1. The Holy Spirit helps us build healthy family relationships in our organizations through the bond of Christ. Jesus said, "It is enough for the student to be like his teacher and the servant like his master...how much more the members of his household." (Matt. 10:25)
Application: Ask the Lord to help you teach everyone the advantages of working as a member of Christ’s household of faith. Trust the Lord to help you emphasize the joint identity, belonging, rights, responsibilities and moral obligations we have to one another.
2. The Holy Spirit uses Godly households to help plant and grow churches that reach out through a network of community relationships. 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... And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved." (Acts 2:46,47)
Application: Ask the Lord to help you work through the already existing network of family relationships in communities to plant and grow churches for the advancement of Christ’s kingdom and righteousness.
3. The Holy Spirit urged Christians to take special care of fellow believers for their mutual benefit. Paul wrote, "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers." (Gal. 6:9,10)
Application: Ask the Lord to help you highlight special help that is rendered to members of Christ’s local believers to enhance unity, loyalty and mutual encouraging.
4. The Holy Spirit helps us teach the contrasting alienation and isolation experienced by non-believers from those who are members of the Christ’s family. Paul wrote, "Through Christ we both have access to the Father. Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God’s people and members of God’s household." (Eph. 2:18,19)
Application: Ask the Lord to help you draw contrasts between the alienation of those outside of the body of Christ and those who enjoy so many benefits, relationships and goals in common.
5. The Holy Spirit helps knock down any superficial differences between people by emphasizing the eternal values we share in Christ. Paul wrote, "For He himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace." (Eph. 2:14,15)
Application: Ask the Lord to help you to resolve any differences between people in your organization by helping all parties focus on the peace, promises and purposes we share in Christ Jesus.
6. The Holy Spirit tends to humble any proud person who tries to become a "superstar" in your organization. James wrote, "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble." (James 4:6)
Application; Ask the Lord to humble any proud person in your organization so that they can gain a greater appreciation for work of the church in advancing Christ’s kingdom and purposes. Even Solomon wrote, "Two are better than one, but whoa to him who is alone." (Eccl. 4:9,10)
7. The Holy Spirit inspired Paul to teach Timothy that church leadership should be proceeded by Godly leadership in the home. Paul wrote, "An overseer, must manage his own family well and see that his children obey him with proper respect. If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God’s church." (I Tim. 3:4,5)
Application: Ask the Lord to help you gain discerning judgment about the quality of leadership in family households before considering men as elders in your organization.
8. The Holy Spirit urges everyone to model Godly unity in their own families. A Godly family life should be a pattern for the kind of love, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithful, and self-control that should be exhibited in every Christian organization. Paul wrote to Timothy, "I am writing these instructions to you so that, if I am delayed you will know how people ought to conduct themselves in God’s household" (Patterned after Godly family life). (I Tim. 3:15)
Application: Ask the Lord to help you conduct a Godly family life in your household that will become a living example for everyone to observe and learn from in your organization.
9. The Holy Spirit develops Godly brother and sister relationships through the family of God to complement our strengths and weaknesses. The equality of status, care and identity is a hallmark of every Godly Christian organization. Paul wrote, "Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves." (Rom. 12:10)
Application; Ask the Lord to help you demonstrate such devotion to one another that your love will be a magnet to draw many more into the household of faith in your communities.
