The Lord is shedding a special and gracious work of His Spirit upon families, those who are open to the penetrating light of His Word. In these days we see much parental ineffectiveness that is characterized by at least three things: (1) ignorance and slothfulness, read Psalm 24:3,4; (2) undermined confidence, read II Timothy 1:7; and (3) an obvious spiritual assault on the family, read Ephesians 6:12). God is calling His people to stand against the tide of sin and rebellion, and to contend for redemption and order.

God put His model home on display in the book of Genesis. He said that it was not good for a man (Adam) to be alone. So God created the first family, and that was good. Then sin came, and Adam and Eve were driven out of the Garden. The motivation for the murder of Abel was sin. Sin has disrupted families for a long time and it continues today. This destructive cycle is broken only by a force called “love” – His name is Jesus. Jesus the Redeemer makes possible the fresh flow of redemption that heals and restores.

The Lord is committed to the philosophy that the channel of redemption is worked through the family:

1. Noah (in Genesis 6:9, “perfect in his families”) is the instrument through which a destructive age is bridged and a new beginning is realized.

2. Abraham became the channel of transmitting God’s full promise. Why? Because God could say of him: “I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord, to do justice and judgment; that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which He hath spoken of him" (Genesis 18:19).

3. Exodus 12:26, Psalm 48:13, and Psalm 145:4 clearly teach it is God’s desire that truth be channeled from parents to children…that His truth be continued through family relationships.

4. God is so committed to family that, when He sent His Son, He put Him into the midst of a loving family (Luke 2:39-41; 49-52).

I’m hopeful you’ll join us as we study what God’s Word teaches about the family. We’ve set aside the Sunday evenings of January 21st, February 11th, and March 11th to focus on family concerns (please see insert for details). My prayer is that these evenings will result in the unstopping of any clogged areas so that God’s grace and redemption may continue to flow freely.

Part of His family,

Ron