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Archive for Family Foundations

love never fails

Love Never Fails. And it’s a bloody process

Posted by Carey 
· Friday, November 3rd, 2017 

1 Corinthians 13:8 says “Love Never Fails.”

And when you hear a statement like that – even from the Bible – it can feel kind of cliche – ish. You know?

Unicorns. Rainbows. Cartoon hearts floating into the sky. That kind of stuff.

But because it’s from the Bible I take it a lot more seriously than that. I have to look beyond the cliche feeling of it and realize something important.

Behind EVERY cliche is a nugget of truth. It’s my job to find it.

So when Paul says “Love never fails” I want to know first of all what he means by the “never fails” part and secondly, how does it play out in real life.

There are many broken marriages that appear to prove that love does indeed fail.

I don’t have an easy answer to that one. That doesn’t mean that there ISN’T an answer – just that it’s not an easy one.

In such a case many questions have to be asked. The first two to come to MY mind are..

  • Was there really “true love” in the first place? You know, the kind portrayed in the Bible as self-sacrificing, other-serving?
  • Did love really fail? I mean in the final outcome? Can we even KNOW such a thing from our limited human perspective?

God is up to more than cartoon hearts floating into the sky when it comes to love. He’s doing something POWERFUL with it.

And since it’s true that “God IS Love” (1 John 4:8) we have to assume that there is DIVINE PURPOSE behind every expression of love, no matter how imperfect that expression of it may be.

love never fails - like bricksSo when we say “Love never fails” we are really saying “God never fails” in what HE is doing with the expression of love in question.

Like bricks – God is using each expression of love to build something in the life of the one receiving it.

We don’t always get to know what that is OR what it will look like in the final result.

It’s a result that may come years into the future. Long after people connected to the situation right now are gone. Long after the expression of love in question is forgotten by most people.

But God used it to build His project – whatever it is.

So it’s another of the many situations where WE humans get to express FAITH in what God says… to TRUST that what He is doing deserves our belief.

So in your marriage – your relationships – hold firmly to the truth that love never fails.

It’s God’s all-knowing promise to us, His little-knowing creation.

The statement is meant to bring us comfort, assurance, hope that all the effort we put into loving well is not wasted effort.

Even though it’s painful.

And that brings me to the second half of the title to this post.

Loving well is a bloody thing.

It won’t be easy and it won’t be clean.

You’ll have to commit murder – of yourself – over and over again.

You’ll have to slaughter your sinful habits.

You’ll have to slay your desire to “get” from the relationship in order to be able to give rightly.

That’s what love is. It’s what love is about. Just look at the cross for proof of how far love is willing to go to help another person.

So when you encounter inequity or unfairness in your marriage (whether they really are that or you are just calling them that) – remember that love gives.

Don’t take this lightly. God doesn’t.

He was willing to give His very best and see Him mistreated and maligned for the sake of love.

You are called to do the same. Especially in your closest relationships.

And the only way you CAN do it is because you have ABSOLUTE CONFIDENCE that love never fails.

So it’s not an issue of whether or not it’s true that love never fails.

It’s whether or not you will choose to believe God, Who says it’s true – and take the action required to BE HIS INSTRUMENT of love, no matter the cost.

 

 

 

 

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Categories : Family Foundations
say it to him

Say it to him

Posted by Carey 
· Friday, October 10th, 2014 

Your husband needs you to say it to him.

Don’t assume he knows.

Never assume.

Make sure that the things you value about him are spoken… clearly and often.

When you say it, you will help him beyond what you can imagine.

As a man, he’s got deep seated insecurities about himself. He wonders if he’s man enough, strong enough, capable enough. You may think he doesn’t struggle with that kind of stuff, but that’s just because he’s snowed you, and possibly himself. The doubt and insecurities are there.

They’re why he gets angry and defensive so quickly. Why compassion is not one of his strong suits. It’s why he is so driven at work, play, and everything else.

He’s trying to prove himself: to you, to himself, and maybe to a parent (living or dead) or a critical teacher or coach from his past.

And the enemy assails him with lies about those things every day.

And YOU, his WIFE are the only one who can dispel those lies. You’re the only one who can help him know the truth about himself.

Your husband needs you to say it to him.

What is it he needs to hear you say?

Here’s a starter list, but you need to come up with a list of your own based on your experience together.

Ladies please, take this seriously.

You don’t know how much it could do for your husband, if you’d only say it to him.

  • I’d marry you all over again.
  • You make me happy.
  • I can’t get enough of you.
  • I want to spend more time with you.
  • You are handsome.
  • I never want to leave you.
  • You are all man.
  • Let’s plan a weekend getaway just for the two of us.
  • I long for more of you.
  • Your goals are important to me.
  • I love caring for you.
  • I want you to know how proud I am of you.
  • I’m in this with you.
  • I’m glad you’re the father of our children.
  • You make me feel like a woman.
  • After Christ, You are God’s greatest blessing to me.
  • I’m glad I married you.
  • What you think matters to me.
  • When can I have some alone time with you?
  • Do you know that I’d never trade you for anyone else?
  • I love your ___________________ (laugh, smile, face, eyes, etc.).
  • I value you more than anything.
  • You are a gift to me.
  • My heart is fully yours.
  • You don’t have to worry about me being faithful to you, because I am and always will be.
  • You satisfy me.
  • How are you doing, really?
  • I enjoy learning more about you.
  • I’m thankful for how you provide for the family.
  • I see Jesus in you in this way…
  • I never get tired of you.
  • Would you like to go on a date with me?
  • I missed you today.
  • Do you know how much I love you?
  • I’m so drawn to your manliness.
  • I’m glad we can walk through the difficulties of life together.
  • I love you more today than I did yesterday.
  • There’s no person more important to me than you.
  • I care about what is important to you.
  • I want to understand you more and more.
  • I love your heart.

Say it to him.

Wives, don’t just read this list and nod your head.

Don’t just think of it as a good idea.

Take action. Call him. Go to him.

Now.

Tell him how you really feel.

Say it to him.

Then… say it again. Every day.

Tell him over and over and over.

In time, he’ll come to believe it.

But he never will if you don’t say it to him.

What if you can’t say it to him?

This will sound harsh – but you need to repent.

You’ve allowed your eyes or mind or heart to be drawn away from the wonderful gift the LORD gave you.

I know there may be hurts that have caused it. I know he may deserve your rejection.

But I also know that you are called by God to love and respect Him (Ephesians 5:33). And I know that God has given you His Holy Spirit to enable you to do it. It’s important because that respect is part of what will enable him to overcome his insecurities and anger and pride.

That’s a calling of self-sacrifice, not self-defense. It’s a calling to be the most noble example of womanhood that exists; a self-giving, serve-him-when-he-doesn’t-deserve-it womanliness that our world hardly sees anymore.

You can do it because Jesus is in you. He desires to do it through you.

So repent and start making things right with your husband.

Apologize for your part in the pain. Tell him that you want more, that you want God’s best for your marriage.

And get help if you need it.

Don’t let pride or hurt or humiliation or fear keep you from acting.

Be woman of God and watch God to the work of restoration.

Here’s a love song that stirs my heart every time I hear it.

Imagine what your husband would feel if he knew that these were your feelings toward him.

Let it move you. Let it motivate you to love your husband well.

Then, go say what you need to say.

This song is from Jenny and Tyler. It’s called, “As Long as Our Hearts are Beating.”

 

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Categories : Family Foundations, Marriage
Tags : marriage healing, marriage hurts, say it to him
say it to her

Say it to her

Posted by Carey 
· Monday, September 29th, 2014 

Your wife needs you to say it to her.

Don’t assume she knows.

Never assume.

Make sure that the things you value about her are spoken… clearly and often.

When you say it, you will help her beyond what you can imagine.

She’s got deep seated insecurities about herself as a woman. She wonders if she’s woman enough, pretty enough, satisfying enough…

And the enemy assails her with lies about those things every day.

And YOU, her HUSBAND are the only one who can dispel those lies. You’re the only one who can help her know the truth about herself.

Your wife needs you to say it to her.

What is it she needs to hear you say?

Here’s a starter list, but you need to come up with one of your own based on your experience together, based on what is true of your wife and your knowledge of her.

Guys, take this seriously.

You don’t know how much it could do for your wife, if you’d only say it to her.

  • I’d marry you all over again.
  • You make me happy.
  • I can’t get enough of you.
  • I want to spend more time with you.
  • You are beautiful.
  • Divorce is never an option.
  • You are all woman.
  • Let’s plan a weekend getaway just for the two of us.
  • I long for more of you.
  • Your emotions are never a bother to me.
  • I love caring for you.
  • I’d give my life to save yours.
  • I’m in this with you.
  • I’m glad you’re the mother of my children.
  • You make me feel like a man.
  • After Christ, You are God’s greatest blessing to me.
  • I’m glad I married you.
  • What you feel matters to me.
  • I’ll never leave you.
  • When can I have some alone time with you?
  • You are enough.
  • Do you know that I’d never trade you for anyone else?
  • I love your ___________________ (laugh, smile, face, eyes, etc.).
  • I value you more than anything.
  • You are a gift to me.
  • My heart is fully yours.
  • You don’t have to worry about me being faithful to you, because I am and always will be.
  • You satisfy me.
  • How is your heart?
  • I enjoy learning more about you.
  • I’m proud of you.
  • I see Jesus in you in this way…
  • I never get tired of you.
  • Would you like to go on a date with me?
  • I missed you today.
  • Do you know how much I love you?
  • I’m captivated by you.
  • I’m glad we can walk through the difficulties of life together.
  • I love you more today than I did yesterday.
  • There’s no person more important to me than you.
  • I care about what you feel.
  • I want to understand you more and more.
  • I love your heart.

Say it to her

Husbands, don’t just read this list and nod your head.

Don’t just think of it as a good idea.

Take action. Call her. Go to her.

Now.

Tell her how you really feel.

Say it to her.

Then… say it again. Every day.

Tell her over and over and over.

In time, she’ll come to believe it.

But she never will if you don’t say it to her.

What if you can’t say it to her?

This will sound harsh – but you need to repent.

You’ve allowed your eyes or mind or heart to be drawn away from the wonderful gift the LORD gave you.

I know there may be hurts that have caused it. I know she may deserve your rejection.

But I also know that you are called by God to lover her like Jesus loves His church (Ephesians 5:25). And I know that God has given you His Holy Spirit to enable you to do it.

That’s a calling of self-sacrifice, not self-defense. It’s a calling to be the most noble example of manhood that exists; a self-giving, lay-down-your-life-for-her manliness that our world hardly sees anymore.

You can do it because Jesus is in you. He desires to do it through you.

So repent and start making things right with your wife.

Apologize for your part in the pain. Tell her that you want more, that you want God’s best for your marriage.

And get help if you need it.

Don’t let pride or hurt or humiliation or fear keep you from acting.

Be a man. Be a man of God and watch God to the work of restoration.

Here’s a love song that stirs my heart every time I hear it.

Listen to the devotion and depth of emotion in the voice of the man who sings this.

Imagine what he must feel for his dear wife.

And let it move you. Let it motivate you to love your wife well.

Then, go say what you need to say.

This song is from Jenny and Tyler. It’s called, “As Long as Our Hearts are Beating.”

 

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Categories : Family Foundations, Marriage
Tags : husbands love your wives, marriage healing, marriage hurts, say it to her
Monday mindset-compassion

Monday Mindset: Compassion

Posted by Carey 
· Monday, September 22nd, 2014 

I have to admit that I’ve come to see the value and need for compassion toward others far later in life than I should have.

I’m typically a “suck it up and get to work” kind of person when it comes to how I view others. But I’m coming to see that though that may be a very “American” attitude (rugged and individualistic), it’s not a very Christ-like one.

So, I’ve been intentionally working on seeing others through the eyes of compassion.

Here are some thoughts that have helped me as I’ve considered the issue:

When I understand and embrace the golden rule, compassion is a natural result (Matthew 7:12).

Think of this this way…

  • I struggle with sin in a variety of areas. I hate it. I fight it. I want other people to cut me some slack in those areas because I’m really, really, really trying to overcome those areas of sin.
  • Other people have the same kind of struggle, and want the same kind of mercy.
  • Compassion recognizes that and gives it to them.

If I take the time to understand where people are coming from, compassion comes more easily.

None of us has become who we are in a vacuum. We’ve been dramatically impacted and shaped by things like…

  • The sins of our parents, which could include things like neglect or abuse.
  • Tragedies we’ve experienced.
  • Disappointments we’ve had to accept.
  • Fears that have come true.

Stop and think about YOUR personality quirks and personal sins. How has your past fed and formed them?

Now consider this: Every person you lock eyes with has the same kind of baggage from their past, their hurts, their experiences, and their fears.

How does that impact your ability to have compassion on them?

We are all victims

Hear me out on this one.

I’m not saying we bear no responsibility for the state of our lives and souls.

I am saying we’ve all been deceived, mistreated, and attacked repeatedly by the enemy of our souls, satan.

We are all victims of his trickery and evil on one level or another, to varying degrees.

The state we are in is in large measure due to his influence.

So when another person acts like a sin-soaked bone head, it helps me to remember that they’ve been under attack by an enemy far stronger than them.

That reminder helps me have compassion. It helps me pray for them instead of wish them away or become irritated.

Helping your family have compassion

Here are some ideas for the kinds of conversations that will help your children develop hearts of compassion.

Discuss the terrible conditions of the world, from starving children to oppressed people groups. Talk with your family about what it must be like to be in those people’s shoes. Pray for them together.

Voice of the martyrs (http://www.persecution.org) is a very helpful resource to focus your discussion on those being persecuted because they are Christians.  Their resources include a podcast, books, posters, and lots of other stuff. One of their websites is designed specifically for children (http://www.kidsofcourage.com/)

Think together about the people you know. Talk about what they’re going through – divorce, abuse, job loss, etc. Try to imagine what life might be like for them. Decide together how you can be a blessing to them.

Discuss why compassion toward others is important. Here are some passages to help you keep your conversation biblically centered.

  • Matthew 7:12
  • Luke 10:30-35
  • Galatians 6:2
  • Ephesians 4:32
  • 1 Thessalonians 5:11-14
  • James 2:14-17
  • 1 Peter 4:10
  • 1 John 4:7-21

Take the time to determine that you WILL encourage compassion in your family this week.

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Categories : Family Foundations, Parenting, Spirit Health
Tags : compassion, compassionate, love for others
i forgive you

I forgive you, but…

Posted by Carey 
· Friday, September 19th, 2014 

When you or I say, “I forgive you,” we’re supposed to put the situation behind us, right?

Well, yes… but there’s something else that’s supposed to happen. The offending person is supposed to change. It’s called repentance.

I can remember a handful of times when my wife or myself have been dealing with one of our children about the very same issue, for the thousandth time.

OK, not the thousandth, but it seems like it when there’s been an ongoing pattern of dealing with the same issue.

In those situations, it’s not uncommon for one of us to say something like this…

I forgive you, but saying ‘I’m sorry’ isn’t going to cut it anymore. You need to become truly sorrowful about this and allow the Holy Spirit to help you change.

It’s painful to admit, but my wife has even said those words to me at times.

As important as it is to forgive and to say the words “I forgive you,” it can sometimes enable the offending person to feel like they are off the hook.

The issue’s over. It’s out of play. No more will be said about it.

But if true repentance, accompanied by godly sorrow has not occurred, it’s not over. Is it?

That’s where statements like the one my wife has said to me comes from. She realized that for some reason, though I was truly sorry in my heart, I hadn’t taken the issue seriously enough to truly begin moving toward change. It was evident by the fact that I was repeating the same old offense.

Her blunt statement to me was a wake up call. It was her way of putting me on notice, letting me know that she wasn’t going to stand by while I said one thing but did another.

Do you have anyone in your life who cares enough to call you out like that?

You need to.  Those are the people who keep you from becoming hardened by your own sin.

i forgive you doesn't cut it

Talking to your kids about this issue is vital.

They need to understand that the old adage is true; “Actions speak louder than words.” They need to understand that forgiveness is not a “get out of jail free” card. It costs something… intentional change.

How can you communicate this important truth?

  • You may find a comment like my wife’s to be helpful in certain situations. Just be sure to make it clear that change of heart is what leads to change in behavior.
  • You may decide to take a direct, scriptural approach and plan a family devotion around this subject.
  • You could take your kids out on a date, individually to discuss the issue on age appropriate levels.

The options are as limitless as your imagination. Most of all, you just need to do it.

The impact of ignoring the “I forgive you” dilemma

There are a number of things that could result from a wrong understanding of this issue. Note that: these things could happen. Whether they do or not depends on the environment of your home, your child’s personality, how much spiritual maturity they have, and a number of other things.

But what could go wrong if they don’t understand this repentance/forgiveness combination?

  • Instead of taking their sin seriously, they could begin to make the person they’ve offended responsible. “You just need to forgive me,” OR “I said I’m sorry, what more do you want?”
  • They could learn to avoid the very real and helpful role that sorrow over sin plays in life. That makes it extremely hard to get to repentance at all.
  • Defensiveness could become their normal mode of operation. They’ll become hard rather than soft.

Why is this kind of repentance so difficult for you kids, and for you?

It comes down to one, simple thing.

Pride.

We don’t like that we have to admit our wrongs, our failures, our sins. We don’t want others to think of us that way.

But why not?

When we’ve sinned, it’s all true. We find freedom and release when we confess it, repent of it, and move on.

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Categories : Family Foundations
Tags : forgiveness, I forgive you
flexibility_in_family_life

Podcast 85 – Flexibility in family life

Posted by Carey 
· Wednesday, August 13th, 2014 

Flexibility in Family Life

Christian Home and Family subscribe on Stitcher! Miro Video Player listen on player.fm

Or if you are using a “podcatcher” here is the feed address: https://christianhomeandfamily.com/feed/podcast/

Life gets crazy. Work demands, soccer games, home repairs, shopping trips, relationships to maintain, and important, ongoing conversations to have. It’s enough to make you the most inflexible person alive!
On top of all that is the heart-cry we all have to discover and do what God is calling us to. I don’t know about you, but I’m in THAT place almost all the time… wondering what the LORD wants me to do when I grow up.
My family is in that place right now, prayerfully trying to determine what the LORD is leading us to and how we are to get there. It’s a confusing, unclear time… but one where we’re learning some very valuable lessons.
Most of all, we’re learning the family life requires a great deal of flexibility, because we are not God. We get our plans in place, work toward them, but many times find that our plans were not God’s plans. Sound familiar to anyone?
This episode covers a very helpful truth I’ve discovered that’s helping to take the pressure off by increasing my faith. Family life has never been so good when I’m able to keep the truth in mind!
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Categories : Family Foundations, Parenting, Podcast, Spirit Health
Tags : family life, flexibility
Monday_mindset_purity

Monday mindset: Purity

Posted by Carey 
· Monday, August 11th, 2014 

Purity. The only time we hear that word nowadays is in reference to water…

and that’s a great illustration of how you need to think of purity in regards to your family, and this week’s Monday mindset.

By definition, purity is an extreme word. It communicates an extreme level of quality. Water is either pure or it’s not. Even the smallest impurity makes the water… well, impure.

You could say that “purity” is a radical word… and that’s exactly how I want it to sound to you, because radical is what I’m aiming at.

  • Every blog post I write…
  • Every podcast I record…
  • Every resource I create (most are free, by the way)…

Is aimed at helping you develop radical faith for generations… the kind of faith that will endure throughout the lives of your children, and their children, and their children.

So when I bring up a radical word like purity, don’t let yourself water it down (no pun intended). If you’re going to see radical faith for generations begin in your family, you need to realize that you’re considering an extreme thing.

Jesus wants the fruit of His Spirit to be evident in you and your family, and He provide you everything you need in order to see it happen. That is one of the most amazing realities of the Christian life.

purity_in_your_family_through_the_Holy_Spirit

This week’s assignments: Purity in the family

As you begin the week, think about opportunities where you can talk with your family about the issue of purity. Here are some questions and bible passages to help you lead your family in discussions about purity:

What is “purity?”

How can we demonstrate purity in the way we live?

1 John 1:5

  • What do you think it means that there is no darkness at all in God?
  • What difference does that fact make to the way we are to live as His children?

Psalm 24:3-4

  • According to this passage, why does purity matter so much?
  • What are the benefits we gain from being pure?

Matthew 5:8

  • What did Jesus say is the benefit of having a pure heart?
  • Do you think that means now or in the future?
  • Could it mean both?

Are there any ways you can think of that our family needs to practice purity more?

Are there any things we do that you think are not pure?

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These could be some very enlightening conversations. They could also be very difficult if you are led to purge some impure things from your lives.

But in every bit of it you need to lean on the Spirit of God to guide you into a greater place of purity.

It’s part of building radical faith for generations.

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The video below expresses the reality of a radical faith, the heart-cry of one who is captivated by the glory of the eternal God. It’s that kind of heart, that kind of obsession with the purity of God Himself that leads us into a pure life of our own, empowered by the Spirit, submitted to His ways.

I encourage you to do more than listen to this song… make it an aspiration, something you want your heart to be able to cry out. There’s nothing that compares to the greatness of knowing our God. Nothing on earth can equal the joy we will receive from walking in His purity and light.

 

I’d love to interact with you more about this issue of purity. Please leave me a comment below…
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Categories : Family Foundations, Parenting, Spirit Health
Tags : family purity, holiness, purity
Christ in you1

In and through

Posted by Carey 
· Friday, August 8th, 2014 

What if it’s true that Jesus really does live in and through His followers?

I know, it’s almost heretical to say “if” about such a thing, because all of us would say,

Oh yes… Jesus lives in and through me. The Bible teaches it to be true. I do believe it. Of course.

But let’s be honest… there are many, many things we say we believe but don’t put into practice or live out.

Here’s a sample list:

  • Healthy eating will extend and improve your quality of life.
  • Smoking will cause cancer and destroy your health.
  • Regular exercise will give you more energy and better overall wellness.
  • Daily time in prayer and God’s word will dramatically increase your rate of spiritual growth.
  • Diligence to practice healthy communication will keep your marriage healthy and strong.
  • Intentional parenting will bear fruit for generations.

Did I make my point?

When it comes to experiencing true spiritual life in Christ, here’s the truth we all need to face… We SAY Jesus lives in us, but where’s the fruit to prove it?

The same issues that have plagued us our entire lives are still very much in charge:

  • addictions
  • anger issues
  • impatience
  • pride
  • control
  • perfectionism
  • anxiety & worry
  • doubt
  • fear
  • stress

Christ in you

“Christ in you” is the unexperienced reality of most Christian’s lives.

It’s sad, but very true.

So how do we change it? How do we come to understand and experience the reality of Christ living in us, of Christ living through us?

1 Forget what you know

I mean it. Let go of all that church stuff you’ve been taught over the years. You need to start from scratch, at the beginning. Why? So you can be taught afresh by the Holy Spirit without the baggage of previously held wrong beliefs.

You need to come to a place where you’re like a child – OK with the fact that you don’t know what you need to know, and eager to be taught. Eager.

2 Read the Bible afresh, looking for what God says about the subject

Here’s a starter list of passages you should read.

  • Download it now. Go ahead, I’ll wait. 🙂
  • Read through it.
  • Look up the passages listed and read their truth.
  • Ask the Spirit of God to saturate you with the implications of what they communicate.
  • Put the list in your Bible or hang it on your fridge to help you remind yourself (and your family) of these truths.

As you do all that, take what you’re reading literally. Don’t assume there’s spiritual or mystical meanings to the passages you’re reading. Take them for what they actually say. Then ask yourself questions like these…

What would my life be like if what I’m reading is true? What if Jesus really does live inside me and wants to express His life through me? What changes would I see?

3 Ask the LORD to illuminate your mind/heart/spirit to these truths

You won’t get this if God doesn’t show it to you, so ask Him to show it to you. Leave your pride aside and allow yourself to be taught. Learn about how your body, soul, and spirit work together and how the indwelling of the Holy Spirit impacts you as a new creation (you’ve got to see this one).

In addition, here are some books/resources that are very helpful to help you dig into these truths…

  • Anything you can find by Bill Gillam
  • True Spirituality by Francis Schaeffer
  • My upcoming video/workbook course – “Transform” (watch for it)

4 Trust the LORD to get you there

You’ve got to know that the LORD wants you to get this truth even more than you want to get it. So trust Him. Relax. You do your part to read, study, and learn, and trust Him to get you there in His good time.

An assignment for your family

After you’ve had a little bit of time to familiarize yourself with the passages above, start talking about them with your family.

Maybe at breakfast or dinner you could take one of the verses…

  • read it
  • focus in on what it says about Jesus living in you
  • discuss what your lives would look like if it where really true
  • pray together that the LORD will show you how it IS true and how you can submit yourself to it in faith.
  • follow up on your conversation later in the day… maybe at bed time.
  • do it again the next day, with another verse.

Over time, you’re going to saturate yourselves with this amazing truth and it will begin to soak into your souls. That’s when you’ll begin seeing the fruit of Christ, who does live in you.

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Categories : Family Foundations
Tags : abiding in the vine, Christ in you, exchanged life, identity in Christ, in and through, indwelling Christ
84 - how radical faith for generations happens

Podcast 84 – How radical faith for generations happens

Posted by Carey 
· Wednesday, August 6th, 2014 

How radical faith for generations happens

Christian Home and Family subscribe on Stitcher! Miro Video Player listen on player.fm

Or if you are using a “podcatcher” here is the feed address: https://christianhomeandfamily.com/feed/podcast/

OK parents, it’s time to get real.

Life is too short for us to spend it in the aimless pursuit of status, stuff, or personal satisfaction. There’s too much at stake.

God has given us one of the most wonderful AND most daunting responsibilities we could ever have and it’s one that is intended to change the course of history. We’re not just living, we’re not just raising kids, we’re building a foundation of radical Christian faith that can last for generations.You and I are responsible before almighty God for the eternal destiny, not only of ourselves and our immediate families, but also for the generations to come. Just like your grandkids and great grandkids will be able to trace their blood ancestry through you, they will be able to trace their spiritual heritage through you as well. Your children’s children, and their children, and their children, though unborn, are depending on YOU to build the spiritual foundations that will enable them to know Christ personally, to live their lives by the power of His Spirit, and to lead THEIR families into an authentic, radical faith that endures.Imagine generation after generation of your family, knowing, living, and passing on the powerful legacy of genuine Christian faith. Imagine the impact they could have on the world. Imagine the day when your life is over and you land in the presence of God. What would it be like to realize on that day, that hundreds, even thousands of years of your descendants have walked faithfully in the ways of the Savior because of your radical faith in Christ, begun years before?

That’s not an impossible dream… if you will do one thing.

Make sure that YOUR life is one of deep relationship with Jesus Christ, today.

Then do the same thing tomorrow and the day after that.

Don’t let a day pass when you are not pursuing your relationship with Jesus more than the day before. Commit yourself to knowing Jesus as deeply and powerfully as you can, so that His life becomes manifest in yours.

The results of that kind of daily faithfulness will be a ripple of radical Christian faith that transforms the generations of your family. It starts small, in the changes Christ makes in you personally. The work He begins in you will spill over into your marriage relationship, bringing about changes you never thought possible. And as your children witness the transforming power of Christ in you and in your marriage, they will be irresistably drawn to the radical faith that makes that kind of transformation possible.

As they come to faith in Christ, the ripple will continue as you teach and model what it looks like to walk with Jesus day by day, to depend on Jesus for every need, to humble yourself under His leadership, and to make every decision and take every step with the aim to bring Him glory and honor. Your kids will see His peace, and power, and blessing that are yours because of your radical faith, they’ll see it multiplied in your family, and they’ll begin to experience the fruit of it in their own lives. Until finally, they leave your home filled with the fruit of a family that experienced the reality of Christ day after day. They will be determined to see the fruit of that radical faith expressed in their own lives.

As wonderful as that dream is, it’s much too small. There are generations of children still to come, your descendants, who will be affected by the radical faith you begin nurturing now. Jesus likened it to a tiny seed that grows until it becomes a mighty tree, and I’m telling you that what may seem to you to be a tiny seed of faith in your heart right now, can grow in the power of God’s Spirit into a mighty family tree that demonstrates God’s transforming power.

All that begins with you parents, today, right now. It begins with your commitment to pursue Jesus with all that you are. You have to be the authentic, growing, humble CHRISTIAN example your children need to see before they will believe that Jesus is real and the He is able to transform and use even the weakest and most humble person.

So where do you start?

1) On your knees.

Stop everything and turn to Jesus in utter dependence. Rid yourself of every attempt to be strong in yourself and ask Him to fill you with His desires for you and your family. Affirm your desire to pursue Him in everything. Ask Him to help you, to transform you, to give you the strength you need to chase after Him for the rest of your life.

2) Talk with your family about what’s happened in your heart.

Begin to paint the vision of what Jesus can do in the generations of your family. Tell them that you are going first, you’re taking the lead to let Jesus make YOU into all you need to be to lead the family into that place of greatest blessing. Ask them to pray for you, to encourage you, to hold you accountable.

3) Connect with others who are committed to the same glorious goal.

Ideally that would be in your local church, but if you can’t find people there, look further. I’ve created an on-line community for that purpose, if you’d like to find out more, click the link shown in the video or go to www.ChristianHomeandFamily.com/community to find out more.

4) Establish daily habits to fuel the fire.

You need daily time with Jesus. He is your life (Galatians 2:20) To help you get started, I’ve created many resources to help you grow in your relationship with Jesus. Everything one of them has a free version so that nothing stands in the way of you getting started right away. You can find those resources by clicking the link in the video or by going to www.ChristianHomeandFamily.com/store

Parents, it’s time to get real. There’s too much at stake for you and I to waste another precious minute of life. The generational faithfulness of your family depends on the work God does in YOUR life, starting today. What are you going to do ? It’s my prayer that you will take your responsibility seriously and begin nurturing a radical Christian faith of your own… for the sake of seeing radical faith for generations in YOUR family.

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Tags : christian discipleship, generational faithfulness, passion for Christ, radical faith for generations
frustrator

God is the great frustrator

Posted by Carey 
· Friday, August 1st, 2014 

Frustration is a very, well, frustrating emotion!

It stems from our desire to have things go as we’d like them to go. After all, we make our plans, take our action steps and expect certain results.

But I’m coming to see that in many situations, the very frustration I’m trying to avoid or overcome has been placed there by God Himself.

Really, I do believe that.

Paul the Apostle has taught me that lesson…

So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong. – 2 Corinthians 12:7-10

As far as I know, God has never given me a “messenger of Satan to harass me.” But it’s very illuminating to me to know that He did give one to Paul.

It was so important to God that Paul remain humble, that He gave him a very difficult, hard, frustrating condition that he had to deal with the rest of his life.

Why wouldn’t God give me a bit of frustration now and then, too?

frustrator2

 

How can we better help our families understand God as the great frustrator?

  • Focus on His sovereignty more than we think about our “rights” or “choices.” After all, do we really have any rights in light of His great will?
  • Begin conversations about the value of humility before our Creator. If His ways are truly best, what does it say about our attitude of frustration when He brings/allows an unforeseen something to come up?
  • Encourage each other to delight in God’s plans, especially when they are not what we would have preferred. We’ll learn to value His plan above our preferences.
  • Relax. God’s not stressed about a thing. If we trust Him, we should not be either.

Take some time to discuss those and other topics with your family.

What are some ways YOU see that you could discuss this topic with YOUR family?

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Categories : Family Foundations, Spirit Health
Tags : dealing with frustration, frustration
hurting wife

My husband hates me – part 2

Posted by Carey 
· Friday, July 25th, 2014 

Quite a while back I wrote a post called “My Husband Hates Me… at least it feels that way.”

You can find the original post here – “My husband hates me… at least it seems that way.”

That post has gotten more comments than any post I’ve written. I’m sure that’s in part because of the felt-need nature of the post.

Recently I got another comment on the post from a woman who calls herself “Frustrated.” Her situation is all too common.

Before I share here question and my reply, let me say this…

There is nothing more delicate than trying to give advice to a hurting wife. Emotions are already high and the risk of additional hurt being done through the advice is high as well. My desire is to help. But to really help, truth has to be spoken. It’s seldom easy to hear, especially when you’re already in the throes of a difficult or hurtful situation. But it’s the only thing that will provide the kind of wisdom that is truly needed.

Here’s what “Frustrated” wrote to me…

My Husband is bitter and very hateful toward me. I’m in the dark as to why…He “keeps score” about my faults and is very negative to me. It feels like there is no love here anymore. We have been married for 15 years. I am praying for him, but it is a hard “pill” to swallow, when these “faults” identified are so outrageously ridiculous. Just anything to pick a fight. It feels like he berates and has “kept score” for so long that there is no turning back in this relationship. I want to stay together for the kids sake, as they deserve two parents in the house. It seems obvious that the only thing left is to try to co-parent with as little conflict as possible. Any Bible verses come to mind to encourage in this situation.

my husband hates me
Frustrated… I appreciate you chiming in and sharing your painful story. The treatment you are receiving is indeed wrong and unfair, much like what Jesus experienced on the cross and continues to experience as the people of the world reject and malign Him.

The passage that comes to mind most readily for you is 1 Peter 2: 21-23

For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in His steps. He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in His mouth. When He was reviled, He did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but continued entrusting Himself to Him who judgest justly.

If I may, let me unpack it a bit for you…

  • You and I have been called to follow the example of Christ. That is primary to our lives, not just this situation. We get to follow in His steps. It’s an honor, a privilege to do so.
  • Part of His example is in how He suffered. His suffering was like no other because He was truly innocent! Talk about unjust treatment!
  • So how did Jesus handle the unjust treatment He received? (1) – He did not revile in return. So in your situation, you are not to respond in kind to your husband. I know it hurts, but like Jesus, you have the honor of responding with love, not hate. You can show your husband love through your humble responses. I know it’s hard, but God gives us the power to do what He calls us to do. (2) He continued entrusting Himself to the Father, who He knew would judge justly. Amazing… that Jesus relied on the Father like that. What an example for us! What Peter is telling us is that Jesus trusted that God the Father was allowing everything He experienced for His good purposes, and that in His good time, the Father would do what was right in His situation. Those who maligned and mistreated Him will be judged rightly. The injustice will be called to account.

My dear sister, the same is true in your case. As you walk humbly before God and respond in love to your husband, you can trust God to use even the pain and discomfort of  your situation for good (Romans 8:28). You can also trust Him to make all things right. He will deal with your husband for his mistreatment of you. It’s an issue God takes very seriously (1 Peter 3:7). You can trust Him to do what is right and to care for you as His daughter even in the difficult situation you face.

I am praying for you and for your husband… that God will grab His heart and redeem it, making him into a man like Jesus.

What matters most for a hurting wife or a hurting husband is not the comfort God may bring, or the assurance He might give.

What matters most is that they, as the victim of injustice, entrust themselves to God, who will judge rightly. It’s one of the hardest steps of trust that anyone has to take, but it’s essential to reflect Christ and to walk in His ways.

It’s hard because our emotions cry out for deliverance and justice – and they should. But the real healing comes in knowing that our powerful God can be trusted to appropriately deal with the abuser and rightly care for the abused.

We can rest in Him, and trust His timing and judgment.

Here’s a song that ministered to my soul once, long ago, when I felt that the pain was too great.

Listen carefully. Let the truths of this song by Leslie Phillips soothe your heart.

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Categories : Family Foundations, Marriage
Tags : abuse in marriage, domestic violence, hurtful relationships, hurting wife, marital abuse, my husband hates me
when your heart has grown cold - create in me a clean heart

Create in me a clean heart

Posted by Carey 
· Friday, July 4th, 2014 

As we lead our families, we need to continually strive to have a clean heart before God.

From a very young age, I’ve always been impacted by the prayer and song “Create in me a clean heart.” I think it’s because my failures and sins weigh heavily on me (most of the time), and I want to be free of it. Many times I’ve found the prayer David prayed after committing adultery with Bathsheba and murdering her husband to be of immense help (Psalm 51).

But what do you do when you’ve missed that somehow?

create in me a clean heart

This week I was encouraged and refreshed by the practical nature of John Piper’s advice on this topic, on his “Ask Pastor John” podcast. (If you don’t listen to this short, every-weekday podcast, you should).

Here’s the audio from it. Go ahead, listen to it now and then I’ll give you a couple of my observations about it.

By John Piper. ©2014 Desiring God Foundation. Website: desiringGod.org

I love how John is always able to get to the root of the issue…no matter the topic. In this case, it’s that we humans are indeed frail and failing.

That’s a fundamental truth about ourselves that we need to not only acknowledge, but to embrace. In my experience, it’s a frame of mind that enables me to remain in a constant state of dependence on God, so that I can find His grace to help me in my time of need (Hebrews 4:16). If I don’t embrace it as truth about me, then I tend to wander off on my own, doing things my way, and getting myself into contexts where my heart is prone to be hardened.

I don’t want to go there. No true Christian does. So what do you do about it?

Let’s look at the things Pastor John suggests:

1 Understand that believers can drift into calloused frames of heart. (Hebrews 3:12-12)

Sometimes we get the idea that because we are saved, everything is alright. But the reality is that sin is deceitful… it is able to fool us into a frame of mind and heart that is calloused toward God, holiness, and the right and wrong of how we should be living. We have to admit this and be on guard in light of it.

2 Get help from folks who will point you to a greater concern for holiness.

Pastor John says no work has had a greater impact on him regarding holiness and a sensitivity to sin, than the book “The Religious Affections” by Johnathan Edwards. I’ve read the book before and can vouch for its power. After hearing John talk about it, I think it’s time for me to re-read it again.

But some cautions are in order:

  • It’s a tough book to wade through. Edwards is brilliant, but also hard to understand at times. That’s not a reason to avoid reading the book, but you do need to be ready.
  • It’s well worth your time, if you will stick with it. Edwards is so insightful… you need to have exposure to a heart and mind like his. He’ll get you thinking along lines that I guarantee you have probably never considered, and your soul will be helped by the effort. You can find a FREE copy of the religious affections here.

Pastor John also recommends “Justification Reconsidered” by Steven Westerholm – in particular the chapter on the depth and seriousness of sin. I’ve not read this book, but it just went onto my “must read” list. I can always use more encouragement about my sin in light of God’s holiness. You can get a copy of the book here.

3  Meditate on the beautiful picture of what God wants for us in the way of kindness and charity in our hearts.

In particular, Pastor John recommends getting a copy of the book “Heaven is a World of Love” by Johnathan Edwards. This is another book I’ve not read but plan to read soon. Pastor John says that the description of who God is, what holiness is about, etc. “blew him away.” You can read this short work here.

4 Pray that God would deliver you from hardness and make you tender.

I find this one to be especially important and powerful in my life. There’s very little I can accomplish in my life or on a spiritual level if I don’t have the grace of God to help me. I NEED His help. I need Him to do the work in me that I’ve been unable to do for myself. I sometimes think of it as begging and pleading with the LORD to do the miraculous work of heart-change that I so desperately need.

5 Surround yourself with those who are sensitive to sin and who love holiness.

Community is helpful in fighting sin and loving holiness. John makes the observation that many of us think that we are doing outreach by hanging out with worldly people and it turns out that they are not being missional, but being malleable (easily influenced). It’s a dangerous balance we walk. We need to impact the culture for Christ without the culture impacting us… and sadly, too many of us fail at it.

Pastor John mentions the forms of entertainment we watch, the things we read, and the people we hang out with.

6 Join with others in regular heartfelt worship of God.

Focusing on the beautiful love of Jesus for us enables us to grow in our softness and sensitivity to God.

How do these points strike you?

  •  Are you doing a good job of keeping yourself in a place where you can grow in holiness?
  • Are you being wise about keeping your heart from a calloused attitude?
  • What do you need to do in order to move more toward the purity to which the LORD is calling you?

I thought I’d end with a video of the song, “Create in Me a Clean Heart.” This rendition is sung by Keith Green, who I believe is the author of the song. Keith was known for his fiery zeal for the LORD and an uncompromising desire to follow hard after Christ. He seems to have understood the need to be asking the LORD for a clean heart, day by day.

 

 

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Categories : Family Foundations, Spirit Health
Tags : calloused heart, create in me a clean heart, hard hard, john piper, need for revival, personal revival, spiritual deadness
dead and gone

When you’re dead and gone…

Posted by Carey 
· Monday, June 30th, 2014 

This past Sunday our church family celebrated a week-long Vacation Bible School program.

It included songs from the week, video presentations, and testimonies about what happened in the lives of children and volunteers during the week.  One of the group leaders named Bobbi, shared this powerful story… (my rendition of her words below)

That's the song my dad sang, before...
When VBS started, there was a little boy in my group of 6 year olds who was entirely disengaged. He was more than shy; he was withdrawn. That first day we started our worship time and everyone stood. This little boy stood also but he didn’t participate in the songs or motions at all. Toward the end of the singing, we began a rendition of “Jesus loves me.” After singing through the first verse and chorus, the little boy, who was still standing quietly beside me looked up and patted me on the leg. “That’s the song my Daddy sang to me all the time, before he died.” I discovered later, from his grandmother who had brought him to VBS, that his Dad had passed away just two months earlier.

What struck me most about Bobbi’s story was that one of the main things the little boy remembered about his Daddy was a series of repeated moments when his Dad had invested in him spiritually. Who knows if the Dad realized the significance of what he was doing, or if he was just singing a children’s song to his child because it seemed a good thing to do. But after the fact, seeing how the memory of his Daddy singing “Jesus loves me” to him jarred a little boy out of the pain of his still-grieving heart, I realized anew that every moment and every engagement we make with our children on a spiritual level, counts.

In the same worship service,

our Pastor shared an update on his wife’s cousin, who was diagnosed just 3 weeks prior with stage 3 cancer. She had passed away within the last week and from all accounts had left a great legacy of her own. She was 39 years old and left a husband and three children behind.

 

when you're dead and gone

 

I don’t want to forget the importance of building a legacy of faith in my children because there’s much more than the lives of my immediate family at stake. Their children and their children, for generations will be impacted by my faithfulness (or lack of faithfulness) now. I don’t want to stand before the LORD ashamed because my lack of diligence and caring concern for the spiritual well being of my family caused generations of my descendants to be strangers to the grace of God.

What about you?

What needs to change in your life today to enable you to make a lasting spiritual impact on your family?

  • Do you need to find a new job that allows you the time to be present and invest in your family?
  • Do you need to jettison some hobbies or fun that has been taking up way too much time?
  • Do you need to set a better example by getting your own spiritual life on track?
  • Do you need to better demonstrate that what you preach is what you practice, so that your children are drawn to a genuine faith that fuels your life?

Or it might be something else. But the fact is that every person reading this can and should be making a lasting spiritual impact on their family, and as we do, the generations to come will be effected.

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Below is one of my favorite songs on this issue…

I want you to hear it because life is short and it HAS to count. I appreciate Nicole’s perspective that “In the end I’d like to hang my hat on more besides the temporary trappings of this world. I want to leave a legacy.”

 

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Tags : dead and gone, end of life, legacy of faith, what you leave behind
your child's direction

Podcast 75 – How parents can impact their child’s direction

Posted by Carey 
· Wednesday, June 4th, 2014 

Your child’s direction may be one you regret, but you don’t have to give up hope…

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Parents of adolescents, older teens, and adult children can often view the trajectory of their child’s life with great concern because they can see the disaster that bad choices are bringing. Is there anything a parent can do to divert their child from a life of terrible consequences?

In this episode of the podcast, I’m going to give every parent two things they can do that will help them move into their child’s life in a positive way, to help gently steer them into healthier directions. There is no guarantee, but with God’s help, you can move toward your child with positive, loving concern that can have a positive impact on their future.

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Categories : Family Foundations, Podcast
going to die

You’re going to die eventually, why not now?

Posted by Carey 
· Friday, April 18th, 2014 

No, I’m not advocating suicide… well, maybe I am, in a way.

I’m advocating what Jesus insisted upon for everyone who wanted to be His disciple…

Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?Matthew 16:24-26

Jesus was NOT the soft-spoken, wouldn’t-harm-a-flea guy the culture makes Him out to be.

[Tweet “Jesus was NOT the soft-spoken, wouldn’t-harm-a-flea guy the culture makes Him out to be.”]

He was a radical. He was an extremist. He was passionate for the things that mattered most.

That’s where statements like Matthew 16:24-26 come from.

What’s He really saying?

  • Self-denial is the normal course of life for a follower of Jesus.
  • The suffering of self-sacrifice is the everyday experience of a Christ-follower.
  • Jesus is the boss when you decide to follow after Him.
  • If your main concern is to preserve your own well-being and comfort, you’re going to lose out.
  • If you consider your own life to be only about accomplishing Jesus’ desires, you’re going to receive a life greater than you ever dreamed.
  • Earthly stuff doesn’t matter to a disciple, because he knows he’s exchanging the temporary for the eternal.
  • If you mess up this decision, you don’t have enough resources to fix it.

That’s a pretty radical mindset, and it’s exactly what Jesus was advocating.

Why?

Because when life is over and you stand before God, the only thing that will matter is whether or not your life counted for the things Jesus says really matter.

So, let me ask you again… you’re going to die eventually, so why not now?

That question isn’t just for illustrative purposes. It’s real. It’s important.

You can make the choice, right where you sit, to give your life for something greater than self-absorption and temporal gain. You can give it up, you can die to self, and you can make yourself the servant of the King of kings and Lord of lords, for the rest of your earthly days.

That’s dying to self… and it’s what you have to do if you are going to truly be a disciple of Jesus.

He doesn’t care how much you attend church. He doesn’t care if you serve in the nursery or the visitation ministry or on the worship team. He doesn’t care if your life looks all nice and respectable… not if in your heart of hearts you are still living for you. Jesus wants you to die to self.

What about your family?

How are they going to fare under your leadership if all you care about is this life?

  • What are they going to know about their Creator and their place before Him as a creature?
  • What is going to fuel their hearts as they grow up in a world that is bent against the King of the universe?
  • How are they going to know what it means to live passionately for the sake of something bigger than themselves?

How are they going to be pointed in the right direction, if you don’t point them there?

And how can you do that, if you’re living for the sake of this life alone?

I’m going to ask you again… you’re going to die eventually, so why not now?

What is so precious that you wouldn’t give it up in order to have Jesus?

[Tweet “The only thing Christianity can NOT be, is moderately important.”]
What is so important that you’d risk losing eternal life in order to keep it?

Can you tell me? Truly, I’d like to know.

Jesus is asking a radical question of you, today. How are you going to answer? Is there anything more important than this moment, right now, as you consider the calling and claim of Jesus on your life?

YOU have the opportunity to change your destiny. YOU have the chance to break the chains of family dysfunction. YOU have the ability, right now, to set your family on a course of God-honoring, Christ-exalting, radical discipleship that lasts for generations.

Will you do it?

Will you choose to die today, so that one day in the not-so-distant future, you are not lying on your death bed with the realization that you never really lived?

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I’m wrapping up with a video from a guy named Matt Papa. In my estimation, from everything I can tell, he’s a sold-out, radical Jesus-follower. This video makes the point very clearly. As Matt says at the beginning, “The only thing Christianity cannot be, is moderately important.” Listen and let the Spirit of God work in your heart.

I’d love to hear your thoughts. I’d love to interact with you on this powerfully important topic. Use the comments below.

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Categories : Family Foundations, Parenting, Spirit Health
Tags : choose to die, Christ follower, going to die, matt papa, this changes everything
family worship

What IS family worship?

Posted by Carey 
· Monday, April 22nd, 2013 

 Family worship is all of life

As I write this post, my family is away, gone to help my in-laws move into their new home.

Two weeks is a very long time.

Yesterday I went to a public worship service. I went alone. It was the first time I’ve been to a public worship service since resigning from the pastorate, and it felt strange not to have my family with me.

It didn’t feel strange simply because I was by myself, but also because the words “family” and “worship” have become interrelated in my mind, things that go together. It felt strange because I’ve come to see worship as much more than a public gathering. Worship has to do with relationships more than it does rituals.

Worship, even family worship, is a way of life.

Family worship is not ONLY gathering together to sing, read the Bible, and pray. Family worship is more, yet simpler.

For a family where Christ is central, family worship is not a weekly event or gathering. Family worship is all of life.

It happens in the attitudes, conversations, relationships, and responsibilities of daily living.

family worship

 

And it happens because Christ is loved, praised, honored and exalted in the lives of parents before anything else.

Don’t wait for a scheduled time or place to worship together as a family. Family worship begins when you wake each morning, when you do chores together, when you talk of the day’s events, when you tuck in your children at the end of the day.

Family worship happens as you honestly share your own struggles, and how you are rediscovering God’s grace in the midst of them. Family worship happens as you give yourself to the LORD, in full view of your kids, and they witness what He is doing in you and through you. Family worship happens as they begin to embrace the God you’ve embraced – for themselves, because of your example.

Family worship is life together, lived humbly in the presence and by the power of Christ, who is the LORD of every family member.

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Categories : Family Foundations, Parenting, Spirit Health
Tags : Christian parenting, family worship
Christian Home and Family
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