Nurturing a Godly Family: Foundations for Faithful Living

Devotional

Day 1: Choosing a Heaven-Bound Spouse

Choosing a spouse who shares your faith and commitment to God is foundational for building a godly family. The qualities you observe during courtship are often magnified in marriage, making it crucial to select a partner who will support and encourage your spiritual growth. A heaven-bound spouse will help create a harmonious and Christ-centered home, where both partners are aligned in their pursuit of honoring God. This choice not only impacts your personal spiritual journey but also sets the tone for the spiritual environment of your future family. [01:20:13]

"Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness?" (2 Corinthians 6:14, ESV)

Reflection: Consider the qualities you value in a spouse. How do these align with your spiritual goals and commitment to God?

Day 2: Recognizing and Dismantling Ungodly Altars

Altars, both physical and metaphorical, are places where the natural and spiritual realms intersect. In our lives, we may unknowingly build ungodly altars through actions such as infidelity, substance abuse, or other sinful behaviors. These altars can lead us away from God and hinder our spiritual growth. It is essential to be vigilant in identifying and dismantling these ungodly altars, creating a home that honors God and fosters spiritual development. By doing so, we align our lives with God's will and create an environment conducive to spiritual flourishing. [01:21:15]

"And they abandoned the Lord, the God of their fathers, who had brought them out of the land of Egypt. They went after other gods, from among the gods of the peoples who were around them, and bowed down to them. And they provoked the Lord to anger." (Judges 2:12, ESV)

Reflection: Identify any "altars" in your life that may be leading you away from God. What steps can you take today to dismantle them?

Day 3: Intentional Parenting

Being present and intentional in parenting is crucial for shaping a child's understanding of a Christ-centered life. It's not enough to be physically present; parents must engage with their children, instilling godly values and leading by example. Both verbal and non-verbal actions speak volumes to children, influencing their spiritual development and worldview. By prioritizing intentional parenting, you create a nurturing environment where children can grow in their faith and develop a strong relationship with God. [01:22:33]

"Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it." (Proverbs 22:6, ESV)

Reflection: Reflect on your daily interactions with your children. How can you be more intentional in instilling godly values in them today?

Day 4: Breaking Generational Curses

Generational curses and faulty foundations can have a profound impact on families, perpetuating cycles of sin and dysfunction. However, through the power of Christ, believers can break these spiritual chains and establish a new legacy rooted in faith. This requires intentional prayer, a commitment to living a life that honors God, and a willingness to confront and overcome past patterns. By doing so, you can create a new spiritual heritage for your family, free from the burdens of the past. [01:26:59]

"For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds." (2 Corinthians 10:3-4, ESV)

Reflection: Consider any generational patterns in your family that you wish to break. How can you use prayer and faith to begin this process today?

Day 5: Building a Godly Legacy

The acronym "FAMILY" serves as a guide to nurturing a godly household: Fear of God, Altars for God, Marry Right, Intentionality, Legacy, and Yoked to Christ. Each element is a pillar for building a family that honors God and leaves a lasting, positive impact on future generations. By focusing on these principles, you can create a spiritual legacy that reflects your commitment to God and influences your family for years to come. This legacy is not only about the present but also about the future, ensuring that your faith and values are passed down to the next generation. [01:31:12]

"Only take care, and keep your soul diligently, lest you forget the things that your eyes have seen, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life. Make them known to your children and your children's children." (Deuteronomy 4:9, ESV)

Reflection: What steps can you take today to ensure that your family's legacy is one that honors God and impacts future generations positively?

Sermon Summary

In today's message, we explored the profound responsibility of nurturing a godly family and the spiritual implications of our actions and choices. We began by emphasizing the importance of choosing a heaven-bound spouse, as the qualities observed during courtship are often magnified in marriage. This choice sets the foundation for a family that honors God. We then delved into the concept of altars, both physical and metaphorical, that we build in our lives. These altars can be places where the natural and spiritual realms intersect, and they can either honor God or lead us away from Him. It's crucial to recognize and dismantle any ungodly altars, such as those built through infidelity, substance abuse, or other sinful behaviors.

We also discussed the significance of being present and intentional in our parenting. It's not enough to be physically present; we must engage with our children, instilling godly values and leading by example. Our actions, both verbal and non-verbal, speak volumes to our children and shape their understanding of what it means to live a Christ-centered life. Furthermore, we explored the concept of faulty foundations and generational curses, urging believers to break these spiritual chains through the power of Christ.

Finally, we introduced the acronym "FAMILY" as a guide to building a godly household: Fear of God, Altars for God, Marry Right, Intentionality, Legacy, and Yoked to Christ. Each element serves as a pillar for nurturing a family that honors God and leaves a lasting, positive impact on future generations. We concluded with an invitation to seek healing and restoration for our families, recognizing that through Christ, we can overcome any generational curses and establish a new legacy rooted in faith.

Key Takeaways

1. Bound Spouse:** The qualities you observe in courtship will be amplified in marriage. It's crucial to choose a partner who shares your faith and commitment to God, as this sets the foundation for a godly family. A heaven-bound spouse will support and encourage your spiritual growth, leading to a harmonious and Christ-centered home. [01:20:13]
2. Recognizing and Dismantling Ungodly Altars: Altars are places where the natural and spiritual realms intersect. We must be vigilant in identifying and dismantling any ungodly altars in our lives, such as those built through infidelity or substance abuse. By doing so, we create a home that honors God and fosters spiritual growth.

3. Intentional Parenting: Being present and intentional in our parenting is crucial. Our actions, both verbal and non-verbal, shape our children's understanding of what it means to live a Christ-centered life. We must engage with our children, instilling godly values and leading by example.

4. Breaking Generational Curses: Faulty foundations and generational curses can have a profound impact on our families. Through the power of Christ, we can break these spiritual chains and establish a new legacy rooted in faith. This requires intentional prayer and a commitment to living a life that honors God.

5. Building a Godly Legacy: The acronym "FAMILY" serves as a guide to nurturing a godly household: Fear of God, Altars for God, Marry Right, Intentionality, Legacy, and Yoked to Christ. Each element is a pillar for building a family that honors God and leaves a lasting, positive impact on future generations.

** [80:13]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[80:13] - Choosing a Heaven-Bound Spouse
[80:45] - Recognizing Ungodly Altars
[81:15] - Dismantling Ungodly Altars
[82:06] - The Importance of Presence
[82:33] - Intentional Parenting
[83:00] - Identifying Spiritual Altars
[83:49] - Provoking God's Anger
[84:19] - The Role of God's Word
[85:08] - Intentionality in Parenting
[86:00] - Breaking Generational Curses
[87:14] - Spiritual Contracts and Family
[88:28] - Modeling Christ to Children
[90:42] - Stewarding a Godly Family
[91:12] - The FAMILY Acronym
[99:11] - Embracing a Godly Legacy

Sermon Clips

"Whatever you see in courtship only gets Amplified in marriage. All my married people say amen. Amen. All right, and this is not to scare anyone because God has prepared for you an ordained spouse for you in the name of Jesus who is heavenbound in the name of Jesus." [01:20:18]

"When one parent is involved in a sexual Escapade outside of their marital Covenant you are setting up altars in those places. Altars are places of a place where natural and the spiritual realm connects. It can be on the altar of sex, it can be on the altar of drunkenness, it can be on the altar of wild parties." [01:21:56]

"It's good to spend time intentionally with your children because guess what sometimes you are you are at home present but you're not present. You have checked in somewhere in one hotel in your mind. This is not a fan's favorite message but it's a needful message because we have so many casualties going on." [01:22:47]

"Galatians 5:19-21 it says when you follow the desires of your sinful nature the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful Pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, Outburst of anger, these are altars, selfish ambition, dissensions, division, Envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like this." [01:23:46]

"Thy word have I hidden in my heart that I may not sin. The only way you can decipher what is sin versus what is not sin is because you have the word of God in your heart. You have the word of God in your heart as a parent. There is no time for Bible study with your children." [01:24:59]

"Faulty foundations are laid and perpetuated. Joshua pronounced the curse on anyone who tries to rebuild the town of Jericho. At the cost of his firstborn son, he will lay its foundation; at the cost of his youngest, he will set up its Gates. That's why people who say there is nothing called faulty Foundation or generational curses, guys, it's real." [01:26:13]

"Family dysfunctions are more spiritual than relational despite how regular tension and conflict make it feel. It is more spiritual than relational, it is more spiritual than physical. And I dare say, are you modeling Christ to your children? Can your children say that I got closer to Christ because of my parents?" [01:28:16]

"The way you treat your wife in front of your children says more things than 'I love you.' The way you treat your husband in front of your children says volumes. It creates a pathway in their brain and says, you know what, this is how you treat men, this is how you treat women." [01:30:02]

"Build an altar for God in your home. Say for today I will build an altar for God in my home. And I want you from today to break every evil altar. You know the altars in your spirit, the Holy Spirit is bringing them to the surface in your mind. I make sure I mentioned altars to you earlier." [01:31:53]

"Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with Darkness? There is no two ways about it. If somebody is not born again, there is no point testing the waters because the test of that to be in marriage." [01:32:48]

"Be a present parent, be interested genuinely in the success of your children, not just academical success. Be interested in their Financial Health, be interested. Ask them those questions. Do you have a 401k or you're just walking to pay Uncle Sam? Ask them because people don't care how much you know until they know how much you care." [01:34:47]

"The greatest Legacy you can leave for your family is not what only you leave for them, it's what you leave inside of them. The values you leave inside of them will outlive money because we've seen some very wealthy families leave inheritance for their children and they end up killing themselves and the lawyers make all the money." [01:37:14]

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