Colossians 3

20
Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord.
21
Parents, do not exasperate your children, so that they do not become discouraged.

IMPORTANT POINTS TO BRING CLOSER THE RELATIONSHIP WITH YOUR CHILDREN

o Instruct
o Correct
o Put limits

Proverbs 22:6
Teach the child the way in which he should walk, and even when he is old he will not depart from it.
2 Timothy 1:5
Because I remember the sincere faith in you, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother
Eunice, and I am sure that in you too.
2 Timothy 3:15
and that since childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which can give you the wisdom that leads to
salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.
Proverbs 23:13,14
Do not refuse to correct the boy: For if you strike him with a rod, he will not die. You will strike him with a
rod, And you will deliver his soul from hell. My son, if your heart is wise, my heart will also be glad; and my
bowels will rejoice when your lips speak what is right.
Hebrews 12:6
FOR THE LORD WHOM HE LOVES, DISCIPLINES, AND SCOURES EVERYONE WHO HE RECEIVES
AS A SON.
1 Kings 9:4
And as for you, if you walk before me as your father David walked, in integrity of heart and in uprightness,
doing according to all that I have commanded you, {and} keep my statutes and my ordinances,

IMPORTANT POINTS TO BRING CLOSER RELATIONSHIPS WITH PARENTS

  Honor
 Obey
 Love
Exodus 20:12
Honor your father and your mother, so that your days may be long in the land that the LORD your God is
giving you.=
Leviticus 19:3
``Each of you must revere his mother and father. And you will keep my Sabbaths; I am the LORD your God.
Matthew 15:4
For God said: 'HONOR {your} FATHER AND {your} MOTHER,' and: 'Whoever speaks ill of {his} FATHER
OR {his} MOTHER, LET HE DIE.'
Ephesians 6:2
HONOR YOUR FATHER AND {your} MOTHER (which is the first commandment with a promise),
Matthew 19:19
HONOR {your} FATHER AND {your} MOTHER; and YOU WILL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS
YOURSELF.
Ephesians 6:2
HONOR YOUR FATHER AND {your} MOTHER (which is the first commandment with a promise),
Proverbs 23:22
Listen to your father, who begot you, and do not despise your mother when she grows old.
Ephesians 6:1
Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.
A strong family can be the source of emotional support, love, security and protection, which makes
the challenges and trials of daily life easier to face. Children flourish when they feel loved, nurtured,
and supported by their parents and siblings. A good family life can have positive effects even on your
mental and physical health, including improving blood pressure and increasing life expectancy.

Truly, God wants our families to succeed and prosper. He designed the family as the fundamental
structure of society; So for our communities to be stable, the families that make them up must also be
stable. And finally, God wants us to have spiritually healthy families so that we can bear good fruit
(Malachi 2:15) and expand his family.

But, while family relationships are important, we all know that strong families “don't just happen.”
Sustaining a marriage and raising children are challenging things for us. If we want to have happy
homes, we have to work hard for it.

One of the best ways to strengthen your family is by studying the common characteristics that
successful families share. When you understand what a well-functioning family unit looks like, you
will understand the changes you need to make in your own family. Below we show you some of the
most vital characteristics of healthy families, from a biblical perspective:

1. A deep commitment to each other

Members of strong families have difficulties, disagreements, trials and problems just as everyone else
does. His life becomes hectic. They get fired from their jobs and can't find a new one. They struggle to
provide for their needs. Children and parents have conflicts with each other.

What makes them different is that they do not give up when circumstances become difficult or tense,
or when the other party displeases them or lowers their spirits. They have a constant, unwavering
dedication to each other—a commitment to staying together—through good times and bad.

“This relationship is not based on the changing circumstances of life,” notes Ken Giese, pastor of the
Church of God, a World Association (IDDAM), which sponsors this magazine. Instead of allowing
difficulties to destroy them or their relationships, strong families work together to overcome
problems.

Cecil Maranville, director of IDDAM's Personal Correspondence Department, adds: “many times life
is not as smooth as one would like, and this commitment is what helps you get through difficult times.
“This is the kind of commitment that makes you continue to love your spouse or honor your parents,
when you, from a human point of view, might have many reasons not to.”

2. Family time is a priority

It can be very difficult to find time for family amid long work weeks, school activities, and household
obligations. But healthy families always find time to be together, no matter how busy they think they
are. They know that the time they share is crucial.

Mr. Giese says, “When we share quality time as a family, we express through our actions that we value
ourselves and that others do matter to us. This makes family members feel more connected to each
other, and this helps develop and build family bonds.

Family time may involve engaging in shared activities—eating together, playing games, going on
picnics, watching sporting events, enjoying recreational activities, etc.—but it doesn't have to be that
way. David Register, pastor of IDDAM, notes: “As the Scriptures instruct us, (Deuteronomy 6:7), the
best time for sharing is daily casual time, without distractions such as television, music headphones,
video games and Smartphones. The real key to developing relationships is sharing time together in all
kinds of circumstances, including the daily activities of the world.”

3. Full of constructive communication

Members of strong families spend a lot of time talking with each other. Mr. Maranville comments: “To
understand each other, family members must take the time to share their feelings, opinions, concerns
and perspectives.”

Much of their communication occurs when they are together. No topic is left out. They can talk about
routine things such as plans for the weekend, what happened at school or work, or about the deeper,
more serious things in life. If there is a particular issue that is affecting the family, you can plan
special family meetings to discuss it.

Having time to talk is only part of the equation. Strong families also work on developing constructive
communication skills. This includes learning to be open and honest, but also to speak in a loving way
(Ephesians 4:15)—focusing on the kind of communication that builds others up rather than that
which tears them down (Ephesians 4:29); paying attention carefully, without distractions; and not
anticipating or jumping to false conclusions when the other person is speaking.

By practicing good communication principles, family members show that they respect each other and
are genuinely interested in each other.

4. Sincere appreciation is frequently expressed

To be a truly successful family, Mr. Maranville says it is vital to not only feel appreciation, but to
express it: “Appreciation helps motivate family members to continue behaving in a positive way
toward each other. It also helps to develop trust with the person; “This way we will have the means to
face the obstacles that will inevitably arise in our path.”

Appreciation should be expressed frequently, both verbally and with body language. This can be done
by telling your spouse how much you enjoyed the dinner they made, or by thanking your children for
cleaning the kitchen. These same feelings can be expressed by leaving notes where family members
can see them, such as in the lunch box, or even by sending text messages.

But appreciation shouldn't be limited to thanking others for what they do for you. Let family members
know how special they are. Tell your spouse and children the qualities about them that you value
most. Say “I love you” often. Praise their strengths and achievements. Let them know that you enjoy
the time you share. Done sincerely, expressions of love and appreciation deepen the bond between
family members and strengthen the family unit.

5. Family members care about others—not just themselves.

Jesus Christ taught his followers: “Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them;
for this is the law and the prophets” (Matthew 7:12). Healthy families do their best to live by this
“golden rule.” Family members consider how others will be affected when making important
decisions. Before speaking, they think about what they would want to hear if they were in the other's
position when saying what they are going to say.

Mr. Register notes: “When we treat others, especially our family members, as we would expect and
want to be treated, we can then achieve the fruits of a healthy family that functions at a very high
level. This should be the goal of every family: to create an atmosphere in which each family member
feels loved and is inspired to work toward common family goals.”

Sometimes this means sacrificing personal desires in order to encourage and support the other
person. A husband might forget what he wants to do on his day off to make his children happy. A wife
can go camping with her husband, even though this is not her idea of fun. Putting the well-being of
others above our own is the essence of Philippians 2:3-4, where Paul exhorts us to esteem others more
than ourselves and not seek only our own interests.

6. Conflicts are resolved constructively and promptly

Although you may not want it, there are times when you offend those closest to you or hurt their
feelings. Misunderstandings are a normal part of family life. But if both sides do not make the
necessary amends, this can lead to bitterness and resentment on both sides. Then, communication
and respect begin to fade, mistrust develops, and family camaraderie disappears.

When offenses occur in healthy families, bad feelings are not allowed to flourish. Conflicts are
resolved quickly. The offender is willing to apologize and accept responsibility for his or her mistakes.
The offended person listens carefully to the perspective of the family member with whom he or she
has disagreements and is willing to readily forgive. They talk about issues without attacking each
other personally, but they do address the issues. No one goes to bed angry (Ephesians 4:26). Each
person knows that the other cares about their relationship, even if they have clashed on a specific
issue.

If parents have made a mistake with their children, they will take the initiative to repair the
relationship. This includes being willing to apologize. Mr. Register remembers this very constructive
practice from his childhood: “My parents would occasionally come up to me and let me know that
they were sorry for having said or done something. Their example helped me know that they were
very human and also taught me to apologize and forgive.”

7. Share a spiritual commitment

Families are truly strong when their members are bound in unity by their shared relationship with
God. Mr. Register says, “When individual family members learn to love God, to respect his laws and
biblical instructions, they will grow closer.”

Being committed to God's way of life gives families a sense of purpose and adds meaning to their lives.
They have a reason to work on their relationships and are more willing to be together. They can put
their trials and difficulties in perspective and maintain the right focus. God's Word gives us guidance
for living, which helps families create a positive home life.

Of course, to be a spiritually committed family, “parents must set the course and reflect their personal
commitment to God in their lives,” says Mr. Giese. If your younger children see you study the Bible,
serve others, and obey God's commandments, and if you talk about God's way of life as they share
your daily activities, they will know that God is your priority. As you see that positive example daily,
the entire family will be encouraged to have the same spiritual commitment.

While each and every one of these characteristics of strong families are vital in themselves, at the
same time they intersect, interrelate, interact and reinforce each other. For example, if you make time
for your family, it enhances the communication process, which in turn makes it easier to express
appreciation. When you are committed to making a relationship work, you will see the need to forgive
and resolve conflict.
If your family is having problems in any of these areas, don't be discouraged. No human being will be
a perfect husband, father, son, brother, or daughter. What matters most is that you are struggling to
have good family relationships. Understanding the basic characteristics of healthy families is a small
first step.

This requires determination, commitment and effort on your part. But in the end you will have a
stronger family—and this is something definitely worth working for.

9 Promises from God for mom and her children!

Dear Mama!

In the Bible, the Word of God, you can find words and promises for your children and for you for being the
means that God used to bring them into the world!

God thought of them as instruments to bless humanity! He blessed your womb so that it would bring other
people into the world... that is, your children!

Another piece of great news is that it gives you instructions on how you should raise them… It gives you a
very special key, “Instruct the child in their walk through life, in a correct and honorable way,
show them my way! And when they grow up, they will not depart from what you taught
them!" Proverbs 22:6

God has plans for your children... he has eternal plans for them! That is why it is necessary that you strive
to give them the best upbringing and show them the path to salvation! It is God's purpose in the lives of
your children!

God gave you the tools, he has given you promises and he will give you the strength and love you need to
do it!

Look at these promises! Believe in them and tell them to your children!
1. Acts 2:39
For the promise is for you, and for your CHILDREN, and for all who are far off; for as many as the Lord
our God will call.

2. Psalms 103:17
But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon those who fear him, and his
righteousness upon the CHILDREN of CHILDREN;

3. Psalms 115:14
The Lord will increase his blessing upon you; Upon you and your children.

4. Psalms 127:3
Behold, the CHILDREN are an inheritance from the Lord; The fruit of the womb is a thing of esteem.

5. Psalms 127:4
Like arrows in the hand of a brave man, So are the CHILDREN born in youth.

6. Psalms 144:12
Let our CHILDREN be like plants grown in their youth, Our daughters like corners carved like those of a
palace;

7. Proverbs 17:6
Grandchildren are the crown of the old, And the honor of the CHILDREN, their parents.

8. Proverbs 20:7
The righteous walk in his integrity; His CHILDREN are blessed after him.

9. Proverbs 31:28
Her CHILDREN rise up and call her blessed; And her husband praises her too!

Pray by quoting these promises and bless your children!!