Word for the day “God’s heart for our family”
Colossians 3:18-21(NKJ) Wives, be subject to your husbands, Husbands, love your wives, Fathers, do not exasperate your children.
WE MUST LEARN THE HEART OF GOD FOR OUR FAMILIES.
God works in our lives primarily through committed relationships. Your family is the primary school for your character development. This is precisely the order of Scripture: Establish your identity in Christ, then focus on living out who you are at home. Notice the order in (Colossians 3:10-25).
How are things in your family life? God has kingdom plans for His people – plans the Lord has designed uniquely for us so that His will might be done on this earth. God purposefully intends to use our families for His glory. We must develop the characteristics of His heart and cooperate with His purposes to use us in radical, counter-culture, kingdom-advancing ways.
In today’s passages consider God’s great goal for His children are that we conform to His image: “Put on the new self” (verse 10). Our identity is no longer in racial, religious, cultural, or social ties: “There is no distinction, but Christ is all and in all” (verse 11). Character is the focus of development once identity is established: “Put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience” (verse 12). Character is developed in the context of relational living: “Bearing with one another, and forgiving each other” (verse 13).
Love is the highest level of character development: “Beyond all these things put on love” (verse 14). The means by which all this is accomplished is Christ in you: “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts.
THE LORD’S DESIGN FOR THE FAMILY IS TO BRING GLORY TO HIS NAME.
As a parent, you are not just shaping your child’s behavior, you are developing his/her character. Training a child means disciplining him/her to be Christ-like in their image. Don’t be a phony at home; your spouse and children will see right through it. You can’t model perfection, but you can model growth.
It is so critical to know that children are never too young to understand and soak up the deep things of God. Their young hearts long for an encounter with the living Lord, and once they experience God and connect with the Lord's heart-to-heart, they will never go back.
They will long for the next opportunity to sense the Lord’s connection and to see Him work powerfully in and through them to accomplish His plans and purposes on this earth. Please be mindful that it doesn’t mean our children won’t experience life’s developmental lessons. But it does mean the Lord will be in their heart of hearts as the primary influence.
Parents and grandparents unless we stop entertaining our children and start allowing them to have encounters with Jesus, we will lose successive generations. Help them to set their hearts on things above (Colossians 3:1-2) and not upon the culture in which they live, for the kingdom belongs to them (Matthew 19:14). God has made the hearts of our families to reflect His glory.
Prayer: Lord, help us be the spouses and parents You want us to be by remaining committed to being a growing child of God, In Christ's name Amen!
POINT TO PONDER
God has such a heart for families that he will encourage parents to carry out His purposes. We cannot carry out God’s plans when we are not united in loving relationships that reflect the character of Christ in our homes. The Church will not experience unity and revival until our families begin to do so. God designed the family to be the primary training ground for children.
Today’s message has some amazing spiritual value but also some personal value, especially to me. Over the last year, I’ve personally experienced my own family disruption and despair. So, family is precious to me and always has been. I’ll be praying for you all, and your family challenges that the Lord will bless and prosper and guide you in extraordinary ways.
What would it profit me, to gain the success I dreamed of, and lose my family?
How are you doing with your family life?
What is your most important relationship?
Are you successful in your home life?
Is it time to get some help with your family life?
Special thanks!
James Baker, Jr. and our leadership team are especially thankful for those of you who provided financial donations and support in the month of October 2022, by partnering with us in efforts to advance the kingdom of God in this 21st century season: Special thanks to Ms. Annette Straker, Mr. Kenneth Washington, Ms. Itholear Abbott, Mrs. Barbara Mason, Ms. Jeanette Grant, Ms. Judith Battle, Ms. Angela Battle, Ms. Cynthia Artis-Waiters, Ms. Michelle Winder Branch, Ms. Angie Scraders-Murphy, Mr. Calvin Jackson, Mrs. Shakeema Lowe, Mr. Calvin Griffith, Mrs. Angela Harrison, Ms. Mable Bazemore, Mr. Kevin Byfield, Ms. Shawna Chester, Ms. Jennifer Sanchez, Ms. Judy Hendrix, Ms. Evelyn Rosado, Mr. William Wilson, Mr. William Buchanan, Ms. Rita McGuffin, and Ms. Gertrude Scott.
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Kingdom Blessings,