The Journey Readings: Week 46... and the basic building block of the church...

This week in Judges... over and over... we saw family dysfunction... dividing God's people...

Husbands with multiple wives... and children with prostitutes... sibling rivalry... leading to murder... jealousy... the break down of communities...

We saw the breakdown of a country's stability... and the unrelenting spiritual attack on family...

Sixty-nine of Gideon's legitimate sons... murdered by the one illegitimate... 

The son of a prostitute... Jephthah... an outcast warrior... called back to be leader of the community... Even with the Spirit of the Lord upon him... he doubted and made a foolish vow to the Lord... resulting in the sacrifice of his one and only child... a daughter... 

 

Why... does the enemy fight so hard... against family...? beginning with husband and wife...?

Because... family is the basic building block of the church...

Jesus described His relationship with the church as husband and wife...

The most sacred of all human relationships... two becoming one... multiplying...

"...For where two or three are gathered in my name,

there am I among them." --- Jesus

Matthew 18:20 ESV

This is the picture... each family... a church...

The enemy attacks marriages... families... creating division... discontent... dissension... tearing His people apart...

Oh... how important... our families are to Him...

Marriage should be honored by all,

and the marriage bed kept pure...

Hebrews 13:4 NIV

"...they are no longer two but one flesh.

What therefore God has joined together,

let no man separate." --- Jesus

Matthew 19:6 ESV

The breakdown of families... leads to breakdown of His church...

The Israelites... really just one big family... tribes... descended from Abraham... the father of faith...

Maintaining unity in families... essential to the health and well-being of His church...

Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity.

It is like precious oil on the head, running down on the beard,

on the beard of Aaron, running down on the collar of his robes!

It is like the dew of Hermon, which falls on the mountains of Zion!

For there the Lord has commanded the blessing, life forever more.

Psalm 133 ESV

Unity among brothers... like the anointing of the first high priest... the establishing of the church...

Find out more about His people... join The Journey...

This week's readings...

Monday                       Judges 13-14

Tuesday                       Judges 15:1 - 16:22

Wednesday                  Judges 16:23 - 18:31

Thursday                     Judges 19

Friday                          Judges 20