FOUNDATION OF MARRIAGE AND FAMILY
F E A T U R E
A house that is not built on a solid foundation is doomed to collapse. Likewise a family that is not built on the solid foundation of God's word is destined for a similar fate. As God is slowly being removed from all aspects of today's society, family values have taken a heavy toll. They have been battered, broken and lost.
It seems everywhere we turn, we are bombarded by so-called marriage and family counselors ready to advise on how to solve marital and family problems. With all the resources available out there to the public, the foundation of the family however continues to crumble. How could this be? The answer is simple. When God is removed from the heart of the family, and when God ceases to be the foundation of the family, there is not a single self help book in the world that could fully protect the family from destruction. Nothing can substitute the powerful message found in the word of God in building a strong family and a strong home.
Therefore the foundation of your home and of your family should be Jesus Christ. As the Bible says, "For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ." 1 Corinthians 3:11.
When God is placed first in our homes, the family not only grows closer to God but in turn grows closer together. This is not to imply that life will be perfect, nor is it meant to imply that trouble wil not raise it ugly head. We will continue to encounter circumstances that can overwhelm any family, but the bond that is created in the home with the power and Spirit of God can sustain the home when everything around us seems to be out of control.
Building such a strong bond starts with the regular exercise of fervent prayer in all aspects of our lives. When you make Jesus Christ first in your life and regularly come to Him in prayer in every facet of your life, you build the bridge that unites you and your family to God. Do you approach every issue affecting your life by coming to God first? It is essential that you do.
In addition to regular prayer, it is crucial to read, mediate on and know the word of God. Only by regularly reading the Bible can we begin to understand God's plan for our lives and our families. However, simply reading the Bible to ourselves is not enough; It must be the driving force in our homes, where we share the message with our wives and husbands and with our children. In Deuteronomy 6 we read, "These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. 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" (Deuteronomy 6:6-7). Is the love of the Lord, the power of the Almightly God, and the message of His Holy Word the talk of your home? It is crucial that you truly examine for yourself what it is that you spend most of the time talking about with your loved ones. Only then can you understand whether you are living for the goal of the world or the goal of the Bible in making your family all that God has intended for it to be.
When you surrender yourself to God and begin to read his Word and come to Him in regular prayer, God's love begins to permeate your home. When this happens, the marriage relationship between husband and wife begins to grow in the stronghold of God's love. In Ephesians 5:25-28, we read that husbands are to, show the same kind of love to their wives as Christ showed to the church when He died for her.
Through Christ's love it is important to keep the relationship growing in unity and understanding. In Ephesians 4:2-3, the Bible says "Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace." Through these profound verses God provides his guidance in building a strong and loving family, one built on the solid foundation of Christ. Once you accept Christ as your Lord and Savior, the power of the Holy Spirit will indwell you and guide you in filling your home with humbleness, gentleness, patience, and peace as you relate to your husband, as you relate to your wife and as you relate to your child.
Therefore, as you celebrate this Valentines Day with your loved ones, do not forget the immense and unfailing love that God has for you.
Make the decision today to dedicate your life to Christ. The first step is to turn your life to Him. You must be willing to confess and repent of your sins and let Jesus come into your heart as your Lord and Savior. Only through faith in Jesus Christ can you become a child of God, and with the guidance of the Holy Spirit you can become the right husband, wife or child that God has created you to be.
FOUNDATION OF MARRIAGE AND FAMILY
ILLUMINATE TRUTH
M I N I S T R I E S
Lighting the World with the Gospel of Jesus Christ
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