Do you have a strong family?

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Therefore you shall keep his statutes and his commandments, which I command you today, that it may go well with you and with your children after you… --Deuteronomy 4:40 How’s your family life? Do you have a strong family? There’s a lot of attention paid today to what’s wrong with our families. But in one study at the University of Nebraska, researchers looked at the strengths of successful homes and families. They found six common qualities that identify strong families: Strong families are committed to the family. Strong families spend time together. Strong families have good family communication. Strong families express appreciation to one another. Strong families have a spiritual commitment. Strong families are able to work together to solve problems in a crisis. As I look at this list, I believe the key to each ingredient is parenting. Successful families have parents who take the lead in each of these vital areas. So, what about you? Are there any areas above that you could work on as a parent? Do you have a spiritual commitment so that your family has a spiritual commitment? Do you express appreciation to your spouse and children? Do you foster open communication? Is spending time together important to you? I want to challenge you today, as a parent, to go through this list and see how you check out. Then, determine to take the lead as a mom or dad in each of these vital areas! PICK ONE CHARACTERISTIC OF SUCCESSFUL FAMILIES TO FOCUS ON THIS WEEK. Ignoring the Need Monday, January 13, 2020 by Dr. Paul Chappell “And it came to pass, that, as Jesus sat at meat in his house, many publicans and sinners sat also together with Jesus and his disciples: for there were many, and they followed him. And when the scribes and Pharisees saw him eat with publicans and sinners, they said unto his disciples, How is it that he eateth and drinketh with publicans and sinners? When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” Mark 2:15-17 The Pharisees in Jesus’ day were utterly devoted to the outward observance of forms and traditions which they had added on to the commandments God had given to His people. Their outward and ostentatious righteousness was not matched with inward holiness. Jesus said, “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness” (Matthew 23:27). It was their very dependence on their own works and their self-satisfied, though unearned, sense of righteousness that prompted them to ignore Jesus and His calls to repentance. They did not view themselves as being in need of anything, and viewed the work Jesus did to reach out to those whose sins were obvious on the outside rather than hidden within as a disqualifying mark on His character. In truth, they needed salvation and grace as much as those they condemned. God was not impressed by their hypocritical works. But they ignored their need for Him, believing that they had all they needed. Many times we ignore a warning from God either in the Bible, in preaching, or in conversation with friends because we have convinced ourselves that we are fine just like we are. Yet God who sees our hearts knows how desperately we need His cleansing. Today's Growth Principle: A proper response to God’s Word does not begin with applying it to others, but to ourselves.