We can achieve, strive, toil, and become wildly successful but ultimately fail at what matters most.
Matthew 22:36-39 NLT “Teacher, which is the most important commandment in the law of Moses?” Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’
What matters most is our relationships.
First with God and then second with others. Jesus makes it sound so simple. Relationships matter most. But in practice, it is much more complicated because we learn to love long before we can express it.
“The family relationship is the first intimate relationship of your life, and you apply what you learn to later relationships- U.S. Department of Health and human services.
- Young adults who were raised in a healthy families are more likely to have a healthy romantic relationship.
- Parenting
- Professional interpersonal communications skills
- Decision making
How would you answer this question?
Tell me about your family. Not just your family today but the one you grew up in?
You may have Jesus in your heart, but Grandpa is still in your bones. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality.
To have healthy relationships in the future, we have to deal with the relationships of our past.
We didn’t choose the family we were born into.
Not Everyone has the same family experience.
Every family has a little crazy in it.
The Bible does not give us an ideal image of family
1 Peter 4:8 NIVAbove all, love each other deeply because love covers over a multitude of sins.
Three Decisions that will immediately change your family:
Decide to make God the priority
Joshua 24:13-15 NIV So I gave you a land on which you did not toil and cities you did not build, and you live in them and eat from vineyards and olive groves that you did not plant.’ “Now fear the Lord and serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your ancestors worshiped beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”
For Me=, Lead by example
And my House= Lead by authority(environment)
Decide to put in the Work to make it Work
All healthy Relationships require EFFORT to THRIVE.
Three tools that every family needs to thrive
Compass- vision for your family
Calendar-plan your schedule around your vision.
Clock – spend time doing things that will enrich your family and create
Which Effort Zone are you Leading your family from?
The Coasting Zone= I do as little as possible.
The Comfort Zone= I do what I’ve always done.
The Challenge Zone= I attempt to do what I haven’t done before.
The Creative Zone= I attempt to think what I have never thought before
Decide to Forgive Each Other
Mathew 12:25 NLT Jesus knew their thoughts and replied, “Any kingdom divided by civil war is doomed. A town or family splintered by feuding will fall apart.
Hebrews 12:14-15 NIV Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.
Ephesians 4:26-27 MSG Don’t go to bed angry. Don’t give the Devil that kind of foothold in your life.