Keeping it all Together Let’s just recap where we have been the last few sessions.. Building a Godly Home Keeping it all Together

If men and women are so different, and we have multiple pairs of them in living in our home, how can we possibly make this work? Just a cruel social experiment by God? Big Brother type reality show for the angels? “Watch this Gabriel, he is going to leave the toilet seat up!” God is using our marriage and family to make us holy, not always happy And He gives us His promised Holy Spirit to make it work, to hold it all together. That’s our final big idea

The Holy Spirit keeps it all together Big Idea The Holy Spirit keeps it all together Without His help, left to our own, we are in big trouble He does this in three different ways

Filling us to build homes that are His The HS keeps our homes together by filling us to build homes that are His

Ephesians 5:18 “And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit” Misunderstood verse Nothing to do with tongues or even spiritual gifts WALK THROUGH IT Issue is control – Who has control of you? YOU or the HS? Look what happens when we allow the Spirit to control us?

Ephesians 5:25ff Marriage Ephesians 6:1ff Parenting Ephesians 6:5ff Work Give Him control Every day, start the day, continue the day, end the day The HS keeps all our life together, homes together when we have control

The Holy Spirit keeps it all together Big Idea The Holy Spirit keeps it all together The HS also keeps it all together by changing us from the inside out Growing us to make us like more like Him

Growing us to make us more like Him As He fills and controls us, He changes and transforms our character and actions

Galatians 5:22-24 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,  gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.  And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.” Have to ask for it Takes a long time Have to be intentional – or you grow weeds Which specific one are you asking for – in your life, spouse, kids? Self control for me Imagine what your home would look like if these grew? Workplace? Church?

Allowing us to suffer to show more of His love Final thing the HS does isn’t such a happy nice one Goes back to the 3 blueprint things I keep in mind Suffering, sin and dysfunction happen, in EVERY home And He allows this, yes to make us more Holy, but specifically so we can love each other and other people better with His love

Romans 5:3-5 “Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.” Suffering is this process that God works in us to produce all kinds of Holy things: Endurance – I can handle this, it will not break me Character – it shaves off things like selfishness, self centeredness and shallow living Hope – It reminds us that God is sovereign and good, He will ultimately come to our rescue God uses suffering to push us to Him so He can remind us of His suffering, ultimate act of love for us That builds in our hearts and we overflow it to others

The more you love, the more you will suffer Suffering has to happen in a family, because it is built on love, and true biblical love suffers for the other Jesus modeled this for us in going to the cross, His love resulting in suffering We model this to others when we forgive – bearing the suffering of another’s sin because we love them, even our enemies Husbands show this when they embrace manhood, suffering their wants and needs to love their kids and wife Wives show this when they submit their wants and desires to their family and husband, embracing womanhood Our kids need to see this as we encourage them to help others in need, even at their expense, love the unloveable at school If we love Jesus, we will suffer persecution from family, friends, neighbors and co-workers If you love little, you will suffer little, lose little, but gain little and end up alone, loving yourself But if you love much, you will risk much, suffer much, but be loved much Embrace suffering as a way to grow in love for others

The Holy Spirit keeps it all together Big Idea The Holy Spirit keeps it all together

Keeping it all Together Building a Godly Home Keeping it all Together