{"id":5729,"date":"2018-01-08T13:37:39","date_gmt":"2018-01-08T19:37:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tampaseo.expert\/focus\/?p=5729"},"modified":"2018-01-08T13:37:39","modified_gmt":"2018-01-08T19:37:39","slug":"10-priorities-home-part-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tampaseo.expert\/focus\/2018\/01\/08\/10-priorities-home-part-2\/","title":{"rendered":"10 Priorities in our Home – Part 2"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Steven D. Minor<\/strong>
\nLast month we started looking at 10 things that we find vital to teach our children. This month we\u2019re considering the last 5\u00a0things that my wife and I are trying to practice when it comes to trying to rear\u00a0our children in \u201cthe way\u201d found in Proverbs 22:6. It is very clear by that passage that we must be intentional about rearing godly individuals who desire to magnify Christ \u201cwhether by life or by death\u201d (Philippians 1:20)\u00a0\u00a0In\u00a0our home we fervently desire our children:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    \n
  1. To understand it\u2019s all going to burn<\/b>.<\/b>\u00a0This was a statement made to me by a college roommate when one of us lost an earthy possession. The Word of God says,\u00a0\u201cBut the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed. Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn!\u201d (2 Peter 3:10-12).\u00a0Jesus said,\u00a0\u201cDo not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where\u00a0thieves break in and steal,\u00a0but lay up for yourselves treasures in\u00a0Heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal\u201d (Matthew 6:19-20).\u00a0In our families, where do our\u00a0houses, cars, clothes and tech devices rank when it comes to\u00a0our eternal reward? Are we placing too much emphasis on our stuff?\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
      \n
    1. To wait for the season of marriage to find a committed Christian m<\/b>ate<\/b>.<\/b>\u00a0It seems as if many Christians are no different with their dating practices and\u00a0philosophies\u00a0than the world.\u00a0It\u2019s a sense of\u00a0\u201cbuild intimacy\u00a0at an early age\u00a0with as many guys or girls as you can\u00a0to see which one fits you best\u201d\u00a0model.\u00a0When\u00a0one\u00a0mixes\u00a0the immaturity\u00a0of youth\u00a0in general, plus the \u201clust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes,\u00a0and the boastful pride of life\u201d\u00a0(1\u00a0John 2:16), raging\u00a0hormones, and lastly, the\u00a0hypersexual culture of\u00a0our day\u2013\u2013you\u00a0usually\u00a0have a receipt for\u00a0spiritual disaster.\u00a0Perhaps God would have us think differently about this issue of\u00a0finding a Christian mate.\u00a0How different from the world would it be for\u00a0us as\u00a0parents to\u00a0be actively involved in\u00a0helping\u00a0our\u00a0son or daughter pick out a spouse that would meet the expectations of\u00a0Ephesians 5\u00a0and\u00a01 Peter 3\u2013\u2013submission, sacrificial giving, love, respect,\u00a0modesty, gentleness, honor, etc.?\u00a0We desire that our children\u00a0grow\u00a0their relationship with God as strong as possible before they intimately connect their hearts\u00a0with others.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
        \n
      1. To maintain a strong prayer l<\/b>ife<\/b>.<\/b>\u00a0We want them to\u00a0truly\u00a0\u201cpray without ceasing!\u201d\u00a0(1 Thessalonians 5:17).\u00a0I\u2019m not referring to just \u201csaying prayers.\u201d\u00a0When our children see and hear us plead with God and praise\u00a0Him\u00a0on a daily basis\u2013\u2013we are\u00a0voicing our\u00a0faith!\u00a0After\u00a0my father-in-law\u00a0died\u00a0years ago,\u00a0my thoughts while we were hurrying to\u00a0be with my mother-in-law was,\u00a0\u201cI want my children to see and hear where their mom and dad are going to put their faith\u2013\u2013in God!\u201d We prayed\u00a0together\u00a0in the car and numerous times every day for the next few weeks.\u00a0Prayer is the expression of our relationship with\u00a0our\u00a0God!\u00a0They need to hear and see us go to Him for comfort, strength, wisdom, guidance,\u00a0and help in time of need!\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
          \n
        1. To<\/b>\u00a0never be satisfied with their h<\/b>oliness<\/b>.<\/b>\u00a0God\u2019s Word teaches us:\u00a0\u201cBut as\u00a0He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your\u00a0conduct, since it is written, \u2018You shall be holy, for I am holy\u2019\u201d\u00a0(1 Peter 1:15-16). \u201cFollow God\u2019s example, therefore, as dearly loved children and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave\u00a0Himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.\u00a0But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are\u00a0improper for God\u2019s holy people\u201d (Ephesians 5:1-3).\u00a0\u201cI, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called\u201d (Ephesians 4:1).\u00a0A legacy of faith\u00a0comes from a home\u00a0where there is\u00a0a holy discontent with the way things are in our personal lives.\u00a0While we need to be content with what we physically have, we should never be content with our walk with God.\u00a0Parents, we should take constant inventory of our\u00a0relationship\u00a0with God, asking ourselves, \u201cWhat can I give up for God today?\u201d and \u201cHow can I imitate my Father better today?\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
            \n
          1. To stay focused on\u00a0<\/b>H<\/b>eaven during the h<\/b>appy<\/b>\u00a0times as well as the sad times.<\/b>\u00a0Our circumstances do not determine where we spend eternity\u2013\u2013it is our choice!\u00a0Heaven should be a part of our homes, our conversations,\u00a0and our goals in life.\u00a0Heaven is our theme\u00a0in our home.\u00a0This was Paul\u2019s theme too.\u00a0He said, \u201cI have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there\u00a0is in store for me the crown of\u00a0righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day\u2014and not only to me, but also to all\u00a0who have longed for\u00a0His appearing\u201d (2 Timothy 4:7-8).\u00a01 Peter 2:11\u00a0teaches\u00a0us that we are sojourners, pilgrims,\u00a0and\u00a0resident aliens!\u00a0What messages are\u00a0we sending our children? Do we spend more time and energy fixing up our earthly home than preparing for our eternal home?\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

            In no way are we totally consistent with our training.\u00a0I wish we were a\u00a0\u201cperfect family.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 It\u2019s just not going to happen\u2026. So here is our prayer: \u201cThank\u00a0you,\u00a0God,\u00a0for\u00a0your\u00a0patience and grace as we strive for faithfulness with the priorities we have set in our home.\u00a0Please convict us with your\u00a0Word and transform our family into\u00a0Christ\u2019s\u00a0followers who want to please\u00a0You\u00a0alone!\u00a0 In Jesus\u2019 name,\u00a0amen.\u201d\u00a0<\/span>
            \n\u00a0<\/span>
            \n\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

            By Steven D. Minor Last month we started looking at 10 things that we find vital to teach our children. This month we\u2019re considering the last 5\u00a0things that my wife and I are trying to practice when it comes to trying to rear\u00a0our children in \u201cthe way\u201d found in Proverbs 22:6. It is very clear […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"give_campaign_id":0,"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[52,26,66],"tags":[1219,210,1307,25,377,1162],"class_list":["post-5729","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-family","category-marriagehomosexuality","category-think-excerpts","tag-families-of-faith","tag-home","tag-march-2013","tag-marriage","tag-priorities","tag-steven-minor","et-doesnt-have-format-content","et_post_format-et-post-format-standard"],"yoast_head":"\n10 Priorities in our Home - Part 2 - Focus Press<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/tampaseo.expert\/focus\/2018\/01\/08\/10-priorities-home-part-2\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"10 Priorities in our Home - Part 2 - Focus Press\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"By Steven D. Minor Last month we started looking at 10 things that we find vital to teach our children. This month we\u2019re considering the last 5\u00a0things that my wife and I are trying to practice when it comes to trying to rear\u00a0our children in \u201cthe way\u201d found in Proverbs 22:6. 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