1. The Essentials of Family Life

2. God values families Psalm 68:5 “A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling.” The Essentials of Family Life

3. Your Love 1 Corinthians 13:1-3 for parents: “If I offer the best parental advice, but have not love, I am only a two-year-old banging on a saucepan. If I read every book on parenting, and if I attend every parenting conference, but have not love, I am nothing. If I spend all my salary to provide the best for my children, but have not love, I gain nothing.”

4. The Essentials of Family Life Love is more than a feeling; love is an action. Are our children seeing loving actions in our homes? 1 Corinthians 8:1: “Love builds up.”

5. The Essentials of Family Life Your time Ephesians 5:15-16: “Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil” Our children need our presence more than our presents. Psalm 90:12, “Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.”

6. The Essentials of Family Life Your guidance “Parents want their children to love them, and it’s harder to say no than yes, especially if you’ve been working all day and you’re tired.” Proverbs 3:11-12: “My son, do not despise the LORD’S discipline and do not resent his rebuke, because the LORD disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in”.

7. The Essentials of Family Life Hebrews 12:11: “No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it” Proverbs 13:24: “He who spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is careful to discipline him” Proverbs 19:18: “Discipline your son, for in that there is hope; do not be a willing party to his death”

8. The Essentials of Family Life Are we setting proper boundaries for our children? When those boundaries are broken, are we disciplining them in love?

9. The Essentials of Family Life Love God loves us so much that He sent His Son to die for us. Time God has put a lot of time and effort into providing that way through His Son for us to be in relationship with Him. Guidance God wants to be involved in our lives if we will accept Him