God IS in Charge, Family.

God's Plan for Family.

Today, we are going to talk about family. Yes. There is a right way, and a wrong way, to do family. There is the world's Family Plan, and then there is God's Family Plan. Let's start by saying, family? It is pretty important to God. We can start back in Genesis. Back at the very creation of man.

"And the Lord God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a help meet for him." Genesis 2:18

Then in Genesis 2:24

"Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh."

God created man, then woman, then marriage. All back in the beginning. Leaving aside the whole fall of man thing for a second, we see that family is the most important non-God related thing on Earth. Then again, a family is not actually supposed to be non-God related. A righteous living family is all about God. It is so important that it is the fifth Commandment and the first with promise.

"Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you." Exodus 20:12

Here is God's plan for the family. We are born, learn and grow, leave our father and mother, come together and Marry, becoming one. God's plan for us is that as parents, you take care of your children, raising them in the ways they should go, and then later in life, if needed, your children should be able, and willing, to care for you.

However, this is one of those teachings that have been twisted, manipulated, and even forsaken, by some churches. It is also not necessarily "Politically Correct." That doesn't change the fact that God has a very clear plan for our earthly family. In Ephesians 5:20-24

"Giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,  submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ. Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands."

Now here is the first bone of contention by some. They say that this means that women should be subservient. That if her husband was to become abusive, tough! If her husband cheats on her. Too bad. That she must be barefoot and pregnant in the kitchen, hanging on every command from her husband.

That is simply not the case. First, as I heard it recently put, nowhere in the Word does it tell anyone to follow anyone into Sin. Second, they fail to continue on reading. Ephesians 5:25-33

"Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. In the same way, husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself.  For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church because we are members of his body. “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church. However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband."

First, let's leave aside the fact that God says we become one flesh. Which means we are equal. God tells us that man ought to love their wives as Jesus loved the church and died for it. Jesus would do anything He was able to do for the church. As we, {speaking to the men} should towards our own wives.

What God also says about men is that WE are responsible for the family. We are responsible for going before God and seeking His Will and His way for us. Then going back and teaching the family what God teaches us. We are responsible for meeting the needs of our family. We are responsible for all things. Being a husband and father is not something that should be taken lightly. It is an honor and great responsibility.

Continuing in. Ephesians 6:1-4

"Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. “Honor your father and mother” (this is the first commandment with a promise), “that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.” Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord."

Does this mean that children must allow themselves to be abused? God forbid. Does it mean that parents can abuse their children? Of course not. However, parents should be raising their children in the ways of the Lord.

" Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord."

The Word tells us plainly, that we need to teach our children the Word of God. We need to teach them the Ten Commandments as an example.

"You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise." Deuteronomy 6:7

Again.

"You shall teach them to your children, talking of them when you are sitting in your house, and when you are walking by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.." Deuteronomy 11:19 

In reference to the ways of God...

"Come, O children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord.." Psalm 34:11

Psalm 132:12

"If your sons keep my covenant and my testimonies that I shall teach them, their sons also forever   shall sit on your throne."

God calls for Parents to correct them when needed. Yes, that includes corporal punishment. Proverbs 22:15

"Folly is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of discipline drives it far from him."

Proverbs 23:13

"Do not withhold discipline from a child; if you strike him with a rod, he will not die"

You see, true education should always begin from the home. Parents, you are raising your children. They will go out into the world and learn things about the world. They must have a strong foundation so that they are not lead astray. So that they will not be lead to sins.
Proverbs 22:6

"Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it."

Again, this is not saying that it is OK to beat your child. It is not saying that it is OK for husbands to abuse their wives. God IS Love. God wants us to love our families the way God loves us. Remember 1 Corinthians 13:4-8

"Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful it does not rejoice at wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away."

Jesus told us we can sum up all the Commandments of God in two. "Have no other God before God, and love they neighbor as thyself."

In an ideal world, the man, husband, should be the one going out into the world and providing for the family. The wife should be staying home, caring for the house and raising the children. children should be allowed to be children. Growing, playing, learning.

I understand we do not live in a perfect, nor ideal world. Today, most of the time, both parents need to go out and work. This puts a strain on the family unit. We have turned over the education of our children to others. Then, on top of that, we have even removed God out of the entire system. We have created dumping grounds for our old, and forsaken God's plan for our family. Then we wonder why our divorce rate is rising. We wonder why our single-family homes are increasing in numbers as well. We wonder why youth crime is rising, and why our teen suicide rate is skyrocketing.

As with all things, if we would only follow God's plan, we would be so much happier. Our lives would be so much easier. We would have so much more peace. Learn what it means to have a Righteous Family. Conduct yourself in that manner.

Live for God. Seek first the Kingdom of God. Both in your earthly family and in the world. Be a living example of the love of God which is shown through Christ Jesus, our Lord. Keep in mind, our children learn far more from us, by watching us what we do, than hearing us, what we say. Be the family God wants us to be.

Do you know Jesus as your Savior? Have you been adopted into the Family of God? If not, say this Prayer. Right now. Wherever you may be. Say it in your own words, and do not doubt in your heart. God will hear you. He will send the Spirit of Life to you. Let us Pray.

"Oh heavenly Father, Lord God. I am a sinner. I know this. I know there is nothing I can do to change that. But I know you can. I accept Jesus's sacrifice for me. I believed He raised from the dead. I repent my sins. Please send the Spirit of Adoption into my life. Help me to get to know the real you. Save me. Please. In the name of Jesus, Amen!"

That's it. It really is that simple. Now go tell someone what you have just done. "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in your heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved." Romans 10:9. You need to find a Church that God leads you to and be Baptized the way Jesus said to be. You are now a Child of God. A New Creature. You "have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him."Colossians 3:10

If you want to tell me, or comment, question, give testimonials, or just say "Hi," the Email is opntalk@gmail.com

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen. 2 Corinthians 13

Until next time, be blessed, be a blessing, and Jesus is Lord!