A CONSECRATED FAMILY

Starting Time: 12.00 Midnight

It's been a long time since I last wrote something on my blog. Much as I would like to place it on the fact that I have to care for my wife and at the same time my responsibility as a pastor increases I have to admit that that would be a rather lame excuse. Surprisingly I still could find time watching some TV Series! That's an irony, isn't it? Of course I would argue that the TV times are my "de-stressing" time but really?

Earlier on I was preparing my sermon for this coming Sunday. I was looking at the whole aspect of a consecrated family. My wife was telling me that since she was not well we haven't been having family altar where we read the Bible together and pray for one another, those in need, and for missionaries. But my reminder to her is that for the most significant part of our children's growing up have been around our little family altars. We have been faithful in planting the Word of God into our children. Now that they are all grown up the onus is on them to let that Word be their pillar, their foundation, and their source of guidance. Our prayer is to see them consecrate their own family - a family set apart for God, a family that worships His majesty, a family that stands firm on godly values - faithful, loving, kind and gentle, and a family that will do their best to present themselves to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, RIGHTLY HANDLING the Word of truth (2 Timothy 2:14).

What are some of the things I discover about a consecrated family?

1. Thankfulness - the attitude of a consecrated family
2. Calling (Entering into a covenant relationship with God) - the measure of a consecrated family
3. Testing and trials - the strength of a consecrated family
4. Yielded-ness - the mark of a consecrated family
5. Forgiveness - the grace of a consecrated family
6. Worship - the posture of a consecrated family
7. Overcoming - the result of a consecrated family

Each of the above areas is worth meditating and reflecting. How do we bring about such qualities into our lives and that of our families? How do we inculcate an attitude of gratitude to God and to each other? Where do we start in our perception, our presuppositions, and prejudices especially to those who are closest to us? It has been said that we hurt more deeply those who are closest to us. And in the same vein we get hurt more painfully by those who are closest to us. That's for the point on thankfulness!

What about the calling of the family in the economy of God? What about trials and testing of life? How do we response to it? Are difficulties and problems that we face in life cause by the devil or someone else's evilness? Are our family yielded to the Lordship of Christ? Are our family decisions, plans, and future locked into Christ or our own good ideas?

We have to have forgiveness ever present in our home because there is no perfect family only imperfect sinners saved by the grace of God. We need to inculcate worship into the lives of those who lives under our roof. We need to focus on God - trust in His ability to lead - so that we will experience victory in our lives and in our family. If there is no war to wage there is no victory to talk about. So if we want to have victory in our family we need to overcome the giants in our lives.

I have said quite a bit I shall pen off now. You can ask for the Video of my sermon after I deliver it this coming Sunday.

Ending Time: 12.51 am