God's Word & Our Family

Our church is currently going through "Fresh Encounter", a study into God's pattern for revival. This past Sunday evening we began going through "A Plumb Line for God's People" with messages from Henry Blackaby. "God's Standard for the Family" was 1st on the agenda.

As Henry read through Deuteronomy 6:5-9 it became apparent to me how far many of us have strayed from God's Plumb Line. "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates." Let's break this verse down and look at areas where we may have departed from the Lord.

#1 - How often do we sit with our children and discuss scripture together? When was the last time that we took the time to impress upon them the importance of God's Word?

#2 - Walked with your children lately and told them about the good things of God? In today's society we have far too many things that compete with our time with our children: sports, TV, video games, and our busy schedules. Will we MAKE time to be with our kids?

#3 - Do you post scripture in your home? God said that His people should write His commands upon the doorposts. I have known many people to write scripture on studded walls, and basement floors before they were finished. If you bought a home that was already finished you can hang pictures with scripture for all to see or buy some of the cool decals that place Scripture on your walls. Let people know that when they come into your home that you hold scripture very valuable and that these are the words that you and your children constantly see.

When we understand that God's purpose for the family is that we be involved with Him in His redemptive plan for the world, we come to a greater understanding of the family emphasis. God wants us to produce godly offspring that will follow Him with all their hearts, soul, and strength. We cannot allow the world to have a greater influence in our family than we do.

These are just some of the areas where we need to work. Doesn't it sadden you to think how far the family has fallen? Doesn't it bother you that the divorce rate in the church is just as high as it is in the world? Let us not forget the continuing problem of drug use, teen pregnancy, suicide, etc. Because we haven't held the standard of God's Word we have adopted the world's. It's time to fight! It's time for believers to reclaim their families. It's time to reclaim our marriages and our children and say that they belong to God. If we are His people then we will fight this fight and be victorious.

Blackaby says, "The key to a nation rests on the strength of its family life, and that is particularly true of God's people."