February Teaching Series

TAKING A STAND FOR YOUR FAMILY
Rev. Joey Crisostomo
Director for Central Operations
February 8, 2008

Key Scriptures:
Ephesians 6:1-4; Proverbs 22:6; Deuteronomy 6:7

“Men fight for your sons, fight for your daughters, fight for your wives, fight for your families” -Nehemiah 4:14

One of the greatest threats we face in the twenty-first century is not a terrorist attack or an ecological catastrophe, but an attack on our homes. -J. OSTEEN

FAMILY DEFINED AND EXPLAINED

1. People who are linked by marriage or physical descent.

2. A unit ordained by God for the comfort and protection of its members.

3. God’s unique idea from the beginning.

• There is no greater institution, no better group of people to effect positive change in the world than the family.

• There is no better place to learn and model the truth of God’s Word than in the Family.

• There is no institution or group of people with more power and ability to destroy a person than a family.

4. Family is the environment that shapes a child’s lifetime direction.

“Values are caught than taught” - Harold Sala

FAMILY RESPONSIBILITIES
1. To nurture spiritual training “Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.” -Proverbs 22:6

2. To share spiritual experience and heritage “I know that you sincerely trust the Lord, for you have the faith of your mother.” -2 Timothy 1:5 “You will be able to tell wonderful stories to your children and grandchildren about the marvelous things I am doing.” -Exodus 10:2

3. To love and discipline them when necessary “… bring them up with the discipline and instruction approved by the Lord.” -Ephesians 6:1-4

4. To provide for them. 5. To be a good role model to them.

FAMILY UNDER ATTACK
1. Setting aside Divine Order “Now I want you to realize that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is man.” -1 Corinthians 11:3

2. Moral Impurities “The husband should fulfill his marital duty to his wife, likewise the wife to her husband.” -1 Corinthians 7:3

3. Lies and Accusations Untamed Tongue - “It is a restless evil , full of deadly poison” -James 3:8b

4. Unforgiving Spirit “Be kind to each other, tender-hearted, forgiving one another…” -Ephesians 4:32

5. Pride “God sets himself against the proud, but he shows favor to the humble” -James 4:6

6.Disobedience to the will of God 7.No fear of the Lord “All who fear the LORD will hate evil” -Proverbs 8:13

TAKE A STAND FOR YOUR FAMILY
1.Take immediate action.
2.Recognize the attack.
3.Correct the wrong, whatever is the cost.
4.Plead for the blood of Jesus for your Family.
5.Learn the lessons.


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HONOR YOUR FATHER AND YOUR MOTHER
Rev. Joey Crisostomo
Director for Central Operations
February 22, 2008

Key Scriptures:
Exodus 20:12; Ephesians 6:2-3

INTRODUCTION:
• The first four commandments dealt with man's relationship with God.
• The last six commandments dealt with man's relationship with man.
• Honor your Father and your Mother:
-The first in the last six commandments.
-This commandment is repeated in Deuteronomy 5:16 “Honor thy father and thy mother, as the LORD thy God hath commanded thee; that thy days may be prolonged, and that it may go well with thee, in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.”

HONOR DEFINED AND EXPLAINED:
• To give great weight to; to hold as valuable.
• A Respect that is Demanded … An Esteem to Render …A Respect that is Deserved
-We hold the honored in high esteem, elevating them to a place of importance and reverence.

This means that we are…
• To take our parents seriously,
• To place them first in our priorities,
• To let them feel important to us
• To treat what they say and what they think as important and weighty

Negatively, the Fifth Commandment means that…
• We are not to curse them or at our parents
• We are not to belittle or mock our parents
• We are not to strike our parents
• We are not to act superior to our parents
• We are not to speak caustically and sharply to our parents

WAYS TO HONOR ONE’S PARENTS:
1. Obedience…” Obey your parents because you belong to the Lord, for this is the right thing to do“ - Ephesians 6:1-3

2. Respect
… it is recognizing someone else’s worth
… it is a gift of valuing them highly
… it involves speaking kindly to one’s parents

Earning the respect of our Children…
• By our Faithfulness
• By our Fairness
• By Fruitfulness

3. Appreciate them …appreciate what they’ve done for us.
4. Keep on caring for them
5. Consideration… by remembering them, taking time to be with them, making them feel they belong, doing them acts of kindness
6. Character… “The father of a righteous man has great joy; he who has wise son delights him” - Proverbs 23:24

REWARDS THAT WILL BE RECEIVED:
1. Our days will be Lengthened … “You will live long life”
2. Our days will be Lightened…“You will live... Full of blessing”

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