Household Order - Biblical Family

"What should be the order of priorities in our family?"





The Bible does not lay out a step-by-step order for family relationship priorities.





 However, we can still look to the Scriptures and find general principles for prioritizing our family relationships.





God obviously comes first: Deuteronomy 6:5,





 "Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength." All of one's heart, soul, and strength is to be committed to loving God, making Him the first priority.





If you are married, your spouse comes next.

 A married man is to love his wife as Christ loved the church (Ephesians 5:25). Christ's first priority-after obeying and glorifying the Father-was the church.





Here is an example a husband should follow:





God first, then his wife.





 In the same way, wives are to submit to their husbands "as to the Lord" (Ephesians 5:22). The principle is that a woman's husband is second only to God in her priorities.





If husbands and wives are second only to God in our priorities, and since a husband and wife are one flesh (Ephesians 5:31), it stands to reason that the result of the marriage relationship-children-should be the next priority.

Parents are to raise godly children who will be the next generation of those who love the Lord with all their hearts (Proverbs 22:6; Ephesians 6:4), showing once again that God comes first.





All other family relationships should reflect that.





Deuteronomy 5:16 tells us to honour our parents so that we may live long and so things will go well with us. No age limit is specified, which leads us to believe that as long as our parents are alive, we should honour them. Of course, once a child reaches adulthood, he is no longer obligated to obey them ("Children, obey your parents..."), but there is no age limit to honouring them.





 We can conclude from this that parents are next in the list of priorities after God, our spouses, and our children.





After parents comes the rest of one's family (1 Timothy 5:8).





Following one's extended family in the list of priorities are fellow believers.

 Romans 14 tells us not to judge or look down upon our brothers (v. 10) or do anything to cause a fellow Christian to "stumble" or fall spiritually. Much of the book of 1 Corinthians is Paul's instructions on how the church should live together in harmony, loving one another.





Other exhortations referring to our brothers and sisters in Christ are "serve one another in love" (Galatians 5:13); "be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you" (Ephesians 4:32); "encourage one another and build each other up" (1 Thessalonians 5:11); and "consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds (Hebrews 10:24).





 Finally comes the rest of the world (Matthew 28:19), to whom we should bring the gospel, making disciples of Christ.





In conclusion, the scriptural order of priorities is





God, spouse, children, parents, extended family, brothers and sisters in Christ, and then the rest of the world.












While sometimes decisions must be made to focus on one person over another, the goal is to not be neglecting any of our relationships.





 The biblical balance is allowing God to empower us to meet all of our relationship priorities, inside and outside our families.

God Is Getting You Ready

God Is Getting You Ready

'...first sit down and estimate the cost...' Luke 14:28 NIV




Before God gives you more, He observes you with what you already have.


Furthermore, when He speaks a word over your life it's like a seed; it needs time to take root and sprout. If God has planned it for you, don't be impatient;


 '...wait for it; because it will surely come...' (Habakkuk 2:3 KJV)


 Patience develops in us the ability to stand up to the pressures that accompany blessing.






Look back; aren't some of the things you've been through the very things that have equipped you to handle what you have now?


Had God given them to you sooner you couldn't have handled them, and He loves you too much to let that happen.


 Think:


 if you're having difficulty handling criticism from a few people, how would you cope if God made you pastor or company president? Are you ready to pay the price? And, more importantly, are you able to pay it?


 The more God gives you, the more He holds you responsible for.


 Jesus said, 'No man builds without counting the cost.'


Sometimes we want things because others have them. You say you want a husband and children, for example-but are you ready to start living sacrificially?


You say you need a wife, but are you ready to give yourself for her? (Ephesians 5:25)


 Whatever you're going through today, there's great peace in knowing that nothing the enemy does can pre-empt God's plan.


So, 'Don't be impatient for the Lord to act!


Keep travelling steadily along His pathway and in due season He will honour you with every blessing.' (Psalm 37:34 TLB)

Rejoice; God is getting you ready.

Abraham Lincoln born in poverty, Lincoln was faced with defeat throughout his life. He lost eight elections, twice failed in business and suffered a nervous breakdown. He could have quit many times - but he didn’t and because he didn’t quit, he became one of the greatest presidents in the United States history. Here is a sketch of Lincoln’s road to the White House: 1816 His family was forced out of their home. He had to work to support them. 1818 His mother died. 1831 Failed in business. 1832 Ran for state legislature - lost. 1832 Also lost his job - wanted to go to law school but couldn’t get in. 1833 Borrowed some money from a friend to begin a business and by the end of the year he was bankrupt. He spent the next 17 years of his life paying off this debt. 1834 Ran for state legislature again - won. 1835 Was engaged to be married, sweetheart died and his heart was broken. 1836 Had a total nervous breakdown and was in bed for six months. 1838 Sought to become speaker of the state legislature - defeated. 1840 Sought to become elector - defeated. 1843 Ran for Congress - lost. 1846 Ran for Congress again - this time he won - went to Washington and did a good job. 1848 Ran for re-election to Congress - lost. 1849 Sought the job of land officer in his home state - rejected. 1854 Ran for Senate of the United States - lost. 1856 Sought the Vice-Presidential nomination at his party’s national convention - get less than 100 votes. 1858 Ran for U.S. Senate again - again he lost. 1860 elected president of the United States. Difficulties in your life do not come to destroy you, but to help you and realize your hidden potential and Power, Let Difficulties know that you have a God who blesses you and gives success. Look to the LORD and His strength; seek His face always. Remember the wonders He has done, His miracles, and the judgments He pronounced. 1 Chronicles 16:11-12 (NIV)

How Do You Find a Mate..?

   

What should a woman look for in a husband?  

 1.    The man should be committed to growing in his relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ.  

Do not take on a fellow as a discipleship project. Don’t take on a husband who has merely mastered Bible trivia. Look for a husband who is serious about growing in grace and in his knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. Imagine that he is going to be, in part, your shepherd and your guide; that he is going to be the spiritual leader of your home; that he is going to be the nurturer of your children together.  

2. A husband should be an individual of obvious integrity.  

If you find him in an employee/employer situation fudging the issue in his sales calls, telling somebody that he can get the product to them in two weeks when he comes afterwards and tells you that actually he knew that he couldn’t get it there for four weeks, but he said that because he didn’t want to lose the sale — on the day he tells you that, you need to have a long, serious conversation with him. And if he seeks to under-gird his deceptiveness with argumentation, you should probably kiss him goodbye. You need a husband who is honest to the core, to a fault.  

 2.   Look for a husband who is able to lead boldly.  

Look for the kind of man who can think for himself, who can weigh options, and who can make good decisions. A girl should never settle for leadership that is selfish, bombastic, and domineering. The leadership of the Lord Jesus Christ, as espoused by the Apostles, is a leadership that is marked by an attitude of servanthood, an attitude that submits to the leadership of others.  

  

 3.   Look for a husband who displays the ability to love sacrificially.  

For example, watch, at the end of an evening with friends, to see if this character is quick to organize and spearhead the cleanup, or whether he waits for everybody else to clean up. Observe the way he relates to children and to strangers. See if he possesses a willingness to hold doors for passersby with full arms. Watch his attitude to waitresses and to other people who are involved in serving the public.  

5. A husband should be able to laugh heartily.  

  

Humour is a vital element in preventing marital failure. The ability to laugh doesn’t mean that he’s the class clown or even a joke-teller. In fact, he may be hopeless at telling jokes. That may be the funniest part about him.  

 But it is important that he likes to laugh, and a key trait to look for is his willingness to laugh at himself. If he takes himself too seriously, look out.  

6. A husband should model genuine humility.  

Simply put, a good husband shouldn’t be stuck on himself. Genuine humility keeps its focus on others. And if you find yourself in the company of somebody who cannot be an understudy, who can’t sit in the second chair, who has always got to be the theme of the story, the joke of the party, the success of the event, I want to suggest to you, girls, that you might want to take a long, hard look at whether you’re in the company of the person with whom you want to spend the rest of your life.  

What should a man look for in a wife..?

1. A good wife must have a personal faith and trust in the Lord Jesus.

Don’t enter into an intimate relationship where one person is a Christian and the other is not. The Bible is clear – don’t get unequally yoked.

2. Look for a wife who possesses beauty that is deeper than the skin.

 It is less important to find a woman whose beauty comes from time spent in front of a beauty parlor than from time spent in the presence of the Lord Jesus.

3. Look for a wife who is an initiative-taker with an attitude of submission.

This simply parallels what we said previously about a man being a sacrificial leader. Any wise fellow is looking for a woman with ideas, abilities, hopes, plans, gifts, dreams, the whole panorama of abilities that she brings to marriage, because in entering into marriage in more areas than we are prepared to admit, we, as the husbands, will be dependent upon their knowledge, upon their insight, upon their courage, upon their faith, upon their expertise.

There will seldom be a day, as a man, when we do not have occasion to depend on multiple levels upon the wisdom, insight, initiative, grace, courage, faithfulness, integrity, skill, giftedness, of our wives.

4. A wife should build her husband’s confidence.

Trustworthiness stems from character. A woman’s intrinsic qualities are revealed by her actions.

5. Look for a wife who displays kindness that touches others.

Women don’t have the exclusive ownership of the characteristic of kindness, but often they do a much better job in expressing compassion than most men. If you think about it, women that have marked our lives have often marked our thinking on account of their tenderness.

6. A wife, like a husband, should have a sense of humor that braves adversity.

The ability to laugh will get couples through more than a few rough spots.

The following is a small portion of a three-part radio broadcast series produced by the ministry of Family Life Today which aired August 8-10, 2007. Pastor Alistair Begg was speaking to singles on the subject, “How Do You Find a Mate.”

http://www.spiritoffire.org/ebooks/marriage/prologue.htm

My heart Beats for you

Im rejected many times  by many people...rejected in school,rejected in college,rejected in love, rejected in family,blamed n insulted,rejected and im kept at last place. Got so many suicidal thoughts.Thought to die ,felt lonely,no support, only cried to LORD in all my defeats of this painful life from childhood.

Floods of tears in my room, im still alive for one reason.The reason is im not rejected by GOD, Im choosen by him.He choose to love me, when others started hating me, He started to shower his mercy n grace on me, when i started sinning broken in pieces with this life. He bore me on his shoulders,he lifted me up . Nobody believed me ,all  see me as a waste garbage,im discouraged,laughed n insulted, but GOD holded me and hugged me.He is there for me,i waited for him.

There was a time i gave up and fall into sins, searched for my own selfish desires.But MY FATHER knows what i wanted,he never gave up on me.He loved me n want me more than anyone i know.I never seen a Love like that and i can never see.He is there for me.Im thankful to JESUS,he never gave up on me. I'M REJECTED BY ALL BUT GOD CHOOSED ME. Im saved by his grace...this waste garbage he is in love,he made me feel so precious only because of him. Now i surrender myself to you my Father.Now all the love and honour im getiing ,it's because of you my JESUS,Im your's..........

DEEPTHI( THIS IS HOW MY LORD LIKES TO CALL ME)

THE MARTYRS OF CHRIST

Martyrs of Christ are never buried.. they are sown....(John 12:24)

This true story dates back to the time when North Korea and South Korea were engaged in a big conflict.

As a result Christian preachers were targeted by the Communists.

In such a tense situation a group of 40 activists kidnapped a preacher, his wife and two children. They took them to the outskirts of the city.

They forced the preacher to deny Christ and that he will no longer preach that Christ is Lord. But the preacher refused. They threatened him saying that they will bury him, his wife and children alive. But the preacher did not budge.

As if to prove that they were serious, they started digging a hole right in front of them. But they could not get a word out of him. This aroused their anger and they placed the four of them in the hole.

Now they began playing on his emotions.

" Because of your stubbornness your innocent children are going to die in right in front of your own eyes. Deny Christ and we shall leave you ".

But the preacher did not relent. Finally they started filling up the hole.

Still the preacher remained unmoved. The hole was filled up gradually and now the children were about to be covered. Slowly the preacher started getting shaky. He was torn between emotions.

The cries of his little children moved him. But realizing this the preacher's wife told him,

"Within a little while we shall all be with our Lord forever.. Be bold and do not give up."

These words encouraged him and he did not relent. As a result all of them were buried alive. The news of this tragedy shocked many.

The Christians of South Korea were shaken. " Why did God allow this to happen ?. The preacher preached about Christ . He was killed. What wrong did his wife and children do ?"

These were the questions that rent the air.

The preachers were confused and found it difficult to answer these questions. Years rolled by. This was the time of the great revival in South Korea. This was the time when the renowned preacher Paul Yongi Cho was the pastor of the biggest congregation in the world.

One day during the service a man rose up and told the surprised audience that he was one among the 40 persons who buried the preacher and his family and he proceeded to explain the details of the gory incident.

He said that he was moved by the courage and conviction of the preacher who did not deny Christ even at the point of death.

He had wanted to know who that Jesus was and in the process he had been convicted and had accepted Christ as his Savior.

Moreover all the 40 involved in that incident had at some point in their lives been saved and were members of Paul Yongi Cho's church.

It took many years to understand why God had permitted that incident. God had used the death of those 4 people save 40 more.

--- Martyrs of Christ are never buried.. they are sown....

A CHRISTIAN’S WAY TO REDUCE STRESS

An Angel says, "Never borrow from the future.

If you worry about what may happen tomorrow

and it doesn't happen, you have worried in vain.

Even if it does happen, you have to worry twice."

1. Pray

2. Go to bed on time.

3. Get up on time so you can start the day unrushed.

4. Say No to projects that won't fit into your time schedule,

or that will compromise your mental health.

5. Delegate tasks to capable others.

6. Simplify and unclutter your life.

7. Less is more. (Although one is often not enough,-

-two are often too many)

8. Allow extra time to do things and to get to places.

9. Pace yourself. Spread out big changes and

difficult projects over time; don't lump the hard things all together.

10. Take one day at a time.

11. Separate worries from concerns. If a situation is a concern,

find out what God would have you do and let go of the anxiety.

If you can't do anything about a situation, forget it.

12. Live within your budget; don't use credit cards for ordinary purchases.

13. Have backups; an extra car key in your wallet,

an extra house key buried in the garden, extra stamps, etc.

14. K.M.S. (Keep Mouth Shut). This single piece of advice

can prevent an enormous amount of trouble.

15. Do something for the Kid in You everyday.

16. Carry a Bible with you to read while waiting in line.

17. Get enough rest.

18. Eat right.

19. Get organized so everything has its place.

20. Listen to a tape while driving that can help

improve your quality of life.

21. Write down thoughts and inspirations.

22. Every day, find time to be alone.

23. Having problems? Talk to God on the spot.

Try to nip small problems in the bud. Don't wait until

it's time to go to bed to try and pray.

24. Make friends with Godly people.

25. Keep a folder of favorite scriptures on hand.

26. Remember that the shortest bridge between

despair and hope is often a good "Thank you Jesus."

27. Laugh.

28. Laugh some more!

29. Take your work seriously, but not yourself at all.

30. Develop a forgiving attitude (most people are doing the best they can).

31. Be kind to unkind people (they probably need it the most).

32. Sit on your ego.

33. Talk less; listen more.

34. Slow down.

35. Remind yourself that you are not the general manager of the universe.

36 . Every night before bed, think of one thing you're grateful

for that you've never been grateful for before.

GOD HAS A WAY OF TURNING THINGS AROUND FOR YOU.

"IF GOD IS FOR US, WHO CAN BE AGAINST US?"

Romans 8:31