Matthew 18:1-6

Unless we become as dependent and trusting as children in our relationship with our heavenly Father we will never enter into His kingdom. Just as we were totally dependent upon our earthly parents for our earthly survival we must become totally dependent upon our Creator for our eternal survival. For those of us who came from dysfunctional families where love and acceptance were not always the given it will be either the hardest thing that we will ever do OR we learned as children that the only One who loved us was God. He loved us so much that He gave the life of His only begotten sinless Son in exchange for the likes of us.

Matthew 18 contains the fourth of five discourses in Matthew's Gospel. The theme of this discourse is humility.

18:1 At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, "Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?"

2 Then Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them, 3 and said, "Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 5 Whoever receives one little child like this in My name receives Me.

6 "Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea. 

Malachi 4:5-6

A wedge has grown in the United States between fathers and their children and it has crippled society, a lot of fathers are not involved in the daily lives of their family. Some leave their families, some are too busy pursuing the American dream and some are just not interested. But within the last 4 years I have had my hope renewed by watching my son in law, who also is a busy professional, taking the time and energy to invest in the lives of his 3 children and more importantly loving it.

Malachi ends with both a promise and a warning. As in every act of God announcing judgment, there is also an offer of His mercy.

4:5 Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet

Before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord.

6 And he will turn

The hearts of the fathers to the children,

And the hearts of the children to their fathers,

Lest I come and strike the earth with a curse

Psalm 112:1-2

There is a reward to putting God first, to studying His word and to implementing His principles into the framework of our lives. Joy in the Lord is our strength!

Blessed, a word meaning "one who is manifestly happy," is the same term with which the Book of Psalms begins.

112:1 Praise the Lord!

Blessed is the man who fears the Lord,

Who delights greatly in His commandments.

2 His descendants will be mighty on earth;

The generation of the upright will be blessed.

Matthew 19:1-6

In a society where divorce is the normal and lifelong marriages are so rare the only hope for us is the guidance and intervention of the Trinity to keep our families intact. May God in His infinite mercy and grace guide us in finding a mate and help us to sustain the most fragile of American relationships, marriage.

One rabbinical school held that the only grounds for divorce was immorality. Another school believed that anything that displeased the husband was sufficient to obtain a divorce. These Pharisees wanted Jesus to take one side on this controversy, thus giving them evidence to use against Him. Jesus avoided the controversy over divorce by giving three reasons for why married people should remain married: (1) God made one male and one female. If God had intended more than one wife for Adam, He would have created more. The same would be true of husbands for Eve. He who made them is literally "the One who created" or "the Creator." The implication is that the Creator is Lord and is the One who determines what is the ideal in marriage. (2) God ordained marriage as the strongest bond in all human relationships. A man leaves his parents and is joined to his wife. Leave means "to abandon"; joined to means "to be glued to." (3) The two become one flesh.

19 Now it came to pass, when Jesus had finished these sayings, that He departed from Galilee and came to the region of Judea beyond the Jordan. 2 And great multitudes followed Him, and He healed them there.

3 The Pharisees also came to Him, testing Him, and saying to Him, "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for just any reason?"

4 And He answered and said to them, "Have you not read that He who made them at the beginning made them male and female,' 5 and said, 'For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh' ? 6 So then, they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate."

Proverbs 15:20

What a sad day for our nation when something passed for the people has been turned into a circus of wrath from those feeling politically scorned. We would be wise to love the American people as much as we love our political party. I fear them and their hatred but then I recall the words of Christ "Fear not".

God is in control!!

15:20 A wise son makes a father glad,

But a foolish man despises his mother.

Mark 3:31-35

We are all God's children and precious to Him. Our Father gave the greatest sacrifice that could be given, salvation through the sacrifice of His Son, so that anyone who chooses to accept His free gift could have eternal life with Him. We are one family, the body of Christ, the moment we believe. It is His will that no one perish and we are His voice to get the message out to a dying world.

Whoever does the will of God expresses a spiritual allegiance that goes beyond loyalty to one's biological family. Spiritual kinship is determined not by blood or race but by obedience to God.

3:31 Then His brothers and His mother came, and standing outside they sent to Him, calling Him. 32 And a multitude was sitting around Him; and they said to Him, "Look, Your mother and Your brothers are outside seeking You."

33 But He answered them, saying, "Who is My mother, or My brothers?" 34 And He looked around in a circle at those who sat about Him, and said, "Here are My mother and My brothers! 35 For whoever does the will of God is My brother and My sister and mother."

1 Peter 3:1-9

If we love each other as Christ loves the Church we will treat each other with love and respect. In a society that says looks are everything and that success is measured by how much money we make at any cost we are going against societal behaviors not only in our time but also in times past. We need to be of one mind, the mind of God, to see through the moral norms and to seek the good of each other and not just ourselves.

Christians are to spend more time developing their inner character than attempting to make themselves look beautiful on the outside. Fear of her husband should not be the driving force that causes a Christian wife to practice the principles of godly marital relations. A Christian husband should be intimately aware of his wife's needs, her strengths and weaknesses, and her goals and desires. He should know as much about her as possible in order to respond in the best way to her. Peter encourages Christians to act like the Lord Jesus. He endured suffering and ridicule in silence, entrusting His just cause to the ultimate Judge.

3 Wives, likewise, be submissive to your own husbands, that even if some do not obey the word, they, without a word, may be won by the conduct of their wives, 2 when they observe your chaste conduct accompanied by fear. 3 Do not let your adornment be merely outward—arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel— 4 rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God. 5 For in this manner, in former times, the holy women who trusted in God also adorned themselves, being submissive to their own husbands, 6 as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord, whose daughters you are if you do good and are not afraid with any terror.

7 Husbands, likewise, dwell with them with understanding, giving honor to the wife, as to the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers may not be hindered.

8 Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous; 9 not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary knowing that you were called to this, ^mthat you may inherit a blessing. ^10

2nd Corinthians 12:14-15

We must see people as God's children and not see them as just a financial asset. The work of the Church is to foster the gifts of the Spirit in God's children and then those gifts will promote the work of His Son of which we are the body. The more love that is shown in our Church and to society through our members the more others will be drawn to the Body of Christ.

Love for the Church

12:14 Now for the third time I am ready to come to you. And I will not be burdensome to you; for I do not seek yours, but you. For the children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children. 15 And I will very gladly spend and be spent for your souls; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I am loved.

Colossians 3:18-21

It all comes down to love and respect! Love and care for each other as the Lord loves and cares for you.

Based on the kind of Christian life to which believers are called, Paul gives some practical guidance. General applications like "be good" or "love everybody" are very difficult to follow, so Paul seeks to apply moral truths to the daily lives of the Colossians.

3:18 Wives, submit to your own husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.

19 Husbands, love your wives and do not be bitter toward them.

20 Children, obey your parents in all things, for this is well pleasing to the Lord.

21 Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged.

Hebrews 12:7-11

If we are known by God we will be corrected by God. Just as we correct and guide our children out of our love for them the Father does likewise. If we want to be children of God what does He require of us? He insists that we love Him above all others and love others as much as we love ourselves. If that is what transforms us into the image of His Son then I welcome all discipline that brings me closer to His character. We will learn the easy way or the hard way that God has all authority in heaven and on earth and He will teach us that we will not harm others in our journey. Ultimately, the Fruit of the Spirit will be evident in us.

Believers should not only endure God's discipline, they should readily be in subjection to their heavenly Father. God disciplines us with our good welfare in mind. With every trial, God is fashioning us into a holy people, set apart for His good purposes. The peaceable fruit of righteousness suggests that the result of God's chastening is peace and righteousness.

12:7 If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten? 8 But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons. 9 Furthermore, we have had human fathers who corrected us, and we paid them respect. Shall we not much more readily be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live? 10 For they indeed for a few days chastened us as seemed best to them, but He for our profit, that we may be partakers of His holiness. 11 Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.

Proverbs 22:6

If we raise our children with love and respect they will learn to love and respect themselves and others. If we show our children mercy and forgiveness when they fail they will learn to be merciful and forgiving with themselves and others. If our words and actions show that we love God above all and love others as much as we love ourselves they will see it and they will know it is the way to happiness and peace and they will return to it.

"And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you." (Ephesians 4:32)

"For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God has prepared beforehand that we should walk in them." (Ephesians 2:10)

22:6 Train up a child in the way he should go,

And when he is old he will not depart from it.

 

Ephesians 6:1-4

There are many of us who grew up in or raised children in dysfunctional families and there will always be the temptation to avoid contact with those who have caused you pain BUT we must temper this with the truth that their childhood set the parameters for their parenting and they did the best that they knew to do. The sins of generations past filters our present BUT God in His infinite goodness can change everything if we let Him.

Children are to be obey their parents, and parents are to treat their children in such a way that the children will want to obey. Parents should not be unreasonably severe with children or ridicule them.

6:1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 2 "Honor your father and mother," which is the first commandment with promise: 3 "that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth."

4 And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord.

Hebrews 11:7

We are saved by faith alone and faith is a gift from God so that no man can take pride in it. We will never be good enough to deserve it or work hard enough to earn it. God loved all of us so much that He gave His only Son's life in exchange for ours so that we could have eternal life. And what does He ask of us? To love Him above anyone else and to love others as much as we love ourselves. Is that too much to ask? To Him be all the glory!

Noah had never seen the flood God revealed to him. Yet he believed God in spite of this and heeded His warnings. His faith not only saved him from the deluge but also from God's judgment, for He became an heir of righteousness.

11:7 By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.

1 Timothy 5:8-16

Just as God provides for us we are to provide for others. We are family, we are the Body of Christ, we are to care for others who cannot care for themselves and do not have family to care for them. There are no churches that I am aware of that provide ongoing monetary support for widows. But in the Book of Acts everyone who had funds contributed and everyone who had a need drew support from those funds. Now, thank goodness, our government provides some services and picks up where the church fails. We are more interested in our church buildings and programs than in the Church of Christ. If one member hurts all members are to hurt, how did we lose sight of our calling? We are called to love our neighbor as much we love ourselves and to care for them and who is our neighbor…everyone! The church as a whole now finds nothing good to say about anyone who is not of their political inclination, their income bracket or of their denomination….how sad! We are white washed hypocrites. If you cannot say something good about someone be quiet!

A believer is to provide for his own (his near relatives) and his household (his immediate family). Failure to provide for one's family is equal to denial of the faith. If a Christian cannot even care for his or her own family, how can that person sincerely love and care for others? Some unbelievers take better care of their families than believers do. Paul was concerned that younger widows would not have enough to do, and thus would bother everyone else with worthless talk or even harmful and divisive words.

8 But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.

9 Do not let a widow under sixty years old be taken into the number, and not unless she has been the wife of one man, 10 well reported for good works: if she has brought up children, if she has lodged strangers, if she has washed the saints' feet, if she has relieved the afflicted, if she has diligently followed every good work.

11 But refuse the younger widows; for when they have begun to grow wanton against Christ, they desire to marry, 12 having condemnation because they have cast off their first faith. 13 And besides they learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house, and not only idle but also gossips and busybodies, saying things which they ought not. 14 Therefore I desire that the younger widows marry, bear children, manage the house, give no opportunity to the adversary to speak reproachfully. 15 For some have already turned aside after Satan. 16 If any believing man or woman has widows, let them relieve them, and do not let the church be burdened, that it may relieve those who are really widows.

1 Timothy 3:1-7

God is loving, faithful and merciful. There are few of us today in the United States who would measure up to the qualifications listed to be a leader in the church. Although the Father forgives all those who are sincerely repentant and our sins are no longer held against us leadership positions within the Church are better handled by those persons who have shown that they are fully in control of their own lives and moderate in all things given to them by God.

The idea is not that a bishop is sinless but that he displays mature, consistent Christian conduct that gives no reason for anyone to accuse him of anything. Sober-minded means that an overseer must have control of his body and mind. It is a balanced state of mind arising out of self-restraint. A bishop or overseer should contend for the faith without being contentious.

3 This is a faithful saying: If a man desires the position of a bishop, he desires a good work. 2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach; 3 not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not covetous; 4 one who rules his own house well, having his children in submission with all reverence 5 (for if a man does not know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the church of God?); 6 not a novice, lest being puffed up with pride he fall into the same condemnation as the devil. 7 Moreover he must have a good testimony among those who are outside, lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.

Ephesians 3:8-15

God's mercy and grace made known to men in Christ Jesus was never meant to be limited to one group of people. The sacrifice was too big and much too powerful to be for only a few and would be for all people, from all walks of life and to all mankind hope would spring eternal. In His infinite wisdom His gift could never be bought, could never be earned and would only be revealed by the Holy Spirit to all who would accept it. All things were created through Christ and for Christ Jesus. We are the Body of Christ, we are Family!!

Paul was not expressing false humility when he called himself less than the least of all the saints. He was truly humble because he previously had persecuted Christ's church. Paul was entrusted with the stewardship of God's economy, to dispense the riches of Christ to God's household and to preach the Good News. Paul's mission as an apostle was to enlighten all people about the mystery of God's grace in Christ, which was not understood in previous times but which had become clear with the coming of Jesus Christ. Father and family are related words in the original text. All families of men and angels derive from God the Father, their Creator.

3:8 To me, who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, 9 and to make all see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which
from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God who created all things through Jesus Christ; 10 to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places, 11 according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord, 12 in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through faith in Him. 13 Therefore I ask that you do not lose heart at my tribulations for you, which is your glory.

14 For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named,

Proverbs 11:29

Our family should come first in the decisions that we make. Those decisions should be based on God's word. Unfortunately we are a fallen race with nearsighted vision and we make many wrong decisions. It is never too late to reevaluate, ask God for forgiveness and guidance and make every effort to right the wrongs that we have caused. The end product of our neglect is broken homes and lives. Wisdom comes to those who ask God for it, seek His wisdom and live abundantly with contentment.

11:29 He who troubles his own house will inherit the wind,

And the fool will be servant to the wise of heart.

Psalm 107:41-43

God, the maker of the universe, cares for the poor. He gathers their families together and marks them as special to Him. He uses us, who profess to be His, to be His arms of love and justice to make laws to help them and to protect them. Have you ever wondered about the great miraculous healings and revivals in 3^rd world countries I believe it is the Holy Spirit at work on this Psalm.

107:41 Yet He sets the poor on high, far from affliction,

And makes their families like a flock.

42 The righteous see it and rejoice,

And all iniquity stops its mouth.

43 Whoever is wise will observe these things,

And they will understand the lovingkindness of the Lord.

Acts 16:25-34

What must man do to be saved? Believe on Jesus Christ and He will break your bonds, set you free and give you everlasting life.

It is in times of darkness that the light of a Christian witness shines brightest. But how was the jailer reconciled to God? Paul and Silas's answer was simple—just believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. No other work was needed. The jailer and his family placed their trust in God and immediately expressed that faith by being baptized.

25 But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. 26 Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone's chains were loosed. 27 And the keeper of the prison, awaking from sleep and seeing the prison doors open, supposing the prisoners had fled, drew his sword and was about to kill himself. 28 But Paul called with a loud voice, saying, "Do yourself no harm, for we are all here."

29 Then he called for a light, ran in, and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas. 30 And he brought them out and said, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?"

31 So they said, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household." 32 Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. 33 And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their stripes. And immediately he and all his family were baptized. 34 Now when he had brought them into his house, he set food before them; and he rejoiced, having believed in God with all his household.