you. Look at me, Talitha \/ look at me\u2014make His face to shine upon you and be gracious to you. The Lord lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace, and joy, and hope, and faith, and courage, and strength, and boldness, and, someday, a godly husband. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>14:00<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tShe giggles\u2014every night, the same thing. [Laughter]\u00a0 And then: \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t[Gently singing] Come rest your head, and nestle gently, and do not fear the dark of night. Almighty God\u2014and sometimes, at that point, she says, \u201cMighty \/ mighty\u201d\u2014Almighty God keeps watch intently and guards your life with all His might. Doubt not His love nor power to keep. He never fails nor does He <em>sleep<\/em>. Goodnight. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tThat is a fixed routine. It is the use of the mouth\u2014it is full of <em>blessing<\/em>. I believe it is pointing her, every night, to a God who never sleeps and will take care of her when Daddy\u2019s gone. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>15:00<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tLaughter\u2014laughter is not language, but it is a form of the mouth. Laughter betokens some measure of mental health that is utterly crucial, I think, if children are to grow up loving the God of their father and their mother. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tMy father is an evangelist who left home two-thirds of my life. I never resented that, but I loved to have him home. When he came home on Monday afternoons, after having a week-, or two-, or three-week crusade somewhere, we would go get him at the airport. Mommy made the very best supper those nights. We would sit, and we would hear two things\u2014the exploits of the gospel in bringing people to faith and two or three new jokes. [Laughter]\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>16:00<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tWhat was best about the jokes is that my father laughed so hard at his own jokes!\u00a0 When he laughed, everybody laughed. My mother would laugh so hard the tears would run down her cheeks. I would sit there, as a little seven-, eight-, ten-, fourteen-year-old boy, looking\u2014at Mother at this end and Daddy at this end, laughing until the tears came\u2014and feeling as happy as a boy could feel because they were free from a kind of self-centeredness and self-consciousness that is unable to spontaneously laugh at funny things. I mean, the world has funny things in it. I think laughter is one of the evidences that we are free in Christ. We\u2019ll signal to our children that we are healthy; and therefore, when they learn of our God, who is at the root of it all, they will be more inclined to embrace Him. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>17:00<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tHere\u2019s a fourth thing\u2014I don\u2019t know how many I\u2019ve got\u2014apologies. The use of the language to say, \u201cI\u2019m sorry,\u201d \/ the use of the mouth to say, \u201cI\u2019m sorry,\u201d\u2014this is between husband and wife\u2014but this is especially between dads and teenagers and moms and teenagers. Too few times do dads come back to a 15-year-old kid and say, \u201cMy response was really excessive to your mouthiness, and I\u2019m sorry.\u201d\u00a0 I tell you\u2014the times that I did that when my Benjamin broke a scoff. They need to see that. Now, what that says of God is this\u2014number one: \u201cMy daddy knows a God who gives him enough security, and enough comfort, and enough acceptance that he can make himself vulnerable and expose his sin and error in front of me, his son. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>18:00<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t\u201cWhat a God he must have!\u201d\u2014and so, I commend the use of the mouth for apology. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tWith regard to our deeds\u2014we <em>serve<\/em> one another if we have been made happy by God. If God has become our treasure \/ if God has become our joy, we don\u2019t need to use each other anymore. Oh, this is so powerful!\u00a0 I wish I were better at it. I wish I were so completely content in God that I didn\u2019t need No\u00ebl\u2019s approval \/ need my wife\u2019s approval and, therefore, wouldn\u2019t be tempted to pout if it didn\u2019t come at the moment when I want it. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>19:00<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tThat dynamic of pouting\u2014men pout\u2014you know that?\u00a0 Men are pouters. I suppose women pout sometimes too. I\u2019m not married to a pouter, but pouting is a very immature way to respond to your expectations not being fulfilled. It\u2019s just kind of a \u201cPoor me,\u201d kind of feeling. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<br>Now, the solution to pouting, I think, is God. If God has become my treasure\u2014if God is my joy \/ if God is my satisfaction\u2014if God has embraced me, and made me His own, and will cause me to inherit the universe with infinitely increasing joy forever and ever\u2014what am I pouting about here?\u00a0 This is ridiculous. Instead, I would be so filled that I would be able to come her way more often with blessing, and serving, and giving, and helping. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>20:00<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tI really think, at the bottom of our marital difficulties and our parenting failures, is a failure to know what it is to be loved by God and be <em>enthralled<\/em> with Him. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t[Studio]\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob: <\/strong>Well, again, that is Dr. John Piper speaking to our staff, more than a decade ago; but still as crystal clear and true today as it was then. These are eternal truths that we need to be reminding ourselves of and reminding our listeners of regularly, here on <em>FamilyLife Today<\/em>. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis: <\/strong>I think it\u2019s the thing that makes <em>FamilyLife Today<\/em> so relevant, Bob, to our listeners. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>21:00<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tWe\u2019re wanting to help our listeners live life according to the Bible\u2014apply it to where they are facing issues, challenges, struggles\u2014and know how to do it right. And when you fail, we take responsibility for our lives and model what that looks like for our kids. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<br><strong>Bob: <\/strong>And we have some folks who share that desire with us to see marriages and families centered in God and in His Word. Those are the folks who support the ministry\u2014Legacy Partners who give each month to make <em>FamilyLife Today<\/em> possible. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis: <\/strong>If you are a Legacy Partner, I want you to just think about what you are doing. You are making this broadcast possible in the midst of an array of other radio programs, other podcasts, other messaging on the internet that is anything but God-honoring. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<br><strong>Bob: <\/strong>Right. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<br><strong>Dennis: <\/strong>And what we are committed to here is to proclaiming the Bible\u2014helping you apply it where you live in an effective way\u2014and pass that onto your kids. The next generation is on the line, folks. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>22:00<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tAnd we cannot afford to lose that battle. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob: <\/strong>You know that this month we are hoping that there would be 20 families in every state where <em>FamilyLife Today<\/em> is heard\u201420 new families who would step forward and say, \u201cWe can help underwrite the cost of <em>FamilyLife Today<\/em> as Legacy Partners.\u201d\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tAnd I want to encourage our listeners\u2014go to FamilyLifeToday.com and click the link that says, \u201cDONATE.\u201d Find out more about becoming a monthly supporter of <em>FamilyLife Today<\/em> and being part of the team\u2014that makes this daily radio program possible, you make the events that we host possible, you make the resources we create possible, our website and all that we\u2019re doing digitally\u2014you help make this possible when you support the ministry of <em>FamilyLife Today<\/em> as a Legacy Partner. So, again, find out more at FamilyLifeToday.com. Click the link that says, \u201cDONATE\u201d; or call 1-800-FL-TODAY and say, \u201cI am interested in becoming a Legacy Partner.\u201d\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<br>By the way\u2014when you are online\u2014check out information about the book that John Piper has written on marriage called <em>This Momentary Marriage<\/em>. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>23:00<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tIt\u2019s a book that we\u2019ve got in our <em>FamilyLife Today<\/em> Resource Center. We love making good resources like this available to our listeners. You can order from us, online, or you can call 1-800-FL-TODAY to order your copy of the book, <em>This Momentary Marriage<\/em>, by John Piper. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tAnd finally, we want to say, \u201cCongratulations!\u201d today to our friends, Robert and Susan Huckleberry. <em>Today<\/em>, they are celebrating 32 years as husband and wife\u2014it\u2019s their anniversary today. They live in Fox, Arkansas\u2014just around the corner from us here. And we want to say, \u201cCongratulations!\u201d to the Huckleberrys on their wedding anniversary. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tWe are all about anniversaries, here at <em>FamilyLife Today<\/em>. We want to see more people celebrating more anniversaries every year as a result of what God is doing through this ministry. And we\u2019d love to help make your anniversary the best one ever this year\u2014we\u2019ve got some ideas and some suggestions. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>24:00<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tIf you\u2019ll just share with us when your anniversary is, we\u2019ll get in touch with you\u2014oh\u2014about a month ahead of your anniversary with some ideas on how you can have a great celebration together this year. Go to FamilyLifeToday.com and share with us your anniversary, and we\u2019ll get back in touch with you as your anniversary date rolls around this year. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tNow, tomorrow, we are going to hear from our friend, Dr. Tony Evans, about what it looks like to live a kingdom-focused life. I hope you can be here for that. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tI want to thank our engineer today, Keith Lynch, along with our entire broadcast production team. On behalf of our host, Dennis Rainey, I\u2019m Bob Lepine. We will see you back tomorrow for another edition of <em>FamilyLife Today<\/em>. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<em>FamilyLife Today<\/em> is a production of FamilyLife of Little Rock, Arkansas. Help for today. Hope for tomorrow.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tWe are so happy to provide these transcripts to you. However, there is a cost to produce them for our website. If you\u2019ve 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?\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tCopyright <sup>\u00a9<\/sup> 2016 FamilyLife. All rights reserved.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<a href=\"http:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/\">www.FamilyLife.com<\/a>\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t\t1\n\t\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\/303868","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=303868"}],"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=303868"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=303868"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=303868"},{"taxonomy":"podcast_series","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/podcast_series?post=303868"},{"taxonomy":"cwp_profile","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/cwp_profile?post=303868"},{"taxonomy":"series","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/series?post=303868"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}