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“Ten Principles to Having a Spiritual Family”
God has a purpose for our lives and for the homes where each one lives. Success or failure depends on whether or not we have a vision for what our homes will be like (Proverbs 29:18). Your family will not automaticallyreach where you hope it will be years from now. Just as any company or business enterprise must have a mission statement in order to succeed, a family must also do the same. Your mission, should you choose it, is to have a spiritual family. Prayerfully apply the following.
1. Be a committed husband and wife(Matthew 19:6). This is not commitment which avoids divorce, but a commitment which wantsto be married. Someone is loyal who has the desire to remain with their spouse because it is what God wants them to do.
2. Spend time together (Proverbs 29:15; Ephesians 5:15-16). Everyone in the home will love the time you can spend with each other. Busyness and loneliness are the two greatest enemies facing every family. If we let busyness get in the way, someone will be isolated. Isolation gives Satan the time he needs to bring resentment, bitterness, and jealousy into our homes, causing division, dissension, and discord.
3. Have a godly value system and keep it(2 Timothy 1:5,7; Ephesians 6:4). What are your beliefs? In what does your faith lie? Does everyone understand where God is in your home? Does your family realize the impact it has on other families in the world? If there is inconsistency in values, there will be a tendency toward hypocrisy in your home.
4. Have faith to cope with crisis(Ecclesiastes 4:9-12; 2 Corinthians 12:7-10). Families who love God can and will face trials. Abraham’s did. Noah’s did. Jesus’ did. Will your family run away, be afraid, or lose their love for God? God provides grace every family needs to cope with the unexpected. His strength is what every family needs when difficulties come (James 1:2-4).
5. Remember the Builder(Psalm 127:1; Hebrews 3:4). Each father, mother, and child must know what God expects of them when their home is built. Build your home by His blueprints. Let God help you build it with knowledge, wisdom, and understanding (Proverbs 24:3-4).
6. Be watchful for evil(Ephesians 5:7-11; 1 Peter 5:8). Satan does not care what form of evil you allow to enter your house (TV, friends, books, etc.). It will be a daily challenge to remove every appearance of evil (1 Thessalonians 5:21-22). One way to know if evil has entered your home is how well those who live there think on things that are honest, pure, just, true, lovely, and of good report (Philippians 4:8).
7. Ask God every day to bless your home(2 Samuel 7:29; 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18) Everyone in your home should pray to God for His help, love, grace, and care. When a home prays together, they stay together.
8. Choose every day to serve the Lord(Joshua 24:15) The homes in society follow the sounds and actions of the world. What the world does, they do. No matter what our culture says, let your home choose God’s ways. It may not be popular to serve God, but it is the right thing to do.
9. Worship God together(Exodus 10:9; 12:24-28; Deuteronomy 31:12-13; Psalm 100). You cannot be spiritual unless you make time to worship the One who is a spirit. In the Old Testament whole families would gather to hear God’s law and observe the requirements of the law. A family draws closest to the one to whom they give the most honor. Be consistent. Be diligent. Be present.
10. Train your family to see and understand the consequences of sinful action. Warn your family of the consequences of repeating the immorality and ungodly actions of others (Heb 3:12-13). The same thing that happened to them can and will happen to you (Gal 6:7-8).
As a bonus # 11. Remember the Master of your home [the Lord] will return(Mark 13:34-35). Be aware each day your house belongs to the Lord. One day the Lord will return and ask how you used your home. “Set thy house in order”(2 Kings 20:1). Ω
Shawn Bain writes from Somerset, KY (www.livingaschristians.com).
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