1. “Pursuing Family Blessings with Peace”
Eph 5:22-6:4 & Selected
Cross Creek Community Church, Pastor Dave Martin – Nov 1, 2015

2. I. Pursuing an honest look at families today

4. Marriage is a sacred institution—the most basic and essential building block of a healthy society. The design of the family was instituted by God and rests on the marriage covenant and a vow of commitment between a man and a woman to live together in love and unity for a lifetime.

5. II. Pursuing a blessed Husband/Wife Relationship

6. The Wife’s top five basic needs are:
The Husband’s top five basic needs are:
1. Affection 2. Communication 3. Openness/Honesty 4. Financial Support 5. Family Commitment
1. Sexual Fulfillment
2. Recreational Companionship
3. An Attractive Wife
4. Domestic Support
5. Admiration

7. Key to a blessed relationship…

8. Mutually pursue Love & respect based on reverence for God.
Ephesians 5:21 Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.
Philippians 2:2 Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one heart and purpose. NLT

9. Affair Proof your Marriage with “Love Languages”…
Communicate with Words of Affirmation

10. Affair Proof your Marriage with “Love Languages”…
Communicate with Words of Affirmation
Commit to spending Quality Time together

11. Affair Proof your Marriage with “Love Languages”…
Communicate with Words of Affirmation
Commit to spending Quality Time together
Submission in Giving & Receiving Gifts

12. Affair Proof your Marriage with “Love Languages”…
Communicate with Words of Affirmation
Commit to spending Quality Time together
Submission in Giving & Receiving Gifts
Partnership together with Acts of Service

13. Affair Proof your Marriage with “Love Languages”…
Communicate with Words of Affirmation
Commit to spending Quality Time together
Submission in Giving & Receiving Gifts
Partnership together with Acts of Service
Foster love, romance and Physical Touch

14. Maintain God’s order of priorities:
Christ – Marriage – Children – Church – Everything else

15. III. Pursuing a blessed Parent/Child Relationship

16. A Healthy Child Grows… Intellectually in wisdom Physically in stature
Spiritually in favor with God
Socially in favor with men
Luke 2:52 And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.
Proverbs 22:6 6 Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.

17. Christian parenting provides the “greenhouse environment” for the healthy growth of children! Three essentials that successful parenting hinges upon…

18. Successful Parenting Essentials…
(If you do this you will be reasonably successful in child-rearing)

19. 1. Be teaching your children the truth of God’s Word 24/7.
Deuteronomy 6:7 Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.
(Pew Bible page 130, Deut 6:4-12)

20. Teach your children… (From Deut 6)
About God - “the Lord our God is one…”
To love God - “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul and all your strength…”
To obey God from the heart - “These words I command you today shall be in your heart…”
To follow your Godly example - “teach them diligently to your children…”
To be wary of the world around them - vs “God brings you into the land…don’t forget the Lord…”

21. 2. Be consistent to discipline your children when they do wrong.
Proverbs 23: Do not withhold discipline from a child; if you punish him with the rod, he will not die. 14 Punish him with the rod and save his soul from death.
Proverbs 13:24 He who spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is careful to discipline him.
(Carefully read and make application - Prov 13:24, 19:18, 22:15, 29:15, 29:17, Heb 12:5-11)

22. 3. Be wise not to provoke your children to anger.
Colossians 3:21 Fathers, do not embitter your children, or they will become discouraged… Ephesians 6:4 Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.

23. PARENTS, Spend time with this chart!

24. “Planning Financial Success with Wisdom”
Next Week:
“Planning Financial Success with Wisdom”

25. Adapted from the following resources:
The Heritage Foundation -
Family Life -
“Successful Christian Parenting”, John MacArthur; Word Publishing 1998
“The Five Love Languages”, Gary Chapman; Northfield publishing 2004
“Starting Your Marriage Right”, Dennis & Barbara Rainey; Nelson Books 2000
“Battle Cry for a Generation”, Ron Luce; Cook Ministries – NexGen 2005
“Bringing Up Kids Witho ut Tearing them Down”, Dr Kevin Leman; Delacorte Press 1993