#GOFAMINTDailyDevotion Sun. 4/9/2016

LESSON 1                                             4/9/2016

LAYING THE FOUNDATION FOR THE FAMILY

Suggested Hymns: G.H.B 22, 32

Devotional Reading: Deut. 6:4-9

Topic for Adults: Allow God to be in control of your family.

Topic For Youths: Lay The Foundation Of Your Future Home On Jesus Christ.

Topic For Intermediates: Jesus Is The Sure Foundation For A Happy Family

Scripture Lesson: 1 Cor. 3:9-17; Prov. 24:3-4; 18:22

Memory Verse:           For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. (1 Cor. 3:11) NKJV

DAILY DEVOTIONAL READING

Sun. 4/9/2016

Know Who You Are – Your Temperaments

Prov. 30:11-14

God created a lot of variety of human beings, each one different from another. Temperament is the basic template with which one is created. It dictates one’s natural tendencies, natural strength and weaknesses, and affects one’s outlook in life, behavior and relationships. There are people who are reserved while others are extroverts; some people are meticulous and well organized in all they do, while others do not care about details; etc. Hardly do two people of the same temperament marry one another; couples are meant to complement one another – in the area where the man is weak the wife should be strong and vice versa. In essence, it is not every sister in the church that is suitable for a particular brother. Each man should know his nature very well and be able to decide what kind of temperament will enhance his life and destiny. No matter what your temperament may be, it should be moderated by the Holy Spirit.

Point of Emphasis: Know the temperament of the person you intend to marry, or you have married.

Prayer Point: Father, give our singles the wisdom to know the right person to marry.

BACKGROUND

            The importance of having a family based on God’s standard must not be undermined. Blissful family has much to do with the kind of family one establishes. It is the intention of this week’s lesson to sensitize believers on how they can make their families role models in this polluted world.

NOTES ON THE TEXT

PART 1: MAKE JESUS THE FOUNDATION OF YOUR LIFE (1 COR. 3: 9-17)

God is the author of marriage and family. He has the blueprint of what it takes to make a strong and successful marital home. He also has all the resources necessary for the family to overcome every challenge the family may face. Right from the Garden of Eden, Satan has deceived man to think he can do without God. Rather than getting re-connected after sin separated him from God, man has been struggling to make it in life on his own. The steady decline in the quality of family life and the attendant heart ache are clear proofs that man’s effort to manage God’s institution of marriage is not working.

God created the bridge that connects man back to Him. He made Jesus pay the penalty of sin through His death on the cross. Man needs to surrender his life to Jesus by accepting Him as his Lord and Savior. Taking this step enables a man to lay the foundation of his life on the Eternal Rock; the foundation is therefore forever secured. When Jesus is Lord and Savior to both husband and wife, the home is sure to succeed. Any other ground on which the foundation of the home may be laid is sinking sand. If the foundation of your home was not laid upon Jesus Christ, you can invite Him into your home today, so that He can reset the foundation.

PART 2: BUILD YOUR FAMILY ON THE WISDOM OF GOD (PROV. 24:3-4)

Many families are built on faulty foundations – foundation of lies and deceit; foundation of worldly wisdom; foundation of fleshly lust and premarital sex; foundation in which the fear of God and commitment to His commands are secondary; etc. Since God is the author of marriage, His prescription for marriage should be the most important for any couple planning to get married or already married. This is wisdom. Wisdom prevents couples from doing things which will undermine their family. Wisdom makes couple to be open and truthful to each other. Wisdom makes them seek God’s face concerning any issue that affects them. Wisdom makes a couple respect and love each other. Wisdom keeps at bay any act of selfishness and makes spouses care for each other’s interests. But the foolish woman pulls down her home with her hands (Proverbs 14:1) while the foolish husband scatters his home with his fists. Wisdom makes couples determine to forgive one another’s offences.

PART 3: ALLOW GOD TO CHOOSE FOR YOU (PROV. 18:22)

To find a good husband or a good wife is a favor from the Lord. It is a well-known fact that it is not every brother or sister in the church that appears very spiritual is a marriage material. Not every pair of brother and sister in the church will form a happy marital couple. God knows every person beyond the outward appearance. He knows which man will fit a particular woman perfectly, and vice versa. If you are not yet married, take time to wait upon God, so as to know whom God will choose for you. If you are already married, do not use this as excuse to divorce or separate from your spouse. Ask God to come and intervene in the family situation to correct whatever is wrong with the foundation of your home.

CONCLUSION

            This lesson “laying the foundation for family” is an eye-opener for all those who want a godly family in this present generation. There are some worldly postulations and philosophy that have been proffered concerning marriage but have not yielded positive result. Children of God should bear it in mind that nothing can compare favourably to the standard of God. It is, therefore, advisable for children of God to stick to what God has stipulated for His children.

QUESTIONS

1. If a wife is the bone of the man’s bone and flesh of the man’s flesh, why then do Christian homes still experience turbulence?
2. Which should take priority: the prevalent cultural practice or what the Bible says about the family?
3. What do you think can make a family thrive and succeed in life?
4. Mention those things that wisdom does in family.