God Give Us Christian Homes
By Allan E. McNabb

We had a great week, studying God’s word regarding our families.  We were edified, encouraged, and challenged to make our families more godly.  If we take up the challenge and change our lives, we’ll plant trees rather than cut them down.

We greatly appreciate Bill Fairchild’s work to develop this series of lessons, and share them with us last week!

Plant Trees or Cut Them Down
Bill challenged us with God’s word, illustrating Biblical principles with a well-spoken Chinese proverb — “One generation plants the trees, another gets the shade.”

We were challenged over and over to make the call!  Are you planting trees to shade your children, or cutting them down?

Certainly, the great WWII generation planted trees, although they weren’t perfect.  The next generation tolerated the feel good philosophy of the hippy movement, and cut some of them down.  Today, our generation continues cutting down trees by tolerating loose moral standards and the degradation of the traditional family.

More than ever, Christians must “come out from their midst and be separate” . . . “and do not touch what is unclean” (2 Cor. 6:17).

The Hymn — The Question
A couple of times last week, we sang one of my favorite hymns, “God Give Us Christian Homes.”  The song depicts a home where the Bible is loved and taught, the Master’s will is sought, there are strong fathers and queenly mothers, and children are led to know Christ.

God has given us everything we need for a godly home.  The question is, “Will you do what God requires to have a godly home?”  You make the call!

Husbands and Fathers
Husbands and fathers must step up and be the spiritual leaders of their homes.

The Lord wants you to:

• Give yourself up for your family, just as Christ gave Himself up for you (Eph. 5:25).
• Love your wife as your own body, nourishing and cherishing her, as Christ does the church (Eph. 5:28-29).
• Bring your children up in the training and admonition of the Lord without provoking them to wrath (Eph. 6:4).

Wives and Mothers
Wives and mothers leave an indelible mark on their families — a mark made by a godly woman performing her god-given role in her home.
The Lord wants you to:

• Respectfully subject yourself to your husband, as to the Lord (Eph. 5:22, 33).
• Love your husband and children (Tit. 2:4).
• Be workers at home, being subject to your own husband, so that the word of God will not be dishonored (Tit. 2:5).

Children
Although the lessons last week dealt primarily with parenting, there were many valuable lessons for young people.  It was important for them to begin learning about their responsibilities, if they decide to marry and raise a family.  But, young people also have an important role in the family as they grow up.

Think About It and Change
Many times last week, Bill asked, “Are we listening?”  Bill used the word listening the same way Jesus used the word hear when he told the Ephesians, “‘He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches’” (Rev. 2:7).

The Spirit, through God’s divine word, has told us many things about the family.  If we hear what the Spirit says, we will think about the divine truths of God’s word and act, changing our lives and families so we walk closer to God.

I’m sure each of us will think about Bill’s lessons for weeks and months to come.  Many of the things will stay with us for life, and we’ll pass them down from generation to generation.

You can listen to the lessons again.  They’re already on our web site (ReasonForHope.org), thanks to Alan Crim.  You can listen to them over the Internet, download them to your computer, and burn a CD to listen at home, in the car, and at the office.

Let’s think about these lessons and the truths presented from God’s word.  Most importantly, let’s enact change in our families so we walk closer to God.

Are you planting trees to shade future generations, or cutting them down?  You make the call!