Family living (Lesson 1)

We are attending a family living class that pastor is doing as part the the Bible Institute. I thought it would be something you all or maybe just some would enjoy.

Recomended reading: Eph. 5:22-33

No one but God has all the answers for your family, so stay in the book.

Marital problems in this country come from a lack of character and determination. Also expectations of happiness are at an unrealistic level because of pop-phsycology making people believe that perfect happiness is attainable.

Genesis 18:17-19 God chose Abraham as the sire for the nation of Israel because of his demeanor as a husband and father. This shows how important God thinks marriage and the family is.

Working on your marriage starts by working on yourself. Don't try to change your spouse.

Husbands.... 1 Peter 3:7 (dwell with them according to knowledge)
God wants the man to study the wife. Even if he never figures her out :) He is to work towards understanding her needs. He should grow in sensitivity towards her. She needs to know that you are sensitive to all that she does for you in being your helpmeet.

Wife... Proverbs 31:27 (Looking well to the ways of her household)
Her focus is the home and this is a full-time job. She is not idle. Women now are focusing on self fullfillment and the home severly suffers for this. Has your focus been towards your husband like it should be? Don't let the focus on your husband go because the kids come along or you will reach the empty nest stage wondering "who is this man?" Is your husband still your hero and your knight in shining armour? God made him to desire admiration and adoration from you. When you give him these things it will drive him to achieve great things.

Psalms 34:3 A good marriage is not just for our pleasure and self fullfillment, although we will be blessed and emotionally satisfied if we do. Your goal as a family should be to glorify God. To be on good praying ground you must tell God that you want your family to glorify him. Having a good family just to have a good family is not good praying ground and will not get your family through financial disaster, cancer, a wayward child, or a dead baby.

If you married in the will of God then He is the glue to your relationship. You had better stay close to him. Imagine a triangle with God at the top. The husband on the left corner and the wife on the right corner. As the husband and wife get closer to God they get closer to each other. It is impossible to do Ps. 34:3 unless each person is close to God. If you don't keep your relationship with God where it should be then you will start to expect your spouse to do for you what only God can do.

Hope this was helpful. We really enjoyed the class!