matt 6:33 seek ye 1st the kingdom of god and his righteousness
Add spiritual weight to the relationship by prayer and living out godly principals. when our relationship is going through tough times, we shouldn't strive to be right we should strive to Godly. when pride dictates our actions we want to hide truth people and are willing to protect our true identity at all costs. hypocrisy, lying being a fake. amenning at church and cussing at home.
Warren Buffet is one of the richest men in America. In 1997, among the 70 or so people in this country who were worth 1 billion dollars or more, Buffet was the only one of only a few who acquired his wealth through investing. Many investors look to him for investment advice. His firm Berkshire Hathaway has one of the most widely read annual reports issued. And a book has been written about his investment strategies; it’s called The Warren Buffet Way.
If you could sit down with Warren Buffet for a while and get some investment tips would you?
Imagine for a moment that your family is your greatest capital.
If you could get some investment tips on how to grow it in quality would you be interested?
We hold in our hands a treasure of investment strategies for growing our family relationships. The Bible, God’s Word in written form, contains countless pro-family principles and precepts. If we learn and practice them they will make our family’s relationally wealthy.
1 Peter 3:7 states You husbands likewise, live with your wives in an understanding way, as with a weaker vessel, since she is a woman; and grant her honor as a fellow heir of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered. (NASB)
Husbands we are directly instructed to understand our wives.
Now I know some husbands who would say that it would be easier to understand quantum physics than to understand their wives.
And guys, I know some wives who would say the same thing about us!
For instance, one husband who was not much of a antiques fan, had a wife who developed an interest in antiquing.
So he took his wife to as many antiques shops as he could.
It cost him some money and time, but proved to be a strong bonding experience for them. One of his friends asked him , “Do you like antiquing that much?” He said, “No, but I like my wife that much!” (2)
How do we develop an understanding spirit? By making the time to really get to know each other. And by making it a point to really listen to each other. I believe it was Yoggi Berra who said, “You can hear an awful lot by just listening.”
James 1:19 states that we should be “quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry.” (NLT)
2. Our anger does not conform to righteous living. Consider the
examples from Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount which could
very well be the background from which James writes. How
did Jesus tell us to respond in situations that might generate anger.
a. If hit on one cheek, turn the other cheek.
b. If a man wants your tunic, give him your cloak too.
c. If forced to go one mile, go a second mile.
APP: Think about the distorting and destructive effects of anger.
But we need to speak wisely and thoughtfully.
Here is a proverb, Prov. 12:18 – “Reckless words pierce
like a sword but the tongue of the wise brings healing.”
Anger turns a person inward to the point where the only thing that matters is their feelings and their cause.
Far from encouraging righteousness, anger takes us into the arena of the fool. Listen to what Proverbs tells us about anger.
A quick-tempered man does foolish things…14:17
A quick-tempered man displays folly…14:29
A hot-tempered man stirs up dissension…15:18
TS – So, we are to adopt an attitude that helps relationships and avoid the anger that harms relationships. Finally see that James tells us…
III. Accept the Word that heals relationships.
A. Get rid of evil which is so prevalent.
1. We must put off or get rid of the evil associated
with the old, pre-conversion life.
2. The term “moral filth” refers to a stain. When used
with the term “get rid of” it presents a clear picture.
The believer is to put off evil like a stained article of
clothing.
3. This language is reflected elsewhere in the NT.
a. Eph. 4:22, 25, 31
b. 1 Pet. 2:1
ILL: Erik Wiehenmayer reached the summit of Mt.
Everest on May 25, 2001. 90% of the climbers who attempt this feat fail. 165 had died trying since 1953. That is amazing in itself.
What makes Erik’s climb even more amazing is that he has been blind since he was 13. How did he succeed? Because he listened well. He listened for a bell tied to the back of the climber in front of him.
He listened for instructions of team mates who would shout directions to him. He listened for the sound of his pick jabbing the ice to know whether it was safe to cross. He made the summit because he listened well.
Proverbs 3:3-4 says 3 Never let loyalty and kindness get away from you! Wear them like a necklace; write them down within your heart. 4 Then you will find favor with both God and people, and you will gain a good reputation. (NLT)
-rom 12:10Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;
-1 thess 5:11Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.
Someone noted, "Man doesn’t live by bread alone. He also needs buttering up."
Words are power in that they can do enormous harm and amazing good.
ยท By pointing out the positive.
A reporter once asked Andrew Carnegie the great entrepreneur of the previous generation why he hired 43 millionaires to work for him. Carnegie pointed out that those men were not millionaires when he hired them.
The reporter then asked, “How did you develop these men to become so valuable to you that you paid them so much money?”
Carnegie replied that people are developed the same way gold is mined.
When gold is mined, several tons of dirt must be moved to get an ounce of gold; but you don’t go into the mine looking for dirt – you go in looking for gold!(5)
Start today to look for gold in your child, in your spouse and in your parents.
Jesus certainly must have seen the gold in the disciples he chose.
Colossians 3:13 states Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. (NLT)
You and I will never enjoy the panoramic vistas our relationships have to offer if we don’t become good listeners. There is a husband or wife here today who could dramatically improve their marriage if they would practice listening.
There is a parent or child who could enter a new level of love and trust if they would listen.
There are brothers and sisters in Christ here today who by listening could come to understand one another and strengthen their relationships. Dietrich Boenhoffer said, “He who can no longer listen to his brother will soon no longer be listening to God.”
home It is the place where character is taught and caught. It is where we learn that we are loved and cared for.
It is where we learn that we have worth and have something to contribute. It should be where we learn that we can be forgiven when we have failed.
It is where parents model for their children what God is like and how he relates to us. It is where children learn obedience so that they will understand what it means to obey God. Home is where we learn who God is and learn to love him
. Home is where we learn who we are and who others are. We learn to live with other people and take them into consideration. We learn to live unselfishly. All of this is God’s intent and design.
The Bible says, “Love is very patient and kind, never jealous or envious, never boastful or proud, never haughty or selfish or rude. Love does not demand its own way. It is not irritable or touchy.
It does not hold grudges and will hardly even notice when others do it wrong. It is never glad about injustice, but rejoices whenever truth wins out.
If you love someone, you will be loyal to him no matter what the cost.
You will always believe in him, always expect the best of him, and always stand your ground in defending him.” (1 Corinthians 13:4-7, Living Bible).
Karen Carpenter, the golden-voiced singer from the 70’s, died at a young age from anorexia and bulimia because one day she heard someone say that she was Richard’s “chubby little sister.”
Our words can hurt or they can heal. Christians are people who restore other people. We are to bless each other with our words. The Bible says, “If you keep on biting and devouring each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other” (Galatians 5:15).
We need to look for ways that we can encourage, compliment and build each other up rather than tear each other down.
The words we say in our homes will determine our sense of self-worth. The Bible says,
“Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of malicious behavior. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you” (Ephesians 4:31-32).
A problem can never be healed if it is never confronted.
Many families deal with conflict by pretending it does not exist.
They sweep it under the carpet and live in denial rather than experience the pain of facing the truth and working through the problems. Many families become dysfunctional because they are living with unresolved conflicts and refuse to face them.
We don’t want to continue those dysfunctions, we want to stop them and even reverse them. We say to ourselves, our family, and to God: “This far and no further. We will not allow the sins and sickness of past generations affect our family and home. There will be no abuse of any kind here.
-humble yourself and do something about it. (Matthew 18:3-4)
3. And he said: "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 4. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
Practical
