THE IMPORTANCE OF KEEPING YOUR FAMILY CLOSE TO GOD

Every morning I am making it a practice to bring my family before God in prayer. The main focus of my prayer is GRATITUDE ! I am so thankful for my incredible wife and two great kids. I’m grateful for our solid love for each other, and for the path and purpose that each of us have as God’s plan for our lives reveals itself each day. God makes it clear how important Family and Relationships are to Him throughout His Word. It also becomes clearer each day that we are in a time period where the Family unit is under tremendous attack. Every Truth and Value that I live and believe as a Christian is under attack. It becomes more and more important to be VERY INVOLVED in the things that shape and define Identity and Purpose. If you are a believer you must step up and communicate the importance of WHO GOD IS, AND HIS RELEVANCE AND IMPORTANCE TO YOUR FAMILY ! God has provided us with perfect instruction on how to live life. WE are a NEW CREATION when we are His. We live “ in the world “, but we are not “ of the world. “ The simple answer to that statement is that WE BELONG TO GOD. He created us, uniquely, to Worship, Honor, and Glorify Him in all we do. Our Identity is formed in Jesus. We abide in Him and He in us. One Family, One Body, One King.

AND THEY SAID “BELIEVE IN THE LORD JESUS, AND YOU WILL BE SAVED, YOU AND YOUR HOUSEHOLD.” AND THEY SPOKE THE WORD OF THE LORD TO HIM AND TO ALL WHO WERE IN HIS HOUSE. AND HE TOOK THEM THE SAME HOUR OF THE NIGHT AND WASHED THEIR WOUNDS; AND HE WAS BAPTIZED AT ONCE, HE AND ALL HIS FAMILY. THEN HE BROUGHT THEM UP INTO HIS HOUSE AND SET FOOD BEFORE THEM, AND HE REJOICED ALONG WITH HIS ENTIRE HOUSEHOLD THAT HE HAS BELIEVED IN GOD. Acts 16: 31-34

AND I WILL BE A FATHER TO YOU, AND YOU SHALL BE SONS AND DAUGHTERS TO ME, SAYS THE LORD ALMIGHTY. 2 Corinthians 6:18

FOR I HAVE CHOSEN HIM , SO THAT HE WILL DIRECT HIS CHILDREN AND HIS HOUSEHOLD AFTER HIM TO KEEP THE WAY OF THE LORD BY DOING WHAT IS RIGHT AND JUST, SO THAT THE LORD WILL BRING ABOUT FOR ABRAHAM WHAT HE HAS PROMISED HIM. Genesis: 18;19

We all know as parents how precious our children are to us. We abound in JOY as we watch them grow up into truly Good Godly men and women. Knowing the difference between Right and Wrong. The difference between Truth and Lies. Having Hearts that are Generous and Loving, not Envious, Confused, and full of Hatred and Bitterness. Wise and Discerning. A Foundation built on SOLID ROCK, not sand that shifts and weakens. Bottom Line. IF YOU DON”T RAISE YOUR KIDS IN FAITH, THE WORLD WILL SWALLOW THEM IN DECEIT AND FALSEHOOD. YOU are the Foundation and Leader for them. Not The Church. Not Education. Not Worldly voices that sow sin and Lies. Family is meant to be a UNIT that Loves and Cares for each other. Experiencing all the Richness of Growing Together and Maturing with Purpose. Growing into accountability and solid character is a good thing. Simply wanting to be Independent is not ! Loving Parents raise kids, and build STRONG FAMILIES….no village or group deserves any part of that basic principle God Created. In Jesus, we are promised so many wonderful things, but Satan and the world will always be offering a shiny and tempting path to reject God and embrace SELF and PLEASURE. CHOICES.

AND WE KNOW THAT THAT FOR THOSE WHO LOVE GOD ALL THINGS WORK TOGETHER FOR GOOD, FOR THOSE WHO ARE CALLED ACCORDING TO HIS PURPOSE. FOR THOSE WHOM HE FOREKNEW HE ALSO PREDESTINED TO BE CONFORMED TO THE IMAGE OF HIS SON, IN ORDER THAT HE MIGHT BE THE FIRSTBORN AMONG MANY BROTHERS. AND THOSE WHOM HE PREDESTINED HE ALSO CALLED AND THOSE WHOM HE CALLED, HE ALSO JUSTIFIED, AND THOSE WHOM HE JUSTIFIED HE ALSO GLORIFIED. Romans 8: 28-30

BEHOLD, I STAND AT THE DOOR AND KNOCK. IF ANYONE HEARS MY VOICE AND OPENS THE DOOR, I WILL COME IN TO HIM AND EAT WITH HIM AND HE WITH ME. Revelation 3:20

Would it surprise you to know that recent statistics in America are showing that only 17% of Youth Pastors and only 37% of Lead Pastors view God from a BIBLICAL PERSPECTIVE ? Surprised ? No, STUNNED ! IF you want your family to thrive and ultimately spend ETERNITY IN GOD’S KINGDOM, then make sure you share the TRUE GOSPEL OF JESUS WITH THEM. It is ALL ON YOU my Brothers and Sisters in Christ. Jesus came to BRING US BACK INTO RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD THE FATHER. He died for us, and rose from the dead that WE MIGHT HAVE LIFE :) Guide your families. Love and nurture them. Watch over them. Put them and yourself in the Hands Of God and experience the true Love and Grace only God can provide ! SEEK HIM/JAA

FOR NOTHING WILL BE IMPOSSIBLE WITH GOD Luke 1:37