Tag: Prayer

A while back, I had the opportunity to observe two families. The setting was at a swimming pool at a hotel. One family was Christian, and the three children had been home schooled all of their lives with God as the center of their schooling and the Bible as the foundation for all that they lived. I know this because I talked to the parents. The other family had all the trappings of the world and typified what most would call the “beautiful people.” Their children were enrolled in a secular, private school and seemed to lack for nothing materially. Both families were there for some educational competition and seemed equal socially.

The families did not know each other, so I was able to observe them in their own environment, separate from each other yet in a common atmosphere. There were differences in age and gender, so they had little reason to interact and remained as autonomous family units.

Over the course of the afternoon, each family obviously had opportunity to interact, resolve differences, and engage in conflict if they were so inclined. That is where the striking differences came forth. The secular family functioned as separate people, loosely joined by a family bond, seemingly only tolerating each other because of that bond. With the father and mother acting as wardens from the sidelines, they trudged through the afternoon, demanding their individual rights, imposing their diverse opinions on each other, and biding their time until it was time to go and do something they had planned for later.  All had something different planned for their individual lives once the pool time ended.

The Christian family was bonded in love and respect for each other. They were a delight to behold as they each seemed to strive to please the other. They embraced the fullness of the day, sharing and loving openly, whole-heartedly enjoying, respecting, and building each other up. They lived the truth of God’s Word as a family. The difference was remarkable, the contrast astounding, and the impact of the truth of the Word in action was evident every moment of the afternoon. The concepts of God and His Word were so lived out by this family that they were “bright” with living truth. Their lives were such a presentation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ that everyone there - even the parents of the other family - noticed that something was different about them. The foundation of their lives, individually and collectively, was biblical truth - and it showed.

Let’s talk more!

Jim Corbett

As I do research for our books and other ministry outreaches, I am pretty astounded by how unaware most people are of the war they are in. They don’t see overwhelming business demands as a tool of the enemy to nullify their real effectiveness. They don’t understand that hours before the television set help erode family unity. Cell phones are divisional devices used to separate families.

Take a look around. Watch how the enemy of everything that God desires is steadily at work to distract, divide, and destroy everything God holds dear in the family unit. He will use anything he can, any way he can, to take the family members’ eyes off of the important and place them on the urgent or the entertaining.

If you think that I’m being a little melodramatic, do this experiment. Pick any device - cell phone, television, business pressure, school, or social engagements and compare the time consumed by them with the time a family spends together communicating and investing in each other.  See how long most families spend quality time together before each member runs off to do something more important. I think you will be amazed at how few people consider their family more important than whatever personal god they serve first. What do you see in your family?

Let’s talk more!

Jim Corbett

To be able to fulfill your offices of husband and father with power and skill, you’re going to need much more than you can do in your own strength. You’re going to need the power of the Holy Spirit continually working in and for you.

The enemy of your family is hard at work attempting to nullify your marriage and destroy the legacy that God intends for your children. If you think that you’re going to be able to fend off the onslaught that is programmed against you, you’re badly mistaken. If you think that there is no war, you are already beaten and just don’t know it.

Visible evidence of his aggression against your family - such as constant strife between you and your wife, children who don’t want to discuss the things of God with you or have little interest in Jesus and the cross - means you have a spiritual battle on your hands. Head knowledge won’t do the trick, so your preaching at them will fall on deaf ears. Your youth pastor is not going to be able to help continually. Your pastor is not the one.

The power to bring vibrancy to your marriage or to win your children back to God lies with you seeking the Lord on their behalf. It’s in your spiritual job description. They are incapable of winning the fight themselves. They need you as a daddy, fighting for their best interest on your knees. It’s time to bend down and hit the carpet, friend. It’s time to call for help from the winner of all battles. His name is Jesus and He’s waiting for you! It’s you He’s chosen for their sake.

Let’s talk more!

Jim Corbett