God-Empowered Families - Part 5 - Becoming who God made us to be

5. God-Empowered FamiliesOur current focus is on "God in the Family", or "God-Empowered Families".The family unit is the basic building block of any society or nationIf the family unit is strong then the nation will be strongIf the family unit is broken down, the nation will be broken down alsoThe seeds of family breakdown are many times sown in people's lives during their childhood, through:Observing & adopting dysfunctional family dynamicsLack of proper child training & wrong child training         1. The Virtuous Woman of Proverbs 31Proverbs 31:10–31 (NLT)Who can find a virtuous and capable wife? She is more precious than rubies. _ 11 Her husband can trust her, and she will greatly enrich his life. _ 12_ She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life._ _ 13 She finds wool and flax and busily spins it. _ 14_ She is like a merchant's ship, bringing her food from afar._ _ 15 She gets up before dawn to prepare breakfast for her household and plan the day's work for her servant girls. _ 16_ She goes to inspect a field and buys it; with her earnings she plants a vineyard._ _ 17 She is energetic and strong, a hard worker. _ 18_ She makes sure her dealings are profitable; her lamp burns late into the night._ _ 19 Her hands are busy spinning thread, her fingers twisting fiber. _ 20_ She extends a helping hand to the poor and opens her arms to the needy._ _ 21 She has no fear of winter for her household, for everyone has warm clothes. _ 22_ She makes her own bedspreads. She dresses in fine linen and purple gowns._ _ 23 Her husband is well known at the city gates, where he sits with the other civic leaders. _ 24_ She makes belted linen garments and sashes to sell to the merchants._ _ 25 She is clothed with strength and dignity, and she laughs without fear of the future. _ 26_ When she speaks, her words are wise, and she gives instructions with kindness._ _ 27 She carefully watches everything in her household and suffers nothing from laziness. _ 28_ Her children stand and bless her. Her husband praises her:_ _ 29 "There are many virtuous and capable women in the world, but you surpass them all!" _ 30_ Charm is deceptive, and beauty does not last; but a woman who fears the Lord will be greatly praised._ _ 31 _Reward her for all she has done. Let her deeds publicly declare her praise.The book of Proverbs is filled with God's practical wisdom for our livesIt covers virtually every facet of daily livingIt focusses strongly on good character & wise decision-makingIt speaks about the roles & functions of husbands, wives and children within the family unitProverbs 31:10-31 is an acrostic poem from the 22 Hebrew letters, that highlights numerous noble character qualities of the virtuous wife and mother.Every Christian woman should seek to become a virtuous womanAll parents should endeavour to train their children to become virtuous adults         2. The Virtuous Man in ScriptureThere isn't a "block" of Scriptures like Proverbs 31 that speaks about the virtuous husband, but there are numerous passages scattered throughout the Scriptures that paint a clear picture of the godly husband and father.Ezekiel 18:5,9 (NAB) … _ a man is virtuous — if he does what is right and just _ … 9 if he lives by my statutes and is careful to observe my ordinances, that man is virtuous …Ephesians 5:25–33 (NIV)_ Husbands, love your wives, _ just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her _ 26 to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, _ 27_ and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless._ _ 28 In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. _ 29_ After all, no one ever hated their own body, but they feed and care for their body, just as Christ does the church— 30 for we are members of his body._ _ 31 "For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh." _ 32_ This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church._ _ 33 _However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.Colossians 3:19 (NIV)_ Husbands, love your wives _ and do not be harsh with them.1 Peter 3:7 (NLT) In the same way, _ you husbands _ must give honor to your wives. Treat your wife with understanding as you live together. She may be weaker than you are, but she is your equal partner in God's gift of new life. Treat her as you should so your prayers will not be hindered.Every Christian man should seek to become a virtuous man as described in God's Word.        3. Becoming who God made us to beWhen we receive Christ as our Lord and Saviour and become born again, God makes us a new creation and places His love in our spirits.2 Corinthians 5:17 (NLT)This means that _ anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. _ The old life is gone; a new life has begun!2 Corinthians 5:17 (Ampl) … the old [previous moral and spiritual condition] has passed away. Behold, the fresh and new has come!Romans 5:5 (NIV) … _ God's love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit _, who has been given to us.Through the new birth and the empowerment of the Holy Spirit within us, we are now a new personGod's virtue now lives within our spiritWe can all be virtuous men and womenRomans 12:2 (NASB95)And do not be conformed to this world, but _ be transformed by the renewing of your mind, _ so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.Transformation from the "old" to the "new" takes place through renewing our minds with the Word of GodGod's Word not only tells us who God made us to beIt also has the power to transform us to become who God already made us to beIn our recreated spirit, we already are who God intends for us to beBut our minds need to be re-programmed so that this new life can spring forthWhen our mind is being renewed to God's Word through meditating in it, we change into who God made us to beJoshua 1:8 (Msg)And don't for a minute let this Book of The Revelation be out of mind. _ Ponder and meditate on it day and night _, making sure you practice everything written in it. Then you'll get where you're going; then you'll succeed.