“Focus on the Family”

1 Timothy 5:8
“Anyone who does not provide for their relatives, and especially for their own household, has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.” (NIV)

I. Charges to Families
Listed below are commands from the Word of God for families.

1. Children are commanded by God to their parents.
Exodus 20:12
“Honor your father and mother. Then you will live a long, full life in the land the Lord your God is giving you.” (NLT)

2. Spouses are commanded by God to each other.
Ephesians 5:33
“However, each man among you without exception is to love his wife as his very own self with behavior worthy of respect and esteem, always seeking the best for her with an attitude of lovingkindness, and the wife must see to it that she respects and delights in her husband that she notices him and prefers him and treats him with loving concern, treasuring him, honoring him, and holding him dear.” (AMP)

3. Siblings are commanded by God to each other.
Proverbs 17:17
“A friend is always loyal, and a brother is born to help in time of need.” (NLT)

4. Grandparents are commanded by God to their grandchildren.
Deuteronomy 4:9
“But watch out! Be careful never to forget what you yourself have seen. Do not let these memories escape from your mind as long as you live! And be sure to pass them on to your children and grandchildren.” (NLT)

5. Parents are commanded by God to their children.
Proverbs 22:6
“Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” (KJV)

II. Challenges for Families
Listed below are common issues families can encounter.

1. is not uncommon for families to encounter.
2 Samuel 13:1, 14
“Now David’s son Absalom had a beautiful sister named Tamar. And Amnon, her half brother, fell desperately in love with her. 14) But Amnon wouldn’t listen to her, and since he was stronger than she was, he raped her.” (NLT)

2. is not uncommon for families to encounter.
2 Samuel 11:2-4
“Late one afternoon, after his midday rest, David got out of bed and was walking on the roof of the palace. As he looked out over the city, he noticed a woman of unusual beauty taking a bath. 3) He sent someone to find out who she was, and he was told, “She is Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam and the wife of Uriah the Hittite.” 4) Then David sent messengers to get her; and when she came to the palace, he slept with her. She had just completed the purification rites after having her menstrual period. Then she returned home.” (NLT)

3. is not uncommon for families to encounter.
Genesis 4:3-5
“When it was time for the harvest, Cain presented some of his crops as a gift to the Lord. 4) Abel also brought a gift—the best portions of the firstborn lambs from his flock. The Lord accepted Abel and his gift, 5) but he did not accept Cain and his gift. This made Cain very angry, and he looked dejected.” (NLT)

4. is not uncommon for families to encounter.
Luke 15:25-28
“Meanwhile, the older son was in the fields working. When he returned home, he heard music and dancing in the house, 26) and he asked one of the servants what was going on. 27)‘Your brother is back,’ he was told, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf. We are celebrating because of his safe return.’ 28) “The older brother was angry and wouldn’t go in. His father came out and begged him.” (NLT)

5. is not uncommon for families to encounter.
Genesis 3:5-6
“God knows that your eyes will be opened as soon as you eat it, and you will be like God, knowing both good and evil.” 6) The woman was convinced. She saw that the tree was beautiful and its fruit looked delicious, and she wanted the wisdom it would give her. So she took some of the fruit and ate it. Then she gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it, too.” (NLT)

III. Christlikeness in Families
Listed below are godly traits that should be displayed in families.

1. should be displayed by family members.
Hosea 3:1
“Then the Lord said to me, “Go and love your wife again, even though she commits adultery with another lover. This will illustrate that the Lord still loves Israel, even though the people have turned to other gods and love to worship them.” (NLT)

2. should be displayed by family members.
Luke 15:20
“So he returned home to his father. And while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him.” (NLT)

3. should be displayed by family members.
Ephesians 5:21-23
“Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. 22) Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord. 23) For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior.” (NIV)

4. should be displayed
by family members.
Ephesians 5:25
“Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.” (NIV)

5. should be displayed by family members.
Genesis 45:9-11
“Now hurry back to my father and tell him, ‘This is what your son Joseph says: God has made me master over all the land of Egypt. So come down to me immediately! 10) You can live in the region of Goshen, where you can be near me with all your children and grandchildren, your flocks and herds, and everything you own. 11) I will take care of you there, for there are still five years of famine ahead of us. Otherwise you, your household, and all your animals will starve.’” (NLT)

IV. Changes within Families
Please list adjustments you would like your family to make in the following areas.

1. Financially-

(MULTILINE)

2. Mentally-

(MULTILINE)

3. Physically-

(MULTILINE)

4. Relationally-

(MULTILINE)

5. Spiritually-

(MULTILINE)