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(Jeremiah 6:16 GW) “Stand at the crossroads and look. Ask which

paths are the old, reliable paths. Ask which way leads to blessings.

Live that way, and find a resting place for yourselves.”

Joshua 24:15 NIV - “But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”

• Joshua made a choice for his home. His choice was for his household to serve one God only, to worship one God only. A choice against idolatry and for faithfulness. Regardless of the choices of others Joshua’s wife and children knew which way he would lead them.

The challenges of Joshua’s day are no less than those we live among today. We have to choose to live according to God’s design for us IN OUR HOMES and FAMILIES.

•Is Christ is the head of this house, The unseen guest at every meal, The silent listener to every conversation.

•America’s Number 1 problem is the breakdown of the family.

•Described as “dysfunctional” - if that is the case of society’s top problem then our highest priority must be to build functional families.

•William Bennett calls the family “The fundamental unit of civilization.”

Since the advent of television there has been a wide variety of depictions of the family: Ozzie & Harriet, I love Lucy, Leave it to Beaver, Andy Griffith Show, My Three Sons, Father knows Best, to the Brady Bunch, Sanford & Son, The Munsters, The Adams Family, The Huxtables, The Simpsons, The Bundy's, The Family Guy, The Sopranos, The Bunkers, the Partridge family, The Kardashians

“The family has always been the cornerstone of American society. Our families nurture, preserve, and pass on to each succeeding generation the values we share and cherish, values that are the foundation for our freedoms. In the family we learn our first lessons of God and man, love and discipline, rights and responsibilities, human dignity and human frailty.” Ronald Reagan

Condition of the Modern Family

•Distracted.

(Isaiah 53:6 NIV) “We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way.”

•Divided.

(Mark 3:25 NLT) “A family splintered by feuding will fall apart.”

•Disrespectful.

(Titus 3:3 CEV) “We used to be stupid, disobedient, and

foolish, as well as slaves of all sorts of desires and pleasures.

We were evil and jealous. Everyone hated us, and we hated

everyone.”

•Dysfunctional.

(James 3:14-16 NLT) “But if you are bitterly jealous and there

is selfish ambition in your heart, don’t cover up the truth with

boasting and lying. For jealousy and selfishness are not God’s

kind of wisdom. Such things are earthly, unspiritual, and

demonic. For wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition,

there you will find disorder and evil of every kind.”

Dysfuction is Dangerous - dys means dangerous

•A dysfunctional family is one functioning dangerously

Dangerous for Whom?

1. For the Children - one study found that children of dysfuctional homes have behavior problems, find it more difficult to adjust, & make lower grades. Have a higher drop out rate from school and a higher rate of pregnacy out of wedlock (The Index of Leading Cultural Indicators- William Bennett)

2. For Husbands and Wives - Domestic Violence between spouses; divorce,etc...

3. For Society as a Whole - half the people arrested this year were under the age of 25. Since 1965, juvenile crime rate has soared at a 175 % rate. As families become dysfunctional there is a threat to a nation’s well being.

Establishing House Rules

Clearly defined roles and expectations.

(Judges 21:25 NIV) “In those days Israel had no king; everyone

did as they saw fit.”

(Habakkuk 2:2 GW) “Write the vision. Make it clear on

tablets so that anyone can read it quickly.”

•The Parent MUST be the Parent, Husband , Wife, etc...

"The thing that impresses me most about America is the way parents obey their children." Edward, Duke of Windsor

Strong commitment to one another.

(Philippians 2:3-4 NCV) “When you do things, do not let

selfishness or pride be your guide. Instead, be humble and give

more honor to others than to yourselves. Do not be interested

only in your own life, but be interested in the lives of others.”

(Colossians 3:18-21 NLT) “Wives, submit to your husbands, as

is fitting for those who belong to the Lord. Husbands, love your

wives and never treat them harshly. Children, always obey your

parents, for this pleases the Lord. Fathers, do not aggravate

your children, or they will become discouraged.”

•Family is not an important thing , it’s everything!

"There is no place like home when the people who live there make 'building one another' their highest priority."