ESTABLISHING A GODLY FAMILY (TITUS 2:1-8, MATTHEW 18:1-5)
The Very. Rev. Michael Mukhwana
Good morning Saints.
I trust that with the Lord being in charge of our lives, we have had great week, as we try to figure out what the Lord is saying to us, at the start of the year. This Sunday, we will concern ourselves with establishing a godly family.
I am sure some of us are already asking, ‘why should bother ourselves with this sort of stuff’? Our theme for this year, “Building families for God’s Purpose”, based on Joshua 24:15, sheds some light on the objective of building a godly family; it is that the family may serve God’s divine purposes here on earth.
Secondly, our spiritual condition as families, but even more importantly as individuals affects our quality of life. Great author, George Barna, in his book: Transforming Children into Spiritual Champions, attests to this fact when he says, “The most significant aspect of every person’s life is his or her spiritual health.” He continues to say, “Sociologists have found a strong correlation between socioeconomic standing and quality of life. That’s
not surprising of course, since money is crucial to acquiring the basics that foster survival.
However, people’s reactions to their socioeconomic status are also closely tied to their faith.
Many poor people experience greater levels of joy and fulfillment in life than do affluent individuals, because their view of life is based on the depth of their relationship with God rather than upon their personal achievements and comfort…Their physical and emotional suffering is deemed secondary to the security they have in Christ’s love.” In my view, this is
abundant life!
Bible passages like Matthew 18:1-6, Proverbs 22:6 and Malachi 2:13-16, all point to the significance that God attaches to the godliness of a family, and most especially the children. Research shows, that if the church is to influence communities for Christ, the age of 1-14 is critical; because children within this age bracket are more open to the gospel and to change, given that they are still within the formative stage of their lives. The big question that we must turn to now is, how can we cultivate a godly environment at home so as to impact the lives of the family members?
I will attempt to make some proposals:
- The family head ought to commit their lives to Jesus Christ, and to covenant their family to the Almighty, 2) Upon salvation, the family head should purpose to establish a family altar, a place where God’s Word will be taught, and prayers lifted to the Lord.
- Cultivate seasoned speech at home, unwholesome words should by all means be avoided, e.g hurling insults at spouse or children.
- Purpose to live out the values and principles of God’s Kingdom such as: love, honesty, faithfulness, self-control, patience and compassion.
- Intentionally mentor your family in the things of God, 6) Control media, explaining the negative effects of such negative media.
- Acknowledge God in all your ways, and live an exemplary life. 8) Transfer the blessing upon your offspring. I honestly cannot exhaust the list of things one can do to ensure that you raise a godly generation, but I am sure the Holy Spirit will grant you wisdom, when you ask for it.
May the Lord bless you as you engage in probably the noblest of responsibilities – the nurture of your family in the ways of the Lord. Have fantastic week!
The Very Rev. Canon Michael Mukhwana
PROVOST