Male & Female Unite for God’s Image

• Gen 1:26 Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; 27 – male & female He made them
• Family is where God’s undivided nature comes together to walk on earth- In heterosexual marriage we make home for God
• Family being for life we nurture -life saving, society saving, character in marriage – love, loyalty, trust, sacrifice.
• The more a Dad, Mom & Kids know Christ & increase in the ways of the Lord, the more we will have God walking earth
• Gen 3:8 They heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day –

 

Image & Likeness of God

• Person hood, soul, choice, individuality,
• Expectation, plan, reward, development, progress,
• Communion, social, – Seniors, peers, juniors.
• Do unto others what you would have them do to you
• Creative as God is
• We expect justice – Sow to reap – you will reap what you sow
• More blessed to give than receive
• Desire to know & research
• What God gave freely, men have made rights out of it.

 

Two Are Better Than One

• Ecc 4:9 Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor.
• Ecc 4:10 For if either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion. But woe to the one who falls when there is not another to lift him up.
• Ecc 4:11 Furthermore, if two lie down together they keep warm, but how can one be warm alone?
• Ecc 4:12 And if one can overpower him who is alone, two can resist him. A cord of three strands is not quickly torn apart. 
  When do we get two working together
• Ecc 4:9 Two are better than one because they have a good return for their Work.
• When do we get two working together?
• Home – dad, mom – parents & kids, brother & sister
• Thinking of marital partner & recognizing the “shape” – lifelong relationship –
• School – teacher & student (generosity + gratitude)
• Work – master & servant
• Friends – be in a cell, Biz partners
• Benefactor & beneficiary
• Senior & Junior

 

Life is a reward. – Work God has for us is His reward

• Life is a reward. Work God has for us is His reward to make us His co-workers. Family members in the Father’s Company. This of course is Heavenly Father’s Company. “Give us this day our daily bread”, includes daily work. So we plan – initiate, navigate, successful conclusion, reward. In our family we learn reward – affirmation, appreciation, approval.
• Ecc 12:14 For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil.
• Ecc 3:13 And for every man to take food and drink, and have joy in all his work, is a reward from God.

 

3AAA Rating for your son & daughter

• A cord of three strands is not quickly torn apart. This scripture is often interpreted for Holy Spirit – I want to apply it to kids as the third strong chord of family & marriage
• 3AAA Rating for your son & daughter
• Affirmation – embrace around shoulder
• Appreciation – what he has
• Approval – when it is done to standard
• Affirmation is about belonging, being, you are mine, identity, security. Nothing to do with performance. In fact when they fail, they need to be affirmed more – you are mine. I am with you.

 

 

1 Family/Marriage is Rewarding Work

• Ecc 4:9 Two are better than one because they have a good return for their Work.
• God has life work for every one – in marriage the best two combined come together – for maximum God output
• Maximum God output involves living God’s call, winning your combined oikos, the best potential in your career
• Two are better than one for Edenic Mandate – Blessed, Fruitful, Multiply, Fill Your God given Plot
• Obviously raising kids to God greatness is your best life work
• Championing Family

 

2 Strong in Failure – Share Your Strength

• Ecc 4:10 For if either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion. But woe to the one who falls when there is not another to lift him up. – never speak down; always lift up
• We do not expect to fail, but if we do not plan we will fail. Honest appraisal. Let your weakness be known
• Marriage is tested in how well we will bend low, empathize & lift up the fallen – blessed are the poor in spirit
• This is why Christian family is mission training. Correction is good. People need to see a Christian ethic of being there when others fail. There is so much hype on prosperity & success – in my weakness your strength is perfected is unknown.
• Church is family – we don’t have to pretend success
• Lifestyle – None To Lift You Up
• But woe to the one who falls when there is not another to lift him up. – A day of weakness will come to all. Have you prepared for a day of weakness?
• Have you prepared for temptation – do you know your spouse’s Achilles’ heel.
• Does your demeanour invite others to help you, check you?
• Church Family is that extended place where you can safely “fall” you will never be alone. You will not be condemned. We are not fair weather friends
• How are you – do you invite help or do you make it difficult for people to help you. Do you feel others wait for you to fall?

3 Take Care How You Warm
Sexual Boundaries & Blessing of Christian Marriage

• Ecc 4:11 Furthermore, if two lie down together they keep warm, but how can one be warm alone?
• Sexual intimacy is a gift to be enjoyed in marriage
• In this too, it’s more blessed to give than receive
• You must guard your body & thoughts until marriage – chastity is prime Christian value
• If you practise sexual experiments, you will blur the God shape in your heart re your marital partner
• Do not defraud – your body after marriage belongs to the other

 

Sex – Wait for Your Time

• Taste is best when time is Right. Taste before time is bitter. Wait for your time for maximum enjoyment of what God has for you in every season – Expect Much. Any fruit in its time is delicious. Where sin abounded grace abounds more
• A Voice says – (Consume Now – turn stone to bread, more than you need, hastily, before your time, stolen bread – Stolen is Sweet
• Wait improves Taste, Haste makes Waste, Busting Up is Dumb
• Be the Hero – rather than a fan. Ape none – You’ve got better Image
• Save your body for the better morrow
• Abuse follows a law of diminishing dividends
• Thrills follow a law of higher threshold & higher risk

 

• Christian Family is Where Lord’s Prayer & Kingdom Family Is Practised
• We shall reflect Father’s Character in our family relationships
• We shall hallow God’s name in all we do
• We will live daily seeking Kingdom advancing soul saving opportunities
• I will share my daily food – thankful.
• I will live forgiveness
• Deliver us from the evil one – Take on the work & battle of delivering what you can from the evil one.
• Heb_11:7 By faith Noah, being moved by the fear of God, made ready an ark for the salvation of his family, because God had given him news of things which were not seen at the time; and through it the world was judged by him, and he got for his heritage the righteousness which is by faith.

 

4 Overpower or be Overpowered

• Ecc 4:12 And if one can overpower him who is alone, 2 can resist him. A cord of three strands is not quickly torn apart.
• God intends to take back what was lost in Garden of Eden
• First battle was against the family & that is where the battle is fiercest. – He who wins the family wins the battle
• You will understand why many forces viz. LGBTQi assail marriage
• Mt 18:(19) “Again I say to you, that if two of you agree on earth about anything that they may ask, it shall be done for them by My Father who is in heaven.  (20)  “For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst.“

 

Power of Agreement – For Throne of God to Act

• When Jesus said, Mt 18:18 “when two or three shall agree, to bind & shut hades & to loose & open heaven”, – it was about the power prayer of a Christian family where mom dad & kids agree..
• Agree with God’s character & word
• Agree & live God’s will & call daily in their lives
• Agree with each other – how they live for Christ.
• Heb 4:16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

 

God’s Force – Christian Marriage

• Mat 18:18-20 “Truly I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven.
• Christ is present in every Christian home, to do all the good to their combined families & work places & neighbourhoods
• Virtues & the Power of the Cross – sacrifice, fidelity, faithfulness, trust, obedience, give more than take – are all demonstrated in Christian Marriage which is a walking cross & a resurrection of two lives made one – walking out fo the tomb of selfish living.

 

3AAA Rating for your son & daughter

• A cord of three strands is not quickly torn apart. This scripture is often interpreted for Holy Spirit – I want to apply it to kids as the third strong chord of family & marriage
• 3AAA Rating for your son & daughter
• Affirmation – embrace around shoulder
• Appreciation – what he has
• Approval – when it is done to standard
• Affirmation is about belonging, being, you are mine, identity, security. Nothing to do with performance. In fact when they fail, they need to be affirmed more – you are mine. I am with you.

 

 

Appreciation & Approval

• Appreciation is about whatever he/she has, can & at that level appreciate. Appreciation is about value & worth. Find something daily about which you say to her, “well done”. Hugs & any else. Perform or perish, swim or sink is not our language. Life is not a struggle for existence. In Gods world, He makes room for “unfit to thrive”.
• Approval is quality based. Measured. Give them step up & stretch in simple things. “Let’s do better”. Tests will come. Train them. Coach them. Mentor them to do well. To face up to being measured or tested. Approval is about their significance – to be realistic about their contribution – first in family & then in their field.