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A Family That Prays Together It seems very hard to have a family today. For one thing, the Devil hates families and he has done everything in the last fifty years that he possibly can to destroy them. Today, it seems very nice for someone to have a family. It seems like a miracle for a family to be complete without any divorce. Christ never intended for divorce to be considered in the home. Through His apostles, He gave specific instructions for the home. First, the husbands: (Eph 5:25 KJV) "Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;" (Col 3:19 KJV) "Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them." (1 Pet 3:7 KJV) "Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered." First of all, if a man does not love the church, he does not love his wife. We are to be like Christ and Christ is marrying the church. If men do not understand this kind of love, they cannot love their wives. Secondly, there is no room for bitterness in a relationship. Bitterness must go. Be broken, and be repentant. Finally, 1 Peter 3:7 throws some for a loop. Forget all carnal understanding of the weaker vessel. Husbands, give honor (protection) to the wives if you want grace in your life. It is also a hint that if a husband’s prayers become hindered, he has not given honor to the wife. Now, second to the wives: (Col 3:18 KJV) "Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as it is fit in the Lord." (Titus 2:4-5 KJV) "That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, {5} To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed." (1 Pet 3:1-5 KJV) "Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives; {2} While they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear. {3} Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; {4} But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price. {5} For after this manner in the old time the holy women also, who trusted in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection unto their own husbands." First, notice the word own. Women need to have confidence in what their own husbands say. They need to have their needs of approval met by their own husbands. Also notice the word fit. Submit only to what is fit in the Lord. Submit to that which is by the Spirit and the Word. Secondly, they should take time to teach and train. One reason we have lost families is because young people have not been taught the importance of a family and how to keep a family together. This teaching comes by example. Finally, some do not wear make-up or jewelry because of this message. If any do this but are not in subjection to their husbands, they may as well wear the apparel. God is not saying here that make-up and jewelry are wrong. He is saying that women should not make it their beauty. Their beauty will come from a healthy family living in the order that God has called the family to live in. Finally, the children: It is not the responsibility of the children to make a good home. First, the relationship must be right between the husband and the church, then the husband to the wife, then the wife to the husband, then the parents to the children, and then, finally, the children to the parents. If any of the first four of five relationships is out of order, then it is not the responsibility of the children. Too many times children are put to blame because of their innocence and purity. It is not because they are the problem. Adults need to be adults and take responsibility for their weaknesses. These are all signs of the times. People seek divorce because their hearts are not toward God. When people are serving God and understand the family of God, they will not want to separate their immediate family. God will come back for a church family when the church family’s families are in order. Let us keep our minds pure, not chasing every escape, but being strong and standing up for what is right. Dear God, heal our land. Amen. -Chad Ross September Newsletter 1998 | Sin - Sin - Sin | Uncovering Hidden Strongholds Pastor's Journal September 1997 | A Family That Prays Together | A People of Understanding part 2 of 4 Revised: August 29, 2007. |
Biblical Counseling for Leaders
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