1. The Holy Spirit teaches us the essential requirements that provide the key ingredients for developing Christ centered families. Paul wrote, "Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love." (Eph. 5:1) Ask the Lord to help your family be more teachable and submissive to the Lord’s requirements for the developing of a Christian home.
2. The Holy Spirit uses the Christ centered family to provide examples for individuals, organizations and churches on how to relate to one another in work, play, prayer and ministries. Paul wrote, "Be careful, then, how you live - not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil." (Eph. 5:15,16) Ask the Lord to help your Christ centered family be an example for how individuals, organizations and churches are to develop healthy relationships.
3. The Holy Spirit showcases the Christ centered family as a model for how loyalty, equal rights, honesty and cooperation should be practiced and developed in all groups. Dr. Luke wrote, "Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts." (Acts 2:46) Ask the Lord to help you develop a Christ centered family that becomes a model for how loyalty, equal rights, honest and cooperation should be practiced in all fellowships.
4. The Holy Spirit enables us to learn from the God centered families of men like Abraham. The Lord blessed Abraham’s faith and godliness who managed to develop a successful family. (Gen. 18:19) As a result of a successful family life, the Lord granted Abraham greater responsibilities. Jesus said, "He who faithful in the little things will be faithful also in much." (Luke 16:10) Ask the Lord to help you be able to manage your own household well before attempting to lead the church of God.
5. The Holy Spirit urges fathers and mothers to fear the Lord and keep all of His commandments. David wrote, "Blessed is the man who fears the Lord, who finds great delight in his commands. His children will be mighty in the land; the generation of the upright will be blessed. Wealth and riches are in his house, and his righteousness endures forever." (Psa. 112:1-3) Ask the Lord to help your family fear God and obey all of His commandments so that He can bless you in everything that is done in your home.
6. The Holy Spirit blesses homes that radiate love, show kind hospitality to visitors and provides a haven of rest for the needy. Paul wrote, "Share with God’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality." (Rom. 12:13) Ask the Lord to help your family to always show love, demonstrate kind hospitality and provide a haven for the needy.
7. The Holy Spirit teaches wives how to graciously submit to their husbands as to the Lord since the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church. (Eph. 5:22,23) Ask the Lord to give your wife gracious submission just as the church submits itself to Christ, the head. Trust the Lord to help your wife realize that she is a slave without rights, but a helper that God has joined with you for His goals.
8. The Holy Spirit urges husbands to faithfully love their wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy. (Eph. 5:25) Ask the Lord to help you love your wife as Christ loves the church without conforming to the pressures of the world.
9. The Holy Spirit teaches fathers how to lead their children with encouragement, comfort and exhortations to live holy lifestyles. (I Cor. 13:4-8) Ask the Lord to help you hold high moral standards for your kids.
10. The Holy Spirit teaches mothers how to raise their children with the fear and admonishment of the Lord. Paul wrote, "We were gentle among you, like a mother caring for her little children. We were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well." (I Thes. 2:7,8) Ask the Lord to give your wife the motherly love, skill and patient wisdom to be effective in raising Godly children. Trust the Lord to help your wife first love and serve God; secondly to submit to you as the head of the family and thirdly to lovingly care for the children’s needs.
11. The Holy Spirit enables husbands and wives to have children so they can demonstrate their spiritual fruitfulness and multiply the image of Christ throughout their community. (Gen. 1:28) Ask the Lord to work in the hearts of couples that are refusing to have children out of disobedience and selfishness.
12. The Holy Spirit helps us produce God fearing and loving children who are testimonies to the fruit of Godly family. The Bible says, "Honor your father and your mother: that your days may be long upon the earth." (Ex. 20:12)_ Ask the Lord to help your family produce God fearing and loving children as evidence of how Christ is honored in all aspects of your family life and ministries.
13. The Holy Spirit helps us produce God fearing and loving extended family members as part of the fruit from your Christ centered family. Ask the Lord to help your family be a great and positive influence on many for Christ and His kingdom.
