Transcript Supporting the Well-Being of Homes and Families

As for me and my house, we will
serve the Lord. – Josh. 24:15
Home pic
Keith Waaraniemi
Congregation and Youth Evening
LLC Winter Services, Phoenix
February 22, 2013
Choose you this
day whom ye will
serve…as for me
and my house, we
will serve the Lord.
– Josh. 24:15
Joshua instructs the people
Now therefore fear the LORD, and
serve him in sincerity and in truth:
and put away the gods which your
fathers served on the other side of
the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye
the LORD.
– Josh. 24:14
Joshua instructs the people
And if it seem evil unto you to serve
the LORD, choose you this day whom
ye will serve; whether the gods which
your fathers served that were on the
other side of the flood, or the gods of
the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell:
but as for me and my house, we will
serve the LORD. – Josh. 24: 15
Serving the Lord
How do we serve the Lord in our
homes?
Are we straying to serve other
gods?
Serving in Marriage
 Holy Estate
Lifelong Covenant
Faithful in good
days and bad
Bed of roses?
 The holiness and
permanence of
marriage brings
security.
Serve with joy
The home is where
family members
spend time
together sharing
both joys and
sorrows.
Put the best
construction…
Serving the Lord is taking
time for each other
Christ’s dual commandment of
love guides us:
“Thou shalt love the Lord thy
God with all thy heart, and
with all thy soul, and with all
thy mind. This is the first and
great commandment. And
the second is like unto it,
Thou shalt love thy neighbor
as thyself”(Matt. 22:37-39).
How do you spend your time?
 Everyday pressures can cause us to be physically,
but not mentally present. “Here, but not here.”
 Children not looking for “quality time,” but adult
presence in everyday life.
 Make time management
choices for the family’s
well-being?
 Does our selfish,
entertainment society
influence us?
Balance in Social Relationships
In our time, connections to
relatives and dear ones can weaken.
We must work to maintain them.
 Friends are also
important.
 Excessive social
interaction outside of
the family can affect
the family
 An overuse of social
media, Internet
Moderation in Work and Careers
 Materialism in society can also
affect and burden believers.
 Focus on material things can
cloud faith.
 Temptation to compare
 God's Word guides toward a
moderate way of life.
 Temporal struggles do not
mean that God’s blessing is
missing.
 We can each ask God for a
content mind.
Reasonable Responsibility
Ever-increasing demands on time.
Reasonable responsibility – that which
we can reasonably do is enough!
Overwhelm, depression, and burn out
can be the result of trying to do more
than possible.
Lack of time together can cause
growing apart
 Does my spouse have
time for my thoughts?
 Do I have time for my
spouse’s thoughts?
 Is everything else more
important than time for
the marriage and family?
 Are we drifting apart?
 SING SHZ 420:3
Song 420:3
With selfishness and hurry, / how
blinded we become. / We scarcely
even notice / our dear ones’ needs at
home. / But then we pray, dear
Father, / and share our stress and
burden / within the care of Christ.
Marriage: the Family’s Foundation
 Believing parents wish to
accept children as God’s gift.
 God is Lord of life and death.
 Foundation for family is the
relationship between spouses.
 Limits are love.
 Parents’ responsibility to teach
children God’s Word
“That they might set their hope in God”
“We will not hide them
from [our] children,
shewing to the generation
to come the praises of the
LORD, and his strength,
and his wonderful works
that he hath done…That
they might set their hope
in God, and not forget the
works of God, but keep his
commandments.”
–Ps. 78:4,7
Teach God’s Word at Home
Thou shalt teach them diligently unto
thy children, and shalt talk of them when
thou sittest in thine house, and when
thou walkest by the way, and when thou
liest down, and when Thou risest up. –
Duet. 6:7
Values of the home are
threatened
The authority of God’s Word is
questioned.
Basic teachings of our faith questioned,
even among believers.
Creates questions and confusion, and
causes burdens in homes and families.
Blessing in obedience to God’s Word!
Blessings of obedience
Now therefore hearken unto me, O ye
children: for blessed are they that keep my
ways. Hear instruction, and be wise, and refuse
it not. Blessed is the man that heareth me,
watching daily at my gates, waiting at the
posts of my doors. For whoso findeth me
findeth life, and shall obtain favour of the
LORD. But he that sinneth against me
wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate me
love death. Prov. 8:32-36
Values of the Home
Read the Word
Speak of the
way and journey
Pray
Sing
Care for the
conscience
We need faithful escorts
Love the fallen
Take time to hear God's Word
 Services
 Bible Class
 Sunday School
 Camps
 Discussions
 Visiting
Abraham’s Example
Trust God who doesn’t need our counsel!
Serving other gods
 Do we dare to love in the truth?
 Does the influence of the world sometimes
make us “too understanding”?
 Are we afraid to speak of sin?
 Do we parents try too hard to explain with
human reasoning?
 Do we parents dare to hold the line in love
and truth or are we swayed by what other
families do?
Seek the “old paths”
Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask
for the old paths, where is the good way,
and walk therein, and ye shall find rest
for your souls – Jer. 6:16
“He that hath an ear”
Korah and
his
followers
did not
listen.
But Korah’s children rejoiced of
their Mother’s Beauty
How amiable are thy tabernacles, O LORD of
hosts!
My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the
courts of the LORD: my heart and my flesh
crieth out for the living God. Yea, the sparrow
hath found an house, and the swallow a nest
for herself, where she may lay her young, even
thine altars, O LORD of hosts, my King, and my
God. Blessed are they that dwell in thy house:
they will be still praising thee. Selah. Blessed is
the man whose strength is in thee; in whose
heart are the ways of them. – Ps. 84:1-5
“He that hath an ear”
Joshua was God’s mouthpiece
It wasn’t just that “old preacher” talking
– it was God through him
Do we believe that God speaks through
His congregation?
Korah and his followers said, “It’s just
Moses and Aaron,” and rejected God’s
instruction.
Our Congregation Mother
Are we embarrassed of our mother?
Can a woman forget her sucking child,
that she should not have compassion on
the son of her womb? yea, they may
forget, yet will I not forget thee.
– Is. 49:15
The Goal is Heaven
 Above all, living faith keeps
hope and the future in our
sights.
 In the midst of all stages of
life we can have childlike
trust that God will help.
 The Old Testament prophet expressed the thoughts
of the Lord toward His own - thoughts of peace, and
not of evil, to give them a future and hope. (Jer. 29:11)
Discussion Questions
 Why do we have too little time for each other?
 What are the gods of our time?
 What does it mean when we say “that which we can
reasonably do is enough”?
 What does moderation mean regarding material goods?
 Can we become slaves to the social media and Internet?
 Are we too proud to ask for help?