A Godly Family In An Ungodly World Building Godly Relationships. The Home As God Would Have It.

A Godly Family “…But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” Joshua 24:15 Whether you are single with or without children or married with or without children, God is concerned about your family. It is the most important building block to human society and, therefore, should be nurtured and protected.

A Godly Family In these last days, Satan has launched an all-out attack on the family unit. From attempting to change the definition of marriage to bringing divisions within our family units as a whole, this world is definitely not conducive for a family that fears the Lord. Nevertheless, in spite of what is going on in the world around us, it is still possible to have a godly family in an ungodly world.

A Godly Family Over the next few weeks, I will be presenting lessons designed to help us develop and maintain families and households that are Christ-centered and Spirit-filled. These lessons are meant to help us create family units that will withstand the ungodly pressure that is causing many households to collapse today. In addition to the lessons, I will be challenging each family to take steps to fortify their family structure against the wiles of the devil.

A Godly Family The first challenge is to evaluate your household for areas where your family may be vulnerable for attack by the enemy. When a storm is impending, we are advised to do a walk-thru to make sure our house is secure. Many experts suggest a family meeting to discuss just in case scenarios. Things like where to meet, who to call, etc. The same is true for our families.

A Godly Family Begin by evaluating your family’s relationship with God. Is God a part of your family? Is His word regularly read and taught in your household? Does your family worship and pray together at home? Is your family exposed to godly music, movies and other Biblically-based media?

A Godly Family Does Jesus Live Here? There is a story about a wife speaking to her husband when he got home. She had been busy with the kids and chores and running errands. She said that during the day someone came and knocked on the door, and asked the question: “Does Jesus Live Here”. She said this bothered her very much, and she had been thinking about it all day, and she now wonders herself: “does Jesus live here?” She asked her husband: “well, does He?”

A Godly Family If your answer is “no” to any of these questions, then it is time to make some adjustments. The stronger the presence and power of God is in your household, the less power the devil has to enter in and steal, kill and destroy. Because we know that is exactly what Satan wants to do.

A Godly Family Depends On A Sure Foundation Make a commitment today to develop a God-centered household by making sure your relationship with the Lord is what it ought to be and infusing the things of God into the daily function and routines of your family.

A Sure Foundation “Therefore whosoever hears these sayings of mine, and does them, I will liken him unto a wise man, who built his house upon a rock…” Matthew 7:24 One of the things that we have learned in experience, studies, and practice is that whether or not a structure like a house will stand is determined largely by the foundation on which it is built. If the foundation or the ground upon which that foundation is laid is weak then, no matter how beautiful or fortified the building may look, it is only a matter of time before the forces of time and nature will cause that building to collapse.

A Sure Foundation So it is with our families. If you want your family to survive the tests of time, the fiery attacks of Satan and the storms of life, you need to make sure your family (house) is built upon a sure foundation… A foundation that you can depend on. Is your family structure built upon the rock of God’s word?

A Sure Foundation Every June, the National Weather Service begins to encourage the residents of Florida and other states to begin making preparations for hurricane season. They do this to alert us so that we can be ready if a storm should make landfall. Their belief is that the more aware and prepared we are, the better the chances are that we will be able to survive the storm and no lives will be lost.

A Sure Foundation However, before there was a National Weather Service, Jesus Christ gave a warning and an encouragement to his followers about what we need to do to make sure our houses are ready and able to endure the storms of life. The key to a sure foundation, Jesus says, is to listen to His words (teachings of Christ/God) and apply them.

A Sure Foundation Is the presence and power of God’s word visible in your family? Do you and the members of your household actively engage and interact with the Bible outside of Sunday worship and Bible classes? Parents, do your children see you studying, meditating and applying God’s word in your life daily? Do they hear you talking about the Bible (in a positive way)?

A Sure Foundation Children, do your parents and siblings see that the word of God is an essential part of your life? If we are going to strengthen our marriages, families/households and our own spiritual lives, we’ve got to make sure we are listening to Christ daily and doing what he instructs us to do.

Deuteronomy 6:6-9 “And these words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart; and you shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up. And you shall bind them as a sign on your hand and they shall be as frontals on your forehead, and you shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates”.

A Sure Foundation I challenge you to read Deuteronomy 6:6-9 over and over, and follow God’s instructions for making God’s word the foundation of your house. Incorporate time in God’s word into the daily or weekly routine and fabric of your family. Study God’s word together and talk about it with your spouse, children, etc.

A Sure Foundation Discuss the sermons and Bible class lessons within your household and how they can be applied in your daily lives. When the knowledge and application of the word of God becomes the foundation upon which your family/house is built, although the storms of life will come, just like the wise man Jesus referred to in Matthew 7:24, after the storm is over, your house will still be standing.

Conclusion A Godly Family rests upon a Sure Foundation. This is just the beginning. As it takes time to develop a family unit, it also takes time to build upon the foundation. The family needs to communicate the need for a unified foundation. One in which all members of the family agree. In the coming weeks, we shall learn more about godly families.