Plains Baptist Church: God's Design for Families

Disciplining with Love

Raymond Smith — Sun, 05 Oct 2025 09:30:00 +0100

Disciplining with Love

Series: God's Design for Families

Pastor: Raymond Smith

Sunday Morning

Date: 5th October 2025

Passages:

-------------------

No one likes being corrected—but God’s discipline isn’t about punishment, it’s about loving guidance.

He corrects us because we belong to Him and because He wants what’s best for us.

Just like a parent guides a child toward maturity, God uses correction to shape our hearts and build character. When you understand His purpose, even the uncomfortable moments start to make sense.

Parents are called to reflect that same love and consistency as they train their children. True discipline, whether divine or parental, is an expression of love, designed to lead us toward godliness.

Overcoming Challenges

Raymond Smith — Sun, 21 Sep 2025 09:30:00 +0100

Overcoming Challenges

Series: God's Design for Families

Pastor: Raymond Smith

Sunday Morning

Date: 21st September 2025

Passages:

-------------------

Everyone faces struggles, but the real question is what those struggles reveal about you. Job said our days are few and full of trouble, and marriage brings its own set of challenges. In 2 Corinthians 4, Paul reminds us that challenges expose whether we’re relying on ourselves or on God’s strength.

When life breaks you, what do others see: emptiness or the hope of Christ? God calls you to trust His mercy, hold together in unity, and let His light be seen in your life. Watch this message and be encouraged to let Christ’s life shine through your challenges.

Forgiveness in Marriage

Raymond Smith — Sun, 07 Sep 2025 09:30:00 +0100

Forgiveness in Marriage

Series: God's Design for Families

Pastor: Raymond Smith

Sunday Morning

Date: 7th September 2025

Passages:

-------------------

Forgiveness isn’t optional in marriage—it’s essential. Every relationship will face hurt, but forgiveness reflects Christ’s love and keeps bitterness from taking root. Forgiveness is the ointment that allows healing to begin. and opens the door for reconciliation to begin.

Scripture reminds us that forgiveness isn’t about excusing the offense, but about releasing the desire for retribution and showing grace as Christ showed you. Love and patience anchor this kind of forgiveness, allowing your marriage to display God’s design.

Practicing forgiveness can strengthen your home and point others to Christ. Watch the full message to see this in action

The Heritage of the Lord

Raymond Smith — Sun, 31 Aug 2025 09:30:00 +0100

The Heritage of the Lord

Series: God's Design for Families

Pastor: Raymond Smith

Sunday Morning

Date: 31st August 2025

Passages:

-------------------

Children are not a burden to be managed but a blessing entrusted to you by the Lord. As parents, God has entrusted us to guide them in truth, nurture them in faith, and prepare them to stand strong in the Lord.

Your perspective matters: do you see children as a gift to cherish and equip, or as an inconvenience? Watch this message and be encouraged to honor God by treasuring the heritage He has placed in your hands.

Wives, Respect Your Husbands

Raymond Smith — Sun, 24 Aug 2025 09:30:00 +0100

Wives, Respect Your Husbands

Series: God's Design for Families

Pastor: Raymond Smith

Sunday Morning

Date: 24th August 2025

Passages:

-------------------

God designed marriage with order and purpose, and His Word calls wives to respect and submit to their husbands as part of that design. Respect is not about inferiority. It reflects obedience to the Lord and trust in His plan for the home.

When a wife honors her husband’s leadership, she not only strengthens her marriage but also shows a living picture of the church’s submission to Christ. This is more than a duty; it’s a choice of love and trust that brings unity and stability into the family.

You are either building up your home or tearing it down with your response to your husband. How will you choose to reflect God’s design? Watch the full message to see how living out this truth can change your marriage and deepen your walk with Christ.

Train Them Up

Raymond Smith — Sun, 22 Jun 2025 09:30:00 +0100

Train Them Up

Series: God's Design for Families

Pastor: Raymond Smith

Sunday Morning

Date: 22nd June 2025

Passages:

-------------------

Raising children isn’t just about providing; it’s about shaping. Proverbs 22:6 calls parents to dedicate their children to a God-directed path, narrowing their focus toward truth that lasts. That kind of training requires more than good intentions; it takes deliberate teaching, consistent example, and unwavering faithfulness.

What you build into their lives now will stay with them, whether they embrace it or resist it. You can’t control their choices, but you are responsible for what you’ve put within reach. What direction are you guiding your children toward?

Bring Them Up: The Father's Role in the Family

Raymond Smith — Sun, 15 Jun 2025 09:30:00 +0100

Bring Them Up: The Father's Role in the Family

Series: God's Design for Families

Pastor: Raymond Smith

Sunday Morning

Date: 15th June 2025

Passages:

-------------------

Fathers, your role goes far beyond providing physically for your children. It’s a calling to lead your children spiritually in truth, maturity, and love. Ephesians 6:4 warns against provoking your children to wrath through inconsistency, harshness, or favoritism, and instead urges you to bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.

Take time to examine whether your actions build up or tear down, and how your example shapes your child’s view of God. You’re responsible not only for their physical well-being, but also for cultivating their spiritual growth through correction, patience, and daily guidance.

Whether you're a new dad, seasoned father, or preparing for that role one day, now is the time to lead with purpose and it all begins with your own relationship with Christ.

Husband, love your wife!

Raymond Smith — Sun, 08 Jun 2025 09:30:00 +0100

Husband, love your wife!

Series: God's Design for Families

Pastor: Raymond Smith

Sunday Morning

Date: 8th June 2025

Passages:

-------------------

God calls every husband to love his wife with the same sacrificial, sanctifying, and nurturing love Christ shows the church. Husbands, does your love reflects that standard—not just in words, but in daily choices?

You’re not called to lead with control or convenience, but with intentional care, protection, and self-denial. A marriage built on this kind of love becomes a living testimony of the gospel.

If you’re serious about honoring God in your home, this isn't something you can ignore. Listen to the full message and measure your love by the example Christ gave.

Solid Marriage Build on the Rock

Raymond Smith — Sun, 25 May 2025 09:30:00 +0100

Solid Marriage Build on the Rock

Series: God's Design for Families

Pastor: Raymond Smith

Sunday Morning

Date: 25th May 2025

Passages:

-------------------

What holds your marriage together when life gets hard? The difference between standing and falling comes down to the foundation of your relationship. Is your marriage built on a solid foundation Jesus Christ and the Bible or is it build on shifting ground.

Obedience to God doesn’t remove the storms, but it prepares you to face them without collapse. A strong marriage starts with your own walk with the Lord. If you want a relationship that endures, you need to hear this.

God's Design for Marriage

Raymond Smith — Sun, 18 May 2025 09:30:00 +0100

God's Design for Marriage

Series: God's Design for Families

Pastor: Raymond Smith

Sunday Morning

Date: 18th May 2025

Passages:

-------------------

Marriage isn’t a social construct or a personal milestone—it’s something God designed with purpose from the very beginning. Genesis 2 reveals marriage as more than romance or obligation; it’s about companionship, mutual support, and unity under God’s direction. You’ll see how responsibility, love, and trust are built into the foundation of a biblical marriage. The message challenges modern assumptions and calls you to view marriage the way God does. Whether you're married or not, you need to understand what God says about this relationship and how it points to His love for you.