Sunday we looked at Genesis 16 and 21 considering the transformation that had occurred in Abraham's life as he grew in his faithful obedience to God. From this message I want to remind you about 6 principles from Gordon MacDonald's book, The Effective Father.
1. Sharpen your sensitivity to your family’s needs by committing your inner being to God’s laws, fixing a foresightful eye on opportunities and hazards ahead. Doing so, enables you to make sure that every experience builds up your family and matures them.
2. Be devoted to become an instrument and model of the redemptive experience to your family.
3. Fill your families lives with perspectives and patterns that produce wisdom. Exemplify this by lovingly purging your lives (and theirs) of unwholesome influences and tendencies that impede their progress toward maturity.
4. Deliberately set as one of your life’s highest priorities the creation of conditions in your home that will stimulate the growth of your family to their full potential.
5. Accept and affirm your family for who they are while appreciating them for what they are accomplishing, all the while covering them with affection because they are yours.
6. Always be aware that you live on the edge of ineffectiveness and must continually reach out to God for wisdom and skill to accomplish His purposes.
I pray that Fathers and mothers as well will apply these principles to the parenting and relationships that godliness will increase now and in future generations.
