Households are not just residences where groups of people live who happen to be related to each other. They're spiritual units where parents and children are bound together with ties of both love and responsibility. In this day and age where kids are often treated like friends or even acquaintances of their parents instead of children, these bonds have been ignored and weakened. Kids are encouraged to argue and challenge the authority of their elders, and adults often back off, thinking that they have to respect the right of their kids to disagree. That’s not how God created the family to function and that’s not how children can grow and flourish into healthy adults. In fact, if we don’t take control of our households in a godly way, God is not able to fulfill His promises to us.
Just as God blessed you with parents and children, they have also been blessed with you as a member of their household. As a marriage mirrors the relationship between Jesus and His people, a family mirrors our relationship with both God and our fellow believers. How you treat the members of your family directly relates to how you treat God. If you are a lax and undisciplined parent, you're teaching your children to be lax and undisciplined towards God, potentially blocking them from a real relationship with Him. You're being casual and lazy with the precious treasure of souls that God has entrusted you with. And of course, if you are harsh, controlling and manipulative, you exasperate your kids so that they end up hardened and resentful.
It’s worth all the effort to learn how to bless your home. If you have no children, bless those you are related to, even if it’s just through small acts of kindness, phone calls and prayers. But for those who are parents and children living under the same roof, remember that God is carefully watching that you keep the atmosphere of your household one of righteousness and justice. Certain words and attitudes should be strictly banned, while others encouraged and praised every day. You may have grown up being taught to be a “good person” and think that’s enough for your kids. But be aware that spiritual powers are at work when you keep your home pure, and other powers are at work when it’s defiled by fleshly things. Abraham had such a respect for keeping his household pure that he even sent away his servant and the mother of his son Ishmael when she created strife and jealousy. He valued the blessings of God so much, that he was ready to show that degree of tough love.
Do you want what God has spoken to you through His promises to come true? Look carefully to the spiritual state of your household so that there will be no obstacle for His blessings to flow.
For I have chosen him, so that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing righteousness and justice, so that the Lord may bring upon Abraham what He has spoken about him. (Genesis 18:19 NASB)
That´s a very interesting theme wich i´ve never tought about... I have no kids, but I live together with a couple, but I could see it serves to help a lot in my case.
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