Maintaining Spiritual Growth as the Family Grows Physically Dawn Pasley Pineville Church of Christ January 23, 2013

“Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain. It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows: for so he giveth his beloved sleep. Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward. As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth. Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate.” (Psa 127:1-5)

To Maintain Spiritual Growth as the Family Grows One Must Work On...

To Maintain Spiritual Growth as the Family Grows One Must Work On... GOALS R O W T H

GOALS “...the fruit of the womb is his reward. As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man...” verse 3-4 “I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:15

GOALS What is your mission as a family? What is your daily focus? What is your contribution each day to God's Kingdom?

GOALS A Family mission statement defines what your daily purpose is and where you are targeting for the future. Colossians 3 is an excellent chapter to look for ideas for the family mission.

GOALS An example of a family mission statement: We are a family that will: look for heavenly things, love what God loves, not be affected by the world, execute sinful actions, get rid of sinful thoughts, silence sinful speech, dress up with good attitudes, put up with each other, forgive, love like God loves, be peaceful, be thankful, know the Bible, encourage each other, sing, and be ambassadors for Jesus (influence others for Jesus).

GOALS Go beyond the family mission! Each person in the family should have goals that stem from this mission statement. Use this in every day of your life. Find family activities that will accomplish this mission! Get involved in the church!

To Maintain Spiritual Growth as the Family Grows One Must Work On... GOALS READINESS TO LEARN O W T H

READINESS TO LEARN “Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it:” Verse 1 “Apply thine heart unto instruction, and thine ears to the words of knowledge.” Proverbs 23:12

READINESS TO LEARN The Word of God (including sermons, podcasts, etc.) Books written by Christians Books written by non- Christians Interviews with older men and women in the church

To Maintain Spiritual Growth as the Family Grows One Must Work On... GOALS READINESS TO LEARN ORGANIZING PRIORITIES W T H

ORGANIZING PRIORITIES “It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows: for so he giveth his beloved sleep.” Verse 2 “If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.” Colossians 3:1-2

ORGANIZING PRIORITIES We must deal with the physical. We must realize that some things need to slide, but important things do not.

To Maintain Spiritual Growth as the Family Grows One Must Work On... GOALS READINESS TO LEARN ORGANIZING PRIORITIES WORDS WITH GOD T H

Words with God “Rejoice evermore, pray without ceasing and in everything give thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” I Thessalonians 5:16-18

Words with God We must ask our Father to help us build our homes or our work to build it is in vain.

To Maintain Spiritual Growth as the Family Grows One Must Work On... GOALS READINESS TO LEARN ORGANIZING PRIORITIES WORDS WITH GOD TRAINING H

TRAINING “As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth.” vs. 4

TRAINING Daily Bible study together Life skills have a two- fold blessing

To Maintain Spiritual Growth as the Family Grows One Must Work On... GOALS READINESS TO LEARN ORGANIZING PRIORITIES WORDS WITH GOD TRAINING HABITS

HABITS “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is, but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as you see the day approaching.” Hebrews 10:25

HABITS Routines help us to remember to do important or necessary things.

To Maintain Spiritual Growth as the Family Grows One Must Work On... GOALS READINESS TO LEARN ORGANIZING PRIORITIES WORDS WITH GOD TRAINING HABITS