Reclaim Family Worship

Family ministry is impacting the lives of mom’s and dad’s to live out their faith in a manner that will leave a lasting legacy for the glory of Christ.  Here, I will leave you with some thoughts on some passages that God has laid on my heart.  The Scriptures are TRUTH from God’s Word that we can use in our homes for His glory! Let me know your thoughts!!!

Isaiah 40- I am not going to write out the entire chapter, so please read all of Isaiah 40.

This passage of Scripture is so powerful!  As I read through it, I was challenged to think of the idols that I have raised up in my life that have taken precendence before the everlasting God.  I was challenged in verses 18-20 when Isaiah spells out the truth of what an idol is, “To whom then will you liken God, or what likeness compare  Him? An idol! A craftsman casts it, and a goldsmith overlays it with gold and casts for it silver chains.  He who is too impoverished for an offering chooses wood that will not rot; he seeks out a skillful craftsman to set up an idol that will not move.”  The ESV commentary describes these verses in this way, “God alone is God.  Isaiah looks with sarcasm at idol-manufacture.  His simple description, without further comment, is mockery enough.”  It is amazing when you read those verses to think of the sheer stupdity of idolness, as Isaiah says this idol will not move!  But then I began to think of the sheer stupidity of what I have made into idols; TV, Sports, Busyness etc.  And then I think, how has this idolness taken away from my family?  I challenge you today to read through Isaiah 40 and think of how great our God is and cast down any idol that is taking the place of our God.  Cast down the idols that keep you from worshipping the Lord in your home with your family.  Cast down the idols that keep you from praying with your spouse.  Finally, read Isaiah 40:29-31 outloud over and over again to your family.  Read them with exclamation and excitement because our God is the everlasting God!! 

Luke 22:7-8- “Then came the day of Unleavened Bread, on which the Passover lamb had to be sacrificed.  So Jesus sent Peter and John saying, “Go and prepare the Passover for us, that we may eat it.”

In our staff meeting the other day, this was the text that our pastor used for our devotional time together.  As we as a staff sat there and discussed this passage, some neat truths came to us.  First, what was it like for Peter and John to go and prepare the passover meal for Jesus?  We discussed that the act of going and preparing the passover meal in and of itself was worship.  Peter and John were obeying what their Lord had told them to do and were worshipping Him through it.  So, then, that made me think, how do we worship in our homes through our obedience to Christ?  Romans 12:1-2 is what can help us with that.  Second, Peter and John were preparing to worship with their Lord.  This Passover meal was going to be a celebration together of what had taken place in the Passover.  They were about to take of the Lord’s Supper and worship together.  So, this made us think, how much time through the week are we truly preparing ourselves and our homes for worship?  Are we, as dads and moms, taking the truth of scripture, and loving Christ through what He has commnaded us to do?  Are we taking the time to prepare our homes for worship, both in the home and also in the corporate setting as we come together?  There is great truth that can come out of this text that I hope will fill your homes with the truth of God’s Word!

Hebrews 2:14-18- Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, He himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death He might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all thos who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery.  For surely it is not angels thet he helps, but He helps the offspring of Abraham.  Therefore He had to be made like His brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.  For because He himself has suffered when tempted, He is able to help those who are being tempted

WOW!!! What truth in that scripture that you can use in your homes!  FIRST, the fact that Jesus partook of our flesh to DESTROY satan can be taught over and over again! That is how JESUS CONQUERED DEATH!!!!  Help your children understand the fact that we were slaves to SIN, but because of Jesus we are HEIRS to HIM!!!  SECOND, Teach in the home what it means that Jesus is a MERCIFUL and FAITHFUL high priest.  If you read through the rest of the book of Hebrews, you will be able to understand this so much more!  THIRD, Propitiation is “a sacrifice that bears God’s wrath to the end and in so doing changes God’s wrath toward us into favor.” (from Systematic Theology by Wayne Grudem)  This is a truth that can be taught forever to your children.  Our SIN, which we were slaves to, DESERVES the WRATH of God!  So, instead of putting that wrath on us, Jesus became the propitiation, took on God’s Wrath and in so doing that changed our wrath into favor with God!! WOW!!! What a LOVING GOD we serve!  FINALLY, through our Savior’s suffering and temptation He is able to HELP us who are being tempted.  The truth that we can teach our children that not only did Christ take the Wrath of God but He also was tempted, yet without sin, is amazing.  Our homes can know that when we are tempted we have a Savior who has already been tempted and did not sin and can HELP us through it!!!!!

I pray that these verses will penetrate into your homes at just the right time!!! 

Hebrews 1:3-4.  “He (Jesus) is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of His nature, and He upholds the universe by the word of His power.  After making purification for sin, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become as much superior to angels as the name He has inherited is more excellent than theirs.”

Thought…What a powerful verse this is for us as believers!  If we are struggling with trust, or peace, or hope, or fear, this is a verse that we can find so much truth in!  First, Jesus is the RADIANCE of the glory of God!!! Wow, what does that make you think of?  The dictionary tells us that radiance is the state of beint radiant, which means VIVIDLY BRIGHT AND SHINING- GLOWING!  Wow, Jesus is the one who shines bright the glory of God!  We serve a Savior who is, “the exact imprint of His nature…”  So, our Savior shines the Father’s love and is exactly who He says He is…God!!!  We can trust, hold onto, rely on, the truth that our savior is ALIVE and is God!!! 

We then see that Jesus, UPHOLDS the UNIVERSE by the WORD of HIS POWER!!! What powerful truth is in this!!!! Again, if you are struggling with finding peace or trust in this day in which we live, then rest on the truth that our Lord and Savior is UPHOLDING the UNIVERSE by he WORD of HIS POWER!!!! He is mighty and powerful!!!!!!!

These two verses of Scripture can be taken into your home tonight at taught to your kids/spouse.  If anyone in your family is struggling with finding peace, or trust, or is in fear, please speak these verses out to them!! Discuss them with your family and talk about the great truth of how POWERFUL our Savior is!!!

I pray today that you will be blessed by the words of these two verses in Hebrews!! God is so good to us!!!