May 31, 2009 |
1 Thessalonians 2:6-13 |
family, parenting
At the end of the TV show, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, they park a big bus in front of the new house and have the family standing there in anticipation to see what their new home looks like. They are encouraged to shout, “Move that bus!” The family is always overwhelmed when they see the beauty and blessing of their new home.
How can we experience the beauty and blessing of a godly family? Is there a way to pass on a godly legacy?
In the book of 1 Thessalonians, the apostle Paul told them that he had treated them like a mother and a father as he shared the gospel and his life with them. He was thankful that they had believed and he challenged them to be witnesses and to be his “glory and joy” (1 Thess. 2:20). In other words, Paul said you are my spiritual legacy. We can learn from Paul’s example to leave a Godly legacy to our family.
May 24, 2009 |
1 Corinthians 7 |
family, singleness
In the TV show, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, after they show us how bad the family’s living conditions are, they interview the family to discover what they love and design a house that expresses their passion, then they start building the house, being careful to make a room for every member of the family.
Sometimes, in the church, we don’t do a very good job of “making room” for every member of God’s family. Singles often feel left out. It reminds me of the old country song: “Sleepin single in a double bed.” We often make singles feel as if they’re living single in a couple’s world.
But the truth is there is nothing “odd” about being single. Elijah, John the Baptist, Paul, and Jesus lived as singles. We all begin life single and many of us will experience singleness again later in life.
Is it possible to live life as a fulfilled single? I believe that God’s Word offers the help that we need for living a fulfilled life and responding to life’s problems. In his letter to the Corinthians, the apostle Paul gave some very specific instructions for singles and how they could live a fulfilled life by being devoted to God. We can follow God’s instructions for fulfillment by our undivided devotion to the Lord.
May 17, 2009 |
Ephesians 4:25-32 |
conflict, family
The apostle Paul told the Ephesians that they could turn conflict into communication and understanding through the power of Christ’s forgiveness and love. We can resolve the conflicts in our relationships and turn them into quality communication and understanding through Christ’s power of love and forgiveness.
May 10, 2009 |
Ephesians 6:1-4 |
family, parenting
In the TV show, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, after they show us how bad the family’s living conditions are, they interview the family to discover what they love and design a house the expresses their passion, then they start raising the house…
The apostle Paul told the Ephesians how to raise their children according to God’s design. As Christians, we can follow God’s Word in the discipline of our children and raise them up to maturity according to God’s intent. The text gives four steps to raising great kids:
May 3, 2009 |
Ephesians 5:21-6:4 |
family
The apostle Paul told the Ephesians that their family relationships could be restored to God’s intent by submitting first of all to the Spirit and then to one another becoming the family that God designed. We can follow four steps to God’s blueprint for the family and experience the blessing of oneness and being a light to this world for Christ.
April 26, 2009 |
|
family
In the TV show, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, they always show us how bad the family situation is, then they get the community together to tear down the old house and build a brand new one from the foundation up. There’s wisdom in that. First, tear down the poorly built house, then build a new one on a better foundation.
There are some things in our families that need to be torn down, that need to be repented of and forgiven. Then, we can build our families on a new and better foundation… the foundation of the Word of God.
