CHAPTER IX

RAISING A NEW GENERATION FOR GOD

Teaching 37

THE FAMILY IS THE EXTENSION OF THE DIVINE CHARACTER

Building a home goes beyond having a beautiful house, nice furniture, wonderful
decorations or valuable items. The key to a good home is having constant contact with
God's Word, because it is the only way that we can grow in self-control, patience, and
faith.

1. LET US KNOW GENUINE LOVE

In Genesis 2:18 it says, "...It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper
suitable for him."

God created marriage so that the couple can be in fellowship. This is why God gave the
man his own wife. Marriage is the reason that men and women meet and get to know
each other. The relationship begins with mutual attraction towards each other that later
leads them to marry. They decide to marry because they both realize they want to
spend the rest of their lives next to each other, enjoying one another.

Genuine love requires giving yourself completely. You must be completely willing to give
everything you have and everything you are to the other person. When we have true
love inside of us, we strive to make the other person happy. Love makes you want to
give it all.

2. LET US ALLOW GOD TO CHOOSE OUR MATE

"Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he
brought her to the man" (Genesis 2:22).

But the Lord said to Samuel: "Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have
rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the
outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart" (1 Samuel 16:7).

One of the greatest blessings is giving the Lord the right to choose who your mate will
be, instead of relying on yourself.
 3. MARRIAGE IS THE EXTENSION OF THE DIVINE CHARACTER

Then God said: "Let us make a man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over
the fish of the sea and the birds of the air" (Genesis 1:26).

The purpose of marriage is to reproduce God's character throughout the family.

Although God is a triune being consisting of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, the three are
always in perfect harmony. By establishing the family, God places His character in each
member. This way the husband, wife, and children can enjoy their lives in complete
harmony.

When you are part of a family where every member is totally surrendered to God and
each individual decides to be guided by His Word, the result of these two things working
together is harmony. This allows God to create an atmosphere in the home that is
saturated with holiness.

4. GOD WANTS TO BLESS US THROUGH MARRIAGE

God blessed them and said to them: "Be fruitful and multiply" (Genesis 1:28). God
called the couple and blessed them. However, Adam was alone for some time living a
single life. As we see here, God did not bless him during his single life; however, He did
bless Adam after he was given a mate.

5. GOD WANTS TRANSPARENCY IN THE MARRIAGE

"The man and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame" (Genesis 2:25).

This verse speaks about transparency. The man's heart has to be open to his wife, and
the woman should never keep secrets from her husband. Each mate needs to walk in
absolute integrity, never allowing things to be hidden from each other. One of the
greatest problems in marriages occurs when one spouse begins to do things in secret.
They begin to cover their actions with hypocritical behavior. Eventually, the spouse will
discover the truth, and a great distrust consumes the relationship. The marriage then
begins to deteriorate, thus fatally wounding the entire family.

6. GOD WANTS MEN TO BE LEADERS IN THEIR HOMES

The apostle Paul said that if someone desires to be in the ministry, he desires a good
thing. The basic requirement he has fulfill is: he must rule his own family well in order for
God to trust his leadership over the Church. This would be like his letter of
recommendation. If someone does not know how to manage his own family, how can
he watch over God's Church? But let me take the opportunity to clarify that ruling your
household is not governing your family with an attitude of dictatorship over the children.
Rather, it is displaying conduct with such integrity that it will plant in the children a desire
to imitate the parent. It requires being a role model for the family.
God is in need of men and women who will make a difference using fewer words and
give people better examples to follow from the lives they represent.

7. PREPARE THE ATMOSPHERE FOR YOUR FAMILY'S SPIRITUAL

DEVELOPMENT

We must understand that the atmosphere is created through words, attitudes, thoughts,
and gestures. I believe the key to creating the right atmosphere is self-control. Let us
examine this. How do we react to adverse circumstances? When a man's reaction is a
loss of temper with the wife or children, regardless if he is right or wrong, the result
produces a tense and uncomfortable atmosphere. Harsh words or scornful attitudes
could be the reason why the rest of the day reflects such negativity. In many occasions,
the effects last throughout the years.

CONCLUSION

If you have yet to build a family, make sure to build it under Biblical principles, for from it
flows God’s blessing.

APPLICATION

Allow the Holy Spirit to reveal those areas in which need change so that you can be
able enjoy a blessed relationship with the family.

"TODAY GOD IS POURING UPON YOUR FAMILY A SPECIAL BLESSING."