Families under Fire

[0:00] Music We're looking at in this series the subject of the family and the faith.

[0:19] ! For a Christian our faith impacts our whole lives.! And faith impacts our families.! Faith for families.

[0:34] And I have faith in the family. I believe in the family. In a world filled with unfaithfulness, I believe we can have faith in the family.

[0:45] Families with faith. And God believes in families. God is for families. He cares for families. So today we're looking at the subject of families being under fire.

[0:57] If you like, the crosshairs are on. All of us and all of our families. Families are under fire today. Families are hurting today. And we feel for families where families sadly their door is closed.

[1:10] And it's hard to restore. But in this session today, firstly, we will look at how our families are under fire. And ask this question.

[1:21] Where is the fire coming from? And secondly, we will look at what will we do? What are we going to do about this? So firstly, how are families under fire?

[1:34] How are families under fire? Under attack? I put it to you today that the family, the very concept of the family. The family unit is under attack today.

[1:45] Under attack. From many quarters. Families are being attacked. They're under pressure. Marriages are in trouble. Flawed and fragmented.

[1:56] Why? We're living in a fallen world. A world that's fallen. Full of fallen people. Men fell into sin at the beginning. At the very beginning. And we're still paying for it today.

[2:07] The wages of sin is death. Thankfully, the gift of God is eternal life. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Death. Sin has done much damage.

[2:19] Right back there at the Garden of Eden. And on the family front, we see that there's many pressures on these days. Pressures on the family. Trying to keep up with the Joneses is something that people try hard to do, isn't it?

[2:33] To try and keep up. Keep up with the latest fashions and gadgets. Buying, buying, buying. So families are stretched to the max. Stretched to the max.

[2:46] Along with their credit cards. Maxed out. Maxed out. They're stretched in this vain effort to keep up. To keep and have a life. While most of the while they're slaving under a millstone of debt that they have shaped for themselves.

[3:00] And they're running themselves ragged. Wearing themselves out on this treadmill. Of trying to keep up. Trying to pay for it all. Meanwhile, what matters, sadly, can at times get neglected.

[3:11] It's like someone has put it like this. Too many people are buying things they can't afford with money they don't have to impress people that they don't like. It's true, isn't it?

[3:23] Sometimes the way. Families are under fire. Under pressure. Why? Sometimes we're our own worst enemies. Instead of settling for a lifestyle that is simple.

[3:35] A lifestyle that we can afford. And living within our needs. We set too high expectations. And end up having both parents working forever. Because we are forced to.

[3:46] Families are under pressure. Families are under pressure today. And sometimes it's because of mistakes of our own making.

[3:57] But thankfully, God can still work even through flawed people. Flawed people just like you and me. Even when we make mistakes. Faith for families.

[4:09] Faith for families. That's the thing. And I believe in this concept of families. That families matter. And I believe there is hope for hurting families.

[4:20] I believe that God can restore hope. So families are under pressure. Marriages are under attack. Friends, today the very concept of what is a marriage.

[4:34] What is a marriage? Is under attack. The very concept of marriage is under fire. Sounds like we've got, oh here we go. Here's a picture.

[4:45] These are some recent news stories. And it saddens me, sickens me really to show this to you. But the concept of marriage. The very concept of marriage is under attack.

[4:57] The concept of husbands and wives. Here we have a recent news story of three men getting married. Husbands. What? Now the concept of husbands and wives.

[5:11] It's almost like you don't speak the word husband or wife. You've got to use the politically correct term of partners now. Partners. Husbands and wives are under attack.

[5:23] Parents are under attack. Children are under attack. Here's another recent news story of a British man who's giving birth to his grandson through his own mother as a surrogate.

[5:37] Because he and his partner, his male partner wanted to have a child. Children are under attack today. Brothers and sisters, it's a weird world we're living in.

[5:48] A weird world. Children are under attack. How are we under fire? Woman marries dog. What next? What is it that we're up against?

[5:59] Marriage. Marriage. That's not marriage. It isn't marriage. Marriage. It is not marriage. I'll tell you today. Where is the attack coming from?

[6:10] The attack against the family is launched against us every day on many fronts. And through the means of media and governors and policy makers and educators.

[6:21] These are true news stories that are just quite contemporary that I've just gone through. They're true stories. It's in the classroom. Here we have the classroom.

[6:32] The educators of today are training our children. Marriage itself is one of the fundamental building blocks of decent society. It's being undermined and redefined.

[6:45] There's an indoctrination program in the schools today. And it's being rolled out. Now there's much more I could say. It repulses me to tell you it all to be honest. So I won't labour the point.

[6:57] But there's a huge culture shift happening in the world today. And many people are oblivious to it. They aren't even aware of it. We are in the new age. The new world disorder.

[7:10] That's what it is. It's a new paradigm. It's a new narrative that we're being trained and taught today. I heard one preacher put it like this. We are sending our children to the Philistines to educate them.

[7:23] In the secular school system where there are educators who are often busy instilling values in children that are defiantly anti-Bible and anti-God.

[7:34] And contrary to what their parents would even want. If only they knew what was going on. Sending our children to the Philistines to the godless as those educators.

[7:46] We've got to be careful. I know we've sent our children at times to secular schools. We've got to be careful and guarded about such things. Families are under fire. And nowadays there's such things being pushed on us from every which way that our children are being conditioned in the classroom to think of these things as the new normal.

[8:08] The new normal. It's normalised. Things like feminism, evolution, humanism, secularism, communism and lots of other isms. The so called gay movement.

[8:20] And all the all encompassing push to inclusion and toleration. Virtually anything goes. Anything goes. The door's been opened so far and it's widening.

[8:32] Until you can marry a cat if you want to. There's all sorts of weird stuff going on today. Fornication and unfaithfulness prevails. And children know all the latest smut through cartoons and the mass marketing over the net and social media.

[8:49] And they latch onto the lifestyles and lyrics of the heroes of screen and song. Constantly saturating their minds with what is crass and crude. We are losing a generation.

[9:02] We're losing a generation. So it's no wonder we're seeing ever more this escalation of rebellious and unruly children. Of confusion about roles and authorities in the home.

[9:16] Immorality and lawlessness is just accepted as a lifestyle. Here's Rob Bell. You can buy his book down at Courant. Rob Bell and many more of his books. He says a recent quote. A church that denies gay marriage will be irrelevant. Well I don't care what Rob Bell says. I care about what this book says.

[9:27] Amen. This is the book that we go by. Not what Rob Bell writes and others like him. And even within churches we're being overtaken by the Bible deniers of this emergent Christianity they're calling it.

[9:39] Churches are flying rainbow flags and falling in lockstep with the godless agenda of the pagan world around the world. And many gullible, undiscerning Christians are just going hook, line and sink and totally oblivious to it all.

[10:08] They just go with the flow downstream like a dead fish. A poll was taken of Protestant ministers in 1969, probably a lot worse now, that 80% denied the Bible as the inspired word of God.

[10:24] They denied the Bible, no wonder we're in trouble. We've lost our way. The Lord Jesus says when he comes will he find faith on the earth? One wonders, doesn't one?

[10:35] How we desperately, desperately need faith for families. Faith for families in a day of unbelief and uncertainty. When we've lost our moorings, we've lost our moral compass.

[10:48] I believe that we can regain that faith. We can restore that love that is waxed cold. But we must heed the warning signs. We must open our eyes and see.

[10:59] Families are under fire. What is obviously weird and unnatural and against nature is now the new normal. The new normal. The world calls it gay.

[11:11] God calls it vile affections. Vile affections. It says Romans 1. For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections. For even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature.

[11:24] And likewise also the men leaving the natural use of the woman burned in their lust one towards another. Men with men working that which is unseemly or vile in other words. And receiving in themselves that recompense.

[11:37] That judgment, that payment if you like of their error which was made. God calls it error. And he is against it. It's wrong in other words. It's a deliberate deconstruction program going on today.

[11:51] A process of dismantling and discarding all that is right and true. Of family values and timeless truths. It's been trashed today.

[12:03] We are witnessing the destruction. The destruction of the family. And it's planned. It's intentional. Forces are assailed against us.

[12:14] It's deliberate and it is part of the master plan. Of the enemy of our souls. The enemy of family. Of families. How are families under fire? Where does this attack come from?

[12:27] It is from our avowed adversary. Our avowed enemy. The devil. He first made his ugly mark. On mankind back in the garden of Eden.

[12:38] And he defiled God's glorious creation. As he deceived Eve and Adam. And when God started his plan. The devil. The devil. Also was lurking there.

[12:49] In the background. Bent on destruction. It all started at the beginning. When God created the first marriage. Talking marriage. The real meaning of marriage today.

[13:01] God's definition of marriage. The first marriage. And the first home. God's plan. Was marked out for man. And woman. And he called it. Marriage. Genesis 2.

[13:12] Verse 18 through 24. And the Lord God said. It is not good for man to be alone. I will make him a help meet for him.

[13:23] A help meet. A fitting help. Verse 19. And out of the ground. The Lord formed every beast of the field. And every fowl of the air. And brought them unto Adam.

[13:34] To see. What he would call them. And whatsoever Adam called every living creature. That was the name thereof. And Adam gave names to all cattle.

[13:45] And to the fowl of the air. And to every beast of the field. But for Adam that was found. Not found. And help meet for him. He didn't have a help meet. A fitting help.

[13:56] Verse 21. And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam. And he slept. And took one of his ribs. And closed up the flesh. Instead thereof. And the rib which the Lord God had taken from man.

[14:10] Made he a woman. And brought her unto the man. And Adam said. This is now bone of my bone. And flesh of my flesh. She shall be called woman. Because she was taken out of man.

[14:23] Therefore shall a man leave his father and mother. And shall cleave unto his wife. And they shall be one flesh. That's God's plan.

[14:34] In a nutshell. And when families fail. Boiling it down. At the heart of it all. It is sin. Disobedience to God's plan. Unforgiveness.

[14:45] Lack of grace. And the enemy is bent. On this. Still. He's a thief. He's a thief. He's a thief. He's a robber. He robs men and women. And families.

[14:56] And we should be on the alert. Be vigilant. Lest Satan should get an advantage over us. For we're not ignorant of his devices.

[15:07] We should not be ignorant of his devices. We should be not ignorant but informed. And on the alert. So he sets out to steal. To kill. And to destroy.

[15:18] To pollute. And pervert. And trash. That which is good and godly. God's plan. And you can counteract his attacks. By the word.

[15:29] It is written. It is written. As Jesus did. John 10. The Lord Jesus says. The thief cometh not but for to steal. And to kill. And to destroy.

[15:40] That I am calm. That they might have life. And that they might have it more abundantly. Jesus has come to give us life. Life more abundant. Life full.

[15:51] And fulsome. Life to the max. It's in him. The very fabric of our society. The concept of family. The very fabric of decent society.

[16:04] Is being torn. Shredded. Sadly it seems like children are losing their energy. Children are losing their innocence. They are growing up too quick. They are exposed to things. They shouldn't be exposed to.

[16:15] They are constantly harassed with immoral messages. And purity is lost. Christ stolen from them. Our children are under attack today.

[16:27] Sin is ever more acceptable. It's trendy. It's cool. It's sin. There is a definite campaign of normalisation.

[16:38] Normalisation. Of what is obscene and offensive. Like Hollywood. You know. It's evident in all of these things. We see this widening gap between the plain biblical teachings.

[16:52] And what is called moral values today. There's a clash there. Between godly conviction. And a godless culture that prevails.

[17:04] So truly. Friends today. Families are under fire. Under attack. And today's generation of youth. Are tuning in. Tuning in to the teachings of TV celebrities.

[17:17] And rock stars. And their public school teachers. And social media. All the while. There's this disinformation campaign. Being rolled out to the masses.

[17:28] What is wholesome. Is routinely mocked. And scoffed at. In the mass media. The corrupt Hollywood filmmakers. The ones who set. The fashions and fads. Are those who set.

[17:39] Public opinion. Everywhere. There is a moral decay. Warped ideas running rampant. And it seems like such changes are.

[17:51] Imperceptible. It's just bit by bit. Inch by inch. It just creeps up on you. And it's like we aren't even conscious of it anymore. You know. How many times have you. Said something like. Oh there's not too much swearing.

[18:04] There's not too much nudity. In that film. So it's okay for us to sit and watch it. And. And watch. To sit. To sit.

[18:15] To sit. Only a few blasphemies. He only cursed his name a few times. So it's okay for us to sit and watch that. That's what we can easily say, can't we?

[18:28] Let's face it. And we rate it as acceptable for our families, for our children, to sit and watch and learn and copy and follow.

[18:42] Little by little by little we're being changed. We are being changed. The Bible warns of this. It tells of little foxes that spoil the vines. Oh, a little cute fox.

[18:55] How cute. Just a little fox. But those little foxes, they dig away at the roots. They destroy the fruit that the vine could bear. And little by little too, our values, our godly principles, are being eroded inch by inch, bit by bit, eroded, torn out by the roots.

[19:15] And we'll have nothing left if we don't watch it. So if we are to win this war, this fight for our lives, this fight for the family, the families that are under fire today, we must be informed.

[19:26] We must arm this next generation with biblical understanding to combat the forces arrayed against it. So this is what this series is going to cover, some of this ground.

[19:39] Give us some principles to live by. Friends, I received a package in the mail this week, a parcel, and it said, Fragile.

[19:52] Handle with care. The contents were fragile. And families likewise are fragile. Relationships can be like that, easily damaged.

[20:05] And it's important that we handle the people in our lives with care. Our relationships, handle them with care. Handle them with prayer. Handle them with TLC.

[20:16] So we have seen firstly, number one, we have seen firstly how our families are under fire. And we see that the fire is coming from all kinds of directions. Sometimes from man's foolish choices.

[20:29] You know, the pressure to keep up with the Joneses. From the enemy of our soul to just fall into line with what's fashionable and what is popular.

[20:40] To fire the enemy of our soul as he dupes us and deceives us in all of his guises. So we are under fire. I'll put that to you today. The very concept of family, the concept of marriage.

[20:53] We're living in a world turned upside down. Families are under fire. Point number one. So secondly, what are we going to do? What will we do?

[21:04] What are we going to do about this fire that we're facing, this attack that is launched against each of us and our loved ones, our families? I put it to you, the answer is that we need to fight back.

[21:19] Fight back. I urge you today, fight for your family. Nehemiah said that in Nehemiah 4 verse 14. He looked around and he said, Be not afraid of them talking to the enemy.

[21:32] He says, Remember the Lord which is great and terrible. In other words, he's awesome. He's frightening against those who are against him. And fight for your brethren, your sons, your daughters, your wives and your houses.

[21:46] He says, Fight for your brethren, your sons, your daughters, your wives and your houses. Fight for your family is what he's saying. The question for you, for me at this point may be, What about when I've tried and failed?

[22:00] It's a very real question. And it's hard. Sometimes the door does close. I acknowledge that. Perhaps even the concept of family is painful to you.

[22:14] For whatever reason, from past hurts and disappointments. Families have been torn by conflict and crisis. I grieve with you when this happens. I put to you today, you can draw a line in the sand.

[22:28] You can't believe again. You can't believe again. There's always hope. Hope to save what you still have. Or hope to rebuild again. To hope for a fresh start.

[22:40] Where that that is lost is lost. You can begin again. You can begin again. You can make a fresh start. There's some foundational principles that help make a home.

[22:53] Help make a home. The Bible shows us who families are meant. How families are meant to work. God's order. God's plan. God has made families back in the garden.

[23:07] And he gave us some fundamentals through his book. So we can have faith in families. We can believe. God can help and touch our family.

[23:18] God's plan. And faith. Biblical faith. Faith. Saving faith. Faith in Christ as Saviour and Lord. Is where it all starts. It's where it all stands or falls.

[23:31] There is a stand that we each can make for our families. A choice we can make and declare as Joshua of old did. As he faced a horde of people who rebelled and followed after idols.

[23:43] In Joshua 24 verse 15. And he says to the crowd. And if it seem evil to you to serve the Lord. Choose you this day whom you will serve. Whether the gods which your father served.

[23:55] That were on the other side of the flood. Or the gods of the Amorites in his land you dwell. But as for me and my house. As for me and my family. We will serve the Lord.

[24:08] Joshua declared that he and his house. His household. His family. He says we will serve the Lord. You can stand up too. Stand up too.

[24:18] And urge your family to serve the Lord. You can stand up. And make that decision. And make that choice. As a godly member of your family. You can stand as Joshua stood.

[24:31] It's always a good time to start to work on your marriage. For all of us. For me. For all of us. My family is not in a place I'd like it to be right now. It's always a good time to start to work on your family.

[24:47] On your marriage. Families are under fire. What are we going to do about it? Now there's a concept called preventative maintenance. When someone owns a property. And they want to make it last.

[24:58] And keep up its condition. They'll notice when things are starting to crack up. And they'll put into place a regular program of maintenance. Preventative maintenance. We've probably left it too far.

[25:10] In this example. But preventative maintenance. Is how we keep an eye out. And it might mean a regular outlay. It might mean. Putting in a bit of time and effort and money.

[25:20] But it's better that. Than to have to knock the place down and rebuild. To have to rebuild. Because something wasn't treated. When it first became a problem.

[25:31] Preventative maintenance. We need that. In our marriages. In our families. When we see the cracks emerge. Hopefully before that. We'll want to fix it. Before it's too late. And God can save marriages.

[25:45] It's like termites. You don't want to ignore those telltale signs. Do you? When you see the little signs on the wall. The little mud trails. You'll want to get that treated. And so.

[25:57] What about our marriages? What about our families? Do we see the warning signs. Of a crumbling marriage? It's like the drip on my ceiling back home. Last month. I saw this little drip.

[26:08] Just a tiny little drip. Just a tiny little spot. And I left it too long. And now it means a more costly repair. Because I've mold grown. On my ceilings.

[26:19] It's quite an artistic feature. In the corner of my room now. But that. Because I didn't treat it. When I first saw it. And it's like that with our marriages.

[26:30] Isn't it? It sounds a bit like this scripture. In Ecclesiastes 10 verse 18. By much slothfulness. Or laziness. The building decayed. And through idleness of the hands.

[26:40] The house. Drop its room. In other words. Through being idle. The ceiling starts to fall in. It's not quite at that stage at my place. But. You know. If I'd have left it. It's.

[26:51] It could have happened. The roof falls in. When you leave. Things to decay. And. Go to pieces. And. Likewise. With marriages too. We have to keep working on them.

[27:03] Keep working at it. The consequences of neglect. Are decay. And disintegration. Destruction. But the opposite of maintenance.

[27:14] Is neglect. So rather. Maintain. Don't neglect to maintain your marriage. So that. It can be mended. And. God can help men.

[27:25] That which is torn. So let's work on it. Let's put some. Effort in. Before it gets beyond repair. Sadly. It may be too late. But we can learn the lesson at least.

[27:38] Can't we? We can learn that lesson. And it's a. It's a worthwhile lesson. I urge you today. Guard your marriage. As you would have valued treasure. It's a battle.

[27:48] Out there. It's a war. But our trust is not in human methods and means. But in God. As David confessed. He said. Some trust.

[27:59] In chariots. And some in horses. But we will remember the name. Of the Lord our God. We will trust in him. Him. Not in human. Engineering.

[28:10] But in God. And one of the big problem areas. Is when a family gets away from. God's order. Now. A fundamental. Truth is that. A threefold cord. Is not easily broken.

[28:22] When you get a rope. You'll see it's got at least three strands. A threefold cord. Is not quickly broken. And when the Lord. Is that third strand. In the marriage. It's the husband.

[28:33] The wife. And the Lord. He is that third strand. Together. A husband. And wife. Can follow him.

[28:43] And that threefold cord. Is stronger. He will make the marriage strong. A family gets into trouble. When it refuses the lordship.

[28:54] Of the Lord Jesus. And when a family. A nation. Lacks the lordship. Of Christ. It becomes lawlessness. The answer for the family under fire. Is that Christ be the head.

[29:05] Of the home. Christ is the head. Of this house. The unseen guest. At every meal. The silent listener. In every conversation. It's a good little plaque. Some people have up.

[29:16] And Christ is the head. Of this house. There's an order within. But Christ is the head. The reality is friends today.

[29:26] That the families are under fire. And what do we do. When families fall apart. That's a hard question. Sometimes they do fall apart. I was walking around the neighbourhood.

[29:38] Giving out these little flies. To invite people to come. To this time. And as I was walking around the neighbourhood. I came. And saw numbers of houses.

[29:49] Different kinds of houses. Different types of houses. And I got to thinking. What is it that makes a home? What makes a home? Is more than the four walls. It doesn't matter how fancy it is.

[30:01] On the outside. It doesn't matter how flashed the house is. How outwardly fancy that it is. What makes a home is love. That is the glue that binds.

[30:15] Do you know the love of God? Personally as one who is saved. Who knows him. And as a family. That you can grow in love.

[30:25] By love serve one another. And he will work in you. Grace can prevail. Hurt can be healed. With God nothing.

[30:36] Is impossible. When you receive a new gadget. It's important to check the designer's instructions. There's a lot of misunderstanding and damage done.

[30:48] When we neglect the principles of our maker. The God who has given us life. And shows us how to live a life. How to be a family. Family. Family is a God's idea.

[30:59] And marriage is something that he designs. He approves of marriage. It's important that we find out. What are God's principles to live by. And to do marriage. God's way.

[31:10] Do marriage. God's way. God has the best plan. The best plan. For marriages. And. He'll help us. He'll help us. Whatever your situation is today.

[31:21] Whatever it is. Whatever it is. Strong. Stable families matter. And it's what helps make a strong nation. So it's important that we learn God's word.

[31:34] What it says to us. Whether we're someone single. Single again. Someone married. Or someone going through hard times in our marriage. Right now. Rough waters. Marriage is something God defines.

[31:44] It's not the world that we live in. They can call it what they like. But it's not marriage. God decides what a marriage is. And he blesses marriages. It's a divine institution.

[31:56] It's not something the state should make. Or matter with. Or mangle. It's not what the state decides that matters. Marriage is what God says it is. It's not human reason.

[32:09] But divine revelation. That dictates what the truth is. And the first miracle recorded of our Lord was at the wedding of Canaan. He blessed marriage back then.

[32:22] Just by being there. He recognised marriage. God defines marriage as something honourable. In Hebrews 13. It's truly more than just a piece of paper.

[32:33] More than a mere ceremony. Hebrews 13. Verse 4. Marriage is honourable. In all. And the bed undefiled. But hormongous and adulterous God will judge.

[32:46] Marriage is honourable. It's something that God counts as worthy of honour. Yet today, routinely, marriage is being dishonoured. Dishonoured.

[32:56] While I was walking with these flyers, one of the streets I walked down was Fortress Street. Fortress Street. And as I was thinking, as I was walking along, I thought, when you're in a fight, you need a fortress.

[33:12] You need a fortress. Fortress. Families under fire need a fortress. When you're under attack, you need a sure refuge that you can take refuge in and find protection and be safe.

[33:28] Christ is that sure fortress for you. Whatever your circumstance today, he will fortify you and strengthen you and your family. He is your defender and he cares about your marriage.

[33:41] He cares about your family, about you. And about what's going on for you right now. Society, by and large, seems to have lost this concept of the purity of marriage.

[33:52] Something that's pure, should be undefiled. Pure. Marriage should be something sacred, special. A covenant. As we get God's blueprint, if you like, for the home.

[34:06] The Bible is his blueprint, his wisdom. That speaks to families, speaks to marriages. It's a sure foundation for our lives. It matters what your foundation is.

[34:17] What you build upon. And when you face the fight, friends, you will. You might be right now. When your family is under fire, go to the foundation. Go to the source document.

[34:28] Go to the maker's instructions. The God's guidebook for families. Your guidebook for faith. Your authority. Your sure source of guidance. God's design is there.

[34:40] A lifelong commitment. A faithfulness. A bond between one woman and one man for a lifetime. And it's sad to see the bond sometimes broken.

[34:52] Broken and at times beyond repair. Let's face it. But marriage is that one basic building block of a decent society. Great ancient civilizations of old have crumbled and fallen.

[35:07] And one of the marks was when the concept of marriage was attacked and eroded, degraded, perverted. Ancient Rome. When they turned to corruption, especially in the marriage relationship zone, Rome fell.

[35:24] Where we learn from the lessons of history. When you're in a fight, when you're under fire, I urge you, it's important to hold your position. Hold your ground.

[35:35] Don't give ground to the enemy. Keep short accounts with God and men. Learn to forgive. Learn to resolve conflicts. Learn to heal hurts. Ephesians 4.

[35:46] Be angry and sin not. Sure you're going to get angry. God says it's okay to get angry. But he says be angry and sin not. There's times we're going to have steam coming out of our ears.

[36:00] And we're going to be hot under the collar. And feeling frustrated and annoyed. Maybe with the ones we love the most. But he says be angry and sin not.

[36:11] Sin not. Let not the sun go down on your wrath. In other words, make up before night time. Neither give place to the devil. We don't want to give him a place, do we?

[36:22] We don't want to give the devil ground. We don't want to give the devil an inch of territory. We don't want to give ground to him. But rather stand fast. Families and marriage is God's idea today.

[36:35] And it's by his grace. It's by his grace that lives can be salvaged. And relationships can be restored. As we explore the pages of the Bible for the answers that we see through this coming series.

[36:48] As to husband and wife. The husband is called upon to be the provider. He's a delegated authority from God. Yet this authority is valid. Only in so far as he is faithful to the word of God.

[37:03] He must rule with love. But the wife, as we've heard of Proverbs 31 woman. Managing the home. Living a life that's a testimony. The answers that we seek for husbands, for wives, for parents.

[37:17] It's here. In these pages. These words we're meant to pass on to our children. As parents. God tells us, Deuteronomy 11. There's a message for parents here.

[37:43] Parents. Impart to your children. God's truths. Impart to your children God's words. The word tells us that parents are due respect.

[37:55] And have a responsibility for their children. Psalm 128. It says, Thy life shall be a fruitful vine by the sides of thine house. Thy children shall be like olive plants round about thy table.

[38:11] Now sometimes you can liken olive plants that are not pruned and controlled to being a wild nuisance. They call them feral, don't they? We don't want feral children, do we? Feral olive plants.

[38:22] But as an olive plant is nurtured and trained, it will grow and be strong. It won't be wild. It will be a blessing. And it's up to parents to play their part.

[38:35] Parents' rights these days seem to be more and more usurped by the state. It's like the state owns our children. No, the state doesn't. It's up to you and me as parents.

[38:47] Mothers and fathers. Families are under fire. Families are in conflict. And it's a battle. It's a battle for our loved ones, for our nearest and dearest.

[38:58] And when evil prevails, when the fight for the family rages the thickest, we're called to overcome evil with good. Overcome evil with good.

[39:10] Put aside bitterness and find forgiveness. Instead of being totally consumed with bitterness that eats us up from the inside, find forgiveness. Now is the time to put the countermeasures in place.

[39:22] To fight back for this battle for our lives. To mount, if you like, a counterattack in this ferocious fight for our families. To be heeding Nehemiah's call.

[39:33] As Nehemiah calls us, fight. Fight for your brethren, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your houses. We need to take action today to defend the family.

[39:43] So we have seen firstly how our families are under fire. Sometimes it's from man's foolish choices. Sinful choices. It's from the enemy of our soul. As he finds every which way to attack the family.

[39:56] To redefine the family. To destroy the family. In all of his various guises, he's actively attacking you and your family. Your home.

[40:07] And secondly, we have considered that which we are going to do about it. At the heart of it all is that we find that Christ-centered family. That we be truly that Christ-centered family.

[40:21] That the Lord Jesus is truly the head of the home. Our series is called Faith for Families. And we hope you'll be able to continue with us as we go through this series.

[40:32] And find some of these truths that you can apply. As we look at these biblical themes in more detail over these coming times. And our assistant pastor Adam will take us through some over the next several weeks.

[40:45] With a different topic each week. Along this theme of Faith for Families. So we trust you'll be blessed as we go through this. And as far as this reality that we face today.

[40:56] Our families are being under fire. We can be assured that there is sure victory today. The word says, you know, I've heard it put in the back of the book. You see who wins.

[41:07] We've got the victory now. We've got the victory today by faith. It says that whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world. And this is the victory that overcometh the world even.

[41:19] Our faith. Our faith is our victory. And it says in 1 Corinthians 13. And now abideth faith, hope, charity or love.

[41:31] And these three. But the greatest of these is charity. Faith, hope, love. Faith, hope, love. I trust that will be something your family can find.

[41:45] Whatever you face. You will find those three. That will abide forever. And the greatest of these is love. Let us pray. Heavenly Father, we thank you that you care about each one, each home, each heart today.

[41:59] Each family. You pray. You ask us, Lord, to find faith in a world unfaithful where faith is lacking.

[42:10] We know this world is heading in a hellward direction. And taking many souls with it. We pray for each heart here today. Pray for each one, each soul.

[42:21] That each one might know what it is to trust you. To trust you personally in saving faith. To know, Lord Jesus, you died on the cross for our sins. You rose again. And as we confess you as Lord, that we shall be yours for eternity.

[42:37] If we call on your name, Lord, you can save here and now and forever. Here and now and in the hereafter, we can know salvation because of faith in your shed blood.

[42:50] And your grace that imparts it to us. Lord, we pray for each one that they might know that faith, that trust in you. That changes our eternal direction.

[43:02] We pray, Lord, that we might put our faith in you. Help us, Lord, for our families. For families struggling. For families failing. Lord, for families beyond repair, Lord, that we might draw the line in the sand.

[43:15] And find hope again. Find faith again. Lord, help us, Lord, we pray. Pray for every family. That you would nurture them. Nurture each heart, each home in your care.

[43:28] Until you come again. Until we go to you. We thank you in Jesus' name. Amen. Amen. Amen.

[43:50] Thank you.