HOW TO ANNOY YOUR FAMILY

Here are some practical ways to make radical changes that will surprise everyone

There are Some Truths about Your Family

1. God CREATED families

In Genesis 4, you read about Cain and Able.  These were the first 2 brothers on earth and they had trouble from the start.

God has a plan for the family

• Growth--this is physical, mental, relational and definitely spiritual.  People were never meant to grow alone and by themselves.

• Nourishment--the family is a place where children can get fed by their parents and parents should be teaching their children to feed off the Word of God.
  

• Health--it must meet the needs of those in the family and not just that.  It must be a progressive place that exist to lead the member forward and not hold them back.

2. God uses family to COMMUNICATE our role in his family

Have you ever been embarrassed about your family?  Not me.  Even at their worst, i will stand up and say, "that's the Batsons".  I am the one who is responsible to teach, nurture and love this core group of people who influence my sense of humor, my sense of safety, my sense of fairness and my sense of love.  But you see I am the father of this family.  Just as I would look out into the crowd and identify my family as Batsons, Jesus looks out at us as his children unless we are hiding behind our sins. 

Jesus, who makes people holy, and those who are made holy are from the same family. So he is not ashamed to call them his brothers (Hebrews 2:11).

3. God has given GUIDELINES for families

What is the number one thing happening in the lives of your family?  Is the tv on all the time?  Are your kids in front of video games?  Are they being challenged to read the word of God and build some convictions about what they believe?  what influences do the friends in your life have in the growth of your family unit?  I think if you stop and take a good look with your blinders off you will see areas of your family that need to follow a different path.

I will obey your teachings forever and ever. So I will live in freedom because I want to follow your orders (Psalm 119:44- 45).

Some Basic Realizations Regarding Success with Your Family

1. Realize that a healthy family BRINGS LIFE

Children, obey your parents the way the Lord wants. This is the right thing to do. The command says, “Honor your father and mother.” This is the first command that has a promise with it (Ephesians 6:1-2).

your immediate family God’s family your future family

2.Realize that you can’t CONTROL your family

“And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength. The second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ No other commandment is greater than these" (Mark 12:30-31).

3. Realize that you can control YOUR ATTITUDE

Each person among you must respect his mother and father . . . I am the Lord your God (Leviticus 19:3).

(Doug Fields outline-how to annoy your family)