A Family Lesson

As an engineer or an architect has blue prints to follow when building so must a family have a blueprint, God’s blue print, in order to have a properly functioning family.
This Psalm has been called a family psalm by Matthew Henry, a commentator of the Bible, maybe because of the references to the family; Except the LORD build the “house” vs. 1; “Lo children are an heritage.” vs. 3; The fruit of the womb” vs. 3; Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of “them” - them is in reference to children vs. 5.

I. Building by God’s blue print.

A. A house built by man’s intellect is done in vain.
     Ps. 127:1; 33:16-18; Pro. 16:9; 21:30,31

B. Each member is included in the blue print

1. God - Christ - Man - Woman I Cor. 11:3

2. Man as the husband - Eph. 5:25-33; Col 3:19; I Peter 3:7

3. Man as the father - Eph 6:4; Col. 3:21

4. The woman as the wife - Eph. 5:22-24; Col. 3:18; Titus 2:4,5

5. The woman as the mother - Titus 2:4,5

6. The children - Eph. 6:1; Pro. 1:8-10; 2:1-5

C. Marriage defined

1. Gen. 1:28; 2:24 - Marriage is to be between one man and one woman for one life.

2. Marriage was designed for reproduction, Gen. 1:28, 9:1 - Noah was given the same commandment as Adam and Eve and He has not deviated from His blue print.

3. Marriage was designed to protect against Moral Failure in intamacy between the husband and the wife.
    I Cor. 7:1-5

II. There is a Time to work and a time to rest

A. Without the LORD all our work is vain.
     Our families would be for naught without God, as well as our          children’s lives without Him.
     Ps 39:5,6; Ecc. 1:14

B. God gives rest to His beloved.

1. “Early to bed early to rise makes a man healthy wealthy and wise.”
     - Benjamin Franklin

2. Ps. 3:5; 4:8

C. God designed the work week.

1. 1:1-2:3

2. Ex. 20:9-11
    Illustration: The Song Work for the Night is Coming” illustrates work while it is time to work  during the day light hours for rest will come sure and soon.

Note: Rest for one day out of the week is physically, emotionally, and spiritually healthy.

III. A purpose described for the family

A. A personal directon

1. Phil. 3:14

2. Eph. 2:10

3. Ro. 8:29

B. A corporate direction (Ecc. 4:9-12)

1. A family that prays together, stays together

2. I Peter 3:7b “giving honor unto the wife as the weaker [delicate, prized] vessel and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers be not hindered.

IV. A Happy family and equipped

A. Children are a blessing, a miracle, given by God.
     Ja. 1:17

B. Parents are responsible to dedicate their children to the LORD.
     I Sam. 1:27, 28
     - Colleen and I have made it priority to have each one of our children dedicated to the LORD. A baby dedication is really a parent dedication.

I had the awesome opportunity to see each one of our precious children come into the world. I remember after each one was born and hearing their first helpless defendant cry for mommy, that tears would come to my eyes because of this new life and miracle the God saw fit to bless my wife and I with. It is not the parents will that brings children into the world…it is God and God alone.

C. Children are to equipped for service

1. Education - Home School, Christian School, Public School (the first is our personal preference, the second is acceptable; however the third option is not an option for us.)

2. Socially - birthday parties, family reunions, school, church, fairs, clubs, community helping, work etc.
    Note: All Spiritual, Social, Physical growth should be monitored by the parents.

3. Spiritually - Deut. 6:7-9; Pro. 22:6
    Judges 2:10 illustrates what happened to Israel when they did not heed to God’s command of teaching their children about their history. What will happen if we do not teach our children about  history as it was not as the text books say.

Conclusion: As there are blue prints for the engineer and the blue print for the architect so we must follow the blue print of God for the family…for our spouse…for our children…for all our lives.