Acts 16:31 – And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.” Depending upon which English translation of the Bible you prefer, the word “family” appears upwards of 700 times. The Bible also refers to a family unit as a “house” or “household” some 2,000 times. In … Read more
Psalm 68:6 (NIV) – God places the lonely in families… When our children were little, I would tuck them into bed, pray with them, read Scripture with them, and sing with them. One night, one of the kids asked what the Trinity was like. I was straining to explain this complex concept, and so I … Read more
1 Corinthians 6:19-20 – Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body. There are three layers to a family system. First, there … Read more
Genesis 1:27 – So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. People, including yourself, are not just individuals but individuals in relationship. Your relationships, starting with your family, mark and shape you in good and bad ways. You cannot really know … Read more
Genesis 1:28 – God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.” When I had the honor of officiating the weddings of … Read more
Colossians 3:12-13 – Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. Family. Few words elicit as many memories and emotions … Read more
Genesis 2:24 (KJV) – Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh. Some years ago, we needed some woodwork done at our home and hired a craftsman for the job. He was a very nice, social extrovert with a big smile. … Read more
2 Corinthians 5:8 – Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord. Many years after the death of my Grandpa George, history repeated itself when my wife Grace got a call shortly after Christmas that her dad was dying. We were out … Read more
1 Thessalonians 2:11-12 – For you know how, like a father with his children, we exhorted each one of you and encouraged you and charged you to walk in a manner worthy of God, who calls you into his own kingdom and glory. Pastoring a flock is a lot like parenting a family. As a … Read more
1 Thessalonians 4:14 – For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. The new Christians in Thessalonica were struggling with the same things we are. They had a corrupt government, bankrupt culture, enemies and critics, and as new Christians, … Read more
Jude 1a – Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ and brother of James… In a book I wrote a few years ago called Spirit-Filled Jesus, I explain saying, “Beyond a few of their names, we know very little about Jesus’ brothers and sisters except for His half-brothers James and Jude. Although he was Jesus’ brother (Matt. … Read more
Ephesians 5:31 – “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” Every time I talk about this and answer this question, all the young couples are like “That was great!” and the parents are like “We hate you!” So let me … Read more