God Loves Your & Your Family

The family is under attack like never before. Seemingly, at every turn evil influences are trying to break up the family. Children are being alienated from parents, though they are the ones who know what is best for their own children, simply because the parents want to shield their children from harmful things. Christian values are more important than ever to have in our families. We must persevere and ask God to help us protect and nurture our families in the way that He would have us watch over them. Relativism and modern social stances will change and fade, but the time-honored principles in the Bible will stand the test of time and can place a covering over one’s family. God honors those who honor Him and His Holy Word. May the Lord open our hearts and minds to the following life-changing words and scriptures about family.

As a nation, family, church, or individual, so much depends on the direction we take. It is so important that we start with this statement of faith, “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord” (Josh. 24:15). Another passage makes a great point about the whole family following the Lord – “For if you return again to the Lord, your brothers and your children will find compassion…your God is gracious and merciful, and will not turn away His face from you, if you return to Him” (2 Chron. 30:9). Though we may want to be the best parents possible, in our anxiousness to make sure our children don’t miss out on anything, we shouldn’t neglect to miss the spiritual needs they have. The Lord must be first in our own lives and in the lives of our children. We must set the biblical example for them, otherwise they will rely on social media, or others to inform their stance about faith and God.

To deprive a child of a Christian home and Christian training is a great disservice to the child. Failure to lead them to Jesus and failure to love them can cause them to greatly stumble. We must put our children first, otherwise we may find ourselves fighting against God and His will. The Bible is very clear on this subject when it says, “Train up children in the way they should go and when they are old, they will not depart from it” (Prov. 22:6). Some parents seem determined to give their children everything but a Christian home. We need to lead our children to Christ and take them to church regularly!

It doesn’t take a grown person to do things for the Lord. He has been able to accomplish more in the lives of children than in the lives of some parents. As it says in 1 Samuel 2:18, “But Samuel ministered before the Lord, being a child…” and also in Isaiah 11:6, “A little child shall lead them.” These passages make a great point about children often being more receptive to God’s leading than adults. However, children can easily stray because of a strained relationship between children and parents. This issue can usually be traced to the child’s disregard of what the parents have to say, because of the parents’ disregard of what God has to say. For a better home life, make it Christ centered. As parents we need to listen to God’s leading and not be swayed by the world’s standards.

Establishing biblical principles in the home is one of the greatest deterrents to having disobedient children. The Bible makes it quite clear that not honoring mother and father greatly displeases God (Ex. 20:12). But it starts with the parents preparing a firm foundation of faith for their children, that way they can avoid some of the pitfalls that may affect their children. Because God deals with people individually, we shouldn’t get discouraged when someone in the family doesn’t understand what God is speaking directly to us – we can’t let what they think or say detour us from serving the Lord and leading the family in His ways.

The Bible makes a distinction between obedience to God and following a ritual or routine of what one thinks is right. “To obey is better than sacrifice” (1 Sam. 15:22). What this passage implies is that our gifts, our gestures, or well-intentioned actions as parents, are meaningless if we are not obedient to God. We as parents have the greatest calling on earth. Our children could become leaders in the very near future. Abraham Lincoln’s mother greatly influenced her son, and that is why he became the outstanding leader that we know and celebrate. Developing well-adjusted Christian children begins in the faith-filled home that puts God first. To obey is the key word. God honors obedience to Him in the home if it is done in faith and in love. Notably, the Lord loves us and has plans for our families and for each of us, we simply need to be willing to obey what He asks of us.