God’s Family Plan

The average American family today has 1.86 children. My wife and I were very happy to follow the first command in the Bible, “be fruitful and multiply” (Gen. 1:28). And we did… 9 children later we were a total family of 11! Whew! How did that happen! Well, it did… and today we know we were really blessed! How many families have their own ready-made baseball team, anyhow? For that matter, we had most any other ready-made sport’s team and it seemed we played them all!

In reality I guess, we experienced living through what would have been the equivalent of raising more than four average American families! Even so, we still feel we have so much more to learn and grow in. However, one thing we think we know for sure, of all the battles in the world, the battle for the family is the greatest battle raging in the world today!

But if the Bible is to be God’s standard for family, I am afraid in many ways we are losing or have lost the battle for the family and loosing it big time! And even more shocking, most Christian families don’t seem to have a clue as to what God’s family model was, or that there even was or is a God-given family model. We may discover to our amazement that most of us may have considered being the ideal Christian family model is far from what God ever intended for our family.

There are many books that focus husband/wife marriage or how to raise young children. This book will have very significant implication regarding all of that, but I don’t know one book that focuses on young adult sons and daughters as this book does. And without understanding the Scriptures that the following chapters will reveal, no family will know, much less experience, God’s incredible family model for their own family.

However, if what will be revealed in the following pages is not understood and focused on while a family is younger, it can be much harder to redeem the family for God’s intended family plan when our sons and daughters are older. But it is not impossible, especially with those who really trust God’s Word and want to obey Him.

It is our prayer that you, and every father, mother, son and daughter, will discover God’s intended plan for you and your family, regardless of your age and regardless of where or how your family is now. Our prayer is that you and all your family will catch God’s vision for your family now… and will start now moving to obey all you are going to discover for God’s family plan.

It is NEVER TOO LATE, for you or your family to start following God’s family plan! It is never too late… IF you’re willing to obey one verse:

“Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person [and family] by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you [and your family], which is good and pleasing and perfect” (Romans 12:2).

But we must start with the presupposition that since God created family and this earth for families to live on, He and His Word alone knows best how you and every member in your family should live, be and do. We must start by humbly confessing that what we think is best may not be best after all. Otherwise, we really worship ourselves, our own mind, our own ideas and understanding, instead of what God thinks and instructs in His Word for our family. God said, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding” (Proverbs 3:5). Are we really ready to do that? Are you sure? Will you stop right now and pray for that?

Are we really ready to say “yes” to WHATEVER God would say to me as a son or daughter or as a father or mother? I may not be able to change anyone else in my family but I can say “yes” to God myself, and say, “God transform me into a new person by changing the way I think. Then I will learn to know Your will for me, which is good and pleasing and perfect” (Romans 12:2). Some day it will only be me, by myself, standing alone before the same Lord who wrote this verse… and all the other verses you’re about to be faced with. You’ll have to decide whether you’re going to continue to think and do what you think or what God thinks and says.

I suggest you stop right now and memorize Romans 12:2. If you don’t, God won’t be able to remind you of this verse when your sinful nature will question and then reject all that you are about to see new from His Word. Every chapter is going to be a new discovery and to most it will seem so divergent from the culture of the world today that if you do not quote Romans 12:2, over and over again at that point, you will turn your back on all God is trying to show you. At that moment, in every chapter, you’re going to question, “Is this right?”

Every chapter is based entirely on Scripture but you’ll still question it because it is so foreign to the culture of the world. Your flesh and natural mind will resist. Only then if you actually quote Romans 12:2, to yourself, will you then be able by God’s grace, by God’s power, to say, “Yes Lord, I am going to follow your Word.”

One final word you will need to remember throughout your reading, for the most part all the Scripture we will be looking at is for God’s covenant people, be it in the Old Testament or the New Testament. If you do not have parents and especially a father that is not a true Christian and really wants to follow the Lord with all his heart, some of this book will not be as applicable. However, some chapters will be very helpful if that is your case. But God and the Scriptures, and therefore this book, are primarily focused on God’s family plan, building godly family dynasties, whether you are single, married or hope to be married.