A strong family is a family that has strong relationships with one another and each person has a strong relationship with God That kind of family will prosper no matter what is happening around them in society. On the other hand, weak families, families with weak relationships between parents, between parents and children and weak relationships with God will ultimately fail. Human relationships will crumble and spiritual relationships will disintegrate. …
We’re going to be looking at what Jesus has to say about living out God’s plan for your relationships. In our current message series, 40 Days with Jesus, we’re going through Jesus’ famous teaching in the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5-7. Relationships were invented by God. People were created so that we could have a relationship with God and with one another. Relationships bring much blessing into our lives, but also sometimes conflict and pain. How can your relationships be everything that God intends them to be? The answer is by understanding the principles of God’s Word and then applying them to your life with the help of the Holy Spirit. …
God has created us to relate to other people. Relationships bring the greatest joys and the deepest sorrows in life. As believers, God wants to help us learn to develop and grow great relationships. Great does not mean perfect. Perfect relationships are not possible. Why? …
Unity seems to be an elusive goal in our society. Marriages and families are disintegrating at an alarming rate. Infighting and division is common in many other groups, including businesses and churches. What is the cause of this breakdown in unity and harmonius relationships? The cause is simply selfishness, seeking to obtain the greatest advantage from the group and giving back as little as possible. When there is no unity, when there is division, what is the result?
Mark 3:25 (NIV) If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand.
When there is no unity in a group or relationship, that “house” is doomed to collapse. On the other hand, unity is a wonderful thing to be a part of.
Psalm 133:1 (NIV) How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity!
There is blessing, there is peace and joy when people in a group work together in unity. Generally, groups and relationships begin with unity. However, over time, inevitable forces work to sow seeds of division into a group. Unity is something that must actively be maintained, whether in a relationship or in a group.
Ephesians 4:3 (NIV) Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.
This verse is speaking specifially about the unity of the Spirit in a church family. Notice that every member must make every effort in order to keep the unity. Of course, unity and peace go hand in hand.
So, whatever church, group or relationship that you are a part of, ask yourself some questions.
Listen to my message “Maintaining Unity” based on Nehemiah 5, to learn the principles of maintaining unity in your life (message notes).
Fathers are an incredibly important part of God’s plan. God has created fathers to be leaders and protectors in multiple spheres of responsibility. In the book of Nehemiah, the fathers helped to build the wall around Jerusalem. The wall provided protection and security. Today’s father must build three walls in order to be successful in God’s purpose for their lives.
The personal wall of a father involves your character. Your character is the kind of person you are when no one is looking. In order to build your personal wall of integrity, you must build your relationship with the Father, God Himself.
1 John 2:13a (NIV) I write to you, fathers, because you have known him who is from the beginning.
Knowing God, your heavenly Father, is essential to becoming the father God created you to be. Your model of a father is God Himself. To grow in integrity, you must grow in prayer and understanding God’s Word. Your personal walls must be strong to withstand temptation in today’s world. Last week’s revelation of the extra-marital affair of Senator John Ensign of Nevada and today’s revelation of an affair by Governor Mark Sanford of South Carolina show what can happen when your personal walls are in rubble. You’ll make no progress in the other areas of your life unless you are building your life on the solid foundation of Jesus Christ.
A strong personal wall lays the groundwork to build a strong wall of protection around your family. The essence of a biblical family is the marriage relationship between one man and one woman. So, a father’s first task in a family is to build his relationship with his wife.
1 Peter 3:7 (NIV) Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers.
This surprising verse reveals that if a husband has a poor relationship with his wife, his relationship with God and his prayers will be hindered. Also notice that for a strong family wall, both husband and wife must be believers and committed to the Lord.
The second aspect of building the family wall is to train his children in God’s way.
Ephesians 6:4 (NIV) Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.
The father has the chief responsibility in the family to train and instruct his children walking with God. Children must come to a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and then grow in that relationship by learning from their father’s example. All too many fathers fall short in this, either through not having strong personal walls or pushing off the training responsibility to their wives and church only.
The final wall of protection that a father needs to build for his family and others is the church wall. Contrary to popular belief that you can go to any or no church at your own pleasure, God has one church in your area that He has chosen you to be a part of. When you as a father faithfully participate in that church family, God will protect and bless your family greatly.
1 Peter 2:5 (NIV) you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
To build your church wall, you must not only have a vertical relationship with Jesus, you must have a horizontal relationship with other believers in God’s family in the church. You help build your church wall through participating in ministry, not just being a spectator. When you take responsibility as a member of the church family, your wife and children will follow. The church wall is a source of great protection in today’s world and no believer should be without it.
Unfortunately, many fathers give building their job their highest priority which leads to great problems. However, when a father builds these three walls, personal, family and church walls, the rest of his life, including his job will prosper.
Listen to my June 21, 2009 message “Fathers – Builders of the Wall” (message notes).
Summer, especially July, is a time of family vacations. Ever wondered what God thinks about vacations? I’ve been thinking about it, as our family just returned from a vacation to Kentucky. We explored an 1850’s farm, got our van licked by a herd of buffalo and just had a great time together. We didn’t take a vacation from God, as we had times together of reading the Bible and attended a great church last Sunday called Hope Harbor. We’re glad to be back in St Louis, a little tired from all the physical activity, but refreshed.
So what does God think of vacations? In the Old Testament, God commanded the Israelites to take a trip three times a year to Jerusalem for the joyous festivals of Passover, the Feast of Tabernacles and the Feast of Weeks. Everybody needs a significant break from the routine of work a few times of year. Leave the laptop and email at home. Family vacations build the family bond closer. There’s nothing like the nine people of our family living in a small cabin to rub off some of our rough edges. Going to a different place and changing from the city to the wilderness, opened up our eyes to see God’s handiwork in creation. Worshipping in another church in a different state showed us God’s family is far bigger than what we have personally experienced. If you haven’t already, enjoy a vacation this summer, but don’t leave God out of it.
Actually, God presecribed a mini-vacation every week in the ten commandments called the Sabbath or day of rest. It’s a day to set aside to worship God, most people do that on Sunday. It’s a day to spend with your family and to set aside the routine work of the week.
Exodus 20:8-11 (NIV) Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your animals, nor the alien within your gates. For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.
Take a break, you deserve it and God commands it.
