God Demands Righteous Families

 *DAILY  MANNA*

*THURSDAY 10TH NOVEMBER, 2022*

*GOD DEMANDS RIGHTEOUS FAMILIES*

📜 *TEXT:EPHESIANS 6:1-9*📜

🔑📖```KEY VERSE:``` _*"And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord" (EPHESIANS 6:4).*_

A little girl was punished for some act of disobedience. Her mother decided that her punishment would be to eat her dinner alone in the corner of the dining table while the rest of the family sit on the other side of the table. As they sat down to eat that night, the family ignored and paid no attention to her until they heard her pray, "I thank Thee, Lord, for preparing a table before me in the presence of my enemies." She felt so lonely and forsaken.

From the text under consideration, children are commanded to obey and honour their parents. Parents are to bring up their children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. They are not to provoke them unto wrath through unscriptural methods of child upbringing. Servants are to obey their masters, whether they are believers or not. Masters (employers) are also commanded to forbear threatening and oppressing their workers, knowing that God is the Master over all and before Him, there is no respect of persons, whether high or low.

Family is very important. It was set up right from the beginning, even before the Church came into being. It is designed as a place of security, peace and love. Child upbringing is suppose to take place in a family of godly parents. Our homes are to be built firmly on Christ the Saviour, with the Bible as the constitution. It is supposed to be a school where children learn godly principles from their parents under an atmosphere that is conducive and devoid of hatred and disharmony.

The devil is waging war against the family today. Many children are wayward due to the influence of alcohol, drug addiction and violent behaviour fuelled by the kind of music they listen to and what they watch on TV and the internet. Building up and strengthening godly families is the best solution to the societal problems today.

✍🏽```THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:``` _*Build your home; build the world.*_

📜THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:*1 KINGS 19-20*📜

          *MEDITATION*

*THE BELIEVER'S CONDUCT IN A GODLY FAMILY*

*1. THE DIVINELY ORDAINED FAMILY RELATIONSHIP*

a. Every person must belong to a family set up including both the natural and spiritual. This is divine order. Do you have a natural family belonging or you are a lone ranger? Do you have a spiritual family belonging or you just move from one fellowship to another? You must belong🤷‍♂️

b. Every member has his/her own divinely defined responsibility and a negligent person will be called irresponsible. 

Are you playing your own part in both your natural and spiritual family? Check the text again for your own basic responsibility in the family.

c. In order to fit in into God's plan, there must be forgiveness and reconciliation where there are offenses.

*Question*

The words describing individual responsibilities in the text are obedience, honour and nurture among others. What are the virtues needed in order to fulfil your responsibilities? 

*Hint:* Humility is prerequisite to obedience; spirituality and good example is needed in order to nurture effectively.

*2. THE SECULAR FAMILY RELATIONSHIP*

a. For believers, the secular work relationship should also operate as a family.

b. It is made up of *"servants"* and *"masters",* *leaders and subordinates,* *seniors and juniors.*

c. In most cases, every secular worker play the dual role of a master and servant at the same time. A boss is also a servant to another boss while a godly boss must learn to be a servant of all in some measure in order to show forth the glory of God.

*Question*

a. How can a Boss or Master be a servant to all and still yet be in charge?

b. What are some duties of a servant and a boss as outlined in vv6-9?

c. What are the forbidden practices that will attract divine frown as a godly servant or godly boss?

d. Something significant in the text: Secular services are services to God and will be rewarded by God in addition to the reward by employers. Check vv6,7,8. 

*CAUTION:*

 Don't compare your faithfulness to another person's own and don't let your obedience be dependent on the obedience of others.  Just play your own part faithfully and God will reward you openly.

*PRAYER POINTS*

1. Ask God to forgive you if you have been living as if you don't have to belong to a family🙏

2. Ask God to forgive if you have not been playing your part in either the spiritual,  natural or secular family very well🙏

3. Promise God that you will rise to your responsibilities and ask for grace to be faithful 🙏

4. Ask God to visit each family unit and its members in the church with grace to be faithful🙏

*HYMN* 

*WHERE COULD I GO?*

1. Living Below In This Old Sinful World,

Hardly A Comfort Can Afford;

Striving Alone To Face Temptations Sore,

Where Could I Go But To The Lord?

*Refrain*

Where Could I Go, O Where Could I Go?

Seeking A Refuge For My Soul?

Needing A Friend To Help Me In The End,

Where Could I Go But To The Lord?

2. Neighbours Are Kind, I Love Them Every One,

We Get Along In Sweet Accord;

But When My Soul Needs Manna From

Above, Where Could I Go But To The Lord?

*Refrain*

3. Life Here Is Grand With Friends I Love So Dear,

Comfort I Get From God’s Own Word;

Yet When I Face The Chilling Hand Of Death,

Where Could I Go But To The Lord?

*Refrain*