Expanded Table of Contents
Dedications
A Note to the Reader
Introduction
May God’s Kingdom Come on This Earth
CHAPTER ONE Dishonoring
Today’s 5th Commandment
Laura’s Story
Brad’s Story
Dana’s Story
Mario’s Story
CHAPTER TWO An Adult Commandment
The Foundation of Christian Families
Setting Aside the Commandment
Two Types of Dishonoring
A Contemporary Look at Today’s Prodigal
Envy and Dishonor
Avoiding Regrets By Honoring
CHAPTER THREE What Honoring Parents Looks Like
Positioning Yourself to Receive the Promise
Honoring Is Not Obeying
Giving Honor Where Honor Is Due
Three Actions That Everyone Can Do
I. Maintaining a Connection
II. Understand the Relationship
III. Honoring By Being Kind
CHAPTER FOUR - Honoring Imperfect Parents
The Blessing of Imperfect Parents
Parents Want to Be Perfect
All Parents Make Mistakes
Change Your Perspective
1. Have an adult’s perspective
2. Have an objective perspective
3. Have a correct perspective
4. Have a Biblical perspective
5. Have an honest perspective
6. Have God’s realist perspective
Loving the imperfect
What have you done for me lately
Special relationships can hurt
CHAPTER FIVE The Benefits of the Promise
Prospering In Every Season of Life
1. Gaining the perspective of the aged
2. Having children who know how to honor you
3. Avoid getting stuck
4. Have a happy life
5. Be free from past anguish
6. Having someone who speaks in season
7. Live a life that is pleasing to God
CHAPTER SIX Boundaries and Troubled Families
Living in the Real World
Setting healthy boundaries
Who is your father?
Fathers and mothers in the Lord
Forced parental relationships
When you are the parent of your parent
Taking sides and bitter divorces
When you can’t find anything to honor
Forced honor by controlling parents
Creating distance while honoring
CHAPTER SEVEN Practical Ways of Honoring Parents
Public Actions and Heart Attitudes
Part I. Public acts of honor
1. Honoring by public thankfulness
2. Write a tribute and read it publicly
3. Honoring by covering sins - speaking highly
4. Honoring by planning times to remember
5. Honoring with cards, gifts, and phone calls
6. Honoring with support and help
Part II. Honoring with your heart attitudes
7. Honoring by giving the benefit of the doubt
8. Honoring by avoiding negativity
9. Honor your parents by never pulling rank
10. Honor by respecting their opinions
11. Honor by loving them into the Kingdom
12. Honor your parents by being a Peacemaker
CHAPTER EIGHT The Blessing of Inheritance
Sacrificing for the next generation
1st Part of the promise - A prolonged life
2nd Part of the promise - A good life
Finding your dream and passion the right way
3rd Part of the promise – 3 areas of inheritance
A. Spiritual inheritance
B. Personality or emotional inheritance
C. Physical inheritance
The times we live
Breaking the curse and finding your inheritance
A Final Word
Appendix 1
Extreme Cases of Parental Failure
Abandonment and abuse
Appendix II
Memories of My Dad On Father’s Day 2011
Appendix III
The Pain of Disappointment - Defining Your Expectations
About The Author