F a m I l y
Dictionary meaning of
Family:
Group of related people who live together. a group of people
who live together and are related to one another, usually consisting of parents
and children
I
believe that the role of the family is God’s idea. Why fight it? Why not accept
the fact that our heavenly father knows best?
Genesis 2:18,24
From the very beginning of human life, God has created us to be relational beings and dependent on one another! God gives us the primary foundation for society – it’s the family, it’s the relationship between a man and woman, children and parents and child to child!
Genesis 2:18,24
From the very beginning of human life, God has created us to be relational beings and dependent on one another! God gives us the primary foundation for society – it’s the family, it’s the relationship between a man and woman, children and parents and child to child!
For the love of our children - Government service can’t replace the love of a mother and the leadership of a father! Social services can’t replace a child’s devotion to parents! All the counseling services in the world can’t bring the healing words of a parent to a child!
And Moses knew this! Moses had the massive job of getting a new nation to adopt God’s guidelines for a healthy family.
Moses Gives 3 Godly Guidelines For Great Families:
1. A Home Is Where Righteous Lives Are Lived. Vs. 1,2
He’s talking directly to moms and dads!
The parental path is never ending! There’s always a bend in the road, a valley to cross and a hill to climb!
And how we travel that parental path makes all the difference in our children’s lives!
The parental patterns make a big impact on children.
Like it or not, the moment our children were born, God intended for us to be the primary role model for them!
How about YOU? Because it’s not just for our sakes, but also
for our children’s sakes!
Deuteronomy 5:29 “That it may be well with you forever.”
Moms and Dads – there’s no substitute for Godly character! And only you can set that pattern for your children! With everything in you model to your children that you are a god fearing man and woman!
Deuteronomy 5:29 “That it may be well with you forever.”
Moms and Dads – there’s no substitute for Godly character! And only you can set that pattern for your children! With everything in you model to your children that you are a god fearing man and woman!
Mould your heart as a God fearing parent and then you will model your
heart as a God loving parent!
A Home Is Where The Lord Is Loved
A Home Is Where Right Lessons Are Learned.
Home is the child’s fist classroom! Where actions have consequences and
where character counts!
A place where love is expressed and learned and forgiveness is expressed
often! It’s where they learn to submit to authority, to be kind to one another,
to be obedient.
Our homes are where our children learn the basic skills to survive
Our homes are where our children learn the basic skills to survive
Start with the 10 commandments!
Deuteronomy 5:1 “Hear O Israel, the statues and judgments which I speak…learn them and be careful to observe them.”
He’s talking about the 10 commandments! Teach them to your kids not as 10 suggestions or as 10 offenses but God’s 10 commandments!
Acts 16:34 “The whole family was filled with joy when they believed in God.”
Deuteronomy 5:1 “Hear O Israel, the statues and judgments which I speak…learn them and be careful to observe them.”
He’s talking about the 10 commandments! Teach them to your kids not as 10 suggestions or as 10 offenses but God’s 10 commandments!
Acts 16:34 “The whole family was filled with joy when they believed in God.”
1)
Godly
Family must be a serving family
Every thing else we read about this couple from then on is about them serving God together. Years later Paul writes back to the church at Rome…
Romans 16:3-4
Greet Priscilla and Aquila my helpers in Christ Jesus: [4] Who have for my life laid down their own necks: unto whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles.
Every thing else we read about this couple from then on is about them serving God together. Years later Paul writes back to the church at Rome…
Romans 16:3-4
Greet Priscilla and Aquila my helpers in Christ Jesus: [4] Who have for my life laid down their own necks: unto whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles.
2) Acts 18…v. 18 Do you know what’s happening to
this couple? The same thing that ought to happen to each and every one of us
after we get saved…regardless of our occupation, our main business ought to be
God’s business! Worshipping and serving Him, teaching and helping others,
winning souls and seeing people get saved!
3) A great family is a saved family...a serving
family
4)
It must
be a sanctified family
That means “set apart”…separated from the world.
Romans 16:5
Likewise greet the church that is in their house.
That means “set apart”…separated from the world.
Romans 16:5
Likewise greet the church that is in their house.
HUBANDS
HUSBANDS ARE CHARGED WITH SACRIFICIAL LOVE
A. What is Involved in Sacrificial Love?
Essential ingredient of loving leadership and headship in the home; Seen in acts of sacrifice and concern for her welfare;
“honour, value, respect, guard, protect, show delight in your wife”
B. Why is it so Essential? protects against resentment – “and do not be embittered against them”
Wives have special needs; husband had certain limitations (restrictions) which he did not have as
a single man; the pressure to meet these needs may lead to resentment or bitterness
Ephesians 5: 19 Speaking
to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making
melody in your heart to the Lord;20 Giving thanks always for
all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;21 Submitting
yourselves one to another in the fear of God
.22 Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. 23 For the
husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and
he is the saviour of the body. 24 Therefore as the church
is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every
thing. 25 Husbands,
love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;
26 That he
might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,
27 That he might present it
to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing;
but that it should be holy and without blemish. 28 So ought men to love
their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself.
29 For no man ever yet
hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the
church: 30 For we
are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. 31 For
this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto
his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. 32 This is a great mystery:
but I speak concerning Christ and the church. 33 Nevertheless let every
one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see
that she reverence her husband.
CHILDREN
Obedient Children
Ephesians
6 :1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this
is right.2 Honour thy father and mother; which is the first
commandment with promise; 3 That
it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth.
Colossians
3 Rules for Christian Households
18 Wives, submit to your
husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. 19 Husbands, love your wives and
do not be harsh with them. 20 Children, obey your parents
in everything, for this pleases the Lord.21 Fathers, do not embitter your
children, or they will become discouraged.
(:20) CHILDREN ARE CHARGED WITH OBEDIENCE
A. What is involved in Obedience?
Vaughan: “implies a readiness to hear and carry out orders; the child is to listen to and carry out the instructions of his parents. The verb is in the present tense, indicating that such action is to be habitual.”
B. Scope of this Obedience – “in all things”
C. Why is it so Essential? – “this is well-pleasing to the Lord”
Preserves peace in the home
A. What is involved in Obedience?
Vaughan: “implies a readiness to hear and carry out orders; the child is to listen to and carry out the instructions of his parents. The verb is in the present tense, indicating that such action is to be habitual.”
B. Scope of this Obedience – “in all things”
C. Why is it so Essential? – “this is well-pleasing to the Lord”
Preserves peace in the home
THE
COMMAND TO BE HEAVENLY-MINDED
Colossians 3 : 1 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those
things which are above, where Christ setteth on the right hand of God. 2 Set your affection on
things above, not on things on the earth.
A DIFFICULT DILEMMA.
A. Why is it so difficult for Christians to set their minds and affections on eternal things? That is to say, why is it so hard for God’s people to be "heavenly-minded" people while here on earth?
B. Some might answer, "Because of our sin nature." Certainly there is some truth in that.
1. Christians do have two sets of desires that are warring against one another -- the desires of the flesh and the desires of the Spirit.
2. Paul spoke of this conflict in Gal. 5:16-17.
3. See also Rom. 7:21-23.
A. Why is it so difficult for Christians to set their minds and affections on eternal things? That is to say, why is it so hard for God’s people to be "heavenly-minded" people while here on earth?
B. Some might answer, "Because of our sin nature." Certainly there is some truth in that.
1. Christians do have two sets of desires that are warring against one another -- the desires of the flesh and the desires of the Spirit.
2. Paul spoke of this conflict in Gal. 5:16-17.
3. See also Rom. 7:21-23.
C. But our difficulty in focusing on eternal values cannot be completely blamed on our sin nature.
1. The fact is that God has placed Christians in a difficult (though not impossible) situation. He asks Christians to be citizens of two worlds.
2. In fact, this is such a difficult predicament that it merited a special prayer by Jesus on our behalf: Jn. 17:14-18
a. Notice that twice in this passage Jesus declares that His followers are not of this world (vs. 14,16).
b. But twice Jesus specifically says that God’s plan is not to take Christians out of this world, but rather, to send them into the world (vs. 15,18).
3. AND HEREIN LIES THE PROBLEM! How can a Christian live in this world with its responsibilities and temptations without loving this world and being conformed to its values?
D. The tension of this situation is addressed throughout the Bible.
1. (Phil. 3:20) -- "For our conversation [citizenship] is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ."
2. (II Tim. 2:4) -- "No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier."
3. I John 2:15-17
On the other hand, the Bible also speaks of some very definite responsibilities we have while here on earth.
1. Our work, family, health, friends, money, etc.
2. So how can a Christian be heavenly-minded, and yet give the proper attention to our responsibilities here on earth?
Colossians 3:1-2 addresses and answers this dilemma (read).
1. According to our text, to be heavenly-minded means to conform our everyday desires, attitudes, and actions to the image of Christ.
2. In other words, being heavenly-minded simply means loving what Jesus loves, thinking like Jesus thinks, and viewing everything in our daily life from His heavenly perspective.
DETERMINING YOUR DESIRES.
Paul says the path to true and lasting change begins with a
CHANGE OF DESIRES ("seek"-vs. 1) that leads to a CHANGE OF THOUGHTS
("affections"-vs. 2) and results in a CHANGE OF ACTIONS.
But is that really what Paul meant by "things
above"? Is being heavenly-minded simply a case of looking forward to the
untold joys that await us in eternity?
Paul clarified what he meant by "things above" with this phrase: "where Christ setteth on the right hand of God."
Paul clarified what he meant by "things above" with this phrase: "where Christ setteth on the right hand of God."
Throughout the Bible we find lists of the "things
above" which we are to seek;
1. Galatians 5:22-23 (fruit of the Spirit)
2. Phil. 4:8
3. James 3:17
And so we have come full circle back to our original definition of what it means to be heavenly-minded. It means to continually desire and long for, to pursue after, those qualities that characterize the life of Jesus Christ. As we long for these qualities and think about them, they will transform our lives.
1. Galatians 5:22-23 (fruit of the Spirit)
2. Phil. 4:8
3. James 3:17
And so we have come full circle back to our original definition of what it means to be heavenly-minded. It means to continually desire and long for, to pursue after, those qualities that characterize the life of Jesus Christ. As we long for these qualities and think about them, they will transform our lives.
I.
Marriage: a
divine ordinance (Genesis 2:18-24)
A. Marriage is a divine ordinance. (Proverbs 18:22)
A. Marriage is a divine ordinance. (Proverbs 18:22)
1. Marriage was instituted for God’s children. And a godly home is a good advertisement for a life in Jesus.
2. If a Christian couple is living outside a legal and sanctified relationship. Their faith and prayer will not work, and there will never be a real harmony in their relationship.
Note: Sinners living in today’s society don’t know any better.
3. Without marriage as a divine ordinance, you will not have a family. You may have a group of people living in the same house but not a family, you will have living arrangements but not godly relationships.
B. Marriage is honourable. (1 Timothy 3:12)
1. God’s will is marriage. Marriage is necessary to fulfill God’s purposes.
2. You may choose to marry or remain single. It is your privilege. If you want to be single and serve God then He will grace you for it.
a. Paul chose to be single. (1 Corinthians 7:6-7)
3. The myth of singleness
a. People do not have a “singleness problem,” they have an entirely different problem called “being single.”
b. The problem is with the definition, which was given by a cultural, socio-economic system under the ruler ship of Satan (the god of this world) there’s confusion between singleness & “being alone.”
o Singleness = to be separate, unique and whole
o Being single = solitary, desolate, alone
o Man was single, separate, unique and whole
Note: no one should marry until he or she is totally single.
4. God’s view of singleness
1. God said… “it is not good that man should be alone…”
2. God made the woman so that the man will not be alone.
3. Having a companion for Adam was God’s idea
4. God presented Eve to Adam, God did not give Eve as wife. He must choose. (Pick one out!)
Note:, Marriage will not necessarily make two halves whole.
C. The Word of God gives guidelines for a good marriage partner.
1. Must be a believer. (2 Corinthians 6:14)
2. Must agree with your beliefs and goals. (Amos 3:3)
3. Must not be quarrelsome or given to strife. (Proverbs 21:9)
4. Must be willing to change or renew his or her mind (Romans 12:2)
5. Must be responsible and disciplined. (1 Corinthians 4:2)
Note: It takes a good husband and a good wife to make a good marriage
The Christian Family
Marriage is the greatest gift for God’s blessings, but it could be the greatest tool for Satan’s curse (Genesis 2:24)
1. In God’s plan, marriage brings total fulfillment. (Matthew 19:4-6)
2. Outside of God’s plan, marriage brings total misery.
3. When our marriage is not right, our whole life is not right.
a. Whether it’s the husband’s fault or not, He is responsible for
the marriage to work. (It can be fixed)
b. We are to treat our spouse like we treat ourselves.
c. Our marriage is a mirror of ourselves. Whatever is in the individual is magnified in the relationship.
d. Our personal strengths are seen in our marriage.
4. A good marriage is one of the qualifications for leaders in the
church
(1 Timothy 3:1-5; Titus 1:5-9)
Bishop = Gr. Episkopos – overseer, in charge of a group of believers,
A good marriage begins in us
1. A good marriage is simply the relationship between a good man and a good woman.
2. We have all we need for a good marriage in the inside of us.
(1 Timothy 3:1-5; Titus 1:5-9)
Bishop = Gr. Episkopos – overseer, in charge of a group of believers,
A good marriage begins in us
1. A good marriage is simply the relationship between a good man and a good woman.
2. We have all we need for a good marriage in the inside of us.
3. To improve our marriage, we must improve ourselves.
a. We can’t improve our spouse
b. We can only improve ourselves.
Note: The marriage is not what we work on, we work on ourselves.
To start a good marriage we must first leave our past (Genesis 2:24)
1. Those who don’t “leave” never “cleave.”
a. Cleave- be joined, united, adhere to
b. Hanging on to your past keeps you from your future
Six ingredients of godly and successful marriage:
1. Commitment – a decision and a choice to dedicate your life.
2. Communication – openly express about yourself, hiding nothing. Talking and listening until you really understand each other.
3. Sacrifice – giving of yourself, time, possessions and your rights to your spouse.
4. Intimacy – sharing your spirit, soul and body without reservation.
5. Agreement – growing together in the Word until you think alike.
6. Love – does not demand or take, but gives. – it is the foundation.
H. Both the husband and wife must recognize their differences.(uniqueness)
1. Six key differences between the man and the woman
MAN WOMAN
1. Physically active 1. Likes to talk
2. Majors on majors 2. Majors on anything
3. Headliner 3. The whole story
4. Responsible to provide money 4. Responsible for children/home
5. Aggressive/protector 5. Helper/supporter/protected
6. Thinker/logical 6. Feeling-oriented
2. Note: Men function from the head, women from the heart.
The Christian Family
God took something from man and made a helpmate that would supply and complement him. Comparable but not the same. (Genesis 2:21-23)
a. What was once one became two.
b. In marriage, the two became one again.
c. Now, without each other, they are incomplete.
4. Men tend to be secure in themselves, women tend to be insecure.
5. When a husband is preoccupied with other people, things or activities, his wife may become insecure.
I. What women want from their husband
1. Companionship - Make intimate conversations with her.
(Women love to talk)
2. Compassion - Be enthusiastic and attentive to her when you’re at the home and help her around the house.
3. Romance - Establish a regular schedule on a date. Surprise her!
4. Affection - Say “I love you” more often. (phone calls during the day.)
5. Passion -.If you don’t give her the first four – forget about number 5
J. Duties of a Husband: head of the house (1 Corinthians 11:3)
1. God placed the husband as head of his own house
(Caretaker and protector of his family)
2. He is responsible to live as an example in his house.
3. He is to love his wife as himself (Ephesians 5:25)
4. He is to honour his wife (1 Peter 3:7)
K. Duties of a Wife: submission (Ephesians 5:22)
L. Sex ordained within marriage only
1. God’s order is for male and female sexual activities to be carried out within marriage.
a. It is God’s idea
b. It is holy – to be “awed” (sacred)
c. It is God’s gift
d. It is to be cared for as God’s possession, not ours.
Note: If you will not marry, you must not participate in marriage activities, if you do so, you will not be operating within the blessing and sanction of God. (1 Timothy 5:14)
2. Sex outside of marriage is not only sin – it dishonours God’s temple.
(1 Corinthians 6:18-20; Galatians 5:19)
3. The Lord did not initiate marriage just so that Adam and Eve could begin to replenish the earth.
4. Husband and wife should know how to satisfy each other fully in the sexual relationship (Proverbs 5:15-23)
a. A woman is a “well” that must be drawn out
b. A man is a “fountain” that must be controlled.
Note: Men are ready for a physical relationship anytime. Wives are not, they must be prepared with our words.
5. You must communicate and give fully to satisfy your spouse. It should be a celebration of love, a time of giving and unity (1 Corinthians 7:3-5)
Note: mutual consent = agreement, not only in “when” but also in “how”.
Christianity is the only strong foundation for successful
family life.
A. God’s purpose for the family
1. The whole plan of God for mankind is centred around the family.
2. If you remove it, you remove the basic foundational ingredient of the purpose of God for establishing the human race.
Note: Purpose is the key to fulfillment. When purpose is not known, abuse is inevitable.
B. God’s parenting plan when we see our children as God sees them, parenting will be a joy
1. Children are to be recognized as members of the family, not its center.
When parents violate this God-ordained priority, they alter the intrinsic psycho-sociological elements necessary for normal child development.
A. God’s purpose for the family
1. The whole plan of God for mankind is centred around the family.
2. If you remove it, you remove the basic foundational ingredient of the purpose of God for establishing the human race.
Note: Purpose is the key to fulfillment. When purpose is not known, abuse is inevitable.
B. God’s parenting plan when we see our children as God sees them, parenting will be a joy
1. Children are to be recognized as members of the family, not its center.
When parents violate this God-ordained priority, they alter the intrinsic psycho-sociological elements necessary for normal child development.
a. Our relationship priorities should be:
1) God
2) Spouse
3) Children
2. Children are gifts from God (Psalm 127:3-5)
a. God has given us the responsibility for the children He gives us.
b. Our responsibilities to our children. Be prepared to give:
1) Love – Ephesians 6:4
2) Teaching – Deuteronomy 6:6-9
3) Training – Proverbs 22:6
4) Correction and discipline – Proverbs 13:24
the best way to teach and train our children is by example. Values are caught not just taught.
c. Biblical correction of children – the rod of correction
(Proverbs 13:24; 19:18; 22:15; 28:13,14; 29-15-17)
d. Two main reasons for correcting your children
1) Wilful disobedience (Ephesians 6:1; Micah 6:8)
2) Wrong attitudes. A child must learn first time obedience.
Note: never correct out of anger
e. At different ages we need to have different parenting emphasis:
1) Birth through five – love and discipline
2) Five through ten – teaching and training
3) Ten through fifteen – encouragement and motivation
4) Fifteen through twenty – openness.
f. God warns us not to provoke our children to anger or discouragement (Colossians 3:21) We do this by:
1) Not having time for them.
2) Not instructing and training them.
3) Not giving them self worth and security.
4) Quenching their drive and creativity. – limiting them
5) Not leading them.
6) Worst of all abusing them.
Note: Dignity is the child’s most valued possession
Galatians 3 Sons of God
26 You are all sons of God through faith in
Christ Jesus, 27 for all of you who were baptized into Christ
have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor
free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
There are many wonderful families in the church. But the most
wonderful family of all is the one holy universal Christian church! The best
family of all is GOD’S family! Ephesians 1:5 says “In love, He predestined us
to be adopted as His sons through Jesus Christ, to the praise of His glorious
grace.”
And 1 John 3:1 says “How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called the children of God! God loves us so much that He wants us to be in His family!
And 1 John 3:1 says “How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called the children of God! God loves us so much that He wants us to be in His family!
Colossians 3:12 says “Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy
and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness
and patience.” That’s what it means to put Christ on over your life, and that’s
what it means to be an active member of the one holy universal Christian
church.
Our families need men
like Joshua, who will dedicate themselves to the Lord, and be a godly influence
in there families and nation.
1. It takes a real
man to make such a commitment and to life by it. It is the selfish, weak and
wimpy men of today who think they have more important things to do, that lead
their families. Many men today spend more time "supporting" their
basketball, footfall or some other sport than raising their children. Others
think that if they have their children participating in sports in raising their
children. More important than any fun activity is imparting spiritual guidance
and teaching their children to love the Lord.
2. I personally have known of pastors
who neglected their wives and families for the "ministry." Supposing
to be "serving the Lord" they gave their time to others neglecting
their own families. This is gross sin and should be recognized as such. God has
given the father the responsibility to be a loving husband to his wife.
"Husbands, love
your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That
he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he
might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or
any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. So ought men to
love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth
himself" (Eph. 5:25-28).
Note that the importance God places on
the husband loving his wife. He says its should be in the same way that Christ
loved the local assembly of believers and died for us! Clearly that places a
husbands first responsibility to his wife and family. No pastor, school
teachers, youth leader, song director, bus captain or anyone involved in a
Christian ministry should put that ministry before his first responsibility in
his home. To do otherwise is to sin and God will not bless a ministry do at the
expense of one's family. We might outwardly do a lot and it look good, but as
Matthew 7:21-23 states not all done in the name of Christ is of the Lord.
To some parents work is more important. Matt. 6:33, says, "Seek ye
first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be
added."
a. In pursuing money,
houses cars and material things, and failing in fulfilling their spiritual
responsibility, fathers are selling out their children.
b. God says, seek Me first, I will take
care of the rest. I know that to be true in my own life.
II. The Visible
Father Makes a Stand and Set the Example for What is Right.
A. Joshua was willing to
take an unpopular stand..."choose you this day whom you will serve....as
for me..
1. He made his choose
based on what was right, and not on the decision others had wrongly made. The
world has chosen to live for selfish pleasure and material things, that is so
clear. But Joshua was a man, he stood for what was right.
2. He took the "road less travelled."
He took the road of responsibility. He chose the road of faith, the road of
obedience. He thought it better to live in the Grace of God than in the popularity
of men.
B. Today's visible
Father too may have to stand alone.
1. There are powerful
forces at work to make today's man conform to the ways of the world.
2. The father, who proclaims himself to
be a Biblical Christian sets himself up for ridicule.
3. The world will mock a man who wants
to be saved and have his sins forgiven.
4. The world in scorn proclaims a man
who seeks God is weak and afraid. What utter foolishness is the wisdom of the
world, who say it is a sign of weakness believe truth and be in fellowship with
God who created us.
5. Was Christ weak? Who showed such
love for the mankind that He suffered for our sins that we might have
forgiveness and eternal life.
6. What a perverted view the world has
of what is a real man. They praise the selfish, immoral father who has sold his
soul to living the "gusto life," who shirks is responsibility to his
wife and children. They then ridicule and make fun of the father who shoulders
his responsibility, boldly proclaims his love and devotion to God and to his
wife and children. What sick and perverted idea most men have.
III. The Visible
Father Takes Responsibility and Leads His Family in the ways of God.
A. He unselfishly
lives his life with his family. Every decision he makes includes his family and
their spiritual and physical welfare.
1. He assumes the
leadership that God has given him as the head of the household.
2. In many families, the man leaves
this to the wife. She then must do double duty, which will never be as
successful as if the father provided his leadership.
3. In some families today, the children
are left to raise themselves.
4. God has delegated responsibility in
raising the children to both parents, and each has a role the other cannot
perform.
B. The visible father
also makes no decision for his family without including himself.
1. He say, "as
for me..." So many husbands and fathers put off their responsibility to
their wives for the spiritual upbringing of their children.
2. I believe this is the reason for the
epidemic spread of homosexuality. When the father is absent the child will
pattern its life after the mother.
3. The spiritual upbringing of the
children must me done by both parents.
The
miracle comes in the form of obedience to God’s word by the power of the Holy
Spirit.
Romans 8:31 gives us the answer to their success and ours.
It says, What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us?
The Lord gave victory to the Israelites against her enemies, so too will he give us victory today over overwhelming odds and lopsided statistics. The key to success today is the same as in the Old Testament battles, obedience to the Lord.
It says, What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us?
The Lord gave victory to the Israelites against her enemies, so too will he give us victory today over overwhelming odds and lopsided statistics. The key to success today is the same as in the Old Testament battles, obedience to the Lord.
First, build on God’s foundation and use his blue prints.
Ephesians 5:1 says,
Be imitators of God
What an awesome task. Imitate God. How can we know what God acts like? Look at the life of Jesus Christ. He said if we had seen Him, we had seen the Father. It is through learning of Him, being a disciple, that we find what to do. He is our model in all our relationships, including the family.
2) commit and submit to each other. Of all the verses describing the life and work of Jesus, Ephesians 5:21 is the most succinct. All the verses of chapter five flow from this one verse.
Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.
This is the overriding principle in the disciple’s family life when dealing with your spouse. If every married couple were to live their lives in this manner there would be no divorce.
3) wives are to submit. Ephesians 5:22 says,
Wives, submit to your husband’s as to the Lord.
Be imitators of God
What an awesome task. Imitate God. How can we know what God acts like? Look at the life of Jesus Christ. He said if we had seen Him, we had seen the Father. It is through learning of Him, being a disciple, that we find what to do. He is our model in all our relationships, including the family.
2) commit and submit to each other. Of all the verses describing the life and work of Jesus, Ephesians 5:21 is the most succinct. All the verses of chapter five flow from this one verse.
Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.
This is the overriding principle in the disciple’s family life when dealing with your spouse. If every married couple were to live their lives in this manner there would be no divorce.
3) wives are to submit. Ephesians 5:22 says,
Wives, submit to your husband’s as to the Lord.
4)husbands
love your wife to the extent that you are willing to die for her. Ephesians
5:25 says,
Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.
Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.
5)when something happens to upset the other person. Obviously
both should stay away from adulterous affairs. But even when something of that
magnitude happens, the ideal would be to forgive the other person after
confession and repentance. Ephesians 4:32 says,
Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
6)Respect. Ephesians 5:33 reminds of another important aspect of love. It is usually mentioned in concert with the word love, it is respect. It states,
However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.
Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
6)Respect. Ephesians 5:33 reminds of another important aspect of love. It is usually mentioned in concert with the word love, it is respect. It states,
However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.
Respect is an attitude of acknowledging the feelings and interests of another party in a relationship. It is putting the other person first. The argument that should take lace in a godly home is who gets to sacrifice or give up "rights" for the other person. Unfortunately most arguments are cantered on self.
Finally, be a good Godly parent and teach your kids about the Lord. Ephesians 5:2 says,
live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
