Biblical Blueprint for a Godly Family: Building a Christ-Centered Home

[0:00] So the Christian family, the godly family, God helping us and this study is going to look at how we equip believers with biblical principles to build godly families.

[0:11] ! That's what we all want isn't it? To honour our Lord, reflect his love and can be a testimony to our world. So we're going to look at some principles you could call it the biblical blueprint for the family.

[0:23] And of course the family is God's foundational institution. The first thing God instituted was the family, before the state, before the church, the family.

[0:36] One man, one woman, a monogamous relationship, a family. And it's the primary context really for discipleship, for nurturing faith and passing down spiritual truth to future generations as well.

[0:52] And you look at the world we're living in, it often undermines God's design. It doesn't like the biblical family. But strong Christian families are vital for our world, for the church and society.

[1:06] And when you think about it too, there's like a battleground. The family is a battleground. And it's under immense pressure and attack from various cultural and spiritual forces.

[1:19] And Satan is attacking the family today. And so families are strategic. And it's a way that we can be a testimony for our Lord and also reach further down the track other generations as well.

[1:35] So there's a sense where it's not just our generation, but our children, our grandchildren and beyond. And Joshua 24, 15 tells us, as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.

[1:50] In the context, he's talking about making a choice who you're going to serve. You know, there's lots of kind of gods we can serve. But he says, as for me and my house, he stood up for his family, his household.

[2:03] He says, we will serve the Lord. And so we want to find out what does the Bible tell us about the family, setting that biblical foundation? What are some of the roles in the family and principles for cultivating that Christ-centered home?

[2:18] And Psalm 127, verse 1, it reads, Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it. We want it to be a house that God builds, a Christ-centered home.

[2:31] So let's look at some of the principles then. The biblical foundation of marriage and family. We'll unpack it on a couple of levels there. What is marriage? A divine institution.

[2:45] And the purpose of marriage and family. Firstly then, marriage is a divine institution. It's God's design. He defines what a marriage is, not the government, as much as they might try to define it.

[2:57] And only God tells us what a marriage is. And what the Bible tells us is a marriage. And marriage is the cornerstone of the family. Established by God to unite one man and one woman in a lifelong covenant.

[3:11] Not just a contract, but a covenant. And God created Eve as a suitable helper for Adam, forming the first marriage. This covenant relationship between one man and one woman is designed for lifelong unity.

[3:24] As our Lord affirmed in Matthew 19, verses 4 through 6. In part there it says, What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.

[3:36] What God's joined together, let no man separate. Marriage is that one flesh union, encompassing emotional, spiritual and physical intimacy.

[3:46] And it harks back to Genesis 2, at the very creation of Adam and Eve. It tells Genesis 2, 18, And the Lord God said, It is not good for man to dwell alone.

[3:59] I will make him and help me for him. So that's the purpose God designed that man should not live alone, but he should have a helper that is meet for him.

[4:11] So one of them come alongside and be a help, a help meet. And Adam said, This is now a bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh. She shall be called woman, because she was taken out of man.

[4:24] Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife, and they shall be one flesh. Marriage, a divine institution.

[4:35] So on to the next one, the purpose of marriage and family. You can think of all of these truths about a family, what a family is for. To glorify God through obedience and worship, to reflect his character and his covenant love.

[4:49] To raise godly children, if it be his will, who know and serve him. To provide that mutual support and companionship, and to serve as a witness of God's design to the world.

[5:02] God uses marriage to symbolise Christ's relationship with the church, so it's a very special closeness. And you think of Christ's love for the church.

[5:13] How did he love the church? He laid down his life for her, demonstrating sacrificial love. And then what should be the relationship of the wife to the husband? Submission, like the church should be submitted to Christ as the head.

[5:27] And so it's got everything there in that kind of microcosm that is the family. It represents the church as well. And our relationship with our Lord as the head of the church.

[5:39] And families provide that companionship, that mutual support, and that stable foundation. So let's unpack some of the roles and responsibilities within a family. Firstly, the husband.

[5:51] The role of the husband. Tell us in Ephesians 5, 23, For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church, and he is the saviour of the body.

[6:03] Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church and gave himself for it. So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself.

[6:14] So the husband here is called to be that spiritual leader, provider, protector, modelling Christ's sacrificial love, called to servant leadership, to lead with humility and wisdom, and to take spiritual responsibility for directing the home.

[6:32] And this headship is not a domineering kind of leading, but sacrificial, like Christ sacrificed himself. It's modelled after his love, so that husbands would cherish and nurture their wives, to love them sacrificially, putting their wives' needs above their own.

[6:51] There's a lot we could unpack really in that further. Over the page you see that a husband must also provide for his family's spiritual, emotional and material needs.

[7:04] In 1 Timothy 5, verse 8, it reads, But if any provide not for his own, for those of his own household, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.

[7:16] There's a call there that husband should be a provider. Moving on to the wife, a wife should support and manage the home, called to be a helper, a supporter, a partner, submitting to her husband's leadership, as unto the Lord, in a voluntary act of submission, to respect and complement his leadership.

[7:40] Reading here in Ephesians 5, from verse 22, Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church, and he is the saviour of the body.

[7:55] Therefore, as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything. Very important responsibilities there of the wife.

[8:06] Of course, there's maybe some limitations as to how far does she submit to the husband. If the husband is instructing her to do something illegal, or the husband is instructing her to do something immoral, obviously, then God's direction trumps any direction of the husband, if there's any question of that.

[8:29] But ideally, the wife would have that submissive heart, and that's a godly thing, a good thing. Proverbs 31 talks about a godly woman, a wife of noble character, diligently managing the home, supporting her husband.

[8:44] It tells of her, from verse 10, Who can find a virtuous woman, for her price is far above rubies. The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil.

[8:58] She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life. So a model woman there, Proverbs 31. She's virtuous, valuable, far above rubies.

[9:12] And her husband can trust in her. She'll do right. Titus 2 also encourages wives to love their families, create that nurturing environment. We'll look at that scripture later on.

[9:24] Nurturing the family with love and wisdom. And managing the home with diligence. So it does talk about the wife being like the manager of the home, in the sense that she takes care of the home, the household requirements.

[9:39] So we've seen the husband, the wife. Next we go to the father. Think about the father, the role of a father in a home. And fathers are given this role, a spiritual leadership of discipline, guiding their children in the fear of the Lord.

[9:55] And they're to teach their children God's word, to raise the children in the training of the Lord, the instruction of the Lord. And there's also a role of discipline there too, with love, avoiding harshness, to be that model of godliness through example, to shape their children's faith.

[10:14] So this discipline is balanced with encouragement and affirmation. We read there in Ephesians 6, 4, it tells us, And ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath, so don't stir them up to get angry, provoke them in an unhelpful way, but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.

[10:36] So there's that encouragement there, that building up, that nourishment. And Deuteronomy 6 tells us how we're to, as parents, to God helping us try to instruct our children.

[10:50] It tells us here, Deuteronomy 6, 6 through 7, and it's just after that, it's just said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God, honour the Lord thy God.

[11:02] And it says, And these words which I command thee this day shalt be in thine heart, and thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.

[11:18] So it's like, basically 24-7, we shall be teaching our children, teaching them the word of God. Fathers are to teach and to discipline.

[11:30] And then we look further at the role of a mother. Further to these roles is the role of a mother. And we see their role is to nurture and teach, to shape the character of their children, and to nurture them emotionally, spiritually, loving them with tenderness.

[11:50] We see Titus 2, verse 4, it reads, that they may teach the young women, talking of the older women, that they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.

[12:10] So there's that sense where they're meant to be wise in their discretion, in their modesty, to be pure, to be keepers at home.

[12:24] And mothers have got that unique capacity to provide emotional warmth and comfort, to provide security. Like in Isaiah 66, 13, it says, as a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you.

[12:38] There's that nurture there. Of the mother. And mothers are to train up their children in the way they should go. Proverbs 22, verse 6, it says, train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it.

[12:53] We've got a chance to reach them while they're under our roof, while they're still young, show them the way to go, and God helping them, they'll keep going that way.

[13:04] And mothers are to teach practical and godly virtues. And it tells about how a mother's instruction complements the father's in Proverbs 1, verse 8.

[13:16] And then you've got Proverbs 31, 26, it tells, of the mum, that she openeth her mouth with wisdom, and in her tongue is the law of kindness. So these are all the, this is the ideals, you know, this is what we'd hope for, that the mother of the home would have these virtues, that she would have wisdom when she opens her mouth, that in her tongue is the law of kindness, and that she will have the heart to bring up a child in a godly good way.

[13:43] And really, it's collectively, it's for parents, really, that both the husband and the wife, that both the father and the mother, we've all got that responsibility to raise our children, help God helping us to know and love God.

[13:57] Of course, they've got to make their own profession of faith to trust him, but we can be that model, God helping us as godly mums and dads to model that vibrant faith, to have that home that's got unity and loving, and it's consistent in its ways, in discipline, it's got a stable, godly environment, and we can live out those biblical values, that there's no conflict, we're not being fake, you know, it's lived out faith, that we're truly living out our faith and modelling our faith for future generations as well, that there's a godliness there, there's a legacy, and we're providing for our children, we're praying for them and encouraging them.

[14:40] And in response then, the next section talks about the role of children, and Ephesians 6 tells us, children, obey your parents, in the Lord, for this is right, honour thy father and thy mother, which is the first commandment with promise, that it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth.

[15:03] So children are called to obey, to honour their parents, in the Lord, again, there's that kind of clause there, as much as we would honour and respect our parents, but again, if they're telling us to do something that's ungodly or wrong, then maybe there's an exception there, because it's in the Lord, obey them in the Lord.

[15:24] And there's a call there to do that, it's right. And to do that promptly and respectfully, it's pleasing to God. And it fosters that respect for authority, it brings blessing.

[15:37] Children are to honour their parents, listening for their instruction and recognising that there's wisdom there and grace. We read Proverbs 1, it reads, There's a source of wisdom and grace there.

[15:59] Even as our parents might get older, we could still do well if they're still alive to tune in and maybe get some of the wisdom of their years as much as, even if they're not a believer, we can still have some respect for their age and potentially their wisdom that we can learn from them and we can honour them by listening to them.

[16:24] Moving on, next section is talking about some challenges for modern families. When you think about the world that we're living in, as I know we've talked about in recent times as well, how the modern family is under threat from all of their society forces, you know, the world, the flesh, the devil, there's a lot that threatens biblical family values and think about the culture, the way it's shifting, going away from God, secular culture and how can we counter that with Bible truth?

[16:56] So secular culture, it promotes individualism, relativism, so there's no truth, it's all murky, redefines the family structures, so you've got same-sex marriage, so-called, cohabitation, so people living together outside of marriage, so marriage as a truth is being neglected or it's defiled as modern cultures defiled it and corrupted it, so secular culture redefines marriage, tries to, as we know, wrongly, it redefines gender and family, what a family is.

[17:37] Now that's not to say, of course, there are times when the single parent families, that sometimes happens, there's blended families where different families that are broken get together and there's all of that too and that's not necessarily a wrong thing, that's just kind of what happens sometimes that some families get damaged and it can't be brought back together and that's life sometimes, but God helping us, we can still try to apply biblical truths even if our family doesn't really match that ideal that we would hope for but we think of how can we intentionally uphold God's standards and God calls families in this time where there's so much conflict and there's all of this anti-family sentiment that's out there, how can we resist that and rather conform to God to be transformed by him and Romans 12 too is a classic scripture which tells us and be not conformed to this world, all of that secular mindset but being transformed by the renewing of your mind so rather a scriptural renewing to have God's truth refreshing and filling our mind and leading our thoughts that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God that's the will of God that we want to discern, to stand upon God's truth and resist those cultural trends if they're against God and be willing to stand firm for what is right.

[19:09] Cultural shifts, countering those ungodly ways with Bible truth. Next one we see is the challenge of busyness and distraction, sometimes over commitment and how do we challenge that?

[19:25] by ideally God helping us prioritising worship as a family and family time and look, I'm not always the best example of that. I know that for myself I could have done a lot better and still need to do better but we think of all the pressures on the family right now where you've got technology, work, extracurricular activity.

[19:48] You know, everybody's so busy, doesn't it? There's a lot of busyness in this so-called information age but yet we're time poor. Sometimes we're so stretched. There's so much going on and our lives get overscheduled and family time and spiritual time gets neglected.

[20:06] Families are meant to prioritise worship, to have quality time, time together, time to choose to serve the Lord but the distractions get in the way, don't they, for all of us.

[20:18] It's a sad reality and we've got to be mindful of that and again as we read before Joshua 24, 15 Joshua tells the people and if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord choose you this day whom you will serve but as for me and my house we will serve the Lord.

[20:37] You know, we can choose to serve self-interest or choose to serve the mindset of this world but rather stand like Joshua and say hey I want to serve the Lord and my house, my family, I want my family to choose right and to make a clear family stand for the Lord to set aside time to be in His will and in godly ways that you can live as a family.

[21:05] Another distraction, another challenge for modern families is media and technology. How do we manage that? Because we know again, there's so much social media, there's so much screens here and there and unfiltered media can introduce ungodly values.

[21:23] You think what the world tends to feed on, yeah, there's all of that immorality, violence, materialism, you're constantly barraged with all these messagings that are not always wholesome and so you think of, for example, Philippians 4, another classic scripture that tells us how we ought to think.

[21:41] Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report, if there be any virtue, if there be any praise, think on these things.

[21:57] It's a kind of deliberate shifting of your mindset to guard your thoughts, guard the home, set some boundaries for your discernment of what you're allowing into your home through screens and phones, to focus on what is true, what is noble, what's the right, what's the good thing, to guard our hearts, to guard our minds, to protect our families, you know, there's a constant barraging and we want to be the gatekeepers, God helping us as godly mums and dads to keep our godly boundaries around our home for the benefit of our children and ourselves.

[22:36] Another challenge for modern families is financial pressures and materialism. Can we trust God's provision and have stewardship? We know that there's a lot of strain from economy and can distract us from spiritual priorities and you read Matthew 6.33 and the Lord's saying about this and that that we need and he says, God's going to look after you and he says, but seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you.

[23:09] So what are you going to eat, what are you going to wear? He says, seek first the kingdom of God and make that the priority to seek God's wisdom, God's kingdom and then God will provide and we can practice contentment too.

[23:22] It talks in Hebrews 13.5 to be content with what we have, to learn that contentment. You know, sometimes we have the feeding of the world that says, oh, you've got to have the latest this or the latest gadget.

[23:35] You've got to, you know, go and spend money on this, whatever it be, but rather just to learn to be content, to be satisfied and have that peace that, hey, I don't need to be scrambling after the next thing that everybody else is raving on about or, you know, spending money on this and that.

[23:54] Rather have good stewardship so we use our money wisely, God helping us and we can use generosity and be wise in our giving and such things. The next challenge there we see is this erosion of authority and a lack of discipline and you think about our world, it's getting more and more lawless, isn't it?

[24:15] A lot of crazy stuff going on. People don't respect the law or the lawmakers, the law keepers, the police and such and for any kind of authority it's almost like it gets mocked now, doesn't it?

[24:28] And I know I can be guilty of that sometimes too. I can think of, hey, we've got a rotten government or a rotten prime minister but, you know, it says we shouldn't actually have that attitude in the sense of, you know, to be hateful or, you know, to be mocking them.

[24:45] There's a sense of being respectful of authority and it flows really from the family because people learn that from a young age where they've got a disrespect for their mum and dad and then they've got a disrespect for their teachers and then a disrespect for just about everybody else and it starts really at the home level, doesn't it?

[25:07] That disrespect for the parental authority maybe a lack of discipline where there's permissive parenting leads to rebellion. You know, kids never get told, actually, there's consequences for your bad behaviour and there's loving, consistent, firm discipline.

[25:24] That's essential really, isn't it? People need to have boundaries and it tells us that he that spareth his rod hateth his son but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes, which means promptly.

[25:37] So, like, there's a sense where, hey, if you act up you're going to get some consequences, you're going to get some discipline and it's going to happen promptly, like it's going to happen without mucking around.

[25:50] And, again, Proverbs 29, 17, correct thy son and he shall give thee rest, yea, he shall give delight unto thy soul. Hopefully they take heed of our correction, sometimes they don't, but that we can be providing loving discipline, consistent, firm discipline.

[26:11] It's essential, isn't it? And that discipline will help ideally model respect, that they'll learn to respect authority, they'll learn to respect rules, they'll learn to respect laws and they'll be an upstanding citizen that has that regard for right and wrong.

[26:29] They've got a sense of that. And, ideally, even more important that they'll have that accountability to God is the ultimate authority and the fear of God.

[26:41] Next one, biblical principles for a godly home. So, a home must be built on the word of God, not worldly wisdom. And this is really important, isn't it?

[26:51] It's the foundation. What's the foundation? And to overcome challenges, to build a thriving Christian family, there's some good principles here in this next section about how we can build a home with those godly principles.

[27:05] And the first one is make Christ the centre of your home. Make it a Christ-centred home. So that, ideally, that Christ is the foundation for every decision and activity.

[27:18] There's no conflict with what would honour Him. A godly home is built on Christ and every decision and action should flow as a reflection of His Lordship. He's the Lord of the home.

[27:29] So you could say, well, the husband is the head of the wife, but really, ultimately, the head of the home is Christ. Christ is the head of the home. And it tells us there in Colossians 3, 17, And whatsoever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by Him.

[27:51] That sense where our every word, our every action, there's a sense where, hey, we want it to be glorifying God. We want it to be done so that He will be honoured and that all decisions are made in that submission that the family identity is in Christ.

[28:08] You know, wouldn't it be wonderful if the home atmosphere reflected that, that Christ is the head of the home and we've got the fruits of the Spirit. It's almost like you can have a family mission statement that's framed on biblical values.

[28:22] So Christ is the centre of the home. That's the first one. Next one you see, God helping you for a biblical home, a godly home.

[28:32] Another principle is prioritise family worship and discipleship. So if you can have some time, that prayerfulness in the home, that you have Bible reading, you can even worship together, maybe sing songs together and think about how can you have that kind of spiritual atmosphere, godly conversations, that intentional spiritual formation.

[28:57] So a sense where there's like a discipleship there, that you're teaching God's Word diligently. Maybe you're tackling things where you can have conversations about godly truths and helping children to grow, to learn, to know the Lord, to understand.

[29:13] And there's a great scripture there in Psalm 145, verse 4. It reads, One generation shall praise thy works to another and shall declare thy mighty acts.

[29:27] So it's a wonderful thing to think, hey, not only have you got your children, but your grandchildren, maybe your great-grandchildren, that one generation are going to impact another generation and then that generation is going to impact another generation.

[29:42] So there's like a multi-generational faithfulness. Next principle is we ought to cultivate love and forgiveness. And you think how in a home that hopefully you get on with each other.

[29:56] We know it doesn't always happen. Sometimes you get that child that just won't do what they're supposed to. That can be hard. But ideally you'll have that love, that forgiveness, that where there's conflict you're going to be able to resolve it biblically.

[30:13] You can learn to bear with one another, forgive one another, and that God's grace will be there. So a godly home ideally is marked by grace, not grudges.

[30:23] That, hey, don't hold the grudge, just let grace prevail. And that love that will bind the family together, creating that safe space for growth and reconciliation. reconciliation. So we read here, forbearing one another, so it means putting up with each other in a sense, and forgiving one another.

[30:41] If any man have a quarrel against any, even as Christ forgave you, so also do you. As Christ forgave you, so also do you. That's a big call, isn't it? As he would forgive us, we know how much has he forgiven us.

[30:55] Everything, everything we've done wrong. And above all these things, put on charity. So love as that kind of above and over everything, that overarching principle of love, and put on charity, which is the bond, that bond, that holy bond of perfectness, that union.

[31:14] So the love and forgiveness, that's the perfect, isn't it? That's the absolute ultimate to have God's love to prevail. And the next one, we think about godly character.

[31:26] How can parents exemplify the virtues they teach? That, hey, it's not that our lives don't line up with our lips, you know, that, hey, we're not being fakes, that we live out our faith and we'll model those virtues, virtues like integrity and humility and faith.

[31:44] And we know that Paul tells Timothy, be an example. Now, of course, he's specifically talking to Timothy, who's a young man, but you could really take these truths and think, hey, we should all be an example like this.

[32:00] So he says to Timothy, let no man despise thy youth, but be thou an example of the believers in word, in conversation, which means way of living, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.

[32:15] So in our words, our conduct, our love, the spirit, the sinas, the faith, the purity, all of these ways we should be an example and model that godly character.

[32:26] It's been said that more is caught than taught. So we can go blah, blah, blah and rave on about this or that, but if we're not living it, then it's hollow, isn't it?

[32:38] It's shallow. And children watch more than they listen. So be that model that's a consistent one, God helping you. And be honest when you fail and maybe acknowledge it.

[32:49] But you live out the virtues that you want to see in your children. Hey, you know, sometimes you get that situation where a parent says, hey, don't do this, but they're doing it themselves.

[33:01] You know, that can be really, I mean, that says it all, doesn't it? You know, you could think all sorts of things about that, couldn't you? You know, don't drink, don't smoke, don't swear. But then if we're doing it as the parent, then it doesn't matter what you're saying because the children see your example more than any words that you say.

[33:21] So rather model it, live it out. You know, God helping you. And we know we're all failing, all failing creatures at times, but God will help us to have the consistency in that.

[33:32] That would be a good thing, wouldn't it? And next section, we see the service and hospitality that your home, God helping you, mums and dads here, children, that you would think, hey, how can I serve God and serve others?

[33:49] And it's interesting, like in this, these words here, it says, use your home as a ministry centre so that you can serve the church, the community, as a family, serve together as a family.

[34:02] I think now, it's really like a microcosm of the church, isn't it? The family. And families, if we learn how to serve one another, then we can take that service outside of the family circle.

[34:14] We can serve our community and show that love and reach out in that collective ministry. So it tells us in part in Galatians 5.13, by love, serve one another.

[34:27] Think about it. If we as a family, as a family unit, you start serving together. Now we've got a couple of guitarists serving together. It's like the family, isn't it? They're serving together.

[34:39] They're serving as a family unit and then that can happen that they're serving more widely, serving the church, serving the Lord in different ways. You can expand that in all kinds of ways. How can we teach our children by modelling those things of service, of that family involvement?

[34:57] So, I mean, it's great to see a dad and his son here tonight. We'd like to see more of the mums and dads, ideally bring their children. It can be hard. They don't always want to come.

[35:09] But, you know, the more that the families can be actively serving together, that's a good thing and we want to foster that. And the next one there, how can we trust God in all circumstances too?

[35:23] So in the family unit, that when the family's going to go through trials, there's going to be uncertainties. How as families, can we trust the Lord and learn that kind of faith as a family unit to seek God, his guidance, to rely on his wisdom, to navigate our way through tests and trials and challenges, to make decisions that will be godly ones, to acknowledge God's authority, to seek his will when we're making decisions about schooling, about relationships, about priorities, that ideally, that the family would be trusting God, that family will trust God together and have that eye to what would honour God and please him, acknowledging his authority and seeking his will.

[36:11] Like this scripture goes, trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not unto thine own understanding in all thy ways, acknowledge him and he shall direct thy path. So ideally, as a family unit, you might kind of talk together when there's something going on or how should we spend this money or this time or, you know, what should we do next month as some planning thing.

[36:34] Hey, what can we do prayerfully? Let's have a mind to what would be a good thing, what would be a good direction, a good decision and to trust God, especially when difficulties come. Hey, we haven't got enough money to do this or that this month ahead.

[36:49] Hey, maybe what's the priorities? What's going to be the most wise thing to do and to have that eternal perspective? So there's ways that the family can grow together by prayerfully navigating things and going through situations, learning to trust the Lord and seek his guidance, his wisdom.

[37:08] And then the next section there too, to think as we talked about, you're building for future generations. There's a legacy we're leaving and ideally like our children will get saved and their children will get saved and so on.

[37:23] It will go down the line that will have that spiritual heritage. So coming to the last section there to conclude, what is the family?

[37:35] It's a sacred institution. God's made it. God's designed it. He's made it to reflect his love, his order, his glory and we've got biblical roles to fulfil.

[37:46] Husbands loving, sacrificially, wives supporting, faithfully, parents nurturing, diligently, diligently, and children obeying respectfully.

[37:58] All of those kind of dimensions, those roles. And then the family can thrive. We can have a godly home. And we've got modern challenges. We've got a battleground there that is the family at times.

[38:12] We've got lots of trials and tests and difficulties. Modern living, it sometimes hinders us from having a godly home because of all the barraging of ungodly media, all the pressures on families financially and such.

[38:29] How can we honour God with our home? This is something we want to have prayerfully, isn't it? How can we raise that godly seed for his kingdom? And how can we overcome these tests and challenges with faith?

[38:43] How can we apply Christ-centred principles daily? It's where the rubber hits the road, isn't it? In the family. It's like the people that you love the most, the people that you want to be closest to, and sometimes things happen where they're not close.

[38:57] And it's a tough thing. It's a tough time. Families get fractured as well, and sometimes there's no repairing of them. But God helping us, we can be a witness as best we can to think about how can I be a witness to my family?

[39:14] Even if our family is a bit fractured, we can still try to be a witness, can't we? God helping us that we'll try to be planted on God's truths and try to live out these principles every day.

[39:28] God helping us. And we see there that last scripture that God blesses homes that fear Him. And as we model that love, that forgiveness, as our families will be that testimony for God's truth, see it reads here, Blessed is everyone that feareth the Lord that walketh in His ways.

[39:51] For thou shalt eat the labour of thine hands, happy shalt thou be. And it shall be well with thee. Thy wife shall be as a fruitful vine by the sides of thine house. Thy children like olive plants round about thy table.

[40:05] Behold, that thus shall the man be blessed that feareth the Lord. So as we ideally fear God and follow His ways, we can be a testimony.

[40:16] We know sometimes our family won't follow the Lord. And our family might choose a different path, which is a sad thing. But we can be firm and faithful ourselves. We can have the integrity of ourselves, even if our family is not following the Lord.

[40:31] That we would be that one that will be a testimony to commit our home, to be a place of grace, a place of worship, ideally, that will have spiritual strength.

[40:42] and that each one of us can do our own individual part to fulfil our own God-given role, whether it be as husband, as wife, as parent, as child, that we can have that mind to what is God's will and trust His guidance to build a home that will glorify Him.

[41:05] That our home, our family can be a living testimony, even impacting generations yet to come for His kingdom. So, God helping us, let's prayerfully hopefully take some of these truths and it's only just a very broad brush look at a family about these roles, but hopefully we can take these truths and implement them and God will help us with that.

[41:28] Let's pray. Lord, as we close this part of our time, we thank you for the truth of a godly family. We know, Lord, there's many challenges as we have the enemy constantly on the attack and the family can be a battleground and we know sometimes families get fractured and there's sometimes disrepair, Lord, and sometimes it can't be made whole.

[41:55] But yet, Lord, you can help us individually, each one of us, to be that testimony that you want us to be. Help us to do our part or to play our role and, Lord, prayerfully that others will be a witness to within our family who may not know you.

[42:12] Lord, that they too might come to trust you, to follow you. Lord, give us grace that we might have these truths lived out in our own homes. Lord, bless our time as we part shortly and our refreshments now.

[42:28] Bless them, Lord, and our time further together now. Lord, in Jesus' precious name. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen.